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By: Basel Muhammad Arif Al-Mahayni
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Introduction ...............................................................................7
Chapter 1. What is Islam?..........................................................8
What is Islam? ..................................................................9
Chapter 2. Who is Allah? ........................................................10
Who is Allah? ....................................................................11
Is there a God? ...................................................................12
The Oneness of God...........................................................20
Does He need partners?..................................................... 20
Does God need a wife or a son? ....................................... 24
Chapter 3. What is the Qur’an? ..............................................26
What is the Qur’an?........................................................... 27
Authenticity of the Qur’an ............................................... 29
Why accept the Qur’an?.................................................... 35
Chapter 4. Who is Muhammad? .............................................38
Who is Muhammad? ......................................................... 39
1) The Qur’an, the eternal miracle of Islam...................... 40
2) The Splitting of the Moon ............................................ 41
3) Water flowing between Prophet Muhammad  fingers .42
How others perceive Prophet Muhammad ?................... 42
Chapter 5. Islam & Christianity...............................................44
Islam and the belief of God the father .............................. 45
Islam & Jesus .................................................................... 47
Is Jesus God? .................................................................... 48
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Is Jesus the son of God?.................................................... 54
Islam and the Holy Spirit .................................................. 55
What does Islam says about Trinity? ................................ 57
Islam and Jesus alleged crucifixion................................... 60
Chapter 6. Islam & Mary ........................................................64
Islam and Mary ................................................................. 65
Chapter 7. Islam & the Bible ..................................................68
Islam and the Bible............................................................ 69
Chapter 8. Becoming a Muslim & your own salvation ..........72
Becoming a Muslim and your own salvation.................... 73
Chapter 9. How to embrace Islam?..........................................80
How to embrace Islam?..................................................... 81
Chapter 10. The Pillars of Islam .............................................82
The Pillars of Islam ........................................................... 83
Testimony of Faith ............................................................ 83
Prayer ................................................................................ 84
Fasting .............................................................................. 84
Zakat (alms-giving) .......................................................... 85
Pilgrimage (Hajj ).............................................................. 85
What is the Ka’ba?............................................................ 86
Chapter 11. Answers to common questions ............................88
Why do women veil in Islam? .......................................... 89
Why men can marry more than one wife in Islam? .......... 96
Why women cannot marry more than one husband? ..... 102
Why the Prophet ...................................................................
Muhammad  married more than one wife? .................. 104
What does Islam say about terrorism? ............................ 107
Conclusion ...................................................................... 109
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Introduction
In the Name of God, all praises be to Him, the
Most Gracious and the Most Merciful; our Creator
and the Creator of the universe.
This book has been written in a humble attempt
to help settle some of the common doubts and
misconceptions people have about the great religion
of Islam. A religion that has captured the hearts of
hundreds of millions of people around the world
and answered their questions about the unseen.
It is hoped that, with the simple explanation of the
topics in this book, I can reach the inner conscience
of all brothers and sisters in humanity and show
them the truth about the final religion that has been
revealed to mankind.
I pray that God blesses this endeavor and forgives
me for any shortcomings.
For any comments please do not hesitate to
contact me at:
basel2m@yahoo.com
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7
Introduction
Introduction
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Chapter 1.
What is Islam?
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What is
Islam?
Islam means ‘‘surrender and submission
of one’s will to the will of Almighty God”
in sincere obedience and peace. It is the last
religion and the final message sent by God
to all of mankind in order to guide them to
the right path: to worship and resort to Him
Alone, without ascribing to Him any partners
or taking any intercessors to communicate
with Him. God conveyed His religion
of Islam by sending down His revealed
scripture, the Qur’an, to His beloved and
last chosen Prophet, Muhammad ,1
through
the angel Gabriel. Muhammad  taught and
exemplified Islam to his followers through
the teaching of the Qur’an and through his
actions, sayings and noble moral conduct.
The great English playwright, Sir George
Bernard Shaw, wrote:
I have always held the religion of
Muhammad in high estimation because
of its wonderful vitality. It is the only
religion which appears to me to possess
that assimilating capacity to the
changing phase of existence which can
make it self appeal to every age.2
15 May God send peace and blessing upon him
25 George Bernard Shaw, The Genuine Islam, vol. 1,
p. 8, 1936.
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What is Islam?
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Chapter 2.
Who is Allah?
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Who is
Allah?
Allah is simply the Arabic word for ‘God’.
It is a name by which Muslims and even
Arab Christians call Him. “Allah” is one
of the names that God has mentioned
for Himself throughout His revelation.
These names are descriptive definitions
of His Divine Essence and Holy Attributes.
For example, the Most Gracious (Ar-Rahman)
and the Most Merciful (Ar-Rahim), refer to His
infinite kindness and mercy.
Allah said in His Book:
‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬ ‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﯦ‬ ‫ﯥ‬ ‫ﯤ‬ ‫ﯣ‬ ‫ﯢ‬ ‫ﯡ‬ ‫ﯠ‬ ‫ﯟ‬ ‫ﯞ‬ ‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬ ‫ﯛ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯶ‬ ‫ﯵ‬ ‫ﯴ‬‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬‫ﯰ‬‫ﯯ‬‫ﯮ‬‫ﯭ‬‫ﯬ‬‫ﯫ‬‫ﯪ‬‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬‫ﯧ‬
He is Allah, besides Whom none has the right to be worshipped
but He. (He is) the King, the Holy, the One Free from all defects,
the Giver of security, the Watcher over His creatures, the All-
Mighty, the Compeller, the Supreme. Glory be to Allah! (High
is He) above all that they associate (with Him). He is Allah, the
Creator, the Inventor of all things, the Bestower of forms.To Him
belong the Best Names. All that is in the heavens and the earth
glorify Him. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.1
1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Hashr [59]:23-24.
The name of Allah
written in Arabic
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Is there a
God?
Throughout history man has searched for someone or
something with mystical and superior power to follow, resort
to and worship. Men have worshiped planets, human beings,
objects and animals. But with the guidance of God and rational
thought, many have reached the conclusion of the existence of
a Creator, a God. The story of Prophet Abraham 1
finding
God is a perfect example of such a journey of discovery.
Abraham  contemplated the possibility of a Creator and
requested guidance from Him:
‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬ ‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬‫ﭻ‬‫ﭺ‬ ‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬
‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬ ‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬
‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬
‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬ ‫ﮤ‬‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬ ‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬
Thus did we show Abraham the Kingdom of the heavens and
the earth, that he be one of those who have faith with certainty.
When the night covered him over with darkness, he saw a star.
He said: “This is my lord.” But when it set, he said: “I like not
those that set.” When he saw the moon rising up, he said:“This
is my lord.”But when it set, he said: “Unless my lord guides me,
I shall surely be among the people who went astray.” When he
saw the sun rising up, he said: “This is my lord. This is greater.”
But when it set, he said: “O my people! I am indeed free from
all that you join as partners in worship with Allah. Verily, I have
15 Peace be upon him
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turned my face towards Him Who has created the heavens and
the earth in pure monotheism, and I am not of the polytheists.”1
Like Prophet Abraham , we too need to start looking at,
and reflecting upon, the creation around us in order that we
too may affirm in our hearts a belief in God.
We may start by looking at ourselves and observe the
delicate and precise mechanism of our own bodily creation
from the day we are born to the day we die. We should think
about the intricate functions of the body, which to date, we are
still unable to completely replicate.
The human body is itself a miracle which functions on its
own in perfect synchronicity.
It is a factory running and
working solely to sustain life
which God alone controls.
Take the heart for example; it
can beat for up to 100 years or
more without taking a break.
In which a man made pump is
1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-An‘am [6]:75-79.
Human heart that beats a lifetime
Artificial heart is good for only five years, it’s supplied
with battery pack that needs to be recharged daily
9-10 cm kidney that constantly
purifies the entire body’s fluids
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unable to replicate till date.
What about the kidney, a small delicate
organ which purifies and filters the blood
on a continuous basis? When it fails, a
kidney dialysis unit, which is the size of
a small cabinet, is needed to temporarily
replace the function of the kidney.
One cannot help but be amazed at
the intricacy of our creation. These few
examples of our body’s creation inevitably lead us to
acknowledge the existence of a great Creator.
‫ﭶ‬ ‫ﭵ‬ ‫ﭴ‬ ‫ﭳ‬ ‫ﭲ‬ ‫ﭱ‬ ‫ﭰ‬ ‫ﭯ‬ ‫ﭮ‬ ‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬ ‫ﭫ‬ ‫ﭪ‬ ‫ﭩ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬ ‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬ ‫ﭻ‬‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬
Do they not think deeply about themselves (how Allah
created them from nothing, and similarly He will resurrect
them)? Allah has created not the heavens and the earth
and all that is between them, except with truth and for an
appointed term. And indeed many of mankind deny the
meeting with their Lord (on the day of Resurrection).1
There are many more examples we can use to further
1 The Qur’an, Surah Ar-Rum [30]:8.
Kidney dialysis machine that purifies
body fluids three times a week.
The Universe
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ponder on the creation of Allah.
The universe, for example, with its
size and its perfect alignments of
the planets builds strong credible
evidence towards the existence of a
divine Creator.
How can we not help but
contemplate how the planets
revolve around stars with calculated
movements that will never allow
them to fall or collide with one
another?!
The sun, on the other hand, is an
extraordinary creation essential for life on earth many millions
of miles away. Without its steady temperature and precise
The planets in perfect alignment
The raging Sun
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Who is Allah?
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distance from earth, we could not exist.
‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬ ‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬ ‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮘ‬ ‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬ ‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮤ‬‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬ ‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬ ‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬
‫ﮱ‬ ‫ﮰ‬ ‫ﮯ‬ ‫ﮮ‬ ‫ﮭ‬ ‫ﮬ‬ ‫ﮫ‬ ‫ﮪ‬ ‫ﮩ‬ ‫ﮨ‬ ‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬ ‫ﮥ‬
‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬
‫ﯬ‬‫ﯫ‬‫ﯪ‬‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬‫ﯧ‬‫ﯦ‬‫ﯥ‬‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬ ‫ﯢ‬‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬
‫ﭕ‬ ‫ﭔ‬ ‫ﭓ‬ ‫ﭒ‬ ‫ﭑ‬ ‫ﯵ‬ ‫ﯴ‬ ‫ﯳ‬ ‫ﯲ‬ ‫ﯱ‬ ‫ﯰ‬ ‫ﯯ‬ ‫ﯮ‬‫ﯭ‬
‫ﭥ‬ ‫ﭤ‬ ‫ﭣ‬ ‫ﭢ‬ ‫ﭡ‬ ‫ﭠ‬ ‫ﭟ‬ ‫ﭞ‬ ‫ﭝ‬ ‫ﭜ‬ ‫ﭛ‬ ‫ﭚ‬ ‫ﭙ‬ ‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬ ‫ﭖ‬
‫ﮊ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬
And among His signs is this, that He created you from dust,
and then behold you are human beings scattered (across
the earth)! And among His Signs is this, that He created for
you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose
in them, and He has put between you affection and mercy.
Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect. And
among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth,
and the difference of your languages and colors. Verily, in that
are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge. And among His
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Signs is your sleep by night and by day, and your seeking of His
bounty. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who listen.
And among His Signs is that he shows you the lightning, for
fear and for hope, and He sends down water (rain) from the sky.
And therewith revives the earth after its death. Verily, in that are
indeedsignsforapeoplewhounderstand.AndamongHisSigns
is that the heaven and the earth stand by His Command. Then
afterwards when He will call you by a single call, behold, you will
come out from the earth (from your graves for reckoning and
recompense). To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and
the earth. All are obedient to Him.1
And Allah also revealed about Himself:
‫ﯓ‬ ‫ﮱ‬ ‫ﮰ‬ ‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬ ‫ﮭ‬ ‫ﮬ‬ ‫ﮫ‬ ‫ﮪ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﯟ‬ ‫ﯞ‬ ‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬ ‫ﯛ‬ ‫ﯚ‬ ‫ﯙ‬ ‫ﯘ‬ ‫ﯗ‬ ‫ﯖ‬ ‫ﯕ‬ ‫ﯔ‬
‫ﯨ‬ ‫ﯧ‬ ‫ﯦ‬ ‫ﯥ‬ ‫ﯤ‬ ‫ﯣ‬ ‫ﯢ‬ ‫ﯡ‬ ‫ﯠ‬
‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬‫ﯰ‬‫ﯯ‬‫ﯮ‬‫ﯭ‬‫ﯬ‬‫ﯫ‬‫ﯪ‬‫ﯩ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯷ‬‫ﯶ‬‫ﯵ‬‫ﯴ‬
He has created the heavens without any
pillars that you see, and has set on the
earth firm mountains lest it should shake
with you. And He has scattered therein
moving (living) creatures of all kinds. And
We 2
send down water (rain) from the sky,
and We cause (plants) of every goodly
kind to grow therein. This is the creation
of Allah. So show Me that which those
(whom you worship) besides Him have
created. Nay, the wrong- doers are in plain
1 The Qur’an, Surah Ar-Rum [30]:20-26.
2 In some verses of the Qur’an, God refers to Himself in respective or royal
plural,“We”. Also known as “the Royal We”, “the Royal Pronoun” or
“the Victorian We” because it is most commonly used to refer to a single
person holding a high office such as a monarch, a religious dignitary
and such like; where it is supposed to denote the excellence, power and
dignity of that person.
Pillars
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error. 1
And He, the Most High, also said:
‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬ ‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬‫ﭑ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬ ‫ﭭ‬ ‫ﭬ‬ ‫ﭫ‬ ‫ﭪ‬ ‫ﭩ‬ ‫ﭨ‬ ‫ﭧ‬ ‫ﭦ‬ ‫ﭥ‬ ‫ﭤ‬ ‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬
‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬‫ﭻ‬ ‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬ ‫ﭱ‬‫ﭰ‬
‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬ ‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬
‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬
‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬‫ﮣ‬ ‫ﮢ‬‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬ ‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬
‫ﯕ‬ ‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬ ‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬‫ﯢ‬ ‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬ ‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬
Verily, it is Allah Who causes the seed grain and the fruit stone
(like date stone) to split and sprout. He brings forth the living
from the dead, and it is He Who brings forth the dead from the
living. Such is Allah, then how are you deluded away from the
truth? (He is the) Cleaver of the daybreak. He has appointed
the night for resting, and the sun and the moon for reckoning.
Such is the measuring of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing. It is
He Who has set the stars for you so that you may guide your
course with their help through the darkness of the land and
the sea. We have (indeed) explained in detail Our Signs for
people who know. It is He Who has created you from a single
1 The Qur’an, Surah Luqman [31]:10-11.
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person (Adam), and has given you a place of residing (on the
earth or in your mother’s wombs) and a place of storage (in the
earth). Indeed,We have explained in detail Our revelations (this
Qur’an) for people who understand. It is He Who sends down
water (rain) from the sky, and with it We bring forth vegetation
of all kinds, and out of itWe bring forth green stalks, from which
We bring forth thick clustered grain. And out of the date palm
and its spate come forth clusters of dates hanging low and
near, and gardens of grapes, olives and pomegranates, each
similar (in kind) yet different (in variety and taste). Look at their
fruits when they begin to bear, and the ripeness thereof. Verily,
in these things there are signs for people who believe.1
In conclusion, since we know that none of the numerous
things in our life were created without a creator or made
without a maker or engineered without an engineer, such as the
physical objects around us, cars, tables, microwaves, etc. Thus
naturally we would assume that only someone or something
with great knowledge and power could be responsible for the
universe’s creation.
1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-An‘am [6]:95-99.
Date tree
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The Oneness of
Does He need partners?
Throughout history, as people came to believe in God’s
existence, they wondered how to reach out to Him and
how to worship Him. Some worshiped Him directly and
some used a mediator, while others combined partners with
Him. They were lost and needed guidance. Almighty God
provided guidance for worshiping Him alone by sending
His prophets with revealed scriptures. It is up to the human
race to follow the right path and reach the conclusion of the
existence of the One and only God.
‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬ ‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬ ‫ﭑ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬ ‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬ ‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬
‫ﮊ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All
the praises and thanks are to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. The
Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The only Owner of the Day of
Recompense. You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask
for help (for each and every thing). Guide us to the StraightWay.
The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not
(the way) of those who earned Your Anger, nor of those who
went astray.1
If we look at our day-to-day activities, we will find that, in
order to run any entity successfully, such as a country, institute, or
a company, one leader is needed. How is it that we can reach this
1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Fatiha [1]:1-7.
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conclusion in our earthly life, but fail to reach it in our spiritual
belief?
It would be impossible to run a country or a company with two
presidents or two kings; nothing would get accomplished, one
person needs to take a stand and make final decisions in order to
avoid chaos. Otherwise, decisions would always be challenged by
the other, causing a split in management and authority. A famous
saying “too many cooks spoil the broth”. With this being the
general rule, then how could it be assumed that the Omnipotent
and Almighty God would take partners in the running of the
universe?!
‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬ ‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬ ‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬ ‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬ ‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮊ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬
No son (or offspring) did Allah beget, nor is there any deity
besides Him. (If there had been many gods), then each god
would have taken away what he had created, and some would
have tried to overcome others! Glorified is Allah above all that
they attribute to Him!. All-Knower of the unseen and the seen!
Exalted is He over all that they associate as partners to Him!1
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﮋ‬
The Originator of the heavens and the earth. When He decrees
a matter, He only says to it:“Be! ”and it is.2
Suppose one does believe that God has taken another deity alongside
Himself. Would not the universe as we know it be chaotic and devoid
of the precision and perfection of human life that we are privileged to
enjoy everyday?
‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬ ‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬‫ﮣ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﯭ‬‫ﯬ‬‫ﯫ‬‫ﯪ‬‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬‫ﯧ‬‫ﯦ‬‫ﯥ‬‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬‫ﯢ‬‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬
‫ﮊ‬‫ﯽ‬‫ﯼ‬‫ﯻ‬‫ﯺ‬‫ﯹ‬ ‫ﯸ‬ ‫ﯷ‬‫ﯶ‬‫ﯵ‬‫ﯴ‬ ‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬‫ﯰ‬ ‫ﯯ‬ ‫ﯮ‬
Allah! None has the right to be worshipped but He! (He is) the
Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists.
Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs
1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Muminun [23]:91-92.
2 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Baqara [2]:117.
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Who is Allah?
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whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth.Who is
it that can intercede with Him except with His Permission? He
knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world, and
what will happen to them in the Hereafter. And they will never
encompass anything of His Knowledge except that which He
wills. His throne extends over the heavens and the earth, and
He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And He is
the Most High, the Most Great.1
Allah is the Lord, the Creator, the Sovereign and the Manager
of all affairs. He has no limits. He is the true God. He is one and
unique. He has no associates in His Divinity.
‫ﮂ‬ ‫ﮁ‬ ‫ﮀ‬ ‫ﭿ‬ ‫ﭾ‬ ‫ﭽ‬ ‫ﭼ‬ ‫ﭻ‬‫ﭺ‬ ‫ﭹ‬ ‫ﭸ‬ ‫ﭷ‬ ‫ﭶ‬ ‫ﭵ‬ ‫ﭴ‬ ‫ﭳ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮐ‬‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬ ‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬
‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬‫ﮟ‬ ‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬ ‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬ ‫ﮑ‬
‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬ ‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬
‫ﯢ‬‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬ ‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬ ‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬
‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬‫ﯰ‬‫ﯯ‬‫ﯮ‬‫ﯭ‬‫ﯬ‬‫ﯫ‬‫ﯪ‬‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬‫ﯧ‬‫ﯦ‬‫ﯥ‬‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬
‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬‫ﭑ‬‫ﰁ‬‫ﰀ‬‫ﯿ‬‫ﯾ‬‫ﯽ‬‫ﯼ‬‫ﯻ‬‫ﯺ‬‫ﯹ‬‫ﯸ‬‫ﯷ‬ ‫ﯶ‬‫ﯵ‬ ‫ﯴ‬‫ﯳ‬
‫ﭥ‬ ‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬ ‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬ ‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬
‫ﮊ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬ ‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬ ‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬
Say (O Muhammad) ,“Praise and thanks are to Allah, and peace
be on His slaves whom He has chosen (for His Message)! Is
Allah better or all that you ascribe as partners (to Him)?” (Of
course Allah is better). Is not He (better than your gods) Who
created the heavens and the earth, and sends down for you
water (rain) from the sky, wherebyWe cause to grow wonderful
1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Baqara [2]:255.
Rivers and waterfalls
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gardens full of beauty and delight? It is not in your ability to
cause the growth of their trees. Is there any deity besides Allah?
Nay, but they are a people who ascribe equals (to Him). Is not
He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as a fixed
abode, and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm
mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas
(of salt and sweet water)? Is there any deity besides Allah? Nay,
but most of them know not! Is not He (better than your gods)
Who responds to the distressed one, when he calls on Him, and
Who removes the evil, and makes you inheritors of the earth,
generations after generations? Is there any deity besides Allah?
Little is that you remember! Is not He (better than your gods)
Who guides you in the darkness of the land and the sea, and
Who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, going before
His Mercy (rain)? Is there any deity besides Allah? High Exalted
is Allah above all that they associate as partners (to Him)! Is not
He (better than your gods) Who originates creation, and shall
thereafter repeat it, andWho provides for you from heaven and
earth? Is there any deity besides Allah? Say: “Bring forth your
proofs, if you are truthful.” Say: “None in the heavens and the
earth knows the unseen except Allah, nor can they perceive
when they shall be resurrected.”1
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭝ‬ ‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬‫ﭑ‬‫ﮋ‬
Lord of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between
them, so worship Him (Alone) and be constant and patient in
His worship. Do you know of any who is similar to Him? [By no
means!]2
‫ﯺ‬ ‫ﯹ‬ ‫ﯸ‬ ‫ﯷ‬ ‫ﯶ‬‫ﯵ‬ ‫ﯴ‬ ‫ﯳ‬ ‫ﯲ‬ ‫ﯱ‬ ‫ﯰ‬ ‫ﯯ‬ ‫ﯮ‬ ‫ﯭ‬ ‫ﯬ‬ ‫ﯫ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮊ‬‫ﰈ‬‫ﰇ‬‫ﰆ‬ ‫ﰅ‬‫ﰄ‬‫ﰃ‬‫ﰂ‬‫ﰁ‬‫ﰀ‬‫ﯿ‬‫ﯾ‬‫ﯽ‬‫ﯼ‬‫ﯻ‬
Verily, Allah, with Him (Alone) is the knowledge of the Hour, He
sends down the rain and knows that which is in the wombs.
No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person
knows in what land he will die. Verily, Allah is All-Knower, All
Aware of things.3
1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Naml [27]:59-65.
2 The Qur’an, Surah Maryam [19]:65.
3 The Qur’an, Surah Luqman [31]:34.
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Who is Allah?
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Does God need
a wife or a son?
It was previously explained that God Almighty is one
and unique. He has no associate in His Divinity; He does
not need to sleep, breathe or eat like the rest of us, and does
not need anyone or anything to share or rule His kingdom
alongside Him. He has created everything. In short, God is
perfect. Therefore, why would He need a spouse or a son?
Having a spouse or son is an earthly need intended by God
for humans because of our basic composition. We need a
spouse or a son in order to have a family and to live with
whom we love, and to help, support and protect one another.
As a general rule, human need equals weakness, therefore, the
greater the need the bigger the weakness. For example, we need
to eat, breathe and sleep or we will die; it is not plausible to apply
such characteristics to God? He is the one who created all these
needs, so why would He need them? Even if we assume that God
would have a wife or a son, then we have to take everything that
comes with this thinking or belief. Not only love, but also the
possibility of sadness, depression, hatred, divorce, and even a
revolt against His kingdom from His wife or son.
Such influence would only reinforce the idea that chaos would
occur when running the universe.
AllahistheOne,theSoleProvider,theCreatorandtheSustainer
of the universe. His Essence does not resemble any other known
or unknown essence. He is not contained in His creations, nor His
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creations are contained in Him.
‫ﭚ‬ ‫ﭙ‬ ‫ﭘ‬ ‫ﭗ‬ ‫ﭖ‬ ‫ﭕ‬ ‫ﭔ‬ ‫ﭓ‬ ‫ﭒ‬ ‫ﭑ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬
Say:“He is Allah, (the) One, the Self Sufficient
Master,Whom all creatures need, (He neither
eats nor drinks). He begets not, nor was He
begotten. And there is none co-equal or
comparable unto Him”.1
‫ﯗ‬ ‫ﯖ‬ ‫ﯕ‬ ‫ﯔ‬ ‫ﯓ‬ ‫ﮱ‬ ‫ﮰ‬ ‫ﮯ‬ ‫ﮮ‬ ‫ﮭ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﯞ‬ ‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬ ‫ﯛ‬ ‫ﯚ‬ ‫ﯙ‬ ‫ﯘ‬
‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬‫ﯧ‬ ‫ﯦ‬‫ﯥ‬‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬‫ﯢ‬ ‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬
‫ﯵ‬ ‫ﯴ‬ ‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬ ‫ﯱ‬ ‫ﯰ‬‫ﯯ‬ ‫ﯮ‬ ‫ﯭ‬ ‫ﯬ‬‫ﯫ‬ ‫ﯪ‬
‫ﮊ‬‫ﯶ‬
He is Allah, beside Whom none has the
right to be worshipped but He. (He is), the
King, the Holy, the One Free from all defects,
the Giver of security, the Watcher over His
creatures, the All -Mighty, the Compeller, the
Supreme. Glory is to Allah! (High is He) above
all that they associate as partners with Him.
He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor of all
things, the Bestower of forms.To Him belong
the Best Names, All that is in the heavens
and the earth glorify Him. And He is the All-
Mighty, the All -Wise.2
1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Ikhlas [112]:1-4.
2 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Hashr [59]:23-24.
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Who is Allah?
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Chapter 3.
What is the
Qur’an?
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What is the
Qur’an?
The Holy Qur’an is a Sacred Book. It is the speech of God that
was sent down to all mankind for the sole purpose of guiding
them to the straight path of acknowledging God’s Oneness and
dedicating their acts of worship exclusively to Him.
‫ﭧ‬ ‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬
Verily, this Qur’an guides to that which is most just and right
and gives glad tidings to the believers who work deeds of
righteousness, that they shall have a great reward (in Paradise).1
God revealed the Qur’an to Prophet Muhammad , through
the Angle Gabriel, in stages as circumstances warranted
over a period of twenty three years. Throughout its 114
Chapters (Surahs) are discussed issues of belief, the proof of
1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Isra [17]:9.
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What is the Quran?
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God’s existence and the Day of Judgment and Resurrection.
The Qur’an also contains many scientific facts, stories of
the prophets and information on issues of law, society and
governance.
All the prophets, including the Prophet Muhammad ,
have preached the same message that came in all of the sacred
books concerning the Oneness of God.
‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬ ‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮊ‬‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬ ‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬ ‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬ ‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬
It is He Who has sent down the Book (the Qur’an) to you (O
Muhammad) with truth, confirming what came before it. And
He sent down theTorah and the Gospel aforetime as a guidance
to mankind. And He sent down (this Qur’an as) the Criterion
(of judgment between right and wrong). Truly, those who
disbelieve in the revealed Verses of Allah, for them there is a
severe torment; and Allah is All-Mighty, All-Able of Retribution.1
1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Imran [3]:3-4.
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Authenticity
of the Qur’an
What makes the Qur’an unique, authentic and
purely divine?
1.The Qur’an has been preserved in its original
Arabic script since its initial revelation through the Angel
Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad , [and thereby preserving
the original message of monotheism as revealed throughout
the previously lost or distorted scriptures]. The Qur’an was
instantly memorized by Prophet Muhammad  and then
memorizedandwrittendownbyhiscompanions. Furthermore,
the Prophet reviewed
all the Chapters of the
Qur’an yearly with the
Angel Gabriel. In the
final year of his life, he
reviewed them twice.
Not a single word has
been altered or changed,
added or deleted since
the compilation of its
revelation. The Qur’an
has been translated into
many languages for the
benefit of those who
do not speak Arabic.
In almost all of these
translations can be found
the original unchanged
Arabic text alongside its
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Qur’an: The original Arabic text and a translation beside it
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translation.
Themiracleofthe preservtion
of the Qur’an is evident since
the time of its revelation over
1400 years ago until today
amongst the huge number of
Arabic speaking and non-Arabic-
speaking Muslims who have memorized the book word-for-
word in its entirety.
Even young children from the age of four have memorized
the entire Qur’an in perfect detail.
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬ ‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮋ‬
Indeed, it is We Who have sent down the message (the Qur’an)
and indeed, We will guard it (from corruption).1
2.God challenged anyone, since the revelation of the Qur’an,
to produce a single Chapter (Surah) that would have all its
perfect attributes. Even the disbelieving Arabs who were well
known at that time for their superior oratory and poetry were
unable to meet the challenge. Consequently, they accused the
words of the Qur’an to be of magical origin.
‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬ ‫ﭗ‬ ‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬ ‫ﭓ‬ ‫ﭒ‬ ‫ﭑ‬‫ﰑ‬‫ﰐ‬‫ﰏ‬‫ﰎ‬‫ﰍ‬‫ﰌ‬ ‫ﰋ‬ ‫ﰊ‬‫ﰉ‬‫ﰈ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬ ‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬ ‫ﭧ‬ ‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬ ‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬ ‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬ ‫ﭜ‬ ‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬
Not!Verily, he has been opposing Our signs.Will cover him with
severe torment! Verily, he thought and plotted. So let him be
cursed: how he plotted! And once more let him be cursed: how
he plotted! Then he thought. Then he frowned and he looked
in a bad tempered way. Then he turned back, and was proud.
Then he said: “This is nothing but magic of old”.2
Until today, no one has been able to reproduce the likeness
of a single Chapter of the Qur’an even though there are some
1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Hijr [15]:9.
2 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Muddaththir [74]:16-24.
Children memorizing the Qur’an
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Chapters that consist of only five or even
three sentences (such as Surah 102, At-
Takathur, or Surah 103, Al-Asr).
