Muslims and the 5 Questions by Juan Cole

Somebody named Dennis Prager wrote a frankly bigotted op-ed for the LA Times asking "Muslims" 5 questions. The questions are fairly easy to answer in themselves, but the stupidity of the whole framework is what is objectionable. Why is it that our media personalities cannot think their way out of a paper bag? Why don't high school civics courses alert them that there might be a problem with stereotyping everyone that you categorize as belonging to a particular group?

Prager begins his "questions" directed, apparently at all 1.3 billion Muslims in the world, by referring to the recent riots in France. He is thus framing his questions with the implication that those Muslims are all trouble-makers and have something to answer for. But the alienated in-between young African- and North African-French are mostly not very involved in religion and a lot of them couldn't tell you how to pray to save their lives.

Prager's first question is why "Muslims" are so "quiet" (implied is: "about terrorism emanating from other Muslims"). Of course, Muslims have been anything but quiet about terrorism and all sorts of Muslim leaders and groups have repeatedly condemned it. Muslims haven't been "quiet." Prager hasn't been listening.

Moreover, the mere assertion that an act was done in the "name of Islam" would not necessarily connect it to Islam in the eyes of other Muslims. All kinds of crazy things are done in the name of Judaism and Christianity and Buddhism. Why didn't the American Buddhists demonstrate when Aum Shinrikyo let Sarin gas loose in the Tokyo subway? Did American Catholics demonstrate against Franco's policies in Spain? Why should American Catholics even feel responsible for those things? Why should Indonesian or Bangladeshi Muslims demonstrate about something that happened in distant Jordan, which had some local context they don't even understand? People who are actually Muslims don't take seriously small groups of cranks who do bizarre things in the name of Islam.

And let's turn the tables on Prager. Let's ask why he is so quiet.

Let's take the following item:

' Jewish settlers began attacking Palestinians as they returned home yesterday from the funeral of an Israeli soldier, shooting dead a 14-year-old girl and wounding several others in the West Bank city of Hebron, Palestinians said.

They said the settlers began attacking shortly after the funeral in Hebron's Old City, throwing stones at houses and cars, and breaking windows.

Nizin Jamjoum, 14, was standing on the balcony of her home when she was shot in the head and died, said her brother Marwan, 26, who was injured.

At least six Palestinians were hurt, including one who was stabbed, Palestinians said.'


Has Prager ever joined a demonstration against the fascist actions of the far rightwing Israeli settlers who are stealing Palestinian land every day and from time to time killing them? Does he care about Nizin Jamjoum or her family? Nizin was a little girl. Her parents doted on her. They fed her and raised her. She played with brothers and sisters. She said cute things that made everyone's dimples come out. And then an armed colonist shot her dead, in the head. Her cranium was crushed, her brain oozed out the back of her little head. Does Prager care?

Then he asks, Why are none of the Palestinian terrorists Christian?

Prager is not only stereotyping an ethnic group, he is profoundly ignorant. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a much more violent group than Arafat's Fateh, was led by Christian George Habash. In fact, the PFLP had to hire Eastern Orthodox priests to minister to its fighers. Christians in the Middle East, whether Palestinian Christians, or Maronite Christians in Lebanon, have been just as much parties to the violence in the region as Muslims. And, of course, Israeli Jews haven't exactly been pacifists.

Then he asks, Why is only one of the 47 Muslim-majority countries a free country?

Well, gee, Dennis. Let's see.

There is the legacy of European colonialism, which ruled most of the Muslim world with an iron fist and established modern bureaucratic practices that were authoritarian, which the post-colonial states inherited. (If you want to understand the Pakistani military, you have to understand the colonial British Army of India).

And, the Russians invaded Muslim Central Asia in the 19th century. They first subjected those peoples to Tsarist absolute monarchy, and then to Stalinism. Vladimir Putin and Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan both have authoritarian tendencies, and it is because they both come out of the old Soviet system. You want to blame Islam for this?

It wasn't just colonialism. Neo-colonialism has played a key part. Iran was a parliamentary democracy in the early 1950s. Then its prime minister asserted Iranian ownership of Iran's own oil. And the UK and the US objected to this step, and sent in the CIA to overthrow the elected government of Iran, and install an absolute monarchy for all the world like Louis XIV! Courtesy of Dwight Eisenhower and Winston Churchill.

The political scientists now think that democracy is best sustained where the per capita income is at least $8000 a year. It isn't an absolute requirement, but it seems to help. There are a lot of poor Muslim countries because they are in resource-poor regions (arid parts of Africa and the Middle East).

