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Allah (God)
Cleanliness
Muslim Contribution to Science
Human Rights
Jesus
Knowledge
Main Pillars
Muhammad
Women
Other Religions
Peace
Relevance
Sources
Sunnah
Tolerance
Universality

Allah (God)

Islam is the complete submission and obedience to Allah (God). The
name Allah (God) in Islam never refers to Muhammad (pbuh), as many
Christians may think; Allah is the personal name of God.

What do Muslims believe about Allah?

1. He is the one God, Who has no partner.
2. Nothing is like Him. He is the Creator, not created, nor a part of
His creation.
3. He is All-Powerful, absolutely Just.
4. There is no other entity in the entire universe worthy of worship
besides Him.
5. He is First, Last, and Everlasting; He was when nothing was, and
will be when nothing else
remains.
6. He is the All-Knowing, and All-Merciful,the Supreme, the
Sovereign.
7. It is only He Who is capable of granting life to anything.
8. He sent His Messengers (peace be upon them) to guide all of
mankind.
9. He sent Muhammad (pbuh) as the last Prophet and Messenger for all
mankind.
10. His book is the Holy Qur'an, the only authentic revealed book in
the world that has been
kept without change.
11. Allah knows what is in our hearts.

These are some of the basic guidelines Muslims follow in their
knowledge of God:

1. Eliminate any anthropomorphism (human qualities) from their
conception of Allah. His attributes are not like human attributes,
despite similar labels or appellations.
2. Have unwavering faith in exactly what Allah and Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) described Allah to be, no more, no less.
3. Eradicate any hope or desire of learning or knowing the modality of
His names and attributes.
4. Belief totally in all the names and attributes of Allah; one cannot
believe in some and disbelieve the others.
5. One cannot accept the names of Allah without their associated
attributes, i.e. one cannot say He is Al-Hayy - 'The Living' and then
say that He is without life.
6. Similarity in names (or meanings) does not imply similarity in what
is being described (referents). As a robotics arm differs from a human
arm, so the "hand" of Allah is nothing like a human hand, His speech
is nothing like human speech, etc.
7. Certain words are ambiguous or vague in their meanings, and thus
may be susceptible to misinterpretation. Only those meanings that are
in accordance with what is specified by Allah and His Prophet (pbuh)
are acceptable.

Cleanliness

Islam places great emphasis on cleanliness, in both its physical and
spiritual aspects. On the physical side, Islam requires the Muslim to
clean his body, his clothes, his house, and the whole community, and
he is rewarded by God for doing so. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, for
example:

"Removing any harm from the road is charity (that will be rewarded by
Allah)." [Bukhari]

While people generally consider cleanliness a desirable attribute,
Islam insists on it , making it an indispensable fundamental of the
faith. A muslim is required to to be pure morally and spiritually as
well as physically. Through the Qur'an and Sunnah Islam requires the
sincere believer to sanitize and purify his entire way of life.

In the Qur'an Allah commends those who are accustomed to cleanliness:

"Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who
keep themselves pure and clean." [2: 22]

In Islam the Arabic term for purity is Taharah. Books of Islamic
jurisprudence often contain an entire chapter with Taharah as a
heading.

Allah orders the believer to be tidy in appearance:

"Keep your clothes clean." [74:4]

The Qur'an insists that the believer maintain a constant state of
purity:

"Believers! When you prepare for prayer wash your faces, and your
hands (and arms) to the elbows; rub your heads (with water) and (wash)
your feet up to the ankles. If you are ritually impure bathe your
whole body." [5: 6]

Ritual impurity refers to that resulting from sexual release,
menstruation and the first forty days after childbirth. Muslims also
use water, not paper or anything else to after eliminating body
wastes.

Prophet Muhammad )pbuh) advised the Muslims to appear neat and tidy in
private and in public. Once when returning home from battle he advised
his army:

"You are soon going to meet your brothers, so tidy your saddles and
clothes. Be distinguished in the eyes of the people." [Abu Dawud]

On another occasion he said:

"Don't ever come with your hair and beard disheveled like a
devil." [Al-Tirmidhi]

And on another:

"Had I not been afraid of overburdening my community, I would have
ordered them to brush their teeth for every prayer." [Bukhari]

Moral hygiene was not ignored, either, for the Prophet (pbuh)
encouraged the muslims to make a special prayer upon seeing themselves
in the mirror:

"Allah, You have endowed me with a good form; likewise bless me with
an immaculate character and forbid my face from touching the
Hellfire." [Ahmad]

And modesty in dress, for men as well as for women, assists one in
maintaining purity of thought.

Being charitable is a way of purifying one's wealth. A Muslim who does
not give charity (Sadaqah) and pay the required annual Zakah, the 2.5%
alms-tax, has in effect contaminated his wealth by hoarding that which
rightfully belongs to others:

"Of their wealth take alms so that you may purify and sanctify
them." [9: 103]

All the laws and injunctions given by Allah and His Prophet (pbuh) are
pure; on the other hand, man-made laws suffer from the impurities of
human bias and other imperfections. Thus any formal law can only be
truly just when it is purified by divine guidance - as elucidated by
the Qur'an and the Sunnah - or if it is divinely ordained to begin
with - the Shari'ah.

Muslims Contribution To Science

Astronomy

Muslims have always had a special interest in astronomy. The moon and
the sun are of vital importance in the daily life of every Muslim. By
the moon, Muslims determine the beginning and the end of the months in
their lunar calendar. By the sun the Muslims calculate the times for
prayer and fasting. It is also by means of astronomy that Muslims can
determine the precise direction of the Qiblah, to face the Ka'bah in
Makkah, during prayer. The most precise solar calendar, superior to
the Julian, is the Jilali, devised under the supervision of Umar
Khayyam.

The Qur'an contains many references to astronomy.

"The heavens and the earth were ordered rightly, and were made
subservient to man, including the sun, the moon, the stars, and day
and night. Every heavenly body moves in an orbit assigned to it by God
and never digresses, making the universe an orderly cosmos whose life
and existence, diminution and expansion, are totally determined by the
Creator." [Qur'an 30:22]

These references, and the injunctions to learn, inspired the early
Muslim scholars to study the heavens. They integrated the earlier
works of the Indians, Persians and Greeks into a new synthesis.
Ptolemy's Almagest (the title as we know it is Arabic) was translated,
studied and criticized. Many new stars were discovered, as we see in
their Arabic names - Algol, Deneb, Betelgeuse, Rigel, Aldebaran.
Astronomical tables were compiled, among them the Toledan tables,
which were used by Copernicus, Tycho Brahe and Kepler. Also compiled
were almanacs - another Arabic term. Other terms from Arabic are
zenith, nadir, albedo, azimuth.

Muslim astronomers were the first to establish observatories, like the
one built at Mugharah by Hulagu, the son of Genghis Khan, in Persia,
and they invented instruments such as the quadrant and astrolabe,
which led to advances not only in astronomy but in oceanic navigation,
contributing to the European age of exploration.

Geography

Muslim scholars paid great attention to geography. In fact, the
Muslims' great concern for geography originated with their religion.
The Qur'an encourages people to travel throughout the earth to see
God's signs and patterns everywhere. Islam also requires each Muslim
to have at least enough knowledge of geography to know the direction
of the Qiblah (the position of the Ka'bah in Makkah) in order to pray
five times a day. Muslims were also used to taking long journeys to
conduct trade as well as to make the Hajj and spread their religion.
The far-flung Islamic empire enabled scholar-explorers to compile
large amounts of geographical and climatic information from the
Atlantic to the Pacific.

Among the most famous names in the field of geography, even in the
West, are Ibn Khaldun and Ibn Batuta, renowned for their written
accounts of their extensive explorations.

In 1166, Al-Idrisi, the well-known Muslim scholar who served the
Sicilian court, produced very accurate maps, including a world map
with all the continents and their mountains, rivers and famous cities.
Al-Muqdishi was the first geographer to produce accurate maps in
color.

It was, moreover, with the help of Muslim navigators and their
inventions that Magellan was able to traverse the Cape of Good Hope,
and Da Gama and Columbus had Muslim navigators on board their ships.

Humanity

Seeking knowledge is obligatory in Islam for every Muslim, man and
woman. The main sources of Islam, the Qur'an and the Sunnah (Prophet
Muhammad's traditions), encourage Muslims to seek knowledge and be
scholars, since this is the best way for people to know Allah (God),
to appreciate His wondrous creations and be thankful for them. Muslims
were therefore eager to seek knowledge, both religious and secular,
and within a few years of Muhammad's mission, a great civilization
sprang up and flourished. The outcome is shown in the spread of
Islamic universities; Al-Zaytunah in Tunis, and Al-Azhar in Cairo go
back more than 1,000 years and are the oldest existing universities in
the world. Indeed, they were the models for the first European
universities, such as Bologna, Heidelberg, and the Sorbonne. Even the
familiar academic cap and gown originated at Al-Azhar University.

Muslims made great advances in many different fields, such as
geography, physics, chemistry, mathematics, medicine, pharmacology,
architecture, linguistics and astronomy. Algebra and the Arabic
numerals were introduced to the world by Muslim scholars. The
astrolabe, the quadrant, and other navigational devices and maps were
developed by Muslim scholars and played an important role in world
progress, most notably in Europe's age of exploration.

Muslim scholars studied the ancient civilations from Greece and Rome
to China and India. The works of Aristotle, Ptolemy, Euclid and others
were translated into Arabic. Muslim scholars and scientists then added
their own creative ideas, discoveries and inventions, and finally
transmitted this new knowledge to Europe, leading directly to the
Renaissance. Many scientific and medical treatises, having been
translated into Latin, were standard text and reference books as late
as the 17th and 18th centuries.

Mathematics

It is interesting to note that Islam so strongly urges mankind to
study and explore the universe. For example, the Holy Qur'an states:

"We (Allah) will show you (mankind) Our signs/patterns in the horizons/
universe and in yourselves until you are convinced that the revelation
is the truth." [Qur'an, 14:53]

This invitation to explore and search made Muslims interested in
astronomy, mathematics, chemistry, and the other sciences, and they
had a very clear and firm understanding of the correspondences among
geometry, mathematics, and astronomy.

The Muslims invented the symbol for zero (The word "cipher" comes from
Arabic sifr), and they organized the numbers into the decimal system -
base 10. Additionally, they invented the symbol to express an unknown
quantity, i.e. variables like x.

The first great Muslim mathematician, Al-Khawarizmi, invented the
subject of algebra (al-Jabr), which was further developed by others,
most notably Umar Khayyam. Al-Khawarizmi's work, in Latin translation,
brought the Arabic numerals along with the mathematics to Europe,
through Spain. The word "algorithm" is derived from his name.

Muslim mathematicians excelled also in geometry, as can be seen in
their graphic arts, and it was the great Al-Biruni (who excelled also
in the fields of natural history, even geology and mineralogy) who
established trigonometry as a distinct branch of mathematics. Other
Muslim mathematicians made significant progress in number theory.

Medicine

In Islam, the human body is a source of appreciation, as it is created
by Almighty Allah (God). How it functions, how to keep it clean and
safe, how to prevent diseases from attacking it or cure those
diseases, have been important issues for Muslims.

Prophet Muhammad himself urged people to "take medicines for your
diseases", as people at that time were reluctant to do so. He also
said,

"God created no illness, but established for it a cure, except for old
age. When the antidote is applied, the patient will recover with the
permission of God."

This was strong motivation to encourage Muslim scientists to explore,
develop, and apply empirical laws. Much attention was given to
medicine and public health care. The first hospital was built in
Baghdad in 706 AC. The Muslims also used camel caravans as mobile
hospitals, which moved from place to place.

Since the religion did not forbid it, Muslim scholars used human
cadavers to study anatomy and physiology and to help their students
understand how the body functions. This empirical study enabled
surgery to develop very quickly.

Al-Razi, known in the West as Rhazes, the famous physician and
scientist, (d. 932) was one of the greatest physicians in the world in
the Middle Ages. He stressed empirical observation and clinical
medicine and was unrivaled as a diagnostician. He also wrote a
treatise on hygiene in hospitals. Khalaf Abul-Qasim Al-Zahrawi was a
very famous surgeon in the eleventh century, known in Europe for his
work, Concessio (Kitab al-Tasrif).

Ibn Sina (d. 1037), better known to the West as Avicenna, was perhaps
the greatest physician until the modern era. His famous book, Al-Qanun
fi al-Tibb, remained a standard textbook even in Europe, for over 700
years. Ibn Sina's work is still studied and built upon in the East.

Other significant contributions were made in pharmacology, such as Ibn
Sina's Kitab al-Shifa' (Book of Healing), and in public health. Every
major city in the Islamic world had a number of excellent hospitals,
some of them teaching hospitals, and many of them were specialized for
particular diseases, including mental and emotional. The Ottomans were
particularly noted for their building of hospitals and for the high
level of hygiene practiced in them.