‫ﯫ‬‫ﯪ‬‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬‫ﯧ‬‫ﯦ‬‫ﯥ‬‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬‫ﯢ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﯴ‬ ‫ﯳ‬ ‫ﯲ‬ ‫ﯱ‬ ‫ﯰ‬ ‫ﯯ‬ ‫ﯮ‬ ‫ﯭ‬ ‫ﯬ‬
‫ﯽ‬ ‫ﯼ‬ ‫ﯻ‬ ‫ﯺ‬ ‫ﯹ‬ ‫ﯸ‬ ‫ﯷ‬ ‫ﯶ‬ ‫ﯵ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﰄ‬‫ﰃ‬‫ﰂ‬‫ﰁ‬‫ﰀ‬‫ﯿ‬‫ﯾ‬
And if you (disbelievers) are in doubt
concerning that (Qur’an) which We have
sent down (i.e. the Qur’an) to Our slave
(Muhammad), then produce a Surah of
the like thereof and call your witnesses
and supporters besides Allah, if you are
truthful. But if you do it not, and you can never do it, then fear
the (Hell) Fire whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the
disbelievers. 1
‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬ ‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﯙ‬ ‫ﯘ‬ ‫ﯗ‬ ‫ﯖ‬ ‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬ ‫ﯓ‬ ‫ﮱ‬ ‫ﮰ‬ ‫ﮯ‬ ‫ﮮ‬ ‫ﮭ‬ ‫ﮬ‬ ‫ﮫ‬ ‫ﮪ‬ ‫ﮩ‬
‫ﮊ‬‫ﯢ‬‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬
And this Qur’an is not such as could ever be produced by other
than Allah, but it is a confirmation of (the revelation) which was
before it, theTorah and the Gospel, and a full explanation of the
Book (laws decreed for mankind) - wherein there is no doubt
from the Lord of the worlds. Or do they say: “He (Muhammad)
has forged it?” Say: “Bring then a Surah like unto it, and call
upon whomsoever you can besides Allah (to assist you), if you
are truthful!”2
3.The Qur’an holds within its text verses that indicate and
prove to the reader that they are the words of God. The
1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Baqara [2]:23-24.
2 The Qur’an, Surah Yunus [10]:37-38.
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verses explain many facts that were recently discovered by
modern scientists through the use of advanced technology and
equipment such as microscopes, satellites and computers, while
the Qur’an on the other hand, revealed them more than 1400 years
ago. These facts could have only been known by God, the Creator.
They could not have been generated by any human, including the
Prophet Muhammad , who was illiterate throughout his entire
life. Here are just a few examples of the many facts mentioned in
the Qur’an.
The delicate process of creation and growth of the human
embryo inside the mother’s womb.
‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬
And indeed We created man (Adam) out of an extract of clay.
Thereafter We made him (the offspring of Adam) as a Nutfa
(i.e. mixed drops of male and female sexual discharge) in a safe
lodging (i.e. the female womb). Then We made the Nutfa into
a clot (of thick coagulated blood), then We made the clot into
a little lump of flesh, then We made out of that little lump of
flesh, bones, then we clothed the bones with flesh, and thenWe
brought it forth as another creation. So blessed is Allah, the Best
of creators.1
1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Mu’minun [23]:12-14.
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What is mentioned in the Qur’an of human embryonic
development was affirmed to be a miraculous fact by the emeritus
professor, Keith L. Moore, who is a prominent scientist in the
fields of Anatomy and Embryology. On statements in the Qur’an
about human development, he said: It is clear to me that these
statements must have come to Muhammad from God, because
almost all of this knowledge was not discovered until many
centuries later. This proves to me that Muhammad must have
been a Messenger of God.1
Another example is the marvelous description of the creation of the
clouds, how they are driven and pushed by the wind, then gathered
and joined forming a larger cloud, then stacked together to bring
down, by the will of Allah, rain that is essential to all life on Earth.
‫ﯽ‬ ‫ﯼ‬‫ﯻ‬‫ﯺ‬‫ﯹ‬‫ﯸ‬‫ﯷ‬ ‫ﯶ‬‫ﯵ‬‫ﯴ‬‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬‫ﯰ‬‫ﯯ‬‫ﯮ‬‫ﯭ‬‫ﯬ‬‫ﯫ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﰐ‬‫ﰏ‬ ‫ﰎ‬‫ﰍ‬‫ﰌ‬‫ﰋ‬‫ﰊ‬‫ﰉ‬‫ﰈ‬‫ﰇ‬‫ﰆ‬‫ﰅ‬‫ﰄ‬‫ﰃ‬‫ﰂ‬‫ﰁ‬‫ﰀ‬‫ﯿ‬‫ﯾ‬
‫ﮊ‬‫ﰚ‬‫ﰙ‬‫ﰘ‬‫ﰗ‬‫ﰖ‬‫ﰕ‬‫ﰔ‬‫ﰓ‬‫ﰒ‬‫ﰑ‬
And to Allah belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the
earth, and to Allah is the return (of all). See you not that Allah
drives the clouds gently, then joins them together, then makes
them into a heap of layers, and you see the rain comes forth
1 Seventh Medical Conference, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
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from between them; and He sends down from the sky hail
(like) mountains, (or there are in the heaven mountains of hail
from where He sends down hail), and strikes therewith whom
He wills, and averts it from whom He wills. The vivid flash of its
(clouds) lightning nearly blinds the sight.1
Such descriptive information
about the creation of the clouds
was only discovered by
meteorologists with advanced
equipment used such as satellites.2
These are small examples of what the
Qur’an holds within its text that indicates
its divinity and authenticity that could only
come from the Creator Himself.
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﮋ‬
This is the Book (the Qur’an), whereof
there is no doubt, a guidance to those who
are pious.3
‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬ ‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬ ‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮊ‬‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬ ‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬
The revelation of the Book (this Qur’an) in which there is
no doubt, is from the Lord of the worlds! Or say they: “He
(Muhammad) has fabricated it?” Nay, it is the truth from your
Lord, so that you may warn a people to whom no Warner has
come before you (O Muhammad): in order that they may be
guided.4
1 The Qur’an Surah An-Nur [24]:42-43.
2 See The Atmosphere by Anthes and others. Also Elements of Meteorology by
Miller and Thomson.
3 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Baqara [2]:2.
4 The Qur’an, Surah As-Sajda [32]:2-3.
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Why accept
the Qur’an?
Firstly and most importantly, the Qur’an is the Word
of God. Secondly, it is a divine scripture which since its
revelation until today remains unaltered and preserved in
its original text and format. Thirdly, its authenticity assures
us of its original divine source. Fourthly, the message came
with a simple theology, which is to worship God and God
Alone, and to establish a personal connection between man
and God with no one obstructing in between.
‫ﯷ‬‫ﯶ‬ ‫ﯵ‬‫ﯴ‬‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬‫ﯰ‬‫ﯯ‬‫ﯮ‬‫ﯭ‬‫ﯬ‬‫ﯫ‬ ‫ﯪ‬‫ﯩ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯻ‬‫ﯺ‬‫ﯹ‬‫ﯸ‬
And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me,
then (tell them that), I am indeed near (to their call). I respond to
the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without
any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe
in Me, so that they may be led aright.1
1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Baqara [2]:186.
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Finally, looking at all the religions on earth we will find
that, of the three major religions with three books (i.e. Judaism,
Christianity and Islam), only Islam and its book, the Qur’an
affirms the essential truth of the previous two religions and books.
Assuming that all three books are true and unaltered, surely it
makes more sense to consult the latest, most current, accurate and
comprehensive version of the three.
Imagine you have an old computer that could not keep up
with the new programs and upgrades, and you decided to buy
a newer computer with better functions and higher capabilities.
Such a computer would be sophisticated and much harder to
operate. Would you then use your old computer manual or your
newer one in order to run your new computer?!
Of course, the newer manual would be used to run your new
computer. The same should be applied to the Qur’an, the latest
manual and most current guide for human life that represents the
most relevant of divine scripture sent to earth by God to guide
man in running his daily activities and to guide him in latter part
of human history. Who else knows better about His creation and
their problems other than God!
‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬ ‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬‫ﭰ‬
And (remember) the Day when We shall raise up from every
nation a witness against them from amongst themselves.
And We shall bring you (O Muhammad) as a witness against
these. And We have sent down to you the Book (The Qur’an)
as an exposition of every thing, a guidance, a mercy and glad
tidings for those who have submitted themselves (to Allah as
Muslims).1
‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮉ‬ ‫ﮈ‬ ‫ﮇ‬ ‫ﮆ‬ ‫ﮅ‬ ‫ﮄ‬ ‫ﮃ‬ ‫ﮂ‬ ‫ﮁ‬ ‫ﮀ‬ ‫ﭿ‬‫ﮋ‬
15 The Qur›an, Surah An-Nahal [16]:89.
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‫ﮜ‬ ‫ﮛ‬ ‫ﮚ‬ ‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬ ‫ﮗ‬ ‫ﮖ‬ ‫ﮕ‬ ‫ﮔ‬ ‫ﮓ‬ ‫ﮒ‬ ‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬ ‫ﮏ‬ ‫ﮎ‬ ‫ﮍ‬ ‫ﮌ‬
‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬ ‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬ ‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬
‫ﮊ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬ ‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬
And We have reveled to you. (O Muhammad), the Book (the
Qur’an) in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the
Scripture and as a criterion over it. So judge between them
by what Allah has reveled and do not follow their inclinations
away from what has come to you of the truth. To each of you
We prescribed a low and am method. Had Allah willed, He
would have made you one nation (united in religion), but (He
intended) to test you in what He has given you; so race to (all
that is) good. To Allah is your return all toghter, and He will
(then) inform you concerning that over which you used to
differ.1
15 The Qur›an, Surah Al-Ma’idah [5]:48.
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Chapter 4.
Who is
Muhammad?
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Who is
Muhammad
Prophet Muhammad  was and supposed to
bearolemodelforallpeople. Hewasknownfor
his honesty, truthfulness, courage, compassion,
love, care and mercy towards everyone. He is
the last prophet chosen by God to preach His
divine message and deliver His last words and
guidance to all mankind. Muslims respect,
cherish and love Prophet Muhammad  along
with all the other prophets that came before
him. Whenever a Prophet name is mentioned, it is followed by
phrases such as “May God send peace and blessing upon him” or
“Peace be upon him” as a sign of respect.
‫ﯶ‬ ‫ﯵ‬ ‫ﯴ‬ ‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬ ‫ﯱ‬ ‫ﯰ‬ ‫ﯯ‬ ‫ﯮ‬ ‫ﯭ‬ ‫ﯬ‬ ‫ﯫ‬ ‫ﯪ‬ ‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬ ‫ﮋﯧ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯸ‬‫ﯷ‬
Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the
Messenger of Allah and the last (end) of the Prophets. And
Allah is Ever All-Aware of everything.1
Prophet Muhammad  was born in Makkah in 570 A.D. He
was an orphan raised by his uncle: his father died by the time of
his birth while his mother died when he was a child. He received
his first divine Verse of the Qur’an, sent by God, through the
angel Gabriel, at the age of forty. Throughout the twenty-three
years of his prophet hood, he suffered many hardships in order
to fulfill his mission, which was to make people aware of the
oneness of Allah and guide them to the right path.
1 The Qur’an, Surah A-Ahzab [33]:40.
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‫ﭚ‬ ‫ﭙ‬ ‫ﭘ‬ ‫ﭗ‬ ‫ﭖ‬ ‫ﭕ‬ ‫ﭔ‬ ‫ﭓ‬ ‫ﭒ‬ ‫ﭑ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﭨ‬ ‫ﭧ‬ ‫ﭦ‬ ‫ﭥ‬ ‫ﭤ‬ ‫ﭣ‬ ‫ﭢ‬ ‫ﭡ‬ ‫ﭠ‬ ‫ﭟ‬ ‫ﭞ‬ ‫ﭝ‬ ‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬ ‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬
Indeed We have sent Our Messengers with clear proofs, and
revealed with them the Scripture and the Balance (justice)
that mankind may keep up justice. And We brought forth iron
wherein is mighty power (in matters of war), as well as many
benefits for mankind, that Allah may test who it is that will help
Him (His religion) and His Messengers in the unseen. Verily,
Allah is All-Strong, All-Mighty.1
As with all the prophets before him, Muhammad  was
granted miracles by God as a proof of his prophecy and to testify
to the truth of his message. Some of the miracles granted to him
included:
1) The Qur’an, the eternal miracle of Islam
Allah through His Words in the Qur’an challenged mankind
to replicate at least one chapter of the Qur’an and promised to
preserve it until the end of civilization. The challenge was never
met at that time, in spite of the linguistic abilities of the people
then. It has not been matched and it will never be matched. This
is due to the Qur’an’s fine composition, articulacy, eloquence,
succinctness and it’s perfect wording and meaning. Such a
challenge is similar to all other miraculous challenges presented
by other prophets sent by God, where then the prophets presented
their given miracle and challenged their people to bring a
comparable miracle. The Prophet Muhammad  did present
his miracle given to him by God, however; the difference in this
case is that God in this miracle has challenged all of humanity
1 The Qur’an, Surah al-Hadid [57]:25.
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to replicate the Qur’an. He not only challenged the people of his
time, but also the people from this time and even the people that
have yet to be until the end of civilization.
Therefore the miracle did not die with the death of Prophet
Muhammad  unlike all the other miracles that ended with the death
of their prophets. Rather it will continue to be seen by all of mankind
until the end of civilization, and the same is true for the preservation
of the Qur’an. For more than fourteen hundred years not a single
word or letter from the Qur’an has been changed or altered.
‫ﯱ‬‫ﯰ‬‫ﯯ‬‫ﯮ‬‫ﯭ‬‫ﯬ‬‫ﯫ‬‫ﯪ‬‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬‫ﯧ‬‫ﯦ‬‫ﯥ‬‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬‫ﯢ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯵ‬ ‫ﯴ‬‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬
And if you (disbelievers) are in doubt concerning that whichWe
have sent down (The Qur’an) to Our slave (Muhammad), then
produce a chapter of the like thereof, and call your witnesses
(supporters and helpers) besides Allah if you are truthful.1
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬ ‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮋ‬
Verily, We, it is We Who have sent down the Qur’an and surely
We will guard it (from Corruption).2
2) The Splitting of the Moon
The splitting of the moon was a major miracle for those who
doubted the truthfulness of Muhammad’s  prophethood.
Muslims believe in all the miracles granted by God to his prophets,
such as the miracle of Phrophet Moses  splitting the sea.
‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬ ‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬
1 The Qur’an, Surah al-Baqarah [2]:23.
2 The Qur’an, Surah al-Hijr [15]:9.
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TheHourhasdrawnnear,
and the moon has been
cleftasunder(thepeople
of Makkah requested
Prophet Muhammad 
to show them a miracle
so he showed them the
splitting of the moon).
And if they see a sign,
they turn away, and
say: “This is continuous
magic.” They belied (the
Verses of Allah- this
Qur’an), and followed
their own lusts. And every matter will be settled (according to
the kind of deeds: good deeds will take their doers to Paradise,
and similarly evil deeds will take their doers to Hell).1
3) Water flowing between
Prophet Muhammad  fingers
It was narrated by Anas bin Malik a companion of Prophet
Muhammad :
A bowl of water brought to the Prophet while he was at Az-
Zawra. He placed his hand in it and the water started flowing
among his fingers. All the people performed ablution (with that
water). Qatada asked Anas, “How many people were you?” Anas
replied, “Three hundred or nearly three-hundred”.2
How others perceive Prophet Muhammad ?
1.“Muhummed is the most successful of all prophets and
religious personalities.”					
	 Encyclopedia Britannica
2.“Muhummadwasthesoulofkindness,andhisinfluence
was felt and never forgotten by those around him.”
1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Qamar [54]:1-3.
2 Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Volum 4 , Book 56, No. 772.	
Image published by space agencies of a
clear cleft in the surface of the moon
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The Hindu scholar, Diwan Chand Sharma, in The
Prophets of the East, Calcutta 1935, p. 122.
3.“Four years after the death of Justinian, A.D. 569, was
born at Makkah, in Arabia the man who, of all men
exercised the greatest influence upon the human race ...
Mohammed ”
John William Draper, M.D., Lld., In a History of the
Intellectual Development of Europe, London 1875.
4.“I doubt whether any man whose external conditions
changed so much ever changed himself less to meet
them.”
R. V. C. Bodley, In the Messenger, London 1946, p.9.
5.“I have studied him - the wonderful man - and in my
opinion far from being an anti-christ, he must be called
the saviour of humanity.”
				 George Bernard Shaw, The
Genuine Islam, vol. 1, p. 8,1936.
6.“My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world’s
most influential persons may surprise some readers
and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man
in history who was supremely successful on both the secular
and religious level... It is probable that the relative influence
of Muhammad on Islam has been larger than the combined
influence of Jesus Christ and St. Paul on christianity… it is this
unparalleled combination of secular and religious influence
which I feel entitles Muhammad to be considered the most
influential single figure in human history.’’
Michael Hart in The 100, a ranking of the most
influential persons in history, New York, 1978.
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Chapter 5.
Islam & Christianity
The light within islam may 2014.indd 44 10/11/14 11:06 AM
Islam
and the belief
of God the father
In Christianity, God is called the father in
part because He is the creator that created
all the beings and because of God’s active
interest in human affairs, the same way that a
father would take an interest in his children,
acting in their best interest and punishing
those who misbehave. In Islam the concept
of God being the father is not accepted
because there is a difference between the
father-son role and God’s role. God is our
Lord and Creator; we can’t compare Him
to any earthly life and expression such as
family concept. We are created to worship
Him and serve Him alone.
‫ﮊ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﮋ‬
Indeed this, your religion, is one religion, and I am your Lord,
therefore worship Me (Alone).1
God is our Lord, He rewards who He wishes and
punishes who He wishes, and if we believe in God’s
majestic control and power on us, could we then compare
that to earthly life. Say for the sake of argument that God is
1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Anbiya [21]:92.
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like our boss (God is exonerated from such a comparison)
since the boss rewards us for our work and punishes us if
we don’t accomplish it? If so, do we consider or call our
boss, our father? We do not because he is not our father.
‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬‫ﭑ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬ ‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬
And (both) the Jews and the Christians say:“We are the children
of Allah and His loved ones.” Say: “Why then does He punish
you for your sins?” Nay, you are but human beings of those He
has created, He forgives whom He wills and He punishes whom
He wills. And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and
the earth and all that is between them; and to Him is the return
(of all).1
God gives us choice and according to that choice we are
tested, we either fail or succeed. While the father figure will
try his best to lead his children to be like him or even better,
nothing is better than God. Therefore, there is no comparison
between God’s role and a father’s role.
1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Maidah [5]:18.
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Islam & Jesus
Jesus , known as “Isa” to Muslims andArab-speaking
Christian, is considered in Islam to be a human chosen by
God to be a prophet like all the other prophets before him
and Muhammad  after him. Justifying the humanity of
Jesus  is simple because, in Islam, we believe that God,
unlike humans, is perfect and without need. The belief that
Jesus  is God in human form means that we have taken
from God His greatness and uniqueness by comparing him
to humans. Islam has great respect for Jesus  just like
all the other prophets sent by Allah, and due to this you
will often find that Muslims repeat “Peace Be Upon Him”,
when referring to him in any text or speech. He was sent
as a guidance and light for the Israelites. He preached the
oneness of God through the Gospel that was sent to him by
God through the Angle Gabriel. All Muslims believe in the
Gospel, the original revelation, before it was altered and
rewritten in different books and connotations to become
part of the Bible we have today.
‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬ ‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬ ‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬‫ﭑ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬
And in their footsteps, We sent Jesus, son of Mary, confirming
the Torah that had come before him, and We gave him the
Gospel, in which was guidance and light and confirmation
of the Torah that had come before it, a guidance and an
admonition for the pious.1
1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Maidah [5]:46.
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Is Jesus God?
Believing that Jesus  is God could be due to many
misinterpreted facts. Is it because Jesus  was born a
miraculous birth without any male intervention? Then
what about Prophet Adam ? Was not he created more
miraculously since he was created without any male or
female intervention? What about Eve? Wasn’t she also
created more miraculously since she was created from
Adam’s  rib without any female intervention! Adam 
from mud and eve from a rib; how miraculous is that! Both
were created as adults, which is by itself a miracle.
Looking at the creation of Adam  (without male or female)
and Eve (without a female) we discover that there should be a
third and final link to this miraculous circle of creation, in which
God closed it by the creation of Jesus  without a male. How
are these miracles any different from each other? Are they not
miracles from God and God Alone? If God can make the universe
and all that lies in it, can He not produce a single human from
what He wishes?
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﮋ‬
And among His Signs is this, that He created you (Adam)
from dust; then, suddenly you were human being dispersing
(throuthout the earth). 1
‫ﮊ‬‫ﯖ‬ ‫ﯕ‬ ‫ﯔ‬ ‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬ ‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮋ‬
Verily, the likeness of Jesus before Allah is the likeness of Adam.
He created him from dust, then (He) said to him:“Be!”and he was.2
Is it because Jesus  performed miracles, such as bringing the
1 The Qur’an, Surah Ar-Rum [30]:20.
2 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Imran [3]:59.
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dead to life or healing the blind or even talking when he was a
baby, that he is considered divine? Such miracles were granted to
Prophet Jesus  by God Almighty. If we believe in Noah  and
the many years he lived (950 years), then we should ask ourselves,
how could he live so long? Was that not given to him by God?
What about Moses  and his famous miracle of splitting the
sea, was not that given to him by God?
What about Jonas  being in the belly of the whale without
being digested? Who saved him? Was it not God?
What about Solomon ? Did he not control the wind and the
animals? Did he not understand the language of the animals? Who
gave him all these miracles? Was it not God? Although all these
prophets had been given special powers during their time on earth,
they were all human. None of the prophets ever claimed to be God
or the son of God or the spirit of God. And nor did Jesus .
‫ﭯ‬ ‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬ ‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬ ‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬‫ﭻ‬ ‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬ ‫ﭰ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮍ‬ ‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬ ‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬
ThenWe revealed to Moses saying:“Strike the sea with your stick.”
And it parted, and each separate part of the sea water became
like huge mountain. Then We brought near the others (Pharaoh’s
party) to that place. And we saved Moses and all those with him.
Then We drowned the others. Verily, in this is indeed a sign (or a
proof), yet most of them are not believers. And verily your Lord
He is truly, the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful.1
Some prophets were granted miracles from God in order to
convince their followers that they were messengers sent by God
in order to guide them to the straight and correct path. These
miracles suited the people at that particular time and place in
order to attract, convince and convey their assigned message
easily to their people. Moses  came with miracles similar to
1 The Qur’an, Surah Ash-Shuara [26]:63-68.
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magic, which was considered a powerful craft at the time of the
Pharaohs. Jesus  came with the miracle of healing, which
dealt with medicine, since the people of his time were crafted in
medicine. While the Prophet Muhammad  came with the miracle
of the Qur’an itself, a perfect ensemble of lyrics and meanings for
the Arabs, who were known to be the best poets and story-tellers
of their time.
‫ﯼ‬‫ﯻ‬‫ﯺ‬‫ﯹ‬ ‫ﯸ‬‫ﯷ‬‫ﯶ‬‫ﯵ‬‫ﯴ‬‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬‫ﯰ‬ ‫ﯯ‬‫ﯮ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬ ‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬‫ﭑ‬ ‫ﰂ‬‫ﰁ‬‫ﰀ‬‫ﯿ‬‫ﯾ‬‫ﯽ‬
‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬ ‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬ ‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬ ‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬
‫ﭻ‬‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬ ‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬
‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬ ‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬‫ﮁ‬ ‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬ ‫ﭼ‬
‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬ ‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬ ‫ﮌ‬
‫ﮫ‬ ‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬ ‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬‫ﮟ‬ ‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬
‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬ ‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬
‫ﮊ‬‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬ ‫ﯜ‬
Remember when the angles said: O Mary! Verily, Allah gives you
the glad tidings of a Word“Be!”and he was! Jesus the son of Mary
from Him, his name will be the Messiah Jesus, the son of Mary,
held in honor in this world and in the Hereafter, and will be one
of those who are near to Allah. He will speak to the people, in the
cradle and in manhood, and he will be one of the righteous. She
Splitting of the sea
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said: O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched
me. He said: So it will be for Allah creates what He wills. When He
has decreed something, He says to it only: “Be!” and it is. And He
(Allah) will teach him Jesus the Book and the wisdom and the
Torah and the Gospel. And will make him (Jesus) a Messenger to
the Children of Israel saying: I have come to you with a sign from
your Lord, that I design for you out of clay, a figure like that of a
bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by Allah’s Leave;
and I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I bring the
dead to life by Allah’s Leave. And I inform you of what you eat,
and what you store in your houses. Surely, therein is a sign for
you, if you believe. And I have come confirming that which was
before me of the Torah and to make lawful to you part of what
was forbidden to you, and I have come to you with a proof from
your Lord. So fear Allah and obey me.1
‫ﭲ‬ ‫ﭱ‬‫ﭰ‬ ‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬ ‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬‫ﭻ‬ ‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬ ‫ﭳ‬
‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬ ‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬ ‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬
‫ﮝ‬ ‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮔ‬ ‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬‫ﮏ‬
‫ﮬ‬ ‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬ ‫ﮦ‬ ‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬ ‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬ ‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬
‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬ ‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬ ‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬
‫ﯬ‬ ‫ﯫ‬‫ﯪ‬‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬‫ﯧ‬‫ﯦ‬‫ﯥ‬‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬‫ﯢ‬ ‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬
‫ﯻ‬‫ﯺ‬‫ﯹ‬‫ﯸ‬‫ﯷ‬‫ﯶ‬ ‫ﯵ‬‫ﯴ‬‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬‫ﯰ‬‫ﯯ‬‫ﯮ‬‫ﯭ‬
‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬ ‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬‫ﭑ‬‫ﯾ‬‫ﯽ‬‫ﯼ‬
‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬
‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬ ‫ﭻ‬‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬ ‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬ ‫ﭱ‬
‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬ ‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬ ‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬
‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬ ‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬‫ﮡ‬ ‫ﮠ‬‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬ ‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮔ‬
‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬
1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Imran [3]:45-50.
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‫ﮊ‬‫ﯭ‬‫ﯬ‬ ‫ﯫ‬‫ﯪ‬‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬‫ﯧ‬ ‫ﯦ‬‫ﯥ‬ ‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬‫ﯢ‬‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬
(Remember) when Allah will say (on the Day of Resurrection).
“O Jesus, son of Mary ! Remember My Favor to you and to your
mother when I supported you with the Holy Spirit (i.e. the Angel
Gabriel) so that you spoke to the people in the cradle and in
maturity; and when I taught you writing, the wisdom, the Torah
and the Gospel; and when you made out of the clay, a figure like
that of a bird, by My Permission, and you breathed into it, and it
became a bird by My Permission, and you healed those born blind,
and the lepers by My Permission, and when you brought forth
the dead by My Permission, and when I restrained the Children of
Israel from you (when they resolved to kill you) as you came unto
them with clear proofs, and the disbelievers among them said:
This is nothing but evident magic. And when I (Allah) inspired the
disciples of Jesus to believe in Me and My Messenger, they said:
“We believe. And bear witness that we are Muslims.” (Remember)
when the disciples said:“O Jesus, son of Mary! Can your Lord send
down to us a table spread (with food) from heaven?” Jesus said:
“Fear Allah if you are indeed believers.”They said: “We wish to eat
thereof and to satisfy our hearts (to be stronger in faith), and to
know that you have indeed told us the truth and that we ourselves
be its witnesses.” Jesus, son of Mary, said: “O Allah, our Lord! Send
us from the heaven a table spread (with food) that there may be
for us for the first and the last of us a festival and a sign from You;
and provide us with sustenance, for You are the Best of sustainers.
” Allah said: “ I am going to send it down unto you, but if any of
you after that disbelieves, then I will punish him with a torment
such as I have not inflicted on anyone among (all) the worlds. ”
And remember when Allah will say ( on the Day of Resurrection):
“O Jesus son of Mary! Did you say unto men: Worship me and my
mother as two Gods besides Allah? ”He will say:“Glory is to You! It
was not for me to say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such
a thing, You would surely have known it. You know what is in my
inner-self though I do not know what is in Yours; truly, You, only
You, are the All-Knower of all that is hidden (and unseen). Never
did I say to them aught except what You (Allah) did command me
to say: Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. And I was a witness
over them while I dwelt amongst them, but when you took me
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up, You were the Watcher over them; and You are a Witness to all
things.”1
Is it because Prophet Jesus  now resides in the heavens
and will come back to earth in his “Second Coming”? Then what
about Adam  and Eve, were not they created in heaven and
lived therein before being sent down to earth? Is it because Jesus
 is still living until now? What about Noah  who lived
almost 1,000 years. And what of those mentioned in the Bible2
as having lived extraordinarily long lives? Jared for 962 years,
Enoch 365 years and Methuslelah for 969 years. Are not they all
an example of God’s power in extending the life of whom He
wishes and taking the life of whom He pleases? What is more
miraculous, creating from nothing and raising the dead on the
Day of Judgment, or extending the life of any creation?
With all of the above-mentioned comparisons between
Jesus  and the other prophets sent by God, should we still
believe that Jesus  is God, rather than simply a prophet?
1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Maidah [5]: 110 -117.
2 Genesis, chapter 5:18 -27.
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Is Jesus the
son of God?
As was discussed in my previous topics that God is not our
father and Jesus  is not God. Then we can conclude that Jesus
 is not the son of God, He was only a messenger sent by God
to the people of Israel in order to guide them to the right path.
However if you are still
convinced that God is
our father and Jesus 
is God or the son of God
then you need to ask
yourself the following
questions:
If you belive that
Jesus  is the son of
God that means that
God is the father of Jesus
, then how could you belive that Jesus  is also God? Is it
posible that God is the father and also the son? Would He not
then be the father of himself because He would be His own son?!
So what still make you believe that Jesus  is God’s son? Is it
because God wants to save us and guide us to the straight path,
therefore He sent His son to do so? Why is that? Why then God
Almighty sent messengers to do the same job of delivering His
message? Is in it to save us and guide us to the straight path?
What makes the time of Jesus  so special for God to send
him as His son? Why did not God Almighty send his son at the
time of Moses  or considered Moses  His son? What about
Abraham  or the rest of the messengers? Why did God pick
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Jesus ? Why not Adam  ? Why did not God have two, three
or more children, why limit Himself to only one?
‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬
Had Allah willed to take a son (or offspring), He could have
chosen whom He willed out of those whom He created. But
glory is to Him! (He is above such things). He is Allah, the One,
the Irresistible.1
All these questions are not puzzling or hard to answer
because Jesus  was not divine or unique like God, he was only
a human subjected to normal earthly needs and weaknesses
such as eating, sleeping, etc. Therefore, as explained above and
in the previous chapter, it is impossible for Jesus  to be God
or the son of God.
Islam and
the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit in Christianity is believed to be one of the
three divine persons of the Holy Trinity. It’s role is set as an
advocate for the believer; it dwells among them and supplies
the believers with a clearer demonstration of God Himself.
The Christian theology of the Holy Spirit, was the
last piece of Trinitarian theology to be fully explored
and developed. For this reason, there is greater
theological diversity among Christian understandings
of the Son and understandings of the Father.2
Understanding a Man-Made doctrine is difficult. It is
1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Zumar [39]:4.
