Arabia is a land of unparalleled charm and beauty, with its
trackless deserts of sand dunes and mirages in the dazzling rays of a tropical
sun. Its starry sky has excited the imagination of poets, travelers and
mystics. It was in this land, that the Holy Prophet Muhammad, on whom be peace,
was born in the city of Mecca, which is about fifty miles from the Red Sea.
(Culled from Life of Muhammad byi Mutiur Rahman Bengalee M.A. p.70)
It was in the latter half of the sixth century, when the world was plunged in utter darkness that the Holy Prophet Muhammad was born. The then known world stood on the verge of destruction, with chaos as the order of the day and pre-Islamic Arabia was no exception to this, rather it was in the lowest depths of abysmal darkness; infanticide was rampant, debauchery was looked upon as chivalrous, drunkenness was a common sight and all forms of evil was glorified.
J.H. Denison in his Emotions as the basis of Civilization wrote:
In the fifth and sixth centuries, the civilized world stood on the verge of chaos.... it seemed that the great civilization which had taken four thousand years to construct was on the verge of disintegration ... Civilization like a gigantic tree whose foliage had over-reached the world ... stood tottering … rotted to the core ..... It was among the Arabs that the man was born who was to unite the whole known world of the East and the South.
(pp. 265-269)
The religious attachment of 6th century Arabia was idolatry, though there were a sprinkling of Atheists and worshipers of heavenly planets, who offered sacrifices to the sun, moon and other heavenly bodies. Christians and Jews were also to be found. The center of Christian activity was al-Najran, while the Jews were concentrated in Khaibar and Medina. In spite of these varied religious concepts, there was also a group who sought to follow the religion of their forefather Abraham.
The administration of their affairs, like their religious beliefs was also in a state of disarray. Sir William Muir had this to say:
The prospects of Arabia before the rise of Mohamet was as unfavorable to religious reform as they were to political union or national regeneration. (Life of Mohamet Intro. ch.2)
In spite of their religious and administrative divisions, the Arabs possessed a remarkable memory and were an eloquent people. Their eloquence and memory found expression in their poetry. Every year a fair was held for poetical competitions at Ukaz.
In his book The Literary History of the Arabs, R.A.Nicholson writing about the poetical ability of the Arabs, states:
It is related that Hammad said to Caliph Walid bin Yazid: 'I can recite to you, for each letter of the alphabet, one hundred long poems, without taking into account short pieces, and all of that composed exclusively by poets before the promulgation of Islam. (p. 1 32)
It is no small wonder, therefore, that Allah chose an Arab and the Arabic language for His final dispensation and the preservation of His Word.
The condition of the world in general and Arabia in particular is graphically put in the Holy Qur'an, when Allah says:
Corruption has appeared on land and sea because of what men's hands have wrought. (30:42)
This is the condition which is painted by all the historians, in so many words, about the sixth century.
Before the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, an Abyssinian army was on the verge of conquering Mecca, but were totally annihilated by small-pox, reference of which is in the Holy Qur'an chapter 105. This occurred fifty three days before the birth of our Holy Prophet, on whom be peace.
His father's name was Abdullah who died before his birth. His mother's name was Amina. A few days after his birth, as was the custom among the nobility of the Arabs, he was given to the care of a Bedouin wet nurse, whose name was Halima. For two years, he grew up under her care, after which , she took him back to his mother, but due to an epidemic in Mecca, he went back with Halima for another three years.
When he returned to his mother, she took him for a visit to Medina, but on the return journey, she died. At the age of six, he was entrusted to the care of his grandfather Abdul Muttalib who expired two years later. At this stage he was placed under the care of his uncle Abu Talib. In his early youth, he used to tend his uncle's flocks.
During his youth, he joined a society whose aims were, to help the poor and the needy, safeguard the rights of the oppressed and support and uphold the cause of justice. He was also launched into commercial enterprises and undertook journeys with caravans to Yemen and Syria. His honesty and integrity earned him the title of Al-Amin - The Trustworthy. At the age of twenty-five, he was married to Khadija - a wealthy widow, whose caravans he commanded. She offered her hand to him in marriage, after she received very good reports about his conduct and honesty in the discharge of his duties as the leader of her caravans.
The Divine Call came to him in his fortieth year and depicting the state of mind of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, Thomas Carlyle in his book Heroes and Hero worship writes:
The great mystery of existence… glared in upon him, with its terrors, with its splendors; no hearsay could hide that unspeakable fact `Here am I'. Such sincerity, as we named it has in very truth something divine. The word of such a man is a voice from nature's own heart. Men do and must listen to that and to nothing else - All else is wind in comparison. From of old a thousand thoughts, in his pilgrimings and wanderings, had been in this man: What am l? What is this unfathomable thing I live in, which men call Universe? The grim rocks of Mount Hira, of Mount Sinai, the stern solitudes answered not. The great heavens rolling silently overhead, with its blue glaring stars, answered not. There was no answer. The man's soul and what of God's inspiration dwelled there had to answer. (pp. 63-64)
The first man to have accepted his call , was his cousin Imam Ali (AS) and the first woman was his wife, Ummul Momineen Khadija Bint Khuwailid (AS). For three years after receiving the Divine Call, the preaching was conducted rather quietly with the number of his followers increasing rapidly. After this rather quiet start, the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, was commanded to proclaim his message which he received from Allah, publicly. Accordingly, he addressed his message about the Unity of God and of his being the Messenger of God from every available quarter.
Since this belief was threatening their very existence, the pagan Arabs started to mount pressure on the Holy Prophet, and his followers to renounce their cause and take to idol-worshipping. On one occasion, they sent a delegation to the Holy Prophet's uncle that he should restrain the Holy Prophet, from preaching his message. They threatened Abu Talib with their combined opposition. Finding himself in this state, he sent for the Holy Prophet, and explained to him the situation. The Holy Prophet, answered with these memorable words:
My dear uncle, if they should put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left, even then I shall not abandon the proclamation of the Unity of God. I shall set up the true faith upon the earth or perish in the attempt.
Impressed with his nephew's firm determination and high resolve, Abu Talib replied:
Son of my brother, go thy way, none dare touch thee. I shall never forsake thee.
Not being satisfied, they sent one of their chiefs to entice the Holy Prophet, and in the following words addressed the Holy Prophet:
O Muhammad, if you want to sit on the throne of Arabia we shall elect you our monarch; if you want money we shall give you no end to it and if you desire the hand of a beautiful woman, we are ready to present you the most beautiful lady in the land.
The Holy Prophet was far above any worldly temptations and in reply he recited some verses of the Holy Quran proclaiming the Unity of Allah and his claim of being a true Messenger of Allah.
The Meccans were alarmed at the prospects of trying to halt the progress of Islam, so they went to physical torment and boycott. Many influential personalities were being converted and a great mass of following were joining the religion of Islam. This in itself was a mortal threat to the existence of the Meccan chiefs, since their source of livelihood depended from the trade which came from the traffic of idol-worshippers.
Seeing that these could not be of any help, they decided to exert more pressure to the degree that when the sufferings of the Muslims became unbearable, the Holy Prophet decided to send some of his followers to Abyssinia to take refuge. The Meccans in their quest to put an end to the new religion sent a deputation to the king, seeking the return of the refugees. The king summoned the refugees and questioned them about their beliefs. Being satisfied, that they were no threat to the state, he refused to hand them over and was convinced that the revelations of the Holy Prophet and that of Jesus sprang from the same fountain.
The failure of the Abyssinian delegation, humiliated the Meccans. They pledged to completely boycott the family who defended the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace. Every kind of relationship was cut off; even food and water were denied them. The family who defended the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, were in a desperate situation and they along with the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, and his followers had to take refuge in the Vale of Abu Talib from where they could not escape for fear of their lives. They suffered starvation, personal indignities and humiliation of every kind. This siege continued for three years; in the meantime, the Declaration of Boycott which was hung on the walls of the Ka`ba had been destroyed and the hearts of some of the enemies were appeased. These new-found friends were bold enough to rescue the innocent sufferers from their plight.
With the boycott ended, the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, and a companion went to Taif to invite the people there to Islam, but he faced the same fate of rejection. The chiefs of Taif sent some youths after them. They were stoned mercilessly, to the point of fainting and the body of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, was cut and he was bleeding profusely. The Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, and his companion Zaid, took shelter in a garden belonging to two Meccans, who, after seeing their plight, sent some grapes with a slave who was an inhabitant of Nineveh. The message of Islam was conveyed to the slave who readily accepted it.
Of this journey to Taif, Sir William Muir remarked:
There is something lofty and heroic on this journey of Mohamet to Taif; a solitary man, despised and rejected by his own people, going boldly forth in the name of God, and summoning an idolatrous city to repent and support his mission. It sheds a strong light on the intensity of his belief in the divine origin of his calling. (Life of Mohamet p.109)
Returning to Mecca, the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, and his followers, faced mounting persecution, the intensity of which exceeded the limits bearable by any human. At this juncture, having had assurance from some of the chiefs and people of Medina, of his and his followers' safety, he immigrated to that city with his followers. The importance of this memorable event of migration marks the reckoning of the Islamic calendar.
The Meccans did not leave the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, and his followers to live peacefully in Medina. They sent numerous expeditions against them and waged wars against the Muslims. Every advance of the Meccans against the Muslims was crushed and they suffered humiliating defeats in their wars with the Muslims. Having been totally humiliated in their desire to crush Islam, they fell before the banner of Islam and Mecca was conquered peacefully when the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, at the head of ten thousand of his followers entered the gates of Mecca and demolished the idols which infested the Holy Ka`ba, thus fulfilling a prophecy mentioned in the Bible as follows:
He shined forth from Mount Paran, and he came with ten thousand saints; from his right hand went a fiery law for them. (Deut. 33:2)
The Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, did not let the achievement of victory un-nerve his equilibrium in acting in a manner which would have justifiably been done in these so-called modern and advanced times. Today, many a nation and party which when placed under the said circumstances as was the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, and his followers, would unleash a calculated and total annihilation of its enemies when it gains power and victory. Unlike these modern barbaric tendencies, when victory was the Holy Prophet's, he never sought to seek out all those who had committed the most heinous of crimes against him and his followers. With one stroke, he forgave them all, except those few who had committed the most barbaric and unspeakable crimes against humanity.
