Question:

When Islam is against idol worship why do the Muslims worship, and bow down
to the Kaaba in their prayer?
Answer:
Kaaba is the Qibla i.e. the direction Muslims face during their prayers. It is
important to note that though Muslims face the Kaaba during prayers, they do
not worship the Kaaba. Muslims worship and bow to none but Allah.
It is mentioned in Surah Baqarah:
“We see the turning of thy face (for guidance) to the heavens: now shall
We turn thee to a Qiblah that shall please thee. Turn then thy face in the
direction of the Sacred Mosque: wherever ye are, turn your faces in that
direction.”                                                                       [Al-Qur’an 2:144]
1.  Islam believes in fostering unity
For instance, if Muslims want to offer Salaah (Prayer), it is possible that some
may wish to face north, while some may wish to face south. In order to unite
Muslims in their worship of the One True God, Muslims, wherever they may be,
are asked to face in only one direction i.e. towards the Kaaba. If some Muslims
live towards the west of the Kaaba they face the east. Similarly if they live
towards the east of the Kaaba they face the west.

2. Kaaba is at the Centre of the World Map
The Muslims were the first people to draw the map of the world. They drew the
map with the south facing upwards and north downwards. The Kaaba was at
the centre. Later, western cartographers drew the map upside down with the
north facing upwards and south downwards. Yet, Alhamdullilah the Kaaba is at
the centre of the world map.
3. Tawaf around Kaaba for indicating one God
When the Muslims go to Masjid-e-Haram in Makkah, they perform tawaf or
circumambulation round the Kaaba. This act symbolizes the belief and worship
of One God, since, just as every circle has one centre, so also there is only one
Allah (swt) worthy of worship.

4.  Hadith of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)
Regarding the black stone, hajr-e-aswad, there is a hadith (tradition), attributed
to the illustrious companion of the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh), Umar (may Allah
be pleased with him).
According to Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, book of Hajj, chapter 56, H.No. 675.
Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “I know that you are a stone and
can neither benefit nor harm. Had I not seen the Prophet (pbuh) touching (and
kissing) you, I would never have touched (and kissed) you”.

5.  People stood on Kaaba and gave the adhaan
At the time of the Prophet, people even stood on the Kaaba and gave the
‘adhaan’ or the call to prayer. One may ask those who allege that Muslims
worship the Kaaba;  which idol worshipper stands on the idol he worships?

Question:

Science tell us that whatever one eats, it has an effect on one’s behaviour. Why
then, does Islam allow Muslims to eat non-vegetarian food, since eating of
animals could make a person violent and ferocious?

Answer:
1. Only eating of herbivorous animals allowed
I agree that, what a person eats has an effect on his behaviour. This is one of
the reasons why Islam prohibits the eating of carnivorous animals like lion, tiger,
leopard, etc. who are violent and ferocious. The consumption of the meat of
such animals would probably make a person violent and ferocious. Islam only
allows the eating of herbivorous animals like cow, goat, sheep, etc. that are
peaceful and docile.  Muslims eat peaceful and docile animals because Muslims
are peace loving and non-violent people.
2. The Qur’an says Prophet prohibits what is bad
The Qur’an says:
“The Prophet commands them what is just and prohibits what is evil”.
“He allows them as lawful what is good (and pure) and prohibits them
what is bad (and impure),”
[Al-Qur’an  7: 157]
“So take what the Messenger assigns to you and deny yourselves that
which he withholds from you.”
[Al-Qur’an  59: 7]
For a Muslim, the Prophet’s statement is sufficient to convince him that Allah does
not wish humans to eat some kinds of meat while allowing some other kinds.
3. Hadith of Mohammad (pbuh) prohibi-ting eating of carnivorous
animals
According to various authentic Ahadith narrated in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih
Muslim including hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas in Sahih Muslim, Book of hunting
and slaughter, Hadith No. 4752 and Sunan Ibn-I-Majah chapter 13 Hadith no.
3232 to 3234, the Holy Prophet (pbuh) prohibited the eating of:
(i) Wild animals with canine teeth, i.e. meat eating carnivorous animals. These
are animals belonging to the cat families such as lion, tiger, cats, dogs,
wolfs, hyenas, etc.

(ii) Certain rodents like mice, rats, rabbits with claws, etc.

(iii) Certain reptiles like snakes, alligators, etc.

(iv) Birds of prey with talons or claws, like vultures, eagle, crows, owl, etc.
There is no scientific evidence that proves beyond doubt that eating non-
vegetarian food makes one violent.

Question:
Why do Muslims slaughter the animal in a ruthless manner by torturing it and
slowly and painfully killing it?
Answer:
The Islamic method of slaughtering animals, known as Zabiha has been the
object of much criticism from a large number of people.
One may consider the following points, which prove that the Zabiha method is
not only humane but also scientifically the best:
1. Islamic method of slaughtering animal
Zakkaytum is a verb derived from the root word Zakah (to purify). Its infinitive is
Tazkiyah which means purification. The Islamic mode of slaughtering an animal
requires the following conditions to be met:
a. Animal should be slaughtered with sharp object (knife)
The animal has to be slaughtered with a sharp object (knife) and in a fast
way so that the pain of slaughter is minimised.
b. Cut wind pipe, throat and vessels of neck
Zabiha is an Arabic word which means ‘slaughtered’. The ‘slaughtering’ is
to be done by cutting the throat, windpipe and the blood vessels in the neck
causing the animal’s death without cutting the spinal cord.
c. Blood should be drained
The blood has to be drained completely before the head is removed. The
purpose is to drain out most of the blood which would serve as a good
culture medium for micro organisms. The spinal cord must not be cut
because the nerve fibres to the heart could be damaged during the process
causing cardiac arrest, stagnating the blood in the blood vessels.

2. Blood is a good medium for germs and bacteria
Blood is a good media of germs, bacteria, toxins, etc. Therefore the Muslim way
of slaughtering is more hygienic as most of the blood containing germs,
bacteria, toxins, etc. that are the cause of several diseases are eliminated.
3. Meat remains fresh for a longer time
Meat slaughtered by Islamic way remains fresh for a longer time due to
deficiency of blood in the meat as compared to other methods of slaughtering.
4. Animal does not feel pain
The swift cutting of vessels of the neck disconnects the flow of blood to the
nerve of the brain responsible for pain. Thus the animal does not feel pain.
While dying, the animal struggles, writhers, shakes and kicks, not due to pain,
but due to the contraction and relaxation of the muscles defecient in blood and
due to the flow of blood out of the body.

Question:

Killing an animal is a ruthless act. Why then do Muslims consume non-

vegetarian food?

Answer:

‘Vegetarianism’ is now a movement the world over. Many even associate it with

animal rights. Indeed, a large number of people consider the consumption of

meat and other non-vegetarian products to be a violation of animal rights.

Islam enjoins mercy and compassion for all living creatures. At the same time

Islam maintains that Allah has created the earth and its wondrous flora and

fauna for the benefit of mankind. It is upto mankind to use every resource in this

world judiciously, as a niyamat (Divine blessing) and amanat (trust) from Allah.

Let us look at various other aspects of this argument.

1. A Muslim can be a pure vegetarian

A Muslim can be a very good Muslim despite being a pure vegetarian. It is not

compulsory for a Muslim to have non-vegetarian food.

2. Qur’an permits Muslims to have non-vegetarian food

The Qur’an, however permits a Muslim to have non-vegetarian food. The

following Qur’anic verses are proof of this fact:

“O ye who believe! Fulfil (all) obligations. Lawful unto you (for food) are

all four-footed animals with the exceptions named.”

[Al-Qur’an 5:1]

“And cattle He has created for you (men): from them Ye derive warmth,

and numerous benefits, And of their (meat) ye eat.”

[Al-Qur’an 16:5]

“And in cattle (too) ye have an instructive example: From within their

bodies We produce (milk) for you to drink; there are, in them, (besides),

numerous (other) benefits for you; and of their (meat) ye eat.”

 [Al-Qur’an 23:21]

3. Meat is nutritious and rich in complete protein

Non-vegetarian food is a good source of excellent protein. It contains

biologically complete protein i.e. all the 8 essential amino acid that are not

synthesized by the body and should be supplied in the diet. Meat also contains

iron, vitamin B1 and niacin.