Definition

The word ISLAM has a two-fold meaning: peace, and submission to God.
This submission requires a fully conscious and willing effort to
submit to the one Almighty God. One must consciously and
conscientiously give oneself to the service of Allah. This means to
act on what Allah enjoins all of us to do (in the Qur'an) and what His
beloved Prophet, Muhammad (pbuh) encouraged us to do in his Sunnah
(his lifestyle and sayings personifying the Qur'an).

Once we humble ourselves, rid ourselves of our egoism and submit
totally to Allah, and to Him exclusively, in faith and in action, we
will surely feel peace in our hearts. Establishing peace in our hearts
will bring about peace in our external conduct as well.

Islam is careful to remind us that it not a religion to be paid mere
lip service; rather it is an all-encompassing way of life that must be
practiced continuously for it to be Islam. The Muslim must practice
the five pillars of the religion: the declaration of faith in the
oneness of Allah and the prophet hood of Muhammad (pbuh), prayer,
fasting the month of Ramadan, alms-tax, and the pilgrimage to Makkah;
and believe in the six articles of faith: belief in God, the Holy
Books, the prophets, the angels, the Day of Judgment and God's decree,
whether for good or ill.

There are other injunctions and commandments which concern virtually
all facets of one's personal, family and civic life. These include
such matters as diet, clothing, personal hygiene, interpersonal
relations, business ethics, responsibilities towards parents, spouse
and children, marriage, divorce and inheritance, civil and criminal
law, fighting in defense of Islam, relations with non-Muslims, and so
much more.

Human Rights

Islam has been from its inception very concerned with issues of human
rights. Privacy, freedom, dignity and equality are guaranteed in
Islam. The holy Qur'an states clearly:

"There is no compulsion in religion."

And there are no reliable reports to confirm the old accusations that
when the Muslim armies were expanding into Asia, Africa and Europe the
people were put to the sword if they failed to convert to Islam. The
best proof is that not only did the Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians and
Hindus in those areas not perish or otherwise disappear, they actually
flourished as protected minority communities, and many individuals
rose to prominent positions in the arts, sciences, even in
government.

The lives, property and privacy of all citizens in an Islamic state
are considered sacred, whether or not the person is Muslim. Non-
Muslims have freedom of worship and the practice of their religions,
including their own family law and religious courts. They are obliged
to pay a different tax (Jizyah) instead of the Zakah, and the state is
obligated to provide both protection and government services. Before
the modern era it was extremely rare to find a state or government
anywhere in the world that was as solicitous of its minorities and
their civil rights as the Islamic states.

In no other religion did women receive such a degree of legal and
moral equality and personal respect. Moreover, racism and tribalism
are incompatible with Islam, for the Qur'an speaks of human equality
in the following terms:

"Mankind! We created you from a single soul, male and female, and made
you into nations and tribes, that you may come to know one another.
Truly, the most honored of you in God's sight is the greatest of you
in piety."

Jesus

Islam honors all the prophets who were sent to mankind. Muslims
respect all prophets in general, but Jesus in particular, because he
was one of the prophets who foretold the coming of Muhammad. Muslims,
too, await the second coming of Jesus. They consider him one of the
greatest of Allah's prophets to mankind. A Muslim does not refer to
him simply as "Jesus," but normally adds the phrase "peace be upon
him" as a sign of respect.

No other religion in the world respects and dignifies Jesus as Islam
does. The Qur'an confirms his virgin birth (a chapter of the Qur'an is
entitled "Mary"), and Mary is considered to have been one of the
purest women in all creation. The Qur'an describes Jesus' birth as
follows:

"Behold!' the Angel said, God has chosen you, and purified you, and
chosen you above the women of all nations. Mary, God gives you good
news of a word from Him, whose name shall be the Messiah, Jesus son of
Mary, honored in this world and in the Hereafter, and one of those
brought near to God. He shall speak to the people from his cradle and
in maturity, and he shall be of the righteous. She said: "My Lord! How
shall I have a son when no man has touched me?' He said: "Even so; God
creates what He will. When He decrees a thing, He says to it, 'Be!'
and it is." [3:42-47]

Muslims believe that Jesus was born immaculately, and through the same
power which had brought Eve to life and Adam into being without a
father or a mother.

"Truly, the likeness of Jesus with God is as the likeness of Adam. He
created him of dust, and then said to him, 'Be!' and he was." [3:59]

During his prophetic mission, Jesus performed many miracles. The
Qur'an tells us that he said:

"I have come to you with a sign from your Lord: I make for you out of
clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it and it
becomes a bird by God's leave. And I heal the blind, and the lepers,
and I raise the dead by God's leave." [3:49]

Muhammad and Jesus, as well as the other prophets, were sent to
confirm the belief in one God. This is referred to in the Qur'an where
Jesus is reported as saying that he came:

"To attest the law which was before me, and to make lawful to you part
of what was forbidden you; I have come to you with a sign from your
Lord, so fear God and obey me." [3:50]

Prophet Muhammad emphasized the importance of Jesus by saying:

"Whoever believes there is no god but Allah, alone without partner,
that Muhammad is His messenger, that Jesus is a servant and messenger
of God, His word breathed into Mary and a spirit emanating from Him,
and that Paradise and Hell are true, shall be received by God into
Heaven. [Bukhari]

Knowledge

Islam urges people to read and learn on every occasion. The verses of
the Qur'an command, advise, warn, and encourage people to observe the
phenomena of nature, the succession of day and night, the movements of
stars, the sun, moon, and other heavenly bodies. Muslims are urged to
look into everything in the universe, to travel, investigate, explore
and understand them, the better to appreciate and be thankful for all
the wonders and beauty of God's creations. The first revelation to
Muhammad showed how much Islam cares about knowledge.

"Read, in the name of your Lord, Who created..." [96:1]

Learning is obligatory for both men and women. Moreover, education is
not restricted to religious issues; it includes all fields of
knowledge, including biology, physics, and technology. Scholars have
the highest status in Islam, second only to that accorded to
prophets.

Almost from the very beginnings of the Islamic state Muslims began to
study and to master a number of fields of so-called secular learning,
beginning with linguistics and architecture, but very quickly
extending to mathematics, physics, astronomy, geography, medicine,
chemistry and philosophy. They translated and synthesized the known
works of the ancient world, from Greece, Persia, India, even China.
Before long they were criticizing, improving and expanding on that
knowledge. Centuries before the European Renaissance there were
Muslim ?Rennaissance? men, men who were simultaneously explorers,
scientists, philosophers, physicians and poets, like Ibn Sina
(Avicenna), Umar Khayyam, and others.

