Glorifies Jesus(pbuh)

6.12: Glorifies Jesus(pbuh)

"Beloved, believe not every spirit (prophet), but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world." 1 John 4:1-3 This one is very easy to understand: Every prophet who does not confess that Jesus (pbuh) came in the flesh was not sent by God. He is a false prophet. But any prophet that confesses that Jesus (pbuh) came in the flesh was sent by God. What does the Qur'an and Muhammad (pbuh) say about Jesus (pbuh)? They say that a Muslim is not a Muslim if he does not believe in Jesus (pbuh), in his miraculous birth, in his giving life to the dead by God's permission, in his healing of the lepers and the blind by God's permission, in his piety and chastity, in his truthfulness, and in the fact that he was the Messiah (the Christ). The Qur'an contains many verses to this effect. For example, in A'al-Umran(3):40 we read:  "And the angles said 'O Mary, Allah gives you glad tidings of a Word from Him, his name is Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, High honored in this world and the next, of those near stationed to Allah." So now we must ask: Has Muhammad (pbuh) fulfilled this criteria or not? This is all the more remarkable when it is contrasted with the popular opinion of the time such as the claims of the Jews regarding Jesus (pbuh) and his mother Mary (pbuh) as seen in part nine of section 6.3. As a matter of fact, Jesus is referred to by name in the Qur'an fully sixteen times, as compared to only four places in the whole Qur'an where Muhammad (pbuh) is mentioned by name. No other religion in the whole world outside Christianity makes it an article of faith for its adherents to believe in, love and honor Jesus except Islam. Reading the Qur'an bears testimony to that (see for example (19):16-36, A'al-Umran(3):33-68, Al-Nissa(5): 72-77). Here we have thetestimony of Jesus himself in the Bible that Muhammad was a prophet of God. If Jesus' words carry any weight at all with us then we must concede that Muhammad was a prophet of God and therefore spoke in the name of God. Further, Jesus gives a second criteria to judge the truthfulness of a prophet. He says:  "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither [can] a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." Matthew 7:15-20 So, according to the testimony of Jesus, if we wish to know whether prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was a true prophet or not we need to see what sort of "fruit" his message produced. A moderately detailed description of these fruits can be found in chapters 9 and 10, however, let us listen to the words of the Hindu Professor K. S. Ramakrishna Rao. He says: "Historical records show that all contemporaries of Muhammad, both friend and foes, acknowledged the sterling qualities, the spotless honesty, the noble virtues, the absolute sincerity, and the absolute trustworthiness of the apostle of Islam in all walks of life and in every sphere of human activity. Even the Jews and those who did not believe in his message accepted him as arbitrator in their personal disputes on account of his scrupulous impartiality" Muhammad the Prophet of Islam, K. S. Ramakrishna Rao, p. 13 (Please read chapter nine for more on the fruit of the message of Muhammad, pbuh)

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A rod out of the stem of Jesse

