Dear Ashton,

Thank you for your question.

Answering your question, Dr. Mohsen Haredy, PhD in Islamic Studies and Former Executive Manager and Editor-in-Chief of E-Da`wah Committee in Kuwait, states:

First, let’s agree that all people are brothers in humanity even if they are from different religious backgrounds.

Muslims respect and accept others and they are always ready to cooperate with others to build a healthy and a peaceful community.

Coming to your queries, I would like to state certain facts.

Islam is a Universal Religion

Islam has universally-applicable laws which are not meant for any specific group of people or a specific period of time or region.

The attitude adopted, as you put it, by Muslims living in the West with regards to issues like freedom of religion and tolerance is one of the basic teachings of Islam that all Muslims, be they in the East or the West, should apply.

Islam is all about freedom of religion

No one can impose a certain belief or ideology on others against their will. Islam is also about tolerance and love for all people.

Allah urges Muslims to have good relations with all people regardless of their faith, color, race, or nationality.

With regard to the status of non-Muslims in Muslim countries, we do not have any text that suggests that they should be humiliated or considered citizens of second class.

Non-Muslims in Muslim countries enjoy unprecedented rights in all walks of life.

Islam calls on Muslims to protect the lives of non-Muslims, their property, their houses of worship, and their religious freedom.

We must ensure that Quranic texts on this issue are understood in their proper context.

Verses of the Quran should not be taken out of context and applied blindly.

The objectives of the Shari`ah (Islamic Law), which are justice, mercy and egalitarianism, should be the driving force in applying the Quranic rulings.

Having Respect for Other Religions Is The Norm

The cases of having an intolerant attitude towards Christians or Jews are very individual and exceptional cases and not the norm.

For sure, those who do such things have a wrong understanding of the Quran.

To avoid the individual cases of treating non-Muslims badly and consequently damage the image of Islam, we do need, as you suggested, a re-reading and a re-interpretation of the Quran that addresses the modern society.

Though this is a huge task, we are hopeful that Muslim scholars will produce such reinterpretation of the Quran keeping in mind the necessary conditions for this task.

What a Modern Re-Interpretation Should Entail

In order to re-interpret and re-read the Quran for today, the group assigned this task needs to be sure to keep a few things in mind:

To begin with, of course they must read the Quran thoroughly, as some questions are answered in different chapters of the Quran.

One also needs to be informed on the tradition of the Prophet, as it expounds upon things that are mentioned in the Quran.

It is necessary that such a group has an understanding the cultural contexts of the various modern societies.

One needs a thorough knowledge of the principles of Usul al-Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence), which form the basics of issuing any legal opinion.

This group must comprehend the objectives of the Shari`ah such as establishing justice, realization of benefit, protection of religion, protection of life, protection of intellect, protection of progeny, and protection of wealth.

Finally, it is imperative to seek the help of scientists and experts in social sciences to have a good understanding of the natures of people.

God Is Perfect, Muslims are Imperfect People

Muslims believe that Islam is perfect, but Muslims are not. If Muslims make a mistake, do not blame Islam, but blame individual Muslims.

Unfortunately, some Muslims confine the Shari`ah to criminal laws and thus they take away the value of the underlying virtues of Islam.

Muslims believe that the Quran is the word of God.

Muslims believe that God has knowledge of all languages past and present, not just Arabic, as He is All Aware.

Muslims also speak to God through prayer and supplications.

God speaks to us too. But He does not have a tongue like us or a mouth to speak with.

We do not assume to know these details about God that are beyond our comprehension. 

Islam is a Perfect Religion

The Quran is a comprehensive, all-encompassing, and complete code of ethics. Islam offers guidance for us wherever we are.

It regulates our relationship with our Creator, within ourselves, with each other, our families, our communities, and the whole world.

The teachings of Islam address the universal issues of all humanity.

Islam has a concern for environmental, economic, social and political problems. Islam offers solutions for all problems that face our modern societies.

The human being is the focus of the teachings of Islam, whether this human being is poor or rich, black or white, an Arab or a non-Arab, male or female, old or young.

Finally, Islam stands for moderation and cooperation for the good of all people.

If Muslims understand the wider objectives of the Shari`ah, they will not implement the teachings of the Quran incorrectly.

The Quran is not a stumbling block in the way of fitting into the modern world.

Rather, its teachings which stand for modernity and respect for the human race and its rights are the key to promote tolerance, peace, harmony, and coexistence.