History bears testimony to the fact, that at every step, the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, sought to achieve peace. He even accepted a treaty which appeared to be at a disadvantage to him and his followers, simply with the intention that peace may prevail and that all forms of strife may be eliminated.
His memorable words at the Fall of Mecca are worth to be inscribed in letters of gold, studded with the most precious of gems. He said:
By God, you will have no punishment today and no reproof. (Hisham)
The teachings which were vouchsafed to him, in the form of the Holy Qur'an, lay down the principles and mechanics for the attainment of peace and the elimination of war. It says that if two parties are fighting, then peace should be made between them and the dispute settled amicably. If one or both of the parties, fail to yield to the award and all efforts of persuasion have failed, then force should be administered as a last resort, to bring the recalcitrant party or parties to submit to a peaceful settlement.
This system has laid the foundation of a powerful League of Nations, unlike the present U.N.O. whose resolutions are looked upon scornfully by defaulting nations. The U.N.O. is so structured and composed, that it is quite impotent to bring peace to the world. The two superpowers, for obvious reasons, side with one or the other of the disputing parties. If they can achieve their goal of pedaling their influence, then without any justification, they would side with any of the parties, world opinion means nothing in the present context, only might is right. The teachings of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, are, therefore, the only solution for the attainment of world peace and no Muslim or Muslim state which does not strive for the achievement of peace can rightfully claim a place in the body-politic of the Islamic nation and therefore cannot with any justification be among his true followers.
In the year 632 A.D. after fulfilling his mission which was entrusted to him by Allah, the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, passed away.
This in a nutshell is a brief sketch of the' LIFE OF THE HOLY PROPHET MUHAMMAD.
We will now turn our attention on the TEACHINGS OF THE HOLY PROPHET MUHAMMAD, and as time may permit, only a few salient features may be attempted.
In dealing with his teachings it may well be summarized in the historic answer which his wife Ayesha gave in response to a question about the morals and character of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace. She said:
His morals and character are an embodiment of the Holy Qur'an.
Thus in dealing with the teachings of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, we necessarily speak on the Teachings of the Holy Qur'an, since to him was revealed the Holy Qur'an by God Almighty thus his teachings are contained in the very Word of God and not of his manufacture.
If one were to discuss the teachings contained in the Holy Qur'an then it would require hours on end and still one would not be able to exhaust all the beautiful teachings which it holds out for humanity. It is therefore advised, that in order to be able to understand the teachings of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace. Then one should study the Holy Qur'an in order to be able to gain an insight into his teachings. We pray that the audience may explore the Holy Qur'an and thus derive the benefit of the knowledge of the teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad and enshrine them in their lives.
The Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, received his first divine revelation in the year 610 C.E. and it continued up till a few days before his death. Thus the Holy Quran was revealed piece-meal to the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, during those years, sometimes after the interval of months and sometimes in great rapidity; sometimes in short sentences and sometimes in long chapters; sometimes with a new law and sometimes confirming an existing law; sometimes repealing an impractical custom and sometimes giving a new direction. This is in conformity with a prophecy in the Bible which runs as follows:
Whom shall he teach knowledge? And whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts, for precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line; here a little and there a little: for with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to his people. (Isaiah 28:9-11)
It may be noted that in this prophecy it is mentioned that the people will be spoken to in another tongue and how true was this fulfilled with the revelation of the Holy Qur'an in the Arabic language, to an Arab in the land of Paran where the greatest manifestation of the Lord was scheduled to occur. (Deut. 33:2 & Habakkuk 3:3). It may here be pointed out that Ishmael, the son of Abraham, who is the forefather of our Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, dwelt in Paran vide Gen. 21:21 and the descendants of Ishmael lived in the Arabian Peninsula and the neighboring territories as is evident from Gen. 25:12-18 and Isaiah 21 :1 3-1 7.
The Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, was a Law-giver and he was the object of the prophecy of Moses as mentioned in Deuteronomy 18:18. The greatest teaching which he gave forth to the world is that there is but one God Who has no partner, Who was no begotten and Who neither begets. A short chapter in the Holy Qur'an is devoted to this theme. It runs as follows:
In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
Say, 'He is Allah, the One: Allah, the Independent and besought of all. He begets not, nor is He begotten; and there is none like unto Him ' (112:1-4)
It has been erroneously stated by others that the followers of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, are known as Mohammedans and their religion is Mohammedanism. This is a totally wrong statement. We, the followers of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, are Muslims and the name of our religion is Islam. These names were given by God Almighty vide the Holy Qur'an 22:79 and 5:4 in conformity with Isaiah 62:2 which says in part:
And thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name.
The declaration of faith of a Muslim is such, that it cannot lend itself to associate the Holy Prophet on whom be Peace in partnership with God. The declaration runs as follows:
"There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger".
The teaching of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, as contained in the Holy Qur'an, is a treasure-house of unlimited knowledge and wisdom in every field of endeavor. By following the teachings contained in it and by applying them for the benefit and welfare of humanity tremendous progress is the virtual outcome.
By virtue of the teachings contained in the Holy Qur'an, the Muslims scaled the heights of scientific achievement and progress. A famous prayer taught in the Holy Qur'an is:
O my Lord increase me in knowledge. (20: 115)
The seeking of knowledge was enhanced by the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, who enjoined his followers to seek it even if they have to travel to China in quest of it.
The Holy Qur'an has placed great emphasis on the acquisition of the mastery of nature, through scientific knowledge as much as on the creation of knowledge. It says:
Allah it is Who has subjected the sea to you that ships may sail thereon by His command, and that you seek of His bounty, and that you may be grateful. And he has subjected to you whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth; all this is from Him, in that surely there are signs for a people who reflect. (45:1 3-14)
In respect to technology, the example of David is set forth as
And We made iron soft for him, Saying. 'Make thou full-length coats of mail, and make the rings of a proper measure. (34:11-12)
Precision is here emphasized and it is a fact that the Muslims have developed many sciences with the utmost of precision.
Also emphasized in the Holy Qur'an are the harnessing of wind power (34:13), modern means of transportation to the degree of going beyond the confines of the heavens and the earth (55:34), astronomical discoveries of great magnitude (81:12), harnessing of water-power (55:20-21), etc.
When scientists shall discover that there are worlds other than our own, then the truth of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, shall become more manifest. It was revealed to him by God Almighty that Allah is:
"Lord of all the worlds"(1:2).
The manifestation of this truth is slowly being unraveled by science and the day seems not far off when the world will be startled with the discovery and then mankind will fully realize the truth of the revelation which was granted to the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace.
There are so many aspects in which one can dilate about the teachings of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, but time being a determining factor, we shall look briefly into a few.
Great emphasis has been placed by him on the performance of prayers. In this regard, he was commanded by God to institute the five daily prayers which every good Muslim performs. Next to prayers comes a tax known as Zakaat which is levied for the uplift of the poorer members of the society and for community affairs. After this is Fasting for a whole lunar month and then comes Pilgrimage to Mecca which may be performed at least once in a lifetime by the able-bodied. These four along with the Declaration of Faith forms the five pillars of the religion of Islam.
These apart, there are general teachings which regulate the conduct of a Muslim's behavior in every walk of life. A complete social order is presented. Ways and means are entrenched for spiritual advancement. Dietary laws are instituted. In short, every conceivable aspect of human needs has been taken care of. Such is the comprehensiveness of the teachings which was meant for all times to come. None of the teachings which were given by the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, can ever be considered to be unsuitable for any age or time.
One of the greatest ills humanity is facing is the scourge of consumption of intoxicants. Intoxicating liquors are responsible for many of the tragedies which we witness daily on our streets and highways. Many innocent lives were snuffed out due to reckless driving under the influence of alcohol. Millions of dollars are lost due to those accidents caused by impaired driving. Many homes have been shattered due to excessive use of alcohol and families are torn apart for the same reason. Only as recently as Dec. 31, 1987 there was an interesting article in The Toronto Star about the ill-effects of the aftermath of alcohol consumption based on a News-letter of the University of Toronto , Faculty of Medicine.
The study shows that the hang over is a mini-version of alcohol withdrawal syndrome which results in raised blood pressure, headaches, tremors, sweating, fatigue, nausea, parched mouth, blood-shot eyes, jumpiness and difficulty in thinking clearly. It continues:
That throbbing headache occurs because blood vessels in the head are expanded - alcohol widens blood vessels - and each heart beat sends more blood pulsing through the brain and its covering membranes. Your eyes object to light and your ears flinch from noise because nerves are overactive, as they rebound from the dampening effect of alcohol. Your eyes can't fix on a target and twitch because alcohol has affected the muscles and nerves that control eye movements. The raging thirst is due to a disturbance of body fluid balance. To get rid of alcohol your body shifts some water out of the blood into the tissues and the kidneys. You didn't sleep restfully because alcohol alters the amount of the sleep stage called REM (rapid eye movement) during which you dream and wake up tired and irritable.
The article goes on to state that brain function may be diminished for up to a day after a drinking session and that researchers have found high contents of methanol, histamine and sulfites in alcoholic drinks. In the end of article gives a very sound advice. It says:
And try to remember next time that an ounce of prevention is better than a pounding headache. (The Toronto Star Thursday December 31, 1987, page 1)
There are many more studies being done about the evils of alcohol, yet in spite of all of these, the consumption of alcohol goes on unabated and is encouraged. Ask yourself this question and search your conscience for the answer - If the consumption of alcohol is right. then why is it that if one has alcohol reading at a certain level and is caught driving a motor vehicle a charge is laid against such a one by the police? And why is it that when one is under the influence of alcohol one behaves in a manner which would not ordinarily be done by that person?
The teaching of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, has with one stroke totally prohibited intoxicants. (Holy Qur'an, 2:220; 5:9l - 92).
