and condemned in Islam. That is why the coercive forms of States, though governed by Muslim dictators, have never been considered ideal Islamic States by the scholars of Islam. Islam, moreover, does not

to rebel against any established State, even though it may not seem to be in accordance with the Islamic Ideal. Compulsion on the part of the State should never be resisted by means of counter-compulsion

subsequently help promote Islamic values, and this may gradually prepare a firm ground for a real Islamic State to stand on. To establish an ideal Islamic State is not the main target of Islam, as is wrongly projected

WOMANHOOD IN ISLAMTotally Misunderstood AN anthology of the Quran prepared by English orientalist Edward William Lane (1801-1876) was published in 1843. It carried a foreword by way of introduction to

to Islamic teaching, which inter alia, stated that “the fatal point in Islam is the degradation of woman.” This ill-considered observation gained such currency that it was commonly repeated as if it were

between the nail and the eye.  Islam has never asserted that woman is inferior to man: it has only made the point that woman is differently constituted. If all laws in Islam are based on this fundamental

Itikaf is the Islamic practice of staying in the mosque for a certain number of days, devoting oneself to worship, and staying away from worldly affairs. One kind of itikaf is that which is practised

The second kind of itikaf is what may be called intellectual seclusion. According to a number of traditions, the Prophet of Islam used to reflect most of the time. This is what is meant by intellectual seclusion

Hadith No. 225) Some examples have been mentioned in Islamic literature. For instance, after the death of Abu ad Darda Ansari, someone asked his wife what special worship her husband engaged in. His wife,

POLITICAL POWERGoal of Islam Say: “O God! Lord of power, You give power to whom You please, and You take away power from whom You please.” (THE QURAN 3: 26) THE concept of the state in Islam can be understood

it transpires that the status of political power has a secondary rather than a primary position in Islam. Primary position is given to the purification of the self through intellectual and spiritual development

power is not our goal then what is the target which Islam sets before man? The answer in the words of the Quran is: ‘A peaceful soul’ (89: 27). Thus the spiritual goal of Islam is to attain this state of

the responsibility to provide a political framework based on the Shariah.52.WHAT ARE THE ISLAMIC DIRECTIVES FOR CLOTHING?Islam has only one direction with regards to clothing: it prohibits nudity. An outfit

avoided. Hijab, in the sense of burqah or veil, is not prescribed in Islam; burqah is in fact a cultural phenomenon seen in Muslim society. Islam supports a simple sense of dressing. According to a verse in the

not preferred in Islam. Islam aims to make its followers modest and humble, and not to have pride in their hearts. Clothing which flaunts the social status of a person is not an Islamic type of clothing

the responsibility to provide a political framework based on the Shariah.52.WHAT ARE THE ISLAMIC DIRECTIVES FOR CLOTHING?Islam has only one direction with regards to clothing: it prohibits nudity. An outfit

avoided. Hijab, in the sense of burqah or veil, is not prescribed in Islam; burqah is in fact a cultural phenomenon seen in Muslim society. Islam supports a simple sense of dressing. According to a verse in the

not preferred in Islam. Islam aims to make its followers modest and humble, and not to have pride in their hearts. Clothing which flaunts the social status of a person is not an Islamic type of clothing

THE EDITORIAL DIRECTORDr. Farida Khanam has been a professor at the Department of Islamic Studies at Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi. A Study of World's Major Religions, A Simple Guide to Sufism are two

the books amongst many others, of which she is the author. She has also translated many books on Islam authored by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Currently, the chairperson of Centre for Peace and Spirituality

courses on peace-building, countering extremism and conflict resolution. THE STATUS OF WOMAN IN ISLAM O mankind! Fear your Lord, who created you from a single soul. He created its mate from it and from

of the worship of the one God. In pre-Islamic times, Haj was associated with all sorts of practices that are characteristic of tribal or ethnic festivals. Islam put an end to these. In this context, the

God’s last prophet and his companions. The ihram worn in Haj is a practical expression of the Islamic principle of human equality. Historical connections of this sort have given the places associated

historical importance of this area, God selected it to be an arena where people come to rehearse the Islamic way of life, so that when they go back to where they came from they can be better equipped and inspired

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

the Centre for Peace and Spirituality based in New Delhi. THE PROPHET WANTED PEACE THE Prophet of Islam, Muhammad ibn Adbullah ibn Abdul Muttalib, was born in Makkah in AD 570 and died in Madinah in AD

spirituality in Islam and what, from the Islamic viewpoint, the method was of attaining spirituality. I said that the word ‘spirituality’ (or ruhaniyat) began to be used later in the history of Islam. In the Quran

renunciation. But that is not true. What we achieve by renouncing the world is not spirituality but mysticism (rehbaniyat) and, according to a tradition mysticism is not desirable in Islam. (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith No