ISLAM & SOME

VITALISSUES

By

DR. ARAFAT EL-ASHI

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface
I - ISLAM & SOCIETY
1. Women In Islam
2. Marriage and Divorce In Islam
3. Can Muslims Live Among Non-Muslims?
4. Rights of Brotherhood In Islam
5. Family Relationships In Islam
6. Kindness to Parents
7. Questions and Answers on Polygamy In Islam
8. Visiting the Sick

p.11
p.16
p.21
p.25
p.30
p.34
p.38
p.41

II - ISLAMIC TEACHINGS
9. Islam In a Nutshell
10. Questions & Answers on Islam
11. Funerals In Islam
12. Fasting In Islam
13. Dont Reject H A J J
14. Islam: Message of Hope
15. Recommended Prostrations on Reciting the Quran
16. Man and Miracles
17. Islam & Magic
18. Who Is Light?
19. Islam and the Environment
20. Good Conduct In Islam
21. Finality of Prophethood
22. Who will go to Heaven?
23. Islams Perspective on Life and Death
24. Fear and Love of God
25. Islam: The Religion of Moderation
26. A Supplication

p.47
p.52
p.58
p.62
p.68
p.71
p.77
p.81
p.87
p.92
p.97
p.101
p.105
p.109
p.112
p.115
p.117
p.120

III - DISTORTIONS ON ISLAM

27. Is Satan the Author of the Quran?
28. Islam and Circumcision
29. Punishment of Theft In Islam
30. Islam & Cremation
31. Islam and Abortion
32. Islam and Adoption
33. Islam and Homosexuals
34. Islam and Drug Addiction
35. Islam vs. Terrorism
36. Islam and Racism

p.125
p.129
p.134
p.136
p.137
p.141
p.145
p.150
p.154
p.158

IV - COMPARATIVE STUDIES
37. What They Say About Jesus Christ
38. A Dialogue With a Christian Priest - Part One
39. A Dialogue With a Christian Priest - Part Two
40. A Dialogue on the Internet

p.163
p.167
p.175
p.183

V - MISCELLANEOUS
41. Do Muslims Worship the Moon?
42. A Brief History of Palestine

p.191
p.195

Preface

Several questions are asked today about the position of Islam

concerning certain issues. Many people volunteer to provide answers. It,
however, happens, sometimes, that either the answers are confusing or
they are incomplete. This, in fact, encouraged us to tackle such issues. We
first published our contribution in flyers form.
This book contains a collection of such flyers dealing with hot issues
that require Islams position on them. The said flyers have been printed
over and over again and were distributed far and wide. This book is not
intended to take the place of the flyers which hopefully will continue to
be available for their readers.
If we succeeded in portraying the true image of Islam, then this is
from Allah Almighty; otherwise mistakes are ours and we always stand to
be corrected.
Dr. Arafat El-Ashi

I - Islam & Society

12345678-

Women In Islam
Marriage and Divorce In Islam
Can Muslims Live Among Non-Muslims?
Rights of Brotherhood In Islam
Family Relationships In Islam
Kindness to Parents
Questions and Answers on Polygamy In Islam
Visiting the Sick

10

WOMEN IN ISLAM

One

of the main areas where Islam is most maligned is the area of

women. The opponents of Islam claim that Islam segregates against
women, that it depreciates them and deals with them unjustly. Is it true
that the status of women in Islam is much inferior to that of men? How
does Islam look at women? Is it true that women are next only to slaves
and minors under the banner of Islam? Does Islam uphold a policy of
isolating women and depriving them of all rights of a human being? Is it
true that under Islam women suffered from negligence, ignorance, and
absolute isolation? Does Islam favor men and prefer them to women?
In this chapter "Women in Islam" we shall discuss all these and other
related issues. We shall see how the Quran, the Holy Book of Islam, looks
at women. This last scripture of God states very clearly that God has
created men and women from the same source, and that they are equal
couples that complement each other so that happy life is unimaginable for
one of them without the other. To start with, the Holy Quran states very
clearly that men and women are absolutely equal in humanity. It declares:
"O mankind! We have created you from a single pair of a male and a
female, and made you into nations and tribes so that you may know each
other" (49-13). In another verse the Quran says: "O mankind! Fear your
Guardian Lord who created you from a single person, created his mate of
like nature and from them both scattered countless men and women" (41). At a time when the whole world questioned the humanity of women
and some people confirmed that they are creatures without souls, and if
they have souls they must be akin to those of devils, Islam declared the
full humanity of women. Islam honors women in all their capacities as
mothers, sisters, wives, and daughters.
As mothers, Islam confirms that Paradise is under the feet of
mothers. This means that the only gate to Paradise and to the pleasure of
God, for that matter, is through gaining the pleasure and satisfaction of
11

mothers. This is the meaning of one tradition of Prophet Muhammad

peace be upon him.
Not only this but in another tradition, Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h.
says that he who brings up three daughters and educates them well, his
reward will be Paradise. The Prophet was asked: suppose they were only
two daughters, he said yes even if it was only one daughter. Thus Islam
does not deprive women of any of their rights. As a matter of fact, it was
only under Islam that women restored their full humanity. It was under
this religion that women regained their rights to life, education, and
property.
Islam produced the most honorable examples of women that can be
leaders of women liberation even for the fair sex of contemporary times.
In many cases women were, in fact, teachers of religion for thousands of
men. How then can opponents of Islam claim that women suffered
ignorance under Islam?
Does this mean that Islam establishes the absolute equality of both
sexes so much so that it eliminates all differences between them and
exposes them to all that is available to men? Here Islam is, in fact, unique.
While establishing the absolute humanity of women, it does not require
them to do all that men are expected to do. In other words, Islam
acknowledges the physiological differences between men and women. It
confirms that they are pairs that complement each other. Life in Islam is
unimaginable for one sex without the other. That is why Islam has its own
reservations to the absolute equality of the two sexes.
What about polygamy in Islam? Why is it that Islam allows a man to
have four wives? If Islam believes in equality, why does it allow more that
one wife for a husband? Is not this a clear proof of depreciation and
dishonor as far as women are concerned? Look also at the example given
by the Prophet of Islam. We are told that he got married to more than ten
wives in addition to concubines. How then can you, as Muslims, claim
that Islam treats women well?
This important misconception is propagated by the enemies of Islam.
12

In point of fact, the great majority of Muslims, both modern and old, got
married to one wife only. The legislation of polygamy is there in Islam to
solve certain problems and to face certain circumstances. Islam believes in
the purity and chastity of the society. It does not allow sex outside
marriage. Instead of the secretaries and girlfriends, Islam allows a second
marriage for those who are not satisfied with one wife and they are the
exception and not the rule.
As for the numerous marriages of the Prophet of Islam, if we compare
him with other prophets of God, particularly those whom we read about
in the Bible, we find that Prophet Muhammad had very few wives. Take
for instance the Prophet David who had hundreds of wives.
If we review the stories of each and every marriage of the Prophet of
Islam, it will be crystal clear that out of all his wives only one wife was
virgin. The rest of his wives were either widows or mothers of orphans.
Not only this but until the age of 51 the Holy Prophet stayed with one
wife only during which time he was indeed the ideal husband and the best
protector of women's rights. And even after he had several wives he dealt
with them justly. He made those marriages for legislative, educational,
political, and social reasons and far from sensual gratification only.
Some opponents of Islam try to distort the image of this religion by
claiming that Islam favors men at the expense of women. They cite the
example of testimony where Islam treats each two women to be equal to
one men. This, they say, is degrading. Why does Islam do this and on
what grounds? In this connection Islam takes into consideration the
nature of each of the two sexes. Doubtless that women are more
sentimental and emotional than men. This is because being the natural
mothers their best resource is their feelings and emotions. Thus when it
comes to giving testimony there is always a risk of their being moved by
their feelings which may affect their judgments. It is only to establish
justice that Islam takes this step. It has no derogatory effect on the status
of women in Islam.
The same opponents would also refer to one tradition of the Prophet
where he says: Women are lacking in religion and reason. When he was
13

asked to explain this, he said: Is not a women's testimony half that of a

man? The attendants said 'yes". The Prophet then said: That is due to her
lack of reason. Then he added: When a woman has her monthly period,
doesn't she stop praying? Those present said 'yes indeed". The Prophet
then said: This is due to her lack of religion. As a matter of fact, Islam
does not look at women as inferior to men but rather appreciates their
condition and provides them with an excuse, an advantage rather that a
disadvantage.
When we discuss the topic of woman in Islam, we have to refer to the
issue of veil stipulated by Islam on women. Some modern secularists
claim that this is another obstacle on the way of women's aspiration for
freedom. Contrary to the basic philosophy of Islam aiming at the chastity
and purity of the Muslim society, these secularists say that Islam, by this
veil, imposes hard time on the fair sex. The veil is part of the Islamic
measures to keep sex inside marriage. This is because Islam respects the
honor of women and regards them as precious jewels that should not be
prey to the lust of men. Free sex of modern times which transformed
women into white slaves is completely alien to Islam. In the same spirit
Islam prohibits the free mixing of the two sexes.
The issue of the share of women in inheritance is also exploited by
the opponents of Islam who cite it as another example of the so- called
injustice of this religion towards women. Islam indeed gives women in
inheritance half the share of men. Is it true that this is a clear injustice to
them or that there is a contrary view if only we contemplate this carefully?
If we think for a moment we will discover that a woman has the greatest
share of inheritance in Islam simply because whatever she takes is only for
her personally while men have the responsibility to provide for women
and children. Men take more, this is true, but they spend much more with
the result that women's savings are far greater than those of men.
If the reader wants to know more about other related issues like the
following: To what extent does Islam allow women's education? Does she
have the right to higher education? What is the attitude of Islam towards
women's work? Is it true that Islam shuts women in and does not allow
them to work outside? Why does Islam not allow woman to be the
14

President or the Head of the Muslim State? These and many other
important issues can be best answered by referring to one or more of the
following books:
1. Purdah in Islam by Maulana A. Mawdoodi.
2. Women in Islam by Prof. Khurshid Ahmad.
3. Family Structure in Islam by Hammooda Abdul A'ati.

15

MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE IN ISLAM

Questions about Muslim Women in the modern world:

Here are a few questions asked by a non-Muslim woman who wants to
know more about the position of women in Islam:
1 - What are the main changes taking place in the lives of
modern Muslim women in general?
2 - Do Muslim women adopt any Western values?
3 - Can a Muslim woman get a driving license in your country?
If not is this due to a certain Islamic legislation?
4 - Do Muslim girls attend the same schools with boys, share
the same classes, and same teachers, etc...?
5 - How do Muslim women act towards Muslim men when both
are not married? Can they look at each other, meet, date,
etc...?
6 - Tell me about marriage customs in Islam?
-

What about divorce?

1. The main changes happening in the lives of Muslim women

in my country as in the rest of Muslim states are that they are
rediscovering Islam after being fed up with other ideologies and
shaping their lives according to its teachings.
2. Muslim women try to replace Western customs by Islamic
ones. They follow in the footsteps of the Prophet (PBUH), his
wives and companions. They do, however, pick up the useful
16

habits practiced by other people both east and west.

3. A Muslim woman is indeed entitled to get a driving license
and to drive her own car. She can go shopping, but she should
have a close relative as a companion on long distance trips. This
is for her own safety.
4. In our country of origin, Muslim boys have separate schools
as Muslim girls. We do not have co-education except under some
secular regimes, which is against the teachings of Islam.
5. Muslim men and women should lower their gazes. They
should not mix with one another unless it is necessary to do so.
There is no dating in Islam. When a Muslim man wants to get
married he can look at his future partner; the two families start to
socialize until this is culminated by marriage.
6. Marriage Customs:
We have first the attempt of each partner to look for the other.
This is basically done by the male who tries to look for his wouldbe wife. Then his family would approach the other family. If the
answer is in the affirmative, then a meeting is arranged in the
would be wifes family home where she would meet the other
side in the presence of other relatives. Once this occasion is over
each side would form his/her opinions about the other. More
than one meeting can take place where the two can sit together,
talk and try to know each other.
In Islam it is the girl who gives the green light or refuses. The
decision is hers. No one should force anything on her although
the parents would discuss things concerning the other party.
Once she says Yes then both families would arrange another
occasion in the house of the girl so that the boy, his family and
selected friends, would come to make the official asking of the
girls hand. Some relatives and friends of both sides would also
attend and sweets and refreshments would be distributed. A
prayer would also be recited on the occasion invoking Gods
17

blessings to facilitate the fulfillment of this marriage. A talk will

be given on the rights and duties of each of the couple in Islam.
The next step would be that both sides would meet in the girls
house in the presence of her family members; no dating is
allowed, no outings are encouraged except in the company of the
girls relatives. This is because Islam forbids sex before marriage
or anything leading to it.
If everything goes well, then the two parties agree on a day to
make the marriage contract which should be implemented by a
licensed Muslim scholar who would make sure that the girl has
approved of this marriage and that she is going to receive her
rightful dowry which is an essential part of every marriage
contract. It is the right of the bride to receive her dowry, no one
is allowed to take it or any part of it without her permission.
Both sides then prepare for the marriage ceremony which is, in
fact, a big dinner party attended by friends and relatives of both
sides. This is usually given by the bridegrooms family. Food is
served preferably in two separate halls and gifts are presented to
the couple. Songs are played and female friends and relatives
would dance for the bride in the presence of women only. No
men are allowed in. The groom would have prepared the future
marriage home and the couple would go on a honeymoon trip
according to the grooms financial standing. In Islam the wife
does not have to change her family name to adopt her husbands
family name. She has full right to keep her independent identity.
7. The veil or Hijab in Islam:
Islam believes in modesty, purity and chastity. It takes every care
that both sexes abide by these values. There is no pre-marital sex
in Islam. Dating, dancing and mixed social gatherings are strictly
forbidden. Women are entitled to education that suits their role
as future mothers; they can have university or college degrees
provided that they put on the proper Islamic dress. Islam
considers women the most precious creatures in human life. To
18

protect them from all harm and intruders Islam stipulates Hijab
or the veil on every grown-up woman. This means that she has to
cover all her body with the exception of her face and hands. This
is only when she goes out of her family home. But while among
her close relatives husband, sons, brothers, uncles, grandfathers,
etc... she can wear any dress as usual. Islam considers looking at
the other sex with desire completely forbidden. Islam
concentrates on the dignity and honor rather than the physical
attractions of the fair sex. When their attractions are covered,
women will be dealt with according to the more dignified human
qualities they enjoy.
Marriage life in Islam is based on mutual love, sincerity,
cooperation and sacrifice. Both parties should watch their
chastity and fidelity. Both should have no sexual relationship with
anyone else. It happens some times that quarrels would take place
in the family. So husband and wife should try to solve these
quarrels and restore peace among themselves. The husband is the
head of the family in Islam. He has the right to divorce because
it is he who paid to establish the family structure. According to
Islam divorce is resorted to when it is discovered that the couple
can no longer keep their marriage. This they do after all possible
attempts are made to settle their problems. These attempts may
include the couple discussing their problems by themselves
without the interference of other parties which is preferred in
Islam.
If this fails then other sincere well wishers of the family might
interfere. If this again fails then the first degree of divorce is
applied provided that the wife should stay at home to give the
chance to the couple to mend things and patch up their
differences. After a certain period-which is three months passes
then the first degree of divorce takes effect. The couple can either
separate in peace or if they change their minds they can return to
the fold of marriage but with one degree of divorce on record.
Suppose this should happen again and divorce is resorted to once
19

again then the same procedure is applied to give another chance

to this threatened family structure. They can return to one
another after the second divorce too; but once the third divorce is
made then marriage collapses and they have to be separated.
After the third degree of divorce the divorced wife cannot return
to her divorcing husband unless she gets married to another
person. It should be a real marriage with the aim to give her a
better chance for a happier life. If, however, this new marriage
collapses, then she can remarry her previous husband if she so
wishes. There are numerous regulations for marriage and divorce
in Islam whose aim is to establish fairness and equity among the
concerned partners.
Recommended books on the subject:
H. Abdel Aatti, Family Structure in Islam
Abul Ala Al Maudooli, Purdah and the Status of Women in Islam.

20

CAN MUSLIMS LIVE AMONG

NON-MUSLIMS ?

Can a Muslim live among non- Muslims? Why not? Indeed Islam, as we
know, is the message sent to all mankind. "Say O mankind, I am the
Messenger of God to you all." (7:158) says the Quran. This message can
only be conveyed when people have access to Muslims through meeting
them, be introduced to them and deal with them. That was how Islam
spread in various countries in the past. So in principle Islam is not in favor
of keeping Muslims in isolation from other people. On the contrary,
Muslims should travel far and wide to spread Islam through both
practical models and proper presentation.
We are, however, faced with one saying of the Prophet PBUH where
he says: "I disown every Muslim who settles among polytheists." In what
way should we understand this tradition; and how can we solve this
paradox?
Let us come closer and see what really takes place. Muslims living as
minorities all over the world are either native citizens of these lands who
have been there for centuries, or immigrants - students and others - who
were forced to immigrate either to seek knowledge and obtain university
degrees or people who could not live in their own countries due to a
variety of reasons - political, economic, etc... These Muslim minorities
could establish themselves to a certain degree as distinct communities
having their own Islamic centers and schools. There is a varying degree of
commitment to Islam by different members of these communities. Some
of these communities enjoy a greater degree of freedom of expression and
well-being than Muslims living in many majority Muslim countries.
This is on the one hand. Secondly, among the minority Muslims
there is a good percentage of people who are either stateless refugees who

21

cannot return to their original homeland or are natives of those nonMuslim countries they live in. If this category of people are required to
move and settle in Muslim countries either they will not be accepted or
they will be treated as foreigners deprived of many rights. How can we ask
them to emigrate to other countries under these circumstances?
The situation for many is exactly the opposite. Thousands of Muslims
are now immigrating to new homelands all over the world especially
Western lands. Thus instead of asking Muslims to go back to majority
Muslim countries most of whose people are living under great
disadvantages, we have to review our attitude and understand how the
command of our Prophet applies to the present situation.
We have to acknowledge here an important fact. There is a big
challenge for our Islamic identity, especially for the new generation when
it lives in a non- Muslim sometimes an anti-Islamic environment.
Prophet Muhammad PBUH says: "The wolf can only eat the straying
sheep." The reference here is to individual Muslims who do not care
about Islam. They rarely or never go to the Mosque; they rather behave
as non Muslims even worse in some cases. The natural result would be
complete assimilation and disappearance of these so-called Muslims. You
may not even recognize their names which they have changed into nonMuslim names lest they should be singled out as different. This type of
people are also led astray even in majority Muslim countries.
There is another category of immigrant Muslims to non-Muslim
lands. These brothers and sisters feel the cultural shock they are facing
and they try their best to join other Muslims in establishing centers,
mosques, schools, etc... to protect themselves as well as their children
from the danger of assimilation. They are proud of being Muslims and
they live up to the values and ideals of Islam. The host community is
given a favorable image about Islam by this group which is on the
increase.
Thus, and based on the Quranic verse referred to earlier that makes it
a duty on Muslims to spread the message of Islam to the whole world,
what is required is not to withdraw to other majority Muslim countries
22

where they would not fare better than they do in non-Muslim lands; What
is needed is rather to support the committed Muslims materially and
morally to enable them bring straying Muslims back to Islam on the one
hand and to introduce Islam to other members of humanity on the other.
The big question here is that why could other minorities keep their
identity and culture while much is desired among Muslims? First,
Muslims need unity. They should be caring to help one another and have
a community feeling. They should sacrifice their time and money to
establish various institutions necessary to preserve their identity. They
have no other choice either to do this or disappear and cease to exist. It is
under these circumstances that they are condemned by the Quran which
says: "When angels take the lives of those who wrong themselves they
say: In what condition were you? They reply: Weak and depressed were
we in the land. They say: Was not the earth of Allah wide enough for you
to immigrate through it. Such will find their abode in Hell - what an evil
refuge." (4:97).
Here a Muslim should not tolerate humiliation anywhere in the
world, nor should he accept to be oppressed and forced to act against his
religion. As this is the case in many countries today; thus a Muslim is in
fact encouraged to flee for his religion even if this requires that he should
go to the end of the world as long as he can practice his religion there.
This is exactly what happened in Makkah at the time of Prophet
Muhammad when he commanded a large number of his companions to
emigrate twice to Abyssinia and once to Madina.
As for the Prophet's tradition in which he disowns all Muslims living
among polytheists, this applies to those who do not assert their Islamic
identity, those who are ready to be assimilated and those who live the lives
of polytheists. But as long as Muslims carry the torch of Islam, practise it
and invite others to its path, they can live and settle anywhere in the
world. Islam would not be the second widespread religion today had it not
been that thousands of the Prophet's companions lived and died outside
the Arabian peninsula. In fact some of them traveled as far east as China
and as far west as Morocco and Spain.

23

By the same token, Muslims will influence others rather than be

influenced by them and their religion will spread as long as they are
committed to it, and as much as they resist the temptation of assimilation.
It is indeed a big challenge that only true believers can stand. May Allah
Almighty make Muslims viable examples of their faith in front of the rest
of humanity. Then and only then can they spread the Islamic message of
peace and mercy. i.e. Islam.

24

RIGHTS OF BROTHERHOOD IN ISLAM

In the name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful

All praise is due to Allah, Sovereign of the worlds, we praise Him,
seek His help and guidance and ask Him forgiveness; we seek refuge in
Allah from the evils of ourselves, and our evil deeds. Whoever Allah
guides no one can mislead and whoever Allah misleads no one can guide.
I bear witness that there is no other god except Allah who has no partner;
and I bear witness that Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) is His slave and
messenger, and that he fulfilled his trust, conveyed the message and
advised this nation and left it on the white straight right path whose night
is like its day and whoever deviates from it will perish.
I invoke the grace and the blessings of Allah upon His prophet
Muhammad, his family and companions and upon his followers until the
Day of Reckoning . I recommend you and my self to fear Allah, so fear
Him and obey Him as He the Exalted said: And have provision for surely
the best provision is piety, so fear Me O you who have reason. ( 197-2)
Our topic this time is on rights of brotherhood in Islam. Prophet
Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) said: You will not enter Paradise until you have
faith, and you will not have faith until you love each other. Shall I direct
you to something which if you fulfill you will love one another? Spread
peace among yourselves. (It was reported by Muslim).
1) In this tradition our beloved Prophet(P.B.U.H.) recommends
that we should spread peace. This is fulfilled through many
things: by saluting each other with the salutation of peace
through saying peace be with you; by spreading a state of peace
and not conflict, and by trying to spread peace in the society
through reconciling our differences. This, in fact, is the slogan of
Islam, namely spreading peace. For indeed Islam means peace
25

among other things, and this is the first right of brotherhood in

Islam.
2) A Muslim should be smiling when he meets his brothers in
faith. The Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H.) said: Dont belittle any
good deed even to meet your brothers with a smiling face. He
also said: Your smile in the face of your brothers is an act of
charity. That is why the Messenger (P.B.U.H.) had a smiling
face all the time.
A man came to Abu Darda and said: Guide me to do a good
deed that would benefit other Muslims? Abu Darda replied:
Command them to do good and forbid them from evil. The
man said: I cant. Then Abu Darda said: Repel evil from them.
The man said: I cant. Then Abu Darda said: Spend charity on
them. He again said: I cant. then Abu Darda said: Meet them
with a smiling bright face. The man however said: I still cant.
Fed up with what he heard, Abu Darda finally said: Then may
Allah smite you with a thunder bolt from Heaven by which He
would make the land and the people get rid of you.
3) The third right of brotherhood in Islam is to love for ones
brothers what one loves for himself. Allah says in the Qur'an:
And believers are loyal to one another. (71-9) Confirming this
the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) said: Each of you cannot be a believer
until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.
Not only this but the early Muslims used to prefer their brothers
over their own selves. That is why the Qur'an praised them in the
following: And they prefer (their brothers) over themselves even
if they are hungry. (9-59)
4) To avoid harming other Muslims by words or actions. As a
matter of fact Islam forbids vain or evil talk. The Qur'an says:
Those who turn away from vain talk. (3-23) The Messenger of
Allah (P.B.U.H.) said: The Muslim is he who people are safe
from his tongue and hand (actions).
26

One day, Aisha, the Prophets wife heard some Jews in Medina
offending the Prophet by greeting him with the wish that poison
would strike him. Getting angry at their offense she retorted:
And upon you be poison and curse O you children of apes and
swine. Hearing this the Prophet pacified her saying: You should
have said only, same be upon you also. For the Muslim, he added
is not an offender, nor a curser nor a mischief monger nor one
who uses dirty language.
5) Humbleness and modesty: A Muslim should exercise
humbleness and modesty in his dealing with other Muslims, nay
even with all other people. That is why one precious piece of
advice a pious father called Luqman gave to his son as the Qur'an
reports is that: Never turn your cheek to other people in
arrogance. (18-31)Describing believers the Qur'an also says:
They are hard on disbelievers but humble and modest towards
believers (54-5). In practice the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) used to be
humble with all other people. It is reported that once a Bedouin
met him; when he saw him he trembled in fear. Seeing this the
Prophet (P.B.U.H.) said: Calm down. I am only the son of a
woman who used to eat dry meat in Makka (meaning a poor
woman).
The Prophet (P.B.U.H.) used to tell his companions: Dont
exaggerate in praising me, as Christians exceeded the limits in
praising the Messiah son of Mary, for I am the slave and
Messenger of Allah. He also used to declare: Whoever humbles
himself to Allah, Allah will raise him (in respect)and He will not
enter Paradise who has in his heart an atoms weight of
arrogance.
6) To turn deaf ears to other peoples slandering of your brothers
or sisters. This means the elimination of backbiting and
slandering in the Muslim society. That is why the Messenger
(P.B.U.H.) once passed by two graves. He stood in front of them
and said: They (the dead ones) are being punished due to minor
sins, one of them used to spread calumny and slander among
27

people. Thus Muslims are reminded that: He who slanders

others in front of you will eventually slander you.
7) To do good to them all as best as you can. In this context Allah
says in the Qur'an: And cooperate with one another in all that is
good and pious and dont cooperate in sin and aggression.(2-S)
The Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H.) was asked: Who is the
dearest person to Allah? He said: Those who are most useful to
(other) people. That is why in another tradition the Prophet
(P.B.U.H.) said: And Allah will surely help the person as long as
he helps his brother.
8) To treat them nicely and with best manners: in this connection
Allah says about Prophet Muhammad: And you are indeed of
supreme conduct. (4-68) The Messenger of Allah, therefore
says: The most perfect believers are those who are best in
conduct and who are nicest to their household. In another
tradition the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) said: He is not one of us who
does not respect the seniors among us and does not have mercy
upon the juniors of us.
9) Dont boycott your brothers over three days: Allah says in the
Qur'an: Believers are indeed brothers so reconcile your
brothers. (10-49)The Messenger of Allah also said: Let not any
one of you desert his brother more than three days. They meet
and each of them turns away from the other; but the best of the
two is the one who starts with the salutation of peace. In another
tradition the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) said: Dont exchange hatred,
envy or boycotting for every Muslim is a brother to other
Muslims. Thus he should not wrong him, nor surrender him,
whoever walks to fulfil the needs of other Muslims Allah will
attend to his needs.
10) Not to enter upon a Muslim his house without his
permission. Allah says in the Qur'an: O you who believe enter
not houses other than your own without first announcing your
presence and invoking peace upon their folk; that is better for you
so that you may be pious. (37-24)
28

11) To acknowledge the rights of scholars among them by

showing respect and grant honour to them.
12) Fulfilling ones promise to them.
13) To settle the rights of other Muslims and to return to them
whatever has been taken from them without right.
14) To grant to other Muslims the status they deserve, and
acknowledge their prestige.
15) To reconcile differences among Muslims and to restore
harmony.
16) To hide their shame and to conceal their weaknesses.
17) To preserve their wealth and honour.
18) To say God bless you to any one who sneezes.
19) To avoid mingling with the evil mongers among them.
20) To visit the sick Muslims. For there is a sacred tradition in
which Allah says to his slaves on the Day of Judgement: My
slave I was sick and yet you did not visit me? The slave would
exclaim: How can I visit you when you are the Lord of the
worlds? Allah would answer: Did you not know that my slave
so and so fell ill; dont you know that had you visited him you
would find that with me?
21) To attend funeral prayer and to follow a funeral to the grave.
22) Visiting graves of Muslims and invoking Allahs mercy upon
them.
These are the main rights of Muslim Brotherhood.

29

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS IN ISLAM

Islam is a complete way of life. It considers the family the corner stone of
Islamic society. It bases the atmosphere in the family on sacrifice, love,
loyalty, and obedience. When we say family we mean the traditional
definition of it namely husband, wife and children. Grandparents are also
part of the entended Muslim family.
It may be asked here: how does Islam organize family relationships?
To answer this we have to concentrate on: husband wife relationship and
parent children relationship. As for husband wife relationship the
following verse portrays the right Islamic atmosphere. And among his
signs is this: He created for you spouses from yourselves that you might
find rest in them, and He ordained between you love and mercy. (30-21)
The Prophet of Islam p.b.u.h. also stressed these meanings when he
said: (The best among you are those who are best to their families and I
am the best of you to my family). He once exclaimed: (it is only the evil
one who abuses them (women) and the honored one is he who honors
them). Once a man came to the Prophet p.b.u.h. and asked: who is the
person who is most worthy of my good companionship? (The Prophet
answered your mother, your mother, your mother then your father). That
is why Islam made Paradise under the feet of mothers according to one
tradition of the Prophet p.b.u.h.
If we contemplate the Quran we find that it refers to parents children
relationships in four main places. Before it asks children to be good and
loyal to their parents it requires parents to be extremely careful in
upbringing their children. In other words it asks parents to do their duty
before asking for their rights.
Let us contemplate the following verses of the Quran: In the chapter
called Luqman (No.31) God says: And surely We granted Luqman
30

wisdom saying Give thanks unto Allah; for whoever gives thanks, he gives
thanks for his soul. And whoever disbelieves, Allah is All-Independent,
Worthy of Praise. And when Luqman said to his son while he was
exhorting him: O my dear son! Ascribe no partners unto Allah. Lo! To
ascribe partners (unot Him) is a tremendous wrong. And we have
enjoined upon man to be careful of his parents, His mother bears him in
weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years, so give thanks
to Me and to your parents, for unto Me is the journeying. But if they
strive with you to make you ascribe to Me as partner that of which you
have no knowledge, then obey them not, but deal with them nicely in the
world and follow the path of him who repents to Me. Then unto Me will
be your return, and I shall tell you of what you used to do.
The Quran then continues: O my son! Lo! Though it be but the
weight of a grain of mustard seed, and though it be in a rock, or in the
heavens or in the earth, Allah will bring it forth. For Allah is Suble,
Aware. O my son! Establish prayer, enjoin goodness, forbid iniquity and
bear with patience whatever may befall you. For that is the steadfast heart
of things. Turn not your cheek in scorn towards people, nor walk the earth
with pretenses, for Allah loves not each braggart boaster. Be modest in
your bearing and subdue your voice for Lo! The harshest of all voices is
the voice of the ass (31: 12-19).
These verses provide Muslim parents with the way they should bring
up their children; unless they do so, they can expect rebellion and hatred
from them; but the devoted parents have full right to what the following
verses from chapter 17 enjoin. In this chapter called the Night Journey
Allah says: Your Lord has decreed that you worship non but Him, and
that (you show) kindness to parents. Should one or both of them attain
to old age with you, Say not Fie unto them nor repulse them, but speak
unto them a gracious word. And lower unto them the wing of submission
through mercy and say: My Lord! Have mercy on them both as they did
care for me when I was little. Your Lord is best aware of what is in
yourselves. If you are righteous, then Lo! He was ever forgiving unto
those who turn unto Him. (17: 23-25).
These are the two main chapters of the Quran that decide and clearly
31

depict the Islamic relationship between parents and thier children. It is a

relaionship based as we see on belief in Allah, and feeling that He
observes all what we do and that we are accountable to Him even in the
bad breath that we may release against our parents when we are angry.
Even this has to be controlled.
Let us remember, however, that it is only the parents who do their
duty, who deserve this honourable treatment of their children. That is
why when a parent came to the Prophet p.b.u.h. and complained to him
about the ingratitude of his son, the son said: He was ungrateful to me O
Messenger of Allah, before I showed ingratitude to him. So the Prophet
p.b.u.h. did not blame the son but disliked the attitude of his parent. This
is a message to all parents.
The third place in the Holy Quran that refers to parents-children
relationship is in chapter 46 called Al Ahqaf where Allah says: And we
have enjoined unto man kindness towards parents. His mother bears him
with reluctance and delivers him with reluctance. His bearing and
weaning are thirty months, till when he attains full strength and reaches
forty years, he says: My Lord! Arouse me that I may give thanks for the
favour where with you have favoured me and my parents, and I may do
right acceptable unto You. And be gracious unto me concerning my seed.
I have turned unto You repentant and Lo! I am one of the Muslims.
Concerning this type of children the Quran has the following
comment: those are they from whom We accept the best of what they do,
and We overlook their evil deeds among the owners of Paradise. This is
the true promise, which they used to be promised (in the world).
The Quran then turns to the other category of children who are
disbelievers and are as a result ungrateful to their parents. It declares: As
for him who said to his parents: Fie upon you both! Do you threaten me
that I shall be brought forth when generations before me have passed
away! While they too cry unto Allah for help and say: Woe unto you!
Believe! Lo! The promise of Allah is true. But he said: This is nothing but
fables of the men of old.

