interpretation of Islam is shown to be wrong through rational argument, the problem of Muslim violence will also automatically disappear. Islam has nothing to do with violence. The Islamic target is peace

peace, and peace can be established only by peaceful methods. The Islamic mission referred to in the Quran as dawah ilallah is the peaceful dissemination of the divine message. Jihad refers to the peaceful

spread this peaceful message. Modern Muslim militancy in the name of jihad is a total distortion of Islam. This phenomenon is a twentieth century concept. Muslim writers such as Sayyid Abul Ala Mawdudi (1903-1979)

SERVICE TO MANKINDSocial Service ALL the teachings of Islam are based on two basic principles— the worship of God and the service of mankind. Without putting both of these principles into practice, there

there can be no true fulfillment of one’s religious duties.  In its followers, Islam inculcates the spirit of love and respect for all human beings. By serving human beings on the one hand they please God

the Hereafter only if one has done something to alleviate the sufferings of mankind. In this way Islam links personal salvation to serving others. This desire to serving others should not be accompanied

INSTEAD OF REACTIONContrary to common belief, Islam does not teach its adherents to react against issues such as that of Salman Rushdie and the cartoon issue. Islam teaches patience in the fullest sense of

Muslim reaction was to have him killed forthwith; he had committed an unpardonable offense against Islam and the Prophet. All over the world, Muslims demanded his head. They were not prepared to settle for

Muslim fundamentalist threat worldwide. In all fairness one can ask, 'Is this Islam?' Never! God has been represented in Islam as an All-Merciful, and the Prophet has been proclaimed the Prophet of Mercy

Cairo, Egypt, and he heard the same sound again. So, he asked the Egyptian companion nearest to him what the sound was. He was told that it was Azan, the call to prayer and the glorification of God. He was

the moon. It was then that he decided to learn something about the religion and finally embraced Islam. As a result of that, he lost his coveted job. But, according to him, he had found God, and nothing

Mr. Khan,” he wrote. “Thank you for the courtesy of your letter. The reports of my conversion to Islam, of hearing the voice of Azan on the moon, and later in Cairo (I have never been in Egypt) are all

wrong interpretation by some Muslims, jihad has come to be understood as war to ‘reform’ others, or what is called in Urdu as muslihana jang (reformist war). These people say that Muslims are God’s khalifas

this, there are no legitimate grounds for war at all in Islam. This principle is as firmly grounded and accepted in Islam as in many other non-Islamic systems. In this regard, there is an issue that needs

have wrongly seen and portrayed Muslim dynasties in India as ‘Islamic’ dynasties, considering them to be a chapter of the history of Islam as such. In fact, however, these dynasties merely consisted of

PROGRESSTHE actual target of Islam is spiritual progress. For this, man’s spirituality has to be awakened, and the divine feelings latent within him aroused. In the Quran, this — Islam’s actual goal — is called

her very birth, is pure and clean. But during his stay in this world he becomes sullied externally. What is meant by purification is for man to rid himself of this outer shell of moral grime and revert to

by one’s own will and efforts. It is this self-attained spiritual progress which is desirable in Islam. In the Quran it is called coming before one’s Lord with a ’pure heart’. (THE QURAN 26: 89) According

holds different opinions and calling him a hypocrite, bad intentioned and insincere are entirely un-Islamic reactions. The true believer looks at the issue of difference as a matter of intentions and limits

matters to escalate. Severing relationships due to differences is not in accordance with the spirit of Islam. Mutual relationships should be maintained while continuing serious discussion on contentious issues

a difficult task. But its reward too is great. Every right act is treated as an act of worship in Islam; it is therefore an act of superior worship when, in spite of controversies one keeps one’s heart

PROPHETIC WISDOMONE of the qualities of the Prophet of Islam was his great vision, as a result of which he urged his followers to adopt a wise approach in all their dealings. A number of sayings on this

bring you examples from his life: No Premature Action After he received prophethood, the Prophet of Islam lived for thirteen years in Makkah where the majority of the Makkans opposed him, tormenting him in

in every possible way. Owing to his mission however, about two-hundred men and women accepted Islam. These Muslims would say to the Prophet again and again that they wanted to fight against this oppression

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PROPHETThe Best Example THE Quran describes the Prophet of Islam as a human being like any other. What distinguished him from others was not his being something other than human, but

110) This was something natural, and gave credence to the practical example set by the Prophet of Islam for the benefit of all human beings. It is quite clear that his ability to convince rested on his

the example of the Prophet would have been rendered impracticable. The greatness of the Prophet of Islam lay in adopting a superior code of ethics as a human being, so that he should come up to the highest

Wahiduddin Khan, born in 1925, in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, is an Islamic spiritual scholar who is well-versed in both classical Islamic learning and modern disciplines. The mission of his life has been

Sayyidina Imam Al Hassan Peace award for promoting peace in Muslim societies. He has been called ’Islam’s spiritual ambassador to the world’ and is recognized as one of its most influential Muslims . His

and charismatic. Why this sad state of affairs? The reason is that people know what others are but they fail to discover what they themselves are. The fact is that every person is born as a hero but his