A lot of things can come out of this conversion.
1- Ending the clash of civilization.
2- To help the west to liberate us from our tyrants and re-establish our Islam.
3- To help us to get rid of terrorism that the west created.
4- To prepare the world for the second coming of Christ.
5- To get the best of the Islamic values and the institutions of democracy.
6- To eliminate poverty.
7- To organize the world so we can use the resources of the earth and prevent wars, crimes, fight diseases...
8- The everlasting game of oppressive Arab regimes and the west promise to liberate us is not working. Geopolitically is not even feasible to them.
9- To work out with China and Russia to get the best to all their peoples and ours.
10- Any nuclear exchange is practically likely to destroy the world.
11- All social diseases of western civilization that resulted from materialism will go away by the inner peace and serenity Islam gives to Muslims.
There is no compulsion in religion. As a pragmatic Muslim I like people to believe in Islam through debating, criticizing and disputing it. But they have to go all the way and read different opinions. We need pragmatic Muslims within western societies. New Convert should be looked as Muslim Christians or Jewish Muslims. No convert to any religion should be discriminated against.
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Aaron's Journey to Islaam
by Aaron "Haroon" Sellars
Why did I accept Islam? This is a question that I have been asked many times by others, and a question that I have asked myself many times. Firstly, it was the Will of God because it is He that changes hearts and guides someone to a way that is straight! Secondly, because I was looking for the truth, the real truth and nothing but the truth! Thirdly, because there were doctrinal elements in my previous religion of Christianity that at first hearing seemed acceptable but when reflected, analyzed, and prayed upon, proved to be not only unacceptable but also contradictory, inconsistent, and even blasphemous! But why ISLAM? Why, when I was looking for the real and whole truthdid God guide me to Islam and not to one of many religions available to man or just another branch of Christianity? The answer to this important question was to unfold as I took my first steps towards my spiritual quest.
The basic seed of God-consciousness was implanted in me from birth, byt my soul was moulded to the teachings of the Christian church. My religious upbringing was never something that was forced, nor was it just occasional or just habitual. It seemed to be a natural and essential part of the fibre of my family. One of my fondest childhood memories till this day is of my mother reading me Bible stories every Sunday. But when I reached my teens and especially when I entered college, that spiritual nuturing became tainted more and more.
The college scene is where most people of religious background either completely abandon that upbringing or like in my case, just put it on pause. It's really hard not to when you are surrounded by co-ed dorms, open promiscuity, easy access to alcohol, 24 hour parties, and curfew-free nights. There weren't any churches around campus that I was interested in so my Sundays began to feel like any other day of the week. While in college experienced many things and learned many lessons of life but one parti-cular experience had brought me right to the edge of cliff of death! The situation was so unexpected so shocking, so overwhelming, that I honestly felt that the only solution was suicide. It took someone whom I had known for just a little while, breaking down and crying when he realized what I was about to do, for me to just pause and think. I thought that something was truly wrong if this guy had a higher value for my life than I did. As I stood there, I never felt so empty in my life. There was thie big void where my soul was supposed to be and I felt like Moses (pbuh) and his followers being chased by the enemy from all sides only to be confronted by the impassable Read Sea! I realized that it was time to make the call they had made. The call of faith-the call of God!
I decided to return to the church of my youth, a Baptist church in Washington D.C. I heard that there was a new pastor preching there that was thorough and I decided to try him out. Praise God, the preacher was young, dynamic, and effective. He really made the Bible come to life in his sermons and made living for God seem real and worthwhile. Coming from the position of a person who was ready to kill himself, these messages were beginning to fill my emptiness and make me want to live and give life another chance. I remember the nervous excitement of accepting the call to new mem bership at church and the newness and freshness of being dipped into the water at my baptismal ceremony. I felt reborn! Clean1 Witht he lips I accepted Jesus (pbuh) as my "lord and saviour" but deep down in my hearth, I was just reaccepting the reality of God in my life! As I went deeper in my walk of faith the problem that had almost caused me to slay myself vanished like an illusion! Life it was only there to make me turn to my Creator! This gave me a new drive, motivation, and a sense of purpose. I became very active to the extent of encouraging a few of my friends to join the church. I would watch and listen to the pastor in awe, day dreaming of becoming one myself. I honestly felt that the best thing to do for a living would be to help people turn to God. Something that had proven to be so successful in my life. But at the same time I was always very open-minded, especially when it came to spiritual truth, I think this is what made me a vessel to receive the full truth, in Islam.
After a while I began a private hobby of studying world religions. The first book I read, "The Religion of Man", was actually one that I had borrowed from a friend. The first chapter I read was the chapter on Islam and it was a tremendous surprise! It began with a little Arabian history and a biography of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)followed by an eplanation of the basic tenants and doctrines of Islam. I could not believe the similarity and relationship that it had with Christianity. It wasn't some foreign religion made up by some foreign man who worshipped some foreign God. It was the true Abrahamaic (pbuh) religion, revealed through a man whose very lineage traced back to Abraham's (pbuh) first son Ishmael (pbuh) who worshipped the same one true God. This further fed my curiousity and interest in Islam. I had decided to keep myself open so I also read the history and doctrines of Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Native American spirtuality, and other smaller religious sects, cults, and movements. Buddhism seemed to renounce the world too much yet was not clear on the after0life. In Hindudism the worship seemed too loose and unfocused with it's great deity residing in many reforms, Judaism seemed basically true but had had too much of a racial bias, and Native American to vary by the tribe. Islam was the only one whose theology and practices seemed truly universal. The information that I had gathered so far was not enough to make me want to change my religion but that was soon to change when I came into contact with the Qur'an!
I was working at a music store where a young woman used to come to the store with whom I used to have general conversations and on one occasion happened to bring up the topic of Islam. I then found that she was a Muslim and she told me that I could get more information on Islam at a little session that her fatehr helped teach with some other Muslim. I was both nervous and excited at my first visit but it was my first time being around real Muslim! I was initially impressed by the racial variety, the simple environment, and the warm humbleness of the attendants. They answered a few basic questions of mine but I was there mostly to listen. When it was prayer time, I quietly watched from a distance with a smile. Seeing all the men, women, and children bow in unison and put their faces flat against the ground in prayer seemed a little strange and funny, yet so humble, so unified, and so natural. It seemed like this was the ultimate way that we as God's creations were supposed to pray. I recalled in my mind accounts in Bible of other prophets like Abraham, Moses, and Gesus (pbuh), throwing themselves to the ground in humility and prayer to God yet this is not the way we prayed in church as "Christians", but the Muslims did! Jesus (pbuh) told us to greet each other by saying "Peace be with you", yet we Christians didn't do this. It was the Muslims who greeted each other saying "As-Salaamu Alaikum" which means "Peace be with you". In Christianity only "orthodox" nuns covered their heads and bodies, but this was a standard practice of modesty, chastity and humbleness for millions of practicing Muslim women who were interactive members of the society. It wasn't something reserved for the "orthodox". I left that little session engulfed in a maze of thoughts.
When I saw my Muslim friend at the music store again I thanked her and told her how wonderful it was and that I was sure to return. She then asked me if I had a Quran yet. I said "No". I thought that the Quran was only in a foreign language and that I couldn't read it but she said that she would give me an English translations from the original Arabic. I gladly accepted the offer and was even more excited when I recieved it! "WOW! My first real Quran". I couldn't wait to start reading it. The first thing I did was to look up Jesus(pbuh) in the index and look up every verse it listed under his name. This was the prophet that I was raised on and was dear to me so I had to know what God had revealed in this book kabout him. If it degraded, ridiculed, or rejected him in any way I was going to close the book and leave Islam alone. I agreed when I read that God was not three in one but one in an exclusive and unique sense. I agreed even when I read that Jesus (pbuh) was born of a virgin but was not God's "Son". When I was studying idioms in ancient Hebrew and other Semitic languages "Son" meant nearness and was used in the old testament in reference to other people and prophets, the term "Son of God" meant one who was near and closely attached to God, as the term "Son of man" meant one near and close to man. Incidentally, the use of the term "Son of man" outnumbers the use of the term "Son of God" in reference to Jesus (pbuh). Even thought, in the Quran Jesus (pbuh) was always referred to as the "Son of Mary". God revealed that the birth of Jesus (pbuh) was like that of Adam (pbuh)-He merely said "BE" and "He was", and Adam had neither a physical father or mother and no one worshipped him as the "Only Begotten Son of God"! I agreed when I read taht Jesus(pbuh) was not God in human form but a human prophet that was created by God, sent by God and who himself needed, depended on, feared, and prayed to God. I agreed when I read that the Jews had no victory in killing him and that God raised him to Himself. But when I read that they also did not crucify him I was in shock! The impact of the 157th verse in the 4th chapter of the Quran was to dramatically change my life from that point on!
I'm not one to just accept something right away or to just reject something right away. I investigate. In the day I would reflect on that one verse, and at night I would pray over it. I would beg God in tears to show me in a dream what actually happened in detail to Jesus (pbuh) if he was not crucifed. What was real? What was false? I wanted to know badly. I was looking hard. Examining, searching, debating. The soul was the most important thing in the world to me and mine was on a quest. I always wanted to know my Creator and serve my Creator but I wanted to make sure that I knew Him the right way and I wasn't going to let up until I found what I felt was the right path.
When I finally stopped waiting for that big dream and asked myself "Well, what does this word crucifixion mean for the Christian?". For the Christian this word meant salvation! Salvation meaning the deliverance from the penalty of sin which was spiritual death in Hell. It also meant success in this life and the next. To me this is the vital thing that religion must give man or else it is useless. To say that if Jesus (pbuh) was not crucified, there's no way that God Almighty could forgive His beloved mankind did not sound right. Jesus(pbuh) was very dear to my heart and to think that the Loving, Forgiving Do sent him on earth only to be murdered for an innumerable mass of suns that he himself never committed did not seem fair or even sensible. If God could create the whole universe by saying "Be" and "IT WAS" then why couldn't He do the Smae for the iny littler sinner who is admitting his guilt and asking Him for forgivness? Why couldn't He say to the person "Be forgiven" and he or she is forgiven? Why was the murder and blood of an innocent man a necessity for this forgivness? I said to myself, "If this book can map out a plan of salvation that has nothing to do with murder or blood then I will submit to God and His plan".
This made me deeply review my Bible and try to find what was essential necessity for salvation. The Jews and the Muslims never put anything in betweem them and their prayer to God so why did the Christians? There was nothing in between Adam and God, or Abraham and God, or Moses and God, or David and God, or Jesus and God! God had taught throught the Bible that a person was individually responsible for his sins and that no one else could pay for or be penalized for them. Jesus(pbuh) was preaching repentance and telling people that their sins were forgiven before this supposed crucifixion! So why all of a sudden was the blood of one martyr necessary for humanity to be forgiven? This issue of sacrifice, blood, and forgivness seemed to be summed up in just a few verses in the Holy Quran.
Concerning sacrifice chapter 22:37, had the answer, "It is not their meant nor their blood that reaches God, it is your piety that reached Him. He has made them(animals) subject to you, that you may glorify God for His guidance to you". Concerning sin and forgiveness God revealed in chapter 12:87, "No one despairs of God's mercy except those who have no faith". Also, in chapter 39:53 "do not despair of God's mercy for God forgives all sins. He is indeed OFTEN Forgiving and Most Merciful". I found exacting parallels in the Bible in Pslms 30:5, 32:5, 62:1-2, 1st Samuel 15:22-23, Luke 15:7-10, Ezechiel 18:20-35, Isaiah 12:2-3, and Luke 7:47-50, 10:25, 18:24, and many others if you just look them up and reflect. When I read in the Quran in chapter 10:57, "O mankind! There has come to you a direction from you Lord and a healing for the diseases in your herats-and for those who believe, A Guidance and a Mercy!" I said to myself "This is it. This IS THE WORD OF GOD!!"
My Muslim Friend from the music store had shown me a mosque that to my surprise was 10 minutes away from my home! On my second visit to the mosque, I declared my faith in 1994 and stated that "There is no God worthy to be worshipped except the ONE, Most High God or Allah. That Muhammad (pbuh) is His Last Messenger to mankind. That the Quran is the last revealed and written will and testament of Allah to and for mankind to follow until the Day of Judgment". I had finally come home and found peace! As I gradually built my faith and practice in ISLAM, I found that Islam was not the religion of killers and terrorists! It is the true religion of humankind, nature and all creatures seen and unseen. Islam is by name the religion of those who seek peace and success through obedience and submission to the will of Allah! I had found the path to success, the path to true salvation! Allah in the revelation of the Quran has refocused all forms of worship, prayer, fear and thanx to Him and Him alone! You are High, Lord of all creations, and has reminded mankind and all creations of their true place-dependent and subservient to Allah and Allah alone!
Why did I accept Islam? This is a question that I have been asked many times by others, and a question that I have asked myself many times. Firstly, it was the Will of God because it is He that changes hearts and guides someone to a way that is straight! Secondly, because I was looking for the truth, the real truth and nothing but the truth! Thirdly, because there were doctrinal elements in my previous religion of Christianity that at first hearing seemed acceptable but when reflected, analyzed, and prayed upon, proved to be not only unacceptable but also contradictory, inconsistent, and even blasphemous! But why ISLAM? Why, when I was looking for the real and whole truthdid God guide me to Islam and not to one of many religions available to man or just another branch of Christianity? The answer to this important question was to unfold as I took my first steps towards my spiritual quest.
The basic seed of God-consciousness was implanted in me from birth, byt my soul was moulded to the teachings of the Christian church. My religious upbringing was never something that was forced, nor was it just occasional or just habitual. It seemed to be a natural and essential part of the fibre of my family. One of my fondest childhood memories till this day is of my mother reading me Bible stories every Sunday. But when I reached my teens and especially when I entered college, that spiritual nuturing became tainted more and more.
