Introduction to Islam 
 

Introduction to Islam 

Table Of Contents

  »  Allah (God)
  »  Cleanliness
  »  Contribution
  »  Definition
  »  Human Rights
  »  Jesus
  »  Knowledge
  »  Main Pillars
  »  Muhammad
  »  Other Religions
  »  Peace
  »  Relevance
  »  Sources
  »  Tolerance
  »  Universality
  »  Women

««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
Allah (God)

Islam is the complete submission and obedience to Allah
(God). The name Allah (God) in Islam never refers to
Muhammad (pbuh), as many Christians may think; Allah is the
personal name of God.    
What do Muslims believe about Allah? 
 1. He is the one
God, Who has no partner. 2. Nothing is like Him. He is
the Creator, not created, nor a part of His creation. 3.
He is All-Powerful, absolutely Just. 4. There is no
other entity in the entire universe worthy of worship
besides Him. 5. He is First, Last, and Everlasting; He
was when nothing was, and will be when nothing else
remains. 6. He is the All-Knowing, and All-Merciful,the
Supreme, the Sovereign. 7. It is only He Who is capable
of granting life to anything. 8. He sent His Messengers
(peace be upon them) to guide all of mankind. 9. He sent
Muhammad (pbuh) as the last Prophet and Messenger for all
mankind. 10. His book is the Holy Qur'an, the only
authentic revealed book in the world that has been kept
without change. 11. Allah knows what is in our
hearts.    These are some of
the basic guidelines Muslims follow in their knowledge of
God:

  1. Eliminate any anthropomorphism (human
qualities) from their conception of Allah. His attributes
are not like human attributes,despite similar labels or
appellations.

2. Have unwavering faith in exactly what Allah and Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) described Allah to be, no more, no less.

3. Eradicate any hope or desire of learning or knowing the
modality of His names and attributes.

4. Belief totally in all the names and attributes of Allah;
one cannot believe in some and disbelieve the others.

5. One cannot accept the names of Allah without their
associated attributes, i.e. one cannot say He is Al-Hayy -
'The Living' and then say that He is without life.

6. Similarity in names (or meanings) does not imply
similarity in what is being described (referents).  As a
robotic arm differs from a human arm, so the "hand" of Allah
is nothing like a human hand, His speech is nothing like
human speech, etc.

7. Certain words are ambiguous or vague in their meanings,
and thus may be susceptible to misinterpretation. Only those
meanings that are in accordance with what is specified by
Allah and His Prophet (pbuh) are acceptable.

««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
Cleanliness

Islam places great emphasis on cleanliness, in both its physical and spiritual
aspects. On the physical side, Islam requires the Muslim to clean his body, his
clothes, his house, and the whole community, and he is rewarded by God for doing
so. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, for example:

"Removing any harm from the road is charity (that will be rewarded by Allah)."
[Bukhari]

While people generally consider cleanliness a desirable attribute, Islam insists
on it , making it an indispensible fundamental of the faith. A muslim is required
to to be pure morally and spiritually as well as physically. Through the Qur'an
and Sunnah Islam requires the sincere believer to sanitize and purify his entire
way of life.

In the Qur'an Allah commends those who are accustomed to cleanliness:

"Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep
themselves pure and clean." [2: 22]

In Islam the Arabic term for purity is Taharah. Books of Islamic jurisprudence
often contain an entire chapter with Taharah as a heading.

Allah orders the believer to be tidy in appearance:

"Keep your clothes clean." [74:4]

The Qur'an insists that the believer maintain a constant state of purity:

"Believers! When you prepare for prayer wash your faces, and your hands (and
arms) to the elbows; rub your heads (with water) and (wash) your feet up to the
ankles. If you are ritually impure bathe your whole body." [5: 6]

Ritual impurity refers to that resulting from sexual release, menstruation and
the first forty days after childbirth. Muslims also use water, not paper or
anything else to after eliminating body wastes.

Prophet Muhammad )pbuh) advised the Muslims to appear neat and tidy in private
and in public. Once when returning home from battle he advised his army:

"You are soon going to meet your brothers, so tidy your saddles and clothes. Be
distinguished in the eyes of the people." [Abu Dawud]

On another occasion he said:

"Don't ever come with your hair and beard disheveled like a devil." [Al-Tirmidhi]

And on another:

"Had I not been afraid of overburdening my community, I would have ordered them
to brush their teeth for every prayer." [Bukhari]

Moral hygeine was not ignored, either, for the Prophet (pbuh) encouraged the
muslims to make a special prayer upon seeing themselves in the mirror:

"Allah, You have endowed me with a good form; likewise bless me with an
immaculate character and forbid my face from touching the Hellfire." [Ahmad]

And modesty in dress, for men as well as for women, assists one in maintaining
purity of thought.

Being charitable is a way of purifying one's wealth. A Muslim who does not give
charity (Sadaqah) and pay the required annual Zakah, the 2.5% alms-tax, has in
effect contaminated his wealth by hoarding that which rightfully belongs to
others:

"Of their wealth take alms so that you may purify and sanctify them." [9: 103]

All the laws and injunctions given by Allah and His Prophet (pbuh) are pure; on
the other hand, man-made laws suffer from the impurities of human bias and other
imperfections. Thus any formal law can only be truly just when it is purified by
divine guidance - as elucidated by the Qur'an and the Sunnah - or if it is
divinely ordained to begin with - the Shari'ah.

««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
Muslims Contribution To Science

Astronomy

Muslims have always had a special interest in astronomy. The moon and the sun are
of vital importance in the daily life of every Muslim.  By the moon, Muslims
determine the beginning and the end of the months in their lunar calendar. By the
sun the Muslims calculate the times for prayer and fasting. It is also by means
of astronomy that Muslims can determine the precise direction of the Qiblah, to
face the Ka'bah in Makkah, during prayer. The most precise solar calendar,
superior to the Julian, is the Jilali, devised under the supervision of Umar
Khayyam.

The Qur'an contains many references to astronomy.

"The heavens and the earth were ordered rightly, and were made subservient to
man, including the sun, the moon, the stars, and day and night. Every heavenly
body moves in an orbit assigned to it by God and never digresses, making the
universe an orderly cosmos whose life and existence, diminution and expansion,
are totally determined by the Creator." [Qur'an 30:22]

These references, and the injunctions to learn, inspired the early Muslim
scholars to study the heavens. They integrated the earlier works of the Indians,
Persians and Greeks into a new synthesis. Ptolemy's Almagest (the title as we
know it is Arabic) was translated, studied and criticized. Many new stars were
discovered, as we see in their Arabic names - Algol, Deneb, Betelgeuse, Rigel,
Aldebaran. Astronomical tables were compiled, among them the Toledan tables,
which were used by Copernicus, Tycho Brahe and Kepler. Also compiled were
almanacs - another Arabic term. Other terms from Arabic are zenith, nadir,
albedo, azimuth.

