INSIGHT OF ISLAM

2009-05-06T11:57:00.000-07:00

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ISLAM IN COMMUNITY LIFE

2008-11-11T06:53:00.000-08:00

Introduction to Community:-

The community is like a society. It deals with every application which occurs in lives of every human being. Islam being a major religion of Pakistan has a great impact and place a vital role in the lives of every human being. Family, individual person and society is main feature of a community.

Family in Islamic Community:-

. The Most Holy and Glorious Qur'an says:

"And one of His signs is that He created mates for you from yourselves that you may find peace of mind and He put between you love and compassion; surely there are signs in this for people who reflect."

This indicates the importance attached to family life in Islam.

Relation b/w Individual and Society in Islam:-

The important feature of community life in Islam concerns the relation between the individual and society. The role of the individual in Islam is not limited to the five rituals. The Muslim in an Islamic society has a greater responsibility to understand the ibadah and worship. Allah say’s that,

"I have not created jinn and men for any other end than that they should serve me."

The Most Holy Qur'an explains this further,

"Say: 'my prayer and my sacrifice and my life and my death are all for Allah, the Lord of the worlds.'"

Relation with Muslims:-

The important feature of community life in Islam is that there is a detailed code of behavior for the Muslims. Not only are the individual's life, property and honor protected, but his dignity and privacy is so sacred that back-biting, spying and slandering is prohibited. These values ultimately lead to a peaceful and united society.

Man can reach the level of those described in the Most Holy Quran

"They prefer (others) before themselves, though poverty may afflict them."

Relation with Other Faiths:-

Islam did not impose itself by the sword.

"There must be no coercion in matters of faith" (2: 256)

Muslims have to respect Jews and Christians, the "People of the Book, “who worship the same God (e.g., 2:62; 29:46).

Social Justice:-

The top priority of social justice in Islamic community is Zakat (charity).It help the orphans, poor, homeless, ill, the lost and elderly. Endless time in the Quran (16 times chapter 2-5 alone).

If there are non Muslims in Islamic community, so they have also pay taxes to Islamic community.

“An hour of justice by a ruler is better than sixty days of hard work” (Hadith)

Endless request for justice in the Quran (e.g., 2: 282; 6; 152)

In Islamic community, Muslim ruler responsibilities that give freedom to Non-Muslim to follow their worshipers with their on ways.

Please Don't Break It................

2008-11-10T11:07:00.000-08:00

1. Sura-e-Yasin relief frm azaab in the grave

2. Sura-e-Rehman it will make us rich

3. Sura-e-Waqiya it will release u from hunger (Read
after every Maghrib Prayer)

4. Sura-e-Mulk brings light in your grave

5. Sura-e-Jasia it will bring peace in your life

POEM

2008-05-29T11:11:00.000-07:00

LIFE IS TEST .............

ISLAM IS BEST............

NAMAZ IS MUST..............

AKHARAT IS FOR REST...............

WORLD IS ONLY DUST..............

OF QURAN IS IN ONLY CHEST..............

NOTHING NEED NEXT...........

OBEY ALLAH FIRST............

Fatwa on Oral Sex(By Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid)

2008-05-27T09:04:00.000-07:00

Praise be to Allah!

It is permissible for the husband to enjoy/savor/relish his wife however he wishes, and to come to her in the genital area from any point he wishes. As Allah (Exalted is He) has said:

“Your wives are a tillage for you [to cultivate] [nisa’u-kum harthun l-kum]
so go to your tillage as you wish. [fa-’’tu hartha-kum anna shi’tum] Q 2:223.

It is unlawful for the man to perform two sexual acts on the wife, namely:

As Allah (Exalted is He) has said:

They question you concerning menstruation. [wa yas aluna-ka ‘ani ‘l-mahid:]

Say: It is an illness, [qul huwa adhan]

So let women alone at such times [fa-’’tazilu ‘n-nisa’a fi ‘l-mahidi]

and do not approach them until they are cleansed [wa la tagrubu-hunna hatta yathurn:]

And when they have purified themselves, [fa-idha tatahharna fa’’tu-hunna]

then go into them as Allah has enjoined on you. [min haithu amara-kumu ‘llah:]

Truly Allah loves those who repent, [inna ‘llaha yuhibbu ‘t-tawwabina]

and He loves those who keep themselves clean. wa yuhibbu ‘l-mutatahhirin.] Q 2:222.

2. Sexual penetration in the anus.

Allah’s messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) has said:

"Accursed is he who has sex with his wife in her anus." (Reported by Abu Dawud and Imam Ahmad [ibn Hanbal], and established as authentic in Sahih al-Jami’ 5889.)

These two prohibitions are mentioned together in the saying [hadith] of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace):

"Beware of the anus and the menstrual period." (Reported by Imam Ahmad [ibn Hanbal] and Abu Dawud; also in Sahih al-Jami’ 1141.)

As for the question of oral titillation of the pudendum, it all depends on two considerations:
1. It must not be hurtful.2. It must not result in the introduction of impurity/dirt into the internal organs.

This [is what I have to say on the subject]. Allah knows best. May Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad.

"SEX, VIAGRA, AND ISLAM"

2008-05-27T08:57:00.000-07:00

Sex to most Muslims is a dirty word. A word that they don't even want to talk about. On the other extreme, many Muslims' are obsessed with sex. This I can say from the questions about sex that I receive on E-mail from the Islam-USA Web-page.

The desire to have a better sexual performance for men is again, not a new preoccupation. Muslim Hakims (traditional physicians') have been working on medications for over one thousand years trying to achieve a magic love pill. Now that this "love pill" seemingly has arrived, wealthy Muslims' are ecstatic. Viagra which is sold around $10 per pill in the U.S.A., is being sold at $100 per pill on the black market in Saudi Arabia. Kuwait recently had allowed the sale at about $49 per pill officially. The grand religious scholar of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Baaz has allowed it to be used by men if it does not cause any harm to the body.

Recently a visitor from Pakistan wanted to get some samples of Viagra, and I asked him why. He stated " that he wanted to give them as a gift to his boss". Obviously, he did not get the gift.