The college scene is where most people of religious background either completely abandon that upbringing or like in my case, just put it on pause. It's really hard not to when you are surrounded by co-ed dorms, open promiscuity, easy access to alcohol, 24 hour parties, and curfew-free nights. There weren't any churches around campus that I was interested in so my Sundays began to feel like any other day of the week. While in college experienced many things and learned many lessons of life but one parti-cular experience had brought me right to the edge of cliff of death! The situation was so unexpected so shocking, so overwhelming, that I honestly felt that the only solution was suicide. It took someone whom I had known for just a little while, breaking down and crying when he realized what I was about to do, for me to just pause and think. I thought that something was truly wrong if this guy had a higher value for my life than I did. As I stood there, I never felt so empty in my life. There was thie big void where my soul was supposed to be and I felt like Moses (pbuh) and his followers being chased by the enemy from all sides only to be confronted by the impassable Read Sea! I realized that it was time to make the call they had made. The call of faith-the call of God!
I decided to return to the church of my youth, a Baptist church in Washington D.C. I heard that there was a new pastor preching there that was thorough and I decided to try him out. Praise God, the preacher was young, dynamic, and effective. He really made the Bible come to life in his sermons and made living for God seem real and worthwhile. Coming from the position of a person who was ready to kill himself, these messages were beginning to fill my emptiness and make me want to live and give life another chance. I remember the nervous excitement of accepting the call to new mem bership at church and the newness and freshness of being dipped into the water at my baptismal ceremony. I felt reborn! Clean1 Witht he lips I accepted Jesus (pbuh) as my "lord and saviour" but deep down in my hearth, I was just reaccepting the reality of God in my life! As I went deeper in my walk of faith the problem that had almost caused me to slay myself vanished like an illusion! Life it was only there to make me turn to my Creator! This gave me a new drive, motivation, and a sense of purpose. I became very active to the extent of encouraging a few of my friends to join the church. I would watch and listen to the pastor in awe, day dreaming of becoming one myself. I honestly felt that the best thing to do for a living would be to help people turn to God. Something that had proven to be so successful in my life. But at the same time I was always very open-minded, especially when it came to spiritual truth, I think this is what made me a vessel to receive the full truth, in Islam.
After a while I began a private hobby of studying world religions. The first book I read, "The Religion of Man", was actually one that I had borrowed from a friend. The first chapter I read was the chapter on Islam and it was a tremendous surprise! It began with a little Arabian history and a biography of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)followed by an eplanation of the basic tenants and doctrines of Islam. I could not believe the similarity and relationship that it had with Christianity. It wasn't some foreign religion made up by some foreign man who worshipped some foreign God. It was the true Abrahamaic (pbuh) religion, revealed through a man whose very lineage traced back to Abraham's (pbuh) first son Ishmael (pbuh) who worshipped the same one true God. This further fed my curiousity and interest in Islam. I had decided to keep myself open so I also read the history and doctrines of Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Native American spirtuality, and other smaller religious sects, cults, and movements. Buddhism seemed to renounce the world too much yet was not clear on the after0life. In Hindudism the worship seemed too loose and unfocused with it's great deity residing in many reforms, Judaism seemed basically true but had had too much of a racial bias, and Native American to vary by the tribe. Islam was the only one whose theology and practices seemed truly universal. The information that I had gathered so far was not enough to make me want to change my religion but that was soon to change when I came into contact with the Qur'an!
I was working at a music store where a young woman used to come to the store with whom I used to have general conversations and on one occasion happened to bring up the topic of Islam. I then found that she was a Muslim and she told me that I could get more information on Islam at a little session that her fatehr helped teach with some other Muslim. I was both nervous and excited at my first visit but it was my first time being around real Muslim! I was initially impressed by the racial variety, the simple environment, and the warm humbleness of the attendants. They answered a few basic questions of mine but I was there mostly to listen. When it was prayer time, I quietly watched from a distance with a smile. Seeing all the men, women, and children bow in unison and put their faces flat against the ground in prayer seemed a little strange and funny, yet so humble, so unified, and so natural. It seemed like this was the ultimate way that we as God's creations were supposed to pray. I recalled in my mind accounts in Bible of other prophets like Abraham, Moses, and Gesus (pbuh), throwing themselves to the ground in humility and prayer to God yet this is not the way we prayed in church as "Christians", but the Muslims did! Jesus (pbuh) told us to greet each other by saying "Peace be with you", yet we Christians didn't do this. It was the Muslims who greeted each other saying "As-Salaamu Alaikum" which means "Peace be with you". In Christianity only "orthodox" nuns covered their heads and bodies, but this was a standard practice of modesty, chastity and humbleness for millions of practicing Muslim women who were interactive members of the society. It wasn't something reserved for the "orthodox". I left that little session engulfed in a maze of thoughts.
When I saw my Muslim friend at the music store again I thanked her and told her how wonderful it was and that I was sure to return. She then asked me if I had a Quran yet. I said "No". I thought that the Quran was only in a foreign language and that I couldn't read it but she said that she would give me an English translations from the original Arabic. I gladly accepted the offer and was even more excited when I recieved it! "WOW! My first real Quran". I couldn't wait to start reading it. The first thing I did was to look up Jesus(pbuh) in the index and look up every verse it listed under his name. This was the prophet that I was raised on and was dear to me so I had to know what God had revealed in this book kabout him. If it degraded, ridiculed, or rejected him in any way I was going to close the book and leave Islam alone. I agreed when I read that God was not three in one but one in an exclusive and unique sense. I agreed even when I read that Jesus (pbuh) was born of a virgin but was not God's "Son". When I was studying idioms in ancient Hebrew and other Semitic languages "Son" meant nearness and was used in the old testament in reference to other people and prophets, the term "Son of God" meant one who was near and closely attached to God, as the term "Son of man" meant one near and close to man. Incidentally, the use of the term "Son of man" outnumbers the use of the term "Son of God" in reference to Jesus (pbuh). Even thought, in the Quran Jesus (pbuh) was always referred to as the "Son of Mary". God revealed that the birth of Jesus (pbuh) was like that of Adam (pbuh)-He merely said "BE" and "He was", and Adam had neither a physical father or mother and no one worshipped him as the "Only Begotten Son of God"! I agreed when I read taht Jesus(pbuh) was not God in human form but a human prophet that was created by God, sent by God and who himself needed, depended on, feared, and prayed to God. I agreed when I read that the Jews had no victory in killing him and that God raised him to Himself. But when I read that they also did not crucify him I was in shock! The impact of the 157th verse in the 4th chapter of the Quran was to dramatically change my life from that point on!
I'm not one to just accept something right away or to just reject something right away. I investigate. In the day I would reflect on that one verse, and at night I would pray over it. I would beg God in tears to show me in a dream what actually happened in detail to Jesus (pbuh) if he was not crucifed. What was real? What was false? I wanted to know badly. I was looking hard. Examining, searching, debating. The soul was the most important thing in the world to me and mine was on a quest. I always wanted to know my Creator and serve my Creator but I wanted to make sure that I knew Him the right way and I wasn't going to let up until I found what I felt was the right path.
When I finally stopped waiting for that big dream and asked myself "Well, what does this word crucifixion mean for the Christian?". For the Christian this word meant salvation! Salvation meaning the deliverance from the penalty of sin which was spiritual death in Hell. It also meant success in this life and the next. To me this is the vital thing that religion must give man or else it is useless. To say that if Jesus (pbuh) was not crucified, there's no way that God Almighty could forgive His beloved mankind did not sound right. Jesus(pbuh) was very dear to my heart and to think that the Loving, Forgiving Do sent him on earth only to be murdered for an innumerable mass of suns that he himself never committed did not seem fair or even sensible. If God could create the whole universe by saying "Be" and "IT WAS" then why couldn't He do the Smae for the iny littler sinner who is admitting his guilt and asking Him for forgivness? Why couldn't He say to the person "Be forgiven" and he or she is forgiven? Why was the murder and blood of an innocent man a necessity for this forgivness? I said to myself, "If this book can map out a plan of salvation that has nothing to do with murder or blood then I will submit to God and His plan".
This made me deeply review my Bible and try to find what was essential necessity for salvation. The Jews and the Muslims never put anything in betweem them and their prayer to God so why did the Christians? There was nothing in between Adam and God, or Abraham and God, or Moses and God, or David and God, or Jesus and God! God had taught throught the Bible that a person was individually responsible for his sins and that no one else could pay for or be penalized for them. Jesus(pbuh) was preaching repentance and telling people that their sins were forgiven before this supposed crucifixion! So why all of a sudden was the blood of one martyr necessary for humanity to be forgiven? This issue of sacrifice, blood, and forgivness seemed to be summed up in just a few verses in the Holy Quran.
Concerning sacrifice chapter 22:37, had the answer, "It is not their meant nor their blood that reaches God, it is your piety that reached Him. He has made them(animals) subject to you, that you may glorify God for His guidance to you". Concerning sin and forgiveness God revealed in chapter 12:87, "No one despairs of God's mercy except those who have no faith". Also, in chapter 39:53 "do not despair of God's mercy for God forgives all sins. He is indeed OFTEN Forgiving and Most Merciful". I found exacting parallels in the Bible in Pslms 30:5, 32:5, 62:1-2, 1st Samuel 15:22-23, Luke 15:7-10, Ezechiel 18:20-35, Isaiah 12:2-3, and Luke 7:47-50, 10:25, 18:24, and many others if you just look them up and reflect. When I read in the Quran in chapter 10:57, "O mankind! There has come to you a direction from you Lord and a healing for the diseases in your herats-and for those who believe, A Guidance and a Mercy!" I said to myself "This is it. This IS THE WORD OF GOD!!"
My Muslim Friend from the music store had shown me a mosque that to my surprise was 10 minutes away from my home! On my second visit to the mosque, I declared my faith in 1994 and stated that "There is no God worthy to be worshipped except the ONE, Most High God or Allah. That Muhammad (pbuh) is His Last Messenger to mankind. That the Quran is the last revealed and written will and testament of Allah to and for mankind to follow until the Day of Judgment". I had finally come home and found peace! As I gradually built my faith and practice in ISLAM, I found that Islam was not the religion of killers and terrorists! It is the true religion of humankind, nature and all creatures seen and unseen. Islam is by name the religion of those who seek peace and success through obedience and submission to the will of Allah! I had found the path to success, the path to true salvation! Allah in the revelation of the Quran has refocused all forms of worship, prayer, fear and thanx to Him and Him alone! You are High, Lord of all creations, and has reminded mankind and all creations of their true place-dependent and subservient to Allah and Allah alone!
Islam Converts Speak About How They Found Religion.
By Karen Schwartz, Daily Staff Reporter
October 22, 2003
LSA sophomore Michael Dann was raised as a Christian, going to church and Sunday school in Amherst, Mass., as was his family's tradition. But four years ago, he decided he was destined for a different path. Dann converted to Islam, which he said has changed his life.
Dann said he went from being involved in "the drug culture" and party scene in junior high school to looking for something more in life - thanks to the example set by his tennis coach, a black Muslim man from New Jersey.
"Through my contact with him, and especially through tennis, I got to see there was something more serious about life, something more serious than gratifying your immediate desires," he said, adding that his coach did not often talk about Islam explicitly but rather led by example.
"It was just through his approach to life and his character, being around him - I was attracted to something I knew he had, something that was motivating his life," Dann said. "He gave me different books to read, not mostly about Islam except for the Quran, but those books served more to wake me up to that there's more to life than partying and fun, and that God should be in my life."
Dann, who also goes by Abdullah, which means "servant of God," helped organize a panel held last night in Hutchins Hall as part of Islam Awareness Week. The panel featured testimonies from three people who converted to Islam, who told an audience of 50 their stories and answered questions about their experiences with the religion.
"It's important because it's a chance to speak for ourselves, for Muslims to present Islam as they understand it and not as other people understand it," Dann said. He added that the event was a chance for people to learn about the process of becoming Muslim and the diverse experiences that bring people to Islam.
"Ultimately all we can do is present Islam as we've experienced it and understand it," he said. "What other people do with it will be different according to who they are and what they want. I'm looking at it more from our angle, that we have a responsibility to express ourselves."
Law School student Felix Chang said he attended the event out of curiosity and was very impressed with the testimonies he heard.
"I think they were really honest and open about the decisions they had to make, something very personal to them that they shared, and I appreciated that," he said. "I think their stories are really interfaith, that their stories of conversion can pretty much be applied to any belief system, so it has universal appeal."
Muslim Students Association President Omar Khalil said the panel drew positive response last year, and that people commented that they enjoyed seeing how panelists were introduced to Islam and what aspects of Islam affected them the most.
"We had a lot of feedback last year saying perhaps that was people's favorite event of the week, so we felt it was something we should continue," said Khalil, a Rackham student.
He said the event also showcases the diversity within Islam and gives campus and community members a more familiar angle from which to approach understanding Islam.
"First of all, what we wanted to show is that Islam isn't just a foreign religion (and that Muslims are) not just from the Middle East or Pakistan or from Indonesia," he said. "We wanted to show that there are people like the students on this campus who are born American, raised American, and yet they felt this for them was the religion they chose for themselves."
Dann remembers being 14 years old and having a short discussion about Islam with his coach, but it was not until later that he said he realized the impact the discussion had on him and the process he had embarked upon.
"I didn't realize it at the time, but suddenly it had an attraction to me. When I met a Muslim I would ask him what he believed and if he had anything I could read. The seed was already there," he said.
His conversion was a gradual process, Dann said, but it didn't entirely negate his previous beliefs.
"Becoming a Muslim to me wasn't disbelieving in Jesus or leaving everything from Christianity behind. It was about believing in what I considered to be a more accurate version of God's message."
He added that Islam has changed his life and his interactions with his family for the better.
"Without Islam I don't know where I would be today. My motivation for succeeding academically and succeeding professionally - all that stems from Islam, and I don't think it'd be there if it weren't for Islam."
From: www.michigandaily.com
October 22, 2003
LSA sophomore Michael Dann was raised as a Christian, going to church and Sunday school in Amherst, Mass., as was his family's tradition. But four years ago, he decided he was destined for a different path. Dann converted to Islam, which he said has changed his life.
Dann said he went from being involved in "the drug culture" and party scene in junior high school to looking for something more in life - thanks to the example set by his tennis coach, a black Muslim man from New Jersey.
"Through my contact with him, and especially through tennis, I got to see there was something more serious about life, something more serious than gratifying your immediate desires," he said, adding that his coach did not often talk about Islam explicitly but rather led by example.
