What is Islam

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	What is Islam The History of Islam: Pre-Islamic The Arabian Peninsula the birthplace of Islam is one of the hottest and driest regions in the world, consisting mainly of deserts. Since ancient times tribes of the nomadic race had populated the region. Considered the descendents of Noah’s third son Shem they are called Semites. Over the centuries theses Semitic people have migrated into the Fertile Crescent and were assimilated to into existing civilizations. In the sixth century AD, north of the Arabian Peninsula two great powers were locked in a seesaw power struggle. The Christian Byzantine kingdom, successors of the Roman Empire was to the Northwest and controlled the Mediterranean Sea, North Africa and the lands of Palestine. In the northeast lay the Zoroastrian Persian kingdom. Both the Byzantine and Persian kingdoms had client Arab tribes allied to their cause of trade and conquest. The Arabian Peninsula became a land of refuge for those seeking escape from both of these empires. Heretic Christian sects like the Nestorians, and Jewish tribes escaping the oppressive Byzantines found refuge in the protective deserts and cities of the Peninsula. Arabia was divided into tribes and cities. Each city had gods and goddess. Once a year the tribes and cities of Arabia would meet in the city of Mecca during an event known as the Hajj. In Mecca, the Kaba (Cube), a large cube shaped building housed 360 idols from all the tribes of Arabia. The Kaba was the center of Arabian religious life. Here all the warring tribes would put aside their differences as they circled the Kaba. From the Kaba they would proceed to the other shrines outside of Mecca during this five day religious event. The Hajj was a tradition that Arabs of the peninsula remembered going back hundreds of years. Mohammed It was in this world Mohammad Ibn Abdallah was born in the year 570 AD in the city of Mecca. His father died before he was born and his mother Amina died when he was 6 years old. Al-Muttalib his grandfather took charge of the youth and died 2 years later. Abu Talib his uncle adopted young Mohammed into his family and raised him as his own son. At the age of 12, young Mohammed was taken on a caravan-trading venture to Syria and experienced the world outside of Arabia for the first time. Here Islamic tradition informs us that a Christian monk named Buhaira, proclaimed Talib’s young nephew is the last prophet and warns him about the Jews. For the next 13 years little is known of his life except that he was involved in caravan trading in and out of Arabia. At the age of 25, Mohammed marries a 40 year old wealthy, widow named Khadijah who owns trading caravans. During the next 15 years of his life he interactes with Arabs known as the Hanefites. Hanefites were Arabs who rejected idol worship and were searching for the true religion. They looked to the religion of the Jews and Christians as being close to the goal. The Hanefites abandonded their idols and would retreat to the caves of Mecca in meditation and prayer. At age 40 Mohammed had his first vision in the year 610 AD. He was in a cave on Mt. Hera and thought he was demon possessed. He went to Khadijah and told her about the event. She consulted with her uncle Waraca, a Hanefite who converted to Christianity, who assured them Mohammed vision was from God. Waraca declared Mohammed was a prophet to the Arab peoples, Waraca died 2 years later never becoming a Muslim. Mohammed proclaimed Allah as the one true god and rejected the idol worship of Mecca. Khadijah, his wife, was Mohammed first convert to Islam. Few listened to Mohammed’s message and animosity grew against him as he confronted the idol worshippers and preached his religion to Mecca. Abu Talib his uncle and his tribe the Hasims protected him during this early Meccan period. In 619 Khadijah and Abu Talib died. Abu Talib headed the Hasim clan, which Mohammed was a member. The new leader of the Hasim tribe his uncle Abu Lahab refused to protect Mohammed. During the next 3 years Mohammed would fear for his life. He sought refuge and protection in nearby cities from those seeking his life. Then in 621 during the Hajj, Arab tribes from the city of Yatrob later to be called Medina, came for the annual pilgrimage. They met Mohammed and thought him to be a prophet and invited him to their city to bring peace and settle disputes between the warring tribes. Yathrob was founded by three Jewish tribes and the idea of monotheism was familiar to its Arab tribesmen. The Arabs of Medina had been told by Jewish tribesmen about the coming Messiah who would one day conquer the world including the Arabs. The Arab tribes hoped to find this individual before the Jews. Meeting Mohammed they thought he was the one. The Hejira (Flight) The next year the situation became intolerable for the Muslims and in in June 622 they made what has become known as the Hejira or flight. In small groups the 150 Muslims of Mecca left for the city of Medina 280 miles to the north. When word reached those of Mecca about the escape to Medina they tried to kill Mohammed. Mohammed and Abu Bakr were able to sneak out of the city and escape to Medina by another route in September 622. In Medina the warring Arab tribes submitted to Mohammed leadership and prophet-hood. The Jewish tribes rejected his claims of prophet and ridiculed his revelations. With most of the new arrivals from Mecca without work they needed to earn a living. Ghazu or caravan raiding was a way tribes would prevent one tribe from becoming to powerful. The Muslims in Medina began to rob the caravans heading toward Mecca. This is where the Muslim doctrine of Jihad was created. With their caravan business being threatened, Mecca responds with one thousand solders at the battle of Bedr in March 624 the Muslims fielded 300 warriors. The battle went to the Muslims. Mohammed proclaimed his victory was a sign from Allah and his status in Medina was magnified. The lack of enthusiasm by one of the Jewish tribes caused them to be expelled by the victorious Muslim army. The direction of prayer was also changed from Jerusalem to Mecca as the Jews rejected Mohammad’s prophet-hood. Exactly one year latter Mecca amassed 3000 solders at the battle of Uhud and the Muslims fielded 1000 solders. The battle did not go as planned. The Muslims defeated by Mecca retreated to Medina. Disheartened, Muslims blamed the second Jewish tribe as conspirators against their cause. Their homes and possessions were confiscated, and they are expelled from the city in 626 AD. The Meccans in the hope of ending the caravan raids by the Muslims assembled 10,000 solders to attack the city of Medina in the year 627. After a two weeks siege in the hot sun they are unable to penetrate the fortress like city. They returned to Mecca. After this unsuccessful attack, Mohammed and the Muslims attacked the last remaining Jewish tribe. The tribe surrendered to the mercy of Mohammed. The men were killed and the women and children were sold into slavery. The Muslims then begin to consolidate their power with the surrounding Arab tribes and cities. Mecca began to feel the economic impact of its trading losses and Mohammed’s power grew in the north. They reluctantly signed the 10 year Hudaybiah peace agreement with Mohammed and the Muslims in march 628. Muslims are allowed to return to Mecca and worship at the Kaba once a year. The people of Mecca would leave their city so the Muslim could come and worship. Two years later, in January 630, Mohammed leads 10,000 warriors to Mecca and nullifies the treaty of Hudaybiah because Muslims have been killed. The city submits to Mohammed and his warriors and accepts him as prophet. Mohammed goes to the Kaba and destroys the 360 idols in the structure. From Mecca, the “Muslims” wage Jihad on the surrounding cities forcing them to accept Islam as their