Sexual desire is a gift from God, just like all other desires that He has built in us. It is not our fault that we get aroused at sexual thoughts. These are built in physiology. In order to have a legitimate outlet for this built in desire, God has created mates for us.

Quran says, "He that created you mates from among yourselves that you can dwell in them in tranquility". (30:21) Sex outside of marriage is not permitted in Islam.

Impotency is a disease and should be dealt with as any disease. To seek a cure for a disease is advised by Prophet Mohammed (P) who said that "God has created no disease unless he created a cure for it as well, except old age". Thus, before we physicians' start a new treatment, we either must find out the cause for impotency which could be vascular, neurogenic, infection, diabetes, or hormonal deficiency. To treat all the causes with one type of treatment would be wrong, and that is why many patients' on Viagra do not respond because they have not been screened properly to see if they would be good candidates. In addition, if the mental stimulation is not present before, then Viagra alone will not achieve the desired results as the brain is the most important sex organ.

Qiyas (Analogical Reasoning)

2008-05-27T08:24:00.000-07:00

Everywhere in the Muslim world, there is an ongoing tension between the forces of rigid conservatism and of modernity and reform. At the core of this tension is the corpus of Islamic law (fiqh), which even many conscientious Muslims admit that bulk of the corpus has become asynchronous with the spirit and vision of Islam on one hand and the contemporary challenges and realities on the other. The countries proclaiming themselves to be "Islamic" by instituting and implementing the traditional corpus of Islamic laws are finding that even the common Muslim mass, which usually endears Islam deeply, is finding a serious burden in coping with the weight of the details of the laws, often based on rigid or literal interpretation.

What is now commonly identified or understood as Shari'ah and presented as divinely sanctioned is actually mostly interpretations of fallible human beings, even though such human enterprise is, as claimed, informed by the two primary sources, the Qur'an and the Sunnah. For Muslims, the Qur'an is direct revelation from God and it is divine and infallible. The Sunnah or hadith is relied upon for deducing much of the laws and codes in detail. Even though the hadith scholars have done a most appreciable work in coming up with collections of hadiths and their authentication, hadith in itself it is not divine and infallible. The other two sources of Islamic laws are ijma' (consensus) and qiyas (analogical reasoning).

"The Qur'an is the primary source of law. The other three sources, i.e., the Sunnah, ijma' and qiyas have been stamped with the revelatory character. ... Qiyas derives its value from these sources; hence it is indirectly infallible

Some Pertinent Basics of Qiyas

The Qur'an is not quite a compendium of laws and codes. Actually, only a very small portion of the Qur'an relates to specific guidance establishing what is permissible and what is prohibited. Beyond setting some principles, norms and parameters, a commonly accepted position of Islamic fiqh is that except what is categorically prohibited, the default guidance of the Qur'an is permissibility. As al-Qaradawi explains:

“The first asl', or principle, established by Islam is that the things which Allah has created and the benefits derived from them are essentially for man's use, and hence are permissible. Nothing is haram except what is prohibited by a sound or explicit nas (i.e. text) from the Law-Giver. ... He has prohibited only a few things for specific reason, ... In Islam the sphere of prohibited things is very small, while that of permissible things is extremely vast. There is only a small number of sound and explicit texts concerning prohibitions, while whatever is not mentioned in a nas as being lawful or prohibited falls under the general permissibility of things and within the domain of Allah's favor.”

There is a close relationship between ijma' and qiyas though. Ijtihad is what makes Islamic jurisprudence dynamic, and qiyas brought some discipline to the applied human reasoning to determine what is Islamically acceptable and what is not for things or situations that are not already covered by the other three sources. However, for the result of a qiyas to be broadly accepted, it also had to be validated by ijma'. If validated, most Muslim scholars have placed high value on qiyas as a methodology.

"The procedure of analogy is devised to eliminate the free use of reason and independent value judgments."

Diversity of views about Qiyas

Even though the Sunnis generally accept qiyas as one of the four sources of Islamic jurisprudence, there is considerable disagreement about what qiyas is, its scope, the method of validation, etc.
"After the Companions, jurists differed over the extent to which analogy could be relied upon. ... The question of analogy has caused a good deal of controversy."
Just like most aspects of Islamic jurisprudence have no consensus, the same is true about qiyas. Each school has its own definition with special emphasis or nuance.

" The root meaning of the word qiyas ... is 'measuring', 'accord', and 'equality'.It is defined by the Hanafites as 'an extension of law from the original text to which the process is applied to a particular case by means of a common illah, which cannot be ascertained merely by interpretation of the language of the text.'.
To Malikites, it is 'the accord of a deduction with the original text in respect of the illah or effective cause of its law'.
For the Shafites it is 'the accord of a known thing with a known thing by reason of the equality of the one with the other in respect of the effective cause of its law. To Shafi'i, qiyas and ijtihad (interpretation) are two terms with the same meaning."

Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) As the Seal of Prophet Hood

2008-05-25T04:50:00.000-07:00

The importance of Prophet Hood (Nabuwwat) is simply emphasized by the fact that Allah the Almighty chose it as the medium to reach His message to the people.

Since the station of Prophet Hood is divinely instituted, it is important to pay attention to the following points:

The appointment of a prophet is the sole prerogative and responsibility of Allah. The appointment does not leave any scope for human intervention or opinion. It is necessary that the prophet appointed by Allah is the best amongst his people in every aspect (for example, the prophet will be the most eloquent in the language spoken by his people) or that he brings proofs such as miracles (Mo'jizah) to establish his claim of being divine representative
The appointment of each prophet is preceded by an announcement made by the previous prophet. For example, the arrival of the Holy Prophet of Islam (PBUH) was heralded in all divine books. Here it is important to mention that Allah sent prophets not only subject to their acceptance of the prophet of Mohammed (PBUH), but also on the condition that they would proclaim his arrival to their tribes.
When the Holy Prophet of Islam (PBUH) was asked about the number of previous Prophets, he replied, "123,999." To the question about the number of Messengers amongst these, he replied, "312". Then he said, "I am the last Prophet and Messenger. There will neither be any prophet after me, nor any Messenger." This tradition is another proof that Messengers were not a group separate from Prophets.

