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Shattering
Ten Misconceptions About Islam
Frequently
Asked Questions about Islam...
Article Outline
(Links
to within this document):-
What
is Islam?
Who
is Allah?
Who
is a Muslim?
Who
was Muhammad (pbuh)?
Do
Muslims worship Muhammad (pbuh)?
What
do Muslims think of Jesus?
Do
Muslims have many sects?
What
are the pillars of Islam?
What
is the purpose of worship in Islam?
Do
Muslims believe in the hereafter?
Will
the good actions of non-believers be wasted?
What
is the dress code for Muslims?
What
are the dietary prohibitions in Islam?
What
is Jihad?
What
is the Islamic year?
What
are the major Islamic festivals?
What
is Sharia?
Was
Islam spread by the sword?
Does
Islam promote violence and terrorism?
What
is Islamic Fundamentalism?
Does
Islam promote polygamy?
Does
Islam oppress women?
Is
Islam intolerant of other religious minorities?
What
is the Islamic view on...
a.
dating and premarital sex
b.
abortion
c.
homosexuality and AIDS
d.
euthanasia and suicide
e.organ
transplantation
How
should Muslims treat Jews and Christians?
What
do the Suffixes pbuh and saw mean?
What
is Islam?
The
word "Islam" means peace and submission. Peace
means to be at peace with yourself and your surroundings
and submission means submission to the will of God. A
broader meaning of the word "Islam" is to
achieve peace by submitting to the will of God.
This is a unique religion with a name which signifies a
moral attitude and a way of life. Judaism takes its name
from the tribe of Juda, Christianity from Jesus Christ,
Buddhism from Goutam Buddha and Hinduism from Indus
River. However, Muslims derive their identity from the
message of Islam, rather than the person of Muhammed (pbuh),
thus should not be called "Muhammadans".
Who
is Allah?
Allah
is the Arabic word for "one God". Allah is not
God of Muslims only. He is God of all creations, because
He is their Creator and Sustainer.
Who
is a Muslim?
The
word "Muslim" means one who submits to the
will of God. The first principal of Islam is known as
"Declaration of Faith", and is as follows...
La
ilaha ill-Allah Muhammad-ur-rasool-ullah
"There is no diety except God and Muhammad is
the Apostle
(messenger) of God"
In
a broader sense, anyone who willingly submits to the
will of God is a Muslim. Thus, all the prophets
preceding the prophet Muhammad are considered Muslims.
The Quran specifically mentions Abraham who lived long
before Moses and Christ that, "he was not a Jew or
a Christian but a Muslim," because, he had
submitted to the will of God. Thus there are Muslims who
are not submitting at all to the will of God and there
are Muslims who are doing their best to live an Islamic
life. One cannot judge Islam by looking at those
individuals who have a Muslim name but in their actions,
they are not living or behaving as Muslims. The extent
of being a Muslim can be according to the degree to
which one is submitting to the will of God, in his
beliefs and his actions.
Who
was Muhammad? (pbuh)
In
brief, Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was born in a noble
tribe of Makka in Arabia in the year 570 AD. His
ancestry goes back to Prophet Ishmael (pbuh), son of
Prophet Abraham (pbuh). His father died before his birth
and his mother died when he was six. He did not attend a
formal school since he was raised first by a nurse as it
was the custom those days, and then by his grandfather
and uncle. As a young man, he was known as a righteous
person who used to meditate in a cave. At age 40, he was
given the prophethood when the angel, Gabriel, appeared
in the cave. Subsequently, the revelations came over 23
years and were compiled in the form of a book called the
Quran which Muslims consider as the final and the last
word of God. The Quran has been preserved, unchanged, in
its original form and confirms the truth in the Torah,
the psalms and the Gospel.
More Frequently
Asked Questions about our Prophet.
Do
Muslims worship Muhammad? (pbuh)
No.
Muslims do not worship Muhammad (pbuh) or any other
prophets. Muslims believe in all prophets including
Adam, Noah, Abraham, David, Solomon, Moses and Jesus.
Muslims believe that Muhammad (pbuh) was the last of the
prophets. They believe that God alone is to be
worshiped, not any human being.
What
do Muslims think of Jesus? (pbuh)
Muslims
think highly of Jesus (pbuh) and his worthy mother,
Mary. The Quran tells us that Jesus was born of a
miraculous birth without a father. "Lo! The
likeness of Jesus with Allah is the likeness of Adam. He
created him of dust, and then He said unto him: Be and
he is" (Quran 3.59). He was given many miracles as
a prophet. These include speaking soon after his birth
in defense of his mother's piety. God's other gifts to
him included healing the blind and the sick, reviving
the dead, making a bird out of clay and most
importantly, the message he was carrying. These miracles
were given to him by God to establish him as a prophet.