Why bring ethnicity into it? Is that really the likely explanation? Prager could ask the same question about the Chinese. Why is only one Chinese-majority society (Taiwan) moving toward democracy? Does he think it really has something to do with being Chinese? Authoritarianism in East Asia used to be attributed to Confucianism, but then Japan and South Korea (and lately Taiwan) challenged that thesis. Things change. If we were in the 1930s Prager could ask what was with those Fascist Catholics.

Whatever the answer is to Prager's question, it has little or nothing to do with the religion of Islam per se.

Prager's number 4 is Why are so many atrocities committed and threatened by Muslims in the name of Islam?

Prager's list is skewed to begin with. He lumps together localistic national liberation movements (Chechnya) and individual crimes of passion with the guerrilla movement in Iraq, and attributes them all to "Islam." In Prager's weird world, everything Muslims do is in the name of Islam.

I append below a list of the number of murders per year in a fair number of the world's countries, and have put the Muslim-majority countries in bold. They cluster at the bottom, not the top. If we wanted to think in Prager's warped way, we'd have to ask what is with those Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians, that they are so murderous.

Prager's number 5 is Why do countries governed by religious Muslims persecute other religions?

Countries governed by religious anything have persecuted other religions. This is true not only for religious ideologies but also for secular ideologies like Communism and Fascism. Make an idea into an "-ism" and boom, you get gulags. Religion or no religion. You think Muslims were tolerated in Franco's Spain? And, by the way, why can't a Muslim guy marry a Jewish girl in Israel if the two love each other? Hmmm. Could it be that the rabbis are unsympathetic to young love? Prager doesn't seem to know that Terry Nichols of the Oklahoma City bombing was in fact part of the Christian Identity Movement, or that fanatical Christians have killed abortion doctors in the name of Christianity.


There is something seriously wrong with the questions themselves. They come out of a weird mindset that lumps Malaysians with Moroccans, Kyrgyz with Sudanese, and Uigurs with Moro Filipinos, all just because they have a common heritage in one of the great world religions; it isn't as if their actual local practices and beliefs are all exactly the same.

The questions are symptomatic of prejudice and sloppy thinking. They demean Americans by the posing of them. Muslims as individuals haven't done anything wrong, and don't have to answer Prager's silly questions.

http://www.juancole.com/2005/11/musl...ody-named.html

Islam the Complete Code of Life

http://www.jamatuddawa.org/Voiceofis...-voice/umm.htm

Umm-e-Abdullah fakhr

Islam is not a mere collection of certain rituals, dogma and ceremonies but it provides us with a complete code of life. Islam gives us the absolute analysis of political, economic and social life the first and foremost point of emphasis in Islam is Monotheism (Tauheed). Tauheed (Oneness of Almighty Allah) creates the concept that God is one. Men have been negating this on account of weak belief, the man with external and superficial excitement says the name of Allah but actually he has circumscribed all of his hopes around things. Allah has created man on the best form but man has been degrading himself by those attributes which amount to polytheism or "Shirk".

Allah Says in Quran, "And verily we have given respect to the Children of Adam." Islam has given superiority to men over certain other creatures. This superiority is due to the knowledge and intellect given to him.

The power of knowledge must be revealed through best deeds. But the truth of the matter is that we have strayed from the right path and in doing so, we have lowered our selves. Allah says, "And (remember) when your Lord said to the angels Verily, I am going to place (mankind) generation after generation on cart." The verse reveals that man is the representative (Khalifa) of Allah on earth. Right to give has not been bestowed on any exalted individual or to any group. It is rather declared as a sacred responsibility devolved on all faithful.

The political system of Islam gives us the principle of responsibility rather than authority.

Sovereignty belongs to Allah alone. By conscious recognition of Allah as the sole Master, all individuals become subservient to His will, Government of an Islamic polity can command political obedience on the part of people so long as it performs its duties according to Shariah. The Holy Prophet Muhammad [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] is reported to have said, "There is no obedience in sinful mothers, it is obligatory only in the matter of righteousness."

He further said, "No obedience is due to him, who does not obey Allah".

Allah says in Quran, "He is the Master of all powers."

In Islam politics and religion (Din) are not separated, Islam and government are twin. None of two can remain isolated. Islam is like a building while government is its guardian. A building without foundation demolishes and a person is robbed if he has no guardian. So, as Muslims we should implement the constitution of Islam which consists of Quran and Sunnah of the prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him]. Islam lays great emphasis on education (Knowledge).

