This Message is For You
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In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful Introduction This
message is for every inquiring and broad-minded human being. It is for
every seeker of truth who might have once wondered: What is Islam? Who
is Allah? What is the ultimate goal of Man's existence? What happens
after death? These questions and many others one may come across on
certain occasions but brushed them aside for various reasons. Islam
is indeed misunderstood and misrepresented in the West. "This is
hardly surprising," remarks the Frenchman, Dr. Maurice Bucaille,
in the introduction to his book, The Bible, The Qur'an, and Science
(1) If
we consider the way so many generations in the West were instructed in
the religious problems facing humanity and admit the ignorance in
which they were kept in about anything related to Islam (2) Hence
Islamic ideals remain obscure for the vast majority of non-Muslims.
This booklet does not attempt to answer all the questions you may
have. It will open before you, however, a new dimension of thinking
and will help you appreciate the importance of your role as a human
being in this universe, and the relationship between you and your
Creator, God Almighty Allah. It presents Islam to you concisely, and
provides straightforward answers to many questions about Islam and its
credentials. From
this booklet, you may begin to understand who Allah is, what Islam
means, and the role of man in this life, and to familiarize yourself
with the Last of the Divine Scriptures, and the last of the Prophets
and Messengers. The
Qur’an exists only in Arabic. Allah did not reveal its contents in
any other language. Therefore no one can give literal translation of
the meaning of any Ayah, verse or Surah, chapter of the Qur’an into
any other language. The same applies, though to a lesser extent, also
to the sayings of the man commissioned by Allah to interpret the
Qur’an, namely, the Prophet, Muhammad, peace be upon him. Although
I prefixed the Qur'anic quotations and Prophetic traditions cited in
this booklet by, "Allah says" or "the Prophet
says," yet I have given only the general meaning of such
quotations in English.
Who
is Allah? Allah
is the proper name applied to the true God Who exists necessarily by
Himself comprising all the excellent Divine names and attributes of
perfection. Allah is One and Unique. He has no son, partner, or equal.
He is the sole Creator and Sustainer of the universe. Every creature
bears witness to His Oneness, Divinity, and Ruboobiyyah (3) - and to
the uniqueness of His attributes and names. His essence does not
resemble any other essences. He does not exist in anything, nor does
anything exist in Him. There
is none like unto Him [Qur'an 112:4] He
is the One, the Sole, the Indivisible. He is the Rubb (4) who
accomplishes all affairs, Allah is the Omnipotent and the Omniscient.
His knowledge comprehends in perfect manner all things, hidden or
manifest. He is greater than can be encompassed by the knowledge of
His creatures. He knows everything, and He is aware of all that take
place in the earth or in the heavens. Allah, the Supreme, is the Rubb
of everything and has a free hand in the disposal of all affairs. Allah-exalted
be He is the One Who manages the things that take place. No affair
occurs in the visible or the invisible world without His
determination, His decree, His will and His decision, so that what He
wills takes place, and what He does not will does not take place. No
one who can ever resist His command or change His decision. He is the
Merciful One, and His mercy encompasses everything (5). He is far
removed from injustice and tyranny. He is wise in all His actions,
just in all His decrees. His justice ensures order in the universe, in
which nothing is out of order. There
is no one to share His dominion, nor does He take an aide or supporter
from His creatures. He is the Rubb of the worlds. He is nearer to man
than man's own jugular vein (6). Whenever a believer is in need or
distress calls on Him, He responds. He is above the Seven Heavens,
mounting His throne in the manner that suits His grandeur and majesty. Allah
has revealed His final Scripture, the Qur'an, to the last of His
Messengers, Muhammad, peace be upon him, who was responsible for
conveying the Message of Islam to mankind. He is the Exalted Allah.
Glory is due to Him. He is far removed from every imperfection. What
Is the Qur'an? The
Qur'an, the Torah, the Gospel are Scriptures of Allah that He sent
down to His Messengers, peace be upon them. The "Qur'an" is
Allah’s speech, not a created thing that may perish nor is it an
attribute of any created thing. Gabriel brought down the Qur'an to
Muhammad, peace be upon him, bit by bit as circumstances warranted
over a period of twenty-three years. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be
upon him, would memorize the verses he received and recite them to the
companions who happened to be with him and order them to write the
verses down immediately. Muhammad,
peace be upon him, himself used to keep a copy of the revealed
portions in his house. The Qur'an, the last of Allah's Scriptures, is
divided into 114 surah (chapters) of unequal length. It is one of the
fundamental sources of Islamic teachings. Allah revealed some of the
Qur'an's suwar and verses in Makkah, and the rest He revealed in
Madinah. The Makkan suwar and verses deal mainly with the issues of
Aqeedah (7), such as tawhid, the belief in the Oneness of Allah, the
signs of the existence of Allah, resurrection, life after death, or
the Day of Resurrection. The
Prophet, peace be upon him, laid great emphasis on the Oneness of
Allah, as did all the Prophets and Messengers of Allah before him,
beginning with Adam and ending with Muhammad, peace be upon them all.