4. Humans have Omnivorous set of teeth

If you observe the teeth of herbivorous animals like the cow, goat and sheep,

you will find something strikingly similar in all of them.  All these animals have

a set of flat teeth i.e. suited for herbivorous diet. If you observe the set of teeth

of the carnivorous animals like the lion, tiger, or leopard, they all have a set of

pointed teeth i.e. suited for a carnivorous diet. If you analyze the set of teeth of

humans, you find that they have flat teeth as well as pointed teeth. Thus they

have teeth suited for both herbivorous as well as carnivorous food i.e. they are

omnivorous.  One may ask, if Almighty God wanted humans to have only

vegetables, why did He provide us also with pointed teeth? It is logical that He

expected us to need and to have both vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian

food.

5. Human beings can digest both vege-tarian and non-vegetarian

food

The digestive system of herbivorous animals can digest only vegetables. The

digestive system of carnivorous animals can digest only meat. But the digestive

system of humans can digest both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. If

Almighty God wanted us to have only vegetables then why did He give us a

digestive system that can digest both vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian

food?

6. Hindu scriptures give permission to have non-vegetarian food

a. There are many Hindus who are strictly vegetarian. They think it is against

their religion to consume non-vegetarian food. But the true fact is that the

Hindu scriptures permit a person to have meat. The scriptures mention

Hindu sages and saints consuming non-vegetarian food.

b. It is mentioned in Manu Smruti, the law book of Hindus, in chapter 5 verse 30

      “The eater who eats the flesh of those to be eaten does nothing bad,

even if he does it day after day, for God himself created some to be eaten

and some to be eater.”

c. Again next verse of Manu Smruti, that is, chapter 5 verse 31 says

“Eating meat is right for the sacrifice, this is traditionally known as a rule of

the gods.”

d. Further in Manu Smruti chapter 5 verse 39 and 40 says

“God himself created sacrificial animals for sacrifice, … , therefore killing in

a sacrifice is not killing.”

e. Mahabharata Anushashan Parva chapter 88 narrates the discussion

between Dharmaraj Yudhishthira and Pitamah Bhishma about what food

one should offer to Pitris (ancestors) during the Shraddha (ceremony of

dead) to keep them satisfied. Paragraph reads as follows:

“Yudhishthira said, “O thou of great puissance, tell me what that object is

which, if dedicated to the Pitiris (dead ancestors), become inexhaustible!

What Havi, again, (if offered) lasts for all time? What, indeed, is that which

(if presented) becomes eternal?”

“Bhishma said, “Listen to me, O Yudhishthira, what those Havis are which

persons conversant with the rituals of the Shraddha (the ceremony of dead)

regard as suitable in view of Shraddha and what the fruits are that attach to

each. With sesame seeds and rice and barely and Masha and water and

roots and fruits, if given at Shraddhas, the pitris, O king, remain gratified for

the period of a month. With fishes offered at Shraddhas, the pitris remain

gratified for a period of two months. With the mutton they remain gratified

for three months and with the hare for four months, with the flesh of the

goat for five months, with the bacon (meat of pig) for six months, and with

the flesh of birds for seven. With venison obtained from those deer that

are called Prishata, they remaingratified for eight months, and with that

obtained from the Ruru for nine months, and with the meat of Gavaya for

ten months, With the meat of the bufffalo their gratification lasts for eleven

months. With beef presented at the Shraddha, their gratification, it is said ,

lasts for a full year. Payasa mixed with ghee is as much acceptable to the

pitris as beef. With the meat of Vadhrinasa (a large bull) the gratification

of pitris lasts for twelve years. the flesh of rhinoceros, offered to the pitris

on anniversaries of the lunar days on which they died, becomes

inexhaustible. The potherb called Kalaska, the petals of kanchana flower,

and meat of (red) goat also, thus offered, prove inexhaustible.

So but natural if you want to keep your ancestors satisfied forever, you

should serve them the meat of red goat.

7. Hinduism was influenced by other religions

Though Hindu Scriptures permit its followers to have non-vegetarian food, many

Hindus adopted the vegetarian system because they were influenced by other

religions like Jainism.

8. Even plants have life

Certain religions have adopted pure vegetarianism as a dietary law because

they are totally against the killing of living creatures. If a person can survive

without killing any living creature, I would be the first person to adopt such a way

of life. In the past people thought plants were lifeless. Today it is a universal fact

that even plants have life. Thus their logic of not killing living creatures is not

fulfilled even by being a pure vegetarian.

9. Even plants can feel pain

They further argue that plants cannot feel pain, therefore killing a plant is a

lesser crime as compared to killing an animal. Today science tells us that even

plants can feel pain. But the cry of the plant cannot be heard by the human

being. This is due to the inability of the human ear to hear sounds that are not

in the audible range i.e. 20 Hertz to 20,000 Hertz. Anything below and above

this range cannot be heard by a human being. A dog can hear up to 40,000

Hertz. Thus there are silent dog whistles that have a frequency of more than

20,000 Hertz and less than 40,000 Hertz. These whistles are only heard by

dogs and not by human beings. The dog recognizes the masters whistle and

comes to the master. There was research done by a farmer in U.S.A. who

invented an instrument which converted the cry of the plant so that it could be

heard by human beings. He was able to realize immediately when the plant

itself cried for water. Latest researches show that the plants can even feel happy

and sad. It can also cry.

10. Killing a living creature with two senses less is not a lesser crime

Once a vegetarian argued his case by saying that plants only have two or three

senses while the animals have five senses. Therefore killing a plant is a lesser

crime than killing an animal. Suppose your brother is born deaf and dumb and

has two senses less as compared to other human beings. He becomes mature

and someone murders him. Would you ask the judge to give the murderer a

lesser punishment because your brother has two senses less? In fact you would

say that he has killed a masoom, an innocent person, and the judge should give

the murderer a greater punishment.

In fact the Qur’an says:

“O ye people! Eat of what is on earth, lawful and good”

[Al-Qur’an 2:168]

11. Over population of cattle

If every human being was a vegetarian, it would lead to overpopulation of cattle

in the world, since their reproduction and multiplication is very swift. Allah (swt)

in His Divine Wisdom knows how to maintain the balance of His creation

appropriately. No wonder He has permitted us to have the meat of the cattle.

12. Cost of meat is reasonable since all aren’t non-vegetarians

I do not mind if some people are pure vegetarians. However they should not

condemn non-vegetarians as ruthless. In fact if all Indians become non-

vegetarians then the present non-vegetarians would be losers since the prices

of meat would rise.

Question:

Why are most of the Muslims fundamentalists and terrorists?
Answer:
This question is often hurled at Muslims, either directly or indirectly, during any
discussion on religion or world affairs. Muslim stereotypes are perpetuated in every
form of the media accompanied by gross misinformation about Islam and Muslims.
In fact, such misinformation and false propaganda often leads to discrimination and
acts of violence against Muslims. A case in point is the anti-Muslim campaign in the
American media following the Oklahoma bomb blast, where the press was quick to
declare a ‘Middle Eastern conspiracy’ behind the attack. The culprit was later
identified as a soldier from the American Armed Forces.

Let us analyze this allegation of ‘fundamentalism’ and ‘terrorism’:
1. Definition of  the word ‘fundamentalist’
A fundamentalist is a person who follows and adheres to the fundamentals of
the doctrine or theory he is following.  For a person to be a good doctor, he
should know, follow, and practise the fundamentals of medicine. In other words,
he should be a fundamentalist in the field of medicine. For a person to be a
good mathematician, he should know, follow and practise the fundamentals of
mathematics. He should be a fundamentalist in the field of mathematics. For a
person to be a good scientist, he should know, follow and practise the
fundamentals of science. He should be a fundamentalist in the field of science.
2. Not all ‘fundamentalists’ are the same
One cannot paint all fundamentalists with the same brush. One cannot
categorize all fundamentalists as either good or bad. Such a categorization of
any fundamentalist will depend upon the field or activity in which he is a
fundamentalist. A fundamentalist robber or thief causes harm to society and is
therefore undesirable. A fundamentalist doctor, on the other hand, benefits
society and earns much respect.

3. I am proud to be a Muslim funda-mentalist
I am a fundamentalist Muslim who, by the grace of Allah, knows, follows and
strives to practise the fundamentals of Islam. A true Muslim does not shy away
from being a fundamentalist. I am proud to be a fundamentalist Muslim
because, I know that the fundamentals of Islam are beneficial to humanity and
the whole world. There is not a single fundamental of Islam that causes harm or
is against the interests of the human race as a whole. Many people harbour
misconceptions about Islam and consider several teachings of Islam to be
unfair or improper. This is due to insufficient and incorrect knowledge of Islam.
If one critically analyzes the teachings of Islam with an open mind, one cannot
escape the fact that Islam is full of benefits both at the individual and collective
levels.
4. Dictionary meaning of the word ‘fundamentalist’
According to Webster’s dictionary ‘fundamentalism’ was a movement in
American Protestanism that arose in the earlier part of the 20th century.  It was
a reaction to modernism, and stressed the infallibility of the Bible, not only in
matters of faith and morals but also as a literal historical record. It stressed on
belief in the Bible as the literal word of God. Thus fundamentalism was a word
initially used for a group of Christians who believed that the Bible was the
verbatim word of God without any errors and mistakes.
According to the Oxford dictionary ‘fundamentalism’ means ‘strict maintenance
of ancient or fundamental doctrines of any religion, especially Islam’.
Today the moment a person uses the word fundamentalist he thinks of a Mus-
lim who is a terrorist.