"It was just through his approach to life and his character, being around him - I was attracted to something I knew he had, something that was motivating his life," Dann said. "He gave me different books to read, not mostly about Islam except for the Quran, but those books served more to wake me up to that there's more to life than partying and fun, and that God should be in my life."
Dann, who also goes by Abdullah, which means "servant of God," helped organize a panel held last night in Hutchins Hall as part of Islam Awareness Week. The panel featured testimonies from three people who converted to Islam, who told an audience of 50 their stories and answered questions about their experiences with the religion.
"It's important because it's a chance to speak for ourselves, for Muslims to present Islam as they understand it and not as other people understand it," Dann said. He added that the event was a chance for people to learn about the process of becoming Muslim and the diverse experiences that bring people to Islam.
"Ultimately all we can do is present Islam as we've experienced it and understand it," he said. "What other people do with it will be different according to who they are and what they want. I'm looking at it more from our angle, that we have a responsibility to express ourselves."
Law School student Felix Chang said he attended the event out of curiosity and was very impressed with the testimonies he heard.
"I think they were really honest and open about the decisions they had to make, something very personal to them that they shared, and I appreciated that," he said. "I think their stories are really interfaith, that their stories of conversion can pretty much be applied to any belief system, so it has universal appeal."
Muslim Students Association President Omar Khalil said the panel drew positive response last year, and that people commented that they enjoyed seeing how panelists were introduced to Islam and what aspects of Islam affected them the most.
"We had a lot of feedback last year saying perhaps that was people's favorite event of the week, so we felt it was something we should continue," said Khalil, a Rackham student.
He said the event also showcases the diversity within Islam and gives campus and community members a more familiar angle from which to approach understanding Islam.
"First of all, what we wanted to show is that Islam isn't just a foreign religion (and that Muslims are) not just from the Middle East or Pakistan or from Indonesia," he said. "We wanted to show that there are people like the students on this campus who are born American, raised American, and yet they felt this for them was the religion they chose for themselves."
Dann remembers being 14 years old and having a short discussion about Islam with his coach, but it was not until later that he said he realized the impact the discussion had on him and the process he had embarked upon.
"I didn't realize it at the time, but suddenly it had an attraction to me. When I met a Muslim I would ask him what he believed and if he had anything I could read. The seed was already there," he said.
His conversion was a gradual process, Dann said, but it didn't entirely negate his previous beliefs.
"Becoming a Muslim to me wasn't disbelieving in Jesus or leaving everything from Christianity behind. It was about believing in what I considered to be a more accurate version of God's message."
He added that Islam has changed his life and his interactions with his family for the better.
"Without Islam I don't know where I would be today. My motivation for succeeding academically and succeeding professionally - all that stems from Islam, and I don't think it'd be there if it weren't for Islam."
From: www.michigandaily.com
Amal: A woman Convert To Islam.
Amal
Author: admin
Published: 2004/4/5
Read 2104 times
Size 2.04 KB
As a young girl born in the Northwest of the USA, my dream was to become a nun. Growing up Roman Catholic, I saw the nuns have a spirtual presence that attracted me until I reached the age of 14. It was then I started having misgivings about Catholic doctrine, so I gravitated towards the Protestant faiths. The trinity was a lingering concern for me. I often just tried "to have faith" but my own logic overruled this, so many considered me "not serious enough to be spiritual". At the age of 20 I began talking religion to a cab driver, and heard the term Islam for the first time from a real person. The nightly news talked about Islam and the Muslims - sure, they were called terrorists. I presented this to my driver, who Alhamdulillah laughed softly and suggested I read Al-Quran. Actually, I read a few books on Islam first, then the Quran. This is when I knew I could have both my faith and logic, and Alhamdulillah I found I wasn't crazy after all. It took another two years before I took Shahada, and another two before hijab.
Alhamdullah now at 29, I have my faith, health, oh, and a terrific husband as well (this is one of my first prayers or duas answered!). My story is not unusual, quite boring if you are not me I suppose, yet I never tire of telling others my story. I could tell of my family, that would be unusual. They have never been happier with me, although my sister still does not like my hijab, all members are in agreement, I am happier, more centered, and above all I have peace where before was chaos and confusion. It didn't happen over night, I have worked and am still working at this, you don't "convert" and that is it, everyday comes the struggle to learn, only now I welcome struggle. Inshallah, God Willing, my story has inspired someone, at any rate thank you for reading my story. May Allah Guide those who Search.
Jul. 29th, 1999
Author: admin
Published: 2004/4/5
Read 2104 times
Size 2.04 KB
As a young girl born in the Northwest of the USA, my dream was to become a nun. Growing up Roman Catholic, I saw the nuns have a spirtual presence that attracted me until I reached the age of 14. It was then I started having misgivings about Catholic doctrine, so I gravitated towards the Protestant faiths. The trinity was a lingering concern for me. I often just tried "to have faith" but my own logic overruled this, so many considered me "not serious enough to be spiritual". At the age of 20 I began talking religion to a cab driver, and heard the term Islam for the first time from a real person. The nightly news talked about Islam and the Muslims - sure, they were called terrorists. I presented this to my driver, who Alhamdulillah laughed softly and suggested I read Al-Quran. Actually, I read a few books on Islam first, then the Quran. This is when I knew I could have both my faith and logic, and Alhamdulillah I found I wasn't crazy after all. It took another two years before I took Shahada, and another two before hijab.
Alhamdullah now at 29, I have my faith, health, oh, and a terrific husband as well (this is one of my first prayers or duas answered!). My story is not unusual, quite boring if you are not me I suppose, yet I never tire of telling others my story. I could tell of my family, that would be unusual. They have never been happier with me, although my sister still does not like my hijab, all members are in agreement, I am happier, more centered, and above all I have peace where before was chaos and confusion. It didn't happen over night, I have worked and am still working at this, you don't "convert" and that is it, everyday comes the struggle to learn, only now I welcome struggle. Inshallah, God Willing, my story has inspired someone, at any rate thank you for reading my story. May Allah Guide those who Search.
Jul. 29th, 1999
Muslims Are Coming.
We Muslims frankly want to convert the world to Islam because of the good Islam has to humanity. Any other faith has the right to do the same. It is like the free market it is competing of ideas. We have the internet and the mass media and millions of blogs. All of these help the debate and sharpen ideas. It creates consensus that when all facts are available and through unbiased discussions people will meet at a point or at least will get close enough to the truth. As Muslims we would like to convert the Muslims first to Islam that the west unfairly denied us this right by supporting the rotten and immoral Arab regimes. Who are in fact if we talk Christianity are the most antichrist regimes in the world. We do not want the world to convert to extreme or militant Islam that the west created by leaving an empty vacuum to them. We want moderate Islam we want to spread the teachings and gospel of Jesus as we Muslims got it right. Muslims are coming not by invading or forcing others to convert to Islam. Islam believes in Muslims who come to Islam willingly with convinced minds and searching hearts. Muslims will not invade America but Americans will explore Islam. It is not a clash of civilizations but it is a debate of civilizations.
Why Muslims are coming:
1- Islam is real.
2- Islam believes in reasoning. Even after you convert to Islam very willingly you use reason for almost every thing.
3- Islam is for every one interest: the universal and humane values.
4- Islam spreads morality.
5- Islam protects you personally with diminish of crimes, social problems.
6- Islam is an open door to every one.
7- Islam is tolerant to every one.
8- Islam encourages honesty which is the best medium of exchange to all of us.
9- Islam acknowledges human weakness and pulls the hand of sinner.
10- Islam is a peaceful religion. Militant Muslims is a rare phenomena second to the ruthless oppression.
11- Islam has great momentum it moves people towards great causes.
12- Islam is dynamic: no one is certain of going to heaven or desperate that he will go to hell. Muslim is realistically optimistic. No one faith is 100% all the times we all struggle to be more believers. We are there when we pray and do the good deeds otherwise our hearts get rusty.
13- Islam has no one between you and God. You are special to him and more so as you get closer to him.
14- Islam looks at hearts and God in Islam is the God of hearts.
15- Islam is against wars but evil would not leave the good in peace as happened with the early Christians and Jews. Wars abused by all people from different religions and backgrounds.
16- Islam fights poverty which brings a lot of evil with it.
Muslims are coming not by invading but by debating. They are not coming form outside but from within the west. They will not come falling from trees but by growing from the land. They are not coming for any purpose except for God and the Islamic values. They are bringing Islam to the west since the west oppressed Islam in its countries and doing a little to help out. Islam comes to the west because the leaders of the west are civilized and knows the importance of liberty.
Why Muslims are coming:
1- Islam is real.
2- Islam believes in reasoning. Even after you convert to Islam very willingly you use reason for almost every thing.
3- Islam is for every one interest: the universal and humane values.
4- Islam spreads morality.
5- Islam protects you personally with diminish of crimes, social problems.
6- Islam is an open door to every one.
7- Islam is tolerant to every one.
8- Islam encourages honesty which is the best medium of exchange to all of us.
9- Islam acknowledges human weakness and pulls the hand of sinner.
10- Islam is a peaceful religion. Militant Muslims is a rare phenomena second to the ruthless oppression.
11- Islam has great momentum it moves people towards great causes.
12- Islam is dynamic: no one is certain of going to heaven or desperate that he will go to hell. Muslim is realistically optimistic. No one faith is 100% all the times we all struggle to be more believers. We are there when we pray and do the good deeds otherwise our hearts get rusty.
13- Islam has no one between you and God. You are special to him and more so as you get closer to him.
14- Islam looks at hearts and God in Islam is the God of hearts.
15- Islam is against wars but evil would not leave the good in peace as happened with the early Christians and Jews. Wars abused by all people from different religions and backgrounds.
16- Islam fights poverty which brings a lot of evil with it.
Muslims are coming not by invading but by debating. They are not coming form outside but from within the west. They will not come falling from trees but by growing from the land. They are not coming for any purpose except for God and the Islamic values. They are bringing Islam to the west since the west oppressed Islam in its countries and doing a little to help out. Islam comes to the west because the leaders of the west are civilized and knows the importance of liberty.
Will Britain convert to Islam?
Author: Peter Hitchens
Publication: Mail on Sunday
Date: November 2, 2003
Could Islam one day become the established church of Britain? Might English women adopt the headscarves and enveloping robes of their Asian sisters, as the call to prayer rises and falls across the slate roofs of rainswept industrial cities?
The idea is not as impossible, as bizarre or distant as you might think. An astonishing Channel 4 programme last week - The Last White Kids -- showed two English children who live in an entirely Muslim district becoming enthusiastic attenders at the local mosque, wrapping themselves in Islamic draperies and learning the Koran.
Amie Gallagher, nine, and her sister Ashlene, 12, are all-too-typical children of modern Britain in some ways, daughters of a single-parent household where the father is absent.
In Islam they seem to have found something that would otherwise be missing from their lives. At the mosque there is authority, certainty, even disciplined education in the Arabic language and the Koran.
This has happened because the Gallaghers are the only white family in a suburb otherwise completely dominated by Asian Muslims.
If they move away, as they may well do, then perhaps the two girls' attachment to the mosque will fail. Their brother, Jake, has not followed them down the Muslim path and has instead become even more defiantly English than he might otherwise have done.
But this strange little story contains a warning for Britain as a whole, as it careers ever more rapidly down the path of permissiveness which began so gently in the Sixties and now slopes ever more steeply downwards towards sexual chaos, drunkenness, family breakdown and the epidemic use of stupefying drugs.
Sooner or later, as in every other era of human history, there will be a revulsion against this licence, a desire to stop the waste, cruelty and misery which these things bring, especially to children.
Where will that revulsion come from? In the 18th and 19th Centuries it came from Christianity and the mighty but forgotten Temperance movements which reacted against the squalor and misery of Hogarth's Gin Lane, and whose effects we still just feel.
But Christianity shows little sign of doing the job a second time. Its leaders are more concerned about foreign conflict than about domestic misery, and more interested in the sexual tastes of bishops than in trying to regulate the confused sex lives of Britain's young.
The Christian churches have all but disappeared from the lives of the British people. The chapels of Wales are gaunt ruins, the great Roman Catholic churches of the industrial North West are often empty and derelict, the Anglicans scuttle about in their hallowed, lovely buildings like mice amid ancient ruins, rarely even beginning to fill spaces designed for multitudes.
The choirs and the bells gradually fall silent, the hymns are no longer sung and one by one the doors are locked and places which in some cases have seen worship for centuries become bare museums of a dead faith.
Few listen to what these churches say. They have become exclusive clubs, whose members celebrate bizarre rituals which are baffling to outsiders.
The Christian message is a difficult and complicated one, which if not learned in childhood is hard for adults to understand. The Christian ceremonies, viewed coldly by an outsider unschooled in 2,000 years of tradition, are positively peculiar. Why would anyone eat God?
When Christianity was part of our culture and its beliefs were handed down in homes and schools, its familiarity kept it strong. Everyone knew Bible stories, hymns and prayers. Now it is at least as alien to many young people as Islam, if not more so because it does not seem to be interested in them.
But Islam is interested in them. And Islam is growing. More and more British cities have seen the domes and minarets of smart, prominently positioned new mosques rising in their neighbourhoods.
A large and imposing Islamic centre is now nearing completion in Oxford, one of Christian England's holiest places. Imagine what would happen if Anglicans sought to build a Christian centre in Qom, Isfahan, Najaf or anywhere on the soil of Saudi Arabia, and wonder what Muslim leaders think of Christian feebleness on such matters.
Thanks to the immigration of recent decades, Britain has a young, energetic and swelling Muslim population which is increasingly assertive about its faith.
Official Islam may disapprove of such things but there have even been signs of the Muslim intolerance towards Christianity that is a nasty feature of so many Islamic societies.
In the Bradford suburb of Girlington, not far from where the Gallaghers live in Manningham, Asian youths tried to set fire to an Anglican church. Soon afterwards, a Brownie pack leader was attacked in a nearby street by young men who snarled 'Christian bitch' at her.
An isolated and meaningless incident? You might hope so, but it would be unwise to be sure.
If you travel to these areas, you get the sense that Islam, one of the great forces of history, long ago defeated by the armies and navies of a mighty Christian Europe, is once again feeling its strength and finding that it has been able to penetrate what were once the most impregnable fortresses of its great rival.
