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Islamic Culture
Compiled by: Abdullah Mohammad Al-Qhmi
Editted by: Tawfiq Thabit
Supervised by: Dr. Manea Al-Hezmi
Quick Introduction to Islam. 4
Oneness of Messengers and the Message. 7
Angels and the Day of Judgment 8
Prophethood and Life after Death. 14
12 Proofs that Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was a True Prophet 17
What They Said about Muhammad (PBUH) 21
Names and Attributes of the Quraan. 29
The Miracle of Qur’anic Eloquence and Style. 30
Some of the statements involving data confirmed by modern science are: 32
Prophecies, Predictions and Past Events 38
Women in the Quran and the Sunna. 46
What Does Islam Say about Terrorism?. 55
Main Features of an Islamic Society 56
Quick Introduction to Islam
Islam and Muslims
The first thing that one should know and clearly understand about Islam is what the word "Islam" itself means. Islam means total submission to Allah (God) in all aspects of life with no objection. The Qura’n states: "Say (O Muhammad the Prophet of Islam) my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of mankind, jinn and all that exists "Qura’n 6: 162. The religion of Islam is not named after a person as in the case of Christianity which was named after Jesus Christ, Buddhism after Gotama Buddha, Confucianism after Confucius, and Marxism after Karl Marx. Nor was it named after a tribe like Judaism after the tribe of Judah and Hinduism after the Hindus. Islam is the true religion of "Allah" and as such, its name represents the central principle of Allah’s "Allah’s" religion; the total submission to the will of Allah "Allah".
It means more than that. Islam, the root of which is Silm and Salam, means peace. Salam may also mean greeting one another with peace. One of the beautiful names of Allah is that He is the Peace. Furthermore, it means to live in peace with the Creator, within one’s self, with other people and with the environment. Thus, Islam is a way of life. A Muslim is supposed to live in peace and harmony with all these segments; hence, a Muslim is any person anywhere in the world whose obedience, allegiance, and loyalty are to Allah, the Lord of the Universe.
Islam is the religion which was given to Adam, the first man and the first prophet of Allah, and it was the religion of all the prophets sent by Allah to mankind. The name of Allah’s religion lslam was not decided upon by later generations of man. It was chosen by Allah Himself and clearly mentioned in His final revelation to man. In the final book of divine revelation, the Qur’aan, Allah states the following:
"This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion". (Soorah Al-Maa’idah 5:3)
"If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah) never will It be accepted of Him" (Soorah Aal’imraan 3:85)
"Abraham was not a Jew nor Christian; but an upright Muslim." (Soorah Aal’imraan 3:67)
Nowhere in the Bible will you find Allah saying to Prophet Moses’ people or their descendants that their religion is Judaism, nor to the followers of Christ that their religion is Christianity. In fact, Christ was not even his name, nor was it Jesus! The name "Christ" comes from the Greek word Christos which means the anointed. That is, Christ is a Greek translation of the Hebrew title "Messiah". The name "Jesus" on the other hand, is a latinized version of the Hebrew name Esau.
For simplicity’s sake, I will however continue to refer to Prophet Esau (PBUH) as Jesus. As for his religion, it was what he called his followers to. Like the prophets before him, he called the people to surrender their will to the will of Allah (which is Islam), and he warned them to stay away from the false gods of human imagination.
According to the New Testament, he taught his followers to pray as follows: "Yours will be done on earth as it is in Heaven".
The word "Muslim" means one who submits to the will of Allah, regardless of their race, nationality or ethnic background. Being a Muslim entails willful submission and active obedience to Allah, and living in accordance with His message. Some people mistakenly believe that Islam is just a religion for Arabs, but nothing could be further from the truth. Not only are there converts to Islam in every corner of the world, especially in England and America, but by taking a look at the Muslim World from Bosnia to Nigeria, and from Indonesia to Morocco, one can clearly see that Muslims come from many various races, ethnic groups, and nationalities. It is also interesting to note that in actuality, more than 80% of all Muslims are not Arabs - there are more Muslims in Indonesia than in the whole Arab World! So even though it is true that most Arabs are Muslims, the large majority of Muslims are not Arabs. However, anyone who submits completely to Allah and worships Him alone is a Muslim.
