Concept Of GOD In IslamIt is
a known fact that every
language
has one or more terms that are used in reference
to
God and sometimes to lesser deities. This is not the
case
with Allah. Allah is the personal name of the One
true
God. Nothing else can be called Allah. The term has
no
plural or gender. This shows its uniqueness when
compared
with the word god which can be made plural,
gods,
or feminine, goddess. It is interesting to notice that
Allah
is the personal name of God in Aramaic, the
language
of Jesus and a sister language of Arabic.
The One true God is a reflection of the unique concept
that
Islam associates with God. To a Muslim, Allah is the
Almighty,
Creator and Sustainer of the universe, Who is
similar
to nothing and nothing is comparable to Him. The
Prophet
Muhammad was asked by his contemporaries
about
Allah; the answer came directly from God Himself
in
the form of a short chapter of the Quran, which is
considered
the essence of the unity or the motto of
monotheism.
This is chapter 112 which reads:
"In
the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.
Say
(O Muhammad) He is God the One God, the
Everlasting
Refuge, who has not begotten, nor has
been
begotten, and equal to Him is not anyone."
Some non-Muslims allege that God in Islam is a stern
and
cruel God who demands to be obeyed fully. He is not
loving
and kind. Nothing can be farther from truth than
this
allegation. It is enough to know that, with the
exception
of one, each of the 114 chapters of the Quran
begins
with the verse: "In the name of God, the
Merciful,
the Compassionate." In one of the sayings of
Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) we are told that "God is
more
loving and kinder than a mother to her dear
child."
But God is also Just. Hence evildoers and sinners must
have
their share of punishment and the virtuous, His
bounties
and favors. Actually God's attribute of Mercy
has
full manifestation in His attribute of Justice. People
suffering
throughout their lives for His sake and people
oppressing
and exploiting other people all their lives
should
not receive similar treatment from their Lord.
Expecting
similar treatment for them will amount to
negating
the very belief in the accountability of man in the
Hereafter
and thereby negating all the incentives for a
moral
and virtuous life in this world. The following
Quranic
verses are very clear and straightforward in this
respect:
"Verily, for the Righteous are gardens of
Delight,
in the Presence of their Lord. Shall We then
treat
the people of Faith like the people of Sin? What is
the
matter with you? How judge you?" (68:34-36)
Islam rejects characterizing God in any human form or
depicting
Him as favoring certain individuals or nations on
the
basis of wealth, power or race. He created the
human-beings
as equals. They may distinguish themselves
and
get His favor through virtue and piety only.
The concept that God rested in the seventh day of
creation,
that God wrestled with one of His soldiers, that
God
is an envious plotter against mankind, or that God is
incarnate
in any human being are considered blasphemy
from
the Islamic point of view.
The unique usage of Allah as a personal name of God is
a reflection
of Islam's emphasis on the purity of the belief
in
God which is the essence of the message of all God's
messengers.
Because of this, Islam considers associating
any
deity or personality with God as a deadly sin which
God
will never forgive, despite the fact He may forgive all
other
sins.
The Creator must be of a different nature from the things
created
because if he is of the same nature as they are, he
will
be temporal and will therefore need a maker. It
follows
that nothing is like Him. If the maker is not
temporal,
then he must be eternal. But if he is eternal, he
cannot
be caused, and if nothing outside him causes him
to
continue to exist, which means that he must be
self-sufficient.
And if the does not depend on anything for
the
continuance of his own existence, then this existence
can
have no end. The Creator is therefore eternal and
everlasting:
'He is the First and the Last.'
He is Self-Sufficient or Self-Subsistent or, to use a
Quranic
term, Al-Qayyum. The Creator does not create
only
in the sense of bringing things into being, He also
preserves
them and takes them out of existence and is the
ultimate
cause of whatever happens to them. "God is the
Creator
of everything. He is the guardian over
everything.
Unto Him belong the keys of the heavens
and
the earth." (39:62, 63) "No creature is there
crawling
on the earth, but its provision rests on God.
He
knows its lodging place and it repository." (11:6)
God's Attributes
If the
Creator is Eternal and Everlasting, then His
attributes
must also be eternal and everlasting. He should
not
lose any of His attributes nor acquire new ones. If this
is
so, then His attributes are absolute. Can there be more
than
one Creator with such absolute attributes? Can there
be
for example, two absolutely powerful Creators? A
moment's
thought shows that this is not feasible.
The Quran summarizes this argument in the following
verses:
"God has not taken to Himself any son, nor is
there
any god with Him: For then each god would
have
taken of that which he created and some of them
would
have risen up over others." (23:91) And Why,
"Were
there gods in earth and heaven other than God,
they
(heaven and earth) would surely go to ruin."
(21:22)
The Oneness of God
The
Quran reminds us of the falsity of all alleged gods.
To
the worshippers of man-made objects, it asks: "Do
you
worship what you have carved yourself?" (37:95)
"Or
have you taken unto you others beside Him to be
your
protectors, even such as have no power either for
good
or for harm to themselves?" (13:16)
To the worshippers of heavenly bodies it cites the story
of
Abraham: "When night outspread over him he say a
star
and said, 'This is my Lord.' But when it set he
said,
'I love not the setters.' When he saw the moon
rising,
he said, 'This is my Lord.' But when it set he
said,
'If my Lord does not guide me I shall surely be of
the
people gone astray.' When he say the sun rising, he
said,
'This is my Lord; this is greater.' But when it set
he
said, 'O my people, surely I quit that which you
associate,
I have turned my face to Him Who
originated
the heavens and the earth; a man of pure
faith,
I am not of the idolaters.'" (6:76-79)
The Believer's Attitude
In order
to be a Muslim, i.e., to surrender oneself to God,
it
is necessary to believe in the oneness of God, in the
sense
of His being the only Creator, Preserver, Nourisher,
etc.
But this belief - later on called "Tawhid
Ar-Rububiyyah
is not enough." Many of the idolaters
knew
and believed that only the Supreme God could do
all
this. but that was not enough to make them Muslims.
To
tawhid ar-rububiyyah one must add tawhid
al'uluhiyyah,
i.e., one acknowledges the fact that is God
alone
Who deserves to be worshipped, and thus abstains
from
worshipping any other thing or being.
Having achieved this knowledge of the one true God,
man
should constantly have faith in Him, and should
allow
nothing to induce him to deny truth. When faith
enters
a person's heart, it causes certain mental states
which
result in certain actions. Taken together these
mental
states and actions are the proof for the true faith.
The
Prophet said, "Faith is that which resides firmly in
the
heart and which is proved by deeds."
Foremost among those mental states is the feeling of
gratitude
towards God, which could be said to be the
essence
of 'ibada' (worship). The feeling of gratitude is
so
important that a non-believer is called 'kafir,' which
means
'one who denies a truth' and also 'one who is
ungrateful.'
A believer loves, and is grateful to God for the bounties
He
bestowed upon him, but being aware of the fact that
his
good deeds, whether mental or physical, are far from
being
commensurate with Divine favors, he is always
anxious
lest God should punish him, here or in the
Hereafter.
He, therefore, fears Him, surrenders himself to
Him
and serves Him with great humility. One cannot be
in
such a mental state without being almost all the time
mindful
of God. Remembering God is thus the life force
of
faith, without which it fades and withers away.
The Quran tries to promote this feeling of gratitude by
repeating
the attributes of God very frequently. We find
most
of these attributes mentioned together in the
following
verses of the Quran: "He is God; there is no
god
but He, He is the Knower of the unseen and the
visible;
He is the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate.
