ROAD TO SALVATION

Islam is all about peace and justice   
There is aneed to dispel misconceptions about this religion. Come on, let’s understand it, writes Muzaffar Khadim I slam is the second largest religion of the world with a population of 1.57 billion, which means that almost 25% population of the world belongs to this religion. ( Times of India, Oct 8, 2009 ) The word Islam is derived from the Arabic word Silm which means Peace. The whole doctrine of Islam revolves around Peace. When we meet a person, we greet him or her with the greetings: Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatahu. Peace, Mercy and Blessings of Allah be unto you! And the answer to such greetings has to be Wa Alaikumassalm Warahmatullahi Wabarakatahu. Which means, “ Same to you!” We Muslims believe that this was the faith of all the Prophets, the first among them being Adam, the first man who lived on the surface of the Earth. Islam is the religion of absolute monotheism, there is no deity other than the one God, whom we know as Allah. Total and complete submission to makes a person Muslim. Different Prophets were sent by for the guidance of the human race from time to time in different parts of the world. The last among them was Muhammad ( SA saW) who was born in Makkah on April 20, 571 AD to a widow named Amina. His father Abdullah had passed away before was born. Up to the age of 40, was unlettered but, because of his spotless character, he had earned the attributes of Ameen and Sadiq, the trustworthy and the truthful. At the age of 25, he married a widow named Khadija who was 15 years older to him. His quest to know the Truth, lead him to deep meditation. He would stay secluded in a cave for days together. the age of 40, Angel Gabriel appeared to him in the cave and he got the first revelation from God. Twenty three years on, he continued getting these revelations, piece by piece, all that compiled together makes the Qura’an, the sacred book of the Muslims. We believe that every single letter of this book is divine. It’s not the word of or any other created being. It’s a direct word from God to humanity revealed through MUhammad. has taken it to Himself to protect this book from any interpolation. says: “ We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly guard it ( from corruption).” ( Al Hijr 15: 9) a bout 1500 years have gone bye. The Qura’an you or I may hold in our hands today is exactly the same as some one might have been holding 1400 years ago. A miracle of this book is that it is not only preserved in the form of a book but 100’ s of 1000’ s of people around the globe remember the whole book by heart, despite the fact that a vast majority of them know not a word of Arabic. Islam has the distinction that it does not derive its name from any person or place. In fact a Muslim can get annoyed if you call him a Muhammadan. We believe that was one among those numerous prophets whom sent to guide humanity; 25 such prophets are named in the Qura’an. But that does not in any way deny the prophet- hood of those who are not mentioned in the Qura’an. We are told that prophets were sent in every dynasty of the world. ( Ra’d, 13: 7) I was amazed at the interpretation of an Islamic scholar when he said that one of the prophets Zul Kifl ( which literally means the one belonging to Kifl) mentioned in chapter Ambiya ( 21: 85) could be Budha because he belonged to Kapal but the alphabet P does not exist in and is mostly replaced by F. m oses is mentioned with great respect and dignity no less than 136 times and Jesus as many as 25 times in the Qura’an. It’s an article of faith for us to believe in the prophet- hood of Abraham, Joseph, Moses and Jesus and all others mentioned in the Qura’an. We also believe in the miraculous birth of Jesus, who was born without the intervention of a father. We are bound to believe in all the books that were revealed to different prophets before Muhammad. Three of them are actually mentioned in the Qura’an. Zabur ( Psalms) to David, Towrat ( Torah) to and Injeel to Jesus. The Bible we have now contains these books ( besides others). If the Old Testament and the New Testament form the Bible, the Qura’an to us is the Last Testament of God. Since Islam advocates peace, it does not allow confrontation with other religions but invites them for reconciliation. Verse 64 of the 3 rd chapter ( Al- i- Imran) of the Qura’an says, “ Say ( O MUhammad) “ O people of the Scripture ( Jews and Christians)! Come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but ( alone), and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Then, if they turn away, say, “ Bear witness that we are Muslims.” Peace can be maintained in this world only if each one of us considers his fellow human’s life and honour as sacred as his own. The Qura’an declares: “ If any one slew a person- unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land, it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people.”( Maidah 5: 32) The Holy Prophet ( said, “ He is not among us from whose hand and tongue, his fellow human beings are not safe.” Another saying of the Prophet tells us how a is supposed to behave in this world. He says: “ Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is an oppressed one.” People asked, “ O Allah’s Apostle! It’s alright to help him if he is oppressed, but how should we help him if he is an oppressor? The Prophet said, “ By preventing him from oppressing others!” ( Sahih Bukhari 043: 624) Islam does not permit forcing people to accept any particular religion. Verse 256 of the 2 nd chapter ( Baqarah) clearly ordains: “ There is no compulsion in religion.” Women always make almost half of the population of the world. Treating them with honour and dignity will solve multiple problems of the human race. Islam has given them a status that most of the nations of the world have yet to acknowledge. We do not believe that Eve was instrumental in making Adam to eat the forbidden fruit. The Qura’an absolves her of that stigma. says in Chapter Baqara: We said: “ O Adam! Dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden; and eat of the bountiful things therein as ( where and when) ye will; but approach not this tree, or ye run into harm and transgression. 