Islam's appeal, wherever it has triumphed, has been in its simplicity. It requires submission to some basic, straightforward rules which are easily kept, and in return it offers that most wonderful and rare commodity, peace of mind. To modern Westerners, its attitude towards women seems incredibly backward and even hateful.
But as the reactions of Ashlene and Amie Gallagher show, its discipline, safety and certainties have an appeal for girls lost in the churning seas of permissiveness, whose own families have been weakened by the crumbling of the two-parent family, the absence of fathers and the impermanence of husbands, if there are husbands in the first place rather than boyfriends and ' babyfathers'.
And in most societies it is the women who sustain religions in the home and among children. In a country in the grip of unbelief, those with strong, clear convictions and an uncluttered message have a great advantage over those who offer nothing but choices to the perplexed and cannot seem to make up their minds about anything.
So if eventually Britain begins to sicken of strong lager, pools of vomit, Bacardi Breezers, bouncers looming on every High Street, the battlefields in the streets of many towns on Friday and Saturday nights, ecstasy tablets, cocaine, football-worship, pregnant 12-year-olds, morning-after pills and all that goes with them, is it possible that puritan Islam will be the cause that benefits?
If bureaucratic police and feeble justice continue to fail to suppress crime and disorder, will the savage but simple remedies of Sharia law begin to appeal to the British poor, who are already weary of seeing dishonesty triumph everywhere and lawless violence go unchecked?
Might Islam become respectable among the politically correct middle classes, in a way that Christianity never really can, because Christianity is always associated in this country with the conservative, imperial past?
You will already find plenty of bright young Muslims in our universities, many of whom are impressive and diligent students, and their influence is bound to increase as they move into the professions.
The idea of an Islamic Britain may seem highly unlikely now, amid what still seems to be more or less a Western, Christian society. We are used to thinking of Islam as a religion of backward regions, and of backward people.
But we should remember that Muslim armies came within inches of taking Vienna in 1683 and were only driven from Spain in 1492. In those days it was the Islamic world that was making the great scientific advances which we now assume are ours by right.
And is it any more unlikely than the things which have happened here in the past 40 years, during which a country of peaceful, self-restrained, lawful and rather prudish men and women has been transformed into the land of sex and swearing on TV, ladettes, semi-legal cannabis and armed police?
If we don't respect our own customs and religion, we may end up, as Ashlene and Amie Gallagher have done, respecting someone else's. Don't be surprised.
Publication: Mail on Sunday
Date: November 2, 2003
Could Islam one day become the established church of Britain? Might English women adopt the headscarves and enveloping robes of their Asian sisters, as the call to prayer rises and falls across the slate roofs of rainswept industrial cities?
The idea is not as impossible, as bizarre or distant as you might think. An astonishing Channel 4 programme last week - The Last White Kids -- showed two English children who live in an entirely Muslim district becoming enthusiastic attenders at the local mosque, wrapping themselves in Islamic draperies and learning the Koran.
Amie Gallagher, nine, and her sister Ashlene, 12, are all-too-typical children of modern Britain in some ways, daughters of a single-parent household where the father is absent.
In Islam they seem to have found something that would otherwise be missing from their lives. At the mosque there is authority, certainty, even disciplined education in the Arabic language and the Koran.
This has happened because the Gallaghers are the only white family in a suburb otherwise completely dominated by Asian Muslims.
If they move away, as they may well do, then perhaps the two girls' attachment to the mosque will fail. Their brother, Jake, has not followed them down the Muslim path and has instead become even more defiantly English than he might otherwise have done.
But this strange little story contains a warning for Britain as a whole, as it careers ever more rapidly down the path of permissiveness which began so gently in the Sixties and now slopes ever more steeply downwards towards sexual chaos, drunkenness, family breakdown and the epidemic use of stupefying drugs.
Sooner or later, as in every other era of human history, there will be a revulsion against this licence, a desire to stop the waste, cruelty and misery which these things bring, especially to children.
Where will that revulsion come from? In the 18th and 19th Centuries it came from Christianity and the mighty but forgotten Temperance movements which reacted against the squalor and misery of Hogarth's Gin Lane, and whose effects we still just feel.
But Christianity shows little sign of doing the job a second time. Its leaders are more concerned about foreign conflict than about domestic misery, and more interested in the sexual tastes of bishops than in trying to regulate the confused sex lives of Britain's young.
The Christian churches have all but disappeared from the lives of the British people. The chapels of Wales are gaunt ruins, the great Roman Catholic churches of the industrial North West are often empty and derelict, the Anglicans scuttle about in their hallowed, lovely buildings like mice amid ancient ruins, rarely even beginning to fill spaces designed for multitudes.
The choirs and the bells gradually fall silent, the hymns are no longer sung and one by one the doors are locked and places which in some cases have seen worship for centuries become bare museums of a dead faith.
Few listen to what these churches say. They have become exclusive clubs, whose members celebrate bizarre rituals which are baffling to outsiders.
The Christian message is a difficult and complicated one, which if not learned in childhood is hard for adults to understand. The Christian ceremonies, viewed coldly by an outsider unschooled in 2,000 years of tradition, are positively peculiar. Why would anyone eat God?
When Christianity was part of our culture and its beliefs were handed down in homes and schools, its familiarity kept it strong. Everyone knew Bible stories, hymns and prayers. Now it is at least as alien to many young people as Islam, if not more so because it does not seem to be interested in them.
But Islam is interested in them. And Islam is growing. More and more British cities have seen the domes and minarets of smart, prominently positioned new mosques rising in their neighbourhoods.
A large and imposing Islamic centre is now nearing completion in Oxford, one of Christian England's holiest places. Imagine what would happen if Anglicans sought to build a Christian centre in Qom, Isfahan, Najaf or anywhere on the soil of Saudi Arabia, and wonder what Muslim leaders think of Christian feebleness on such matters.
Thanks to the immigration of recent decades, Britain has a young, energetic and swelling Muslim population which is increasingly assertive about its faith.
Official Islam may disapprove of such things but there have even been signs of the Muslim intolerance towards Christianity that is a nasty feature of so many Islamic societies.
In the Bradford suburb of Girlington, not far from where the Gallaghers live in Manningham, Asian youths tried to set fire to an Anglican church. Soon afterwards, a Brownie pack leader was attacked in a nearby street by young men who snarled 'Christian bitch' at her.
An isolated and meaningless incident? You might hope so, but it would be unwise to be sure.
If you travel to these areas, you get the sense that Islam, one of the great forces of history, long ago defeated by the armies and navies of a mighty Christian Europe, is once again feeling its strength and finding that it has been able to penetrate what were once the most impregnable fortresses of its great rival.
Islam's appeal, wherever it has triumphed, has been in its simplicity. It requires submission to some basic, straightforward rules which are easily kept, and in return it offers that most wonderful and rare commodity, peace of mind. To modern Westerners, its attitude towards women seems incredibly backward and even hateful.
But as the reactions of Ashlene and Amie Gallagher show, its discipline, safety and certainties have an appeal for girls lost in the churning seas of permissiveness, whose own families have been weakened by the crumbling of the two-parent family, the absence of fathers and the impermanence of husbands, if there are husbands in the first place rather than boyfriends and ' babyfathers'.
And in most societies it is the women who sustain religions in the home and among children. In a country in the grip of unbelief, those with strong, clear convictions and an uncluttered message have a great advantage over those who offer nothing but choices to the perplexed and cannot seem to make up their minds about anything.
So if eventually Britain begins to sicken of strong lager, pools of vomit, Bacardi Breezers, bouncers looming on every High Street, the battlefields in the streets of many towns on Friday and Saturday nights, ecstasy tablets, cocaine, football-worship, pregnant 12-year-olds, morning-after pills and all that goes with them, is it possible that puritan Islam will be the cause that benefits?
If bureaucratic police and feeble justice continue to fail to suppress crime and disorder, will the savage but simple remedies of Sharia law begin to appeal to the British poor, who are already weary of seeing dishonesty triumph everywhere and lawless violence go unchecked?
Might Islam become respectable among the politically correct middle classes, in a way that Christianity never really can, because Christianity is always associated in this country with the conservative, imperial past?
You will already find plenty of bright young Muslims in our universities, many of whom are impressive and diligent students, and their influence is bound to increase as they move into the professions.
The idea of an Islamic Britain may seem highly unlikely now, amid what still seems to be more or less a Western, Christian society. We are used to thinking of Islam as a religion of backward regions, and of backward people.
But we should remember that Muslim armies came within inches of taking Vienna in 1683 and were only driven from Spain in 1492. In those days it was the Islamic world that was making the great scientific advances which we now assume are ours by right.
And is it any more unlikely than the things which have happened here in the past 40 years, during which a country of peaceful, self-restrained, lawful and rather prudish men and women has been transformed into the land of sex and swearing on TV, ladettes, semi-legal cannabis and armed police?
If we don't respect our own customs and religion, we may end up, as Ashlene and Amie Gallagher have done, respecting someone else's. Don't be surprised.
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Islam
(The Complete Idiot's Guide) (Paperback)
by Yahiya Emerick
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
It may surprise readers to discover that Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the world, according to The Complete Idiot's Guide to Islam. "However, even more eye-opening is the fact that Islam is the fastest growing religion in North America," writes author Yahiya Emerick (How to Tell Others About Islam). Paradoxically, Islam is also one of the most misunderstood and maligned religions in North America. Fortunately, Emerick has written a viable antidote to the widespread confusion and ignorance. Using the Idiot's Guide's formula of questions and answers, sidebars, and small, easy-to-digest essays, Emerick makes Islam accessible to anyone who is inclined to learn more about this influential religion. Readers have much to glean from this comprehensive and balanced guidebook--primarily that Islam is a prayerful, peace-loving religion that has been misused in the name of terror, just as Hitler and other extremists have misused Christianity throughout history. Emerick devotes an entire section to "Looking at Women in Islam," in which readers can sort through even more misconceptions. The Idiot's Guide title belies the integrity of the book, which is an important contribution for our times. --Gail Hudson
by Yahiya Emerick
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
It may surprise readers to discover that Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the world, according to The Complete Idiot's Guide to Islam. "However, even more eye-opening is the fact that Islam is the fastest growing religion in North America," writes author Yahiya Emerick (How to Tell Others About Islam). Paradoxically, Islam is also one of the most misunderstood and maligned religions in North America. Fortunately, Emerick has written a viable antidote to the widespread confusion and ignorance. Using the Idiot's Guide's formula of questions and answers, sidebars, and small, easy-to-digest essays, Emerick makes Islam accessible to anyone who is inclined to learn more about this influential religion. Readers have much to glean from this comprehensive and balanced guidebook--primarily that Islam is a prayerful, peace-loving religion that has been misused in the name of terror, just as Hitler and other extremists have misused Christianity throughout history. Emerick devotes an entire section to "Looking at Women in Islam," in which readers can sort through even more misconceptions. The Idiot's Guide title belies the integrity of the book, which is an important contribution for our times. --Gail Hudson
Karima Slack Razi : A story of conversion to islam.
In the Name of Allah, most Compassionate, most Merciful
Initially, I had no intention of becoming Muslim; I only desired to understand his religion because he had made it clear that he would want to raise his children as Muslims. My response was: "If they will turn out as sincere, peaceful and kind as he is, then I have no problem with it. But I do feel obligated to understand Islam better first."
In retrospect, I realize that I was attracted to these peaceful souls because I sensed my own lack of inner peace and conviction. There was an inner void that was not completely satisfied with academic success or human relationships. However, at that point I would never have stated that I was attracted to Islam for myself. Rather, I viewed it as an intellectual pursuit. This perception was compatible with my controlled, academic lifestyle.
Since I called myself a feminist, my early reading centered around women in Islam. I thought Islam oppressed women. In my Womens Studies courses I had read about Muslim women who were not allowed to leave their homes and were forced to cover their heads. Of course I saw hijab as an oppressive tool imposed by men rather than as an expression of self-respect and dignity. What I discovered in my readings surprised me. Islam not only does not oppress women, but actually liberates them, having given them rights in the 6th century that we have only gained in this century in this country: the right to own property and wealth and to maintain that in her name after marriage; the right to vote; and the right to divorce.
This realization was not easy in coming....I resisted it every step of the way. But there were always answers to my questions. Why is there polygamy? It is only allowed if the man can treat all four equally and even then it is discouraged. However, it does allow for those times in history when there are more women than men, especially in times of war, so that some women are not deprived of having a relationship and children. Furthermore, it is far superior to the mistress relationship so prevalent here since the woman has a legal right to support should she have a child. This was only one of many questions, the answers to which eventually proved to me that women in Islam are given full rights as individuals in society.
However, these discoveries did not allay all my fears. The following year was one of intense emotional turmoil. Having finished up my courses for my masters in Latin American Studies in the spring of 1989, I decided to take a year to substitute teach. This enabled me to spend a lot of time studying Islam. Many things I was reading about Islam made sense. However, they didn't fit into my perception of the world. I had always perceived of religion as a crutch. But could it be that it was the truth? Didn't religions cause much of the oppression and wars in the world? How then could I be considering marrying a man who followed one of the world's major religions? Every week I was hit with a fresh story on the news, the radio or the newspaper about the oppression of Muslim women. Could I, a feminist, really be considering marrying into that society? Eyebrows were raised. People talked about me in worried tones behind my back. In a matter of months, my secure world of 24 years was turned upside down. I no longer felt that I knew what was right or wrong. What was black and white, was now all gray.
But something kept me going. And it was more than my desire to marry Imran. At any moment I could have walked away from my studies of Islam and been accepted back into a circle of feminist, socialist friends and into the loving arms of my family. While these people never deserted me, they haunted me with their influence. I worried about what they would say or think, particularly since I had always judged myself through the eyes of others. So I secluded myself. I talked only with my family and friends that I knew wouldn't judge me. And I read.