2 Wikipedia.
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God’s doctrine that we have to follow and abide to. It is He
who has created us and created all the spirits around us. Glory
to Him! High is He above all of His creation!
In Islam the Holy Spirit (Ruh-ul-Qudus) is one of the names
God had given to Angel Gabriel . God had commanded
Angel Gabriel to support and deliver God’s Revelation to
Prophet Muhammad .
‫ﯻ‬‫ﯺ‬‫ﯹ‬‫ﯸ‬ ‫ﯷ‬‫ﯶ‬‫ﯵ‬‫ﯴ‬‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬‫ﯰ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯼ‬
Say (O Muhammad ). The Pure Spirit (Gabriel) has brought it
(the Quran) down from your Lord with truth, that it may make
firm and strengthen (the Faith of) those who believe and as a
guidance and glad tidings to those who have submitted (to
Allah as Muslims).1
The same Holy Spirit that supported and delivered God’s
Revelation to Prophet Muhammad had supported and
delivered Gods Revelation to Prophet Jesus  and other
prophets.
‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬ ‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﯢ‬‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬ ‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬
‫ﮊ‬‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬
And indeed, We gave Moses the Book and followed him up
with a succession of Messengers. And We gave Jesus, the son
of Mary, clear signs and supported him with Ruh-ul-Qudus
(Gabriel ). Is it that whenever there came to you a Messenger
with what you yourselves desired not, you grew arrogant?
Some, you disbelieved and some, you killed.2
15 The Quran, Surah An-Nahl [16]:102.
25 The Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah [2]:87.
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What does Islam
says about Trinity?
“Trinity is the doctrine that God is
one being who exists, simultaneously
and eternally as a mutual indwelling
of three persons (not to be confused
by ‘person’): the Father, the Son
(incarnate as Jesus of Nazareth), and
the Holy Spirit ‘three persons in one
God,’ all three of whom, as distinct
an co-eternal persons, are of one
indivisible Divine essence, a simple
being.”1
Where did this notion come from?
The first recorded use of the word “Trinity” in Christian theology
wasinAD180fromTheophilusofAntiochwhousedit,however,to
refertoa“triad”ofthreedays:thefirstthreedaysofCreation,which
then compared to “God, his Word, and his Wisdom.”
In the early third century, Tertullian, a Latin theologian, is
credited with using the word “trinity”. Later, in AD 325, the
CouncilofNiceaestablishedthedoctrineoftheTrinityasorthodoxy
when it formulated the Nicene Creed. As we can read and see,
the whole doctrine was created and later adopted by the church.
Neither the word Trinity nor the explicit doctrine appears in the
New Testament, nor did Jesus and his followers intent to contradict
the Shema in the Old Testament: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God
is one Lord.” (Deuteronomy 6:4)2
1 Wikipedia.
2 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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This vague and mysterious doctrine that was formulated by
man during the late third century has digressed from the concept
of the Oneness of God as is clearly stated in the Bible: that God is
one and Jesus was a human chosen by God to be a Prophet.
Old Testament
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our Lord is one Lord.” (Deuteronomy
6:4)
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” (Deuteronomy
5:7)
“Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel and his redeemer the
Lord of hosts: I am the first and I am the last; and besides me
there is no God.”(Isaiah 44:6)
New Testament
“…there is none other God but one…”(1 Corinthians 8:4)
“And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true
God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.”(John 17:3)
“….for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God and
Him only shall you serve.”(Matthew 4:10)
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man
attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders
and signs which God did through him in your midst, as you
yourselves know.”(St. Paul in Acts, 2:22)
‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬ ‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬‫ﭑ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬
‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬‫ﭻ‬ ‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬ ‫ﮆ‬
O People of the scripture ! Do not exceed the limits in your
religion, nor say of Allah aught but the truth.The Messiah Jesus
son of Mary was no more than a Messenger of Allah and His
Word, (Be! And he was) which He bestowed on Mary and a spirit
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created by Him; so believe in Allah and His messengers. Say
not: Three (trinity)! Cease! It is better for you. For Allah is (the
only) one deity, glory is to Him ( Far Exalted is He) above having
a son. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is
in the earth. And Allah is All-Sufficient as a Disposer of affairs.1
In addition to what was mentioned previously the concept
of Trinity does not only add up spiritually or logically, but also
mathematically. How could three different entities become
equal to one (1+1+ 1 = 3). Even for the sake of argument, if we
use multiplication, we will find that in order to get the result of
one, we would need to multiply by one, one entity. For example,
1x1=1 while multiplying with any other number will never result
to one. For example 1x2=2 because any other number is a different
entity, different number. God, the Son and the Holy Sprit are three
totally different entities, therefore, (God x Son x Holy Sprit = ???).
God is one and will always be the one and only One Divine entity.
1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Nisa [4]:171.
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Islam and
Jesus alleged
crucifixion?
Like Christians, Muslims also believe that Jesus 
was raised by God to heaven and that he will return
back to rule the world and spread again the true words
of God.
However, Islam does
not teach that Jesus 
was crucified. On the
contrary, God Almighty,
who is capable of all
things, protected and
saved Jesus  by
raising him up to
heaven. One will ask
who was crucified then?
While Jesus  was in
hiding God changed the
appearance of the man
who spoke of Prophet
Jesus  whereabouts
and made him into
Jesus  look-a-like
eventually the look-a-
like was crucified in
place of Jesus  .
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The reader might also
ask: Is that possible?
Well,whynot?Isnotthe
creation of the universe or
of Adam  from nothing
much greater than saving
and raising Jesus  up to
the heavens? Are not we
going to be raised up from
the dead and be placed
either in heaven or in hell,
according to the judgment
of God? Above all, Adam
 was created in heaven
and later descended down to earth by God’s will, while God
ascended Jesus  to heaven.
Another question might come to the reader’s mind: what
about those who saw the look-a-like of Jesus  being crucified?
would not they think that Jesus  was actually crucified? How
would they have known otherwise?
The answer to that is: yes! They did think so. However, the true
believers worshiped God alone and when Prophet Muhammad
 conveyed the same message that Jesus  came with, they
followed him and learned what had really happened to Prophet
Jesus  through reading that in the Qur’an.
‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬‫ﭻ‬‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬‫ﭰ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬ ‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬ ‫ﮂ‬‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬
And because of their saying (in boast),“We killed Messiah Jesus,
son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah, but they killed him not,
nor crucified him, but the resemblance of Jesus was put over
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another man (and they killed that man), and those who differ
therein are full of doubts. They have no (certain) knowledge,
they follow nothing but conjecture. For surely, they killed him
not Jesus, son of Mary: But Allah raised him up (with his body
and soul) unto Himself and he is in the heavens. And Allah is
Ever All-Powerful, All-Wise.1
Jesus  will descend and return to earth towards the end of
the wrold as a major sign of the final hour, guiding the misguided
to God’s Message (believing in and worshipping Him Alone).
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬‫ﭑ‬‫ﮋ‬
And Jesus, son of Mary shall be a known sign for (the coming
of) the Hour (Day of Resurrection), so be not in doubt of it and
follow Me (Allah)! This is the Straight Path.2
Muslims do not believe that Jesus  was a savior by
being crucified for the sins of humanity in order to save
them from the hell fire. However, they do believe that
Jesus  was a savior by guiding his people to the straight
path of worshiping God Alone when they went astray from it.
Contrary to the current Christian belief in the Bible.
The Bible clearly states that: “For every man should bear his
own burden.” 3
How could God say this in the Bible and then contradict
Himself by being crucified for the sins of humanity!?
Above all how could the human mind comprehend that God
the Most Merciful and the Most Just would place sins on pure and
innocent babies? How can a baby so pure and free of sin be born
a sinner due to another person’s past sin?
Most importantly, how could we justify purifying the sins of
our ancestors by either swallowing a tablet or by being baptized
with holy water?
If in a court of law we can only accept innocent until proven
1 The Qur’an, Surah An-Nisa [4]: 157-158.
2 The Qur’an, Surah Az-Zukhruf [43]: 61.
3 King James version, Galatians 6:5.
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guilty, then how could we accept the concept of guilty until
proven innocent from God, the Just creator of all mankind?
Salvation is a personal responsibility. Islam preaches that
no individual will bare the sins of another, and no one will be
saved from the suffering and crucifixion of another person on
their behalf. We are all born pure and innocent and we will only
be held responsible for our own sins, which will only be forgiven
by turning directly to God, and not through confessing to a
supposedly “holy” person.
‫ﰋ‬‫ﰊ‬‫ﰉ‬‫ﰈ‬‫ﰇ‬‫ﰆ‬ ‫ﰅ‬‫ﰄ‬‫ﰃ‬‫ﰂ‬‫ﰁ‬ ‫ﰀ‬‫ﯿ‬ ‫ﯾ‬‫ﯽ‬‫ﯼ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﰑ‬‫ﰐ‬‫ﰏ‬‫ﰎ‬‫ﰍ‬‫ﰌ‬
That no burdened person (with sins) shall bear the burden (sins) of
another. And that man can have nothing but what he does (good or
bad). And that his deeds will be seen. Then he will be recompensed
with a full and the best recompense.1
1 The Qur’an, Surah An-Najim [53]: 38-41.
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Chapter 6.
Islam & Mary
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Islam and Mary
The Virgin Mary is the mother of Prophet Jesus . She
is no more than a human being, but she was a woman of
truth and piety. She was the most noble and purest woman
on the face of earth. She did not commit any indecent act
nor was she a partner in divinity. Allah, in the Qur’an, has
honored her by dedicating an entire chapter in her name,
and nothing is more befitting to relate the truth of Mary
other than the Qur’an.
‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬‫ﭻ‬‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬ ‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬ ‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮒ‬‫ﮑ‬ ‫ﮐ‬‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬ ‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬ ‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬
‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬
‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬ ‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬ ‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬ ‫ﮤ‬
‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬‫ﯢ‬‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬
‫ﯴ‬ ‫ﯳ‬ ‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬ ‫ﯰ‬‫ﯯ‬ ‫ﯮ‬‫ﯭ‬‫ﯬ‬‫ﯫ‬‫ﯪ‬ ‫ﯩ‬ ‫ﯨ‬ ‫ﯧ‬‫ﯦ‬ ‫ﯥ‬
‫ﭑ‬‫ﰄ‬‫ﰃ‬‫ﰂ‬‫ﰁ‬‫ﰀ‬‫ﯿ‬‫ﯾ‬‫ﯽ‬‫ﯼ‬‫ﯻ‬‫ﯺ‬‫ﯹ‬‫ﯸ‬‫ﯷ‬‫ﯶ‬‫ﯵ‬
‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬ ‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬ ‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬
‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬
‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬ ‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬ ‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬‫ﭻ‬‫ﭺ‬ ‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬ ‫ﭴ‬
‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬
‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬ ‫ﮘ‬
‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬ ‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬ ‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬
‫ﯰ‬‫ﯯ‬‫ﯮ‬‫ﯭ‬‫ﯬ‬ ‫ﯫ‬ ‫ﯪ‬‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬‫ﯧ‬‫ﯦ‬ ‫ﯥ‬ ‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬‫ﯢ‬‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬ ‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯶ‬‫ﯵ‬‫ﯴ‬‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬
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And mention in the Book (the Qur’an, O Muhammad) the story
of) Mary, when she withdrew in seclusion from her family to a
place facing east. She placed a screen (to screen herself) from
them; then We sent to her Our Spirit (the Angel Gabriel), and he
appeared before her in the form of a man in all respects. She said:
“Verily, I seek refuge with the Most Gracious (Allah) from you, if
you do fear Allah.” (The angel) said:“I am only a messenger from
your Lord (to announce) to you the gift of a righteous son.” She
said:“How can I have a son when no man has touched me, nor am
I unchaste? ” He said: “So (it will be), your Lord said: That is easy
for Me (Allah): And (We wish) to appoint him as a sign to mankind
and a mercy from Us (Allah), and it is a matter (already) decreed
(by Allah).” So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him
to a far place (in Bethlehem). And the pains of childbirth drove
her to the trunk of a date-palm. She said: “Would that I
had died before this, and had been forgotten and out
of sight!”Then [the babe Jesus (or Gabriel)] cried unto
her from below her, saying: “Grieve not: your Lord has
provided a water stream under you. And shake the
trunk of date-palm towards you, it will let fall fresh
ripe-dates upon you. So eat and drink and be glad.
And if you see any human being, say: Verily, I have
vowed a fast unto the Most Gracious (Allah) so I
shall not speak to any human being this day.” Then
she brought him (the baby) to her people, carrying
him. They said: “O Mary! Indeed you have brought a
mighty thing. O sister of Aaron!Your father was not a
man who used to commit adultery, nor your mother
was an unchaste woman.” Then she pointed to him.
They said: “How can we talk to one who is a child in
the cradle?” He (Jesus) said: “Verily, I am a slave of
Allah; He has given me the Scripture and made me a
Prophet. And He has made me blessed wheresoever
I be, and has enjoined on me prayer, and alms-giving
as long as I live. And made me dutiful to my mother,
and made me not arrogant, unblest. And peace be
upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the
day I shall be raised alive! ” Such is Jesus, son of Mary.
(It is) a statement of truth, about which they doubt (or
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dispute). It befits not (the Majesty of) Allah that He should beget a
son (this refers to the slander of Christians against Allah, by saying
that Jesus is the son of Allah). Glorified (and Exalted is He above all
that they associate with Him). When He decrees a thing, He only
says to it:“Be!”and it is! Jesus said:“And verily, Allah is my Lord and
your Lord. So worship Him (Alone). That is the Straight Path.”1
‫ﮮ‬ ‫ﮭ‬ ‫ﮬ‬ ‫ﮫ‬ ‫ﮪ‬ ‫ﮩ‬ ‫ﮨ‬ ‫ﮧ‬ ‫ﮦ‬ ‫ﮥ‬ ‫ﮤ‬ ‫ﮣ‬ ‫ﮢ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬
‫ﯯ‬‫ﯮ‬‫ﯭ‬‫ﯬ‬‫ﯫ‬‫ﯪ‬‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬‫ﯧ‬ ‫ﯦ‬‫ﯥ‬‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬‫ﯢ‬‫ﯡ‬
‫ﰀ‬‫ﯿ‬‫ﯾ‬‫ﯽ‬‫ﯼ‬‫ﯻ‬‫ﯺ‬‫ﯹ‬ ‫ﯸ‬‫ﯷ‬‫ﯶ‬‫ﯵ‬‫ﯴ‬‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬‫ﯰ‬
‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬‫ﭑ‬‫ﰂ‬‫ﰁ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭱ‬ ‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬ ‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬
And(Remember)whentheangelssaid:“OMary!Verily,Allahhas
chosen you and purified you (from polytheism and disbelief),
and chosen you above the women of the worlds (mankind and
Jinn) (of her lifetime). O Mary! Submit yourself with obedience
to your Lord (Allah, by worshipping none but Him Alone) and
prostrate yourself, and bow down along with those who bow
down.”This is a part of the news of the unseen which We reveal
to you O Muhammad. You were not with them, when they cast
lots with their pens as to which of them should be charged with
the care of Mary, nor were you with them when they disputed.
(Remember) when the angels said: “O Mary! Verily, Allah gives
you the glad tidings of a Word (Be!) and he was! Jesus the son
of Mary, from Him, his name will be the Messiah Jesus the son
of Mary, held in honor in this world and in the hereafter, and
will be one of those who are near to Allah. He will speak to the
people, in the cradle and in manhood, and he will be one of the
righteous.”She said:“O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no
man has touched me?” He said: “So (it will be) for Allah creates
what He wills. When He has decreed something, He says to it
only (Be!) and it is”.2
1 The Qur’an, Surah Maryam [19]:16-36.
2 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Imran [3] : 42-47.
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Chapter 7.
Islam &
the Bible
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Islam and
the Bible
Muslims believe in the original scripture of the Bible that
was revealed to Prophet Jesus  through the angle Gabriel.
However, they don’t believe in versions of the Bible that
have been altered or changed or supplemented with the
writing of others.
The original message that Muslims believe in was repeatedly
stated and preached by all the prophets throughout the holy
books sent down to us by God, and that message was concerned
with the Oneness of God. However, manipulation by political
leaders and human intervention for reasons of personal gain
resulted in drastic changes to the original message. Almost every
decade a new version of the Bible has been rewritten. There are 86
books from the Orthodox Version, 76 books from the Charismatic
Version, 73 books from the Roman Catholic Version, 66 books
from the Protestant Version and many others. Even the committee
that is responsible for revising the Holy Bible admits and asserts
to defects and mistakes that were done when rewriting and
translating the Bible. The preface of
the Holy Bible stated:
Sometimes it is evident that the
text has suffered in transmission,
but none of the versions provides a
satisfactory in restoration. Here we
can only follow the best judgment
of competent scholars as to the most
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probable reconstruction of the original text… Notes are added
which indicate significant variation, additions, or omissions in
the ancient authorities… Yet the King James Version has grave
defects… these defects are so many and so serious as to call for
the revision of English translation.
How could any human being place his trust in running his life
on a distorted version of the truth? If we conduct an experiment,
telling a story to a group of people and impressing upon them
to convey it accurately to others, we will likely find a distorted
version of that story. Now if this happens in just a few minutes,
what about thousands of years of change, adjustments, and
deletion of words? What would happen to the original story, and
more importantly, the original message? We can only follow the
true and unaltered message that comes only from God. It is only
God’s words and knowledge that guides us to the prosperity of
life and not the opinion of an ordinary human being who is not
perfect and full of mistakes.
‫ﭨ‬ ‫ﭧ‬ ‫ﭦ‬ ‫ﭥ‬ ‫ﭤ‬ ‫ﭣ‬ ‫ﭢ‬ ‫ﭡ‬ ‫ﭠ‬ ‫ﭟ‬ ‫ﭞ‬ ‫ﭝ‬ ‫ﭜ‬ ‫ﭛ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﭷ‬ ‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬ ‫ﭴ‬ ‫ﭳ‬ ‫ﭲ‬ ‫ﭱ‬ ‫ﭰ‬ ‫ﭯ‬ ‫ﭮ‬ ‫ﭭ‬ ‫ﭬ‬ ‫ﭫ‬ ‫ﭪ‬ ‫ﭩ‬
‫ﮅ‬ ‫ﮄ‬ ‫ﮃ‬ ‫ﮂ‬ ‫ﮁ‬ ‫ﮀ‬ ‫ﭿ‬ ‫ﭾ‬ ‫ﭽ‬ ‫ﭼ‬ ‫ﭻ‬ ‫ﭺ‬ ‫ﭹ‬ ‫ﭸ‬
‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬ ‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬
‫ﮊ‬‫ﮙ‬
And there are among them (the Jews) unlettered people,
who know not the Book, but they trust upon false desires
and they but guess. Then woe to those who write the Book
with their own hands and then say, “This is from Allah,” to
purchase with it a little price! Woe to them for what their
hands have written and woe to them for what they earn
thereby. And they (Jews) say, “The Fire (of Hell) shall not
touch us but for a few numbered days.” Say (O Muhammad
to them): “Have you taken a covenant from Allah so that
Allah will not break His Covenant? Or is it that you say of
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Allah what you know not? 1
‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﯦ‬‫ﯥ‬‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬‫ﯢ‬ ‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬
‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬‫ﯰ‬‫ﯯ‬‫ﯮ‬‫ﯭ‬‫ﯬ‬‫ﯫ‬‫ﯪ‬‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬‫ﯧ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﰃ‬‫ﰂ‬‫ﰁ‬‫ﰀ‬‫ﯿ‬‫ﯾ‬‫ﯽ‬‫ﯼ‬‫ﯻ‬‫ﯺ‬ ‫ﯹ‬‫ﯸ‬‫ﯷ‬‫ﯶ‬‫ﯵ‬‫ﯴ‬
Verily, those who conceal what Allah has sent down of the
Book, and purchase a small gain therewith (of worldly things);
they eat into their bellies nothing but fire. Allah will not speak
to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor purify them, and theirs
will be a painful torment. Those are they who have purchased
error at the price of Guidance, and torment at the price of
Forgiveness. So how bold they are (for evil deeds which will
push them) to the fire. That is because Allah has sent down the
Book (the Qur’an) in truth. And verily, those who disputed as
regards the Book are far away in opposition.2
1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Baqarah [2] : 78-80.
2 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Baqarah [2] : 174 -176.
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Chapter 8.
Becoming a Muslim
& your own salvation
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Becoming a
Muslim and your
own salvation
God Almighty has emphasized that every human being
carries with him, his or her own salvation. An individual
is alone held responsible for his sins. God, the Just and
Magnificent, does not put responsibility on a child or
an infant or a mad man. He places responsibility on an
individual who is mentally capable and has reached a
rightful age of maturity. We can see in reality how humans
use this law in common day practice such as with a person’s
eligibility for driver’s license, a work permit, graduation
and finally independence from his or her parents.
As a person attains the age of responsibility, they leave their
parents and begin their life as a mature individual. Alongside
the freedom that is given comes a big sense of overwhelming
responsibility. And, unlike childhood, when you make a mistake
there is none other to blame except yourself.
What is important to understand from the above is that we are
all responsible for our own actions and it is a priority for everyone
to find his or her individual salvation before worrying about those
around you.
Would you save a person from drowning if you did not know
how to swim? Of course you will try without jumping in because
what good would it be if you were both drowning? One must seek
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the truth always and once it has entered your heart and soul only
then can you move on and help those around you. And if others
do not accept the truth after that, then have no regret for you have
done all you can do and the rest is in God’s hands. Just as I am
writing this book for the sake of helping someone find the truth,
I can only present the facts, the rest is up to the reader to decide.
‫ﭻ‬‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭿ‬ ‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬
O you who have believed, upon you is (responsibility for)
yourselves. Those who have gone astray will not harm you when
you have been guided. To Allah is your return all together; then
He will inform you of what you used to do.1
God guides those He wills and loves, and those that are guided
by Him are given a true blessing indeed. If you seek the truth
with an open heart, God Willing, you will find it with ease.
It is your duty after being guided to the right path to try and
help others to follow your guided path for as long as you can. For
sure you cannot change their hearts, only God can do that, but
1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Maidah [5] : 105.
Extend a helping hand
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you can try guiding them. We are not better than the prophets
that were chosen and loved by God and who were not able to
change the hearts of some of their loved ones. For example:
1) Noah  was not able to save his son.
‫ﰄ‬ ‫ﰃ‬‫ﰂ‬‫ﰁ‬‫ﰀ‬ ‫ﯿ‬‫ﯾ‬‫ﯽ‬ ‫ﯼ‬‫ﯻ‬‫ﯺ‬‫ﯹ‬‫ﯸ‬‫ﯷ‬‫ﯶ‬ ‫ﯵ‬‫ﯴ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﭑ‬ ‫ﰒ‬‫ﰑ‬ ‫ﰐ‬‫ﰏ‬‫ﰎ‬‫ﰍ‬‫ﰌ‬‫ﰋ‬ ‫ﰊ‬‫ﰉ‬ ‫ﰈ‬‫ﰇ‬‫ﰆ‬‫ﰅ‬
‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬ ‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬
‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬ ‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬ ‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬
‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬‫ﭻ‬‫ﭺ‬ ‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬
‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬ ‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬ ‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬
‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬‫ﮡ‬ ‫ﮠ‬‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬ ‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬
‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬ ‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬ ‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬
‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬‫ﯧ‬ ‫ﯦ‬‫ﯥ‬‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬‫ﯢ‬‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬ ‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬
‫ﯸ‬‫ﯷ‬‫ﯶ‬‫ﯵ‬‫ﯴ‬‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬‫ﯰ‬‫ﯯ‬ ‫ﯮ‬‫ﯭ‬‫ﯬ‬‫ﯫ‬‫ﯪ‬
‫ﰈ‬‫ﰇ‬‫ﰆ‬‫ﰅ‬‫ﰄ‬‫ﰃ‬ ‫ﰂ‬‫ﰁ‬‫ﰀ‬‫ﯿ‬‫ﯾ‬‫ﯽ‬‫ﯼ‬ ‫ﯻ‬‫ﯺ‬‫ﯹ‬
‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬ ‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬ ‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬ ‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬‫ﭑ‬‫ﰌ‬‫ﰋ‬‫ﰊ‬‫ﰉ‬
‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬ ‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬ ‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬ ‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬ ‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬ ‫ﭢ‬
‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬ ‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬ ‫ﮂ‬‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬‫ﭻ‬‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬ ‫ﭶ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬ ‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬
And it was revealed to Noah: None of your people will believe
except those who have believed already. So be not sad because
of what they used to do. And construct the ship under Our Eyes
and with Our Revelation, and call not upon Me on behalf of
those who did wrong; they are surely, to be drowned. And as
he was constructing the ship, whenever the chiefs of his people
passed by him, they mocked at him. He said: “If you mock us,
so do we mock at you likewise for your mocking. And you will
know who it is on whom will come a torment that will cover
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him with disgrace and on whom will fall a lasting torment.” So
it was till when Our Command came and the oven gushed forth
(water like fountains from the earth). We said: “Embark therein,
of each kind two (male and female), and your family- except
him against whom the Word has already gone forth- and those
who believe.” And none believed with him, except a few. And
he (Noah) said: “Embark therein: in the Name of Allah will be its
moving course and its resting anchorage. Surely, my Lord is Oft-
Forgiving, Most Merciful.” So the ship sailed with them amidst
waves like mountains, and Noah called out to his son, who had
separated himself. “O my son! Embark with us and be not with
the disbelievers.” The son replied: “I will betake myself to some
mountain, it will save me from the water.” Noah said: “This day
there is no savior from the Decree of Allah except him on whom
He has mercy.” And waves came in between them, so he (the
son) was among the drowned. And it was said:“O earth! Swallow
up your water, and O Sky! Withhold (your rain).” And the water
was made to subside and the Decree of Allah was fulfilled (the
destruction of the people of Noah). And (the ship) rested on
(Mount) Judi, and it was said: “Away with the people who are
oppressors.”And Noah called upon his Lord and said:“O my Lord!
Verily, my son is of my family! And certainly, Your Promise is true,
andYou are the Most Just of the judges.”He (Allah) said:“O Noah!
Surely, he is not of your family; verily, his work is unrighteous, so
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ask not of Me that of which you have no knowledge I admonish
you, lest you should be one of the ignorant.” Noah said: “O my
Lord! I seek refuge with You from asking you that of which I have
no knowledge. And unless You forgive me and have mercy on
me, I would indeed be one of the losers.” It was said: “O Noah!
Come down (from the ship) with peace from Us and blessings on
you and on the people who are with you (and on some of their
offspring), but there will be other people to whomWe shall grant
their pleasure (for a time), but in the end a painful torment will
reach them from Us.”1
2) Abraham  was not able to save his father.
‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬ ‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬ ‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬ ‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬ ‫ﭻ‬
‫ﮛ‬ ‫ﮚ‬ ‫ﮙ‬ ‫ﮘ‬ ‫ﮗ‬ ‫ﮖ‬ ‫ﮕ‬ ‫ﮔ‬ ‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬ ‫ﮑ‬ ‫ﮐ‬ ‫ﮏ‬ ‫ﮎ‬ ‫ﮍ‬ ‫ﮌ‬
‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬ ‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬
‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬
And mention in the Book (the Qur’an) Abraham. Verily, he was a
man of truth, a Prophet. When he said to his father: “O my father!
Why do you worship that which hears not, sees not and cannot
avail you in anything? O my father! Verily, there has come to me
of the knowledge that which came not unto you. So follow me, I
will guide you to the Straight Path. O my father!Worship not Satan.
Verily, Satan has been a rebel against the Most Gracious (Allah).
O my father! Verily, I fear lest a torment from the Most Gracious
(Allah) should overtake you, so that you become a companion of
Satan (in the Hell-fire).”He (the father) said:“Do you reject my gods,
O Abraham? If you stop not this I will indeed stone you. So get
away from me safely (before I punish you).” Abraham said: “Peace
be on you! I will ask forgiveness of my Lord for you. Verily, He is
unto me Ever Most Gracious.”2
1 The Qur’an, Surah Hud [11]: 36-48.
2 The Qur’an, Surah Maryam [19] : 41-47.
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3) Lot  was unable to save his wife.
‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬ ‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬ ‫ﭑ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﭱ‬‫ﭰ‬ ‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬ ‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬
‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬‫ﭻ‬‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬ ‫ﭲ‬
‫ﮐ‬‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬ ‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬ ‫ﮄ‬ ‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬‫ﮁ‬
‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬ ‫ﮑ‬
‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬ ‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯟ‬ ‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬ ‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬
The people of Lot (who dwelt in the towns of Sodom in
Palestine) belied the Messengers. When their brother Lot
said to them: “Will you not fear Allah and obey Him? Verily, I
am a trustworthy Messenger to you. So fear Allah, keep your
duty to Him and obey me. No reward do I ask of you for it (my
message), my reward is only from the Lord of the worlds (of
mankind and Jinn). You go unto the males of mankind and
leave those whom Allah has created for you to be your wives?
Nay, you are trespassing people! They said:“If you cease not. O
A picture of Sodom near dead sea Jordan
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lot! Verily you will be one of those who are driven out!”He said:
“I am indeed, of those who disapprove with severe anger and
fury over your (evil) action (of sodomy). My Lord! Save me and
my family from what they do.”So We saved him and his family,
all except an old woman (his wife) among those who remained
behind. Then afterward We destroyed the others. And We
rained on them a rain (of torment). And how evil was the rain
of those who had been warned! Verily, in this is indeed a sign,
yet most of them are not believers. And verily, your Lord, He is
indeed the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful.1
4) While Muhammad  was unable to save his uncle who
had raised him since the death of his parents.
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬ ‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬‫ﮏ‬‫ﮋ‬
Verily, you O Muhammad guide not whom you like, but Allah
guides whom He wills. And He knows best those who are the
guided.2
1 The Qur’an, Surah Ash-Shu’ara [26] : 160-175.
2 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Qasas [28] : 56.
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Chapter 9.
How to embrace
Islam?
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Howto
embraceIslam?
It is very simple to become a Muslim. One has to
simply declare with sincerity and belief “La Ilaha Illallah
Muhammadu Rasoolullah” which means that there is only
One True God (Allah) (to worship Him alone without a
partner and to resort to Him directly without a mediator)
and that Muhammad  is His Messenger (Prophet).
Upon saying these words (Testimony of faith) you have
entered the faith of Islam which derives and concludes
that you believe in:
1.	 All the prophets sent by God as guidance to the
Straight Path, and they were all human beings
including Jesus .
2.	 All the original books the (Torah, the gospel) and
the Qur’an are the literal words of God.
3.	 AlloftheAngelsarecreatedbyGodandhowthey
also worship Him and follow His commands.