6.9: A rod out of the stem of Jesse

"And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;" Isaiah 11:1-2 Once again, we have here a verse which has been popularly interpreted to apply to Jesus, and once again it must be stated that although all Muslims believe in Jesus and in the prophesies of him in the OT, still, this specific prophesy does not apply to him, why? To understand this prophesy we need to study the verses carefully. These verses tell us that the rod (branch) which shall grow out of the stem (trunk) of "Jesse" shall be filled by God with wisdom, understanding, council, might, knowledge, and the fear of God. In other words, he shall be a statesman, a prophet and a judge. The obvious question that springs to mind is: Who was "Jesse"? In the Encyclopedia Biblica we read that Jesse is a contraction of Ishmael, or:  "Jesse, for Ishmael… The changes which proper names undergo in the mouths of small children account for a large number of these particular abbreviations - who could guess, to take modern examples, that Bob and Dick arose out of Robert and Richard? … such forms as in ai were particularly common in later times … and many more in the Talmud, which also exhibits various other kinds of abbreviation" Encyclopaedia Biblica, Rev. T. K. Cheyne D.Litt D.D., J. Sutherland Black M.A. LL.D., Vol. 3, under "Names," p. 3292, item 52 Now, the reason why these biblical scholars have said this may not be readily apparent to us simply by reading the English rendition of these two words, however, when these Christian scholars went back and looked at the original Hebrew words, that is when they realized it's true meaning. Although a complete understanding of why this is true would require a knowledge of the Hebrew language, still, it is possible at least phonetically to see this even in the English language. Let us have a look.  In Hebrew, the word Ishmael is written as Yishma`e'l. It is pronounced {yish-maw-ale'}. Similarly, in Hebrew, the word Jesse is written as Yishay. It is pronounced {yee-shah'-ee}, or in Aramaic it is 'Iyshay and pronounced {ee-shah'-ee}. Thus, we begin to see, even in our phonetic Hebrew rendition, how these Christian Biblical scholars came to recognize that just as "Dick" is a contraction of "Richard," and "Bob" is a contraction of "Robert," similarly, by studying the Hebrew words themselves, they found that {yee-shah'-ee} is indeed a contraction of {yish-maw-ale'}. Isn't it amazing that we have been told this not by Muslims, but by Christian scholars? Which Muslim "Moor" stood over these Christian scholars with a drawn sword and forced them to come to this realization? Out of the thousands upon thousands of Hebrew names in the Bible, what drove these Christians to recognize that Jesse is derived from Ishmael and not, for example, from Judah, or Isaac, or Shem, or any of these other thousands upon thousands of Hebrew names? The odds against it are astronomical if what the Qur'an said was false. Yet here we have it in black and white. Isn't it amazing how with every passing day the most learned among Christians scholars are drawing closer and closer to Islam? It is further interesting to note the following words of the authors of this same "Encyclopaedia Biblica": They say: "In many cases the contraction is such as to render the discovery of the original form impossible." … hmm. The only "branch" from the stem of Ishmael who was a statesman, a prophet and a judge was prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The reason many people interpret this verse to apply to Jesus (pbuh) is because he is claimed to be of the lineage of king David, and Jesse was the name of the father of king David. However, why would this prophesy tie the coming prophet to the father of David who was for all practical purposes a completely unknown figure in the Bible? It would be much more logical to follow the much more popular trend found elsewhere in the Bible of associating Jesus with king David himself who was both a king and a prophet and a much more popular figure in the Bible and much better known to anyone who reads it. In other words, what is so direly special about king David's father that this prophesy had to completely bypass the legendary prophet king David himself in order to apply itself to his unknown father? The answer is that it was not meant to apply to the father of king David but to a descendant of Ishmael the son of prophet Abraham.  It is further important to remember that insisting on tying prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) to a human lineage descendant from king David shall ultimately result in a complete nullification of the religion known today as "Christianity." This is because if Jesus is the descendant of king David then he has a human father and his father is not God. Some attempts have been made to insist that Jesus was the physical Son of God and at the same time apply spiritual contradictory human lineages to him such as Matthew 1 and Luke 3 so that he can be the physical son of both David and God. This, even though the Bible is quite explicit that the lineage must be a "physical" and not a "spiritual" lineage. We find this stipulation spelled out quite clearly in the Bible in: Acts 2:30 "Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;" and Romans 1:3 "Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;" Therefore, the only way that Jesus (pbuh) could be the physical Son of God and also be the physical son of king David "according to the flesh" is if his lineage from kind David passes through his (human) mother Mary (pbuh). However, if we were to read the two contradictory lineages found in Matthew 1 and Luke 3 we would find that both attempt to make his lineage pass through a human father. In one it is "Joseph the son of Jacob" and in the other is "Joseph the son of Heli." Such practices can only hurt the message of Jesus (pbuh) rather than helping it.

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The Prophet of Islam

Chapter Three  Islam In Brief

The Prophet of Islam

The Prophet Muhammad –peace be upon him- was born in Mecca, a city that is located in modern-day Saudi Arabia, in 570 AD (53 BH). His father, Abdullah bin Abd Al-Muttalib, died before his birth. His mother, Aminah bint Wahb, died of illness when he was six years old. As an orphan, Muhammad was sent to be raised by his grandfather, who died two years later.

Finally, the young boy passed to the care of Abu Talib who is known as his paternal uncle. Some Muslim scholars underscore that these early tough events, which have befallen in the life of the messenger, enable him to stand up against the hard confrontation of the polytheists and the unbelievers.

Personal Character:

As a young man, Muhammad worked as a shepherd, and later as an apprentice trader for his uncle. As he grew, Muhammad gained a reputation for thoughtfulness and integrity. People nicknamed him Al-Sadiq (The Truthful), because he never told a lie; and Al-Amin (The Trustworthy), because he never cheated. He was called upon frequently to mediate disputes between the noble people of Mecca. Muhammad was also known for his disdain of the pagan culture that predominated among the people of Mecca. He never worshipped the idols of Quraysh, the tribe to which he belonged. Instead, he made long retreats to a mountain cave called Hira’, outside of Mecca, where he meditated. When he was 25 years old, Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, a 40-year-old Meccan widow known for her strong character, successful trading business, and nobility, proposed to him. They married in the year 595 AD (28 BH).

