islam
means Submission and obedience (to Allah), Humility, submissiveness and
conformance (to the Laws of Allah), Safety, security, immunity or
freedom from evil, Peace. Islam is a way of life whereby one takes upon
oneself what Allah Has ordained and His Messenger practically
demonstrated and conveyed to the mankind. It entails total submission
and obedience to Allah that leads one to peace, and safety, security,
immunity and freedom from evils and afflictions of any kind form within
or without.
The
framework of the Muslim life: faith, prayer, concern for the needy,
self-purification, and the pilgrimage to Makkah for those who are able.
1) FAITH
There
is no god worthy of worship except God and Muhammad is His messenger.
This declaration of faith is called the Shahada, a simple formula which
all the faithful pronounce. In Arabic, the first part is la ilaha illa
Llah - 'there is no god except God'; ilaha (god) can refer to anything
which we may be tempted to put in place of God - wealth, power, and the
like. Then comes illa Llah: 'except God', the source of all Creation.
The second part of the Shahada is Muhammadun rasulu'Llah: 'Muhammad is
the messenger of God.' A message of guidance has come through a man like
ourselves.
2) PRAYER
Salat
is the name for the obligatory prayers which are performed five times a
day, and are a direct link between the worshipper and God. There is no
hierarchical authority in Islam, and no priests, so the prayers are led
by a learned person who knows the Learn Quran, chosen by congregation. These 5 prayers contain verses from the Quran,
and are in Arabic, the language of Revelation, but personal
supplication can be offered in one's own language. Because shalat is
transliterated from arabic word, so it has multiple english spellings
such as salat, salah, sholat, sholah or shalah.Some peoples also called
shalat as namaz
Prayers are said at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon,
sunset and nightfall, and thus determine the rhythm of the entire day.
Although it is preferable to worship together in a mosque, a Muslim may
pray almost anywhere, such as in fields, offices, factories and
universities. Visitors to the Muslim world are struck by the centrality
of prayers in daily life.
A translation of the Call to Prayer is:
God is most great. God is most great.
God is most great. God is most great.
I testify that there is no god except God.
I testify that there is no god except God.
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
Come to prayer! Come to prayer!
Come to success (in this life and the Hereafter)!
Come to success!
God is most great. God is most great.
There is no god except God.
3) ZAKAAT
One
of the most important principles of Islam is that all things belong to
God, and that wealth is therefore held by human beings in trust. The
word zakaat means both 'purification' and 'growth'. Our possessions are
purified by setting aside a proportion for those in need, and, like the
pruning of plants, this cutting back balances and encourages new growth.
Each
Muslim calculates his or her own zakaat individually. For most purposes
this involves the payment each year of two and a half percent of one's
capital. Zakaat keeps the money flowing within a society, Cairo. A pious
person may also give as much as he or she pleases as sadaqa, and does
so preferably in secret. Although this word can be translated as
'voluntary charity' it has a wider meaning. The Prophet said 'even
meeting your brother with a cheerful face is charity.'
The
Prophet said: 'Charity is a necessity for every Muslim. ' He was asked:
'What if a person has nothing?' The Prophet replied: 'He should work
with his own hands for his benefit and then give something out of such
earnings in charity.' The Companions asked: 'What if he is not able to
work?' The Prophet said: 'He should help poor and needy persons.' The
Companions further asked 'What if he cannot do even that?' The Prophet
said 'He should urge others to do good.' The Companions said 'What if he
lacks that also?' The Prophet said 'He should check himself from doing
evil. That is also charity.'
4) THE FAST
Every
year in the month of Ramadan, all Muslims fast from first light until
sundown, abstaining from food, drink, and sexual relations. Those who
are sick, elderly, or on a journey, and women who are pregnant or
nursing are permitted to break the fast and make up an equal number of
days later in the year. If they are physically unable to do this, they
must feed a needy person for every day missed. Children begin to fast
(and to observe the prayer) from puberty, although many start earlier.
Although
the fast is most beneficial to the health, it is regarded principally
as a method of self purification. By cutting oneself off from worldly
comforts, even for a short time, a fasting person gains true sympathy
with those who go hungry as well as growth in one's spiritual life.