Suwar revealed in Madinah dealt with the actions of the individuals
and every aspect of life, including forms of worship. Authenticity
of the Qur'an Allah
says : And
this Qur’an is not such as could ever be produced by other than
Allah, rather, it is the confirmation of that which was before it,
(i.e., the Torah and the Gospel, etc.) and a full explanation of the
Book which is no doubt, from the Rubb of the worlds. Or do they say:
"He has invented it"? Say: "Then produce a surah like
it, and summon whoever you can [to help you] apart from Allah, if you
are truthful.(8) There
is no nation that had ever cared about, revered, and preserved its
Divine Scripture as the Muslim Ummah (nation) has cared about, revered
and preserved the Qur'an. Unlike the other Divine Scriptures, the
Qur'an is not kept in the hands of a particular group or elite of
Muslims, and for this reason it is not subject to suspicion that it
might have been tampered with or altered. Rather, it has always been
within the reach of all Muslims. The
Prophet, peace be upon him, commanded The Muslims to recite Qur'anic
verses in their prayers. Allah commands the Muslims to refer all their
disputes to the Qur'an for final judgment. The Qur'an was compiled in
its final form at a time when the first Muslims to commit it to memory
were still alive. Allah has promised to preserve it, and it will be
preserved until the Day of Resurrection. The
Muslims today read and recite the Qur'anic texts exactly as they were
read and recited during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be
on him, and his Companions. Not a single letter has been added to the
Qur'an or deleted from it. After having examined the Qur'an, Dr.
Maurice Bucaille ascertains: Thanks
to its undisputed authenticity, the text of the Qur'an holds a unique
place among the books of revelation. (9) The
Miraculous Nature of the Qur'an Al-Baqillani
wrote about how the Qur’an is the evidential miracle of the
Muhammad’s Prophetic Office: What
makes it necessary to pay quite particular attention to that branch of
Qur’anic science known as I’jaz al-Qur’an is that the Prophetic
Office of the Prophet, peace be upon him, is built upon this miracle.
Even though later on he was given the support of many miracles, yet
those miracles all belonged to special times, special circumstances,
and concerned special individuals. (10) Allah,
the Exalted, has challenged the Arabs and non-Arabs to produce a
Qur'an similar to the Divine one. The challenge was reduced to ten
suwar, yet they failed to do so. Finally, Allah challenged them to
produce a single surah comparable to any of His. Although they were
the masters of eloquence and rhetoric, they were incapable of taking
up the challenge. They realized that the Qur’an could never be from
other than Allah, the Rubb of the worlds. The
difference between the miracles of the previous Messengers, which
proved their veracity, and that of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah,
peace be on him, is that theirs took place during the lifetime of each
one of them, whereas the miracle of the Qur'an remains effective,
everlasting, and challenging until the Day of Resurrection. Some
Aspects of the Miraculous Nature of the Qur’an Scholars have
mentioned three particular aspects of the miraculous nature of the
Qur'an. Al-Baqillani quoted: One
of them is that it contains information about the unseen, and that is
something beyond the powers of humans, for they have no way to attain
it. One example is the promise Allah, Most High, made to His Prophet,
peace be upon him, that his religion, Islam, would triumph over all
other religions. Thus
Allah, Mighty and exalted is He, says: He
it is Who Has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of
truth that He might make it victorious over all religion, even though
the polytheists dislike it. Allah,
the Exalted, did indeed fulfill His promise, and Muslims captured all
the lands as far as Balk and the Allah'
says: The
Romans have been defeated in the land nearby, and they, after their
defeat, will be victorious. (12) The
second aspect is that it is well known that the Prophet, peace be upon
him, was an ummi (13) who could neither write or read. Likewise it was
generally recognized that he had no knowledge whatever of the books of
the earlier people, nor of their records, or histories. Yet he
produced summaries of past great and important events such as the
stories of the previous Prophets and their peoples. A
person who reads the Qur'an objectively will realize that the
prophesies in it are far removed from conjecture or speculation. This
is due to the fact that the One Who revealed it is the One who
pre-decreed all events till the Day of Resurrection. The
Qur'an as Comprehensive Legislation The
Qur'an constitutes the most comprehensive concept of Islam on the
practical level as the source of the shari'ah, or the Divine laws and
legislation. It is comprehensive because it includes law, as well as
the underlying purposes and moral principles, and the creed to which
every Muslim must subscribe. Islamic shari'ah is designed and suitable
not only for Muslims, but for all mankind at all times. The Islamic
law governs all human acts, by delineating every person's public or
private-duties toward Allah and toward His Creation, including man. Man-made
laws are subject to alteration and are based on theories. Whenever a
new body of legislators assumes authority, or a new theory appears and
appeals to the legislators, the laws are changed accordingly. The
Divine law, on the other hand, is unalterable and perpetual because
the One Who made it is The Ever-living and Everlasting. He is the
Creator Who created mankind and ordained for all human beings what is
best for them until the end of time. For this reason, the Qur'an,
being the last revelation to the last of the Prophets and Messengers,
supersedes all previous Scriptures. Science
and the Qur'an Muhammad,
peace be on him, was unlettered. He could neither read nor write, and
he grew up in Makkah where there were no schools. He lived far away
from the circles of science and scholars that existed in I
could not find a single error in the Qur'an. I had to stop and ask
myself: if a man were the author of the Qur'an, how could he have
written facts in the Seventh century AC. that today are shown to be in
keeping with modern scientific knowledge? I had to acknowledge the
evidence in front of me: the Qur'an did not contain a single statement
that was assailable from a modern scientific point of view. I repeated
the same test for the Old Testament and the Gospels, always preserving
the same objective outlook. In the former, I did not have to go even
beyond the first book, Genesis, to find statements totally out of
keeping with what modern science considers to be indisputable facts
(14) Dr.