32

Commenting on this attitude Allah saya: Such are those whom the
Word concerning nations of Jinn and mankind which have passed away
before has affect. Lo! They are the losers. And for each there will be
degrees due to what they did; and He may recompense them in full for
their deeds! And they will not be wronged. (46:15-19).
The forth and last place in the Quran that refers to parents children
relationship is what is mentioned briefly in chapter 29 that says: We have
enjoined on man kindness to parents. And should they strive to make you
join with Me that of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not.
Unto me is your return and I shall tell you what you used to do. (29:8).
This verse refers mainly to the unbelieving parents who still have the
rights of obedience on their Muslim children unless they ask them to
rebel against Allah. In this case they should not be obeyed, but doing
good to them should continue regardless of the difference of religion.
In conclusion since the family is the corner stone of society, happiness
and prosperity will only be achieved if parents as well as children are
committed to the guidance of the Quran, the only guidance proved to be
successful.
For in that case all will fulfil their duties and rights in the most
satisfactory manner as we have seen earlier.

33

KINDNESS TO PARENTS

Allah says in the Quran: And worship Allah and ascribe no partners to
Him and do good to parents, relatives, orphans, the needy, the related
neighbour, the distant neighbour, the fellow traveller, the wayfarer and the
slaves whom your right hand possess. Lo! Allah loves not such who are
proud and boastful. (4-36).
Dear Muslims:
Listen carefully to the owner of the noblest character, the kindest
heart and the message of mercy who says in a brief but great tradition:
Kindness to relations and charity cause homes to flourish and increase the
life spans.
Listen also to what the Messenger p.b.u.h. says: Listen to it with your
hearts ears rather than your senses. For when hearts listen they
comprehend, but when ears listen while hearts are neglected then there is
no use of hearing anything.
On the authority of Abu Hurairah R.A.A. who said the Messenger
of Allah p.b.u.h. said: Allah the Most High created the creation. When
He finished, kinship emerged and said: This is the position of one who
seeks refuge in You from boycotting. Allah said: Will you be satisfied if I
am close to him who is kind to you and I boycott hime who boycotts you.
It said: Yes I will: He replied: This is for you. The Prophet p.b.u.h. then
said recite if you like: Would you then, if you were given sovereignty, work
corruption in the land and cut your ties of kinship? Such are they whom
Allah curses so that he defeans them and makes blind their eyes. (47:2223). Will they not contemplate the Quran or do hearts have their locks
on. (47:24)
Dear Muslims:
This is a serious issue and an important matter. The danger is
34

pending so we have to wake up from our slumber. When Allah finished

creating heaven and earth, do you know the first statement He made to
His creation? Do you know the first dialogue that took place between
Allah and His creation? It was between Allah and kinship ties. Kinship is
actually two types: a general kinship and a special kinship.
As for the general kinship it encompasses every person who shares
with you in saying La illaha illa Allah Muhammad Rassoolullah
(ie there is no other God but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of
God). What is your duty and your rights towards such person? There are
six things which have to be observed, namely:
1- That you offer salutations of peace whenever you encounter
your brother or sister.
2- That you visit him when he is sick.
3- That you bless him when he sneezes.
4- That you follow his funeral when he dies.
5- That you give him sincere advice when he asks you for it.
6- And that you accept his invitation when he invites you. These
are the general rights that bind you with everyone who says the
testimony of faith.
Dear Muslims:
Now I move with you to the special kinship and this is our topic today
God willing. By special kinship we mean the relatives whom the Prophet
classified as follows: First of all ones mother, for indeed when a mother
dies a caller from heaven announces: O son of Adam! She has passed
away for whose sake we used to honor you. So now do good so that we
honor you for it.
The mother then is the first name on the list of relatives. That is why
a man once asked: O Messenger of Allah, my mother reached old age and
I serve her. Did I pay back her right? The Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h.
said: Whatever good you do to her, you will never pay back her right. The
man again said: How is this O Messenger of Allah? He said: For she used
to serve you as a little one and she used to wish you long life, as for you,
you serve her as an old woman and you wish her death. There is a world
35

of difference between him who wishes long life and who desires death.
On the authority of Abu Hurairah R.A.A. who said the Prophet
p.b.u.h. said: He will be the lowest of the low, then the lowest of the low,
who witnesses his parents at their old age either one of them or both and
does not enter Paradise. Reported by Muslim.
Thus your mother should top the list then your father, then your
sister, then your brother, then your aunt, then your uncle on your fathers
side, then your mothers side; then after that the closer and the closer
relatives.
Dear Muslims:
What are the rights of the special kinship? They have the same rights
of the general kinship but added to them is that their expenses are your
obligation if they need your financial help. That is why a man came to the
Prophet p.b.u.h. and said: O Messenger of Allah! This son of mine was
poor while I was rich, he was weak when I was strong and I used to spend
on him from my money. Then when I became poor, he, however, refused
me his money. Hearing this the honorable Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h.
called that son and said: O youth, ther is no stone nor land but weeps for
the affair of your father. Son! Spend on your father for you and your
wealth belong to your father.
Also Annas R.A.A. reported that the Messenger of Allas p.b.u.h.
said: Whoever likes expansion in his provision and long life, let him do
good to his kinship. (Agreed Upon).
Now my dear Muslims! Listen to what our beloved Prophet said after
Alqama was buried: He said: O mankind! Whoever prefers his wife over
his mother, Allah will not accept from him neither obligatory nor
voluntary actions.
As a matter a fact the special kinship is hanging from the throne of
the Beneficent calling: Whoever does good to me Allah will do good to
him and whoever cuts me Allah will cut him off.

36

Dear Muslims:
Today is a precious day. It is not a day of visits to the dead ones but a
day for doing good to the living ones; a day of exchanging visits, mutual
foregiveness, and tolerance. Thus if there is any dispute or boycotting
between you and another person, be the first one to do good for the sake
of Allah and his messenger, so do good to your kinship, and spread peace
among yourselves.
Allah says in the Quran: And those who do what Allah enjoined as
good. And we have recommended to man kindness to his parents. Here
Allah commands us to worship Him and not ascribe any partners to him.
He joined this command with his command of kindness to parents and
to do good to them and to be kind to them at their old age one or both
of them; we should avoid all that embarrasses them or is detested by them
of deeds or words. We should treat them with the noblest behaviour and
we should say all that is nice and beautiful to them.
This is based on what Allah says: And your Lord decreed that you
worship none but Him, and enjoins kindness to parents. When either or
both of them attain with you old age express not a breath of resentment
to them and never repulse them, but say good speech to them. (17:23)
Part of the beloved Prophets traditions concerning the obligation of
this obedience and commitment is what Abdullah ibn Masoud says: I
asked the Prophet p.b.u.h.: which is the dearest deed in the sight of God?
He said: Performing prayer on time: I said: then which? He said to be
kind to parents. I then asked then which? He replied: then fighting in the
way of God. (agreed upon)
On the authority of Abu Hurairah R.A.A. who said: The Messenger
of God p.b.u.h. said: whoever believes in God and the last day let him be
generous to his guests and whoever believes in God and the Last Day, let
him do good to his kins, and whoever believes in God and the Last Day
let him say what is good or be silent. (Agreed upon).

37

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON

POLYGAMY IN ISLAM

Bismillahi Rahmani Raheem

Introduction: When the Holy Quran was revealed it found Arabs in
the habit of marrying numerous wives. An average Arab would have ten
wives at a time. The Quran in fact made the limit of four not to
encourage polygamy but to discourage it. The legislation is there, it is
true, for more than one wife but this is only whenever it is necessary to do
so. The rule in Islam is one wife for every husband. That is why the
Quran counts Allahs blessings on every human and says: And among
His signs is that He created for you from your own selves spouses so that
you find comfort and serenity in them and He made among you Love and
mercy. (30:21)
Again before the verse of Polygamy in chapter 4 the Quran says: O
mankind be concious of your Lord Who created you from a single self;
and from it He created its mate; and from them both He spread out
numerous men and women. (4:1) This verse clearly shows the rule:
namely one for one.
Thus when the verse mentions four it opens the door for a second
wife if necessary. Should a second wife not solve the problem then a third
wife can be taken; and should this again not fulfill the required aim then
a fourth wife. The great majority of Muslims now as in the past use only
the first option i.e. one wife for one husband.
Justice is an essential prerequisite for polygamy. No justice, then no
polygamy. The perverted habit of adding 2 to 3 to 4 to make 9 is alien to
the Quran as well as to Arabic language. Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h.
had only one wife Khadijah for about 28 years (from the age of 25 to 53)

38

from whom he had all of his children but one. He started to take more
wives due to many wisdoms. If you come closer, you will find his wives
were either widows or divorced middle aged women except one namely
Aisha, who was a little girl. There are other considerations for which the
Prophet took more than one wife.
Remember finally that polygamy in the Quran is mentioned in the
context of taking care of orphans. Nine wives in the case of the Prophet
was only a special case for him as the leader of Muslims.
To come now to some specific questions:
1) There is no particular significance attached in Islam to number
four. The rule is one wife; if there is need another wife can be the
option; in very rare cases a third and rarer still is the fourth.
2) This is already answered in the introduction.
3) The guardians of the orphan girls used to look for marrying
them. They were also inclined to deprive them of their dowery.
So the Quran was revealed to warn these people not to practise
injustice against orphan girls; and to encourage them to marry
other girls. In other words it made it open for them to marry
other women rather than their orphan girls if they are afraid to
commit injustice towards them.
4) Human nature is against practising several mates for one
woman. Even animals do not allow it. In Islam the main aim of
marriage is to have children who must be called after their father.
Imagine a woman having several mates. She doesnt have several
wombs. When she is pregnant who among her mates can claim
the child? So Islam prohibited this relationship which was
sometimes practised in Arabia before Islam. Those women who
practised it were mainly prostitutes.
As for the paralysed husband who cannot have sex with his wife
she can marry another husband after being divorced from the first
39

one. The latter can be taken care of through other methods; like
senior homes or other institutions; and the wife can keep the
children. A Muslim does not deserve the name unless he or she
submits to the rules of Islam. It is not a question of desires and
wishes but one of submission and obedience to God Almighty
Who knows what is best for us.
5) Although polygamy is allowed in principle, different cases
have different judgements in the sight of Islam. In other words
polygamy is sometimes allowed if the wife is barren and the
husband wants children; it is not allowed if it stems from a vain
wish of the husband when he has a pretty young wife that fulfills
all the needs of the relationship, then Islam does not allow it if
there is injustice involved. This and other cases should be
decided by Islamic courts.
6) Verse 3 chapter 4 does not contradict with verse 129 in the
same chapter. Let me explain. Justice as I said is the basis for
polygamy, but there are two types of justice. We are responsible
for material justice in dealing with wives; as for emotional justice
i.e. to have more love for one wife than another, this is not
accountable because it is uncontrollable. There is no abrogation
or naskh in these verses.
7) If the husband is ill or impotent the Islamic solution is that the
wife is given the choice either to be separated from him and start
a new life with another husband or to stay with him and be
patient and seek the reward of God Almighty. Some committed
Muslim women accept blind husbands; when they are asked
about it they say: I hope by this to enter Paradise. This is the
spirit in the family relationship in Islam. It is not just a physical,
or a material selfish relationship, but marriage in Islam is a
contract concluded in the name of God seeking His pleasure.
Suggested references on the subject:
Family structure in Islam, Hammoudah: Abdel Aatti
Gender Equity in Islam, Jamal Badauri
Purdah or The Veil, M. Abul Ala Al Maudoodi
40

VISITING THE SICK

Abu

Huraira may Allah be pleased with him ( R ) reported that the

Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. said: Every Muslim has five rights on other
Muslims; returning his salutation, visiting the sick, following funerals,
accepting invitations and blessing the sneezers. (Agreed upon)
It goes without saying that Islam encourages the greetings of peace,
"al-Salamu Alaykum" and the response to it. Peace greetings should be
reciprocated properly.
Let us emphasise in this context that Allah doubles his reward for
those who wish mercy and blessing of Allah for other Muslims. We must
also stress that reciprocating "peace" greetings is obligatory in Islam.
Every single Muslim and every individual Muslim in any given group
should respond to the peace greetings. Spreading "peace" greetings is a
principal factor that leads to the purification of hearts and cooperation. It
leads to the spread of love among Muslims as well as to the elimination
of rancour and hatred among them.
Also, allow us to further explain the rest of this prophetic saying and
how the Messenger p.b.u.h. emphasises, through other sayings, each and
every one of the rights of Muslims. This time, we chose to discuss the
right/obligation of `visiting the sick.
In the sight of Islam illness purifies sins and eliminates them. This is
supported by a Prophets saying reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
Abu Huraira ( R ) quotes the Messenger p.b.u.h. saying: He for whom
Allah decrees good Allah inflicts illness on him. In another context the
Prophet was quoted as saying Whatever toil or fatigue or care or difficulty
or harm a believer suffers from - even a thorn that pricks him - Allah will
by it eliminate his sins.

41

The Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. urges us to visit the sick because

such visits console them and eliminate their pains. These visits bring
comfort for the patients soul and fulfill their right to be visited.
Visiting them, we have to advise the sick to be patient as well as to
thank Allah for the aspired continuity of sound health and peace.
Abu Moosa ( R ) quotes the Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. saying: Visit
the sick, feed the hungry and liberate the prisoner. (Al-Bukhari)
According to Abu Huraira ( R ), the Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. says:
"On the Day of Judgment Allah will say: O son of Adam, I was sick but
you did not visit Me. The son of Adam will say: My Lord! How can I visit
You when you are the Lord of the worlds? God will answer: Did you not
know that my slave so and so fell sick and you never visited him? Dont
you know that had you visited him, you would have found Me with him.
O son of Adam: I asked you for food but you never fed Me. He will say:
My Lord! How can I feed you when you are the Lord of the worlds? God
will say: Did you not know that my slave so and so asked you for food but
you never fed him, you would find the reward of this with Me. O son of
Adam! I asked you for drink but you never gave me drink. He will ask:
My Lord! How can I give you a drink when you are the Lord of the
worlds? God will then say: My slave so and so asked you for drink but you
withheld drink from him. Dont you know that had you given him drink
you would find its reward with Me."
Thus the Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. advises us to visit the sick
because of the right we owe the sick. We also seek reward from Allah.
Allah Almighty promises delicious and fresh fruits from Paradise for
those who visit the sick and that angels will pray for the one who visits
his brother throughout the period he spends on his way to him. If the visit
occurs in the evening angels prayers last until the morning; if it occurs in
the morning their prayers continue until the evening. What a great gift a
Muslim gets just as a reward for visiting his Muslim brother! Exerting
very little effort by a Muslim brings about all this overwhelming reward
and forgiveness.

42

On the authority of Ali, who said that he heard the Messenger

p.b.u.h. saying: Every Muslim who goes in the early morning to visit his
sick brother, then seventy thousand angels will pray for him until he
reaches the evening; and if he visits him in the evening 70 thousand
angels will pray for him till the morning, and he will also enjoy delicious
fresh fruits in Paradise.
Ibn Majah also reported on the authority of Abu Hurairah ( R ) who
said that the Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. said: Whoever visits a sick
person a caller from Heaven will exclaim: You will have a good position
in Paradise.
Remember, that a part of the great reward a Muslim will get when he
visits his sick brother is that he deserves to enter Paradise and get of its
inexhaustible fruits as is clear from the following tradition.
On the authority of Thawban ( R ) the Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h.
says: "When a Muslim visits his sick brother he will be in the "Kharfa" of
Paradise until he returns. Some asked: "O Messenger of Allah, what is
"Kharfat ul Jannah" he replied: its fresh fruits." (Muslim).
This was concerning the right of a sick Muslim to be visited by other
Muslims. Visitors of patients, however, should not stay long unless they
know that their stay does not disturb them but conforms and pleases
them. They should come close to them, put their hands gently on their
bodies and ask them to give vent to their pains. They should say to their
patients what pleases them and should pray to Allah to grant them
healing. This is what the Prophet p.b.u.h. asks us to do.
Aisha ( R ) reported that the Prophet p.b.u.h. used to visit some of
his sick relatives and would rub his hands and say: "O Allah! Lord of
mankind! Remove the suffering and bring healing. You are the healer! No
other healing exists except your healing, in a manner that leaves no
weakness nor illness".
The Companions also did the same thing, just as the Prophet p.b.u.h.
did. They were guided by his acts and sayings and thus, we are obliged to
follow his path and his example, as is clear from the above tradition.
43

Anas ( R ) reported that he said to Thabet - may Allah have mercy

on him - "Shall I pray for you with the prayer of the Messenger of Allah
p.b.u.h.? "Yes please!" Thabet responded. Anas then responded with the
Messengers prayer: "O Allah! Lord of mankind! Remove the suffering
and bring healing. You are the healer! No other healing exists except your
healing, in a manner that leaves no weakness nor illness".
Dear Muslims,
"Here is another saying by the Prophet p.b.u.h., a saying that we need
to study carefully as well as follow it in practice. Ibn Abbas ( R ) quotes
the Prophet p.b.u.h. saying: "Whoever visits a patient whose term has not
come (meaning death) and prays in his presence seven times: I appeal to
Allah the Glorious, Lord of the Glorious Throne to heal you. Allah will
surely heal the visited patient from his illness".
This is how the Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. guides us to visit our
patients and how to pray for their recovery and healing from their illness.
Our confidence in Allah should be the greatest confidence. For it is He
who causes illness and it is He who brings about recovery and healing.

44

II - Islamic Teachings
910 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 -

Islam In a Nutshell
Questions & Answers on Islam
Funerals In Islam
Fasting In Islam
Dont Reject H A J J
Islam: Message of Hope
Recommended Prostrations on Reciting the Quran
Man and Miracles
Islam & Magic
Who Is Light?
Islam and the Environment
Good Conduct In Islam
Finality of Prophethood
Who will go to Heaven?
Islams Perspective on Life and Death
Fear and Love of God
Islam: The Religion of Moderation
A Supplication

45

46

ISLAM IN A NUTSHELL

Islam: The root word Islam means peace or submission. Technically it

means obedience to God Almighty through following His religion. Islam,
not Muhammadism, is the name of the religion of over one billion people
all over the world. It is not the religion of Arabs, Pakistanis or any one
single race or nation, but rather an international religion that calls for the
unity of God and the brotherhood of the human race.
Islam in the broad sense, is the religion of all prophets of God from
Adam to Muhammad the last prophet of God. In the narrower sense, it
refers to the religion revealed to Prophet Muhammad, who lived in
Arabia between 571 and 643 AD. Being a confirmation and a final
edition of all previous messages, Islam is the only religion accepted with
God as the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book, states (chapter 3, verse 19).

Allah: "Allah" is the Arabic name of God Almighty, the same God of
all prophets including Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. Allah means the
One and Only God, the creator, the controller and the originator of the
universe. He created us; to Him we all will return after death and He will
bring us back to life. He is the prime mover of all things, the First, the
Last, the All-Knower, the All-seer... to name only a few of His 99 names
mentioned in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book. He begets not, nor was
He begotten; prophets are his chosen slaves to convey His same message
to different people over the ages. In a nut-shell His message is this: I am
God, your Lord, so worship Me. Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) did not
force people to believe in Him or worship Him. He gave them the free
choice to do so, but He will reward those who obey with everlasting life
in Paradise, and will punish the disobedient with permanent suffering in
Hell.

Life After Death:

This life of ours is only a temporary life.

47

Everybody acknowledges the fact of death, but few people believe in life
after death. This is a fundamental fact confirmed by all revealed religions
namely Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
While other religions mention life after death in passing, Islam takes
it seriously and uses the most convincing logic to prove it which is also
the simplest. In the Quran, the Holy Book of Muslims, we are told time
and again that everything around us is the creation of One God; He
controls all, the sun, the moon and all stars and planets are under His
absolute sovereignty. It is He who dominates heavens and earth, sends
down rain, and causes vegetation and trees to grow; it is also He who
causes the occurrence of night and day and it is He who takes lives. So it
is He who will raise the dead.
There is a Day of Judgement after death; there is also accountability
for all and there is an end to this life.

Prophets of God: To convey His message to humanity God chose

some people who were the best among their country men in terms of
modesty, piety, honesty and obedience to Him. 'These individuals are
called messengers of God or prophets of God. They were clear in
conveying their lord's message both in theory' and practice. They never
expected any reward from mortals but expected it from their lord only.
These prophets or messengers of God were rejected by their people
with the exception of a minority. Not only this but they were subjected to
all sorts of punishment: and yet they never hesitated in their missions.
Many of them were either killed or deported. To prove their truth those
sincere slaves of God were supported with miracles from their Lord. Still
their opponents increased in their disbelief and oppression. This
continued generation after generation and not a single people but had a
warner to whom they turned deaf ears. They called prophets liars,
soothsayers, imposters, wizards or mad people. Even the revelation God
was also distorted by different people until humanity was groping in the
dark with no divine guidance. Hence the message of Muhammad.

Muhammad: Muhammad, son of Abdullah was an Arab orphan born

48

to an honorable family in 571 AD. His name means "the praised one'.
This name was rare in Arabia. He was an unlettered person, but wellknown for his modesty, uprightness and honesty until he was given the
title "the Trustworthy".
Although Arabia was full of idol worship, Muharnmad never bowed
to an idol. He used to resort to a cave in a mountain in Makkah, in a
sincere attempt to be guided to the true religion. He never expected to be
a prophet nor was he looking for any position of authority. 'That is why
when angel Gabriel the Carrier of Divine revelations appeared to him at
the age of 40 and conveyed the first few verses, Muhammad was shaking
with fear and surprise. He hastened back to his wife saying: Cover me!
Cover me! When he conveyed to Khadijah, his only wife, the verses
revealed to him, she said: By Allah, He will not let you down! For you are
good to your kin. you carry' the helpless and support others in times of
adversity.
She took him to a cousin of hers called Waraqa who was a Christian.
As soon as the latter heard the first revelations of the Quran he exclaimed
"This is the law given to Moses. From then on portions of the new
message -the Quran- were revealed. Some people embraced the new
religion while others opposed it. At the age of 63 Muhammad died in the
year 643 A.D. after Islam spread to all parts of Arabia.

The Quran: This is the name of the new book of God revealed to
Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years. The name in Arabic
means the noble reading. Thus the Quran is the word of God not that of
Muhammad. He was only the receiver and the honest conveyer of the
revelation. Divine revelation did not start with the Quran. Other
revelations were conveyed through previous prophets like Noah,
Abraham, Moses, and Jesus to name only a few. As all other scriptures
were either lost, or changed; hence the need of the new and final
revelation - the Quran.
For thirteen long years the Quranic verses revealed to Muhammad
concentrated on faith in the One God, the Hereafter, and patience
towards all types of harm from idol worshippers. In the next ten years the
49

Quran guided Muhammad to establish the first Islamic state in Medinah,

north of Arabia.
The Quran is the last Divine message to all the worlds; humans as
well as creatures of the underworld. The Quran is one all over the world.
It is the same book revealed to Muhammad more than fourteen hundred
years ago. It carries its own proof of authenticity. In it God challenged the
world to produce the like of it. Despite numerous attempts on the part of
Muhammad's eloquent opponents, they all failed and the Quran
continues to be the pure word of God. It has been translated to various
languages, but non of these translations is the Holy Quran. It is the
Arabic text only that qualifies to claim this name.

Articles of Faith: Faith in Islam requires a Muslim to believe in God,

His angels, His books, His messengers, the Day of Judgement, and
Predestination of good and evil.
We already explained the Muslim belief in God whose name in
Arabic is Allah, the One God. God's angels are His slaves created of light.
They are the obedient mighty servants of God Almighty; they never
disobey Him but discharge his commands.
Muslims should also believe in the Holy scriptures of God revealed
through His messengers. These books no more exist. What remain of
them are only memoirs and hearsay of the original ones.
Muslims have to accept all previous messengers from Noah to Jesus
Christ. As a matter of fact, a Muslim would not deserve the name unless
he believes in all messengers of God. Tile same applies to belief in the last
Day or the Day of Judgement when all people will be resurrected and will
be accountable for their deeds in the presence of God Almighty.
Finally a Muslim should believe that God is the Controller of all our
affairs. While we are free to choose our own way of action, Islam teaches
that all things are in the final analysis controlled by God who is the Most
Merciful, the Most loving and the Kindest. Thus a Muslim does his best
to do good and avoid evil and he is at peace and has full trust in God
Almighty.
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Pillars of Islam: There are five pillars in Islam. First the Testimony of
faith, namely the declaration that there is no God except Allah and that
Muhammad is the Messenger of God. Secondly we have prayer which is
the direct and humble supplications (worship) of man to His Lord God.
A Muslim should pray five times a day. Then there is Fasting the ninth
month of the Lunar calendar called Ramadan. Then we have pilgrimage
to Makkah in Arabia once in a life time; and finally we have charity
according to which Muslims give 2.5% of their annual savings to the poor
and the needy.
Recommended books:
Islam in Focus by Hamoudah Abdul A'aty
Introduction To Islam by Dr. Muhammad Hamidullah
Towards Understanding Islam by M. A.Mawdoodi

51

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ON ISLAM

These questions were addressed in Arabic to Sheikh Mustafa al-Zarqa,

the well known Muslim Scholar, and the following is a translation of both
questions and answers:
Ql: Does Islam allow a Muslim woman to marry a non Muslim husband (esp.
a Jew or a Christian)?
Al: This is in no way possible. We have, however, to distinguish
between a Muslim woman who marries a non Muslim husband
(Christian or Jew) without showing any care concerning
difference of religion, and an already married woman from the
people of the scripture (a Jew or a Christian) who has children
and she embraces Islam while her husband does not follow her.
This second woman is also not allowed to stay with her husband
without his conversion to Islam. It is possible, however not to
decide her immediate separation from him if he refuses to
become a Muslim. This happened during the era of the
Messenger (P.B.U.H.) when his daughter Zaynab was married
before the message to a prominent member of the tribe of
Quraish whose name was Abul Ass ibn al Rabee, who was an
idolater. He participated with other idolaters in the battle of
Badr, and Muslims took him as a prisoner of war.
At dawn prayer Zaynab, may Allah be pleased with her, declared
in the Mosque that she was the protector of Abul Ass ibn al
Rabee. Then the Muslims released him. But the Messenger of
Allah (P.B.U.H.) said to his daughter Zaynab: Honour his stay,
but dont let him approach you for you are not lawful to him.
Abul Ass then returned to Makkah and finished his
commitments there and returned whatever trusts he had to their
owners and came back to Madinah as a Muslim. He thus
52

returned to his wife Zaynab and it is reported that the Prophet

(P.B.U.H.) made no new marriage contract for him with his
daughter.
Thus giving some time to the new Muslim wife with the hope
that her husband might accept Islam is really valid here
temporarily based on this hope. Sexual relationship is, however,
not lawful as long as the husband is not a Muslim.
Q2: About the difficulty of wearing the Hijab (veil), for a new Muslim
woman in a non Muslim country. Is it possible to allow such woman to discard
the Hijab?
A2: The foreign women who embrace Islam sincerely and whole
heartedly but find it difficult to abide by the Hijab (covering what
should be covered of their bodies), we cannot change the Islamic
legal decision for their sake, and thus allow them to discard Hijab
and go semi-naked or bare headed in order to satisfy them. For
this would be a contradiction in the Islamic judgement between
permission and prohibition.
If, however, such women should discard the Hijab they should
feel and believe that this is prohibited in Islam; because if they
believe that it is permissible and is not prohibited in Islam, this is
against Islam. There is indeed a big difference from the Islamic
perspective between a person who disobeys Gods commands
although he believes in the prohibition to do so and the person
who considers his disobedience lawful. For indeed such a person
who believes that the clear cut prohibited act to be lawful is a
disbeliever. Like a person who drinks wine in disobedience, he is
still a Muslim, while the one who thinks wine to be lawful, he is
a disbeliever. Based on this the practice of those new Muslim
women who discard Hijab without believing this to be lawful, but
they only wait until their will becomes stronger, this is better than
their remaining disbelievers and Allah knows best. The
Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H.) said: Islam started as a stranger
and will return a stranger as it started so good omen is for those
strangers (may Allah make us among them).
53

On this occasion we should tell these women that it is better for

them to wear this easy Hijab than to slip from Islam, or they may
be advised to live in an Islamic environment.
Q3: This is about a Muslim wife who is married to a Muslim husband
who refuses to grow his beard or to wear an Arab dress in the streets due to his
feeling of awkwardness in the sight of non Muslims. What should such wife do?
A3: Who told you that among the conditions of being a Muslim
is to grow ones beard or to wear a Jallabiya (an Arab dress) in the
streets. It is true that not to have a beard when one can is against
the Islamic way of life for men, but it is not a prerequisite for
becoming a Muslim. Many Muslims today shave their beards,
also growing beards is not limited to Muslims, it is done very
often by foreigners young and old. It even became one fashion for
contemporary youth. And the least contravention to Islam is in
the case of those whose only disobedience to it is that they shave
their beards.
As for wearing the Arab dress ( Jallabiya) for men, this is part of
customs and not of worships. A Muslim can wear the foreign suit
or any other dress according to the habits of the-people with
whom he stays as long as he covers what he should of his body.
Thus his wife should not use this as an excuse to discard her veil
all what remains of which is the shortened scarf on her head and
the long sleeves and the dress or the skirt that covers only half of
the legs.
Q4: Is it allowed for a Muslim who has a super market in America and he
does not excel in any other job, and his store contains wine, gambling tickets and
pork without selling which he will lose many customers. Can he sell these items?
A4: I find in the Hanafi school permission for a Muslim who
lives among disbelievers that his store would contain these items
so that he can sell them to non Muslim customers. As for pork,
he should not carry it unless it is canned as it is impure and its
impurity is transferred through touching by the knife, hands and
54

other means.
As a precautionary measure I think that the sales of all these
items (gambling, wine and pork) should be kept in a separate box,
then their profits should be calculated and given to poor Muslims
as a help for the weak among them or that they are spent on the
general interests of Muslims and the owner of the store should
not take them for himself.
Q5: Can a Muslim living in a non Muslim foreign country co-habit and
have intercourse with a non Muslim woman and date her and live with her as
husband and wife without marriage?
A4: I cannot fmd anything that can accept this in Islam. It is
equivalent to what the Imami Shiah school allows through
Mutaa contract (enjoyment contract) which is not marriage but is
adultery in reality. All Sunni schools agree on its confirmed
prohibition due to the authentic traditions that abrogated AlMutaa contract as part of what they abrogated of the habits of
pre-Islamic Arabs. This took place after it was practiced in the
early days of Islam.
Thus al-Shia view is rejected by the consensus of all Sunni
Muslims as it is a camouflaged adultery. Its practice during the
early days of Islam is similar to drinking wine until it was
prohibited. For indeed Islamic judgments came down gradually
then my brother I tell you once again what difference remains
between a Muslim and a disbeliever if a Muslim who lives in a
non Muslim country should live like disbelievers and practice
what they practice. He rather has to abide by Islamic regulations
and his behaviour should be a propagation for Islam.
If he cannot do this, he has to immigrate to a Muslim country
where he does not find any awkwardness in his Islamic behaviour.
Otherwise why has emigration been made lawful?
Allah says in a situation like yours: as for those whom angels take
55