As with the Law of Moses (Leviticus 11:7 & 8, Deuteronomy 14:8) so too the Law which was granted to the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, has prohibited the consumption of the flesh of swine (Holy Qur'an 2:174; 5:4; 6:146; 16:116)
The effects produced by food have a profound impact on the minds of human beings as experience has shown, food, therefore plays an important role in the formation of our character, our physical state is closely connected to our moral and spiritual well-being, this being the case, it is equally important that we consume such food which will have a desirable influence in moulding our moral and spiritual conditions and which will have no ill-effects on our physical bodies.
It is rather curious that both the Bible and the Holy Qur'an prohibit the eating of the flesh of swine and this must be of very great significance. It is alarming to note that the flesh of swine has been responsible for the transmission of many diseases to human beings. In spite of the advances made in the fields of dehydration and preservation, there is evidence that suggests that a number of diseases are directly transmitted through the flesh of swine.
Apart from the flesh of swine, Muslims are prohibited to consume blood, any animal which dies of itself, is strangled, beaten fell or gored to death. Also in the list of prohibition is that on which the name of any other than Allah has been invoked and that which has been slaughtered on an altar (Holy Qur'an 2: 174; 5:4; 16: 116,146). On the other hand a Muslim is permitted to partake only of those legal meats on which the name of Allah has been invoked. (6:122). A Muslim is also allowed to eat those meats, lawful of course, which have been caught by animals and birds that have been specially trained for that purpose, but before eating those meats the name of Allah must be pronounced over it. (5:5)
Another teaching of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, we would like to deal with, though in a very brief manner, is the role and status of women in Islam. The Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, and Islam have been the target of many an unfounded criticism in this respect. It was the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, who has raised the status of woman after she was abased in all the previous cultures. Today, all the rights which women in societies other than Islam enjoy are a direct result of their struggle which were grudgingly allowed them. On the contrary, all those rights were granted her more than fourteen hundred years ago by Islam.
Islam places both men and women in spiritual equality (Holy Qur'an 3:196; 33:36; 57:13) and has granted her the right of inheritance (4:8, 12, 13 & 177). In marriage, the woman receives a dowry from the husband as her personal property (4:5 & 25) and she cannot be forced into or kept in marriage against her will. (4:20). A woman has the right to seek the annulment of her marriage (2:228). A woman has been invested the right of ownership of property by virtue of her own initiative (4: 33), thus she can conduct any business for her welfare.
A very beautiful aspect of a Muslim woman is that she, in spite of her wealth which she may acquire, is not expected to spend for the welfare and well-being of her family. This responsibility is vested in her husband (4:35), although she may condescend to help in sharing the responsibility (4:5; & 25).
Lastly in this brief exposition we will say that according to Islam, the relationship between a husband and wife is a bounty from Allah, through love, tenderness and comfort (7:190; 16:73; 30:32).
We will end this discussion with one last aspect of the teachings of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace. This aspect is the unique tolerance which is embedded in his message. We read in the Holy Qur'an:
There should be no compulsion in religion. Normal behavior stands out clearly from error (2:256)
Ironically enough, the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, the Muslims and the teachings of Islam have been systematically accused, that the spread of the faith has been achieved through force with the sword. This accusation is totally false and without any foundation. The history of Islam belies such a charge. The verse quoted before from the Holy Qur'an does not give any right to anyone to force any belief on any other individual or group which may be resentful or distasteful to the other party. This law is of general application and concerns all religions. Every Muslim reveres every word of the Holy Qur'an and it is highly impossible that they would use force to promulgate their religion. However, I will not take up the gauntlet to argue the issue any further, since whatever I may say, could be deemed to be partial. I will assign this duty to a very well respected author who is not a Muslim but who is renowned as a most penetrating historian. This author has written two historical books of the Jewish people and himself is a Jew. The books he has written are : The indestructible Jews and Jews, God and History. His name is Max Dimont.
In opening the fifth chapter and entitling it Mohammed, Allah, and Jehovah of his epoch making book Jews, God and History, he states as an introduction the following:
The improbable but true tale of a camel driver's establishment of a world empire in the name of Allah, wherein the Jews rose to their golden age of creativity, only to be plunged into a dark age with the eclipse of the crescent and the ascent of the cross.
He went on to assert in the same chapter:
The Span of the Jewish golden age in the Mohammedan civilization corresponded to the life span of the Islamic Empire. When the latter broke up, the Jewish golden age broke up.. We can only note in passing with brevity that does great injustice to its quixotic complexity.
He ended that section with the following statement:
By 1500 the world's most incredible empire - tolerant and enlightened, luxuriant and sybaritic, full of mathematicians and poets, warriors and sycophants - had come to an end
Before ending the chapter, he observed:
Thus the Jewish saga in the Islamic Empire ends. It was conceived by fate, supported in splendor, nourished by intellect, and buried by fate. By the fifteenth century, Jewish life in the East emptied into Western Europe at a juncture of Jewish history when the roads for the Jews led to the ghetto. But before we leave the Mohammedan stage of Jewish history... it is only fitting that tribute be paid the magnificent Arabic people who wrought a dazzling and enlightened civilization out of the desert.
Though the Mohammedan Empire is dead, the human element which shaped its grandeur is still living. The Arabic culture was not built on the plunder of other countries and the brains of other men. It sprang from deep wells of creativity within the people themselves. For seven hundred years Arab and Jew lived side by side in peace and with mutual respect.
He ended the chapter by rightly summarizing the cause of strife and tension. He writes:
Astute statesmanship can relax the present Israeli-Arab tensions, because they are not caused by deep-rooted racial and religious antagonisms but by temporary political expediencies. History has shown that Jew and Arab can live together without strife and with mutual profit.
This is the tolerance which Islam expounds and which was practiced in the expansion of the faith. No force was used and every citizen of the Islamic State enjoyed the same freedom of religion, irrespective of their religious attachment. This, therefore, in brief, is the answer to all the false accusations which were and are still being leveled by those whose sole intentions are to create mischief and willful distortion of the truth. Much more could have been said about the unique tolerance of Islam, but consideration of time stand in the way.
I will now end this discussion with this last note about the life of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace. Of all religious teachers and personalities, the life of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, is strikingly different, in that it is on record every minute details from before his birth right up to his death about his life. His life furnishes historians with an open book to delve upon and there are no gaps or room for speculation and mysterious evaluations.
Whatever has been said in no way constitutes a complete and full appreciation of the very many sided LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF THE HOLY PROPHET MUHAMMAD. One can go on and on citing many beautiful episodes in the life of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, and so could it be done in respect to his teachings, but again, time is a determining factor. Suffice it, therefore for this presentation.
Source: http://www.coej.org.uk
It was in the latter half of the sixth century, when the world was plunged in utter darkness that the Holy Prophet Muhammad was born. The then known world stood on the verge of destruction, with chaos as the order of the day and pre-Islamic Arabia was no exception to this, rather it was in the lowest depths of abysmal darkness; infanticide was rampant, debauchery was looked upon as chivalrous, drunkenness was a common sight and all forms of evil was glorified.
J.H. Denison in his Emotions as the basis of Civilization wrote:
In the fifth and sixth centuries, the civilized world stood on the verge of chaos.... it seemed that the great civilization which had taken four thousand years to construct was on the verge of disintegration ... Civilization like a gigantic tree whose foliage had over-reached the world ... stood tottering … rotted to the core ..... It was among the Arabs that the man was born who was to unite the whole known world of the East and the South.
(pp. 265-269)
The religious attachment of 6th century Arabia was idolatry, though there were a sprinkling of Atheists and worshipers of heavenly planets, who offered sacrifices to the sun, moon and other heavenly bodies. Christians and Jews were also to be found. The center of Christian activity was al-Najran, while the Jews were concentrated in Khaibar and Medina. In spite of these varied religious concepts, there was also a group who sought to follow the religion of their forefather Abraham.
The administration of their affairs, like their religious beliefs was also in a state of disarray. Sir William Muir had this to say:
The prospects of Arabia before the rise of Mohamet was as unfavorable to religious reform as they were to political union or national regeneration. (Life of Mohamet Intro. ch.2)
In spite of their religious and administrative divisions, the Arabs possessed a remarkable memory and were an eloquent people. Their eloquence and memory found expression in their poetry. Every year a fair was held for poetical competitions at Ukaz.
In his book The Literary History of the Arabs, R.A.Nicholson writing about the poetical ability of the Arabs, states:
It is related that Hammad said to Caliph Walid bin Yazid: 'I can recite to you, for each letter of the alphabet, one hundred long poems, without taking into account short pieces, and all of that composed exclusively by poets before the promulgation of Islam. (p. 1 32)
It is no small wonder, therefore, that Allah chose an Arab and the Arabic language for His final dispensation and the preservation of His Word.
The condition of the world in general and Arabia in particular is graphically put in the Holy Qur'an, when Allah says:
Corruption has appeared on land and sea because of what men's hands have wrought. (30:42)
This is the condition which is painted by all the historians, in so many words, about the sixth century.
Before the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, an Abyssinian army was on the verge of conquering Mecca, but were totally annihilated by small-pox, reference of which is in the Holy Qur'an chapter 105. This occurred fifty three days before the birth of our Holy Prophet, on whom be peace.
His father's name was Abdullah who died before his birth. His mother's name was Amina. A few days after his birth, as was the custom among the nobility of the Arabs, he was given to the care of a Bedouin wet nurse, whose name was Halima. For two years, he grew up under her care, after which , she took him back to his mother, but due to an epidemic in Mecca, he went back with Halima for another three years.
When he returned to his mother, she took him for a visit to Medina, but on the return journey, she died. At the age of six, he was entrusted to the care of his grandfather Abdul Muttalib who expired two years later. At this stage he was placed under the care of his uncle Abu Talib. In his early youth, he used to tend his uncle's flocks.
During his youth, he joined a society whose aims were, to help the poor and the needy, safeguard the rights of the oppressed and support and uphold the cause of justice. He was also launched into commercial enterprises and undertook journeys with caravans to Yemen and Syria. His honesty and integrity earned him the title of Al-Amin - The Trustworthy. At the age of twenty-five, he was married to Khadija - a wealthy widow, whose caravans he commanded. She offered her hand to him in marriage, after she received very good reports about his conduct and honesty in the discharge of his duties as the leader of her caravans.