Bucaille studied many scientific facts mentioned in the Qur'an such as
the creation of the universe, astronomy, the animal and vegetation
kingdoms, human reproduction, and other related issues. We shall
select, for the sake of brevity, only two of the above issues to draw
the attention of the reader to one of the objectives of this booklet. The
Creation of the Heavens and the Earth Man's
knowledge of the origin of the universe is very limited. Scientists
have proposed hypotheses and theories of evolution centered around one
theme: the primordial fireball and the primordial era of matter and
antimatter. According to these theories, the universe (15) consisted
mainly of strongly interacting particles. The primordial matter and
antimatter eventually annihilated each other and those particles that
survived formed the present universe. This theory is given further
credence because it conforms to the basic process of the development
of the universe as presented very simply in the Qur'an. Allah commands
His Messenger Muhammad, peace be on him, to ask the unbelievers: Say
(to them): Do you disbelieve in Him Who created the earth in two days?
And yet you set up equals to Him, Who is the Rubb of the worlds. And
He placed therein firm mountains above its (the earth's) surface and
blessed it, and in four days equitably apportioned the means of
subsistence to all who would seek it. Then (Allah) turned to the
heaven when it was smoke (yet only gaseous) and said to it and to the
earth: Submit willingly or unwillingly! They both said: "We
submit in willing obedience." Then He decreed that they become
seven heavens in two days, and imparted to each (of the seven) its
function. And We decorated the heaven nearest to earth with lights and
made them secure. Such is the decree of the All Mighty, the
All-knowing (16). And
Allah says: Are
the unbelievers not aware that the heavens and the earth were once a
single entity which We then separated, and that We made every living
thing out of water? (17) Will they not then (begin to) believe? (18) The
concept of rending one unit into two or more, and the celestial
"smoke" referred to in the above, confirms what is
considered to be factual scientific data. The English physicist and
astronomer, Sir James Jeans, wrote: We
have found that, as The
space program helped verify the homogeneity of the substances of which
the moon, the earth, and other planets are formed. "Such
statements in the Qur'an concerning the creation, which appeared
nearly fourteen centuries ago," Dr. Bucaille concluded,
"obviously do not lend themselves to a human explanation."
(20) Human
Reproduction The
complexities of human reproduction were decoded and understood only
after the invention of the microscope, which was invented hundreds of
years after the death of Muhammad, peace be on him. But the Qur'an
refers to all the stages through which the human embryo passes. As
Allah says: Verily,
We created man from the quintessence of mud. Then We placed him as a
drop of sperm in a safe depository. Then We fashioned the drop of
sperm into a thing that clings, and then We fashioned the thing that
clings into a chewed lump (of flesh), and We fashioned the chewed
flesh into bones. Then We clothed the bones with (intact) flesh. Then
We developed it into a different (form of) creation. So blessed be
Allah, the best of creators. (21) The
observations of modern science indicate the stages of human
reproduction are: 1)Fertilization
of an ovule, which takes place in the Fallopian tubes. The fertilizing
agent is the male sperm. 2)The
implantation of the fertilized egg, which takes place at a precise
spot in the female reproductive system. It descends into the uterus
and lodges in the body of the uterus. Once the embryo begins to be
observable to the naked eye, it looks like a small mass of flesh. It
grows there in progressive stages well known today, which lead to the
bone structure, the muscles, the nervous and circulatory system, and
the viscera, etc. (22) In
conclusion, Dr. Bucaille ascertains: More
than a thousand years before our time , at a period when whimsical
doctrines still prevailed, men had a knowledge of the Qur'an. The
statements it contains express in simple terms primordial truths that
man has taken centuries to discover by himself. (23) Who
is Muhammad? Muhammad,
peace be upon him, is the last of Allah's Messengers and Prophets. His
name is Muhammad, son of Abdullah, son of Abdul-Muttalib, peace be
upon him. His lineage is traced back to Ibraheem, peace be upon him,
the Friend of Allah. He was born in Makkah in 570 AC. Due to the fine
reputation he enjoyed among his people, they nicknamed him "the
Trustworthy." At the age of 40, he was endowed with Prophethood
when Allah, the Exalted, revealed to him, through the angel Gabriel,
the first Qur'anic verses, and asked him to preach the Oneness of
Allah and warn people against polytheism. The
Makkan polytheists opposed him and threatened his few followers
harshly, but that did not shake his faith nor cause his steadfastness
to waiver, nor did it stop more people from responding to his
preaching. Finally, when the majority of the people of Madinah
embraced Islam, the Makkan Muslims took flight to Madinah. Later on,
the Messenger of Allah himself migrated to Madinah to establish there
the Islamic Nation. A few years later, the polytheists of Makkah and
their allies succumbed to the growing power of the Muslims, and
through the mercy of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, Makkah
was liberated without violence. Some thirty years after the death of
the Prophet Muhammad, peace be on him, Islam had already spread
throughout the world and displaced the two greatest empires at the
time; the Persian and the Roman. What
is Islam? The
Arabic term, "Islam," meaning "submission," points
to the fundamental religious creed, which dictates that a Muslim
submit to the will of Allah by conforming inwardly and outwardly to
His law. Islam
is the last of all the Divine revealed religions. The name, Islam, for
this universal and eternal, Deen (24) Allah, was instituted by Allah
during the farewell pilgrimage; Allah says: Today
I have perfected your deen for you, and I have completed My favor upon
you, and I have approved Islam as your religion. (25) Islam
is the last and universal faith and today numbers more than one
billion followers. Every country in the world has at least a small
Muslim minority. Islam has shown itself to be not only the most
widespread religion in the world, but also the most dynamic,
attracting converts at a faster rate than at any time in the last
thousand years. Islam
is not a "religion" in the narrow sense used by secular
humanists, in the West, but is the universal and eternal deen known
through Prophets to every nation of people since the human race first
began. This Islamic deen lays great emphasis on uncompromising
monotheism and strict adherence to its creed and method of worship. It
enjoins submission to the will of Allah and urges every person to
follow as closely as possible the exemplary way of the life of
Muhammad, the last of the Prophets and Messengers, peace be on them
all. Allah,
the Exalted, created the universe and what is in it to express the
truth that He is the One and only God. He created man and jinn only to
celebrate His praise and worship Him. In His words signifying: I
have created the jinn and Man only to worship The
method and form of worship are not left to man's option or choice.