According To Hinduism:

The author produces the following sound evidences from the Vedas and other holy books of the Hindu religion in support of his claim:

In the Puranas (Hindu scriptures), it is stated that Kalki Avatar would be the last messenger of God in this world. He would be for guidance of the whole world and all human beings.
According to a Hindu religion prediction the birth of Kalki Avatar would take place in an isle, which again according to Hindu religion is Arab Region.
In books of Hindus, the names of the father and the mother of Kalki Avatar are given as VISHNUBHAGAT and SUMAANI respectively. If we examine the meaning of these names we shall come to some very interesting conclusion. VISHNU (meaning God) + BHAGAT (meaning Slave). Slave of God = ABDULLAH (in Arabic) is the name of Prophet's (PBUH) Father.
SUMAANI (meaning peace or calmness).Aamenah (in Arabic means peace) is the name of Prophet's (PBUH) Mother.
In the religious books of Hindus, it is mentioned that the staple food of Kalki Avatar would be dates and olives and he would be the most honest and truthful person in the region. Without any doubt the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) is acclaimed to possess these qualities.
It is stated in Vedas (holy book of Hindu Religion) that the birth of Kalki Avatar would take place in an honorable clan. This perfectly fits the Quraysh where Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) belonged to.
God would teach Kalki Avatar through His messenger (angel) in a cave. Allah taught Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) through His messenger Jibraeel (Gabriel), in a cave known as Ghaar-e-Hira.
God would provide Kalki Avatar with a very speedy horse to ride and travel the whole world and the seven skies. Indication of burraq (Horse) and Me'raaj (the night when Prophet [PBUH] travelled the seven skies).
God would provide Kalki Avatar with divine help. This was particularly proved in the Battle of Uhud.
Another dazzling account given about Kalki Avatar was that he would be born on the 12th of a month. Whereas the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) was born on the 12th of Rabbi Ul Awwal (Hijra Calendar).

According To Christianity:

The Gospel of Jesus brought into sharper focus the identity of the one who would fulfill the promise to make the line of Ishmael a great nation. In the Gospel of John- a New Testament book which is not the Gospel of Jesus and which may be considered as representing only in general terms portions of Jesus' teaching- Jesus informs his close companions that his work among them was drawing to conclusion, but God would send someone else after a time to carry forward the prophetic movement. This someone, however, would be the last of the prophets.
"And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever, even the spirit of truth" [15].
"When he, the spirit of truth is come, he will guide you unto all truth; for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear (from God), that shall he speak, and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me" [16].

However, some scholars believe that what Jesus said in his own language of Aramaic represents more closely the Greek word periklytos, which means the Admirable or Glorified One. Periklytos corresponds to the word Muhammad in Arabic [18]. There are several proven cases of similar word substitutions in the New Testament (Also, refer to added comments at Reference [18] at the bottom of this page).

The one reference at John 14:26 which seek to identify the coming prophet as "the Holy Ghost" or Spirit is the only one like it in the entire Bible. It is obviously the addition of some editor of the Gospel of John who sought in his own way to explain who he thought the "spirit of truth" was. But this indefensible exegesis simply contradicts what Jesus is reported to have said elsewhere in John. According to other verses he indicated clearly that the prophet or "Paraclete" would not come until Jesus' own mission was finished. The holy spirit- the angel of revelation-was active already, both before and during the ministry of Jesus, delivering God's revelations to His prophets and assisting them. (See Psalms 51:11; Matthew 3:16; 4:1, etc.). This strange "Holy Ghost" interpretation gained currency only after Christians began to look upon God as a "Trinity", with the "Holy Ghost" being an aspect of it. Neither the word Trinity nor its concepts can be found anywhere in the Bible. The Paraclete would be a man, not a ghost, because the same word is applied to Jesus himself at 1 John 2:1

FINANCIAL DEALINGS WITH OTHERS ACCORDING TO ISLAM

2008-05-25T04:28:00.000-07:00

INTRODUCTION

Islamic finance is an old concept but a very young discipline in the academic sense. It lacks the required extent and level of theories and models needed for expansion and implementation of the framework provided by Islam. In these circumstances, unawareness and confusion exist as to the form of the Islamic financial system and instruments.

The main difference between the present economic system and the Islamic economic system is that the later is based on keeping in view certain social objectives for the benefit of human beings and society.

Those who swallow down usury cannot arise except as one whom Shaitan has prostrated by (his) touch does rise. That is because they say, trading is only like usury; and Allah has allowed trading and forbidden usury. To whomsoever then the admonition has come from his Lord, then he desists, he shall have what has already passed, and his affair is in the hands of Allah; and whoever returns (to it) - these are the inmates of the fire; they shall abide in it [Sura 2:275].

ISLAM’S VIEW OF TRADE

Interest is not a subject without trade and commerce. Islam recognizes trade and commerce not only as a lawful profession but also as a moral duty. Islam has laid down a complete set of rules for trade. The reason for these rules is to specify what halal earning is. There are many traditions (Ahadith) concerning halal provision that can also be found in the books containing the traditions of the prophet (peace be upon him).

RULES CONCERNING FINANCIAL DEALINGS

There are many examples of financial dealings among Muslims leading to disagreements, strain in relationships and even fights, instead of leading, as they normally should, to strengthening the bond of Muslim brotherhood and to mutual benefit. Almost everyone in our community must know cases, in which two or more Muslims become partners in a business or one gives a loan to another brother and the result is mutual pain instead of mutual benefit.

Fulfilling Agreements

All dealings between human beings, financial and otherwise, are based on some expressed or implicit agreements. Honouring these agreements is the key to happy and smooth relationships among members of a community or society. The Holy Qur'an therefore stresses this principle again and again. In several places the Holy Qur'an lists fulfillment of one's commitments among the most important characteristics of a believer.

"O Believers: Honour your contracts" [Qur'an 5:1]

Writing and Witnessing the Deal

To avoid failure of memory and to reduce the chances of misunderstanding and bad faith, the Qur'an commands the writing of financial deals and/or having the deal confirmed by witnesses
For financial transactions involving credit, the Qur'an commands the writing of the terms of the transaction and having the deal confirmed by two male witnesses or one male and two female witnesses.