5. Every Muslim should be a terrorist
Every Muslim should be a terrorist. A terrorist is a person who causes terror.
The moment a robber sees a policeman he is terrified. A policeman is a terrorist
for the robber. Similarly every Muslim should be a terrorist for the antisocial
elements of society, such as thieves, dacoits and rapists. Whenever such an
anti-social element sees a Muslim, he should be terrified. It is true that the word
‘terrorist’ is generally used for a person who causes terror among the common
people. But a true Muslim should only be a terrorist to selective people i.e. anti-
social elements, and not to the common innocent people. In fact a Muslim
should be a source of peace for innocent people.
6. Different labels given to the same individual for the same action,
i.e. ‘terrorist’ and ‘patriot’
Before India achieved independence from British rule, some freedom fighters of
India who did not subscribe to non-violence were labeled as terrorists by the
British government. The same individuals have been lauded by Indians for the
same activities and hailed as ‘patriots’. Thus two different labels have been
given to the same people for the same set of actions. One is calling him a
terrorist while the other is calling him a patriot. Those who believed that Britain
had a right to rule over India called these people terrorists, while those who
were of the view that Britain had no right to rule India called them patriots and
freedom fighters.
It is therefore important that before a person is judged, he is given a fair hearing.
Both sides of the argument should be heard, the situation should be analyzed,
and the reason and the intention of the person should be taken into account,
and then the person can be judged accordingly.

7. Islam means peace
Islam is derived from the word ‘salaam’ which means peace. It is a religion of
peace whose fundamentals teach its followers to maintain and promote peace
throughout the world.
Thus every Muslim should be a fundamentalist i.e. he should follow the
fundamentals of the Religion of Peace: Islam. He should be a terrorist only towards
the antisocial elements in order to promote peace and justice in the society.

Question:
How can Islam be called the religion of peace when it was spread by the sword?
Answer:
It is a common complaint among some non-Muslims that Islam would not have
millions of adherents all over the world, if it had not been spread by the use of
force. The following points will make it clear, that far from being spread by the
sword, it was the inherent force of truth, reason and logic that was responsible
for the rapid spread of Islam.
1. Islam means peace.
Islam comes from the root word ‘salaam’, which means peace. It also means
submitting one’s will to Allah (swt). Thus Islam is a religion of peace, which is
acquired by submitting one’s will to the will of the Supreme Creator, Allah (swt).
2. Sometimes force has to be used to maintain peace.
Each and every human being in this world is not in favour of maintaining peace
and harmony. There are many, who would disrupt it for their own vested
interests. Sometimes force has to be used to maintain peace. It is precisely for
this reason that we have the police who use force against criminals and anti-
social elements to maintain peace in the country. Islam promotes peace. At the
same time, Islam exhorts it followers to fight where there is oppression. The
fight against oppression may, at times, require the use of force. In Islam force
can only be used to promote peace and justice.
3. Opinion of historian De Lacy O’Leary.
The best reply to the misconception that Islam was spread by the sword is given by
the noted historian De Lacy O’Leary in the book “Islam at the cross road” (Page 8):
“History makes it clear however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping
through the world and forcing Islam at the point of the sword upon conquered races
is one of the most fantastically absurd myth that historians have ever repeated.”
4. Muslims ruled Spain for 800 years.
Muslims ruled Spain for about 800 years. The Muslims in Spain never used the
sword to force the people to convert. Later the Christian Crusaders came to
Spain and wiped out the Muslims. There was not a single Muslim in Spain who
could openly give the adhan, that is the call for prayers.

5. 14 million Arabs are Coptic Christians.
Muslims were the lords of Arabia for 1400 years. For a few years the British
ruled, and for a few years the French ruled. Overall, the Muslims ruled Arabia
for 1400 years. Yet today, there are 14 million Arabs who are Coptic Christians
i.e. Christians since generations. If the Muslims had used the sword there would
not have been a single Arab who would have remained a Christian.
6. More than 80% non-Muslims in India.
The Muslims ruled India for about a thousand years. If they wanted, they had
the power of converting each and every non-Muslim of India to Islam. Today
more than 80% of the population of India are non-Muslims. All these non-
Muslim Indians are bearing witness today that Islam was not spread by the
sword.
7. Indonesia and Malaysia.
Indonesia is a country that has the maximum number of Muslims in the world.
The majority of people in Malaysia are Muslims. May one ask, “Which Muslim
army went to Indonesia and Malaysia?”
8. East Coast of Africa.
Similarly, Islam has spread rapidly on the East Coast of Africa. One may again
ask, if Islam was spread by the sword, “Which Muslim army went to the East
Coast of Africa?”
9. Thomas Carlyle.
The famous historian, Thomas Carlyle, in his book “Heroes and Hero worship”,
refers to this misconception about the spread of Islam: “The sword indeed, but
where will you get your sword? Every new opinion, at its starting is precisely in
a minority of one. In one man’s head alone. There it dwells as yet. One man
alone of the whole world believes it, there is one man against all men. That he
takes a sword and try to propagate with that, will do little for him. You must get
your sword! On the whole, a thing will propagate itself as it can.”
10. No compulsion in religion.
With which sword was Islam spread?  Even if Muslims had it they could not use
it to spread Islam because the Qur’an says in the following verse:
“Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from
error”
[Al-Qur’an 2:256]

11. Sword of the Intellect.
It is the sword of intellect. The sword that conquers the hearts and minds of
people. The Qur’an says in Surah Nahl, chapter 16 verse 125:
“Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching;
and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious.”
[Al-Qur’an 16:125]
12. Increase in the world religions from 1934 to 1984.
An article in Reader’s Digest ‘Almanac’, year book 1986, gave the statistics of
the increase of percentage of the major religions of the world in half a century
from 1934 to 1984. This article also appeared in ‘The Plain Truth’ magazine. At
the top was Islam, which increased by 235%,  and Christianity had increased
only by 47%. May one ask, which war took place in this century which converted
millions of people to Islam?
13. Islam is the fastest growing religion in America and Europe.
Today the fastest growing religion in America is Islam. The fastest growing
religion in Europe in Islam. Which sword is forcing people in the West to accept
Islam in such large numbers?
14. Dr. Joseph Adam Pearson.
Dr. Joseph Adam Pearson rightly says, “People who worry that nuclear
weaponry will one day fall in the hands of the Arabs, fail to realize that the
Islamic bomb has been dropped already, it fell the day MUHAMMED (pbuh) was
born”.

Question:
Why does Islam degrade women by keeping them behind the veil?
Answer:
The status of women in Islam is often the target of attacks in the secular media.
The ‘hijab’ or the Islamic dress is cited by many as an example of the
‘subjugation’ of women under Islamic law. Before we analyze the reasoning
behind the religiously mandated ‘hijab’, let us first study the status of women in
societies before the advent of Islam
1. In the past women were degraded and used as objects of lust
The following examples from history amply illustrate the fact that the status of
women in earlier civilizations was very low to the extent that they were denied
basic human dignity:
a.Babylonian Civilization:
The women were degraded and were denied all rights under the Babylonian
law. If a man murdered a woman, instead of him being punished, his wife
was put to death.
b.Greek Civilization:
Greek Civilization is considered the most glorious of all ancient civilizations.
Under this very ‘glorious’ system, women were deprived of all rights and
were looked down upon. In Greek mythology, an ‘imaginary woman’ called
‘Pandora’ is the root cause of misfortune of human beings. The Greeks
considered women to be subhuman and inferior to men. Though chastity of
women was precious, and women were held in high esteem, the Greeks
were later overwhelmed by ego and sexual perversions. Prostitution
became a regular practice amongst all classes of Greek society.
c.Roman Civilization:
When Roman Civilization was at the zenith of its ‘glory’, a man even had the
right to take the life of his wife. Prostitution and nudity were common
amongst the Romans.
d.Egyptian Civilization:
The Egyptian considered women evil and as a sign of a devil.
e.Pre-Islamic Arabia:
Before Islam spread in Arabia, the Arabs looked down upon women and
very often when a female child was born, she was buried alive.