Allah is the One Who ordains and decrees all acts of worship and the
means by which they must be observed. Since Islam deals with every
aspect of life, spiritual and physical, its jurisprudence is based on
a creed, instruction on worship, and ordinances regarding social,
economic, and political aspects. Because
Islam is a perfect way of life, it enjoins the maintenance of a
refined standard of character. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon
him, says: Verily,
I have been sent to develop in you good character and refined
behavior. Allah
praised the model behavior of His Messenger, peace be upon him, by
saying: And
you surely exhibit an exalted standard of character (27) A'ishah,
the wife of the Messenger of Allah, peace be on him, was asked about
his behavioral characteristics of the Messenger of Allah, peace be
upon him. She said: "His standard of behavior was the
Qur'an." A'ishah meant that the Prophet, peace be upon him,
rigorously followed the Qur'an, its rules of discipline, commands, and
prohibitions and all its excellent, beautiful, and gracious teachings.
For this reason, Allah commands the believers to follow the exemplary
life of His Messenger, peace be on him, in His words: You
have indeed in the Messenger of Allah an excellent model (28) Islam
enjoins good character expressed in good manners for every occasion:
entreating, greeting, sitting, eating, learning, teaching, sporting,
traveling, dressing, visiting, sleeping, and treating people,
particularly relatives and neighbors with kindness. Codes for all such
refined behavior are found in both the Qur'an and the Prophetic
traditions of the Messenger of Allah, peace be on him. The
Family in Islam The
family enjoys a high status in Islam. It is the core of the society,
because a healthy family means a healthy society. Hence Allah, the
Exalted, commands that parents be treated with gentleness and
submissiveness, saying: And
your Rubb has commanded that you worship none but Him, and treat your
parents with kindness. If one or both of them attain old age in your
care, never say to them a word (suggesting) disgust, nor reproach
them, but address them with reverent speech. And humble yourself out
of mercy before them and supplicate: My Rubb be merciful to them even
as they fostered me in my childhood. (29) Next
to the nuclear and immediate family come the kinfolk. The Messenger of
Allah, peace be on him, said that Allah has promised to be kind to the
person who treats his kindred with kindness, and to bar from His mercy
the person who severs relations with his relatives. The
Pillars of Islam The
Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: Islam is based on five
pillars: 1)
Shahaadah (the profession of faith). Its also called the kalimah
(word), which must be recited by anyone embracing Islam. It means,
"There is no true god except Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger
of Allah." This means that nothing and no one is worthy of being
worshipped but Allah, and that He must be worshipped only according to
the teaching of His Messenger Muhammad, peace be upon him. Abdullah
bin Amr reported that the Messenger of Allah said : A man will be
brought along to the balances on the Day of Resurrection, and there
will be brought out for him ninety nine scrolls, every scroll of them
stretching (when unrolled) as far as an eye can reach, in which are
written his sins and his guilty acts, and they will be put in one pan
of the Balances. Then a small card will be brought out on which is
written the Testimony of Faith: There is no true god except Allah, and
Muhammad is His slave and Messenger, which will be put in the other
pan, and it will outweigh all his wrongdoing. This means that if a
person professes the testimony of faith fulfilling its conditions,
Allah forgives his sins regardless of how many sins he may have
committed. The
Conditions of Testimony of Faith Pronouncing
the testimony of faith is sufficient to make one a convert to Islam.
