myhandinyourhand

Learn about Islam, Islam is the solution

Eslam

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ebn elqaem On Sunday, May 22, 2011
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Allah: He who has the Godhood which is the power to create the entities.
Ar-Rahman: The One who has plenty of mercy for the believers and the blasphemers in this world and especially for the believers in the hereafter.
Ar-Rahim: The One who has plenty of mercy for the believers.
Al-Malik: The One with the complete Dominion, the One Whose Dominion is clear from imperfection.
Al-Quddus: The One who is pure from any imperfection and clear from children and adversaries.
As-Salam: The One who is free from every imperfection.
Al-Mu'min: The One who witnessed for Himself that no one is God but Him. And He witnessed for His believers that they are truthful in their belief that no one is God but Him.
Al-Muhaymin: The One who witnesses the saying and deeds of His creatures.
Al-'Aziz: The Defeater who is not defeated.
Al-Jabbar: The One that nothing happens in His Dominion except that which He willed.
Al-Mutakabbir: The One who is clear from the attributes of the creatures and from resembling them.
Al-Khaliq: The One who brings everything from non-existence to existence.
Al-Bari': The Creator who has the Power to turn the entities.
Al-Musawwir: The One who forms His creatures in different pictures.
Al-Ghaffar: The One who forgives the sins of His slaves time and time again.
Al-Qahhar: The Subduer who has the perfect Power and is not unable over anything.
Al-Wahhab: The One who is Generous in giving plenty without any return.
Ar-Razzaq: The One who gives everything that benefits whether Halal or Haram.
Al-Fattah: The One who opens for His slaves the closed worldy and religious matters.
Al-'Alim: The Knowledgeable; The One nothing is absent from His knowledge.
Al-Qabid: The One who constricts the sustenance by His wisdom and expands and widens it with His Generosity and Mercy.
Al-Basit: see above
Al-Khafid: The One who lowers whoever He willed by His Destruction and raises whoever He willed by His Endowment.
Ar-Rafi': see above
Al-Mu'iz: He gives esteem to whoever He willed, hence there is no one to degrade Him; And He degradeswhoever He willed, hence there is no one to give Him esteem.
Al-Muthil: see above
As-Sami': The One who Hears all things that are heard by His Eternal Hearing without an ear, instrument or organ.
Al-Basir: The One who Sees all things that are seen by His Eternal Seeing without a pupil or any otherinstrument.
Al-Hakam: He is the Ruler and His judgment is His Word.
Al-'Adl: The One who is entitled to do what He does.
Al-Latif: The One who is kind to His slaves and endows upon them.
Al-Khabir: The One who knows the truth of things.
Al-Halim: The One who delays the punishment for those who deserve it and then He might forgive them.
Al-'Azim: The One deserving the attributes of Exaltment, Glory, Extolement,and Purity from all imperfection.
Al-Ghafur: The One who forgives a lot.
Ash-Shakur: The One who gives a lot of reward for a little obedience.
Al-'Aliyy: The One who is clear from the attributes of the creatures.
Al-Kabir: The One who is greater than everything in status.
Al-Hafiz: The One who protects whatever and whoever He willed to protect.
Al-Muqit: The One who has the Power.
Al-Hasib: The One who gives the satisfaction.
Aj-Jalil: The One who is attributed with greatness of Power and Glory of status.
Al-Karim: The One who is clear from abjectness.
Ar-Raqib: The One that nothing is absent from Him. Hence it's meaning is related to the attribute ofKnowledge.
Al-Mujib: The One who answers the one in need if he asks Him and rescues the yearner if he calls upon Him.
Al-Wasi': The Knowledgeable.
Al-Hakim: The One who is correct in His doings.
Al-Wadud: The One who loves His believing slaves and His believing slaves love Him. His love to His slavesis His Will to be merciful to them and praise them:Hence it's meaning is related to the attributes of the Will and Kalam (His attribute with which He orders and forbids and spoke to Muhammad and Mu sa -peace be upon them- . It is not a sound nor a language nor a letter).
Al-Majid: The One who is with perfect Power, High Status, Compassion, Generosity and Kindness.
Al-Ba'ith: The One who resurrects His slaves after death for reward and/or punishment.
Ash-Shahid: The One who nothing is absent from Him.
Al-Haqq: The One who truly exists.
Al-Wakil: The One who gives the satisfaction and is relied upon.
Al-Qawiyy: The One with the complete Power.
Al-Matin: The One with extreme Power which is un-interrupted and He does not get tired.
Al-Waliyy: The Supporter.
Al-Hamid: The praised One who deserves to be praised.
Al-Muhsi: The One who the count of things are known to him.
Al-Mubdi': The One who started the human being. That is, He created him.
Al-Mu'id: The One who brings back the creatures after death.
Al-Muhyi: The One who took out a living human from semen that does not have a soul. He gives life bygiving the souls back to the worn out bodies on the resurrection day and He makes the hearts alive by the light of knowledge.
Al-Mumit: The One who renders the living dead.
Al-Hayy: The One attributed with a life that is unlike our life and is not that of a combination of soul, fleshor blood.
Al-Qayyum: The One who remains and does not end.
Al-Wajid: The Rich who is never poor. Al-Wajd is Richness.
Al-Majid: The One who is Majid.
Al-Wahid: The One without a partner.
As-Samad: The Master who is relied upon in matters and reverted to in ones needs.
Al-Qadir: The One attributed with Power.
Al-Muqtadir: The One with the perfect Power that nothing is withheld from Him.
Al-Muqaddim: The One who puts things in their right places. He makes ahead what He wills and delays what He wills.
Al-Mu'akhkhir: see above
Al-'Awwal: The One whose Existence is without a beginning.
Al-'Akhir: The One whose Existence is without an end.
Az-Zahir: The One that nothing is above Him and nothing is underneath Him, hence He exists without aplace. He, The Exalted, His Existence is obvious by proofs and He is clear from the delusions of attributesof bodies.
Al-Batin: see above
Al-Wali: The One who owns things and manages them.
Al-Muta'ali: The One who is clear from the attributes of the creation.
Al-Barr: The One who is kind to His creatures, who covered them with His sustenance and specified however He willed among them by His support, protection, and special mercy.
At-Tawwab: The One who grants repentance to whoever He willed among His creatures and accepts his repentance.
Al-Muntaqim: The One who victoriously prevails over His enemies and punishes them for their sins. It maymean the One who destroys them.
Al-'Afuww: The One with wide forgiveness.
Ar-Ra'uf: The One with extreme Mercy. The Mercy of Allah is His will to endow upon whoever He willedamong His creatures.
Malik Al-Mulk: The One who controls the Dominion and gives dominion to whoever He willed.
Thul-Jalal wal-Ikram: The One who deserves to be Exalted and not denied.
Al-Muqsit: The One who is Just in His judgment.
Aj-Jami': The One who gathers the creatures on a day that there is no doubt about, that is the Day of Judgment.
Al-Ghaniyy: The One who does not need the creation.
Al-Mughni: The One who satisfies the necessities of the creatures.
Al-Mani': The Supporter who protects and gives victory to His pious believers. Al-Mu'tiy The Withholder.
Ad-Darr: The One who makes harm reach to whoever He willed and benefit to whoever He willed.
An-Nafi': see above
An-Nur: The One who guides.
Al-Hadi: The One whom with His Guidance His belivers were guided, and with His Guidance the living: beings have been guided to what is beneficial for them and protected from what is harmful to them.
Al-Badi': The One who created the creation and formed it without any preceding example.
Al-Baqi: The One that the state of non-existence is impossible for Him.
Al-Warith: The One whose Existence remains.
Ar-Rashid: The One who guides.
As-Sabur: The One who does not quickly punish the sinners