(in death) while they wrong themselves (angels) will ask: In what
were you engaged? They will say: We were oppressed in the
land. Angels will say: Was not Allahs earth spacious that you
could have migrated there in? As for such their habitation will
be Hell, an evil journeys end (94-4).
Q6: Is it allowed to take a loan from the bank to buy a house with interest
mortgage in a non Muslim country?
A6: There is no harm in taking a loan with interest from the bank
to buy a house that would be owned by the Muslim after the loan
and the interest are paid with one remark that the loans
instalments plus interest are not more than the house rent should
a Muslim rent it but they may be less. This is according to AlHanafi school concerning a Muslim who lives in the house of war
(among disbelievers) for in that case what is taken into
consideration is the total a Muslim pays to them. If it saves his
wealth then it is permissible as long as it is done with their
approval and without cheating, even if it is done in an Islamically
prohibited way like interest.
Q7: Can a Muslim living among disbelievers participate in their political
life?
A7: I dont see any harm in this, for through it he gains power. As
for what some say that this represents subjugation and
commitment to disbelievers laws, a residing Muslim is subject to
these laws at any rate even if he does not enter the political life.
Thus for him to have power is better than staying weak.
Q8: Is it possible to bury a dead Muslim in a non Muslim cemetery with
non Muslims?
A8: If possible Muslims can ask for a separate corner in the
general cemetery to bury dead Muslims in it. They should ask for
this and use it that way. But if the law forbids this, then there is
no other option and there is no solution for this problem. This
56

issue is then part of the rule of necessity (and being forced to do

something which has no alternative).
Q9: What is Islam s position on organs donations?
A9: Initially I dont find any proof that forbids donation of some
organs of a dead Muslim even if they are transplanted in the body
of a non Muslim, because the donated organ when it is taken is
not described as a Muslim or a non Muslim organ, but the
description of a Muslim is applied to the person and not the
organ.
Many Muslims today donate their blood to hospitals and blood
banks and it is unknown whether what they donated is given to a
Muslim or to a non Muslim. As a matter of fact, blood is
considered an organ in medicine.
The whole issue is part of humanitarian actions and the
Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H.) said concerning feeding animals:
There is a reward in each wet liver. Should there be some doubt
and a person is reluctant in this, then there is no problem in not
donating to get rid of suspicion, for indeed such donation is not
obligatory.
This is what I think if it is correct then it is a favour from Allah,
and if it is wrong, then it is part of my limitation. Allah, may He
be gloried knows best and it is He who inspires all that is right.
Sheikh Mustapha al-Zarka

57

FUNERALS IN ISLAM

Allah says in the Quran: "Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will perish" (26-55).
So glory to the living God who will never perish. Death will enter
every house, because death is an inevitable fact. Thus each Muslim who
believes in Allah and the Last Day has to prepare himself for the day of
departure and to meet his end. For indeed this worldly life is nothing but
a transient station leading to eternity, either to the everlasting pleasure of
Allah, to eternal life in Paradise, or to the scorching Hell fire. O Allah,
we dont ask you to reverse the decree but to shower us with your
gentleness in passing it. O Allah! If you keep us alive, keep us with faith,
and if you cause us to die, make us die as Muslims.
Dear Muslims:
We hereby discuss with you the theme of death. Although this topic
is both painful and horrifying, it is, however, a fact; we have to believe in
death as truth. This is a part of our deep faith in Allah Almighty. We have
to be ready to leave on a day when eyesight will be dazzled due to terror,
a day when neither wealth nor children will avail anyone "except those
who go to Allah with a sound heart".
Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h clarified to us one of the rights of every
Muslim. It is also a duty of every Muslim, i.e., to follow funerals. Let us
start from the moment when death approaches a person whose soul is
about to leave his body. It is the duty of attending Muslims to encourage
the dying one to say `La ilaha illa Allah`, as our beloved Messenger
p.b.u.h. teaches us in the following tradition: On the authority of Abu
Said al Khudry, may Allah be pleased with him ( R), who said: "the
Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. Said: `teach your dying ones La ilaha illa
Allah`". (Reported by Muslim)
"La ilaha illa Allah", Glory be to the Most High. This statement
58

leads to Paradise, as it is the slogan of Islam. Upon it we live, upon it we

die and with it, we meet Allah, Lord of the Worlds. This is why Muadh
ibn Jabal ( R) said: "the Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. Said: he, whose last
words are La ilaha illa Allah, will enter Paradise`".
Dear Muslims:
If you attend a dying Muslim, a relative or a friend, say only what is
good, appeal to Allah to support you in your misfortune and to
compensate you with what is better. This is because angels confirm what
you say followed by "amen", O Allah please accept. All of us will return
to Allah one day. The dying ones are our predecessors and we shall follow
them.
The Prophet p.b.u.h. guides us to receive the occasion of death with
good faith and best words. This is clear in the following tradition reported
by Ummu Salamah ( R ) who said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah
p.b.u.h. Saying: `every slave (of Allah) who suffers from a misfortune and
says we belong to Allah, and unto Him we shall return. O Allah! Reward
me in my misfortune and compensate me with what is better than that,
Allah will surely reward and protect him and will grant him better than
it`". Therefore, when Abu Salamah died, I repeated what the Messenger
of Allah p.b.u.h commanded me to say. Thus, Allah compensated me
with one better than him i.e. the Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h.
Dear Muslims:
As for him, who loses a dear relative or friend and thanks Allah,
saying we belong to Allah and he seeks the reward of Allah and asks Allah
to grant him patience and firmness, Allah will grant him Paradise as a
reward for his patience. Abu Mousa ( R), reports that the Messenger of
Allah p.b.u.h confirms this. The Messenger says: "When the son or
daughter of the slave (of God) dies Allah Almighty says to His angels:
You have taken the life of my slaves child. They will say: `yes. He will say:
you have restored the fruit of his heart, they will say: `yes`. He will ask:
what did my slave say? They will say: `he praised you and said: Unto Allah
we belong`. Then Allah will say: Establish for my slave a house in
Paradise and call it the house of praise". (Reported by Al-Tirmidhy)

59

Dear Muslims:
As for praying the funeral prayer on the dead Muslim and escorting
him to his grave, all this becomes a bound duty on other Muslims. Here
is an abundant reward from Allah Almighty. This is clear from the
tradition reported by Abu Huraira ( R). He quoted the Prophet p.b.u.h.
saying: "whoever witnesses a funeral until the prayer is performed for it,
he will have a carat worth of reward, and he who witnesses it until it is
buried will have the equivalent of two carats". The Prophet p.b.u.h. adds:
"like two great mountains". (Agreed upon)
In another similar tradition, also reported by Abu Hurairah, the
Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. says: "whoever follows a funeral of a Muslim
in good faith seeking Gods reward and stays with it until it is prayed
upon and is buried, will return with a reward of two carats, each carat is
equal to the mount of Uhud, and he who prays upon it and returns before
it is buried will return with one carat". (Reported by Al Bukhari)
Dear Muslims:
As for the method of the funeral prayer, it is recommended to
perform it by a large number of righteous worshippers, who do not
associate any one with Allah so that they may intercede for their deceased
brother or sister or son, thus Allah would accept it from them and grant
their intercession. This is confirmed by the following tradition of the
Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h who says: No Muslim dies and should forty
persons - of those who do not associate any partner with Allah - attend
his funeral, Allah will grant them intercession for him.
The funeral prayer has a number of conditions and pillars. These
must be strictly fulfilled. As regarding those who do not know how to
perform a funeral prayer, I briefly state the following: First, Every one
performing funeral prayer should maintain ablution, as is the case when
performing any other prayer; Second, Every one should say four times
Allahu Akbar. After the first one he should recite the Opening chapter of
the Quran. After the second "Takbir" he should recite the second half of
Ibrahims prayer (performed towards the end of each prayer). After the
third Takbir he should pray for the dead one as well as for Muslims the
following supplication or what is similar to it. This is reported from the
60

Prophet p.b.u.h. quoted by Abu Abdul Rahman ibn Awf ibn Malek (R )
who said the Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. prayed on a funeral, and I
memorized from his supplication the following: O Allah, forgive him and
have mercy on him. Relieve him of all evils and pardon him. Honour his
status and expand his entrance. Wash him with water and ice and hail and
purify him of sins as you purify a white garment of filth. Grant him an
abode better than his abode, a family better than his family, and a spouse
better than his spouse. Let him enter Paradise and protect him from the
torment of the grave and the punishment of Hell. "Hearing this, I wished
I had been that dead person", the narrator stated, (Reported by Muslim).
The worshipper then makes the fourth Takbir and prays the
following supplication, which is one of the best supplications: O Allah, do
not deprive us of his reward; Dont exercise any trial on us after him, and
forgive us and him. There are many traditions in this context. It is
recommended, however, to make a lengthy prayer for the dead person, a
prayer that seeks Allahs forgiveness for the dead person as well as for alive
and dead Muslims.

61

FASTING IN ISLAM

Fasting

is another unique moral and spiritual characteristic of Islam.

Literally defined, fasting means to abstain completely from foods,
drinks, intimate intercourse and smoking, before the break of the dawn
till sunset, during the entire month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the
Islamic year. But if we restrict the meaning of the Islamic fasting to this
literal sense, we would be sadly mistaken.
When Islam intoduced this matchless institution, it planted an evergrowing tree of infinite virtue and invaluable products. Here is an
explanation of the spiritual meaning of the Islamic fasting:
1. It teaches man the principle of sincere Love: because when he
observes Fasting he does it out of deep love for God. And the
man who loves God truly is a man who really knows what love is.
2. It equips man with a creative sense of hope and an optimistic
outlook on life; because when he fasts he is hoping to please God
and is seeking His Grace.
3. It imbues in man the genuine virtue of effective devotion,
honest dedication and closeness to God; because when he fasts he
does so for God and for His sake alone.
4. It cultivates in man a vigilant and sound conscience; because
the fasting person keeps his fast in secret as well as in public. In
fasting, especially, there is no mundane authority to check mans
behaviour or compel him to observe fasting. He keeps it to please
God and satisfy his own conscience by being faithful in secret and
in public. There is no better way to cultivate a sound conscience
in man.

62

5. It indoctrinates man in patience and selflessness, as through

fasting, he feels the pains of deprivation but he endures them
patiently.
6. It is an effective lesson in applied moderation and willpower.
7. Fasting also provides man with a transparent soul, a clear mind
and a light body.
8. It shows man a new way of wise savings and sound budgeting.
9. It enables man to master the art of Mature Adaptability. We
can easily understand the point once we realize that fasting makes
man change the entire course of his daily life.
10. It grounds man in discipline and healthy survival.
11. It originates in man the real spirit of social belonging, unity
and brotherhood, of equality before God as well as before the law.
12. It is a Godly prescription for self-reassurance and selfcontrol.
Now, someone may be tempted to raise the objection: If this is the
picture of Islam in this aspect, why are the Muslims not living in a utopia?
To such an objection we can only say that Muslims have lived in and
enjoyed a utopia in a certain epoch of their history. The realization of that
utopia was a phenomenon of a unique achievement in the history of man.
We say unique, because no religion or social system other than Islam has
ever been able to realize its ideals in reality.
The reason why the Islamic utopia is not being established nowadays
is manifold and easily explicable. But to restrict our discussion to the
institution of fasting we may say that some Muslims, unfortunately for
them, do not observe the fast or, as best, adopt the attitude of
indifference. On the other hand, some of those who observe it do not
realize its true meaning and, as a result, derive very little benefit out of it
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or, in fact, no benefit at all. That is why some Muslims today, do not enjoy
the real privileges of fasting.
It has already been indicated that the period of obligatory fasting is
the month of Ramadan. The daily period of observance starts before the
break of the dawn and ends immediately after sunset. Normally there are
accurate calendars to tell the exact time, but in the absence of such
facilities one should consult ones watch and the suns positions, together
with the local newspapers, weather bureau, etc.
Fasting Ramadan is obligatory on every responsible and fit Muslim.
But there are other times when it is recommended to make voluntary
fasting, according to the Traditions of Prophet Muhammad. Among
these times are Mondays and Thrusdays of every week, a few days of each
month in the two months heralding the coming of Ramadam, i.e., Rejab
and Shaban, six days after Ramadan following the Eid-ul-Fitr Day.
Besides, it is always compensating to fast any day of the month of the
year, except the Eid Days and Fridays when no Muslim should fast.
However, we may repeat that the only obligatory fasting is that of
Ramadan - which may be 29 or 30 days, depending on the moons
positions. This is a pillar of Islam, and any failure to observe it without
reasonable excuses is a grave sin in the sight of God.
WHO MUST FAST?
Fasting Ramadan is compulsory upon every Muslim, male or female,
who has these qualifications:
1. To be mentally and physically fit, which means to be sane and
able.
2. To be of full age, the age of puberty and discretion, which is
normally about fourteen. Children under this age should be
encouraged to start this good practice on easy levels, so when they
reach the age of puberty they will be mentally and physically
prepared to observe fasting.
3. To be present at ones permanent settlement, your home town,
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ones farm, and ones business premises, etc. This means not to be
on a journey of about fifty miles or more.
4. To be fairly certain that fasting is unlikely to cause you any
harm, physical or mental reactions to hunger, thirst, etc.
EXEMPTION FROM FASTING:
These said qualifications exclude the following categories:
1. Children under the age of puberty and discretion.
2. Insane people who are unaccountable for their deeds. People of
these two categories are exempted from the duty of fast, and no
compensation or any other substitute is enjoined on them.
3. Men and women who are too old and feeble to undertake the
obligation of fast and bear its hardships. Such people are
exempted from this duty, but they must offer, at least, one needy
poor Muslim an average full meal or its value per person per day.
4. Sick people whose health is likely to be severely affected by the
observance of fast. They may postpone the fast, as long as they are
sick, to a later date and make up for it, a day for a day.
5. Travelers may break the fast temporarily during their travel
only to make up for it in later days, a day for a day.
6. Pregnant women and women breast-feeding their children
may also break the fast, if its observance is likely to endanger their
own health or that of their infants. But they must make up for the
fast at a delayed time, a day for a day.
7. Women in the period of menstruation (of a maximum of ten
days) or of confinement (of a maximum of forty days). They must
postpone the fast till recovery and then make up for it, a day for
a day.

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It should be understood that here, like in all other Islamic

undertakings, the intention must be made clear that this action is
undertaken in obedience to God, in response to His command out of love
of Him.
The fast of any day of Ramadan becomes void by intentional eating
or drinking or smoking or indulgence in any intimate intercourse, and by
allowing anything to enter through the mouth into the interior parts of
the body. And if this is done deliberately without any lawful reason, this
is a major sin which only renewed repentance can expiate.
If anyone, through forgetfulness, does something that would
ordinarily break the fast, his observance is not nullified, and his fast stands
valid, provided he stops doing that thing the moment he realizes what he
is doing.
On completion of the fast of Ramadan, the special charity known as
Sadaqat-ul-Fitr (charity of Fast-breaking) must be distributed before
Eid-ul-Fitr (approximately), seven dollars per head.
GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS:
It is strongly recommended by Prophet Muhammad to observe these
practices especially during Ramadan:
1. To have a light meal before the break of the dawn, known as
Suhoor.
2. To eat a few dates or start breaking the fast by plain water right
after sunset, saying this prayer: Allah humma laka sumna , wa ala
rizqika aftarna. (O God! for Your sake have we fasted and now we
break the fast with the food You have given us).
3. To make your meals as light as possible because, as the Prophet
put it, the worst thing man can fill is his stomach.
4. To observe the supererogatory prayer known as Taraweeh.
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5. To exchange social visits and intensify humanitarian services.

6. To increase the study and recitation of the Quran.
7. To exert the utmost in patience and humbleness.
8. To be extraordinarily cautious in using ones senses, ones mind
and, especially, the tongue; to abstain from careless gossip and
avoid all suspicious motions.

67

DONT REJECT H A J J

For some time now, doubtful sources have been whispering in Muslim
ears to reject Hajj i.e. Pilgrimage, putting it this way: why make Hajj
seeing the presence of disbelievers near its sites! Not only this but one
flyer claimed that Hajj is made obligatory in the Sunnah only, which
should not be accepted as an Islamic source because, it is claimed, that it
was only compiled three hundred years after the death of the Prophet!
There is no clear-cut command in the Quran to perform Hajj!! To address
these and other related issues, the Muslin World League office in Canada
has prepared the following.
This is an honest answer to a flyer rejecting Hajj i.e. Pilgrimage. The
sender is either an ignorant person and does not understand the position
of Hajj in Islam, or he is one of those enemies who claim to be Muslim
and try to undermine Islam from within. I have no answer if he is one of
this latter category. Thousands of hypocrites tried to undermine Islam
over the years. The result was and will be the same by the will of Allah
(Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala). They perished while Islam continues until the
end of time.
Should the writer of the flyer be one of those who are misguided, let
me explain to him what Hajj means. what is the status of Hajj in the
Quran and the Sunnah? First of all it is good, to start with, that he does
not reject the Quran as the Book of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala). If he
accepts it as the Final Divine Scripture then he has to comply with all its
verses and chapters. In one verse the Quran says: "So take what the
Apostle assigns to you and deny yourselves what he with-holds you."
(Chapter 59, Verse 7).
There are many verses in the Quran that command us to obey the
Messenger of Allah and to follow him if we want to be Muslims. So if
you accept the Quran you have to obey the Sunnah which is the
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collections of his deeds, sayings, and approvals.

Suffice it to refute all false claims put from time to time that we obey
the Quran and do not have to obey the Messenger, let me mention here
how the Quran itself commands Muslims in more than twenty places in
different Chapters to obey Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) and His
Apostle. Not only this but it is clearly stated in one verse that: "He who
obeys the Apostle has in fact obeyed Allah." (Chapter 4, Verse 80).
Those who ignore the Sunnah and claim that they only follow the
Quran are not Muslims. Do you want to be another Rashad Khalifa who
received funds from the enemies of Islam to do this? Who said that the
Sunnah has been collected 300 years after the Prophet?
This is a big distortion. Numerous Companions recorded the Sunnah
during the lifetime of the Prophet (PBUH) like Abdullah Ibn Omar, Abu
Huraira, Abdullah Ibn Abbas to name only a few. Before you distribute
flyers read and read much. Or else you will be doomed to be led astray and
others will be led astray by you.
The Quran can only be understood through the Sunnah of the
Prophet (PBUH). He was a Quran in motion. Those around him learned
everything he said or did or approved and conveyed it to posterity. The
Prophet told us in many traditions that Hajj is one of the five pillars of
Islam. He who rejects any of them rejects Islam in toto.
Abu Huraira reported that the Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H.) was
asked: Which is the best of deeds? He said: "Belief in Allah and His
Messenger." He was asked: Then which? He said: "Fighting in the way of
Allah." He was then asked: Then what? He said: "A sinless Pilgrimage."
A man once came to the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) and said: I am coward,
I am weak. The Prophet said: "Come to a fight that has no thorns in it,
Pilgrimage." In Bukhari and Muslim, we read that Abu Huraira said the
Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H.) said: "Umrah to Umrah eradicate sins
between them and a sinless Pilgrimage has no other reward but Paradise."

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Jaber may Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) be pleased with him said:

The Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H.) said: "This house (in Makkah) is the
foundation of Islam. Whoever emerges towards it as a pilgrim or making
Umrah Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) guarantees Paradise for him if he
dies and to reward him abundantly if he returns."
As for the claim that Pilgrimage is not made obligatory by the Quran
there are two verses that foil this claim. In Chapter 33, Verse 97 Allah
(Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) says: "Pilgrimage is a duty men owe to Allah
those who can afford the journey; but if any deny faith, Allah stands not
in need of any of His creatures." Here it is clearly stated that those who
can afford the journey and do not do it are disbelievers.
In Chapter 2, Verse 196 Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) says: "And
establish Pilgrimage and Umrah for the sake of Allah." So how can we
claim that Pilgrimage is not made obligatory in the Quran?
Neither the generation of the Companions nor any other Islamic
generation denied Hajj. To come to the Black Stone. Are you repeating
what the enemies of Islam say that it is a remnant of paganism in Islam.
Remember that Islam is the only religion that is free of paganism.
Look how Omar Ibn Al-Khattab reacted towards kissing the Black
Stone. He said: "By Allah, I know for sure that you are a useless stone;
and had I not seen the Prophet kiss you, I would not kiss you."
So to be a Muslim one has to submit and accept all that has been
conveyed to us. Remember that the Quran itself has been revealed to the
Prophet. How can you accept the Quran and reject the Sunnah? if you are
sincere you must repent and seek forgiveness of Allah (Subhanahu Wa
Ta'ala) before you die a disbeliever by rejecting Hajj or the Sunnah, for
that matter.

70

ISLAM: MESSAGE OF HOPE

1. Say: "O my servants who have transgressed against their souls!

Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives all sins: for He is
Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
So turn to your Lord in repentance and bow to His will before the
penalty comes on you. After that, you shall not be helped.
And follow the best of the courses revealed to you from your Lord,
before the penalty comes on you while you perceive not.
Lest one soul should say: Ah! Woe to me in that I neglected my
duty towards Allah, and was but among those who mocked.
Or lest it should say: If only Allah had guided me I should certainly
have been among the righteous.
Or lest it should say when it actually sees the penalty: If only I had
another chance I should certainly be among those who do good.
The reply will be: Nay, but there came to you My Signs, and you
rejected them, you were naugthy and became one of the disbelievers.
On the Day of Judgement you will see those who told lies against
Allah their faces will be black. Is there not in Hell an abode for the
naughty?
But Allah will deliver the rightous to their places of salvation. No
evil shall touch them, nor shall they grieve."
(Surah 39, Verses 53-61)
2. By the Glorious Morning Light.
And by the Night when it is still.
Your Guardian-Lord has not forsaken you, nor is He displeased.
And verily the Hereafter will be better for you than the present.
And soon will your Guardian-Lord give you (that wherewith) you
shall be well-pleased.
Did He not find you an orphan and give you shelter (and care)?
And He found you wandering, and He gave you guidance?

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 And He found you in need, and made you independent?

Therefore, treat not the orphan with harshness?
Nor repulse the petitioner (unheard)
But the Bounty of your Lord rehearse and proclaim!
(Surah 93, Verses 1-11)
3. Behold! Verily on the friends of Allah there is no fear, nor shall
they grieve.
Those who believe and (constantly) guard against evil.
For them are Glad Tidings, in the life of the Present and in the
Hereafter: no change can there be in the Words of Allah. This is indeed
the supreme Felicity.
(Surah 10, Verses 62-64)
4. Have We not expanded your breast?
And removed from you your burden?
The which did gall your back?
And raised high the esteem (in which) you (are held)?
So, verily, with every difficulty, there is relief.
Therefore, when you are free (from your immediate task), still labour
hard.
And to your Lord turn (all) your attention.
(Surah 94, Verses 108)
5. Verily Allah will defend (from ill) those who believe: verily, Allah
loves not any that is a traitor to faith, or shows ingratitude.
(Surah 22, Verse 38)
6. Verily never will Allah change the condition of people until they
change it themselves (with their own souls).
(Surah 13, Verse 11)
7. But if they turn away, Say: "Allah suffices me: there is no god but
He: in Him is my trust, He is the Lord of the Throne (of Glory)
Supreme!
(Surah 9, Verse 129)

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8. And O you believers! Turn you all together towards Allah, that you
may attain Bliss.
(Surah 24, Verse 31)
9. Whoever works rightousness, man or women, and has faith, verily
to him will We give a new life, that is good and pure, and We will bestow
on such their reward according to the best of their actions.
(Surah 16, Verse 97)
10. O My servants who believe! Truly, spacious is My Earth:
Therefore serve Me Alone)!
(Surah 29, Verse 56)
11. The Believers must (eventually) win through.
Those who humble themselves in their prayers.
Who avoid vain talk.
Who are active in deeds of charity.
Who guard their chastity.
Except with those joined to them in the marriage bond, or (the
captives) whom their right hands possess, for (in this case) they are free
from blame.
But those whose desires exceed those limits are transgressors.
Those who faithfuly observe their trusts and covenants
And who (strictly) guard their prayers.
These will be the heirs.
Who will inherit Paradise; They will dwell therein (forever).
(Surah 23, Verses 1-11)
12. O you who believe! Fear Allah, and (always) say a word directed
to the Right.
That He may make your conduct whole and sound and forgive you
your sins: He that obeys Allah and His Messenger, has already attained
the highest Achievement.
(Surah, Verses 70-71)
13. Behold, Luqman said to his son by way of instruction: "O my son!
Join not in worship (others) with Allah: for false worship is indeed the
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highest wrongdoing."
And We have enjoyed on man (to be good) to his parents: in travail
upon travail did his mother bear him, and in years twain was his weaning:
(hear the command), "Show gratitude to Me and to your parents; to Me
is (the final) Goal."
But if they strive to make you join in worship with Me things of
which you have no knowledge, obey them not; yet bear them company in
this life with justice (and consideration), and follow the way of those who
turn to Me (in love): In the End the return of you all is to Me, and I will
tell you the truth (and meaning) of all that you did.
"O my son! (said Luqman), "if there be (but) the weight of a
mustard seed and it were (hidden) in a rock, or (anywhere) in the heavens
or on earth. Allah will bring it forth: for Allah understands the finer
mysteries, (and) is well-acquinted (with them).
"O my son! Establish regular prayer, enjoin what is just, and forbid
what is wrong; and bear with patient constancy whatever betide you; for
this is firmness (of purpose) in (the conduct of ) affairs.
"And swell not your cheek (for pride) at men, nor walk in insolence
through the earth: for Allah loves not any arrogant boaster.
"And be moderate in your pace, and lower your voice; for the
harshest of sounds, without doubt, is the braying of the ass."
(Surah 31, Verses 13-19)
14. And the servants of Allah Most Gracious are those who walk the
earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say "Peace".
Those who spend the night in adoration of their Lord prostrate and
standing.
Those who say: "Our Lord! Avert from us the punishment of Hell,
for its punishment indeed is an affliction grevious."
"Evil indeed is it as an abode, and as a place to rest in".
Those who, when they spend, are not extravagant and not niggardly,
but hold a just (balance) between those (extremes)."
Those who invoke not, with Allah, any other god, nor slay such life
as Allah has made sacred, except for just cause, nor commit fornication,
and any that does this (not only) meets punishment.
(But) the Penalty on the Day of Judgement will be doubled to him,
and he will dwell therein forever in ignominy.
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 Unless he repents, believes and works righteous deeds, for Allah will
change the evil of such persons into good, and Allah is Oft-Forgiving,
Most merciful.
And whoever repents and does good has truly turned to Allah with
an (acceptable) conversion.
Those who witness no falsehood and, if they pass by futility, they
pass by it with honourable (avoidance).
Those who, when they are admonished with the Signs of their Lord,
drop not down at them as if they were deaf or blind.
And those who pray, "Our Lord! Grant unto us wives and offspring
who will be the comfort of our eyes, and give us (the grace) to lead the
righteous."
Those are the ones who will be rewarded with the highest place in
heaven, because of their patient constancy: therein shall they be met with
salutations and peace.
Dwelling therein, how beautiful an abode and place of rest!
Say (to the Rejecters): "My Lord would not concern Himself with
you had it not been for your prayer."
"But you have indeed rejected (Him), and soon will come the
inevitable (punishment)!"
(Surah 25, Verses 63-77)
1. Abu Zarr relates that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) said:"Allah, the
Lord of honour and glory, says: 'One who does one good deed shall be
rewarded ten times or more, and one who does one evil deed shall be
punished for only one sin, or he may be forgiven; and one who comes to
Me by a hand's breadth I shall approach him an arm's and one who
advances towards Me by an arm's length, I shall approach him the length
of two arms; and one who meets Me with an earthful of sins, provided he
has not associated anybody with Me, I shall meet him with an equal
amount of pardon."
(Narrated by Muslim)
2. Jabir relates that a bedouin came to the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and
said: O Messenger of Allah, what are the two things which make Heaven
or Hell necessary? He replied 'One who dies associating nobody with
Allah, will enter Paradise, and one who dies associating anybody with
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Allah will enter Hell."

(Narrated by Muslim)
3. Abu Hurayrah states that the Prophet p.b.u.h. said: "When Allah
created the creatures He wrote in the Book which is with Him in the
highest heaven: 'My mercy shall prevail over my anger.' Another version
says: 'My mercy covers my anger', and yet another version says: 'My
compassion surpasses my anger.'
(Agreed upon)

76

RECOMMENDED PROSTRATIONS ON
RECITING THE QUR'AN

There are fifteen places in the Quran where prostration is recommended

once a Muslim recites any of those verses. This applies whether one is
reciting the Quran in prayer or outside prayer. He has to stop reciting and
prostrate himself. Along with the usual tasbeeh (glorification), a Muslim
is recommended to say in Arabic: "O Allah! Accept this from me as You
accepted it from your slave and Prophet Dawood."
For the benefit of Muslims here are the different verses where
prostration is recommended. We will start in order from the beginning of
the Holy Quran until the end:
1. Al-A'raf (Chapter 7, Verse 206):
"Those who are near to your Lord, disdain not to do Him
worship; they celebrate His Praises and to Him they prostrate
themselves."
2. Al-Ra'd (chapter 13, Verse 15):
"Whatever beings there are in heavens and earth do prostrate
themselves to Allah with goodwill or inspite of themselves: so do
their shadows in the mornings and evenings."
3. Al-Nahl (Chapter 16, Verses 49-50):
"And unto Allah prostrate all that is in heavens and on earth,
whether moving living creatures or the angels: for none are
arrogant (before their Lord). They all fear their Lord High above
them, and they do all that they are commanded."
4. Al-Israa' (Chapter 17, Verses 107-109):
"Say: 'Whether you believe in it or not' It is true that these who

77

were given knowledge beforehand, when it is recited to them fall

down on their faces in humble prostration and they say: 'Glory to
our Lord. Truly the promise of our Lord has been fulfilled.' They
fall down on their faces in tears, and it increases their earnest
humility."
5. Maryam (Chapter 19, Verse 58):
"Those were some of the prophets on whom Allah bestowed His
Grace of the posterity of Adam, and of those whom We carried
(in the Ark) with Noah, and of the posterity of Ibrahim and
Israel - of those whom We guided and chose; whenever the Signs
of Allah Most Gracious were rehearsed to them, they would fall
down in prostrate adoration and in tears."
6. Al-Hajj (Chapter 22, Verse 18):
"Don't you see that to Allah bow down in worship all things that
are in the heavens and on earth - the sun, the moon, stars,
mountains, trees, animals, and a great number among mankind?
But a great number are also such as are fit for punishment: and
such as Allah shall disgrace, none can raise to honor: for Allah
carries out all that He wills."
7. Al-Hajj (chapter 22, verse 77):
"O you who believe! Bow down, prostrate yourselves, and
worship your Lord; and do good so that you may prosper."
8. Al-Furqan (Chapter 25, Verse 60):
"When it is said to them: 'Prostrate yourselves to the Most
Gracious', they say: 'What is the Most Gracious? Shall we
prostrate ourselves to that which you command us?' And it
increases their flight from the Truth."
9. Al-Naml (Chapter 27, Verses 2-27):
"I found there a woman ruling over them provided with every
requisite; and she has a magnificent throne. I found her and her
people prostrating themselves to the sun away from Allah; the
Devil has made their deeds seem pleasing to their eyes, and has
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kept them away from the Path - so they receive no guidance that they should not prostrate themselves to Allah, Who brings
to light what is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knows
what you hide and what you reveal. Allah! there is no god but He!
Lord of the Throne Supreme."
10. Al-Sajdah (chapter 32, Verse 15):
"Only those who believe in Our Signs, who, when they are
reminded of them (through recitation) fall down in prostration
and celebrate the praises of their Lord; nor are they (ever) puffed
up with pride."
11. Saad (Chapter 38, Verse 24):
"(Dawood) said: 'He has undoubtedly wronged you in
demanding your single ewe to be added to his flock of ewes; truly
many are the partners who wrong each other: Not so do those
who believe and work deeds of righteousness, and how few are,
they?' Dawood then gathered that We had tried him: so he asked
forgiveness of his Lord, fell down bowing in prostration and
turned to Allah in repentance."
12. Fussilat (Chapter 41, Verses 37-38):
"And among His Signs are the Night and the Day, and the Sun
and the Moon. Don't prostrate yourselves to the Sun nor to the
Moon, but prostrate to Allah, who has created them if it is Him
you wish to worship. If however, they are arrogant, those who are
in the presence of your Lord celebrate His praises by night and
by day and they never flag."
13. Al-Najm (Chapter 53, Verse 62):
"Do you then wonder at this recital? And will you laugh and not
weep, wasting your time in vanities? Rather fall down in
prostration to Allah and worship Him (alone)!"
14. Al-lnshiqaq (Chapter 84, Verse 21):
"What then is the matter with them, that they do not believe?
And when the Quran is recited to them they fall not prostrate?'
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15. Al-'Alaq (Chapter 96, Verse 19):

"Knows he not that Allah does see? Nay. let him beware! If he
desist not, We will drag him by the forelock - a lying, sinful
forelock! Then let him call for help to his council (of comrades):
We will call on the angels of punishment. Nay: obey him not. But
bow down in prostration and bring yourself the closer (to Allah)."