There are however, six conditions that must be observed before it can
effectively make one a Muslim. These are: (a)
Al-Ilm, Knowledge, knowing both concepts of the testimony of faith
i.e., disclaiming all deities, denouncing shirk, polytheism, and
affirming the Oneness of Allah. Allah the Exalted, addressed His
Messenger, peace be upon him, saying: Know,
therefore, that there is no true god but Allah. (30) The
Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: He
who dies while still acknowledging there is no true god except Allah
will assuredly enter Jannah. And
he said: Allah
will forbid the fire [from touching] anyone who has testified 'There
is no true god except Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah' (b)
Al-Yaqeen, Certainty: The heart must be firmly certain of the meaning
of shahadah without a blemish of doubt. Allah the Exalted says: Verily,
the believers are only those who truly believe in Allah and His
Messenger, and then doubt not. (31) Allah
praises such believers saying: It is they who are the truthful. The
Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: I
bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I am the Messenger of
Allah. No slave meets Allah with this testimony, having no doubt in it
but shall enter Jannah. (32) (c)
Al-Ikhlaas, Sincerity: Allah, the Exalted, said: And
they were not commanded but to worship Allah, being sincere in
devoting religion to Him. (33) Abu
Hurairah said: I asked the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him:
'Messenger of Allah! Who will be most fortunate to enjoy your shafa'ah
(intercession) on the Day of Resurrection ? The Messenger of Allah,
peace be upon him, said: 'I was certain that no one else would ask me
about this other than you, because I have noticed your keenness for
hadeeth. The most fortunate of men who will enjoy my shafa'ah on the
Day of Resurrection is the one who says: (La Ilaha Illa Allah)
"None has the right to be worshipped except Allah",
sincerely from his heart.. (34) (d)
As-Sidq, Truthfulness: Allah The Exalted says: But
he who has brought the truth. (35), and those who testify to the
truth, these it is who are the righteous. (36) The
Messenger of Allah said: Anyone
testifies that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger
of Allah, truthfully from his heart, Allah would forbid his admittance
to the Fire. (37) (e)
Al-Mahabbah, Love and affection: Allah says: Allah
shall bring forth a people whom He loves and they love Him. (38) The
Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: There
are three (qualities), whoever possesses them, will taste the
sweetness of Iman (belief): to love Allah and His Messenger more than
anyone else, to love the Muslim only for the sake of Allah, and to
dread returning to kufr (apostasy) as he dreads being thrown in fire.
(39) The
Prophet, peace be upon him, also said: None
of you shall (really) believe until I become dearer to him than his
own father, and son and all mankind. (40) (f)
Al-Inqiyaad, Submission internally and externally: Allah, the Exalted,
says: And
he who submits himself to Allah, and does good, he has surely grasped
a strong handle. (41) Allah
also says: And
turn you to your Rubb, and submit yourselves to Him. (42) (g)Al-Qubool,
Acceptance and conformity: All the above conditions must be accepted
and adhered to. In other words, none of the conditions or requirements
of the testimony of faith should be rejected. Allah says: When
it was said to them, 'There is no god but Allah, they used to turn
away with arrogance, and say, 'Are we going to relinquish our gods for
an insane poet'. (43) Abu
Musa al-Ash'aree reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him said: The
parable of guidance and knowledge which Allah has sent me with is like
a rain which fell on a land. A patch of that land received the water
and produced much herbage and grass. And a patch which was barren. The
latter retained water wherewith Allah extended benefits to men: they
drank from it, irrigated and planted their vegetation. And a patch
which was a sandy plain, it neither retained water nor produced
herbage. This is parallel to the person who conceived the religion of
Allah and benefited from the Message with which Allah has sent me,
whereby he learnt and taught others. The other person turned away from
it (from my Message), and rejected the guidance of Allah with which I
am sent. (44) 2)
Salah (prayer). An act of worship consisting of series of movements,
and Qur'anic recitations. The performance of the five prescribed daily
prayers is obligatory (fardh,) beginning at the age of reason, which
is deemed to be ten years. Each unit of salah is called rak'ah (pl.
rak'at), Some prayers are performed silently in whole or in part; that
is to say, the Fatihah, or the opening surah of the Qur'an and the
chosen passage of the Qur'an are not recited in audible voice. Prayer
is clearly the most important pillar after shahadah . Each unit of
salah, called rak'ah (pl. rak'at). It is a daily act of worship. The
performance of salah at five prescribed times daily is obligatory
(fardh). The five prayers may be performed either individually or in
congregation, but if in congregation, they are led by an imam who
directs the ritual. At these five times a day there is an adthan , or
a call to announce the time for prayer, and to summon Muslims to the
masjid for prayer. To
perform prayer, the person must be in the sate of ritual purity
conferred by the wudu’, or ablution. A prayer must be performed in a
clean place, facing the qiblah, the direction of Makkah (45), a
direction which is indicated in a masjid by a mihrab, or a notch in
one of the masjid walls. The daily prayers are the following: The
Format of Salah (prayer) a)
Salatul-Fajr, or dawn prayer, consisting of two supererogatory rak'aat
followed by two obligatory rak'aat during which the Qur'anic passages
are recited loudly. Its time is from dawn to sunrise. b)
Salat adth-Dhuhr, the noonday prayer; two rak'aat followed by another
two supererogatory. Then four obligatory with quiet recitation, and
then two more supererogatory rak'aat. It is performed after the moment
the sun passes its zenith until the time of Asr. c)
Salat al-Asr, the late afternoon prayer, consists of only four