ebn elqaem On Saturday, May 21, 2011

Causes that Lead to Apostasy - Ali Al-TimimiIs Allah in the Sky? - Nuh Ha Mim KellerLiteralism and the Attributes of Allah - Nuh Ha Mim KellerThe Five (5) Kalimahs - Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Divider (Image)
ebn elqaem On
ALLAH (God) Holy Qur'an 2:255
Allah! There is no god save Him, the Alive, the Eternal. Neither slumber nor sleep overtaketh Him. Unto Him belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth. Who is he that intercedith with Him save by His leave? He knoweth that which is in front of them and that which is behind them, while they encompass nothing of His knowledge save that He will. His throne includeth the heavens and the earth, and He is never weary of preserving them. He is the Sublime, the Tremendous.
Holy Qur'an 112:1-4
Say: He is Allah, the One! Allah, the eternally Besought of all! He begetteth not nor was He begotten. And there is none comparable to Him.
Holy Qur'an 67:1-2
Blessed is He in Whose hand is the Sovereignty, and He is able to do all things; Who hath created life and death that He may try you, which of you is best in conduct; and He is the Mighty, the Forgiving. Allah is Known Through Reason - Harun Yahya
How Can Love for Allah be Created? - Ml. Ashraf Ali Thanwi
The Five (5) Kalimas - Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Wisdom of Allah Ta'ala (Q&A) - Mufti Ebrahim Desai
ebn elqaem On
Definition of Hadith: The utterance, action or indirect approval (of an act) by Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam).
The Hadith of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) is the second fundamental source of Islamic Law after the Quraan Shareef. It embodies the entire pattern of the life of Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) and includes every detail containing his actions, his conduct and his attitudes whether explicit or implicit. Every aspect of life and conduct has been reported to us in the vast collections of Ahadith.
Our pious predecessors had great zeal and yearn to learn and acquire the teachings of the Noble Hadith. Numerous incidents have been recorded where great personalities undertook difficulty and hardship to acquire the knowledge of Hadith.
Once Imam Muslim (Rahmatullaahi Alayhi) the compiler of Sahih Muslim, one of the most authentic works of Hadith, was searching for a particular Hadith whilst chewing from a bunch of dates. He became so engrossed in his search that he continued partaking from the dates. This eventually led him to passing away due to excessive ingestion of dates. This was an apparent cause of his death aged 52.
A Sahabi once undertook a costly, lengthy and tedious journey simply to listen to just one hadith from his fellow companion. He had no other motive for this journey.
Surely we cannot fathom the depths to which these great personalities reached in the field of hadith. It was due to the untiring sincere efforts of these luminaries that Allah Ta'ala blessed them with outstanding knowledge and understanding of Hadith.
Today we sit comfortably, all the work done, compiled in neatly bound books, and now even at the click of a button on your personal computer.
Therefore we should show a great eagerness and thirst to learn the Hadith of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam), practice upon it ourselves, teach it to our children and propagate it to others.
ebn elqaem On