It was no longer an interested, disinterested study of Islam. It was a struggle for my own identity. Up to that time I had produced many successful term papers. I knew how to research and to support a thesis. But my character had never been at stake. For the first time, I realized that I had always written to please others. Now, I was studying for my own spirit. It was scary. Although I knew my friends and family loved me, they couldn't give me the answers. I no longer wanted to lean on their support. Imran was always there to answer my questions. While I admired his patience and his faith that all would turn out for the best, I didn't want to lean too heavily on him out of my own fear that I might just be doing this for a man and not for myself. I felt I had nothing and no one to lean on. Alone, frightened and filled with self-doubt, I continued to read.
After I had satisfied my curiosity about women in Islam and been surprised by the results, I began to read about the life of the Prophet Muhammad and to read the Qu'ran itself. As I read about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), I began to question my initial belief that he was merely an exceptional leader. His honesty prior to any revelations, his kindness, his sagacity, his insights into his present as well as the future--all made me question my initial premise. His persistence in adversity and, later, his humility in the face of astounding success seemed to belie human nature. Even at the height of his success when he could have enjoyed tremendous wealth, he refused to have more than his poorest companions in Islam.
Slowly I was getting deeper and deeper into the Qu'ran. I asked, "Could a human being be capable of such a subtle, far-reaching book?" Furthermore, there are parts that are meant to guide the Prophet himself, as well as reprimand him. I wondered if the Prophet would have reprimanded himself.
As I slowly made my way through the Qu'ran, it became less and less an intellectual activity, and more and more a personal struggle. There were days when I would reject every word--find a way to condemn it, not allow it to be true. But then I would suddenly happen upon a phrase that spoke directly to me. This first happened when I was beginning to experience a lot of inner turmoil and doubt and I read some verses towards the end of the second chapter: "Allah does not burden any human being with more than he is well able to bear" (2:286). Although I would not have stated that I believed in Allah at that time, when I read these words it was as if a burden was lifted from my heart.
I continued to have many fears as I studied Islam. Would I still be close to my family if I became a Muslim? Would I end up in an oppressive marriage? Would I still be "open-minded?" I believed secular humanism to be the most open-minded approach to life. Slowly I began to realize that secular humanism is as much an ideology, a dogma, as Islam. I realized that everyone had their ideology and I must consciously choose mine. I realized that I had to have trust in my own intellect and make my own decisions--that I should not be swayed by the negative reactions of my "open-minded," "progressive" friends. During this time, as I started keeping more to myself, I was becoming intellectually freer than any time in my life.
Two and a half years later, I had finished the Qu'ran, been delighted by its descriptions of nature and often reassured by its wisdom. I had learned about the extraordinary life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH); I had been satisfied by the realization that Islam understands that men and women are different but equal; and I discovered that Islam gave true equality not only to men and women, but to all races and social classes, judging only by one's level of piety. And I had gained confidence in myself and my own decisions. It was then that I came to the final, critical question: Do I believe in one God? This is the basis of being a Muslim. Having satisfied my curiosity about the rules and historical emergence of Islam, I finally came to this critical question, the essence of being Muslim. It was as if I had gone backwards: starting with the details before I finally reached the spiritual question. I had to wade through the technicalities and satisfy my academic side before I could finally address the spiritual question. Did I.... Could I place my trust in a greater being? Could I relinquish my secular humanist approach to life?
Twice I decided to take the shahadah and then changed my mind the next day. One afternoon, I even knelt down and touched my forehead to the floor, as I had often seen Muslims do, and asked for guidance. I felt such peace in that position. Perhaps in that moment I was a Muslim a heart, but when I stood up, my mind was not ready to officially take the shahadah.
After that moment a few more weeks passed. I began my new job: teaching high school. The days began to pass very quickly, a flurry of teaching, discipline and papers to correct. As my days began to pass so fast, it struck me that I did not want to pass from this world without having declared my faith in Allah. Intellectually, I understood that the evidence present in the Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) life and in the Qu'ran was too compelling to deny. And, at that moment, I was also ready in my heart for Islam. I had spent my life longing for a truth in which heart would be compatible with mind, action with thought, intellect with emotion. I found that reality in Islam. With that reality came true self-confidence and intellectual freedom. A few days after I took the shahadah , I wrote in my journal that finally I have found in Islam the validation of my inner thoughts and intuition. By acknowledging and accepting Allah, I have found the door to spiritual and intellectual freedom.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Initially, I had no intention of becoming Muslim; I only desired to understand his religion because he had made it clear that he would want to raise his children as Muslims. My response was: "If they will turn out as sincere, peaceful and kind as he is, then I have no problem with it. But I do feel obligated to understand Islam better first."
In retrospect, I realize that I was attracted to these peaceful souls because I sensed my own lack of inner peace and conviction. There was an inner void that was not completely satisfied with academic success or human relationships. However, at that point I would never have stated that I was attracted to Islam for myself. Rather, I viewed it as an intellectual pursuit. This perception was compatible with my controlled, academic lifestyle.
Since I called myself a feminist, my early reading centered around women in Islam. I thought Islam oppressed women. In my Womens Studies courses I had read about Muslim women who were not allowed to leave their homes and were forced to cover their heads. Of course I saw hijab as an oppressive tool imposed by men rather than as an expression of self-respect and dignity. What I discovered in my readings surprised me. Islam not only does not oppress women, but actually liberates them, having given them rights in the 6th century that we have only gained in this century in this country: the right to own property and wealth and to maintain that in her name after marriage; the right to vote; and the right to divorce.
This realization was not easy in coming....I resisted it every step of the way. But there were always answers to my questions. Why is there polygamy? It is only allowed if the man can treat all four equally and even then it is discouraged. However, it does allow for those times in history when there are more women than men, especially in times of war, so that some women are not deprived of having a relationship and children. Furthermore, it is far superior to the mistress relationship so prevalent here since the woman has a legal right to support should she have a child. This was only one of many questions, the answers to which eventually proved to me that women in Islam are given full rights as individuals in society.
However, these discoveries did not allay all my fears. The following year was one of intense emotional turmoil. Having finished up my courses for my masters in Latin American Studies in the spring of 1989, I decided to take a year to substitute teach. This enabled me to spend a lot of time studying Islam. Many things I was reading about Islam made sense. However, they didn't fit into my perception of the world. I had always perceived of religion as a crutch. But could it be that it was the truth? Didn't religions cause much of the oppression and wars in the world? How then could I be considering marrying a man who followed one of the world's major religions? Every week I was hit with a fresh story on the news, the radio or the newspaper about the oppression of Muslim women. Could I, a feminist, really be considering marrying into that society? Eyebrows were raised. People talked about me in worried tones behind my back. In a matter of months, my secure world of 24 years was turned upside down. I no longer felt that I knew what was right or wrong. What was black and white, was now all gray.
But something kept me going. And it was more than my desire to marry Imran. At any moment I could have walked away from my studies of Islam and been accepted back into a circle of feminist, socialist friends and into the loving arms of my family. While these people never deserted me, they haunted me with their influence. I worried about what they would say or think, particularly since I had always judged myself through the eyes of others. So I secluded myself. I talked only with my family and friends that I knew wouldn't judge me. And I read.
It was no longer an interested, disinterested study of Islam. It was a struggle for my own identity. Up to that time I had produced many successful term papers. I knew how to research and to support a thesis. But my character had never been at stake. For the first time, I realized that I had always written to please others. Now, I was studying for my own spirit. It was scary. Although I knew my friends and family loved me, they couldn't give me the answers. I no longer wanted to lean on their support. Imran was always there to answer my questions. While I admired his patience and his faith that all would turn out for the best, I didn't want to lean too heavily on him out of my own fear that I might just be doing this for a man and not for myself. I felt I had nothing and no one to lean on. Alone, frightened and filled with self-doubt, I continued to read.
After I had satisfied my curiosity about women in Islam and been surprised by the results, I began to read about the life of the Prophet Muhammad and to read the Qu'ran itself. As I read about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), I began to question my initial belief that he was merely an exceptional leader. His honesty prior to any revelations, his kindness, his sagacity, his insights into his present as well as the future--all made me question my initial premise. His persistence in adversity and, later, his humility in the face of astounding success seemed to belie human nature. Even at the height of his success when he could have enjoyed tremendous wealth, he refused to have more than his poorest companions in Islam.
Slowly I was getting deeper and deeper into the Qu'ran. I asked, "Could a human being be capable of such a subtle, far-reaching book?" Furthermore, there are parts that are meant to guide the Prophet himself, as well as reprimand him. I wondered if the Prophet would have reprimanded himself.
As I slowly made my way through the Qu'ran, it became less and less an intellectual activity, and more and more a personal struggle. There were days when I would reject every word--find a way to condemn it, not allow it to be true. But then I would suddenly happen upon a phrase that spoke directly to me. This first happened when I was beginning to experience a lot of inner turmoil and doubt and I read some verses towards the end of the second chapter: "Allah does not burden any human being with more than he is well able to bear" (2:286). Although I would not have stated that I believed in Allah at that time, when I read these words it was as if a burden was lifted from my heart.
I continued to have many fears as I studied Islam. Would I still be close to my family if I became a Muslim? Would I end up in an oppressive marriage? Would I still be "open-minded?" I believed secular humanism to be the most open-minded approach to life. Slowly I began to realize that secular humanism is as much an ideology, a dogma, as Islam. I realized that everyone had their ideology and I must consciously choose mine. I realized that I had to have trust in my own intellect and make my own decisions--that I should not be swayed by the negative reactions of my "open-minded," "progressive" friends. During this time, as I started keeping more to myself, I was becoming intellectually freer than any time in my life.
Two and a half years later, I had finished the Qu'ran, been delighted by its descriptions of nature and often reassured by its wisdom. I had learned about the extraordinary life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH); I had been satisfied by the realization that Islam understands that men and women are different but equal; and I discovered that Islam gave true equality not only to men and women, but to all races and social classes, judging only by one's level of piety. And I had gained confidence in myself and my own decisions. It was then that I came to the final, critical question: Do I believe in one God? This is the basis of being a Muslim. Having satisfied my curiosity about the rules and historical emergence of Islam, I finally came to this critical question, the essence of being Muslim. It was as if I had gone backwards: starting with the details before I finally reached the spiritual question. I had to wade through the technicalities and satisfy my academic side before I could finally address the spiritual question. Did I.... Could I place my trust in a greater being? Could I relinquish my secular humanist approach to life?
Twice I decided to take the shahadah and then changed my mind the next day. One afternoon, I even knelt down and touched my forehead to the floor, as I had often seen Muslims do, and asked for guidance. I felt such peace in that position. Perhaps in that moment I was a Muslim a heart, but when I stood up, my mind was not ready to officially take the shahadah.
After that moment a few more weeks passed. I began my new job: teaching high school. The days began to pass very quickly, a flurry of teaching, discipline and papers to correct. As my days began to pass so fast, it struck me that I did not want to pass from this world without having declared my faith in Allah. Intellectually, I understood that the evidence present in the Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) life and in the Qu'ran was too compelling to deny. And, at that moment, I was also ready in my heart for Islam. I had spent my life longing for a truth in which heart would be compatible with mind, action with thought, intellect with emotion. I found that reality in Islam. With that reality came true self-confidence and intellectual freedom. A few days after I took the shahadah , I wrote in my journal that finally I have found in Islam the validation of my inner thoughts and intuition. By acknowledging and accepting Allah, I have found the door to spiritual and intellectual freedom.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.islam-guide.com : Simple Web Site To Islam.
About the Editors
Author:
I. A. Ibrahim
General Editors:
Dr. William (Daoud) Peachy
Michael (Abdul-Hakim) Thomas
Tony (Abu-Khaliyl) Sylvester
Idris Palmer
Jamaal Zarabozo
Ali AlTimimi
Science Editors:
Professor Harold Stewart Kuofi
Professor F. A. State
Professor Mahjoub O. Taha
Professor Ahmad Allam
Professor Salman Sultan
Associate Professor H. O. Sindi
Next: Copyright
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Home Page: www.islam-guide.com
Author:
I. A. Ibrahim
General Editors:
Dr. William (Daoud) Peachy
Michael (Abdul-Hakim) Thomas
Tony (Abu-Khaliyl) Sylvester
Idris Palmer
Jamaal Zarabozo
Ali AlTimimi
Science Editors:
Professor Harold Stewart Kuofi
Professor F. A. State
Professor Mahjoub O. Taha
Professor Ahmad Allam
Professor Salman Sultan
Associate Professor H. O. Sindi
Next: Copyright
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Next
Home Page: www.islam-guide.com
The Door to Eternal Paradise.
God has said in the Quran:
And give good news (O Muhammad) to those who believe and do good deeds, that they will have gardens (Paradise) in which rivers flow.... (Quran, 2:25)
God has also said:
Race one with another for forgiveness from your Lord and for Paradise, whose width is as the width of the heavens and the earth, which has been prepared for those who believe in God and His messengers.... (Quran, 57:21)
The Prophet Muhammad told us that the lowest in rank among the dwellers of Paradise will have ten times the like of this world,1 and he or she will have whatever he or she desires and ten times like it.2 Also, the Prophet Muhammad said: {A space in Paradise equivalent to the size of a foot would be better than the world and what is in it.}3 He also said: {In Paradise there are things which no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human mind has thought of.}4 He also said: {The most miserable man in the world of those meant for Paradise will be dipped once in Paradise. Then he will be asked, “Son of Adam, did you ever face any misery? Did you ever experience any hardship?” So he will say, “No, by God, O Lord! I never faced any misery, and I never experienced any hardship.”}5
If you enter Paradise, you will live a very happy life without sickness, pain, sadness, or death; God will be pleased with you; and you will live there forever. God has said in the Quran:
But those who believe and do good deeds, We will admit them to gardens (Paradise) in which rivers flow, lasting in them forever.... (Quran, 4:57)
Next: Salvation from Hellfire
_____________________________
Footnotes:
(1) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #186, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #6571.
(2) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #188, and Mosnad Ahmad, #10832.
(3) Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #6568, and Mosnad Ahmad, #13368.
(4) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2825, and Mosnad Ahmad, #8609.
(5) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2807, and Mosnad Ahmad, #12699.