Then did Satan make them ( Please make a special note of the word them, both of them together did it) slip from the ( garden), and get them out of the state ( of felicity) in which they had been. We said: “ Get ye down, all ( ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be your dwelling- place and your means of livelihood – for a time.” ( 2: 36) Therefore eve is not evil in our eyes. The Qura’an gives clear rights of property to a woman, gives her appropriate share in property inherited from parents and husband, and gives her absolutely equal status as far as spiritual matters are concerned. Her education is as important as that of a man. The Prophet said, “ Achieving knowledge is obligatory for all men and women.” The husband is required to treat her in a just way. Her maintenance is his obligation. If for any reason, the couple feels that they can not continue their marital relationship, Islam allows divorce. divorced or a widowed lady is encouraged to remarry. Any marriage without the express consent and permission of the bride is invalid. 

The Qura’an tells us that every single deed of ours is recorded. Even the thoughts that may arise in the depth of our hearts are known to our Creator. When this entire world will cease to exist, each atom of our actions will be accounted for. “ So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom ( or a small ant) shall see it. whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom ( or a small ant) shall see it.” [Zilzal 99: 7-8] He or she will be awarded or punished in the Hereafter according to the seeds sown in this world. This very important verdict of Islam should not be under estimated. In fact, this makes the basis of excellent moral character here. When you have a genuine belief that your eternal life in the Hereafter depends upon what you actually do here in this world; this conviction of accountability makes you a very responsible person in this world. No one would like to fetch an eternal disaster for a very short lived pleasure of this world. So, every single deed of a true will be in accordance with the Commandments of Allah, thus he will be an asset and not a liability for his/ her fellow human beings. Islam does not know any Caste system. In the eyes of all human beings are equal in all respects. The only thing that can make some one superior is his or her God Consciousness. Allah says: “ O mankind! We created you from a single ( pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other ( not that ye may despise ( each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of is ( he who is) the most righteous of you. has full knowledge and is well acquainted ( with all things)” ( Hujrat 49: 13) In the sermon on his last pilgrimage, which was attended by more than a 100,000 people, Prophet declared: “ O people! Listen to my words, for I do not know whether we shall ever meet again and perform Hajj after this year. ( Then he recited the above verse and said,) “ There is no superiority for an Arab over a non- and for a non over an Arab; or for the white over the black or for the black over the white except by pity and good action.” s ermons of human equality were given throughout the history but they were truly put into practice first time in history by MUhammad. A black slave named Bilal would sit side by side with an influential and rich person Abu Bakr and Salmani Farsi who had come from Persia was as much respected as Umar, a native Arab. Islam is in perfect harmony with Science and Nature. When we say science we don’t mean theories, we mean established facts. One is actually left with no option but to admit that the Qura’an is the Word of because some of the scientific truths that came to human knowledge only in the past few decades, already existed in the Qura’an. Who knew 1500 years ago that all life is generated from water and that this universe came into being after a BIG- BANG? Please listen to this verse: “ Have not those who disbelieve known that the Heavens and the earth were joined together as one united piece, then we parted them? We have made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?” ( 21: 30) Islam fully realises and appreciates the human needs and weaknesses. It does not suppress them neither does it advise you to flee from the worldly affairs. It regulates them and gives them a proper direction. Thus celibacy is not recommended but marriage is. Beggary is denounced and lawful earning is considered equal to worship. It is no sin to acquire wealth by lawful means but giving regular charity is obligatory. Eating good food and wearing proper clothes is not a sin but extravagance is deplorable. higher faculties in education and business is encouraged but being proud and haughty is absolutely denounced. In short Islam has blessed billions of people in the world with pleasure and contentment of the soul. May such pleasure and contentment be our destiny too! Amin ( Feedback at mmkhadim@ yahoo. com)  
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Published:
December 4, 2009 / 6:37 pm
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Islamic
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