80

MAN AND MIRACLES

"Man" here refers to the human race and "miracles" are wonderful
happenings that are beyond the known laws of nature according to one
dictionary. In this sense miracles can either be real wonders or ordinary
events that are made to appear as miracles. Here we want to discuss the
former.
As a matter of fact, life is full of miracles, not only this but life itself
is a miracle. If this is the case why do most people lose sight of this?
Maybe because they need an eye-opener, or this maybe due to being
accustomed to miracles in our life. What we are trying here is to remove
these barriers so that people can feel the presence of miracles in their
lives.
Modern science intentionally or unintentionally avoids discussing
this issue. It only examines things as they are, and never asks why they
take place this way. Thus this area is left for religions. They try to answer
certain categorical questions that affect our existence as human beings on
this earth like the question of miracles. The Bible is full of miracles that
really bewilder and confound the reader as they bewildered and
confounded the witnesses.
It became a fashion these days that some hosts of religious TV shows
claim that they practice miracles. They ask people to believe that Jesus
Christ is their Lord and God. They strike them on the forehead and after
a little while, the sick person is claimed to be miraculously cured of his
illness. How can we judge these actions?
First of all, we must remember that when Jesus Christ cured people
of their illnesses he did ask them to believe in God and not in his own
power of healing. He always confirmed to his people that the miracles he
practiced are not his own but God's. How then can we attribute these
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miracles to the one who always asserted that he could do what he did by
the leave and with the permission of God. Hence whoever claims for
himself anything different must surely be one of the liars.
Allow me now to introduce Islam's concept of miracles. It may be
asked, however, why should we bother ourselves with this issue? In what
way or ways does it affect our life? Miracles, in fact, are at the core of our
human existence. It means a lot to understand and examine their truth.
According to Islam miracles can be divided into three categories:
past, present and future miracles. According to the Quran, the Holy Book
for Muslims, the creation of Adam, the father of humanity, was an
outstanding miracle of the past. Miracles also took place at the hands of
prophets to prove the truth of their messages to their people. These two
types of miracles are naturally miracles of the past. We are only told about
them and can only be impressed by them if we believe in what we are told.
This is a common ground for all revealed religions i.e. Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam.
What Islam adds, however, is to draw our attention to the present
miracles that surround us. The Quran does this in order to prove the truth
of past as well as future miracles. Let us now quote from the Quran in
order to prove what we say.
About the creation of Adam and Eve, the Quran says: "Behold, your
Lord said to the angels: I am creating a human from clay; when I fashion him
and breathe into him of my spirit, then fall down in obedience unto him. The
angels thus prostrated themselves, all of them together, not so Iblis. He was
haughty and became one of those who reject Faith." (38:71-74).
"O Adam, We said: Verily this is an enemy to you and your wife. Let him
not get you both out of the Garden lest you should Land in misery..." (20:117).
"But Satan whispered evil to him. He said: O Adam! Shall I lead you to the
Tree of Eternity, and to a kingdom that never decays? As a result they both
(Adam and Eve) ate of the tree, and so their nakedness appeared to them. They
began to sew together for their covering leaves from the Garden. Thus did
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Adam disobey His Lord, and allowed himself to be seduced. But His Lord chose
him (for His Grace) He turned to him and gave him guidance." (2:l20-l22).
The Quran, however, does not impose on us this miracle of the
creation of the father and mother of humanity without proving it. First of
all, it reminds us that this miracle has been practiced by God Almighty
who says to anything Be and it is.
Thus when the Quran tries to prove the miracle of the creation of
Jesus Christ peace be with him from his virgin mother Mary, it says: "The
similitude of Jesus before God is as that of Adam. He created him from dust,
then said to him Be and he was." (3:59).
To prove the past miracles, God draws our attention to the present
ones. The Quran says: "And God created you from dust, then from a sperm
drop, then He made you in pairs. No female conceives or lays down (her burden)
but with His knowledge." (35:11).
Let us contemplate the logic of the Quran concerning creation. In the
same chapter verse 28, we read: "Don't you see that God sends down rain
from the sky? With it we then bring out produce of various colors, and in the
mountains are tracts white and red, of various shades of color, and black intense
in hue; and so among men and crawling creatures and cattle, are they of various
colors as well. It is only the knowledgeable among God's slaves who truly fear
God, the Exalted in Might, the oft-Forgiving." (35:28).
The Quran, again, is unique in drawing our attention to the present
miracles around us. It says:
"Don 't you see that God merges night into day and He merges day into
night; that He has subjected the sun, and the moon; each running its course a
term appointed; and that God is well-acquainted with all they you do."
(31:29).
Again in chapter 30 verse 48, we read:
"It is God who sends the winds, which raise clouds, then does He spread
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them in the sky as He wills, and breaks them into fragments, until you see rain
drops issue from their midst then when He has made them reach such of His
servants as He wills, behold, they do rejoice."
The Quran also refers to other past miracles i.e. those given to
previous messengers of God. To Noah, for instance God gave the Flood
by which all disbelievers were wiped out. To Abraham, God made fire
peace and tranquility and deprived it of its power of burning. To Moses,
God gave the staff by which he could open a path in the middle of the sea
and reach to safety he and his followers while his opponents perished
drowning. To Jesus Christ, God gave the power to heal the blind, the
leper and restore the dead to life.
It is true that these and many other miracles have been mentioned in
both the Quran and the Bible; but the Quran shows us the way to accept
those past miracles. In chapter 30 we read the following:
"So give glory to God when you reach evening and when you rise in the
morning. To Him is due all praise in the heavens and the earth and in the late
afternoon and when you reach noon. it is He who brings out the living from the
dead and brings out the dead from the living; and Who gives life to earth after
it is dead and thus will you be brought back (from the dead)."
"Among His signs (miracles) is that He created you from dust and then you
are men scattered far and wide. And among His signs is this: that He created
for you mates from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquility with
them: and He has put love and mercy between you. Verily in that are signs for
those who reflect..."
"And among His signs is your sleep by night and by day and the quest that
you make for livelihood out of His bounty."
To prove future miracles the Quran uses the most acceptable logic.
Here is one example:
"O mankind! if you have a doubt concerning the Resurrection (consider)
that We created you out of dust, then out of sperm, then out of leech-like clot,
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then out of a morsel of flesh, partly formed and partly unformed in order that
We may manifest Our power to you; and We cause whom We will to stay in the
wombs for an appointed term, then do we bring you out as infants, then foster
you so that you may reach your age of full strength; and some of you are called
to die, and some are sent back to the feeblest old age, so that they know nothing
after having known much and you see the earth barren and lifeless, but when
We pour down rain on it. it is stirred to life and swells, and it puts forth every
kind of beautiful growth (in pairs). Even so, because God is the Reality; it is
He who gives life to the dead, and it is He who has power over all things; and
verily the Hour will come: there can be no doubt about it, and that God will
raise up all who are in the graves." (22:5-7).
Let me now cite two situations referred to in the Quran. Abraham,
the father of all three revealed religions, was the son of Azar who used to
be an idol-maker and worshipper.
"Abraham said to his father Azar: Do you take idols for gods? I see you and
your people in manifest error. Hence we showed Abraham the sovereignty and
laws of heavens and earth, so that he might have certitude. when night covered
him over he saw a planet. He exclaimed: This is my Lord; but when (the
planet) set he said: I don't love those that set. when he saw the moon rising in
splendor, he exclaimed: This is my Lord, but when it again set he said: Unless
my Lord guide me, I shall surely be among those who go astray. Then when he
saw the sun rising in splendor he exclaimed: This is my Lord. This is greater;
but when it set also he said: O my people! I am indeed free from your guilt of
ascribing partners with God. For me, I have set my face firmly and truly
towards Him who created heavens and earth and never shall I be one of the
polytheists." (6:74-79).
The other situation is between Abraham again and the dictator of his
time who claimed to have the power of life and death. The Quran says:
"Bethink you of him who had an argument with Abraham about his Lord,
because Allah had given him the kingdom; how, when Abraham said: My Lord
is He who gives life and causes death, he answered: I give life and cause death.
Abraham said: Lo! Allah causes the sun to rise in the East, so do you cause it to
come up from the West. Thus was the disbeliever abashed. And Allah guides not
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wrongdoing folk" (2-258).

To conclude, miracles in the Quran have one aim i.e. to guide man to
his Creator who is the source of all miracles.

86

ISLAM & MAGIC

Magic is an old human practice. It is sometimes defined as deception by

showing something to an audience, which is contrary to reality. In Islam
this is part of magic, which is, however, defined as seeking the help of
demons to perform something harmful against somebody.
In the light of the above definition, Islam considers magic to be an act
of blasphemy. Thus, the Holy Quran say: Suleiman (Solomon) did not
disbelieve, but the devils disbelieved teaching men magic (2:102). In an
authentic saying, the Prophet of Islam p.b.u.h. said: Whoever goes to a
fortune teller (a soothe sayer) or a diviner and believes him, has, in fact,
disbelieved in what has been revealed to Muhammad.
Thus Islam condemns magic even what is called the horoscope or
luck or reading ones palm to foretell the future is also prohibited in Islam.
This is based on the belief that no one knows the future or the unseen
except God almighty. That is why the Quran asserts that even
Muhammad does not know the unseen. Concerning this, it says: If I had
the knowledge of the unseen, I should have secured abundance for myself,
and no evil would have touched me (7:188). Again, God is described in
the Quran as the knower of the unseen and the manifest (6:73) and as the
holder of the keys of the unseen (6:59).
In another tradition, Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. says: Avoid the
seven deadly acts which are: ascribing partners to God, magic, killing the
human self which Allah prohibited except with right, eating usury,
devouring the orphans wealth, defecting from the battle-field (without a
justified reason) and slandering chaste, unwary believing women. Thus
Islam has closed the door for practicing magic, simply because it is against
its teachings, and it is deceptive and harmful.
Let us now review some of the verses of the Holy Quran that refer to
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magic: In Chapter two verse 101-102, the Quran says: And when there
came to them a Messenger from Allah confirming what was with them,
a party of those who were given the scripture threw away the book of
Allah behind their backs as if they did not know. And they followed what
the devils gave out falsely of magic on the reign of Solomon; for Solomon
did not disbelieve but the devils disbelieved, teaching men magic and
such things that came down at Babylon to the two angels Harut and
Marut, but neither of these two (angels) taught anyone (such things) until
they had said: we are only for trial, so dont disbelieve. And from them
(magicians) people learn that through which they would cause separation
between a person and his spouse, but they could not thus harm anyone
except by Allahs leave; and they learn that which harms them rather than
profits them. And indeed they knew that its practitioner would have no
share in the Hereafter. And how bad indeed was that for which they sold
their own selves if they but knew (2:101-2).
Although Solomon was the Prophet and Messenger of God, he was
accused by some of his opponents to be practicing magic. Those who
claimed this could not distinguish between magic and miracles. Almost
all messengers of God were granted miracles as a proof of their
authenticity. To name only a few: Moses was granted the staff by which
he could divide the sea and make water gush from rocks. Abraham was
flung in the middle of a huge raging fire, which Allah made cool and
peaceful to him. Jesus Christ could heal the blind and the leper and bring
back the dead to life.
If we contemplate these acts we find that miracles are totally different
from magic. While magic is always harmful, miracles are useful. Magic is
from devils while miracles are from God. When these miracles are rejected
other miracles are imposed to inflict severe punishments on rejecters. On
the other hand, miracles are real while magic is sometimes deceptive.
It may be said that the Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. was himself
exposed to the effect of magic. How could you explain this? This is true;
but God saved him from the spell of magic through the repeated
remembrance of God and the recitation of some chapters and verses of
the Holy Quran. This took place to confirm the humility of Muhammad
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p.b.u.h. who was a human like other humans. This made it easier for his
followers to imitate him. Two questions are pertinent in this context:
How to protect ones self from magic? And how to treat a person under
the spell of magic?
Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. provided us with the recipe through
which we can protect ourselves from magic. We shall be immune from
magic if we recite after the five daily prayers the last three chapters of
the Holy Quran which are number 112, 113 and 114 And here is their
translation:
UNITY
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Say: He is Allah, the One! Allah, the eternally besought of all! He
begets not nor was begotten. And there is none comparable unto Him.
DAYBREAK
In the name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful
Say I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak From the evil of that which
he created; From the evil of the darkness when it is intense, and from the
evil of malignant witchcraft, And from the evil of the envious when he
envies.
MANKIND
In the name of Allah the beneficent, the Merciful
Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind, The King of mankind,
The God of mankind, From the evil of the sneaking whisperer, Who
whispers in the hearts of mankind, Of the jinn and of mankind.
These chapters are also recommended to be recited three times after
the dawn prayer and three times after the sunset prayer.
Secondly Prophet Mohammed p.b.u.h. encouraged us to recite the
greatest verse in the Quran called the verse of the Throne, translated as
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follows:
Allah! There is no God save Him, the Alive, and the Eternal.
Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. Unto Him belongs whatever is
in the heavens and whatever is in the earth. Who is he that intercedes
with Him save by His leave? He knows that which is in front of them
and that which is behind them, while they encompass nothing of His
knowledge save what He will. His chair encompasses the heavens and the
earth, and He is never weary of preserving them. He is the sublime, the
Tremendous (2:225).
This verse should be recited after each and every one of the five daily
prayers and before going to bed.
The Prophet p.b.u.h. also encouraged us Muslims to recite the last
two verses of Chapter two at the beginning of every night whose
translation is as follows:
The Messenger believes in that which has been revealed unto him
from his Lord and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in Allah and
His angels and His messengers and they say: We hear, and we obey.
(Grant us) Your forgiveness, our Lord. Unto you is the journeying
(2:285).
Allah tasks not a soul beyond its scope. For it (is only) that which it
has earned, and against it (only) that which it has deserved. Our Lord!
Condemn us not if we forget, or miss the mark! Our Lord! Lay not on us
such a burden as you did lay on those before us! Our Lord! Impose not
on us that which we have not the strength to bear! Pardon us, absolve us
and have mercy on us. You are our Patron; so grant us victory over the
disbelieving folk (2:286).
Prophet Mohammed p.b.u.h. said: (whoever recites the last two
verses of the chapter called the Cow, they will suffice him). This means
that they will protect him from every evil. Again seeking refuge in Allah
and remembering his name is an effective protection against all evils
including magic. Two main supplications are recommended in this
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respect. They are:

1. I seek refuge in the complete words of Allah from the evils of
what He created;
2. In the name of Allah through whose name nothing on earth or
in heaven can cause any harm.
If these two prayers are recited three times in the beginning of the day
and in the beginning of the night, then no harm or evil will approach the
reciter by the grace of Allah.
It remains to mention how we can treat a person under the spell of
magic. It is possible, on the one hand, to learn magic so that one can use
the same tactics. All in all, the best cure is to recite the Quran and seek
Gods help.

91

WHO IS LIGHT?

The term noor or light and its derivatives are mentioned 49 times in the
Holy Quran. There is one verse called the verse of light, which says:
Allah is the Light of Heavens and earth. The similitude of His Light is
as a niche wherein is a lamp, the lamp is in glass, and the glass is as it were
a shining star. (This lamp) is kindled from a blessed tree. Light upon
light, Allah guides to His light whomsoever He wills. (Chapter 24 V. 34).
According to this verse Allah is the source of all light in Heaven and
earth. If we trace the occurrence of this term noor meaning light in the
Quran and Sunnah we will indeed learn a lot. Let us start with the Quran
first. In some verses light means guidance to Islam. In chapter two we read:
Allah is the patron of those who believe, from the depths of darkness, He
leads them into light. As for disbelievers their patrons are the Evil ones
who lead them out of light into depths of darkness. (2-257) The Torah and
the Gospel are described in the Quran as sources of light too.
Islam is light also. The Quran says: They want to extinguish Allahs
light with their mouths. Allah, however will make His light prevail even
though disbelievers detest this. (9-32) The Quran is the road to light:
ALR. a book which we revealed to you so that you bring out people from
the depths of darkness into light. (14-1) Moses was sent with light
(Ibrahim-5) like all other Messengers of God.
Is he whose bosom Allah has expanded for Islam so that he follows a
light from His Lord (as he who disbelieves) ? A believer walks in light.
(39-22).
The Messenger, Muhammad, is a source of light: O Prophet! We
sent you as a witness, a bringer of glad tidings and a warner, and a caller
to Allah by His leave and a shining lamp. (33-46)

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The Quran is light: So believe in Allah and His Messenger and the
light He revealed. (64-8) O Mankind! There has come to you a proof
from your Lord and We revealed to you a clear light. (4-174) Most
scholars affirm that light here refers to the Quran. Some scholars are,
however, of the opinion that it is a reference to Prophet Muhammad
p.b.u.h. which is, however, proved to be wrong by the same verse that
refers to both the proof and the light as one thing.
On the other hand the Quran confirms the absolute humanity of the
Prophet. In chapter 42 Allah says in the Quran: You never knew what is
the scripture nor what is faith; We, however, made it a light by which We
guide whomsover We wish of our slaves. (42-52)
Light is guidance to the straight path according to the Quran. It is
God who grants guidance or light to whom He wills. Martyrs and honest
slaves of God have their own light; and naturally messengers of God are
sources of light.
This is, in brief, a review of how the Quran refers to light. One
remark is necessary here namely that in one place only, the word light is
said to refer to Prophet Muhammad as a shining lamp. The rest of the 48
verses refer to God as the source of light, to the Quran, to believers, and
to Islam. This is supported by the traditions of Prophet Muhammad
p.b.u.h. who always stressed his mortality and human capacity. Here are
some examples: Zayed Ibn Arqam reported the Messenger of God who
said: As to what follows. O people! I am only a mortal about to respond
to the call from the Messenger of my Lord. I am leaving with you, two
trusts: First is the Book of Allah in which there is guidance and light.
Whoever abides by it and follows it will be on guidance; and whoever
misses it will be led astray. So be committed to the Book of Allah and
hold fast to it; and my household I remind you of Allah in dealing with
them. Ibn Amr quoted the Messenger of God as saying: Allah had
created His creation in darkness. He then granted them with His Light.
He who got part of that light on that day will be guided and he who
missed the light will be misled.
Abu Moosa reported the Messenger of God p.b.u.h. to have said:
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Allah does not sleep; nor is it becoming of Him to sleep. He lowers the
measure and raises it, to Him are raised the deeds of the day before the
deeds of night. His veil is light; should He uncover it the effect of his
complexion would burn every thing to which His sight reaches.
Ibn Umer quoted the Messenger of God as saying: On the Day of
Judgement the just ones will be on pulpits of light on the right hand of
the Beneficent and all his hands are right, those who are just in their
rulings, their families and what they control.
Amr Ibn Anbasah said the Messenger of God said: Any man whose
hair becomes grey in the way of Allah then this will be a light for him.
In a weak Hadith quoted by Irbad Ibn Sariya we are told by the
Prophet p.b.u.h.: I was with Allah written in the mother of the Book as
the last seal of prophets. That was when Adam was still in his mud stage.
I shall tell about the meaning of this: I am my Father Ibrahims call, the
glad tiding of Isa and the vision of my mother who saw as she gave birth
to me, as though a light has gushed out of her by which Syrias palaces
were lit. This is also seen by mothers of Prophets. But in an authentic
Hadith reported by Abi Omama Prophet Mohammad p.b.u.h. said: My
mother saw as though a light came out of her which lit palaces of Syria.
In a very weak saying Abu Thar said: Keep on remembering the
Quran and remembering Allah as this will be a remembrance for you in
Heaven and a light for you on earth. But in an authentic Hadith reported
by Burayda and Sahl ibn Saad the Messenger of Allah said: Give glad
tidings to the walkers across darkness to mosques of complete light on the
Day of Judgement. Aisha reported that the Messenger of God p.b.u.h. to
have said Allah created angels from light.
In another Hadith reported by Ibn Amr the Messenger of God
p.b.u.h. said: Grey hair is the light of the believer. No Man acquires a
grey hair in Islam but will get for every single hair one reward and will be
promoted for it one degree. Abu Malek Al-Ashaari quoted the
Messenger of God p.b.u.h. who said: Cleanliness is one half of faith,
Praise be to Allah fills the balance, and Glory to Allah and Praise be to
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Allah fill the space between Heaven and Earth, prayer is light, charity is
a proof, patience is a brilliance, the Quran is a testimony for you or against
you. All people strive, they however, vary. Some sell their souls, others
emancipate them or destroy them. (Authentic).
Muath reported the following sacred Hadith where the Prophet
p.b.u.h. quoted Allah as saying: Those who love each other in my
majesty will have pulpits of light, for which prophets and martyrs would
envy them.
Ubadah Ibn Al-Samet said: that the Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. said:
Allah Glory be to him says, My love is sure for those who exchange
advice for my sake; my love is sure for those who exchange visits for my
sake. Those who exchange love for my sake will be on pulpits of light due
to which prophets, honest slaves and martyrs would vie them.
(Authentic).
Abu Moosa quoted the Prophet p.b.u.h. as saying: The parable of
Muslims, Jews, and Christians is like a man who hired some people to
perform a job for him at night. They started work till midday. Then they
said: We dont need either your payment that you have decided for us or
our job for you. He replied: dont do this but complete the rest of your
work and receive your payment in full. They refused and left. He then
hired other employees after them. They did exactly the same thing as the
first group and left before completing their job, neither did they get their
payment, but left empty handed. Then a third group took over; they
completed the job and received the whole payment. This is the example
of the light they expected. Authentic.
Abu Saeed reported the Messenger of God p.b.u.h. to have said;
whoever recites Al-Kahf chapter on Friday will have light from then until
the next Friday. Authentic.
Once we have read the above Quranic verses as well as the Prophets
traditions we understand that God Almighty is the source of all material
as well as spiritual light. He grants His light to Prophets including
Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. Believers in the message as well as the
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Quran and mosques are also sources of light as long as they convey the
light of Allah and His guidance.

96

ISLAM AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Many people express their concern these days about the preservation of
the environment so much so that this has become a trend worldwide. It
is interesting to indicate here that an increasing number of people in the
West ask about the position of Islam toward the environment. Here are a
few thoughts on the subject:
First of all, Islam makes it incumbent on every Muslim to
contribute his share in improving greenery. Muslims should be
active in growing more trees for the benefit of all people. In one
tradition the Prophet says: If the Hour is about to take place
while any one of you has a sapling in his hand, which he can
cultivate before it takes place, let him cultivate it for he will be
rewarded for it .
Every country in the world worries about wasting water. This
applies even to Canada, one of the richest states in water
resources. Look how Islam deals with this issue. A Muslim is
recommended to save water in his ceremonial washing for prayer
even if he has a river at his disposal according to one tradition of
the Prophet.
Again, a Muslim is warned against urinating in still water.
Islams care of the environment is not limited to times of peace.
This also applies to behaviour in wars where Muslims are
required to avoid cutting trees which are useful to people in
general.
On the other hand, Islams mercy is not restricted to human
beings but is extended to animals and birds. Game hunting of
birds or animals just for the pleasure of the sport and not for a real
need is forbidden in Islam.
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 Even when a Muslim slaughters an animal or a bird for eating,

he has to sharpen his knife and to treat the animal gently and
never cut its meat until it becomes completely senseless and
lifeless.
The Prophet once saw a mother bird flying over the heads of a
group of Muslims as if seeking for its little one which they had
taken. Seeing this, the Prophet ordered them to return the little
bird back to its mother.
Even insects, Islam gives a special attention to them. It
considers them signs and miracles of God. That is why insects
like flies, spiders and bees, ants, etc... are mentioned in the
context of being miracles of God in the Qur'an.
Once the Prophet said: One woman qualified to enter Hell fire
just because of her behaviour towards a cat. she imprisoned it, and
neither did she feed it nor did she release it to seek for its food
from the open land.
On the other hand, we are told by the Prophet of mercy that a
prostitutes sins were forgiven because she gave drinking water to
a thirsty dog. After she drank from a well, she saw a thirsty dog
to which she gave drinking water.
Again, the Prophet warned us of cursing animals which we ride
and carry our burdens on. He, on the contrary, commands
Muslims to treat them gently and with kindness.
All games and sports harmful to animals and birds are forbidden
in Islam because of their cruelty.
In no other religion, philosophy or ideology except Islam do we
find a unique attitude toward nature i.e. the universe. Time and
again we find God swearing in the Qur'an by various elements of
nature, His creation. Several chapters in the Holy Book of
Muslims begin with an oath like: By the Heavens,. by the moon,
the sun, the stars, the night, the day, the trees, animals,
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vegetation, etc... This is to indicate, among other things, the great

value of these elements.
For here, Islam considers all creatures to be salves of the
Almighty God. They surrender to his laws and every creature has
his form and method of worship. They all glorify God, each in his
own way.
Thus Islam establishes a relationship of true love and harmony
between man and all creation.
Again, Islam has in fact introduced a more comprehensive
meaning of environment or nature. It considers man the major
factor in this universe and defined for him a course of action and
behaviour that makes him an ideal model. In this context, Islam
enjoins the protection of human nature. Human life is sacred in
the sight of Islam. No one is permitted to take the life of another
person except as life for life. Suicide is a crime in Islam.
Islam forbids that men should imitate women in dress and
behaviour and vice versa. That is why the Prophet cursed any of
the two sexes that imitates the other.
Islam encourages breast feeding for the full period of two years
for the sake of both the new babies as well as their mothers.
It recommends women to specialize in taking care of children,
bringing them up and serving the needs of the family rather than
going out for jobs unless it is necessary for them to do so.
As for children there is no child abuse or wife abuse in Islam. A
practising Muslim society does not prefer one sex over another.
This fairness results in peace and love in the family.
As for personal hygiene, Islam recommends a weekly bath at
least every Friday for Muslims especially those who attend Friday
congregational prayer which is an obligation on all Muslim men
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and it is an option for Muslim women. Thus cleanliness can

prevail among people.
Islam is not only keen on outward cleanliness but has its own
guidelines in inward cleanliness. The Prophet said: Five things
are in harmony with nature: cutting ones moustache, removing
hair of the armpit, shaving the pubic region, trimming ones nails
and circumcision.
It enjoins avoiding eating onions or garlic before attending
public meetings to prevent bad odour.
The Prophet likens socialization with good and bad companions
to two parables. He says a good company is like a person carrying
musk while a bad companion is like the black smith who blows
fire. From the former, you would either buy some musk or you
will at least find a good smell from him, while the latter would
either burn your clothes or at least you will find a bad smell from
him.
It is the duty of Muslims to remove dirt and harm from roads
and streets. This is an act of worship in Islam. Cleanliness of front
and back yards is encouraged also.
Islam enjoins treating neighbours with kindness.
The Prophet says: God is beautiful and He loves the beautiful.
Islam commands Muslims to avoid all bad habits that are
harmful to their bodies, to other people like smoking, drug
addiction, alcoholic drinks, etc...
A Muslim should discharge his work in the best possible way,
be honest, true to his word and fulfil his promise.
In brief, Islam makes this world of ours a better and a happier
place for all creation.
100

GOOD CONDUCT IN ISLAM

Dear Muslims,
In previous sermons we referred to levels of iman, and the manners
Muslims should adhere to, otherwise their faith weakens, their balance is
shaken and their steps will have difficulty in following the right path.
Today we continue our talk about the same subject but from a
different angle and a different style. Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. said:
The Muslim is the one from whose hands and tongue other Muslims are
safe, and the immigrant is he who abandons what Allah forbids. When
the Messenger p.b.u.h. was asked: Which Islam is better? He said the
same thing. And when a man asked the Prophet the same question the
Prophet answered: That you provide food, deliver the salutation of peace
upon those you know and those you dont know.
Thus the fact is the same about Islam or iman. In other words that
there should be action, or behavior that confirms faith in the heart of a
believer so that his Islam is reflected in good deeds, peace, and blessings
in his movements and words. Thus he would harm or hurt no one, he
would destroy no buildings and would do no wrong nor take the right of
any one. On the contrary he would be a strong and useful member of his
society. This is clear in the Prophets sayings mentioned earlier which
assert that the best Muslims are those who fulfil the rights of Allah as well
as the rights of other Muslims.
Practically speaking a Muslim should not only discharge his duties
through believing in Allah, His Messenger and His books, neither just by
establishing worships that are obligatory on him, but in addition to this
he has to fulfil the rights he owes to other people. That is why good
conduct and nice manners with other people are the real signs of a true
believer and a good Muslim.
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We notice from the above sayings that the companions of the Prophet
p.b.u.h. were keen to learn more about their religion so that they could be
sincere and strong in their faith. Thus comes the question that showed
their competition to acquire the virtues of Islam to avoid sins and evils.
This is how a Muslim should be. He should ask about what he doesnt
know and should learn all that benefits him and his society and should
seek to apply good manners, he should avoid all evils and sins. That is why
a Muslim is a person who abstains from hurting other Muslims; a Muslim
is he who tries to know other Muslims and make peace with them by his
words and actions; he delivers the salutation of peace to them and grants
them all that is good and useful.
Dear Muslims! The Messenger of Allah p.b.u.h. urges us to fulfil the
highest standard of conduct; that is why he concentrates in his teachings
on these lessons of education and manners so that we may become the
best nation evolved for mankind. The Prophet p.b.u.h. for instance, says:
May Allah have mercy on the person who is tolerant when he sells,
tolerant when he buys, and tolerant when he seeks judgement.
This saying is either a prayer from the Prophet for the person who is
tolerant in his dealings. It may also be a piece of news about tolerant
Muslims. In this case it is a glad tidings of good and blessings and
happiness. For a Muslim to be tolerant with other Muslims requires that
he should not be harsh or violent towards them, neither should he insist
on his mistakes, but should surrender part of his right to the helpless, he
should forgive those who offended him if they apologize. He should give
respite to those who owe him money, and should do good to relatives even
if they boycott him.
Dear Muslims!
We should remember here that part of true faith is to love for the sake
of Allah and to hate for the sake of Allah. This is a sign of sound hearts
that are free from vicious whims and material greed. The Prophet p.b.u.h.
says: Every time a Muslim enjoys three things, he in fact, enjoys the
sweetness of faith: 1) that Allah and his Messenger are dearer to him than
any one else 2) that he should love other people for the sake of Allah
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alone and 3) that he should hate to return back to disbelief as he would

hate to be thrown in a fire. Agreed upon.
In another tradition the Prophet p.b.u.h. says: Seven persons will be
under the shade of Allah on the day when there will be no other shade
but His: A just leader, a young man brought up in the worship of Allah,
a man whose heart is committed to mosques, two people who love one
another fot the sake of Allah, they meet and part for His sake, a person
whose left hand does not know what his right hand has spent, a person
whose eyes overflow with tears due to his remembrance of Allah when he
is all by himself and a person whom a pretty and influential woman
encourages to commit adultery with her but he said I fear Allah
Reported by al-Bukhary.
In a sacred tradition the Prophet p.b.u.h. quotes Allah as saying: My
love is binding for those who love one another for My sake, who sit with
one another for My sake, and who visit one another for My sake.
Reported by al-Tirmithy.
Dear Muslims!
What do you learn from these great Prophetic traditions? First: that
the Prophet p.b.u.h. gave good tidings to the believer who loves his
brother believer that he will enjoy the sweetness of faith in his heart due
to his love. In other words he will feel good, satisfied and will have faith
and peace through his love to his brother without any worldly interests in
that love. Second: that the Messenger p.b.u.h. also promises another good
news in addition to the first one which is in this world namely his feeling
of satifaction and comfort. The second good news is that Allah will shade
him under his shade on the day of judgement, His special shade which is
only for His slaves whom He loves and who love him and He will honour
them with what he does not honour any body else with. Third: that the
Messenger p.b.u.h. warns us never to love other people for worldly gains
or interests so that our love for them will disappear once these gains
vanish. Thus we stop our love or visits to them accordingly. There is a
warning for those who love a person for his prestige, or authority or power
and they dont dare advise or blame him or say the true words to him
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because they are afraid for their interests, their positions and their
livelihood. Those are the hypocrites. They are in the lowest level of Hell
fire. In Allah we seek refuge from that.
Dear Muslims!
Islam is such a wonderful religion that urges its followers to be
tolerant, gentle and loving; and how great is the need of Muslims to abide
by these teachings of the Prophet p.b.u.h. for great supreme conduct.
It is time that Muslims should review their conditions, correct their
concepts, mend their mistakes and straighten their behavior. We are a
nation created to lead other nations. This is a fact clearly decided in the
Book of Allah and the traditions of his Messenger p.b.u.h. Why then
should some among us continue to insist on argumentation and futile
disputes doing their best to reject their material interests and gains?
This is nothing but a sincere call to correct the wrong in ourselves and
to cultivate love, and friendship in the hearts of men. It is a call to
Paradise using vessels of piety, good conduct and sincere repentance. And
indeed Allah alone will have his way to pass.