He
is God, there is no God but He. He is the King, the
All-Holy,
the All-Peace, the Guardian of Faith, the
All-Preserver,
the All-Mighty, the All-Compeller, the
All-Sublime.
Glory be to God, above that they
associate!
He is God the Creator, the Maker, the
Shaper.
To Him belong the Names Most Beautiful. All
that
is in the heavens and the earth magnifies Him; He
is
the All-Mighty, the All-Wise." (59:22-24)
"There is no god but He, the Living, the Everlasting.
Slumber
seizes Him not, neither sleep; to Him belongs
all
that is in the heavens and the earth. Who is there
that
shall intercede with Him save by His leave? He
knows
what lies before them and what is after them,
and
they comprehend not anything of His knowledge
save
such as He wills. His throne comprises the
heavens
and earth; the preserving of them oppresses
Him
not; He is the All-High, the All-Glorious." (2:255)
"People of the Book, go not beyond the bounds in your
religion,
and say not as to God but the truth. The
Messiah,
Jesus son of Mary, was only the Messenger of
God,
and His Word that He committed to Mary, and a
Spirit
from Him. So believe in God and His
Messengers,
and say not, 'Three.' Refrain; better is it
for
you. God is only one God. Glory be to Him - (He is)
above
having a son." (4:171)
Concept Of Worship In Islam
Concept Of Worship In IslamThe
concept of worship in
Islam
is misunderstood by many people including some
Muslims.
Worship is commonly taken to mean
performing
ritualistic acts such as prayers, fasting, charity,
etc.
This limited understanding of worship is only one
part
of the meaning of worship in Islam. That is why the
traditional
definition of worship in Islam is a
comprehensive
definition that includes almost everything
in
any individual's activities. The definition goes
something
like this: "Worship is an all inclusive term for
all
that God loves of external and internal sayings and
actions
of a person." In other words, worship is
everything
one says or does for the pleasure of Allah.
This,
of course, includes rituals as well as beliefs, social
activities,
and personal contributions to the welfare of
one's
fellow human-beings.
Islam looks at the individual as a whole. He is required to
submit
himself completely to Allah, as the Quran
instructed
the Prophet Muhammad to do: "Say (O
Muhammad)
my prayer, my sacrifice, my life and my
death
belong to Allah; He has no partner and I am
ordered
to be among those who submit, i.e.; Muslims."
(6:162,
163) The natural result of this submission is that
all
one's activities should conform to the instructions of
the
one to whom the person is submitting. Islam, being a
way
of life, requires that its followers model their life
according
to its teachings in every aspect, religious or
other
wise. This might sound strange to some people who
think
of religion as a personal relation between the
individual
and God, having no impact on one's activities
outside
rituals.
As a matter of fact Islam does not think much of mere
rituals
when they are performed mechanically and have
no
influence on one's inner life. The Quran addresses the
believers
and their neighbors from among the People of
the
Book who were arguing with them about the change
of
the direction of Qibla in the following verse: "It is not
righteousness
that you turn your faces toward the East
or
the West, but righteous is he who believes in Allah
and
the Last Day and the Angels and the Book and the
Prophets,
and gives his beloved money to this relatives
and
the orphans and the needy and for the ransoming
of
captives and who observes prayer and pays the
poor-due;
and those who fulfill their promises when
they
have made one, and the patient in poverty and
affliction
and the steadfast in time of war; it is those
who
have proved truthful and it is those who are the
God-fearing."
(2:177)
The deeds in the above verse are the deeds of
righteousness
and they are only a part of worship. The
Prophet
told us about faith, which is the basis of worship,
that
it "is made up of sixty and some branches; the
highest
of which is the belief in the Oneness of Allah,
i.e.,
there is no God but Allah and the lowest in the
scale
of worship is removing obstacles and dirt from
people's
way."
Decent work is considered in Islam a type of worship.
The
Prophet said: "Whoever finds himself at the
nightfall
tired of his work, God will forgive his sins."
Seeking
knowledge is one of the highest types of worship.
The
Prophet told his companions that "seeking
knowledge
is a (religious) duty on every Muslim." In
another
saying he said: "Seeking knowledge for one
hour
is better than praying for seventy years." Social
courtesy
and cooperation are part of worship when done
for
the sake of Allah as the Prophet told us: "Receiving
your
friend with a smile is a type of charity, helping a
person
to load his animal is a charity and putting some
water
in your neighbor's bucket is a charity."
It is worth noting that even performing one's duties is
considered
a sort of worship. The Prophet told us that
whatever
one spends for his family is a type of charity; he
will
be rewarded for it if he acquires it through legal
means.
Kindness to members of one's family is an act of
worship
as when one puts a piece of food in his spouse's
mouth.
Not only this but even the acts we enjoy doing
very
much, when they are performed according to the
instructions
of the Prophet, are considered as acts of
worship.
The Prophet told his companions that they will
be
rewarded even for having sexual intercourse with their
wives.
The companions were astonished and asked:
"How
are we going to be rewarded for doing
something
we enjoy very much?" The Prophet asked
them:
"Suppose you satisfy your desires illegally; don't
you
think that you will be punished for that?" They
replied,
"Yes." "So," he said, "by satisfying it legally
with
your wives you are rewarded for it." This means
they
are acts of worship.
Thus Islam does not consider sex a dirty thing that one
should
avoid. It is dirty and sinful only when it is satisfied
outside
marital life. It is clear, from the previous
discussion
that the concept of worship in Islam is a
comprehensive
concept that includes all the positive
activities
of the individual. This of course is in agreement
with
the all inclusive nature of Islam as a way of life. It
regulates
human life on all levels: individual, social,
economic,
political and spiritual. That is why Islam
provides
guidance to the smallest details of one's life on
all
these levels. Thus following these details is following
Islamic
instructions in that specific area. It is a very
encouraging
element when one realizes that all his
activities
are considered by God as acts of worship. This
should
lead the individual to seek Allah's pleasure in his
actions
and always try to do them in the best possible
manner
whether he is watched by his superiors or he is
alone.
There is always the permanent supervisor, who
knows
everything, namely, Allah.
Discussing the non-ritual worship in Islam first does not
mean
undervaluing the importance of the ritual ones.
Actually
ritual worship, if performed in true spirit,
elevates
man morally and spiritually and enables him to
carry
on his activities in all walks of life according to the
Guidance
of God. Among ritual worships, Salah (ritual
prayer)
occupies the key position for two reasons. Firstly,
it
is the distinctive mark of a believer. Secondly, it
prevents
an individual from all sorts of abominations and
vices
by providing him chances of direct communion with
his
Creator five times a day, wherein he renews his
covenant
with God and seeks His guidance again and
again:
"You alone we worship and to You alone we
turn
for help. Guide us to the straight path." (1:5,6)
Actually
Salah is the first practical manifestation of Faith
and
also the foremost of the basis conditions for the
success
of the believers: "Successful indeed are the
believers
who are humble in their prayers."(23:1-2)
The
same fact has been emphasized by the Prophet
(PBUH)
in a different way. He says: "Those who offer
their
Salah with great care and punctuality, will find it
a light,
a proof of their Faith and cause of their
salvation
on the Day of Judgment."
After Salah, Zakah (poor-due) is an important pillar of
Islam.