5) PILGRIMAGE (HAJJ)
The
annual pilgrimage to Makkah - the Hajj - is an obligation only for
those who are physically, financially able to perform it. Nevertheless,
about 2 million people go to Makkah each year from every corner of globe
providing a unique opportunity for those of different nations to meet
one another. Although Makkah is always filled with visitors, the annual
Hajj begins in the twelfth month of Islamic year (which is lunar, not
solar, so that Hajj and Ramadan fall sometimes in summer, sometimes in
winter). Pilgrims wear special clothes: simple garments which strip away
distinctions of class and culture, so that all stand equal before God.
Who Wrote The Holy Quran!
Quran, in Arabic, could only have been written by ONE of 3 possible sources:
1. the Arabs
2. Mohammad (peace be upon him)
3. God (Allah)
Besides the above mentioned sources, Learn Quran couldn't possibly have been written by ANYONE else.
No
other source is possible, because Quran is written in pure, rich, and
poetic Arabic, which was not known to anyone other than the above
mentioned sources, at that time. The Arabic language was at its peak in
expression, richness, vocabulary, artistic, and poetic value during the
time the Quran was being revealed. Anyone speaking the classical Arabic
( the Arabic of Quran at the time it was revealed) would argue that a
non-Arab entity couldn't possibly have written such an extensive and
brilliant piece of literature in the Arabic language. Quran could only
have been written by an Arabic speaking entity. An entity, who's
knowledge, style, vocabulary, grammar, and way of expression was so
powerful that it impacted the entire Arabian peninsula, the east, the
west, and continues to impact people all over the globe today!
At
no other time, in the history of Arabic language, had it ever achieved
its peak in expression, literature, and development, than the time of
Arabia during the 6th Century, the time when Quran was being revealed.
At no other time in the history of Arabic language had the language
ever achieved its highest potential than the time of Arabia during the
6th Century, the time when Quran was being revealed. The language
reached its peak in richness, artistic value, and poetry, during that
time. With the Arabic language at its peak, and the best of Arabic
writers, poets present in Arabia, it is impossible that a non-Arabic
speaking entity would write a book like Quran and have such a dynamite
impact on the Arabs!
So only an Arabic speaking entity could have write Quran. With that in mind, we're left with three choies:
1 - the Arabs wrote it
2 - Mohammad (pbuh) wrote it
3 - Allah (swt) wrote it
Lets examine the three choices one by one.
(1) Arabs Wrote it?
What
Quran teaches goes DIRECTLY against the pagan Arab culture, religion,
and gods, that existed before the Quran was revealed. Quran condemns
idol worshipping, but the Arabs, loved their idol gods, and worshipped
them regularly. Quran raised the status of women; the Arabs treated
women next to animals. The Arabs would never write something that goes
against their most important belief of idol worshipping. Quran goes
against most of the social habits (such as backbiting, slandering, name
calling, etc) which the Arabs were heavily indulged into. For example,
the Arabs would call insulting nicknames such as Abu Jahal (the father
of ignorance). Quran condemns and prohibits taking interest on money,
whereas, the Arabs freely levied heavy interest rates in loans and
businesses. Quran condemns and prohibits Alcohol drinking, whereas, the
Arabs consumed alcohol freely. The Quran condemns and prohibits
gambling, whereas, the Arabs were some of the worst gamblers. The Arabs
would never write something so comprehensively against just about all of
their customs and culture and religious beliefs, as the Quran is.
During
the time of the Holy Prophet (pbuh), the Arabs would indulge in all the
social habits that the Quran condemns and prohibits. How can Arabs then
write something that would negate their entire society's norms and
ideologies?
Did
a group of Arabs or an individual Arab write Quran? Perhaps a rebel
Arab Bedouin, or a society's misfit, or someone with different ideals
and norms decided one day to write Quran? The answer to those questions
are also 'no'. Because, if we read Quran, we notice that there is no
author! No individual has his/her name written on the cover of Quran!
Anytime an individual writes a book, he/she writes his/her name on the
cover. The author's name always appears on his/her book, and there is
always an author who is credited for writing that book. No one in the
history of the world has EVER claimed to have written the Quran, nor
anyone's name ever appeared in front of the Quran as been the 'author'.
This is the only book in the world without an author. No one in the
world has ever been accused of writing the Holy Quran, except the
Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him), by non-muslims.