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FINALITY OF PROPHETHOOD

Before we deal with the above title let us first define what is meant by a
prophet. According to the three divine religions i.e. Judaism, Christianity
and Islam, a prophet is a sincere human being who quotes God Almighty.
He is entrusted with a message from God (thus he acquires the title
"messenger"). He follows what he teaches and always asserts that he
speaks not from himself but from God. He does not look for any worldly
or material reward for his mission. To prove his claim he is supported with
miracles from God.
Based on this definition a prophet is not a liar, but an honest
conveyer of a message from God. He does not seek any worldly gains or
prestige. He is rather ready to suffer for his message and does not waiver
nor change it at all costs.
There were many prophets over the ages sent by God to their peoples.
Among these are Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph,
Job, Junah, Lot, Hud, David, Solomon, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad.
The Quran, the Holy Book for Muslims, mentions 25 messengers or
prophets of God by name.
Having said this can we accept today the rise of a new prophet of
God? Why not if this applied to certain individuals in the past? And why
at all should Muslims insist that Muhammad is the last and final
messenger and prophet of God?
To begin with all prophets of God conveyed one and the same
message to their people, namely to worship God alone who created them
for this purpose, who provides for them and unto whom they will return
one day. He gave them life and will take it one day. Whenever people
deviated from the path of God shown to them by an earlier messenger,
God would send a new one to reassert the mission of the previous
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messenger and to restore the original message. Thus the series extended
until it was concluded by Prophet Muhammad the last messenger.
But why is Muhammad the last and final messenger of God, why
can`t we accept prophets or messengers of God as we accepted them
before? One reason is that his message is for all the worlds.
It is not limited for one generation or one people at a certain time or
place. He is rather the messenger of God to all times and climes.
While other messengers were sent to one particular people, and were
supported with physical, material miracles to prove their authenticity,
Muhammad whose message is universal, received a universal miracle that
is not affected by the change of time or place. This message is the Holy
Quran.
A word is pertinent here about the Holy Quran. This book is Holy
or sacred because it is the word of God revealed in letter and spirit to
Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years.
Unlike other scriptures, it was revealed piece meal and Muhammad
was only the vehicle that conveyed the message honestly and accurately.
So, if the Quran is the book of God that was not changed, why then
should there be any new message or messenger for that matter?
Let us come closer. Islam states clearly and decisively that
Muhammad p.b.u.h was the last and final messenger. In one Quranic
verse he is described as the seal and the stamp of all prophets. In chapter
33 verse 40 we read : Muhammad was not the father of any of your men
but the messenger of God and the seal of all prophets. "seal in Arabic,
the original language of the Quran means both the final, the last and the
stamp of prophets. When any thing is sealed this means that it is closed
and concluded. That is the case with Muhammad p.b.u.h.
On the other hand we have a number of statements by Prophet
Muhammad p.b.u.h. warning against any future prophet.

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In one of them he said: There will be no prophethood after me. In

another tradition he asserted: Nothing of prophethood remains after me
except righteous vision. In a third saying Prophet Muhammad said: I
have names: I am Muhammad, I am Ahmad, I am the eliminator at
whose hands God will eliminate unbelief, I am the gatherer on whose
footsteps people will be gathered ( for the day of judgement) and I am the
last one as there will be no prophet after me.
Here are more sayings of the Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. to this
effect. In Musnad Imam Ahmad, one of the reliable sources of prophetic
traditions, Anas ibn Malik reported the Messenger of God to have said:
Apostleship and prophethood have been concluded. So there will be
neither apostle nor prophet after me" hearing this the people around the
prophet felt very bad, thus he said: but there will only remain glad
tidings. They said: What are glad tidings? He answered: the vision
granted to some pious Muslim individuals. It is in fact one part of
prophethood.
In the same source, namely Musnad Imam Ahmed, Al Irbad ibn
Saryah quoted the Prophet to have said: I have been the seal and the final
prophet while Adam was still in his mud stage.
In Sahih Muslim, another authentic source of the Prophet`s
traditions, Jaber reported the Messenger of God p.b.u.h. to have said :
The parable of me and the prophets is like a man who built a house which
he perfected and completed except a spot of one brick. Thus people
started to enter it and express their surprise from it saying: Had it not
been for the absence of the brick. I am the missed brick. I came and thus
I concluded the prophets.
The same tradition was also reported by the famous reporter Abu
Huraira.
To come now to the decisive Quranic statements that declare that "
The only religion with God is Islam "(19-3)And whoever seeks any
religion other than Islam, it will not be accepted from him, and he will be
a loser on the Day of Judgement (85-3).
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In other words those who claim to be prophets after prophet

Muhammad are trying to change his religion and thus introduce a new
one . To be a Muslim the first pillar is to testify that God is one and only
and that Muhammad is his messenger. Thus one automatically puts
himself out of the fold of Islam if he claims or accepts any new prophet
after Muhammad p.b.u.h.
May God guide all people to the straight path of Islam, the path of
Prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h Amen.

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WHO WILL GO TO HEAVEN?

This question requires one basic belief namely that there will be life after
death. Although many religions claim this belief, esp. the three Divine
religions ( Judaism, Christianity and Islam) if we review the concept of
the second life in them we find many interesting things:
In the scriptures of Jews we notice that the concept of life after death
is a vague one. It is, in fact, a materialistic concept, and it is also a racist
one. For Jews God is a pro-Jewish Lord. He gives them the right to crush
and eliminate all other nations who are called Goyim (non-Jews). These
people do not deserve to be human and naturally do not qualify to enter
Heaven. It is a concept of bias, hatred and racism.
If we comtemplate the Christian scriptures, basically the New
Testament, we find one thread running all through as far as the second
life is concerned. The reader is required to believe in the original sin and
in the necessity of crucifixion for salvation.
The intelligent examiner would easily come to the conclusion that
God Almighty was reluctant and hesitant for thousands of years. He
could not make his decision until he was guided to the idea of sacrificing
His own son for the salvation of humanity. Under some scrutiny this idea
would easily be refuted. This is exactly what Islam provided. First of all if
we solve the riddle of the original sin we can easily know who is going to
Heaven and who is not.
The Bible upholds the concept of the original sin. It says that when
God created Adam and Eve He warned them against eating from one
particular tree. They, however, ate from it; the blame in the Bible goes to
Eve. She is depicted as the one who brought the condemnation and the
downfall of Adam as well as the human race. There is no role of the Devil
in the story according to the Bible.
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Thus man suffered from the original sin which was passed from one
generation to another. the Bible says that man is born sinful. His only
hope of entering heaven i.e. and have salvation is to believe in the
crucifixion of Jesus.
Islam came to restore the original pure concept. It agreed that God
created Adam and Eve and warned them against eating from a certain
tree. But He also warned them from the Devil (Satan) who, not Eve,
could encourage them to eat and fall. Their sin was reflected in their
becoming naked and thus, they started to cover themselves and sought
foregiveness.
When God rebuked them both and not just Eve; for God put the
blame on both Adam and Eve, they both repented and they were accepted
on the spot and thus they passed the test.
Contrary to the Bible that insists that Adam and Eve were banished
from Heaven; and that they were cursed and doomed, Islam declares that
they were created for the earth and that they started the challenge and
confrontation with their deadly set enemy the devil. In Islam the riddle
does not exist. It declares that every human is born sinless and he is
responsible for his own deeds.
Thus, according to Islam, the human who will go to Heaven is he
who passes the new test on earth which has alredy been passed by Adam
and Eve. If we obey God Almighty and avoid rebellion we will go to
Heaven. The opposite is also true.
To come now to the imposed idea of sacrificing Jesus on the Cross.
Why should God Almighty send down his only begotten son (as they
claim) to die on the cross for the sake of strangers? Is it not silly on behalf
of any one not to say God, to kill his only son for the sake of his
neighbours? Secondly why should we attribute cruelty and helplessness to
God and that this continued for thousands of years until he sent Jesus.
On the other hand why should we take Jesus Christ for son of God?
He never claimed this for himself in the Bible. Is it because he was born
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to a virgin mother? without a father? Well Adam was created without the
two parents. According to Christians does he too qualify to be the son of
God? Jesus is not the only son of God in the Bible.Thousands of people
are given this name by the Bible. O people of the Book, rise to a straight
word between us and you that we worship none but Allah, and ascribe no
partners to Him, and not to take each other as Gods in place of God. If
they turn away then say: We are Muslims.
These my dear friends are the ones who are rightly guided, and these
are they who will go to Heaven. All prophets of God including Jesus were
Muslims i.e. obedient slaves of God. Will you be among them?

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ISLAMS PERSPECTIVE ON
LIFE AND DEATH

Islam and Illness:

Islam has a unique view of illness. It is a test from God Almighty in
which He tries both committed and non- committed believers alike. On
the one hand, believing Muslims, through illness, achieve purification of
sins and they rise in their degree with God on the other. Thus they do not
utter any curses but do their best and seek medication. They know that
everything, good or bad, is from God. They even, out of politeness ascribe
the bad things to themselves and the good things to God. They are, thus,
patient and submissive to the will of the Lord.
When Muslims recover from illness they are indeed grateful to those
who helped them; but their greatest gratitude is to God Almighty the
giver, sustainer and taker of life.
If Muslims are told by their doctors that they are terminally ill and
that their days are counted; and that they will die soon, they dont listen
to these doctors whom they think exceeded their limits by so saying. They
never lose hope, because they know for sure that the decision is not with
doctors but with their Creator. Many a time a miracle would take place
and the hopeless case turns out to be the most hopeful one. Not only this
but I remember how one patient of this category survived and the doctor
died. This happened several times.
For Muslims, same as others, death is a tragedy. They dont like death;
but once it approaches and they could do nothing to prevent it, they are
serene and submissive and this is a big difference indeed. This spirit is
based on taking the life after death seriously and believing that ours is
only the prelude to the everlasting life of bliss for believers and perpetual

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suffering and punishment for unbelievers. This is in brief the Islamic

philosophy on illness.
Muslim Diet:
As far as diet is concerned, the rule in Islam is that everything
harmful is forbidden and everthing good is allowed. Thus Islam
prohibited dead carcases, blood, swine flesh, the meat of animals
slaughtered in the name of idols, strangled animals, or animals killed by a
violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by being gored to death; that which
has been partly eaten by a wild animal unless you are able to slaughter it
(in due form)..etc. All beasts of prey are also forbidden.
Muslims are not supposed to drink any intoxicants by which ever
name they are called. If wine, beer, or any alcoholic beverages are added
to their food, then it is forbidden. Animals slaughtered by Jews and
Christians are permissible to eat for Muslims provided that they are
properly killed i.e. in the neck cutting the two juglar viens and draining
the blood.
Any food in which lard is used is forbidden for Muslims also.
Otherwise everthing else is allowed. It is wrong to say that Muslims are
vegetarians. They eat meat of all animals that live on plants, grains..etc
provided that they are properly slaughtered.
Every time a Muslim eats he says In the name of God the
Beneficent, the Merciful. Once he finishes his food he says: Thank God
or praise be to God. He is recommended to wash hands and mouth after
each meal. This may sound too familiar for some, but it was strange 1400
years ago.
The philosophy of Islam on food is that it commands its followers to
avoid filling their stomachs with food, for this is the source of all ills. In
one tradition the Prophet of Islam recommends Muslims to fill one third
of their stomachs with food, keep one third for drink and one third for
breath. Muslims are supposed to eat only when they are hungry; and
when they do eat, they do not take their fill. In other words a Muslim is
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neither a miserly nor an extravagant person, but follows the middle path.
The surplus of his food is shared with the poor and the needy.
On the occasion of birth:
It is preferred that the physician who helps in child delivery should
be a woman; if this is not possible then a male physician can do it.
There is no special ceremony for the birth as far as nursing and
medication are concerned. Muslim parents are, however, encouraged to
cut the hair of the male baby on its seventh day and slaughter two lambs
and distribute part of their meat to the poor and friends. They can
slaughter one lamb for the female baby.
Secondly, circumcision is recommended for the male baby as early as
possible. All Muslim males are circumcised during their early childhood.
This is part of the Islamic hygenic sysytem as well as it is a requirement
for cleanliness which is the foundation for prayer.
On the occasion of death:
Islam holds the Muslim body as a sacred thing. It does not allow any
kind of mutilation or removing parts of the carcase under the excuse of
autopsy. Donating organs of the dead one is however, permissible if the
concerned person gives a written approval before hand.
The body should be surrendered to its relatives so that they can use
the help of the closest Islamic centre for washing it, making the funeral
rites and burying it in the Islamic cemetery.
This is, in brief, the philosophy of life, illness and death in Islam. It
is the philosophy of nature.

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FEAR AND LOVE OF GOD:

Christians claim that Muslims are haunted by the fear of God.

They
seek the foregiveness of God from their sins and they have to work hard
in order to qualify for this foregiveness, while Christians are free from all
this. Instead of fear they have the love of God. Their sins are already
forgiven merely through their belief in Christ the Saviour. They dont
have to work righteous deeds to qualify for Paradise.
This might look logical and attractive to simpletons. The truth of the
matter, however, is that Islam holds a balance between Gods love and
mercy on the one hand and justice and punishment on the other. Being
the religion of both worlds Islam tries to establish the kingdom of God
on this earth as a preparation for the next. That is why Islam insists on
individual responsibility. How can a criminal and a righteous person be
equal in the sight of God by merely claiming verbal love of God without
leading a clean life? This is contrary to Gods principle of justice. And it
is also due to this that Christianity no more appeals to modern man. In
Islam the love of God is only for those who deserve it and the wrath of
God is for the sinners until they desist and repent. The door is always
wide open, however, for repentence as long as a person lives. To bypass
the importance of individual behaviour and accountability for ones deeds
is to eliminate the difference between criminals and righteous people.
Muslims and the sense of sin:
It is claimed by some Christian missionaries that most Muslims have
a certain sense of sin. This, they say, is due to their failure to attain the
standard required by God. How can these people claim this when their
religion itself is based on belief in the original sin while they know that
Islam is based on the the belief in purity from sins. It is true that a
Muslim is aware of the punishment of God if he commits sins; but he is
also aware and confident of the mercy and the foregiveness of God
Almighty. Islam gives Muslims the greatest hopes until the last minutes
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of their lives. The Quran addresses those falling in sins in the following
words from their Lord:
O my servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not
of the mercy of Allah; for Allah forgives all sins; He is Oft-Forgiving,
Most Merciful. So turn to your Lord in repentence and bow to His will
before the penalty comes on you.
-Distortions concerning fasting:
Is it true that during Ramadan the month of fasting for Muslims
that Muslims should not swallow their saliva, nor should they touch a
person of the opposite sex and that Ramadan nights are spent in
pleasure and excess?
This shows two things at the same time: first it shows the ignorance
of those who claim this; because a fasting person can swallow his saliva,
and his fasting is not cancelled by merely touching a person from the
opposite sex. Secondly Ramadan nights are recommended to be spent in
worship and voluntary prayer and not in pleasure and excess which some
so-called Muslims do. But this is not the fault of Islam, but rather the
mistake of the people who commit such deeds.
Again Christian missionaries notice that some Muslims are nervous
and have short temper in Ramadan. The blame here falls on them not on
Islam that encourages them to be patient and observe self-control.
-Who was the target of sacrifice: Ishmael or Isaac? Most Muslim
scholars affirm that it was Ishmael and Christians say it was Isaac. The
name is not as important as the event itself. Abraham was put to the
test. He was in Makkah when this happened even before the birth of
Isaac. How then can the latter be the target of sacrifice when he was not
yet born?

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ISLAM:THE RELIGION OF MODERATION

Fasting confirms the unique nature of Islam.

While for instance, we find

some religions believe in mortification of the body in favour of the growth
of the soul, Islam charts out a middle path. It does not encourage its
followers to indulge in carnal desires. Rather it raises the slogan that the
strong believer is better and closer to God than the weak believer. The
strength referred to here is an all-embracing strength encompassing body,
mind and soul. Thus the annihilation of the body does not lead in Islam
to the upliftment of the soul.
Let us come closer and look at the Islamic practice in fasting. First
of all fasting is prescribed for the able bodied only to observe it. Neither
sick people nor travellers who face hardships are required to fast until they
return to normal conditions. Muslims are encouraged to take a light meal
before dawn the starting time of the fast. They should not, however, take
their fill, but the practice is to have a few morsels that would keep the
body active while it discharges its duties.
On the other hand the fasting period every day is from dawn to
sunset where it is recommended to break the fast as soon as the sun sets.
The Prophet pevented Muslims to carry on their fast without breaking it
although he himself used to fast for days on end. It may be asked here
why did he do this?
Unlike other leaders who more often that not give themselves greater
enjoyments than other people around them and allocate to themselves
what they deprive their followers of, Prophet Muhammad used to suffer
double the sufferings of his companions. In the case of fasting he would
sometimes continue his fast while he would make it easy for his followers
to break it. In the battle of Ahzab (The Ditch) while he and his
companions were digging the ditch around Madinah, some companions
complained to the Prophet of their hunger. They showed him that they
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pressed their stomachs with one stone each to decrease their feeling of
hunger. The Prophet p.b.u.h. showed them two stones which proved his
greater hardship and patience. The point here besides the great mercy
and role model given by the Prophet is that Islam upholds the middle
path through making the fast easy to bear by Muslims.
Let us now contemplate why a Muslim is strongly recommended not
to stuff his stomach with food and drink both in Ramadan and on all
other days of his life. As we know the teaching of the Prophet p.b.u.h. in
this respect runs as follows: The son of Adam fills no pot worse than his
stomach. It is sufficient for him to take a few morsels that would help
him survive. If he has to do it at all, let him keep one third (of his
stomach) for his food, one third for his drink and one third for his breath.
See again how Islam calls for moderation and warns against extravagance.
This is reflected in fasting as well as in all other teachings of Islam.
Let us take one more example from the fasting month of Ramadan.
It is true that Ramadan has been stipulated for Muslims to observe its
fasting so that they may fulfill piety as the verse goes. And yet Islam did
not prevent sex in Ramadan. It allowed Muslims to feel free to seek it
with their wives at night. The verse referring to this says:
Its made lawful for you to go unto your wives on the night of the fast.
They are raiment for you and you are raiment to them. (2-187) Here
again Islam obseves its well-known moderation policy. It does not
prohibit sex completely under the excuse of concentrating on matters of
the soul, neither does it allow indulgence in carnal desires only, but holds
the balance and observes the middle course. It is not strange then that
Islam is called the religion of the Middle Path and Muslims the nation of
moderation. Extremes, in other words, are alien to Islam under whatever
pretext they might be.
Lastly it is true that a Muslim is encouraged in Ramadan to perform
voluntary prayers and thus sacrifice part of his sleeping hours every night
of the Holy Month. And yet the best approach here is that a Muslim
should also have some sleep and rest. This again reflects the policy of
moderation adopted by Islam. Let us refer here to the three companions
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who came to the Prophets household and asked about his worship and
his way of life. This was in his absence. They said: what they heard was
not enough but justified it by reminding themselves that they could not
compare themselves with the Prophet whose sins have already been
forgiven and each one of them promised to go to the extreme in his
worship.
Now when the Prophet of moderation knew of their attitudes he said
to them: By God, I am the one who fears God most among you, but I
fast and break my fast, I pray at night and rest and I marry women.
Whoever abandons my way is not of me.
This is Islam the religion of moderation in all its teachings. I wish
Muslims would understand this and practise it in Ramadan as well as
elsewhere.

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A SUPPLICATION
A SUPPLICATION BY OMER IBN AL-KHATTAB

In his book al-Aqd al-Farid ibn Abd Rabbuh the Andalusian scholar
reported that Omer ibn Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him,
made the following prayer when he became Caliph.
After praising Allah and paying tribute to Him he said, O people! I
am going to pray so say amen after me: Oh Allah I am tough so make me
soft towards those who obey you through complying with the truth
seeking your countenance and the Hereafter.
Grant me toughness and strength against your enemies and the
upholders of adultery and hypocrisy without any injustice or aggression
against them on my part.
O Allah! I am miserly so make me generous in doing all that is good
with moderation and without extravagance, show or for reputation but
make me seek your countenance and the Hereafter.
O Allah grant me humbleness and gentleness towards believers. O
Allah! I am often heedless and forgetful so inspire me to remember you
on all occasions and let me always remember death.
O Allah! I am weak in performing your obedience so grant me the
activity to do this with strength and sincerity which can be achieved
through your dignity and support.
O Allah! Support me with firmness through surety of purpose, doing
good, piety, and the rememberance of standing in your presence, and
shyness from you. Provide me with humbleness in performing what
pleases you towards me, and enable me to hold my own reckoning of my
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deeds; and grant me sincerity of intention and warn me against doubtful

things.
O Allah! Grant me contemplation and reflection of what my tongue
recites of your scripture, and comprehension and understanding of its
meanings. Enable me to have insight into its miracles, and to put it into
practice as long as I survive for you are capable of all things.
Amen.

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122

III - Distortions on Islam

27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 -

Is Satan the Author of the Quran?

Islam and Circumcision
Punishment of Theft In Islam
Islam & Cremation
Islam and Abortion
Islam and Adoption
Islam and Homosexuals
Islam and Drug Addiction
Islam vs. Terrorism
Islam and Racism

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124

IS SATAN THE AUTHOR OF

THE QUR'AN?

friend of mine shared with me an article from the Internet. It was

under the title The Qur'an is written by Satan. This made me laugh for
indeed every time a Muslim recites the Qur'an, he is recommended by the
Qur'an itself to say I seek refuge in God from the cursed Devil. Also the
last chapter of the Qur'an teaches Muslims how to protect themselves
from the Devil-Satan who is described as the sneaking whisperer. If that
is the case, how then can Satan be the author of the Qur'an?
On the other hand, Satan is mentioned several times in the Qur'an.
One may ask: what is the image of Satan in that book? First of all it is an
image of scandal, humiliation, arrogance, banishment and eternal curse.
Like the Bible, the Qur'an tells its reader about the story of Satan with
Adam and Eve. Basically the report is identical with the following
differences:
The Bible puts the blame of instigation on the snake rather than the
Devil or Satan. It also makes Eve the encourager of Adam to eat from the
tree and the result in the Bible is the original sin i.e. an eternal curse on
Adam and his progeny. So the Bible puts Adam in some way in place of
the Devil: In other words, Satan is innocent in the Bible of that crime;
and all the blame is on Adam and Eve particularly Eve.
In the Qur'an the story is concluded differently. It was Satan who
persuaded Adam to eat from the tree. There is no snake in the Quranic
version. Adam fell due to his weakness; Eve followed him; but both
discovered their mistakes and repented to God who accepted them and
forgave them So in the Quranic version, Adam and Eve were winners
while Satan was the loser. This is one aspect of the image of Satan in the
Qur'an. Can anybody claim after this that Satan is the author? It is

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ignorance and prejudice that make some people uphold this baseless
claim.
Satan, on the other hand, is described in the Qur'an as the deadliest
enemy of man. He refused to prostrate himself to Adam and rejected this
command of God who banished and cursed him but gave him respite
until the Day of Resurrection. Due to his arrogance and envy he declared
that he will do his best to bring about the fall, and the doom of Adam and
humanity. Thus in the Qur'an, Satan is the source of all evils in human
life. Man is warned against that greatest foe of his i.e. Satan. This is
another aspect of the personality of Satan in the Qur'an. It also refutes the
claim that Satan is the author of this Divine Book.
Let us now review some of the verses that refer to Satan who is also
called Shaytan i.e. the Devil in the Qur'an so that we can have a clear
image about him. As a matter of fact Satan is given two names in the
Qur'an: one is Iblis that is Lucifer which occurs eleven times in the
Qur'an. Iblis was originally honoured by God. He was called the peacock
of angels. He however, rebelled and was arrogant. Thus he brought his
own downfall.
To come now to the other title given to Satan in the Qur'an. He is
referred to as Shaytan meaning the one who rebelled and thus he is
cursed and banished. It means the Devil. The word devil occurs 138 times
in the Qur'an. Thus the two titles occur 149 times. They are all references
of warning, condemnation and curse. Here are some Quranic quotations
that show the role and nature of the Devil:
And Satan, indeed, proved true his thought about them so they
followed him all except a group of true believers. And he had no authority
over them. (v.20-21 -34).
Then they will be hurled therein, they and the seducers and the hosts
of Satan together. (v.94-95-26).
The angels fell down prostrate, everyone except Iblis (Satan) he was
arrogant and became one of the disbelievers. (v.74-7538)
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THE DEVIL
And if the Devil should cause you to forget, sit not after the
remembrance, with the congregation of wrongdoers. (v.68-6)
O you who believe! Follow not the footsteps of the Devil, for
those who follow the footsteps of the Devil, he commands
lewdness and evil. (v.21 -24)
The devil promises you poverty and enjoins on you lewdness,
but Allah promises you forgiveness from Himself and bounty.
(v.268-2)

About Virgin Mary and her son Jesus Christ the Qur'an says:
And I crave your protection for her and for her offspring from
the outcast devil. (v.36-3)
Those of you who turned back on the day when the two hosts
met, the devil alone was the one who caused them to backslide,
because of some of that which they have earned. (v.155-3)
It is only the devil who would make his partisans fear (men).
Fear them not, but fear Me if you are believers. (v.175-3)
Those who are pious when a glamour from the Devil troubles
them, they do but remember. Thus they become seers. (v.201 -7)
Those who believe do fight for the cause of Allah, and those
who disbelieve fight for the cause of idols. So fight the partisans
of the devil. Lo! The devils strategy is ever weak. (v.76-4)
They pray to none else than a rebellious devil, whom Allah
cursed and he said: Surely I will take of your bondmen an
appointed portion and surely I will lead them astray, and surely I
will arouse desires in them, and who chooses the Devil for a
patron instead of Allah is truly a loser and his loss is manifest.
(v.117-l l9-4)
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 O you who believe! Intoxicants, games of chance, idols and

divining arrows are only an infamy of the Devils handiwork.
Avoid it so that you may succeed. The devil seeks only to cast
among you enmity and hatred by means of intoxicants and games
of chance and to turn you from the remembrance of Allah and
from prayer. Will you then not desist? (v.90-91-5)
The Devil was ever mans deserter. (v.29-25)
And the Devil made their actions fair seeming to them so he
debarred them from the way (of truth) so they did not go aright.
(v.24-27)
Even though the Devil was inviting them to the doom of
flame? (v.21 -31)
Finally we have the following Quranic image of Satan the Devil
on the Day of Judgement: And the Devil said when the matter
has been decided: Lo! Allah promised you the promise of truth,
and I promised you and failed you! And I had no power over you
save that I called unto you and you obeyed me. So blame me not,
but blame yourselves! I cannot help you, nor can you help me. Lo!
I disbelieve in that which you before ascribed to me. Lo! For
wrong doers is a painful doom. (v.22-14)
To conclude, the Qur'an is the divine revelation to man. This is not
the first time that God spoke to man. Many scriptures reflected this
before the Qur'an. They were, however, either lost or changed. The
Qur'an is the only exception because it is the message of God to the
worlds. It is not strange that God says in the Qur'an: It is We, only We,
who have sent down the Remembrance (the Qur'an), and it is We who
will protect it. (v. 9-15)

128

ISLAM AND CIRCUMCISION

What is meant by circumcision:

Circumcision is an ancient practice by which the foreskin of the penis
(for males) is removed and the visible portion of the clitoris (for females)
is cut. When Islam came it adopted the former and made it a strongly
recommended practice in order to safeguard purity from any traces of
urine, as purity is a prerequisite for the acceptance of prayers. As for
females Islam made the practice optional, according to the nature of the
clitoris which actually varies among women from one country to another.
The Prophet of Islam Muhammad p.b.u.h. said: Circumcision is a
strongly recommended path for men and it is an honour for women i.e.
they are free to do it or not. In another tradition Prophet Muhammad
says: Five things are in harmony with nature: circumcision, removing
hair from around the private parts, cleaning the armpits from hair,
clipping nails and cutting the moustache.
Is circumcision mutilation? As we understand it mutilation is the
deformation of one part of the human or animal body by making it look
ugly and unable to perform its functions (for example: cutting some
animals ears, tails and horns). Does this apply to circumcision as some
people insist? In the case of males circumcision as we mentioned earlier
is the removal of the foreskin that covers the tip of the penis. People
might differ concerning the appearance of the penis after this operation;
they, however, should agree that the absence of the foreskin does not allow
any traces of urine on the penis after urination. It provides a better
chance for cleanliness. For, as a matter of fact, when traces of urine
remain embedded inside the foreskin, harmful bacteria and rottenness
start to grow. So to remove the foreskin is an improvement from the
hygenic point of view.
On the other hand since circumcision is not an obligation for females
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in Islam, but is an optional practice, then we leave it to conditions of

females in each environment. For, indeed when females in some countries
have a clearly visible clitoris that might encourage them to seek sex
through unlawful means, in such situatuins Islam encourages it for
females and calls it an honourable practice thanks to its results and effects
on females chastity and behaviour.
Again is female circumcision an act of mutilation? Does it lead to any
deformity in the females organs? the answer is that, if it is properly done,
it on the contrary, brings about numerous benefits for females as well as
for society at large.
Suffice it to say that if clipping nails or cutting moustaches is a
deformity or a mutilation, which is not in the least, then the same
judgement should apply to circumcision. It would be appropriate here to
give more details about circumcision in Islam.
How much should be cut:
Male circumcision is achieved through cutting the foreskin that
covers the tip of the penis so that all the tip is visible. There is a view
among the Hanbalis that if most of the foreskin is removed, that is
acceptable. As for female circumcision what should be cut is the visible
part that looks like the comb of a cock which is above the urine exit. The
recommended is that it should not all be cut but part of it. This is based
on the saying of the Prophet p.b.u.h. reported by Umme Attiya to the
effect that a woman used to perform female circumcision in Madinah; so
the Prophet p.b.u.h. said to her: Dont over do it for that is more attractive
for the female and more beloved by the husband.
Time of Circumcision:
It is recommended to perform circumcision in early childhood
preferably on the seventh day after birth because it is less painful and
quicker to heal. However, the ability of the new born should be taken
into consideration so that if there is fear on his life, it should be postponed
until he can bear it.

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Insurance and Compensation:

In case the circumcised person dies due to circumcision or the
performer exceeds the limit or he or she cuts in the wrong place, he is
liable to compensate for he has to pay insurance to his victim. Jurists
agreed on this and said that such individual has the same verdict as the
physician who neglects or exceeds the limits even if he or she is not an
expert in circumcision.
Abuse of the Practice:
It happens some times that circumcision is over done which leads to
tragedies and the loss of life. We already mentioned the compensation
and insurance imposed on the practitioners but this should not lead in any
way to condemning the practice itself which has been there since the
beginning of Islam. Although circumcision is a side issue, it is basic for
the cleanliness required for prayer the second most important pillar of
Islam. This is concerning males; as for females it is optional and Muslim
scholars of each country have the right whether to perform it or not
depending on its benefits they envisage or the harms it prevents.

Circumcision of Women in Islamic Law:

A delegation of Muslim women in Toronto Canada visited the Muslim
World League office in Toronto and expressed their disappointment and
concern for the abuse of circumcision of women practiced in some
Muslim countries. They asked the following question which was sent to
Dr. Nazih Hammad the well-known Muslim scholar of Vancouver B.C.
who kindly gave the following answer:
Q: What is Islams position concerning the circumcision of women
practiced in some Muslim countries which in many cases causes harmful
effects to circumcised women to such an extent that sometimes families
break down due to absence of the sense of fulfillment in sex that is
essential to maintain marital relationship. This habit is sometimes over
done so that tragedies result leading to death or mutilation?

