I chose to be Muslim; it was entirely my own choice. Have I shoved my upbringing into the waste basket and foolishly chosen a faith that has nothing positive to offer? Of course not!!! I have found Islam to be a faith of justice, dignity and strong morals. Unfortunately a small minority of people still have a warped view of Islam, one of heathens, hatred and evil. I will endeavour to dispel this myth.
Let’s firstly look at the following words to better understand what they actually mean. These are the definitions according to www.dictionary.com
Islam: A monotheistic religion characterized by the acceptance of the doctrine of submission to God and to Muhammad as the chief and last prophet of God
Heathen: 1. One who adheres to the religion of a people or nation that does not acknowledge the God of Judaism, Christianity, or Islam.
2. One who is regarded as irreligious, uncivilized, or unenlightened.
Evil: Morally bad or wrong
Hatred: The emotion of hate; a feeling of dislike so strong that it demands action
It is most important to note that there are people from every faith that are morally corrupt, Islam included, but we should never taint the whole community of believers because of the actions of a few from amongst them.
Islam didn’t start with Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him); Islam has been here since the beginning, with Prophet Adam (pbuh)
From the beginning God has commanded us to submit to him by following his instructions with upmost obedience.
You may have heard that Islam along with Christianity and Judaism are classified as the revealed religions. This is because we believe in Prophethood. We (Jews, Christians and Muslims) all believe that the Prophets and Messengers (peace be upon them all) were individuals who received revelation from God and conveyed it to the people.
According to Judaism, Prophet Noah (pbuh) was commanded to convey seven laws to humanity. These are known as The Noahide Laws. These laws are the backbone of western society. Muslims fully support these laws as they do not contradict with the Shariah, the Islamic Legal System. Shariah is an Arabic word meaning path to be followed.
Then We put thee on the (right) Way of Religion: so follow thou that (Way), and follow not the desires of those who know not. (Qur’an: Chapter 45 Verse 18)
United States of America was founded upon the Seven Universal Laws of Noah, and that these Laws have been the bedrock of society from the dawn of civilization. They also acknowledged that the Seven Laws of Noah are the foundation upon which civilization stands and that recent weakening of these principles threaten the fabric of civilized society. www.auburn.edu/~allenkc/7laws
And We verily sent Noah unto his folk, and he said: O my people! Serve Allah. Ye have no other God save Him. Will ye not ward off (evil)? (Qur’an: Chapter 23 Verse 23)
www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org
Those who show patience, Firmness and self-control; who are true (in word and deed); who worship devoutly; who spend (in the way of God); and who pray for forgiveness in the early hours of the morning. (Qur’an: Chapter 3 Verse17)
As Muslims we are commanded to enjoin what is good and forbid what is wrong.
Satan makes them promises, and creates in them false desires; but satan's promises are nothing but deception. (Qur’an: Chapter 4 Verse 120)
O ye who believe! follow not Satan's footsteps: if any will follow the footsteps of Satan, he will (but) command what is shameful and wrong: and were it not for the grace and mercy of God on you, not one of you would ever have been pure: but God doth purify whom He pleases: and God is One Who hears and knows (all things). (Qur’an: Chapter 24 Verse 21)
Verily Satan is an enemy to you: so treat him as an enemy. He only invites his adherents that they may become Companions of the Blazing Fire. (Qur’an: Chapter 35 Verse 6)
Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you, but begin not hostilities. Lo! Allah loveth not aggressors. (Qur’an: Chapter 2 Verse 190)
O ye who believe! Be steadfast witnesses for Allah in equity, and let not hatred of any people seduce you that ye deal not justly. Deal justly, that is nearer to your duty. Observe your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is informed of what ye do. (Qur’an: Chapter 5 Verse 8)
If ye punish, then punish with the like of that wherewith ye were afflicted. But if ye endure patiently, verily it is better for the patient. (Qur’an: Chapter 16 Verse 126)
Forced Conversions? - The Qur’an itself says
Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in God hath grasped the most trustworthy hand- hold, that never breaks. And God heareth and knoweth all things. (Qur’an: Chapter 2 Verse 256)
What about everyday kindness and morals?
And serve Allah. Ascribe no thing as partner unto Him. (Show) kindness unto parents, and unto near kindred, and orphans, and the needy, and unto the neighbour who is of kin (unto you) and the neighbour who is not of kin, and the fellow-traveller and the wayfarer and (the slaves) whom your right hands possess. Lo! Allah loveth not such as are proud and boastful,.. (Qur’an: Chapter 4 Verse 36)
Here are some hadeeth. Hadeeth are sayings of the prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
Abu Huraira reported that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: Allah looks not at your figures, nor your wealth, but He looks to your hearts and deeds.