According to the Quran, he was not crucified but was
raised into Heaven. (Quran, Chapter Maryam)
Do
Muslims have many sects?
Islam
does not have sects or branches. It follows the
teachings of prophet Muhammed (saw) and
foundations laid in the Quran.
"023.052
And verily this Brotherhood of yours is a single
Brotherhood, and I am your Lord and Cherisher: therefore
fear Me (and no other).
023.053 But people have cut off their affair (of unity),
between them, into sects: each party rejoices in that
which is with itself.
023.054 But leave them in their confused ignorance for a
time."
Al-Qur'an, 023.052-054 (Al-Mumenoon [The Believers])
There
are may be differences in opinion regarding certain
matters of interpretations of islamic law, but the
articles which define constitution of faith and worship
(as in the quote above from the Qur'an) are crystal
clear and do not provide for any innovation in the form
of division of Muslims into sects. Other references to
this in the Holy Qur'an include: -
Al-Qur'an, 021.092 (Al-Anbiya [The Prophets])
Al-Qur'an, 030.032 (Ar-Room [The Romans, The
Byzantines])
What
are the pillars of Islam?
There
are five major pillars of Islam which are the articles
of faith. These pillars are
1) the belief (Iman) in one God and that Muhammad (pbuh)
is His messenger.
2) prayer (Salat) which are prescribed five times a day
3) fasting (Siyam) which is required in the month of
Ramadan
4) charity (Zakat) which is the poor-due on the wealth
of the rich
5) hajj which is the pilgrimage to Makka once in a
lifetime if one can afford it physically and
financially.
All the pillars should be of equal height and strength
in a building in order to give the building its due
shape and proportions. It is not possible that one would
do hajj without observing fasting or without practicing
regular prayers. Now think of a building which has
pillars only. It would not be called a building. In
order to make it a building, it has to have a roof, it
has to have walls, it has to have doors and windows.
These things in Islam are the moral codes of Islam such
as honesty, truthfulness, steadfastness and many other
human moral qualities. Thus in order to be a Muslim, one
should not only be practicing the pillars of Islam but
should also have the highest possible attribute for
being a good human being. Only then the building is
completed and looks beautiful.
See also The
Five Pillars of Islam
What
is the purpose of worship in Islam?
The
purpose of worship in Islam is to be God conscious. Thus
the worship, whether it is prayer, fasting, or charity,
is a means to achieve God consciousness so that when one
becomes conscious of God, in thought and in action, he
is in a better position to receive His bounties both in
this world and the hereafter.
Do
Muslims believe in the hereafter?
God
is Just and manifest His justice, He established the
system of accountability. Those who do good will be
rewarded and those who do wrong will be punished
accordingly. Thus, He created Heaven and Hell and there
are admission criteria for both. Muslims believe that
the present life is a temporary one. It is a test and if
we pass the test, we will be given a life of permanent
pleasure in the company of good people in Heaven.
Will
the good actions of the non-believers be wasted?
No.
The Quran clearly says: -
"099.007
Then shall anyone who has done an atom's weight of good,
see it!
099.008 And anyone who has done an atom's weight of
evil, shall see it."
Al-Qur'an, 099.007-008 (Az-Zalzala [The Earthquake])
By
that it is meant that those who are non- believers but
have done good will be rewarded in this world for their
good deed. On the other hand, those who do good if they
are Muslims, they will be rewarded not only in this
world but also in the world hereafter. However, the
final Judgment is up to God himself: -
"002.062
Those who believe (in the Qur'an), and those who follow
the Jewish (scriptures), and the Christians and the
Sabians,- any who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and
work righteousness, shall have their reward with their
Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they
grieve."
Al-Qur'an, 002.062 (Al-Baqara [The Cow])
What
is the dress code for Muslims?
Islam
emphasizes modesty. No person should be perceived as a
sex object. There are certain guidelines both for men
and women that their dress should neither be too thin
nor too tight to reveal body forms. For men, they must
at least cover the area from the knee to navel and for
women, their dress should cover all areas except the
hands and face. The veil is not essential.
What
are the dietary prohibitions in Islam?
Muslims
are told in the Quran not to eat pork or pork products,
meat of the animals who died before being slaughtered or
the carnivorous animals (as they eat dead animals), nor
drink blood or intoxicants such as wine or use any
illicit drugs.
What
is Jihad?
The
word "Jihad" means struggle, or to be
specific, striving in the cause of God. Any struggle
done in day-to-day life to please God can be considered
Jihad. One of the highest levels of Jihad is to stand up
to a tyrant and speak a word of truth. Control of the
self from wrong doings is also a great Jihad. One of the
forms of Jihad is to take up arms in defense of Islam or
a Muslim country when Islam is attacked. This kind of
Jihad has to be declared by the religious leadership or
by a Muslim head of state who is following the Quran and
Sunnah. The Arabic word Jihad has many meanings and does
not just mean Divine or Holy war.