Muslim astronomers were the first to establish observatories, like the one built
at Mugharah by Hulagu, the son of Genghis Khan, in Persia, and they invented
instruments such as the quadrant and astrolabe, which led to advances not only in
astronomy but in oceanic navigation, contributing to the European age of
exploration.
««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
 

Geography

Muslim scholars paid great attention to geography. In fact, the Muslims'
great concern for geography originated with their religion.  The Qur'an
encourages people to travel throughout the earth to see God's signs and
patterns everywhere. Islam also requires each Muslim to have at least
enough knowledge of geography to know the direction of the Qiblah
(the position of the Ka'bah in Makkah) in order to pray five times a
day. Muslims were also used to taking long journeys to conduct trade as
well as to make the Hajj and spread their religion. The far-flung
Islamic empire enabled scholar-explorers to compile large amounts of
geographical and climatic information from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

Among the most famous names in the field of geography, even in the
West, are Ibn Khaldun and Ibn Batuta, renowned for their written
accounts of their extensive explorations.

In 1166, Al-Idrisi, the well-known Muslim scholar who served the
Sicilian court, produced very accurate maps, including a world map
with all the continents and their mountains, rivers and famous cities.
Al-Muqdishi was the first geographer to produce accurate maps in
color.

It was, moreover, with the help of Muslim navigators and their
inventions that Magellan was able to traverse the Cape of Good Hope,
and Da Gama and Columbus had Muslim navigators on board their
ships.

««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
 

Humanity

Seeking knowledge is obligatory in Islam for every Muslim, man and
woman. The main sources of Islam, the Qur'an and the Sunnah (Prophet
Muhammad's traditions), encourage Muslims to seek knowledge and be
scholars, since this is the best way for people to know Allah (God), to
appreciate His wondrous creations and be thankful for them. Muslims
were therefore eager to seek knowledge, both religious and secular, and
within a few years of Muhammad's mission, a great civilization sprang
up and flourished. The outcome is shown in the spread of Islamic
universities; Al-Zaytunah in Tunis, and Al-Azhar in Cairo go back
more than 1,000 years and are the oldest existing universities in the
world. Indeed, they were the models for the first European universities,
such as Bologna, Heidelberg, and the Sorbonne. Even the familiar
academic cap and gown originated at Al-Azhar University.

Muslims made great advances in many different fields, such as
geography, physics, chemistry, mathematics, medicine, pharmacology,
architecture, linguistics and astronomy. Algebra and the Arabic
numerals were introduced to the world by Muslim scholars. The
astrolabe, the quadrant, and other navigational devices and maps were
developed by Muslim scholars and played an important role in world
progress, most notably in Europe's age of exploration.

Muslim scholars studied the ancient civilations from Greece and Rome
to China and India. The works of Aristotle, Ptolemy, Euclid and others
were translated into Arabic. Muslim scholars and scientists then added
their own creative ideas, discoveries and inventions, and finally
transmitted this new knowledge to Europe, leading directly to the
Rennaissance. Many scientific and medical treatises, having been
translated into Latin, were standard text and reference books as late as
the 17th and 18th centuries.

««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
 

Mathematics

It is interesting to note that Islam so strongly urges mankind to study
and explore the universe. For example, the Holy Qur'an states:

"We (Allah) will show you (mankind) Our signs/patterns in the
horizons/universe and in yourselves until you are convinced that the
revelation is the truth." [Qur'an, 14:53]

This invitation to explore and search made Muslims interested in
astronomy, mathematics, chemistry, and the other sciences, and they
had a very clear and firm understanding of the correspondences among
geometry, mathematics, and astronomy.

The Muslims invented the symbol for zero (The word "cipher" comes
from Arabic sifr), and they organized the numbers into the decimal
system - base 10. Additionally, they invented the symbol to express an
unkown quantity, i.e. variables like x.

The first great Muslim mathematician, Al-Khawarizmi, invented the
subject of algebra (al-Jabr), which was further developed by others,
most notably Umar Khayyam. Al-Khawarizmi's work, in Latin
translation, brought the Arabic numerals along with the mathematics to
Europe, through Spain. The word "algorithm" is derived from his
name.

Muslim mathematicians excelled also in geometry, as can be seen in
their graphic arts, and it was the great Al-Biruni (who excelled also in
the fields of natural history, even geology and mineralogy) who
established trigonometry as a distinct branch of mathematics. Other
Muslim mathematicians made significant progress in number theory.

««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
 

Medicine

In Islam, the human body is a source of appreciation, as it is created by
Almighty Allah (God). How it functions, how to keep it clean and safe,
how to prevent diseases from attacking it or cure those diseases, have
been important issues for Muslims.

Prophet Muhammad himself urged people to "take medicines for your
diseases", as people at that time were reluctant to do so.  He also said,

"God created no illness, but established for it a cure, except for old
age. When the antidote is applied, the patient will recover with the
permission of God."

This was strong motivation to encourage Muslim scientists to explore,
develop, and apply empirical laws.  Much attention was given to
medicine and public health care. The first hospital was built in Baghdad
in 706 AC. The Muslims also used camel caravans as mobile hospitals,
which moved from place to place.

Since the religion did not forbid it, Muslim scholars used human
cadavers to study anatomy and physiology and to help their students
understand how the body functions. This empirical study enabled
surgery to develop very quickly.

Al-Razi, known in the West as Rhazes, the famous physician and
scientist, (d. 932) was one of the greatest physicians in the world in the
Middle Ages. He stressed empirical observation and clinical medicine
and was inrivalled as a diagnostician. He also wrote a treatise on
hygeine in hospitals. Khalaf Abul-Qasim Al-Zahrawi was a very famous
surgeon in the eleventh century, known in Europe for his work, 
Concessio (Kitab al-Tasrif).

Ibn Sina (d. 1037), better known to the West as Avicenna, was perhaps
the greatest physician until the modern era. His famous book, Al-Qanun
fi al-Tibb, remained a standard textbook even in Europe, for over 700
years. Ibn Sina's work is still studied and built upon in the East.

Other significant contributions were made in pharmacology, such as Ibn
Sina's Kitab al-Shifa' (Book of Healing), and in public health. Every
major city in the Islamic world had a number of excellent hospitals,
some of them teaching hospitals, and many of them were specialized for
particular diseases, including mental and emotional. The Ottomans were
particularly noted for their building of hospitals and for the high level
of hygeine practiced in them.