obligatory rak'aat. with quiet recitation. It is performed when the
shadow of a vertical stick becomes equal to the length of the stick
until just before sunset. d)
Salat al-Maghrib prayer, consists of three obligatory rak'aat , the
first two of which are recited in audible voice, while the third is
recited quietly. The three obligatory rak'aat are followed by two
supererogatory ones. This prayer may be performed as soon as the sun
sinks below the horizon until the red glow disappears, but is best
performed immediately after sunset. e)
Salat al-Isha', or night prayer. Its four rak'aat, the first two are
recited in audible voice and the last two quietly. They are followed
by two supererogatory rak'aat. It is performed after the onset of
night until the dawn, but are preferably performed before Besides
the five prescribed daily prayer, there are also certain special
congregational prayers that are in common observance. The most
important of them is the Jum'ah, Friday congregational prayer
performed in place of the normal There
are some arkan or fundamental requirements that must be observed in
order that the prayer be accepted: (1)
An-niyyah (intention), i.e., stating in mind what prayer service one
proposes to perform. (2)
Takbiratul-al-ihram (sanctification), i.e., pronouncing takbeer
[saying. "Allahu akbar", whereby the worshipper cuts himself
off from profane things for the period of prayer] (3)
Al-qiyam (standing), i.e., taking up one’s position standing, facing
the qiblah and ready for prayer. (4)
Al-qira’ah (recitation), i.e., the recitation of the Fatihah (Surah
1) and some other portion from the Qur’an. (5)
Ar-ruku’ (bowing), i.e., bending the body so that the palms grab the
knees. (6)
As-sujud (prostration of obeisance), i.e., going down on hands and
knees so that the forehead touches the praying place. (7)
At-tasleem (salutation), which ends the formal prayer. (8)
At-tarteeb (arrangement), i.e., performing all the above in proper
sequence. Prayer
is one of the greatest pillars of Islam. It is the first act of
worship about which man shall be questioned about on the Day of
Reckoning. If Prayer of a Muslim is accepted by Allah, then the rest
of man's good deeds are accepted too. (46) 3)
Zakah, means "purification". consists of giving up a certain
percentage of the wealth one may possess for a whole lunar year to be
given to needy Muslims in order thereby to purify or legitimize
one’s wealth and property. Zakah is one of the greatest financial
institutions of Islam as practical sharing with those less fortunate,
the bounty one receives from Allah. A sharing which reflects
characteristics of a true Muslim. Zakah is levied annually on certain
types of food, grain, cattle, and cash retained for one lunar calendar
year to be given out to the poor, the needy, and other specified
classes of people. The amount due varies according to different kinds
of properties. 4)
Sawm (fasting) is to be observed during the month of Ramadhan (the
ninth month of the Muslim lunar calendar). The beginning of the
fasting is announced in all Muslim countries by the appearance of the
new moon of Ramadhan, and ends with the appearance of the new moon of
Shawwal. All Muslims in normal health abstain from food, drink, (47)
and sexual enjoyment from dawn to sunset. Fasting
is a beneficial act of worship that helps one who observes it to
attain piety and humbleness and to share the feelings of the bereft
and hungry in the community so as to be more benevolent and
charitable. Meritorious fasting is also recommended on various
occasions throughout the year. 5)
Hajj or pilgrimage to the sacred sites in certain Makkan areas, each
with its own special rites and ceremonies is an elaborate series of
symbolic acts requiring several days for their accomplishment. It is
performed at a particular period of the Islamic year at the al-Masjid
al-Haram, the Sacred Masjid in Makkah, and in Mina, Muzdalifah and
Arafat, which are the places directly adjacent to Makkah. is
obligatory for those whose health and means permit it once in a
lifetime(48). Umrah (49) however, is voluntary act of worship. The
Hajj rites take place during the Islamic or lunar months of Shawwal,
Dthul-Qi'dah, and the first ten days of Dthu-Hijjah only. It is a
pre-condition for the pilgrim to enter the state of ihram (50) at a
certain point before entering the boundaries of Makkah. The
Doctrines of Islam Iman,
or faith may be strengthened by obedience to God Almighty Allah, and
may be weakened by acts of disobedience. Iman has over seventy
branches; its uppermost is the testimony of faith; "There is no
true god except Allah", and the lowermost of which is removing a
harmful object from the road. Islam
contains six basic articles of faith 1)
Belief in the Oneness of Allah, Who is the sole Creator upon Whom all
the creation depend for their means of subsistence. Everything stands
in need of Allah, but He stands in need of no one. This belief entails
also believing in Allah as the only God who is worthy of being
worshipped, and in the uniqueness of His attributes. He is not a body
that has been formed. He does resemble any created thing, nor does any
created thing resemble Him. Space does not encompass Him, nor do the
earth and the heavens contain Him. He is situated above His Great
Throne in the manner which suits His Majesty. Although He is above His
Throne and separated from all His creatures, yet in spite of this He
is near to every existing thing. He is nearer to man than his jugular
vein. Allah
is known by the intellect to be existing in His essential being. Thus
it follows for Islam that the greatest of all sins is shirk, i.e.,
associating partners with Allah or giving to anyone or anything even
the smallest share in Allah’s unique sovereignty. 2)
Belief in angels. sexless creatures created of light. Allah has
created the angels and tasked them to perform numerous duties besides
worshipping Him. They are His obedient slaves. "They stand in awe
of Him" (51). Some of them are mentioned in the Qur’an and the
Prophetic traditions such as Jibreel, the angel that brings down the
divine revelation to the Prophets and Messengers, Mika’eel, the
angel of provisions, Israfeel, the angel of the trumpet of doom, the
angel of death, Ridhwaan, the guard of the Jannah (52), Malik, the