religion and Mohammed as their prophet. Mohammed made his final Hajj in 632 and died unexpectedly 3 months later in June. His friend and father in law Abu Bakr (Father of Aisha) succeeded him as leader of the Muslims After Mohammad Abu Bakr received the title “Caliph” or successor of Mohammed. Their was a struggle for about who would succeed Mohammad, some felt Ali the husband of Fatima, Mohammed’s daughter deserved the position. Under Abu Bakr Islam's power in Arabian peninsula was completed. In 634 AD Abu Bakr died and was succeeded by Umar (Omar) the 2nd Caliphate. Umar advanced the Muslim armies against Syria and Palestine. In 637 A D, the armies of Byzantium lost control of Jerusalem to Islam. Uthman the 3rd Caliph succeeded Umar. Uthman ordered a complete revision of the Quran, this would cause a mutiny. He was killed and his death was considered justified because the mutineers claimed he ceased to be a Muslim. Following Uthman’s There was a struggle between rival factions of Islam about who was the rightful successor to lead Islam. Ali the 4th Caliph, Mohammad’s son-in-law and husband of Fatima, succeeded Uthman everybody did not accept him as rightful Caliphate. War broke out between the rival groups, his succession was short lived, 2 years later he was killed, the Shi’a (Party of Ali) mourned the death of Ali, and his two sons (Grandsons of Mohammed). Ali is revered as a saint by the Shi’a who are dominate in Iran and Iraq. The Shi’a feel Ali was the rightful successor to Mohammed and don’t recognize the three earlier Caliphs. The Sunnis accept Ali and the first three Caliphate as legitimate. After the defeat the Byzantines and Persian kingdoms in successive battles, the armies of Islam advanced on Europe. Within 100 years of Mohammad’s death the armies of Islam reached the city of Tours, in France. In Tours the Muslim advance was stopped. In the Battle of Tours Charles Martel the grandfather of Charlemagne defeated the advancing Muslim armies. From Tours Muslim power in Europe retreated and in the 1489 Fredinand and Isabella of Spain defeated the last remaining forces in Spain. Later, the Ottoman Empire would retreat from the rest of Europe. In the East, Islam was also expanding by the 13th century; Islam had reached the Pacific Ocean. The Islamic faith now spanned from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Ferdinand Magellan, in his attempt to bypass Muslim controlled areas in the Indian Ocean, found the passageway to Asia via the Atlantic Ocean. His desire was to bring Christianity to Asia, before Islam. Magellan was successful in introducing Christianity to the Philippines (Named after King Philip of Spain) Islam and Christianity met in the Philippines as the Northern Islands were converted to Christianity and the Southern parts of the Philippines and Indonesia were converted to Islam. Islam and Christianity became the two major rival religions in the world. Islam Today Islam today is in conflict, between western secular culture and traditional Islamic culture. The growth of Islamic Fundamentalism is an attempt to reach back to the glories of Islamic history. Many Fundamentalist (Muslim) ask themselves the question, If Islam is the religion of Allah, why are we being defeated by the West (United States) and Israel. The fundamentalist sees the problem with the failure of Islamic nations to live as the Quran commands. This view of not living the life required by Allah, as specified in the Quran and traditions and therefore being defeated by the West, is the spark of fundamentalism. Today in Islam there is a struggle between moderate and fundamentalist ideology. Understanding the books of the Islamic faith is just as important to understanding its history. The books of Islam shape both the culture and philosophy of the Muslim world The Books of Islam History of the Quran: The Qur’an: “Reading” The Quran is the “Word of God” to Islam. About 4/5 the length of the New Testament. Muslims believe the identical book is in Heaven and Allah sent the angel Gabriel to Mohammed to reveal his “Word”. The Quran is divided into 114 chapters or Surahs. The Surahs are revelations given to Mohammed during his 23 years of “Prophethood” from 610 AD to 632 AD. The Quran, composed during Mohammed’s lifetime corresponds to the time and circumstances of his life. The Surahs or chapters can be divided into three time periods. The earliest Surahs are the shortest and known as Early Meccan, and date from 610 to 622 AD. Composed in Mecca, prior to Hejira where Mohammed fled to Medina in September 622 AD. The Median Surahs were composed during the time Muslims controlled the city of Medina. They date from 622 to 630 AD. The doctrine of Jihad was introduced as war was waged against Mecca and its idol worshipers. Animosity toward the Jews and Christians increased as they rejected Mohammed as a prophet from God. Late Meccan Surahs were between 630 and 632 AD. The last 2 years of Mohammed’s life after Mecca surrendered to his authority. Surahs were at this time not collected in one book but were memorized and collected on various items. In the battle of Yamamah in 633 AD many of the Hafiz died. The Hafiz were Muslims who had committed much of the Quran to memory. With the urging of Umar, Zayd ibn Thabit, one of Mohammed most trusted secretaries was appointed to the task of collecting the Quran into one book. Still later after different versions of the quran began to appear Zayd was put in charge of collecting all the Qurans throughout the Muslim world and issuing an authorized copy in the place of ones collected. The Quran makes the appeal to its beauty and consistency with previous scriptures as proof of its inspiration. 23 And if ye are in doubt as to what We have revealed from time to time to Our servant, then produce a Surah like thereunto; and call your witnesses or helpers (if there are any) besides Allah, if your (doubts) are true. 24 But if ye cannot - and of a surety ye cannot - then fear the Fire whose fuel is Men and Stones - which is prepared for those who reject Faith. Surah 2:23-24 The Hadith: “Tradition” After the death of Mohammed, his followers collected his sayings and actions in books to guide and direct their beliefs. They give additional meaning behind the Surahs and help interpret their meanings. The most respected Hadith are Bukari, and Muslim. Muslims do not feel the Hadith is the “Word of God”. They would compare the Hadith, to the Gospels, which reports what Jesus said. The Quran is the Word of God from Heaven via Gabriel. Who is a Muslim: A Muslim is someone who has submitted to Allah. One submits to Allah by confession of the Shahada or the 5 pillars of faith. Besides the five major beliefs or doctrines in Islam, there are these are observances in Islam which are foundational practices or duties every Muslim must observe. The Five Pillars of Faith 1. “The Confession” "La ilaha illa llah" "There is no God but God." The Shahada, (Testimoney) Kalima There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah. 2. Salat Prayer 5 times a day facing Mecca 3. Zakat Almsgiving 4. Fasting during the month of Ramadan, from sun-up till sundown. 5. Hajj Pilgrimage to Mecca once a lifetime The Beliefs of Islam The Five Articles of Faith 1. God: There is only one true God and his name is Allah. Allah is all knowing, all-powerful and sovereign judge. Yet Allah is not a personal God, for he is so far above man in every way that he is not personally knowable. The emphasis of the God of Islam is on judgment and power, not grace and mercy. To the Muslim mind, calling God father means God connotes sexual relationship. 