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A: 1) Circumcision of females is one of the ancient habits

known among many nations due to beliefs and thoughts
revolving around it which assert that abandoning female
circumcision leads to raising the sexual desire of women after
puberty. Thus they may rush to commit what they should not.
Hence they should be circumcised to preserve their honor and
chastity.
2) As for the position of Islam concerning this habit there is
no clear text neither in the Quran nor in the authentic Sunnah
that shows that female circumcision is legally required as an
obligation or as a recommendation; although there are some
jurists who are of this opinion. In this context the supreme Imam
Mahmoud Shaltout of Al Azhar says: Upon reviewing reports
about the issue of circumcision we came to the conclusion that
there is nothing in them that can be taken as an authentic proof
of its being a juristic legal prophetic method (not to say that it is
binding legally.) This is in fact, the same conclusion to which
some scholars arrived and they expressed it in the following
statement:
There is no reliable news neither any prophetic path that has to
be followed concerning circumcision. (Shaltouts Fatawa p. 332)
3) Based on the aforementioned the Hanafi school -in what
is approved among them- stated that female circumcision is
neither a duty nor a recommended act (sunnah); it is, however, an
act of honor for women i.e. it brings about the happier
intercourse (Rad al-Muhtar by ibn Abdeen 5/479), and (alIkhtiyar by al-Mawsili 4-167) In al-Mughny by ibn Qudama the
Hanbali scholar we read: A chapter: As for circumcision, it is a
duty on men and an act of honor for women, but it is not
incumbent upon them. This is the view of numerous scholars. (alMughny 1-115). Even the Malekis who said it is attributed to ibn
al-Hajj, the Maleki jurist who said: There is difference
concerning women, should they at all have circumcision? Or
should we differentiate between the inhabitants of the East and
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the inhabitants of the West; for the inhabitants of the East are
commanded to perform it due to the presence of a surplus piece
in their creation, while inhabitants of the West are not
commanded to perform it. There are two views in this school (ibn
al-Hajj al-Madkhal 3-296) This gives the impression that the
issue is based on opinion and perseverance; it is subject to
viewpoints and further details.
4) After sufficient study and contemplation I am more
inclined to believe that female circumcision is neither a duty nor
a recommended prophetic path (sunnah); it is one of the
permissible acts if there is a clear authentic benefit in it for
women (not an imagined one). But if a harm, a clear or an
expected evil is resulted from it then it becomes a prohibited act
in Islam. This is based on the Prophets saying: There should be
no harm for oneself nor for others; and due to the accumulated
proofs that forbid committing evils or causing clear or probable
harms. And Allah knows best.
Dr. Nazih Hammad,
Member of the Fiqhi Council of North America,
and other Fiqhi councils of the Middle East.
January 2, 1997.

133

PUNISHMENT OF THEFT IN ISLAM

Some people claim that punishments in an Islamic state are harsh and
barbaric. They ask with sarcasm: why should a thief s hand be cut? Why
should an adulteress be stoned to death and why should a killer be killed?
and so on and so forth.
Fisrt of all it is unfair to judge Islamic puishments out of context. We
should rather judge them within the framework of Islamic way of life.
Islam is the religion of justice and mercy. We shall talk about the
punishment for theft in Islam being our present topic.
Islam safeguards the protection of wealth which can only be acquired
through legal methods. Appreciating the remorse and bitterness suffered
by a person who is deprived of his wealth, Islam legislates strict measures
to protect it. Let me ask a question: should you catch a person who
intentionally ripped you of your wallet, what would you like to do for him
if you have your way? I am sure you would like him to be punished.
In earlier legislations theft had capital punishment. This was a
deterrent against thieves. What Islam did is the following: It made it an
obligation on the state to safeguard an honourable and a stable life for its
citizens. Should any one steal under the pressure of necessity he is not to
be punished. Theft is, however punishable when it becomes a profession.
On the other hand all citizens are equal in the sight of Islamic law.
There are no exceptions. That is why the Prophet of Islam once
exclaimed: By God, should Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad steal,
Muhammad will surely cut her hand.
Muslims are not in the habit of mutilating the organs of other
citizens. If we count the hands cut for theft during the first thirty years of
Islamic history, we will find them not to exceed the number of the fingers
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in one hand. But the result was astonishing: people felt secure and enjoyed
safety for their wealth.
I remember once when the electrical current was cut off for 24 hours
in New York City. What happened? Thousands of thefts were reported!
This is just in 24 hours in one city.
Secondly, Islam develops a vibrating and sensitive conscience in its
citizens. Each Muslim is himself/a guardian over himself. He has an inner
watch and police that stops him from committing crimes. This is because
he believes that God sees him wherever he might be. This is the best
detterent in an Islamic State. If however, such watch is dormant or weak
in some indviduals, the law is there to stop him from committing crimes.
Can modern man imagine something that takes place in the modern
kingdom of Saudi Arabia which tries to apply Islamic law? Five times a
day people go to mosques for their daily prayers leaving behind their
shops open and unattended. Though wide open no one touches anything
in their absence. This is because Islam as a way of life is observed. Is not
this an ideal situation coveted by all other countries? This is one result of
the blessing of applying Islam as a way of life.
To come now to what the Holy Quran says in chapter 5 V 38 we read:
As to the thief, male or female, cut off their hands a punishment by way of
example, from Allah for their crime and Allah is exalted in power, Wise.
This verse is followed by the following one: But if he (the thief )
repents after his crime and amends his conduct, Allah turns to him in
foregiveness; for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Merciful.
To conclude we may refer to the incident that took place during the
reign of Omer Ibn Al Khattab, the second successor of the Prophet, when
some boys were brought to him for punishment for they were accused of
theft. This happened in a year of famine. Under the circumstances the
ruler stopped this punishment due to the situation.
Islam is for peace and security which has a price, but wonderful
results for all.
135

ISLAM AND CREMATION

By cremation we mean burning dead bodies as a religious practice and

collecting the ashes and keeping them. These rites are adopted by
followers of some religions like Hinduism.
In Islam the funeral rites do not at all accept cremation as such. The
spirit behind it is to honour the human body. Neither the Quran nor the
Prophet Mohammad ever allowed this. On the contrary, in one tradition
we are told that a dying man once asked his children to cremate his body
after his death which they did and they dispersed the ashes. When the
man was asked by God why he did this he said: It was out of fear of you.
Then God forgave him. This was not because he had his body burnt but
thanks to his fear of God.
Accordingly the funeral practices in Islam are as follows:
The body of the deceased has to be washed and covered with
three layers of white sheets.
No mutilation or autopsty for its own sake is allowed.
No delay for any excuse is tolerated for the burial. The sooner it
is done the better.
Islam states clearly that there is full fledged life after death. This
is one basic foundation of faith in Islam.
Before burial, Muslims should perform the funeral prayer on
the dead body.
To conclude, Islam has come to protect its followers from Hell Fire,
so how can we burn the dead bodies of followers of religion that
safeguards for them absolute protection from Fire.

136

ISLAM AND ABORTION

One

of the burning issues these days in Canada and in all Westcrn

countries is that of abortion. In the absence of a specific law on abortion,
the provincial governments are, in fact, groping in the dark. One court in
Ontario allowed a woman to have abortion. The interesting thing,
however, is that on her way out of the court, she announced that she
already had abortion but she repented for doing so simply because she
returned back to her boyfriend. So she no more supports the proabortion
campaign in Canada. This statement was hailed by what is called prolifers
in North America.
Another woman from Quebec, called Chantal Daigle, asked the court
there to allow her have abortion of her 21 week pregnancy. The court
prevented her from doing so. The woman, however, insisted and defied
the courts judgement. She did have abortion. Not only this but she
resorted to the Supreme Court to change that decision. The Supreme
Court gave its approval and repealed the prevention decision.
In the light of the above, it may be asked here: What is the attitude
of Islam towards the issue of abortion? Is it true that women have full
control over their bodies and they can have abortion any time they wish?
Or does Islam agree with those who say: No, the fetus is a human being
and has full human rights? It has the right to live and to be protected. So
it is a crime to have abortion? How does Islam look at this issue?
Basically, Islam considers life as a sacred gift from God Almighty. No
one is allowed to take or stop the life of anyone else except by way of justice
or according to Islamic law. Thus, the Holy Qur'an says: Say: Come, I will
rehearse what God has really prohibited you from: Join nothing as equal
with Him; be good to your parents, kill not your children on a plea of
poverty; we provide sustenance for you and for them; approach not
shameful deeds, whether open or secret; take not life, which God has made
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sacred, except by a way of justice and law (Chapter 6, Verse 15 1).

In another verse, the Holy Qur'an says: Kill not your children for
fear of want; it is we who provide sustenance for them as well as for you;
for verily killing them is a great sin (Chapter 17, Verse 31).
What should we understand from these two verses? First of all, it is a
grave sin to take the life of children for fear of want as was the habit
during that period. Neither is it allowed to do so for any other reason
unless a great evil is caused by the presence of the fetus that may cause the
death of the mother.
But is the fetus a human being? Or is it part of the womans body and
she is free to do what she likes with it? This is the logic of modem
materialistic way of life. Islam has something else to offer. It is completely
different from all other concepts or religions. Here are a few details. As a
comprehensive and unique way of life, Islam does not at all agree with
those who say that a woman has full control over her body. This does not
mean that Islam subjugates women and puts them under mens control.
Islam considers our bodies as a trust which we have to preserve and
maintain. It also confirms that the fetus is the creation of Almighty God.
No one, not even the mother, has the right to get rid of it unless its
presence threatens the life of the mother. For in that case, Islam allows
abortion within those limits only.
As a matter of fact, Islam encourages procreation as a rule. But it
leaves the door open for birth control. Thus we are told by some
companions of the Prophet, peace be upon him, that they used a method
of birth control during the time of revelation. The Prophet knew about it
and yet he never asked them to stop using it. We have to confirm here
that it is basic in Islam to believe that having children is not decided by
parents but is part and parcel of Gods will and sole action. All that people
can do is to try their human means leaving the decision to God.
The attitude of Islam can be better understood if we elaborate a little
bit on the issue of sex. How does Islam look at sex between men and
women? Does it allow free sex as long as it is agreed upon by the two adult
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partners as is the case nowadays with most of the non-Muslim nations so

much so that the word adultery has been dropped from their dictionary?
Or does Islam consider sex as a filthy sin that does not suit men of God?
Neither of these extremes is accepted in Islam. This last religion of
God allows no sex whatsoever before or outside marriage. It, however,
honours sex in marriage and raises it to a lofty standard. When a Muslim
gets married he secures one half of his faith thanks to this contract. So sex
in Islam is not at all a filthy sin as long as it is inside marriage. Not only
this but a Muslim is rewarded even when he gratifies this desire. In one
tradition the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: To cohabit with your
wife is charity. Hearing this the Companions asked: O Messenger of
Allah. Is it possible that each one of us will be rewarded when he satisfies
his sexual desire? He said: If he satisfies his urge through prohibited means
would it not be sinful? They said: Yes indeed. Therefore, the Messenger
of Allah concluded: When he satisfies it lawfully he will be rewarded for it.
(Narrated by Muslim).
Thus Islam does not look at sex as an end in itself, but as a means to
an end. The end of sex according to Islam is to have children. So, it is not
allowed in Islam that a woman can have abortion simply because it is her
wish to do so, under the pretext of keeping her beauty and to avoid
responsibility. This is considered as selfishness. Should a pregnant woman
make abortion without any justified reason such as the expectation of risk
on the mothers life, then this act amounts to murder according to Islam.
Islam is the religion of strong family relationships. Once marriage is
achieved, the two partners should have no sex with anybody else. Not only
this but Islam has imposed a severe penalty on those who commit
adultery even before marriage. Thus the society Islam tries to establish is
a pure and chaste society where women and men are modest. It is a
society that does not raise the madness of sex nor does it exploit womens
bodies under the false claim of freedom. It is a pure society that is
immune from all evils resulting from sex. It is thus free from AIDS,
Herpes, and other evils and epidemics that became rampant in modem
free-sex communities.
For humanity to be saved of all the ailments of modern civilisation, it
has to follow the laws of Islam in sex relationships. We can safely say that
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Islams attitude towards sex is the middle and the best attitude. Will
people understand this and follow the path of happiness, i.e. Islam?
SEX IN ISLAM
1. It is not allowed in Islam to perform insemination between two
strangers i.e. out of wedlock. In other words this practice is
allowed only in marriage. No exceptions.
2. Procreation or having children is the main target of marriage
in Islam. Prophet Mohammed p.b.u.h. said: perform (the
contracts of ) marriage and procreate, for I will have the chance to
be proud of you in front of other nations on the Day of
Judgement. In chapter 16-v.72 Allah says in the Quran: (And
Allah has made for you mates of your own nature, and made for
you out of your spouses children and grand children.)
3. Sex in Islam is that intimate relationship between husband and
wife, that is culminated by intercourse. It is both a spirituous and
physical relationship. It is characterized by purity, chastity and
honesty. Fornication is a serious crime in Islam, so is
homosexuality- for gays and lesbians see enclosed brochures.

140

ISLAM AND ADOPTION

Charitable organizations and humanitarian individuals pride themselves

these days of adoption of poor children whom they pick up and save from
the clutches of poverty and tragic situations. The main protagonists in
this field are non-Muslim charities and individuals and the principal
victims are mostly Muslim children. A recent example is the Muslim
children of Bosnia and Hercegovena, hundreds of whom have been lately
adopted by church organizations in Italy, Germany, France, and other
countries. So far, no Muslim country opened its borders for these
wretched Muslim children.
Some Muslim activists in Canada moved to have some share in this
adoption process of Muslim orphans. The question here is does Islam
approve of adoption? If not, what is the Islamic alternative for adoption?
Let us first start with definition. What is meant by adoption? In
Webster Dictionary, we find the following: to adopt is to take into ones
own family by a legal process and to raise some one elses child as ones
own. This naturally means that an adopted child will no more carry the
name of his original father. He or she would, as a result, be cut off from
any rights or responsibilities towards his biological parents and would,
instead be treated as a full child of the adopting ones.
Does Islam approve of this? As a matter of fact, adoption in this sense
was wide-spread in Arabia and the rest of the world when Islam was
revealed. In fact, Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H. himself, had Zayd as his
adopted son. He was called Zayd son of Muhammad. Some Muslims lose
sight of one important characteristic of Islam and hastily pass their
judgement that Islam indeed accepts adoption. They cite this incident
from the Prophets family life. The truth, however, is that Islam believes
in the gradual solution of deeply rooted issues like adoption and alcoholic
drinks, etc. It prepares Muslims through a number of stages for the
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implementation of the Islamic system.

Now while Islam does encourage sponsorship of orphans and poor
little ones, so much so that Prophet Muhammad P.B.U.H. said: I and the
orphans guardian will be together in Paradise; it also calls upon Muslims
to give the best treatment to those wretched children. Even a touch on an
orphans head or a pat on his or her shoulder is a great act of righteousness
in the sight of God. Islam also gives the strongest warning to those who
devour the property of orphans for they only devour fire in their stomachs
and will go to hell fire! (Qur'an, 4-10).
Despite all this, Islam considers calling peoples children after other
parents who are not their own as an injustice. Thus we read in Chapter 33
of the Holy Qur'an: Nor has He made your claimed children your own
offspring. Such is only your manner of speech by your mouths. But Allah
tells you the truth and shows you the right way. Call them after their
fathers, that is juster in the sight of Allah. But if you know not their
fathers (call them) you brothers (and sisters) in faith or your close friends.
(Chapter 33, Verse 4-5).
Thus when these verses were revealed, Zayd who was previously
called son of Muhammad was called after his real father although he
continued to pay allegiance to the Prophet P.B.U.H. until the end of his
life. To confirm this cancellation of adoption, Allah commanded His
Prophet to get married to Zayds divorced wife Zainab so that Muslims
would practically understand that an adopted son is not a real son at all.
This was among other things for which the Prophet was put to the test.
Since adoption is an injustice and a falsification of truth, we find also
the Prophet P.B.U.H. say on the authority of Saad Ibn Abi Waqqas who
reported that the Messenger of God said: Whoever is called after another
person other than his father and he knows this person is not his father,
Paradise will be prohibited for him. Again, Abu Zar heard the Prophet
P.B.U.H. say: He is a disbeliever who is called after a person other than
his father and he knows the truth (but hides it).
As a matter of fact; many opponents of Islam today exploit this
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incident i.e. the Prophets marriage to the divorced wife of his ex-adopted
son to accuse Prophet Muhammad of committing incest, for they say, he
married his daughter-in-law. What is the truth of the matter in this
context?
Reliable sources tell us that Zayds marriage to Zainab was not a
successful one. He complained to the Prophet about it and expressed his
desire to be separated from her. Time and again the Prophet interfered
and restored the healthy relationship between them. He always reminded
them of their duty to fear Allah and observe His commands in their
treatment of one another, and yet there was a mutual desire from them
both to end this marriage. In the meantime, Allah revealed to His
Messenger that once divorce takes place between these two, Allah has
decided to have His Messenger marry Zainab. Muhammad P.B.U.H.
hesitated to convey this command. Then Allah rebuked him for it. This
is what we read in the same Chapter. (33 verses 36 to 38 where Allah
Almighty says: It is not fitting for a believer, man or woman, when a
matter has been decided by Allah and His Messenger, to have any option
about their decision: if anyone disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he is
indeed on a clearly wrong path. This was the prelude to Allahs decision
in this case which was revealed in the following verses: And when you
said to the one who had received Allahs grace and your favour: Retain
your wife in wedlock) and fear Allah. , while you hide in your heart that
which Allah is going to make manifest. You fear people although it is
more becoming that you should fear Allah.
The Prophet here did not intend to disobey the orders of His Lord.
He wanted to give the couple a final chance to continue their relationship
on the one hand; and it still looked horrible for him to break the
hereditary custom of considering an ex-adopted sons wife a daughter-inlaw. Yet scholars, in fact, say here that this is a proof that the Qur'an is the
word of Allah and not that of Muhammad; because it is reported that this
was the hardest situation faced by the Prophet of Islam so much so that
he would have wished to drop these verses had the Qur'an been his. Being
however, a Messenger, a conveyer of the message, he had no other choice
but to convey it exactly as it descended.

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In these circumstances the Prophet called upon the two quarrelling

couple and revealed to them as well as to all other Muslims the following
Divine decision: Then when Zayd has dissolved (his marriage) with her,
we joined her in marriage to you: in order that in future there may be no
difficulty to the believers in the matter of marriage with the wives of their
ex-adopted sons, when the latter had dissolved their marriage with them.
And Allahs command must be fulfilled. There should be no awkward
situation for the Prophet in what Allah has indicated to him as a duty.
The Qur'an, Chapter 33, verses 36-38).
Hence, the custom of adoption was practically cancelled among
Muslims, the person of the Prophet himself was used to exercise this new
legislation. Since then, guardianship, orphan sponsorship and
brotherhood took the place of adoption among members of the Muslim
Community.
To conclude, let Muslim activists call upon other Muslims to apply
for guardianship and not adoption of poor Muslim children and orphans.
The law in Ontario, Canada can be changed accordingly. A seminar was
held recently about this in Winnipeg, Manitoba which was attended by
some MPs and representatives of Federal minsters. A memorandum was
presented to the government to amend the Canadian law of adoption so
that Muslims in Canada can practise guardianship and not adoption of
other peoples children.
May Allah accept every sincere step that aims at abiding by Islam and
commitment to its teachings. Amen.

144

ISLAM AND HOMOSEXUALS

An increasing number of people in Canada, as elsewhere, are becoming

homosexuals (either gays or lesbians)- The former refers to the perverted
sexual relationship between man and man while the latter is the title for
women practicing sex with women. This is, however, not a new
phenomenon; what is new is the attempt of those people who have been
considered all the time as outcasts and perverts, to assert their identity
and force the rest of the people to recognize and accept them and their
relationships as natural ones. Statistics say that Metro Toronto alone has
a community of homosexuals who are three hundred thousand strong
which means that more than one in every ten residents of Toronto is a
homosexual. A few years ago, the city of Vancouver in British Columbia
witnessed the third round of the international Olympic games for gays
and lesbians where representatives from more than 250 cities from all over
the world participated.
As this is becoming an increasingly dangerous issue, and as some
mercenary pens in Toronto claimed recently that there are hidden
homosexuals among Muslims in Canada, adding that these people are
proud of both being homosexuals and Muslims! Hence it is indeed
important to clarify the attitude of Islam towards homosexuality.
In both the Quran and the Bible, we are told that the first people who
started this habit on a national scale were the people of Lot in the old city
of Sodom which used to occupy the area where the Dead Sea now exists.
(See Genesis 19). Let us concentrate on what the Holy Quran says about
these people:
In Chapter 26 Verses 160 to 173 we read; "The people of Lot rejected
the messengers. Their brother Lot said to them: 'Will you not fear God?
I am to you a messenger worthy of all trust. so fear God and obey me. No
reward do I ask of you for it. My reward is only from the Lord of the
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worlds. Of all the creatures of the world will you approach males, and
leave those whom God has created for you as mates? Nay. You are people
transgressing all limits.' They said: 'If you desist not O Lot, you will surely
be cast out!'. He said: 'I do detest your doings. O my Lord! Deliver me
and my family from such things as they do.' So we delivered him and his
family, all except an old woman who lingered behind. The rest we
destroyed utterly. We rained down on them a shower; and evil was the
shower on those who were admonished."
In chapter 27 verses 54 to 56 we read: "And Lot who said to his
people: 'Do you do what is indecent though you see its iniquity? Would
you really approach men in your lusts rather than women? You are a
people grossly ignorant.' His people gave no answer but this: 'Drive out
the followers of Lot from our city. They are indeed men who want to be
clean and pure.' But we saved him and his family except his wife: We
destined her to be of those who lagged behind. And We raked down on
them a shower: and evil was the shower on those who were admonished".
Then in Chapter 11 Verses 77 to 83 we read: "When our messengers
came to Lot, he was grieved on their account and felt himself powerless
to protect them. He said" 'This is a distressful day.' His people came
rushing towards him and they had been long in the habit of practicing
abominations. He said: '0 my people! Here are my daughters: they are
purer for you (if you marry). Now fear God and cover me not with
disgrace about my guests! Is there not among you a single right-minded
man?' They, however said: 'You know very well we have no need of your
daughters. Indeed you know quite well what we want'. He said: 'Would
that I had power to suppress you or that I could betake myself to some
powerful support'. (The angels) said: '0 Lot! We are messengers from your
Lord! By no means shall they reach you. Now travel with your family
while yet a part of the night remains, and let not any of you look back;
except your wife, to her will happen what will befall them. Morning is
their appointed time. Is not the morning near'. When Our decree was
issued we turned the cities upside down, and rained down on them
brimstones hard as baked clay, spread layer on layer, marked from your
Lord. Nor are they ever far from those who do wrong".

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Let us see now how the Bible depicts this incident. In Genesis 18,
Abraham intercedes for Sodom and the Lord accepts his intercession.
Then God destroys Sodom and Gomorrah as in Genesis 19. From these
texts we notice that both scriptures (the Quran and the Bible) mention
that Lot, the Prophet and Messenger of God, advised his people to stop
this habit and to return to the natural relationship with their wives.
Instead they threatened to expel him and those who followed his advice.
(See the Quran chapter 26 Verses 160-173).
According to the Quran, Prophet Lot never despaired nor gave up.
He continued to warn his people against this crime of theirs. He faced a
lot of hardships. They began to comment sarcastically that he tries and his
followers to be pure. Even his wife was inclined towards them. When
these people turned deaf ears to Prophet Lot's call, both sides were put to
the test. God sent down a group of angels in the form of attractive young
men. These angels were first the guests of Lot.
As soon as his wife saw them, she immediately told her people about
them. They rushed to practice their abominations against the guests
(Quran 11, 77 83). Lot reminded his people once again to refrain from
this and not make a scandal for him and his guests. As a matter of fact,
until this point of time Lot took the guests for ordinary human beings.
To his surprise and relief they told him that they were the Messengers of
God and that no harm will be caused to him (Quran 11, 77-83). He even
defended his guests physically; but when every attempt to stop them
completely failed, God Almighty sent His punishment from Heaven. The
city was turned upside down and brimstone rain was sent against them so
that they all perished along with Lot's wife, their collaborator. The Holy
Quran makes the following comment after this tragedy took place. it says:
'Such a punishment is not far from the unjust ones' (11-83), which means
that the same fate will happen to those who commit this injustice.
We are also told in the Quran that Lot's people used to practice this
same sex relationship in public (27-54). They saw no harm in looking at
each other while doing this. They claimed that it is beyond the capacity
of human beings to be pure or clean in this area.

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Part of the Quranic perspective of the universe is that God Almighty

controls everything in this world. Being the Creator of life and death, He
is also the Sovereign and the legislator. He sends messengers to different
peoples from among themselves who are role models as well as conveyers
of His message to them. If they listen and obey, this is for their own good
in this world and the next. Whatever God permits is everything that is
good, pure and healthy; and whatever he forbids us to do, it is also for our
own sake. This is how the Holy Quran looks at this issue of
homosexuality. It is against human nature; it is harmful to man and it
betrays one basic goal of sex, namely: procreation within the limits of
marriage only. That is why it is prohibited to practice homosexuality.
It is really sad to remark here that while the Bible condemns
homosexuality, it ascribes to Lot, the Prophet of God and His Messenger,
that be was given wine by his two daughters and that he committed incest
with each of them in the cave to which they resorted. This, the Bible says,
took place on two consecutive nights! (See Genesis 19). How can this be
said about Prophets of God and their daughters? This is not, however,
strange for those who are familiar with the present version or rather
versions of the Bible. David, the well-known Prophet of God and King of
Israel, is accused of committing adultery with the wife of Uriah, a military
commander of his. Several other crimes are also attributed to sons and
daughters of prophets of God.
In the Quran, however, we find the image of all prophets of God to
be the best images of obedient slaves of the Almighty. In Chapter 21 verse
73 and after, we have the following description of Lot as well as other
prophets of God: "And We made them leaders, guiding (men) by Our
command; We inspired them to do good deeds, establish regular prayers,
and to give alms. They constantly worshipped Us".
Not only this but the Quran specifically describes Lot as follows:
"And to Lot, too, We gave wisdom and knowledge; We saved him from
the town which practiced abominations. Truly they were a people given to
evil, a rebellious people. And We admitted him to Our mercy; for he was
one of the righteous". (Chapter 21, Verses 74-75).

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Two more points deserve our attention before we conclude this article
about Islam and homosexuality. One is that Islam does not consider sex
as a sinful deed. It does not look down on this human instinct. On the
contrary, it considers it to be rewarded by God provided that it is
practiced within the limits of marriage. For the Prophet of Islam says:
"He who gets married has acquired one half of his faith, so let him fear
God in the other half ".
The second point I would like to make is that the present Bible
reports a number of sexual crimes attributed falsely to Prophets,
Messengers of God and their children. Not only this but crimes of incest
are said to be committed by prophets with their own daughters as we
mentioned earlier. On the other hand, there are passages of pornography
in the Bible that escaped the. attention of religious censors. Take the song
of songs by Solomon. You cannot imagine these passages to be part of a
Divine scripture.
It is time that the Bible itself be purified from all these falsehoods
before purifying the actual lives of the people.

149

ISLAM AND DRUG ADDICTION

In

an attempt to follow up the burning issues of modern societies, I

picked up an article in the Globe and Mail of Canada (September 7,
1989) issue. It was under the caption What if illegal drugs were made
legal?. I held the pen and wrote a counter article which I called
Legalising drugs will add fuel to fire. Although I sent the article to the
Globe and Mail, I was not aware whether it was published or not.
Hence, this brochure in order to share with as many people as possible
what I feel to be the Islamic solution for drug addiction.
I was indeed infuriated by that article which suggested legalising
drugs as one solution to end this age-old problem. The reason behind my
anger was not because I am a drug trafficker or consumer. On the
contrary, as a committed Muslim I am whole-heartily in favour of a
successful campaign against drug addiction as well as drug trafficking.
The difference is only in method and approach. It is, no doubt, a great
difference which I would like to share with other well-wishers of a better
North America or more correctly for a better humanity. This is simply
because we are living in a small world where anything good or bad that
takes place in one end of it immediately takes place in the other.
On the other hand, going back to the American scene we hear
Americans from time to time admitting that Americas advancement has
only been possible and could be achieved through collective contributions
from various cultures and civilisations. This is actually true and is
applicable particularly to the major cultures of the world. Thus when the
first American astronaut set foot on the moon the same
acknowledgement was confirmed admitting indebtedness to all humanity.
This is indeed a healthy sign.
In the same spirit then why dont we also share ideas to find a
conclusive solution for one of the major problems of America as well as
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of the world at large?

To begin with, in my humble opinion as a Muslim who is residing in
America, I believe that the treament of this fearful ailment should be
from within rather than from the outside. In other words, it should not
be forced by the government only but the core of of the problem should
be treated first. As long as the core is rotten what is the use of treating the
shell or the surface only? The efforts should act first from within.
In the light of the above, let us ask ourselves the following question:
why and when do people resort to drugs? Statistics show a common factor
namely that there are several problems that face people which they think
to be unsurmountable. They imagine, in other words, that drugs provide
them with a satisfactory escape from their problems. It is in this spirit that
taking drugs in many cases start. Thus, in order for us to treat drug
addiction, we have first to try to solve those persisting problems. This is
only the first step towards complete rehabilitation.
It may be asked: what other more important measures should be
taken in order to fulfill our target? As a matter of fact, what is more
important than just solving the immediate problems is education and
raising the moral standards of those infected with addiction. Again in my
point of view, the basis of education and morals should be commitment
to religion; for there is no really solid basis for morals without religion.
But how does Islam prevent the problem of drug addiction before it
actually takes place? Islam, in fact, gives both hope and commitment to
the believing Muslim. A drug addict is a hopeless victim. He or she does
not have any goal in life. Islam, however, always gives hope to the most
wretched persons. Let us contemplete the following verse: Say: O my
servants who have transgressed against their souls, despair not of the mercy of
God; for God forgives all sins, for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
(53/39)
In this verse Islam provides hope. It is, in fact, a message of hope. I
remember once how a hopeless drug addict wanted to commit suicide.
She had a commited Muslim neighbour who came to visit her and
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conveyed to her this message of hope. This worked like wonders and the
woman asked more questions about the Quran and Islam until she
embraced it and that was her way out of that inferno.
Islam, in fact, came to Arabia at a time when wine was consumed by
the great majority of the Arabs. They loved wine more than anything else.
What did Islam do to ban wine and stop it? It did not issue a drastic order
and stopped it once and for all. On the contrary, it applied a gradual
process of four steps the final one of which was the prohibition command
which acted like magic. People immediately responded and accepted this
prohibition so much so that we can safely say that this was one of the first
laws in the world that witnessed collective implementation.
People could not believe their own eyes. All of a sudden, the once
most beloved drink of Arabia became the most avoidable abhored drink
of all. Islam succeeded when all similar both earlier and later attempts
failed. Why dont people today use the Islamic solution to ban drugs? It
is the most successful method. What is needed is to change people from
within, to make them God fearing, God conscious and make them feel
that they are obeying God by boycotting this evil. This is the decisive role
Islam can play to save humaity from drug addiction.
Some people may ask: but why Islam in particular? Why dont we
follow any religion and not necessarily Islam? This is simply because other
religions have no say in the solution. They even encourage taking wine.
So how can they solve the problem.
Let us come closer and contemplete the Quranic verses that provided
the gradual solution of wine addiction which is to this day a unique
achievement of Islam in the history of humanity.
In the first place the Quran implied that wine is not a good drink
when it said: And from the fruit of the date palm and the vine you get out
intoxicant drink and wholesome provision (67-16). Thus the Quran
frowned on intoxicants which it indicated not to be wholesome things to
consume.

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Then the Quran took a second step when it conveyed the following
message: They ask you about wine and gambling, say in them is great sin and
some profit for men; but their sin is greater than their profit (219-2).
Establishing this the Quran then commanded believers not to
approach prayer while they are intoxicated. It said: O you who believe!
Approach not prayer with a mind befogged, so that you can understand what
you say (43-4).
Finally came the conclusive command when the Quran declared: O
you who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, dedication of stones and
divination by arrows are an abomination of Satans handiwork. So eschew it
all so that you may prosper. Satans plan is to excite enmity and hatred among
you, with intoxicants and gambling and hinder you from the rememberance of
God and from prayer. Will you not, then, abstain (90-5).
All believers adstained and the problem of wine addiction was solved
once and for all. Why dont people today try the Islamic solution for drug
addicition after all other attempts completely failed?