Honesty (Avoiding Bad Faith)

Writing a clear, detailed agreement, duly signed and/or witnessed, can avoid two causes of problems in financial dealings: failure of memory and misunderstanding about the terms of the agreement.

"Oh you who believe! Eat not up each other's property by unfair and dishonest means." Qur'an (4:29)

Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) has stressed the importance of honesty in most of his sermons, saying:

"Remember, there isno faith in him who is not trustworthy; there is no place for him in religion who cares not for his pledged word or promise."
He (PBUH) also said:
"The signs of a hypocrite are three: when he speaks, he is false, when he promises, he fails; and when he is trusted, he plays false."

Enforcing Agreements:

There will always be some people who do not give too much importance to taqwa (respect for moral values which comes through fear and consciousness of God and belief in the hereafter.)

They will not hesitate to break an agreement whenever it suits them. For such people there is also need for a legal apparatus to enforce the deals they willingly sign.

According to Quran:

"Fear Allah as witness for fair dealing, in hatred of others do not depart from justice. Being just is next to piety" Qur'an (5:9)

TAUHID AND RISALAT

2008-05-24T10:27:00.000-07:00

Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He) says in the Holy Qur'aan, in the 49^thSura, al-Hujeraat, Verse 1

"O ye who believe! Put not yourselves forward before Allah and His Messenger; but fear Allah: for Allah is He Who hears and knows all things."

Ishq And Ab Or Love And Respect

The aim (Maqsad) of faith (Iman) is to establish oneness (Tauhid). Within the Science of the Pursuit of Spirituality (Tasawwuf) all existence is one (tauhid- i- wujudi). The Sufis and the Verifiers (muhaqqiqun) have realised Allah’s Unity within themselves. They, the ahl al-kashf wa’l wujud or ‘The People of Unveiling and Finding’, have taught us that the key to unlock the treasures of Tauhid is Risalat or the Messenger of Allah. The aim (Maqsad) of Risalat is Iteba or ‘Following with Love’. The key to open the treasures of Iteba or ‘Following with Love’ is Ishq and Ab or love and respect. Hazrath Shaykh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilaani (may Allah be well pleased with him) says that it is important that every believer observe a>da>b under all circumstances. Hazrath Shaykh Abd al-Qaadir al-Jilaani (may Allah be well pleased with him) quotes Hazrath Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be well pleased with him) as having said,

Respect Of Rasulullah Is Respect For Allah

Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He) says in the Holy Qur'aan, in the 49^thSura, al-Hujeraat, Verse 1

"O ye who believe! Put not yourselves forward before Allah and His Messenger; but fear Allah: for Allah is He Who hears and knows all things."

This noble Sura begins with the refined manner (a>da>b) that Allah has taught the believers to conduct themselves, with respect to the Sacred Law (Shariah) of Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He) and the authority of His Beloved Messenger. Some of the traditional Commentators, soaked in ishq and a>da>b have called it the ‘Sura of Ethical and Moral Standards’ (Su>rat al-Akhla>q).

Amongst many reasons given for this revelation, the one given by al-Tabrani who cites Hazrath Hassan Basri (May Allah be well pleased with him), that this was revealed on the occasion of ‘The Festival of Sacrifice’ (Id al-Adha) when some Companions of the Holy Prophet (Sahaba) performed their sacrifice (Qurbani) before the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him, his family and his companions) had made his sacrifice and Allah revealed this verse.

Two points should be noted here

The Sacred law (Shariah) declares that the sacrificial animal be cut after the Festive Prayer (s{ala>t-al-‘I) but respect (a>da>b) says cut after the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him, his family and his companions) or the Sacrifice (Qurbani) is not accepted. Any act of Servitude to Allah (Ibaadat) has to be offered with Abe Rasul (Peace be upon him, his family and his companions) This is a condition of acceptance that proper conduct (a>da>b) demands

Another point is that the Companions (Sahaba) performed Sacrifice (Qurbani) before the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him, his family and his companions) but the Verse says before Allah and His Messenger (Peace be upon him, his family and his companions). Therefore the Qur’aan is informing us that disrespect of the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him, his family and his companions) is disrespect to Allah. Hence, loyalty to the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him, his family and his companions) is loyalty to Allah.

The rule that these points teach us is that we should realize and recognize the status of the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him, his family and his companions). There should be a balance between the teaching of Allah’s Unity (Tauhid) and the Concept of the Messenger of Allah (Risaalat). One should not try and belittle the Holy Prophet’s status in the name of one’s own narrow understanding of Tauhid.

The Creator And The Created

There is no difference between Allah and His Messenger (Peace be upon him, his family and his companions) in respect of, Love, Obedience Respect etc. Only one difference exists i.e. one is the creator and the other is the created.

Ibn Taimiyyah one of the founding fathers and leading scholar of the deviant Wahabbi School has elaborated this concept.He says:

"Certainly, Allah has appointed the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him, his family and his companions) as His stand-in at His own place in case of command of commission, command of omission, disclosure of the facts and interpretation of the laws. Hence, discrimination between the status of Allah and that of the Prophet (Peace be upon him, his family and his companions) with reference to any of these issues

" Agar Khamosh Rahu Meh Toh Tuhi Heh Sub Kuch

Agar Kaha Kuch Toh Tera Husn Hoh Gaya Mehdood"

Belief In Angels

2008-05-24T10:07:00.000-07:00

Belief In Allah

2008-05-24T09:40:00.000-07:00

Belief In Allah’s Existence Allah’s existence is affirmed through Fitrah (the innate purity that Allah creates in every human being), the Mind, the Shari’ah (Islamic Law) and the senses.

As for the Fitrah, we say the following: Allah created the belief in Him in every human being. Mankind needs not to be taught this belief or think about how to possess it.

The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) said, what translated means, “Every newly born will be born having Fitrah. However, his parents will either convert him to Judaism, Christianity or Majocism (fire worshipping).” [Saheeh al-Bukhari]

The Human Mind must be used to prove the existence of Allah. All this creation, of old and new, must have a Creator who invented and started it. This creation could not have come to existence on its own or by chance. Allah mentioned this reasoning in the Quran, “Were they created by nothing, or were they themselves the creators?” [52:35].