Allah's Messenger [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] said, "Acquisition of knowledge is obligatory to all the Muslims".

The Quran says, "Allah will exalt the grades of those who have become believers among you and who have been given knowledge."

So the verse of Quran indicates the dignity of knowledge i.e. the knowledge of Quran and Sunnah (Hadiths). But we should also get wordly knowledge of Science and Technology and other branches, to meet the needs of changing worldly condition.

Islam believers in the inductive method, which regards reason and experience as the instruments of knowledge together with nature and History as the resources of knowledge. Induction is a great gift of Islam to humanity. Prophet Muhammad's [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] constant prayer was, "Oh Allah add to my knowledge."

Islam aims at banishing evil from human society not merely through words but through deeds also.

Allah says in Quran: "You are the best nation that has ever been raised up from mankind you enjoin justice and forbid evil. You believe in Allah".

It is the duty of every Muslim to contribute to the process of Daawa (Call for righteousness) we must strengthen this process through every step at our disposal. We would be held accountable before Allah, on the Day of Judgment, if we indulge in ignorance. We must convey the message of Islam to all people the Prophet Muhammad [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] said, "The most honorable amongst you is the one who fears Allah, fearing the most."

"Fear of Allah" does not simply imply the saying of prayers regularly, keeping fasts, paying Zakat and performing Hajj. It also implies fair and just dealing and kind treatment towards one's fellow being.

For the enforcement of justice, Islam believes neither in un controlled economic pattern as portrayed by capitalist nor the socialistic solution in which the whole life of individual is subjected the excessive legal restraints. Islam on the other hand adopts its delimit modes to chanelize the collective efforts for the betterment of the whole society. Implementation of "Zakat" is an obligation on state for the creation of economic justice, Islam has prescribed such solid principles of economic ills. It prohibits usury, which is the root cause of all socio-economic ills.

Every Muslim is expected to spend his wealth in the way of Allah.

Almighty Allah say, "They who hoard up gold and silver and spend it not in the way of Allah, unto then give tidings (O Muhammad [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him]) of a painful doom".

Islam does not believe in so called clan war as upheld by Monism. Islam is a universal religion. Allah says, "It is He, who has sent His Messenger [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] with guidance and the religion of trough. (Islam to make it superior over all religions".

It means that system of Islam must be implemented in the whole universe. In this way, He wants to test the faiths and beliefs of His men. Islam is above consideration of caste, colour, race and nation. It teaches universal human brother hood. It is the duty of Muslim Ummah to propagate the message of Islam and a universal constitution to implement Islamic system of prayers is obligatory on the (Khalifa) ruler.

Allah says, "And when they are given government on the earth, they establish the system of prayer (Salaat) and give Zakat and enjoin the right conduct and forbid evil."

To achieve these far reaching effects, the Muslims are required to adopt the methods of Daawa (call for righteousness) and Jihad. It is the distinction of Muslim Ummah, so we need to mould our selves according to Shariah. Our character can impress other to adopt am Islamic way of life. Then we must disseminate our point of view with best possible login.

Allah says. "Call the people toward the path of Allah with wisdom (Login) and good advice and discussion with the best possible way."

Islam has given to women a respectable place in society. The Quran reveals the equality of rights of women with men in their good conducts and characteristics. The Quran says, "Muslim men and women, obedient men and women, faith full men and women, truthful men and women, pious men and women, Good fearing men and women".

Women should knockout those organized conspiracies, which are distracting their minds. In this respect, we must firmly stick to the guidance of Quran and Sunnah to fail the devilish designs of the enemies. Our salvation lies in following the teachings of Quran and Sunnah.

Islam is a complete code of life and this code must be implemented as constitution to acclaim the cherished goal.