4.	 The Day of Judgment when all will be held
accountable for their actions.
5.	 In Qadar (Fate, Divine Predestination), which
means belief in God’s will (Destiny) the bad and
good of it.
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Chapter 10.
The Pillars of
Islam
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The Pillars
of Islam
I have discussed the belief and the Islamic principles
of becoming a Muslim, but there are also duties that
make up the framework of Muslim life. These are known
as the five pillars of Islam: the Testimony of Faith, Prayer,
Fasting, Alms giving and Pilgrimage.
Testimony
of Faith
As mentioned before, the
declaration that Allah (God) is
One and the only One true God
that deserves to be worshiped
and that Muhammad  is His
Messenger.
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Prayer
The prayer is performed five times a day. Each prayer does not
take more than few minutes to perform. Prayer in Islam is a direct
link between the worshiper and God with no intermediaries
between them. Muslims perform the prayer directing themselves
to the Ka’ba which is located in Makkah. During the prayer they
recite Verses from the Qur’an and glorify God.
Fasting
Once a year during the month
of Ramadan, Muslims fast for an
entire month from dawn until
sunset, abstaining from food,
drink and sexual relations. A
fasting person appreciates God’s
blessings and gains sympathy for
the poor and hungry individual,
as well as an inner strength and
submission to the One and only
True God.
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Zakat (alms-giving)
GivingZakatmeansgivingthevalue
of 2.5% of what he or she owns of cash
or properties to certain classes of needy
people.BygivingZakat,Muslimspurify
their money and give back to society.
Zakat is due once a year on whomever
is financially able to give and by giving
he should not be financially harming
himself or his family. One can of course
give extra for voluntary purposes,
but in general Zakat is required on all
Muslims who are financially stable.
Pilgrimage (Hajj )
Hajj is performing certain activities in the holy city of Makkah
for the sole purpose of worshiping God. It is an obligation on
every healthy and financially stable Muslim to perform Hajj once
in a lifetime. It purifies all sins and cleanses the soul of all wrong
doings throughout one’s lifetime. It is considered a rebirth to the
believing Muslim. The Muslims during Hajj are ordered to wear
simple clothing, eliminating distinction between classes and
culture so that all stand equal before God.
‫ﮂ‬ ‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬‫ﭻ‬‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬ ‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬
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O mankind! We have created you from a male and female,
and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one
another. Verily, the most honorable in the sight of Allah is the
most pious of you. Verily, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.1
What is
the Ka’ba?
The Ka’ba, which is the sacred house
located in the center of the sacred
Mosque of Makkah, is a place of worship
built by Prophet Abraham  and his son
Ishmael.
The Ka’ba is not only sacred for Muslims but also it unites and
organizes a common location and direction of the prayer for the
Muslims all over the world. Muslims do not worship the Ka’ba,
they worship God alone. The Ka’ba is merely a reference point
where Muslims direct themselves to while praying.
It should be noted that Allah does not gain or lose anything by
us worshiping Him, but rather it is the worshiper who gains in this
life and in the hereafter. As you come closer to God, God comes
closer to you and by putting love for Him and righteousness in
your heart He will strengthen your faith by placing peace in your
soul. Do you believe a person who strives and works hard in
this life is equal to one who does not? The same goes for Allah,
whosever strives hard in this life for Allah, Allah will reward him
in this life and in the hereafter.
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﰀ‬‫ﯿ‬‫ﯾ‬‫ﯽ‬‫ﯼ‬‫ﯻ‬‫ﯺ‬‫ﯹ‬‫ﯸ‬‫ﯷ‬‫ﯶ‬‫ﮋ‬
And whosoever strives, he strives only for himself. Verily, Allah
stands not in need of any of the worlds.2
1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Hujurat [49]: 13.
2 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Ankabut [29] : 6.
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Chapter 11.
Answers to
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Answers
to common
questions
Why do women
veil in Islam?
To veil means to cover one’s modesty. Men and women
in Islam cover their body by wearing loose clothing,
following the command of God Almighty who commanded
that women should cover their body from their neck to
their ankle including their hair, whenever in the presence
of strange men (husband or blood relative not included).
But when in the presence of other women they can show
everything except what is between the knees and the navel.
In the presence of their husbands, there are no limitations or
restrictions.
Men are also commanded to cover their body between the
knee and the navel, except in the presence of the wife. The
command of God for the woman to cover is not limited to Islam.
The same command from God was revealed to all three major
world religions. The evidence of that could be seen:
1) In the statues and drawings of Mary where you can notice
she is always covered and wearing a veil.
2) In the way the nuns dress and cover their hair.
3) In the way most religious (Orthodox) Jewish women cover
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their body and hair.
4) In the way some Christian
groups, such as the
Mennonites and Amish
women, also cover both
body and hair.
5) In most churches across the
world, it is recommended or
evenrequiredformostwomen
visitors and worshipers who
enter the church to cover their
body and head as a sign of
respect in God’s House.
The above illustrates that until
today and throughout history,
religious and modest women of
all three major world religions
have covered their body and
worn a head scarf as a symbol of
modesty, respect, devotion and
obedience to God.
This modesty and respect to
God’s command is practiced by
Christian Nuns
Orthodox Jew
Amish Girl
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Muslim women not only when inside a place like a Mosque, a
Church or a monastery but everywhere they go. Because God sees
everything, hears everything and nothing escapes his knowledge.
In Islam the family and society are extremely important and
the role of women is regarded very highly. She is considered the
care taker of the family and the back bone of a good society. It
is said “The mother is a school, if she is well prepared an entire
nation of good morals and behaviors will be prepared.” 1
God
Almighty knows best who He created and how He has placed
in men and women certain desires and weaknesses towards one
another. It is these weaknesses that God is protecting us from.
When a woman covers, she is protecting herself and the rest
of society by maintaining a modest and decent appearance while
she is out in public. Covering accentuates a woman’s honor
and self-worth by enabling those she encounters to value her
as a person of intelligence as opposed to merely formulating an
opinion based on her physical appearance. It is what separates
1 A famous saying.	
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and liberates a woman from being
seen as a mere sexual object,
thereby rendering her the respect
she not only deserves but is also
entitled to.
But unfortunately we see on a
daily basis, women being harassed
due to the way they are dressed
and their sexuality being exploited
by using their bodies and looks
for the soul purpose of attaining
personal needs. It is humiliating
and degrading when people hold
such low standard towards women
instead of respecting them for who
they are and what they are capable
of achieving.
God has created many different
kinds of people and each and
every one of them possess their own level of morals and behavior.
Therefore, God legislated the law of covering for the woman as a
general rule to protect her and the society from the weaknesses of
men and women. Modesty prescribed by the Islamic dress code
as a whole also helps in preventing what is usually regarded as
the first step in any illicit relationship - the look that attracts. God
has demanded that all individuals guard their eyes from staring
at the opposite sex who are neither their wives, husbands nor a
blood relatives. This command from God Almighty is also for
the protection of the society since the eyes are the initial drive to
human inner feelings. Suppression of that first look should not be
mistaken as something oppressive. It is important for Muslims
to be able to convey that the Hijab (covering) and overall general
modest attire are not meant to oppress a woman’s feminism,
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but rather to elevate and sanctify it. The teaching that a Muslim
woman’s beauty and sexual allure are not for public viewing
is mandated merely because it is believed that she should be
treasured and protected rather than displayed and exploited.
What can be seen in home should not be seen in the streets.
‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬ ‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬
Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at
forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal
sexual acts). That is purer for them. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of
what they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze
(from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private
parts (from illegal sexual acts).1
It takes dignity and self-confidence for a Muslim woman
to wear her Hijab in societies that mocks and misunderstand
its merits. It is strange to see societies that are democratic
and follow freedom of expression that restrict the Muslim
woman from wearing her Hijab while others are left free to
express and follow their belief. Women who wear revealing
clothes express their belief of freedom by wearing any revealing
clothes they desire. People that pierce or put tattoo on their body
1 The Qur’an, Surah Nur [24]: 30 -31.
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also express their belief in freedom when doing so.
While Scottish men express their freedom by wearing kilts,
believing that this will re-
enforce the continuation of their
traditional clothing.
Sikhs also express their belief
by wearing their turban and
Body tattoo
Scottish traditional clothing Sikh wearing turban
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leaving their hair to grow as part of their faith.
Jewish men also follow their faith by curling the hair of their
side-burns and by wearing skull caps.
As of the above examples, Muslim women wear the Hijab
expressing their right to freedom of expression, believing in their
faith, and trying to attain the good by following God’s command.
Jewish groups wearing their traditional clothing
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Why men can
marry more than
one wife in Islam?
This question is one of those questions most asked about
Islam. Even before one answers, it ought to be known that
Islam was not the inventor of polygamy. Polygamy was
known and practiced by many civilizations and religions
prior to Islam and is still being practiced in many parts
of the non-Muslim world. In some places, non-Muslim
men are permitted to marry to a host of women whose
number reaches tens and sometimes hundreds, without
any condition or restriction. In United States, for example,
Mormons practice Polygamy as do Jews in modern Israel.
The Jewish law permits us to have as many wives as we can get.
Nowadays, a Muslim has to limit himself to four wives in this
world, but we Jews have no such constrictions.1
When a wife cannot bear children or is mentally ill, the rabbis
give a husband the right to marry a second woman without
divorcing his first wife.2
1 Israel Shamir, Maidens and Warriors, 16 December 2001.
2 Peggy Fletcher Stack, Globally, Polygamy Is Commonplace, The Salt Lake
Tribune, 20 Sep. 1998.
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Also, in Africa, men still practice polygamy. Islam, on the
other hand, laid down definite restrictions and conditions for
polygamy. It limited the maximum number of wives to four.
‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬ ‫ﮗ‬
And if you fear that you will not deal justly withthe orphan girls,
then marry women of your choice, two or three or four; but if
you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with them,
then only one or those your right hands possess. That is more
suitable that you may not incline (to injustice).1
Those who had more than four wives at the time of embracing
Islam were required to divorce the additional wives. Islam
further reformed the institution of polygamy by mandating equal
treatment of all wives. A Muslim has to be fair in his treatment to
his wives. He is not permitted to differentiate between his wives
in regards to sustenance, expenditures, time and other obligations
of husbands.
As a way of life, Islam is in harmony with nature, providing
humans solutions to complex situations and avoiding extremes.
This characteristic of Islam can be observed most clearly in its
stand concerning the taking of more than one wife. Islam permits
a Muslim man to marry more than one woman in order to resolve
some very pressing human problems, individual as well as social.
Examples of such social problems could be seen when the number
of women in the world exceeds that of men.
Population Male Female
RUSSIA 41.6 % 53.9%
UK 48.6% 51.5%
USA 48.8% 51.2%
BRAZIL 49.7% 50.27%
[The New Encyclopedia Britannica, vol. 17, pp. 34, 270, 244]
The surplus of women is a result of men dying from wars, violent
1 The Qur’an, Surah An-Nisa [4] : 3.
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crimes, and from women outliving men. Bertrand Russell writes:
And in all countries where there is an excess of women, it
is an obvious injustice that those women who, by arithmetical
necessity, must remain unmarried should be wholly debarred
from sexual experience.
On February 14, 1650, the parliament at Nuremberg decreed
that because so many men were killed during the Thirty Years
War, every man was allowed to marry up to ten women.1
In some contries one out of every five women today has no
potential mate because there are simply not enough single men.
In the U.S., there are 34 million single women. A 25-year-old
single woman faces a serious undersupply of available men to
start with, and the situation gets worse the older a woman gets.
Divorced men are much more likely than divorced women to
remarry (and they tend to marry younger women), therefore
there are more than twice as many single women as there are
single men in their 40s.
Indeed, a woman who divorces at 35 today is likely to remain
single for the rest of her life. Caught in a demographic bind
while seeking greater autonomy, more and more single women
are opting for involvement with married men.2
Another example of social problems which women faces
on a daily basis are cases of abuse and mistreatment. They are
sometimes abandoned, divorced, widowed or ill in health with
no shelter to go to. In such cases, what should women do for
their needs and protection? Who will help them in providing and
raising their children? These situations of social unbalance are
repeated throughout societies and throughout the centuries.
When we agree that this is indeed a real issue, then we should
1 O. Jensen, A Genealogical Handbook of German Research, (Rev. Ed., 1980)
p. 59.
2 Laurel Richardson, “Another World; More and More Single Women Are
Opting for Affairs with Married Men, and the Trend Is Diminishing
Feminist Progress,” Psychology Today, vol. 20, February 1986.
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ask ourselves what the solution is? What should these lonely
abandoned women do in order to have a family of their own?
Would not polygamy offer a solution for this predicament?
Other reasons for men marrying more than one wife can be
based on personal issues. For example:
1.	 A women who cannot bare children or is unwilling to
bare children.
2.	 When the women is sick to the extent that she can no
longer have sexual relationship with her husband.
3.	 When the marriage is not successful and the couple does
not want to divorce for the sake of their children.
4.	 If a man has an excessive sexual libido and his partner
can not meet his needs, he can marry more than one
wife in order to prevent himself indulging in adultery.
5.	 If a man travels for months and does not return home
during that period of time and is unable to retain
his sexual need, he can therefore protect himself by
remarrying instead of falling into temptation of adultery.
For all the above personal cases the situation could be reversed,
if the man could not conceive children or is of ill health or has a
sexual dysfunction or has abusive manners, etc., his wife could
request to be divorced either from her husband or a court of law.
Regardless of whether the case is social or personal, the
second wife has the choice to accept or reject marrying a man that
is already married. Also, the first wife has the choice to stay or
divorce her husband if he marries in addition to her.
Islam strives to maintain the family structure by keeping the
pillars of the family - the father and mother - together. But, most
importantly, Islam prevents the causes of adultery which may
result in illegitimate children and where it is usually the single
mother that suffers. The women in an adulterous relationship
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is condemned by the society while her
child grows up disoriented with no
father figure to look up to.
Men who are unwilling to take
responsibility hold the position that
monogamyprotectstherightsofwomen,
and they are opposed to polygamy; but
are these men really concerned about
the rights of women? The truth of the
matter is that monogamy protects
men, allowing them to “play around”
without avoiding any responsibility
for their sexual conduct. Easy birth control and liberal abortion
has opened the door to illicit sex with women and the so-called
sexual revolution. But the woman is still the one who suffers the
trauma of abortion and the side effects of birth-control methods.
Taking aside the plagues of venereal disease, herpes and
AIDS, the male continues to enjoy himself free of worry. Men
are the ones protected by monogamy while women continue to
be victims of men’s desires. Polygamy forces men to face up to
responsibility and fidelity. It would require them to protect and
spend on their additional wives and their offsprings.
It is really strange for nations to consider polygamy illegal while
homosexuality is legal. It is inhuman to have a woman as a second
wife, according to these biased standards, but if the relation happens
to be a male “mistress,” then it is acceptable and is not considered
a crime. To leave a substantial number of women “on the shelf”
by denying their attachment to men as a second wife is deemed
acceptable. While homosexuality is promoted as an alternative
lifestyle in conformity with the requirements of the modern man.
Modern nations attitude is the logical outcome of rejecting
God’s revelation that brings harmony between human beings and
their innate nature. Polygamy is considered so abhorrent that it
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is reacted to with great hostility, while men in the modern world
are free to have any number of girlfriends or boyfriends or both
without restriction and without any legal or moral accountability,
either in respect to the woman or to the children she may bear as
a result of such irreligious and immoral plurality of extra-marital
relationships.
All mandates in the religion of Islam are from God, the All-
Wise. All things which are permitted are due to the fact that
their benefit to the self and society outweighs their harm. When
one analyzes the reasons behind polygamy, they will find that
indeed the rulings in the religion of Islam are truly those which
suits all times and places, as their source is God Almighty, the
All-Wise and All-Knowing. Marriage in Islam is a strong bond
and a binding contract, based on the intention of both partners
to live together in order to attain, as individuals, the benefit of
tranquility, affection, and mercy. As well as to attain the social
goal of the reproduction and perpetuation of the human species.
‫ﰌ‬‫ﰋ‬‫ﰊ‬‫ﰉ‬‫ﰈ‬‫ﰇ‬ ‫ﰆ‬‫ﰅ‬‫ﰄ‬‫ﰃ‬‫ﰂ‬‫ﰁ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮊ‬‫ﰖ‬‫ﰕ‬‫ﰔ‬‫ﰓ‬‫ﰒ‬‫ﰑ‬‫ﰐ‬‫ﰏ‬‫ﰎ‬‫ﰍ‬
And Allah has made for you (mates or wives) of your own kind,
and has made for you from your wives, sons and grandsons, and
has bestowed on you good provisions. Do they then believe in
false deities and deny the Favour of Allah.1
Polygamy is a matter of mutual consent. No one can force a
woman to marry a married man. Islam simply permits polygamy;
it neither forces nor requires it. Besides, a woman may stipulate
that her husband must not marry any other woman as a second
wife in her prenuptial contract.Accusing Islam of allowing men to
put down women, abuse or use them for their lust and pleasures
by marrying more than one is a misinterpretation of Islam’s stand
on polygamy.
1 The Qur’an, Surah An-Nahl [16] : 72.
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Why women
cannot marry
more than one
husband?
In Islam, as with most all other religions and legal systems,
women cannot marry more than one man, but can instead ask
for divorce and seek a better suitor for their own personal
needs.
This prohibition is mainly due to the physical differences
which God has created between men and women. However,
let us assume that a woman did get married to more than
one man, what would be the solution then to the following
issues?
If each man she married wanted a child, would they
not have to wait nine months in order to get her pregnant
since a woman cannot conceive more than once every nine
months?
Whatifshedidnotwanttoconceiveduetoillnessandbad
health?
What if she reaches the age where she is not able to
bear children anymore, while the man is able to conceive
children until the end of his life?
What should all these men do if they want children and
she cannot grant them anymore?
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Above all when she is able to bring children, whose
child would it be anyway?
How could any of the men she married be so sure that
the child is his and not from the other husband?
Samples of the child’s DNA would be taken in order to
know whom it belongs to. They would have to decipher
and fight between themselves to determine by whom and
when she became pregnant.
What about the menstruation period, does not that limit
all husbands from sexual intercourse?
We can conclude from the above that the physical
differences between men and women limit women from
marrying more than one man.
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Why the Prophet
Muhammad married
more than one wife?
First we need to understand that every prophet chosen
by God came with certain conditions for his time and his
people. Such conditions were only known by God and
granted by Him to his prophets, as was the case with Adam
 and his wife, Eve, whose sons and daughters married
each other while it was later forbidden by God for siblings to
marry. However, God at that time had granted His Prophet
Adam  the permission to allow such marriage in order to
reproduce and evolve into nations and civilizations. Similar
reasons and conditions have been granted by God to other
prophets, such as Prophet David  who married one
hundred wives and Prophet Solomon  who, according
to the Torah, had seven hundred wives and three hundred
concubines. According to the Bible:
Abraham had three wives (Genesis 16:1, 16:3, 25:1)
Moses had two wives (Exodus 2:21, 18:1-6; Numbers 12:1)
Jacob had four wives (Genesis 29:23, 29:28, 30:4, 30:9)
David had at least 18 wives (1 Samuel 18:27, 25:39-44; 2
Samuel 3:3, 3:4-5, 5:13, 12:7-8, 12:24, 16:21-23)
Solomon had 700 wives (1 Kings 11:3)
Therefore, the claim that Prophet Muhammad  married more
than one wife due to his lusts and desires is completely absurd.
Prophet Muhammed  married eleven wives in total, nine at any
one time.
His first wife was Khadija whom he married when he
was 25 years of age. Khadija was 15 years older than him
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(40 years old) and had been married twice before marrying
Prophet Muhammad . She bore him four out of five of his
children. Prophet Muhammad  stayed married to Khadija for 25
years until her death.
At the age of 50, the Prophet married his next wife, Sawda
who was the first widowed women in Islam. By marrying her, the
Prophet protected Sawda and granted her the respect and security
she deserved after the death of her husband. In addition Prophet
Muhammad  wanted to teach the Muslim society solidarity
and how they should unite and help each other as Sawda had no
children or relatives to help her in her day-to-day life.
Does that sound like a Prophet who marries out of lust when
his lust should be at its peak at the age of 25?
The Prophet Muhammad  had reasons for marrying more
than one wife. Here are some of these reasons that are known:
1.	 The first reason was for spreading the teachings of Islam to
both men and women. Since Islam is practiced in everything
Muslims do, the detailed information of women’s issues
regarding menstruation, sex and childbirth and the like, was
usually explained to women by the Prophet Muhammad
 wives, who were taught by Prophet Muhammad 
in order to spread the teachings of Islam to all. Therefore
his wives had a huge responsibility in educating and
explaining the importance of such detailed information to
all other women.
2.	 The second reasons was for his Sunnah (which is a record of
his sayings, actions, personal habits and moral behavior) to
spread and to be taught. This was extremely important since
it was the guide to perfect the Islamic character. Aisha, the
wife of the Prophet Muhammad  , said about her husband:
“His moral constitution is the Qur’an.”
3.	 The third reason was alliances with other nations, religions
and tribes. The Prophet’s marriages served a political and
religious purposes since they stopped some tribes from
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fighting the Muslims
and caused a great
amount of people to
enter into Islam.
4.	 The fourth reason is
for maintaining closer
relations with his
companions whom
he sought as family
relatives and not just as friends and followers.
5.	 The fifth reason is teaching the Islamic society to be unified
with each other by helping and providing for any women
whohadnoothershelterorwasindangerofbeingmistreated
and abused.
Some of the reasons mentioned above applies to the Prophet
Muhammad’s  marriage to Aisha. She was his best friend’s
daughter and was married to Prophet Muhammad  at a young
age (which was a normal act of marriage that was culturally and
morally acceptable at that century and centuries before it)
Biblical Jacob fell in love with Rachel when she was only
seven and brought forth from her a line of saints including Mary,
mother of Christ.1
Also, the Talmud stipulates the permitted age of marriage for
girls at three years and one day.2
Aisha lived for 46 years after the Prophet’s death, spreading
throughout those years the teaching of Islam and Prophet
Muhammad’s  Sunnah.
These are just some of the reasons we know of the Prophet
Muhammad  marrying more than one wife. And there are other
reasons that only Allah knows of.
1 Israel Shamir, Maidens and Warriors, 16 December 2001.
2 Ibid.
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What does Islam say about
terrorism?
The claim that Islam is a
religion of terror can only be said
by someone who has not taken
even a few minutes to study
about this religion.The word
“Islam” itself is synonymous
with peace and Muslims
follow a religion of peace and
forgiveness. Though Islam as a
religion has nothing to do with
the violent acts of oppression that have occurred in the world, it
has unjustly been attacked by those hasty to point a finger.
It is sad to see this religion judged by the opinions of others
based on the behavior of a few misguided individuals. There are
fundamentalists in every religion all around the world who also
take part in violent acts, but unfortunately only Islam is blamed.
For example if a bombing happens it is said “Islamic” suicide
bombers were to blame or they say “Islamic fundamentalist” were
behind it.
Why accuse Islam? Why not only say a terrorist did it? What
about the bombing in Oklahoma, who did that? Was not he a
Christian? Was he called a Christian terrorist or only a terrorist?
What should we say about the continuous murders and attacks
done by gunmen around the world? Should we call the people
who commit the act, Christian or atheist attackers, since they kill
innocent people in streets, offices, restaurants and schools? Like
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Anders Brreivik who massacred 67 innocent civilians in Norway.
Was he called a Christian terrorist or only a right-wing extremist?
What about Hitler? Was not he a Christian?
Therefore, making judgments on any religion based on such
people would be misleading since these individuals may be
violating their own religion. A religion should be judged by its
teaching as well as the conduct of these teachings amongst its
true followers.
Islam teaches us to be kind and merciful to every living
creature, human or animal. If a Muslim were to commit an act
of terrorism, this person would be guilty of violating the laws of
Islam. Even in times of war Muslims are forbidden from killing or
harming women, children and the elderly. They are also forbidden
from torturing anyone or any creation.
The Prophet Muhammad  stated:
Whoever has killed a person having a treaty with the Muslims
shall not smell the fragrance of paradise, though its fragrance is
found for a span of forty years.
And the Prophet also said:
A man walking along a path felt very thirsty. Reaching a
well, he descended into it, drank his fill, and came up. Then
he saw a dog with its tongue hanging out, trying to lick up
mud to quench its thirst. The man said to himself: “This dog
is feeling the same thirst that I felt.” So he went down into the
well again, filled his shoe with water, and gave the dog a drink.
So, God forgave his sins.
The Prophet  was asked: “Messenger of God, are we rewarded
for kindness towards animals?” He replied: There is a reward for
kindness to every living animal or human.
The above sayings are a few examples of how Islam’s teachings
should really be practiced and how good the Muslim should
conduct him or herself towards all of God creations. It is therefore
illogical for anyone to accuse this caring religion of the horrible
acts of terror.
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Conclusion
Many non believers who realized the illogicality of worshiping
statues, animals or inanimate objects that neither helped nor
benefited them, sought the truth and followed the revealed true
message of the Holy books; worshiping God Alone.
Some followers of the Torah sought the truth and followed
the Gospel, following its new laws and guidance. Similarly did
some believers of the Torah and Gospel who sought the truth and
followed the last divine revelation of God (the Qur’an).
If an individual seeks the truth, as the countless number of
humanity have done before, then that person ought to continue
searching and reading with a pure and open heart and leave
behind any pre-existing notions they may have towards any
religion. Then they should ask themselves which one is real and
true to their heart and soul.
Look for the source that brings comfort to your heart and
gives you peace and tranquility through its divine proof, signs
and answers to the questions and issues that you may doubt
regarding your purpose in this life.
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Answers to common questions
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‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬ ‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬ ‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬
Say (O Mohammed) : Shall we tell you the greatest losers in
respect of their deeds? Those, whose efforts have been wasted
in this life while they thought that they were acquiring good
by their deeds. They are those who deny the signs of their Lord
and the Meeting with Him (in the hereafter). So their works
are in vain, and on the Day of Resurrection, We shall assign no
weight for them.1
Try to save your efforts by choosing the right path and
knowing your God. Do not let your work go in vain. Our life is
God’s testing ground; we either pass or fail it.
‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬ ‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬ ‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬ ‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬ ‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬‫ﭑ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭦ‬ ‫ﭥ‬ ‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬
Blessed is He in Whose Hand is the dominion; and He is Able to
do all things. Who has created death and life that He may test
you which of you is best in deed. And He is the All-Mighty, the
Oft-Forgiving.2
Our test for salvation starts by choosing the right subject that
would ensure we pass this test. It is exactly like a school or a
university; if we enter the exam studying the wrong subject or
not studying at all, surely we will fail, that is because there is no
clear guidance that will help us pass the test and our efforts will
eventually be in vain.
After choosing the right path, we need to follow it by worshiping
God according to His commandments the way He wants us to
worship Him.
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﮋ‬
And I (Allah) created not the Jinn and mankind except that they
should worship Me (Alone).3
1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-kahf [18] : 103-105.
2 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Mulk [67] : 1-2.
3 The Qur’an, Surah Adh-Dhariyat [51] : 56.
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Therefore, ask God sincerely to guide you, open your heart, let
go of your soul, let your mind, heart and soul choose the correct
path that will eventually lead you to acquire good deeds and
meet your Lord.
‫ﰕ‬‫ﰔ‬‫ﰓ‬‫ﰒ‬ ‫ﰑ‬‫ﰐ‬‫ﰏ‬‫ﰎ‬ ‫ﰍ‬‫ﰌ‬‫ﰋ‬‫ﰊ‬‫ﰉ‬‫ﰈ‬ ‫ﰇ‬‫ﰆ‬ ‫ﰅ‬‫ﰄ‬‫ﮋ‬
‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﰜ‬‫ﰛ‬ ‫ﰚ‬‫ﰙ‬‫ﰘ‬‫ﰗ‬‫ﰖ‬
Say (O Muhammad): “I am only a man like you. It has been
revealed to me that your God is One God (i.e. Allah). So whoever
hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness
and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord. 1
1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Kahf [18] : 110.
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Answers to common questions
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The light within islam

  • 2.
    The light withinislam may 2014.indd 1 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 3.
    By: Basel MuhammadArif Al-Mahayni The light within islam may 2014.indd 3 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 4.
    The light withinislam may 2014.indd 4 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 5.
    Introduction ...............................................................................7 Chapter 1.What is Islam?..........................................................8 What is Islam? ..................................................................9 Chapter 2. Who is Allah? ........................................................10 Who is Allah? ....................................................................11 Is there a God? ...................................................................12 The Oneness of God...........................................................20 Does He need partners?..................................................... 20 Does God need a wife or a son? ....................................... 24 Chapter 3. What is the Qur’an? ..............................................26 What is the Qur’an?........................................................... 27 Authenticity of the Qur’an ............................................... 29 Why accept the Qur’an?.................................................... 35 Chapter 4. Who is Muhammad? .............................................38 Who is Muhammad? ......................................................... 39 1) The Qur’an, the eternal miracle of Islam...................... 40 2) The Splitting of the Moon ............................................ 41 3) Water flowing between Prophet Muhammad  fingers .42 How others perceive Prophet Muhammad ?................... 42 Chapter 5. Islam & Christianity...............................................44 Islam and the belief of God the father .............................. 45 Islam & Jesus .................................................................... 47 Is Jesus God? .................................................................... 48 The light within islam may 2014.indd 5 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 6.
    Is Jesus theson of God?.................................................... 54 Islam and the Holy Spirit .................................................. 55 What does Islam says about Trinity? ................................ 57 Islam and Jesus alleged crucifixion................................... 60 Chapter 6. Islam & Mary ........................................................64 Islam and Mary ................................................................. 65 Chapter 7. Islam & the Bible ..................................................68 Islam and the Bible............................................................ 69 Chapter 8. Becoming a Muslim & your own salvation ..........72 Becoming a Muslim and your own salvation.................... 73 Chapter 9. How to embrace Islam?..........................................80 How to embrace Islam?..................................................... 81 Chapter 10. The Pillars of Islam .............................................82 The Pillars of Islam ........................................................... 83 Testimony of Faith ............................................................ 83 Prayer ................................................................................ 84 Fasting .............................................................................. 84 Zakat (alms-giving) .......................................................... 85 Pilgrimage (Hajj ).............................................................. 85 What is the Ka’ba?............................................................ 86 Chapter 11. Answers to common questions ............................88 Why do women veil in Islam? .......................................... 89 Why men can marry more than one wife in Islam? .......... 96 Why women cannot marry more than one husband? ..... 102 Why the Prophet ................................................................... Muhammad  married more than one wife? .................. 104 What does Islam say about terrorism? ............................ 107 Conclusion ...................................................................... 109 The light within islam may 2014.indd 6 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 7.