Main Pillars

1. Shahadah

The first pillar of Islam is that a Muslim believe and declare his
faith by saying the Shahadah (lit. 'witness'), also known as the
Kalimah:

La ilaha ila Allah; Muhammadur-rasul Allah. 'There is no god but
Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.'

This declaration contains two parts. The first part refers to God
Almighty, the Creator of everything, the Lord of the Worlds; the
second part refers to the Messenger, Muhammad (pbuh) a prophet and a
human being, who received the revelation through the Archangel
Gabriel, and taught it to mankind.

By sincerely uttering the Shahadah the Muslim acknowledges Allah as
the sole Creator of all, and the Supreme Authority over everything and
everyone in the universe. Consequently the Muslim closes his/her heart
and mind to loyalty, devotion and obedience to, trust in, reliance on,
and worship of anything or anyone other than Allah. This rejection is
not confined merely to pagan gods and goddesses of wood and stone and
created by human hands and imaginations; this rejection must extend to
all other conceptions, superstitions, ideologies, ways of life, and
authority figures that claim supreme devotion, loyalty, trust, love,
obedience or worship. This entails, for example, the rejection of
belief in such common things as astrology, palm reading, good luck
charms, fortune-telling and psychic readings, in addition to praying
at shrines or graves of "saints", asking the dead souls to intercede
for them with Allah. There are no intercessors in Islam, nor any class
of clergy as such; a Muslim prays directly and exclusively to Allah.

Belief in the prophet hood of Muhammad (pbuh) entails belief in the
guidance brought by him and contained in his Sunnah (traditions of his
sayings and actions), and demands of the Muslim the intention to
follow his guidance faithfully. Muhammad (pbuh) was also a human
being, a man with feelings and emotions, who ate, drank and slept, and
was born and died, like other men. He had a pure and upright nature,
extraordinary righteousness, and an unwavering faith in Allah and
commitment to Islam, but he was not divine. Muslims do not pray to
him, not even as an intercessor, and Muslims abhor the terms
"Mohamedan" and "Mohamedanism".

2. Salah (Prayer)

Prayer (Salah), in the sense of worship, is the second pillar of
Islam. Prayer is obligatory and must be performed five times a day.
These five times are dawn (Fajr), immediately after noon (Dhuhr), mid-
afternoon ('Asr), sunset (Maghrib), and early night (Isha'). Ritual
cleanliness and ablution are required before prayer, as are clean
clothes and location, and the removal of shoes. One may pray
individually or communally, at home, outside, virtually any clean
place, as well as in a mosque, though the latter is preferred. Special
is the Friday noon prayer, called Jum'ah. It, too, is obligatory and
is to be done in a mosque, in congregation. It is accompanied by a
sermon (Khutbah), and it replaces the normal Dhuhr prayer.

There is no hierarchical clerical authority in Islam, no priests or
ministers. Prayers are led by any learned person who knows the Qur'an
and is chosen by the congregation. He (or she, if the congregation is
all women) is called the imam. There is also no minimum number of
congregates required to hold communal prayers. Prayer consists of
verses from the Qur'an and other prayers, accompanied by various
bodily postures - standing, bowing, prostrating and sitting. They are
said in Arabic, the language of the revelation, though personal
supplications (Du'ah) can be offered in one's own language.
Worshippers face the Qiblah, the direction of the Ka'bah in the city
of Makkah.

The significance of prayer lies in one's maintaining a continuous link
to God five times a day, which helps the worshipper avoid misdeeds if
he/she performs the prayers sincerely. In addition it promotes
discipline, God-consciousness and placing one's trust in Allah alone,
and the importance of striving for the Hereafter. When performed in
congregation it also provides a strong sense of community, equality
and brotherhood/sisterhood.

3. Sawm (Fasting)

The fourth pillar of Islam is fasting. Allah prescribes daily fasting
for all able, adult Muslims during the whole of the month of Ramadan,
the ninth month of the lunar calendar, beginning with the sighting of
the new moon. Exempted from the fast are the very old and the insane.
On the physical side, fasting is from first light of dawn until
sundown, abstaining from food, drink, and sexual relations. On the
moral, behavioral side, one must abstain from lying, malicious gossip,
quarreling and trivial nonsense.

Those who are sick, elderly, or on a journey, and women who are
menstruating, pregnant, or nursing are permitted to break the fast,
but must make up an equal number of days later in the year. If
physically unable to do so, they must feed a needy person for each day
missed. Children begin to fast (and to observe the prayers) from
puberty, although many start earlier.

Although fasting is beneficial to the health, it is regarded
principally as a method of self-purification. By cutting oneself off
from worldly pleasures and comforts, even for a short time, the
fasting person gains true sympathy for those who go hungry regularly,
and achieves growth in his spiritual life, learning discipline, self-
restraint, patience and flexibility.

In addition to the fast proper, one is encouraged to read the entire
Qur'an. In addition, special prayers, called Tarawih, are held in the
mosque every night of the month, during which a whole section of the
Qur'an (Juz') is recited, so that by the end of the month the entire
Qur'an has been completed. These are done in remembrance of the fact
that the revelation of the Qur'an to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was begun
during Ramadan.

During the last ten days - though the exact day is never known and may
not even be the same every year - occurs the Night of Power (Laylat al-
Qadr). To spend that night in worship is equivalent to a thousand
months of worship, i.e. Allah's reward for it is very great.

On the first day of the following month, after another new moon has
been sighted, a special celebration is made, called 'Id al-Fitr. A
quantity of staple food is donated to the poor (Zakat al-Fitr),
everyone has bathed and put on their best, preferably new, clothes,
and communal prayers are held in the early morning, followed by
feasting and visiting relatives and friends.

There are other fast days throughout the year. Muslims are encouraged
to fast six days in Shawwal, the month following Ramadan, Mondays and
Thursdays, and the ninth and tenth, or tenth and eleventh of Muharram,
the first month of the year. The tenth day, called Ashurah, is also a
fast day for the Jews (Yom Kippur), and Allah commanded the Muslims to
fast two days to distinguish themselves from the People of the Book.

While fasting per se is encouraged, constant fasting, as well as
monasticism, celibacy, and otherwise retreating from the real world,
are condemned in Islam. Fasting on the two festival days, 'Id al-Fitr
and 'Id al-Adha, the feast of the Hajj, is strictly forbidden.

4. Zakah

The third pillar of Islam is the alms-tax (Zakah). It is a tax on
wealth, payable on various categories of property, notably savings and
investments, produce, inventory of goods, salable crops and cattle,
and precious ****ls, and is to be used for the various categories of
distribution specified by Islamic law. It is also an act of
purification through sharing what one has with others.