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And give good news (O Muhammad) to those who believe and do good deeds, that they will have gardens (Paradise) in which rivers flow.... (Quran, 2:25)
God has also said:
Race one with another for forgiveness from your Lord and for Paradise, whose width is as the width of the heavens and the earth, which has been prepared for those who believe in God and His messengers.... (Quran, 57:21)
The Prophet Muhammad told us that the lowest in rank among the dwellers of Paradise will have ten times the like of this world,1 and he or she will have whatever he or she desires and ten times like it.2 Also, the Prophet Muhammad said: {A space in Paradise equivalent to the size of a foot would be better than the world and what is in it.}3 He also said: {In Paradise there are things which no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no human mind has thought of.}4 He also said: {The most miserable man in the world of those meant for Paradise will be dipped once in Paradise. Then he will be asked, “Son of Adam, did you ever face any misery? Did you ever experience any hardship?” So he will say, “No, by God, O Lord! I never faced any misery, and I never experienced any hardship.”}5
If you enter Paradise, you will live a very happy life without sickness, pain, sadness, or death; God will be pleased with you; and you will live there forever. God has said in the Quran:
But those who believe and do good deeds, We will admit them to gardens (Paradise) in which rivers flow, lasting in them forever.... (Quran, 4:57)
Next: Salvation from Hellfire
_____________________________
Footnotes:
(1) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #186, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #6571.
(2) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #188, and Mosnad Ahmad, #10832.
(3) Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #6568, and Mosnad Ahmad, #13368.
(4) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2825, and Mosnad Ahmad, #8609.
(5) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2807, and Mosnad Ahmad, #12699.
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How Does Someone Become a Muslim?
Simply by saying with conviction, “La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammadur rasoolu Allah,” one converts to Islam and becomes a Muslim (to hear it click here). This saying means “There is no true god (deity) but God (Allah),1 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. To be a Muslim, one should also:
n Believe that the Holy Quran is the literal word of God, revealed by Him.
n Believe that the Day of Judgment (the Day of Resurrection) is true and will come, as God promised in the Quran.
n Accept Islam as his or her religion.
n Not worship anything nor anyone except God.
The Prophet Muhammad said: {God is more joyful at the repentance of someone when he turns to Him in repentance than one of you would be if he were riding his camel in the wilderness, and it runs away from him, carrying his food and drink, so that he loses all hope of getting it back. He comes to a tree and lies down in its shade (awaiting death), for he has lost all hope of finding his camel. Then, while he is in that state (of desperation), suddenly it is there before him! So he seizes its halter and cries out from the depth of his joy, “O God, You are my servant and I am Your Lord!” His mistake comes from the intensity of his joy.}2
The saying, “There is no true god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of God,” inscribed over an entrance.
_____________________________
Footnotes:
(1) As was mentioned previously, the Arabic word Allah means God (the one and only true God who created the whole universe). This word Allah is a name for God, which is used by Arabic speakers, both Arab Muslims and Arab Christians. For more details on the word Allah, click here.
(2) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2747, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #6309.
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n Believe that the Holy Quran is the literal word of God, revealed by Him.
n Believe that the Day of Judgment (the Day of Resurrection) is true and will come, as God promised in the Quran.
n Accept Islam as his or her religion.
n Not worship anything nor anyone except God.
The Prophet Muhammad said: {God is more joyful at the repentance of someone when he turns to Him in repentance than one of you would be if he were riding his camel in the wilderness, and it runs away from him, carrying his food and drink, so that he loses all hope of getting it back. He comes to a tree and lies down in its shade (awaiting death), for he has lost all hope of finding his camel. Then, while he is in that state (of desperation), suddenly it is there before him! So he seizes its halter and cries out from the depth of his joy, “O God, You are my servant and I am Your Lord!” His mistake comes from the intensity of his joy.}2
The saying, “There is no true god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of God,” inscribed over an entrance.
_____________________________
Footnotes:
(1) As was mentioned previously, the Arabic word Allah means God (the one and only true God who created the whole universe). This word Allah is a name for God, which is used by Arabic speakers, both Arab Muslims and Arab Christians. For more details on the word Allah, click here.
(2) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2747, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #6309.
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Real Happiness and Inner Peace
Real happiness and peace can be found in submitting to the commands of the Creator and the Sustainer of this world. God has said in the Quran:
Truly, in remembering God do hearts find rest. (Quran, 13:28)
On the other hand, the one who turns away from the Quran will have a life of hardship in this world. God has said:
But whoever turns away from the Quran,1 he will have a hard life, and We will raise him up blind on the Day of Judgment. (Quran, 20:124)
This may explain why some people commit suicide while they enjoy the material comfort money can buy. For example, look at Cat Stevens (now Yusuf Islam), formerly a famous pop singer who used to earn sometimes more than $150,000 a night. After he converted to Islam, he found true happiness and peace, which he had not found in material success.2
Next: Forgiveness for All Previous Sins
_____________________________
Footnotes:
(1) i.e. neither believes in the Quran nor acts on its orders.
(2) The present mailing address of Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam), in case you would like to ask him about his feelings after he converted to Islam, is: 2 Digswell Street, London N7 8JX, United Kingdom.
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From: www.islam-guide.com
Truly, in remembering God do hearts find rest. (Quran, 13:28)
On the other hand, the one who turns away from the Quran will have a life of hardship in this world. God has said:
But whoever turns away from the Quran,1 he will have a hard life, and We will raise him up blind on the Day of Judgment. (Quran, 20:124)
This may explain why some people commit suicide while they enjoy the material comfort money can buy. For example, look at Cat Stevens (now Yusuf Islam), formerly a famous pop singer who used to earn sometimes more than $150,000 a night. After he converted to Islam, he found true happiness and peace, which he had not found in material success.2
Next: Forgiveness for All Previous Sins
_____________________________
Footnotes:
(1) i.e. neither believes in the Quran nor acts on its orders.
(2) The present mailing address of Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam), in case you would like to ask him about his feelings after he converted to Islam, is: 2 Digswell Street, London N7 8JX, United Kingdom.
Previous
Contents
From: www.islam-guide.com
Salvation from Hellfire
Those who have disbelieved and died in disbelief, the earth full of gold would not be accepted from any of them if one offered it as a ransom. They will have a painful punishment, and they will have no helpers. (Quran, 3:91)
So, this life is our only chance to win Paradise and to escape from Hellfire, because if someone dies in disbelief, he will not have another chance to come back to this world to believe. As God has said in the Quran about what is going to happen for the unbelievers on the Day of Judgment:
If you could but see when they are set before the Fire (Hell) and say, “Would that we might return (to the world)! Then we would not reject the verses of our Lord, but we would be of the believers!” (Quran, 6:27)
But no one will have this second opportunity.
The Prophet Muhammad said: {The happiest man in the world of those doomed to the Fire (Hell) on the Day of Judgment will be dipped in the Fire once. Then he will be asked, “Son of Adam, did you ever see any good? Did you ever experience any blessing?” So he will say, “No, by God, O Lord!”}1
Next: Real Happiness and Inner Peace
_____________________________
Footnotes:
(1) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2807, and Mosnad Ahmad, #12699.
From: www.islam-guide.com
So, this life is our only chance to win Paradise and to escape from Hellfire, because if someone dies in disbelief, he will not have another chance to come back to this world to believe. As God has said in the Quran about what is going to happen for the unbelievers on the Day of Judgment:
If you could but see when they are set before the Fire (Hell) and say, “Would that we might return (to the world)! Then we would not reject the verses of our Lord, but we would be of the believers!” (Quran, 6:27)
But no one will have this second opportunity.
The Prophet Muhammad said: {The happiest man in the world of those doomed to the Fire (Hell) on the Day of Judgment will be dipped in the Fire once. Then he will be asked, “Son of Adam, did you ever see any good? Did you ever experience any blessing?” So he will say, “No, by God, O Lord!”}1
Next: Real Happiness and Inner Peace
_____________________________
Footnotes:
(1) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2807, and Mosnad Ahmad, #12699.
From: www.islam-guide.com
The Simple Life of Muhammad
If we compare the life of Muhammad before his mission as a prophet and his life after he began his mission as a prophet, we will conclude that it is beyond reason to think that Muhammad was a false prophet, who claimed prophethood to attain material gains, greatness, glory, or power.
Before his mission as a prophet, Muhammad had no financial worries. As a successful and reputed merchant, Muhammad drew a satisfactory and comfortable income. After his mission as a prophet and because of it, he became worse off materially. To clarify this more, let us browse the following sayings on his life:
n Aa’isha, Muhammad’s wife, said, “O my nephew, we would sight three new moons in two months without lighting a fire (to cook a meal) in the Prophet’s houses.” Her nephew asked, “O Aunt, what sustained you?” She said, “The two black things, dates and water, but the Prophet had some Ansar neighbors who had milk-giving she-camels and they used to send the Prophet some of its milk.”1
n Sahl Ibn Sa’ad, one of Muhammad’s companions, said, “The Prophet of God did not see bread made from fine flour from the time God sent him (as a prophet) until he died.”2
n Aa’isha, Muhammad’s wife, said, “The mattress of the Prophet , on which he slept, was made of leather stuffed with the fiber of the date-palm tree.”3
n Amr Ibn Al-Hareth, one of Muhammad’s companions, said that when the Prophet died, he left neither money nor anything else except his white riding mule, his arms, and a piece of land which he left to charity.4
Muhammad lived this hard life till he died although the Muslim treasury was at his disposal, the greater part of the Arabian Peninsula was Muslim before he died, and the Muslims were victorious after eighteen years of his mission.
Is it possible that Muhammad might have claimed prophethood in order to attain status, greatness, and power? The desire to enjoy status and power is usually associated with good food, fancy clothing, monumental palaces, colorful guards, and indisputable authority. Do any of these indicators apply to Muhammad ? A few glimpses of his life that may help answer this question follow.
Despite his responsibilities as a prophet, a teacher, a statesman, and a judge, Muhammad used to milk his goat,5 mend his clothes, repair his shoes,6 help with the household work,7 and visit poor people when they got sick.8 He also helped his companions in digging a trench by moving sand with them.9 His life was an amazing model of simplicity and humbleness.
Muhammad’s followers loved him, respected him, and trusted him to an amazing extent. Yet he continued to emphasize that deification should be directed to God and not to him personally. Anas, one of Muhammad’s companions, said that there was no person whom they loved more than the Prophet Muhammad , yet when he came to them, they did not stand up for him because he hated their standing up for him,10 as other people do with their great people.
Long before there was any prospect of success for Islam and at the outset of a long and painful era of torture, suffering, and persecution of Muhammad and his followers, he received an interesting offer. An envoy of the pagan leaders, Otba, came to him saying, “...If you want money, we will collect enough money for you so that you will be the richest one of us. If you want leadership, we will take you as our leader and never decide on any matter without your approval. If you want a kingdom, we will crown you king over us...” Only one concession was required from Muhammad in return for that, to give up calling people to Islam and worshipping God alone without any partner. Wouldn’t this offer be tempting to one pursuing worldly benefit? Was Muhammad hesitant when the offer was made? Did he turn it down as a bargaining strategy leaving the door open for a better offer? The following was his answer: {In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful} And he recited to Otba the verses of the Quran 41:1-38.11 The Following are some of these verses:
A revelation from (God), the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful; a Book whereof the verses are explained in detail; a Quran in Arabic, for people who know, giving good news and warning, yet most of them turn away, so they do not listen. (Quran, 41:2-4)
On another occasion and in response to his uncle’s plea to stop calling people to Islam, Muhammad’s answer was as decisive and sincere: {I swear by the name of God, O Uncle!, that if they place the sun in my right-hand and the moon in my left-hand in return for giving up this matter (calling people to Islam), I will never desist until either God makes it triumph or I perish defending it.}12
Muhammad and his few followers did not only suffer from persecution for thirteen years but the unbelievers even tried to kill Muhammad several times. On one occasion they attempted to kill him by dropping a large boulder, which could barely be lifted, on his head.13 Another time they tried to kill him by poisoning his food.14 What could justify such a life of suffering and sacrifice even after he was fully triumphant over his adversaries? What could explain the humbleness and nobility which he demonstrated in his most glorious moments when he insisted that success is due only to God’s help and not to his own genius? Are these the characteristics of a power-hungry or a self-centered man?
Next: The Phenomenal Growth of Islam
_____________________________
Footnotes:
(1) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2972, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #2567.
(2) Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #5413, and Al-Tirmizi, #2364.
(3) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2082, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #6456.
(4) Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #2739, and Mosnad Ahmad, #17990.
(5) Narrated in Mosnad Ahmad, #25662.
(6) Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #676, and Mosnad Ahmad, #25517.
(7) Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #676, and Mosnad Ahmad, #23706.
(8) Narrated in Mowatta’ Malek, #531.
(9) Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #3034, and Saheeh Muslim, #1803, and Mosnad Ahmad, #18017.
(10) Narrated in Mosnad Ahmad, #12117, and Al-Tirmizi, #2754.
(11) Al-Serah Al-Nabaweyyah, Ibn Hesham, vol. 1, pp. 293-294.
(12) Al-Serah Al-Nabaweyyah, Ibn Hesham, vol. 1, pp. 265-266.
(13) Al-Serah Al-Nabaweyyah, Ibn Hesham, vol. 1, pp. 298-299.
(14) Narrated in Al-Daremey, #68, and Abu-Dawood, #4510.
From www.islam-guide.com
Before his mission as a prophet, Muhammad had no financial worries. As a successful and reputed merchant, Muhammad drew a satisfactory and comfortable income. After his mission as a prophet and because of it, he became worse off materially. To clarify this more, let us browse the following sayings on his life:
n Aa’isha, Muhammad’s wife, said, “O my nephew, we would sight three new moons in two months without lighting a fire (to cook a meal) in the Prophet’s houses.” Her nephew asked, “O Aunt, what sustained you?” She said, “The two black things, dates and water, but the Prophet had some Ansar neighbors who had milk-giving she-camels and they used to send the Prophet some of its milk.”1
n Sahl Ibn Sa’ad, one of Muhammad’s companions, said, “The Prophet of God did not see bread made from fine flour from the time God sent him (as a prophet) until he died.”2
n Aa’isha, Muhammad’s wife, said, “The mattress of the Prophet , on which he slept, was made of leather stuffed with the fiber of the date-palm tree.”3
n Amr Ibn Al-Hareth, one of Muhammad’s companions, said that when the Prophet died, he left neither money nor anything else except his white riding mule, his arms, and a piece of land which he left to charity.4
Muhammad lived this hard life till he died although the Muslim treasury was at his disposal, the greater part of the Arabian Peninsula was Muslim before he died, and the Muslims were victorious after eighteen years of his mission.
Is it possible that Muhammad might have claimed prophethood in order to attain status, greatness, and power? The desire to enjoy status and power is usually associated with good food, fancy clothing, monumental palaces, colorful guards, and indisputable authority. Do any of these indicators apply to Muhammad ? A few glimpses of his life that may help answer this question follow.
Despite his responsibilities as a prophet, a teacher, a statesman, and a judge, Muhammad used to milk his goat,5 mend his clothes, repair his shoes,6 help with the household work,7 and visit poor people when they got sick.8 He also helped his companions in digging a trench by moving sand with them.9 His life was an amazing model of simplicity and humbleness.
Muhammad’s followers loved him, respected him, and trusted him to an amazing extent. Yet he continued to emphasize that deification should be directed to God and not to him personally. Anas, one of Muhammad’s companions, said that there was no person whom they loved more than the Prophet Muhammad , yet when he came to them, they did not stand up for him because he hated their standing up for him,10 as other people do with their great people.
Long before there was any prospect of success for Islam and at the outset of a long and painful era of torture, suffering, and persecution of Muhammad and his followers, he received an interesting offer. An envoy of the pagan leaders, Otba, came to him saying, “...If you want money, we will collect enough money for you so that you will be the richest one of us. If you want leadership, we will take you as our leader and never decide on any matter without your approval. If you want a kingdom, we will crown you king over us...” Only one concession was required from Muhammad in return for that, to give up calling people to Islam and worshipping God alone without any partner. Wouldn’t this offer be tempting to one pursuing worldly benefit? Was Muhammad hesitant when the offer was made? Did he turn it down as a bargaining strategy leaving the door open for a better offer? The following was his answer: {In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful} And he recited to Otba the verses of the Quran 41:1-38.11 The Following are some of these verses:
A revelation from (God), the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful; a Book whereof the verses are explained in detail; a Quran in Arabic, for people who know, giving good news and warning, yet most of them turn away, so they do not listen. (Quran, 41:2-4)
On another occasion and in response to his uncle’s plea to stop calling people to Islam, Muhammad’s answer was as decisive and sincere: {I swear by the name of God, O Uncle!, that if they place the sun in my right-hand and the moon in my left-hand in return for giving up this matter (calling people to Islam), I will never desist until either God makes it triumph or I perish defending it.}12
Muhammad and his few followers did not only suffer from persecution for thirteen years but the unbelievers even tried to kill Muhammad several times. On one occasion they attempted to kill him by dropping a large boulder, which could barely be lifted, on his head.13 Another time they tried to kill him by poisoning his food.14 What could justify such a life of suffering and sacrifice even after he was fully triumphant over his adversaries? What could explain the humbleness and nobility which he demonstrated in his most glorious moments when he insisted that success is due only to God’s help and not to his own genius? Are these the characteristics of a power-hungry or a self-centered man?
Next: The Phenomenal Growth of Islam
_____________________________
Footnotes:
(1) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2972, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #2567.
(2) Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #5413, and Al-Tirmizi, #2364.
(3) Narrated in Saheeh Muslim, #2082, and Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #6456.
(4) Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #2739, and Mosnad Ahmad, #17990.
(5) Narrated in Mosnad Ahmad, #25662.
(6) Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #676, and Mosnad Ahmad, #25517.
(7) Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #676, and Mosnad Ahmad, #23706.
(8) Narrated in Mowatta’ Malek, #531.
(9) Narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhari, #3034, and Saheeh Muslim, #1803, and Mosnad Ahmad, #18017.
(10) Narrated in Mosnad Ahmad, #12117, and Al-Tirmizi, #2754.
(11) Al-Serah Al-Nabaweyyah, Ibn Hesham, vol. 1, pp. 293-294.
(12) Al-Serah Al-Nabaweyyah, Ibn Hesham, vol. 1, pp. 265-266.
(13) Al-Serah Al-Nabaweyyah, Ibn Hesham, vol. 1, pp. 298-299.
(14) Narrated in Al-Daremey, #68, and Abu-Dawood, #4510.
From www.islam-guide.com
Why Muhammad (PBUH) Amazed Us All?
If I was not a Muslim I will be still amazed how a single man in Arab desert has 1.3 billion followers even after 1426 years.
1- He was one and Muslims over a billion.
2- He did not read or write and most Muslim scientists are faithful believers.
3- He came from a violent culture and created a peaceful religion unless attacked.
4- He came from hard headed Arabs and gathered all Muslims in one heart despite all of their differences. Without Islam very likely they would be more violent with lower morality and spirituality.
5- He came from a pagan materialistic culture to a highly spiritual religion.
6- He came from fighting tribes to create one community that almost functioned as one democratic government.
7- He came From intolerant society that measure people with their possessions and origin to a righteous society judge people by their morals.
8- He came from less civilized tribes to create the greatest civilization the world knew.
9- He had his enemies became his friends and the army leaders of his enemies became his army leaders.
10- He came with a religion that broke all the walls of ethnicity, color, region and materialism to the simple basics of humanity and morals.
11- He made faith as it should be built first on reason (mental belief) and then feeling spiritual belief).
12- He made faith to go both ways a positive confirmed belief and for the very skeptical a default believe when it becomes very difficult to disprove the Quran and its reasoning.
1- He was one and Muslims over a billion.
2- He did not read or write and most Muslim scientists are faithful believers.
3- He came from a violent culture and created a peaceful religion unless attacked.
4- He came from hard headed Arabs and gathered all Muslims in one heart despite all of their differences. Without Islam very likely they would be more violent with lower morality and spirituality.
5- He came from a pagan materialistic culture to a highly spiritual religion.
6- He came from fighting tribes to create one community that almost functioned as one democratic government.
7- He came From intolerant society that measure people with their possessions and origin to a righteous society judge people by their morals.
8- He came from less civilized tribes to create the greatest civilization the world knew.
9- He had his enemies became his friends and the army leaders of his enemies became his army leaders.
10- He came with a religion that broke all the walls of ethnicity, color, region and materialism to the simple basics of humanity and morals.
11- He made faith as it should be built first on reason (mental belief) and then feeling spiritual belief).
12- He made faith to go both ways a positive confirmed belief and for the very skeptical a default believe when it becomes very difficult to disprove the Quran and its reasoning.
The Phenomenal Growth of Islam
At the end of this chapter, it may be appropriate to point out an important indication of the truth of Islam. It is well known that in the USA and the whole world, Islam is the fastest-growing religion. The following are some observations on this phenomenon:
n “Islam is the fastest-growing religion in America, a guide and pillar of stability for many of our people...” (Hillary Rodham Clinton, Los Angeles Times).1
n “Moslems are the world’s fastest-growing group...” (The Population Reference Bureau, USA Today).2
n “....Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the country.” (Geraldine Baum; Newsday Religion Writer, Newsday).3
n “Islam, the fastest-growing religion in the United States...” (Ari L. Goldman, New York Times).4
This phenomenon indicates that Islam is truly a religion from God. It is unreasonable to think that so many Americans and people from different countries have converted to Islam without careful consideration and deep contemplation before concluding that Islam is true. These converts have come from different countries, classes, races, and walks of life. They include scientists, professors, philosophers, journalists, politicians, actors, and athletes. (To read the stories of people who have converted to Islam, please visit the links at Stories of New Muslims.)
The points mentioned in this chapter constitute only some of the evidence supporting the belief that the Quran is the literal word of God, that Muhammad is truly a prophet sent by God, and that Islam is truly a religion from God.
Next: The Door to Eternal Paradise
_____________________________
Footnotes:
(1) Larry B. Stammer, Times Religion Writer, “First Lady Breaks Ground With Muslims,” Los Angeles Times, Home Edition, Metro Section, Part B, May 31, 1996, p. 3.
(2) Timothy Kenny, “Elsewhere in the World,” USA Today, Final Edition, News Section, February 17, 1989, p. 4A.
(3) Geraldine Baum, “For Love of Allah,” Newsday, Nassau and Suffolk Edition, Part II, March 7, 1989, p. 4.
(4) Ari L. Goldman, “Mainstream Islam Rapidly Embraced By Black Americans,” New York Times, Late City Final Edition, February 21, 1989, p. 1.
From: www.islam-guide.com
n “Islam is the fastest-growing religion in America, a guide and pillar of stability for many of our people...” (Hillary Rodham Clinton, Los Angeles Times).1
n “Moslems are the world’s fastest-growing group...” (The Population Reference Bureau, USA Today).2
n “....Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the country.” (Geraldine Baum; Newsday Religion Writer, Newsday).3
n “Islam, the fastest-growing religion in the United States...” (Ari L. Goldman, New York Times).4
This phenomenon indicates that Islam is truly a religion from God. It is unreasonable to think that so many Americans and people from different countries have converted to Islam without careful consideration and deep contemplation before concluding that Islam is true. These converts have come from different countries, classes, races, and walks of life. They include scientists, professors, philosophers, journalists, politicians, actors, and athletes. (To read the stories of people who have converted to Islam, please visit the links at Stories of New Muslims.)
The points mentioned in this chapter constitute only some of the evidence supporting the belief that the Quran is the literal word of God, that Muhammad is truly a prophet sent by God, and that Islam is truly a religion from God.
Next: The Door to Eternal Paradise
_____________________________
Footnotes:
(1) Larry B. Stammer, Times Religion Writer, “First Lady Breaks Ground With Muslims,” Los Angeles Times, Home Edition, Metro Section, Part B, May 31, 1996, p. 3.
(2) Timothy Kenny, “Elsewhere in the World,” USA Today, Final Edition, News Section, February 17, 1989, p. 4A.
(3) Geraldine Baum, “For Love of Allah,” Newsday, Nassau and Suffolk Edition, Part II, March 7, 1989, p. 4.
(4) Ari L. Goldman, “Mainstream Islam Rapidly Embraced By Black Americans,” New York Times, Late City Final Edition, February 21, 1989, p. 1.
From: www.islam-guide.com
(3) Biblical Prophecies on the Advent of
The Biblical prophecies on the advent of the Prophet Muhammad are evidence of the truth of Islam for people who believe in the Bible.
In Deuteronomy 18, Moses stated that God told him: “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.” (Deuteronomy 18:18-19).1
From these verses we conclude that the prophet in this prophecy must have the following three characteristics:
1) That he will be like Moses.
2) That he will come from the brothers of the Israelites, i.e. the Ishmaelites.
3) That God will put His words in to the mouth of this prophet and that he will declare what God commands him.
Let us examine these three characteristics in more depth:
1) A prophet like Moses:
There were hardly any two prophets who were so much alike as Moses and Muhammad . Both were given a comprehensive law and code of life. Both encountered their enemies and were victorious in miraculous ways. Both were accepted as prophets and statesmen. Both migrated following conspiracies to assassinate them. Analogies between Moses and Jesus overlook not only the above similarities but other crucial ones as well. These include the natural birth, the family life, and death of Moses and Muhammad but not of Jesus. Moreover Jesus was regarded by his followers as the Son of God and not exclusively as a prophet of God, as Moses and Muhammad were and as Muslims believe Jesus was. So, this prophecy refers to the Prophet Muhammad and not to Jesus, because Muhammad is more like Moses than Jesus.
Also, one notices from the Gospel of John that the Jews were waiting for the fulfillment of three distinct prophecies. The first was the coming of Christ. The second was the coming of Elijah. The third was the coming of the Prophet. This is obvious from the three questions that were posed to John the Baptist: “Now this was John’s testimony, when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Christ.” They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” (John 1:19-21). If we look in a Bible with cross-references, we will find in the marginal notes where the words “the Prophet” occur in John 1:21, that these words refer to the prophecy of Deuteronomy 18:15 and 18:18.2 We conclude from this that Jesus Christ is not the prophet mentioned in Deuteronomy 18:18.
2) From the brothers of the Israelites:
Abraham had two sons, Ishmael and Isaac (Genesis 21). Ishmael became the grandfather of the Arab nation, and Isaac became the grandfather of the Jewish nation. The prophet spoken of was not to come from among the Jews themselves, but from among their brothers, i.e. the Ishmaelites. Muhammad , a descendant of Ishmael, is indeed this prophet.
Also, Isaiah 42:1-13 speaks of the servant of God, His “chosen one” and “messenger” who will bring down a law. “He will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope.” (Isaiah 42:4). Verse 11, connects that awaited one with the descendants of Kedar. Who is Kedar? According to Genesis 25:13, Kedar was the second son of Ishmael, the ancestor of the Prophet Muhammad .
3) God will put His words in the mouth of this prophet:
The words of God (the Holy Quran) were truly put into Muhammad’s mouth. God sent the Angel Gabriel to teach Muhammad the exact words of God (the Holy Quran) and asked him to dictate them to the people as he heard them. The words are therefore not his own. They did not come from his own thoughts, but were put into his mouth by the Angel Gabriel. During the life time of Muhammad , and under his supervision, these words were then memorized and written by his companions.
Also, this prophecy in Deuteronomy mentioned that this prophet will speak the words of God in the name of God. If we looked to the Holy Quran, we will find that all its chapters, except Chapter 9, are preceded or begin with the phrase, “In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.”
Another indication (other than the prophecy in Deuteronomy) is that Isaiah ties the messenger connected with Kedar with a new song (a scripture in a new language) to be sung to the Lord (Isaiah 42:10-11). This is mentioned more clearly in the prophecy of Isaiah: “and another tongue, will he speak to this people” (Isaiah 28:11 KJV). Another related point, is that the Quran was revealed in sections over a span of twenty-three years. It is interesting to compare this with Isaiah 28 which speaks of the same thing, “For it is: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there.” (Isaiah 28:10).
Note that God has said in the prophecy of Deuteronomy 18, “If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.” (Deuteronomy, 18:19). This means that whoever believes in the Bible must believe in what this prophet says, and this prophet is the Prophet Muhammad .