In the Quran, Salah and Zakah mostly have been
mentioned
together many times. Like Salah, Zakah is a
manifestation
of faith that affirms that God is the sole
owner
of everything in the universe, and what men hold
is
a trust in their hand over which God made them
trustees
to discharge it as He has laid down: "Believe in
Allah
and His messenger and spend of that over which
He
made you trustees." (57:7) In this respect Zakah is
an
act of devotion which, like prayer, brings the believer
nearer
to his Lord. Apart from this, Zakah is a means of
redistribution
of wealth in a way that reduces differences
between
classes and groups. It makes a fair contribution
to
social stability. By purging the soul of the rich from
selfishness
and the soul of the poor from envy and
resentment
against society, it stops up the channels
leading
to class hatred and makes it possible for the
springs
of brotherhood and solidarity to gush forth. Such
stability
is not merely based on the personal feelings of
the
rich; it stands on a firmly established right which, if
the
rich denied it, would be exacted by force, if
necessary.
Siyam (fasting during the day time of the month of
Ramadan)
is another pillar of Islam. The main function of
fasting
is to make the Muslim pure from "within" as other
aspects
of Shariah make him pure from "without." By
such
purity he responds to what is true and good and
shuns
what is false and evil. This is what we can perceive
in
the Quranic verse: "O you who believe, fasting is
prescribed
for you as it was prescribed for those before
you,
that you may gain piety." (2:183) In an authentic
tradition,
the Prophet reported Allah as saying: "He
suspends
eating, drinking, and gratification of his
sexual
passion for My sake." Thus his reward is going to
be
according to God's great bounty.
Fasting, then, awakens the conscience of the individual
and
gives it scope for exercise in a joint experience for all
society
at the same time, thus adding further strength to
each
individual. Moreover, fasting offers a compulsory
rest
to the over-worked human machine for the duration
of
one full month. Similarly fasting reminds an individual
of
those who are deprived of life's necessities throughout
the
year or throughout life. It makes him realize the
suffering
of others, the less fortunate brothers in Islam,
and
thus promotes in him a sense of sympathy and
kindness
to them.
Lastly, we come to Al-Hajj (pilgrimage to the House of
God
in Makkah). This very important pillar of Islam
manifests
a unique unity, dispelling all kinds of
differences.
Muslims from all corners of the world
wearing
the same dress, respond to the call of Hajj in one
voice
and language; LABBAIK ALLAHUMMA
LABBAIK
(Here I am at your service O Lord!). In Hajj
there
is an exercise of strict self-discipline and control
where
not only sacred things are revered, but even the life
of
plants and birds is made inviolable so that everything
lives
in safety: "And he that venerates the sacred things
of
God, it shall be better for him with his Lord."
(22:30)
"And he that venerates the waymarks of God, it
surely
is from devotion of the heart." (22:32)
Pilgrimage gives an opportunity to all Muslims from all
groups,
classes, organizations, and governments from all
over
the Muslim world to meet annually in a great
congress.
The time and venue of this congress has been
set
by their One God. Invitation to attend is open to every
Muslim.
No one has the power to bar anyone. Every
Muslim
who attends is guaranteed full safety and freedom
as
long as he himself does not violate its safety.
Thus, worship in Islam, whether ritual or non-ritual,
trains
the individual in such a way that he loves his
Creator
most and thereby gains an unyielding will and
spirit
to wipe out all evil and oppression from the human
society
and make the word of God dominant in the world.
Prophethood In Islam
Prophethood In IslamProphethood
is not unknown to
heavenly
revealed religions, such as Judaism and
Christianity.
In Islam, however, it has a special status and
significance.
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 David sent one his leaders
to
death to marry his wife. 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. Some Muslim
scholars
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
Muhammed'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.
Jesus And Islam
Jesus And Islam
Is Jesus Really God?
Without
a doubt, you have often heard the claim that
Jesus
is God, the second person in the "Holy Trinity."
However,
the very Bible which is used as a basis for
knowledge
about Jesus and as the basis for doctrine
within
Christianity clearly belies this claim. We urge you
to
consult your own Bible and verify that the following
conclusions
are not drawn out of context:
God is All Knowing... Jesus was not
When speaking of the Day of Judgment, Jesus
clearly gave evidence of a limitation on his
knowledge when he said, "But of that day and hour
knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in
Heaven, neither the son, but the father." (Mark
13:32, and Matt. 24:36) But God knows all. His
knowledge is without any limitations. That Jesus, of
his own admission, did not know when the day of
judgment would be, is clear proof that Jesus is not
all-knowing, and that Jesus is therefore not God.
God is All-Powerful... Jesus was not
While Jesus performed many miracles, he himself
admitted that the power he had was not his own but
was derived from God when he said, "Verily, verily
I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of himself,
but what he seeth the father do..." (John 5:19)
Again he said, "I can of mine own self do nothing:
As I hear I judge, and my judgment is just because I
seek not mine own will but the will of the Father
which has sent me." (John 5:30) But God is not
only All-Powerful, He is also the source of all power
and authority. That Jesus, of his own admission,
could do nothing on his own is clear proof that Jesus
is not all-powerful, and that therefore Jesus is not
God.
God does not have a God ?
GOD DOES NOT HAVE A GOD.....BUT JESUS
DID HAVE A GOD
God is the ultimate judge and refuge for all, and He
does not call upon nor pray to any others. But Jesus
acknowledged that there was One whom he
worshipped and to Whom he prayed when he said,
"I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to
my God and your God." (John 20:17) He is also
reported to have cried out while on the cross, "My
God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matt.
27:46) If Jesus were God, then couldn't this be read,
"Myself, myself, why hast thou forsaken me?"
Would that not be pure nonsense? When Jesus
prayed the Lord's Prayer (Luke 11:2-4), was he
praying to himself? When in the garden of
Gethsemane he prayed, "O my father, if it be
possible, let this cup pass from me: Nevertheless,
not as I will but as thou wilt." (Matt. 26:36-39) Was
Jesus praying to himself? That Jesus, of his own
admission and by his own actions, acknowledged,
worshipped, and prayed to another being as God is
clear proof that Jesus himself is not God.
God is Invisible
ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE GOD IS AN
INVISIBLE SPIRIT.... BUT JESUS WAS FLESH
AND BLOOD
While thousands saw Jesus and heard his voice,
Jesus himself said that this could not be done with
God when he said: "No man hath seen God at any
time." (John 1:18) "Ye have neither heard His voice
at any time nor seen His shape." (John 5:37) He
also said in John 4:24: "God is a spirit and they that
worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in
truth." That Jesus would say that no one had seen
or heard God at any time, while his followers both
saw and heard him, is clear proof that Jesus was not
God.
No one is Greater than GOD
NO ONE IS GREATER THAN GOD AND NO
ONE CAN DIRECT HIM.... BUT JESUS
ACKNOWLEDGED SOMEONE GREATER
THAN HIMSELF WHOSE WILL WAS
DISTINCT FROM HIS OWN
Perhaps the clearest indication we have that Jesus
and God are not equal, and therefore not one and
the same, come again from the mouth of Jesus
himself who said in John 14:28: "My Father is
greater than I." When someone referred to him as
good master in Luke 18:19, Jesus responded: "Why
callest thou me good? There is none good but one,
that is God..." furthermore, Jesus drew clear
distinctions between himself and God when he said,
"I proceeded forth and came from God, neither
came I of myself but He sent me." (John 8:42)
Jesus gave clear evidence of his subordination to
God, rather than his equality with God, when he
said in Luke 22:42, "not my will but Thine be done"
and in John 5:30, "I seek not mine own will but the
will of the Father which has sent me." That Jesus
would admit that he did not come into the world on
his own initiative but was directed to do so, that he
would acknowledge another being as greater than
himself, and that he would negate his own will in
deference to affirming the will of another, give clear
proof that Jesus is not the Supreme One and
therefore Jesus is not God.