««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
Definition

The word ISLAM has a two-fold meaning: peace, and submission to God.

This submission requires a fully conscious and willing effort to submit to the
one Almighty God. One must consciously and conscientiously give oneself to the
service of Allah. This means to act on what Allah enjoins all of us to do (in the
Qur'an) and what His beloved Prophet, Muhammad (pbuh) encouraged us to do in his
Sunnah (his lifestyle and sayings personifying the Qur'an).

Once we humble ourselves, rid ourselves of our egoism and submit totally to
Allah, and to Him exclusively, in faith and in action, we will surely feel peace
in our hearts. Establishing peace in our hearts will bring about peace in our
external conduct as well.

Islam is careful to remind us that it not a religion to be paid mere lip service;
rather it is an all-encompassing way of life that must be practiced continuously
for it to be Islam. The Muslim must practice the five pillars of the religion:
the declaration of faith in the oneness of Allah and the prophethood of Muhammad
(pbuh), prayer, fasting the month of Ramadan, alms-tax, and the pilgrimage to
Makkah; and believe in the six articles of faith: belief in God, the Holy Books,
the prophets, the angels, the Day of Judgment and God's decree, whether for good
or ill.

There are other injunctions and commandments which concern virtually all facets
of one's personal, family and civic life. These include such matters as diet,
clothing, personal hygeine, interpersonal relations, business ethics,
responsibilities towards parents, spouse and children, marriage, divorce and
inheritance, civil and criminal law, fighting in defense of Islam, relations with
non-Muslims, and so much more.

««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
Human Rights

Islam has been from its inception very concerned with issues of human rights.
Privacy, freedom, dignity and equality are guaranteed in Islam. The holy Qur'an
states clearly:

"There is no compulsion in religion."

And there are no reliable reports to confirm the old accusations that when the
Muslim armies were expanding into Asia, Africa and Europe the people were put to
the sword if they failed to convert to Islam. The best proof is that not only did
the Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians and Hindus in those areas not perish or
otherwise disappear, they actually flourished as protected minority communities,
and many individuals rose to prominent positions in the arts, sciences, even in
government.

The lives,property and privacy of all citizens in an Islamic state are considered
sacred, whether or not the person is Muslim. Non-Muslims have freedom of worship
and the practice of their religions, including their own family law and religious
courts. They are obliged to pay a different tax (Jizyah) instead of the Zakah,
and the state is obligated to provide both protection and government services.
Before the modern era it was extremely rare to find a state or government
anywhere in the world that was as solicitous of its minorities and their civil
rights as the Islamic states.

In no other religion did women receive such a degree of legal and moral equality
and personal respect. Moreover, racism and tribalism are incompatible with Islam,
for the Qur'an speaks of human equality in the following terms:

"Mankind! We created you from a single soul, male and female, and made you into
nations and tribes, that you may come to know one another. Truly, the most
honored of you in God's sight is the greatest of you in piety."

««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
Jesus

Islam honors all the prophets who were sent to mankind.  Muslims respect all
prophets in general, but Jesus in particular, because he was one of the prophets
who foretold the coming of Muhammad.   Muslims, too, await the second coming of
Jesus. They consider him one of the greatest of Allah's prophets to mankind. A
Muslim does not refer to him simply as "Jesus," but normally adds the phrase
"peace be upon him" as a sign of respect.

No other religion in the world respects and dignifies Jesus as Islam does. The
Qur'an confirms his virgin birth (a chapter of the Qur'an is entitled "Mary"),
and Mary is considered to have been one of the purest women in all creation. The
Qur'an describes Jesus' birth as follows:

"Behold!' the Angel said, God has chosen you, and purified you, and chosen you
above the women of all nations. Mary, God gives you good news of a word from Him,
whose name shall be the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, honored in this world and in
the Hereafter, and one of those brought near to God. He shall speak to the people
from his cradle and in maturity, and he shall be of the righteous. She said: "My
Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me?' He said: "Even so; God
creates what He will. When He decrees a thing, He says to it, 'Be!' and it is."
[3:42-47]

Muslims believe that Jesus was born immaculately, and through the same power
which had brought Eve to life and Adam into being without a father or a mother.

"Truly, the likeness of Jesus with God is as the likeness of Adam.  He created
him of dust, and then said to him, 'Be!' and he was." [3:59]

During his prophetic mission, Jesus performed many miracles. The Qur'an tells us
that he said:

"I have come to you with a sign from your Lord: I make for you out of clay, as it
were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it and it becomes a bird by God's
leave. And I heal the blind, and the lepers, and I raise the dead by God's
leave." [3:49]

Muhammad and Jesus, as well as the other prophets, were sent to confirm the
belief in one God. This is referred to in the Qur'an where Jesus is reported as
saying that he came:

"To attest the law which was before me, and to make lawful to you part of what
was forbidden you; I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear God and
obey me." [3:50]

Prophet Muhammad emphasized the importance of Jesus by saying: 
"Whoever believes there is no god but Allah, alone without partner, that Muhammad is His messenger,
that Jesus is a servant and messenger of God, His word breathed into Mary and a
spirit emanating from Him, and that Paradise and Hell are true, shall be received
by God into Heaven. [Bukhari]

««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
Knowledge

Islam urges people to read and learn on every occasion. The verses of the Qur'an
command, advise, warn, and encourage people to observe the phenomena of nature,
the succession of day and night, the movements of stars, the sun, moon, and other
heavenly bodies.  Muslims are urged to look into everything in the universe, to
travel, investigate, explore and understand them, the better to appreciate and be
thankful for all the wonders and beauty of God's creations.  The first revelation
to Muhammad showed how much Islam cares about knowledge.

"Read, in the name of your Lord, Who created..." [96:1]

Learning is obligatory for both men and women. Moreover, education is not
restricted to religious issues; it includes all fields of knowledge, including
biology, physics, and technology. Scholars have the highest status in Islam,
second only to that accorded to prophets.

Almost from the very beginnings of the Islamic state Muslims began to study and
to master a number of fields of so-called secular learning, beginning with
linguistics and architecture, but very quickly extending to mathematics, physics,
astronomy, geography, medicine, chemistry and philosophy. They translated and
synthesized the known works of the ancient world, from Greece, Persia, India,
even China. Before long they were criticizing, improving and expanding on that
knowledge. Centuries before the European Rennaissance there were Muslim
³Rennaissance² men, men who were simultaneously explorers, scientists,
philosophers, physicians and poets, like Ibn Sina (Avicenna), Umar Khayyam, and
others.
««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»

Main Pillars

Shahadah

The first pillar of Islam is that a Muslim believe and declare his faith
by saying the Shahadah (lit. 'witness'), also known as the Kalimah:

La ilaha ila Allah; Muhammadur-rasul Allah.