The Divine Call came to him in his fortieth year and depicting the state of mind of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, Thomas Carlyle in his book Heroes and Hero worship writes:
The great mystery of existence… glared in upon him, with its terrors, with its splendors; no hearsay could hide that unspeakable fact `Here am I'. Such sincerity, as we named it has in very truth something divine. The word of such a man is a voice from nature's own heart. Men do and must listen to that and to nothing else - All else is wind in comparison. From of old a thousand thoughts, in his pilgrimings and wanderings, had been in this man: What am l? What is this unfathomable thing I live in, which men call Universe? The grim rocks of Mount Hira, of Mount Sinai, the stern solitudes answered not. The great heavens rolling silently overhead, with its blue glaring stars, answered not. There was no answer. The man's soul and what of God's inspiration dwelled there had to answer. (pp. 63-64)
The first man to have accepted his call , was his cousin Imam Ali (AS) and the first woman was his wife, Ummul Momineen Khadija Bint Khuwailid (AS). For three years after receiving the Divine Call, the preaching was conducted rather quietly with the number of his followers increasing rapidly. After this rather quiet start, the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, was commanded to proclaim his message which he received from Allah, publicly. Accordingly, he addressed his message about the Unity of God and of his being the Messenger of God from every available quarter.
Since this belief was threatening their very existence, the pagan Arabs started to mount pressure on the Holy Prophet, and his followers to renounce their cause and take to idol-worshipping. On one occasion, they sent a delegation to the Holy Prophet's uncle that he should restrain the Holy Prophet, from preaching his message. They threatened Abu Talib with their combined opposition. Finding himself in this state, he sent for the Holy Prophet, and explained to him the situation. The Holy Prophet, answered with these memorable words:
My dear uncle, if they should put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left, even then I shall not abandon the proclamation of the Unity of God. I shall set up the true faith upon the earth or perish in the attempt.
Impressed with his nephew's firm determination and high resolve, Abu Talib replied:
Son of my brother, go thy way, none dare touch thee. I shall never forsake thee.
Not being satisfied, they sent one of their chiefs to entice the Holy Prophet, and in the following words addressed the Holy Prophet:
O Muhammad, if you want to sit on the throne of Arabia we shall elect you our monarch; if you want money we shall give you no end to it and if you desire the hand of a beautiful woman, we are ready to present you the most beautiful lady in the land.
The Holy Prophet was far above any worldly temptations and in reply he recited some verses of the Holy Quran proclaiming the Unity of Allah and his claim of being a true Messenger of Allah.
The Meccans were alarmed at the prospects of trying to halt the progress of Islam, so they went to physical torment and boycott. Many influential personalities were being converted and a great mass of following were joining the religion of Islam. This in itself was a mortal threat to the existence of the Meccan chiefs, since their source of livelihood depended from the trade which came from the traffic of idol-worshippers.
Seeing that these could not be of any help, they decided to exert more pressure to the degree that when the sufferings of the Muslims became unbearable, the Holy Prophet decided to send some of his followers to Abyssinia to take refuge. The Meccans in their quest to put an end to the new religion sent a deputation to the king, seeking the return of the refugees. The king summoned the refugees and questioned them about their beliefs. Being satisfied, that they were no threat to the state, he refused to hand them over and was convinced that the revelations of the Holy Prophet and that of Jesus sprang from the same fountain.
The failure of the Abyssinian delegation, humiliated the Meccans. They pledged to completely boycott the family who defended the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace. Every kind of relationship was cut off; even food and water were denied them. The family who defended the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, were in a desperate situation and they along with the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, and his followers had to take refuge in the Vale of Abu Talib from where they could not escape for fear of their lives. They suffered starvation, personal indignities and humiliation of every kind. This siege continued for three years; in the meantime, the Declaration of Boycott which was hung on the walls of the Ka`ba had been destroyed and the hearts of some of the enemies were appeased. These new-found friends were bold enough to rescue the innocent sufferers from their plight.
With the boycott ended, the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, and a companion went to Taif to invite the people there to Islam, but he faced the same fate of rejection. The chiefs of Taif sent some youths after them. They were stoned mercilessly, to the point of fainting and the body of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, was cut and he was bleeding profusely. The Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, and his companion Zaid, took shelter in a garden belonging to two Meccans, who, after seeing their plight, sent some grapes with a slave who was an inhabitant of Nineveh. The message of Islam was conveyed to the slave who readily accepted it.
Of this journey to Taif, Sir William Muir remarked:
There is something lofty and heroic on this journey of Mohamet to Taif; a solitary man, despised and rejected by his own people, going boldly forth in the name of God, and summoning an idolatrous city to repent and support his mission. It sheds a strong light on the intensity of his belief in the divine origin of his calling. (Life of Mohamet p.109)
Returning to Mecca, the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, and his followers, faced mounting persecution, the intensity of which exceeded the limits bearable by any human. At this juncture, having had assurance from some of the chiefs and people of Medina, of his and his followers' safety, he immigrated to that city with his followers. The importance of this memorable event of migration marks the reckoning of the Islamic calendar.
The Meccans did not leave the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, and his followers to live peacefully in Medina. They sent numerous expeditions against them and waged wars against the Muslims. Every advance of the Meccans against the Muslims was crushed and they suffered humiliating defeats in their wars with the Muslims. Having been totally humiliated in their desire to crush Islam, they fell before the banner of Islam and Mecca was conquered peacefully when the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, at the head of ten thousand of his followers entered the gates of Mecca and demolished the idols which infested the Holy Ka`ba, thus fulfilling a prophecy mentioned in the Bible as follows:
He shined forth from Mount Paran, and he came with ten thousand saints; from his right hand went a fiery law for them. (Deut. 33:2)
The Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, did not let the achievement of victory un-nerve his equilibrium in acting in a manner which would have justifiably been done in these so-called modern and advanced times. Today, many a nation and party which when placed under the said circumstances as was the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, and his followers, would unleash a calculated and total annihilation of its enemies when it gains power and victory. Unlike these modern barbaric tendencies, when victory was the Holy Prophet's, he never sought to seek out all those who had committed the most heinous of crimes against him and his followers. With one stroke, he forgave them all, except those few who had committed the most barbaric and unspeakable crimes against humanity.
History bears testimony to the fact, that at every step, the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, sought to achieve peace. He even accepted a treaty which appeared to be at a disadvantage to him and his followers, simply with the intention that peace may prevail and that all forms of strife may be eliminated.
His memorable words at the Fall of Mecca are worth to be inscribed in letters of gold, studded with the most precious of gems. He said:
By God, you will have no punishment today and no reproof. (Hisham)
The teachings which were vouchsafed to him, in the form of the Holy Qur'an, lay down the principles and mechanics for the attainment of peace and the elimination of war. It says that if two parties are fighting, then peace should be made between them and the dispute settled amicably. If one or both of the parties, fail to yield to the award and all efforts of persuasion have failed, then force should be administered as a last resort, to bring the recalcitrant party or parties to submit to a peaceful settlement.
This system has laid the foundation of a powerful League of Nations, unlike the present U.N.O. whose resolutions are looked upon scornfully by defaulting nations. The U.N.O. is so structured and composed, that it is quite impotent to bring peace to the world. The two superpowers, for obvious reasons, side with one or the other of the disputing parties. If they can achieve their goal of pedaling their influence, then without any justification, they would side with any of the parties, world opinion means nothing in the present context, only might is right. The teachings of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, are, therefore, the only solution for the attainment of world peace and no Muslim or Muslim state which does not strive for the achievement of peace can rightfully claim a place in the body-politic of the Islamic nation and therefore cannot with any justification be among his true followers.
In the year 632 A.D. after fulfilling his mission which was entrusted to him by Allah, the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, passed away.
This in a nutshell is a brief sketch of the' LIFE OF THE HOLY PROPHET MUHAMMAD.
We will now turn our attention on the TEACHINGS OF THE HOLY PROPHET MUHAMMAD, and as time may permit, only a few salient features may be attempted.
In dealing with his teachings it may well be summarized in the historic answer which his wife Ayesha gave in response to a question about the morals and character of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace. She said:
His morals and character are an embodiment of the Holy Qur'an.
Thus in dealing with the teachings of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, we necessarily speak on the Teachings of the Holy Qur'an, since to him was revealed the Holy Qur'an by God Almighty thus his teachings are contained in the very Word of God and not of his manufacture.
If one were to discuss the teachings contained in the Holy Qur'an then it would require hours on end and still one would not be able to exhaust all the beautiful teachings which it holds out for humanity. It is therefore advised, that in order to be able to understand the teachings of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace. Then one should study the Holy Qur'an in order to be able to gain an insight into his teachings. We pray that the audience may explore the Holy Qur'an and thus derive the benefit of the knowledge of the teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad and enshrine them in their lives.
The Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, received his first divine revelation in the year 610 C.E. and it continued up till a few days before his death. Thus the Holy Quran was revealed piece-meal to the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, during those years, sometimes after the interval of months and sometimes in great rapidity; sometimes in short sentences and sometimes in long chapters; sometimes with a new law and sometimes confirming an existing law; sometimes repealing an impractical custom and sometimes giving a new direction. This is in conformity with a prophecy in the Bible which runs as follows:
Whom shall he teach knowledge? And whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts, for precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line; here a little and there a little: for with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to his people. (Isaiah 28:9-11)
It may be noted that in this prophecy it is mentioned that the people will be spoken to in another tongue and how true was this fulfilled with the revelation of the Holy Qur'an in the Arabic language, to an Arab in the land of Paran where the greatest manifestation of the Lord was scheduled to occur. (Deut. 33:2 & Habakkuk 3:3). It may here be pointed out that Ishmael, the son of Abraham, who is the forefather of our Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, dwelt in Paran vide Gen. 21:21 and the descendants of Ishmael lived in the Arabian Peninsula and the neighboring territories as is evident from Gen. 25:12-18 and Isaiah 21 :1 3-1 7.
The Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, was a Law-giver and he was the object of the prophecy of Moses as mentioned in Deuteronomy 18:18. The greatest teaching which he gave forth to the world is that there is but one God Who has no partner, Who was no begotten and Who neither begets. A short chapter in the Holy Qur'an is devoted to this theme. It runs as follows:
In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
Say, 'He is Allah, the One: Allah, the Independent and besought of all. He begets not, nor is He begotten; and there is none like unto Him ' (112:1-4)
It has been erroneously stated by others that the followers of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, are known as Mohammedans and their religion is Mohammedanism. This is a totally wrong statement. We, the followers of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, are Muslims and the name of our religion is Islam. These names were given by God Almighty vide the Holy Qur'an 22:79 and 5:4 in conformity with Isaiah 62:2 which says in part:
And thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name.
The declaration of faith of a Muslim is such, that it cannot lend itself to associate the Holy Prophet on whom be Peace in partnership with God. The declaration runs as follows:
"There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger".
The teaching of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, as contained in the Holy Qur'an, is a treasure-house of unlimited knowledge and wisdom in every field of endeavor. By following the teachings contained in it and by applying them for the benefit and welfare of humanity tremendous progress is the virtual outcome.
By virtue of the teachings contained in the Holy Qur'an, the Muslims scaled the heights of scientific achievement and progress. A famous prayer taught in the Holy Qur'an is:
O my Lord increase me in knowledge. (20: 115)
The seeking of knowledge was enhanced by the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, who enjoined his followers to seek it even if they have to travel to China in quest of it.
The Holy Qur'an has placed great emphasis on the acquisition of the mastery of nature, through scientific knowledge as much as on the creation of knowledge. It says:
Allah it is Who has subjected the sea to you that ships may sail thereon by His command, and that you seek of His bounty, and that you may be grateful. And he has subjected to you whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth; all this is from Him, in that surely there are signs for a people who reflect. (45:1 3-14)
In respect to technology, the example of David is set forth as
And We made iron soft for him, Saying. 'Make thou full-length coats of mail, and make the rings of a proper measure. (34:11-12)
Precision is here emphasized and it is a fact that the Muslims have developed many sciences with the utmost of precision.
Also emphasized in the Holy Qur'an are the harnessing of wind power (34:13), modern means of transportation to the degree of going beyond the confines of the heavens and the earth (55:34), astronomical discoveries of great magnitude (81:12), harnessing of water-power (55:20-21), etc.
When scientists shall discover that there are worlds other than our own, then the truth of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, shall become more manifest. It was revealed to him by God Almighty that Allah is:
"Lord of all the worlds"(1:2).
The manifestation of this truth is slowly being unraveled by science and the day seems not far off when the world will be startled with the discovery and then mankind will fully realize the truth of the revelation which was granted to the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace.
There are so many aspects in which one can dilate about the teachings of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, but time being a determining factor, we shall look briefly into a few.
Great emphasis has been placed by him on the performance of prayers. In this regard, he was commanded by God to institute the five daily prayers which every good Muslim performs. Next to prayers comes a tax known as Zakaat which is levied for the uplift of the poorer members of the society and for community affairs. After this is Fasting for a whole lunar month and then comes Pilgrimage to Mecca which may be performed at least once in a lifetime by the able-bodied. These four along with the Declaration of Faith forms the five pillars of the religion of Islam.
These apart, there are general teachings which regulate the conduct of a Muslim's behavior in every walk of life. A complete social order is presented. Ways and means are entrenched for spiritual advancement. Dietary laws are instituted. In short, every conceivable aspect of human needs has been taken care of. Such is the comprehensiveness of the teachings which was meant for all times to come. None of the teachings which were given by the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, can ever be considered to be unsuitable for any age or time.
One of the greatest ills humanity is facing is the scourge of consumption of intoxicants. Intoxicating liquors are responsible for many of the tragedies which we witness daily on our streets and highways. Many innocent lives were snuffed out due to reckless driving under the influence of alcohol. Millions of dollars are lost due to those accidents caused by impaired driving. Many homes have been shattered due to excessive use of alcohol and families are torn apart for the same reason. Only as recently as Dec. 31, 1987 there was an interesting article in The Toronto Star about the ill-effects of the aftermath of alcohol consumption based on a News-letter of the University of Toronto , Faculty of Medicine.
The study shows that the hang over is a mini-version of alcohol withdrawal syndrome which results in raised blood pressure, headaches, tremors, sweating, fatigue, nausea, parched mouth, blood-shot eyes, jumpiness and difficulty in thinking clearly. It continues:
That throbbing headache occurs because blood vessels in the head are expanded - alcohol widens blood vessels - and each heart beat sends more blood pulsing through the brain and its covering membranes. Your eyes object to light and your ears flinch from noise because nerves are overactive, as they rebound from the dampening effect of alcohol. Your eyes can't fix on a target and twitch because alcohol has affected the muscles and nerves that control eye movements. The raging thirst is due to a disturbance of body fluid balance. To get rid of alcohol your body shifts some water out of the blood into the tissues and the kidneys. You didn't sleep restfully because alcohol alters the amount of the sleep stage called REM (rapid eye movement) during which you dream and wake up tired and irritable.
The article goes on to state that brain function may be diminished for up to a day after a drinking session and that researchers have found high contents of methanol, histamine and sulfites in alcoholic drinks. In the end of article gives a very sound advice. It says:
And try to remember next time that an ounce of prevention is better than a pounding headache. (The Toronto Star Thursday December 31, 1987, page 1)
There are many more studies being done about the evils of alcohol, yet in spite of all of these, the consumption of alcohol goes on unabated and is encouraged. Ask yourself this question and search your conscience for the answer - If the consumption of alcohol is right. then why is it that if one has alcohol reading at a certain level and is caught driving a motor vehicle a charge is laid against such a one by the police? And why is it that when one is under the influence of alcohol one behaves in a manner which would not ordinarily be done by that person?
The teaching of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, has with one stroke totally prohibited intoxicants. (Holy Qur'an, 2:220; 5:9l - 92).
As with the Law of Moses (Leviticus 11:7 & 8, Deuteronomy 14:8) so too the Law which was granted to the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, has prohibited the consumption of the flesh of swine (Holy Qur'an 2:174; 5:4; 6:146; 16:116)
The effects produced by food have a profound impact on the minds of human beings as experience has shown, food, therefore plays an important role in the formation of our character, our physical state is closely connected to our moral and spiritual well-being, this being the case, it is equally important that we consume such food which will have a desirable influence in moulding our moral and spiritual conditions and which will have no ill-effects on our physical bodies.
It is rather curious that both the Bible and the Holy Qur'an prohibit the eating of the flesh of swine and this must be of very great significance. It is alarming to note that the flesh of swine has been responsible for the transmission of many diseases to human beings. In spite of the advances made in the fields of dehydration and preservation, there is evidence that suggests that a number of diseases are directly transmitted through the flesh of swine.
Apart from the flesh of swine, Muslims are prohibited to consume blood, any animal which dies of itself, is strangled, beaten fell or gored to death. Also in the list of prohibition is that on which the name of any other than Allah has been invoked and that which has been slaughtered on an altar (Holy Qur'an 2: 174; 5:4; 16: 116,146). On the other hand a Muslim is permitted to partake only of those legal meats on which the name of Allah has been invoked. (6:122). A Muslim is also allowed to eat those meats, lawful of course, which have been caught by animals and birds that have been specially trained for that purpose, but before eating those meats the name of Allah must be pronounced over it. (5:5)
Another teaching of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, we would like to deal with, though in a very brief manner, is the role and status of women in Islam. The Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, and Islam have been the target of many an unfounded criticism in this respect. It was the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, who has raised the status of woman after she was abased in all the previous cultures. Today, all the rights which women in societies other than Islam enjoy are a direct result of their struggle which were grudgingly allowed them. On the contrary, all those rights were granted her more than fourteen hundred years ago by Islam.
Islam places both men and women in spiritual equality (Holy Qur'an 3:196; 33:36; 57:13) and has granted her the right of inheritance (4:8, 12, 13 & 177). In marriage, the woman receives a dowry from the husband as her personal property (4:5 & 25) and she cannot be forced into or kept in marriage against her will. (4:20). A woman has the right to seek the annulment of her marriage (2:228). A woman has been invested the right of ownership of property by virtue of her own initiative (4: 33), thus she can conduct any business for her welfare.
A very beautiful aspect of a Muslim woman is that she, in spite of her wealth which she may acquire, is not expected to spend for the welfare and well-being of her family. This responsibility is vested in her husband (4:35), although she may condescend to help in sharing the responsibility (4:5; & 25).
Lastly in this brief exposition we will say that according to Islam, the relationship between a husband and wife is a bounty from Allah, through love, tenderness and comfort (7:190; 16:73; 30:32).
We will end this discussion with one last aspect of the teachings of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace. This aspect is the unique tolerance which is embedded in his message. We read in the Holy Qur'an:
There should be no compulsion in religion. Normal behavior stands out clearly from error (2:256)
Ironically enough, the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, the Muslims and the teachings of Islam have been systematically accused, that the spread of the faith has been achieved through force with the sword. This accusation is totally false and without any foundation. The history of Islam belies such a charge. The verse quoted before from the Holy Qur'an does not give any right to anyone to force any belief on any other individual or group which may be resentful or distasteful to the other party. This law is of general application and concerns all religions. Every Muslim reveres every word of the Holy Qur'an and it is highly impossible that they would use force to promulgate their religion. However, I will not take up the gauntlet to argue the issue any further, since whatever I may say, could be deemed to be partial. I will assign this duty to a very well respected author who is not a Muslim but who is renowned as a most penetrating historian. This author has written two historical books of the Jewish people and himself is a Jew. The books he has written are : The indestructible Jews and Jews, God and History. His name is Max Dimont.