153

ISLAM VS. TERRORISM

What is meant by this expression Jihad? Is it true that Islam was spread
by the sword and is Islam the religion of terrorism? Is Jihad limited only
to actual fighting and how can we reconcile the call to fight with the call
of peace which is said to be the slogan of Islam?
It is really sad that when some people in the West deal with any
subject, they take every care to be objective and neutral, but once they
come to Islam and Muslims, many people here in the West enjoy
distorting the truth and try their level best to destroy the image of Islam,
the religion of mercy to mankind.
A recent example of this trend is what took place in April 1990 when
what is called the Counter Terror Study Centre, based in Winnipeg,
Manitoba in Canada, held its third conference on terrorism. Despite the
fact that in the two previous conferences dealing with terrorist groups
among followers of other religions, there was no mention whatsoever nor
was there any claim or attempt to ascribe terrorism to the religion of the
concerned groups.
When, however, the organizers of this third conference on terrorism
came to Muslims they indicated that Islam encourages terrorism. It is
pertinent to ask here: How come that these people are given a free hand
to spread what is bordering on hate literature as one fair minded
Canadian non-Muslim put it? In the words of a well known Canadian
journalist, Ali Khan, of the Ottawa Citizen, if there is one thing we need,
it is more understanding between Canadians of diverse faiths and
backgrounds. What we do not need is stirring up hatred, prejudice, and
enmity among citizens of different faiths and to import the bitter
conflicts of other regions.
Let us now come closer and try to clarify the questions referred to in
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the first paragraph of this brochure.

To answer these questions we must first understand the nature of
Islam. It is indeed true that Islam preaches peace but peace based on
justice and mercy, peace of the honourable and the dignified Muslims not
that of the weak and the oppressed ones. Islam does not in any way accept
the slogan that says: Whoever beats you on your right cheek turn your left
cheek for him. On the contrary, Islam teaches that an eye is for an eye and
a tooth for a tooth. In other words, it is based on justice, mercy, and
equality.
As the word Islam in Arabic indicates, it is the message of peace,
peace with ones own soul, peace with Allah and peace with humanity at
large. That is why if we contemplate the biography of Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH), we find him abstaining from war and
commanding his followers to do so during the first thirteen years of his
preaching in Makkah. He used to pass by his followers while they were
suffering at the hands of their oppressors and would ask them to have
patience which will lead them to Paradise. This is what he told Bilal when
he passed and found him tortured in Makkah. Bilal was repeating the
word Ahad Ahad which means One God and Only. When the
Prophet saw him in that situation he ordered him to be patient.
It was only when the Kuffar (nonbelievers) of Makkah confiscated
everything Muslims had, i.e. their properties, homes, and even their
country, and started to plan to crush the Muslims, that fighting was
permitted. After Muslims fled to another city (Madinah) then only Islam
gave permission to fight. In this context the Qur'an says: To those against
whom war is made, permission is given to fight, because they are wronged
and Allah is most powerful for the aid to those who have been expelled
from their homes unjustly, on account of nothing save that they say our
Lord is Allah. (3940/22).
Thus, fighting was prescribed for self defense. Hence, the Qur'an
says: Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you but do not
transgress, for Allah does not like transgressors. (190-2) And because
Muslims are more inclined to peace being the basis of Islam, Allah
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Almighty tells them that he knows, Muslims dislike fighting. Thus we

read in the Qur'an: Fighting is prescribed for you even though you very
much dislike it. But you may dislike a thing which is good for you and you
may like a thing which is bad for you; but Allah knows and you know not.
(216/2)
In the light of the above, Jihad takes the form of fighting only when
there is injustice and oppression inflicted on Muslims. When Muslims
cannot fight back, sometimes they are ordered to emigrate to another
country if that is the only way to safeguard their honour and be free to
practise their faith.
Thus, the Qur'an says: When angels take the souls of those who die
in sin, they say, in what plight were you? They reply: Weak and oppressed
were we on earth. They (angels) say: Was not the earth of Allah large
enough for you to move yourself away from evil? Such men will be sent
to Hell-what an evil refuge! (97-4).
Islam is thus the religion of respect and honour. It does not accept
weakness or oppression but prescribes war in self defense. Fighting is
permissible only when the pious launch war to restore peace and establish
justice on earth. Yet Islam has certain ethics even in war against the
enemies. It orders its followers to be always the first to accept peace: But
if they incline towards peace, you also incline towards it and trust in
Allah. For He is the one that hears and knows all things (61-8).
Islam does not allow the mass killings of innocent women, children,
or old people. It respects places of worship and defends them against any
offence. It does not permit the cutting of trees or destruction of homes of
the civilians. And fighting is in some cases launched to restore the human
rights of the oppressed even if they are non-Muslims. Many people
embraced Islam simply by virtue of this method adopted by early
Muslims. We must clarify here that the life of a true Muslim should be a
continuous Jihad, in the sense that it is an on going struggle against evil;
it is a Jihad to carry the message of the Qur'an to other people. It is a
Jihad of patience, and patience is of four kinds:

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1. Patience to establish Islamic worship and obedience to Allah in all

that He commanded Muslims to do.
2. Patience to abstain from sins and to avoid all that Allah has
commanded us to avoid.
3. Patience towards all pleasures and luxuries of life that a Muslim is
ordered to behave properly towards all the blessings of life, and to
control himself from all evil temptations.
4. And finally patience in times of adversity and misfortunes. That is
why a Muslim reminds himself that he will not have a real rest and
peace until he returns back to Allah, his Lord. But as long as he lives
he has to be in constant Jihad; Jihad as we have explained it which
would sometimes be fighting against evil or oppression. This is in a
nutshell what Jihad in Islam means. Far from being the religion of
terror or terrorists, it is the religion of honour and dignity, the religion
of peace and mercy and the faith of love, equality, and justice.
Humanity is in dire need of such faith. Isnt it so?

157

ISLAM AND RACISM

What

does "Racism" mean? The definition of this term in Webster's

New World Dictionary is as follows:
"A doctrine or teaching without scientific support, that claims to find
racial differences in character, intelligence, etc. that asserts the superiority
of one race over another or others, and that seeks to maintain the
supposed purity of a race or races. It also includes any program or practice
of racial discrimination or segregation based on such beliefs."
As a matter of fact, when some nations practiced racism this only
brought about destruction and war. Take the Nazi racism and what
followed it. In fact it destroyed the claimants of superiority, namely the
Nazis in the first place.
The world today still suffers from racism, which continues to exist on
different human levels. Let us now see what Islam has to say on this issue
and how it solved it for good.
The Holy Quran has abolished racism in a clear-cut categorical
manner. In chapter 49 verse 13 we read: "O mankind. We have created you
from a single male and female and made you into nations and tribes so that you
may know each other The most honorable of you in the sight of Allah are surely
the righteous ones."
In chapter 4 verse 1 of the Holy Book of Islam we read: "O mankind.
Fear you Guardian - Lord who created you from one single soul and created its
mate from it, then scattered from them twain countless men and women."
A third quotation from the Quran is from chapter 35 verses 27-28
which say: "Have you not seen that Allah sends down rain from the sky? with
it we bring out produce of various colors. And in the mountains are tracts white
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and red, of various shades of colors, and black intense in hue, and so among men,
crawling creatures and cattle, are they of various colors."
According to these verses the Prophet of Islam stressed the absolute
unity in variety of the human race. In his famous farewell pilgrimage
sermon, he declared: "O people. You are all to Adam and Adam was made of
dust. No Arab is to be preferred over a non-Arab except by virtue of his piety."
In another tradition he said: "God does not look at your images or your colors
but he looks at your hearts (intentions) and your deeds. Creatures are the
dependants of God and the closest among them to God are indeed the most
useful to His dependants."
In practice the Prophet of Islam peace be upon him had among his
closest companions Salman the Persian, Suhaib the Roman, and Bilal the
Ethiopian. Two of the three Companions were ex-slaves who were
liberated after embracing Islam, namely Salman and Bilal. Despite this,
and in spite of the black complexion of Bilal, he was chosen by the
Prophet Muhammad as the first caller to prayer, a position coveted by
many. As a matter of fact, senior companions like Abu Bakr and Omar
used to call Bilal "our master", and the Prophet himself used to say:
"Salman is a member of our family."
It was not, however, an easy task to cancel racism in Islam. But every
time it rose its head the Prophet used to give the Muslims an important
lesson. Thus when his Arab companion Abu Zar called Bilal "son of the
black woman" the Prophet got angry and told him: "You are a man who has
ignorance in him." Abu Zar felt such a great remorse that he put his cheek
on the ground and asked Bilal to tread on his other cheek if he so chooses.
Time and again the Prophet used to stress the unity of the human race in
Islam.
Suffice it to mention one tradition. The Prophet once said: "Listen and
obey even if your ruler was an Ethiopian slave whose head looks like a raisin."
On another occasion when al-Aws and al-Khazraj, the two main Muslim
tribes of Madinah were about to fight each other as they used to do before
Islam, the Prophet rebuked them saying: "Do you still cultivate the call to
ignorance even though I am in you midst?" Hearing this, they restored their
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solid unity and fraternity. This spirit continued as long as Islam ruled and
this racism was abolished in the Muslim world for good.
This is how Islam cancelled racism in theory and practice. It set the
best example for humanity to follow.

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IV - Comparative Studies
37 38 39 40 -

What They Say About Jesus Christ

A Dialogue With a Christian Priest - Part One
A Dialogue With a Christian Priest - Part Two
A Dialogue on the Internet

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162

WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT JESUS CHRIST

The Jesus Seminar has held twelve conferences in the last decade. As its
name indicates it is a seminar concentrating on the personality of Jesus.
Who was he? What was his real message and which of the present gospel
sayings and parables attributed to him are true? Here is an answer and an
introduction which was published in the Toronto Star Jan 2, 1992.
The Jesus Seminar is sponsored by the California-based Westar
Institute, a private research and study center founded by New Testament
expert Robert Funk. For the past six years (1985-1991) its members, who
come from most major Christian denominations and who teach at
leading North American colleges, universities and seminaries, have been
taking an objective critical look at the Bible. They examined the
authenticity of Jesus' words, sifting fact from fiction.
This seminar used the method of dropping colored beads into a box
by which its members voted on what they believe to have been said by
Jesus as opposed to words put in his mouth by the early church and gospel
writers. They came to the conclusion that 80% of the sayings and parables
attributed to Jesus in the Bible are either false or possibly so; and that 20%
only of those sayings and parables are true or possibly true.
These and other conclusions pertaining to the personality of Jesus
Christ have outraged many conservative Christians, especially those who
believe in the inerrancy of the Bible. Charges of blasphemy have been
hurled at the seminar. One of these critics is Michael Green, a wellknown Anglican conservative evangelist who accused Jesus seminar of
pretension for setting themselves up as judges of authenticity. He says it
is hard to take their work seriously. He then defends the gospels with a
vein of sentimentalism rather than historical or scholarly logic.
Robert Funk responded to Green's claims through the following
reply:
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Professor Michael Green reflects a widespread uneasiness with any

forthright exploration of the real figure of Jesus behind the many images
of Him created after and, in some cases, in spite of, the facts.
"He believes it is 'pretentious' of the many scholars in the Jesus
Seminar to address the question of the authenticity of sayings attributed
to Jesus. But he doesn't hesitate to set himself up as such an authority and
claim, without consulting his professional colleagues, that his view is the
only credible one. Does this mean that he believes that every word
ascribed to Jesus in all surviving sources from the first three centuries was
actually spoken by him?
"He finds it strange that historians and scholars 'vote' on the probable
authenticity of individual parables and sayings. Has he forgotten? The
books to be included in the New Testament were determined by vote in
various ecclesiastical councils. That vote was often determined by
theological rather than historical considerations. Moreover, the textual
committee of the United Bible Societies decides which Greek text to
print in its official editions by vote. Does he find it equally hard to take
these decisions 'seriously' because they were voted?
"Green confidently asserts that the Jesus Seminar is not
representative of New Testament scholarship. How does he know? He
suggests that, 'If you took a vote from all the members (of the Society for
New Testament Studies), 'we would get 'a very different story.' That
indeed is presumptuous. Let him take the vote and then make the claim.
"As a one-time member of the Society for New Testament Studies, I
doubt that his assessment of his colleagues is correct. He should also poll
the 5,000 members of the Society of Biblical Literature, to which most
Canadian and U.S. scholars belong. At least the Jesus Seminar makes no
claims beyond those authorized by its participating members.
"Those who elect to defend traditional dogmatic views of the gospels
often fail to mention facts pertinent to any examination of the evidence.
"The oldest extant scrap of any gospel is a tiny fragment of the
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Gospel of John that can be dated to about 125 CE - almost 100 years
after Jesus' death. That fragment contains only a few words.
"The next oldest fragment is from an unnamed gospel, known as the
Egerton gospel (named after the fund used to purchase it for the British
Museum). This interesting scrap contains several stories about Jesus,
some of which have no parallels in other surviving gospels.
"It is not until we get to the end of the 2nd century, around 200 CE,
that we have substantial surviving manuscripts of the gospels. And it is
not until we come to the early 4th century that we have complete copies
of the New Testament.
"The gap separating Jesus from the most important copies of the
gospels known to us is 175 years. And, because all copies of the gospels
were handmade prior to the invention of the printing press centuries later,
no two copies are identical. Textual critics have estimated that there are
about 70,000 significant variations in the Greek text of the entire New
Testament. That fact makes it difficult to hold literally to a doctrine of
inerrancy.
"Green fails to mention that, in the judgement of most scholars,
including those who belong to his society, Matthew and Luke copied
Mark in composing their gospels. Moreover, they also made use of a
hypothetical gospel called Q, which was a compendium of sayings
attributed to Jesus. In using these sources, Matthew and Lake do not
hesitate to modify, alter or rearrange materials in their sources, including
words attributed to Jesus.
"The Sayings in Gospel Q, as it has come to be known, did not have
an account of Jesus' trial and death or of His birth and childhood. Indeed,
it does not have a narrative framework at all. And yet, it is the earliest of
the gospels known to us.
"The Gospel of Thomas, the Coptic text of which was discovered in
Egypt in 1945, is similar to Q. It, too, is a collection of sayings and
parables, without narrative framework. The earliest forms of Thomas, in
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the judgement of some Thomas specialists, may well go back to 50 or 60

CE, barely three decades after Jesus' death. We have three fragments of
Greek Thomas dating to about 200 CE, the same date as the most
important manuscripts of the canonical gospels.
"Q and Thomas are extremely important witnesses to the history of
the traditions about Jesus. They both suggest that Jesus was known
initially as a teacher, a sage, a wise man, before His birth and death
became part of the gospel story. Of course, once the Christian
understanding of Jesus as a redeemer figure became established, the
Christian community lost its interest in preserving gospels depicting Jesus
primarily as a teacher.
"Green also subscribes to the theory that Jesus' spoke only in
Aramaic, His native tongue. In that case, the actual words of Jesus have
been lost forever, since the gospels are all written in Greek. The only
exceptions are a few Aramaic terms, like Abba, the Aramaic term for
father. Some scholars believe that Jesus also knew Greek and that He
developed His teachings in that language. So, far from being on the
'skeptical' end of the spectrum to which Green apparently belongs, some
Fellows of the Jesus Seminar believe that some specific words spoken by
Jesus in Greek have been preserved in the records.
"The 182 versions of 92 sayings and parables the Jesus Seminar
believes were spoken in some proximate form by Jesus (they received
either a red or a pink designation) is a substantial and positive result of six
years of intense labor. Somewhere in the welter of 1,372 sayings and
parables attributed to Jesus in all our surviving gospels (more than 20 in
number), the real man from Galilee lurks.
"Fellows and Associates of the Jesus Seminar would like to know who
He really was. Most people would like to know who He really was. Only
by freeing him from the overlay of Christian piety and rhetoric can we
hope to discover the profile of that single face in a Galilean crowd."
(Courtesy: The Toronto Star Newspaper, Saturday, January 4, 1992, J9)

166

A DIALOGUE WITH A CHRISTIAN

PRIEST - PART ONE

Introduction:
It has been the habit of numerous Christian missionaries from
various sects to try to convert Muslims to their religion. Their approach
varies from one place to another and from one church to another One
popular way, however, is to ask Muslims certain questions to confuse
them and then to try to convert them.
Not very recently one missionary in Toronto tried to use this
approach. In his first letter to Muslim World League, Canadian office, he
claimed that he is a seeker after truth and that he had read some books
but they were not too clear; and that he was seeking help. Then he
changed his tactic when he was discovered to have distributed the same
letter to a number of Islamic organizations.
The under-signed sent him a detailed answer to his letter providing
him with conclusive comments on all the issues he raised. Had he been a
seeker after truth, as he claimed he would not have insisted on asking the
same questions again and sending them to many centres.
His new tactic was that he raised similar questions claiming the
following: After carefully studying both the Quran and the Bible. I have
decided to become a Muslim. Following Islam for the last five years has
not filled my desire for God. When confronted with the following topics,
I could not remain a Muslim. He then mentions a number of questions
and comments and finally says: For fear of further persecution, I am
omitting my name.
When he was confronted that this trick did not work either and that

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Muslims knew who he was, he still sent the same questions under a new
name. He said, After 35 years as a Hindu I have become disillusioned
with its many false teachings. I wish to find the truth about God. I have
been looking at the faith of Islam and Christianity as my final quest for
truth but I still have some doubts. Could you explain some of what Islam
teaches in relation to Christianity. Reading some Islamic books did not
resolve my thoughts. Then he coined a false name by which he signed his
letter.
Although a number of Muslims sent this man convincing answers to
his questions and comments, he continued to play games and tricks with
many people. Thus we thought it a good idea to publish his questions
along with the Islamic answers for them. The answers given by Dr. Jamal
Badawi of St. Marys University, Halifax are also included in flyer no. 20.
We present these for every real seeker after truth as well as for Muslims
who may be the target of such questions and comments.
Dear Sir,
Peace be with you. I greet you with this greeting of peace because
peace is the basic message of Islam, the religion of all prophets.
I have received with thanks your letter dated Feb. 14, 1992. And
although I did not receive any reply from you to my invitation to you to
come over for a cup of coffee so that we know one another and then
discuss the issues you raised in your letter, I am now answering your
points as best as I can. I dont want to defeat you in argument. Let us
agree to seek the truth regardless of its source. It is only in this spirit that
I am writing to you. I am aware though. that you have distributed your
letter on a number of other Muslim organizations, which gives the lie to
your claim that you are a seeker after truth and proves that you are a
preacher of what you ask about.
THE QURAN AND JESUS CHRIST
Q - The Quran proves the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ
in Surat Maryam 19: 32-34 Since God is the author of creation, then the
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Quran says that Jesus is God by also calling him the author of creation (see Sura
Maida; 113, 114) Why dont Muslims believe their own sacred book?
A - Should Jesus Christ be taken for God because he could create?
Does the Quran accept Jesus as God? Let us see what the Quran has to
say about the concept of godhood.
In chapter 21 ( Al Anbiya- The Prophets v. 23-24) the Qur an says:
Had there been in them (heavens and earth) other gods except Allah they
would be both in confusion. But glory to Allah the Lord of the Throne
above what they describe. He cannot be questioned for His acts while
they are questioned.
In chapter 23 v. 91 Al Muminoon (The Believers) we read: No son
did Allah beget nor is there any god along with Him. otherwise each god
would have taken away what he had created and some would have lorded
it over others ! Glory to Allah, He is far from what they describe.
Again in chapter42 Al Shoora v. 9 the following question is asked:
Will they take protectors other than Him (Allah) Nay Allah is indeed
the Protector and He restores the dead back to life and He is Able, All
powerful. In v. 51 of the same chapter we read: It is not fitting for a man
that Allah should speak to Him except by inspiration or from behind a
veil or by sending a messenger to reveal with His permission what He
wills. Allah is Most High, Most Wise.
According to these and other verses, Jesus Christ or any other figure
in the world can never qualify to be God. He cannot compare with God
the Only One OverLord and Sovereign of the universe. Jesus never
claimed to be God either in the Quran or in the Bible. In the Quran the
phrase: With my permission is repeated in the context of these miracles.
On the other hand, was Jesus Christ the only man who got Gods
permission to create? Not in the least. Ibrahim or Abraham, the Father of
Prophets, had this experience by the leave of God. The Quran tells us in
chapter 2 v. 260 how he asked God to show him how he brings the dead
back to life; He said Do you not then believe? He said: Yes! but to satisfy
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my own understanding. He said: Take four birds; tame them to turn to

you, put a portion of them on every hill, and call to them; they will come
to you running with speed. Then know that Allah is Exalted in power,
Wise!
The problem with you Christian fnends, particularly priests, is that
you cannot distinguish God from His messengers. Any one who can
fulfill miracles is a god for you. Not so in the Quran which draws a clearcut line between God and His messengers. Here is how the Quran
establishes this:
It is not possible for any messenger to bring a sign except by the
leave of Allah. But when the command of Allah is issued, matters are
decided in truth. 40-78. Again in chapter 41 v. 6 the Quran says:
Proclaim! I am only a mortal like you who is inspired that your God is
One God. So turn straight towards Him and seek His forgiveness. And
Woe to the polytheists.
Let us now see what Jesus Christ testified when he was born.
According to theQuran,the second miracle in the life of Jesus after his
miraculous birth was that he could speak as a new born. He said: I am
indeed the slave of God. He has given me the Book and made me a
prophet. He has made me blessed wheresoever I be and has enjoined on
me prayer and charity as long as I live; He has made me kind to my
mother and not overbearing or miserable. 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. 19:
30-33
Again in chapter 5, Al Maida or the table, God conveys to us the
following message from the Hereafter: on the day when God will gather
the Messengers together and ask: What was the response you received?
They will say: we have no knowledge. It is You who know in full all that
is hidden.
Then God Almighty will ask Jesus Christ on that same day in front
of all Messengers after reminding him of his blessings upon him and how
with His permission he could do many miracles. After this, God will ask:
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O Jesus son of Mary; Did you say unto men; worship me and my mother
as gods in derogation of God? He will say: Glory be to You! Never could
I say what I had no right to say. Had I said it, You would indeed have
known it. You know what is in my mind, though I know not what is in
Yours. You, indeed You know in full all that is hidden. Never said l to
them anything except what You commanded me to say, namely: Worship
God, my Lord and your Lord; and I was a witness over them as long as I
dwelled among them, when You look me up, You were the Watcher over
them and You are the Witness to all things. If You punish them, they are
Your slaves, and if You forgive them, You are the Exalted in power, the
Wise.
This is how Jesus Christ p.b.u.h. testified at the moment of birth: this
is how he will testify on the Day of Judgment and finally this is how he
testifies in both the Bible and the Quran where he never ever said I am
God so worship me. Is it not time for our Christian friends to
acknowledge the truth before it is too late; because we are also told in the
Quran that each Chnstian will also testify on his death bed the same
testimony when it is too late and his testimony will not avail him
anything.
CORRUPTION OF THE BIBLE:
Q.- Is the Bible corrupted? Would God allow His words to be changed?
A- You dont need the opinion of Muslims to judge the corruption of
the present day Bible. Textual critics of the Bible affirm that here are
about 70,000 significant variations in the text of the entire New
Testament. The fact that there are numerous contradictions and
variations in the different editions of the Bible is enough as a proof for
those who honestly seek the truth. I would also refer to those who defend
the Bible to Jesus Seminar convened by world Christian Bible experts
who confirmed that 80% of what is attributed to Jesus Christ in the Bible
is false or probably false, and that only 20% is true or probably true. The
Prophet of Islam was the first and the most objective personality who
gave his view of the Bible. In one of his sayings he said: Neither believe
nor disbelieve them. which acknowledged the Divine origin of the Bible
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in spite of the great corruption (omission and deletion) that crept into it
over the years.
In the light of the continuous amendments in the Bible, Christians
have no choice other than admitting this fact. Whenever there is a
dilemma or a crisis faced by the church, its leaders immediately add or
omit what they like or dislike. Examples of such dilemmas or crises are
the following:
Should the Jews be held responsible for the blood of Jesus? The Bible
confirms this while the Pope absolved them of it! Should homosexuals be
ordained as priests? Some churches ordain them against the teachings of
the Bible. And so on and so forth.
The corruption in the Bible is thus a continuous process. The Quran
does not testify as you claim, to the authenticity of the Bible. On the
contrary, it confirms the innumerable changes: It says: Then woe to
those who write the book with their own hands and then say: this is from
God, to traffic with it for a miserable price. (2-79) Those who conceal
the clear signs we have sent down and the Guidance after we have made
it clear for the people in the Book on them shall be Gods curse. (2-59)
and Those who conceal God s revelations in the Book and purchase for
them a miserable profit; they swallow into themselves nothing but fire.
(2174).
This is how the Quran looks at corruption in the Bible. It is the same
view held by Islam today. The Quran testifies and confirms the Divine
origin of the Bible. It also establishes the fact of omission and deletion in
the Bible. The verses you quoted do not refer to the Bible. The Reminder
is one name of the Quran. The Scripture referred to in chapter 2 v. 2 of
the Quran is the same i.e. the Quran. Dont mix things. Muslims are the
only ones who believe in all the original books of God and in all the
Messengers of God. That is why the Quran has been revealed to add the
omissions and to correct the deletions in the Bible. Your bosses should
know where the authentic Old and New Testaments are. Have you read
The Dead Sea Scrolls Deception by Michael Baigent and Richard
Leigh? It is one example of how original documents are concealed.
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Q - There are many instances in both the Quran and the Bible about
people having more than one wife. God is both against a man having more
than one wife and He is also against people who have sex outside of marriage.
Adultery and Fornication are huge mistakes in His sight. Islam teaches that a
man may have as many wives as he can support. In the beginning, God made
ONLY ONE woman for Adam. I was reading one Islamic view of Paradise
and it said that it would be perpetual luxury with lovely maidens. and virgins.
This would imply that God will change His mind and allow a lot of forbidden
sex in Heaven. Do you believe that God will allow such sin in heaven?
A- What exactly do you want to say here? Are you attacking both the
Bible and the Quran? Yes indeed both allow man to have more than one
wife. In the present Bible though the number of wives has no limit. It runs
into hundreds sometimes, while the Quran does not allow more than four
wives as a legislation. Islam does not allow man to have as many wives as
he can support as you claim. Four wives is the limit. This is in cases of
necessity. Which is better, to have four wives or to embark upon this Sex
chaos indulged in by people around us? Concerning Paradise where
perpetual luxury, lovely maidens and virgins are promised in Islam, you
seem not to differentiate between two things: this world and the second
life. According to Islam this worldly life is a test. Those who pass will go
to a second life of eternal bliss and enjoyment. No work is required there.
Sex and other enjoyments in the Hereafter are not sins. They are rewards
from God Almighty. Even here sex should not be a sin. In Christianity,
you believe in original sin while Islam confirms the sinlessness of new
borns. Sex is not a filthy act in Islam as long as it is in marriage.
Q - Some people believe that AI-Aqsa is the spot where Muhammad
supposedly journeyed on his horse into heaven. Isnt it strange that the Quran
never identifies Al-Aqsa with Jerusalem?
A- I must correct your question here. All Muslims, and not just some
people, believe that Al-Aqsa mosque was the site of Prophet Muhammads
ascension to heaven, not on his horse though, but on a celestial means of
transport. This is a major miracle granted by God to His Prophet
Muhammad and no Muslim or non-Muslim fair historian question the
site to be in Jerusalem so much so that it is silly to ask or doubt.
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Q - The Bible says that Israel belongs to the Jews. The Qur'an says that it
belongs to the Arabs. People should learn a very important Biblical lesson: That
even though God Himself disciplines Israel woe to the man or nation who
mistreats them. History is strewn with the wreckage of leaders and nations who
treated the Israelites unjustly. It is very clear that God was fighting on the side
of the Jews in 1948 1956 1967 and 1973.
A- Neither the Bible says that Palestine not Israel belongs to the Jews
nor the Quran says that it belongs to the Arabs. Be fair and understand
your book. This is a blessed land that belongs to the believers who
worship the One and Only Lord. God is not racist as some people try to
depict Him. He does not prefer any race against others. The best people
in the sight of God are the most fearing and obedient ones. He i s the
Lord of all and sundry. Through change the present Bible depicts Him as
you say.
Your claim that God is always on the side of Jews must be a joke. You
can claim the same thing for Hitler, Napoleaon, Alexander..etc, to name
only a few dictators the world has witnessed.
The longer the present struggle between Zionists and Muslims, the
more Muslims become committed to the Quran and its message. It is
only when Arabs became good Muslims that they could overcome their
enemies. This also applies to the present problems faced by todays
Muslims.

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A DIALOGUE WITH A CHRISTIAN

PRIEST - PART TWO

The Crucifixion of Jesus Fact or Fiction?

1. According to the Quran (4:157), Jesus (P) was neither killed nor
crucified. As such, the notion of death-like swooning is not based on the
Quran.
2. The Quran did not say that someone like Jesus was crucified in his
place. The Quran (4:157) says: ...but it so appeared to them~ or it was
made to appear to them. Yet, this was one interpretation of the Quran.
It suggests that God punished Judas the Iscariot, for his betrayal, by
changing his face and speech to look and sound like Jesus (who was raised
up) and that Judas was crucified with the mistaken assumption that he
was Jesus (P). Lack of specification of the name of that crucified person
in the Quran, if that interpretation is likely one, does not mean that it
was Jesus, since this was negated in no uncertain terms. The Quran is not
like the Bible in terms of focus on chronology, detailed names or places.
There is no evidence if it were true [from the Quranic standpoint]. There
is no concept of original sin or necessity of bloodshed for forgiveness as
claimed by Paul (Heb. 9:22).
As to Biblical Prophecies about crucifixtion, many Bibilical scholars
believe that these are forced interpretations, out of context, or prooftext:
Following are a few examples as per your letter: i) believed by Edward
Schweizer (in Jesus, pp 92-94) to be a reference to the suffering of the
righteous of Israel. Unlike Isa. 53:7, Jesus (P) is reported to have prayed
to be spared the cross and in his trial opened his mouth (e.g. Mark 14:3639 and John 18:19-23). ii) As to claimed New Testament prophecies, it
should be remembered that these were written after the fact and after

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Pauls ideas began to spread. This led the gospel writers to put words in
the mouth of Jesus (P) only to support their convictions. John Fenton, for
example, gives good reasons why Mathew (addressing mainly Jews) was
obsessed with trying to prove that Old Testament Prophecies were
fulfilled in Jesus. In fact some prophecies attributed to Jesus (P) proved
to be untrue.
Muslims believe in Gods love for humans. In the Quran He is called
Wadood or full of loving compassion. But they do not see crucifixion
as proof of that love. Mercy, and justice can be shown best by Gods
willingness to forgive the fallible human, whom He created. As such,
when one repents sincerely and undergoes a change of heart, mind and
action, he/she is accepted by God.
ON TRINITY
A-1. The Quran speaks about attributes of God (which are not
limited to three) but not of persons constituting a triune godhead. The
same applies to ones attributes as father, son, brother ~ grandson...etc. All
other analogies to trinity can be shown to be futile.
2. Foreknowledge of God, including the message to be sent later as
the Quran who was co-eternal with God and constitutes part of divinity.
This is a reflection of confusion between attributes and persons in
Godhead, this is only shirk or ascribing partners to God Almighty.
3. Birth of Jesus (P) was unique so were the miracles of other
prophets. Uniqueness does not imply divinity. Each prophets miracle is
suited to the circumstances of his people. Adam was created from neither
man nor womens side. All humans are endowed with a spirit from God,
not Jesus (P) alone (see for example 15:29, 32:9, 38:72).
4. The question of understanding What God is like is a wrong
Question. Nothing is like unto God. Even long after baptism, Jesus (P)
was stating that no one ever heard Gods voice or saw Him [ John 5:37,
which seems to contradict the baptism episode as in Matt. 3:17]. If what
is meant is to understand and relate to the attributes of God and His love,
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then there are superior ways of achieving that without resorting to

theories that are not befitting for the Glory of God, without borrowing
from mythical religions and without bloodshed that is contrary to both
justice and mercy.
ON EARTHLY EMPIRES
To say that all Islam did was to establish a serious common error
which is contrary to the nature of Islamic teachings and inconsistent with
historical facts. Islam (as well as all original teachings of the Prophets) is
a complete way of life under divine guidance, including the
administration of law and public affairs. It is like establishing an interim
Kingdom of God on earth. All prophets were involved in establishing
the spiritual kingdom as is the core of their mission. Some great
prophets were enabled by God, additionally, to establish a righteous
spirituality-based kingdom on earth as well, including Moses, David and
Muhammad (peace be upon them all.)
ON RITUALISM VS SELF-PURIFICATION
Prophets Jesus and Muhammad (P), drawing from the same source
(Gods revelation) said many things that are remarkably similar. Prophet
Muhammad (P) said the [whole] earth was made a Masjid [place of
worship] for me.
Like his brother Jesus (P), Prophet Muhammad (P) also condemned
hypocrites and show-offs. Both agreed that what matters is the state of the
worshippers heart. In the Quran we read, It is not righteousness that you
turn your faces to the East or the West, but righteousness is... [2:177].
About the sacrificial animals God states in the Quran: It was not
their meat nor their blood, that reaches God: it is your piety that reaches
Him..[22:37].
With this essence of worship, firmly established, there is nothing
wrong to have common places of group worship, fast together in certain
days or make pilgrimage to sacred places. This is common to Jews,
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Christians and Muslims. So we are in agreement on this point.