The First Revelation: 

At the age of 40, while he was in solitude at Hira’, Muhammad experienced the first incident of revelation. He said the Angel Gabriel came to him and instructed him in the following words, which later became known as the first revealed verses of the Quran:

{{Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists), Has created man from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood). Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous, Who has taught (the writing) by the pen [the first person to write was Prophet Idrees (Enoch)], Has taught man that which he knew not.}} (Holy Qur'an 96:1-5)

Muhammad’s response to this initial experience was plenty of fear and shock. He returned home and was comforted by his tender wife Khadijah, who later became the first believer in his message. 

In the following years, the Angel Gabriel instructed Muhammad to take the words of the Qur'an to the public.

Mecca, at that time, was a center for trade and idol worship in the whole country of Saudi Arabia. This made it a city of considerable prestige and wealth. The city’s leaders feared Muhammad’s monotheistic message for it would jeopardize that actual status.

His Teachings:

Muhammad led a humble life: he had never distinguished himself from the others--he had no body guards, and moved without an entourage. He told people that his job as a messenger of God was simply to reaffirm what God had already revealed to humanity through previous prophets, including Adam, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.

In the monotheistic worldview, God created humankind as dignified creatures endowed with free will. Men and women are entrusted with leading a life of goodness, in the hope of reaping the ultimate benefits in the daily life and in the next life. Although no single verse summarizes all the teachings of Islam, the following excerpts from the Holy Qur'an represent the Straight Path God has chosen for His believers:

{{ Say (O Muhammad): "Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited you from: Join not anything in worship with Him; be good and dutiful to your parents; kill not your children because of poverty - We provide sustenance for you and for them; come not near to Al-Fawâhish (shameful sins, illegal sexual intercourse, etc.) whether committed openly or secretly, and kill not anyone whom Allâh has forbidden, except for a just cause (according to Islamic law). This He has commanded you that you may understand. "And come not near to the orphan's property, except to improve it, until he (or she) attains the age of full strength; and give full measure and full weight with justice. We burden not any person, but that which he can bear. And whenever you give your word (i.e. judge between men or give evidence, etc.), say the truth even if a near relative is concerned, and fulfill the Covenant of Allâh, This He commands you, that you may remember. "And verily, this (i.e. Allah's Commandments mentioned above) is my Straight Path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His Path. This He has ordained for you that you may become Al-Muttaqûn (the pious)."}} (Holy Qur'an 6: 151-153) 

The poor, the oppressed and women were among the early believers in Islam. The Qur'an declared equality as a universal value that is applied to all kinds of people in the world. Additionally, the Qur'an prohibited Mecca’s unacceptable pagan practices, such as female infanticide as well as the holy verses had encouraged freeing slaves for the sake of Allah. Muhammad taught that there should be no distinction between Arabs and non-Arabs, or between Whites and Blacks. Muhammad said all humans are the same before Allah.

Persecution: 

The stunning rhythm and depth of content which is contained in the Qur'an’s verses captured the attention of even the most eloquent Arabs. Mecca’s pagans disparaged Muhammad as a mere poet, but the Muslims believed in the Qur'an as the ultimate miracle of faith; a testimony in support of Muhammad’s prophecy. The early Muslims cherished the verses, memorized them, wrote them down, and struggled to work them out in their quotidian life. The pagans of Mecca ridiculed Muhammad’s claim to prophecy, and rejected his teachings. For the next decade, Muhammad - peace be upon him, and the early Muslims were subjected to inhumane treatment. Muslims were killed, tortured and boycotted for three years; their properties and holdings were taken by force. In response, Muhammad - peace be upon him, encouraged his followers to migrate to neighboring cities and states. He told them about Christian Abyssinia (today’s Ethiopia) for it would offer them a good refuge because it was ruled by a just king.

Muhammad - peace be upon him, tried to take his message outside of Mecca. He went to a nearby mountain town called Ta’if, but its leaders sent their youth to throw stones at Muhammad - peace be upon him - until, after suffering considerable physical injury, he left.

Migration: 

Muhammad’s hardships mounted when his uncle Abu Talib passed away, leaving him without a strong ally in Mecca. Soon after his uncle’s death, he was secretly visited by leaders of the two major tribes of Madinah, a town 300 miles to the northeast of Mecca. The leaders, whose tribesmen fought one another in lengthy wars, converted on the spot to Islam for they were the neighbors of the Jews who used to tell them about the last messenger whose time is coming sooner. 