Continuity of the Message
Islam is not a new religion because "submission to the will of Allah", i.e. Islam, has always been the only acceptable religion in the sight of Allah. For this reason, Islam is the true "natural religion", and it is the same eternal message revealed through the ages to all of Allah’s prophets and messengers. Muslims believe that all of Allah’s prophets, who include Abraham, Noah, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, brought the same message of Pure Monotheism. For this reason, Prophet Muhammad was not the founder of a new religion, as many people mistakenly think, but he was the Final Prophet of Islam. By revealing His final message to Muhammad, which is an eternal and universal message for all of mankind, Allah finally fulfilled the covenant that He made with Abraham, who was one of the earliest and greatest prophets. Suffice it to say that the way of Islam is the same as the way of the prophet Abraham, because both the Bible and the Qur’an portray Abraham as a towering example of someone who submitted himself completely to Allah and worshipped Him without intermediaries. Once this is realized, it should be clear that Islam has the most continuous and universal message of any religion, because all prophets and messengers were "Muslims", i.e. those who submitted to Allah’s will, and they preached "Islam", i.e. submission to the will of Allah Almighty.
Source of Islam
The legal sources of Islam are the Qur’an and the Hadith. The Qur’an is the exact word of Allah; its authenticity, originality and totality are intact. The Hadith is the report of the sayings, deeds and approvals of Prophet Muhammad (BPUH). The Prophet’s sayings, deeds, and approvals are called Sunnah. The Seerah is the writings of followers of Prophet Muhammad about the life of the Prophet. Hence, it is the life history of Prophet Muhammad which provides examples of daily living for Muslims.
Some Islamic Principles
(Tawhid: The Bedrock of Islam)
He is One and the Only One. He is not two in one or three in one. This means that Islam rejects the idea of trinity or such a unity of Allah which implies more than one Allah in one.
People are created equal in front of the Law of Allah. There is no superiority for one race over another. Allah made us of different colors, nationalities, languages and beliefs so as to test who is going to be better than others. No one can claim that he is better than others. It is only Allah Who knows who is better. It depends on piety and righteousness.
Oneness of Messengers and the Message:
Muslims believe that Allah sent different messengers throughout the history of mankind. All came with the same message and the same teachings. It was the people who misunderstood and misinterpreted them. Muslims believe in Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Jacob, Moses, David, Jesus, and Muhammad. The Prophets of Christianity and Judaism are indeed the Prophets of Islam.
Angels and the Day of Judgment:
Muslims believe that there are unseen creatures such as angels created by Allah in the universe for special missions. Muslims believe that there is the Day of Judgment when all people of the world throughout the history of mankind until the last day of life on earth, are to be brought for accounting, reward and punishment.
Muslims believe that people are born free of sin. It is only after they reach the age of puberty and it is only after they commit sins that they are to be charged for their mistakes. No one is responsible for or can take the responsibility for the sins of others. However, the door of forgiveness through true repentance is always open.
Muslims believe that Islam is a total and a complete way of life. It encompasses all aspects of life. As such, the teachings of Islam do not separate religion from politics. As a matter of fact, state and religion are under the obedience of Allah through the teachings of Islam. Hence, economic and social transactions, as well as educational and political systems, are also part of the teachings of Islam.
Practices of Islam
Allah instructed Muslims to practice what they believe in. In Islam there are five pillars, namely:
The verbal commitment and pledge that there is only One Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, is considered to be the Creed of Islam.
The performance of the five daily prayers is required of Muslims.
Fasting is total abstinence from food, liquids and intercourse (between married couples) from dawn to sunset during the entire month of Ramadan.
This is an annual payment of a certain percentage of a Muslim’s property which is distributed among the poor or other rightful beneficiaries.
The performance of pilgrimage to Makkah is required once in a lifetime if means are available. Hajj is in part in memory of the trials and tribulations of Prophet Abraham, his wife Hagar and his eldest son Prophet Ishmael.
Allah (God)
The name Allah (God) in Islam never refers to Muhammad (PBUH), as many Christians may think; Allah is the personal name of Allah.
What do Muslims believe about Allah?