What
is the Islamic Year?
The
Islamic year started from the migration (Hijra) of
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) from Makka to Madina in 622 AD.
It is a lunar year of 354 days. The first month is
called Muharram. 1996 AD is in Islamic year 1416 AH.
What
are the major Islamic festivals?
Idul
Fitre, marks the end of fasting in the month of Ramadan
and is celebrated with public prayers, feasts and
exchange of gifts. Idul Adha marks the end of the Hajj
or the annual pilgrimage to Makka. After the public
prayers, those who can afford, sacrifice a lamb or a
goat to signify Prophet Abraham's obedience to God,
shown by his readiness to sacrifice his son Ishmael.
What
is Sharia?
Sharia
is the comprehensive Muslim law derived form two
sources, a) the Quran b) the Sunnah or traditions of
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). It covers every aspect of daily
individual and collective living. The purpose of Islamic
laws are protection of individuals' basic human rights
to include right to life, property, political and
religious freedom and safeguarding the rights of women
and minorities. The low crime rate in Muslim societies
is due to the application of the Islamic laws.
Was
Islam spread by the sword?
According
to the Quran: -
"002.256
Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth
stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and
believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy
hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and
knoweth all things."
Al-Qur'an, 002.256 (Al-Baqara [The Cow])
Also referred to as "Ayat-ul-Kursi" (Throne of
the Qur'an)
thus,
no one can be forced to become a Muslim. While it is
true that in many places where Muslim armies went to
liberate people or the land, they did carry the sword as
that was the weapon used at that time. However, Islam
did not spread by the sword because in many places where
there are Muslims now, in the Far East like Indonesia,
in China, and many parts of Africa, there are no records
of any Muslim armies going there. To say that Islam was
spread by the sword would be to say that Christianity
was spread by guns, F-16's and atomic bombs, etc., which
is not true. Christianity spread by the missionary works
of Christians. Ten-percent of all Arabs are Christians.
The "Sword of Islam" could not convert all the
non-Muslim minorities in Muslim countries. In India,
where Muslims ruled for 700 years, they are still a
minority. In the U.S.A., Islam is the fastest growing
religion and has 6 million followers without any sword
around.
Does
Islam promote violence and terrorism?
No.
Islam is religion of peace and submission and stresses
on the sanctity of human life. A verse in the Quran
says: -
"005.032
On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel
that if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder
or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as
if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a
life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole
people. Then although there came to them Our messengers
with clear signs, yet, even after that, many of them
continued to commit excesses in the land."
Al-Qur'an, 005.032 (Al-Maeda [The Table, The Table
Spread])
Islam
condemns all the violence which happened in the
Crusades, in Spain, in WW II, or by acts of people like
the Rev. Jim Jones, David Koresh, Dr. Baruch Goldstein,
or the atrocities committed in Bosnia by the Christian
Serbs. Anyone who is doing violence is not practicing
his religion at that time. However, sometimes violence
is a human response of oppressed people as it happens in
Palestine. Although this is wrong, they think of this as
a way to get attention. There is a lot of terrorism and
violence in areas where there is no Muslim presence. For
example, in Ireland, South Africa, Latin America, and
Sri Lanka. Sometimes the violence is due to a struggle
between those who have with those who do not have, or
between those who are oppressed with those who are
oppressors. We need to find out why people become
terrorists. Unfortunately, the Palestinians who are
doing violence are called terrorists, but not the armed
Israeli settlers when they do the same sometimes even
against their own people. As it turned out to be in the
Oklahoma City bombing, sometime Muslims are prematurely
blamed even if the terrorism is committed by
non-Muslims. Sometimes those who want Peace and those
who oppose Peace can be of the same religion.
What
is "Islamic Fundamentalism"?
There
is no concept of "Fundamentalism" in Islam.
The western media has coined this term to brand those
Muslims who wish to return to the basic fundamental
principles of Islam and mould their lives accordingly.
Islam is a religion of moderation and a practicing God
fearing Muslim can neither be a fanatic nor an
extremist.
Does
Islam promote polygamy?
No,
polygamy in Islam is a permission not an injunction.
Historically, all the prophets except Jesus, who was not
married, had more than one wife. For Muslim men to have
more than one wife is a permission which is given to
them in the Quran, not to satisfy lust, but for the
welfare of the widows and the orphans of the wars. In
the pre-Islamic period, men used to have many wives. One
person had 11 wives and when he became Muslim, he asked
the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), "What should I do with
so many wives?" and he said, "Divorce all
except the four." The Quran says: -
"004.003
If ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly with
the orphans, Marry women of your choice, Two or three or
four; but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal
justly (with them), then only one, or (a captive) that
your right hands possess, that will be more suitable, to
prevent you from doing injustice."