Anas reported that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: By Him in Whose hand there stands my life, nobody (truly) believes till he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.
Abu Huraira reported that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: Whoso believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak good or remain silent.
Abdullah ibn Amr related that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: The major sins are to believe that Allah has partners, to disobey one's parents, to commit murder, and to bear false witness.
Are Muslims obligated to follow the laws here in Australia?
Muslims are obliged to abide by the laws of the land and the country they live in, whether it is a Islamic state, Muslim countries, or non-Muslim countries such as those in the west, as long as they are not ordered to practice something that is against Shariah. If they are forced by the law to commit a sin, then in such a case, it will not just be unnecessary to abide by the law, rather impermissible.
Abd Allah ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him & give him peace) said: “It is necessary upon a Muslim to listen to and obey the ruler, as long as one is not ordered to carry out a sin. If he is commanded to commit a sin, then there is no adherence and obedience.”
Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam al-Kawthari
So lets reflect of the word of God, the Qur’an and the words of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), these words are not of evil, hatred or uncivilised.
To be Muslim is to submit to the will of God.
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Where do you want to go? How are you going to get there?
The transition from childhood to adulthood is not an easy time for a young person. During this time there are hormonal and physical changes as well as mental and spiritual growth.
It is a time when we are trying to figure out who we are, what we want and about a million other things. Some of us tend to think quite deeply into things and ask ourselves, “What is the purpose of life?”, “What happens after death?” These are all very valid questions and a human being cannot go on to live a happy and fulfilling life until questions like these are answered. The answers themselves must make sense to the individual and be able to put his/her heart at rest.
So what does it say in Islam about the purpose of our lives?
Almighty God (Allah) says in the Quran:
“Did you think that We created you in play (without any purpose), and that you would not be brought back to Us?” (23:115)
And
“O Mankind! Worship your Rabb (Lord) Who created you and created those who came
before you; by doing this you may expect to guard yourself against evil.” (2:21)
And
“We have not created jinns*1 and mankind except to worship Me.” (51:56)
In these verses, God is saying that He created us to worship Him. We have been blessed with perfect bodies, sharp minds, health, money, possessions and the many, many other things created for our use. Does the Creator not deserve that we worship Him ALONE in return for all that He has given us? Shouldn’t we be thankful, grateful and strive to live good, pure lives according to His laws?
If we are grateful slaves by worshipping God, doing what He commands and refraining from what he forbids, He will in turn reward us. He tells us in the Quran:
“But those who believe (in the Oneness of God) and do deeds of righteousness, We shall admit them to Gardens (Paradise) under which rivers flow, abiding therein forever.” (4:57)
If Paradise is our ultimate goal then we will have to take the appropriate steps towards achieving it.
If people do not have a set system to use as a guide through their lives, then they will be left to use their own judgment - which may not always be best. Sometimes we do not know what the best choice is for us and we do not know what effect these choices may have on our lives in the future. We might make the wrong choice in a moment of weakness or a tempting situation.
That is why we need to have rules, laws and guidelines that have been set by our Creator in order to guide us towards the right decisions and to protect us from harm.
We must accept that God has placed limits and boundaries for us in life because He knows us better than we know ourselves and He knows what is best for His creation.
God says In the Quran:
“We verily created man and We know what his soul whispereth to him, and We are nearer to him than his jugular vein.” (50:16)
We all have free will to choose how we live our life.
God says in the Quran:
“And say: ‘The truth is from your Lord.’ Then whosoever wills, let Him believe; and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve.” (18:29)
Whether or not we do what’s right is up to us and we will be held accountable for our choices.
If we obey God’s commands and stay away from what He has forbidden, He will reward us with Paradise. So the decision is left to us to choose between right and wrong, good and evil, what pleases God and what displeases Him.
God tells us in the Quran:
“On the Day when every person will be confronted with all the good he has done, and all the evil he has done, he will wish that there were a great distance between him and his evil. And Allah warns you against Himself (His punishment) and Allah is full of kindness to His slaves.” (3:30)
“Whosoever does a righteous good deed, it is for (the benefit of) his own self; and whosoever does evil, it is against his ownself. And your Lord is not at all unjust to His slaves.*2” (41:46)
Therefore it is essential for us as human beings to recognize our purpose, identify our ultimate goal, and then take the right steps towards achieving it. The right steps are contained in the Quran, perfected and whole as dictated by Almighty God.