'There is no god but Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.'

This declaration contains two parts. The first part refers to God
Almighty, the Creator of everything, the Lord of the Worlds; the
second part refers to the Messenger, Muhammad (pbuh) a prophet and a
human being, who received the revelation through the Archangel
Gabriel, and taught it to mankind.

By sincerely uttering the Shahadah the Muslim acknowledges Allah as
the sole Creator of all, and the Supreme Authority over everything and
everyone in the universe. Consequently the Muslim closes his/her heart
and mind to loyalty, devotion and obedience to, trust in, reliance on,
and worship of anything or anyone other than Allah. This rejection is
not confined merely to pagan gods and goddesses of wood and stone and
created by human hands and imaginations; this rejection must extend to
all other conceptions, superstitions, ideologies, ways of life, and
authority figures that claim supreme devotion, loyalty, trust, love,
obedience or worship. This entails, for example, the rejection of belief
in such common things as astrology, palm reading, good luck charms,
fortune-telling and psychic readings, in addition to praying at shrines
or graves of "saints", asking the dead souls to intercede for them with
Allah. There are no intercessors in Islam, nor any class of clergy as
such; a Muslim prays directly and exclusively to Allah.

Belief in the prophethood of Muhammad (pbuh) entails belief in the
guidance brought by him and contained in his Sunnah (traditions of his
sayings and actions), and demands of the Muslim the intention to follow
his guidance faithfully. Muhammad (pbuh) was also a human being, a
man with feelings and emotions, who ate, drank and slept, and was born
and died, like other men. He had a pure and upright nature,
extraordinary righteousness, and an unwavering faith in Allah and
commitment to Islam, but he was not divine. Muslims do not pray to
him, not even as an intercessor, and Muslims abhor the terms
"Mohamedan" and "Mohamedanism".
««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
 

Salah

Prayer (Salah), in the sense of worship, is the second pillar of Islam. 
Prayer is obligatory and must be performed five times a day. These five
times are dawn (Fajr), immediately after noon (Dhuhr), mid-afternoon
('Asr), sunset (Maghrib), and early night (Isha'). Ritual cleanliness and
ablution are required before prayer, as are clean clothes and location,
and the removal of shoes. One may pray individually or communally, at
home, outside, virtually any clean place, as well as in a mosque, though
the latter is preferred. Special is the Friday noon prayer, called Jum'ah.
It, too, is obligatory and is to be done in a mosque, in congregation. It
is accompanied by a sermon (Khutbah), and it replaces the normal
Dhuhr prayer.

There is no hierarchical clerical authority in Islam, no priests or
ministers. Prayers are led by any learned person who knows the Qur'an
and is chosen by the congregation. He (or she, if the congregation is all
women) is called the imam. There is also no minimum number of
congregants required to hold communal prayers. Prayer consists of
verses from the Qur'an and other prayers, accompanied by various
bodily postures - standing, bowing, prostrating and sitting. They are
said in Arabic, the language of the revelation, though personal
supplications (Du'ah) can be offered in one's own language.
Worshippers face the Qiblah, the direction of the Ka'bah in the city of
Makkah.

The significance of prayer lies in one's maintaining a continuous link to
God five times a day, which helps the worshipper avoid misdeeds if
he/she performs the prayers sincerely. In addition it promotes
discipline, God-consciousness and placing one's trust in Allah alone,
and the importance of striving for the Hereafter. When performed in
congregation it also provides a strong sense of community, equality and
brotherhood/sisterhood.
««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
 

Sawm

The fourth pillar of Islam is fasting. Allah prescribes daily fasting for
all able, adult Muslims during the whole of the month of Ramadan, the
ninth month of the lunar calendar, beginning with the sighting of the
new moon. Exempted from the fast are the very old and the insane. On
the physical side, fasting is from first light of dawn until sundown,
abstaining from food, drink, and sexual relations. On the moral,
behavioral side, one must abstain from lying, malicious gossip,
quarreling and trivial nonsense.

Those who are sick, elderly, or on a journey, and women who are
menstruating, pregnant, or nursing are permitted to break the fast, but
must make up an equal number of days later in the year. If physically
unable to do so, they must feed a needy person for each day missed.
Children begin to fast (and to observe the prayers) from puberty,
although many start earlier.

Although fasting is beneficial to the health, it is regarded principally as
a method of self-purification. By cutting oneself off from worldly
pleasures and comforts, even for a short time, the fasting person gains
true sympathy for those who go hungry regularly, and achieves growth
in his spiritual life, learning discipline, self-restraint, patience and
flexibility.

In addition to the fast proper, one is encouraged to read the entire
Qur'an. In addition, special prayers, called Tarawih, are held in the
mosque every night of the month, during which a whole section of the
Qur'an (Juz') is recited, so that by the end of the month the entire
Qur'an has been completed. These are done in remembrance of the fact
that the revelation of the Qur'an to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was
begun during Ramadan.

During the last ten days - though the exact day is never known and may
not even be the same every year - occurs the Night of Power (Laylat
al-Qadr). To spend that night in worship is equivalent to a thousand
months of worship, i.e. Allah's reward for it is very great.

On the first day of the following month, after another new moon has
been sighted, a special celebration is made, called 'Id al-Fitr. A
quantity of staple food is donated to the poor (Zakat al-Fitr), everyone
has bathed and put on their best, preferably new, clothes, and communal
prayers are held in the early morning, followed by feasting and visiting
relatives and friends.

There are other fast days throughout the year. Muslims are encouraged
to fast six days in Shawwal, the month following Ramadan, Mondays
and Thursdays, and the ninth and tenth, or tenth and eleventh of
Muharram, the first month of the year. The tenth day, called Ashurah,
is also a fast day for the Jews (Yom Kippur), and Allah commanded the
Muslims to fast two days to distinguish themselves from the People of
the Book.

While fasting per se is encouraged, constant fasting, as well as 
monasticism, celibacy, and otherwise retreating from the real world,
are condemned in Islam. Fasting on the two festival days, 'Id al-Fitr
and 'Id al-Adha, the feast of the Hajj, is strictly forbidden.
««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
 

Zakah

The third pillar of Islam is the alms-tax (Zakah). It is a tax on wealth,
payable on various categories of property, notably savings and
investments, produce, inventory of goods, salable crops and cattle, and
precious metals, and is to be used for the various categories of
distribution specified by Islamic law. It is also an act of purification
through sharing what one has with others.