You may be an antheist or an agnostic; or you may belong to any of the religious denominations that exist in the world today. You may be a communist or a believer in democracy and freedom. No matter what you are, and no matter what your ideological and political beliefs, personal and social habits happen to be -- YOU MUST STILL KNOW THIS MAN.

ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA confirms:
"....a mass of detail in the early sources show that he was an honest and upright man who had gained the respect and loyalty of others who were like-wise honest and upright men." (Vol. 12)

GEORGE BERNARD SHAW said about him:
"He must be called the Saviour of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it much needed peace and happiness." (THE GENUINE ISLAM, Singapore, Vol. 1, No. 8, 1936)

He was by far the most remarkable man that ever set foot on this earth. He preached a religion, founded a state, built a nation, laid down a moral code, initiated numerous social and political reforms, established a powerful and dynamic society to practice and represent his teachings and completely revolutionized the worlds of human thought and behavior for all times to come.

"HIS NAME IS MUHAMMAD" May Peace of God Be Upon Him (pbuh)
He was born in Arabia in the year 570 C.E. (common era), started his mission of preaching the religion of Truth, Islam (submission to One God) at the age of forty and departed from this world at the age of sixty-three.
During this short period of 23 years of his Prophethood, he changed the complete Arabian peninsula from paganism and idolatry to worship of One God, from tribal quarrels and wars to national solidarity and cohesion, from drunkenness and debauchery to sobriety and piety, from lawlessness and anarchy to disciplined living, from utter bankruptcy to the highest standards of moral excellence. Human history has never known such a complete transformation of a people or a place before or since - and IMAGINE all these unbelievable wonders in JUST OVER TWO DECADES.
LAMARTINE, the renowned historian speaking on the essentials of human greatness wonders:
"If greatness of purpose, smallness of means and astounding results are the three criteria of human genius, who could dare to compare any great man in modern history with Muhammad? The most famous men created arms, laws and empires only. They founded, if anything at all, no more than material powers which often crumbled away before their eyes. This man moved not only armies, legislation, empires, peoples and dynasties, but millions of men in one-third of the then inhabited world; and more than that, he moved the altars, the gods, the religions, the ideas, the beliefs and souls....his forbearance in victory, his ambition, which was entirely devoted to one idea and in no manner striving for an empire; his endless prayers, his mystic conversations with God, his death and his triumph after death; all these attest not to an imposture but to a firm conviction which gave him the power to restore a dogma. This dogma was two-fold, the unity of God and the immateriality of God; the former telling what God is, the latter telling what God is not; the one overthrowing false gods with the sword, the other starting an idea with the words."Philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, warrior, conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational dogmas, of a cult without images, the founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire, that is MUHAMMAD. As regards all the standards by which Human Greatness may be measured, we may well ask, IS THERE ANY MAN GREATER THAN HE?" (Lamartine, HISTOIRE DE LA TURQUIE, Paris, 1854, Vol. II, pp 276-277)
The world has had its share of great personalities. But these were one-sided figures who distinguished themselves in but one or two fields, such as religious thought or military leadership. The lives and teachings of these great personalities of the world are shrouded in the mist of time.
There is so much speculation about the time and place of their birth, the mode and style of their life, the nature and detail of their teachings and the degree and measure of their success or failure that it is impossible for humanity to reconstruct accurately the lives and teachings of these men.
Not so this man. Muhammad (pbuh) accomplished so much in such diverse fields of human thought and behavior in the fullest blaze of human history. Every detail of his private life and public utterances has been accurately documented and faithfully preserved to our day. The authenticity of the record so preserved are vouched for not only by the faithful followers but even by his prejudiced critics.
Muhammad (pbuh) was a religious teacher, a social reformer, a moral guide, an administrative colossus, a faithful friend, a wonderful companion, a devoted husband, a loving father - all in one. No other man in history ever excelled or equaled him in any of these different aspects of life - but it was only for the selfless personality of Muhammad (pbuh) to achieve such incredible perfections.

MAHATMA GANDHI, speaking on the character of Muhammad, (pbuh) says in YOUNG INDIA:
"I wanted to know the best of one who holds today's undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind....I became more than convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to this friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission."These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle. When I closed the 2nd volume (of the Prophet's biography), I was sorry there was not more for me to read of the great life."

THOMAS CALYLE in his HEROES AND HERO WORSHIP, was simply amazed as to:
"how one man single-handedly, could weld warring tribes and wandering Bedouins into a most powerful and civilized nation in less than two decades."