255 Allah! there is no god but He, the living, the self subsisting, eternal. No slumber can seize him nor heavens and on earth. Who is there can intercede in his presence except as he permitteth? he knoweth what (appeareth to his creatures as) before or after or behind them. Nor shall they compass aught of his knowledge except as he willeth. His throne doth extend over the heavens and the earth, and he feeleth no fatigue in guarding and preserving them for he is the most high, the supreme (in glory).Surah 2:255 2. Angels: Angels in Islam serve Allah’s will such as Gabriel delivering the Koran to Mohammed. Angels do not perform any bodily functions (sexual, eating., etc) as they are created of light. Angels serve different purposes; each person has two recording angels who record his/her good or bad deeds. Jinn : Are spiritual beings created out of fire….who are ranked between angels and men and can be either good or bad. Satan was a Jinn and not a fallen angel according to Islam. 27 And the Jinn race, we had created before, from the fire of a scorching wind. Surah15:27 Satan: A Jinn who refused to fall prostrate before Adam after he was created. He is the leader of evil ones in the world. 50. And (remember) when We said unto the angels: Fall prostrate before Adam, and they fell prostrate, all save Iblis. He was of the Jinn, so he rebelled against his Lord's command. Will ye choose him and his seed for your protecting friends instead of Me, when they are an enemy unto you? Calamitous is the exchange for evil doers! Sura 18:50 3. Scripture: There are four inspired books in Islam: Quran, Torah, Ingil and Zabur. The Torah, Ingil and Zabur: “Books of Moses, The Gospel of Jesus, and Psalms of David” These are books mentioned in the Koran as God’s Word but most Moslems feel the current books are corrupt. For this reason Allah gave Mohammed the “Quran”. Many Muslims try to find Mohammed in the Bible and feel he is referred to in Deuteronomy 18:16, John 14:6. 4. Prophets: In Islam God has spoken through numerous prophets down through the centuries, including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus. The greatest prophet and the last prophet is Muhammmad, he is the seal of the prophets. 163 We have sent thee inspiration, as We sent it to Noah and the Messengers after him: We sent inspiration to Abraham, ismail Ismaÿil, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes, to Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon, and to David We gave the Psalms. 164 Of some messengers We have already told thee the story; of others We have not- and to Moses Allah spoke direct- Surah 4:163-164 5. Last Days: The last days will be a time of Ressurrection and judgment.: Resurrection: Everybody will be resurrected to stand before Allah to be judged in the Last Day. Those who follow Allah and Mohammed will go to Paradise others will go to Hell. Everybody will pass through Hell and even some Muslim will spend time in Hell till their sins are burned away and Mohammad intercedes for them. Hell: Hell is a place of Allah judgment where Muslims will spend sometime before entering paradise, unbelievers will have no escape. Muslim’s believe Mohammed will intercede for them and deliver them from Hell. AbuSa'id al-Khudri SAHIH MUSLIM The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: The (permanent) inhabitants of the Fire are those who are doomed to it, and verily they would neither die nor live in it (quran al-QurŸan, xx.47; liiixii.13). But the people whom the Fire would afflict (temporarily) on account of their sins, or so said (the narrator) "on account of their misdeeds," He would cause them to die till they would be turned into charcoal. Then they would be granted intercession and would be brought in groups and would be spread on the rivers of Paradise and then it would be said: O inhabitants of Paradise, pour water over them; then they would sprout forth like the sprouting of seed in the silt carried by flood. A man among the people said: (It appears) as if the Messenger of Allah lived in the steppe. AL-MUWATTA of Imam Malik (Hadith) Abdullah ibn Abbas Then I saw the Fire - and I have never seen anything more hideous than what I saw today - and I saw that most of its people were women.' They said, 'Why, Messenger of Allah?' He said, 'Because of their ungratefulness (kufr),' Someone said, 'Are they ungrateful to Allah?' He said, 'They are ungrateful to their husbands and they are ungrateful for good behaviour (towards them). Even if you were to behave well towards one of them for a whole lifetime and then she were to see you do something (that she did not like) she would say that she had never seen anything good from you.'" Paradise: Described in the Quaran as place underneath the Earth that flows with rivers of wine and “wide eyed” virgins of beauty. And round about them will (serve) youths of perpetual (freshness): If thou seest them, thou wouldst think them scattered Pearls. 20 And when thou lookest, it is there thou wilt see a Bliss and a Realm Magnificent. 21 Upon them will be green Garments of fine silk and heavy brocade, and they will be adorned with bracelets of silver; and their Lord will give to them to drink of a Wine Pure and Holy. 22 Verily this is a Reward for you, and your Endeavour is accepted and recognized. Surah 76:19-22 See Also Surah 2:25, Christianity and Islam Jesus: Jesus is just a prophet and not the Son of God. He is only a prophet to the Jews who was not crucified but was caught up into Heaven. God placed a substitute in his place on the cross. Many Muslims feel the substitute was Judas. Jesus is the Messiah who is coming at the end. He will kill all the Jews, Christians and pigs break all crosses get married and die 40 years later and be buried in Medina next to Mohammed. The Resurrection will follow. 157 That they said (in boast), "We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah"- but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not- 158 Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise- Surah 4:157-158, So peace is on me The day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life (again)! Sura 19:33 Holy Spirit: The angel Gabriel is recognized as the Holy Spirit within Islam, or as some commentators think angels in general. If ye two turn is repentance to Him, your hearts are indeed so inclined; but if ye back up each other against him, truly Allah is his Protector, and Gabriel, and (every) righteous one among those who believe, and furthermore, the angels will back (him) up. Sura 66:4 Salvation: The Muslims believe in salvation by obedience to Allah. Mohammed will intercede on the behalf of Muslims before Allah. In a scale, Allah will weight the sins and good deeds to determine the punishment. Time in Hell will be necessary to pay for sins that outweigh good deeds. After which the “Muslims” will be accepted into Paradise. Non-Believers will go to Hell with no hope of escape. Those who die in Jihad or Holy War will go directly to Paradise where 72 virgins will be awaiting him. Al-Miqdam ibn madikarib Ma'dikarib (Hadith) MISHKAT AL-MASABIH (Hadith) Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "The martyr receives six good things from Allah: he is forgiven at the first shedding of his blood; he is shown his abode in Paradise; he is preserved from the punishment in the grave; he is kept safe from the greatest terror; he has placed on his head the crown of honour, a ruby of which is better than the world and what it contains; he is married to seventy-two wives of the maidens with large dark eyes; and is made intercessor for seventy of his relatives." Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it. MISHKAT AL-MASABIH (Hadith) Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "The lowliest of the inhabitants of Paradise will be he who has eighty thousand servants, seventy-two wives, and for whom a round pavilion of pearls, chrysoprase and rubies as large as the distance between al-Jabiyah and San'a will be set up." By the same isnad he said, "Those who are to go to Paradise, who die whether young or old, Sin: Man is born sinless and all people are Muslims at birth. But lack of obedience to Allah is sin. Sin is by action only and not by nature. Sources of the Quran: Where did the Quran come from? The Quran claims Allah is its source of the Quran is a copy of an identical book is written in Heaven that was given Gabriel to give to Mohammad in intervals. 