    Introduction In the Nameof God, all praises be to Him, the Most Gracious and the Most Merciful; our Creator and the Creator of the universe. This book has been written in a humble attempt to help settle some of the common doubts and misconceptions people have about the great religion of Islam. A religion that has captured the hearts of hundreds of millions of people around the world and answered their questions about the unseen. It is hoped that, with the simple explanation of the topics in this book, I can reach the inner conscience of all brothers and sisters in humanity and show them the truth about the final religion that has been revealed to mankind. I pray that God blesses this endeavor and forgives me for any shortcomings. For any comments please do not hesitate to contact me at: [email protected] Chapter 1 7 Introduction Introduction The light within islam may 2014.indd 7 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 8.
    Chapter 1. What isIslam? The Light within Islam 8 The light within islam may 2014.indd 8 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 9.
    What is Islam? Islam means‘‘surrender and submission of one’s will to the will of Almighty God” in sincere obedience and peace. It is the last religion and the final message sent by God to all of mankind in order to guide them to the right path: to worship and resort to Him Alone, without ascribing to Him any partners or taking any intercessors to communicate with Him. God conveyed His religion of Islam by sending down His revealed scripture, the Qur’an, to His beloved and last chosen Prophet, Muhammad ,1 through the angel Gabriel. Muhammad  taught and exemplified Islam to his followers through the teaching of the Qur’an and through his actions, sayings and noble moral conduct. The great English playwright, Sir George Bernard Shaw, wrote: I have always held the religion of Muhammad in high estimation because of its wonderful vitality. It is the only religion which appears to me to possess that assimilating capacity to the changing phase of existence which can make it self appeal to every age.2 15 May God send peace and blessing upon him 25 George Bernard Shaw, The Genuine Islam, vol. 1, p. 8, 1936. Chapter 1 9 What is Islam? The light within islam may 2014.indd 9 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 10.
    Chapter 2. Who isAllah? The light within islam may 2014.indd 10 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 11.
    Who is Allah? Allah issimply the Arabic word for ‘God’. It is a name by which Muslims and even Arab Christians call Him. “Allah” is one of the names that God has mentioned for Himself throughout His revelation. These names are descriptive definitions of His Divine Essence and Holy Attributes. For example, the Most Gracious (Ar-Rahman) and the Most Merciful (Ar-Rahim), refer to His infinite kindness and mercy. Allah said in His Book: ‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬ ‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﯦ‬ ‫ﯥ‬ ‫ﯤ‬ ‫ﯣ‬ ‫ﯢ‬ ‫ﯡ‬ ‫ﯠ‬ ‫ﯟ‬ ‫ﯞ‬ ‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬ ‫ﯛ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯶ‬ ‫ﯵ‬ ‫ﯴ‬‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬‫ﯰ‬‫ﯯ‬‫ﯮ‬‫ﯭ‬‫ﯬ‬‫ﯫ‬‫ﯪ‬‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬‫ﯧ‬ He is Allah, besides Whom none has the right to be worshipped but He. (He is) the King, the Holy, the One Free from all defects, the Giver of security, the Watcher over His creatures, the All- Mighty, the Compeller, the Supreme. Glory be to Allah! (High is He) above all that they associate (with Him). He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor of all things, the Bestower of forms.To Him belong the Best Names. All that is in the heavens and the earth glorify Him. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.1 1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Hashr [59]:23-24. The name of Allah written in Arabic Chapter 2 11 Who is Allah? The light within islam may 2014.indd 11 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 12.
    Is there a God? Throughouthistory man has searched for someone or something with mystical and superior power to follow, resort to and worship. Men have worshiped planets, human beings, objects and animals. But with the guidance of God and rational thought, many have reached the conclusion of the existence of a Creator, a God. The story of Prophet Abraham 1 finding God is a perfect example of such a journey of discovery. Abraham  contemplated the possibility of a Creator and requested guidance from Him: ‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬ ‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬‫ﭻ‬‫ﭺ‬ ‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬ ‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬ ‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬ ‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬ ‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬ ‫ﮤ‬‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬ ‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬ Thus did we show Abraham the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth, that he be one of those who have faith with certainty. When the night covered him over with darkness, he saw a star. He said: “This is my lord.” But when it set, he said: “I like not those that set.” When he saw the moon rising up, he said:“This is my lord.”But when it set, he said: “Unless my lord guides me, I shall surely be among the people who went astray.” When he saw the sun rising up, he said: “This is my lord. This is greater.” But when it set, he said: “O my people! I am indeed free from all that you join as partners in worship with Allah. Verily, I have 15 Peace be upon him The Light within Islam 12 The light within islam may 2014.indd 12 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 13.
    turned my facetowards Him Who has created the heavens and the earth in pure monotheism, and I am not of the polytheists.”1 Like Prophet Abraham , we too need to start looking at, and reflecting upon, the creation around us in order that we too may affirm in our hearts a belief in God. We may start by looking at ourselves and observe the delicate and precise mechanism of our own bodily creation from the day we are born to the day we die. We should think about the intricate functions of the body, which to date, we are still unable to completely replicate. The human body is itself a miracle which functions on its own in perfect synchronicity. It is a factory running and working solely to sustain life which God alone controls. Take the heart for example; it can beat for up to 100 years or more without taking a break. In which a man made pump is 1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-An‘am [6]:75-79. Human heart that beats a lifetime Artificial heart is good for only five years, it’s supplied with battery pack that needs to be recharged daily 9-10 cm kidney that constantly purifies the entire body’s fluids Chapter 2 13 Who is Allah? The light within islam may 2014.indd 13 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 14.
    unable to replicatetill date. What about the kidney, a small delicate organ which purifies and filters the blood on a continuous basis? When it fails, a kidney dialysis unit, which is the size of a small cabinet, is needed to temporarily replace the function of the kidney. One cannot help but be amazed at the intricacy of our creation. These few examples of our body’s creation inevitably lead us to acknowledge the existence of a great Creator. ‫ﭶ‬ ‫ﭵ‬ ‫ﭴ‬ ‫ﭳ‬ ‫ﭲ‬ ‫ﭱ‬ ‫ﭰ‬ ‫ﭯ‬ ‫ﭮ‬ ‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬ ‫ﭫ‬ ‫ﭪ‬ ‫ﭩ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬ ‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬ ‫ﭻ‬‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬ Do they not think deeply about themselves (how Allah created them from nothing, and similarly He will resurrect them)? Allah has created not the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, except with truth and for an appointed term. And indeed many of mankind deny the meeting with their Lord (on the day of Resurrection).1 There are many more examples we can use to further 1 The Qur’an, Surah Ar-Rum [30]:8. Kidney dialysis machine that purifies body fluids three times a week. The Universe The Light within Islam 14 The light within islam may 2014.indd 14 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 15.
    ponder on thecreation of Allah. The universe, for example, with its size and its perfect alignments of the planets builds strong credible evidence towards the existence of a divine Creator. How can we not help but contemplate how the planets revolve around stars with calculated movements that will never allow them to fall or collide with one another?! The sun, on the other hand, is an extraordinary creation essential for life on earth many millions of miles away. Without its steady temperature and precise The planets in perfect alignment The raging Sun Chapter 2 15 Who is Allah? The light within islam may 2014.indd 15 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 16.
    distance from earth,we could not exist. ‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬ ‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬ ‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮘ‬ ‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬ ‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮤ‬‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬ ‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬ ‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬ ‫ﮱ‬ ‫ﮰ‬ ‫ﮯ‬ ‫ﮮ‬ ‫ﮭ‬ ‫ﮬ‬ ‫ﮫ‬ ‫ﮪ‬ ‫ﮩ‬ ‫ﮨ‬ ‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬ ‫ﮥ‬ ‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬ ‫ﯬ‬‫ﯫ‬‫ﯪ‬‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬‫ﯧ‬‫ﯦ‬‫ﯥ‬‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬ ‫ﯢ‬‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬ ‫ﭕ‬ ‫ﭔ‬ ‫ﭓ‬ ‫ﭒ‬ ‫ﭑ‬ ‫ﯵ‬ ‫ﯴ‬ ‫ﯳ‬ ‫ﯲ‬ ‫ﯱ‬ ‫ﯰ‬ ‫ﯯ‬ ‫ﯮ‬‫ﯭ‬ ‫ﭥ‬ ‫ﭤ‬ ‫ﭣ‬ ‫ﭢ‬ ‫ﭡ‬ ‫ﭠ‬ ‫ﭟ‬ ‫ﭞ‬ ‫ﭝ‬ ‫ﭜ‬ ‫ﭛ‬ ‫ﭚ‬ ‫ﭙ‬ ‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬ ‫ﭖ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬ And among His signs is this, that He created you from dust, and then behold you are human beings scattered (across the earth)! And among His Signs is this, that He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has put between you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect. And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colors. Verily, in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge. And among His The Light within Islam 16 The light within islam may 2014.indd 16 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 17.
    Signs is yoursleep by night and by day, and your seeking of His bounty. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who listen. And among His Signs is that he shows you the lightning, for fear and for hope, and He sends down water (rain) from the sky. And therewith revives the earth after its death. Verily, in that are indeedsignsforapeoplewhounderstand.AndamongHisSigns is that the heaven and the earth stand by His Command. Then afterwards when He will call you by a single call, behold, you will come out from the earth (from your graves for reckoning and recompense). To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. All are obedient to Him.1 And Allah also revealed about Himself: ‫ﯓ‬ ‫ﮱ‬ ‫ﮰ‬ ‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬ ‫ﮭ‬ ‫ﮬ‬ ‫ﮫ‬ ‫ﮪ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﯟ‬ ‫ﯞ‬ ‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬ ‫ﯛ‬ ‫ﯚ‬ ‫ﯙ‬ ‫ﯘ‬ ‫ﯗ‬ ‫ﯖ‬ ‫ﯕ‬ ‫ﯔ‬ ‫ﯨ‬ ‫ﯧ‬ ‫ﯦ‬ ‫ﯥ‬ ‫ﯤ‬ ‫ﯣ‬ ‫ﯢ‬ ‫ﯡ‬ ‫ﯠ‬ ‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬‫ﯰ‬‫ﯯ‬‫ﯮ‬‫ﯭ‬‫ﯬ‬‫ﯫ‬‫ﯪ‬‫ﯩ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯷ‬‫ﯶ‬‫ﯵ‬‫ﯴ‬ He has created the heavens without any pillars that you see, and has set on the earth firm mountains lest it should shake with you. And He has scattered therein moving (living) creatures of all kinds. And We 2 send down water (rain) from the sky, and We cause (plants) of every goodly kind to grow therein. This is the creation of Allah. So show Me that which those (whom you worship) besides Him have created. Nay, the wrong- doers are in plain 1 The Qur’an, Surah Ar-Rum [30]:20-26. 2 In some verses of the Qur’an, God refers to Himself in respective or royal plural,“We”. Also known as “the Royal We”, “the Royal Pronoun” or “the Victorian We” because it is most commonly used to refer to a single person holding a high office such as a monarch, a religious dignitary and such like; where it is supposed to denote the excellence, power and dignity of that person. Pillars Chapter 2 17 Who is Allah? The light within islam may 2014.indd 17 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 18.
    error. 1 And He,the Most High, also said: ‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬ ‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬‫ﭑ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬ ‫ﭭ‬ ‫ﭬ‬ ‫ﭫ‬ ‫ﭪ‬ ‫ﭩ‬ ‫ﭨ‬ ‫ﭧ‬ ‫ﭦ‬ ‫ﭥ‬ ‫ﭤ‬ ‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬ ‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬‫ﭻ‬ ‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬ ‫ﭱ‬‫ﭰ‬ ‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬ ‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬ ‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬ ‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬‫ﮣ‬ ‫ﮢ‬‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬ ‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬ ‫ﯕ‬ ‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬ ‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬‫ﯢ‬ ‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬ ‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬ Verily, it is Allah Who causes the seed grain and the fruit stone (like date stone) to split and sprout. He brings forth the living from the dead, and it is He Who brings forth the dead from the living. Such is Allah, then how are you deluded away from the truth? (He is the) Cleaver of the daybreak. He has appointed the night for resting, and the sun and the moon for reckoning. Such is the measuring of the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing. It is He Who has set the stars for you so that you may guide your course with their help through the darkness of the land and the sea. We have (indeed) explained in detail Our Signs for people who know. It is He Who has created you from a single 1 The Qur’an, Surah Luqman [31]:10-11. The Light within Islam 18 The light within islam may 2014.indd 18 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 19.
    person (Adam), andhas given you a place of residing (on the earth or in your mother’s wombs) and a place of storage (in the earth). Indeed,We have explained in detail Our revelations (this Qur’an) for people who understand. It is He Who sends down water (rain) from the sky, and with it We bring forth vegetation of all kinds, and out of itWe bring forth green stalks, from which We bring forth thick clustered grain. And out of the date palm and its spate come forth clusters of dates hanging low and near, and gardens of grapes, olives and pomegranates, each similar (in kind) yet different (in variety and taste). Look at their fruits when they begin to bear, and the ripeness thereof. Verily, in these things there are signs for people who believe.1 In conclusion, since we know that none of the numerous things in our life were created without a creator or made without a maker or engineered without an engineer, such as the physical objects around us, cars, tables, microwaves, etc. Thus naturally we would assume that only someone or something with great knowledge and power could be responsible for the universe’s creation. 1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-An‘am [6]:95-99. Date tree Chapter 2 19 Who is Allah? The light within islam may 2014.indd 19 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 20.
    The Oneness of DoesHe need partners? Throughout history, as people came to believe in God’s existence, they wondered how to reach out to Him and how to worship Him. Some worshiped Him directly and some used a mediator, while others combined partners with Him. They were lost and needed guidance. Almighty God provided guidance for worshiping Him alone by sending His prophets with revealed scriptures. It is up to the human race to follow the right path and reach the conclusion of the existence of the One and only God. ‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬ ‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬ ‫ﭑ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬ ‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬ ‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All the praises and thanks are to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. The only Owner of the Day of Recompense. You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and every thing). Guide us to the StraightWay. The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger, nor of those who went astray.1 If we look at our day-to-day activities, we will find that, in order to run any entity successfully, such as a country, institute, or a company, one leader is needed. How is it that we can reach this 1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Fatiha [1]:1-7. The Light within Islam 20 The light within islam may 2014.indd 20 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 21.
    conclusion in ourearthly life, but fail to reach it in our spiritual belief? It would be impossible to run a country or a company with two presidents or two kings; nothing would get accomplished, one person needs to take a stand and make final decisions in order to avoid chaos. Otherwise, decisions would always be challenged by the other, causing a split in management and authority. A famous saying “too many cooks spoil the broth”. With this being the general rule, then how could it be assumed that the Omnipotent and Almighty God would take partners in the running of the universe?! ‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬ ‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬ ‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬ ‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬ ‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬ No son (or offspring) did Allah beget, nor is there any deity besides Him. (If there had been many gods), then each god would have taken away what he had created, and some would have tried to overcome others! Glorified is Allah above all that they attribute to Him!. All-Knower of the unseen and the seen! Exalted is He over all that they associate as partners to Him!1 ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﮋ‬ The Originator of the heavens and the earth. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it:“Be! ”and it is.2 Suppose one does believe that God has taken another deity alongside Himself. Would not the universe as we know it be chaotic and devoid of the precision and perfection of human life that we are privileged to enjoy everyday? ‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬ ‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬‫ﮣ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﯭ‬‫ﯬ‬‫ﯫ‬‫ﯪ‬‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬‫ﯧ‬‫ﯦ‬‫ﯥ‬‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬‫ﯢ‬‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﯽ‬‫ﯼ‬‫ﯻ‬‫ﯺ‬‫ﯹ‬ ‫ﯸ‬ ‫ﯷ‬‫ﯶ‬‫ﯵ‬‫ﯴ‬ ‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬‫ﯰ‬ ‫ﯯ‬ ‫ﯮ‬ Allah! None has the right to be worshipped but He! (He is) the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists. Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs 1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Muminun [23]:91-92. 2 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Baqara [2]:117. Chapter 2 21 Who is Allah? The light within islam may 2014.indd 21 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 22.
    whatever is inthe heavens and whatever is on the earth.Who is it that can intercede with Him except with His Permission? He knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world, and what will happen to them in the Hereafter. And they will never encompass anything of His Knowledge except that which He wills. His throne extends over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.1 Allah is the Lord, the Creator, the Sovereign and the Manager of all affairs. He has no limits. He is the true God. He is one and unique. He has no associates in His Divinity. ‫ﮂ‬ ‫ﮁ‬ ‫ﮀ‬ ‫ﭿ‬ ‫ﭾ‬ ‫ﭽ‬ ‫ﭼ‬ ‫ﭻ‬‫ﭺ‬ ‫ﭹ‬ ‫ﭸ‬ ‫ﭷ‬ ‫ﭶ‬ ‫ﭵ‬ ‫ﭴ‬ ‫ﭳ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮐ‬‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬ ‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬ ‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬‫ﮟ‬ ‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬ ‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬ ‫ﮑ‬ ‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬ ‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬ ‫ﯢ‬‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬ ‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬ ‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬ ‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬‫ﯰ‬‫ﯯ‬‫ﯮ‬‫ﯭ‬‫ﯬ‬‫ﯫ‬‫ﯪ‬‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬‫ﯧ‬‫ﯦ‬‫ﯥ‬‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬ ‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬‫ﭑ‬‫ﰁ‬‫ﰀ‬‫ﯿ‬‫ﯾ‬‫ﯽ‬‫ﯼ‬‫ﯻ‬‫ﯺ‬‫ﯹ‬‫ﯸ‬‫ﯷ‬ ‫ﯶ‬‫ﯵ‬ ‫ﯴ‬‫ﯳ‬ ‫ﭥ‬ ‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬ ‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬ ‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬ ‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬ ‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬ Say (O Muhammad) ,“Praise and thanks are to Allah, and peace be on His slaves whom He has chosen (for His Message)! Is Allah better or all that you ascribe as partners (to Him)?” (Of course Allah is better). Is not He (better than your gods) Who created the heavens and the earth, and sends down for you water (rain) from the sky, wherebyWe cause to grow wonderful 1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Baqara [2]:255. Rivers and waterfalls The Light within Islam 22 The light within islam may 2014.indd 22 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 23.
    gardens full ofbeauty and delight? It is not in your ability to cause the growth of their trees. Is there any deity besides Allah? Nay, but they are a people who ascribe equals (to Him). Is not He (better than your gods) Who has made the earth as a fixed abode, and has placed rivers in its midst, and has placed firm mountains therein, and has set a barrier between the two seas (of salt and sweet water)? Is there any deity besides Allah? Nay, but most of them know not! Is not He (better than your gods) Who responds to the distressed one, when he calls on Him, and Who removes the evil, and makes you inheritors of the earth, generations after generations? Is there any deity besides Allah? Little is that you remember! Is not He (better than your gods) Who guides you in the darkness of the land and the sea, and Who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, going before His Mercy (rain)? Is there any deity besides Allah? High Exalted is Allah above all that they associate as partners (to Him)! Is not He (better than your gods) Who originates creation, and shall thereafter repeat it, andWho provides for you from heaven and earth? Is there any deity besides Allah? Say: “Bring forth your proofs, if you are truthful.” Say: “None in the heavens and the earth knows the unseen except Allah, nor can they perceive when they shall be resurrected.”1 ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭝ‬ ‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬‫ﭑ‬‫ﮋ‬ Lord of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, so worship Him (Alone) and be constant and patient in His worship. Do you know of any who is similar to Him? [By no means!]2 ‫ﯺ‬ ‫ﯹ‬ ‫ﯸ‬ ‫ﯷ‬ ‫ﯶ‬‫ﯵ‬ ‫ﯴ‬ ‫ﯳ‬ ‫ﯲ‬ ‫ﯱ‬ ‫ﯰ‬ ‫ﯯ‬ ‫ﯮ‬ ‫ﯭ‬ ‫ﯬ‬ ‫ﯫ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﰈ‬‫ﰇ‬‫ﰆ‬ ‫ﰅ‬‫ﰄ‬‫ﰃ‬‫ﰂ‬‫ﰁ‬‫ﰀ‬‫ﯿ‬‫ﯾ‬‫ﯽ‬‫ﯼ‬‫ﯻ‬ Verily, Allah, with Him (Alone) is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain and knows that which is in the wombs. No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die. Verily, Allah is All-Knower, All Aware of things.3 1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Naml [27]:59-65. 2 The Qur’an, Surah Maryam [19]:65. 3 The Qur’an, Surah Luqman [31]:34. Chapter 2 23 Who is Allah? The light within islam may 2014.indd 23 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 24.
    Does God need awife or a son? It was previously explained that God Almighty is one and unique. He has no associate in His Divinity; He does not need to sleep, breathe or eat like the rest of us, and does not need anyone or anything to share or rule His kingdom alongside Him. He has created everything. In short, God is perfect. Therefore, why would He need a spouse or a son? Having a spouse or son is an earthly need intended by God for humans because of our basic composition. We need a spouse or a son in order to have a family and to live with whom we love, and to help, support and protect one another. As a general rule, human need equals weakness, therefore, the greater the need the bigger the weakness. For example, we need to eat, breathe and sleep or we will die; it is not plausible to apply such characteristics to God? He is the one who created all these needs, so why would He need them? Even if we assume that God would have a wife or a son, then we have to take everything that comes with this thinking or belief. Not only love, but also the possibility of sadness, depression, hatred, divorce, and even a revolt against His kingdom from His wife or son. Such influence would only reinforce the idea that chaos would occur when running the universe. AllahistheOne,theSoleProvider,theCreatorandtheSustainer of the universe. His Essence does not resemble any other known or unknown essence. He is not contained in His creations, nor His The Light within Islam 24 The light within islam may 2014.indd 24 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 25.
    creations are containedin Him. ‫ﭚ‬ ‫ﭙ‬ ‫ﭘ‬ ‫ﭗ‬ ‫ﭖ‬ ‫ﭕ‬ ‫ﭔ‬ ‫ﭓ‬ ‫ﭒ‬ ‫ﭑ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬ Say:“He is Allah, (the) One, the Self Sufficient Master,Whom all creatures need, (He neither eats nor drinks). He begets not, nor was He begotten. And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him”.1 ‫ﯗ‬ ‫ﯖ‬ ‫ﯕ‬ ‫ﯔ‬ ‫ﯓ‬ ‫ﮱ‬ ‫ﮰ‬ ‫ﮯ‬ ‫ﮮ‬ ‫ﮭ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﯞ‬ ‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬ ‫ﯛ‬ ‫ﯚ‬ ‫ﯙ‬ ‫ﯘ‬ ‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬‫ﯧ‬ ‫ﯦ‬‫ﯥ‬‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬‫ﯢ‬ ‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬ ‫ﯵ‬ ‫ﯴ‬ ‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬ ‫ﯱ‬ ‫ﯰ‬‫ﯯ‬ ‫ﯮ‬ ‫ﯭ‬ ‫ﯬ‬‫ﯫ‬ ‫ﯪ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﯶ‬ He is Allah, beside Whom none has the right to be worshipped but He. (He is), the King, the Holy, the One Free from all defects, the Giver of security, the Watcher over His creatures, the All -Mighty, the Compeller, the Supreme. Glory is to Allah! (High is He) above all that they associate as partners with Him. He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor of all things, the Bestower of forms.To Him belong the Best Names, All that is in the heavens and the earth glorify Him. And He is the All- Mighty, the All -Wise.2 1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Ikhlas [112]:1-4. 2 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Hashr [59]:23-24. Chapter 2 25 Who is Allah? The light within islam may 2014.indd 25 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 26.
    Chapter 3. What isthe Qur’an? The light within islam may 2014.indd 26 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 27.
    What is the Qur’an? TheHoly Qur’an is a Sacred Book. It is the speech of God that was sent down to all mankind for the sole purpose of guiding them to the straight path of acknowledging God’s Oneness and dedicating their acts of worship exclusively to Him. ‫ﭧ‬ ‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬ Verily, this Qur’an guides to that which is most just and right and gives glad tidings to the believers who work deeds of righteousness, that they shall have a great reward (in Paradise).1 God revealed the Qur’an to Prophet Muhammad , through the Angle Gabriel, in stages as circumstances warranted over a period of twenty three years. Throughout its 114 Chapters (Surahs) are discussed issues of belief, the proof of 1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Isra [17]:9. Chapter 3 27 What is the Quran? The light within islam may 2014.indd 27 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 28.
    God’s existence andthe Day of Judgment and Resurrection. The Qur’an also contains many scientific facts, stories of the prophets and information on issues of law, society and governance. All the prophets, including the Prophet Muhammad , have preached the same message that came in all of the sacred books concerning the Oneness of God. ‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬ ‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬ ‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬ ‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬ ‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬ It is He Who has sent down the Book (the Qur’an) to you (O Muhammad) with truth, confirming what came before it. And He sent down theTorah and the Gospel aforetime as a guidance to mankind. And He sent down (this Qur’an as) the Criterion (of judgment between right and wrong). Truly, those who disbelieve in the revealed Verses of Allah, for them there is a severe torment; and Allah is All-Mighty, All-Able of Retribution.1 1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Imran [3]:3-4. The Light within Islam 28 The light within islam may 2014.indd 28 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 29.
    Authenticity of the Qur’an Whatmakes the Qur’an unique, authentic and purely divine? 1.The Qur’an has been preserved in its original Arabic script since its initial revelation through the Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad , [and thereby preserving the original message of monotheism as revealed throughout the previously lost or distorted scriptures]. The Qur’an was instantly memorized by Prophet Muhammad  and then memorizedandwrittendownbyhiscompanions. Furthermore, the Prophet reviewed all the Chapters of the Qur’an yearly with the Angel Gabriel. In the final year of his life, he reviewed them twice. Not a single word has been altered or changed, added or deleted since the compilation of its revelation. The Qur’an has been translated into many languages for the benefit of those who do not speak Arabic. In almost all of these translations can be found the original unchanged Arabic text alongside its Chapter 3 29 What is the Quran? Qur’an: The original Arabic text and a translation beside it The light within islam may 2014.indd 29 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 30.
    translation. Themiracleofthe preservtion of theQur’an is evident since the time of its revelation over 1400 years ago until today amongst the huge number of Arabic speaking and non-Arabic- speaking Muslims who have memorized the book word-for- word in its entirety. Even young children from the age of four have memorized the entire Qur’an in perfect detail. ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬ ‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮋ‬ Indeed, it is We Who have sent down the message (the Qur’an) and indeed, We will guard it (from corruption).1 2.God challenged anyone, since the revelation of the Qur’an, to produce a single Chapter (Surah) that would have all its perfect attributes. Even the disbelieving Arabs who were well known at that time for their superior oratory and poetry were unable to meet the challenge. Consequently, they accused the words of the Qur’an to be of magical origin. ‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬ ‫ﭗ‬ ‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬ ‫ﭓ‬ ‫ﭒ‬ ‫ﭑ‬‫ﰑ‬‫ﰐ‬‫ﰏ‬‫ﰎ‬‫ﰍ‬‫ﰌ‬ ‫ﰋ‬ ‫ﰊ‬‫ﰉ‬‫ﰈ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬ ‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬ ‫ﭧ‬ ‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬ ‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬ ‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬ ‫ﭜ‬ ‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬ Not!Verily, he has been opposing Our signs.Will cover him with severe torment! Verily, he thought and plotted. So let him be cursed: how he plotted! And once more let him be cursed: how he plotted! Then he thought. Then he frowned and he looked in a bad tempered way. Then he turned back, and was proud. Then he said: “This is nothing but magic of old”.2 Until today, no one has been able to reproduce the likeness of a single Chapter of the Qur’an even though there are some 1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Hijr [15]:9. 2 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Muddaththir [74]:16-24. Children memorizing the Qur’an The Light within Islam 30 The light within islam may 2014.indd 30 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 31.
    Chapters that consistof only five or even three sentences (such as Surah 102, At- Takathur, or Surah 103, Al-Asr). ‫ﯫ‬‫ﯪ‬‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬‫ﯧ‬‫ﯦ‬‫ﯥ‬‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬‫ﯢ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﯴ‬ ‫ﯳ‬ ‫ﯲ‬ ‫ﯱ‬ ‫ﯰ‬ ‫ﯯ‬ ‫ﯮ‬ ‫ﯭ‬ ‫ﯬ‬ ‫ﯽ‬ ‫ﯼ‬ ‫ﯻ‬ ‫ﯺ‬ ‫ﯹ‬ ‫ﯸ‬ ‫ﯷ‬ ‫ﯶ‬ ‫ﯵ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﰄ‬‫ﰃ‬‫ﰂ‬‫ﰁ‬‫ﰀ‬‫ﯿ‬‫ﯾ‬ And if you (disbelievers) are in doubt concerning that (Qur’an) which We have sent down (i.e. the Qur’an) to Our slave (Muhammad), then produce a Surah of the like thereof and call your witnesses and supporters besides Allah, if you are truthful. But if you do it not, and you can never do it, then fear the (Hell) Fire whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for the disbelievers. 1 ‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬ ‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﯙ‬ ‫ﯘ‬ ‫ﯗ‬ ‫ﯖ‬ ‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬ ‫ﯓ‬ ‫ﮱ‬ ‫ﮰ‬ ‫ﮯ‬ ‫ﮮ‬ ‫ﮭ‬ ‫ﮬ‬ ‫ﮫ‬ ‫ﮪ‬ ‫ﮩ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﯢ‬‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬ And this Qur’an is not such as could ever be produced by other than Allah, but it is a confirmation of (the revelation) which was before it, theTorah and the Gospel, and a full explanation of the Book (laws decreed for mankind) - wherein there is no doubt from the Lord of the worlds. Or do they say: “He (Muhammad) has forged it?” Say: “Bring then a Surah like unto it, and call upon whomsoever you can besides Allah (to assist you), if you are truthful!”2 3.The Qur’an holds within its text verses that indicate and prove to the reader that they are the words of God. The 1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Baqara [2]:23-24. 2 The Qur’an, Surah Yunus [10]:37-38. Chapter 3 31 What is the Quran? The light within islam may 2014.indd 31 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 32.
    verses explain manyfacts that were recently discovered by modern scientists through the use of advanced technology and equipment such as microscopes, satellites and computers, while the Qur’an on the other hand, revealed them more than 1400 years ago. These facts could have only been known by God, the Creator. They could not have been generated by any human, including the Prophet Muhammad , who was illiterate throughout his entire life. Here are just a few examples of the many facts mentioned in the Qur’an. The delicate process of creation and growth of the human embryo inside the mother’s womb. ‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬ And indeed We created man (Adam) out of an extract of clay. Thereafter We made him (the offspring of Adam) as a Nutfa (i.e. mixed drops of male and female sexual discharge) in a safe lodging (i.e. the female womb). Then We made the Nutfa into a clot (of thick coagulated blood), then We made the clot into a little lump of flesh, then We made out of that little lump of flesh, bones, then we clothed the bones with flesh, and thenWe brought it forth as another creation. So blessed is Allah, the Best of creators.1 1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Mu’minun [23]:12-14. The Light within Islam 32 The light within islam may 2014.indd 32 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 33.