DIWAN CHAND SHARMA wrote:
"Muhammad was the soul of kindness, and his influence was felt and never forgotten by those around him." (D.C. Sharma, THE PROPHETS OF THE EAST, Calcutta, 1935, pp. 12)

EDWARD GIBBON and SIMON OCKLEY speaking on the profession of ISLAM write:
"'I BELIEVE IN ONE GOD, AND MAHOMET, AN APOSTLE OF GOD' is the simple and invariable profession of Islam. The intellectual image of the Deity has never been degraded by any visible idol; the honor of the Prophet has never transgressed the measure of human virtues; and his living precepts have restrained the gratitude of his disciples within the bounds of reason and religion." (HISTORY OF THE SARACEN EMPIRES, London, 1870, p. 54)
Muhammad (pbuh) was nothing more or less than a human being. But he was a man with a noble mission, which was to unite humanity on the worship of ONE and ONLY ONE GOD and to teach them the way to honest and upright living based on the commands of God. He always described himself as, 'A Servant and Messenger of God,' and so indeed every action of his proclaimed to be.

Speaking on the aspect of equality before God in Islam, the famous poetess of India, SAROJINI NAIDU says:
"It was the first religion that preached and practiced democracy; for, in the mosque, when the call for prayer is sounded and worshippers are gathered together, the democracy of Islam is embodied five times a day when the peasant and king kneel side by side and proclaim: 'God Alone is Great'... I have been struck over and over again by this indivisible unity of Islam that makes man instinctively a brother." (S. Naidu, IDEALS OF ISLAM, vide Speeches & Writings, Madras, 1918, p. 169)

In the words of PROF. HURGRONJE:
"The league of nations founded by the prophet of Islam put the principle of international unity and human brotherhood on such universal foundations as to show candle to other nations." He continues: "The fact is that no nation of the world can show a parallel to what Islam has done towards the realization of the idea of the League of Nations."
The world has not hesitated to raise to divinity, individuals whose lives and missions have been lost in legend. Historically speaking, none of these legends achieved even a fraction of what Muhammad (pbuh) accomplished. And all his striving was for the sole purpose of uniting mankind for the worship of One God on the codes of moral excellence. Muhammad (pbuh) or his followers never at any time claimed that he was a Son of God or the God-incarnate or a man with divinity - but he always was and is even today considered as only a Messenger chosen by God.

MICHAEL H. HART in his recently published book on ratings of men who contributed towards the benefit and upliftment of mankind writes:
"My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world's most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels." (M.H. Hart, THE 100: A RANKING OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSONS IN HISTORY, New York, 1978, p. 33)

K. S. RAMAKRISHNA RAO, an Indian Professor of Philosophy in his booklet, "Muhammad, The Prophet of Islam," calls him the "PERFECT MODEL FOR HUMAN LIFE." Prof. Ramakrishna Rao explains his point by saying:
"The personality of Muhammad, it is most difficult to get into the whole truth of it. Only a glimpse of it I can catch. What a dramatic succession of picturesque scenes! There is Muhammad, the Prophet. There is Muhammad, the Warrior; Muhammad, the Businessman; Muhammad, the Statesman; Muhammad, the Orator; Muhammad, the Reformer; Muhammad, the Refuge of Orphans; Muhammad, the Protector of Slaves; Muhammad, the Emancipator of Women; Muhammad, the Judge; Muhammad, the Saint. All in all these magnificent roles, in all these departments of human activities, he is alike a hero."
Today after a lapse of fourteen centuries, the life and teachings of MUHAMMAD (pbuh) have survived without the slightest loss, alteration or interpolation. They offer the same undying hope for treating mankind's many ills, which they did when he was alive. This is not a claim of Muhammad's (pbuh) followers but also the inescapable conclusion forced upon by a critical and unbiased history.
The least YOU could do as a thinking and concerned human being is to stop for a moment and ask yourself: Could these statements sounding so extraordinary and revolutionary be really true? And supposing they really are true and you did not know this man MUHAMMAD (pbuh) or hear about him, isn't it time you responded to this tremendous challenge and put in some effort to know him?
It will cost you nothing but it may prove to be the beginning of a completely new era in your life.
We invite you to make a discovery of this wonderful man, MUHAMMAD (pbuh), the like of whom never walked on the face of this earth.
ebn elqaem On



Discover Islam!  The eternal and universal religion of more than one billion people from every race and nationality.




MUSLIMS’ BELIEF IN A NUTSHELL
“Say: We believe in Allah (God Almighty) and that which was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes and that which was given to Moses and Jesus and to the Prophets from their Lord; we make no distinction between any of them, and to Him (God) we submit.” (Holy Qur’an 3:83)

ISLAM AND MUSLIM
Islam is an Arabic word which means peace, purity, acceptance and commitment. The religion of Islam is the complete acceptance of the teachings and the guidance of God, (i.e. surrender to the Will of Allah).
A Muslim is one who accepts freely and willingly the supreme power of Allah and strives for total re-organisation of his life according to the revealed teachings of God. He also works towards the establishment of a just social order which would totally reflect the guidance of God.