The rationale behind this is that Muslims believe that everything
belongs to God, and wealth is held by man as a trust. This trust must be
discharged, moreover, as instructed by God, as that portion of our
wealth legally belongs to other people and must be given to them. If we
refuse and hoard this wealth, it is considered impure and unclean. If,
for example one were to use that wealth for charity or to finance one's
pilgrimage to Makkah, those acts would also be impure, invalid, and of
course unrewarded. Allah says:

"Of their wealth, take alms so you may purify and sanctify them."   
[9:103]

The word Zakah means purification and growth. Our possessions are
purified by setting aside that portion of it for those in need. Each
Muslim calculates his or her own Zakah individually.

For most purposes this involves the payment each year of 2.5% of one's
capital, provided that this capital reaches a certain minimum amount
that which is not consumed by its owner. A generous person can pay
more than this amount, though it is treated and rewarded as voluntary
charity (Sadaqah). This amount of money is provided to bridge the gap
between the rich and the poor, and can be used in many useful projects
for the welfare of the community.

Historically the pillar of Zakah became mandatory on Muslims form the
second year after the Hijrah, 622 C.E. It is mentioned more than thirty
times in the Qur'an, usually in the same breath as Salah. So important is
this pillar that one is not considered a part of the Islamic brotherhood
if one ignores this obligation.

««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
 
Hajj

The fifth pillar of Islam is to make a pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah, in Saudi
Arabia, at least once in one's lifetime.  This pillar is obligatory for every
Muslim, male or female,  provided that he/she is physically and financially able
to do so. Prerequisites for performing the Hajj are to be a Muslim, to be free,
to be an adult or mature enough, to be of sound mind, and to have the ability to
afford the journey and maintain one's dependents back home for the duration. The
reward for the Hajj is nothing less than Paradise.

The Hajj is the ultimate form of worship, as it involves the spirit of all the
other rituals and demands of the believer great sacrifice. On this unique
occasion, nearly two million Muslims from all over the globe meet one another in
a given year. Regardless of the season, pilgrims wear special clothes (Ihram) -
two, very simple, unsewn white garments - which strips away all distinctions of
wealth, status, class and culture; all stand together and equal before Allah
(God).

The rites of Hajj, which go back to the time of Prophet Abraham who built the
Ka'bah, are observed over five or six days, beginning on the eighth day of the
last month of the year, named Dhul-Hijjah (pilgrimage). These rites include
circumambulating the Ka'bah (Tawwaf), and going between the mountains of Safa and
Marwah, as Hajjar (Abraham's wife) did during her search for water for her son
Isma'il. Then the pilgrims stand together on the wide plain of Arafah and join in
prayers for God's forgiveness, in what is often thought of as a preview of the
Last Judgment. The pilgrims also cast stones at a stone pillar which represents
Satan. The pilgrimage ends with a festival, called 'Id al-Adha, which is
celebrated with prayers, the sacrifice of an animal, and the exchange of
greetings and gifts in Muslim communities everywhere.

««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
Muhammad

Muhammad (pbuh) was an illiterate but wise and well-respected man who was born in
Makkah in the year 570 C.E., at a time when Christianity was not yet fully
established in Europe.  His first years were marked by the deaths of his parents.
Since his father died before his birth, his uncle, Abu Talib, from the respected
tribe of Quraysh, raised him. As Muhammad (pbuh) grew up, he became known for his
truthfulness, generosity and sincerity, so that he was sought after for his
ability to arbitrate in disputes. His reputation and personal qualities also led
to his marriage, at the age of twenty-five, to Khadijah, a widow whom he had
assisted in business. Thenceforth, he became an important and trusted citizen of
Makkah. Historians describe him as calm and meditative.

Muhammad (pbuh) never felt fully content to be part of a society whose values he
considered to be devoid of true religious significance. It became his habit to
retreat from time to time to the cave of Hira', to meditate near the summit of
Jabal al-Nur, the "Mountain of Light", near Makkah.

At the age of 40, while engaged in one such meditative retreat, Muhammad (pbuh)
received his first revelation from God through the Angel Gabriel. This
revelation, which continued for twenty-three years, is known as the Qur'an, the
faithful recording of the entire revelation of God. The first revelation read:

"Recite: In the name of your Lord Who created man from a clot (of blood). Recite:
Your Lord is Most Noble, Who taught by the pen, taught man what he did not know."
[96:1-5]

It was this reality that he gradually and steadily came to learn and believe,
until he fully realized that it is the truth.

His first convert was Khadijah, whose support and companionship provided
necessary reassurance and strength. He also won the support of some of his
relatives and friends. Three basic themes of the early message were the majesty
of the one, unique God, the futility of idol worship, the threat of judgment, and
the necessity of faith, compassion and morality in human affairs. All these
themes represented an attack on the crass materialism and idolatry prevalent in
Makkah at the time. So when he began to proclaim the message to others the
Makkans rejected him. He and his small group of followers suffered bitter
persecution, which grew so fierce that in the year 622 C.E., God gave them the
command to emigrate. This event, the Hijrah (migration), in which they left
Makkah for the city of Madinah, some 260 miles to the north, marked the beginning
of a new era and thus the beginning of the Muslim calendar. During his suffering,
Muhammad (pbuh) drew comfort from the knowledge revealed to him about other
prophets, such as Abraham, Joseph, and Moses, each of whom had also been
persecuted and tested.

After several years and some significant battles, the Prophet and his followers
were able to return to Makkah, where they forgave their enemies and established
Islam definitively. By the time the Prophet died, at the age of 63, the greater
part of Arabia had accepted Islam, and within a century of his death, Islam had
spread as far west as  Spain and as far east as China. It was clear that the
message was not limited to Arabs; it was for the whole of humanity.

The Prophet's sayings (Hadith), are also believed to be revelation.  The number
of sayings collected by his followers and scholars is about 10,000. Some typical
examples of his sayings are as follows:

"To pursue knowledge is obligatory on every believing (man and woman)." [Ibn
Majah]

"Removing a harmful thing from the road is charity." [Bukhari, Muslim]

"Those who do not show tenderness and love cannot expect to have tenderness shown
to them." [Bukhari]

"Adore Allah (God) as though you see Him; even if you do not see Him, He
nonetheless sees you." {Bukhari, Muslim]

Although Muhammad is deeply loved, revered and emulated by  Muslims as God's
final messenger, he is not an object of worship.

««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
Other Religions

Islam is the religion of all prophets. Muslims believe that all the prophets were
sent to their respective peoples from God (Allah).  They all had the same mission
and message - guiding people to the right path.

