What is
Islam?
Islam is not a new religion but the same truth that
Allah Has revealed through all his Prophets to every
people. A fifth of the worlds population are Muslim and
are growing every day. Islam is both a religion and a
complete way of life.
What
does 'Islam' mean?
The Arabic word 'Islam' simply means 'submission' and
derives from a word meaning 'peace'. In a religious context
it means complete submission to the will of Allah. 'Allah'
is the Arabic name for 'The God'
What do
Muslims believe?
Muslims believe in one unique incomparable God; in the
Angels created by him; In the Prophets through whom his
revelations were brought to mankind; in the Day of Judgment
and individual accountability for actions; in Allah's
complete authority over human destiny and in life after
death. Muslims believe in a chain of prophets starting with
Adam and including Noah, Abraham, Ismael, Isaac, Jacob,
Joseph, Job, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Elias, Jonah,
John the Baptist and Jesus, peace be upon them. However,
God's final message to man, a reconfirmation of the eternal
message and a summing-up of all that has gone before was
revealed in the form of the Qur'an to the Prophet Muhammad
(peace and blessings be upon him) through the Angel Gabriel.
Who is Muhammad (s.a.w)?
Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was born in
Makkah in the year 570 CE. Since his father died before his
birth and his mother shortly afterwards, he was raised by
his uncle from the respected tribe of the Quraysh. As he
grew up, he became known for his truthfulness, generosity
and sincerity, so that he was sought after for his ability
to arbitrate in disputes. The historians describe him as
calm and meditative. Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon
him) was of a deeply religious nature and had long detested
the idolatry and decadence of his society. It became his
habit to meditate from time to time in the Cave of Hira near
the summit of Jabal al-Nur, the ' Mountain of Light' near
Makkah. At the age of 40, while engaged in a meditative
retreat, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) received
his first revelation from Allah through the Angel Gabriel.
This revelation, which continued for twenty-three years, is
known as the Qur'an. As soon as he began to recite the words
he heard from Gabriel and to preach the truth which Allah
had revealed to him
A non-Muslim perspective of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and
blessings be upon him) can be found at
www.IslamOnline.net
What
is the Qur'an?
The Qur'an is the written form of the exact words revealed
by Allah through the Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad
(peace and blessings be upon him). It was memorised by
Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and then dictated
to his Companions and written down by his scribes, who
cross-checked it during his lifetime. Not one word of its
114 chapters, Surahs, has been changed over the centuries,
so that the Qur'an is in every detail the unique and
miraculous text which was revealed to Muhammad (peace and
blessings be upon him) fourteen centuries ago
What do
Muslims think about Jesus(peace be upon him)?
Muslims respect and revere Jesus and await his Second
Coming. They consider him one of the greatest of Allah's
Prophets to mankind. A Muslim never refers to him simply as
'Jesus', but always adds the phrase 'upon him be peace'. The
Qur'an confirms his virgin birth and Mary is considered the
purest woman in all creation.
What about
Muslim women?
Islam sees a woman, whether single or married, as an
individual in her own right, with the right to own and
dispose of her property and earnings. A marriage dowry is
given by a groom to the bride for her own personal use and
she keeps her own family name rather than taking her
husband's. Both men and women are expected to dress in a way
which is modest and dignified; the traditions of female
dress found in some Muslim countries are often the
expression of local customs.
Misconceptions About Islam
Due to many various reasons people have
cultivated so many misconceptions regarding Islam that they
tend to dislike it as a religion some even hate it ! (sign
of the success of the people who are doing their best to
malign the truth and make use of all their resources just in
misreporting Islam and its teachings.] But , wise people who
really are interested in the truth explore on their own and
find out the truth