The people of the Madinah vied out the Jews to be the followers of the messenger of the end of the world. Thence, they invited Muhammad - peace be upon him, and the Meccan Muslims to live in the Madinah. The Meccan Muslims left their homes gradually. Some of them have left their families, money, and their holdings for the sake of Allah Almighty.

Their excruciating sufferance was bearable for the love of their Lord and His messenger. One can call their Love and loyalty as the best feelings that one can utter and be aware of.  Their departure was soon discovered by the leaders of Quraysh, who decided to eliminate Muhammad, the last one to leave. But during the night when they were about to kill him, Muhammad, peace be upon him, had escaped with his closest friend Abu Bakr, may Allah be praised with him. In the Medina, safe from the Meccan persecution, Muhammad was now free to call others to Islam, and his followers increased rapidly. To Muslims, he was both a messenger of God who shared with them divine revelation, and a political leader who governed their public affairs.

 Under the guidance of Muhammad, the Charter of Madinah was developed. Some people argue that the Charter was the first pluralistic constitutional framework known to mankind. Not only did it recognize the several tribes engaging in free trade inside and outside of the Madinah, it also acknowledged Jewish tribes as a collective entity bonded with Muslims through attachment to a system of rights and obligations. The Charter of the Madinah created an environment where all could lead a moral life and band together to oppose aggression of any sort.

Mecca’s leadership attempted to prevent Muhammad’s movement from establishing the roots of Islam in the Madinah. They organized military expeditions against the Islamic city, but they were eventually defeated.

Spread of Islam: 

Forced to recognize that they could not eliminate Islam- the divine message, or defeat the Muslims, the pagans of Mecca concluded the Treaty of Hudaybiyah with the Muslims. They agreed on maintaining peace and on observing neutrality in their conflicts with third parties. Effectively, the treaty recognized Muslims as a new force in Arabia and acknowledged their freedom to move unmolested throughout the region. During the months of tranquility that followed, Muslims sent preachers to all directions; many people and tribes in Arabia converted to Islam. 

In 630 AD (8 AH) Meccan allies breached the treaty when they massacred a group of traveling Muslims. Following the attack, great numbers of Muslims get gathered in the Madinah. Then, this army marched towards Mecca. The numbers and dedication of Muslims astounded the leaders of the city. The prophet and his followers decided not to fight. Entering Mecca, Muhammad gave amnesty to all people who did not want to fight, and so stayed inside their homes. Except for few minor incidents, the opening of Mecca was one of the most astonishingly bloodless military victories in the world history.

The people of Mecca, who had relentlessly oppressed Muhammad and his followers for more than two decades, feared retribution. However, they were treated with the greatest magnanimity. In a grand public gathering at the town center, Muhammad asked them, “What do you think I will do with you?”, “You are kind, and the son of a kind brother,” their leaders answered. “Go, you are free!” Muhammad replied. The Muslims understood these words to mean total forgiveness. No home was pillaged; no property was confiscated.

Over the years, the pagan Meccans converted to Islam. The Prophet removed all the idols in and around the Ka`bah. The cubic monument at the center of the city is believed to have been built by Abraham and his son Ishmael. Ever since, the Muslim call to prayer has been heard five times a day in this ancient sanctuary.

Prophet Muhammad’s Final Years:

Muhammad returned to Madinah, which continued to be the political capital of the Islamic city-state. In 632 AD (10 AH) Muhammad went to Mecca as a pilgrim as he believed it was for the last time of his life. The revelation he received over there included the following verse: 

{{This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islâm as your religion.}} (Holy Qur'an 5: 3)

Within few months after returning to Madinah, Muhammad, peace be upon him, died after a brief illness. He is buried in the grand Prophet’s Masjid( it is better to say Masjid for the mosque means the place that gathers mosquito's- Non Muslims who have used that term) in Madinah.

Some of his Words:

- “One who covers up the failings of someone in this world will have his shortcomings covered up by God on the Day of Judgment.” (Muslim: 6743)

- "Being rich does not mean having a great amount of property, but [it] is being content [with what one has]." (Bukhari:  6446)

- "(God) has revealed to me that you should adopt humility so that no one oppresses another." 