The three revealed, monotheistic religions, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, go
back to Abraham. The prophets of these religions were directly descended from him
- Moses, Jesus and others from Isaac, but Muhammad from IsmaŒil. It was Prophet
Abraham who had established the settlement which today is the city of Makkah, and
with his son IsmaŒil built the KaŒbah, which Muslims all over the world face when
they pray.

Christians and Jews hold a special place in Islam. They are called the People of
the Book (Ahl al-Kitab), since the original Torah and Gospel were also divinely
revealed and they shared in the prophetic tradition. Islamic states have nearly
always shown their religious minorities tolerance and respect and those
communities flourished under Islamic rule. God says:

"...[T]hose who believe (in the message of Islam), and the Jews, the Sabaeans,
and the Christians - all those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and act
righteously - no fear shall come upon them..." [5:69]

Setting up the Islamic state in Madinah, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) further warned:

"Whoever oppresses any Dhimmi (non-Muslim citizen of the Islamic state), I shall
be his prosecutor on the Day of Judgment."

In setting up the Islamic state, Prophet Muhammad made it inclusive of the
Arabian Jews and Christians. Their persons, properties, churches and synagogues
were protected, freedom of worship was guaranteed, and they controlled their own
community affairs with their own civil and religious laws and courts. For most of
the first century of the Islamic state, in fact, the majority of the citizens
were Christians, enjoying peace and liberty such as they had not had even under
Christian Rome or Byzantium.

The Jews, from the very beginning in Madinah, and later everywhere else, were
lifted from the burden of being clients of individual Arab tribes to being
citizens of the state, thus freeing them to focus on their Jewishness. When the
Islamic state expanded outside Arabia the Jews of other lands were treated for
the first time as liberated citizens. Judaism flourished as never before, with
Jews even serving in Muslim armies and administrations while their culture
bloomed in the arts, sciences, medicine and philosophy. This knowledge they
transmitted to their brethren in the hostile climate of Christian Europe. Even
Jewish mysticism originated under the influence of sufism and spread to northern
Europe.

When Islam reached Persia the concept of People of the Book was extended to the
Zoroastrians as well. Later, when the Muslims conquered parts of India and
encountered Buddhists and Hindus, who appeared to worship idols, the question was
referred to the ulema (council of scholars), who judged that even they could have
the same protected status as the Jews and Christians, so long as they did not
fight Islam and they paid the Jizyah tax.

««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
Peace

"Peace" is the most common word on a Muslim's tongue. Whenever two people meet,
they exchange greetings, wishing each other peace: "Peace be upon you." But peace
cannot prevail except through justice.  Since the concept of justice may differ
from one man to another, or from one society to another, Muslims believe that
real justice is that which is specified by Allah (God).

Islam permits fighting in self-defense, in defense of the religion, or by those
who have been expelled forcibly from their homes. At the same time, Islam
requires one to treat one's enemy mercifully. It lays down strict rules of combat
which include prohibitions against harming civilians and against destroying
crops, trees, and livestock. Islam also requires that if an enemy declares his
desire to end hostilities and seek peace, the Muslims must do the same.

The concept of Jihad (struggling in the cause of Allah) is stated in the Qur'an.
Allah said:

"Fight in the cause of God those who fight you, but do not transgress limits.  God
does not love transgressors." [2:19]

Jihad is never to be waged to force anybody to choose a particular religion. On
the contrary, it is to waged to protect his right to choose freely. Therefore, if
there is a force in the world that tries to prevent a person from practicing this
right, Jihad may lead to fighting the force that is trying to prevent him from
exercising free will.

««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
Relevance

Since Islam is the last religion revealed by Allah, it possesses some elements
that make it unique. One of these is its relevance for human beings regardless of
place and time.

This means that Islam - submission to God - is a comprehensive institution which
includes all the guidelines necessary for all aspects of life. Therefore, the
best way to understand Islam is to look at it  as more than a religion - as a
complete way of life. In other words, it is a system which regulates every aspect
of life, dealing with all issues - social, economic, educational, judicial,
health, and even military. Thus, it is suitable for all human beings and for all
times, since it is the final religion. Islamic law aims to achieve five goals for
human beings in life: protecting the religion, protecting one's self, protecting
one's possessions, protecting one's mind, and protecting one's offspring.

Therefore, God (Allah) decided on two main domains of law:

1.  If the domain always requires change and progress, Allah legislated
comprehensive yet flexible rules and gave people the chance to create and develop
the necessary laws to satisfy the specific needs of a certain period of time. For
example, in the rule of consultation (Shura), Allah decided that it should be the
general rule for any government; however, its form and style are left open for
people to choose and decide according to their needs.

2.  If the domain does not require or lend itself to change or progress, Allah
legislated fixed and detailed laws that govern all issues related to a specific
area. Thus, there is no way for man to change or develop those laws, which were
made for the welfare of all mankind. For example, the area of worshipping God
contains fixed details which cannot be changed at all. These regard prayer,
fasting, making pilgrimage, etc. Another example is in family matters, such as
the laws of marriage, divorce, and inheritance.

To show how Islam cares for the environment, one can cite the many laws that
protect the environment. About fourteen hundred years ago. Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) said: 

"The world is green and beautiful, and Allah has appointed you as
His stewards over it. He sees how you acquit yourselves."

Muhammad showed how important plants and trees are by saying: 

"Whoever plants a tree and looks after it with care until it matures and becomes productive will be rewarded in the
Hereafter."

Even in the territory of an enemy, Islam's care for plants, animals, and trees is
profound. Abu Bakr, the first Caliph, or successor, to Muhammad (pbuh),
instructed his troops that he was sending into battle not to cut down any trees
or kill any animals except for food.

These are but a few examples of how Islam remains relevant in the modern world.