105 We sent down the (Quran) in truth, and in truth has it descended: and we sent thee but to give glad tidings and to warn (sinners). 106 (It is) a Quran which we have divided (into parts from time to him), in order that thou mightest recite it to men at intervals: we have revealed it by stages. Surah 117:105-6 History gives us a different answer. The Quran’s content can be traced to sources in existence prior to Mohammed birth. A few of these sources can be found below. Jewish sources of the Quran 1. Visit by the queen of Sheba to Solomon as recorded in Sura 27:17-30 And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts, of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks. 18 At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, one of the ants said: O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it. Sura 27:17-18 This same story is recorded almost verbatim in the Talmud work II Targum of Ester 1,2 2. Abraham saved from Nimrod’s Fire as recorded in the following Suras 2:260, 6:74-84, 21:52-72, 19:42-50, 26:69-79, 24:15-16, 37:81-95, We bestowed aforetime on Abraham his rectitude of conduct, and well were we Acquainted with him. 52 Behold! he said to his father and his people, what are these images, to which ye are (so assiduously) devoted? 53 They said, we found Our fathers worshipping them. Sura 21: 52-53 The source for this story is from the Midrash Rabbah on Genesis 3. Cain and Abel Sura 5:30-35 Then Allah sent a raven, who scratched the ground, to show him how to hid the shame of his brother. Woe is me said he; was I not even able to be as this raven, and to hide the shame of my brother? then he became full of regrets -Sura 5:30 The source of this story can be found in the book Pirke Rabbi Eleaszer in the Midrash. The only difference being that the crow shows Adam not Cain how to bury Abel. 4. Harut and Marut The two angles of Babylon. They followed what the evil ones gave out (falsely) against the power of Solomon: the blasphemers were, not Solomon, but the evil ones, teaching men magic, and such things as came down at Babylon the angels Harut and Marut. Sura 2:109 This same story is taken from the Midrash Yalkut the only difference being the two angels named are Shamhazi and Azael. But the names of Harut and Marut were two idols worshipped far back in Armenia. They were assistants to the female goddess Aspandaramit. The Zoroastrians regarded her as the spirit of the earth. Heretical Christian Sources 5. The Seven Sleepers, or Companions of the Cave. Surah 18:9-26 9 Or dost thou reflect that the companions of the cave and of the inscription were wonders among our Signs? 10 Behold, the youths betook themselves to the cave: they said, our Lord bestow on us mercy from thyself, and dispose of our affair for us in the right way 11 Then we draw (a veil) over their ears, for a number of years, in the cave, (so that they heard not): Sura 18:9-11 The legend is Greek and is found in the Latin work of Gregory of Tours. Seven men of the city of Ephesus take refuge from persecution in a cave during the reign of Decius (249-251 AD) they wake in the reign of Theodorus II 447 AD. Christianity being the faith of the empire. This was a mere story to illustrate the rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire. Zoroastrian Sources 6. Quranic view of Paradise Sura 55:72, 56:22 Round about them will (serve) youths of perpetual (freshness), 18 With goblets, (shining) beakers, and cups (filled) out of Clear flowing fountains: 19 No after ache will they receive therefrom, nor will they suffer intoxication: 20 And with fruits, any that they may select; 21 And the flesh of fowls, any that they may desire. 22 And (there will be) Companions with beautiful, big, and lustrous eyes Sura 56:18-22 The picture of Paradise with beautiful virgins waiting for men is not found in any of the Old or New Testament but can be traced to the Zoroastrian concept of Paradise Paries or Fairies –spirits in bright array and beautiful, to captivate the heart of a man. The name houry is derived from an Avesta or Pahlavi source. As well as jinn for genii and bihvisht (Paradise) signifying in Avestic “The better land”. Islamic Fundamentalism: Fundamentalism is a hard-line literal view of the world through the eyes of the Quran. Islam is at war with Jews and Christians for world domination in the cause of Allah. As the earlier Muslims were at war with cities refusing to accept Mohammed as the prophet, Fundamentalist see themselves involved in a Jihad[1] or Holy War against the West. Fundamentalist see the United States as Satan’s power in the battle with Islam. Television, movies, alcohol, carnal lifestyles and their influence on Muslim countries pits the US and the West at war with Islam. Furthermore, the United States support for Israel enrages Muslims, Israel is seen as Enemy No.1 to Muslim nations. For three main reasons; 1. There is great deal of hostility toward Jews within the Koran and Hadith. They view Jews are seen as the killers of prophets and enemies of God. Muslims who are strict students of the Koran see themselves at war with Jews. Bukari ( Hadith) Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) said: The Last Hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him; but the tree Gharqad would not say, for it is the tree of the Jews. SAHIH MUSLIM (Hadith) O ye who believe take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: they are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guideth not a people unjust. Surah 5:51 2. The nation of Israel occupies land formerly held by Muslims and Fundamentalist see themselves as solders in a battle to regain the land. Palestinian suffering is a rallying cry to Muslim nations for Jihad. 3. Jerusalem and The Dome of the Rock: The location of Solomon's Temple is the 3rd most Holy Place to Muslims. And Jerusalem has been a Holy Muslim city for the last 13 centuries. The Dome of the Rock was built on the Temple site to demonstrate Islam as the final religion in the world. Jewish talk of rebuilding the Temple infuriates the Muslim world. The situation with Israel, the West and Islam cause Fundamentalist to apply the principle of Jihad to the West. America is seen as idolatrous Mecca who stood in the way of the Islam advance. Attacks on the West via terrorism are seen as justified based on the attacks on the enemies of Islam in the same way the early armies of Islam waged war on its enemies. Jihad: Jihad is battle in the cause of Allah in which the fighter gains immediate entry to Paradise. The Muslim has the right to slay anybody who has attacked Muslim sovereignty. This was considered one of the Allah hath purchased of the Believers their persons and their goods; for their (in return) is the Garden (of Paradise): they fight in His Cause, and slay and are slain: a promise binding on Him in Truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and the quran QurŸan: and who is more faithful to his Covenant than Allah? Then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded: that is the achievement supreme. Surah 9:111. if they withdraw not from you nor give you (guarantees) of peace besides restraining their hands, seize them and slay them wherever ye get them: in their case we have provided you with a clear argument against them. Surah 4:91 190 Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors. 191 And slay them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the Sacred Mosque, unless they (first) fight you there; but if they fight you, slay them. Such is the reward of those who suppress faith Surah 2:190-191 [1] Jihad: Jihad is battle in the cause of Allah in which the fighter gains immediate entry to Paradise.