We hope this answers your question.

Keep in touch.

Source: www.aboutislam.net

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Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullah 

Welcome brother Mohamed to our "Ask about Islam" service. We are pleased to receive and answer your interesting question. 

Below is the answer of Abdur-Rahman Al-Sheha to this most important question, quoted from his book “How to Become a Muslim”.

The Testimony of faith (La Ilah Ill Allah “There is no deity but Allah”) has the following meanings:

There is no Creator of this existence except Allah. Allah says:                                    

That is Allah , your Lord; there is no deity except Him, the Creator of all things, so worship Him. And He is Disposer of all things. (Al-An`am 6:102)

There is no True Master and Owner present in this existence except Allah. Allah says:

Unquestionably, His is the creation and the command; blessed is Allah , Lord of the worlds. (Al-A`raf 7:54)

This is known as Tawhid Ar-Rububiyyah, or the Oneness of Allah in His Attributes of Lordship. This is the belief that there is no Creator, Sovereign Master, Administrator, Provider, Sustainer, and Owner except for Allah.

No deity deserves servitude and worship except Allah. Allah says:

Unquestionably, to Allah belongs whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth. And those who invoke other than Allah do not [actually] follow [His] “partners.” They follow not except assumption, and they are not but falsifying . (Yunus 10:66)

This is known as Tawhid Al-Uluhiyyah, or the Oneness of Allah in His Worship. This is the belief that no worship should be directed to any except Allah.

All the Names and Attributes of Allah are perfect and complete. He is high above and free from all faults and shortcomings. Allah says:

And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them. And leave [the company of] those who practice deviation concerning His names. They will be recompensed for what they have been doing. ( Al-A`raf 7:180)

This concept is known as Tawhid Al-Asma’ wa As-Sifat, that Allah has all the Best of Names and Attributes, and that there are none equal, comparable to, or like them.

The Conditions of the Testimony of Faith

It is not enough that one merely utters the Shahadah (the testimony of faith) for it to be accepted by Allah. It is the key to the gates of Paradise, but in order for it to work, it needs to have the right ridges. The Shahadah must meet the following conditions for it to be accepted by Allah:

1)      Knowledge:

One must have knowledge that all other deities worshipped besides Allah are false, so there is no deity worshipped in truth except Allah. Never should anyone else be worshipped, even if he be a prophet, a messenger or an angel. Allah is the only one who deserves all types worship, such as prayer (salah), supplication (du`a’), sacrificial slaughtering, making oaths, etc.

2)      Certainty:

One must have certainty in the Shahadah. Certainty is the opposite of doubt, so there is no room for a person to doubt or waver in his belief. Allah says:

The believers are only the ones who have believed in Allah and His Messenger and then doubt not but strive with their properties and their lives in the cause of Allah . It is those who are the truthful. (Al-Hujurat 49:15)

3)      Acceptance:

One should accept the Shahadah fully and not reject it. Allah says:

Indeed they, when it was said to them, “There is no deity but Allah ,” were arrogant. (As-Saffat 37:35)

4)      Compliance, obedience and acting upon all what the Shahadah necessitates:

A person must do according to what Allah ordered and abstain from what He prohibited. Allah says:

And whoever submits his face to Allah while he is a doer of good – then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold. And to Allah will be the outcome of [all] matters. (Luqman 31:22)

5)      Truthfulness:

One must be truthful in his shahadah. Allah says:

They say with their tongues what is not within their hearts. (Al-Fath 48:11)

6)      Sincerity of worship:

One must make his worship and obedience sincerely for Allah alone. Allah says:

And they were not commanded except to worship Allah , [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah. And that is the correct religion. (Al-Bayyinah 98:5)

7)      Love:

One must love Allah, His Messenger, and His righteous slaves. He must hate and show enmity towards all who show enmity to Allah and His Messenger. He must prefer what Allah and His Messenger love, even if it is different to what he desires. Allah says:

Say, [O Muhammad], “If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your relatives, wealth which you have obtained, commerce wherein you fear decline, and dwellings with which you are pleased are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and jihad in His cause, then wait until Allah executes His command. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.” (At-Tawbah 9:24)

The Shahadah also necessitates that Allah is the only one who has the right to legislate, whether it be in matters concerning worship, or matters concerning the government of human relations in both the individual and public affairs. The act of making something prohibited or lawful is for Allah alone. His Messenger (peace be upon him) merely explained and clarified Allah’s commandments. Allah says:

And whatever the Messenger has given you – take; and what he has forbidden you – refrain from. (Al-Hashr 59:7)

We hope this answers your question.