Al-Qur'an, 004.003 (An-Nisa [Women])
Since
it is very difficult to be equally just with all wives,
in practice, most of the Muslim men do not have more
than one wife. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) himself from age
24 to 50 was married to only one woman, Khadija. In the
western society, some men who have one wife have many
extramarital affairs. Thus, a survey was published in
"U.S.A. Today" (April 4, 1988 Section D) which
asked 4,700 mistresses what they would like their status
to be. They said that "they preferred being a
second wife rather than the 'other woman' because they
did not have the legal rights, nor did they have the
financial equality of the legally married wives, and it
appeared that they were being used by these men."
Does
Islam oppress women?
No.
On the contrary, Islam elevated the status of women
1,400 years ago by giving them the right to divorce, the
right to have financial independence and support and the
right to be identified as dignified women (Hijab) when
in the rest of the world, including Europe, women had no
such rights. Women are equal to men in all acts of piety
(Quran 33:32). Islam allows women to keep their maiden
name after marriage, their earned money and spend it as
they wish, and ask men to be their protector as women on
the street can be molested. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) told
Muslim men, "the best among you is the one who is
best to his family." Not Islam, but some Muslim
men, do oppress women today. This is because of their
cultural habits or their ignorance about their religion.
Female Genital Mutilations has nothing to do with Islam.
It is a pre Islamic African Custom, practiced by non
Muslims including coptic Christians as well.
Is
Islam intolerant of other religious minorities?
Islam
recognizes the rights of the minority. To ensure their
welfare and safety, Muslim rulers initiated a tax (Jizya)
on them. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) forbade Muslim armies
to destroy churches and synagogues. Caliph Umer did not
even allow them to pray inside a church. Jews were
welcomed and flourished in Muslim Spain even when they
were persecuted in the rest of Europe. They consider
that part of their history as the Golden Era. In Muslim
countries, Christians live in prosperity, hold
government positions and attend their church. Christian
missionaries are allowed to establish and operate their
schools and hospitals. However, the same religious
tolerance is not always available to Muslim minorities
as seen in the past during Spanish inquisition and the
crusades, or as seen now by the events in Bosnia, Israel
and India. Muslims do recognize that sometimes the
actions of a ruler does not reflect the teachings of his
religion.
What
is the Islamic view on...
a. Dating and Premarital sex:
Islam
does not approve of intimate mixing of the sexes, and
forbids premarital or extramarital sex. Islam encourages
marriage as a shield to such temptations and as a means
of having mutual love, mercy and peace.
b.
Abortion:
Islam
considers abortion as murder and does not permit it
except to save the mother's life: -
Al-Qur'an, 017.023-031 (Al-Isra [Isra, The Night
Journey, Children of Israel])
Al-Qur'an, 006.151 (Al-Anaam [Cattle, Livestock])
c.
Homosexuality and AIDS:
Islam
categorically opposes homosexuality and considers it a
sin. However, Muslim physicians are advised to care for
AIDS patients with compassion just as they would for
other patients.
d.
Euthanasia and Suicide:
Islam
is opposed to both suicide and euthanasia. Muslims do
not believe in heroic measures to prolong the misery in
a terminally ill patient.
e.
Organ transplantation:
Islam
stresses upon saving lives Al-Qur'an, 005.032 (Al-Maeda
[The Table, The Table Spread]); thus, transplantation in
general would be considered permissible provided a donor
consent is available. The sale of the organ is not
allowed.
How
should Muslims treat Jews, Christians and those of other
beliefs?
The Quran calls them "People of the Book",
i.e., those who received Divine scriptures before
Muhammad (pbuh). Muslims are told to treat them with
respect and justice and do not fight with them unless
they initiate hostilities or ridicule their faith. The
Muslims ultimate hope is that they all will join them in
worshipping one God and submit to His will.
"003.064
Say: "O People of the Book! come to common terms as
between us and you: That we worship none but Allah; that
we associate no partners with him; that we erect not,
from among ourselves, Lords and patrons other than
Allah." If then they turn back, say ye: "Bear
witness that we (at least) are Muslims (bowing to
Allah's Will)."
Al-Qur'an, 003.064 (Aal-E-Imran [The Family of Imran])
What
about Hindus, Bahai, Buddhists and members of other
religions?
They should also be treated with love, respect, and
understanding to make them recipients of Invitations to
Islam.
What
do the Suffixes pbuh and saw mean?
When
we talk or write about the prophets we say or write (as
a mark of
respect) the following after their names...
pbuh Peace be Upon him
saw Sal-Allah-hu alehe wassalam. (as
above, pronounced in Arabic).
swt Subhanahu
Wa Ta'ala.
(God
is purified of having partners or a son).
Written
by Shahid Athar, M. D and Edited by Jamal Al-Nasir
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