The Qur'an: Word of God

Contents

• The Divine Word
• Sacred Text, Sacred Language
• Power
• The Book
• The Message
• Divine Presence
• Existence and Creation
• Multiplicity and Unity
• Signs and Realities
• Levels of Meaning
• Religion, Science and Symbols
• Qur'anic Phrases
• Summary

THE HOLY QUR'AN

The Divine Presence in the text provides food for the souls of men. The Qur'an is like existence itself, like the Universe and the beings who move through it. It contains all the elements of universal existence. It is in itself a universe in which a Muslim places his life from beginning to end.

The Divine Word

The covenant made between man and God by virtue of which man accepted the trust [amanah] of being an intelligent and free being with all the opportunities and dangers that such a responsibility implies, is symbolized physically by the stone by the stone of the Ka'ba. Spiritually the record of this covenant in contained in the Qur'an, that central theophany of Islam which is itself the eloquent expression of this eternal covenant between God and man.

The Qur'an contains the message with the aid of which this covenant can be kept and the entelechy of human existence fulfilled. It is thus the central reality in the life of Islam.

The Qur'an is the tissue out of which the life of a Muslim is woven; its sentences are like threads from which the substance of his soul is knit.

The Qur'an for the Muslim is the revelation of God and the book in which His message to man is contained. It is the Word of God revealed to the Prophet through the archangel Gabriel. The Prophet was therefore the instrument chosen by God for the revelation of His Word, of His Book of which both the spirit and the letter, the content and the form, are Divine. Not only the content and meaning comes from God but also the container and form which are thus an integral aspect of the revelation.

In other religions the 'descent of the Absolute' has taken other forms, but in Islam as in other Semitic religions but with more emphasis, revelation is connected with a 'book' and in fact Islam envisages the followers of all revealed religions as 'people of the Book' [ahl al-kitab].

A man who understands religion metaphysically and intellectually must either accept religion as such, that is, all orthodox tradition, or be in danger of either intellectual inconsistency or spiritual hypocrisy.

The unlettered nature of the Prophet demonstrates how the human recipient is completely passive before the Divine. Were this purity and virginity of the soul not to exist, the Divine Word would become in a sense tainted with purely human knowledge and not be presented to mankind in its pristine purity.

Sacred Text, Sacred Language

The form of the Qur'an is the Arabic language. Arabic is sacred in the sense that it is an integral part of the Qur'anic revelation whose very sounds and utterances play a role in the ritual acts of Islam.

The formulae of the Qur'an read in prayers and acts of worship must be in the sacred language of Arabic which alone enables one to penetrate into the content and be transformed by the Divine presence and grace [barakah] of the Divine Book. That is also why the Qur'an cannot be translated into any language for ritual purposes. The very sounds and words of such a sacred language are parts of the revelation.

Religion is not philosophy or theology meant only for the mental plane. It is a method of integrating our whole being including the psychical and corporeal. The sacred language serves precisely as a providential means whereby man can come not only to think about the truths of religion, which is only for people of a certain type of mentality, but to participate with his whole being in a Divine norm. This truth is universally applicable, and especially it is clearly demonstrated in the case of the Qur'an whose formulae and verses are guide posts for the life of the Muslim and whose continuous repetition provides a heavenly shelter for man in the turmoil of his earthly existence.

The text of the Qur'an reveals human language crushed by the power of the Divine Word.

The Qur'an, like every sacred text, should not be compared with any form of human writing because precisely it is a Divine message in human language.

It is not the sacred text that is incoherent. It is man himself who is incoherent and it takes much effort for him to integrate himself into his Centre so that the message of the Divine book will become clarified for him and reveal to him its inner meaning.

The whole difficulty in reading the Qur'an and trying to reach its meaning is the incommensurability between the Divine message and the human recipient, between what God speaks and what man can hear in a language which despite its being a sacred language is, nevertheless, a language of men. But it is a sacred language because God has chosen it as His insrurment of communication, and He always chooses to 'speak' in a language which is primordial and which expresses the profoundest truths in the most concrete terms.

The Qur'an is composed of a profusion and intertwining of plant life as seen in a forest often combined suddenly with the geometry, symmetry and clarity of the mineral kingdom, of a crystal held before light. The key to Islamic art is in fact this combination of plant and mineral forms as inspired by the form of expression of the Qur'an which displays this character clearly.

Power

The power of the Qur'an does not lie in that it expresses a historical fact or phenomenon. It lies in that it is a symbol whose meaning is valid always because it concerns not a particular fact in a particular time but truths which being in the very nature of things are perennial. Of course the Qur'an does mention certain facts such as the rebellion of a certain people against God and His punishment of those people as we see also in the Old Testament. But even those 'facts' retain their power because they concern us as symbols of a reality which is always present. The miracle of the Qur'an lies in its possessing a language which has the efficacy of moving the souls of men now, nearly fourteen hundred years since it was revealed, as much as it did at the beginning of its appearance on earth.

The Book

The Book is first of all al-Qur'an, namely a recitation from which its common name is derived. It is a recitation in the sense that it is a means of concentration upon the truth for 'recitation' is a concentration in which ideas and thoughts are directed towards the expression of a certain end. It is also al-Furqan, that is a discernment, a discrimination, in that it is the instrument by which man can come to discriminate between Truth and falsehood, to discern between the Real and the unreal, the Absolute and the relative, the good and the evil, the beautiful and the ugly. Finally it is Umm al-kitab, the mother of all books. As the 'Mother of books' the Qur'an is the prototype of all 'books', that is, of all knowledge. From the Islamic point of view all knowledge is contained in essence in the Qur'an, the knowledge of all orders of reality. But this knowledge lies within the Qur'an potentially, or as a seed and in principle, not actually.

The Qur'an is then the source of knowledge in Islam not only metaphysically and religiously but even in the domain of particular fields of knowledge.

The Message

The Qur'an contains essentially three types of message for man.

Firstly, it contains a doctrinal message, a set of doctrines which expound knowledge of the structure of reality and man's position in it. As such it contains a set of moral and juridical injunctions which is the basis of the Muslim Sacred Law or Shari'ah and which concerns the life of man in every detail. It also contains metaphysics about the nature of the Godhead, a cosmology concerning the structure of the Universe and the multiple states of being, and an eschatology about man's final end and the hereafter. It contains a doctrine about human life, about history, about existence as such and its meaning. It bears all the teachings necessary for man to know who he is, where he is and where he should be going. It is thus the foundation of both Divine Law and metaphysical knowledge.

Secondly, the Qur'an contains a message which on the surface at least is like that of a vast book of history. It recounts the story of peoples, tribes, kings, prophets and saints over the ages, of their trials and tribulations. This message is essentially one couched in historical terms but addressed to the human soul. It depicts in vivid terms the ups and downs, the trials and vicissitudes of the human soul in therms of accounts of bygone people which were not only true about such and such a people and time but concern the soul here and now.

Every event recounted about every being, every tribe, every race bears an essential meaning which concerns us. All the actors on the stage of sacred history as accounted in the Qur'an are also symbols of forces existing within the soul of man. the Qur'an is, therefore, a vast commentary on man's terrestrial existence. It is a book about whose reading reveals the significance of human life which begins with birth and ends with death, begins from God and returns to him.

Thirdly, the Qur'an contains a quality which is difficult to express in modern language. One might call it a divine magic, if one understands this phrase metaphysically and not literally. The formulae of the Qur'an, because they come from God, have a power which is not identical with what we learn from them rationally by simply reading and reciting them. They are rather like a talisman which protects and guides man. That is why even the physical presence of the Qur'an carries a great grace or barakah with it.