(Abu Dawood: 4897)

- A person once asked the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): "What is faith?" The Prophet replied: "When a good deed becomes a source of pleasure for you and an evil deed becomes a source of disgust, then you are a believer." He was then asked: "What is a sin?" The Prophet said: "Whenever something pricks your conscience, give it up." (Ahmed: 22856)

- “Charity does not diminish wealth.” (Muslim: 

6756)

- "God does not judge you according to your bodies and appearances, but He looks into your hearts and observes your deeds." (Muslim: 6707)

- “The best of you is the one who is the best to his family.” (Tirmidhi: 4269)

- "If you guarantee me six things on your part I shall guarantee you Paradise: Speak the truth when you talk, keep a promise when you make it, when you are trusted with something fulfill your trust, avoid sexual immorality, lower your gaze (in modesty), and restrain your hands from injustice." (Ahmed: 23428)

- "Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is oppressed." People asked, "…It is right to help him if he is oppressed, but how should we help him if he is an oppressor?" The Prophet said, "By preventing him from oppressing others. (Bukhari: 2444)

- "Be kind, for whenever kindness becomes part of something, it beautifies it. Whenever it is taken from something, it leaves it tarnished." He also said: "Make things simple and do not complicate them. Calm people and do not drive them away." (Muslim: 6767)

- "Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be extremists, but try to be near to perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded; and gain strength by worshipping in the mornings, the nights." (Bukhari: 39)

- "During [a military expedition], a woman was found killed, so [the Prophet Muhammad] forbade the killing of women, children, and monks (nuns). The Muslim fighters are requested to fight and kill only the fighters. (Bukhari: 3014)

- "The best thing in this world is a virtuous woman (wife)." (Muslim: 3716)

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Chapter Two Islam In Brief

What is Islam?

Islam means ‎submission, obedience, surrender and compliance with the command and ‎prohibition of the commander without objections. Allah has named the true ‎religion, ‘Islam’ for it is an obedience to him, submission to His Commands ‎without any resistance, purifying acts of worship for Him, believing in His ‎words and having faith in Him. Islam then became a proper name for the ‎religion brought by Muhammad {P.B.U.H}.‎

Why was this religion named Islam?

Adherents of various religions all over the ‎world have named their religions, either with the name of a man or a particular ‎race like Christianity, which was named after Jesus Christ; and Buddhism was ‎named after its founder Buddha; and Zoroastrianism was named after its founder ‎and flag banner, Zoroaster. Judaism had also emerged among the tribe of Judah ‎and so on. The All-Mighty Allah Himself called it Islam when He said,

{{Truly, the religion with Allâh is Islâm. (Submission to His Will)}} (Holy Qur'an 3:1) 

It is only Islam that is not attributed to any particular man or ‎nation. Its name indicates a special characteristic that the meaning of Islam ‎denotes. It is evident in this name that no man has any role in bringing this ‎religion into existence and that it is not peculiar with any nation to the ‎exclusion of others. Its only goal is to make all people of the earth have ‎characteristics of Islam. So, whoever is characterized with the qualities of ‎Islam among ancient people and contemporary people is a Muslim, just as he ‎shall be called a Muslim, and anyone who possesses its qualities among the coming ‎generations.

The Message of Islam:

The most important message of Islam is the absolute Unity of God-that there is only One Supreme Being who has no partners and is not dependent on anyone or anything. He is the creator of everything and the whole universe is under His control. Since the total submission of one's will to Allah represents the essence of worship, Islam is the worship of Allah alone and the avoidance of worship directed to any person, place or thing other than Allah. In essence, Islam calls man away from the worship of creation and invites him to worship only its Creator. Allah is the only one deserving man's worship as it is only by His will that prayers are answered. Hence prayers to the non-living such as the sun, fire, and to humans whether they are Jesus, Moses or even Muhammad are rejected, as Allah informs us in the opening chapter of the Holy Qur'an,: 

{{You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything).}} 

(Holy Qur'an 1:4)

The Six Pillars of Faith in Islam:

1. Belief in Allah: 

You must believe in His Lordship; that He is the Lord, the Creator, the ‎Possessor and the Controller of all matters. You must also believe in His right ‎to be worshipped, that He is the only True Deity, that all deities besides Him ‎are false. You must believe in His Names and Attributes, that He has Beautiful ‎Names and perfect Sublime Attributes.‎