guard of Hell, Raqeeb and Ateed, the two angels who record mans deeds
and utterances, Munkar and Nakeer, the questioners of the dead, the
Throne bearers, and others. 3)
Belief in His Scriptures, specifically that they were free from any
imperfection or errors at the time of their revelation. All Scriptures
preceding the Qur'an have been tampered with or distorted by the
people of the Book, whereas the Qur'an is protected by Allah from
change or tampering. He sent down Scriptures to Abraham, Isma'il,
Is'haq, Ya'qoob (Jacob) and his twelve sons, Moses, Jesus, and
Muhammad, peace be upon them. Scriptures were revealed through Jibreel
to the various Prophets in succession. Thus Scriptures are really one
and each successive book confirms those that preceded it. With the
revelation of the Qur’an, all previous Scriptures were abrogated,
and what the Jews and the Christians now have are not the original
Torah of Musa (Moses), and Gospel of Issa (Jesus) but later
productions written by the hands of men. 4)
Belief in His Messengers whom Allah has chosen at various times from
among mankind whom He has honored by making them mediators between
Himself and His slaves. They were sent in order to give good tidings
of rewards to those who do good, and to warn those who do ill of
coming punishment. It is equally important to believe that the
information they brought is characteristically and necessarily
veracious. The Messengers were to make clear to people all they need
to know of what was befitting in religion and in secular life, and to
make specific to them the acts of worship whereby they would attain
the highest ranks in the Hereafter. Allah, the Glorious, aided His
Messengers by clearly apparent signs and by splendid miracles. The
first of the Prophets series was Adam, and the last of them is our
Prophet Muhammad, Peace be upon them all. Believing in the Messengers
of Allah means also believing that they were trustworthy in what they
transmitted to men, and that they were preserved from anything that
would contradict their mission by Allah. Among whom the most prominent
and steadfast are Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, peace be
upon them. They are human and slaves of Allah. Every Prophet or
Messenger before Muhammad, peace be on them, was sent to his own
people, but Muhammad, peace be on him, is sent to all mankind. Allah
says: Blessed
is He Who has sent down the Qur'an to His slave so that it might be a
warner to the worlds. (53) None
of Allah's Messengers or Prophets claimed to be god or part-god. Allah
says: Allah
has not taken unto Himself any son, nor is there any god with him, for
otherwise each god would have taken away what he had created, and some
of them would surely have dominated over the others. Far be Allah
above all that which they attribute to Him. (54) Muslims
accept all the Prophets and Messengers sent by Allah as theirs,
moreover they accept Jesus, not as Christians claim him to be the
Divine manifestation or son of God, but as a Messenger, albeit of
miraculous birth since he was born of a virgin, hence he is called
Jesus son of Mariyam (Mary). Although
Jesus is highly respected in Islam, yet Islam does not concede any
idea of his divinity, or believe that he is the son of God. This, or
any Trinitarian idea of God, or any suggestion that Jesus is somehow
an hypothesis of God, is utterly rejected in Islam. Jesus did not die
upon the cross, rather someone else was substituted for him. Allah
says: They
slew him not, nor did they crucify him not but it appeared so to them.
But God took him up to Him. Allah is ever Mighty, Wise. (55) 5)
Belief in the Last Day, i.e. the Day of Resurrection. Allah has
pre-decreed a term for each creature, and a term for the life of this
world. Allah will assuredly raise the dead from their tombs. The end
of this world will be marked by the sounding of the Trumpet. Then the
Trumpet will sound again and mankind shall be resurrected so that
every person will stand before the Rubb of the worlds and be
questioned about his or her deeds in this world. Allah, the Exalted,
has created the Jannah and has prepared it as an eternal dwelling for
His pious slaves who He will honor by the vision of His face. He has
also created Hell for those who disbelieve in Him. On the Day of
Resurrection, rewards and penalties are assigned, the balances will be
set up for weighing the works of men and those whose balance weighs
heavy will be those who will prosper. Everyone will be given his
record sheet. It is to be believed that the Bridge over Hell is real,
and men will have to cross it. The pious of them will do so safely,
and the impious will fall in Hell. 6)
Belief in Al-Qada, and Qadar, or predestination, of both good and evil
consequences. All man’s thoughts, words, and deeds were
foreordained, determined and decreed by Allah for all eternity, and
that everything that happens takes place according to what has been
written for it. Allah has created everything in due proportion. His
determination of the nature of things was established fifty-thousand
years before He created the Heavens and the earth. Nothing occurs or
takes shape within the heavens or on earth but with His knowledge and
by His order. In other words, man's life as predestined in the sense
that nothing can finally oppose the Will of Almighty Allah. Man
nonetheless has the gift of free will in that he does make choices and
decisions. Believing
in predestination however, necessitates believing: -
that the knowledge of Allah encompasses all things, and that nothing
escapes His knowledge, be it in the heavens or on the earth. Allah has
known His creatures before he brought them into existence. He
reassigns their provisions, term of life, utterances, deeds, actions,
movements, their internal and external affairs, and who of them is
assigned for Jannah, and which of them is doomed to Hell. -
that Allah has pre-decreed what to come into existence. This in turn
requires believing in the Pen which records all the divine decrees,
and in the Preserved Tablet on which the decrees are recorded. -
that the will of Allah is effective and His capacity is inexhaustible
and inclusive. Doubtlessly, whatever Allah wills does take place, and
whatever He does not will does not take place due not to incapacity