1. He is One Who has no partner.
2. Nothing is like Him. He is the Creator, not created, nor a part of His creation.
3. He is All-Powerful, absolutely Just.
4. There is no other entity in the entire universe worthy of worship besides Him.
5. He is First, Last, and Everlasting; He was when nothing was, and will be when nothing else remains.
6. He is the All-Knowing, and All-Merciful, the Supreme, the Sovereign.
7. It is only He Who is capable of granting life to anything.
8. He sent His Messengers (peace be upon them) to guide all of mankind.
9. He sent Muhammad (PBUH) as the last Prophet and Messenger for all mankind.
10. His book is the Holy Qur’an, the only authentic revealed book in the world that has been kept without change.
11. Allah knows what is in our hearts.
These are some of the basic guidelines Muslims follow in their knowledge of Allah:
1. Eliminate any anthropomorphism (human qualities) from their conception of Allah. His attributes are not like human attributes, despite similar labels or appellations.
2. Have unwavering faith in exactly what Allah and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) described Allah to be, no more, no less.
3. Eradicate any hope or desire of learning or knowing the modality of His names and attributes.
4. Belief totally in all the names and attributes of Allah; one cannot believe in some and disbelieve the others.
5. One cannot accept the names of Allah without their associated attributes, i.e. one cannot say He is Al-Hayy - ‘The Living’ and then say that He is without life.
6. Similarity in names (or meanings) does not imply similarity in what is being described (referents). As a robotic arm differs from a human arm, so the "hand" of Allah is nothing like a human hand, His speech is nothing like human speech, etc.
7. Certain words are ambiguous or vague in their meanings, and thus may be susceptible to misinterpretation. Only those meanings that are in accordance with what is specified by Allah and His Prophet (PBUH) are acceptable.
Allah’s Prophets
Allah has sent prophets and messengers to humanity. Their essence is human, and they are the purest of human beings. Allah sent each prophet as to bring glad tidings and to warn his own community, until the advent of the final prophet, Muhammad (PBUH), who came as a mercy to all of Allah’s creatures. Allah Almighty declared: We have sent you (O Muhammad) not but as a mercy for the Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists). (Ch 21:107)
Indeed, if it had not been for Muhammad (PBUH), we would not have known the true stories of the prophets as they took place. This is because their stories were distorted and corrupted before Muhammad’s (PBUH) mission. The resulting versions did not respect the dignity and infallibility of the prophets. For example, the corrupt books of the Jews narrate a story of a prophet who drank alcohol and commited adultery with his own daughter; of a prophet who sent the commander of his army to war in order to ensare the commander’s wife; of a prophet who worshipped idols after marrying a pretty young idol worshipper, they said he prefered to please her by worshipping her idol than to please his Creator. All the time you read these books, you feel that you are confronting a false, confused, and misguided mentality which lies about Allah and His prophets.
If you leave the corrupt books of the Jews for those of the Christians, you will find a contrary attitude which is almost a reaction to the first. The Christians glorified their prophet Jesus (PBUH) to the degree that most of the sects call him the Son of Allah and not only this but also they believe in him as Allah. Allah is high above that!
The true image of the prophets was lost by either degrading or overglorifying them. Without the Quran we would not have known their true nature.
The prophets and messengers have different levels and degrees. Allah the Almighty stated: Those messengers! We preferred some to others; to some of them Allah spoke (directly); others he raised to degrees (of honor). (The Qur’an 2:253)
Despite the difference in degrees of prophets in the sight of Allah the Exalted, the Muslims are commanded to revere them all and not to discriminate among them.
Allah the Exalted said: Each one of the believers believes in Allah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. They say, "We make no distinction between one another of His Messengers." and they say, "We hear and we obey." We seek Your forgiveness, our Lord and to You is the return of all." (The Qur’an 2:285)
Prophet List
1. Prophet Adam
4. Prophet Hud
9. Prophet Lut
10. Prophet Shuaib
14. Prophet Musa (Moses) & Harun (Aaron)
17. Prophet Sulaiman (Solomon)
18. Prophets Zakariyah & Yahya
20. Prophet Muhammad
Prophet Muhammad
Muhammad (PBUH) was chosen by Allah to deliver His Message of Peace, namely Islam. He was born in 570 C.E. (Common Era) in Makkah, Arabia. He was entrusted with the Message of Islam when he was at the age of forty years. The revelation that he received is called the Qur’an, while the message is called Islam.
Muhammad (PBUH) is the very last Prophet of Allah to mankind. He is the final Messenger of Allah. His message was and is still to the Christians, the Jews and the rest of mankind. He was sent to those religious people to inform them about the true mission of Jesus, Moses, Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham.
Muhammad is considered to be the summation and the culmination of all the prophets and messengers that came before him. He purified the previous messages from adulteration and completed the Message of Allah for all humanity. He was entrusted with the power of explaining, interpreting and living the teaching of the Qur’an.
Unlike the founders of many religions, the final prophet of Islam is a real documented and historical figure. He lived in the full light of history, and the minutest details of his life are known. Not only do Muslims have the complete text of Allah’s words that were revealed to Muhammad (PBUH), but they have also preserved his sayings and teachings in what is called "hadith" literature. This having been said, it should be understood that Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was only a man chosen by Allah, and that he is not divine in any way. In order to avoid the misguided wish to deify him, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) taught Muslims to refer to him as "Allah’s Messenger and His Slave". The mission of the last and final prophet of Allah was to simply teach that "there is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty Allah", as well as being a living example of Allah’s revelation. In simple terms, Allah sent the revelation to Muhammad (PBUH), who in turn taught it, preached it, lived it and put it into practice. In this way, Muhammad (PBUH) was more than just a "prophet" in the sense of many of the Biblical prophets, since he was also a statesman and ruler. He was a man who lived a humble life in the service of Allah, and established an all-encompassing religion and way of life by showing what it means to be an ideal friend, husband, teacher, ruler, warrior and judge. For this reason, Muslims follow him not for his own sake, but in obedience to Allah, because Muhammad (PBUH) not only showed us how to deal with our fellow human beings, but more importantly, he showed us how to relate to and worship Allah, worship Him in the only way that pleases Him. Like other prophets, Muhammad (PBUH) faced a great deal of opposition and persecution during his mission. However, he was always patient and just, and he treated his enemies well. The results of his mission were very successful, and even though his mission started in one of the most backward and remotest places on earth, within a hundred years of the death of Muhammad, Islam had spread from Spain to China. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was the greatest of all of Allah’s prophets, not because he had new doctrines or greater miracles, but because the results of his mission have brought more human beings into the pure and proper belief in the One True Allah than any other prophet.
Prophethood and Life after Death
The second part of the kalimah (testimony), on the other hand, signifies that Allah has not left man without any guidance for the conduct of his life. He has revealed His guidance through His prophets, and Muhammad (PBUH) was the last prophet. To believe in a prophet means to believe in the revelation that he has received, to accept the law that was transmitted to him by Allah, and to follow the code of conduct that he was instructed to pass on to humanity. Thus the second basic pillar of Islamic belief is to believe in the prophethood of Muhammad (PBUH), to accept the religion that he presented, and to follow his commands and his example.
Every prophet of Allah, according to the Qur’an, strove to build man’s relationship with Allah on the principle of His sovereignty and the individual’s acknowledgment of the authority of the Prophet as a source of divine guidance. Every one of them said: "I am to you Allah’s apostle, worthy of all trust. So be committed to Allah, heed Him, and obey me.”
The guidance is revealed through the prophets. It is a part of their mission to translate it into practice in their own lives and in the society they attempt to reform. All of the prophets are representatives of Allah, but they are human beings and their lives are models for mankind. Since Muhammad (PBUH) was the last prophet, he is the final model for mankind. To believe in him as a prophet of Allah means to accept his authority as a representative of the Supreme Ruler and to follow his example in thought and behavior. The code of behavior, the standard that determines rightness or otherwise (halal or haram) of any particular thing, was revealed to the Prophet and is known as the Shari’ah (the law). Belief in the Prophet involves acceptance of the Shari’ah and the attempt to implement it in all matters of daily life. This is how the will of Allah is fulfilled on earth. The Qur’an says:
We have not sent any Messenger but that he was to be obeyed with Allah’s permission. (4:64)
And about the Prophet, it is explicitly stated that:
Yet by your Lord, they will never believe until they make you a judge concerning what they are disputing among themselves; then they will find no inconvenience for themselves concerning whatever you have decided and submit completely. (4:65)
The test of one’s acceptance of Allah and His Prophet lies in conducting all human affairs in accordance with the Law revealed to him:
And those who do not judge by what Allah has sent down are disbelievers. (5:44)
Thus belief in Allah and in His Prophets means commitment to obeying them and to fashioning individual and collective life in the light of the law and the guidance that Allah revealed to His last Prophet).Muhammad (PBUH).
This automatically raises the question: Are those who follow the law and those who refuse to accept or abide by it on the same level of existence? Are they going to be treated in the same way? What are the consequences of differing attitudes and behaviors? This brings us to the third basic pillar of Islamic belief: belief in the Hereafter.
The world, according to Islam, is a place of trial, and man is being judged in it. One day, he will have to give an account of all that he did during his lifetime. After his death, he will be resurrected in a new world, and it is here that he will be rewarded for his good deeds or punished for his bad deeds. Those who live a life of obedience to the Lord in the present world will enjoy eternal bliss in the Hereafter, and those who disobey His commands will have to face the bitter fruits of their disobedience. According to the Quran:
And every man’s deeds have We fastened around his neck, and on the day of resurrection will We bring forth a book which shall be proffered to him wide open: (It will be said to him) "Read your record: This day there need be none but yourself to make out an account against you." (17: 13-14)
Whoever comes with a good deed, for him there shall be the like of it tenfold, while whoever comes with an bad deed, he shall be required with only one like it, and they shall not be treated unjustly. (6: 160)
Thus the basic articles of Islamic faith are: (a) belief in the Oneness of Allah, (b) belief in the prophets, and in the guidance that they bequeathed; (c) belief in the angels, (d) belief in the books, (e) belief in the Day of Judgment, and (f) belief in destiny (qadar). Whoever professes these beliefs is a Muslim. And all of these concepts are epitomized in the kalimah: There is no god but Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allalh.
12 Proofs that Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was a True Prophet
Evidence that shows his veracity is abundant. None could deny these signs. Muhammad (PBUH) ‘the son of Abdullah’ is Allah’s Prophet and the Final Messenger Sent by Allah to the inhabitants of the earth.
Among these proofs:
1. Muhammad (PBUH) was raised illiterate, unable to read or write, and remained like that until he passed away. Among all his people, he was known as being truthful and trustworthy. Before receiving revelation, he had no prior knowledge of religion or any previously sent messages. He remained like that for his first forty years. Revelation then came to Muhammad (PBUH) with the Quran that we now have between our hands. This Quran mentioned most of the accounts found in the previous scriptures, telling us about these events in the most accurate detail as if he witnessed them. These accounts came precisely as they were found in the Torah sent down to Moses (PBUH) and in the Gospel sent down to Jesus (PBUH). Neither the Jews nor the Christians were able to disbelieve him regarding anything that he said.
2. Muhammad (PBUH) also foretold of everything that would occur to him and his community after him, pertaining to victory, the removal of the tyrannical kingdoms of Chosroes [the royal title for the Zoroastrian kings of Persia] and Caesar, and the establishment of the religion of Islam throughout the earth. These events occurred exactly as Muhammad (PBUH) foretold, as if he was reading the future from an open book.
3. Muhammad (PBUH) also brought an Arabic Quran that is the peak of eloquence and clarity. The Quran challenged those eloquent and fluent Arabs of his time, who initially belied him, to bring forth a single chapter like the Quran. The eloquent Arabs of his day were unable to contest this Quran. Indeed, till our day, none has ever dared to claim that he has been able to compose words that equal - or even approach - the order, grace, beauty, and splendor of this Glorious Quran.
4. The life history of this Noble Prophet (PBUH) was a perfect example of being upright, merciful, compassionate, truthful, brave, generous, distant from all evil character, and ascetic in all worldly matters, while striving solely for the reward of the Hereafter. Moreover, in all his actions and dealings, he was ever mindful and fearful of Allah.
5. Allah instilled great love for Muhammad (PBUH) in the hearts of all who believed in and met him. This love reached such a degree that any of his companions would willingly sacrifice his (or her) self, mother or father for him. Until today, those who believe in Muhammad honor and love him. Anyone of those who believe in him would ransom his own family and wealth to see him, even if but once.
6. All of history has not preserved the biography of any person in the manner it has preserved the life of Muhammad (PBUH), who is the most influential human in history. Nor has the entire earth known of anyone who is thought of every morning and evening, and many times thereafter throughout the day, by those who believe in him. Upon remembering Muhammad (PBUH), the believers in him will greet him and ask Allah to bless him. They do such with full hearts and true love for him.
7. Nor has there ever been a man on earth who is still followed in all his doings by those who believe in him. Those who believe in Muhammad (PBUH) sleep in the manner he slept, purify themselves (through ablution and ritual washing) in the manner he purified himself, and adhere to his practice in the way they eat, drink, and dress.
Indeed in all aspects of their lives, the believers in Muhammad (PBUH) adhere to the teachings he spread among them and the path that he traveled upon during his life.
During every generation, from his day until our time, the believers in this Noble prophet (PBUH) have fully adhered to his teachings. With some, this has reached the degree that they desire to follow and adhere to the Prophet’s way in his personal matters regarding which Allah has not sought of them to adhere to in worship. For example, some will only eat those specific foods or only wear those specific garments that the Messenger liked.
Let alone all that, all those who believe in Muhammad (PBUH) repeat those praises of Allah, special prayers, and invocations that he would say during each of his actions during day and night, like: what he would say when he greeted people, upon entering and leaving the house, entering and leaving the mosque, entering and leaving the bathroom, going to sleep and awaking from sleep, observing the new crescent, observing the new fruit on trees, eating, drinking, dressing, riding, traveling and returning from travel, etc. Let alone all that, all those who believe in Muhammad (PBUH) fully perform - even to the minute detail - every act of worship-like prayer, fasting, charity, and pilgrimage as this Noble Messenger (PBUH) taught and as he himself performed. All of this allows those who believe in him, to live their lives in all aspects with this Noble Messenger as their example, as if he was standing before them, for them to follow in all their doings.
8. There has never been nor will there ever be a man anywhere upon this earth who has received such love, respect, honor, and obedience in all matters - small and large alike - as has this Noble Prophet.
9. Since his day, in every region of the earth and during every period, this Noble Prophet (PBUH) has been followed by individuals from all races, colors and peoples. Many of those who followed him were previously Christians, Jews, pagans, idolaters, or without any religion. Among those who chose to follow him, were those who were known for their sound judgment, wisdom, reflection, and foresight. They chose to follow this Noble Prophet (PBUH) after they witnessed the signs of his truthfulness and the evidences of his miracles. They did not choose to follow Muhammad (PBUH) out of compulsion or coercion or because they had adopted the ways of their fathers and mothers. Indeed many of the followers of this Prophet (PBUH) chose to follow him during the time when Islam was weak, when there were few Muslims, and when there was severe persecution of his followers on earth. Most people who have followed this Prophet (PBUH) have done so not to acquire some material benefits. Indeed many of his followers have suffered the greatest forms of harm and persecution as a result of following this Prophet. Despite all this harm and persecution, this did not turn them back from his religion. My brethren! All of this clearly indicates to anyone possessing any sense, that this Prophet was truly and really Allah’s messenger and that he was not just a man who claimed prophethood or spoke about Allah without knowledge.
10. With all this, Muhammad (PBUH) came with a great religion in its credal and legal make-up. Muhammad (PBUH) described Allah with qualities of complete perfection, and at the same time in a manner that is free of ascribing to Him any imperfection. Neither the philosophers nor the wise could ever describe Allah like such. Indeed it is impossible to imagine that any human mind could conceive of an existing being that possesses such complete ability, knowledge, and greatness. Who has subdued the creation? Who has encompassed everything in the universe, small or large? And Who possesses such perfect mercy? Nor is it in the ability of any human being to place a perfect law based upon justice, equality, mercy and objectivity for all human activity on earth like the laws that Muhammad (PBUH) brought for all spheres of human activity - like buying and selling, marriage and divorce, renting, testimony, custody, and all other contracts that are necessary to uphold life and civilization on earth.
11. It is impossible that any person conceive wisdom, morals, good manners, nobleness of character as what this honorable Prophet (PBUH) brought. In a full and complete manner, Muhammad (PBUH) spread a teaching regarding character and manners toward one’s parents, relatives, fiends, family, humanity, animals, plants and inanimate objects. It is impossible for the human mind alone to grasp all of that teaching or come with a similar teaching. All of that unequivocally indicates that this Messenger did not bring any of this religion on his own, but that it was rather a teaching and inspiration that he received from the One Who created the earth and the high heavens above and created this universe in its miraculous architecture and perfection.
12. The legal and credal make-up of the religion that the Messenger, Muhammad (PBUH) brought resembles the engineering of the heavens and the earth. All of that indicates that He who created the heavens and the earth is the One Who sent down this great law and upright religion. The degree of inimitability of the Divine law that was sent down upon Muhammad (PBUH) is to the same degree of inimitability of the Divine creation of the heavens and earth. For just as humanity cannot create this universe, in the same manner humanity cannot bring forth a law like Allah’s law that He sent down upon His servant and messenger Muhammad (PBUH).
