in the name of Islam and its Shariah, with the result that their actions began, prima facie, to be attributed to Islam. People began to express their disgust and indignation with Islam. They said that

that if this is Islam, it is nothing less than sheer barbarism, resulting from a medieval mindset which is totally unacceptable to the civilized society of today. Of course, the Taliban are ostensibly demolishing

objects of idolatry, but when seen in the light of the result, they must stand charged with demolishing Islam itself. It is unfortunate that, in spite of local and international protests, Afghanistan’s Taliban

for the whole month. Islam does not believe in going ahead with new measures without first seeing whether people are ready to accept them or not. In the initial period of Islam, the same was true of

the varying capacities of individuals and societies. Islam believes in a gradual rather than a sudden introduction of commandments. That is, Islam does not believe in going ahead with new measures without

applicable to the state, whose duty it is to have all the edicts of Islam carried out. But this is not absolute. In principle, the Islamic state does bear the responsibility for the implementation of the

Fire, to abide therein forever. (Quran 22:27) Here, it is clear that the act of going astray from Islam is a matter that lies between man and God, and God alone shall deal with such a person. A person who

support the organized working in a Muslim society and is not to be enforced upon. This is because in Islam, an action becomes rewardable when it is done without any compulsion and under self-decision. That

Fire, to abide therein forever. (Quran 22:27) Here, it is clear that the act of going astray from Islam is a matter that lies between man and God, and God alone shall deal with such a person. A person who

support the organized working in a Muslim society and is not to be enforced upon. This is because in Islam, an action becomes rewardable when it is done without any compulsion and under self-decision. That

lord that he might strengthen Islam through you. The Muslims at the time were in an abject state. Then you became a Muslim and a source of strength for Islam. Through you, Islam achieved great glory. You emigrated

Caliph of Islam whom you served so faithfully as assistant and advisor. Then, after him, you became Commander of the Faithful. It was through you that God brought great cities within the Islamic Empire,

and with them came great wealth. The enemies of Islam were put to flight at your hand, and you were destined to die a martyr. Blessed are you.” “You lead one astray with your misleading talk,” said Umar

reasons for the original Islam becoming an alien religion among the Muslims is that for latter day generations the basis for the Islamic ethos became the later history of Islam instead of the Qur’an and

Qur’an by reciting it, they were, in fact, lost in the glories of Islamic history. Gradually they came to associate themselves and Islam with this grand history: instead of the Qur’an and Sunnah, history

FOUR STEPS TO MODERNITY In Islam, man has found true, unadulterated religion in the sense that it has swept away all the artificial barriers between God and man forever. Islam’s sacred scriptures, the Quran

At various points, the Quran stresses that the religion sent by God to humanity in the shape of Islam is not only a source of guidance in the religious sense but is also a blessing in many other ways

benefits. It is this second temporal aspect of the Islamic revolution, which the well-known western historian, Henri Pirenne, describes in terms of Islam having “changed the face of the globe. The traditional

others, but those others are responsible only for themselves A man once came before Umar and asked what was the better course of action: to be unmindful of reproach in doing his duty to God, or to concentrate

(AL-BAYHAQI, AL-SUNAN AL-KUBRA) Bearing personal affronts with good grace Having decided to accept Islam, Wathilah ibn Asqa left his home and set out for Madinah, reaching there while the Prophet was at

the price of your mistaken course of action. CHOICE BETWEEN LESSER EVIL AND GREATER EVIL Accepting what one already has, opens the door to progress. A deeper awareness of reality makes one content with

the lesser evil and will devote all his energy to constructive activities. The second Caliph of Islam, Umar Faruq, once observed: “The wise person is not one who knows good and evil, but one who knows

conversion of the Tartars (Mongol), who laid waste the world of Islam in the thirteenth century Hijra. Having been the direct enemies of Islam, the Tartars accepted its tenets and proclaimed themselves its

its guardians. ‘Ghazan Khan (reigned 1295-1304) was able to embrace Islam amid general acceptance by his army, and his successors were all Muslims. Within less than 40 years, after Hulagu’s terrible invasion

took place is explained by Professor T.W. Arnold: It is interesting to note that the propagation of Islam has not been the work of men only, but that Muslim women have also taken their part in this pious