2. Islam uplifted women and gave them equality and expects them
to maintain their status.
Islam uplifted the status of women and granted them their just rights 1400 years
ago. Islam expects women to maintain their status.
Hijab for men
People usually only discuss ‘hijab’ in the context of women. However, in the
Glorious Qur’an, Allah (swt) first mentions ‘hijab’ for men before ‘hijab’ for the
women. The Qur’an mentions in Surah Noor:
“Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard
their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: and Allah is
well acquainted with all that they do.”
[Al-Qur’an 24:30]
The moment a man looks at a woman and if any brazen or unashamed thought
comes to his mind, he should lower his gaze.
Hijab for women.
The next verse of Surah Noor, says:
“ And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and
guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and
ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they
should draw veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty
except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their
sons…”
[Al-Qur’an 24:31]

3. Six criteria for Hijab.
According to Qur’an and Sunnah there are basically six criteria for observing
hijab:
1.Extent:
The first criterion is the extent of the body that should be covered. This is
different for men and women. The extent of covering obligatory on the male
is to cover the body at least from the navel to the knees. For women, the
extent of covering obligatory is to cover the complete body except the face
and the hands upto the wrist. If they wish to, they can cover even these
parts of the body. Some scholars of Islam insist that the face and the hands
are part of the obligatory extent of ‘hijab’.
All the remaining five criteria are the same for men and women.

2.The clothes worn should be loose and should not reveal the figure.
3.The clothes worn should not be transparent such that one can see through
them.
4.The clothes worn should not be so glamorous as to attract the opposite sex.
5.The clothes worn should not resemble that of the opposite sex.
6.The clothes worn should not resemble that of the unbelievers i.e. they
should not wear clothes that are specifically identities or symbols of the
unbelievers’ religions.
4. Hijab includes conduct and behaviour among other things
Complete ‘hijab’, besides the six criteria of clothing, also includes the moral
conduct, behaviour, attitude and intention of the individual. A person only
fulfilling the criteria of ‘hijab’ of the clothes is observing ‘hijab’ in a limited sense.
‘Hijab’ of the clothes should be accompanied by ‘hijab’ of the eyes, ‘hijab’ of the
heart, ‘hijab’ of thought and ‘hijab’ of intention. It also includes the way a person
walks, the way a person talks, the way he behaves, etc.
5. Hijab prevents molestation
The reason why Hijab is prescribed for women is mentioned in the Qur’an in the
following verses of Surah Al-Ahzab:
“O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women
that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when
abroad); that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such)
and not molested. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
[Al-Qur’an 33:59]
The Qur’an says that Hijab has been prescribed for the women so that they are
recognized as modest women and this will also prevent them from being
molested.

6. Example of twin sisters
Suppose two sisters who are twins, and who are equally beautiful, walk down
the street. One of them is attired in the Islamic hijab i.e. the complete body is
covered, except for the face and the hands up to the wrists. The other sister is
wearing western clothes, a mini skirt or shorts. Just around the corner there is
a hooligan or ruffian who is waiting for a catch, to tease a girl. Whom will he
tease? The girl wearing the Islamic Hijab or the girl wearing the skirt or the mini?
Naturally he will tease the girl wearing the skirt or the mini. Such dresses are an
indirect invitation to the opposite sex for teasing and molestation. The Qur’an
rightly says that hijab prevents women from being molested.

7. Capital punishment for the rapists
Under the Islamic shariah, a man convicted of having raped a woman, is given
capital punishment. Many are astonished at this ‘harsh’ sentence. Some even
say that Islam is a ruthless, barbaric religion! I have asked a simple question to
hundreds of non-Muslim men. Suppose, God forbid, someone rapes your wife,
your mother or your sister. You are made the judge and the rapist is brought in
front of you. What punishment would you give him? All of them said they would
put him to death. Some went to the extent of saying they would torture him to
death. To them I ask, if someone rapes your wife or your mother you want to put
him to death. But if the same crime is committed on somebody else’s wife or
daughter you say capital punishment is barbaric. Why should there be double
standards?
8. Western society falsely claims to have uplifted women
Western talk of women’s liberalization is nothing but a disguised form of
exploitation of her body, degradation of her soul, and deprivation of her honour.
Western society claims to have ‘uplifted’ women. On the contrary it has actually
degraded them to the status of concubines, mistresses and society butterflies
who are mere tools in the hands of pleasure seekers and sex marketeers,
hidden behind the colourful screen of ‘art’ and ‘culture’.
9. USA has one of the highest rates of rape
United States of America is supposed to be one of the most advanced countries
of the world. It also has one of the highest rates of rape in any country in the
world. According to a FBI report, in the year 1990, every day on an average
1756 cases of rape were committed in U.S.A alone. Later another report said
that on an average everyday 1900 cases of rapes are committed in USA. The
year was not mentioned. May be it was 1992 or 1993. May be the Americans
got ‘bolder’ in the following years.

Consider a scenario where the Islamic hijab is followed in America. Whenever
a man looks at a woman and any brazen or unashamed thought comes to his
mind, he lowers his gaze. Every woman wears the Islamic hijab, that is the
complete body is covered except the face and the hands upto the wrist. After
this if any man commits rape he is given capital punishment. I ask you, in such
a scenario, will the rate of rape in America increase, will it remain the same, or
will it decrease?
10. Implementation of Islamic Shariah will reduce the rate of rapes
Naturally as soon as Islamic Shariah is implemented positive results will be
inevitable. If Islamic Shariah is implemented in any part of the world, whether it
is America or Europe, society will breathe easier. Hijab does not degrade a
woman but uplifts a woman and protects her modesty and chastity.

Question:
If a man is allowed to have more than one wife, then why does Islam prohibit a
woman from having more than one husband?
Answer:
A lot of people, including some Muslims, question the logic of allowing Muslim
men to have more than one spouse while denying the same ‘right’ to women.
Let me first state emphatically, that the foundation of an Islamic society is justice
and equity. Allah has created men and women as equal, but with different
capabilities and different responsibilities. Men and women are different,
physiologically and psychologically. Their roles and responsibilities are different.
Men and women are equal in Islam, but not identical.
Surah Nisa’ Chapter 4 verses 22 to 24 gives the list of women with whom
Muslim men can not marry. It is further mentioned in Surah Nisa’ Chapter 4
verse 24 “Also (prohibited are) women already married”

The following points enumerate the reasons why polyandry is prohibited in
Islam:
1. If a man has more than one wife, the parents of the children born of such
marriages can easily be identified. The father as well as the mother can
easily be identified. In case of a woman marrying more than one husband,
only the mother of the children born of such marriages will be identified and
not the father. Islam gives tremendous importance to the identification of
both parents, mother and father. Psychologists tell us that children who do
not know their parents, especially their father undergo severe mental
trauma and disturbances. Often they have an unhappy childhood. It is for
this reason that the children of prostitutes do not have a healthy childhood.
If a child born of such wedlock is admitted in school, and when the mother
is asked the name of the father, she would have to give two or more names!
I am aware that recent advances in science have made it possible for both
the mother and father to be identified with the help of genetic testing. Thus
this point which was applicable for the past may not be applicable for the
present.
2. Man is more polygamous by nature as compared to a woman.
3. Biologically, it is easier for a man to perform his duties as a husband despite
having several wives. A woman, in a similar position, having several
husbands, will not find it possible to perform her duties as a wife. A woman
undergoes several psychological and behavioral changes due to different
phases of the menstrual cycle.
4. A woman who has more than one husband will have several sexual
partners at the same time and has a high chance of acquiring venereal or
sexually transmitted diseases which can also be transmitted back to her
husband even if all of them have no extra-marital sex. This is not the case
in a man having more than one wife, and none of them having extra-marital
sex.
The above reasons are those that one can easily identify. There are probably
many more reasons why Allah, in His Infinite Wisdom, has prohibited polyandry.

Question:
Why is a man allowed to have more than one wife in Islam? i.e. why is
polygamy allowed in Islam?
Answer:
1. Definition of Polygamy
Polygamy means a system of marriage whereby one person has more than one
spouse. Polygamy can be of two types. One is polygyny where a man marries
more than one woman, and the other is polyandry, where a woman marries
more than one man. In Islam, limited polygyny is permitted; whereas polyandry
is completely prohibited.
Now coming to the original question, why is a man allowed to have more than
one wife?
2. The Qur’an is the only religious scripture in the world that says,
“marry only one”.
The Qur’an is the only religious book, on the face of this earth, that contains the
phrase ‘marry only one’. There is no other religious book that instructs men to
have only one wife. In none of the other religious scriptures, whether it be the
Vedas, the Ramayan, the Mahabharat, the Geeta, the Talmud or the Bible does
one find a restriction on the number of wives. According to these scriptures one
can marry as many as one wishes. It was only later, that the Hindu priests and
the Christian Church restricted the number of wives to one.
Many Hindu religious personalities, according to their scriptures, had multiple
wives. King Dashrat, the father of Rama, had more than one wife. Krishna had
several wives.
In earlier times, Christian men were permitted as many wives as they wished,
since the Bible puts no restriction on the number of wives. It was only a few
centuries ago that the Church restricted the number of wives to one.
Polygyny is permitted in Judaism. According to Talmudic law, Abraham had
three wives, and Solomon had hundreds of wives. The practice of polygyny
continued till Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (960 C.E to 1030 C.E) issued an
edict against it. The Jewish Sephardic communities living in Muslim countries
continued the practice till as late as 1950, until an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of
Israel extended the ban on marrying more than one wife.
(*Interesting Note:- As per the 1975 census of India Hindus are more
polygynous than Muslims. The report of the ‘Committee of The Status of
Woman in Islam’, published in 1975 mentions on page numbers 66 and 67 that
the percentage of polygamous marriages between the years 1951 and 1961

was 5.06% among the Hindus and only 4.31% among the Muslims. According
to Indian law only Muslim men are permitted to have more than one wife. It is
illegal for any non-Muslim in India to have more than one wife. Despite it being
illegal, Hindus have more multiple wives as compared to Muslims. Earlier, there
was no restriction even on Hindu men with respect to the number of wives
allowed. It was only in 1954, when the Hindu Marriage Act was passed that it
became illegal for a Hindu to have more than one wife. At present it is the Indian
Law that restricts a Hindu man from having more than one wife and not the
Hindu scriptures.)
Let us now analyse why Islam allows a man to have more than one wife.
3. Qur’an permits limited polygyny
As I mentioned earlier, Qur’an is the only religious book on the face of the earth
that says ‘marry only one’. The context of this phrase is the following verse from
Surah Nisa of the Glorious Qur’an:
“Marry women of your choice, two, or three, or four; but if ye fear that
ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one.”
[Al-Qur’an 4:3]
Before the Qur’an was revealed, there was no upper limit for polygyny and
many men had scores of wives, some even hundreds. Islam put an upper limit
of four wives. Islam gives a man permission to marry two, three or four women,
only on the condition that he deals justly with them.
In the same chapter i.e. Surah Nisa verse 129 says:
“Ye are never able to be fair and just as between women….”
[Al-Qur’an 4:129]
Therefore polygyny is not a rule but an exception. Many people are under the
misconception that it is compulsory for a Muslim man to have more than one wife.
Broadly, Islam has five categories of Do’s and Don’ts:
(i) ‘Fard’ i.e. compulsory or obligatory
(ii) ‘Mustahab’ i.e. recommended or encouraged
(iii) ‘Mubah’ i.e. permissible or allowed
(iv) ‘Makruh’ i.e. not recommended or discouraged
(v) ‘Haraam’ i.e. prohibited or forbidden
Polygyny falls in the middle category of things that are permissible. It cannot be
said that a Muslim who has two, three or four wives is a better Muslim as
compared to a Muslim who has only one wife.

4. Average life span of females is more than that of males
By nature males and females are born in approximately the same ratio. A
female child has more immunity than a male child. A female child can fight the
germs and diseases better than the male child. For this reason, during the
pediatric age itself there are more deaths among males as compared to the
females.
During wars, there are more men killed as compared to women. More men die
due to accidents and diseases than women. The average life span of females
is more than that of males, and at any given time one finds more widows in the
world than widowers.
5. India has more male population than female due to female
foeticide and infanticide
India is one of the few countries, along with the other neighbouring countries, in
which the female population is less than the male population. The reason lies in
the high rate of female infanticide in India, and the fact that more than one
million female foetuses are aborted every year in this country, after they are
identified as females. If this evil practice is stopped, then India too will have
more females as compared to males.
6. World female population is more than male population
In the USA, women outnumber men by 7.8 million. New York alone has one
million more females as compared to the number of males, and of the male
population of New York one-third are gays i.e sodomites. The U.S.A as a whole
has more than twenty-five million gays. This means that these people do not
wish to marry women. Great Britain has four million more females as compared
to males. Germany has five million more females as compared to males. Russia
has nine million more females than males. God alone knows how many million
more females there are in the whole world as compared to males.
7. Restricting each and every man to have only one wife is not
practical
Even if every man got married to one woman, there would still be more than
thirty million females in U.S.A who would not be able to get husbands
(considering that America has twenty five million gays). There would be more
than four million females in Great Britain, 5 million females in Germany and nine
million females in Russia alone who would not be able to find a husband.
Suppose my sister happens to be one of the unmarried women living in USA, or
suppose your sister happens to be one of the unmarried women in USA. The
only two options remaining for her are that she either marries a man who
already has a wife or becomes ‘public property’. There is no other option. All
those who are modest will opt for the first.

Most women would nto like to share their husband with other women. But in
Islam when the situation deems it really neccessary Muslim women in due faith
could bear a small personal loss to prevent a greater loss of letting other Muslim
sisters becoming ‘public properties’.
8. Marring a married man preferable to becoming ‘public property’
In Western society, it is common for a man to have mistresses and/or multiple
extra-marital affairs, in which case, the woman leads a disgraceful, unprotected
life. The same society, however, cannot accept a man having more than one
wife, in which women retain their honourable, dignified position in society and
lead a protected life.
Thus the only two options before a woman who cannot find a husband is to
marry a married man or to become ‘public property’. Islam prefers giving
women the honourable position by permitting the first option and disallowing the
second.
There are several other reasons, why Islam has permitted limited polygyny, but
it is mainly to protect the modesty of women.

Back to Path to Peace …

Ours is an era of space probes, computer chips, laser surgeries and cloning. If we were to label any book as a revelation from God, we couldn’t help but to scrutinize this Scripture using modern scientific knowledge. It could not be that a revelation, proclaiming itself from God, could constitute aspects contradicting established scientific facts. How could we assume otherwise, when God is the one who created the universe and the laws operating within it.

The Quran was revealed 1400 years ago to the last Prophet of God, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a guidance for all humanity. The entire Quran has been committed to memory by millions of Muslims around the world and has been preserved by God from any interpolations, for continuing guidance. Although the Quran is a religious book with a total of about 6600 plus verses dealing with many aspects of a person’s life, about 1000 of those verses are of scientific nature, none contradicting established scientific facts.

Dr. T.V.N. Persaud [1], professor of Anatomy, says: “You have an illiterate person (Prophet Muhammad) making profound statements that are amazingly accurate, of a scientific nature…I personally can’t see how this could be mere chance, there are too many accuracies and like Dr. Moore, I have no difficulty in my mind reconciling that this is a divine inspiration or revelation which lead him to these statements”.

Besides providing guidelines in personal, social, moral and spiritual spheres of humanity, the Quran touches upon diverse scientific topics like astronomy, geology, embryology, genetics, biology, archeology etc. Some of these are mentioned below to prove the Quran’s Divine origin.

The Big Bang !

Currently, the Big Bang model of the origin of the universe is the cosmological paradigm most widely accepted by astronomers. It holds that about 15 billion years ago the universe began with the explosive expansion of a single, extremely dense matter, the primordial mass. Only after the development of radio telescopes in 1937 that, the necessary observational precision was achieved in order for astronomers to arrive at the above conclusion. What does the Quran say about our universe’s origin?

“Do not the unbelievers see that the Heavens and the earth were joined together, then We split them apart.” (21:30)

Expanding Universe

In 1925, Edwin Hubble (after whom the Hubble Space telescope is named) provided the observational evidence for the expansion of the universe. Stephen Hawking (author of ‘A Brief History of Time’) states: “The universe is not static, as had previously been thought, it is expanding”. So what did God reveal in the Quran, 1400 years ago?

“And the firmament, We constructed with power and skill and verily We are expanding it” (51:47) (“We” is the Arabic plural of respect, not the Christian plural of ‘trinity”)

The Existence of Sun’s Orbit

Ancient people use to believe that the Sun revolves around the earth. Later, Nicholas Copernicus in 1512, laid his Heliocentric Theory of Planetary motion, which placed the sun motionless in the center of the solar system with all the planets revolving around it. Modern science tells us now that the sun too is not still, but is in motion.

The sun traveling at roughly 150 miles per second takes about 200 million years to complete one revolution around the center of our Milky Way Galaxy and 25 days to make one complete rotation around its own axis. See how beautifully and accurately God revealed this phenomenon in the Quran:

“It is He who created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon, all (the celestial bodies) swim along, each in its orbit with its own motion.” (21:33)

Conquest of Space by Human

Human exploration and the conquest of space began with the launching of the Russian Satellite, Sputnik I on Oct. 4, 1957. Then followed the launching of humans into space, which eventually led to a manned space flight to the Moon on July 20th, 1967. Thus the dream of humanity since the dawn of civilization to go beyond the earth to the heavens was realized.

The Quran, 1400 years ago, clearly predicted human’s advancement and the possibility of space flight.

“O assembly of Jinns and humans, if you can penetrate the regions of the heavens and the earth, then penetrate them! You will not penetrate them save with a power (of God).” (55:33)

The Protective Atmosphere

Earth is constantly bombarded by meteoroids that disintegrate upon the atmosphere and by lethal rays emitted by the sun. This UV radiation is absorbed by the Ozone layer forming the outer fringe of our atmosphere. Thus our atmosphere along with its Ozone layer is a protective covering for us. Life possibly could not have existed without it. How meticulously, does our Lord sustain and protect us against this atmospheric destruction.

“And We have made the atmosphere a protective roof, yet do they turn away from the Signs which these things point to.” (21:32)

Embryology

The Dutch naturalist Anthony van Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723) produced lenses powerful enough to prove that many tiny creatures are not spontaneously generated but are produced from eggs. The science of Embryology as we know it today did not discover many of the detailed aspects of human embryonic development until the 1970s, using powerful microscopes, ultra sound and fiber optics technology. See how the Quran described the stages of embryonic development.

“God fashioned man from a small quantity (of sperm)” (16:4) Fertilization takes place with only one sperm among several tens of million produced by man.

“Then We placed him as a drop in a place of rest” (23:13) Implantation of the blastocyst in the uterus.

“Then We made the drop into a leech like structure…” (23:14) This resemblance of the human embryo to a leech is an appropriate description of the human embryo from days 7-24, when it clings to the endometrium of the uterus.

“And He (God) gave you hearing and sight and feeling and understanding.” (32:9) The internal ears appear before the eyes, and the brain (the sight of understanding) differentiates last.

Dr. E. Marshall Johnson [2] Professor of Anatomy, concluded after studying verses from Quran: “The Quran describes not only the development of external form but emphasizes also the internal stages – the stages inside the embryo of its creation and development, emphasizing major events recognized by contemporary science… so I see nothing in conflict with the concept that divine intervention was involved…”

Gender Determination

The concept of “Gender Determination” as being described by geneticists, is one of the outstanding informations revealed to us in the Quran. This information is now a known fact, that sperms are the deciding factors in determining the type of gender (male or female) in the new embryo. This determination through the male sperm is due to the fact that sperms have an X and Y chromosomes, while the female ovum has only X Chromosomes (X, X). Through the Quran, The Almighty informs us that it is the male sperms that determine the type of gender for the new offspring:

“Does man think that he will be left uncontrolled (without purpose)? Was he not a drop of sperm emitted (in humble form)? Then did (God) make and fashion (him) in due proportion. And of him He made two sexes, male and female…” (75:36-40)

Existence of Pairs in All Creation

Before the dawn of the modern era, humans conceived that only animal life was divided into two genders, male and female. Then the discovery was made that this phenomenon was present in plants and vegetation too. We have found this reality existing in every creation, animate as well as inanimate, though in different forms. In electricity, these two genders can be classified as positive and negative. North and south pole describe it in magnetism, electron and proton in atoms, matter and antimatter etc. Even bacteria could be positive or negative, while the truth is, this creation is made of pairs. At the time the Holy Quran was being revealed in the 7th century C.E., we knew of pairing in animals and plants only, but the Quran describes the phenomenon in the most lucid manner:

“Hallowed is He, Who created pairs in all things, those that grow from the earth and of themselves, and what they know not.” (36:36)

The Quranic statement:

“…And what they know not” is as true today, as it was when Holy Quran was revealed. Though we have discovered that every created thing exists in pair, we have yet to discover many things that exist.

We have expounded scientific marvels from the Holy Quran to convince sincere seekers of truth that it is the infallible Word of God. No mortal being can ever speak with such authority, finality, knowledge, perfection, and precision coupled with exotic beauties of expression, as does God in the Quran.

By realizing these Truths about the Quran and the religion of Islam revealed by our Creator and Sustainer, many modern scientists are turning towards it.

Dr. Keith Moore [3], Professor of Embryology, after analyzing the verses of the Quran for three years comments: “It has been a pleasure for me to help clarify statements in the Quran about Human Development. It is clear to me that these statements must have come to Muhammad from God or Allah because almost all of this knowledge was not discovered until many centuries later”

Dr. Maurice Bucaille [4], French Physician, after studying Quran and comparing it with modern science, addressed the French Academy of Medicine in 1976 proclaimed: “Our knowledge of these disciplines is such, that it is impossible to explain how a text produced at the time of the Quran could have contained ideas that have only been discovered in modern times”.

Dr. Joe Leigh Simpson [5], Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, proclaims: “…These Hadiths (sayings of Muhammad) could not have been obtained on the basis of the scientific knowledge that was available at the time of the writer (7th century)…It follows that not only is there no conflict between genetics and religion (Islam) but in fact religion (Islam) may guide science by adding revelation to some of the traditional scientific approaches… There exist statements in the Quran shown centuries later to be valid which support knowledge in the Quran having been derived from God”.

Dr. Tejatet Tejasen [6], Professor of Anatomy, attending the Eighth Saudi Medical Conference, stood up and likewise announced: “From my studies and what I have learnt at this conference, I believe that everything that has been recorded in the Quran 1400 years ago must be true. That can be proved the scientific way”.

These men of knowledge, in their unbiased studies of the Quran, all proclaimed its truthfulness as a Revelation of Almighty God.

“Soon we will show them Our Signs in the (furthest) regions (of the earth) and in their own soul, until it becomes manifest to them that this is the Truth…” (41:53)

Guidance to humanity proclaimed in the Quran is complete and applicable to all societies and all times. Whether we are living in the Stone Age or the Space Age, riding in horse pulled carriages or flying in Space Shuttles, we haven’t changed a bit. We still possess physical and emotional desires, we live in societies, interact with one another, establish social, political and economic systems; thus the relevant need for guidance by our Creator in all these spheres of our life. Islam is the only religion which is totally compatible with scientific facts and provides complete, explicit and clear guidance in all spheres of life.

The Quran was revealed in Arabic, but translation of its meaning are available in English and other languages for non-Arabs. Likewise Islam is not restricted to people of the east or Arabs, it is a universal religion revealed for all of mankind.

We invite all sincere humans to study Islam with an open mind. Don’t blindly follow the whims and paganistic influences of the environment around us. God bestowed upon us this superb mind to seek and live the truth; for we all will be accountable on the Day of Judgment for our beliefs and deeds. Don’t delay your salvation. Welcome to Islam!

References:

1) Dr. T.V.N. Persaud, Professor and Head of the Department of Anatomy, University of Manitoba, Canada, received in 1991 the most distinguished award presented in the field of Anatomy in Canada, the J.C.B. Grand Award.

2) Dr. E. Marshall Johnson, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, and the Director of the Daniel Baugh Institute, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, USA

3) Dr. Keith Moore, Professor of Embryology, Department of Anatomy, Univ. of Toronto, Canada, recipient of numerous awards and honors, including in 1984, the J.C.B. Grand Award, which is the highest honor granted by the Canadian Association of Anatomists.

4) Dr. Maurice Bucaille, French Physician, Author of ‘The Bible, the Quran and Science, Seghers, Paris, 1987.

5) Dr. Joe Leigh Simpson, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, and the President of the American Fertility Society.

6) Dr. Tejatet Tejasen, Professor and Head of Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chiang, Thailand

Suggested Readings

1. The Holy Quran Abdullah Yusuf Ali (trans.)
2. The Life of Muhammad By Hayykal
3. Towards Understanding Islam By Abul Ala Maududi
4. Jesus: A Prophet of Islam. By. M. Ataur Rahim
5. The Bible, The Quran and Science By Maurice Bucaille

Back to Path to Jannah …

By Huma Ahmad

MISCONCEPTION #1:
Muslims are violent, terrorists and/or extremists.

This is the biggest misconception in Islam, no doubt resulting from
the constant stereotyping and bashing the media gives Islam.  When a
gunman attacks a mosque in the name of Judaism, a Catholic IRA
guerrilla sets off a bomb in an urban area, or Serbian Orthodox
militiamen rape and kill innocent Muslim civilians, these acts are not
used to stereotype an entire faith. Never are these acts attributed
to the religion of the perpetrators. Yet how many times have we heard
the words 'Islamic, Muslim fundamentalist. etc.' linked with violence.

Politics in so called  "Muslim countries" may or may not have any
Islamic basis.  Often dictators and politicians will use the name of
Islam for their own purposes. One should remember to go to the source
of Islam and separate what the true religion of Islam says from what
is portrayed in the media. Islam literally means 'submission to God'
and is derived from a root word meaning 'peace'.

Islam may seem exotic or even extreme in the modern world. Perhaps
this is because religion doesn't dominate everyday life in the West,
whereas Islam is considered a 'way of life' for Muslims and they make
no division between secular and sacred in their lives.   Like
Christianity, Islam permits fighting in self-defense, in defense of
religion, or on the part of those who have been expelled forcibly
from their homes.  It lays down strict rules of combat which include
prohibitions against harming civilians and against destroying crops,
trees and  livestock.

NOWHERE DOES ISLAM ENJOIN THE KILLING OF INNOCENTS.. The Quran says:
"Fight in the cause of God against those who fight you, but do not
transgress limits.  God  does not love transgressors." (Quran 2:190)
"If they seek peace, then seek you peace.  And trust in God for He is
the One that heareth  and knoweth all things." (Quran 8:61) War,
therefore, is the last resort, and is subject to the rigorous
conditions laid down by the  sacred law.  The term 'jihad' literally
means 'struggle'.  Muslims believe that there are two kinds of  jihad.
The other 'jihad' is the inner struggle of the soul which everyone
wages against egotistic  desires for the sake of attaining inner
peace.

MISCONCEPTION #2:
Islam oppresses women.

The image of the typical Muslim woman wearing the veil and forced to
stay home and forbidden to drive is all too common  in most peoples
thoughts. Although some Muslim countries may  have laws that oppress
women, this should not be seen as coming  from Islam.  Many of these
countries do not rule by  any kind of Shari'ah (Islamic law) and
introduce their own cultural standpoints on the issue of  gender
equity.

Islam on the other hand gives men and women different roles and equity
between the two  is laid down in the Quran and the example of the
Prophet (peace be upon him). Islam sees a woman, whether   single or
married, as an individual in her own right, with the right to own and
dispose of her property  and earnings.  A marriage gift is given by
the groom to the bride for her own personal use, and  she keeps her
own family name rather than taking her husband's. Both men and women
are expected to dress in a way that is modest and dignified. The
Messenger of God (peace be upon him) said: "The most perfect in faith
amongst  believers is he who is best in manner and kindest to his
wife."

Violence of any kind towards  women and forcing them against their
will for anything is not allowed. A Muslim marriage is a simple, legal
agreement in which either partner is free to include  conditions.
Marriage customs thus vary widely from country to country.  Divorce is
not common,  although it is acceptable as a last resort.  According to
Islam, a Muslim girl cannot be forced to  marry against her will: her
parents simply suggest young men they think may be suitable.

MISCONCEPTION #3:
Muslims worship a different God.

Allah is simply the Arabic word for God. Allah for Muslims is  the
greatest and most inclusive of the Names of God, it is an Arabic word
of rich meaning, denoting the one and only God and ascribing no
partners to Him. It is exactly the same word which the Jews, in
Hebrew, use for God (eloh), the word which Jesus Christ used in
Aramaic when he prayed to God. God has an identical name in Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam; Allah is the same God worshiped by Muslims,
Christians and Jews.  Muslims believe that Allah's sovereignty is to
be acknowledged in worship and in the pledge to obey His teaching and
commandments, conveyed through His messengers and prophets who were
sent at various times and in many places throughout history.
However, it should be noted that God in Islam is One and Only. He,
the Exalted, does not get tired, does not have a son ie Jesus or
have associates, nor does He have human-like attributions as found in
other faiths.

MISCONCEPTION #4:
Islam was spread by the sword and intolerant of other faiths.
Many social studies textbooks for students show the image of an Arab
horseman carrying  a sword in one hand and the Quran in the other
conquering and forcibly converting. This, though, is not a correct
portrayal of history.  Islam has always given respect and  freedom of
religion to all faiths. The Quran says: "God forbids you not, with
regards to those who fight you not for [your]  faith nor drive you out
of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them; for God
loveth those  who are just. 60:8)

Freedom of religion is laid down in the Quran itself: "There is no
compulsion (or coercion)  in the religion (Islam).  The right
direction is distinctly clear from error". (2:256) Christian
missionary, T.W. Arnold had this opinion on his study of the question
of the  spread of Islam: ".. of any organized attempt to force the
acceptance of Islam on the non-Muslim  population, or of any
systematic persecution intended to stamp out the Christian religion,
we hear  nothing. Had the caliphs chosen to adopt either course of
action, they might have swept away  Christianity as easily as
Ferdinand and Isabella drove Islam out of Spain, or Louis XIV made
Protestanism ..."

It is a function of Islamic law to protect the privileged status of
minorities, and this is why  non-Muslim places of worship have
flourished all over the Islamic world.  History provides many
examples of Muslim tolerance towards other faiths: when the caliph
Omar entered Jerusalem in the  year 634, Islam granted freedom of
worship to all religious communities in the city.   Proclaiming to the
inhabitants that their lives, and property were safe, and that their
places of  worship would never be taken from them, he asked the
Christian patriarch Sophronius to  accompany him on a visit to all the
holy places.  Islamic law also permits non-Muslim minorities to set up
their own courts, which  implement family laws drawn up by the
minorities themselves. The life and property of all citizens in an
Islamic state are considered sacred whether the  person is Muslim or
not.

Racism is not a part of Islam, the Quran speaks only of human equality
and how all  peoples are equal in the sight of God.   "O mankind! We
created you from a single soul, male and  female, and made you into
nations and tribes, so that you may come to know one another.  Truly,
the most honored of you in God's sight is the greatest of you in
piety.  God is All-Knowing, All- Aware. (49:13)

MISCONCEPTION #5:
All Muslims are Arabs

The Muslim population of the world is around 1.2 billion.  1 out of 5
people in the world is a  Muslim.  They are a vast range of races,
nationalities, and cultures from around the globe--from the
Phillipines to Nigeria--they are united by their common Islamic faith.
Only about 18% live  in the  Arab world and the largest Muslim
community is in Indonesia.  Most Muslims live east of Pakistan.   30%
of Muslims live in the Indian subcontinent, 20% in Sub-Saharan Africa,
17% in Southeast  Asia, 18% in the Arab world, and 10% in the Soviet
Union and China.  Turkey, Iran and  Afghanistan make up 10% of the
non-Arab Middle East.  Although there are Muslim minorities in  almost
every area, including Latin America and Australia, they are most
numerous in Russia and  its newly independent states, India and
central Africa.  There are about 6 million Muslims in the  United
States

MISCONCEPTION #6:
The Nation of Islam is a Muslim group.

Islam and the so called  "Nation of Islam'" are two different
religions.  NOI is more of a political organization since its members
are not limited to a single faith. Muslims consider this group to be
just one of many cults using the name of Islam for their own gain.
The only thing  common between them is the jargon, the language used
by both. "The Nation of Islam" is a misnomer; this religion should be
called Farrakhanism, after the name of its propogator, Louis Farrakhan.

Islam and Farakhanism differ in many fundamental ways. For example,
Farakhan followers  believe in racism and that the 'black man' was the
original man and therefore superior, while in  Islam there is no
racism and everyone is considered equal in the sight of God, the only
difference  being in one's piety. There are many other theological
examples that show the 'Nation's teachings  have little to do with
true Islam.    There are many groups in America who claim to represent
Islam and call their adherents  Muslims.

Any serious student of Islam has a duty to investigate  and find the
true Islam. The only two authentic sources which bind every Muslim
are 1. the Quran and 2. authentic or sound Hadith. Any teachings under
the label of "Islam" which contradict or at variance with the direct
understanding of fundamental beliefs and practices of Islam form the
Quran and authentic Hadith should be rejected and such a religion
should be considered a Pseudo-Islamic Cult. In America there are many
pseudo-Islamic cults, Farrakhanism being one of them. An honest
attitude on the  part of such cults should be not to call themselves
Muslims and their religion Islam. such an  example of honesty is
Bahaism which is an off-shoot of Islam but Bahais do not call
themselves  Muslims nor their religion, Islam. In fact Bahaism is not
Islam just as Farrakhanism is not Islam.

MISCONCEPTION #7:
All Muslim men marry four wives.