Please keep in touch.

 

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Thanks brother for your important question.

The Arabic word "Shari`ah" refers to the laws and way of life prescribed by God for His servants. It deals with ideology, faith, behavior, manners and matters of daily life.

We recognize that customs and traditions, good taste, and civil law all have some authority over people in every culture, preventing them from doing certain things and obliging them to do others.

So it is to be expected that religion, too, would have some authority over people. In Islam, this authority rightfully belongs to God and is derived from His final revelation.

The Islamic Shari`ah is a divinely ordained legal system whose primary objective is benefit to mankind. Its principles are designed to protect people from evil and direct them to what is best in all aspects of life.

Moreover, its benefit is for everyone - rich and poor, rulers and ruled, men and women, Muslims and non-Muslims, whose right to worship and manage their personal and family affairs according to their own norms is explicit. The Shari`ah provides injunctions that guarantee justice, promote the general welfare, preserve order, safeguard human rights, and define responsibilities.

Its established constants are derived from the texts of the Qur'an and teachings of Prophet Muhammad, and have been confirmed by a consensus of Muslim scholars both in theory and practice. These basic principles are agreed upon by all, while differences over variables are acceptable and, in fact, provide the flexibility necessary for the system to accommodate changing circumstances.

Besides defining methods of Islamic worship, the Shari`ah provides an outline for thought and education based upon such moral values as justice, generosity, chastity, honesty, mercy and respect for humanity in general.

It provides the standard for social and political issues - the choice of a ruler, consultation within the government, opposition to injustice, defense of truth and right, individual and collective duties, intellectual enlightenment based on evidences and proofs, respect and tolerance for the viewpoints of others, and the encouragement of open and frank discussions.

Generally, anything that is neither known to be harmful nor mentioned as forbidden in Islamic law is permitted. In what pertains to daily life, all is allowed except for waht was explicitly prohibited in the Qur'an or by Prophet Muhammad, and this includes everything harmful, whether or not it is considered so by limited human perception. What is forbidden in Islam is a small segment of the whole, so that what is permitted is sufficient to make what is forbidden unnecessary.

For example, the encouragement and facilitation of lawful marriage greatly reduces the temptation toward fornication and adultery.

When Islam forbids sexual relations outside the framework of marriage, the aim is to purify individuals and societies physically and morally.

Similarly, interest can be replaced by lawful business gains, gambling replaced by competition in sport and religion, fornication replaced by lawful marriage, and forbidden food and drink replaced by healthy food and drink.

The general purpose and objectives of the Shari`ah do not change. It clearly defines what is prohibited and considers all other things to be permissible. Only harmful things have been prohibited, and whatever has benefit has been permitted. Islamic legislation maintains a balance between the needs of the individual and society, allowing neither to outweigh the other.

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Source: Taken with modification from Clear your doubts about Islam by Sahih International.

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Dear Bennett,

Thank you for your question.

With regard to your question, Dr. Ibrahim H. Malabari, a well-known Islamic researcher and author of many Islamic books, states:

The Prophet Muhammad, Messenger of Mercy, turned a society that was plagued with crimes and injustices into one that Muslims believe was utopian.

The Prophet achieved this by following God’s command, and by among other things, addressing the root ills of society and applying a just and working legal system.

Let us take as an example the case of adultery and sexual promiscuity. When the Prophet arrived in Medina, adultery was rampant and prostitution was a profitable business.

First, he raised the moral consciousness of his people against such vices, which took him considerable time.

Then he closed the doors of brothels and cleaned up the whole community.

To understand the Prophetic legal system, one must understand that the Prophet was concerned with all aspects of human life: from the personal to the societal realms, as well as the spiritual.

The Prophet addressed the concerns of the individual’s and society’s worldly here and now as well as the spiritual Hereafter.

With regard to this world, in analyzing the societal benefits of the legal system brought by the Prophet one realizes that at its core the Islamic legal system (Shariah) has much in common with most legal systems.

For instance, in attempting to achieve safety and security in human societies, legal systems – including the Islamic one – employ the principle of deterrence.

The idea being that by introducing a threat of punishment, the individual would be less likely to commit a specific crime.

Take, for example, the crime of murder.

If a person knew nothing would happen to him if he were to kill someone, he would not be as deterred than if he knew that he would serve time in prison, or perhaps lose his own life as a consequence of his actions.