Next: The Verses in the Quran That Mention Future Events Which Later Came to Pass
_____________________________
Footnotes:
(1) All of the verses on this page have been taken from The NIV Study Bible, New International Version, except where noted as being KJV which means King James Version.
(2) See the marginal notes in The NIV Study Bible, New International Version on verse 1:21, p. 1594.
From: www.islam-guide.com
In Deuteronomy 18, Moses stated that God told him: “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.” (Deuteronomy 18:18-19).1
From these verses we conclude that the prophet in this prophecy must have the following three characteristics:
1) That he will be like Moses.
2) That he will come from the brothers of the Israelites, i.e. the Ishmaelites.
3) That God will put His words in to the mouth of this prophet and that he will declare what God commands him.
Let us examine these three characteristics in more depth:
1) A prophet like Moses:
There were hardly any two prophets who were so much alike as Moses and Muhammad . Both were given a comprehensive law and code of life. Both encountered their enemies and were victorious in miraculous ways. Both were accepted as prophets and statesmen. Both migrated following conspiracies to assassinate them. Analogies between Moses and Jesus overlook not only the above similarities but other crucial ones as well. These include the natural birth, the family life, and death of Moses and Muhammad but not of Jesus. Moreover Jesus was regarded by his followers as the Son of God and not exclusively as a prophet of God, as Moses and Muhammad were and as Muslims believe Jesus was. So, this prophecy refers to the Prophet Muhammad and not to Jesus, because Muhammad is more like Moses than Jesus.
Also, one notices from the Gospel of John that the Jews were waiting for the fulfillment of three distinct prophecies. The first was the coming of Christ. The second was the coming of Elijah. The third was the coming of the Prophet. This is obvious from the three questions that were posed to John the Baptist: “Now this was John’s testimony, when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Christ.” They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” (John 1:19-21). If we look in a Bible with cross-references, we will find in the marginal notes where the words “the Prophet” occur in John 1:21, that these words refer to the prophecy of Deuteronomy 18:15 and 18:18.2 We conclude from this that Jesus Christ is not the prophet mentioned in Deuteronomy 18:18.
2) From the brothers of the Israelites:
Abraham had two sons, Ishmael and Isaac (Genesis 21). Ishmael became the grandfather of the Arab nation, and Isaac became the grandfather of the Jewish nation. The prophet spoken of was not to come from among the Jews themselves, but from among their brothers, i.e. the Ishmaelites. Muhammad , a descendant of Ishmael, is indeed this prophet.
Also, Isaiah 42:1-13 speaks of the servant of God, His “chosen one” and “messenger” who will bring down a law. “He will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope.” (Isaiah 42:4). Verse 11, connects that awaited one with the descendants of Kedar. Who is Kedar? According to Genesis 25:13, Kedar was the second son of Ishmael, the ancestor of the Prophet Muhammad .
3) God will put His words in the mouth of this prophet:
The words of God (the Holy Quran) were truly put into Muhammad’s mouth. God sent the Angel Gabriel to teach Muhammad the exact words of God (the Holy Quran) and asked him to dictate them to the people as he heard them. The words are therefore not his own. They did not come from his own thoughts, but were put into his mouth by the Angel Gabriel. During the life time of Muhammad , and under his supervision, these words were then memorized and written by his companions.
Also, this prophecy in Deuteronomy mentioned that this prophet will speak the words of God in the name of God. If we looked to the Holy Quran, we will find that all its chapters, except Chapter 9, are preceded or begin with the phrase, “In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.”
Another indication (other than the prophecy in Deuteronomy) is that Isaiah ties the messenger connected with Kedar with a new song (a scripture in a new language) to be sung to the Lord (Isaiah 42:10-11). This is mentioned more clearly in the prophecy of Isaiah: “and another tongue, will he speak to this people” (Isaiah 28:11 KJV). Another related point, is that the Quran was revealed in sections over a span of twenty-three years. It is interesting to compare this with Isaiah 28 which speaks of the same thing, “For it is: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little here, a little there.” (Isaiah 28:10).
Note that God has said in the prophecy of Deuteronomy 18, “If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.” (Deuteronomy, 18:19). This means that whoever believes in the Bible must believe in what this prophet says, and this prophet is the Prophet Muhammad .
Next: The Verses in the Quran That Mention Future Events Which Later Came to Pass
_____________________________
Footnotes:
(1) All of the verses on this page have been taken from The NIV Study Bible, New International Version, except where noted as being KJV which means King James Version.
(2) See the marginal notes in The NIV Study Bible, New International Version on verse 1:21, p. 1594.
From: www.islam-guide.com
Friday, December 30, 2005
Freedom From All Oppression.
Oppression is the worst abuse humans can suffer. For a lot of people death can be preferred over oppression. There are a lot of faces for oppression:
1- Occupation.
2- Tyrant regimes.
3- Oppression against women.
4- Oppression of minorities.
5- Discrimination with all its forms: race, color, gender, sexuality...
6- Poverty.
7- Sins.
8- Fear: second to tyranny, absence of health and long term security, sins...
9- Insecurity: physical and sexual abuse, violent societies, absence of health and long term security...
10- Debts.
11- Religious oppression to people with different faith or no faith.
As you see to liberate the human mind and spirit there are a lot of things that need to be done. The UN and world leaders both political and religious have to work it out to liberate the human soul and mind. This can be done with a lot of politics and not wars. There is no absolute evil and good. Many times people against us are not our enemies but the other side. If every one is to be fair and put his foot on other person shoe we will have a lot of understanding and we can change the world. People who follow prophecies think the world will change only through the tribulation that God will inflict on humans. I do not know, I keep reading prophecies, meanwhile we have to use the sound politics and judgment to change the world. Prophecies ultimately reflects our judgments and actions.
1- Occupation.
2- Tyrant regimes.
3- Oppression against women.
4- Oppression of minorities.
5- Discrimination with all its forms: race, color, gender, sexuality...
6- Poverty.
7- Sins.
8- Fear: second to tyranny, absence of health and long term security, sins...
9- Insecurity: physical and sexual abuse, violent societies, absence of health and long term security...
10- Debts.
11- Religious oppression to people with different faith or no faith.
As you see to liberate the human mind and spirit there are a lot of things that need to be done. The UN and world leaders both political and religious have to work it out to liberate the human soul and mind. This can be done with a lot of politics and not wars. There is no absolute evil and good. Many times people against us are not our enemies but the other side. If every one is to be fair and put his foot on other person shoe we will have a lot of understanding and we can change the world. People who follow prophecies think the world will change only through the tribulation that God will inflict on humans. I do not know, I keep reading prophecies, meanwhile we have to use the sound politics and judgment to change the world. Prophecies ultimately reflects our judgments and actions.
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Kindness In Islam.
These words from the Quran and hadith shows well how Kindness is very highly regarded in Islam.
"Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious; for your Lord knows best who have strayed from His Path, and who are truly guided."
Quran 16:125
"Do you know what is better than charity and fasting and prayer? It is keeping peace and good relations between people, as quarrels and bad feelings destroy mankind."
(Muslims & Bukhari)
"Reviling a Muslim is disobedience to God, and fighting with him is infidelity."
(Bukhari, Muslim)
"Narrated Anas ibn Malik: The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Three things are the roots of faith: to refrain from (killing) a person who utters, "There is no god but Allah" and not to declare him unbeliever whatever sin he commits, and not to excommunicate him from Islam for his any action."
(Abu-Dawud)
"The most excellent Jihad is that for the conquest of self."
(Bukhari)
"Kindness is a mark of faith, and whoever is not kind has no faith." (Muslim)
"Whoever is kind, Allah will be kind to him; therefore be kind to man on the earth. He who is in heaven will show mercy on you."
(Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi)
"You will not enter paradise until you have faith; and you will not complete your faith till you love one another."
(Muslim)
"You have two characters which God likes; gentleness and deliberation."
(Muslim).
"By Him in whose hand my soul is, you will not enter paradise unless you believe, and you will not truly believe unless you love each other."
(Bukhari and Muslim)
"…Try to pass your mornings and evenings in a state where your heart is free from all ill-feelings, jealousy and hatred for everyone, and remember that this is my Sunnah, and he who loves my Sunnah will be with me in paradise."
(Tirmidhi)
"Those in whose hearts is no mercy for others will not attain the mercy of Allah."
(Bukhari and Muslim)
"Verily, Allah is mild and is fond of mildness, and He gives to
the mild what He does not give to the harsh."
(Muslim)
"One who lacks kindness of heart lacks all good."
(Muslim)
"Allah is gentle and loves gentleness in all things."
(Bukhari and Muslim)
Islam is the religion of kindness. This does not contradict your right to feel angry when Muslims are oppressed, poor, suffering and have a lot of injustices.
Kindness does not mean you give away you rights. For creating a kind society Islam beleives much to have the best of people are the one who to serve in the government.
"Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious; for your Lord knows best who have strayed from His Path, and who are truly guided."
Quran 16:125
"Do you know what is better than charity and fasting and prayer? It is keeping peace and good relations between people, as quarrels and bad feelings destroy mankind."
(Muslims & Bukhari)
"Reviling a Muslim is disobedience to God, and fighting with him is infidelity."
(Bukhari, Muslim)
"Narrated Anas ibn Malik: The Prophet (peace_be_upon_him) said: Three things are the roots of faith: to refrain from (killing) a person who utters, "There is no god but Allah" and not to declare him unbeliever whatever sin he commits, and not to excommunicate him from Islam for his any action."
(Abu-Dawud)
"The most excellent Jihad is that for the conquest of self."
(Bukhari)
"Kindness is a mark of faith, and whoever is not kind has no faith." (Muslim)
"Whoever is kind, Allah will be kind to him; therefore be kind to man on the earth. He who is in heaven will show mercy on you."
(Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi)
"You will not enter paradise until you have faith; and you will not complete your faith till you love one another."
(Muslim)
"You have two characters which God likes; gentleness and deliberation."
(Muslim).
"By Him in whose hand my soul is, you will not enter paradise unless you believe, and you will not truly believe unless you love each other."
(Bukhari and Muslim)
"…Try to pass your mornings and evenings in a state where your heart is free from all ill-feelings, jealousy and hatred for everyone, and remember that this is my Sunnah, and he who loves my Sunnah will be with me in paradise."
(Tirmidhi)
"Those in whose hearts is no mercy for others will not attain the mercy of Allah."
(Bukhari and Muslim)
"Verily, Allah is mild and is fond of mildness, and He gives to
the mild what He does not give to the harsh."
(Muslim)
"One who lacks kindness of heart lacks all good."
(Muslim)
"Allah is gentle and loves gentleness in all things."
(Bukhari and Muslim)
Islam is the religion of kindness. This does not contradict your right to feel angry when Muslims are oppressed, poor, suffering and have a lot of injustices.
Kindness does not mean you give away you rights. For creating a kind society Islam beleives much to have the best of people are the one who to serve in the government.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Atheists and Agnostics I agree, But.
If you do not agree with the critics of religions in many things they say you are religious fanatic. If you find that the truth of religion is proclaiming what they think about you are in their side, but a real believer. These are the common sayings of some famous atheists and agnostics:
Francis Bacon:
Atheism leaves a man to sense, to philosophy, to natural piety, to laws, to reputation; all of which may be guides to an outward moral virtue, even if religion vanished; but religious superstition dismounts all these and erects an absolute monarchy in the minds of men.
My answer: Islam is compatible with sense, philosophy, piety, laws, and reputation. There is no monarchy one is free to find God and to reason with every thing in religion. Few are unseens are left to faith but almost every thing is amenable to mind.
George Santayana:
My atheism, like that of Spinoza, is true piety towards the universe and denies only gods fashioned by men in their own image to be servants of their human interests.
My Answer: Man created religions or used religions to serve their interests. This is well described in the religion of Islam.
Gore Vidal:
I'm a born-again atheist.
My answer: I am born-again Muslim and reborn every day Muslim I reassert my faith daily through the same tool Gore is using, human brain.
Henny Youngman:
I once wanted to become an atheist but I gave up . . . they have no holidays.
My answer: no comment I love the joke.
Pearl S. Buck:
When men destroy their old gods they will find new ones to take their place.
My answer: This is the difference between finding your God or creating one.
Pearl S. Buck:
Believing in gods always causes confusion.
My answer: Humans can confuse everything even religion. Every one of the major three religions came to us as one sect and people confused them and split them into many.
Protagoras:
As to the gods, I have no means of knowing either that they exist or do not exist.
My answer: I have means the Bible and the Quran. I have no means to prove that man is not created by a God I have never found that chance can create a very complicated structure like me.
Thomas Jefferson:
Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.
My answer: I agree and I think Jefferson was a man who knew God.
Francis Bacon:
Atheism leaves a man to sense, to philosophy, to natural piety, to laws, to reputation; all of which may be guides to an outward moral virtue, even if religion vanished; but religious superstition dismounts all these and erects an absolute monarchy in the minds of men.
My answer: Islam is compatible with sense, philosophy, piety, laws, and reputation. There is no monarchy one is free to find God and to reason with every thing in religion. Few are unseens are left to faith but almost every thing is amenable to mind.
George Santayana:
My atheism, like that of Spinoza, is true piety towards the universe and denies only gods fashioned by men in their own image to be servants of their human interests.
My Answer: Man created religions or used religions to serve their interests. This is well described in the religion of Islam.
Gore Vidal:
I'm a born-again atheist.
My answer: I am born-again Muslim and reborn every day Muslim I reassert my faith daily through the same tool Gore is using, human brain.
Henny Youngman:
I once wanted to become an atheist but I gave up . . . they have no holidays.
My answer: no comment I love the joke.
Pearl S. Buck:
When men destroy their old gods they will find new ones to take their place.
My answer: This is the difference between finding your God or creating one.
Pearl S. Buck:
Believing in gods always causes confusion.
My answer: Humans can confuse everything even religion. Every one of the major three religions came to us as one sect and people confused them and split them into many.
Protagoras:
As to the gods, I have no means of knowing either that they exist or do not exist.
My answer: I have means the Bible and the Quran. I have no means to prove that man is not created by a God I have never found that chance can create a very complicated structure like me.
Thomas Jefferson:
Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear.
My answer: I agree and I think Jefferson was a man who knew God.
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