The rationale behind this is that Muslims believe that everything
belongs to God, and wealth is held by man as a trust. This trust must
be discharged, moreover, as instructed by God, as that portion of our
wealth legally belongs to other people and must be given to them. If
we refuse and hoard this wealth, it is considered impure and unclean.
If, for example one were to use that wealth for charity or to finance
one's pilgrimage to Makkah, those acts would also be impure, invalid,
and of course unrewarded. Allah says:

"Of their wealth, take alms so you may purify and sanctify
them." [9:103]

The word Zakah means purification and growth. Our possessions are
purified by setting aside that portion of it for those in need. Each
Muslim calculates his or her own Zakah individually.

For most purposes this involves the payment each year of 2.5% of one's
capital, provided that this capital reaches a certain minimum amount
that which is not consumed by its owner. A generous person can pay
more than this amount, though it is treated and rewarded as voluntary
charity (Sadaqah). This amount of money is provided to bridge the gap
between the rich and the poor, and can be used in many useful projects
for the welfare of the community.

Historically the pillar of Zakah became mandatory on Muslims form the
second year after the Hijrah, 622 C.E. It is mentioned more than
thirty times in the Qur'an, usually in the same breath as Salah. So
important is this pillar that one is not considered a part of the
Islamic brotherhood if one ignores this obligation.

5. Hajj

The fifth pillar of Islam is to make a pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah, in
Saudi Arabia, at least once in one's lifetime. This pillar is
obligatory for every Muslim, male or female, provided that he/she is
physically and financially able to do so. Prerequisites for performing
the Hajj are to be a Muslim, to be free, to be an adult or mature
enough, to be of sound mind, and to have the ability to afford the
journey and maintain one's dependents back home for the duration. The
reward for the Hajj is nothing less than Paradise.

The Hajj is the ultimate form of worship, as it involves the spirit of
all the other rituals and demands of the believer great sacrifice. On
this unique occasion, nearly two million Muslims from all over the
globe meet one another in a given year. Regardless of the season,
pilgrims wear special clothes (Ihram) - two, very simple, unsewn white
garments - which strips away all distinctions of wealth, status, class
and culture; all stand together and equal before Allah (God).

The rites of Hajj, which go back to the time of Prophet Abraham who
built the Ka'bah, are observed over five or six days, beginning on the
eighth day of the last month of the year, named Dhul-Hijjah
(pilgrimage). These rites include circumambulating the Ka'bah
(Tawwaf), and going between the mountains of Safa and Marwah, as
Hajjar (Abraham's wife) did during her search for water for her son
Isma'il. Then the pilgrims stand together on the wide plain of Arafah
and join in prayers for God's forgiveness, in what is often thought of
as a preview of the Last Judgment. The pilgrims also cast stones at a
stone pillar which represents Satan. The pilgrimage ends with a
festival, called 'Id al-Adha, which is celebrated with prayers, the
sacrifice of an animal, and the exchange of greetings and gifts in
Muslim communities everywhere.

Muhammad

Muhammad (pbuh) was an illiterate but wise and well-respected man who
was born in Makkah in the year 570 C.E., at a time when Christianity
was not yet fully established in Europe. His first years were marked
by the deaths of his parents. Since his father died before his birth,
his uncle, Abu Talib, from the respected tribe of Quraysh, raised him.
As Muhammad (pbuh) grew up, he became known for his truthfulness,
generosity and sincerity, so that he was sought after for his ability
to arbitrate in disputes. His reputation and personal qualities also
led to his marriage, at the age of twenty-five, to Khadijah, a widow
whom he had assisted in business. Thenceforth, he became an important
and trusted citizen of Makkah. Historians describe him as calm and
meditative.

Muhammad (pbuh) never felt fully content to be part of a society whose
values he considered to be devoid of true religious significance. It
became his habit to retreat from time to time to the cave of Hira', to
meditate near the summit of Jabal al-Nur, the "Mountain of Light",
near Makkah.

At the age of 40, while engaged in one such meditative retreat,
Muhammad (pbuh) received his first revelation from God through the
Angel Gabriel. This revelation, which continued for twenty-three
years, is known as the Qur'an, the faithful recording of the entire
revelation of God. The first revelation read:

"Recite: In the name of your Lord Who created man from a clot (of
blood). Recite: Your Lord is Most Noble, Who taught by the pen, taught
man what he did not know." [96:1-5]

It was this reality that he gradually and steadily came to learn and
believe, until he fully realized that it is the truth.

His first convert was Khadijah, whose support and companionship
provided necessary reassurance and strength. He also won the support
of some of his relatives and friends. Three basic themes of the early
message were the majesty of the one, unique God, the futility of idol
worship, the threat of judgment, and the necessity of faith,
compassion and morality in human affairs. All these themes represented
an attack on the crass materialism and idolatry prevalent in Makkah at
the time. So when he began to proclaim the message to others the
Makkans rejected him. He and his small group of followers suffered
bitter persecution, which grew so fierce that in the year 622 C.E.,
God gave them the command to emigrate. This event, the Hijrah
(migration), in which they left Makkah for the city of Madinah, some
260 miles to the north, marked the beginning of a new era and thus the
beginning of the Muslim calendar. During his suffering, Muhammad
(pbuh) drew comfort from the knowledge revealed to him about other
prophets, such as Abraham, Joseph, and Moses, each of whom had also
been persecuted and tested.

After several years and some significant battles, the Prophet and his
followers were able to return to Makkah, where they forgave their
enemies and established Islam definitively. By the time the Prophet
died, at the age of 63, the greater part of Arabia had accepted Islam,
and within a century of his death, Islam had spread as far west as
Spain and as far east as China. It was clear that the message was not
limited to Arabs; it was for the whole of humanity.

The Prophet's sayings (Hadith), are also believed to be revelation.
The number of sayings collected by his followers and scholars is about
10,000. Some typical examples of his sayings are as follows:

"To pursue knowledge is obligatory on every believing (man and
woman)." [Ibn Majah]

"Removing a harmful thing from the road is charity." [Bukhari,
Muslim]
"Those who do not show tenderness and love cannot expect to have
tenderness shown to them." [Bukhari]

"Adore Allah (God) as though you see Him; even if you do not see Him,
He nonetheless sees you." {Bukhari, Muslim]

Although Muhammad is deeply loved, revered and emulated by Muslims as
God's final messenger, he is not an object of worship.