ON JESUS CLAIMING TO BE SON OF GOD
1-Jesus (P) was addressing Jews. In the Old Testament, several
prophets were called sons of God ( Jer. 31:9, Exod.4:22, II Sam, 7:14, I
Chor. 22:10, PS. 2:7). Are these prophets to be worshipped as sons of God?
1- See Jeremiah 31-9 which ends thus: For I am a father to Israel, and
Ephraim is my firstborn.
2- In Exodus 4:22: And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the
Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn.
3- In II Samual 7:14:1 I will be his father, and he shall be my son, if
he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the
stripes of the children of men.
4-I Chronicle 22:10: He shall build a house for my name and he shall
be my son, and I will be his father...etc.
2- The expression worshipped him the references you cited means
simply adored him, not believed that he is divine. Jesus himself taught his
disciplines and joined them in prayers and worship of God (e.g. Lords
prayers). He fell on his face and worshipped God (similar to Muslims
sujud in prayers), see for example Matt 26:39, MK 14:35, Mathew 26:39
: And he went a little farther and fell on his face and prayed saying: O my
father, if it be possible let this cup pass from me, nevertheless, not as I will,
but as thou wilt. Mark 14:35: And he went forward a little and fell on the
ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour might pass from him.
3- In John 9:35 you cited, there is a significant discrepancy. In the
KJV it reads Son of God while the RSV translates it Son of Man based
on more authentic MS. According to interlinear translation of the Greek
text (by the New World Bible Translation Committee, 1985) the
original Greek term used in John 9:35~~ This shows that for many
centuries, some Bible writers translators tried, deliberately, to misreport
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and/or mistranslate the MS to suit their preconceived ideas and

technology.
4-Jesus (P) was referred to 68 times in the New Testament as the
Son of God, not once was he called God the Son, which is a
considerable difference theologically. God has many sons according to
the Bible. Even in the New Testament, Adam was called Son of God
(Luke 3:38).
5-The most common title Jesus used to refer to himself was Son of
man which simply means a human being nothing more and nothing less.
ANALOGY WITH JOHN THE BAPTIST AND RETURN
OF JESUS (P)
1 In 19:15,32, The Quran reminds us that Jesus (P) like John the
Baptist is subject to the same laws applicable to all humans. The Quran
is to be understood in its own context, also alongside with the explanation
of its recipient (authentic Hadeeth). In the Quran 19:33 Jesus (P) prays
for peace the day he was born, the day that he will die (after his second
return) according to Hadeeth and the day he will be raised up (on the day
of judgement) like John the Baptist 19:15 and all humans for that
matter. As such there is absolutely no contradiction between 19:15 and
4:157-158. What is negated in the Quran is the New Testament version
of the story of crucifixion [or more accurately the identity of the person
who may have actually been crucified].
2The death of Jesus (P) after his second coming is not death
without purpose. All great prophets died also (naturally or killed). His
death is part of Gods Law Every soul shall have a taste of
death...[3:185]. His death is simply deferred by Gods command.
Furthermore, the death of Jesus (P) after his second coming serves
another important purpose; to show that he was only a righteous human
and creature of God, who came back by Gods leave, got married, begat
children, rebuked those who deified him and finally died like other
humans. Surely this is important enough.

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ON LIFTING JESUS (P) UP

Gabriel (according to LK 1:35) was not lying when he told Mary of
the upcoming birth of Jesus (P). This is similar to the Quranic statement
(19:17). As to the term Son of God, please see section E. In John 3:16,
the word begotten does not appear in the Greek MS and was an
interpolation for nearly 2000 years. Please compare John 3:16 in KJV and
RSV. This is a further indication of suiting the translation (and in many
cases the writings of the Biblical authors) to support the post-Jesus
theological arguments. Even the term only is not used literally. In
Genesis 2:22 the term only son, in reference to Isaac, is not to be taken
literally since Isaac (P) was never the only legitimate son of Abraham.
Ishmael (P) was born fourteen years earlier. Anyone who believes in the
legitimate prophet of his time shall have everlasting life in Paradise by
Gods grace.
ON SALVATION AND BLOODSHED
1-The story of Abraham (P) and his son of sacrifice (Ishmael not
Isaac) has nothing to do with the notion of Gods sending His divine son
as a vicarious sacrifice. Not even the Old Testaments rites of sacrifice
signify that. This is a later (and not mistaken) interpretation.
2Muslim commemoration of Abraham and Ishmaels faith and trust
in God. As the Quran indicates, God is not interested in flesh or blood
(22:37) but rather in our piety and actions. This applies even more to
human blood. For Biblical references in agreement with this Quranic
principle, please see Hos.6:6, PS 30:5, 51:15-17, even Matt 9:13.
3What does it mean that we have to either pay the penalty
ourselves by death, or will we allow God to pay for us through a sacrifice
supplied by Him? Obviously death here is not the physical as all will
die. If what is meant is spiritual death, then repentance and correction
suffice. They do reform the heart ...whoever believes in God, (God)
guides his heart (aright) [Quran 64:11]. Does God pray to Himself?

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4What does it mean to say God sacrificed or God provided His

sacrifice?
5Why would God insist on sacrifice if He is the Sovereign of the
universe and can forgive directly? The assumption of tension between
justice and forgiveness as two attributes of God is not shared by Muslims.
Gods mercy precedes His wrath. There is neither justice nor mercy in
rejecting sincere repentence of a human who is created fallible and in
insisting that an innocent person be punished instead to satisfy the
demands of bloodshed.
ON THE AUTHORITY OF THE BIBLE
Q. Has the Bible been corrupted?
A-1 God did preserve His word (teachings) through the Quran, the
final and preserved revelation. The responsibility to preserve the
revelation prior to the Quran was entrusted to the Rabbis and Doctors of
Law (5:47). When they failed, God took charge of preserving His word
in the form of the Quran (15:9).
2Not all previous revelations were totally lost or corrupted.
Muslims believe that the Bible contains, in part, the word of God, in
addition to human ideas, opinions, biographies and interpretations. The
functions of the Quran are to confirm what remains intact, reveal
whatever was lost, correct whatever was misunderstood and remove
whatever errors were added to the original revelations. As such it is called
the Criterion (between original pristine revelation and man-made
doctrines). It is also a watcher over previous revelations or Muhaimin
(5:51).
3-There are no versions of the Quran even though there are
translations of the same text. This is not the same as the Bible where there
are translations and versions. The number of books in the Catholic Bible
is different from the Protestants. There are important differences between
KJV and RSV (eg. John 3:16, I John 5:7, and MK. 16:9-20). While there
are thousands of MS, there are numerous variations between them as well
(eg. different endings of MK 16).
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4Unlike the Quran there is no copy of the New Testament available

in the original language of Jesus (P), Aramaic, which came to us with an
unbroken chain of narration, both in writing and by memorization.
Nothing comes even close to the Quran when it comes to authenticity
and authority as well.
5It is true that there are divisions and weakness of commitment on
the part of Muslims, Christians and others as well. Muslims do not differ,
however, on the question of divinity. Christians did and continue to have
important differences on the foundation of faith. Early Christians were
mainly Jewish Christians as Hans Kung calls them. A strong Unitarian
stream existed in early Christianity but was persecuted when Christianity
became a state religion early in the fourth century. In early Church
Councils, there has been major differences even physical fighting as to
what is orthodoxy and what is heresy. Even trinity took more than one
council to evolve. Today, the nature of Jesus is still a subject of differences.
6It is incorrect to say that liberal scholars changed the Bible.
Actually it is their examination of older (yet different) versions that they
discovered discrepancies, mistranslations and clear cases of interpolation
(eg. I John 5:7)
7The question is not which is the word of God, the Bible or the
Quran. Muslims believe that the Bible contains, in part, the word of God
(those portions that agree with the Quran). The real question is the purity
of the text. Only an honest and objective comparative study will show that
the Quran is purely Gods revelation. Even Prophet Muhammads words,
which were not specifically part of the Quran, were kept separately and
were never incorporated in the text of the Quran. Even the style of such
words is different and distinct from the Quranic revelatory nature. All
these reasons are prompting ordinary Christians all over the world, to read
the Quran. Then they must decide for themselves whether they will accept
or reject Jesus (P) as a great prophet of Allah and accept his brother
Prophet Muhammad (P) as the final prophet through whom truth was
completed so as to bring mankind from darkness back to light.

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A DIALOGUE ON THE INTERNET

From: An anonymous person

To: webmaster@al-muslim.0rg
Date: April 23, 1988 2.08PM
Hello! My name is and Im a student at Messiah College. Im
currently taking a world religions class and we just have got done
studying Islam. I found the faith to be very fascinating and I still have a
few questions, which I was unable to find answers for since the class is
designed as an introductory class and can not spend a lot of time on one
particular religion. So I thought I maybe I could ask you guys. I hope that
you have time to answer my questions below, and increase my knowledge
about your interesting faith!!
Questions:
1) We have learned that Muslims believe that Allah could not have
any of his prophets be put to death, as we believe Jesus was. But,
since Islam means to be obedient and submissive, wouldnt Jesus
death be seen as the ultimate act of obedience and submission and
thus hed be greatly venerated? I have been reading the Quran and
in Surah 3:54, doesnt it say that Allah will cause Jesus to die?
2) If the Quran is eternal then isnt the sin of Ishrak committed by
equating it to God, Who is eternal as well?
3) According to Islam, what are the proofs that Islam is the true
religion of God?
4) If Muhammad was sinless as Islamic tradition regards him, and
that Islam follows the basic ethical teachings contained in the ten
commandments and the Bible as a whole, wouldnt he have
committed a sin since having more than one wife is regarded as a sin?
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5) ...Do Muslims believe that Jesus will come back again instead of
Muhammad?
6) We learned in class that Muslims believe that previous divine
revelations had been distorted by man, which was why the Quran
came about to correct mans distortions. Could you give examples
of some distortions of the Bible? Given the fact that the Bible was
written over many years and in different locations, and with the
discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, wouldnt the alterations been
hard to have occurred universally?
7) How would you assess modern day Islam-Christian relations?
8) What do you cherish most about your faith?
Comment:
I know I have asked a lot of questions that might not be easily
answered. It is my hope though that you will answer my questions. As I
mentioned before I find the Islamic faith to be very interesting and I
would like to be as knowledgeable about the faiths around me as possible,
so that I can be in a position of respect, rather than ignorance if I were to
meet Muslims, as adherents of other faiths, in the future. Again I pray
that you can answer my questions and thanks for your time and efforts.
Answers:
TO: ... E-mail:...
From: Dr. Arafat El-Ashi, Muslim World League, Toronto, Canada
Dear Sir,
Thank you for your internet message. Here are my answers to
your questions on Islam:
1. Your statement that "Allah could not have any of His prophets
be put to death" is inaccurate. For indeed, some prophets
mentioned in the Quran, were saved by God at the critical
moments; but other prophets and believers were tested by death.
Jesus Christ, p.b.u.h., differs. He had a miraculous birth, could
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perform miracles by Gods leave, and was raised to heaven (alive)

by another miracle. All this was meant to be an eye opener to his
followers. Instead, they went to two extremes: some of them who
were the majority in the beginning believed that he was an
impostor, the son of an adulteress and an unbeliever in their
perverted religion so he deserved to be crucified. Others claimed
that he was God incarnate and that he was raised from death
after three days and that he went up to heaven with God the
father. So the meanings of obedience and submission you
attribute to his claimed death are out of context. Your question
No. 5 is related to this answer. Muslims believe in all prophets.
They are all messengers of God. We do not prefer or even
compare between one and another prophet. It doesnt matter to
us, whether Jesus or Muhammad will come back to earth. But the
Quran asserts that Jesus will return so that 1) he may kill the antiChrist, 2) he will follow the religion of Islam, 3) he will get
married, have children and then die a normal death. Muhammad
died a natural death after he performed his mission, so there is no
point in his return while in the case of Jesus his term is still
incomplete. That is why he has to return to complete it, because
God alone does not perish.
2. You seem to be confused about the nature of God. Eternity for
any thing does not qualify it to be God-like. Paradise and Hell
are also eternal. Does this equate them with God? You may need
to review the 99 names of God so that you do not confuse Him
with any one or any thing.
3. The main proofs that Islam is the only true religion with God
are the following:
- The Holy Quran asserts this, when it states "the only religion
acceptable to Allah is Islam".
- The Quran that we have today is word for word, even syllable
for syllable, the same book that was revealed to Muhammad over
14 centuries ago. By Quran I mean the one in Arabic and not
translations.
- If you pick up any edition of the Quran and compare it with any
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other edition published anywhere in the world you will find it one
and the same. So Muslims today have one book not several.
- There is not a single instance of any contradiction in the Quran.
The Quran was not the work of Muhammad. It is the divine
revelation he received from God. To Muslims Muhammad is not
God, but he is a mortal, a slave and a messenger of God.
- In the Quran, Muhammad himself is criticised and disciplined.
The address in the Quran is often in the second person singular,
"You", which shows that he is the receiver not the author of the
Quran.
- The Quran refers to certain scientific facts which neither
Muhammad nor his age nor several centuries after, knew
anything about them. Modern man discovered some of them.
- Finally, there still exists to this day two copies of the Quran
from the era of Muhammad: one in the famous Top Capi Saray
museum in Istanbul-Turkey and the other is in Tashkent, Central
Asia. They are identical to all other copies of the Quran.
- This shows among many other things that the true book of God
is the Quran which conveys the true religion of God - Islam.
4. It is wrong to claim that Muhammad was faultless or sinless.
To Muslims, Muhammad was the messenger of God not God or
a semi God, but a human among humans. He was born, ate food,
got married and had children and then he died. This is one thing.
The other point is that he was entrusted with a message to convey
to humanity which he did. He, however, made some mistakes or,
rather, he was expected to do something better in the worldly
affairs than what he did sometimes. So, he was corrected by the
will of God. And he acknowledged this, when he said ": You
know better the affairs of your world. He was a man among men.
And this is the beauty of his message for how could you follow
him and imitate him if he was super human?
5. On the other hand he never made any mistakes in conveying
the message, nor committed any crime, but was the ideal example
for his followers to imitate. To claim that he sinned by having
several wives, this stems from the Christian perspective of sex
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where it is considered as a sin. Not so is sex within marriage in

Islam. On the contrary, we learn from a saying by Prophet
Muhammad that he who gets married secures one half of his
religion. So in Islam marriage is a type of worship rather than a
sin.
As for polygamy in the case of Prophet Muhammad, it has
several good reasons for it and here is not the right context for it.
6. The Bible itself is not one Bible. The Catholics Bible is
composed of 73 books, while the Protestant Bible consists of 66
books. This is one example of the process of omission and
addition in the Bible. You dont have the Bible in the original
language. Do you? It is only through translations that you read
the Bible. There are four variations in the first four gospels of the
New Testament about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his
lineage. Which one should we take? There are innumerable
contradictions in the Bible that is why another scripture had to be
revealed to confirm what is correct in it and what is wrong. That
scripture is the Quran. Bible experts themselves acknowledge the
existence of inaccuracies in the Bible. Remember the
recommendations of Jesus Seminary, which held its concluding
sessions in California in the early nineties. They asserted among
other things that only 20 per cent of Jesus sayings in the New
Testament are either true or possibly true.
7. Modern Muslim Christian relationship is of two types:
Christians living with Muslims in the east have always enjoyed
the tolerance and good treatment of Islam and Muslims.
Unfortunately many Western Christians preferred and still prefer
to be the enemies of Islam and Muslims. One example is the
Colonial Rule of Muslim countries committed by Christian
powers in the 19th century. Muslims are always ready to improve
this relationship if Christians do their part.
8. What I cherish most about Islam is my faith in God Almighty,
the Unique Lord of the universe, who is most compassionate,
absolute, completely different from His creation, fair and most
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just. Living, and most Loving. He begets not, nor was begotten
and there is no one like unto Him. He is the First and the Last ,
the All-powerful. Whatever problems or crises face me, they
disappear once I resort to God Allah Almighty. I do not need any
one to intercede between my Lord, Allah, and myself.
With my best wishes that you meet success in finding the path of
truth - Islam.

188

V - Miscellaneous
41. Do Muslims Worship the Moon?
42. A Brief History of Palestine

189

190

In the name of Allah, the Compassionate the Merciful

DO MUSLIMS WORSHIP THE MOON?

The brief answer to this question is an absolute NO.

One may ask why this question at all? This is claimed by one
Christian flyer from California where it is stated that Muslims do not
worship the same God as Jews and Christians? They are said to worship
the moon? Not only this but the flyer continues claiming that if you tell
this to Muslims they will kill you!!! A verse is then wrongly quoted from
the Quran chapter 5 verse 33 that says:
The only reward of those who make war upon Allah and His
Messenger and strive after corruption in the land will be that they
will be killed or crucified or have their hands and feet cut off on
alternate sides or to be deported from the land. Such will be their
degradation in the world and theirs will be an awful doom in the
Hereafter.
Now let us review some details about the first claim namely Muslims
claimed worship of the moon. As a matter of fact Islam is based on two
sources i.e the Quran and the Sunnah that is the practice and sayings of
the Prophet Muhammad. The Quran mentions the moon twenty seven
times. If we contemplate them we find one verse as follows:
And among His signs is the night and the day and the sun and
the moon. Adore not the sun nor the moon but adore Allah Who
created them, if it is in truth Him whom you worship (41-37)
This verse alone shows the real God in Islam. Surely He is neither the
sun nor the moon, neither the day nor the night, for all these are only
miracles and eye openers from God the creator.
The other 26 verses of the Quran referring to the moon assert that
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the moon is only a creation of God Almighty which He made subservient

to man like the rest of Gods creation. Thus it is silly to claim this. Here
are a few examples:
...the sun, the moon and the stars are made subservient by His
command (7-54)
It is He Who made the sun a shining glory and the moon a light
(10-5)
..and He made the sun and the moon subservient; each runs for
an appointed term (13-2)
and it is He Who created the night and the day and the sun and
the moon (21-33)
These and many other verses prove that the moon is only a creation
of God. It has an appointed term after which it will cease to exist. Thus
it is like man a mortal, not a god. Once the moon was cleft asunder during
the life time of Prophet Muhammad p.b.uh. This coincided with the
death of one son of the Prophet; thus some people claimed that the moon
was divided that way due to the death of the Prophets son. The Prophet,
however, responded by asserting that the sun and the moon are two signs
of God. They are never eclipsed due to the death or life of any mortal.
Secondly the Islamic calendar is based on the moon i.e it is a lunar
calendar; but this does not ascribe any shred of holiness to the moon just
like the solar calendar which does not give any special status to the sun.
Also the Quran mentions the story of Abraham the father of the
three Divine religions. It runs as follows:
Thus did we show Abraham the kingdom of the Heavens and the
earth that he might be of those possessing certainty. When the
night grew dark upon him he beheld a planet. He said this is my
Lord. But when it set, he said I love not those that set And when
he saw the moon uprising he exclaimed: This is my Lord. But
when it also set he said: Unless my Lord should guide me I surely
shall become one of the folks led astray. Then when he saw the
sun uprising he cried: This is my Lord. This is greater. And when
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it set he exclaimed: O my people! I am free from all that you

associate with Him. I have turned my face unto Him Who
created the heavens and the earth, as one upright by nature and I
am not of the idolaters. (6-77 to 80)
So it is crystal clear who is the God for Muslims. He is the God of
Abraham and all the prophets of God.
Some people might differ with Muslims on one issue or another but
here is a call upon them to abide by the truth and never use lies and
falsehoods to support their claims. For indeed lies are short lived and will
be discovered sooner or later as is the case concerning the moon.
Now is it true that Muslims will kill any one who puts this or other
claims against their religion? If not how can we understand the above
verse quoted by some opponents that gives permission to Muslims to kill
those who differ with them in religion? Here is the explanation for those
who seek the truth. The Quran was revealed piece meal over a period of
23 years. Whenever a few verses were revealed there was a reason, some
times, a story behind them. The said verse was no exception. Tradition has
the following to tell us: a group of unbelievers came to Prophet
Muhammad in Madina and expressed their desire to embrace Islam.
Then they fell ill and expressed their wish to leave Madina, upon which
the Prophet told them to join a sheperd in the outskirts of Madina to be
fed from his camels. They did so and after they restored their health they
jumped on the sheperd, killed him and ran away with the camels. Thus
the verse was revealed giving Muslims permission to kill those traitors
which was done by their ruler only as a deterrent. In Islam killers should
be killed and this is what exactly happened.
Interestingly enough the same verse is preceded by another verse that
says that whoever takes the life of a human being for other than man
slaughter or corruption in the earth, it shall be as if he had killed all
mankind, and whoever saves one life, it shall be as if he had saved the life
of all humanity. (5-32)
Human life nay life in general is sacred in the sight of Islam. No life
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of any creature can be taken without a justified cause. Let people be fair
and try to understand Islam as it really is. May Allah (God) guide us all
to the straight path Amen.

194

The Palestinian people are Semitic Arabs.

They are the original inhabitants of this land-Palestine-called
after them since fifty centuries.
The Semitic Arabs emigrated from Syria in the year 3500 B.C.
In 2500 B.C. the Canaanites-a Semitic tribe-settled in
Palestine.
Canaan was the first state established in Palestine in 200 B.C.
The first Jewish invasion of Palestine took place in 1230 B.C.
as a result of which the Hebrews conquered parts of Palestine.
In 1000 B.C. David ruled over Palestine for about forty years
followed by his son Solomon.
Solomon died in 923 B.C. soon after which occasion his
kingdom in Palestine was divided into two states namely
Yahuda in the south and Israel in the north.
In 731 B.C. Israel was conquered by the Assyrians who
enslaved its inhabitants and deported them to the east.
In 587 B.C. Nabukhaz Nasser - the Babylonian kingconquered the state of Yahuda, destroyed Jerusalem, enslaved its
inhabitants and drove them to Babylon.
In 539 B.C. the Persian emperor Qorosh brought 42000 Jews
from Babylon and granted them residence in Palestine.
In 330 B.C. the Arab Anbat tribes conquered Palestine,
destroyed the Hebrew kingdoms there and established their
state in the Southern part of Palestine and Eastern Jordan. They
made Al-Batra their capital.

195

A BRIEF HISTORY OF PALESTINE

Thus in 300 B.C. the Macedonian rule over Palestine came to

an end and the Anbats rule began.
In 63 B.C. the Anbats rule came to an end due to the Macabian
revolution.
In 40 B.C. the Macabian rule over the remaining Hebrew parts
of Palestine was ended.
In 70 B.C. the Romans invaded Palestine.
Between the Roman era and the Islamic conquest of Palestine
in 639 the Arabs continued to form the great majority of the
people of Palestine.
In 312 C.E. Emperor Constantine the Great embraced
Christianity. He established the church of Nativity in
Bethlehem and the church of Resurrection in Jerusalem.
In 395 C.E. the Roman Empire was divided into two parts: the
eastern part whose capital was Constantinople and the western
part with Rome as its capital. Palestine was part of the eastern
empire.
Palestine was the target of numerous conquerors. It, however,
continued to be mainly under the Romans until the Islamic
conquest in 639 C.E.
In 639 C.E. the Islamic armies conquered Palestine, Iraq, Syria,
and Egypt.
In 1099 the crusaders conquered parts of Palestine.
In 1187 A.E. Saladin liberated Jerusalem.
In 1517 the Ottomans conquered Palestine which became part
of their Caliphate.
In 1897 the first Zionist conference was held in PalSwitzerland presided over by Theodor Hertzel. This conference
chose Palestine as a national home for Jews.
World War One broke out on July 5, 1914 where Turkey

196

entered the war in alliance with Germany against the Allied

states. Britain convinced the Arabs to revolt against the
Ottoman empire. The British promised to make Sharif Husain
of Makkah to be the king of the Arabs.
Thus Arabs started the Great Arab revolt on June 10, 1914.
While Britain gave the Arabs its solemn word it secretly
concluded Sykes-Bekou agreement with France. This took
place on May 16, 1916 in which they plotted to divide the Arab
world among themselves. Palestine was accordingly given to
Britain.
By the end of World War One, Britain deported Sherif Husain
to Rhodes island where he died.
In 1918 Jews constituted only 8% of the population of Palestine
and they owned 2.5% of its land.
In 1923 Palestine was put under the British mandate which was
rejected by the Palestinians who revolted against the British and
over 50,000 martyrs fell while Britain hanged 175 Palestinians,
sent 300 others for life imprisonment and unleashed an era of
terror against the Palestinian people while supporting Jews and
encouraging them to immigrate to Palestine.
In 1923 Jews formed 32% of Palestines population while they
owned only 5.5% of the land.
In 1947 the Security Council issued its decision for the
partition of Palestine among Jews and Palestinians. This took
place on November 29, 1947. It was an unjust resolution and
thus was rejected by the Palestinians.
Britain ended its mandate over Palestine only when it made
sure that Jews could establish and defend their own state.
On April 9, 1948 the famous inhumane massacre of Deir Yasin
was committed by Zionists one day after the martyrdom of
Abdel Qader Al Huseini, the famous Palestinian military
leader. In this massacre Zionists killed 340 Palestinian old men,

197

children, and women.

The year 1948 also witnessed several Zionist massacres against
Palestinians. It was in this year also that Zionists declared the
establishment of their state Israel. This was on May 14, 1948.
Ben Gurion, was the first Israeli prime minister who declared
that Israels boundaries will be from the Eaphrates to the Nile.
Soon after this both the U.S.A. and the Soviet Union
recognized the new Zionist state.
On May 15, 1948 seven Arab armies entered Palestine not to
liberate it but to control those parts of Palestine given by the
Partition resolution which gave only 43% of Palestine to its
rightful owners. The Arab armies were 21,000 fighters strong
while the Zionists were 61,000 fighters strong.
In 1949 Zionists occupied the western part of Jerusalem and
moved their capital to this city from Tel Aviv.
On April 24, 1950 king Abdullah of Jordan annexed the West
Bank to the East Bank, both of which formed the Hashemite
Kingdom of Jordan.
On October 29, 1956 Britain, France and Israel launched the
Tripartite Aggression against Egypt, thus Israel occupied Gaza
strip and Sinai, while Britain and France occupied the Suez
Canal.
The aggression was brought to an end on Nov. 7, 1957 by a
resolution from the U.N. Security Council through the pressure
from the U.S.A. and the USSR. The aggressors were forced to
withdraw on Dec. 23, 1956.
On May 1964 the first Palestinian National Council was
convened in Jerusalem and the Palestine Liberation
Organization -the PLO- was established.
On June 5, 1967, Israeli fighter planes destroyed the air force of
Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan. About 420 Arab planes were
destroyed.
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This aggression resulted in the occupation of the West Bank,

Gaza strip, Sinai, and the Golan Heights. More than half a
million Palestinians were added to the refugee camps.
In Sep. 1970 Jordan launched an offensive against the military
bases of the PLO in Jordan after the mutual relationship
deteriorated to the no-return point. This offensive ended in the
expulsion of the PLO troops to Lebanon.
On October 6, 1973 Egypt made a successful attack against
Israel joined by Syria to restore their occupied territories. Egypt
could restore a narrow strip pf Sinai while Syria lost 16 new
villages in the Golan Heights. Jordan did not take part in this
offensive. UN resolution No. 338 was issued demanding the
stoppage of war and the implementation of resolution 242.
On April 12, 1975 civil war broke out in Lebanon between the
Lebanese Christian Falangists and the Liberal party on the one
hand and the PLO and the Lebanese Muslims on the other.
The latter could conquer 90% of the Lebanese land. They were
about to overcome the rest had it not been that the Syrian army
intervened in favour of the Christians on June 11, 1976. This
turned the scales in favour of the Christians who committed the
worst crimes against the Palestinian refugee camps.
On Nov. 19, 1977 the Egyptian president Anwar Al sadat made
a surprise visit to Jerusalem. He signed Camp David treaty on
March 26, 1979 which stipulated the termination of the state of
war between Egypt and Israel.
On July 30, 1980 the Israeli Parliament, the Kneiset, declared
Jerusalem as the permanent capital of Israel after annexing the
Arab Eastern part of the Holy city.
In 1981, a number of Arab projects for peaceful negotiations
with Israel mushroomed.
On April 11, 1983 an uprising took place in Al-Aqsa mosque
as a result of the Jewish desecration of the mosque.
On June 6, 1983, Israel launched a widespread attack against
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the PLO in Lebanon until the Zionist army reached Beirut on

June 13, 1983 and started besieging it. The Lebanese as well as
the Palestinian resistance showed a heroic steadfastness for 88
days. This however, ended in the exodus of the Palestinian
resistance from Lebanon to eight Arab countries and the PLO
moved its headquarters to Tunis in Tunisia.
On August 26, 1983 the Israeli army entered Southern
Lebanon with the collaboration of some Christian factions.
They reached Beirut to end the Palestinian presence in
Lebanon. This witnessed an Arab and world silence. The PLO
factions were dispersed in most Arab countries. This was a
rehearsal for the massacres of Sabra and Shatela, two main
Palestinian camps in Lebanon.
The second planned Israeli massacre against Palestinians in
Lebanon took place on three consecutive days (September
16,17, and 18 1983). These were the massacres of Sabra and
Shatela camps where more than 2,000 Palestinian youth were
butchered. The supreme court of Lebanon issued a statement
on December 1983 declaring that the victims of Israeli invasion
to Lebanon in 1983 reached more than 19,000 killed and about
32,000 injured.
Between 1983 and 1985 more projects of settlement were
discussed and the stage was prepared for the recognition of
Israel by its Arab neighbours. This started with the battle of
Biqa, then that of Tripoli and ended with fighting in the camps.
On December 7, 1987 the Palestine National Council the
Palestinian parliament in exile-declared its acceptance of the
U.N. Security Council resolutions No. 242 and 338 which
recognize the state of Israel and demand that Israel withdraw to
the 1967 border.
The Council also announced the establishment of a Palestinian
state based on the U.N. resolution of 1947 for the partition of
Palestine.
On December 13, 1988 Yasser Arafat, the PLO chairman
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acknowledged Israels right to exist and stopped all acts of

resistance. The U.S.A., however, considered this not sufficient.
It told Arafat that there would be no dialogue with him until he
speaks the same language of the U.S.A. i.e. until he fully adopts
the U.S. attitude.
On October 8 1990 worshippers at the Al Aqsa mosque
confronted the Israeli occupation army and 30 martyrs fell.
On October 1991 Madrid conference was convened to discuss
possibilities of peace between Israel and its Arab neighbours
and to find a solution to the Palestinian problem.
On Dec. 17, 1992 Israel deported 415 Palestinians to a no mans
land between Israel and Lebanon. The latter refused to accept
them and Israel was put in an awkward position worldwide.
The U.N. asked Israel to accept the deportees back. It rejected
this as usual and the peace negotiations collapsed.
Two uprisings took place so far. One in 1987 and the second in
2000 in which hundreds of Palestinians were killed and
thousands were injured, hundreds of houses were demolished
and numerous trees uprooted.
Palestinians continue to resist the Israeli occupation until their
own state is established.
Israel continues to suppress Palestinians in their own land,
killing many of them everyday and putting many others in jail.
This only increased the Palestinian resistance.

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