Mahmoud Murad
Introduction
who is
Allah?
What Is the Qur`an?
Authenticity of
the Qur'an
The Miraculous Nature of the Qur'an
The Qur'an as Comprehensive Legislation
Science and the Qur'an
The Creation of the Heavens and the
Earth
Human Reproduction
Who is Muhammad? (peace be upon him)
What is Islam?
The Family in Islam
The Pillars of Islam
The Conditions of Testimony of Faith
The Format of Salaah (prayer)
The
Doctrines of Islam
Conclusion
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 the truth who might have once wondered what the religion of Islam is
all about? Who is Allah? What is the ultimate goal of man's existence? Or 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.
Mahmoud Murad
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.
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 land of India. The early Muslims ruled a vast land
encompassing many countries in the world. The Qur'an foretold the victory of the
Romans against the Persians(11)
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 Syria, Alexandria, Athens, or Rome.
Moreover, the scientific facts mentioned in the Qur'an were not known in that
time, i.e. in the Seventh Century AC. Having studied and examined the Arabic
text of the Qur'an, Dr. Bucaille marvels:
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 Newton first conjectured, a chaotic mass of gas of
approximately uniform density and of very great extent would be dynamically
unstable: nuclei would tend to form in it, around which the whole of matter
would ultimately condense." On the basis of this theory he proposed that
all celestial objects originated by a process of fragmentation
(19)
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)
of 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 Me.(26)
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 midnight. An additional two rak’aat
followed by odd one, called witr may be prayed before going to sleep.
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 noon prayer. It
can only be performed in congregation following a khutbah, or preaching
delivered by the imam. There are also special prayers for time of lunar or solar
eclipse. Another prayer called Salatul-Istisqaa' time of drought, a two rak'at
prayer supplicating Allah for rain. It is to be performed by the community in
the open. Janazah, funeral prayer, is performed for the recently dead by
the mourners and by anyone present in the masjid at the time. Salatul-Khawf,
(prayer of fear), is performed in place of normal prayer in the battlefield. A-Eedain
prayers, for the two annual festivals, the first al-Fitr, which marks the
end of the Fasting month of Ramadhan and the al-Adh-ha, the sacrificial
festival which marks the end of the Pilgrimage.
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 five 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.
______________________________
Suggested
books for reading:
-
The Holy Qur'an, (English translation of the meaning) by T. Al-Hilali
-
Sahih al-Bukhari, a collection of the authentic Prophetic traditions
-
Sahih Muslim, a collection of the authentic Prophetic traditions
*
The Life and Belief of Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahhab
*
General Prescripts of Islam
*
Fasting
*
Exegesis of the opening chapter of the Qur'an
*
Muslim Woman's Dress
*
Ad-Deen An-Naseehah (Periodical)
*
The Fundamentals of Islam
(*)
asterisk indicates books available through The International Society of Islamic
Culture.
For
more details on prayer and other Islamic literature write to:
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. As a result of
his study, Dr. Bucaille embraced Islam.
9-
Al-Baqillani, I’jaz al-Qur’an, pp. 13, 36-38.
10-
The reference to this prophesy is found in surah #30 entitled 'Arrum' 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 Darwin's theory of evolution.
This verse means that Allah chose to develop the universe to its present state
by causing water to constitute the substantial element of every living thing.
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)
