Preface
In the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.
All praises are due to Allah; we praise Him; we seek His help; we seek
His forgiveness; and we seek His guidance. We seek refuge in Allah from
the evil in our souls and the badness of our deeds. For whomever Allah
guides, there is none to lead him astray. And for whomever He allows to
go astray, there is none to guide him. I bear witness that there is none
worthy of worship except Allah, for whom there is no partner. And I
bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.
I would like to take this opportunity to express praise and to thank
Allah for giving me the opportunity to write an important work of this
nature. May Allah forgive me for my shortcomings in presenting His
religion.
I would also like to express my heartfelt thanks to the noble Shaikh
Muhammad al-Turki of the Ministry ofIslamic Affairs, Endowments, Da'wah
and Guidance for his support. I would also like to express my thanks to
Ahmad Ba-Rasheed for his continual efforts as well.
There are many people that I would like to thank for their help in this
particular work. First, I must express my thanks to my beloved wife who
is always a source of assistance and help. Special thanks must also go
to Dr. Abdulkarim al-Saeed, Br. Nahar al-Rashid, Dr. Mohammad al-Osimi,
Dr. Ahmad al-Teraiqi and Br. Jalaal Abdullah. I can only pray that Allah
rewards them and blesses them in both this life and the Hereafter.
I pray that Allah accepts this work from me as being solely for His
sake. As with all such work, the responsibility for any mistakes lies
with the author. I ask Allah to forgive me for my shortcomings and to
guide me to the Straight Path.
Introduction
The Goal and Motivation for Writing this Book
This is a very important time for the publishing of
clear and concise material about Islam. Today, Islam is often pictured
in a very unflattering manner in many parts of the world-not much
different than it was in the not-so-distant past. A Western author
writing about the life of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him) wrote,
When the war blazed up between Islam and Christianity, lasting for ages,
animosity grew severe between the two sides; and each side
misunderstood the other one. It should be admitted, however, that the
basic misunderstanding was more on the part of the westerners than the
easterners. In fact, immediately after such violent intellectual
disputes - in which argumentative debaters overloaded Islam with vices,
degradation and abasement without taking the trouble to study it -
mercenary writers and paid-poets set out to attack the Arabs, but their
attack was a merely false, contradictory accusation.
There is no need to go into details but today such misunderstandings
concerning Islam have continued from all sorts, including some public
and church leaders in the West.
Unfortunately, since many of the masses are unfamiliar with Islam beyond
what they see in the mass media-which of course recently has been
filled with a terrorist taint-it is not surprising that such
misrepresentations of Islam resonate with the public as a whole. The
easiest and probably the most productive cure for this situation is by
reaching out to those people and allowing them to hear what Islam is
truly all about. One must go beyond the hype and get to the true
authentic teachings of the religion. (Unfortunately, it is also a sad
state of affairs that today one must also go beyond the picture that the
Muslims themselves give non-Muslims of Islam. Although, in general,
Christianity or Judaism is not blamed for the misdeeds of Christians or
Jews, today Islam is still often blamed for the misdeeds of Muslims,
even when the practices of such Muslims clearly violate the tenets of
Islam.
Unfortunately, today the negative views and
misrepresentations of Islam are not simply an issue of one's personal
religious beliefs. The ramifications have gone far beyond that and touch
upon the security and politics of the world as a whole. Most harmful
though is that as Islam is misunderstood and continually painted as the
"other" and a source of evil, many are closed off to its beauty and its
priceless truths that it has to offer to humankind. In reality, in these
troubled times, there is a great need to turn to the guidance from God,
which is exactly what Islam is all about.
The goal here is not to deal with the misinformation that is being
spread about Islam. The goal here is simply to present what Islam truly
is, based on the original and universally recognized sources of
Islam:The Quran-or, in other words, the book revealed from Allah (God)
to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)-as
well as the words and guidance of the Prophet himself.
The Intended Audience for This Work
The person targeted by this work is anyone who is
interested in a basic introduction to the fundamental beliefs and
practices of the Islamic faith. An attempt has been made to be as
concise as possible-but with the hope that the reader will be encouraged
to study Islam in more depth. For the purpose of more in-depth study,
many other important books will be recommended or referred to in the
footnotes.
It should also be noted that this book is written by a "Western" convert
to Islam and it is assumed, since it is written in English, that a good
number of its readers will be either of the West or familiar with the
West. Thus, many of the references will be related to issues with which
the people of the West would be most familiar and with which the author
is also most familiar?
The Place of this work among the other introductory works There is a
plethora of books introducing Islam to non¬Muslims. Especially since
9/11, one can enter virtually any major bookstore in the United States,
for example, and find numerous
introductory texts. Obviously, some of them are quite decent. Many of
these are written by non-Muslims, some no doubt sincere in their wish to
faithfully present the religion of the Muslims. As a Muslim, this
author can state that, for the most part, these authors have a tendency
to miss the true spirit of Islam and what Islam is all about. These
works have a tendency to concentrate on secondary issues, historical
developments among the Muslims themselves or deviations from the
original Islam, leaving the reader ignorant of the essential spirit and
teachings of Islam.