In opening the fifth chapter and entitling it Mohammed, Allah, and Jehovah of his epoch making book Jews, God and History, he states as an introduction the following:
The improbable but true tale of a camel driver's establishment of a world empire in the name of Allah, wherein the Jews rose to their golden age of creativity, only to be plunged into a dark age with the eclipse of the crescent and the ascent of the cross.
He went on to assert in the same chapter:
The Span of the Jewish golden age in the Mohammedan civilization corresponded to the life span of the Islamic Empire. When the latter broke up, the Jewish golden age broke up.. We can only note in passing with brevity that does great injustice to its quixotic complexity.
He ended that section with the following statement:
By 1500 the world's most incredible empire - tolerant and enlightened, luxuriant and sybaritic, full of mathematicians and poets, warriors and sycophants - had come to an end
Before ending the chapter, he observed:
Thus the Jewish saga in the Islamic Empire ends. It was conceived by fate, supported in splendor, nourished by intellect, and buried by fate. By the fifteenth century, Jewish life in the East emptied into Western Europe at a juncture of Jewish history when the roads for the Jews led to the ghetto. But before we leave the Mohammedan stage of Jewish history... it is only fitting that tribute be paid the magnificent Arabic people who wrought a dazzling and enlightened civilization out of the desert.
Though the Mohammedan Empire is dead, the human element which shaped its grandeur is still living. The Arabic culture was not built on the plunder of other countries and the brains of other men. It sprang from deep wells of creativity within the people themselves. For seven hundred years Arab and Jew lived side by side in peace and with mutual respect.
He ended the chapter by rightly summarizing the cause of strife and tension. He writes:
Astute statesmanship can relax the present Israeli-Arab tensions, because they are not caused by deep-rooted racial and religious antagonisms but by temporary political expediencies. History has shown that Jew and Arab can live together without strife and with mutual profit.
This is the tolerance which Islam expounds and which was practiced in the expansion of the faith. No force was used and every citizen of the Islamic State enjoyed the same freedom of religion, irrespective of their religious attachment. This, therefore, in brief, is the answer to all the false accusations which were and are still being leveled by those whose sole intentions are to create mischief and willful distortion of the truth. Much more could have been said about the unique tolerance of Islam, but consideration of time stand in the way.
I will now end this discussion with this last note about the life of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace. Of all religious teachers and personalities, the life of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, is strikingly different, in that it is on record every minute details from before his birth right up to his death about his life. His life furnishes historians with an open book to delve upon and there are no gaps or room for speculation and mysterious evaluations.
Whatever has been said in no way constitutes a complete and full appreciation of the very many sided LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF THE HOLY PROPHET MUHAMMAD. One can go on and on citing many beautiful episodes in the life of the Holy Prophet, on whom be peace, and so could it be done in respect to his teachings, but again, time is a determining factor. Suffice it, therefore for this presentation.
Source: http://www.coej.org.uk
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The Educational Methods of Our Prophet (PBUH)
What is more important than what we teach in education is how we teach it. Of course, we have to teach good and useful things to people and youth, but this must be done in effective ways. It is known that the students who do not like a teacher generally do not like the subject either. A good educator should care about and love his addressee and he should be genial and positive; in fact, he should devote himself to his profession and students. Our Prophet (PBUH) devoted himself to his duty. He had more of the qualities that an educator should have. Psychologists say that the way you speak is actually more important than what you say. According to research, the words spoken contribute seven per cent of the effect; the tone of voice thirty-eight per cent; and the gestures and body language have fifty-five per cent of the effect in communication between people.
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was the most effective orator of all the times. He knew how to address the hearts, and thus he became the beloved one of the hearts. He first made himself loved, and then sought the ways to educate people. He used a style in his speeches that affected people and made them think, so he achieved permanent behaviour change in people by means of the best educational methods.
He rewarded and appreciated positive behaviours
If we want to lead people to behave positively and prevent them from acting badly, the safest way to do this is to reward and appreciate positive action.
To be loved and appreciated is what people crave. In the process of learning, people conclude from the appreciation and approval of the educators what they are doing right and what they are doing wrong.
Ibn Abbas (ra) tells: “One day I prepared some water in a pot so that the Prophet could perform ablution. When the Prophet saw the pot, he asked who had prepared it. Once he learned that it was me who had prepared it, he prayed for me, “O Allah! Increase his understanding in religion”. (Bukhari, Invitation, 19)
He used to give examples suitable to the topic
One of the best methods of education is giving examples, as stories and examples more stick in the mind. Man can look at the face of the truth through these examples and stories and can perceive it more easily. The information given in the form of a story becomes more significant in the mind, and is remembered for much longer. We should read Islamic stories to our children, tell them about historical events and prefer to give all messages in form of stories. For this purpose the Prophet (PBUH) highlighted the significance of the prayer with such a metaphor:
“What would you say if there were a river in front of a man’s house and he bathed in it five times a day, would he remain dirty?” Those who were there replied, “No, no dirt would remain on that man”. Upon this the Prophet (PBUH) said, “This is how it is with the five daily prayers. Allah (SWT) cleans sins by means of them.” (Bukhari, Mawaqit, 6; Tirmidhi, Adab, 80)
He taught by practice
One of the most effective ways of teaching is demonstrating by means of practice. People do not forget what they are taught with practice. Teaching by practice is the most fruitful method of teaching. Our Prophet (PBUH) saw a boy who was skinning a sheep and said to him: “Let me teach you.” He put his hand between the skin and the meat until he reached up to the armpit of the sheep, and then he said: “Skin it like that, young man!” (Dawud, Taharat, 73; Ibn Maja, Zabaih, 6)
Our Prophet showed a man who asked about it how to perform ablution. In some narrations it is said that he repeated it three times. (Ibn Maja, Taharat, 48) Teaching by practice engages both the eyes and the ears, and thus helps the information to stick in the mind.
He used to explain making use of drawings
Another way of providing information which will stay permanently in the mind of the learners is to make use of drawings and figures. The right lobe of brain records drawings straight into the photographic memory and it does not forget them for a long time. For that reason, teaching making use of drawings and visual methods encourages the subject matter to be understood well. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) explained the features of the ways of Allah and Satan by drawing shapes on the ground while sitting together with Jabir (ra). Jabir (ra) told the story as follows: When I was sitting together with the Prophet, he drew a line in front of him and said, “This is it; this is the path of Allah (SWT)”. Then he drew two lines to the right of this line and two lines to the left of the same line and said, “And these are the paths of the Satan”. Then he put his hand over the line in the middle and recited the following verse: “This is my straight path, so follow it, and do not follow other paths, lest they scatter you from His Path. This He has enjoined upon you, that you keep from disobedience to Him in reverence for Him and piety to deserve His protection.” (An’am, 6:153)
He used to repeat things
Underlining and repeating the important points during teaching is an important teaching method for making the subject matter remain in the mind. The learner feels that what is repeated is important. To be able to memorize information, we repeat it. Through repetition the information is transferred from the short term memory to the long term memory. Since the information is strengthened in the mind, it may be easily recalled even if a long time passes. For this reason, when the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) introduced new information to his companions, he often used to repeat it three times and in that way he tried to get the important points to stick in the mind. Also the number of repetitions could change according to the capacity of the interlocutors. Some might get it when it was said just once and some might need more repetitions. Anas (ra) said: “When the Messenger of Allah said a sentence he used to repeat it up to three times making sure that it was understood.” (Hakim)
He made learners write
Learning by writing is one of the best ways of education. While writing the attention is focused on the subject and you have a text if you want to remember the topic in a detailed way. Writing once is equal to reading ten times. By writing, we engrave the topic both on the paper and in our minds and hearts. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said as follows regarding this issue: “Bind knowledge by writing.” Furthermore, emancipation of the prisoners of the war in return for teaching literacy to people shows the significance that he attached to reading and writing. (Abu Dawud, Adab, 6)
He used to criticize the behaviour not the agent
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was sent to promote good morality. His words of advice were reflected from Allah who is the Compassionate as a reflection of mercy, thus, he would say good words and commit good deeds. He knew that evil words blemish the heart, and evil in the heart reflects upon the soul. For this reason, he never said an evil word to friend or foe. The Prophet would not speak in a way that would break anybody’s heart. When he was treated badly, he did not take it personally and he generalized it and then corrected it. When someone complained to him about someone, or he saw a fault in someone, he did not fling the fault in the agent’s face. Educationalists and psychologists say that for sustainable long-term education, a stable and uncritical relationship between teacher and learner is a must.
When we look at our Prophet (PBUH), he would say, “what is the matter with those people that they say or do so and so!” and thus he made people realize that what is wrong is the behaviour, and he did not insult or scold people. He did not criticize the person, but rather the faulty action, and he tried to correct it in the best way.
When we consider the life and practices of the Prophet (PBUH), we see that if we apply his lofty methods when we are in a difficult position, the problems will be solved, our paths will be illuminated, and we will easily see the farthest horizons. If we avoid practising these methods just through negligence, we will be the losers. It is a big mistake to consider them unimportant. Those who make the methods of the Prophet into good habits for themselves will find that they act straightforwardly and become successful.
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The Teaching Methods of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
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“A similar (favor you have already received) in that We have sent among you
a Messenger of your own, rehearsing to you Our Signs, and purifying you, and
instructing you in Scripture and Wisdom, and in new knowledge” (Qur’an 2: 151).In this verse, Allah SWT tells us that Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was sent to instruct us, to teach us the principles of religion so that we might attain wisdom. This is further illustrated in a hadith. Abu Musa narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) said, “The example of guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me is like abundant rain falling on the earth some of which was fertile soil that absorbed rain water and brought forth vegetation and grass in abundance. Another portion of it was hard and held the rain water and Allah benefited the people with it and they utilized it for drinking, making their animals drink from it, and to irrigate the land for cultivation. And a portion of it was barren which could neither hold the water nor bring forth vegetation. The first is the example of the person who comprehends Allah’s religion and gets benefit from that which Allah has revealed through me, and learns and then teaches it to others. The last example is that of a person who does not care about it and does not take Allah’s guidance revealed through me” (Bukhari).