    What is mentionedin the Qur’an of human embryonic development was affirmed to be a miraculous fact by the emeritus professor, Keith L. Moore, who is a prominent scientist in the fields of Anatomy and Embryology. On statements in the Qur’an about human development, he said: It is clear to me that these statements must have come to Muhammad from God, because almost all of this knowledge was not discovered until many centuries later. This proves to me that Muhammad must have been a Messenger of God.1 Another example is the marvelous description of the creation of the clouds, how they are driven and pushed by the wind, then gathered and joined forming a larger cloud, then stacked together to bring down, by the will of Allah, rain that is essential to all life on Earth. ‫ﯽ‬ ‫ﯼ‬‫ﯻ‬‫ﯺ‬‫ﯹ‬‫ﯸ‬‫ﯷ‬ ‫ﯶ‬‫ﯵ‬‫ﯴ‬‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬‫ﯰ‬‫ﯯ‬‫ﯮ‬‫ﯭ‬‫ﯬ‬‫ﯫ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﰐ‬‫ﰏ‬ ‫ﰎ‬‫ﰍ‬‫ﰌ‬‫ﰋ‬‫ﰊ‬‫ﰉ‬‫ﰈ‬‫ﰇ‬‫ﰆ‬‫ﰅ‬‫ﰄ‬‫ﰃ‬‫ﰂ‬‫ﰁ‬‫ﰀ‬‫ﯿ‬‫ﯾ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﰚ‬‫ﰙ‬‫ﰘ‬‫ﰗ‬‫ﰖ‬‫ﰕ‬‫ﰔ‬‫ﰓ‬‫ﰒ‬‫ﰑ‬ And to Allah belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, and to Allah is the return (of all). See you not that Allah drives the clouds gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap of layers, and you see the rain comes forth 1 Seventh Medical Conference, Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Chapter 3 33 What is the Quran? The light within islam may 2014.indd 33 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 34.
    from between them;and He sends down from the sky hail (like) mountains, (or there are in the heaven mountains of hail from where He sends down hail), and strikes therewith whom He wills, and averts it from whom He wills. The vivid flash of its (clouds) lightning nearly blinds the sight.1 Such descriptive information about the creation of the clouds was only discovered by meteorologists with advanced equipment used such as satellites.2 These are small examples of what the Qur’an holds within its text that indicates its divinity and authenticity that could only come from the Creator Himself. ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﮋ‬ This is the Book (the Qur’an), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are pious.3 ‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬ ‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬ ‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬ ‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬ The revelation of the Book (this Qur’an) in which there is no doubt, is from the Lord of the worlds! Or say they: “He (Muhammad) has fabricated it?” Nay, it is the truth from your Lord, so that you may warn a people to whom no Warner has come before you (O Muhammad): in order that they may be guided.4 1 The Qur’an Surah An-Nur [24]:42-43. 2 See The Atmosphere by Anthes and others. Also Elements of Meteorology by Miller and Thomson. 3 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Baqara [2]:2. 4 The Qur’an, Surah As-Sajda [32]:2-3. The Light within Islam 34 The light within islam may 2014.indd 34 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 35.
    Why accept the Qur’an? Firstlyand most importantly, the Qur’an is the Word of God. Secondly, it is a divine scripture which since its revelation until today remains unaltered and preserved in its original text and format. Thirdly, its authenticity assures us of its original divine source. Fourthly, the message came with a simple theology, which is to worship God and God Alone, and to establish a personal connection between man and God with no one obstructing in between. ‫ﯷ‬‫ﯶ‬ ‫ﯵ‬‫ﯴ‬‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬‫ﯰ‬‫ﯯ‬‫ﯮ‬‫ﯭ‬‫ﯬ‬‫ﯫ‬ ‫ﯪ‬‫ﯩ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯻ‬‫ﯺ‬‫ﯹ‬‫ﯸ‬ And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, then (tell them that), I am indeed near (to their call). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright.1 1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Baqara [2]:186. Chapter 3 35 What is the Quran? The light within islam may 2014.indd 35 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 36.
    Finally, looking atall the religions on earth we will find that, of the three major religions with three books (i.e. Judaism, Christianity and Islam), only Islam and its book, the Qur’an affirms the essential truth of the previous two religions and books. Assuming that all three books are true and unaltered, surely it makes more sense to consult the latest, most current, accurate and comprehensive version of the three. Imagine you have an old computer that could not keep up with the new programs and upgrades, and you decided to buy a newer computer with better functions and higher capabilities. Such a computer would be sophisticated and much harder to operate. Would you then use your old computer manual or your newer one in order to run your new computer?! Of course, the newer manual would be used to run your new computer. The same should be applied to the Qur’an, the latest manual and most current guide for human life that represents the most relevant of divine scripture sent to earth by God to guide man in running his daily activities and to guide him in latter part of human history. Who else knows better about His creation and their problems other than God! ‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬ ‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬‫ﭰ‬ And (remember) the Day when We shall raise up from every nation a witness against them from amongst themselves. And We shall bring you (O Muhammad) as a witness against these. And We have sent down to you the Book (The Qur’an) as an exposition of every thing, a guidance, a mercy and glad tidings for those who have submitted themselves (to Allah as Muslims).1 ‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮉ‬ ‫ﮈ‬ ‫ﮇ‬ ‫ﮆ‬ ‫ﮅ‬ ‫ﮄ‬ ‫ﮃ‬ ‫ﮂ‬ ‫ﮁ‬ ‫ﮀ‬ ‫ﭿ‬‫ﮋ‬ 15 The Qur›an, Surah An-Nahal [16]:89. The Light within Islam 36 The light within islam may 2014.indd 36 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 37.
    ‫ﮜ‬ ‫ﮛ‬ ‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬ ‫ﮗ‬ ‫ﮖ‬ ‫ﮕ‬ ‫ﮔ‬ ‫ﮓ‬ ‫ﮒ‬ ‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬ ‫ﮏ‬ ‫ﮎ‬ ‫ﮍ‬ ‫ﮌ‬ ‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬ ‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬ ‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬ ‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬ And We have reveled to you. (O Muhammad), the Book (the Qur’an) in truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a criterion over it. So judge between them by what Allah has reveled and do not follow their inclinations away from what has come to you of the truth. To each of you We prescribed a low and am method. Had Allah willed, He would have made you one nation (united in religion), but (He intended) to test you in what He has given you; so race to (all that is) good. To Allah is your return all toghter, and He will (then) inform you concerning that over which you used to differ.1 15 The Qur›an, Surah Al-Ma’idah [5]:48. Chapter 3 37 What is the Quran? The light within islam may 2014.indd 37 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 38.
    Chapter 4. Who is Muhammad? Thelight within islam may 2014.indd 38 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 39.
    Who is Muhammad Prophet Muhammad was and supposed to bearolemodelforallpeople. Hewasknownfor his honesty, truthfulness, courage, compassion, love, care and mercy towards everyone. He is the last prophet chosen by God to preach His divine message and deliver His last words and guidance to all mankind. Muslims respect, cherish and love Prophet Muhammad  along with all the other prophets that came before him. Whenever a Prophet name is mentioned, it is followed by phrases such as “May God send peace and blessing upon him” or “Peace be upon him” as a sign of respect. ‫ﯶ‬ ‫ﯵ‬ ‫ﯴ‬ ‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬ ‫ﯱ‬ ‫ﯰ‬ ‫ﯯ‬ ‫ﯮ‬ ‫ﯭ‬ ‫ﯬ‬ ‫ﯫ‬ ‫ﯪ‬ ‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬ ‫ﮋﯧ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯸ‬‫ﯷ‬ Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last (end) of the Prophets. And Allah is Ever All-Aware of everything.1 Prophet Muhammad  was born in Makkah in 570 A.D. He was an orphan raised by his uncle: his father died by the time of his birth while his mother died when he was a child. He received his first divine Verse of the Qur’an, sent by God, through the angel Gabriel, at the age of forty. Throughout the twenty-three years of his prophet hood, he suffered many hardships in order to fulfill his mission, which was to make people aware of the oneness of Allah and guide them to the right path. 1 The Qur’an, Surah A-Ahzab [33]:40. Chapter 4 39 Who is Muhammad? The light within islam may 2014.indd 39 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 40.
    ‫ﭚ‬ ‫ﭙ‬ ‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬ ‫ﭖ‬ ‫ﭕ‬ ‫ﭔ‬ ‫ﭓ‬ ‫ﭒ‬ ‫ﭑ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﭨ‬ ‫ﭧ‬ ‫ﭦ‬ ‫ﭥ‬ ‫ﭤ‬ ‫ﭣ‬ ‫ﭢ‬ ‫ﭡ‬ ‫ﭠ‬ ‫ﭟ‬ ‫ﭞ‬ ‫ﭝ‬ ‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬ ‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬ Indeed We have sent Our Messengers with clear proofs, and revealed with them the Scripture and the Balance (justice) that mankind may keep up justice. And We brought forth iron wherein is mighty power (in matters of war), as well as many benefits for mankind, that Allah may test who it is that will help Him (His religion) and His Messengers in the unseen. Verily, Allah is All-Strong, All-Mighty.1 As with all the prophets before him, Muhammad  was granted miracles by God as a proof of his prophecy and to testify to the truth of his message. Some of the miracles granted to him included: 1) The Qur’an, the eternal miracle of Islam Allah through His Words in the Qur’an challenged mankind to replicate at least one chapter of the Qur’an and promised to preserve it until the end of civilization. The challenge was never met at that time, in spite of the linguistic abilities of the people then. It has not been matched and it will never be matched. This is due to the Qur’an’s fine composition, articulacy, eloquence, succinctness and it’s perfect wording and meaning. Such a challenge is similar to all other miraculous challenges presented by other prophets sent by God, where then the prophets presented their given miracle and challenged their people to bring a comparable miracle. The Prophet Muhammad  did present his miracle given to him by God, however; the difference in this case is that God in this miracle has challenged all of humanity 1 The Qur’an, Surah al-Hadid [57]:25. The Light within Islam 40 The light within islam may 2014.indd 40 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 41.
    to replicate theQur’an. He not only challenged the people of his time, but also the people from this time and even the people that have yet to be until the end of civilization. Therefore the miracle did not die with the death of Prophet Muhammad  unlike all the other miracles that ended with the death of their prophets. Rather it will continue to be seen by all of mankind until the end of civilization, and the same is true for the preservation of the Qur’an. For more than fourteen hundred years not a single word or letter from the Qur’an has been changed or altered. ‫ﯱ‬‫ﯰ‬‫ﯯ‬‫ﯮ‬‫ﯭ‬‫ﯬ‬‫ﯫ‬‫ﯪ‬‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬‫ﯧ‬‫ﯦ‬‫ﯥ‬‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬‫ﯢ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯵ‬ ‫ﯴ‬‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬ And if you (disbelievers) are in doubt concerning that whichWe have sent down (The Qur’an) to Our slave (Muhammad), then produce a chapter of the like thereof, and call your witnesses (supporters and helpers) besides Allah if you are truthful.1 ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬ ‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮋ‬ Verily, We, it is We Who have sent down the Qur’an and surely We will guard it (from Corruption).2 2) The Splitting of the Moon The splitting of the moon was a major miracle for those who doubted the truthfulness of Muhammad’s  prophethood. Muslims believe in all the miracles granted by God to his prophets, such as the miracle of Phrophet Moses  splitting the sea. ‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬ ‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬ 1 The Qur’an, Surah al-Baqarah [2]:23. 2 The Qur’an, Surah al-Hijr [15]:9. Chapter 4 41 Who is Muhammad? The light within islam may 2014.indd 41 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 42.
    TheHourhasdrawnnear, and the moonhas been cleftasunder(thepeople of Makkah requested Prophet Muhammad  to show them a miracle so he showed them the splitting of the moon). And if they see a sign, they turn away, and say: “This is continuous magic.” They belied (the Verses of Allah- this Qur’an), and followed their own lusts. And every matter will be settled (according to the kind of deeds: good deeds will take their doers to Paradise, and similarly evil deeds will take their doers to Hell).1 3) Water flowing between Prophet Muhammad  fingers It was narrated by Anas bin Malik a companion of Prophet Muhammad : A bowl of water brought to the Prophet while he was at Az- Zawra. He placed his hand in it and the water started flowing among his fingers. All the people performed ablution (with that water). Qatada asked Anas, “How many people were you?” Anas replied, “Three hundred or nearly three-hundred”.2 How others perceive Prophet Muhammad ? 1.“Muhummed is the most successful of all prophets and religious personalities.” Encyclopedia Britannica 2.“Muhummadwasthesoulofkindness,andhisinfluence was felt and never forgotten by those around him.” 1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Qamar [54]:1-3. 2 Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Volum 4 , Book 56, No. 772. Image published by space agencies of a clear cleft in the surface of the moon The Light within Islam 42 The light within islam may 2014.indd 42 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 43.
    The Hindu scholar,Diwan Chand Sharma, in The Prophets of the East, Calcutta 1935, p. 122. 3.“Four years after the death of Justinian, A.D. 569, was born at Makkah, in Arabia the man who, of all men exercised the greatest influence upon the human race ... Mohammed ” John William Draper, M.D., Lld., In a History of the Intellectual Development of Europe, London 1875. 4.“I doubt whether any man whose external conditions changed so much ever changed himself less to meet them.” R. V. C. Bodley, In the Messenger, London 1946, p.9. 5.“I have studied him - the wonderful man - and in my opinion far from being an anti-christ, he must be called the saviour of humanity.” George Bernard Shaw, The Genuine Islam, vol. 1, p. 8,1936. 6.“My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world’s most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the secular and religious level... It is probable that the relative influence of Muhammad on Islam has been larger than the combined influence of Jesus Christ and St. Paul on christianity… it is this unparalleled combination of secular and religious influence which I feel entitles Muhammad to be considered the most influential single figure in human history.’’ Michael Hart in The 100, a ranking of the most influential persons in history, New York, 1978. Chapter 4 43 Who is Muhammad? The light within islam may 2014.indd 43 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 44.
    Chapter 5. Islam &Christianity The light within islam may 2014.indd 44 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 45.
    Islam and the belief ofGod the father In Christianity, God is called the father in part because He is the creator that created all the beings and because of God’s active interest in human affairs, the same way that a father would take an interest in his children, acting in their best interest and punishing those who misbehave. In Islam the concept of God being the father is not accepted because there is a difference between the father-son role and God’s role. God is our Lord and Creator; we can’t compare Him to any earthly life and expression such as family concept. We are created to worship Him and serve Him alone. ‫ﮊ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﮋ‬ Indeed this, your religion, is one religion, and I am your Lord, therefore worship Me (Alone).1 God is our Lord, He rewards who He wishes and punishes who He wishes, and if we believe in God’s majestic control and power on us, could we then compare that to earthly life. Say for the sake of argument that God is 1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Anbiya [21]:92. Chapter 5 45 Islam and Christianity The light within islam may 2014.indd 45 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 46.
    like our boss(God is exonerated from such a comparison) since the boss rewards us for our work and punishes us if we don’t accomplish it? If so, do we consider or call our boss, our father? We do not because he is not our father. ‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬‫ﭑ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬ ‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬ And (both) the Jews and the Christians say:“We are the children of Allah and His loved ones.” Say: “Why then does He punish you for your sins?” Nay, you are but human beings of those He has created, He forgives whom He wills and He punishes whom He wills. And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them; and to Him is the return (of all).1 God gives us choice and according to that choice we are tested, we either fail or succeed. While the father figure will try his best to lead his children to be like him or even better, nothing is better than God. Therefore, there is no comparison between God’s role and a father’s role. 1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Maidah [5]:18. The Light within Islam 46 The light within islam may 2014.indd 46 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 47.
    Islam & Jesus Jesus, known as “Isa” to Muslims andArab-speaking Christian, is considered in Islam to be a human chosen by God to be a prophet like all the other prophets before him and Muhammad  after him. Justifying the humanity of Jesus  is simple because, in Islam, we believe that God, unlike humans, is perfect and without need. The belief that Jesus  is God in human form means that we have taken from God His greatness and uniqueness by comparing him to humans. Islam has great respect for Jesus  just like all the other prophets sent by Allah, and due to this you will often find that Muslims repeat “Peace Be Upon Him”, when referring to him in any text or speech. He was sent as a guidance and light for the Israelites. He preached the oneness of God through the Gospel that was sent to him by God through the Angle Gabriel. All Muslims believe in the Gospel, the original revelation, before it was altered and rewritten in different books and connotations to become part of the Bible we have today. ‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬ ‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬ ‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬‫ﭑ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬ And in their footsteps, We sent Jesus, son of Mary, confirming the Torah that had come before him, and We gave him the Gospel, in which was guidance and light and confirmation of the Torah that had come before it, a guidance and an admonition for the pious.1 1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Maidah [5]:46. Chapter 5 47 Islam and Christianity The light within islam may 2014.indd 47 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 48.
    Is Jesus God? Believingthat Jesus  is God could be due to many misinterpreted facts. Is it because Jesus  was born a miraculous birth without any male intervention? Then what about Prophet Adam ? Was not he created more miraculously since he was created without any male or female intervention? What about Eve? Wasn’t she also created more miraculously since she was created from Adam’s  rib without any female intervention! Adam  from mud and eve from a rib; how miraculous is that! Both were created as adults, which is by itself a miracle. Looking at the creation of Adam  (without male or female) and Eve (without a female) we discover that there should be a third and final link to this miraculous circle of creation, in which God closed it by the creation of Jesus  without a male. How are these miracles any different from each other? Are they not miracles from God and God Alone? If God can make the universe and all that lies in it, can He not produce a single human from what He wishes? ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﮋ‬ And among His Signs is this, that He created you (Adam) from dust; then, suddenly you were human being dispersing (throuthout the earth). 1 ‫ﮊ‬‫ﯖ‬ ‫ﯕ‬ ‫ﯔ‬ ‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬ ‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮋ‬ Verily, the likeness of Jesus before Allah is the likeness of Adam. He created him from dust, then (He) said to him:“Be!”and he was.2 Is it because Jesus  performed miracles, such as bringing the 1 The Qur’an, Surah Ar-Rum [30]:20. 2 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Imran [3]:59. The Light within Islam 48 The light within islam may 2014.indd 48 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 49.
    dead to lifeor healing the blind or even talking when he was a baby, that he is considered divine? Such miracles were granted to Prophet Jesus  by God Almighty. If we believe in Noah  and the many years he lived (950 years), then we should ask ourselves, how could he live so long? Was that not given to him by God? What about Moses  and his famous miracle of splitting the sea, was not that given to him by God? What about Jonas  being in the belly of the whale without being digested? Who saved him? Was it not God? What about Solomon ? Did he not control the wind and the animals? Did he not understand the language of the animals? Who gave him all these miracles? Was it not God? Although all these prophets had been given special powers during their time on earth, they were all human. None of the prophets ever claimed to be God or the son of God or the spirit of God. And nor did Jesus . ‫ﭯ‬ ‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬ ‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬ ‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬‫ﭻ‬ ‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬ ‫ﭰ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮍ‬ ‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬ ‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬ ThenWe revealed to Moses saying:“Strike the sea with your stick.” And it parted, and each separate part of the sea water became like huge mountain. Then We brought near the others (Pharaoh’s party) to that place. And we saved Moses and all those with him. Then We drowned the others. Verily, in this is indeed a sign (or a proof), yet most of them are not believers. And verily your Lord He is truly, the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful.1 Some prophets were granted miracles from God in order to convince their followers that they were messengers sent by God in order to guide them to the straight and correct path. These miracles suited the people at that particular time and place in order to attract, convince and convey their assigned message easily to their people. Moses  came with miracles similar to 1 The Qur’an, Surah Ash-Shuara [26]:63-68. Chapter 5 49 Islam and Christianity The light within islam may 2014.indd 49 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 50.
    magic, which wasconsidered a powerful craft at the time of the Pharaohs. Jesus  came with the miracle of healing, which dealt with medicine, since the people of his time were crafted in medicine. While the Prophet Muhammad  came with the miracle of the Qur’an itself, a perfect ensemble of lyrics and meanings for the Arabs, who were known to be the best poets and story-tellers of their time. ‫ﯼ‬‫ﯻ‬‫ﯺ‬‫ﯹ‬ ‫ﯸ‬‫ﯷ‬‫ﯶ‬‫ﯵ‬‫ﯴ‬‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬‫ﯰ‬ ‫ﯯ‬‫ﯮ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬ ‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬‫ﭑ‬ ‫ﰂ‬‫ﰁ‬‫ﰀ‬‫ﯿ‬‫ﯾ‬‫ﯽ‬ ‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬ ‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬ ‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬ ‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬ ‫ﭻ‬‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬ ‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬ ‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬ ‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬‫ﮁ‬ ‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬ ‫ﭼ‬ ‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬ ‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬ ‫ﮌ‬ ‫ﮫ‬ ‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬ ‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬‫ﮟ‬ ‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬ ‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬ ‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬ ‫ﯜ‬ Remember when the angles said: O Mary! Verily, Allah gives you the glad tidings of a Word“Be!”and he was! Jesus the son of Mary from Him, his name will be the Messiah Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honor in this world and in the Hereafter, and will be one of those who are near to Allah. He will speak to the people, in the cradle and in manhood, and he will be one of the righteous. She Splitting of the sea The Light within Islam 50 The light within islam may 2014.indd 50 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 51.
    said: O myLord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me. He said: So it will be for Allah creates what He wills. When He has decreed something, He says to it only: “Be!” and it is. And He (Allah) will teach him Jesus the Book and the wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel. And will make him (Jesus) a Messenger to the Children of Israel saying: I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I design for you out of clay, a figure like that of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by Allah’s Leave; and I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I bring the dead to life by Allah’s Leave. And I inform you of what you eat, and what you store in your houses. Surely, therein is a sign for you, if you believe. And I have come confirming that which was before me of the Torah and to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden to you, and I have come to you with a proof from your Lord. So fear Allah and obey me.1 ‫ﭲ‬ ‫ﭱ‬‫ﭰ‬ ‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬ ‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬‫ﭻ‬ ‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬ ‫ﭳ‬ ‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬ ‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬ ‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬ ‫ﮝ‬ ‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮔ‬ ‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬‫ﮏ‬ ‫ﮬ‬ ‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬ ‫ﮦ‬ ‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬ ‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬ ‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬ ‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬ ‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬ ‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬ ‫ﯬ‬ ‫ﯫ‬‫ﯪ‬‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬‫ﯧ‬‫ﯦ‬‫ﯥ‬‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬‫ﯢ‬ ‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬ ‫ﯻ‬‫ﯺ‬‫ﯹ‬‫ﯸ‬‫ﯷ‬‫ﯶ‬ ‫ﯵ‬‫ﯴ‬‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬‫ﯰ‬‫ﯯ‬‫ﯮ‬‫ﯭ‬ ‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬ ‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬‫ﭑ‬‫ﯾ‬‫ﯽ‬‫ﯼ‬ ‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬ ‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬ ‫ﭻ‬‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬ ‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬ ‫ﭱ‬ ‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬ ‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬ ‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬ ‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬ ‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬‫ﮡ‬ ‫ﮠ‬‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬ ‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮔ‬ ‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬ 1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Imran [3]:45-50. Chapter 5 51 Islam and Christianity The light within islam may 2014.indd 51 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 52.
    ‫ﮊ‬‫ﯭ‬‫ﯬ‬ ‫ﯫ‬‫ﯪ‬‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬‫ﯧ‬ ‫ﯦ‬‫ﯥ‬‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬‫ﯢ‬‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬ (Remember) when Allah will say (on the Day of Resurrection). “O Jesus, son of Mary ! Remember My Favor to you and to your mother when I supported you with the Holy Spirit (i.e. the Angel Gabriel) so that you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity; and when I taught you writing, the wisdom, the Torah and the Gospel; and when you made out of the clay, a figure like that of a bird, by My Permission, and you breathed into it, and it became a bird by My Permission, and you healed those born blind, and the lepers by My Permission, and when you brought forth the dead by My Permission, and when I restrained the Children of Israel from you (when they resolved to kill you) as you came unto them with clear proofs, and the disbelievers among them said: This is nothing but evident magic. And when I (Allah) inspired the disciples of Jesus to believe in Me and My Messenger, they said: “We believe. And bear witness that we are Muslims.” (Remember) when the disciples said:“O Jesus, son of Mary! Can your Lord send down to us a table spread (with food) from heaven?” Jesus said: “Fear Allah if you are indeed believers.”They said: “We wish to eat thereof and to satisfy our hearts (to be stronger in faith), and to know that you have indeed told us the truth and that we ourselves be its witnesses.” Jesus, son of Mary, said: “O Allah, our Lord! Send us from the heaven a table spread (with food) that there may be for us for the first and the last of us a festival and a sign from You; and provide us with sustenance, for You are the Best of sustainers. ” Allah said: “ I am going to send it down unto you, but if any of you after that disbelieves, then I will punish him with a torment such as I have not inflicted on anyone among (all) the worlds. ” And remember when Allah will say ( on the Day of Resurrection): “O Jesus son of Mary! Did you say unto men: Worship me and my mother as two Gods besides Allah? ”He will say:“Glory is to You! It was not for me to say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, You would surely have known it. You know what is in my inner-self though I do not know what is in Yours; truly, You, only You, are the All-Knower of all that is hidden (and unseen). Never did I say to them aught except what You (Allah) did command me to say: Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. And I was a witness over them while I dwelt amongst them, but when you took me The Light within Islam 52 The light within islam may 2014.indd 52 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 53.
    up, You werethe Watcher over them; and You are a Witness to all things.”1 Is it because Prophet Jesus  now resides in the heavens and will come back to earth in his “Second Coming”? Then what about Adam  and Eve, were not they created in heaven and lived therein before being sent down to earth? Is it because Jesus  is still living until now? What about Noah  who lived almost 1,000 years. And what of those mentioned in the Bible2 as having lived extraordinarily long lives? Jared for 962 years, Enoch 365 years and Methuslelah for 969 years. Are not they all an example of God’s power in extending the life of whom He wishes and taking the life of whom He pleases? What is more miraculous, creating from nothing and raising the dead on the Day of Judgment, or extending the life of any creation? With all of the above-mentioned comparisons between Jesus  and the other prophets sent by God, should we still believe that Jesus  is God, rather than simply a prophet? 1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Maidah [5]: 110 -117. 2 Genesis, chapter 5:18 -27. Chapter 5 53 Islam and Christianity The light within islam may 2014.indd 53 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 54.
    Is Jesus the sonof God? As was discussed in my previous topics that God is not our father and Jesus  is not God. Then we can conclude that Jesus  is not the son of God, He was only a messenger sent by God to the people of Israel in order to guide them to the right path. However if you are still convinced that God is our father and Jesus  is God or the son of God then you need to ask yourself the following questions: If you belive that Jesus  is the son of God that means that God is the father of Jesus , then how could you belive that Jesus  is also God? Is it posible that God is the father and also the son? Would He not then be the father of himself because He would be His own son?! So what still make you believe that Jesus  is God’s son? Is it because God wants to save us and guide us to the straight path, therefore He sent His son to do so? Why is that? Why then God Almighty sent messengers to do the same job of delivering His message? Is in it to save us and guide us to the straight path? What makes the time of Jesus  so special for God to send him as His son? Why did not God Almighty send his son at the time of Moses  or considered Moses  His son? What about Abraham  or the rest of the messengers? Why did God pick The Light within Islam 54 The light within islam may 2014.indd 54 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 55.
    Jesus ? Whynot Adam  ? Why did not God have two, three or more children, why limit Himself to only one? ‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬ Had Allah willed to take a son (or offspring), He could have chosen whom He willed out of those whom He created. But glory is to Him! (He is above such things). He is Allah, the One, the Irresistible.1 All these questions are not puzzling or hard to answer because Jesus  was not divine or unique like God, he was only a human subjected to normal earthly needs and weaknesses such as eating, sleeping, etc. Therefore, as explained above and in the previous chapter, it is impossible for Jesus  to be God or the son of God. Islam and the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit in Christianity is believed to be one of the three divine persons of the Holy Trinity. It’s role is set as an advocate for the believer; it dwells among them and supplies the believers with a clearer demonstration of God Himself. The Christian theology of the Holy Spirit, was the last piece of Trinitarian theology to be fully explored and developed. For this reason, there is greater theological diversity among Christian understandings of the Son and understandings of the Father.2 Understanding a Man-Made doctrine is difficult. It is 1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Zumar [39]:4. 2 Wikipedia. Chapter 5 55 Islam and Christianity The light within islam may 2014.indd 55 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 56.
    God’s doctrine thatwe have to follow and abide to. It is He who has created us and created all the spirits around us. Glory to Him! High is He above all of His creation! In Islam the Holy Spirit (Ruh-ul-Qudus) is one of the names God had given to Angel Gabriel . God had commanded Angel Gabriel to support and deliver God’s Revelation to Prophet Muhammad . ‫ﯻ‬‫ﯺ‬‫ﯹ‬‫ﯸ‬ ‫ﯷ‬‫ﯶ‬‫ﯵ‬‫ﯴ‬‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬‫ﯰ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯼ‬ Say (O Muhammad ). The Pure Spirit (Gabriel) has brought it (the Quran) down from your Lord with truth, that it may make firm and strengthen (the Faith of) those who believe and as a guidance and glad tidings to those who have submitted (to Allah as Muslims).1 The same Holy Spirit that supported and delivered God’s Revelation to Prophet Muhammad had supported and delivered Gods Revelation to Prophet Jesus  and other prophets. ‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬ ‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﯢ‬‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬ ‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬ And indeed, We gave Moses the Book and followed him up with a succession of Messengers. And We gave Jesus, the son of Mary, clear signs and supported him with Ruh-ul-Qudus (Gabriel ). Is it that whenever there came to you a Messenger with what you yourselves desired not, you grew arrogant? Some, you disbelieved and some, you killed.2 15 The Quran, Surah An-Nahl [16]:102. 25 The Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah [2]:87. The Light within Islam 56 The light within islam may 2014.indd 56 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 57.