On the other hand, many Muslim writers writing for
Western audiences take a very apologetic or modernist approach to Islam.
One cannot write a book introducing others to Islam while, at the same
time, twisting or distorting the true meaning of Islam as believed in by
millions of people, as opposed to the individual version held by the
author of such a book. Similarly, one cannot write an introductory book
about Islam while trying to present a new "version" of Islam. The
responsibility of the one who wants to present Islam to others is to
present it as it truly is, honestly and frankly, without trying to hide
or change anything. It is the Muslim's belief that this is Allah's
religion. Hence, one must present Allah's religion as it has been
revealed to and propagated by the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him) himself. The presentation must be honest and
candid, leaving the reader to decide for himself-based on sound
knowledge-if he wishes to pursue this religion further or not.
The sources and methodology for this book
Any reliable book on Islam must be founded upon the
Quran and the statements and guidance of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him). Although the original Arabic texts of
both the Quran and the Prophet's sayings are available, one has to
resort to modest translations to convey their meanings to non¬Arabic
speakers. With respect to the Quran, two translations can be recommended
and will be used throughout this work. They are The Noble Quran:
English Translation of the Meanings and Commentary, translated by
al-Hilali and Khan, and The Quran: Arabic Text with Corresponding
English Meaning, translated by "Saheeh International.t" These two are
recommended due to their translations being based upon the understanding
of the Quran as can be traced back to the Prophet himself and his
closest Companions.
As for collections of the statements and actions of the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him), two important collections are
available in complete form in English. They are known as Sahih
al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.
There are also a number of secondary works that are extremely helpful in
understanding the religion of Islam." Some of the most important of
them, which also form sources for this work, are:
Commentary on the Creed of at-Tahawi by ibn Abi
al-Izz. This is a very important classical work that expounds on the
details of the Islamic creed.
Umar al-Ashqar's "Islamic Creed Series," including
Belief in Allah in the Light of the Quran and Sunnah and The Messengers
and the Messages in the Light of the Quran and Sunnah.
Bilal Philips' The Fundamentals of Tawheed (Islamic Monotheism)?
Afif A. Tabbarah's The Spirit of Islam: Doctrine & Teachings.
As for the "methodology" that the author has followed
herein, what is presented is based, to the best of this author's
ability, on the teachings of the ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamaah, this is the
community of Muslims who trace their beliefs and teachings directly
back to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) himself.
No attempt has been made here to try to "reinterpret" what has been
accepted as truth by the Muslims for centuries and which continues to be
the dominant view of approaching Islam today.
Before proceeding, one should note the usage of the words Allah and God.
Allah is the "personal name" of God, much like Yahweh (later
interpreted as Jehovah). Thus, Allah and God can and will be used
interchangeably.
The Belief in God (Allah)
In reality, belief in Allah is the cornerstone of the entire faith of
Islam. All of the other Islamic beliefs and all Islamic practices
revolve around the proper belief in God. For this reason, perhaps more
than any other religious community in the world, the belief about God in
Islam has been delineated in great detail. In fact, a famous Muslim
scholar, ibn Abi al-Izz al-Hanafi, once stated that it can be concluded
that all of the verses of the Quran, in one way or another, touch upon
the belief in God.
Thus, any earnest discussion of the religion of Islam has to begin with
the concept of the belief in God. Indeed, it must be a detailed
discussion of this topic for, again, everything else in Islam is firmly
grounded in and based on this fundamental belief. In fact, according to
Islamic teachings, it is the belief in One God alone, with no partners,
that all prophets taught and which was the core message of all of their
messages? It is the first step, the most important step and an
invaluable step in the process of understanding one's own reality.
How Can One Know About God?
Before presenting the Islamic view on this question, a history of some current paradigms will be given.
Beginning in the first half of the I ih century in Christendom, as the
disconnect between "scientific fact" and "Biblical truths" grew greater
and greater, philosophers Edward Herbert, Voltaire and a number of
American leaders such as Thomas Paine, adhered to a philosophy known as
deism. These philosophers believed in God, the Creator and in morality.
They believed in what they called "natural religion" that could be
discovered through the use of reason. Hence, they downplayed the role of
revelation and the teachings of the church.
A number of factors led to the development of this
philosophy. Key among these factors was the fact that, as shall be
discussed later, these scholars could not deny the rational proofs
behind the existence of the Creator. Hence, they had to begin with that
premise. However, due to their disappointment with what was being taught
by the Church, they were driven to the conclusion that the truths of
this world are known through human reasoning and are not in need of any
type of revelation from God. Indeed, there was no need for God to send
any further information behind what could be derived by humans
themselves. Beyond that, they also argued that God had no further role
to play in this creation. Thus, they looked upon God almost like a
watchmaker who, after having created the watch and wound it up, would
then just sit back and allow the watch to work on its own without any
interference from the watchmaker.