By deterring an individual from committing heinous acts through punishment, more lives are saved and society is more secure.

As the Qur’an states, “There is preservation of life for you in retribution, O people of understanding…” (Quran 2:179)

In attempting to balance the concerns of victims and society, legal systems, and the Prophetic legal system (Shariah) included, employ the principles of retribution and restitution.

By retribution and restitution, the public takes back from the criminal the advantage he has unfairly taken by committing the crime in question from the public and the victim.

Otherwise, leaving the criminal unpunished would leave the scales of justice unbalanced, and it would be unfair to both the rest of the law-abiding members of society and to the victims of crimes.

In relation to retribution, many would argue that the concept does little to help victims or criminals.

For instance, killing a murderer cannot bring back the life of the victim and would only result in the loss of another life.

Further, many argue that victims should be encouraged to forgive and not exact retribution – the understanding being that forgiveness being closer to civility and revenge more closely related to barbarity.

Indeed, Islamic law (Shariah) addresses these and other concerns by giving the victim options: to forgive or to exact retribution.

The Quran in fact encourages the victim to forgive the wrongdoer for the benefit of both parties.

However, in some instances victims and their family members can only feel pain as a result of the crime and see no solution except to exact revenge upon the criminal, or have the criminal pay for his crime in the form of financial compensation or through other means.

In these instances, the ideas of retribution and restitution seek to address the concerns of the victim and society at large.

Not addressing this aspect of human social relations can result in injustices; today, certain legal systems are so lenient in their punishments that perpetrators of heinous crimes such as rape and child sexual abuse receive only a slap on their wrists, leaving victims tormented with the knowledge that their abusers remain unpunished while they must live with their suffering for the remainder of their lives.

Yet the Prophet, the Messenger of Mercy, did not leave the criminal himself out of the equation, and was concerned with the criminal’s spiritual reformation.

The criminal was often given a second chance, for if he repented after the first act and mended his ways, he may have been allowed to go without punishment.

In relation to the crime of fornication, the Quran states,

If they both repent and mend their ways, then leave them alone. Verily, God is acceptor of Repentance, the Merciful. (Quran 4:16)

Moreover, the punishment itself is seen as a form of spiritual purification for the criminal. Seen in this way, a criminal who is concerned about his spirituality and his life in the hereafter may even choose to be punished for his crimes.

The story of Maiz ibn Malik is quite telling in this regard.

Maiz committed adultery and came to the Prophet confessing to his crime and insisting on having himself purified by being punished, knowing fully-well the punishment for such a crime was stoning until death.

The Prophet turned him away three times, and twice asked Maiz’s tribe if Maiz was sane or if there was anything abnormal with him. T

hey insisted he was sane and that he was one of their pious men. Only after Maiz insisted on being punished the fourth time and after the Prophet was assured that Maiz was sane was his request accepted.

In a similar incident, a woman who committed adultery requested to be punished, and like with Maiz the Prophet turned her away.

Only after she insisted on being punished was the woman punished. Even then, the Prophet highly praised her extraordinary repentance, prayed for her, and buried her.

This shows the high degree of moral consciousness the Prophet nourished in the hearts and minds of his followers. The Prophet never implemented punishments before the society in which they were to be applied was ready for it.

It should be noted that the Prophet’s teachings with regard to criminal law was never meant to be applied without understanding the circumstances of the criminal.

That is, the Prophet did not conclude that a given punishment is suitable in every circumstance.

The importance of context in applying corporeal punishment can be seen in the crime of theft.

In any organized society, stealing is regarded as a punishable act. However, there may be instances when stealing can be understandable, and where the relevant punishment can be dispensed with.

For example, during a period of famine in the reign of Islam’s second Caliph, Umar ibn al-Khattab, the corporeal punishment for stealing, that is the amputation of the hand, was not applied since in those times of dearth and starvation, stealing could have been a crime of necessity rather than maliciousness.

Islamic punishments, especially those for adultery and theft are meant to be implemented only in an Islamic society where social justice and moral consciousness prevail and where there is no room left for the committing of crimes except as a result of human wickedness.

The Prophet of Mercy never implemented even a single punishment in a context other than this. It may be not out of place here to state that stoning to death as a punishment for adultery, while not practiced today by Jews and Christians, is commanded in the Torah, a scripture sacred to both religions.

We hope this answers your questions.

Keep in touch.

