to gentleness (rifq) what he does not grant to violence (unf). (Sunan Abu Dawud 4/255) Some people bracket justice with peace, but Islam does not subscribe to this notion. Islam believes in peace for

for the sake of peace. According to Islam, justice is not the direct result of peace. Peace only provides a framework within which we may work towards justice. There are so many examples in the life of the

Caliphs. But even during this ideal period of Islam, the state continued to suffer from a variety of severe problems. Indeed, there is no period of the Islamic State which can be pinpointed as one in which

their lives in a state of perfect peace and normalcy. This is not due to any deficiency in the Islamic State, but rather to the exigencies of the “training course” established by God Himself for the moral

formed in this world in which people will lead peaceful lives. According to God’s scheme of things, what is of actual importance is the preparation and formation of individuals. This unavoidably takes

inhabitants entered the fold of Islam, and moreover, the Muslims scattered outside the periphery began to settle within the town. In this way, Madinah became a powerful centre of Islam. Within the space of a few

whole of Arabia entered the fold of Islam. Given the distressing nature of the circumstances in Makkah, it took great insight on the part of the Prophet to see what the future held for him in Madinah,

But now, for the first time in Islamic history, this word can be applied to a specific group, as it has become clear what role this group will play. This hadith makes it clear that the prophetic role of

of the Prophet to convert this potential into actuality by performing this role, first discovering Islam for themselves—and then becoming da‘ees (those who call people to God) in the true sense of the word

their case: ‘There will be no home remaining—big or small—into which God has not caused the word of Islam to enter.’ This is not a matter of being a chosen people; it is a matter of discharging one’s responsibility

differences occur is without doubt a difficult proposition. But the reward for this is very great. In Islam every good deed is a form of worship. It is a form of worship when a person faced with differences

to adhere to the way of justice, even when differences seem overwhelming. Differences are no evil. What is evil is a person not dealing with differences in an appropriate way, such as would ensure his passing

fear of God despite there being differences is a great Islamic act. Not going in fear of God at the time of differences is grievously un-Islamic.

Womanhood in IslamFEAR OF God and honoring one’s fellow men—this is the twin foundation of Islam laid down in the Quran in these words: Mankind, fear your Lord who created you from one soul and created

name you entreat one another, and be careful not to sever your ties of kinship. God is watching over what you do.32 The words, “and created man’s mate from the same soul” have been explained as meaning that

nothing in the Quran to support this theory. It is a biblical explanation, not a Quranic one. Here is what the Book of Genesis has to say about the creation of Eve: And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to

has the power to make another the victim of one’s conspiracy. According to a Hadith, the Prophet of Islam has said that even if the entire world conspires to harm them, the conspiring forces would not be

result of the misuse of freedom by some persons, there is always a challenge created before others. What some Muslim intellectuals refer to as conspiracy, is in reality a challenge. Muslims must understand

status fifty years ago in comparison to what it is today. The sure answer you will get from every family would be that their present condition is far better than what it was fifty years ago. In such a situation

What is Fundamentalism? Fundamentalism is the laying of emphasis on strict adherence to the fundamental principles of any set of beliefs. The term was originally applied to a particular group of Christian

between 1909 and 1915 called The Fundamentals: Testimony to the Truth. In these booklets they defined what they believed to be the absolutely fundamental doctrines of Christianity. The core of these doctrines

of the 1920s came to be called fundamentalists. The term “fundamentalism” began to be applied to Islamic resurgence by the final quarter of the twentieth century. However this term was not used for Muslims

cannot be held deserving of God’s succour. What are the rights of mankind? Wherever a believer comes in contact with other human beings, he should behave as Islam demands. He should not deal with them in

in ways that do not measure up to Islamic criteria.