It is clear from the hadith that we are meant to follow the example of the Prophet and whatever we comprehend and get benefit from when learning the principles and precepts of Islam, we are then to share with others by teaching them what we know. It benefits us to investigate the ways by which the Prophet taught his companions. In fact, there were many different teaching techniques that Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, utilized. Following are a few examples:
The Prophet would sometimes repeat something three times. One example is the hadith narrated by Abu Shuraih: “The Prophet said, ‘By Allah, he does not believe! By Allah, he does not believe! By Allah, he does not believe!’ It was said [by one individual listening], “Who is that, O Allah’s Apostle?” He (peace be upon him) said, “That person whose neighbor does not feel safe from his evil.”
Another technique that he would often utilize effectively was asking a question to pique the interest and curiosity of the listeners. An example is when the Prophet asked his companions, “What would be the situation of someone who has a river at his door and every day, five times a day, he comes out and he takes a bath in that river? At the end of the day would he have any dirt on himself?” They responded, “There would be no dirt on him, O RasulAllah.” Then the Prophet said, “Similarly there are the five prayers cleansing the person in this way.
In the above hadith, the Prophet not only used a question to bring the listener’s mind to attentiveness, he also used an analogy — making a similarity between the five daily prayers as a cleansing of heart and soul to the river that cleanses the body. The hadith cited above about abundant rain falling on the earth also uses analogy to make clear the points.
Just as the Prophet used analogy to illustrate a point verbally, he also used drawing or illustration to make a point graphically. Once the Prophet drew a straight line through the sand and then drew lines to the right and lines to the left of the first line. Then while the people were looking intently at the drawing, he recited the verse, “And verily, this is My Straight Path, so follow it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate you away from His Path” (Qur’an 6:153).
In other instances he illustrated his point using his hands. When he said, “I and the one who takes care of the orphans are in paradise, like this” (Bukhari). As he was speaking, he interlaced his fingers.
Using daily living experiences as opportunity to instruct, the Prophet, pbuh, once was traveling with some companions and when it was time to prepare food, he asked them to slaughter a sheep. One man said he would do that, another said he would skin it, and a third said he would cook it. Then the Messenger of Allah said, “I will collect wood for the fire.” They said, “No, we will do that work for you.” The Prophet answered, “I know that you can do it for me, but I hate to be privileged. Allah hates to see a servant of his privileged above others.” And the Prophet went and collected firewood (Khulasat-As-Siyar).
The Prophet at times would redirect a question to a topic that is more relevant and instructive. Once a Bedouin asked the Prophet, peace be upon him, “When is the hour?” [the Day of Judgment]. The Prophet said, “What have you prepared for that final hour?” The Bedouin said, “I haven’t prepared a lot of salah and I haven’t prepared a lot of zakah but I am preparing one thing – my love for Allah and His messenger.” The Prophet (pbuh) said, “You will be with who you love.”
For those who are interested in further researching this topic, the following book is suggested: “Prophet Muhammad — The Teacher and His Teaching Methodologies” (Ar-Rasul al-Mu’allim wa Asalibuhu fi ‘l-Ta’lim) by Shaikh Abd al-Fattah Abu Ghuddah; Translated by Maulana Mohamed Mohomedy.
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6. What is the difference between Islam and Iman?
In verse 14 of Suratul Hujurat, we read:قَالَتِ الأََعْرَابُ آمَنَّا قُلْ لَمْ تُؤْمِنُوا وَ لٌكِنْ قُولُوا أَسْلَمْنَا وَ لَمَّا يَدْخُلِ الإِِيْمَانُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ
“The dwellers of the desert say: We believe. Say: You do not believe but say, We submit; and faith has not yet entered into your hearts.”
The question that arises here is: What is the difference between 'Islam' and 'Iman'?
According to this verse, the difference between them lies in that Islam possesses the external form such that whoever recites the shahadatayn1 enters into the category of Muslims, after which all the Islamic rulings shall become applicable with respect to him.
But «man is an issue, which is internal (to man), and is associated neither with his tongue nor his exterior, but rather his heart.
There could be various motives for Islam - even material and personal benefits, yet Iman always stems from knowledge, awareness and spiritual motives and it is due to this Iman that taqwa (piety) manifests itself. This is witnessed in an eloquent statement of the Noble Prophet (S):
اَلإِسْلاَمُ عَلاَنِيَيَّةٌةُ وَ الإِيـمَانُ فِي الْقَلْبِ.
“Islam is (a) proclaimed (issue), whereas Iman is housed in the heart.”2
In another tradition, Imam as-Sadiq (a.s.) has said:
اَلإِسْلاَمُ يُحْقَنُ بِهِ الدَّمُ وَ تُؤَدَّى بِهِ الأََمَانَةُ وَ تُسْتَحَلُّ بِهِ الْفُرُوجُ وَ الثَّوَابُ عَلـى الإِِيـمَانِ.
“By means of Islam, the blood (of man) is safeguarded, trusts are returned, matrimony becomes lawful; but rewards are on account of «man.”3
And it is for this very reason that in some traditions the concept of Islam has been confined to the vocal testimony, whereas Iman has been emphasized as being testimony in conjunction with deeds.
اَلإِِيـمَانُ إِقْرَارٌ وَ عَمَلٌ وَ الإِِسْلاَمُ إِقْرَارٌ بِلاَ عَمَلٍ.
“True faith is to testify and to act while submission (al-Islam) is to testify prior to acting.”4
This meaning is also seen under the discussion 'Islam and Iman'; Fudhail ibne Yasar states: I heard Imam as-Sadiq (a.s.) say:
إِنَّ الإِيـمَانَ يُشَارِكُ الإِِسْلاَمَ وَ لاَ يُشَارِكُهُ الإِِسْلاَمُ إِنَّ الإِِيـمَانَ مَا وَقَرَ فِي الْقُلُوبِ وَ الإِِسْلاَمَ مَا عَلَيْهِ الْمَنَاكِحُ وَ الْمَوَارِيثُ وَ حِقْنِ الدِّمَآءِ.
“Verily, «man teams up with Islam but Islam does not team up with «man. Indeed, Iman is that which settles into the heart whereas Islam is that, which governs the rules of marriage and inheritance, and safeguards the (shedding of) blood (of man).”5
Nonetheless, this difference in meaning
is applicable only when both these terms are used alongside each other, however
if they are used separately, it is possible that Islam may refer to the same
thing, which is referred to by Iman; i.e. each of these two terms may be used
synonymously
The difference between islam and iman
Islam is to surrender to God, submit to Him, worship Him and serve Him. It is a matter of action, action of the heart and the body. Iman on the other hand, is to believe, confess, and acknowledge; it is a commitment of the heart involving the action of the heart.The difference arises from the fact that islam is din submission. Din is the infinitive of the verb dana, yadinu which means to submit and surrender. The religion of Islam which God has ordained and promulgated through His prophets is to submit to Him alone. It is nothing but submission, worship and service to God and to Him alone. Hence if one serves Him and serves another god besides Him, he is not a Muslim; similarly one who does not serve Him, and refuses out of pride to serve Him, is not a Muslim. One becomes Muslim when one submits to God; hence Islam is a matter of action, action of the heart and the body.
As for iman, it is essentially tasdiq, belief and confession, igrar, consent and commitment, ma `rifah, knowledge and realization. It is a commitment of the heart, implying action of the heart. Its essence is tasdiq and action follows from it. That is why the Prophet described iman as faith of the heart (iman al-galb) and its submission, faith in God, in His angels, books and messengers. On the other hand, he described Islam in terms of submission and observance, observance of the five fundamentals. In the same way he has characterized islam and iman at other occasions. For example, he has said “Islam is something visible, and iman is in the heart.”‘ Actions are visible and we can see them; but belief, knowledge, love, fear, and hope are invisible. However, they do have their signs which demonstrate their presence; and since a sign cannot prove the existence of the thing it signifies unless it is a necessary consequence of the latter, it follows that the actions which a believer does are the necessary consequences of his faith.
In a hadith reported by`Abdullah Ibn `Umar and Abu Hurayrah the Prophet has said, “A muslim is one from whose tongue and hand other Muslims are safe, and a mu’min is one from whom people feel secure with regard to their life and property.”2 This means that he has described muslim in terms of something which is visible, safety of the people, whereas he has described mu’min in terms of something invisible, the feeling of security with regard to life and property. Obviously, the latter epithet is more noble than the former, for the one who inspires in you a feeling of security, you will certainly not receive any harm from him. The converse is not true: if one does not do any harm to you, it does not mean that you should feel secure from him. He does not cause you any harm, but you may not feel secure from him, for it is possible that he has refrained from harming you in hope or fear of something, and not because he believes in his heart that he should not harm you.
Take another hadith, which is reported
by `Amr Ibn `Absah. A man asked the Prophet, “What is Islam?” He said, “Feed
people and to be soft in speech.” Then he asked, “What is iman? ” He said,
“Magnanimity and patience.”" Feeding is an external action which one does
for various reasons; similarly, soft speech
is an external action. Magnanimity and patience, on the other hand,
are virtues which are hidden in the soul. God has also said, “They enjoin
patience and they enjoin compassion to each other” (90:17). Obviously,
magnanimity and patience are better than feeding people and speaking softly.
Undoubtedly, there is a great
difference between a believer and Muslim or Iman and Islam, in
other words. Iman is both verbal and actions. Meaning, the heart and
tongue confess with Iman while the heart and other sense do actions.
Islam, on the other hand, means to submit oneself to Allah and obey His
commands. Allah Almighty says,
The Bedouins say, "We have
believed." Say, "You have not [yet] believed; but say [instead], 'We
have submitted,' for faith has not yet entered your hearts. [Al-Hujurat: 14].
Based on this, scholars consider Iman
as the inward deeds, while Islam is the outward actions. This is because Iman
principally is the belief instilled in one's heart and Islam is to submit one's
senses to it.
Therefore, the true Muslim is not
reluctant in submitting himself in humiliation to Allah obeying His commands,
hastening to fulfill the obligations of Islam, abandoning its prohibitions and
believing that what Allah commanded us to do is in our best interest and what
He prohibited entails evil.
