big—is possible. THE PROPHET: A MAN OF PEACE Peace in Islam THE very word Islam (from the Arabic root silm) implies peace, and all the teachings of Islam are based directly or indirectly on this principle

principle. There are teachings of the Prophet that say that ‘Peace is Islam’, and that, ‘God is peace’ (Sahih al-Bukhari). Similarly, there is another Hadith (teachings and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad) that

embodiment of peace. In the Quran, divine guidance is likened to the ‘path of peace’ (5: 16). In Islam, Paradise, the eternal ideal and the ultimate objective of every human is called the ‘Home of Peace’

towards its fulfillment. This aspect of a role for those other than Muslims in the development of Islam serves a moral end as well. It makes Muslims sympathetic towards the rest of the world so that the

hate, enmity and distrust. The contribution of non-Muslims to Islam has not been of a temporary nature. It has continued through-out Islamic history. In present times these contributions made by non-Muslims

non-Muslims, especially in the field of scientific discoveries, have been far greater than ever before. What are these scientific discoveries? They are, in actual fact, the discoveries of nature. Nature, or

on what he should do with the money he was left with. I told him to start a business with whatever he had. He accepted my suggestion and left. After a few years, when he met me, he had significantly grown

demanding and revenge-seeking role. What they do not realize is that being demanding and revenge-oriented is a negative manifestation of ‘ego,’ which has no place in Islam. Islam teaches its proponents to be

of the Prophet had migrated from Makkah to Madinah. When Makkah was brought back into the fold of Islam, many Companions said that they should take back their property which they had left behind in Makkah

on what he should do with the money he was left with. I told him to start a business with whatever he had. He accepted my suggestion and left. After a few years, when he met me, he had significantly grown

demanding and revenge-seeking role. What they do not realize is that being demanding and revenge-oriented is a negative manifestation of ‘ego,’ which has no place in Islam. Islam teaches its proponents to be

of the Prophet had migrated from Makkah to Madinah. When Makkah was brought back into the fold of Islam, many Companions said that they should take back their property which they had left behind in Makkah

Islamic practice. It gives one a prepared mind and makes one a prepared personality: only a prepared mind or a prepared personality can practice Islam in its true spirit. One who does not have a prepared

prepared mind, or is not a prepared personality, will not be fully competent to perform Islamic duties. When it is said that Mr. So and So is a practicing Muslim, this statement tells only part of the truth

one can say that one is capable of adopting the Islamic way of life. A preparatory course is a mind building process. First of all, we have to know what kind of mind the Quran tries to build. After understanding

Khanam is an author, editor, translator, public speaker and former professor of Islamic Studies at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. Among her books are ‘A Simple Guide to Sufism’ and ‘A Study of World’s

dealings in the world. His thinking will be totally in accordance with realities. The Prophet of Islam used to pray thus: ‘O God, show us the truth in the form of truth and grant us the wisdom to follow

strength to keep ourselves away from it. Show us things as they are.’ This prayer of the Prophet of Islam is a fine example of the scientific approach. The Quran wants to inculcate this spirit in every believer

by which to judge all other Islamic virtues. If one is good in relation to other human beings, that will serve as evidence that one also is good in relation to God. The Prophet Muhammad e puts it thus:

reformed state, Islam has given a basic commandment, which has been mentioned at many places in the Qur’an. One such Qur’anic verse runs: “(Believers are those) who enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil”

evil.” (Musnad Ahmad) This commandment has been misrepresented by certain self-styled advocates of Islamic revolution as being political in nature. But this is not so. It is entirely non-political. It only

ideological spread of Islam through peaceful da‘wah work that the Muslim Ummah has to struggle for everywhere and under all circumstances. Contrary to the prevalent misconception that Islam failed to provide

were spent in exactly what is nowadays termed a state of modesty. When, chrono-logically, more than three-quarters of the Prophetic mission portrays a picture of humility, what is it that makes one remark

remark that there is no Islamic model for Muslim minorities in India or elsewhere? The fact is that such people are so overwhelmed by the political glory built up during the later period of Muslim history

TWO MIND SETSCommunal or Islamic THERE was an article in a well-known Muslim magazine titled ‘The Modern Age and Jihad’. In its opening lines, the article spoke of what it claimed was the terrible oppression

oppression that Muslims were suffering, which, it said had led to the emergence of what it called ‘jihadi’ organizations. This way of thinking is not something specific to just this one Muslim writer, the

actions on completely positive foundations. This resulted in the great success of the early period of Islam. The greatest mistake of present-day Muslims is that they have not been able to differentiate between

“crimes” would amount to 428. Now, which are these “crimes” that Ibn Taimyah refers to. All of them are what could be called “thought crimes”. Muhammad Habash cites some examples from fatwas by Ibn Taimiyah

throne above the skies, he will be told to repent, and if he does not do so, he shall be killed. In Islam, thought crimes are actions that do not deserve If a person says to someone else that he relied

crime” and a “thought crime”. In accordance with the teachings of Islam, stiff punishments have been laid down for social crimes. But in Islam, thought crimes are actions that do not deserve punishment at