    What does Islam saysabout Trinity? “Trinity is the doctrine that God is one being who exists, simultaneously and eternally as a mutual indwelling of three persons (not to be confused by ‘person’): the Father, the Son (incarnate as Jesus of Nazareth), and the Holy Spirit ‘three persons in one God,’ all three of whom, as distinct an co-eternal persons, are of one indivisible Divine essence, a simple being.”1 Where did this notion come from? The first recorded use of the word “Trinity” in Christian theology wasinAD180fromTheophilusofAntiochwhousedit,however,to refertoa“triad”ofthreedays:thefirstthreedaysofCreation,which then compared to “God, his Word, and his Wisdom.” In the early third century, Tertullian, a Latin theologian, is credited with using the word “trinity”. Later, in AD 325, the CouncilofNiceaestablishedthedoctrineoftheTrinityasorthodoxy when it formulated the Nicene Creed. As we can read and see, the whole doctrine was created and later adopted by the church. Neither the word Trinity nor the explicit doctrine appears in the New Testament, nor did Jesus and his followers intent to contradict the Shema in the Old Testament: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord.” (Deuteronomy 6:4)2 1 Wikipedia. 2 Encyclopedia Britannica. Chapter 5 57 Islam and Christianity The light within islam may 2014.indd 57 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 58.
    This vague andmysterious doctrine that was formulated by man during the late third century has digressed from the concept of the Oneness of God as is clearly stated in the Bible: that God is one and Jesus was a human chosen by God to be a Prophet. Old Testament “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our Lord is one Lord.” (Deuteronomy 6:4) “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” (Deuteronomy 5:7) “Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel and his redeemer the Lord of hosts: I am the first and I am the last; and besides me there is no God.”(Isaiah 44:6) New Testament “…there is none other God but one…”(1 Corinthians 8:4) “And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.”(John 17:3) “….for it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve.”(Matthew 4:10) “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs which God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know.”(St. Paul in Acts, 2:22) ‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬ ‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬‫ﭑ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬ ‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬‫ﭻ‬ ‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬ ‫ﮆ‬ O People of the scripture ! Do not exceed the limits in your religion, nor say of Allah aught but the truth.The Messiah Jesus son of Mary was no more than a Messenger of Allah and His Word, (Be! And he was) which He bestowed on Mary and a spirit The Light within Islam 58 The light within islam may 2014.indd 58 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 59.
    created by Him;so believe in Allah and His messengers. Say not: Three (trinity)! Cease! It is better for you. For Allah is (the only) one deity, glory is to Him ( Far Exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allah is All-Sufficient as a Disposer of affairs.1 In addition to what was mentioned previously the concept of Trinity does not only add up spiritually or logically, but also mathematically. How could three different entities become equal to one (1+1+ 1 = 3). Even for the sake of argument, if we use multiplication, we will find that in order to get the result of one, we would need to multiply by one, one entity. For example, 1x1=1 while multiplying with any other number will never result to one. For example 1x2=2 because any other number is a different entity, different number. God, the Son and the Holy Sprit are three totally different entities, therefore, (God x Son x Holy Sprit = ???). God is one and will always be the one and only One Divine entity. 1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Nisa [4]:171. Chapter 5 59 Islam and Christianity The light within islam may 2014.indd 59 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 60.
    Islam and Jesus alleged crucifixion? LikeChristians, Muslims also believe that Jesus  was raised by God to heaven and that he will return back to rule the world and spread again the true words of God. However, Islam does not teach that Jesus  was crucified. On the contrary, God Almighty, who is capable of all things, protected and saved Jesus  by raising him up to heaven. One will ask who was crucified then? While Jesus  was in hiding God changed the appearance of the man who spoke of Prophet Jesus  whereabouts and made him into Jesus  look-a-like eventually the look-a- like was crucified in place of Jesus  . The Light within Islam 60 The light within islam may 2014.indd 60 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 61.
    The reader mightalso ask: Is that possible? Well,whynot?Isnotthe creation of the universe or of Adam  from nothing much greater than saving and raising Jesus  up to the heavens? Are not we going to be raised up from the dead and be placed either in heaven or in hell, according to the judgment of God? Above all, Adam  was created in heaven and later descended down to earth by God’s will, while God ascended Jesus  to heaven. Another question might come to the reader’s mind: what about those who saw the look-a-like of Jesus  being crucified? would not they think that Jesus  was actually crucified? How would they have known otherwise? The answer to that is: yes! They did think so. However, the true believers worshiped God alone and when Prophet Muhammad  conveyed the same message that Jesus  came with, they followed him and learned what had really happened to Prophet Jesus  through reading that in the Qur’an. ‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬‫ﭻ‬‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬‫ﭰ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬ ‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬ ‫ﮂ‬‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬ And because of their saying (in boast),“We killed Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah, but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but the resemblance of Jesus was put over Chapter 5 61 Islam and Christianity The light within islam may 2014.indd 61 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 62.
    another man (andthey killed that man), and those who differ therein are full of doubts. They have no (certain) knowledge, they follow nothing but conjecture. For surely, they killed him not Jesus, son of Mary: But Allah raised him up (with his body and soul) unto Himself and he is in the heavens. And Allah is Ever All-Powerful, All-Wise.1 Jesus  will descend and return to earth towards the end of the wrold as a major sign of the final hour, guiding the misguided to God’s Message (believing in and worshipping Him Alone). ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬‫ﭑ‬‫ﮋ‬ And Jesus, son of Mary shall be a known sign for (the coming of) the Hour (Day of Resurrection), so be not in doubt of it and follow Me (Allah)! This is the Straight Path.2 Muslims do not believe that Jesus  was a savior by being crucified for the sins of humanity in order to save them from the hell fire. However, they do believe that Jesus  was a savior by guiding his people to the straight path of worshiping God Alone when they went astray from it. Contrary to the current Christian belief in the Bible. The Bible clearly states that: “For every man should bear his own burden.” 3 How could God say this in the Bible and then contradict Himself by being crucified for the sins of humanity!? Above all how could the human mind comprehend that God the Most Merciful and the Most Just would place sins on pure and innocent babies? How can a baby so pure and free of sin be born a sinner due to another person’s past sin? Most importantly, how could we justify purifying the sins of our ancestors by either swallowing a tablet or by being baptized with holy water? If in a court of law we can only accept innocent until proven 1 The Qur’an, Surah An-Nisa [4]: 157-158. 2 The Qur’an, Surah Az-Zukhruf [43]: 61. 3 King James version, Galatians 6:5. The Light within Islam 62 The light within islam may 2014.indd 62 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 63.
    guilty, then howcould we accept the concept of guilty until proven innocent from God, the Just creator of all mankind? Salvation is a personal responsibility. Islam preaches that no individual will bare the sins of another, and no one will be saved from the suffering and crucifixion of another person on their behalf. We are all born pure and innocent and we will only be held responsible for our own sins, which will only be forgiven by turning directly to God, and not through confessing to a supposedly “holy” person. ‫ﰋ‬‫ﰊ‬‫ﰉ‬‫ﰈ‬‫ﰇ‬‫ﰆ‬ ‫ﰅ‬‫ﰄ‬‫ﰃ‬‫ﰂ‬‫ﰁ‬ ‫ﰀ‬‫ﯿ‬ ‫ﯾ‬‫ﯽ‬‫ﯼ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﰑ‬‫ﰐ‬‫ﰏ‬‫ﰎ‬‫ﰍ‬‫ﰌ‬ That no burdened person (with sins) shall bear the burden (sins) of another. And that man can have nothing but what he does (good or bad). And that his deeds will be seen. Then he will be recompensed with a full and the best recompense.1 1 The Qur’an, Surah An-Najim [53]: 38-41. Chapter 5 63 Islam and Christianity The light within islam may 2014.indd 63 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 64.
    Chapter 6. Islam &Mary The light within islam may 2014.indd 64 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 65.
    Islam and Mary TheVirgin Mary is the mother of Prophet Jesus . She is no more than a human being, but she was a woman of truth and piety. She was the most noble and purest woman on the face of earth. She did not commit any indecent act nor was she a partner in divinity. Allah, in the Qur’an, has honored her by dedicating an entire chapter in her name, and nothing is more befitting to relate the truth of Mary other than the Qur’an. ‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬‫ﭻ‬‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬ ‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬ ‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮒ‬‫ﮑ‬ ‫ﮐ‬‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬ ‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬ ‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬ ‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬ ‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬ ‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬ ‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬ ‫ﮤ‬ ‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬‫ﯢ‬‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬ ‫ﯴ‬ ‫ﯳ‬ ‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬ ‫ﯰ‬‫ﯯ‬ ‫ﯮ‬‫ﯭ‬‫ﯬ‬‫ﯫ‬‫ﯪ‬ ‫ﯩ‬ ‫ﯨ‬ ‫ﯧ‬‫ﯦ‬ ‫ﯥ‬ ‫ﭑ‬‫ﰄ‬‫ﰃ‬‫ﰂ‬‫ﰁ‬‫ﰀ‬‫ﯿ‬‫ﯾ‬‫ﯽ‬‫ﯼ‬‫ﯻ‬‫ﯺ‬‫ﯹ‬‫ﯸ‬‫ﯷ‬‫ﯶ‬‫ﯵ‬ ‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬ ‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬ ‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬ ‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬ ‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬ ‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬ ‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬‫ﭻ‬‫ﭺ‬ ‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬ ‫ﭴ‬ ‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬ ‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬ ‫ﮘ‬ ‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬ ‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬ ‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬ ‫ﯰ‬‫ﯯ‬‫ﯮ‬‫ﯭ‬‫ﯬ‬ ‫ﯫ‬ ‫ﯪ‬‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬‫ﯧ‬‫ﯦ‬ ‫ﯥ‬ ‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬‫ﯢ‬‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬ ‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯶ‬‫ﯵ‬‫ﯴ‬‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬ Chapter 6 65 Islam and Mary The light within islam may 2014.indd 65 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 66.
    And mention inthe Book (the Qur’an, O Muhammad) the story of) Mary, when she withdrew in seclusion from her family to a place facing east. She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent to her Our Spirit (the Angel Gabriel), and he appeared before her in the form of a man in all respects. She said: “Verily, I seek refuge with the Most Gracious (Allah) from you, if you do fear Allah.” (The angel) said:“I am only a messenger from your Lord (to announce) to you the gift of a righteous son.” She said:“How can I have a son when no man has touched me, nor am I unchaste? ” He said: “So (it will be), your Lord said: That is easy for Me (Allah): And (We wish) to appoint him as a sign to mankind and a mercy from Us (Allah), and it is a matter (already) decreed (by Allah).” So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a far place (in Bethlehem). And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a date-palm. She said: “Would that I had died before this, and had been forgotten and out of sight!”Then [the babe Jesus (or Gabriel)] cried unto her from below her, saying: “Grieve not: your Lord has provided a water stream under you. And shake the trunk of date-palm towards you, it will let fall fresh ripe-dates upon you. So eat and drink and be glad. And if you see any human being, say: Verily, I have vowed a fast unto the Most Gracious (Allah) so I shall not speak to any human being this day.” Then she brought him (the baby) to her people, carrying him. They said: “O Mary! Indeed you have brought a mighty thing. O sister of Aaron!Your father was not a man who used to commit adultery, nor your mother was an unchaste woman.” Then she pointed to him. They said: “How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?” He (Jesus) said: “Verily, I am a slave of Allah; He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet. And He has made me blessed wheresoever I be, and has enjoined on me prayer, and alms-giving as long as I live. And made me dutiful to my mother, and made me not arrogant, unblest. And peace be upon me the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I shall be raised alive! ” Such is Jesus, son of Mary. (It is) a statement of truth, about which they doubt (or The Light within Islam 66 The light within islam may 2014.indd 66 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 67.
    dispute). It befitsnot (the Majesty of) Allah that He should beget a son (this refers to the slander of Christians against Allah, by saying that Jesus is the son of Allah). Glorified (and Exalted is He above all that they associate with Him). When He decrees a thing, He only says to it:“Be!”and it is! Jesus said:“And verily, Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him (Alone). That is the Straight Path.”1 ‫ﮮ‬ ‫ﮭ‬ ‫ﮬ‬ ‫ﮫ‬ ‫ﮪ‬ ‫ﮩ‬ ‫ﮨ‬ ‫ﮧ‬ ‫ﮦ‬ ‫ﮥ‬ ‫ﮤ‬ ‫ﮣ‬ ‫ﮢ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬ ‫ﯯ‬‫ﯮ‬‫ﯭ‬‫ﯬ‬‫ﯫ‬‫ﯪ‬‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬‫ﯧ‬ ‫ﯦ‬‫ﯥ‬‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬‫ﯢ‬‫ﯡ‬ ‫ﰀ‬‫ﯿ‬‫ﯾ‬‫ﯽ‬‫ﯼ‬‫ﯻ‬‫ﯺ‬‫ﯹ‬ ‫ﯸ‬‫ﯷ‬‫ﯶ‬‫ﯵ‬‫ﯴ‬‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬‫ﯰ‬ ‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬‫ﭑ‬‫ﰂ‬‫ﰁ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭱ‬ ‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬ ‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬ And(Remember)whentheangelssaid:“OMary!Verily,Allahhas chosen you and purified you (from polytheism and disbelief), and chosen you above the women of the worlds (mankind and Jinn) (of her lifetime). O Mary! Submit yourself with obedience to your Lord (Allah, by worshipping none but Him Alone) and prostrate yourself, and bow down along with those who bow down.”This is a part of the news of the unseen which We reveal to you O Muhammad. You were not with them, when they cast lots with their pens as to which of them should be charged with the care of Mary, nor were you with them when they disputed. (Remember) when the angels said: “O Mary! Verily, Allah gives you the glad tidings of a Word (Be!) and he was! Jesus the son of Mary, from Him, his name will be the Messiah Jesus the son of Mary, held in honor in this world and in the hereafter, and will be one of those who are near to Allah. He will speak to the people, in the cradle and in manhood, and he will be one of the righteous.”She said:“O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me?” He said: “So (it will be) for Allah creates what He wills. When He has decreed something, He says to it only (Be!) and it is”.2 1 The Qur’an, Surah Maryam [19]:16-36. 2 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Imran [3] : 42-47. Chapter 6 67 Islam and Mary The light within islam may 2014.indd 67 10/11/14 11:06 AM
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    Chapter 7. Islam & theBible The light within islam may 2014.indd 68 10/11/14 11:06 AM
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    Islam and the Bible Muslimsbelieve in the original scripture of the Bible that was revealed to Prophet Jesus  through the angle Gabriel. However, they don’t believe in versions of the Bible that have been altered or changed or supplemented with the writing of others. The original message that Muslims believe in was repeatedly stated and preached by all the prophets throughout the holy books sent down to us by God, and that message was concerned with the Oneness of God. However, manipulation by political leaders and human intervention for reasons of personal gain resulted in drastic changes to the original message. Almost every decade a new version of the Bible has been rewritten. There are 86 books from the Orthodox Version, 76 books from the Charismatic Version, 73 books from the Roman Catholic Version, 66 books from the Protestant Version and many others. Even the committee that is responsible for revising the Holy Bible admits and asserts to defects and mistakes that were done when rewriting and translating the Bible. The preface of the Holy Bible stated: Sometimes it is evident that the text has suffered in transmission, but none of the versions provides a satisfactory in restoration. Here we can only follow the best judgment of competent scholars as to the most Chapter 7 69 Islam and the Bible The light within islam may 2014.indd 69 10/11/14 11:06 AM
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    probable reconstruction ofthe original text… Notes are added which indicate significant variation, additions, or omissions in the ancient authorities… Yet the King James Version has grave defects… these defects are so many and so serious as to call for the revision of English translation. How could any human being place his trust in running his life on a distorted version of the truth? If we conduct an experiment, telling a story to a group of people and impressing upon them to convey it accurately to others, we will likely find a distorted version of that story. Now if this happens in just a few minutes, what about thousands of years of change, adjustments, and deletion of words? What would happen to the original story, and more importantly, the original message? We can only follow the true and unaltered message that comes only from God. It is only God’s words and knowledge that guides us to the prosperity of life and not the opinion of an ordinary human being who is not perfect and full of mistakes. ‫ﭨ‬ ‫ﭧ‬ ‫ﭦ‬ ‫ﭥ‬ ‫ﭤ‬ ‫ﭣ‬ ‫ﭢ‬ ‫ﭡ‬ ‫ﭠ‬ ‫ﭟ‬ ‫ﭞ‬ ‫ﭝ‬ ‫ﭜ‬ ‫ﭛ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﭷ‬ ‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬ ‫ﭴ‬ ‫ﭳ‬ ‫ﭲ‬ ‫ﭱ‬ ‫ﭰ‬ ‫ﭯ‬ ‫ﭮ‬ ‫ﭭ‬ ‫ﭬ‬ ‫ﭫ‬ ‫ﭪ‬ ‫ﭩ‬ ‫ﮅ‬ ‫ﮄ‬ ‫ﮃ‬ ‫ﮂ‬ ‫ﮁ‬ ‫ﮀ‬ ‫ﭿ‬ ‫ﭾ‬ ‫ﭽ‬ ‫ﭼ‬ ‫ﭻ‬ ‫ﭺ‬ ‫ﭹ‬ ‫ﭸ‬ ‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬ ‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﮙ‬ And there are among them (the Jews) unlettered people, who know not the Book, but they trust upon false desires and they but guess. Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say, “This is from Allah,” to purchase with it a little price! Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn thereby. And they (Jews) say, “The Fire (of Hell) shall not touch us but for a few numbered days.” Say (O Muhammad to them): “Have you taken a covenant from Allah so that Allah will not break His Covenant? Or is it that you say of The Light within Islam 70 The light within islam may 2014.indd 70 10/11/14 11:06 AM
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    Allah what youknow not? 1 ‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﯦ‬‫ﯥ‬‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬‫ﯢ‬ ‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬ ‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬‫ﯰ‬‫ﯯ‬‫ﯮ‬‫ﯭ‬‫ﯬ‬‫ﯫ‬‫ﯪ‬‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬‫ﯧ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﰃ‬‫ﰂ‬‫ﰁ‬‫ﰀ‬‫ﯿ‬‫ﯾ‬‫ﯽ‬‫ﯼ‬‫ﯻ‬‫ﯺ‬ ‫ﯹ‬‫ﯸ‬‫ﯷ‬‫ﯶ‬‫ﯵ‬‫ﯴ‬ Verily, those who conceal what Allah has sent down of the Book, and purchase a small gain therewith (of worldly things); they eat into their bellies nothing but fire. Allah will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor purify them, and theirs will be a painful torment. Those are they who have purchased error at the price of Guidance, and torment at the price of Forgiveness. So how bold they are (for evil deeds which will push them) to the fire. That is because Allah has sent down the Book (the Qur’an) in truth. And verily, those who disputed as regards the Book are far away in opposition.2 1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Baqarah [2] : 78-80. 2 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Baqarah [2] : 174 -176. Chapter 7 71 Islam and the Bible The light within islam may 2014.indd 71 10/11/14 11:06 AM
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    Chapter 8. Becoming aMuslim & your own salvation The light within islam may 2014.indd 72 10/11/14 11:06 AM
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    Becoming a Muslim andyour own salvation God Almighty has emphasized that every human being carries with him, his or her own salvation. An individual is alone held responsible for his sins. God, the Just and Magnificent, does not put responsibility on a child or an infant or a mad man. He places responsibility on an individual who is mentally capable and has reached a rightful age of maturity. We can see in reality how humans use this law in common day practice such as with a person’s eligibility for driver’s license, a work permit, graduation and finally independence from his or her parents. As a person attains the age of responsibility, they leave their parents and begin their life as a mature individual. Alongside the freedom that is given comes a big sense of overwhelming responsibility. And, unlike childhood, when you make a mistake there is none other to blame except yourself. What is important to understand from the above is that we are all responsible for our own actions and it is a priority for everyone to find his or her individual salvation before worrying about those around you. Would you save a person from drowning if you did not know how to swim? Of course you will try without jumping in because what good would it be if you were both drowning? One must seek Chapter 8 73 Becoming a Muslim and your own salvation The light within islam may 2014.indd 73 10/11/14 11:06 AM
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    the truth alwaysand once it has entered your heart and soul only then can you move on and help those around you. And if others do not accept the truth after that, then have no regret for you have done all you can do and the rest is in God’s hands. Just as I am writing this book for the sake of helping someone find the truth, I can only present the facts, the rest is up to the reader to decide. ‫ﭻ‬‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭿ‬ ‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬ O you who have believed, upon you is (responsibility for) yourselves. Those who have gone astray will not harm you when you have been guided. To Allah is your return all together; then He will inform you of what you used to do.1 God guides those He wills and loves, and those that are guided by Him are given a true blessing indeed. If you seek the truth with an open heart, God Willing, you will find it with ease. It is your duty after being guided to the right path to try and help others to follow your guided path for as long as you can. For sure you cannot change their hearts, only God can do that, but 1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Maidah [5] : 105. Extend a helping hand The Light within Islam 74 The light within islam may 2014.indd 74 10/11/14 11:06 AM
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    you can tryguiding them. We are not better than the prophets that were chosen and loved by God and who were not able to change the hearts of some of their loved ones. For example: 1) Noah  was not able to save his son. ‫ﰄ‬ ‫ﰃ‬‫ﰂ‬‫ﰁ‬‫ﰀ‬ ‫ﯿ‬‫ﯾ‬‫ﯽ‬ ‫ﯼ‬‫ﯻ‬‫ﯺ‬‫ﯹ‬‫ﯸ‬‫ﯷ‬‫ﯶ‬ ‫ﯵ‬‫ﯴ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﭑ‬ ‫ﰒ‬‫ﰑ‬ ‫ﰐ‬‫ﰏ‬‫ﰎ‬‫ﰍ‬‫ﰌ‬‫ﰋ‬ ‫ﰊ‬‫ﰉ‬ ‫ﰈ‬‫ﰇ‬‫ﰆ‬‫ﰅ‬ ‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬ ‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬ ‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬ ‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬ ‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬ ‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬‫ﭻ‬‫ﭺ‬ ‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬ ‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬ ‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬ ‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬ ‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬‫ﮡ‬ ‫ﮠ‬‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬ ‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬ ‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬ ‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬ ‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬ ‫ﯩ‬‫ﯨ‬‫ﯧ‬ ‫ﯦ‬‫ﯥ‬‫ﯤ‬‫ﯣ‬‫ﯢ‬‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬ ‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬ ‫ﯸ‬‫ﯷ‬‫ﯶ‬‫ﯵ‬‫ﯴ‬‫ﯳ‬‫ﯲ‬‫ﯱ‬‫ﯰ‬‫ﯯ‬ ‫ﯮ‬‫ﯭ‬‫ﯬ‬‫ﯫ‬‫ﯪ‬ ‫ﰈ‬‫ﰇ‬‫ﰆ‬‫ﰅ‬‫ﰄ‬‫ﰃ‬ ‫ﰂ‬‫ﰁ‬‫ﰀ‬‫ﯿ‬‫ﯾ‬‫ﯽ‬‫ﯼ‬ ‫ﯻ‬‫ﯺ‬‫ﯹ‬ ‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬ ‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬ ‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬ ‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬‫ﭑ‬‫ﰌ‬‫ﰋ‬‫ﰊ‬‫ﰉ‬ ‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬ ‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬ ‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬ ‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬ ‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬ ‫ﭢ‬ ‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬ ‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬ ‫ﮂ‬‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬‫ﭻ‬‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬ ‫ﭶ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬ ‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬ And it was revealed to Noah: None of your people will believe except those who have believed already. So be not sad because of what they used to do. And construct the ship under Our Eyes and with Our Revelation, and call not upon Me on behalf of those who did wrong; they are surely, to be drowned. And as he was constructing the ship, whenever the chiefs of his people passed by him, they mocked at him. He said: “If you mock us, so do we mock at you likewise for your mocking. And you will know who it is on whom will come a torment that will cover Chapter 8 75 Becoming a Muslim and your own salvation The light within islam may 2014.indd 75 10/11/14 11:06 AM
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    him with disgraceand on whom will fall a lasting torment.” So it was till when Our Command came and the oven gushed forth (water like fountains from the earth). We said: “Embark therein, of each kind two (male and female), and your family- except him against whom the Word has already gone forth- and those who believe.” And none believed with him, except a few. And he (Noah) said: “Embark therein: in the Name of Allah will be its moving course and its resting anchorage. Surely, my Lord is Oft- Forgiving, Most Merciful.” So the ship sailed with them amidst waves like mountains, and Noah called out to his son, who had separated himself. “O my son! Embark with us and be not with the disbelievers.” The son replied: “I will betake myself to some mountain, it will save me from the water.” Noah said: “This day there is no savior from the Decree of Allah except him on whom He has mercy.” And waves came in between them, so he (the son) was among the drowned. And it was said:“O earth! Swallow up your water, and O Sky! Withhold (your rain).” And the water was made to subside and the Decree of Allah was fulfilled (the destruction of the people of Noah). And (the ship) rested on (Mount) Judi, and it was said: “Away with the people who are oppressors.”And Noah called upon his Lord and said:“O my Lord! Verily, my son is of my family! And certainly, Your Promise is true, andYou are the Most Just of the judges.”He (Allah) said:“O Noah! Surely, he is not of your family; verily, his work is unrighteous, so The Light within Islam 76 The light within islam may 2014.indd 76 10/11/14 11:06 AM
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    ask not ofMe that of which you have no knowledge I admonish you, lest you should be one of the ignorant.” Noah said: “O my Lord! I seek refuge with You from asking you that of which I have no knowledge. And unless You forgive me and have mercy on me, I would indeed be one of the losers.” It was said: “O Noah! Come down (from the ship) with peace from Us and blessings on you and on the people who are with you (and on some of their offspring), but there will be other people to whomWe shall grant their pleasure (for a time), but in the end a painful torment will reach them from Us.”1 2) Abraham  was not able to save his father. ‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬ ‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﭲ‬‫ﭱ‬‫ﭰ‬‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬ ‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬‫ﭧ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬ ‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬ ‫ﭻ‬ ‫ﮛ‬ ‫ﮚ‬ ‫ﮙ‬ ‫ﮘ‬ ‫ﮗ‬ ‫ﮖ‬ ‫ﮕ‬ ‫ﮔ‬ ‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬ ‫ﮑ‬ ‫ﮐ‬ ‫ﮏ‬ ‫ﮎ‬ ‫ﮍ‬ ‫ﮌ‬ ‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬ ‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬ ‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯡ‬‫ﯠ‬‫ﯟ‬ And mention in the Book (the Qur’an) Abraham. Verily, he was a man of truth, a Prophet. When he said to his father: “O my father! Why do you worship that which hears not, sees not and cannot avail you in anything? O my father! Verily, there has come to me of the knowledge that which came not unto you. So follow me, I will guide you to the Straight Path. O my father!Worship not Satan. Verily, Satan has been a rebel against the Most Gracious (Allah). O my father! Verily, I fear lest a torment from the Most Gracious (Allah) should overtake you, so that you become a companion of Satan (in the Hell-fire).”He (the father) said:“Do you reject my gods, O Abraham? If you stop not this I will indeed stone you. So get away from me safely (before I punish you).” Abraham said: “Peace be on you! I will ask forgiveness of my Lord for you. Verily, He is unto me Ever Most Gracious.”2 1 The Qur’an, Surah Hud [11]: 36-48. 2 The Qur’an, Surah Maryam [19] : 41-47. Chapter 8 77 Becoming a Muslim and your own salvation The light within islam may 2014.indd 77 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 78.
    3) Lot was unable to save his wife. ‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬ ‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬ ‫ﭑ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﭱ‬‫ﭰ‬ ‫ﭯ‬‫ﭮ‬‫ﭭ‬‫ﭬ‬‫ﭫ‬‫ﭪ‬‫ﭩ‬‫ﭨ‬ ‫ﭧ‬‫ﭦ‬‫ﭥ‬‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬‫ﭡ‬ ‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬‫ﭻ‬‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬ ‫ﭲ‬ ‫ﮐ‬‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬ ‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬ ‫ﮄ‬ ‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬‫ﮁ‬ ‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬ ‫ﮑ‬ ‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬ ‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯟ‬ ‫ﯞ‬‫ﯝ‬‫ﯜ‬‫ﯛ‬‫ﯚ‬‫ﯙ‬ ‫ﯘ‬‫ﯗ‬‫ﯖ‬‫ﯕ‬‫ﯔ‬‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬ The people of Lot (who dwelt in the towns of Sodom in Palestine) belied the Messengers. When their brother Lot said to them: “Will you not fear Allah and obey Him? Verily, I am a trustworthy Messenger to you. So fear Allah, keep your duty to Him and obey me. No reward do I ask of you for it (my message), my reward is only from the Lord of the worlds (of mankind and Jinn). You go unto the males of mankind and leave those whom Allah has created for you to be your wives? Nay, you are trespassing people! They said:“If you cease not. O A picture of Sodom near dead sea Jordan The Light within Islam 78 The light within islam may 2014.indd 78 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 79.
    lot! Verily youwill be one of those who are driven out!”He said: “I am indeed, of those who disapprove with severe anger and fury over your (evil) action (of sodomy). My Lord! Save me and my family from what they do.”So We saved him and his family, all except an old woman (his wife) among those who remained behind. Then afterward We destroyed the others. And We rained on them a rain (of torment). And how evil was the rain of those who had been warned! Verily, in this is indeed a sign, yet most of them are not believers. And verily, your Lord, He is indeed the All-Mighty, the Most Merciful.1 4) While Muhammad  was unable to save his uncle who had raised him since the death of his parents. ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬ ‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬‫ﮏ‬‫ﮋ‬ Verily, you O Muhammad guide not whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills. And He knows best those who are the guided.2 1 The Qur’an, Surah Ash-Shu’ara [26] : 160-175. 2 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Qasas [28] : 56. Chapter 8 79 Becoming a Muslim and your own salvation The light within islam may 2014.indd 79 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 80.
    Chapter 9. How toembrace Islam? The light within islam may 2014.indd 80 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 81.
    Howto embraceIslam? It is verysimple to become a Muslim. One has to simply declare with sincerity and belief “La Ilaha Illallah Muhammadu Rasoolullah” which means that there is only One True God (Allah) (to worship Him alone without a partner and to resort to Him directly without a mediator) and that Muhammad  is His Messenger (Prophet). Upon saying these words (Testimony of faith) you have entered the faith of Islam which derives and concludes that you believe in: 1. All the prophets sent by God as guidance to the Straight Path, and they were all human beings including Jesus . 2. All the original books the (Torah, the gospel) and the Qur’an are the literal words of God. 3. AlloftheAngelsarecreatedbyGodandhowthey also worship Him and follow His commands. 4. The Day of Judgment when all will be held accountable for their actions. 5. In Qadar (Fate, Divine Predestination), which means belief in God’s will (Destiny) the bad and good of it. Chapter 9 81 How to embrace Islam? The light within islam may 2014.indd 81 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 82.
    Chapter 10. The Pillarsof Islam The light within islam may 2014.indd 82 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 83.
    The Pillars of Islam Ihave discussed the belief and the Islamic principles of becoming a Muslim, but there are also duties that make up the framework of Muslim life. These are known as the five pillars of Islam: the Testimony of Faith, Prayer, Fasting, Alms giving and Pilgrimage. Testimony of Faith As mentioned before, the declaration that Allah (God) is One and the only One true God that deserves to be worshiped and that Muhammad  is His Messenger. Chapter 83 The Pillars of Islam 10 The light within islam may 2014.indd 83 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 84.
    Prayer The prayer isperformed five times a day. Each prayer does not take more than few minutes to perform. Prayer in Islam is a direct link between the worshiper and God with no intermediaries between them. Muslims perform the prayer directing themselves to the Ka’ba which is located in Makkah. During the prayer they recite Verses from the Qur’an and glorify God. Fasting Once a year during the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast for an entire month from dawn until sunset, abstaining from food, drink and sexual relations. A fasting person appreciates God’s blessings and gains sympathy for the poor and hungry individual, as well as an inner strength and submission to the One and only True God. The Light within Islam 84 The light within islam may 2014.indd 84 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 85.
    Zakat (alms-giving) GivingZakatmeansgivingthevalue of 2.5%of what he or she owns of cash or properties to certain classes of needy people.BygivingZakat,Muslimspurify their money and give back to society. Zakat is due once a year on whomever is financially able to give and by giving he should not be financially harming himself or his family. One can of course give extra for voluntary purposes, but in general Zakat is required on all Muslims who are financially stable. Pilgrimage (Hajj ) Hajj is performing certain activities in the holy city of Makkah for the sole purpose of worshiping God. It is an obligation on every healthy and financially stable Muslim to perform Hajj once in a lifetime. It purifies all sins and cleanses the soul of all wrong doings throughout one’s lifetime. It is considered a rebirth to the believing Muslim. The Muslims during Hajj are ordered to wear simple clothing, eliminating distinction between classes and culture so that all stand equal before God. ‫ﮂ‬ ‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﭽ‬‫ﭼ‬‫ﭻ‬‫ﭺ‬‫ﭹ‬‫ﭸ‬ ‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬ Chapter 85 The Pillars of Islam 10 The light within islam may 2014.indd 85 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 86.
    O mankind! Wehave created you from a male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the most honorable in the sight of Allah is the most pious of you. Verily, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.1 What is the Ka’ba? The Ka’ba, which is the sacred house located in the center of the sacred Mosque of Makkah, is a place of worship built by Prophet Abraham  and his son Ishmael. The Ka’ba is not only sacred for Muslims but also it unites and organizes a common location and direction of the prayer for the Muslims all over the world. Muslims do not worship the Ka’ba, they worship God alone. The Ka’ba is merely a reference point where Muslims direct themselves to while praying. It should be noted that Allah does not gain or lose anything by us worshiping Him, but rather it is the worshiper who gains in this life and in the hereafter. As you come closer to God, God comes closer to you and by putting love for Him and righteousness in your heart He will strengthen your faith by placing peace in your soul. Do you believe a person who strives and works hard in this life is equal to one who does not? The same goes for Allah, whosever strives hard in this life for Allah, Allah will reward him in this life and in the hereafter. ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﰀ‬‫ﯿ‬‫ﯾ‬‫ﯽ‬‫ﯼ‬‫ﯻ‬‫ﯺ‬‫ﯹ‬‫ﯸ‬‫ﯷ‬‫ﯶ‬‫ﮋ‬ And whosoever strives, he strives only for himself. Verily, Allah stands not in need of any of the worlds.2 1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Hujurat [49]: 13. 2 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Ankabut [29] : 6. The Light within Islam 86 The light within islam may 2014.indd 86 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 87.
    Chapter 87 The Pillars ofIslam 10 The light within islam may 2014.indd 87 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 88.
    Chapter 11. Answers to commonquestions The light within islam may 2014.indd 88 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 89.
    Answers to common questions Why dowomen veil in Islam? To veil means to cover one’s modesty. Men and women in Islam cover their body by wearing loose clothing, following the command of God Almighty who commanded that women should cover their body from their neck to their ankle including their hair, whenever in the presence of strange men (husband or blood relative not included). But when in the presence of other women they can show everything except what is between the knees and the navel. In the presence of their husbands, there are no limitations or restrictions. Men are also commanded to cover their body between the knee and the navel, except in the presence of the wife. The command of God for the woman to cover is not limited to Islam. The same command from God was revealed to all three major world religions. The evidence of that could be seen: 1) In the statues and drawings of Mary where you can notice she is always covered and wearing a veil. 2) In the way the nuns dress and cover their hair. 3) In the way most religious (Orthodox) Jewish women cover Chapter 89 Answers to common questions 11 The light within islam may 2014.indd 89 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 90.
    their body andhair. 4) In the way some Christian groups, such as the Mennonites and Amish women, also cover both body and hair. 5) In most churches across the world, it is recommended or evenrequiredformostwomen visitors and worshipers who enter the church to cover their body and head as a sign of respect in God’s House. The above illustrates that until today and throughout history, religious and modest women of all three major world religions have covered their body and worn a head scarf as a symbol of modesty, respect, devotion and obedience to God. This modesty and respect to God’s command is practiced by Christian Nuns Orthodox Jew Amish Girl The Light within Islam 90 The light within islam may 2014.indd 90 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 91.
    Muslim women notonly when inside a place like a Mosque, a Church or a monastery but everywhere they go. Because God sees everything, hears everything and nothing escapes his knowledge. In Islam the family and society are extremely important and the role of women is regarded very highly. She is considered the care taker of the family and the back bone of a good society. It is said “The mother is a school, if she is well prepared an entire nation of good morals and behaviors will be prepared.” 1 God Almighty knows best who He created and how He has placed in men and women certain desires and weaknesses towards one another. It is these weaknesses that God is protecting us from. When a woman covers, she is protecting herself and the rest of society by maintaining a modest and decent appearance while she is out in public. Covering accentuates a woman’s honor and self-worth by enabling those she encounters to value her as a person of intelligence as opposed to merely formulating an opinion based on her physical appearance. It is what separates 1 A famous saying. Chapter 91 Answers to common questions 11 Muslim women covered The light within islam may 2014.indd 91 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 92.
    and liberates awoman from being seen as a mere sexual object, thereby rendering her the respect she not only deserves but is also entitled to. But unfortunately we see on a daily basis, women being harassed due to the way they are dressed and their sexuality being exploited by using their bodies and looks for the soul purpose of attaining personal needs. It is humiliating and degrading when people hold such low standard towards women instead of respecting them for who they are and what they are capable of achieving. God has created many different kinds of people and each and every one of them possess their own level of morals and behavior. Therefore, God legislated the law of covering for the woman as a general rule to protect her and the society from the weaknesses of men and women. Modesty prescribed by the Islamic dress code as a whole also helps in preventing what is usually regarded as the first step in any illicit relationship - the look that attracts. God has demanded that all individuals guard their eyes from staring at the opposite sex who are neither their wives, husbands nor a blood relatives. This command from God Almighty is also for the protection of the society since the eyes are the initial drive to human inner feelings. Suppression of that first look should not be mistaken as something oppressive. It is important for Muslims to be able to convey that the Hijab (covering) and overall general modest attire are not meant to oppress a woman’s feminism, The Light within Islam 92 The light within islam may 2014.indd 92 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 93.
    but rather toelevate and sanctify it. The teaching that a Muslim woman’s beauty and sexual allure are not for public viewing is mandated merely because it is believed that she should be treasured and protected rather than displayed and exploited. What can be seen in home should not be seen in the streets. ‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬‫ﮃ‬‫ﮂ‬‫ﮁ‬‫ﮀ‬‫ﭿ‬‫ﭾ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬ ‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬ Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts). That is purer for them. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what they do. And tell the believing women to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts).1 It takes dignity and self-confidence for a Muslim woman to wear her Hijab in societies that mocks and misunderstand its merits. It is strange to see societies that are democratic and follow freedom of expression that restrict the Muslim woman from wearing her Hijab while others are left free to express and follow their belief. Women who wear revealing clothes express their belief of freedom by wearing any revealing clothes they desire. People that pierce or put tattoo on their body 1 The Qur’an, Surah Nur [24]: 30 -31. Chapter 93 Answers to common questions 11 Multiple piercing Piercing on ear The light within islam may 2014.indd 93 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 94.
    also express theirbelief in freedom when doing so. While Scottish men express their freedom by wearing kilts, believing that this will re- enforce the continuation of their traditional clothing. Sikhs also express their belief by wearing their turban and Body tattoo Scottish traditional clothing Sikh wearing turban The Light within Islam 94 Facial tattoos The light within islam may 2014.indd 94 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 95.
    leaving their hairto grow as part of their faith. Jewish men also follow their faith by curling the hair of their side-burns and by wearing skull caps. As of the above examples, Muslim women wear the Hijab expressing their right to freedom of expression, believing in their faith, and trying to attain the good by following God’s command. Jewish groups wearing their traditional clothing Chapter 95 Answers to common questions 11 The light within islam may 2014.indd 95 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 96.
    Why men can marrymore than one wife in Islam? This question is one of those questions most asked about Islam. Even before one answers, it ought to be known that Islam was not the inventor of polygamy. Polygamy was known and practiced by many civilizations and religions prior to Islam and is still being practiced in many parts of the non-Muslim world. In some places, non-Muslim men are permitted to marry to a host of women whose number reaches tens and sometimes hundreds, without any condition or restriction. In United States, for example, Mormons practice Polygamy as do Jews in modern Israel. The Jewish law permits us to have as many wives as we can get. Nowadays, a Muslim has to limit himself to four wives in this world, but we Jews have no such constrictions.1 When a wife cannot bear children or is mentally ill, the rabbis give a husband the right to marry a second woman without divorcing his first wife.2 1 Israel Shamir, Maidens and Warriors, 16 December 2001. 2 Peggy Fletcher Stack, Globally, Polygamy Is Commonplace, The Salt Lake Tribune, 20 Sep. 1998. The Light within Islam 96 The light within islam may 2014.indd 96 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 97.
    Also, in Africa,men still practice polygamy. Islam, on the other hand, laid down definite restrictions and conditions for polygamy. It limited the maximum number of wives to four. ‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮒ‬‫ﮑ‬‫ﮐ‬‫ﮏ‬‫ﮎ‬‫ﮍ‬‫ﮌ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﮉ‬‫ﮈ‬‫ﮇ‬‫ﮆ‬‫ﮅ‬‫ﮄ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬ ‫ﮗ‬ And if you fear that you will not deal justly withthe orphan girls, then marry women of your choice, two or three or four; but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with them, then only one or those your right hands possess. That is more suitable that you may not incline (to injustice).1 Those who had more than four wives at the time of embracing Islam were required to divorce the additional wives. Islam further reformed the institution of polygamy by mandating equal treatment of all wives. A Muslim has to be fair in his treatment to his wives. He is not permitted to differentiate between his wives in regards to sustenance, expenditures, time and other obligations of husbands. As a way of life, Islam is in harmony with nature, providing humans solutions to complex situations and avoiding extremes. This characteristic of Islam can be observed most clearly in its stand concerning the taking of more than one wife. Islam permits a Muslim man to marry more than one woman in order to resolve some very pressing human problems, individual as well as social. Examples of such social problems could be seen when the number of women in the world exceeds that of men. Population Male Female RUSSIA 41.6 % 53.9% UK 48.6% 51.5% USA 48.8% 51.2% BRAZIL 49.7% 50.27% [The New Encyclopedia Britannica, vol. 17, pp. 34, 270, 244] The surplus of women is a result of men dying from wars, violent 1 The Qur’an, Surah An-Nisa [4] : 3. Chapter 97 Answers to common questions 11 The light within islam may 2014.indd 97 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 98.
    crimes, and fromwomen outliving men. Bertrand Russell writes: And in all countries where there is an excess of women, it is an obvious injustice that those women who, by arithmetical necessity, must remain unmarried should be wholly debarred from sexual experience. On February 14, 1650, the parliament at Nuremberg decreed that because so many men were killed during the Thirty Years War, every man was allowed to marry up to ten women.1 In some contries one out of every five women today has no potential mate because there are simply not enough single men. In the U.S., there are 34 million single women. A 25-year-old single woman faces a serious undersupply of available men to start with, and the situation gets worse the older a woman gets. Divorced men are much more likely than divorced women to remarry (and they tend to marry younger women), therefore there are more than twice as many single women as there are single men in their 40s. Indeed, a woman who divorces at 35 today is likely to remain single for the rest of her life. Caught in a demographic bind while seeking greater autonomy, more and more single women are opting for involvement with married men.2 Another example of social problems which women faces on a daily basis are cases of abuse and mistreatment. They are sometimes abandoned, divorced, widowed or ill in health with no shelter to go to. In such cases, what should women do for their needs and protection? Who will help them in providing and raising their children? These situations of social unbalance are repeated throughout societies and throughout the centuries. When we agree that this is indeed a real issue, then we should 1 O. Jensen, A Genealogical Handbook of German Research, (Rev. Ed., 1980) p. 59. 2 Laurel Richardson, “Another World; More and More Single Women Are Opting for Affairs with Married Men, and the Trend Is Diminishing Feminist Progress,” Psychology Today, vol. 20, February 1986. The Light within Islam 98 The light within islam may 2014.indd 98 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 99.
    ask ourselves whatthe solution is? What should these lonely abandoned women do in order to have a family of their own? Would not polygamy offer a solution for this predicament? Other reasons for men marrying more than one wife can be based on personal issues. For example: 1. A women who cannot bare children or is unwilling to bare children. 2. When the women is sick to the extent that she can no longer have sexual relationship with her husband. 3. When the marriage is not successful and the couple does not want to divorce for the sake of their children. 4. If a man has an excessive sexual libido and his partner can not meet his needs, he can marry more than one wife in order to prevent himself indulging in adultery. 5. If a man travels for months and does not return home during that period of time and is unable to retain his sexual need, he can therefore protect himself by remarrying instead of falling into temptation of adultery. For all the above personal cases the situation could be reversed, if the man could not conceive children or is of ill health or has a sexual dysfunction or has abusive manners, etc., his wife could request to be divorced either from her husband or a court of law. Regardless of whether the case is social or personal, the second wife has the choice to accept or reject marrying a man that is already married. Also, the first wife has the choice to stay or divorce her husband if he marries in addition to her. Islam strives to maintain the family structure by keeping the pillars of the family - the father and mother - together. But, most importantly, Islam prevents the causes of adultery which may result in illegitimate children and where it is usually the single mother that suffers. The women in an adulterous relationship Chapter 99 Answers to common questions 11 The light within islam may 2014.indd 99 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 100.
    is condemned bythe society while her child grows up disoriented with no father figure to look up to. Men who are unwilling to take responsibility hold the position that monogamyprotectstherightsofwomen, and they are opposed to polygamy; but are these men really concerned about the rights of women? The truth of the matter is that monogamy protects men, allowing them to “play around” without avoiding any responsibility for their sexual conduct. Easy birth control and liberal abortion has opened the door to illicit sex with women and the so-called sexual revolution. But the woman is still the one who suffers the trauma of abortion and the side effects of birth-control methods. Taking aside the plagues of venereal disease, herpes and AIDS, the male continues to enjoy himself free of worry. Men are the ones protected by monogamy while women continue to be victims of men’s desires. Polygamy forces men to face up to responsibility and fidelity. It would require them to protect and spend on their additional wives and their offsprings. It is really strange for nations to consider polygamy illegal while homosexuality is legal. It is inhuman to have a woman as a second wife, according to these biased standards, but if the relation happens to be a male “mistress,” then it is acceptable and is not considered a crime. To leave a substantial number of women “on the shelf” by denying their attachment to men as a second wife is deemed acceptable. While homosexuality is promoted as an alternative lifestyle in conformity with the requirements of the modern man. Modern nations attitude is the logical outcome of rejecting God’s revelation that brings harmony between human beings and their innate nature. Polygamy is considered so abhorrent that it The Light within Islam 100 The light within islam may 2014.indd 100 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 101.
    is reacted towith great hostility, while men in the modern world are free to have any number of girlfriends or boyfriends or both without restriction and without any legal or moral accountability, either in respect to the woman or to the children she may bear as a result of such irreligious and immoral plurality of extra-marital relationships. All mandates in the religion of Islam are from God, the All- Wise. All things which are permitted are due to the fact that their benefit to the self and society outweighs their harm. When one analyzes the reasons behind polygamy, they will find that indeed the rulings in the religion of Islam are truly those which suits all times and places, as their source is God Almighty, the All-Wise and All-Knowing. Marriage in Islam is a strong bond and a binding contract, based on the intention of both partners to live together in order to attain, as individuals, the benefit of tranquility, affection, and mercy. As well as to attain the social goal of the reproduction and perpetuation of the human species. ‫ﰌ‬‫ﰋ‬‫ﰊ‬‫ﰉ‬‫ﰈ‬‫ﰇ‬ ‫ﰆ‬‫ﰅ‬‫ﰄ‬‫ﰃ‬‫ﰂ‬‫ﰁ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬‫ﰖ‬‫ﰕ‬‫ﰔ‬‫ﰓ‬‫ﰒ‬‫ﰑ‬‫ﰐ‬‫ﰏ‬‫ﰎ‬‫ﰍ‬ And Allah has made for you (mates or wives) of your own kind, and has made for you from your wives, sons and grandsons, and has bestowed on you good provisions. Do they then believe in false deities and deny the Favour of Allah.1 Polygamy is a matter of mutual consent. No one can force a woman to marry a married man. Islam simply permits polygamy; it neither forces nor requires it. Besides, a woman may stipulate that her husband must not marry any other woman as a second wife in her prenuptial contract.Accusing Islam of allowing men to put down women, abuse or use them for their lust and pleasures by marrying more than one is a misinterpretation of Islam’s stand on polygamy. 1 The Qur’an, Surah An-Nahl [16] : 72. Chapter 101 Answers to common questions 11 The light within islam may 2014.indd 101 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 102.
    Why women cannot marry morethan one husband? In Islam, as with most all other religions and legal systems, women cannot marry more than one man, but can instead ask for divorce and seek a better suitor for their own personal needs. This prohibition is mainly due to the physical differences which God has created between men and women. However, let us assume that a woman did get married to more than one man, what would be the solution then to the following issues? If each man she married wanted a child, would they not have to wait nine months in order to get her pregnant since a woman cannot conceive more than once every nine months? Whatifshedidnotwanttoconceiveduetoillnessandbad health? What if she reaches the age where she is not able to bear children anymore, while the man is able to conceive children until the end of his life? What should all these men do if they want children and she cannot grant them anymore? The Light within Islam 102 The light within islam may 2014.indd 102 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 103.
    Above all whenshe is able to bring children, whose child would it be anyway? How could any of the men she married be so sure that the child is his and not from the other husband? Samples of the child’s DNA would be taken in order to know whom it belongs to. They would have to decipher and fight between themselves to determine by whom and when she became pregnant. What about the menstruation period, does not that limit all husbands from sexual intercourse? We can conclude from the above that the physical differences between men and women limit women from marrying more than one man. Chapter 103 Answers to common questions 11 The light within islam may 2014.indd 103 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 104.
    Why the Prophet Muhammadmarried more than one wife? First we need to understand that every prophet chosen by God came with certain conditions for his time and his people. Such conditions were only known by God and granted by Him to his prophets, as was the case with Adam  and his wife, Eve, whose sons and daughters married each other while it was later forbidden by God for siblings to marry. However, God at that time had granted His Prophet Adam  the permission to allow such marriage in order to reproduce and evolve into nations and civilizations. Similar reasons and conditions have been granted by God to other prophets, such as Prophet David  who married one hundred wives and Prophet Solomon  who, according to the Torah, had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines. According to the Bible: Abraham had three wives (Genesis 16:1, 16:3, 25:1) Moses had two wives (Exodus 2:21, 18:1-6; Numbers 12:1) Jacob had four wives (Genesis 29:23, 29:28, 30:4, 30:9) David had at least 18 wives (1 Samuel 18:27, 25:39-44; 2 Samuel 3:3, 3:4-5, 5:13, 12:7-8, 12:24, 16:21-23) Solomon had 700 wives (1 Kings 11:3) Therefore, the claim that Prophet Muhammad  married more than one wife due to his lusts and desires is completely absurd. Prophet Muhammed  married eleven wives in total, nine at any one time. His first wife was Khadija whom he married when he was 25 years of age. Khadija was 15 years older than him The Light within Islam 104 The light within islam may 2014.indd 104 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 105.
    (40 years old)and had been married twice before marrying Prophet Muhammad . She bore him four out of five of his children. Prophet Muhammad  stayed married to Khadija for 25 years until her death. At the age of 50, the Prophet married his next wife, Sawda who was the first widowed women in Islam. By marrying her, the Prophet protected Sawda and granted her the respect and security she deserved after the death of her husband. In addition Prophet Muhammad  wanted to teach the Muslim society solidarity and how they should unite and help each other as Sawda had no children or relatives to help her in her day-to-day life. Does that sound like a Prophet who marries out of lust when his lust should be at its peak at the age of 25? The Prophet Muhammad  had reasons for marrying more than one wife. Here are some of these reasons that are known: 1. The first reason was for spreading the teachings of Islam to both men and women. Since Islam is practiced in everything Muslims do, the detailed information of women’s issues regarding menstruation, sex and childbirth and the like, was usually explained to women by the Prophet Muhammad  wives, who were taught by Prophet Muhammad  in order to spread the teachings of Islam to all. Therefore his wives had a huge responsibility in educating and explaining the importance of such detailed information to all other women. 2. The second reasons was for his Sunnah (which is a record of his sayings, actions, personal habits and moral behavior) to spread and to be taught. This was extremely important since it was the guide to perfect the Islamic character. Aisha, the wife of the Prophet Muhammad  , said about her husband: “His moral constitution is the Qur’an.” 3. The third reason was alliances with other nations, religions and tribes. The Prophet’s marriages served a political and religious purposes since they stopped some tribes from Chapter 105 Answers to common questions 11 The light within islam may 2014.indd 105 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 106.
    fighting the Muslims andcaused a great amount of people to enter into Islam. 4. The fourth reason is for maintaining closer relations with his companions whom he sought as family relatives and not just as friends and followers. 5. The fifth reason is teaching the Islamic society to be unified with each other by helping and providing for any women whohadnoothershelterorwasindangerofbeingmistreated and abused. Some of the reasons mentioned above applies to the Prophet Muhammad’s  marriage to Aisha. She was his best friend’s daughter and was married to Prophet Muhammad  at a young age (which was a normal act of marriage that was culturally and morally acceptable at that century and centuries before it) Biblical Jacob fell in love with Rachel when she was only seven and brought forth from her a line of saints including Mary, mother of Christ.1 Also, the Talmud stipulates the permitted age of marriage for girls at three years and one day.2 Aisha lived for 46 years after the Prophet’s death, spreading throughout those years the teaching of Islam and Prophet Muhammad’s  Sunnah. These are just some of the reasons we know of the Prophet Muhammad  marrying more than one wife. And there are other reasons that only Allah knows of. 1 Israel Shamir, Maidens and Warriors, 16 December 2001. 2 Ibid. The Light within Islam 106 The light within islam may 2014.indd 106 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 107.
    What does Islamsay about terrorism? The claim that Islam is a religion of terror can only be said by someone who has not taken even a few minutes to study about this religion.The word “Islam” itself is synonymous with peace and Muslims follow a religion of peace and forgiveness. Though Islam as a religion has nothing to do with the violent acts of oppression that have occurred in the world, it has unjustly been attacked by those hasty to point a finger. It is sad to see this religion judged by the opinions of others based on the behavior of a few misguided individuals. There are fundamentalists in every religion all around the world who also take part in violent acts, but unfortunately only Islam is blamed. For example if a bombing happens it is said “Islamic” suicide bombers were to blame or they say “Islamic fundamentalist” were behind it. Why accuse Islam? Why not only say a terrorist did it? What about the bombing in Oklahoma, who did that? Was not he a Christian? Was he called a Christian terrorist or only a terrorist? What should we say about the continuous murders and attacks done by gunmen around the world? Should we call the people who commit the act, Christian or atheist attackers, since they kill innocent people in streets, offices, restaurants and schools? Like Chapter 107 Answers to common questions 11 The light within islam may 2014.indd 107 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 108.
    Anders Brreivik whomassacred 67 innocent civilians in Norway. Was he called a Christian terrorist or only a right-wing extremist? What about Hitler? Was not he a Christian? Therefore, making judgments on any religion based on such people would be misleading since these individuals may be violating their own religion. A religion should be judged by its teaching as well as the conduct of these teachings amongst its true followers. Islam teaches us to be kind and merciful to every living creature, human or animal. If a Muslim were to commit an act of terrorism, this person would be guilty of violating the laws of Islam. Even in times of war Muslims are forbidden from killing or harming women, children and the elderly. They are also forbidden from torturing anyone or any creation. The Prophet Muhammad  stated: Whoever has killed a person having a treaty with the Muslims shall not smell the fragrance of paradise, though its fragrance is found for a span of forty years. And the Prophet also said: A man walking along a path felt very thirsty. Reaching a well, he descended into it, drank his fill, and came up. Then he saw a dog with its tongue hanging out, trying to lick up mud to quench its thirst. The man said to himself: “This dog is feeling the same thirst that I felt.” So he went down into the well again, filled his shoe with water, and gave the dog a drink. So, God forgave his sins. The Prophet  was asked: “Messenger of God, are we rewarded for kindness towards animals?” He replied: There is a reward for kindness to every living animal or human. The above sayings are a few examples of how Islam’s teachings should really be practiced and how good the Muslim should conduct him or herself towards all of God creations. It is therefore illogical for anyone to accuse this caring religion of the horrible acts of terror. The Light within Islam 108 The light within islam may 2014.indd 108 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 109.
    Conclusion Many non believerswho realized the illogicality of worshiping statues, animals or inanimate objects that neither helped nor benefited them, sought the truth and followed the revealed true message of the Holy books; worshiping God Alone. Some followers of the Torah sought the truth and followed the Gospel, following its new laws and guidance. Similarly did some believers of the Torah and Gospel who sought the truth and followed the last divine revelation of God (the Qur’an). If an individual seeks the truth, as the countless number of humanity have done before, then that person ought to continue searching and reading with a pure and open heart and leave behind any pre-existing notions they may have towards any religion. Then they should ask themselves which one is real and true to their heart and soul. Look for the source that brings comfort to your heart and gives you peace and tranquility through its divine proof, signs and answers to the questions and issues that you may doubt regarding your purpose in this life. Chapter 109 Answers to common questions 11 The light within islam may 2014.indd 109 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 110.
    ‫ﮣ‬‫ﮢ‬ ‫ﮡ‬‫ﮠ‬‫ﮟ‬‫ﮞ‬‫ﮝ‬‫ﮜ‬‫ﮛ‬‫ﮚ‬‫ﮙ‬‫ﮘ‬‫ﮗ‬‫ﮖ‬‫ﮕ‬‫ﮔ‬‫ﮓ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﯓ‬‫ﮱ‬‫ﮰ‬‫ﮯ‬‫ﮮ‬‫ﮭ‬‫ﮬ‬‫ﮫ‬‫ﮪ‬‫ﮩ‬‫ﮨ‬‫ﮧ‬‫ﮦ‬‫ﮥ‬‫ﮤ‬ Say (O Mohammed) : Shall we tell you the greatest losers in respect of their deeds? Those, whose efforts have been wasted in this life while they thought that they were acquiring good by their deeds. They are those who deny the signs of their Lord and the Meeting with Him (in the hereafter). So their works are in vain, and on the Day of Resurrection, We shall assign no weight for them.1 Try to save your efforts by choosing the right path and knowing your God. Do not let your work go in vain. Our life is God’s testing ground; we either pass or fail it. ‫ﭡ‬‫ﭠ‬‫ﭟ‬‫ﭞ‬‫ﭝ‬‫ﭜ‬‫ﭛ‬‫ﭚ‬ ‫ﭙ‬‫ﭘ‬ ‫ﭗ‬‫ﭖ‬ ‫ﭕ‬‫ﭔ‬ ‫ﭓ‬‫ﭒ‬‫ﭑ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭦ‬ ‫ﭥ‬ ‫ﭤ‬‫ﭣ‬‫ﭢ‬ Blessed is He in Whose Hand is the dominion; and He is Able to do all things. Who has created death and life that He may test you which of you is best in deed. And He is the All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving.2 Our test for salvation starts by choosing the right subject that would ensure we pass this test. It is exactly like a school or a university; if we enter the exam studying the wrong subject or not studying at all, surely we will fail, that is because there is no clear guidance that will help us pass the test and our efforts will eventually be in vain. After choosing the right path, we need to follow it by worshiping God according to His commandments the way He wants us to worship Him. ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﭸ‬‫ﭷ‬‫ﭶ‬‫ﭵ‬‫ﭴ‬‫ﭳ‬‫ﮋ‬ And I (Allah) created not the Jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (Alone).3 1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-kahf [18] : 103-105. 2 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Mulk [67] : 1-2. 3 The Qur’an, Surah Adh-Dhariyat [51] : 56. The Light within Islam 110 The light within islam may 2014.indd 110 10/11/14 11:06 AM
  • 111.
    Therefore, ask Godsincerely to guide you, open your heart, let go of your soul, let your mind, heart and soul choose the correct path that will eventually lead you to acquire good deeds and meet your Lord. ‫ﰕ‬‫ﰔ‬‫ﰓ‬‫ﰒ‬ ‫ﰑ‬‫ﰐ‬‫ﰏ‬‫ﰎ‬ ‫ﰍ‬‫ﰌ‬‫ﰋ‬‫ﰊ‬‫ﰉ‬‫ﰈ‬ ‫ﰇ‬‫ﰆ‬ ‫ﰅ‬‫ﰄ‬‫ﮋ‬ ‫ﮊ‬ ‫ﰜ‬‫ﰛ‬ ‫ﰚ‬‫ﰙ‬‫ﰘ‬‫ﰗ‬‫ﰖ‬ Say (O Muhammad): “I am only a man like you. It has been revealed to me that your God is One God (i.e. Allah). So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord. 1 1 The Qur’an, Surah Al-Kahf [18] : 110. Chapter 111 Answers to common questions 11 The light within islam may 2014.indd 111 10/11/14 11:06 AM