- As for the Shari’ah, all divine religions testify to the fact that Allah created the world. All Laws that were sent with these divine and revealed religions contain what benefits mankind. This is evidence to the existence of a Wise and All-Knowing Lord Who knows what brings benefit to His creation, All divinely-revealed religions describe a universe that is self evident to the existence and ability of Allah, Who Creates what He Will.

Also, the senses must be used to prove the existence of Allah. We know that Allah accepts the supplication from whoever seek His aid and help, and that He brings them the benefits that they desire. This is clear evidence to the existence of Allah, who said, what translated means, “And (remember) Noah, when he cried (to Us) aforetime We listened to his invocation.” [21:76]

Belief In Allah’s Lordship This means to believe that Allah is the Lord, alone, and that He has no partners or helpers. The Rabb (Lord) is the One who Creates and Commands. There is no creator except Allah and there is no owner of the universe except Him. The Commandment and the Control is His. He said, what translated means, “Surely, His is the Creation and commandment.” [7:54] and, “Such is Allah your Lord; His is the Kingdom. And those whom you invoke or call upon instead of Him, own not even a Qitmir (the membrane over the date-stone)." [35:13]

The Belief That He Is the ILAH: Allah is the Ilah, meaning He is the Worshipped One Who has no partners. This Ilah is worshipped with love and reverence. He said, what translated means, “And your Lord is One Lord, there is none who has the right to be worshipped but He, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.” [2:163]

The Belief In Allah’s Names and Attributes. This belief requires accepting whatever Allah described of Himself in His Book or in the Sunnah of His Messenger (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam). The Names and Attributes must be accepted without alteration [1], rejection [2], and precise description of their true nature or equating them with attributes of the creation. Allah said, what translated means, “And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah, so call on Him by them, and leave the company of those who deny His Names. They will be requited for what they used to do.” [7:180],

Some More Signs Of Qayamat.......

2008-05-24T09:16:00.000-07:00

The Prophet Muhammad Sallahu alayhi wa sallam also
said:

1. Alcohol will be called Sherbat, and will be considered Halal
2. Interest will be called Trade, and will be considered Halal
3. Bribes will be called Gifts, and will be considered Halal
4. Women will be naked in spite of wearing dresses.
(This Hadith has baffled the Ulema for a very long time until now) The 3 kind of naked women are:

Those who wear see-through dresses
Those who wear tight dresses and
Those whose dresses are so short,that they expose the body

5. Women will have hair, like the hump of a camel. (This hadith too, had baffled the Ulema for quite a long time till they saw
current hairstyles. I believe it came into fashion about 5 years ago.)

The 72 Signs of Qayamat

2008-05-24T09:13:00.000-07:00

The Prophet Muhammad (Salallaho Alaihi Wassallam) foretold 72 signs that would appear near Doomsday:

1. People will leave prayer
2. People will usurp Ama'naat
3. Lying will become an art
4. There will be murders on the slightest of
disagreements
5. Interest will become common
6. There will be very tall buildings
7. People will sell Religion for the world
8. People will treat relatives badly
9. Justice will become a rarity
10. Lies will be considered truth
11. Clothes will be of silk
12. Persecution will become common
13. Divorces will become common
14. Sudden deaths will increase
15. The usurper of Ama'naat will be considered honest and honourable
16. The keeper of Am'naat will be called an usurper of things given to him for safekeeping
17. Liars will be thought of as honest
18. Honest people will be thought of as liars
19. False accusations will become the norm
20. It will be hot in spite of rain
21. Instead of wishing for children, people will pray that they not have children
22. People from bad backgrounds and with bad
upbringing will live a life of luxury (material, not peaceful)
23. Good people, when they try to practice, will be cut off from the world
24. Previously good people will also usurp Ama'naat
25. Leaders will become persecutors
26. Ulema and Qaris will commit adultery
27. People will wear clothes of animal skin
28. But their hearts will smell and will be dead
29. And will be bitter
30. Gold will become common
31. Demand for Silver will increase
32. Sin will increase
33. Peace will become rare
34. Ayaats from the Quran will be decorated and calligraphy will become common
35. Mosques will be decorated
36. And will have tall minars
37. But hearts will be empty
38. Alcoholic drinks will be consumed
39. Punishments ordered by the Shariah will be revoked and will no longer be implemented
40. Women will order their mothers around
41. People who are with naked feet, naked bodies and against religion will becomekings
42. Women will trade along with men
43. Women will imitate men
44. Men will imitate women
45. People will swear by things other than Allah and the Quran
46. Even Muslims will be prepared to give false testimony, without being incited to it
47. Only people one knows will be greeted with the salaam
48. The knowledge of the shariah will be used to earn worldly things
49. Acts which earn the Akhirah, will be used to earn the world
50. Assets belonging to the nation will be considered and treated as personal treasures by the rulers
51. Ama'naat will be considered ones personal asset
52. Zakaat will be considered a penalty
53. The lowest and the worst man in the nation will become its leader
54. People will not obey their fathers
55. And will mistreat their mothers
56. And will not hold back from harming their friends
57. And will obey their wives
58. And the voices of men who commit adultery will be raised in mosques
59. Women who sing will be treated with great deference
60. Instruments of music will be kept with great care
61. Alcohol will be drunk on the highways
62. People will be proud of their acts of persecution
63. Justice will be sold in the courts
64. The number of men in the police force will increase
65. Instead of music, the Quran will be used to gain pleasure for its tune
and style (qirat), not for what it preaches, its meaning or for rewards in the Akhirah
66. Animal fur will be used
67. The last of the Ummat will curse those before them. (clearly seen today in people who call the Prophet's companion's names)
68. Either Allah will send a Red Storm upon you
69. Or Earthquakes
70. Or your faces will be changed
71. Or a rain of rocks from the skies. Asteroids, Meteors
72. Lies will become a habit of the rulers and the rich

50 SIGNS OF QAYAMAT(DOOMSDAY)

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Past

1. Splitting of the Moon.
2. Death of the Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.
3. A form of death which will kill thousands of Muslims. (Understood to refer to the plague of Amwas during the caliphate of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab.)
4. A major fighting in Madinah (understood to refer to the battle of al-Harrah during the caliphate of Yazid, 63 AH).
5. The Muslim conquest of Jerusalem.
6. The Muslim conquest of Constantinople.
7. Two large groups of Muslims will fight in war.
8. A war between the Muslims and a reddish people with small eyes, wearing sandals made of hair (understood to refer tothe Mongol Tatar invasion of the Islamic lands.)
9. A peace agreement between the Muslims and non-Muslims from the yellow race (Chinese, Mongols, etc.)
10. Thirty impostors (dajjal) will appear, each thinking he is a prophet.