What They Said about Muhammad (PBUH)
During the centuries of the Crusades, all sorts of slanders were invented against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). With the birth of the modern age, however, marked with religious tolerance and freedom of thought, there has been a great change in the approach of Western authors in their delineation of his life and character. The views of some non-Muslim scholars regarding Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), given at the end, justify this opinion.
The West has still to go a step forward to discover the greatest reality about Muhammad (PBUH), and about his being the true and last Prophet of Allah for all of humanity. In spite of all its objectivity and enlightenment here has been no sincere and objective attempt by the West to understand the Prophethood of Muhammad (PBUH). It is so strange that very glowing tributes are paid to him for his integrity and achievement, but his claim of being the Prophet of Allah has been rejected explicitly and implicitly. It is here that a searching of the heart is required, and a review if the so-called objectivity is needed. The following glaring facts from the life of Muhammad (PBUH) have been furnished to facilitate an unbiased, logical and objective decision regarding his Prophethood.
Up to the age of forty, Muhammad (PBUH) was not known as a statesman, a preacher or an orator. He was never seen discussing the principles of metaphysics, ethics, law, politics, economics or sociology. No doubt he possessed an excellent character, charming manners and was highly cultured. Yet there was nothing so deeply striking and so radically extraordinary in him that would make men expect something great and revolutionary from him in the future. But when he came out from the Cave of Hira with a new message, he was completely transformed. Is it possible for such a person of the above qualities to turn all of a sudden into ‘an imposter’ and claim to be the Prophet of Allah and thus invite the rage of his people? One might ask, for what reason did he suffer all the hardships imposed on him? His people offered to accept him as their king and to lay all the riches of the land at his feet if only he would leave the preaching of his religion. But he chose to refuse their tempting offers and go on preaching his religion single-handedly in the face of all kinds of insults, social boycott and even physical assault by his own people. Was it not only Allah’s support and his firm will to disseminate the message of Allah and his deep-rooted belief that ultimately Islam would emerge as the only way of life for humanity, that he stood like a mountain in the face of all opposition and conspiracies to eliminate him? Furthermore, had he come with a design of rivalry with the Christians and the Jews, why should he have made belief in Jesus and Moses and other Prophets of Allah, may Allah praise them all, a basic requirement of faith without which one could not be a Muslim?
Is it not an incontrovertible proof of his Prophethood that in spite of being unlettered and having led a very normal and quiet life for forty years, when he began preaching his message, all of Arabia stood in awe and wonder at his wonderful eloquence and oratory? It was so matchless that the whole legion of Arab poets, preachers and orators of the highest caliber failed to bring forth its equivalent. And above all, how could he then pronounce truths of a scientific nature contained in the Quran that no human being could possibly have developed at that time?
Last but not least, why did he lead a hard life, even after gaining power and authority? Just ponder over the words he uttered while dying:
“We, the community of the Prophets, are not inherited. Whatever we leave behind is for charity.”
As a matter of fact, Muhammad (PBUH) is the last link of the chain of Prophets sent in different lands and times since the beginning of human life on this planet. The following are writings of some western authors regarding Muhammad (PBUH).
Lamartine, Histoire de la Turquie, Paris 1854, Vol II, pp. 276-77:
“If greatness of purpose, smallness of means, and astounding results are the three criteria of human genius, who could dare to compare any great man in modern history with Muhammad? The most famous men created arms, laws and empires only. They founded, if anything at all, no more than material powers which often crumbled away before their eyes. This man moved not only armies, legislations, empires, peoples and dynasties, but millions of men in one-third of the then inhabited world; and more than that, he moved the altars, the gods, the religions, the ideas, the beliefs and souls… the forbearance in victory, his ambition, which was entirely devoted to one idea and in no manner striving for an empire; his endless prayers, his mystic conversations with God, his death and his triumph after death; all these attest not to an imposture but to a firm conviction which gave him the power to restore a dogma. This dogma was twofold, the unity of God and the immateriality of God; the former telling what God is, the latter telling what God is not; the one overthrowing false gods with the sword, the other starting an idea with words.
“Philosopher, Orator, Apostle, Legislator, Conqueror of ideas, Restorer of rational beliefs…the founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire that is Muhammad. As regards all standards by which human greatness may be measured, we may well ask, is there any man greater than he?”