Women

At a time when the rest of the world, from Greece and Rome to India
and China, considered women as no better than children or even slaves,
with no rights whatsoever, Islam acknowledged women's equality with
men in a great many respects. The Qur'an states:

"And among His signs is this: that He created mates for you form
yourselves that you may find rest, peace of mind in them, and He
ordained between you love and mercy. Lo, herein indeed are signs for
people who reflect." [30:21]

Prophet Muhammad said:

"The most perfect in faith amongst believers is he who is best in
manners and kindest to his wife." [Abu Dawud]

Muslims believe that Adam and Eve were created from the same soul.
Both were equally guilty of their sin and fall from grace, and both
were forgiven by Allah. Many women in Islam have had high status;
consider the fact that the first person to convert to Islam was
Khadijah, the wife of Muhammad, whom he both loved and respected. His
favorite wife after Khadijah's death, Aeisha, became renowned as a
scholar and one of the greatest sources of Hadith literature. Many of
the female Companions accomplished great deeds and achieved fame, and
throughout Islamic history there have been famous and influential
scholars, jurists and mystics.

With regard to education, both women and men have the same rights and
obligations. This is clear in Prophet Muhammad's saying:

"Seeking knowledge is mandatory for every believer." [Ibn Majah]

This implies men and women.
A woman is to be treated as God has endowed her, with rights, such as
to be treated as an individual, with the right to own and dispose of
her own property and earnings, enter into contracts, even after
marriage. She has the right to be educated and to work outside the
home if she so chooses. She has the right to inherit from her father,
mother, and husband. A very interesting point to note is that in
Islam, unlike any other religion, a woman can be an imam, a leader of
communal prayer, for a group of women.

A Muslim woman also has obligations. All the laws and regulations
pertaining to prayer, fasting, charity, pilgrimage, doing good deeds,
etc., apply to women, albeit with minor differences having mainly to
do with female physiology.

Before marriage, a woman has the right to choose her husband. Islamic
law is very strict regarding the necessity of having the woman's
consent for marriage. A marriage dowry (money) is given by the groom
to the bride for her own personal use. She keeps her own family name,
rather than taking her husband's. As a wife, a woman has the right to
be supported by her husband even if she is already rich. She also has
the right to seek divorce and custody of young children. She does not
return the dowry, except in a few unusual situations.

Despite the fact that in many places and times Muslim communities have
not always adhered to all or even many of the foregoing in practice,
the ideal has been there for 1400 years, while virtually all other
major civilizations did not begin to address these issues or change
their negative attitudes until the 19th and 20th centuries, and there
are still many contemporary civilizations which have yet to do so.

Other Religions

Islam is the religion of all prophets. Muslims believe that all the
prophets were sent to their respective peoples from God (Allah). They
all had the same mission and message - guiding people to the right
path.

The three revealed, monotheistic religions, Islam, Christianity, and
Judaism, go back to Abraham. The prophets of these religions were
directly descended from him - Moses, Jesus and others from Isaac, but
Muhammad from Isma?il. It was Prophet Abraham who had established the
settlement which today is the city of Makkah, and with his son Isma?il
built the Ka?bah, which Muslims all over the world face when they
pray.

Christians and Jews hold a special place in Islam. They are called the
People of the Book (Ahl al-Kitab), since the original Torah and Gospel
were also divinely revealed and they shared in the prophetic
tradition. Islamic states have nearly always shown their religious
minorities tolerance and respect and those communities flourished
under Islamic rule. God says:

"...[T]hose who believe (in the message of Islam), and the Jews, the
Sabaeans, and the Christians - all those who believe in Allah and the
Last Day, and act righteously - no fear shall come upon
them..." [5:69]

Setting up the Islamic state in Madinah, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
further warned:

"Whoever oppresses any Dhimmi (non-Muslim citizen of the Islamic
state), I shall be his prosecutor on the Day of Judgment."

In setting up the Islamic state, Prophet Muhammad made it inclusive of
the Arabian Jews and Christians. Their persons, properties, churches
and synagogues were protected, freedom of worship was guaranteed, and
they controlled their own community affairs with their own civil and
religious laws and courts. For most of the first century of the
Islamic state, in fact, the majority of the citizens were Christians,
enjoying peace and liberty such as they had not had even under
Christian Rome or Byzantium.

The Jews, from the very beginning in Madinah, and later everywhere
else, were lifted from the burden of being clients of individual Arab
tribes to being citizens of the state, thus freeing them to focus on
their Jewishness. When the Islamic state expanded outside Arabia the
Jews of other lands were treated for the first time as liberated
citizens. Judaism flourished as never before, with Jews even serving
in Muslim armies and administrations while their culture bloomed in
the arts, sciences, medicine and philosophy. This knowledge they
transmitted to their brethren in the hostile climate of Christian
Europe. Even Jewish mysticism originated under the influence of sufism
and spread to northern Europe.

When Islam reached Persia the concept of People of the Book was
extended to the Zoroastrians as well. Later, when the Muslims
conquered parts of India and encountered Buddhists and Hindus, who
appeared to worship idols, the question was referred to the ulema
(council of scholars), who judged that even they could have the same
protected status as the Jews and Christians, so long as they did not
fight Islam and they paid the Jizyah tax.

Peace

"Peace" is the most common word on a Muslim's tongue. Whenever two
people meet, they exchange greetings, wishing each other peace: "Peace
be upon you." But peace cannot prevail except through justice. Since
the concept of justice may differ from one man to another, or from one
society to another, Muslims believe that real justice is that which is
specified by Allah (God).

Islam permits fighting in self-defense, in defense of the religion, or
by those who have been expelled forcibly from their homes. At the same
time, Islam requires one to treat one's enemy mercifully. It lays down
strict rules of combat which include prohibitions against harming
civilians and against destroying crops, trees, and livestock. Islam
also requires that if an enemy declares his desire to end hostilities
and seek peace, the Muslims must do the same.

The concept of Jihad (struggling in the cause of Allah) is stated in
the Qur'an. Allah said: "Fight in the cause of God those who fight
you, but do not transgress limits. God does not love
transgressors." [2:19] Jihad is never to be waged to force anybody to
choose a particular religion. On the contrary, it is to waged to
protect his right to choose freely. Therefore, if there is a force in
the world that tries to prevent a person from practicing this right,
Jihad may lead to fighting the force that is trying to prevent him
from exercising free will.

Relevance

Since Islam is the last religion revealed by Allah, it possesses some
elements that make it unique. One of these is its relevance for human
beings regardless of place and time.

This means that Islam - submission to God - is a comprehensive
institution which includes all the guidelines necessary for all
aspects of life. Therefore, the best way to understand Islam is to
look at it as more than a religion - as a complete way of life. In
other words, it is a system which regulates every aspect of life,
dealing with all issues - social, economic, educational, judicial,
health, and even military. Thus, it is suitable for all human beings
and for all times, since it is the final religion. Islamic law aims to
achieve five goals for human beings in life: protecting the religion,
protecting one's self, protecting one's possessions, protecting one's
mind, and protecting one's offspring.