rather to His infinite wisdom. There is nothing that frustrates the
capacity of Allah. -
that Allah, the Exalted, is the sole Creator of all things. All praise
is due to Him. He is the One other than Whom there is no god. Conclusion Having
studied the Qur'an thoroughly, and made extensive researches on its
contents, Dr. Maurice Bucaille came to the conclusion: I
could not find a single error in the Qur'an. I had to stop and ask
myself: if a man were the author of the Qur'an, how could he have
written facts in the Seventh century AC that today are shown to be in
keeping with modern scientific knowledge? There was absolutely no
doubt it: the text of the Qur'an we have today is most definitely a
text of the period, What human explanation can there be for this
observation? In my opinion there is no explanation; there is no
special reason why an inhabitant of the Arabian Peninsula should, at a
time when King Dagobert was reigning in France (629-639 AC), have had
scientific knowledge on certain subjects that was ten centuries ahead
of our own? (56) In
conclusion, it should be borne in mind that Islam is not just a set of
rituals restricted to the above, rather, it is a set of statutes and
injunctions that regulate every aspect of man's life; from cradle to
grave. Now
that you have read this booklet and become more acquainted with the
central principles of Islam, it is up to you to make the choice. Every
one is heading for the same end, but he or she may choose one route or
another. Allah is so merciful; He is far removed from injustice. Allah
says: We
never punish until We have sent a Messenger. (57) Out of our concern, we have prepared this message for you. References 1-The
book was originally written in French, entitled La Bible, le Coran et
la Science. Its English version was published by American Trust
Publications in 1979. 2-Infinitive
noun of Rubb 3-Some
translate the term 'Rubb' into Lord, but since the meaning of 'Rubb'
is far more comprehensive be restricted to a single word such as
'lord'. Rubb, means, among other things, the Creator, the Sustainer,
the Provider, and the One in whose hands is the disposal of all
affairs. 4-
Even the unbelievers enjoy Allah's mercy in this world by having their
means of subsistence maintained by Him. 5-
This signifies that Allah is well aware of mans insight more than man
himself. 6-
Aqeedah is a religious tenet upon which one's mind and heart is firmly
settled, and to which one holds and adheres. 7-
Qur’an 10:38-40 8-
Dr. Maurice Bucaille is a surgeon who has taken great interest in the
scientific aspects of the Qur'an. He learned Arabic and managed to
study the Qur'an in its original text. He was amazed with its precise
scientific data. 9-
Al-Baqillani, I’jaz al-Qur’an, pp. 13, 36-38. 10-
The reference to this prophesy is found in surah #30 entitled 'Ar-Rum'
or the Romans. This refers to the battle that took place between the
Persians and the Romans in 614 AD when the Romans were defeated. Eight
years after that, the Romans defeated the Persians, and the prophesy
of the Qur'an was fulfilled to the letter. 11-
Qur'an 30: 1, 2 12-
An unlettered man. 13-
The Bible, the Qur'an, And Science, p. 120 14-
Macropaedia, Vol. 18, p. 1008, of the Encyclopedia Britannica 15-
Qur'an 41:9-12 16-
Some have misconstrued this verse to substantiate 17-
Qur'an 21: 30 18-
Ibid. 19-
Ibid. 20-
Qur'an 23:12-14 21-
The Bible, the Qur'an and Science, p.199 22-
Ibid. 23-
Qur'an 5:5 24-
Qur'an 51:56 25-
Qur'an 68.4 26-
Qur'an 33:21 27-
Qur'an 17: 23,23 28-
47.19 29-
49.15 30-
Sahih Muslim 31-
98.5 32-
Musnad al-Imam Ahmad 33-
The one who brought the truth refers to Muhammad, peace be upon him.
While the 'truth' refers to the kalimah. 34-
39.33 35-
Sahih Muslim. 36-
5.54 37-
Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim 38-
Ibid. 39-
31.22 40-
39.54 41-
37.35,36 42-
Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. 43-
The Qiblah, orientation for prayer, i.e., the Ka’bah, to which all
Muslims turn during prayer. 44-
Man shall be held accountable for every minute thing he does, and
shall stand all by himself on the Day of Resurrection or Reckoning to
be questioned by the All- Mighty Allah. Every one shall be held
accountable for his own deeds. The life in the Hereafter is either
everlasting happiness or everlasting torment. 45-
Drinking, refers to water, fruit juices and other non-alcoholic and
soft drinks. Liquor and smoking are strictly prohibited in Islam. 46-
This means that a person must have enough provisions for his journey
and for his family during his absence. 47-
Umrah, or visitation, which is concerned more particularly with the
central shrine of al-Masjid al-Haram, in Makkah, can be performed at
any time of the year. Its rituals take place entirely within the
precincts of the Sacred Mosque of Makkah. Umrah is also a part of the
Hajj. It is composed of the seven tawaf, or circumambulations of the
Ka'bah, followed by a prayer of two rak'aat, the drinking of water of
Zamzam, and finally walking between the hills of Safa and Marwa seven
times. 48-
Ihram is purposely entering upon the performance of Hajj or Umrah by
wrapping a piece of cotton around one’s body, covering it from the
chest down, and another piece to cover one’s upper body, excluding
the head. This makes it unlawful to wear sewed garments, socks or
shoes. Only slippers or the like are permissible to wear. Also
prohibited are all sexual activities with one's wife, hunting, and the
like. Under normal circumstances, once a Muslim enters the state of
ihram, he may not break it until he has completed all hajj and Umrah
rituals. If however, one is held back from completing Hajj and Umrah,
for health reasons, fear of an enemy, or great danger, he may then
quit his ihram and sacrifice a sheep, a goat, a cow, or a camel as an
expiation. 49-
Qur’an. 32:11 50-
Qur'an 25:1 51-
9 Qur'an 23:91 52-
Qur'an 4:157, 158 53-
The Bible, the Qur'an And Science, American Trust Publication, p. 120 54-
Qur'an 17:16 55-
Qur'an (4:157-158) 56-
The Bible, the Qur'an And Science 57- Qur'an (17:15)
This Message is For You By Mahmoud Murad, with slight modifications http://thetruereligion.org/modules/wfsection/article.php?articleid=97 |
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