Source: Ten Questions and Answers about the Prophet Muhammad.

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Thanks a lot, dear guest, for your interesting question.

Actually, Allah is the proper name of the One True God. Nothing else can be called Allah. This term has no plural or gender, which shows its uniqueness when compared with the word ‘god’, that can be made plural, gods; or feminine, goddess.

It is a known fact that every language has one or more terms that are used in reference to God and sometimes to lesser deities. This is not the case with Allah.

Some of the biggest misconceptions that many non-Muslims have about Islam have to do with the word “Allah”. For various reasons, many people have come to believe that Muslims worship a different God than Christians and Jews. This is totally false, since “Allah” is simply the Arabic word for “God” — and there is only One God. However, it is certainly true that Jews, Christians and Muslims all have different concepts of Almighty God.

For example, Muslims, like Jews, reject the Christian beliefs of Trinity and Divine Incarnation. However, this does not mean that each of these three religions worships a different God – because there is only One True God.

Judaism, Christianity and Islam are classified as ‘Monotheistic’, however, Islam teaches that other religions have, in one way or another, distorted and nullified a pure and proper belief in Almighty God by neglecting His true teachings and mixing them with man-made ideas.

The One True God is a reflection of the unique concept that Islam associates with God. To a Muslim, Allah is the Almighty, Creator and Sustainer of the universe, who is similar to nothing and nothing is comparable to Him. The Prophet Muhammad (may Allah exalt his mention) was asked by his contemporaries about Allah; the answer came directly from Allah Himself in the form of a short chapter of the Quran, which is considered the essence or the motto of monotheism. This is chapter 112 which reads (what means):

 “Say: ‘He is Allah, (who is) One, Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent.’” (Al-Ikhlas 112:1)

Some non-Muslims allege that God in Islam is a stern and cruel God who demands to be obeyed fully. He is not loving and kind. Nothing can be farther from the truth than this allegation. It is enough to know that with the exception of one, each of the 114 chapters of the Qur’an begins with the verse: “In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate.” In one of the sayings of Prophet Muhammad, we are told that: “Allah is more loving and kinder than a mother to her dear child.”

However, Allah is also Just. Hence, wrongdoers and sinners must have their share of punishment, and the pious will receive His bounties and favors. People suffering throughout their lives while seeking Allah’s bounty and people oppressing and exploiting other people all their lives should not receive similar treatment from their Lord.

Expecting similar treatment for them is contrary to the very belief in the accountability of man in the Hereafter, which removes all the incentives for striving to attain a moral and virtuous life in this world.

Islam rejects characterizing God in any human form or depicting Him as favoring certain individuals or nations on the basis of wealth, power or race. He created human beings as equals. They may distinguish themselves and get His favor only through virtue and piety.

The concepts that God rested in the seventh day of creation, that God wrestled with one of His soldiers, that God is an envious plotter against mankind, or that God is incarnate in any human being are considered blasphemy from the Islamic point of view.

The Creator must have a different nature from the things He created, because if He were of the same nature as them, He would be temporal and would therefore need a maker. Therefore, nothing is like Him. If the Maker is not temporal, then He must be Eternal.
The Eternal cannot be bound by limitations. He is the Self-Sufficient because nothing outside Him can cause him to continue to exist, and if nothing outside Him causes Him to continue to exist, this means that He is Self-Sufficient. And if He does not depend on anything for the continuance of His own existence, then His existence can have no end. The Creator is therefore Eternal and Everlasting.

Linguistically, it is interesting to note that the Aramaic word “El”, which is the word for God in the language that `Isa (Jesus), may Allah exalt his mention, spoke, is certainly more similar in sound to the word “Allah” than the English word “God”. This also holds true for the various Hebrew words for God, which is “El” and “Elah”, and the plural form “Elohim”.

The reason for these similarities is that Aramaic, Hebrew and Arabic are all Semitic languages with common origins. It should also be noted that in translating the Bible into English, the Hebrew word “El” is translated variously as “God”, “god” and “angel”! This imprecise language allows different translators, based on their preconceived notions, to translate the word to fit their own views.

The Arabic word “Allah” presents no such difficulty or ambiguity, since it is only used for Almighty God alone. Additionally, in English, the only difference between “god”, meaning a false god, and “God”, meaning the One True God, is the capital “G” which is commonly used in written works.

I hope this answers your question. Please keep in touch.

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Source: Taken with slight editorial modifications from www.islamweb.net.

 

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