CONTINUITY OF MESSAGE
Islam is not a new religion. It is in essence the same message and guidance which Allah revealed to all His Prophets. ‘Say: We believe in Allah and that which was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes and that which was given to Moses and Jesus and to the Prophets from their Lord; we make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we submit.’ (Holy Qur’an 3:83)
The message which was revealed to Muhammad, the last Prophet, is Islam in its comprehensive, complete and final form.

THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
Every action which is done with the awareness that it fulfils the will of Allah is considered an act of worship in Islam. Nevertheless, the specific acts of worship, termed the pillars of Islam, provide the framework of spiritual life.
They are the following:

  1. The declaration of faith: ‘I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger; the prophethood of Muhammad obliges the Muslims to follow his exemplary life in every way.
  2. Prayers are prescribed five times a day as a duty towards Allah. They strengthen and enliven the belief in Allah and inspire man to a higher morality. They purify the heart and control the temptation towards wrong doing and evil. It should be stressed that while Allah does not need our prayers we cannot survive without His blessings and guidance. “0 you who believe! Seek help with patient perseverance and prayer, for Allah is with those who patiently persevere.”(Holy Qur'an 2:153)
  3. Fasting is observed once each year during the month of Ramadaan. This means abstention from food, drink and intimate marital relationship from dawn to sunset. and also from evil intentions and desires. It teaches love, sincerity and devotion. It develops a sound social conscience, patience, unselfishness and willpower. When we fast by choice. Allah remembers our sacrifice.
  4. Zakaat - payment annually of 2.5% of one's net savings as a purifying sum to be spent on the poor and needy. Zakaat implies that everything man possesses belongs to Allah and therefore anyone in need has a share in it.
  5. Pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah - once in a lifetime provided one has the means to do so. Hajj implies man's temporary suspension of all worldly activities and his realisation of himself as a naked soul in front of Allah alone.

ONENESS OF GOD
Islam enjoins faith in the Oneness and Sovereignty of God, which makes man aware of the meaningfulness of the Universe and his place in it. This belief frees him from all fears and superstitions by making him conscious of the presence of Almighty Allah and of man's obligations towards Him. Belief in one God requires that we look upon all humanity as one family irrespective of colour, class, race or territory, under the Omnipotence of Allah the Creator and Nourisher of all. Islam rejects the idea of a chosen people, making faith in Allah and good action the only way to Heaven. Thus a direct relationship is established with Allah, open to all alike, without any intercessor.

MAN, THE FREE AGENT
Man is the highest creation of Allah and chooses his own way. Created with the highest potentialities, man is left relatively free in his will, action and choice. Allah has shown him the right path and the life of Prophet Muhammad provides a perfect example. Man's success and salvation lies in following them. Islam teaches the sanctity of the human personality and confers equal rights upon all without any distinction of race or sex.
The law of Allah, enunciated in the Qur'an’ an and exemplified in the life of the Prophet, is supreme in all cases. It applies equally to the highest and the lowest, the prince and the peasant, the ruler and the ruled.

LIFE AFTER DEATH
The world according to Islam, is a place of trial and man is being judged in it. Man is accountable to Allah for all that he does herein. Life on earth will, one day, come to an end: and after that a new world will be resurrected. It will be in this Life after Death that man will be rewarded or punished for his deeds and misdeeds. Allah will judge man on the day of existence which leads to further blessings. or to Hell, a stage of suffering and punishment.

QUR'AN AND HADITH
The Qur’an is the last revealed Word of Allah and as such affirms and completes the total process of revelation which has come from the Divine Guidance for the human race. The Qur’an is the basic source of Islamic teachings and laws and deals with the bases of creed, morality, history of humanity, worship. knowledge, wisdom, the God-man relation, and human relationship, in all aspects. Comprehensive teachings on which sound systems of social justice, economics, politics, legislation, jurisprudence, law and international relations can be built, are important contents of the Holy Qur’an. Prophet Muhammad himself was an unlettered man who could not read or write. The Holy Qur’an was revealed to him piece-meal over a period of 23 years and committed to memory and writing by his followers under his supervision during his lifetime. The original and complete text of the Qur’an is available to everybody in Arabic, the language in which it was revealed. Translations of the meaning into many languages are widely used.
Hadith, the teachings, sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad, meticulously reported and collected by his devoted companions, explain and elaborate the Qur'anic verses.

CONCEPT OF WORSHIP
Islam does not teach or accept mere ritualism. It emphasises intention and action. To worship Allah is to know Him and love Him, to act upon His laws in every aspect of life, to enjoin goodness and forbid evil and oppression, to practice charity and justice and to serve Him by serving mankind. Islam seeks to implant in man's heart the strongest conviction that his every thought and action are known by Allah, Who sees him at all times and in all places.
The Qur’an presents this concept in the following sublime manner: “It is not righteousness that you turn your faces to the East or to the West, but righteous is he who believes in Allah and the Last Day the Angels and the Books and the Prophets; and gives his wealth for the love of Him to kinsfolk and to orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and to those who ask, and to set slaves free; and observes proper worship and pays the Zakaat. And those who keep their treaty when they make one, and they are patient in the tribulation and adversity and time of stress. Such are those who are Godfearing;” (Holy Qur’an 2:177)

ISLAMIC WAY OF LIFE
Islam provides definite guidelines for all people to follow in all walks of life. The guidance it gives is comprehensive and includes the social, economic, political, moral and spiritual aspects of life.
The Qur’an reminds man of the purpose of life on earth, and his duties and obligations towards himself, his kith and kin, his community. his fellow human beings and his Creator. Man is given fundamental guidelines about a purposeful life and then he is left with the challenge of human existence before him so that he might put these high ideals into practice. In Islam man is a wholesome, integrated unit and not a collection of fragmented, competitive parts. The sacred and secular are not separate parts of man; they are united in the nature of human being.

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was born in the year 570 A.C. in Makkah, Arabia. He came from a noble Arab family. He received the first revelation at the age of forty. As soon as he started preaching Islam, he and his followers were persecuted and had to face severe hardships. He was therefore commanded to migrate to Madinah, another city in Arabia. During a short span of 23 years, he completed his prophethood and died at the age of 63. He was put to rest in the city of Madinah. He left no wealth or property. He led a perfect life and set an example for all human beings. His biography illustrates in real life. the meaning and implications of the Qur’anic teachings.

ISLAM'S RATIONAL APPEAL
Islam is a simple, rational and practical religion. The unity of God, the Prophethood of Muhammad and the concept of life after death are the basic articles of faith. There is no hierarchy of priests and there are no complicated rites and rituals. Everybody may approach the Quran directly and translate its dictates into practice.
Islam stands for the middle path and the goal of producing a moral man in the service of a just society. "Our Lord! Give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter" (Holy Qur’an 2:201)
Islam guides towards a better and complete life glorifying in all Its phases Allah, the Almighty Creator.

STATUS OF WOMEN
No discrimination is made on the basis of sex. Islam recognises that the sphere of potential capabilities and hence responsibilities of men and women are equally important in themselves but not exactly the same. The roles of men and women are complementary to each other.

MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE
Marriage is a very important and sacred bond of relationship between man and woman and a step towards a better, purer and happier life. Islam gives both man and woman full right to divorce. Nevertheless divorce is discouraged and is allowed as the last resort. Islam allows limited polygamy only as a remedy subject to certain conditions.

JIHAD
Jihad consists in exerting oneself to the utmost in order to personally follow the teachings of Islam. A Muslim, therefore expends all the powers of body and soul, his wealth, possessions and even life in the fight against the evil forces of the world in order that injustice, oppression and contumacy are annihilated and Allah's just order is established. Therefore to struggle in the path of Allah with the pen; speech or the sword is Jihad.
“What has happened to you? Why don't you fight in the way of Allah in support of men, women and children, whom finding helpless. they have repressed; and who pray, ‘0 Allah! liberate us from this habitation which is ruled by tyrants.” (Holy Qur’an 4:75)
Islam has come to liberate man from the worship of man and establish the worship of Allah.

ISLAM - THE SOLUTION FOR MODERN PROBLEMS
THE BROTHERHOOD OF MAN
A major problem which modern man faces is that of racism. The materially advanced nations can send man to the moon but they cannot stop man from hating and fighting his fellow man. Islam, over the last 1400 years, has shown in practice how racism can be ended. Every year During the Hajj, the Islamic miracle of the real brotherhood of all races and nations can be seen in action.

THE FAMILY
The family which is the basic unit of civilisation is disintegrating in all western countries. Islam's family system brings into a fine equilibrium the rights of man, wife, children and relatives. Islam nourishes human unselfishness, generosity and love in a well organised family system.
Human beings live according to their view of life. The tragedy of secular societies is that they fail to connect the different aspects of life. The secular and the religious, the scientific and the spiritual seem to be in conflict. Islam puts an end to this conflict and brings harmony to man's vision of life.