««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
Sources

³The ultimate manifestation of God's grace for man, the ultimate wisdom, and the
ultimate beauty of expression: in short, the word of God.² This is how the German
scholar, Muhammad Asad, once described the Qur'an. If one were to ask any Muslim
to depict it, most likely they would offer similar words. The Qur'an, to the
Muslim, is the irrefutable, inimitable Word of God. It was revealed by God
Almighty, through the instrument of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The Prophet (pbuh)
himself had no role in authoring the Qur'an, he was merely a human secretary,
repeating the dictates of the Divine Creator: 

"He (Muhammad) does not speak of his own desire. It is no less than an Inspiration sent down to him." [53:3-4]

The Qur'an was revealed in Arabic, to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), over a period of
twenty-three years. It is composed in a style so unique, that it cannot be deemed
either poetry or prose, but somehow a mixture of both. The Qur'an is imimitable;
it cannot be simulated or copied, and God Almighty challenges mankind to pursue
such an endeavor if he thinks he can: 

"Or do they say he forged it? Say: Bring
then a chapter like unto it, and call (to your aid) anyone you can, beside God,
if it be you speak the truth." [10:38]. 
The Qur'an's language is indeed sublime, its recitation moving, as one non-Muslim scholar noted, it was like ³the cadence
of my heartbeat².  Due to its unique style of language, the Qur'an is not only
highly readable, but also relatively easy to remember. This latter aspect has
played an important role not only in the Qur'an's preservation, but in the
spiritual life of Muslims as well. God Himself declares, 
"And We have indeed made
the Qur'an easy to understand and remember; then is there anyone that will
receive admonition?" [54:17]

One of the most important characteristics of the Qur'an is that it remains today,
the only holy book which has never changed; it has remained free from any and all
adulterations. Sir William Muir noted, "There is probably in the world no other
book which has remained (fourteen) centuries with so pure a text." The Qur'an was
written down during the lifetime and under the supervision of the Prophet, who
himself was illiterate, and it was canonized shortly after his death by a
rigorous method which scrutinized both written and oral traditions. Thus its
authenticity is unblemished, and is its preservation is seen as the fulfillment
of God's promise: 
"We have, without doubt, sent down the Message, and We will
assuredly guard it from corruption." [15:9]

The Qur'an is a book which provides the human being the spiritual and
intellectual nourishment he/she craves. Its major themes include the oneness of
God, the purpose of human existence, faith and God-consciousness, the Hereafter
and its significance. The Qur'an also lays a heavy emphasis upon reason and
understanding. In these spheres of human understanding, the Qur'an goes beyond
just satisfying the human intellect; it causes one to reflect on implications.
There are Qur'anic challenges and prophecies. One of the most exciting fields in
recent years has been the discovery that, of the significant amount of scientific
information in the Qur'an, including the event of the Big Bang, embryological
data, and other information concerning astronomy biology, etc., there is not a
single statement that has not been borne out by modern discoveries In short, the
Qur'an fulfills the heart, the soul, and the mind.

Perhaps the best description of the Qur'an was given by Ali, the cousin of
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) when he expounded upon it as,
"The Book of God. In it is
the record of what was before you, the judgment of what is among you, and the
prophecies of what will come after you. It is decisive, not a case for levity.
Whoever is a tryant and ignores the Qur'an will be destroyed by God. Whoever
seeks guidance from other than it will be misguided. The Qur'an is the
unbreakable bond of connection with God; it is the remembrance full of wisdom and
the straight path. The Qur'an does not become distorted by tongues. nor can it be
deviated by caprices; it never dulls from repeated study; scholars will always
want more of it. The wonders of the Qur'an are never ending. Whoever speaks from
it will speak the truth, whoever rules with it will be just, and whoever holds
fast to it will be guided to the straight path." [Al-Tirmidhi]

««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
 

Sunnah

The term Sunnah comes from the root word sanna, which means to pave
the way or make a path easily passable, such that it becomes a
commonly followed way by everyone afterwards. Thus sunnah can be
used to describe a street or road or path on which people, animals, and
cars travel. Additionally, it can apply to a prophetic way, i.e. the law
that they brought and taught as an explanation or further clarification
of a divinely revealed book. Normally, the prophetic way includes
references to his sayings, actions, physical features and character traits.

From the Islamic standpoint, Sunnah refers to anything narrated or
related about the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), authentically traced to
him regarding his speech, actions, traits, and silent approvals, before
and after the revelation.

Each narration is composed of two parts: the isnad  and the matn.  The
isnad refers to a chain of people who narrated a paricular narration.
The matn is the actual text of the narration. The isnad must comprise
upright and sincere individuals whose integrity is unquestionable.

The Speech of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

The speech of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) refers to his sayings. For
example, he said: 
"Actions are judged by their intentions; everyone will
be rewarded according to his/her intention. So whoever migrates for
the sake of Allah and His Prophet then his migration will be noted as a
migration for the sake of Allah and His Prophet.  Conversely, one who
migrates only to obtain something worldly or to marry a woman, then
his migration will be worth what he had inteded.² [Bukhari]. The
Prophet (pbuh) also said: ³Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day,
should say something good or keep quiet.

The above two accounts clearly show that the Prophet (pbuh) spoke
these words. Consequently, these are known as his speech.

The Actions of  Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

His actions pertain to anything he did, as authentically reported by the
Sahabah (Companions). For instance, Hudhayfah reported that whenever
the Prophet (pbuh) got up at night, he would clean his teeth with a
tooth-stick. Also A'ishah reported  that the Prophet (pbuh) loved  to do
everything starting with the right side - putting on shoes, walking,
cleaning himself, and in all his affairs generally.

The Silent Approvals of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

His silent approvals on different issues meant his not opposing or
minding what he saw, heard or knew of the actions or sayings of his
Companions. On one occasion, for example, the Prophet (pbuh) learned
of actions of some of his Companions from other Companions.  Soon
after the battle of Khandaq, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) gave the order
to the Companions to move quickly to surround the tribe of Banu
Quraydah, encouraging them to hurry so that perhaps they would pray
'Asr (the late afternoon prayer) there. Some of the Companions of the
Prophet (pbuh) responded immediately and left without praying 'Asr.
They arrived after sunset, pitched camp and prayed 'Asr- after sunset.
At the same time another group of Companions formulated their
judgment differently. They thought that the Prophet (pbuh) was merely
encouraging them to hasten to their destination, rather than to delay
'Asr until after sunset. Consequently, they decided to stay in Madinah
until they had prayed 'Asr. Immediately thereafter, they hastened
towards the tribe of Banu Quraydhah. When the Prophet (pbuh) was
told of how each group responded differently to his announcement, he
(pbuh) affirmed both judgments.

Physical and Moral Traits of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

Everything authentically narrated concerning the Prophet's complexion
and the rest of his physical features is also included in the definition of
sunnah. Umm Ma'bad described what she saw of the great Prophet
(pbuh). She said: 

"I saw a man, his face radiant with a bright glow, not
too thin or too fat, elegant and handsome. His eyes had a deep black hue
with long eyelashes. His voice was pleasant and his neck long. He had a
thick beard. His long black eyebrows were beautifully arched and
connected to each other. In silence, he remained dignified, commanding
utmost awe and respect. When he spoke, his speech was brilliant. Of all
people he was the most handsome and the most pleasant, even when
approaching from a distance. In person, he was unique and most
admirable. Graced with eloquent logic, his speech was moderate. His
logical arguments were well organized as though they were a string of
gems. He was not too tall or too short, but exactly in between. Among
three, he appeared the most radiant and most vibrant. He had
companions who affectionately honored him. When he spoke, they
listened to him attentively. When he gave orders, they were quick to
execute them. They rallied around him guarding him. He never frowned
or spoke frivolously." [Hakim]

Along with his physical features, his Companions also described his
habits and behavior with people. Once Anas reported: 

"I served the Prophet of Allah (pbuh) for ten years. Never once did he so much as
express any bit of displeasure nor did he ever ask 'Why did you do it?'
for something I did or 'Why didn't you do it?' for something I didn't
do."