Divine Presence

The Qur'an possesses precisely a barakah for believers which is impossible to explain or analyze logically. But because of this Divine presence and barakah it endures from generation to generation. The Divine presence in the text provides food for the souls of men. It is in fact a sacred act to recite the Qur'an. Its reading is a ritual act which God wishes man to perform over and over again throughout his earthly journey.

Existence and Creation

Taken as a whole, the Qur'an is like existence itself, like the Universe and the beings who move through it. It contains all the elements of universal existence and for this reason is in itself a univerese in which a Muslim places his life from beginning to end.

In a metaphysical sense, the Qur'an contains the prototype of all creation. Metaphysically, the Qur'an has an aspect of knowledge connected with its text as a book and an aspect of being connected with its inner nature as the archtypical blueprint of the universe.

Multiplicity and Unity

The Qur'an corresponds to the world we live in from day to day. Man lives in a world of multiplicity and before he becomes spiritually transformed, he is profoundly attached to this multiplicity. The roots of his soul are deeply sunk into the soil of this world. That is why he loves this world and finds it so difficult to detach himself from it and attach himself to God.

The Qur'an, being like the world, is also a multiplicity in its chapters and verses, words and letters. The soul in first encoutering it discovers the same differentiation and multiplicity to which it is accustomed through its experience with the world. But within the Qur'an is contained a peace, harmony and unity which is the very opposite of the effect of the world as such on the souls of men. The external multiplicity of the world is such that in it man runs from one thing to another without ever finding peace and contentment. His soul runs from one object of desire to another thinking that it will find contentment just around the corner. Yet, it is a corner which he somehow never reaches.

The Qur'an begins by also presenting to the soul the possibility of running from one 'thing' to another, of running around corners, of living in multiplicity, but within lies a peace and contentment which leaves the very opposite effect on the soul.

The Qur'an does present itself as the world but a world in which there is not differentiation and dissipation but essentially integration and unification.

Signs and Realities

The Qur'an is the cosmos, the vast world of creation in which man lives and breathes. God displays his 'signs' the vestigia Dei, on the horizons, that is, the cosmos and more specifically the world of nature and within the souls of man until man comes to realize that it is the Truth.

The Qur'an corresponds in a sense to nature, to God's creation. That is why when a Muslim looks at a natural phenomenon he should be reminded of God and His Power and Wisdom. Man should be reminded of the 'wonders of creation' and constantly see the 'signs' of God upon the horizons. This attitude which is one of the essential traits of Islam is enextricably tied to the correspondence between the Qur'an and the Universe.

Human experience is based on a world and a subject that lives in this world and travels through it. Man's existence can be analyzed in terms of two realities, a world, a background, an environment, and a being, a traveller, who journeys through this background and lives in this environment.

The Qur'an again reflects this reality. The chapters of the Book are like worlds and we who read them like the traveller journeying through them. Or from another point of view the chapters are like the worlds, or realms, and the verses like the subject passing through them. In this aspect as in so many other essential ones the Qur'an corresponds to the very structure of reality; it corresponds in its external and inward aspects to all degrees of reality and knowledge, of being and intellection, whether it be practical or theoretical, concerned with social and active life or with metaphysical knowledge and the contemplative life.

Besides containing the basis of the Divine Law, the Qur'an expounds also a metapysics, a cosmology and an eschatology whose expression and formulation is what it should be.

Levels of Meaning

The Qur'an is meant for both the simple peasant and the metaphysician and seer and of necessity contains levels of meaning for all types of believers.

Many people in fact who read the Sacred Book receive no more from it than the literal message. This is because no sacred text opens itself to human scrutiny and reveals its secret so easily. The Qur'an is like the Universe wtih many planes of existence and levels of meaning. One has to be prepared to be able to penetrate its meaning. It is, moreover, particularly in the inspired commentaries, that man comes to understand explicitly and in more extended form what is contained often implicitly and in a contracted form in the Qur'an.

The inner meaning of the Qur'an can be understood, but for certain exceptional cases, only through the inspired commentaries each of which seeks to elucidate and elaborate certain aspects of the Book.

This type of commentary which is a penetration into the inner meaning of a sacred text is written by a traditional authority who has himself penetrated into the inner dimensions of his own being.

Man sees in the sacred scriptures what he is himself, and the type of knowledge he can derive fromt he texts depends precisely on 'who' he is.

It is essential to realize that we cannot reach the inner meaning of the Qur'an until we ourselves have penetrated into the deeper dimensions of our own being and also by the grace of heaven. If we approach the Qur'an superficially and are ourselves superficial beings floating on the surface of our existence and unaware of our profound roots, then the Qur'an appears to us also as having only a surface meaning. It hides its mysteries from us and we are not able to penetrate it. It is by spiritual travail that man is able to penetrate into the inner meaning of the sacred text by that process which is called ta'wil or symbolic and hermeneutic interpretation, just as tafsir is the explanation of the external aspect of the Book.

The Arabic term ta'wil contains etymologically the meaning of the process involved. It means literally to take something back to its beginning or origin. To penetrate into the inner mysteries of the Qur'an is precisely to reach back to its Origin because the Origin is the most inward, and the revelation or manifestation of the sacred text is at once a descent and an exteriorization of it. Everything actually comes from within to the outside, from the interior to the exterior and we who live 'in the exterior' must return to the interior if we are to reach the Origin.

When intellectual intuition is present and under the guidance of revelation one can penetrate the appearance to that reality of which the appearance is an appearance, one can journey from the exterior to the interior by this process of ta'wil, which in the case of the Qur'an means coming to understand its inner message.

The idea of penetrating into the inner meaning of things is to be seen everywhere in Islam, in religion, philosophy, science and art.

There is an inner meaning to the Qur'an not meant for anyone except those who are qualified to hear and understand it.

The Qur'an possesses an inner dimension which no amount of literal and philological analysis can reveal. And it is precisely this aspect of the Qur'an that is least known to the outside world.

Religion, Science and Symbols

Qur'anic commentary was the meeting ground for the knowledge derived from science and from the tenets of revelation.

The whole process of penetrating the inner meaning of the Qur'an, of discovering that wisdom which alone is the common ground between religion and science, is based on this process of ta'wil, which does not mean seeking after a metaphorical meaning or reading into the text. Ta'wil in the sense used by Sufis and Shi'ite sages is the pentration into the symbolic -- and not allegorical -- meaning of the text which is not a human interpretation but reaching a divinely pre-disposed sense placed within the Sacred Text trhough which man himself becomes transformed. The symbol has an ontological reality that lies above any mental constructions. Man does not make symbols. He is transformed by them. And it is as such that the Qur'an with the worlds of meaning that lie hidden in its every phrase transforms and remakes the soul of man.