Present

11. Naked, destitute, barefoot shepherds will compete in building tall buildings.
12. The slave-woman will give birth to her master or mistress.
13. A trial (fitnah) which will enter every Arab household.
14. Knowledge will be taken away (by the death of people of knowledge), and ignorance will prevail.
15. Wine (intoxicants, alcohol) will be drunk in great quantities.
16. Illegal s3x will become widespread.
17. Earthquakes will increase.
18. Time will pass more quickly.
19. Tribulations (fitan) will prevail.
20. Bloodshed will increase.
21. A man will pass by the grave of another and wish he was in the latter’s place.
22. Trustworthiness will be lost, i.e. when authority is given to those who do not deserve it.
23. People will gather for prayer, but will be unable to find an imam to lead them.

Future

24. The number of men will decrease, whilst the number of women will increase, until for every man there are 50 women.
25. The Euphrates will reveal a treasure of gold, and many will die fighting over it, each one hoping to be the one who gains the treasure.
26. The Romans (Europeans) will come to a place called A’maq or Wabiq, and an army of the best people will go forth from Madinah to face them.
27. The Muslim conquest of Rome.
28. The Mahdi (guided one) will appear, and be the Imam of the Muslims.
29. Jesus Christ will descend in Damascus, and pray behind the Mahdi.
30. Jesus will break the cross and kill the swine, i.e. destroy the false christianity.
31. The Antichrist (al-masih al-dajjal, the false christ) will appear, with all his tools of deception, and be an immense trial. He will be followed by 70,000 Jews from Isfahan (present-day Iran).
32. The appearance of Ya’juj and Ma’juj (Gog and Magog), and the associated tribulations.
33. The emergence of the Beast from the Earth, carrying the Staff of Moses and the Seal of Solomon, who will speak to the people, telling them they did not believe with certainty in the Divine Signs.
34. A major war between the Muslims (including Jews and Christians who truly believe in Jesus after his return) led by the Imam Mahdi, and the Jews plus other non-Muslims led by the Antichrist.
35. Jesus will kill the Antichrist at the gate of Ludd (Lod in present-day Israel, site of an airport and a major Israeli military base).
36. A time of great peace and serenity during and after the remaining lifetime of Jesus.
37. Wealth will come so abundant that it will become difficult to find someone to accept charity.
38. Arabia will become a land of gardens and rivers.
39. Society will then decay.
40. The buttocks of the women of the tribe of Daws will again sway in circumambulation (tawaf) around the idol Dhul-Khulsah.
41. A great fire in the Hijaz, seen by the inhabitants of Busra.
42. Three major armies will sink into the earth: one in the east, one in the west, one in Arabia.
43. An Abyssinian leader with thin shins will destroy the Ka’bah.
44. The huge cloud of smoke.
45. The sun will rise from the west (its place of setting).
46. A gentle wind which will take the souls of the believers.
47. There is no-one left on the earth saying, "Allah, Allah" or "There is no god except Allah."
48. Eventually the Day of Judgment is established upon the worst of the people, who copulate like donkeys in public.
49. The blowing in the Trumpet by the Angel Israfil, upon which everyone will faint except as Allah wills.
50. The second blowing in the Trumpet, upon which everyone will be resurrected.

Important information for Non-Muslims

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If anyone has a real desire to be a Muslim and has full conviction and strong belief that Islam is the true religion ordained by Allah for all human-beings, then, one should pronounce the "shahada", the testimony of faith, without further delay. The Holy Qur'an is explicit on this regard as Allah states:

"The Religion in the sight of Allah is Islam." (Qur'an 3:19)

In another verse of the Holy Qur'an, Allah states:

"If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (Submission to Allah), Never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost."(Qur'an 3:85)

If a person does not pronounce the Shahada and enter Islaam, we cannot say that he is a Muslim, even if he admired Islaam and recognized that it the best religion, a great religion, and so on. Abu Taalib, the uncle of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) died a kaafir (non-Muslim), and Allaah forbade His Prophet to pray for forgiveness for him, even though he used to defend the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said in his poems: "I do know that the religion of Muhammad is better than all other religions of mankind; were it not for fear of blame or slander, you would find me accepting it completely."

Glossary of Terms

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Words	Definitions

Al-Asmaul Husna	Most excellent (beautiful) names of Allah
Allah	Is the proper name of God
Allahu Akbar	Allah (God) is the Greatest
Amina	Muhammad’s (PBUH) mother
Ansar	Helpers - Muslims from Medina
Asr	The Third of the five daily Prayer services, offered any time between when the sun starts declining and sunset
Adhan	The Islamic call for prayer
Dua-e-Qunoot	Arabic name of the special Prayer recited in the last Rakat of Vitr Prayer
Durood (Assalat-u-Alannabi)	Invocation of blessings upon the Holy Prophet of Islam, (PBUH)
Eid-ul-Adhia	Islamic Festival commemorating the obedience to God of Prophet Ibrahim (or Abraham), peace be upon him, and his son and Prophet Ishmael (PBUH)
Eid-ul-Fitr	The Islamic festival concluding the fasting of the month of Ramadhan
Fajr	The first of five daily Prayer services, offered any time during the period starting from dawn and ending a few minutes before sunrise
Faraidh	Plural form of Fardh (compulsory Prayer)
Fitrana	Money contributed by Muslims before the Eid-ul-Fitr so that the needy and poor also join the festivities
Ghazwa	Battle in which Muhammad (PBUH) himself lead the Muslims
Ghazwa (Battle) of Tabuk	The last great battle lead by the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him
Hadrat Abdul-Muttalib	Muhammad’s (PBUH) Grandfather
Hadrat Fatima	Muhammad’s (PBUH) youngest daughter
Hadrat Khadija	Muhammad’s first wife, one of the first people to accept Islam.
Hadrat Safiyya	Wife of Muhammad (PBUH)
Hadrat Zainab Bint Khazima	Wife of Muhammad (PBUH)
Hajj	Pilgrimage to the Ka’aba in Mecca Arabia - The fifth pillar of Islam - Performed on the 10th day of Dhul Hijja
Hajjatul-Wida	Farewell Pilgrimage. Last Hajj performed by Mohammad (PBUH)
Hajr-I-Aswad	Black Stone in Ka’aba
Hazrat Abu Bakr	Muhammad’s (PBUH) the best friend and the first person to accept Islam who also became the first Caliph or Khalifah
Hazrat Aisha	Wife of Muhammad (PBUH) and the daughter of Hazrat Abu Bakr
Hazrat Ali	The Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) dearest cousin and son-in-law who was the first child to accept Islam
Hazrat Fatima	The Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) fourth daughter, may Allah be pleased with her
Hazrat Habiba	Wife of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
Hazrat Hafsa	Wife of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
Hazrat Halima Sadiyya	The Holy Prophet Muhammad's (PBUH) wet nurse
Hazrat Hamza	The Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) maternal uncle
Hazrat Ibrahim	The Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) second son, may Allah be pleased with him
Hazrat Jawariya bint Harith	Wife of Muhammad (PBUH)
Hazrat Jibrail	The Arc Angel Gabriel who brought the First Revelation in Cave of Hira to Muhammad’s (PBUH)
Hazrat Maimuna	Wife of Muhammad (PBUH)
Hazrat Ruqayya	The Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) second daughter, may Allah be pleased with her
Hazrat Salman Farsi	Companion of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) who migrated from Faris (Iran)
Hazrat Sauda	Wife of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
Hazrat Umar	The second of the four Khulafa-e-Rashideen
Hazrat Um-e-Kalthum	The Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) third daughter, may Allah be pleased with her
Hazrat Um-e-Salma	Wife of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
Hazrat Zaid	The Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) freed slave and his adopted son - one of the first people to accept Islam
Hazrat Zainab	The Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) first daughter, may Allah be pleased with her
Hazrat Zainab bint Hajash	Wife of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
Hazrat Zainab bint Hajash	Wife of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
Hijrat	Migration from Mecca to Medina
Hira	Cave where the Holy Propeht Muhammad (PBUH) received the first revelation from Allah
Imam	The person who leads the prayer or service
Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun.	To Allah we belong to Him we must return
Iqamah (Iqamat)	A shorten verse of the Adhan, which is recited loudly to indicate that a congregational Prayer is about to start
Isha	The fifth and last of the five daily Prayer services, offered any time between nightfall and midnight, or before going to bed
Janaza	The funeral prayer
Jilsa	The sitting position which occurs in between two prostrations during Prayer
Ka’aba	The first house of worship ever built on the face of the earth for the worship of One and Only Allah - re-constructed by Hazrat Ibrahim and his son for worship of Allah - All daily prayers are offered facing in the direction of Ka’aba from all over the world
Kalimah	The credo of Islam, “There is none worthy of worship save Allah; Muhammad is the messenger of Allah"
Kalimah Shahadah (Kalima)	The deceleration of Islamic faith
Khusoof	Eclipse of the moon, during which a special Prayer is to be offered
Kusoof	Eclipse of the Sun during which a special Prayer is to be offered
Madina	Second Holiest place after Mecca - City where the Holy Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) settled after the migration from Mecca
Maghrib	The fourth of the five daily Prayer services, which can be offered any time in the period starting from immediately after sunset and ending when there is still some light left on the horizon
Makroohat	Acts which are considered inappropriate during Prayer
Malikis	One of the sects of Islam
Muadhin	The person who says the Adhan, or call to Prayer
Muhajirin	Immigrants from Mecca
Muhammad	The Holy Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, peace be upon him (PBUH)
Mustahab (plural Mustahabbat)	Preferable or praiseworthy things, when referring to the style or manner of performing Prayer
Nawafil	Optional category of Prayer
Nikah	Contract of marriage
Niyyah (Niyyat)	The formal intention which one makes in one’s mind before starting a Prayer
Ordinance of Jizya	Tax on non-believers seeking protection from Muslims and exemption from military service in defense of the country they were living in as its citizens
PBUH	Peace be upon him
Q'ad b>	Sitting position adopted towards the end of the second Rakat in Prayer
Qadhaa	Offering a missed Prayer
Q	The Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) first son, may Allah be pleased with him
Qasr	The act of shortening ones Prayer, especially during long distance travel
Qauma	The Posture of standing erect after Ruku
Qibla	Revelation and change of direction to face for Formal Prayers, (Salat) towards Ka’aba
Q	The standing position in Prayer
Quba	Town near Medina
Quba Mosque	Location of first Mosque of Islam
Rakaat	Plural form of Rakat
Ra	One complete unit within a Prayer
Ramadan	Name of a month in Islamic Calendar - Fasting in the month of Ramadan is obligatory for all stationed adult and healthy Muslims
Ruku'	The bowing down position in Prayer
Sadqa	Charity
Sajdah	The position of Prostration in Prayer
Salat	Prayer
Salat-ul-Zohr	The second phase of Salat-ul-Ishraq
Salat-ul-Hajaat	Prayer offered when one is in need or difficulty
Salat-ul-Tasbih	Optional prayer of four Rakaat to be offered at least once in one’s lifetime
Saum	Fasting in the month of Ramadhan also known as the forth pillar of Islam
Shias	One of the sects of Islam
Sujood (Sajdah)	The posture of Prostration in Prayer
Sujood-us-Sahv	Prostrations of atonement preformed when a mistake has been committed during Prayer and which may affect its validity
Sunan	Plural of Sunnat
Sunnah (Sunnat)	One type of category of Prayer, compulsory but not Fardh (obligatory), more important than a Nafl (voluntary) prayer
Sunnis	One of the sects of Islam
Sura (Surah)	Arabic word for a chapter - used for designating the chapters of the Holy Quran
Sutra	An object which a worshipper places before him to mark the physical boundary of his Prayer
Tahajjud	Optional Prayer of great merit offered in the latter part of the night
Tahmeed	The prescribed words recited by the congregation in response to the Tasmee' of the Imam, also words of praise and remembrance of God
Taif	Town 40 miles from Mecca
Takbeer	A set formula, recited loudly in order to indicate that a congregational Prayer is about to start
Takbir-I-Tahreema	The Arabic expression Allahu Akbar (God is the Greatest) proclaimed by the Imam while he raises his two hands to his earlobes at the very beginning of a congregational Prayer service
Taraveeh	Special Prayer offered after Isha Prayer during the month of Ramadhan
Tashahhud	A prayer recited at the beginning of the Qadah (second sitting position) in Prayer
Tawwudh	Set words for seeking the protection of God against Satan, recited at the beginning of a prayer
Thaur	The cave where Prophet (PBUH) took refuge with Hazrat Abu Bakr from the people of Mecca on their way to Medina
Ummul-Muminin	Mother of the believers - A title for the wives of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him
Umra (Umratul-Qada)	A pilgrimage to Mecca that can be performed during any time of the year except when Hajj is being performed
Zakat	Mandatory offering of alms
Zakat-ul-Fitr	Alms at the Eid-ul-Fitr
Zuhr	The second of the five daily Prayer services offered

