ISLAMIC CULTUREEmbodiment of Peace THE Quran addresses God as “Lord of the universe.” It does not mention Him as “Lord of the nation.” This shows that Islam believes in unbounded universality and not in

others, which overlooks and ignores their faults. The real Islam is that which inculcates the fear of God in the people, which diverts their attention from this world to the Hereafter, which fills the people’s

what Islam is and what Islamic culture stands for. Islam is the exposure of the divine existence of God. It is the religion of the whole universe. It represents an exalted humanity. A correct interpretation

ZAKAT Zakat is the fourth ‘pillar’ of Islam. Zakat means setting apart for God every year a certain portion of one’s saving and wealth (generally 2.5 percent) and spending it upon religious duties and

this duty is, in fact, a kind of reminder that all one has is in trust for God. Man should, therefore, hold nothing back from God. To whatever one may amass in one’s lifetime, one’s own personal contribution

to make things grow. Nor could he set up any industries or carry out any other such enterprise. If God were to withdraw anyone of His material blessings, all our plans would go awry, and all our efforts

and raises him up out of his state of helplessness. On such occasions, one who does not believe in God falls victim to despair. He becomes disheartened. He loses the courage to go ahead in life. Reaching

has full faith in God, never falls a prey to frustration. In all situations, he is convinced that God will certainly come to his rescue. Such a person remains fully convinced that God will certainly come

Prophet in this mission. In this verse, the phrase jihad fi sabil Allah, or struggling in the way of God, essentially indicates the Prophet’s dawah mission, and not war. A second Quranic verse gives the

to strive for My cause and out of a desire to seek My goodwill, how can you secretly offer them (God’s opponents) friendship? (60:1) This verse was revealed before the Prophet’s victory over Makkah. The

jihad appears in the Quran is in the form expressed in the following verse: Strive for the cause of God as it behoves you to strive for it. . (22:78) In this verse, the word jihad refers to the jihad of

passes the day. Sometimes the yearning of his soul brings him so close to God that he finds something in communion with the Lord. Sometimes fear of the day when he will be brought before the Lord for reckoning

reckoning makes him reckon with himself. Sometimes he is so overawed by the marvels of God’s creation that he starts seeing the splendours of the Creator reflected therein. Thus he spends his time encountering

communicated to others. Before he received the word of God, this world— with all its shortcomings and limitations—appeared meaningless to the Prophet. But now that God had revealed to him that besides this world

passes the day. Sometimes the yearning of his soul brings him so close to God that he finds something in communion with the Lord. Sometimes fear of the day when he will be brought before the Lord for reckoning

reckoning makes him reckon with himself. Sometimes he is so overawed by the marvels of God’s creation that he starts seeing the splendours of the Creator reflected therein. Thus he spends his time encountering

communicated to others. Before he received the word of God, this world— with all its shortcomings and limitations—appeared meaningless to the Prophet. But now that God had revealed to him that besides this world

passes the day. Sometimes the yearning of his soul brings him so close to God that he finds something in communion with the Lord. Sometimes fear of the day when he will be brought before the Lord for reckoning

reckoning makes him reckon with himself. Sometimes he is so overawed by the marvels of God’s creation that he starts seeing the splendours of the Creator reflected therein. Thus he spends his time encountering

communicated to others. Before he received the word of God, this world— with all its shortcomings and limitations—appeared meaningless to the Prophet. But now that God had revealed to him that besides this world

well-wishing, God decreed their punishment. In such cases God asked the prophets and his believing companions to leave that settlement. When they had left the place, that settlement was destroyed (at the

Prophet Noah communicated the message of God to his people over a long period of time. Some believed in him but the majority of them denied his message. Then God commanded Noah to build a large Ark and

been said about Noah’s Ark in the Quran, is given in detail in the verse mentioning daabba: ‘When God’s word is justly carried out against them, We will produce a daabba from the earth which will tell them

swallowed him while he was blaming himself. Had he not been one of those who acknowledge the glory of God, he would certainly have remained inside the fish till the Day of Resurrection. (The Quran, 37:142-144)

responsibility of dawah. Those who fail to discharge this duty properly, are destined according to the law of God, to find themselves “in the whale’s belly.” And they will never be saved from this great ordeal until

swallowed him while he was blaming himself. Had he not been one of those who acknowledge the glory of God, he would certainly have remained inside the fish till the Day of Resurrection. (The Quran, 37:142-144)

responsibility of dawah. Those who fail to discharge this duty properly, are destined according to the law of God, to find themselves “in the whale’s belly.” And they will never be saved from this great ordeal until