Therefore, God (Allah) decided on two main domains of law:

1. If the domain always requires change and progress, Allah legislated
comprehensive yet flexible rules and gave people the chance to create
and develop the necessary laws to satisfy the specific needs of a
certain period of time. For example, in the rule of consultation
(Shura), Allah decided that it should be the general rule for any
government; however, its form and style are left open for people to
choose and decide according to their needs.

2. If the domain does not require or lend itself to change or
progress, Allah legislated fixed and detailed laws that govern all
issues related to a specific area. Thus, there is no way for man to
change or develop those laws, which were made for the welfare of all
mankind. For example, the area of worshipping God contains fixed
details which cannot be changed at all. These regard prayer, fasting,
making pilgrimage, etc. Another example is in family matters, such as
the laws of marriage, divorce, and inheritance.

To show how Islam cares for the environment, one can cite the many
laws that protect the environment. About fourteen hundred years ago.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said:

"The world is green and beautiful, and Allah has appointed you as His
stewards over it. He sees how you acquit yourselves."

Muhammad showed how important plants and trees are by saying: "Whoever
plants a tree and looks after it with care until it matures and
becomes productive will be rewarded in the Hereafter." Even in the
territory of an enemy, Islam's care for plants, animals, and trees is
profound. Abu Bakr, the first Caliph, or successor, to Muhammad
(pbuh), instructed his troops that he was sending into battle not to
cut down any trees or kill any animals except for food.

These are but a few examples of how Islam remains relevant in the
modern world.

Sources

?The ultimate manifestation of God's grace for man, the ultimate
wisdom, and the ultimate beauty of expression: in short, the word of
God.? This is how the German scholar, Muhammad Asad, once described
the Qur'an. If one were to ask any Muslim to depict it, most likely
they would offer similar words. The Qur'an, to the Muslim, is the
irrefutable, inimitable Word of God. It was revealed by God Almighty,
through the instrument of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The Prophet (pbuh)
himself had no role in authoring the Qur'an, he was merely a human
secretary, repeating the dictates of the Divine Creator:

"He (Muhammad) does not speak of his own desire. It is no less than an
Inspiration sent down to him." [53:3-4]

The Qur'an was revealed in Arabic, to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), over a
period of twenty-three years. It is composed in a style so unique,
that it cannot be deemed either poetry or prose, but somehow a mixture
of both. The Qur'an is imimitable; it cannot be simulated or copied,
and God Almighty challenges mankind to pursue such an endeavor if he
thinks he can:

"Or do they say he forged it? Say: Bring then a chapter like unto it,
and call (to your aid) anyone you can, beside God, if it be you speak
the truth." [10:38].

The Qur'an's language is indeed sublime, its recitation moving, as one
non-Muslim scholar noted, it was like ?the cadence of my heartbeat?.
Due to its unique style of language, the Qur'an is not only highly
readable, but also relatively easy to remember. This latter aspect has
played an important role not only in the Qur'an's preservation, but in
the spiritual life of Muslims as well. God Himself declares,

"And We have indeed made the Qur'an easy to understand and remember;
then is there anyone that will receive admonition?" [54:17]

One of the most important characteristics of the Qur'an is that it
remains today, the only holy book which has never changed; it has
remained free from any and all adulterations. Sir William Muir noted,
"There is probably in the world no other book which has remained
(fourteen) centuries with so pure a text." The Qur'an was written down
during the lifetime and under the supervision of the Prophet, who
himself was illiterate, and it was canonized shortly after his death
by a rigorous method which scrutinized both written and oral
traditions. Thus its authenticity is unblemished, and is its
preservation is seen as the fulfillment of God's promise:

"We have, without doubt, sent down the Message, and We will assuredly
guard it from corruption." [15:9]

The Qur'an is a book which provides the human being the spiritual and
intellectual nourishment he/she craves. Its major themes include the
oneness of God, the purpose of human existence, faith and God-
consciousness, the Hereafter and its significance. The Qur'an also
lays a heavy emphasis upon reason and understanding. In these spheres
of human understanding, the Qur'an goes beyond just satisfying the
human intellect; it causes one to reflect on implications. There are
Qur'anic challenges and prophecies. One of the most exciting fields in
recent years has been the discovery that, of the significant amount of
scientific information in the Qur'an, including the event of the Big
Bang, embryological data, and other information concerning astronomy
biology, etc., there is not a single statement that has not been borne
out by modern discoveries In short, the Qur'an fulfills the heart, the
soul, and the mind.

Perhaps the best de******ion of the Qur'an was given by Ali, the
cousin of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) when he expounded upon it as,

"The Book of God. In it is the record of what was before you, the
judgment of what is among you, and the prophecies of what will come
after you. It is decisive, not a case for levity. Whoever is a tryant
and ignores the Qur'an will be destroyed by God. Whoever seeks
guidance from other than it will be misguided. The Qur'an is the
unbreakable bond of connection with God; it is the remembrance full of
wisdom and the straight path. The Qur'an does not become distorted by
tongues. nor can it be deviated by caprices; it never dulls from
repeated study; scholars will always want more of it. The wonders of
the Qur'an are never ending. Whoever speaks from it will speak the
truth, whoever rules with it will be just, and whoever holds fast to
it will be guided to the straight path." [Al-Tirmidhi]

Sunnah

The term Sunnah comes from the root word sanna, which means to pave
the way or make a path easily passable, such that it becomes a
commonly followed way by everyone afterwards. Thus sunnah can be used
to describe a street or road or path on which people, animals, and
cars travel. Additionally, it can apply to a prophetic way, i.e. the
law that they brought and taught as an explanation or further
clarification of a divinely revealed book. Normally, the prophetic way
includes references to his sayings, actions, physical features and
character traits.

From the Islamic standpoint, Sunnah refers to anything narrated or
related about the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), authentically traced to him
regarding his speech, actions, traits, and silent approvals, before
and after the revelation.

Each narration is composed of two parts: the isnad and the matn. The
isnad refers to a chain of people who narrated a paricular narration.
The matn is the actual text of the narration. The isnad must comprise
upright and sincere individuals whose integrity is unquestionable.

The Speech of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

The speech of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) refers to his sayings. For
example, he said:

"Actions are judged by their intentions; everyone will be rewarded
according to his/her intention. So whoever migrates for the sake of
Allah and His Prophet then his migration will be noted as a migration
for the sake of Allah and His Prophet. Conversely, one who migrates
only to obtain something worldly or to marry a woman, then his
migration will be worth what he had inteded.? [Bukhari]. The Prophet
(pbuh) also said: ?Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should
say something good or keep quiet.