Quran
has no author, and no group or individual in Arabia ever claimed to
have written it, nor any group or an individual recited, taught, and
explained Quran except the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) and his followers.
The Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) was the only Arabian who first
practiced, explained, and preached Quran, and ended up making a lot of
Arab tribes enemies. Any historian, Muslim or non-Muslim would argue
that the only possible source of Quran can be the Prophet Mohammad
(pbuh), the man responsible to recite it, teach it, and explain it to
the people of Arabia. In fact, many historians today still think that
only Mohammad (pbuh) could possibly have written it.
This leads one to conclude that the Prophet (pbuh) must have written it!
(2) Mohammad (pbuh) wrote it?
First,
he was illiterate !! How can an illiterate person come up with such a
rich, poetic, intellectual, and inspiring text that it rocked the
entire Arabia?
Mohammad
(pbuh) never went to school! No one taught him. He had no teacher of
any kind in any subjects. How can he have the knowledge of all the
science, astronomy, oceanography, etc that is contained in the Quran?
(For example, the mention of ocean currents, stars, earth, moon, sun and
their fixed paths in Soorah Rahman; and many other scientific
statements that are found in Quran, that I cannot state in this short
article)
When
Quran was revealed, the Arabic language was at its peak in richness,
poetic value, literature, etc. Quran came and challenged the best
literature in Arabic, the best poetry in Arabic of the time. Mohammad
(pbuh) being illiterate couldn't possibly have come up with something so
immaculate that it even exceeded the best of poetry, and literature in
Arabic at the time of the language's PEAK development. Arabic language
had never been so rich in expression, poetic value, vocabulary, and
variety in literature, as it was in the time of Quran. At a time like
this, Quran came and exceeded the best of Arabic in all aspects of the
language: poetry, literature, expression, etc. Any classical Arabic
speaker would appreciate the unbeaten, unchallenged, and unmatched
beauty of the language of Quran.
An illiterate man is simply not capable of writing such a book.
Mohammad
(pbuh) had no reason to come up with something like Quran, and cause
the entire society of Arabia to become his enemy. Why would he do
something like that? Why would he write something going against almost
all of the norms of the society, and lose his family, relatives,
friends, and other loved ones, and not to mention all the wealth he lost
Quran
was revealed over a period of 23 years! A very long time! Is it
possible for someone to maintain the same exact style of Arabic speech ,
as demonstrated in Quran, for over 23 years?
Also,
what the prophet Mohammad (saaw) used to say is recorded in what we
call his Hadith (Sunnah). If we look at the Arabic style of the Hadith,
and compare it with the style of Quran, we can clearly see that they
are clearly DIFFERENT, and DISTINGUISHABLE Arabic styles. The prophet
(saaw) spoke in public. It does not make sense that a man has two
UNIQUE, Distinguishable, and completely different styles of speech in
public. Yet another reason why Mohammad (saaw) couldn't possibly have
written Quran.
Quran
was revealed over a period of 23 years ! A very long time! Is it
possible for someone to maintain the same exact style of Arabic speech ,
as demonstrated in Quran over 23 years?
SARAH AND HAGAR
The
Jews get their cock-eyed racism from their Holy Bible, where they are
told their father, Abraham, had two wives -Sarah and Hagar. They say
that they are the children of Abraham through Sarah, his legitimate
wife; that their Arab brethren have descended through Hagar, a
"bondwoman", and that as such, the Arabs are inferior breed.
Will
anyone please explain the anomaly as to why Muhammed (pbuh) (if he is
the author) chose this Jewess for such honour? The answer is simple - HE
HAD NO CHOICE - he had no right to speak of his own desire. "IT IS NO
LESS THAN AN INSPIRATION SENT DOWN TO HIM." (Qur'an, 53:4).
Prof.
Marshal Johnson, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Anatomy
and Director of the Daniel Baugh Institute, Thomas Jefferson University,
Philadelphia
He
says: "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.... If I were to transpose myself into that era,
knowing what I know today and describing things, I could not describe
the things that were described. I see no evidence to refute the concept
that this individual Mohammed had to be developing this information
from some place, so I see nothing in conflict with the concept that
Divine Intervention was involved..."
That leaves us to our third option: God wrote it!
