CHAPTER 3 ISLAM IS THE VOICE OF HUMAN NATUREThe Prophet is reported by ‘Abdullah ibn Umar as saying: ‘Islam has been built on five pillars: testifying that there is no god but God, and that Muhammad is

the Book of Salah by Muhammad ibn Nasr al-Maruzi. Although a building is composed of many parts, what really holds up the entire structure is its pillars. If they are strong, the whole structure will

sound. But should they be weak, the entire edifice will crumble. Those, which support the edifice of Islam, are of immense strength, but they must first of all be raised up by its adherents if they are to

alien to a divine religion.27.WHAT IS JIZYA?Jizya was only a temporary kind of punitive tax levied upon a group of Arabs who had rebelled at the time of the Prophet of Islam. Despite their pact of allegiance

allegiance to the Prophet of Islam, this group of Arabs had joined hands with the antagonists against the Prophet and his Companions. After jizya was abrogated, only the practice of Kharaj (land-tax) remained

of collecting jizya by Muslim rulers in later times from the non-Muslim minority has no grounds in Islam.28.WHO IS A KAFIR?The word kafir has never been used in the Quran to mean either a non-Muslim or an

43.DID THE PROPHET MAKE ANY ALLOWANCE TO GO TO WAR?Islam does give permission to do battle. But such permission is given only in the case of an attack by opponents in spite of the policy of avoidance being

Muslims, thus creating a situation where self-defence becomes necessary. According to the teachings of Islam, war is to be waged not against the enemy but against the aggressor. If Muslims hold someone to be

the right to attack him. The only right given to them is to convey the peaceful message of Islam to others. Islam permits defensive fighting against violent aggression, but only when all efforts at avoidance

alien to a divine religion.27.WHAT IS JIZYA?Jizya was only a temporary kind of punitive tax levied upon a group of Arabs who had rebelled at the time of the Prophet of Islam. Despite their pact of allegiance

allegiance to the Prophet of Islam, this group of Arabs had joined hands with the antagonists against the Prophet and his Companions. After jizya was abrogated, only the practice of Kharaj (land-tax) remained

of collecting jizya by Muslim rulers in later times from the non-Muslim minority has no grounds in Islam.28.WHO IS A KAFIR?The word kafir has never been used in the Quran to mean either a non-Muslim or an

43.DID THE PROPHET MAKE ANY ALLOWANCE TO GO TO WAR?Islam does give permission to do battle. But such permission is given only in the case of an attack by opponents in spite of the policy of avoidance being

Muslims, thus creating a situation where self-defence becomes necessary. According to the teachings of Islam, war is to be waged not against the enemy but against the aggressor. If Muslims hold someone to be

the right to attack him. The only right given to them is to convey the peaceful message of Islam to others. Islam permits defensive fighting against violent aggression, but only when all efforts at avoidance

PROPHET MUHAMMADPART ITHE Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, upon whom be peace, was born in Arabia on 22 April 570 AD, and died on 8 June 632 AD. He was a handsome and powerfully built man. His childhood gave

Maker of the heavens and the earth for answers to the questions surging in his mind. What is our true role in life? What does the Lord require of us, His servants? Whence do we come and whither will we go

different.  The Romanian orientalist Konstan Virgil George (b. 1916) writes in his book, The Prophet of Islam: Until one has spent some time in the wilds of Arabia and the Middle East, one cannot begin to understand

conversion to God. If I could have found an argument—even a flimsy one—I would not have been a party to what we wrote in the book. We used to have open minds; now we realize that the only logical answer to life

desirable creed. Science impresses on man the abstract reality of God’s existence, but if there is a God, what should man’s relationship with Him be? Science does not, and cannot, answer this question. This is

by religion. Basically every religion answers this question. We present here the concept from the Islamic perspective. The highlighting points being God being one who is the Creator, Sustainer of the entire

we can rewrite the history of Islam in magnificent terms. The Manifestation of Religion The modern age is regarded by Muslims as being fraught with problems for Islam. But this is quite contrary to

to the actual situation. The modern age was in fact the age of Islam, just as the period of rainfall is the period of farmers. But Muslims, lacking in understanding and awareness have failed to understand

understand this; hence their failure to convert this potential into reality. What is called izhar ad-din in the Qur’an does not refer to something which is temporary in nature. It, in fact, refers to an eternal

marked capacity for pacifying are clearly attributes which will eliminate stress. When we look at Islamic history, the first instance we find of such positive feminine influence is that of Khadija, the wife

the angel in the cave of Hira, it was a totally new experience for him, and he trembled in fear of what he had seen and heard. He immediately set off for his home after the disappearance of the angel. When

gifts of gentleness, sympathy, understanding, and, above all, selfless love. After the Prophet of Islam left this world, great differences arose among Muslims in many matters. During his lifetime, all such

or centre of our sensitiveness. There is a verse in the Quran in which it is stated: Do not follow what you do not know; for the ear and the eye and the heart shall be called to account. (17: 36) This verse

who—thanks to their superior qualities— are worthy of being lodged in an ideal place like Paradise. This is what is referred to when the Quran says: He created death and life so that He might test you, and find

religion other than Islam [submission to God], it will not be accepted from him; he will be among the losers in the Hereafter.”(3: 85) In the above verses of the Quran, the word Islam, that is, submission