From the above we can clearly see that when the term sunnah appears in
a general context refering to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) it comprises
anything narrated about the Prophet (pbuh) and authentically traced to
him. Once a Muslim learns of the authenticity of any narration, he/she
is obliged to follow and obey it accordingly.  Such obedience is
mandated by Allah as He declares 

"...and obey Allah and His Prophet and do not turn away when you hear (him speak)." [8:20]

At times, some Muslims are perplexed when people say that sunnah is
something only recommeded and is not mandatory. Thus they conclude
that we are only required to follow the Qur'an and not the Sunnah. Such
an argument results from a gross misunderstanding. Scholars of Islamic
jurisprudence use the term sunnah to denote what is authentically
established of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in deeds which were not
subsequentlly made mandatory by Allah.

They further hold that this includes any saying of Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) where he encourages Muslims to do a particular task and
compliments those who imbibe such attributes. Thus to them, the term
sunnah  denotes what is authentically established of Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) in deeds which he did voluntarily and which were not
subsequently made mandatory by Allah. They further hold that this
includes any saying of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) where he encourages
Muslims to do a particular task and compliments those who imbibe such
attributes. Thus to them, the term sunnah refers to what is
"recommended" and is not mandatory (fard or wajib).

From the above, we can clearly see that the term sunnah takes on
different meanings when used by different Islamic disciplines.

««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
Tolerance

Freedom of belief is guaranteed in Islam. It should be very clear that Islam
tolerates not only other faiths but even its enemies. This is stated clearly in
the Qur'an:

"God forbids you not with regard to those who fight you not for (your) faith, nor
drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them, for God
loves those who are just." [60:8]

It is one function of Islamic law to protect the privileged status of minorities,
and this is why non-Muslim places of worship have flourished all over the Islamic
world. Islamic law also permits non-Muslim minorities to set up their own courts
to implement family laws drawn up by the minorities themselves and to govern
their own affairs.

History provides many examples of Muslim tolerance towards other faiths. When the
great leader and second Caliph, Umar, entered Jerusalem in the year 634, Islam
guaranteed freedom of worship to all religious communities in the city. In fact,
so careful was Umar in setting an example for his people that he not only went to
a church to pray, he prayed outside in the courtyard, lest his followers after
his death be tempted to convert the church into a mosque.

Islam teaches that the closest to Allah and the most beloved of Allah are those
who are the best in piety. Thus all people, male and female, and regardless of
race, color, nationality or ethnicity, are considered and treated as equal before
Allah and before the law. This concept of tolerance did not reach the West even
in theory until the 18th century, and in practice not until the 20th century.

««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
Universality

In the Qur'an, Allah says:

"We have sent you (Muhammad) as a mercy for all nations." [21:107]

Thus Islam is not restricted to any particular race or nation, as many other
religions are, but is universal, meaning that its message applies to all
humanity, at all times,  in all places.

Since Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was the last prophet and messenger, his message
applies to all future generations. All previous prophets, from Adam, Noah and
Abraham to Moses and Jesus, were also Muslims:

"Not a single messenger did We send before you without this inspiration sent by
Us to him - that there is no god but I, therefore worship and serve Me." [21:25]

Since the Qur'an is the final testament, with every word and every letter
unadulterated and unchanged, and protected by Allah from any change or tampering,
it is the final revelation, and no other law will ever supersede it.

It applies, moreover, to every aspect of one's daily life, including personal,
social, legal, economic, political, even military.  Furthermore, Islam affects
every part of the individual - physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.

««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««««»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
Women

At a time when the rest of the world, from Greece and Rome to India and China,
considered women as no better than children or even slaves, with no rights
whatsoever, Islam acknowledged women's equality with men in a great many
respects. The Qur'an states:

"And among His signs is this: that He created mates for you form yourselves that
you may find rest, peace of mind in them, and He ordained between you love and
mercy. Lo, herein indeed are signs for people who reflect." [30:21]

Prophet Muhammad said:

"The most perfect in faith amongst believers is he who is best in manners and
kindest to his wife." [Abu Dawud]

Muslims believe that Adam and Eve were created from the same soul. Both were
equally guilty of their sin and fall from grace, and both were forgiven by Allah.
Many women in Islam have had high status; consider the fact that the first person
to convert to Islam was Khadijah,the wife of Muhammad, whom he both loved and
respected. His favorite wife after Khadijah's death, AŒisha, became renowned as a
scholar and one of the greatest sources of Hadith literature. Many of the female
Companions accomplished great deeds and achieved fame, and throughout Islamic
history there have been famous and influential scholars, jurists and mystics.

With regard to education, both women and men have the same rights and
obligations. This is clear in Prophet Muhammad's saying:

"Seeking knowledge is mandatory for every believer." [Ibn Majah] 

This implies men and women.

A woman is to be treated as God has endowed her, with rights, such as to be
treated as an individual, with the right to own and dispose of her own property
and earnings, enter into contracts, even after marriage. She has the right to be
educated and to work outside the home if she so chooses. She has the right to
inherit from her father, mother, and husband. A very interesting point to note is
that in Islam, unlike any other religion, a woman can be an imam, a leader of
communal prayer, for a group of women.

A Muslim woman also has obligations. All the laws and regulations pertaining to
prayer, fasting, charity, pilgrimage, doing good deeds, etc., apply to women,
albeit with minor differences having mainly to do with female physiology.

Before marriage, a woman has the right to choose her husband.  Islamic law is
very strict regarding the necessity of having the woman's consent for marriage. A
marriage dowry is given by the groom to the bride for her own personal use. She
keeps her own family name, rather than taking her husband's. As a wife, a woman
has the right to be supported by her husband even if she is already rich. She
also has the right to seek divorce and custody of young children. She does not
return the dowry, except in a few unusual situations.

Despite the fact that in many places and times Muslim communities have not always
adhered to all or even many of the foregoing in practice, the ideal has been
there for1,400 years, while virtually all other major civilzations did not begin
to address these issues or change their negative attitudes until the19th and 20th
centuries, and there are still many contemporary civilzations which have yet to
do so.