Attributes of Allah

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Allah is the proper name of God, however, we know Him generally through His attributes. These attributes describe how Allah manifests Himself to us. God's attributes are innumerable since human intellect cannot possibly comprehend every aspect of the Supreme Being. A Hadith of the Holy Prophet (peace be on him) makes mention of Ninety Nine names of Allah commonly known as al- Asmaul Husna, the Most Names.

In the Holy Quran we read: "And to Allah alone belong all perfect attributes. So call Him by these. And leave alone those who deviate from the right way with respect to His Attributes." (7:181).

"Allah - there is no God but He, the Living, the Self-Subsisting and All-Sustaining. Slumber seizes Him not, nor sleep. To Him belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. Who is he that will intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them; and they encompass nothing of His knowledge except what He pleases. His knowledge extends over the heavens and the earth; and the care of them burdens Him not;and He is the High, the Great." (2:256)

Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The similitude of His light is a lustrous niche, wherein is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass. The glass is as it were a glittering star. It is lit from blessed tree - an olive - neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would well-nigh glow forth even though fire touched it not.Light upon light! Allah guides to His light whomsoever He will. And Allah sets forth parables to men, and Allah know all things full well.This light is now lit in houses with regard to which Allah has ordained that they be exalted and that His name be remembered in them, Therein is He glorified in the mornings and the evenings (24:36-37)

"He is Allah, and there is no God beside Him, the Knower of the unseen and the seen. He is Gracious, the Merciful.He is Allah, and there is no God beside Him, the Sovereign, the Holy One, the Source of Peace, the Bestower of Security, the Protector, the Mighty, the Subduer, the Exalted. Holy is Allah far above that which they associate with Him.He is Allah, the Creator, the Maker, the Fashioner. His are the most Beautiful Names. All that is in the heavens and the earth glorifies Him, and He is the Mighty the Wise.(59: 23-25)

Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: The Holy Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "Allah has ninety nine Names, one hundred less one; and who memorized them all by heart will enter Paradise." (Bukhari, The Book of Tauhid.

Introduction to Islam

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The literal meaning of Islam is peace; surrender of one’s will i.e. losing oneself for the sake of God and surrendering one’s own pleasure for the pleasure of God. The message of Islam was revealed to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings on him) 1, 400 years ago. It was revealed through angel Gabriel (on whom be peace) and was thus preserved in the Holy Quran.

The Holy Quran carries a Divine guarantee of safeguard from interpolation and it claims that it combines the best features of the earlier scriptures. The prime message of Islam is the Unity of God, that the Creator of the world is One and He alone is worthy of worship and that Muhammad (peace and blessings on him) is His Messenger and Servant. The follower of this belief is thus a Muslim - a Muslim’s other beliefs are: God’s angels, previously revealed Books of God, all the prophets, from Adam to Jesus (peace be on them both), the Day of Judgement and indeed the Decree of God. A Muslim has five main duties to perform, namely; bearing witness to the Unity of God and Muhammad (peace and blessings on him) as His Messenger, observing the prescribed prayer, payment of Zakat, keeping the fasts of Ramadhan and performing the pilgrimage to Mecca. Islam believes that each person is born pure. The Holy Quran tells us that God has given human beings a choice between good and evil and to seek God’s pleasure through faith, prayer and charity.

Islam believes that God created mankind in His image and by imbuing the attributes of God on a human level mankind can attain His nearness. Islam’s main message is to worship God and to treat all God’s creation with kindness and compassion. Rights of parents in old age, orphans and the needy are clearly stated. Women’s rights were safeguarded 1,400 years ago when the rest of the world was in total darkness about emancipation. Islamic teachings encompass every imaginable situation and its rules and principles are truly universal and have stood the test of time. In Islam virtue does not connote forsaking the bounties of nature that are lawful. On the contrary one is encouraged to lead a healthy, active life with the qualities of kindness, chastity, honesty, mercy, courage patience and politeness. In short, Islam has a perfect and complete code for the guidance of individuals and communities alike. As the entire message of Islam is derived from the Holy Quran and indeed the Sunnah and Hadith (the traditions and practices of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings on him) it is immutable in the face of change in time and place. It may appear rigid to the casual eye, in actual fact it is most certainly an adaptable way of life regardless of human changes. Islam teaches that the path to spiritual development is open to all. Any individual who searches the One Creator can seek nearness to God through sincere and earnest worship; it is central to establishing a relationship with the Almighty.

This positive message for humanity fills hearts with hope and courage. At present there are 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide and they form the majority in more than 50 countries of the world. Today Islam is the fastest growing faith in the world - its beautiful message is reaching millions in the far corner of the earth.