Qur'anic Phrases

• First Shahadah
• Basmallah
• Second Shahadah
• Alhamd
• Allahu Akbar
• Insha' Allah and Masha' Allah

First Shahadah

The most fundamental formula of the Qur'an is the first Shahadah, that is, witness or testimony, La ilaha ill' Allah, which is the fountainhead of all Islamic doctrine, the alpha and omega of the Islamic message. In it is contained all of metaphysics. He who knows it knows everything in principle. It is both the doctrine and the method, the doctrine because it negates all relativity and multiplicity from the Absolute and returns all positive qualities back to God, the method because it is the means whereby the soul can combat against the enemies within. The very la at the beginning is a sword -- and in Arabic calligraphy the lam in fact resembles a sword -- by which the soul is able to kill al the evil tendencies within itself which prevent it from becoming unified and which endanger it towards polytheism, or shirk, by making it see the relative as Absolute. A Muslim repeats the Shahadah, not only because it reaffirms over and over again Divine Unity but also because, through its repetition, this Unity comes to leave its permanent imprint upon the human soul and integrates it into its Centre. It is a sword with which the 'deities' that keep springing up in the soul are destroyed and all multiplicity and otherness is negated.

Basmallah

After the Shahadah the most cardinal and often used formula is Bismillah al-rahman al-rahim, which is usually translated as 'in the Name of God, the Most Merciful and Compassionate'. Al-rahman is the transcendent aspect of Divine Mercy. Al-rahim is the immanent mercy of God. It is like a ray of light which shines in our heart and touches individual lives and particular events. The two qualities combined express the totality of Divine Mercy which envelopes us from without and shines forth from within our being.

The basmallah opens every chapter of the Qur'an except one which is really the continuation of the previous chapter. It also opens the Surat al-fatihah, the opening chapter of the Qur'an, which is recited over and over again in the daily canonical prayers, and which contains the essence of the Qur'anic message. 'Ali, the representative par excellance of esotericism in Islam, said that 'all the Qur'an is contained in the Surat al-fatihah, all this Surat is contained in the basmallah, all of the basmallah in the letter ba' with which it begins, all of the letter ba' in the diacritical point under it and I am that diacritical point.'

Like the point which generates all geometric space, this point is the symbol of the Origin of all creation, as the basmallah itself marks the beginning of things. Its recitation at the begining of an act relates that act to God and sanctifies it. Even if every Muslim is not aware of all the metaphysical implications of the formula, yet its sanctifying power is known and felt by all and for that reason every act which is necessary and legitimate in life should begin with the basmallah, such as eating a meal or beginning a journey. In fact that act is illicit at whose commencement a devout Muslim cannot pronounce the formula. Otherwise all that is acceptable before the eyes of God can be sanctified by it. Through the basmallah the Divine joy and bliss enters into human life to bless and sanctify it.

Second Shahadah

Closely connected with the basmallah in meaning is the second Shahadah, Muhammadun rasul Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of God, which again expresses the Divine mercy for the world, for the Prophet is mercy for this world and the next [rahmat Allah li'l-alamin]. He is the mercy of God for all worlds and through his aid man is able to lead a life of happiness here below and felicity in the world to come. The second Shahadah is the complement of the first. The first negates all otherness from God, the second asserts that all that is positive in creation, of which Muhammad -- Upon him be peace -- is the symbol, comes from God.

Alhamd

The Alhamduli'-llah, Praise be to God, is the complement of the basmallah. It ends an act as the basmallah begins it. The Alhamd integrates the positive content of every act into its Divine Origin and makes man conscious of the fact that whatever he has done that is good comes from God and returns to Him. This formula again cannot be iterated except after an act that is pleasing to God and that leaves a positive imprint upon the soul and again it is the criterion of the spiritual value of an act.

Allahu Akbar

The formula, Allahu Akbar means fundamentally that whatever one says of God He transcends it and is greater than it. It is thus a way of asserting the Infinite nature of God that transcends all limited descriptions and formulations of Him.

Insha' Allah and Masha' Allah

Finally, among the most common formulae used are the two insha' Allah and masha' Allah, 'if God wills' and 'what God has willed', which are heard so often in daily speech.

The first refers to the future and expresses man's confidence in God's Will and the realization that nothing can be achieved without His Will. No matter how much we plan we do not know whether tomorrow we shall be here or elsewhere, or whether we shall be in the same state as now, and so we plan and act but fully conscious of the dependence of this action on the Divine Will, that Will which infinitely transcends ours.

As for the masha' Allah it comes at the end of an act and again reminds us that, ultimately, whatever occurs comes from God, and that whatever is realized is not by human effort alone but through His Will.

Through these Qur'anic phrases the life of man, which is scattered in multiplicity, becomes integrated by a thread of 'remembrance' which runs through it.

Summary

The Qur'an is both a source of law to guide the practical life of man and of knowledge which inspires his intellectual endeavors. It is a universe into whose contours both the natural and social environment of man are cast, a universe which determines the life of the soul of man, its becoming, fruition, death and final destiny beyond this world. As such it is the central theophany of Islam, but one which would never have come to men and never been understood save for him who was chosen as its messenger and commentator to men.

And it is in studying the life, teachings and significance of the Prophet that the full meaning of the message of Islam as contained in the Qur'an can be understood.