The words of God contained in the Quran will help all people, young and old, discover the path to leading a meaningful and enriching life.
*1: The jinn are a creation of God. They are made from a flame of fire but cannot be seen by the human eye. Satan, created by God is a jinn. They – like humans – must obey Allah and the Prophet and will also be held accountable on the Day of Judgment.
*2: Slaves here means those people who believe in the One True God (who is Unique and All Powerful) and submit to Him.
“Safiyah” 21, reverted almost a year ago:
“I knew a few Muslims guys before I came to Islam but they never taught me about it. They set a bad example in the way that they were doing totally un-Islamic things but were still calling themselves Muslim. They were living the fast life - girls, cars, and clubs. That’s why we shouldn’t judge a religion by its people.
When I did meet someone who taught me about the true Islam I realised that this religion was about living a cleaner lifestyle and a simple way of life. One of the best things I learnt was that in Islam women are protected. I used to feel so vulnerable and was always worried about the way I looked. I used to spend about 2 hours just to get ready to go out! Islam teaches that it is who you are on the inside and not what you look like on the outside.
I love that in Islam you accept what ever happens as God’s Will. If it’s good, you thank Him and if something bad happens you bear it in patience and gratitude for the good that you have.
When I look at my family and my friends I feel sad for them because I can see how empty their lives are. They are living their lives without true purpose or limits and they aren’t happy. I pray and wish that they could feel the fulfilment and happiness that I feel with being a Muslim.”
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3. Islam Denounces Terrorism - Introduction
God calls to the Abode of Peace and He guides whom He wills to a straight path.
(Qur'an, 10:25)
God commands justice and doing good and giving to relatives. And He forbids indecency and doing wrong and tyranny. He warns you so that hopefully you will pay heed. (Qur'an, 16:90)
As Muslims, we strongly condemn the terrorist attacks on two major cities of the United States of America on September 11, 2001, which caused the death and injury of thousands of innocent people, and we offer our condolences to the American nation. These attacks propelled the important issue of the true source of terrorism to the top of the world agenda. Thus, it has been announced to the entire world that Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance that summons individuals to compassion and justice. Many world leaders, leading media organisations, television and radio stations said that true Islam forbids violence, and encourages peace between people and between nations. The Western circles that have come to a full grasp of the religion of Islam and are well-informed about Islam as commanded by God in the Qur'an noted clearly that the words "Islam" and "terror" cannot stand side by side, and that no divine religion permits violence.
This book maintains that the source of the terror that we condemn is definitely not from a divine religion, and that there is no room for terrorism in Islam. This is made clear in the Qur'an, the main source of Islam, and in the practices of all true Muslim rulers, the Prophet Muhammad being the foremost of them. This book reveals, in the light of the verses of the Qur'an and with examples from history, that Islam forbids terrorism and aims to bring peace and security to the world.
As is known, for centuries, various acts of terrorism have been carried out in different parts of the world by different groups for a variety of purposes. Sometimes a communist organisation, sometimes a fascist group, and sometimes radical and separatist factions assume responsibility for these acts. While countries like America often became the target of attacks by racist and marginal terrorist groups, the European countries have been centre stage for violent acts carried out by terrorist groups. 17 November in Greece, RAF (Red Army Faction) and Neo-Nazis in Germany, ETA in Spain, Red Brigades in Italy and many other organisations seek to make their voices heard through terror and violence by killing innocent and defenceless people. The nature of terrorism changes with changing world conditions and increases its impact and power with the new means made possible by developing technology. In particular, mass communication tools such as the Internet extend the scope and influence of the terrorist activities considerably.
Besides the Western organisations, there are also other terror organisations of Middle East origin. Terrorist attacks are carried out by these groups in all corners of the world. Sadly, the fact that the perpetrators of various terrorist acts carry Christian, Muslim or Jewish identities cause some people to put forward claims which do not concur with divine religions. The truth is that even if terrorists have Muslim identities, the terror they perpetrate cannot be labelled "Islamic terror", just as it could not be called "Jewish terror" if the perpetrators were Jews or "Christian terror" if they were Christians. That is because, as will be examined in the following pages, murdering innocent people in the name of a divine religion is unacceptable. We need to keep in mind that, among those who were killed in New York and Washington, there were people who loved the Prophet Jesus (Christians), the Prophet Moses (Jews) and the Prophet Muhammad (Muslims). Unless forgiven by God, murdering innocent people is a great sin that leads to torment in Hell. No one who is religious and fears God would do such a thing.