The above two accounts clearly show that the Prophet (pbuh) spoke
these words. Consequently, these are known as his speech.

The Actions of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

His actions pertain to anything he did, as authentically reported by
the Sahabah (Companions). For instance, Hudhayfah reported that
whenever the Prophet (pbuh) got up at night, he would clean his teeth
with a tooth-stick. Also A'ishah reported that the Prophet (pbuh)
loved to do everything starting with the right side - putting on
shoes, walking, cleaning himself, and in all his affairs generally.

The Silent Approvals of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

His silent approvals on different issues meant his not opposing or
minding what he saw, heard or knew of the actions or sayings of his
Companions. On one occasion, for example, the Prophet (pbuh) learned
of actions of some of his Companions from other Companions. Soon after
the battle of Khandaq, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) gave the order to the
Companions to move quickly to surround the tribe of Banu Quraydah,
encouraging them to hurry so that perhaps they would pray 'Asr (the
late afternoon prayer) there. Some of the Companions of the Prophet
(pbuh) responded immediately and left without praying 'Asr. They
arrived after sunset, pitched camp and prayed 'Asr- after sunset. At
the same time another group of Companions formulated their judgment
differently. They thought that the Prophet (pbuh) was merely
encouraging them to hasten to their destination, rather than to delay
'Asr until after sunset. Consequently, they decided to stay in Madinah
until they had prayed 'Asr. Immediately thereafter, they hastened
towards the tribe of Banu Quraydhah. When the Prophet (pbuh) was told
of how each group responded differently to his announcement, he (pbuh)
affirmed both judgments.

Physical and Moral Traits of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

Everything authentically narrated concerning the Prophet's complexion
and the rest of his physical features is also included in the
definition of sunnah. Umm Ma'bad described what she saw of the great
Prophet (pbuh). She said:

"I saw a man, his face radiant with a bright glow, not too thin or too
fat, elegant and handsome. His eyes had a deep black hue with long
eyelashes. His voice was pleasant and his neck long. He had a thick
beard. His long black eyebrows were beautifully arched and connected
to each other. In silence, he remained dignified, commanding utmost
awe and respect. When he spoke, his speech was brilliant. Of all
people he was the most handsome and the most pleasant, even when
approaching from a distance. In person, he was unique and most
admirable. Graced with eloquent logic, his speech was moderate. His
logical arguments were well organized as though they were a string of
gems. He was not too tall or too short, but exactly in between. Among
three, he appeared the most radiant and most vibrant. He had
companions who affectionately honored him. When he spoke, they
listened to him attentively. When he gave orders, they were quick to
execute them. They rallied around him guarding him. He never frowned
or spoke frivolously." [Hakim]

Along with his physical features, his Companions also described his
habits and behavior with people. Once Anas reported:

"I served the Prophet of Allah (pbuh) for ten years. Never once did he
so much as express any bit of displeasure nor did he ever ask 'Why did
you do it?' for something I did or 'Why didn't you do it?' for
something I didn't do."

From the above we can clearly see that when the term sunnah appears in
a general context refering to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) it comprises
anything narrated about the Prophet (pbuh) and authentically traced to
him. Once a Muslim learns of the authenticity of any narration, he/she
is obliged to follow and obey it accordingly. Such obedience is
mandated by Allah as He declares

"...and obey Allah and His Prophet and do not turn away when you hear
(him speak)." [8:20]

At times, some Muslims are perplexed when people say that sunnah is
something only recommended and is not mandatory. Thus they conclude
that we are only required to follow the Qur'an and not the Sunnah.
Such an argument results from a gross misunderstanding. Scholars of
Islamic jurisprudence use the term sunnah to denote what is
authentically established of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in deeds which
were not subsequently made mandatory by Allah.

They further hold that this includes any saying of Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) where he encourages Muslims to do a particular task and
compliments those who imbibe such attributes. Thus to them, the term
sunnah denotes what is authentically established of Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) in deeds which he did voluntarily and which were not
subsequently made mandatory by Allah. They further hold that this
includes any saying of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) where he encourages
Muslims to do a particular task and compliments those who imbibe such
attributes. Thus to them, the term sunnah refers to what is
"recommended" and is not mandatory (fard or wajib).

From the above, we can clearly see that the term sunnah takes on
different meanings when used by different Islamic disciplines.

Tolerance

Freedom of belief is guaranteed in Islam. It should be very clear that
Islam tolerates not only other faiths but even its enemies. This is
stated clearly in the Qur'an:

"God forbids you not with regard to those who fight you not for (your)
faith, nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly
with them, for God loves those who are just." [60:8]

It is one function of Islamic law to protect the privileged status of
minorities, and this is why non-Muslim places of worship have
flourished all over the Islamic world. Islamic law also permits non-
Muslim minorities to set up their own courts to implement family laws
drawn up by the minorities themselves and to govern their own
affairs.

History provides many examples of Muslim tolerance towards other
faiths. When the great leader and second Caliph, Umar, entered
Jerusalem in the year 634, Islam guaranteed freedom of worship to all
religious communities in the city. In fact, so careful was Umar in
setting an example for his people that he not only went to a church to
pray, he prayed outside in the courtyard, lest his followers after his
death be tempted to convert the church into a mosque.

Islam teaches that the closest to Allah and the most beloved of Allah
are those who are the best in piety. Thus all people, male and female,
and regardless of race, color, nationality or ethnicity, are
considered and treated as equal before Allah and before the law. This
concept of tolerance did not reach the West even in theory until the
18th century, and in practice not until the 20th century.

Universality

In the Qur'an, Allah says:

"We have sent you (Muhammad) as a mercy for all nations." [21:107]

Thus Islam is not restricted to any particular race or nation, as many
other religions are, but is universal, meaning that its message
applies to all humanity, at all times, in all places.

Since Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was the last prophet and messenger, his
message applies to all future generations. All previous prophets, from
Adam, Noah and Abraham to Moses and Jesus, were also Muslims:

"Not a single messenger did We send before you without this
inspiration sent by Us to him that there is no god but I, therefore
worship and serve Me." [21:25]

Since the Qur'an is the final testament, with every word and every
letter unadulterated and unchanged, and protected by Allah from any
change or tampering, it is the final revelation, and no other law will
ever supersede it.

It applies, moreover, to every aspect of one's daily life, including
personal, social, legal, economic, political, even military.
Furthermore, Islam affects every part of the individual - physical,
mental, emotional, and spiritual