You must also believe in His Oneness in all that, that He has no partner in His ‎Lordship, nor in His right to be worshipped or in His Names and Attributes. You must also believe that neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him; that He ‎knows all that is hidden and evident; and that to him belongs the sovereignty ‎of the heavens and the earth. You must also believe that He rose high over His Throne ‎above His creation, and that He is with them by His knowledge and He knows ‎their conditions, hears their utterances, sees their places and controls their ‎affairs. He provides for the poor, gives relief to the dejected, gives authority to ‎whom He wills, withdraws it from whom He wills and that He is Able to do all ‎things.‎

2. Belief in His angels:

A Muslim must believe in the angels; that is to say, it is Allah Who has created them and ‎describes them as, “honoured slaves", they does not speak until He has spoken and ‎they act on His Command. Allah conceals them from our eyes so that we do not see them. But Allah ‎sometimes shows some of them to some of His Prophets and Messengers.‎

Angels have functions assigned to them. Gabriel is assigned to Revelations ‎which he brings from Allah to whosoever He wishes of His Messengers. Among ‎them are: an angel assigned to taking the souls, another to the ‎protection of mankind, another to recording of their ‎deeds…etc.

3. Belief in His Books

To believe that Allah revealed Books to his Prophets and Messengers, in order ‎to explain the truth and call to it. 

These Books are many. Among them are the Scripture of the Prophet Abraham, ‎the Torah of the Prophet Moses, the Psalms given to the Prophet David and the ‎Gospel which was brought by the Prophet Jesus Christ, may peace be upon all of ‎them.‎

Belief in the Previous Books lies in believing that it is Allah Who revealed them ‎to His Messengers and that they contained the Law that Allah wanted to be ‎conveyed to people at that time.‎

All these Books that Allah informs us about have all become extinct. The ‎scripture of Abraham does no longer exist in the world. As for the Torah, the ‎Gospel and the Psalms, even though they do exist by name in the hands of ‎Jews and Christians, they have become altered, interpolated and adulterated ‎and many of their original contents are missing. The lines which are not part of ‎them have been included in them, and they are attributed to those who are not ‎their authors. The Old Testament for instance, has more than forty books, and ‎only five of them were attributed to Moses. As for the existing gospels of ‎today, nothing of them is attributed to Jesus. On the Other hand, the last Book, which is revealed by Allah, ‎is the Qur'an which was revealed to Prophet Muhammad. It has always been ‎and is still protected and preserved by Allah. No change or alteration has ‎crept into any of its letters, words, vowels or meanings.‎

4. Belief in His Messengers

To believe that Allah sent Messengers to His creation in order to give them ‎glad tidings of Paradise if they believe in Allah and His Messengers, ‎and to warn them of punishment if they disobey. There are many messengers. The first of them was Noah and the last of them ‎is Muhammad {P.B.U.H}. Allah has told us stories ‎about them in the Holy Qur'an like Abraham, Moses, Jesus, David, John Zakariah and Saleh. There are ‎also some prophets whom we know nothing for, Allah tells us nothing. 

All these Messengers were humans since they are created by Allah. They possessed nothing ‎of the qualities of Lordship or Godship. Therefore, no act of worship should be ‎directed to them for they could not avail themselves of any harm or benefit. The Prophets are honoured slaves, whom Allah chose. They are honoured ‎with the Message and described as His slaves. Their religion is Islam (Submission to God's orders), and ‎Allah will not accept any other religion besides it. 

The basic messages of the Prophets were one but their Laws differ. 

The final of all these Laws is that of Muhammad. It abrogates all other previous ‎laws. His Message is the last of all Divine Messages and he is the last of all ‎Messengers. Whoever believes in a Prophet among them should believe in all of ‎them and whoever denies anyone of them, it means he/she has denied all of them.

5. Belief in the Last Day 

Believe that the present life is only a trial preparation for the next perennial realm of existence. This life is a test for each individual for the everlasting life that comes after death. A day will come when the whole universe will be destroyed and the dead will be resurrected for judgment by God. This day will be the beginning of a life that will never end. This day is the Day of Judgment. On that day, all people will be rewarded by God according to their beliefs and deeds.

After having sent the Prophet Muhammad to call people to Islam, God does not accept adherence to any religion other than Islam, when someone rejects belief in God, His Prophet Muhammad, or His religion of Islam, it is just that he or she will be punished in the Hereafter. The truth is completely enlightened and does not need more explanation for it simply does not contain conflicts in the Holy Qur'an, the Sayings of the prophet Muhammad, and the Islamic creed.