The aggressors can commit such violence only with the intention of attacking religion itself. It may well be that those who carried out this violence did so to present religion as evil in the eyes of people, to divorce people from religion and to generate hatred towards those who are religiously inclined. Consequently, every attack on American citizens or other innocent people having a religious facade is actually an attack made against religion.
Religion commands love, mercy and peace. Terror, on the other hand, is the opposite of religion; it is cruel, merciless and demands bloodshed and misery. This being the case, the origins of a terrorist act should be sought in disbelief rather than in religion. People with a fascist, communist, racist or materialist outlook on life should be suspected as potential perpetrators. The name or the identity of the triggerman is not important. If he can kill innocent people without blinking an eye, then he is a nonbeliever, not a believer. He is a murderer with no fear of God, whose main ambition is to shed blood and to cause harm. For this reason, "Islamic terror" is an erroneous concept which contradicts the message of Islam. The religion of Islam can by no means countenance terrorism. On the contrary, terror (i.e. murder of innocent people) in Islam is a great sin, and Muslims are responsible for preventing these acts and bringing peace and justice to the world.
Behold, thy Lord said to the angels: "I will create a vicegerent on earth." They said: "Wilt Thou place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood?- whilst we do celebrate Thy praises and glorify Thy holy (name)?" He said: "I know what ye know not."
And He taught Adam the names of all things; then He placed
them before the angels, and said: "Tell me the names of these if ye
are right."
They said: "Glory to Thee, of knowledge We have none, save
what Thou Hast taught us: In truth it is Thou Who art perfect in
knowledge and wisdom."
He said: "O Adam! Tell them their names." When he had told
them, Allah said: "Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of heaven
and earth, and I know what ye reveal and what ye conceal?"
And behold, We said to the angels: "Bow down to Adam" and
they bowed down. Not so Iblis: he refused and was haughty: He was
of those who reject Faith.
We said: "O Adam! dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden;
and eat of the bountiful things therein as (where and when) ye will;
but approach not this tree, or ye run into harm and transgression."
Then did Satan make them slip from the (garden), and get
them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said:
"Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On
earth will be your dwelling-place and your means of livelihood - for a
time."
Then learnt Adam from his Lord words of inspiration, and his
Lord Turned towards him; for He is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.
We said: "Get ye down all from here; and if, as is sure, there
comes to you Guidance from me, whosoever follows My guidance, on
them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.
"But those who reject Faith and belie Our Signs, they shall be
companions of the Fire; they shall abide therein."
(Qur’an: Chapter 2 Verses 30 to 39)
The angels understood that Allah would create a vicegerent on earth. Allah the Almighty announced that He was going to create a human being out of clay, that He would mould him and blow His spirit into him and then the angels should prostrate before him. So He (Allah) soaked the clay until it became sticky. Then Allah said to the Angels:
Behold, thy Lord said to the angels: "I am about to create
man from clay:
"When I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed
into him of My spirit, fall ye down in obeisance unto him."
(Qur’an: Chapter 38 Verses 71 to 72)
So Allah shaped Adam into a human being, but he remained a figure of clay for forty years. The angels went past him. They were seized with fear by what they saw, and Iblis felt fear most. He used to pass by the figure of Adam, buffeting it, which would make a sound like pottery. Allah told us:
He created man from sounding clay like unto pottery,
(Qur’an: Chapter 55 Verse 14)
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: "Allah created Adam from dust after He mixed the clay and left him for some time until it became sticky mud, after which Allah shaped him. After that Allah left him till it became like potter's clay. Iblis used to go past him saying 'You have been created for a great purpose.' After that Allah breathed His spirit into him. The first thing into which the spirit passed was his eye and then his nose. He sneezed. Allah said: "May your Lord have mercy upon you, O Adam! Go to those angels and see what they would say.' So Adam went and greeted them. they replied saying: "Peace be upon you and the mercy and blessings of Allah." Allah said: "O Adam! This is your greeting and that of your offspring." (Sahih al Bukhari).
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Islam-Australia Presents
CONSIDER ISLAM
(An Islamic TV Program for people of all faiths and cultures)
'Consider' according to Oxford Dictionary means:
1, Contemplate mentally, esp. in order to reach a conclusion
2, Examine the merits of
3, Look attentatively at
4, Take into account; show consideration or regard for
ADELAIDE: For the first time on C31 TV, every Wednesday at 9.30pm from 17th August (6 weeks only), God willing.
BRISBANE: After the success of the first series in June-July, for the 2nd time on Briz31 TV, every Friday at 6pm from 2nd September (6 weeks only), God willing.
PERTH: Short episodes on ACCESS31 TV. Every Monday at 6pm, God willing.