The religion of Islam was revealed for all societies and all times and
so accommodates  widely differing social requirements.  Circumstances
may warrant the taking of another wife but the  right is granted,
according to the Quran, only on condition that the husband is
scrupulously fair. No woman can be forced into this kind of marriage
if they do not wish it, and they also have the  right to exclude it in
their marriage contract.

Polygamy is neither mandatory, nor encouraged, but  merely permitted.
Images of "sheikhs with harems" are not consistent with Islam, as a
man is  only allowed at most four wives only if he can fulfill the
stringent conditions of treating each fairly  and providing each with
separate housing etc.  Permission to practice polygamy is not
associated  with mere satisfaction of passion.  It is rather
associated with compassion toward widows and  orphans. It was the
Quran that limited and put conditions on the practice of polygamy
among the  Arabs, who had as many as ten or more wives and considered
them "property".

It is both honest and accurate to say that it is Islam that regulated
this practice, limited  it, made it more humane, and instituted equal
rights and status for all wives. What the Qur'anic  decrees amount to,
taken together is discouragement of polygamy unless necessity for it
exists. It is also evident that the general rule in Islam is monogamy
and not polygamy. It is a very  tiny percentage of Muslims that
practice it over the world. However, permission to practice limited
polygamy is only consistent with Islam's realistic view of the nature
of man and woman and of  various social needs, problems and cultural
variations.

The question is, however far more than the inherent flexibility of
Islam; it also is the frank  and straightforward approach of Islam in
dealing with practical problems.  Rather than requiring  hypocritical
and superficial compliance, Islam delves deeper into the problems of
individuals and  societies, and provides for legitimate and clean
solutions which are far more beneficial than would  be the case if they
were ignored. There is no doubt that the second wife legally married
and treated  kindly is better off than a mistress without any legal
rights or expermanence.

MISCONCEPTION #8:
Muslims are a barbaric, backward people.

Among the reasons for the rapid and peaceful spread of Islam was the
simplicity of its  doctrine-Islam calls for faith in only one God
worthy of worship.  It also repeatedly instructs man to  use his
powers of intelligence and observation. Within a few years, great
civilizations and universities were flourishing, for according to the
Prophet (pbuh), 'seeking knowledge is an obligation for every Muslim
man and woman'.

The  synthesis of Eastern and Western ideas and of new thought with
old, brought about great  advances in medicine, mathematics, physics,
astronomy, geography, architecture, art, literature,  and history.
Many crucial systems such as algebra, the Arabic numerals, and also
the concept of  the zero (vital to the advancement of mathematics),
were transmitted to medieval Europe from  Islam.  Sophisticated
instruments which were to make possible the European voyages of
discovery  were developed, including the astrolabe, the quadrant and
good navigational maps.

MISCONCEPTION #9:
Muhammad was the founder of Islam and Muslims worship him.

Muhammad(pbuh) was born in Mecca in the year 570.   Since his father
died before his  birth, and his mother shortly afterwards, he was
raised by his uncle from the respected tribe of  Quraysh.  As he grew
up, he became known for his truthfulness, generosity and sincerity, so
that  he was sought after for his ability to arbitrate in disputes.
The historians describe him as calm and  meditative. Muhammad (pbuh)
was of a deeply religious nature, and had long detested the decadence
of his society.

It became his habit to meditate from time to time in the Cave of Hira
near Mecca. At the age of 40, while engaged in a meditative retreat,
Muhammad(pbuh) received his first  revelation from God through the
Angel Gabriel.  This revelation, which continued for 23 years is
known as the Quran. As soon as he began to recite the words he heard
from Gabriel, and to preach the truth  which God had revealed to him,
he and his small group of followers suffered bitter persecution,
which grew so fierce that in the year 622 God gave them the command to
emigrate.

This event,  the Hijra 'migration', in which they left Mecca for the
city of Medina, marks the beginning of the  Muslim calendar.  After
several years, the Prophet and his followers were able to return to
Mecca, where they forgave their enemies and established Islam
definitively. Before the Prophet saw dies at the age of 63, the
greater part of Arabia was Muslim, and within a century of his death
Islam had spread to Spain in the West and as far East as China. He
died with less than 5 possessions to his name.

While Muhammad (pbuh) was chosen to deliver the message, he is not
considered the  "founder" of Islam, since Muslims consider Islam to be
the same divine guidance sent to all peoples before.  Muslims believe
all the prophets from Adam, Noah, Moses, Jesus etc. were all sent
with divine guidance for their peoples.  Every prophet was sent to his
own people, but Muhammad(pbuh) was sent to all of mankind.  Muhammad
is the last and final messenger sent to deliver the message of Islam.
Muslims revere and honor him (pbuh) for all he went through and his
dedication, but they do not worship him.  "O Prophet, verily We have
sent you as a witness and a bearer of glad tidings and a warner and
as one who invites unto God by His leave and as an illuminating
lamp."(33:45-6)

MISCONCEPTION #10:
Muslims don't believe in Jesus or any other prophets.

Muslims respect and revere Jesus, upon him be peace, and await his
Second Coming.   They consider him one of the greatest of God's
messengers to mankind.  A Muslim never refers to him simply as
'Jesus', but always adds the phrase 'upon him be peace' (abbreviated
as (u) here).   The Quran confirms his virgin birth (a chapter of the
Quran is entitled 'Mary'), and Mary is considered the purest woman in
all creation.  The Quran describes the Annunciation as follows:

"Behold!" the Angel said, "God has chosen you, and purified you, and
chosen you above the women of all nations.  O Mary, God gives you
good news of a word from Him whose name shall be the Messiah, Jesus
son of Mary, honored in this world and the Hereafter, and one of those
brought near to God.  He shall speak to the people from his cradle and
in maturity, and shall be of the righteous." She said: "O my Lord!
How shall I have a son when no man has touched me?" He said:  "Even
so; God creates what He will.  When He decrees a thing, He says to it,
"Be!" and it is"  (Quran 3:42-47)

Jesus (u) was born miraculously through the same power, which had
brought Adam (u) into being without a father: "Truly, the likeness of
Jesus with God is as the likeness of Adam.  He created him of dust,
and then said to him, 'Be!' and he was." (3:59) During his prophetic
mission Jesus (u) performed many miracles. The Quran tells us that he
said: " I have come to you with a sign from your Lord:  I make for you
out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breath into it
and it becomes a bird by God's leave.  And I heal the blind, and the
lepers, and I raise the dead by God's leave." (3:49) Neither Muhammad
(pbuh) not Jesus (u) came to change the basic doctrine of the brief in
One God brought by earlier prophets, but to confirm and renew it.

In the Quran Jesus (u) is reported as saying that he came: "To attest
the law which was before me.  And to make lawful to you part of what
was forbidden you; I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so
fear God and obey Me. (3:50) The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said:
"Whoever believes there is no god but God, alone without partner,
that Muhammad (pbuh) is His messenger, that Jesus is the servant and
messenger of God, His word breathed into Mary and a spirit emanating
from Him, and that Paradise and Hell are true, shall be received by
God into Heaven. "(Hadith related by Bukhari).

Some more Misconceptions on Islam – good info page

Sources:

(Islam: A Brief Introduction, Islamic Circle of North America,
Jamaica, New York)

(Understanding Islam and the Muslims, The Islamic Affairs Department
The Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Washington DC, 1989.)

(Badawi, Jamal, Polygamy in Islamic Law, The Muslim Students'
Association of the United States & Canada,)

(Islam and Farrakhanism Compared, The Institute of Islamic Information
and Education, Chicago, Illinois)

(Jihad Explained, The Institute of Islamic Information & Education,
Chicago, Illinois)

Back to Path to Peace …

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Islam is derived from the word ‘salaam’ which means peace. It is a religion of peace whose fundamentals teach its followers to maintain and promote peace throughout the world.

Thus every Muslim should be a fundamentalist i.e. he should follow the fundamentals of the Religion of Peace: Islam. He should be a terrorist only towards the antisocial elements in order to promote peace and justice in the society.

Dr. Joseph Adam Pearson rightly says, “People who worry that nuclear weaponry will one day fall in the hands of the Arabs, fail to realize that the Islamic bomb has been dropped already, it fell the day MUHAMMED (pbuh) was born”.

With which sword was Islam spread? Even if Muslims had it they could not use it to spread Islam because the Qur’an says in the following verse:

“Let there be no compulsion in religion,Truth stands out clear from error” [Al-Qur’an 2:256]

It is the sword of intellect. The sword that conquers the hearts and minds of people. The Qur’an says in Surah Nahl, chapter 16 verse 125:

“Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious.” [Al-Qur’an 16:125]