Islam Explained

In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Islam Explained

Article published by Mr. Abdul Jalil, Chairman of Al-Huda Islamic Center, P. O. Box 962, Elberton, GA 30635, USA; in consultation with Dr. David Kerr, Professor of Islamic Studies, Hartford Seminary, Hartford, Connecticut, USA. ALLAH — for Muslims the greatest and most inclusive of the Names of God, an Arabic word of rich and varied meaning, denoting the one who is adored in worship, who creates all that exists, who has priority over all creation, who is lofty and hidden, who confounds all human understanding. It is exactly the same word as, in Hebrew, the Jews use for God (eloh), the word which Jesus Christ used in Aramaic when he prayed to God. God has an identical name in Judaism, Christianity and Islam; Allah is the same God worshipped by Muslims, Christians and Jews. "He is God, the One God, Independent and Sought by all; He begets not, nor is He begotten, and there is none like unto Him. (The Holy Qur'an Chapter of Sincerity of Faith) Islam teaches that all faiths have, in essence, one common message: the existence of a Supreme Being, the one and only God, whose sovereignty is to be acknowledged in worship and in the pledge to obey His teaching and commandments, conveyed through His messengers and prophets who were sent at various times and in many places throughout history. Islam, An Arabic word, is rich in meaning. One important dimension is the "commitment to submit and surrender to God so that one could live in peace" peace (salam) is achieved through active obedience to the revealed Commandments of God for God is the Source of all Peace. Commitment to Islam entails striving for peace through a struggle for justice, equality of opportunity, mutual caring and consideration for others' rights, and continuous research and acquisition of knowledge for the better protection and utilization of the resources of the universe. Islam teaches that the objective of the Commandments of God is that peace should be established in the human societies of this world, in preparation for a further dimension of human existence in the world to come, the Afterlife. Islam's vision of peace is therefore truly universal; it transcends time and belongs to the order of God's eternity. Islam does not regard itself to be a new teaching, different or separate from that of other world religions. It is the re-affirmation of the ancient yet living truth of all religions which can be expressed in the following beliefs: the Uniqueness of the one and only God who is Sovereign of the universe; the Revelation of the teaching and commandments of God through Angels in heaven to Prophets on earth, and written in sacred writings which all have the same transcendent source; these contain the will of God which marks the way of peace for the whole universe and all of humankind; the Day of Judgment which inaugurates the Afterlife in which God rewards and punishes with respect to human obedience to His will. Islam affirms these simple beliefs as the basis of the decent, civilized society for which it strives. Its vision of society is, in essence, no different from that upheld by all monotheistic religions. This is particularly true of Judaism and Christianity which share with Islam the direct spiritual lineage of the Prophet Abraham. Islam affirms the divinely-ordained missions of the Prophet Moses, through whom God revealed the sacred scripture called the Torah, and of the Prophet Jesus, through whom God revealed the scripture known as the Gospel. The message of Islam is in essence the same as that which God revealed to all his prophets and messengers. The Prophet Muhammad (the peace and blessing of God be upon him) was commanded to recite in the Holy Qur'an: "Say: we believe in God, and that which was revealed unto us, and that which was revealed unto Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob, and the tribes, and that which was vouchsafed unto Moses and Jesus and the prophets from their Lord; We make no distinction between any of them, and unto Him we have surrendered. " (The Holy Qur'an 3:84) The success of civilizations and cultures is directly related to the extent of their practice of the righteous way of life revealed in the teaching and commandments of God, and set forth in the monotheistic religions which are confirmed by Islam God's revelation enshrines the highest values of humankind, and the divine commandments are essentially no different from the values which human beings have cherished and striven to maintain throughout history, irrespective of cultural, racial, linguistic and socio-economic differences. Success in this life is directly related to the practice of these values. Islam teaches that human diversity is a sign of the richness of God's mercy, and that God wills human bangs to compete with each other in goodness in order to test who is the finest in action: this is, according to Islam, the reason for the creation of the universe. To strive for peace in the societies of this world is to compete in the fulfillment of human destiny in preparation for the ultimate Abode of Peace in a further, renewed dimension of human existence in the Afterlife. The irreducible minimum of faith is to believe in God as the sole sovereign Lord of this world and of the next, and to believe in the reality of the Afterlife for which human beings are to prepare by living righteously in this world. God alone is the Judge of human righteousness, and it is God alone who rewards and punishes in this life and in the life hereafter. Righteousness does not mean for you to turn your faces towards the East and West, but righteousness means one should believe in God (Alone), the Last Day, angels, the Book and prophets; and no matter how he loves it, to give his wealth away to near relatives, orphans, the needy, the wayfarer and beggars, and towards freeing captives; and to keep up prayer and pay the welfare tax; and those who keep their word whenever they promise anything; and are patient under suffering and hardship and in time of peril (stress). Those are the ones who act loyal and perform their duty. (The Holy Qur'an 2:177) A Muslim is one who is committed to peace by continuously striving to follow the way of righteousness and justice revealed by God; the Arabic word Muslim refers to a man, Muslima to a woman. In either case the literal meaning is "one who submits to God's teachings and commandments which leads to peace". Muslims have three distinct advantages to help them in the practice of Islam as their way of life: 1) The Sacred Scripture, called the Qur'an, which was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the 7th. century of the common era, and which, after 1,400 years, remains authentic in its original Arabic text, in the language which is still used and understood by millions of people in the world today; it contains God's guidance in teachings and commandments which are valid for all times and places, and which encompass all spheres of human life; 2) The Prophet Muhammad, whom the Qur'an names as "the Seal (last) of the Prophets", and of whose life and mission there is a complete and authentic record in the Sira and the Hadith (Sunna); these show how he exemplified the teachings and commandments of God in practice, and elaborated the principles laid down in the Qur'an in order to provide a sure guidance for their interpretation and application for all later times and societies; 3) The Sacred Law, called the Shari'ah, which sets out the way of worship prescribed in the Qur'an and the Prophet's practice; it goes beyond the common understanding of worship as the performance of religious rituals, and encompasses the whole of human life, individual and social; thus all so-called secular activities become acts of worship, provided they are performed with pure and righteous intention, seeking God's pleasure. Muslims are enjoined to organize their lives on the basis of a series of ritual acts of worship which are ordained in the Qur'an as ways which discipline human beings to remember God constantly, accepting His Sovereignty and pledging to obey His commandments: 1) Declaration of belief(Shahada): this is the initial act of faith, expressed in a simple creedal statement which testifies one's commitment to following the straight path of God's guidance upon which Muslims seek to live their lives; "I bear Witness that there is no god but God; "I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His prophet" Prayer (salat), offered five times a day, has the '7 effect of reminding the faithful that "remembrance of God is indeed the greatest virtue," and helps them adhere to the path of righteousness, and to restrain themselves from indecency and evil. 3) Fasting (sawm), observed through the daylight hours of the 29/30 days of the Islamic month of Ramadan, involves abstinence from eating, drinking, smoking and marital intercourse; this reminds the believers of their dependence upon God, as well as their kinship with, and responsibility for the millions of human beings in the world who experience involuntary fasting because of the lack of provisions, or their unjust distribution. 4) Purification of wealth (Zakat): this requires the annual giving of a fixed amount of excess personal assets for the benefit of the poor, the incapacitated, the deprived, and the welfare of the community; it serves to remind Muslims that all beneficence comes from the bounty of God, and is enjoyed only by His mercy; sharing becomes an act of purification both of the wealth itself, and of the giver whose soul is disciplined against greed by the virtue of selflessness. 5) Pilgrimage (hajj), which all Muslims should perform at least once in a lifetime if personal circumstances permit, gathers the believers as members of the diverse human family into a single community; they perform prescribed acts of worship at the Holy House of the Ka'ba in Mecca which, according to the Qur'an, was originally built by the Prophet Abraham and his son Ishmael; and at Mount Arafat where they remember the pure and original way of life of Adam, the progenitor of all human beings, reaffirmed by the Patriarch of the entire human family, the Prophet Abraham, and finally perfected and completed by God for all humanity through the mission of the Prophet Muhammad - the way of life known as Islam which has at its heart the doctrine of the unity and uniqueness of the One God. Each of these prescribed acts of worship bring Muslims daily and repeatedly before God Almighty as the Creator, Sustainer and Judge of all humanity. Through these acts of worship God helps Muslims to fulfill the obligation of striving which He has ordained for this life: the striving actively and freely to surrender one's own will in obedience to the Will of God, inwardly in intention and outwardly in word and deed, individually in personal conduct and collectively in the improvement of society; the striving for peace in the world through the announcement of true faith, and its defense against all that threatens it. Islam presents human beings with a simple twofold invitation: to witness that there is no god but God Almighty; to witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of God. This declaration is the door to a life of service, and to participation in a community of believers whose highest duty is to call humanity to embrace what is righteous and good, and to reject what is evil and degrading. Muslims are sisters and brothers of all people of true faith, and wish to strive with them for peace in this world. The intention in producing this pamphlet has been to explain clearly the fundamental principles of Islam. Many current references to Islamic fundamentalism, particularly as they appear in public media, seem to ignore these principles and treat Islam as nothing more than a political phenomenon. It is hoped that this pamphlet will serve - by the Grace of God - to remedy this imbalance.