Edward Gibbon and Simon Ocklay, History of the Saracen Empire, London, 1870, p. 54:
“It is not the propagation but the permanency of his religion that deserves our wonder, the same pure and perfect impression which he engraved at Mecca and Medina is preserved, after the revolutions of twelve centuries by the Indian, the African and the Turkish proselytes of the Quran…The Mahometans [1] have uniformly withstood the temptation of reducing the object of their faith and devotion to a level with the senses and imagination of man. ‘I believe in One God and Mahomet the Apostle of God’, is the simple and invariable profession of Islam. The intellectual image of the Deity has never been degraded by any visible idol; the honors of the prophet have never transgressed the measure of human virtue, and his living precepts have restrained the gratitude of his disciples within the bounds of reason and religion.”
Bosworth Smith, Mohammed and Mohammadanism, London 1874, p. 92:
“He was Caesar and Pope in one; but he was Pope without Pope’s pretensions, Caesar without the legions of Caesar: without a standing army, without a bodyguard, without a palace, without a fixed revenue; if ever any man had the right to say that he ruled by the right divine, it was Mohammed, for he had all the power without its instruments and without its supports.”
Annie Besant, The Life and Teachings of Muhammad, Madras 1932, p. 4:
“It is impossible for anyone who studies the life and character of the great Prophet of Arabia, who knows how he taught and how he lived, to feel anything but reverence for that mighty Prophet, one of the great messengers of the Supreme. And although in what I put to you I shall say many things which may be familiar to many, yet I myself feel whenever I re-read them, a new way of admiration, a new sense of reverence for that mighty Arabian teacher.”
W. Montgomery, Mohammad at Mecca, Oxford 1953, p. 52:
“His readiness to undergo persecutions for his beliefs, the high moral character of the men who believed in him and looked up to him as leader, and the greatness of his ultimate achievement – all argue his fundamental integrity. To suppose Muhammad an impostor raises more problems than it solves. Moreover, none of the great figures of history is so poorly appreciated in the West as Muhammad.”
James A. Michener, ‘Islam: The Misunderstood Religion’ in Reader’s Digest (American Edition), May 1955, pp. 68-70:
“Muhammad, the inspired man who founded Islam, was born about A.D. 570 into an Arabian tribe that worshipped idols. Orphaned at birth, he was always particularly solicitous of the poor and needy, the widow and the orphan, the slave and the downtrodden. At twenty he was already a successful businessman, and soon became director of camel caravans for a wealthy widow. When he reached twenty-five, his employer, recognizing his merit proposed marriage. Even though she was fifteen years older, he married her, and as long as she lived, remained a devoted husband.”
“Like almost every major prophet before him, Muhammad fought shy of serving as the transmitter of God’s word, sensing his own inadequacy. But the angel commanded ‘Read’. So far as we know, Muhammad was unable to read or write, but he began to dictate those inspired words which would soon revolutionize a large segment of the earth: “There is one God.”
“At Muhammad’s own death an attempt was made to deify him, but the man who was to become his administrative successor killed the hysteria with one of the noblest speeches in religious history: ‘If there are any among you who worshipped Muhammad, he is dead. But if it is God you worshipped, He lives forever.’”
Michael H. Hart, the 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History, New York: Hart Publishing Company, Inc. 1978, p. 33:
“My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world’s most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels.”
Jesus:
Islam honors all the prophets (PBUT) who were sent to mankind. Muslims respect all prophets in general, but Jesus in particular, because he was one of the prophets who foretold the coming of Muhammad (PBUH). Muslims, too, await the second coming of Jesus (PBUH). They consider him one of the greatest of Allah’s prophets to mankind. A Muslim does not refer to him simply as "Jesus," but normally adds the phrase "peace be upon him" as a sign of respect.
No other religion in the world respects and dignifies Jesus (PBUH) as Islam does. The Qur’an confirms his virgin birth (a chapter of the Qur’an is entitled "Mary"), and Mary is considered to have been one of the purest women in all creation. The Qur’an describes Jesus’ birth as follows:
"Behold!’ the Angel said, Allah has chosen you, and purified you, and chosen you above the women of all nations. Mary, Allah gives you good news of a word from Him, whose name shall be the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, honored in this world and in the Hereafter, and one of those brought near to Allah. He shall speak to the people from his cradle and in maturity, and he shall be of the righteous. She said: "My Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me?’ He said: "Even so; Allah creates what He will. When He decrees a thing, He says to it, ‘Be!’ and it is." [3:42-47]