Those who die while believing that “There is no true god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of Allah” and are Muslim will be rewarded on that day and will be admitted to Paradise forever, as Allah Almighty has said:

{{But they who believe and do righteous deeds - those are the companions of Paradise; they will abide therein eternally.}} (Holy Qur'an 2:82)

But those who die at the time they do not believe that “There is no true god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of Allah”, in other words, they are not Muslim and they will lose Paradise forever to be sent to Hellfire, as God has said:

{{And whoever seeks a religion other than Islâm, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.}}

(Holy Qur'an 3: 85)

Those who die before Prophet Muhammad {P.B.U.H}, and were following the real message of Allah which is sent through previous messengers (Jesus, Moses…) are considered to be believers. It's quite clear to further that all the messengers of Allah are brothers and they love each other. It occurs that some people, who have followed them, try to interpolate the Holy message and to alter it to their personal gluttony and whims.

6. Belief in pre-decree.‎

You must believe that Allah knows what happened and what shall happen; that ‎He knows the conditions, deeds, life spans and provisions of His slaves. 

Some Beauties of Islam:

   1-It is the religion of Allah which He has chosen for Himself, sent ‎with His Messengers and through which He allowed His slaves to worship Him.

   2-Comprehensiveness: One of the most prominent beauties of this religion is ‎its comprehensiveness for everything. This religion encompasses all that one has to do with the Creator like His Names, ‎Attributes and rights; and all that one has to do with the creatures like laws, ‎obligations, manners and relationship.

   3- Islam is linking man to his ‎Creator directly; without a priest, reverend, or holy secret. This direct ‎connection between the Creator and the created is a connection that links the ‎heart with its Lord and it thereby gets light, guidance and loftiness; the heart will seek ‎perfection; and deems itself high above insignificant and debased things. 

   4- ‎It caters for benefits of this world and the Hereafter. The Islamic Law is ‎based on protection of the benefits of this world and the Hereafter to the extent to lead to the ‎perfection of good morals. As for the explanation of the benefits of the ‎Hereafter, the religion of Islam has explained all the necessary details and left nothing without dealing with it. It has expounded it to satisfy all the human needs to the point to let nothing of it unknown. ‎Islam promises the bliss in the Hereafter and warns the humankind against its agony. 

Concerning the benefits of this world, Allah ordained in this religion to perform all matters that can ‎protect all the elementary needs of the human being: her/his religion, life, property, posterity, dignity and intelligence.‎

Concerning honourable conducts, Islam enjoins that overtly and covertly so much so that it ‎forbids all sorts of debasing manners. Among the apparent noble conducts that Islam ‎enjoins are cleanliness and purification which are very different from all kinds of impurities and dirt. ‎Islam recommends using of perfume and outward adornment; but it forbids filthy ‎behaviours like adultery, fornication, consuming alcohol; eating dead ‎animals, blood and pork (it is fine to just say pork for it simply the flesh of the pig). It is well-known that Islam enjoins eating of lawful good things as well as it ‎prohibits wastefulness and extravagance.‎

As for the inner purification, Islam prohibits undesirable conducts and encourages ‎commendable ones. Among the forbidden manners are: lies, obscenity, anger, ‎jealousy, stinginess, debasing oneself, love of prestige and this world, ‎arrogance, haughtiness and hypocrisy. Among the commended behaviours are: ‎good conduct, good companionship to all people by being kind to them, ‎justice and fairness, humility, truthfulness, magnanimity, generosity, ‎dependence on Allah, sincerity in worshipping acts, fear of Allah, patience and ‎showing gratitude.



How Does Someone Become a Muslim?

Simply by saying with conviction, “La ilâha illa Allah, Muhammadun rasoolu Allah,” This is how one converts to Islam and becomes a Muslim. This saying means, “There is no true god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah (God).” The first part, “There is no true god but God,” means that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah Almighty –God- alone, and that Allah-God- has neither partner nor son. 

To be a Muslim, one should also:

- Believe that the Holy Qur’an is the literal word of God revealed by Him.

- Believe that the Day of Judgment (the Day of Resurrection) is true and will come, as God has promised in the Qur'an

- Accept Islam as his or her religion.

- Not worship anything or anyone except Allah Almighty.

What Are the Five Pillars of Islam?

The Five Pillars of Islam are the framework of a Muslim’s life. They are:

1) The Testimony of Faith:

The testimony of faith is saying with conviction, “La ilâha illa Allah, Muhammadun rasoolu Allah.” This saying means, “There is no true god but God (Allah), and Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of God.” The first part, “There is no true god but God,” means that none has the right to be worshipped but God alone, and that God has neither partner nor son. This testimony of faith is called the 'Shahada', a simple formula which should be said with conviction in order to convert to Islam. The testimony of faith is the most important pillar of Islam.