CONCLUSION
What is the state of the world today? Has man freed himself from all superstitions, imbecilities and absurd beliefs? Has he discovered the man from within himself? Has he liberated himself from the yoke of worldly tyrants indulging in the exploitation of man by man? If such a millennium has not been achieved despite all the developments in science and technology, then Islam has still a great and glorious part to play.
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This page was incorporated from the book, Understanding Islam and the Muslims, prepared by The Islamic Affairs Department, The Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Washington DC., Consultants The Islamic Texts Society, Cambridge, UK, 1989
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he Muslim population of the world is around one billion. 30% of Muslims live in the Indian subcontinent, 20% in Sub-Saharan Africa, 17% in Southeast Asia, 18% in the Arab World, 10% in the Soviet Union and China. Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan comprise 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 the Soviet Union, India, and central Africa. There are 5 million Muslims in the United States.
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. (Quran, 49:13)
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It is almost impossible to generalize about American Muslims: converts, immigrants, factory workers, doctors; all are making their own contribution to America's future. This complex community is unified by a common faith, underpinned by a countrywide network of a thousand mosques.
Muslims were early arrivals in North America. By the eighteenth century there were many thousands of them, working as slaves on plantations. These early communities, cut off from their heritage and families, inevitably lost their Islamic identity as time went by. Today many Afro-American Muslims play an important role in the Islamic community.
Mosque in New Mexico, U.S.A.The nineteenth century, however, saw the
 beginnings of an influx of Arab Muslims, most of whom settled in the major industrial centers where they worshipped in hired rooms. The early twentieth century witnessed the arrival of several hundred thousand Muslims from Eastern Europe: the first Albanian mosque was opened in Maine in 1915; others soon followed, and a group of Polish Muslims opened a mosque in Brooklyn in 1928.
In 1947 the Washington Islamic Center was founded during the term of President Truman, and several nationwide organizations were set up in the fifties. The same period saw the establishment of other communities whose lives were in many ways modeled after Islam. More recently, numerous members of these groups have entered the fold of Muslim orthodoxy. Today there are about five million Muslims in America.
 The Islamic Cultural Center, Washington DC.
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Freedom of conscience is laid down by the Quran itself: 'There is no compulsion in religion'. (2:256)
The life and property of all citizens in an Islamic state are considered sacred whether a person is Muslim or not.
Racism is incomprehensible to Muslims, for the Quran speaks of human equality in the following terms:
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)
 
University Mosque of Al Azhar - a center of learning since 969 AD
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Although much simpler than the dietary law followed by Jews and the early Christians, the code which Muslims observe forbids the consumption of pig meat or any kind of intoxicating drink. The Prophet taught that 'your body has rights over you', and the consumption of wholesome food and the leading of a healthy lifestyle are seen as religious obligations.
The Prophet said: 'Ask God for certainty [of faith] and well-being; for after certainty, no one is given any gift better than health!'

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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. As Muslims see it, injustice would be triumphant in the world if good men were not prepared to risk their lives in a righteous cause. The Quran says:
Fight in the cause of God against those who fight you, but do not transgress limits. God does not love transgressors. (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. (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', and Muslims believe that there are two kinds of jihad. The other 'jihad' is the inner struggle which everyone wages against egotistic desires, for the sake of attaining inner peace.
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Like Jews and Christians, Muslims believe that the present life is only a trial preparation for the next realm of existence. Basic articles of faith include: the Day of Judgment, resurrection, Heaven and Hell. When a Muslim dies, he or she is washed, usually by a family member, wrapped in a clean white cloth, and buried with a simple prayer preferably the same day. Muslims consider this one of the final services they can do for their relatives, and an opportunity to remember their own brief existence here on earth. The Prophet taught that three things can continue to help a person even after death; charity which he had given, knowledge which he had taught and prayers on their behalf by a righteous child.
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In the Islamic world there are no old people's homes. The strain of caring for one's parents in this most difficult time of their lives is considered an honor and blessing, and an opportunity for great spiritual growth. God asks that we not only pray for our parents, but act with limitless compassion, remembering that when we were helpless children they preferred us to themselves. Mothers are particularly honored: the Prophet taught that 'Paradise lies at the feet of mothers'. When they reach old age, Muslim parents are treated mercifully, with the same kindness and selflessness.
In Islam, serving one's parents is a duty second only to prayer, and it is their right to expect it. It is considered despicable to express any irritation when, through no fault of their own, the old become difficult.
The Quran says: Your Lord has commanded that you worship none but Him, and be kind to parents. If either or both of them reach old age with you, do not say 'uff to them or chide them, but speak to them in terms of honor and kindness. Treat them with humility, and say, 'My Lord! Have mercy on them, for they did care for me when I was little'. (17:23-4)
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A Muslim marriage is not a 'sacrament', but a simple, legal agreement in which either partner is free to include conditions. Marriage customs thus vary widely from country to country. As a result, divorce is not common, although it is not forbidden as a last resort. According to Islam, no Muslim girl can be forced to marry against her will: her parents will simply suggest young men they think may be suitable.
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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.
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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 dowry 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 which is modest and dignified; the traditions of female dress found in some Muslim countries are often the expression of local customs.
The Messenger of God said:
'The most perfect in faith amongst believers is he who is best in manner and kindest to his wife.'
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The family is the foundation of Islamic society. The peace and security offered by a stable family unit is greatly valued, and seen as essential for the spiritual growth of its members. A harmonious social order is created by the existence of extended families; children are treasured, and rarely leave home until the time they marry.
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Muslims respect and revere Jesus, 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'. 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, 3:42-7)
Jesus was born miraculously through the same power which had brought Adam 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. (Quran, 3:59)
During his prophetic mission Jesus 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 breathe 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. (Quran, 3:49)
Neither Muhammad nor Jesus came to change the basic doctrine of the belief in One God, brought by earlier prophets, but to confirm and renew it. In the Quran Jesus 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. (Quran, 3:5O)
The Prophet Muhammad said:
Whoever believes there is no god but God, alone without partner, that Muhammad 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 from Bukhari)
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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. (Quran, 60-8)
It is one 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.
Islamic law also permits non-Muslim minorities to set up their own courts, which implement family laws drawn up by the minorities themselves.
The Patriarch invited him to pray in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, but he preferred to pray outside its gates, saying that if he accepted, later generations of Muslims might use his action as an excuse to turn it into a mosque. Above is the mosque built on the spot where Omar did pray.

