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More About ISLAM |
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The Religion of Islam Introduction Prophets Qur'an Prophet of Islam Sunnah (practices) of the Prophet What is the Islamic Religion? Islamic Law (al-Shari'ah) The Spread of Islam Islam, Knowledge and Science The Attitude of the Qur'an and the Prophet toward Knowledge Integration of the Pre-Islamic Sciences Mathematical Sciences and Physics Astronomy Mathematics, Algebra Geometry Trigonometry Number Theory Physics, Balance, Projectile Motion, Optics Experimental Method Medical Sciences Pharmacology Natural History and Geography Botany, Zoology Geography Chemistry Technology Man and Nature Architecture Influence of Islamic Science and Learning Upon the West Islam In The Modern World Islam In The Modern World Aftermath of the Colonial Period Revival and Reassertation of Islam Education and Science in the Islamic World Islam A World Civilization General Characteristics of Islamic Civilization Global religion A Brief History of Islam, The Rightly Guided Caliphs The Caliphates North Africa and Spain Islamic History after the Mongol Invasion Ottoman Empire Persia India Malaysia and Indonesia Africa Frequently Asked Questions About Islam What is Islam? Who are the Muslims? What do Muslims believe? How does someone become a Muslim? What does 'Islam' mean? Why does Islam often seem strange? Do Islam and Christianity have different origins? What is the Ka'ba? Who is Muhammad? How did he become a prophet and a messenger of God? How did the spread of Islam affect the world? What is the Qur'an? What is the Qur'an about? Are there any other sacred sources? What are the 'Five Pillars' of Islam? Does Islam tolerate other beliefs? What do Muslims think about Jesus? Why is the family so important to Muslims? What about Muslim women? Can a Muslim have more than one wife? Is an Islamic marriage like a Christian marriage? How do Muslims treat the elderly? How do Muslims view death? What does Islam say about war? What about food? What is Islam's presence in the United States? How does Islam guarantee human rights ? What is the makeup of The Muslim World? Conclusion General Source:  The Alim for Windows Release 4.5 by: Shahid N. Shah |
The Prophet of Islam is loved and revered by Muslims precisely because he was chosen by God to reveal His Word to mankind. The Prophet Muhammad is not considered to be divine but a human being. However, he is seen as the most perfect of human beings, shining like a jewel among stones. He was born in 570 A. D. in one of the most powerful tribes in the Arabia of that time, for it had guardianship over the Ka'bah in Makkah. An orphan brought up by his grandfather and later by his uncle, the young Muhammad displayed exceptional virtue as a trustworthy individual whom members of various tribes would invite to act as arbitrator in their disputes. Early Years At that time the Arabs followed a form of idolatry, each tribe keeping its own idols at the Ka'bah, the cubical structure built originally by Abraham to celebrate the glory of the One God. But the monotheistic message of Abraham had long become forgotten among the general population of the Arabian peninsula. The young Muhammad, however, was a believer in the One God all of his life and never participated in the idolatrous practices of his tribe. Angel Gabriel When forty years old, during one of the retreats which he made habitually in a cave on top of a mountain outside Makkah, Muhammad first saw the archangel Gabriel who revealed God's Word to him, the Quran, and announced that Muhammad is the messenger of God. For the next thirteen years he preached the Word of God to the Makkans, inviting them to abandon idolatry and accept the religion of Oneness. A few accepted his call but most Makkans, especially those of his own tribe, opposed him violently, seeing in the new religion a grave danger to their economic as well as social domination based upon their control of the Ka'bah. But the Prophet continued to call the people to Islam and gradually a larger number of men and women began to accept the faith and submit themselves to its teachings. As a result, persecution of Muslims increased until the Prophet was forced to send some of his companions to Abyssinia where they were protected by the Christian king. Early days of Islam The Makkan period was also one of intense spiritual experience for the Prophet and the noble companions who formed the nucleus of the new religious community which was soon to spread worldwide. It was during this period that God ordered the direction of prayers to be changed from Jerusalem to Makkah. To this day Jerusalem remains along with Makkah and Madinah one of the holiest cities of Islam. Migration In 622 A. D. the Prophet was ordered by God to migrate to Yathrib, a city north of Makkah. He followed the Divine Command and left with his followers for that city which henceforth was known as "The City of the Prophet" (Madinat al-nabi) or simply Madinah. This event was so momentous that the Islamic calendar begins with this migration (hijrah). In Madinah, the Prophet established the first Islamic society which has served as the model for all later Islamic societies. Several battles took place against the invading Makkans which the Muslims won against great odds. Soon more tribes began to join Islam and within a few years most of Arabia had embraced the religion of Islam. Victory at Makkah After many trials and eventually successive victories, the Prophet retumed triumphantly to Makkah where the people embraced Islam at last. He forgave all his former enemies and marched to the Ka'bah, where he ordered his companion and cousin 'Ali to join him in destroying all the idols. The Prophet reconstituted the rite of pilgrimage as founded by Abraham. The Prophet then returned to Madinah and made another pilgrimage to Makkah. It was upon returning from this last pilgrimage that he delivered his farewell address. Soon he fell ill and after three days died in 632 A. D. in Madinah where he was buried in the chamber of his house next to the first mosque of Islam. |