2) Prayer:

Muslims perform five prayers a day. Each prayer does not take more than a few minutes to perform. Prayer in Islam is a direct link between the worshipper and God. There are no intermediaries between God and the worshipper. In prayer, a person feels inner happiness, peace, and comfort, and that God is pleased with him or her. 

Prayers are performed at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and night. A Muslim may pray almost anywhere is assumed to be clean such as in fields, offices, factories, or universities…

3) Alms Giving; Zakât, (obligatory support of the Needy):

All things belong to God, and wealth is therefore held by human beings in trust. The original meaning of the word zakat is both ‘purification’ and ‘growth.’ Giving zakat means ‘giving a specified percentage on certain properties to certain classes of needy people.

Our possessions are purified by setting aside a small portion for those in need, and it is alike the pruning of plants for this cutting let back balances and encourages new growth.

A person may also give as much as he or she pleases as voluntary alms or charity.

4) Fasting the Month of Ramadan:

Every year in the month of Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn until sundown, abstaining from food, drink, and sexual relations. Although the fast is beneficial to health, it is regarded principally as a method of spiritual self-purification. By cutting oneself off the worldly comforts even if it is performed for a short time.

5) The Pilgrimage to Makkah:

The annual pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah is an obligation once during a lifetime for those who are physically and financially able to perform it.



SOURCES OF ISLAM:

A. The Glorious Qur'an:

The Qur'an was not the first Book to be revealed, nor was ‎Muhammad the first Messenger to be sent. Allah has revealed the Scriptures ‎to Abraham; Torah to Moses and the Gospel to Jesus. All these Books were ‎revelations from Allah to His Prophets and Messengers. 

As for the Qur'an, Allah Himself guarantees its protection, so it is today the verbatim of what was revealed to the prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, over fourteen centuries ago:

{{Verily We: It is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the Qur'an) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption).}} (Holy Qur'an 15:9)

The Qur'an, the last revealed word of God, is the primary source of every Muslim’s faith and practice. It deals with all the subjects, which concern human beings:

Wisdom, doctrine, worship, transactions, law, etc., but its basic theme is the relationship between God and His creatures. At the same time, it provides guidelines and detailed teachings for a just society, proper human conduct, and an equitable economic system. It also contains the fundamentals for which Allah sent the ‎Messengers.‎

The Qur'an guides mankind to the most righteous path in all aspects of their ‎life, for it contains a call to belief in the Oneness of Allah, and mention ‎His Names, Attributes and deeds. It calls to belief in the authenticity of what ‎the Prophets and Messengers brought. It affirms the Resurrection, reward, ‎reckoning and establishes evidences for that. It narrates the stories ‎of past nations, the punishment meted out to them in this world as well as the ‎torment and exemplary punishment that awaits them in the Hereafter.‎

B. The Prophetic Sunnah: ‎

Allah revealed the Qur'an to the Messenger and revealed to him an alike sayings ‎which are named as the Prophetic Sunnah to further the explanation of the Holy Qur'an.

The Sunnah is the second source of the religion of Islam. It means all what is ‎reported from the Prophet – with well-connected and authentic chain of ‎transmitters – of his sayings, deeds, confirmations and qualities. It is also a ‎revelation from Allah to His Messenger Muhammad, for the Prophet did not ‎speak of his own desire. Allah Almighty says: 

{{Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. It is only an Inspiration that is inspired.}} (Holy Qur'an 53: 3-4)

The Prophet only conveys to people what he is commanded to convey. Allah ‎says about him, ‎

‎

{{ Say (O Muhammad):"I am not a new thing among the Messengers (of Allâh) (i.e. I am not the first Messenger) nor do I know what will be done with me or with you. I only follow that which is revealed to me, and I am but a plain Warner."}} (Holy Qur'an 46: 9)

The pure Sunnah is the practical implementation of the rules, beliefs, acts of ‎worship, kinds of relationship and manners that Islam enjoins. 

Allah Almighty has commanded the believers to emulate him in all his ‎deeds and sayings to ensure that their faith is complete. He says: ‎

{{Indeed in the Messenger of Allâh (Muhammad) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in (the Meeting with) Allâh and the Last Day and remembers Allâh much.}}

 (Holy Qur'an 33: 21)

And Allah says: ‎

{{ ..And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad) gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it), ..}} (Holy Qur'an 59: 7)

 Islam In Brief

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