In sum, according to this view, humankind has been
left alone by the Creator-alone to find its own way of how to behave and
live in this great creation. Perhaps without reference to its
philosophical roots, this has become the way of life of many of the
world's inhabitants today. They do not see any need to turn to God to
know how they are supposed to live their lives in this world. Indeed, as
a political philosophy-known as secularism-this is the dominant
philosophy in the world today.' (As shall be discussed later, this view
actually contradicts one of the attributes of God: that He is merciful
and compassionate to His servants, that humankind should not think that
they have been left without guidance and that there is no purpose
directly related to God in their creation).
The Islamic religion does not deny that humans have
been endowed with great reasoning power and natural instincts. Many
scientists-including those philosophers referred to above-could not deny
the various signs that point to the existence of the Creator. Hence,
they wholeheartedly accepted the notion of the existence of God. In the
history of humankind, this notion has not been a problematic issue. In
fact, the Quran states the matter in this way, quoting the words of
earlier messengers: "What! Can there be a doubt about Allah, the Creator
of the heavens and the earth?" (14:10). Their problem lay in their not
knowing about God properly and not having access to a true and preserved
revelation from God. This highlights the importance of recognizing the
proper way to know about God.
Islam recognizes that God has created the human with
an innate ability to recognize and understand the truth that he has a
Creator and a God. In fact, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him) himself said, "Every child is born on the jitrah
(the natural way, the religion of Islam)."! In other words, every child
is born with the inclination and leaning toward the truth and the
ability to recognize the reality of the existence of God.
The basic concept about God, therefore, is known to
everyone -philosopher, thinker and layman alike.At the same time, no
gracious and mature human should be willing to completely ignore and tum
his back on the very foundation of his creation. There should be, then,
a desire within the soul of every human to know his Lord and Creator,
the one who has blessed him with his very existence. This should be an
innate and automatic feeling within the soul of every human.
However, there is another important point that needs
to be made about God, the Creator.God, obviously, is a distinct and
separate being from His creation. Hence, God is not something within the
realm of human experience, human thought or human testing. In fact, the
way to know about God is not by philosophizing in a quiet room or
remote part of the world-that can point one to the irrefutable fact of
His existence and greatness. But to know the details about God and, in
particular, to know what one's relationship with God should be, one can
only turn to God Himself and to His revelation. There is no other
possible way.
The revelation from God as embodied in the Quran and
the inspired words of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah
be upon him) have thus presented a clear and unequivocal presentation
concerning God. It removes all doubts about His existence, His
omnipotence and His omniscience. It also answers all the questions
surrounding how one should behave toward the Almighty. In addition to
that, by God's mercy, He has provided extensive information about
Himself, through His names and attributes, such that He does truly
become the beloved, the soul object of worship and the main inspiration
for one's life.
In the following pages, there shall be a summary of
the magnificent teachings about God as found in Islam. It cannot be
claimed that this summary is anything more than the tip of the iceberg
compared to the vast amount of information that is conveyed about God in
the Quran and Sunnah.
The Belief that God is the Sole Creator and Sustainer of all Creation
There is one thing that definitively stands out when one reads the
Quran: Allah instructs humankind to ponder over the creation with all
its subtleties and magnificence. At no time do the teachings of the
Quran shy away from reflection and rational thought. Indeed, these
foundations of knowledge have been invoked over and over in the Quran as
a path that will lead to only one conclusion:
That there is no way that this creation as one can
witness and appreciate it today could have possibly come into being
except through the intent and creation of a great, divine and masterful
creator.
In fact, in one verse, Allah has given a powerful argument that was
convincing to humankind for hundreds of years: "Were they created by
nothing, or were they themselves the creators? Or did they create the
heavens and the earth? Nay, but they have no firm belief' (52:35-36).
This has been clear to many, many people: They obviously did not come
here by means of nothing nor did they create themselves. Hence, they are
the result of the act of a Creator-a Creator who is in himself
self-subsistent and not himself a created being.
Although this belief is innate and clear, doubts and misconceptions
repeatedly come to humans from all sorts of different sources. In
different eras, different forms of confusion may come to people. Today
many people are confused over the question of creationism and evolution.
In fact, some even argue that "creationism" is not sound science while
"evolution" is.
Currently, a popular explanation for the existence of the cosmos is the
big bang theory. In fact, the Microsoft Encarta refers to it as the
"currently accepted explanation of the beginning of the universe.i" It
is quite good of them to refer to it in that manner because "science"
keeps changing its "facts" and explanations. It is exactly as Allah has
described in the above-quoted verse, "Nay, but they have no firm belief'
(52:36). Those who have turned away from God have to admit that they do
not truly know what they believe and tomorrow their belief may be
completely different from what it is today because, in reality, it is
not built upon something firm.
It seems though that the dispute between the big bang
theory and creationism is more hype than it is substance. The big bang
theory, as the Encarta explains, "proposes that the universe was once
extremely compact, dense, and hot. Some original event, a cosmic
explosion called the big bang, occurred about 10 billion to 20 billion
years ago, and the universe has since been expanding and cooling.t" But
this begs the question of who created the matter that was involved in
that big-bang?" If that matter still requires a creator, is there any
proof that the same creator did not create new types of creatures later
in this cosmos?
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