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Here, it is worthy to mention that
both Iman and Islam are frequently interchangeable. The Arch angel Jibril
(peace be upon him) differentiated between Iman and Islam in the well-known
hadith [tradition] where he asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon
him): "Oh Messenger of Allah! What is Iman? He replied: it is to believe
in Allah, His Angels, Books, Messengers, the last Day, and destiny whether good
or evil. And what is Islam? The Prophet replied: It is to testify that there is
no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger, perform prayers, pay zakat
[obligatory charity], fast the month of Ramadan and go for Hajj upon having the
means."
In the above
hadith, Iman is mainly associated with inward actions or the deeds of the
heart, while Islam is associated with outward actions or deeds of the senses.
Even when the testimony of faith is counted among the verbal actions of Iman;
it is, however, reflected in the explicit acts of worship of Muslims including
prayers, fasting, zakat and Hajj.
On the other
hand, the Prophet (pace and blessings be upon him) defined Iman as Islam in the
hadith narrated by ibn 'Abass on receiving the delegates
of the tribe of 'Abdul-Qays. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I order you (to do) four (things): to believe in Allah,
that is, to testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His
Messenger, offer prayers, pay Zakat and to pay the Khumus (i.e. one-fifth) of
the war booty to Allah."
Here, the prophet (peace and blessings upon him) explained Iman likewise Islam.
To conclude:
Islam is interpreted in its absolute
sense through the explicit acts of worship: saying the two testifications of
faith, offering prayers, paying zakat, fasting and performing Hajj and so
forth. These acts are considered the five pillars of Islam.
Iman includes verbal deeds, actions
and strong belief: the heart and tongue admit with faith while the heart and
senses work for it. Verbal deeds include remembering Allah [Dhikr],
reading Qur'an, supplicating Allah, enjoining what is good and urging others to
do it, forbidding what is evil and warning others against it, teaching and
guiding those who go astray to the right path, sending or answering back
greetings and the like.
On the other hand, one's actions
spring form his heart and are reflected upon his senses. Meaning, the heart
loves or hates for the sake of Allah, satisfaction with Allah's destiny,
patience in times of afflictions, fearing and seeking His pleasure, putting our
trust in Him and asking Him for forgiveness. The actions of senses include:
bowing, prostration, standing and sitting before Allah in prayers, Tawaf
[circumambulating the ka'ba] in Hajj, Jihad [fighting in the cause of Allah]
and so on and so forth.
The Meaning of Islam and Iman
By: Abu `Abdil Kareem
By: Abu `Abdil Kareem
Do the terms Iman and Islam ever mean the same thing? Or do
their meanings always differ?
When the terms Islam and Iman are mentioned in the same verse or hadeeth their meaning differs. When mentioned separately they mean one and the same. Understanding this aspect of our `aqeedah can help us better understand texts of the Qur'aan and Sunnah. Here is how:
The terms Islam and Iman were precisely defined in the hadeeth of Jibreel `alayhis salaam by the pillars they comprise. This famous hadeeth narrated by Muslim explains that Islam is to testify that there is nothing worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad (sallallaahu `alayhi wa `alaa aalihi wa sallam) is the Messenger of Allaah, to perform prayer, to give the zakaat, to fast the month of Ramadhaan and to perform Hajj, if one has the means to do so. Iman, on the other hand, is to believe in Allaah, and His Angels, and His Books and His Messengers, and in the Last Day, and the qadar (divine pre-ordainment), good and evil consequences thereof.
More generally, one could say that Iman is construed to mean testifying and belief, while Islam represents external submission, such as affirmation by tongue and action by limbs. Whoever has faith, he has Islam, and whoever has Islam, he has some degree of faith. This is the reason why when one of these two terms is mentioned, the other is taken for granted and is included in it. When it is said in the Qur’aan, "Verily the Deen with Allaah is Islam." [3:17] or "Whoever seeks religion other than Islam it will never be accepted from him." [3:85], the meaning of Faith is included in the term Islam. There cannot be Islam without any faith and it cannot be that Allaah accepts Islam with no Iman at all. So when one is mentioned, the other one is included.
Also, one cannot have Iman without Islam. An evidence from the Qur’aan that Iman is of higher degree than Islam and that when both are mentioned together, they mean two different things is the verse in Soorat ul-Hujuraat: "The bedouins say: ‘We believe.’ Say: ‘You believe not but you only say: ‘We have surrendered (in Islam).’" [49:14] One cannot claim for himself a high level of faith and a strong commitment to Islam in accordance with the descriptions of true believers in the Qur’aan and Sunnah.
The Iman that is negated in the above verse is the complete Iman, or what some scholars, such as Ibn Taymeeyah in Al-`Aqeedat ul-Wasitiyyah, termed "al-Iman al-Mutlaq" [Absolute Iman], which could be defined as Iman that does not lack in any of its roots and branches, its internal or external aspects, and an Iman that is proven in the heart, on the tongue and with the limbs. Those who are Muslims, but their Iman al-Mutlaq is negated still have Iman, however their Iman is deficient.
Therefore the term Islam still includes the meaning of both Islam and Iman. Another example where the absolute Iman is negated is the hadeeth: "When an adulterer commits illegal sexual intercourse, then he is not a believer at the time he is doing it, and when a drinker of an alcoholic liquor drinks it, and when a thief steals, then he is not a believer at the time of stealing, and when a robber robs, and the people look at him, then he is not a believer at the time of doing robbery. [al-Bukhaaree] Therefore, when Islam is mentioned without Iman, it includes Iman - as action without faith is hypocrisy - but it does not necessarily include al-Iman al-Mutlaq.
The Qur’anic descriptions of those who are mu’minoon [as in the beginning of soorat ul-mu’minoon] necessarly include the meaning of muslimoon. Those who are Muslims necessarily have some degree of faith, and Islam that Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta`aalaa) accepts also necessarily includes Iman, as for instance in the hadeeth that mentions the questioning in the grave: "…They continue, ‘What is your religion?’ He [believer] answers: ‘Islam is my religion.’" [from an authentic hadeeth mentioned by al-Albaanee in Ahkaam ul-Janaa’iz] The term ‘Islam’ here necessarily includes the meaning of Iman as well. And the following hadeeth includes both the meaning of Iman and Islam: "The best believers according to their Iman are those with the best character." [At-Tabaraanee, Saheeh Jaami` us-Sagheer #1129]
When the terms Islam and Iman are mentioned in the same verse or hadeeth their meaning differs. When mentioned separately they mean one and the same. Understanding this aspect of our `aqeedah can help us better understand texts of the Qur'aan and Sunnah. Here is how:
The terms Islam and Iman were precisely defined in the hadeeth of Jibreel `alayhis salaam by the pillars they comprise. This famous hadeeth narrated by Muslim explains that Islam is to testify that there is nothing worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad (sallallaahu `alayhi wa `alaa aalihi wa sallam) is the Messenger of Allaah, to perform prayer, to give the zakaat, to fast the month of Ramadhaan and to perform Hajj, if one has the means to do so. Iman, on the other hand, is to believe in Allaah, and His Angels, and His Books and His Messengers, and in the Last Day, and the qadar (divine pre-ordainment), good and evil consequences thereof.
More generally, one could say that Iman is construed to mean testifying and belief, while Islam represents external submission, such as affirmation by tongue and action by limbs. Whoever has faith, he has Islam, and whoever has Islam, he has some degree of faith. This is the reason why when one of these two terms is mentioned, the other is taken for granted and is included in it. When it is said in the Qur’aan, "Verily the Deen with Allaah is Islam." [3:17] or "Whoever seeks religion other than Islam it will never be accepted from him." [3:85], the meaning of Faith is included in the term Islam. There cannot be Islam without any faith and it cannot be that Allaah accepts Islam with no Iman at all. So when one is mentioned, the other one is included.
Also, one cannot have Iman without Islam. An evidence from the Qur’aan that Iman is of higher degree than Islam and that when both are mentioned together, they mean two different things is the verse in Soorat ul-Hujuraat: "The bedouins say: ‘We believe.’ Say: ‘You believe not but you only say: ‘We have surrendered (in Islam).’" [49:14] One cannot claim for himself a high level of faith and a strong commitment to Islam in accordance with the descriptions of true believers in the Qur’aan and Sunnah.
The Iman that is negated in the above verse is the complete Iman, or what some scholars, such as Ibn Taymeeyah in Al-`Aqeedat ul-Wasitiyyah, termed "al-Iman al-Mutlaq" [Absolute Iman], which could be defined as Iman that does not lack in any of its roots and branches, its internal or external aspects, and an Iman that is proven in the heart, on the tongue and with the limbs. Those who are Muslims, but their Iman al-Mutlaq is negated still have Iman, however their Iman is deficient.
Therefore the term Islam still includes the meaning of both Islam and Iman. Another example where the absolute Iman is negated is the hadeeth: "When an adulterer commits illegal sexual intercourse, then he is not a believer at the time he is doing it, and when a drinker of an alcoholic liquor drinks it, and when a thief steals, then he is not a believer at the time of stealing, and when a robber robs, and the people look at him, then he is not a believer at the time of doing robbery. [al-Bukhaaree] Therefore, when Islam is mentioned without Iman, it includes Iman - as action without faith is hypocrisy - but it does not necessarily include al-Iman al-Mutlaq.
The Qur’anic descriptions of those who are mu’minoon [as in the beginning of soorat ul-mu’minoon] necessarly include the meaning of muslimoon. Those who are Muslims necessarily have some degree of faith, and Islam that Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta`aalaa) accepts also necessarily includes Iman, as for instance in the hadeeth that mentions the questioning in the grave: "…They continue, ‘What is your religion?’ He [believer] answers: ‘Islam is my religion.’" [from an authentic hadeeth mentioned by al-Albaanee in Ahkaam ul-Janaa’iz] The term ‘Islam’ here necessarily includes the meaning of Iman as well. And the following hadeeth includes both the meaning of Iman and Islam: "The best believers according to their Iman are those with the best character." [At-Tabaraanee, Saheeh Jaami` us-Sagheer #1129]
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