Conclusion on Jesus
The
Church recognizes the Bible as the primary source of
knowledge
about God and Jesus. But since the Bible
makes
it clear that Jesus is not the Supreme Being and the
Supreme
Being is not Jesus, upon what basis have you
come
to believe otherwise?
My brother
or sister, the belief that the Supreme Being is
a Trinity
is false and completely inconsistent with the
words
of Jesus as presented in the Bible. God is one, not
three.
He is a perfect unity. If you are interested in the
truth
about God and your relationship to Him, we invite
you
to investigate the religion of Islam.
Word of God about Jesus
REGARDING
THE SONSHIP OF JESUS:
"That
is Jesus, son of Mary, in word of truth,
concerning
which they are doubting. It is not for God
to
take a son unto Him. Glory be to Him! When He
decrees
a thing, He but says to it 'Be', and it is."
(Qur'an
19:34, 35)
"And
they say, 'the All-Merciful has taken unto
Himself
a son.' You have indeed advanced something
hideous.
The heavens are well nigh rent of it and the
earth
split asunder, and the mountains well nigh fall
down
crashing for that they have attributed to the
All-Merciful
a son; and it behooves not the
All-Merciful
to take a son. None is there in the heavens
and
earth but he comes to the All-Merciful as a
servant."
(Qur'an 19:88-93)
"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." (Qur'an 3:59)
"People
of the Book, go not beyond the bounds in your
religion,
and say not as to God but the Truth. The
Messiah,
Jesus, son of Mary, was only the Messenger
of
God, and His Word that He committed to Mary, and
a spirit
from Him. So believe in God and His
Messengers,
and say not, 'Three.' Refrain; better is it
for
you. God is only One God. Glory be to Him - that
He
should have a son! To Him belongs all that is in the
heavens
and in the earth; God suffices for a guardian."
(Qur'an
4:171)
B. REGARDING JESUS BEING GOD:
"And
when God said, 'O Jesus, son of Mary, did you
say
unto men, "Take me and my mother as gods, apart
from
God?"' He said, 'To You be glory! It is not mine
to
say what I have no right to. If I indeed said it, You
knew
it, knowing what is within my soul, and I do not
know
what is within Your soul; You know the things
unseen.
I only said to them what You did command
me:
"Serve God, my Lord and your Lord." And I was
a witness
over them, while I remained among them;
but
when You did take me to Yourself the Watcher over
them;
You are the witness of everything.'" (Qur'an
5:116,
117)
C. REGARDING
CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS
"And
for their unbelief, and their uttering against
Mary
a mighty calumny, and for their saying, 'We slew
the
Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the Messenger of
God'...yet
they did not slay him, neither crucified him,
only
a likeness of that was shown to them. Those who
are
at variance concerning him surely are in doubt
regarding
him, they have no knowledge of him, except
the
following of surmise; and they did not slay him of
certainty...no
indeed; God raised him up to Him; God
is
Almighty, All-Wise. There is not one of the People of
the
Book but will assuredly believe in him before his
death,
and on the Resurrection Day, he will be a
witness
against them." (Qur'an 4:156-159)
Life After Death
The question whether there is
a life after death does not
fall
under the jurisdiction of science, as science is
concerned
only with classification and analysis of data.
Moreover,
man has been busy with scientific inquiries
and
research, in the modern sense of the term, only for
the
last few centuries, while he has been familiar with the
concept
of life after death since times immemorial. All the
prophets
of God called their people to worship God and
to
believe in life after death. They laid so much emphasis
on
the belief in life after death that even a slight doubt in
it
meant denying God and made all other beliefs
meaningless.
The very fact that all the prophets of God
have
dealt with this metaphysical question of life after
death
so confidently and so uniformly - the gap between
their
ages being thousands of years - goes to prove that
the
source of their knowledge of life after death as
proclaimed
by them all, was the same, i.e., Divine
revelation.
We also know that these prophets of God
were
greatly opposed by their people, mainly on the issue
of
life after death, as their people thought it impossible.
But
in spite of opposition, the prophets won many sincere
followers.
The question arises: what made those followers forsake
the
established beliefs, traditions and customs of their
forefathers,
notwithstanding the risk of being totally
alienated
from their own community? The simple answer
is:
they made use of their faculties of mind and heart and
realized
the truth. Did they realize the truth through
perceptual
consciousness? Not so, as perceptual
experience
of life after death is impossible.
Actually,
God has given man, besides perceptual
consciousness,
rational, aesthetic and moral
consciousness
too. It is this consciousness that guides
man
regarding realities that cannot be verified through
sensory
data. That is why all the prophets of God while
calling
people to believe in God and life after death,
appeal
to the aesthetic, moral and rational consciousness
of
man. For example, when the idolaters of Makkah
denied
even the possibility of life after death, the Quran
exposed
the weakness of their stand by advancing very
logical
and rational arguments in support of it: "And he
has
coined for us a similitude, and has forgotten the
fact
of his creation, saying: who will revive these bones
when
they have rotted away? Say: He will revive them
Who
produced them at first, for He is the Knower of
every
creation, Who has appointed for you fire from
the
green tree, and behold! you kindle from it. Is not
He
Who created the heavens and the earth, able to
create
the like of them? Yes, and He is indeed the
Supreme
Creator, the All-Knowing." (36:78-81)
At another
occasion, the Quran very clearly says that the
disbelievers
have no sound basis for their denial of life
after
death. It is based on pure conjecture: "They say,
'There
is nothing but our present life; we die, and we
live,
and nothing but Time destroys us.' Of that they
have
no knowledge; they merely conjecture. And when
our
revelations are recited to them, their only argument
is
that they say, 'Bring us our fathers, if you speak
truly.'
(45:24-25)
Surely
God will raise all the dead. But God has His own
plan
of things. A day will come when the whole universe
will
be destroyed and then again the dead will be
resurrected
to stand before God. That day will be the
beginning
of the life that will never end, and that Day
every
person will be rewarded by God according to his or
her
good or evil deed.
The explanation that the Quran gives about the necessity
of
life after death is what the moral consciousness of man
demands.
Actually, if there is no life after death, the very
belief
in God becomes irrelevant, or even if one believes
in
God, that would be an unjust and indifferent God:
having
once created man and not concerned with his fate.
Surely,
God is just. He will punish the tyrants whose
crimes
are beyond count: having killed hundreds of
innocent
persons, created great corruptions in the society,
enslaved
numerous persons to serve their whims, etc.
Man's
having a very short span of life in this world, and
this
physical world's too being not eternal, punishments or
rewards
equal to the evil or noble deeds of persons are
not
possible here. The Quran very emphatically states
that
the Day of Judgment must come and God will decide
about
the fate of each soul according to his or her record
of
deeds: "Those who disbelieve say: The Hour will
never
come unto us. Say: Nay, by my Lord, but it is
coming
unto you surely. (He is) the Knower of the
Unseen.
Not an atom's weight, or less than that or
greater,
escapes Him in the heavens or in the earth, but
it
is in a clear Record. That He may reward those who
believe
and do good words. For them is pardon and a
rich
provision. But those who strive against our
revelations,
challenging (Us), theirs will be a painful
doom
of wrath." (34:3-5)
The Day of Resurrection will be the Day when God's
attributes
of Justice and Mercy will be in full
manifestation.