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 Pilgrims praying at the mosque in Makkah.The rites of the Hajj, which are of Abrahamic origin, include circling the Ka'ba seven times, and going seven times between the mountains of Safa and Marwa as did Hagar during her search for water. Then the pilgrims stand together on the wide plain of Arafa and join in prayers for God's forgiveness, in what is often thought of as a preview of the Last Judgment.

The annual pilgrimage to Makkah - the Hajj - is an obligation only for those who are physically and financially able to perform it. Nevertheless, about two million people go to Makkah each year from every corner of the 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 the 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.
In previous centuries the Hajj was an arduous undertaking. Today, however, Saudi Arabia provides millions of people with water, modern transport, and the most up-to-date health facilities.
 Pilgrim tents during Hajj.The close of the Hajj is marked by a festival, the Eid al-Adha, which is celebrated with prayers and the exchange of gifts in Muslim communities everywhere. This, and the Eid al-Fitr, a feast-day commemorating the end of Ramadan, are the main festivals of the Muslim calendar.
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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.
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THE ZAKAT
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 zakat 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 zakat individually. For most purposes this involves the payment each year of two and a half percent of one's capital.
 Zakat 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.'

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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 Quran, chosen by the congregation. These five prayers contain verses from the Quran, and are said in Arabic, the language of the Revelation, but personal supplication can be offered in one's own language.
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.
  Adhan New Mexico, U.S.A. Prayer call from Abiquiu Mosque. 
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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.
 The Shahada inscribed over entrance to Ottoman Topkapi Palace (the museum contains a mantle worn by the Prophet, among other treasures), Istanbul.
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They are the framework of the Muslim life: faith, prayer, concern for the needy, self-purification, and the pilgrimage to Makkah for those who are able.


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The Prophet said:
'God has no mercy on one who has no mercy for others.'
'None of you truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.'
'He who eats his fill while his neighbor goes without food is not a believer. '
'The truthful and trusty businessman is associated with the prophets the saints, and the martyrs.'
'Powerful is not he who knocks the other down, indeed powerful is he who controls himself in a fit of anger. '
'God does not judge according to your bodies and appearances but He scans your hearts and looks into your deeds.'
'A man walking along a path felt very thirsty. Reaching a well he descended into it, drank his fill and came up. Then he saw a dog with its tongue hanging out, trying to lick up mud to quench its thirst. The man saw that the dog was feeling the same thirst as he had felt so he went down into the well again and filled his shoe with water and gave the dog a drink. God forgave his sins for this action.' The Prophet was asked: 'Messenger of God, are we rewarded for kindness towards animals?' He said, 'There is a reward for kindness to every living thing.'
From the hadith collections of Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi and Bayhaqi

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?Are there any other sacred sources

Yes, the sunna, the practice and example of the Prophet, is the second authority for Muslims. A hadith is a reliably transmitted report of what the Prophet said, did, or approved. Belief in the sunna is part of the Islamic faith.

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What is the Qur`an about?

The Quran, the last revealed Word of God, is the prime source of every Muslim's faith and practice. It deals with all the subjects which concern us as human beings: wisdom, doctrine, worship, and law, but its basic theme is the relationship between God and His creatures. At the same time it provides guidelines for a just society, proper human conduct and an equitable economic system.
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The Quran is a record of the exact words revealed by God through the Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad. It was memorized by Muhammad and then dictated to his Companions, and written down by scribes, who cross-checked it during his lifetime. Not one word of its 114 chapters, Suras, has been changed over the centuries, so that the Quran is in every detail the unique and miraculous text which was revealed to Muhammad fourteen centuries ago.
  Arabic  English This opening chapter of The Quran, the Fatiah, is central in Islamic prayer. It contains the essence of The Quran and is recited during every prayer.
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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.
  Taj Mahal, India. Hui Shen Mosque, China, Built in the 7th Century.Within a few years, great civilizations and universities were flourishing, for according to the Prophet, '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.


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At the age of 40, while engaged in a meditative retreat, Muhammad received his first revelation from God through the Angel Gabriel. This revelation, which continued for twenty-three years, is known as the Quran.
 The Mountain of Light where Gabriel came to Prophet Muhammad.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 Makkah for the city of Madinah some 260 miles to the north, marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar.
After several years, the Prophet and his followers were able to return to Makkah, where they forgave their enemies and established Islam definitively. Before the Prophet died 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.
 The Prophet's Mosque, Madinah, the dome indicates the place where his house stood and where he is buried.
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Muhammad, was born in Makkah in the year 570, at a time when Christianity was not yet fully established in Europe. 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 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 the summit of Jabal al-Nur, the 'Mountain of Light' near Makkah.