AN INTRODUCTION TO ISLAM

Islam is not a new religion. Many people think that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was the first one to bring the message of Allah. However, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was the last and final prophet of  Islam. All the prophets who came before him, preached Islam too. However,  their followers distorted the teachings.

Apart from that there is one more reason for having so many prophets. To explain this, I would give an example. When you start school, you start with kindergarten, and every year you are promoted to the next class. You don't study everything in the first year itself. You are taught according to your age, intelligence and knowledge. The same way Allah sent many prophets so that we are given the message of Allah according to our knowledge. As knowledge is acquired through past experiences, people in olden times had less knowledge. Therefore, whatever other prophets preached was meant for that period only. It was also distorted by people.

Many scholars agree that there were 124,000 (one hundred and twenty four thousand) prophets. The first prophet was prophet Adam, who was also the first man on earth.  Quran mentions the names of some of the prophets in this verse, " And We gave him (Abraham) Isaac and Jacob, all of whom we guided. And before him We guided Noah and of his offspring, David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron. Thus We recompense those who do good. And Zachariah, and John, and Jesus, and Elias, all of them among the righteous, and Ishmael, and Elisha, Jonah, and Lot??". Names of many other prophets are also mentioned in the Quran. The last of all the Prophets was Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Quran is not the only book sent by Allah. There were many, among those four of these 'Heavenly Books' are very famous. They are:

Taurat given to Prophet Musa (Moses)

Zubur given to prophet Daa'ud (David)

Injeel (Bible) given to Prophet Isa (Jesus)

And Quran which was given to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

It is mentioned in the Quran that all the books, except Quran, were meant for only the period in which they were sent, and their followers changed some of their contents.

Muslims do believe in Prophet Jesus, but we don't call him the son of God. According to Islam, God is not like humans, he can not have a son or daughter. God has made living creatures capable of having children for the continuation of their species. God does not need to continue its race, because God does not die, as he is eternal, that's why He is incapable of having children. God is very different from Humans and all other creatures. Humans are made of earth, Satan of fire and God is Noor (light).

Muslims believe that all the Prophets preached Islam, but after their deaths, or even during their lifetimes, the followers made changes in the books sent by God and even returned back to idol worship. In Islam the worst of all the sins is associating partners with God. That's why people who convert  just have to pronounce, "There is no god but God and Muhammad is his Messenger".

People who don't agree with or have questions on whatever is mentioned above can send their arguments/questions to me by email or by signing the guestbook. Your criticism is also welcome.

uitnoa@yahoo.com