God will shower His Mercy on those who
suffered
for His sake in the worldly life, believing that an
eternal
bliss was awaiting them. But those who abused
the
bounties of God, caring nothing for the life to come,
will
be in the most miserable state. Drawing a comparison
between
them, the Quran says: "Is he, then, to whom
We
have promised a goodly promise the fulfillment of
which
he will meet, like the one whom We have
provided
with the good things of this life, and then on
the
Day of Resurrection he will be of those who will be
brought
arraigned before God?" (28:61)
The
Quran also states that this worldly life is a
preparation
for the eternal life after death. But those who
deny
it become slaves of their passions and desires, make
fun
of virtuous and God-conscious persons. Such persons
realize
their folly only at the time of their death and wish
to
be given a further chance in the world but in vain.
Their
miserable state at the time of death, and the horror
of
the Day of Judgment, and the eternal bliss guaranteed
to
the sincere believers are very beautifully mentioned in
the
following verses of the Holy Quran: "Until, when
death
comes unto one of them, he says, 'My Lord send
me
back, that I may do right in that which I have left
behind!
But nay! It is but a word that he speaks; and
behind
them is a barrier until the day when they are
raised.
And when the Trumpet is blown there will be
no
kinship among them that day, nor will they ask of
one
another. Then those whose scales are heavy, they
are
successful. And those whose scales are light are
those
who lose their souls, in hell abiding, the fire
burns
their faces and they are glum therein."
(23:99-104)
The belief in life after death not only guarantees success
in
the Hereafter but also makes this world full of peace
and
happiness by making individuals most responsible and
dutiful
in their activities.
Think
of the people of Arabia. Gambling, wine, tribal
feuds,
plundering and murdering were their main traits
when
they had no belief in life after death. But as soon as
they
accepted the belief in One God and life after death
they
became the most disciplined nation of the world.
They
gave up their vices, helped each other in hours of
need,
and settled all their disputes on the basis of justice
and
equality. Similarly the denial of life after death has its
consequences
not only in the Hereafter but also in this
world.
When a nation as a whole denies it, all kinds of
evils
and corruptions become rampant in that society and
ultimately
it is destroyed. The Quran mentions the terrible
end
of 'Aad, Thamud and the Pharaoh in some detail:
"(The
tribes of) Thamud and 'Aad disbelieved in the
judgment
to come. As for Thamud, they were destroyed
by
the lightning, and as for 'Aad, they were destroyed
by
a fierce roaring wind, which He imposed on them
for
seven long nights and eight long days so that you
might
see the people laid prostrate in it as if they were
the
stumps of fallen down palm trees. "Now do you see
remnant
of them? Pharaoh likewise and those before
him
and the subverted cities. They committed errors
and
those before him, and they rebelled against the
Messenger
of their Lord, and He seized them with a
surpassing
grip. Lo, when the waters rose, We bore you
in
the running ship that We might make it a reminder
for
you and for heeding ears to hold. So when the
Trumpet
is blown with a single blast and the earth and
the
mountains are lifted up and crushed with a single
blow,
then on that day, the Terror shall come to pass,
and
the heaven shall be split for upon that day it will be
very
frail. Then as for him who is given his book in his
right
hand, he shall say, 'Here take and read my book!
Certainly
I thought I should encounter my reckoning.'
So
he shall be in a pleasing life in a lofty garden, its
clusters
nigh to gather. "'Eat and drink with
wholesome
appetite for that you did long ago, in the
days
gone by.' "But as for him who is given his book in
his
left hand, he shall say: 'Would that I had not been
given
my book and not known my reckoning! Would
that
it had been the end! My wealth has not availed
me,
my authority is gone from me.'" (69:4-29)
Thus,
there are very convincing reasons to believe in life
after
death.
First, all the prophets of God have called their
people to believe in it.
Secondly, whenever a human society is built on the
basis of this belief, it has been the most ideal and
peaceful society, free of social and moral evils.
Thirdly, history bears witness that whenever this
belief is rejected collectively by a group of people in
spite of the repeated warning of the Prophet, the
group as a whole has been punished by God even in
this world.
Fourthly, moral, aesthetic and rational faculties of
man endorse the possibility of life after death.
Fifthly, God's attributes of Justice and Mercy have
no meaning if there is no life after death.
Moral System In Islam
Moral System In IslamIslam has
laid down some
universal
fundamental rights for humanity as a whole,
which
are to be observed and respected under all
circumstances.
To achieve these rights Islam provides not
only
legal safeguards but also a very effective moral
system.
Thus whatever leads to the welfare of the
individual
or the society is morally good in Islam and
whatever
is injurious is morally bad. Islam attaches so
much
importance to the love of God and love of man that
it
warns against too much of formalism. We read in the
Quran:
"It is not righteousness that you turn your faces
towards
East or West; but it is righteousness to believe
in
God and the Last Day and the Angels, and the Book,
and
the Messengers; to spend of your substance, out of
love
for Him, for your kin, for orphans for the needy,
for
the wayfarer, for those who ask; and for the freeing
of
captives; to be steadfast in prayers, and practice
regular
charity; to fulfill the contracts which you
made;
and to be firm and patient in pain (or suffering)
and
adversity and throughout all periods of panic. Such
are
the people of truth, the God-conscious." (2:177)
We are
given a beautiful description of the righteous and
God-conscious
man in these verses. He should obey
salutary
regulations, but he should fix his gaze on the love
of
God and the love of his fellow men. We are given four
heads:
Our faith should be true and sincere,
We must be prepared to show it in deeds of charity
to our fellow-men,
We must be good citizens, supporting social
organizations, and
Our own individual soul must be firm and unshaken
in all circumstances.
This
is the standard by which a particular mode of
conduct
is judged and classified as good or bad. This
standard
of judgment provides the nucleus around which
the
whole moral conduct should revolve. Before laying
down
any moral injunctions Islam seeks to firmly implant
in
man's heart the conviction that his dealings are with
God
who sees him at all times and in all places; that he
may
hide himself from the whole world but not from
Him;
that he may deceive everyone but cannot deceive
God;
that he can flee from the clutches of anyone else but
not
from God.
Thus, by setting God's pleasure as the objective of man's
life,
Islam has furnished the highest possible standard of
morality.
This is bound to provide limitless avenues for
the
moral evolution of humanity. By making Divine
revelations
as the primary source of knowledge it gives
permanence
and stability to the moral standards which
afford
reasonable scope for genuine adjustments,
adaptations
and innovations, though not for perversions,
wild
variation, atomistic relativism or moral fluidity. It
provides
a sanction to morality in the love and fear of
God,
which will impel man to obey the moral law even
without
any external pressure. Through belief in God and
the
Day of Judgment it furnishes a force which enables a
person
to adopt the moral conduct with earnestness and
sincerity,
with all the devotion of heart and soul.
It does not, through a false sense of originality and
innovation,
provide any novel moral virtues nor does it
seek
to minimize the importance of the well-known moral
norms,
nor does it give exaggerated importance to some
and
neglect others without cause. It takes up all the
commonly
known moral virtues and with a sense of
balance
and proportion it assigns a suitable place and
function
to each one of them in the total scheme of life. It
widens
the scope of man's individual and collective life -
his
domestic associations, his civic conduct, and his
activities
in the political, economic, legal, educational, and
social
realms. It covers his life from home to society,
from
the dining-table to the battlefield and peace
conferences,
literally from the cradle to the grave. In
short,
no sphere of life is exempt from the universal and
comprehensive
application of the moral principles of
Islam.
It makes morality reign supreme and ensures that
the
affairs of life, instead of dominated by selfish desires
and
petty interests, should be regulated by norms of
morality.
It stipulates
for man a system of life which is based on all
good
and is free from all evil. It invokes the people, not
only
to practice virtue, but also to establish virtue and
eradicate
vice, to bid good and to forbid wrong. It wants
that
the verdict of conscience should prevail and virtue
must
not be subdued to play second fiddle to evil. Those
who
respond to this call are gathered together into a
community
and given the name "Muslim". And the
singular
object underlying the formation of this
community
("Ummah") is that it should make an
organized
effort to establish and enforce goodness and
suppress
and eradicate evil.
God Consciousness
God ConsciousnessThe Quran mentions
it as the highest
quality
of a Muslim: "The most honorable among you
in
the sight of God is the one who is most
God-conscious."
(49:13) Humility, modesty, control of
passions
and desires, truthfulness, integrity, patience,
steadfastness,
and fulfilling one's promises are moral
values
which are emphasized again and again in the
Quran.
We read in the Quran:
"And
God loves those who are firm and steadfast."
(3:146)
"Establish
regular prayer, enjoin what is just, and
forbid
what is wrong; and bear patiently whatever may
befall
you; for this is true constancy. And do not swell
your
cheek (with pride) at men, nor walk in insolence
on
the earth, for God does not love any man proud and
boastful.
And be moderate in your pace and lower your
voice;
for the harshest of sounds, indeed, is the braying
of
the ass." (31:18-19)
In a
way which summarizes the moral behavior of a
Muslim,
the Prophet (PBUH) said: "My Sustainer has
given
me nine commands: to remain conscious of God,
whether
in private or in public; to speak justly, whether
angry
or pleased; to show moderation both when poor
and
when rich, to reunite friendship with those who
have
broken off with me; to give to him who refuses
me;
that my silence should be occupied with thought;
that
my looking should be an admonition; and that I
should
command what is right."
Social Responsibilities
Social ResponsibilitiesThe teachings
of Islam concerning
social
responsibilities are based on kindness and
consideration
of others. Since a broad injunction to be
kind
is likely to be ignored in specific situations, Islam
lays
emphasis on specific acts of kindness and defines the
responsibilities
and rights of various relationships. In a
widening
circle of relationship, then, our first obligation is
to
our immediate family - parents, husband or wife and
children,
then to other relatives, neighbors, friends and
acquaintances,
orphans and widows, the needy of the
community,
our fellow Muslims, all our fellow human
beings
and animals.
Parents & others
Parents & othersRespect and
care for parents is very
much
stressed in the Islamic teaching and is a very
important
part of a Muslim's expression of faith. "Your
Sustainer
has decreed that you worship none but Him,
and
that you be kind to parents. Whether one or both of
them
attain old age in your lifetime, do not say to them
a word
of contempt nor repel them, but address them
in
terms of honor. And, out of kindness, lower to them
the
wing of humility and say: My Sustainer! Bestow on
them
Your mercy, even as they cherished me in
childhood."
(17:23-24)
OTHER RELATIVES
"And
render to the relatives their due rights, as (also)
to
those in need, and to the traveler; and do not
squander
your wealth in the manner of a spendthrift."
(17:26)
NEIGHBORS
The
Prophet (PBUH) has said: "He is not a believer
who
eats his fill when his neighbor beside him is
hungry";
and: "He does not believe whose neighbors
are
not safe from his injurious conduct."
Actually,
according to the Quran and Sunnah, a Muslim
has
to discharge his moral responsibility not only to his
parents,
relatives and neighbors but to the entire mankind,
animals
and trees and plants. For example, hunting of
birds
and animals for the sake of game is not permitted.
Similarly,
cutting trees and plants which yield fruit is
forbidden
unless there is a very pressing need for it.
Thus,
on the basic moral characteristics, Islam builds a
higher
system of morality by virtue of which mankind can
realize
its greatest potential. Islam purifies the soul from
self-seeking
egotism, tyranny, wantonness and
indiscipline.
It creates God-conscious men, devoted to
their
ideals, possessed of piety, abstinence and discipline
and
uncompromising with falsehood, It induces feelings
of
moral responsibility and fosters the capacity for self
control.
Islam generates kindness, generosity, mercy,
sympathy,
peace, disinterested goodwill, scrupulous
fairness
and truthfulness towards all creation in all
situations.
It nourishes noble qualities from which only
good
may be expected.
Human Rights In Islam
Human Rights In IslamSince God
is the absolute and the
sole
master of men and the universe, He is the sovereign
Lord,
the Sustainer and Nourisher, the Merciful, Whose
mercy
enshrines all beings; and since He has given each
man
human dignity and honor, and breathed into him of
His
own spirit, it follows that, united in Him and through
Him,
and apart from their other human attributes, men
are
substantially the same and no tangible and actual
distinction
can be made among them, on account of their
accidental
differences such as nationality, color or race.
Every
human being is thereby related to all others and all
become
one community of brotherhood in their honorable
and
pleasant servitude to the most compassionate Lord of
the
Universe. In such a heavenly atmosphere the Islamic
confession
of the oneness of God stands dominant and
central,
and necessarily entails the concept of the oneness
of
humanity and the brotherhood of mankind.
Although
an Islamic state may be set up in any part of the
earth,
Islam does not seek to restrict human rights or
privileges
to the geographical limits of its own state. Islam
has
laid down some universal fundamental rights for
humanity
as a whole, which are to be observed and
respected
under all circumstances whether such a person
is
resident within the territory of the Islamic state or
outside
it, whether he is at peace or at war. The Quran
very
clearly states: "O believers, be you securers of
justice,
witness for God. Let not detestation for a people
move
you not to be equitable; be equitable - that is
nearer
to God-fearing." (5:8)
Human
blood is sacred in any case and cannot be spilled
without
justification. And if anyone violates this sanctity
of
human blood by killing a soul without justification, the
Quran
equates it to the killing of entire mankind.
"...Whoso
slays a soul not to retaliate for a soul slain, nor
for
corruption done in the land, should be as if he had
slain
mankind altogether." (5:32)
It is
not permissible to oppress women, children, old
people,
the sick or the wounded. Women's honor and
chastity
are to be respected under all circumstances. The
hungry
person must be fed, the naked clothed and the
wounded
or diseased treated medically irrespective of
whether
they belong to the Islamic community or are
from
among its enemies.
When
we speak of human rights in Islam we really mean
that
these rights have been granted by God; they have not
been
granted by any king or by any legislative assembly.
The
rights granted by the kings or the legislative
assemblies,
can also be withdrawn in the same manner in
which
they are conferred. The same is the case with the
rights
accepted and recognized by the dictators. They can
confer
them when they please and withdraw them when
they
wish; and they can openly violate them when they
like.
But since in Islam human rights have been conferred
by
God, no legislative assembly in the world or any
government
on earth has the right or authority to make
any
amendment or change in the rights conferred by God.
No
one has the right to abrogate them or withdraw them.
Nor
are they basic human rights which are conferred on
paper
for the sake of show and exhibition and denied in
actual
life when the show is over. Nor are they like
philosophical
concepts which have no sanctions behind
them.
The
charter and the proclamations and the resolutions of
the
United Nations cannot be compared with the rights
sanctioned
by God; because the former are not applicable
on
anybody while the latter are applicable on every
believer.
They are a part and parcel of the Islamic Faith.
Every
Muslim or administrator who claims himself to be
Muslim,
will have to accept, recognize and enforce them.
If
they fail to enforce them, and start denying the rights
that
have been guaranteed by God or make amendments
and
changes in them, or practically violate them while
paying
lip service to them, the verdict of the Holy Quran
for
such government is clear and unequivocal: "Those
who
do not judge by what God has sent down are the
disbelievers."
(5:44)
Human Rights in an Islamic State
Human Rights in an Islamic State
1.THE SECURITY OF LIFE AND PROPERTY:In
the address which the Prophet delivered on the
occasion of the Farewell Hajj, he said:"Your lives
and properties are forbidden to one another till
you meet your Lord on the Day of Resurrection."
The Prophet has also said about the dhimmis (the
non-Muslim citizens of the Muslim state): "One
who kills a man under covenant (i.e., dhimmi)
will not even smell the fragrance of Paradise."
2.THE PROTECTION OF HONOR:The Holy Quran
lays down: "You who believe, do not let one (set
of) people make fun of another set."
3.
"Do not defame one another."
"Do not insult by using nicknames."
"Do not backbite or speak ill of one another."
(49:11-12)
4.SANCTITY AND SECURITY OF PRIVATE
LIFE:The Quran has laid down the injunction: "Do
not spy on one another." (49:12)
5.
"Do not enter any houses unless you are sure of
their occupant's consent." (24:27)
6.THE SECURITY OF PERSONAL FREEDOM:
Islam has laid down the principle that no citizen can
be imprisoned unless his guilt has been proven in an
open court. To arrest a man only on the basis of
suspicion and to throw him into a prison without
proper court proceedings and without providing him
a reasonable opportunity to produce his defense is
not permissible in Islam.
7.THE RIGHT TO PROTEST AGAINST
TYRANNY: Among the rights that Islam has
conferred on human beings is the right to protest
against government's tyranny. Referring to it the
Quran says: "God does not love evil talk in public
unless it is by someone who has been injured
thereby." (4:148)
In Islam, as has been argued earlier, all power and
authority belong to God, and with man there is only
delegated power which becomes a trust; everyone
who becomes a recipient of such a power has to
stand in awful reverence before his people toward
whom and for whose sake he will be called upon to
use these powers. This was acknowledged by
Hazrat Abu Bakr who said in his very first address:
"Cooperate with me when I am right but correct me
when I commit error; obey me so long as I follow
the commandments of Allah and His Prophet; but
turn away from me when I deviate."
8.FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION: Islam gives the
right of freedom of thought and expression to all
citizens of the Islamic state on the condition that it
should be used for the propagation of virtue and
truth and not for spreading evil and wickedness.
The Islamic concept of freedom of expression is
much superior to the concept prevalent in the West.
Under no circumstances would Islam allow evil and
wickedness to be propagated. It also does not give
anybody the right to use abusive or offensive
language in the name of criticism. It was the practice
of the Muslims to enquire from the Holy Prophet
whether on a certain matter a divine injunction had
been revealed to him. If he said that he had received
no divine injunction, the Muslims freely expressed
their opinion on the matter.
9.FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION: Islam has also
given people the right to freedom of association and
formation of parties or organizations. This right is
also subject to certain general rules.
10.FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE AND
CONVICTION:Islam has laid down the injunction:
"There should be no coercion in the matter of
faith." (2:256) On the contrary, totalitarian societies
totally deprive the individuals of their freedom.
Indeed, this undue exaltation of the state authority
curiously enough postulates a sort of servitude, of
slavishness on the part of man. At one time slavery
meant total control of man over man - now that
type of slavery has been legally abolished but in its
place totalitarian societies impose a similar sort of
control over individuals.
11.PROTECTION OF RELIGIOUS SENTIMENTS:
Along with the freedom of conviction and freedom
of conscience, Islam has given the right to the
individual that his religious sentiments will be given
due respect and nothing will be said or done which
may encroach upon his right.
12.PROTECTION FROM ARBITRARY
IMPRISONMENT: Islam also recognizes the right
of the individual not to be arrested or imprisoned for
the offenses of others. The Holy Quran has laid
down this principle clearly: "No bearer of burdens
shall be made to bear the burden of another."
(35:18)
13.THE RIGHT TO BASIC NECESSITIES OF LIFE:
Islam has recognized the right of the needy people
for help and assistance to be provided to them:
"And in their wealth there is acknowledged right
for the needy and the destitute." (51:19)
14.EQUALITY BEFORE LAW:Islam gives its citizens
the right to absolute and complete equality in the
eyes of the law.
15.RULERS NOT ABOVE THE LAW: A woman
belonging to a high and noble family was arrested in
connection with theft. The case was brought to the
Prophet, and it was recommended that she might be
spared the punishment of theft. The Prophet replied:
"The nations that lived before you were destroyed
by God because they punished the common man
for their offenses and let their dignitaries go
unpunished for their crimes; I swear by Him Who
holds my life in His hand that even if Fatima, the
daughter of Muhammad, had committed this
crime, I would have amputated her hand."
16.THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE
AFFAIRS OF STATE: "And their business is
(conducted) through consultation among
themselves." (42:38) The "Shura" or the
legislative assembly has no other meaning except
that the executive head of the government and the
members of the assembly should be elected by free
and independent choice of the people.
Lastly, it is to be made clear that Islam tries to
achieve the above mentioned human rights and
many others not only by providing certain legal
safeguards but mainly by inviting mankind to
transcend the lower level of animal life to be able to
go beyond the mere ties fostered by the kinship of
blood, racial superiority, linguistic arrogance, and
economic privileges. It invites mankind to move on
to a plane of existence where, by reason of his inner
excellence, man can realize the ideal of the
Brotherhood of man.
Introductory Material on Islam and a List of Islamic Book Seller
Introductory Material on IslamThis
covers some books
recommended
by Islamic Centers for those seeking more
insight
or further reading of Islam. Books & videos from
Islamic
Centers are available at a subsidized cost. A
number
of places offer free Islamic books as
documented.
Should you like to talk to someone about the questions
on Islam, the Institute of Islamic Information &
Education has offered to help. They can be contacted at:
Dr. M. Amir, III&E, P.O. Box 41129 Chicago, IL
60641-0129, U.S.A. Fax: (312) 777-7199; Email queries
to the author of the FAQ (mughal@alumni.caltech.edu)
will be forwarded to III&E for a response.
The
following is a list of publishers, organizations and
booksellers
that deal in books on Islam or the Middle East
or
sell Arabic and Persian books.
Adab Books 47 Newnham Road Cambridge
CB39E4, England
Aman Books 58 Elliot Street Brattleboro, VT 05301
Americans for Middle East Understanding Room
771, 475 Riverside Drive New York, NY 10115 tel.
212-870-2149
Anthony C. Hall Antiquarian Bookseller 30, Staines
Road Twickenham, Middlesex, England
Antiquariea Bookseller 152 Queens Road Buckhurst
Hill Essex, England
Al-Arab Bookshop 28, Faggalah Street Cairo, Egypt
tel. 908025
Al Saqi Books 26 Westbourne Grove London W2
5RH, England
Al-Hawadeth 529 14th Street Suite 1070
Washington, DC 20045
A.M.S. Press, Inc. 56 East 13th Street New York,
NY 10003
Arabic World and Islamic Resources and School
Services 2095 Rose St., Suite 4 Berkeley, CA
94709 Tel. 510-704-0517
Arthur Probsthaim Oriental Bookseller 41 Ct Russel
Street London, England WCL
Bibliotheca Islamica, Inc. Box 1536 Chicago, Illinois
60690
Bisan Press and Publication PO Box 3396 San
Mateo, CA 94403
Blackwell's Broad Street Oxford, England tel. 49111
Books International Imports, Inc. PO Box 6096
Mclean, VA 22106 Tel. 703-821-8900
Books on Islam, Ltd. 240 West 72nd Street New
York, NY 10023
The Center for Policy Analysis on Palestine 2435
Virginia Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20037 Tel.
202-338-1290
Curyon Press Grays Inn Road London, England
WC1
Cyclamen Books PO Box 69 Leicester LE1 9EW
England
Dar Majhar PO Box 56 Cambridge, MA 02238
Danesh Ltd. 21 Rostam Road Azadi Avenue
Tehran, Iran
Database Project on Palestinian Human Rights 220
S. State Street #1308 1 Quincy Court Chicago, IL
60604 312-987-1830
David D. Bundy, Secretary Bulletin d'Arabe
Chretien Schepererstraat, 2 3000 Louvain Belgium
David Loman Ltd. 12 Suffolk Road London SW13
9NB England
D.K. Agencies (P) Ltd. International Booksellers,
Publsihers and Subscription Agents H-12, Bali
Nagar New Delhi - 110015 India
E.J. Brill Oriental Booksellers 41 Museum Street
London WC1A 1LX England
Foundation for Iranian Studies 4801 Massachusetts
Avenue, NW Washington, DC 200016
Frank Cass and Company Ltd. International
Scholarly Book Services Inc. PO Box 555 Forest
Grove, Oregon 97116
Ferozoono Ltd. 60 Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Ayam
Lahore, Pakistan
Free Islamic Literatures, Inc. PO Box 35844
Houston, TX 77235
George's Bookshop PO Box 220 Cairo, Egypt
Green Street Book Shop 5 Green Street Cambridge,
CB2 3JU England
The Gulf Printing Press House Kuwait
Haydarabad Historical Society PO Box 1771
Cambridge, MA 02238
Hosains Books 25 Connaught Street London W2
England (Mrs. Yasmin Hosain)
I.A.P. Information office P.O. Box 741805 Dallas,
TX 75374-1805, U.S.A. For books on Palestinian
issues.
International Book Centre PO Box 295 Troy, MI
48099 tel. 313-879-8436
International Book Exchange 35-16 Ditmars Blvd.
Sutie 111 Astoria, NY 11105 1-800-7432 FAX
718-278-8026
International Institute of Islamic Thought PO Box
669 Herndon, VA 22070
Institute for Research and Islamic Studies PO Box
35844 Houston, TX 77235 713-721-1980
Ishk Book Service PO Box 176 Los Altos, CA
94022
Islamic Book Service 10900 W. Washington Street
Indianapolis, IN 46231 317-839-8150
Islamic Books A.R. Bullock 62 Kelburne Road
Oxford, England OX4 3SH
Institute for the Study of Languages and Cultures of
Asia & Africa Tokyo University of Foreign Studies
4-chome Ni shi gahara Kita-ku, Tokyo 114 Japan
Institute for Women's Studies in Beirut University
College 475 Riverside Dr. Room 1846 New York,
10115
Inter Documentation Company Poststrasse 14 6300
Zug, Switzerland
International Centre for Research in Islamic
Economics PO Box 16711 Jeddah 21474 Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia
The Islamic Foundation Markfield Dawah Centre
Ratby Lane Markfield Leicester LE6 0RN England
The Islamic Progatation Organization International
Relations Department PO Box 2782 Tehran, Iran
Islamic Texts Society 5 Green Street Cambridge
CB2 3TU England, UK
Jahan Book Co. 116 Greenbank Avenue Piedmont,
CA 94611
Joppa Books Ltd. 29 Milner Drive Cobham, Surrey
KT11 2EZ England
Knightsbridge Books Ltd. 32 Store Street London
WC1E 7BS England
Al-Majid Co. Ltd. 18-24 Westbourne Grove
London W2 5RH England
Markaz al-Malik Faysal lil-Buhuth wa-al-Dirasat
al-Islamiyah PO Box 51049 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Mazda Publishers PO Box 2603 Costa Mesa, CA
92626
M.G. Noura 88o6 Parkview Ave. St. Paul, MN
55117 800-438-5048
Microform Review PO Box 1297 Weston, CT
06880
Middle East Bibliographic Services 12077 Wilshire
Boulevard, Suite 605 Los Angeles, CA 90025
MEBSI PO Box 7823 Austin, Texas 78713
The Middle East Institute 1761 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Mizan Press PO Box 4065 Berkeley, CA 94705
Navrang Publishers & Booksellers RB-7 Inderpluri,
New Delhi, 11012 India
New Pen Bond Publishers 3050 K Street NW, Suite
#210 Washington, DC 20007 202-944-4444
800-959-BOND FAX 202-944-4443
New Rhine Publishers Nieuwe Rijn 83 2301 DA
Leiden, PO Box 3023 The Nederalnds
Nour E-Sham Book Centre PO Box 249 Damascus,
Syria
Orient Press 26 Central Square Topkapi Cambridge,
MA 02139
Otto Harrassowitz Internationale Buchhandlung
Asien-Abteilung 6200 Wiesbaden, Germany
Oxford University Press Ely House 37 Dover Street
London W1X 4AH
Palestine Human Rights Campaign 6902 North
Clark Street Suite 2-A Chicago, IL 60626
312-274-8686
Persian Book Mart PO Box 241574 Memphis, TN
38124
PHRIC-International 4753 North Broadway, Suite
930 Chicago, IL 60640 312-271-4492 FAX
312-271-3377
Press Office American University in Cairo 113 Kasr
El Aini Street Cairo, Egypt
Prints India Booksellers and Publishers 11, Darya
Ganj New Delhi, 110002 India
Rashid Sales Co. 191 Atlantic Avenue Brooklyn,
NY 11201 212-852-3295 Records and Cassettes.
Research Center for Islamic History, Art and
Culture PO Box 16, Gayrettepe Istanbul, Turkey
Secretary Islam & the Modern Age Society Jamia
Nagar, New Delhi, 110025 India
Sheba Press 4085 Chain Bridge Road Suite 100
Fairfax, VA 22030 703-385-5454
Smyrna Press PO Box 841 Suyvesant Station NY,
New York 10009
SOLIPSIST PRESS PO Box 544 Sebastopol, CA
95473 707-874-1501 Specializes in books on
Islamic art and archaeology, and the historical
Islamic world.
Sorayya Publishers, Inc. 317 14th Ave., SE
Minneapolis, MN 55414
South Asia Books PO Box 502 Columbia, MO
65205 314-474-0116
South Asia Press Box 1771 Cambridge, MA 02238
617-924-0809
Tehran Book Processing Centre PO Box 11-1126
Tehran, Iran
United Arab Bureau PO Box 471438 Forestville,
MD 20747
Variokum 21a Pembridge London W11 3EQ,
England
Vedams Books (P) Ltd. 12A/11 W.E. Area New
Delhi, 110005 India
W.B. O'Neill Old and Rare Books 11609 Hunters
Green Court Reston, VA 22091
William H. Allen, Bookseller 2031 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103 215-563-3398
William Schneider Books 212 Seventeenth Street
Pacific Grove, California 93950