A Quick Introduction to Islam
By Abu Yusuf Daniel Masters, Abu Maryam Isma'il Kaka and Abu Iman Robert Squires. © Muslim Answers

Islam and Muslims

The word "Islam" is an Arabic word which means "submission to the will of God". This word comes from the same root as the Arabic word "salam", which means "peace". As such, the religion of Islam teaches that in order to achieve true peace of mind and surety of heart, one must submit to God and live according to His Divinely revealed Law. The most important truth that God revealed to mankind is that there is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty God, thus all human beings should submit to Him. The word "Muslim" means one who submits to the will of God, regardless of their race, nationality or ethnic background. Being a Muslim entails willful submission and active obedience to God, and living in accordance with His message. Some people mistakenly believe that Islam is just a religion for Arabs, but nothing could be further from the truth. Not only are there converts to Islam in every corner of the world, especially in England and America, but by taking a look at the Muslim World from Bosnia to Nigeria, and from Indonesia to Morocco, one can clearly see that Muslims come from many various races, ethnic groups and nationalities. It is also interesting to note that in actuality, more than 80% of all Muslims are not Arabs - there are more Muslims in Indonesia than in the whole Arab World! So though even though it is true that most Arabs are Muslims, the large majority of Muslims are not Arabs. However, anyone who submits completely to God and worships Him alone is a Muslim.

Continuity of the Message

Islam is not a new religion because "submission to the will of God", i.e. Islam, has always been the only acceptable religion in the sight of God. For this reason, Islam is the true "natural religion", and it is the same eternal message revealed through the ages to all of God's prophets and messengers. Muslims believe that all of God's prophets, which include Abraham, Noah, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, brought the same message of Pure Monotheism. For this reason, the Prophet Muhammad was not the founder of a new religion, as many people mistakenly think, but he was the Final Prophet of Islam. By revealing His final message to Muhammad, which is an eternal and universal message for all of mankind, God finally fulfilled the covenant that He made with Abraham, who was one of the earliest and greatest prophets. Suffice it to say that the way of Islam is the same as the way of the prophet Abraham, because both the Bible and the Qur'an portray Abraham as a towering example of someone who submitted himself completely to God and worshipped Him without intermediaries. Once this is realized, it should be clear that Islam has the most continuous and universal message of any religion, because all prophets and messengers were "Muslims", i.e. those who submitted to God's will, and they preached "Islam", i.e. submission to the will of Almighty God.

The Oneness of God

The foundation of the Islamic faith is belief in the Oneness of Almighty God - the God of Abraham, Noah, Moses and Jesus. Islam teaches that a pure belief in One God is intuitive in human beings and thus fulfills the natural inclination of the soul. As such, Islam's concept of God is straightforward, unambiguous and easy to understand. Islam teaches that the hearts, minds and souls of human beings are fitting receptacles for clear divine revelation, and that God's revelations to man are not clouded by self-contradictory mysteries or irrational ideas. As such, Islam teaches that even though God cannot be fully comprehended and grasped by our finite human minds, He also does not expect us to accept absurd or demonstrably false beliefs about Him. According to the teachings of Islam, Almighty God is absolutely One and His Oneness should never be compromised by associating partners with Him - neither in worship nor in belief. Due to this, Muslims are required to maintain a direct relationship with God, and therefore all intermediaries are absolutely forbidden. From the Islamic standpoint, believing in the Oneness of God means to realize that all prayer and worship should be exclusively for God, and that He alone deserves such titles as "Lord" and "Savior". Some religions, even though they believe on "One God", do not make all of their worship and prayers for Him alone.

Also, they also give the title of "Lord" to beings that are not All-Knowing, All-Powerful and Un-Changing - even according to their own scriptures. Suffice it to say that according to Islam, it is not enough that people believe that "God is One", but they must actualize this belief by proper conduct. In short, in the Islamic concept of God, which is completely based on Divine Revelation, there is no ambiguity in divinity - God is God and man is man. Since God is the only Creator and continual Sustainer of the Universe, He is transcendent above His creation - the Creator and the creature never mix. Islam teaches that God has a unique nature and that He is free from gender, human weaknesses and beyond anything which human beings can imagine. The Qur'an teaches that the signs and proofs of God's wisdom, power and existence are evident in the world around us. As such, God calls on man to ponder over the creation in order to build a better understanding of his Creator. Muslims believe that God is Loving, Compassionate and Merciful, and that He is concerned with the daily affairs of human beings. In this, Islam strikes a unique balance between false religious and philosophical extremes. Some religions and philosophies portray God as just an impersonal "Higher Power" who is uninterested, or unaware, of the life of each individual human. Other religions tend to give God human qualities and teach that He is present in His creation, by being incarnate in someone, something - or even everything. In Islam, however, Almighty God has clarified the truth by letting mankind know that He is "Compassionate", "Merciful", "Loving" and the "Answerer of Prayers". But He as also emphasized strongly that "there is nothing like unto Him", and that He is high above time, space and His creation. Finally, it should be mentioned that the God that Muslims worship is the same God that Jews and Christians worship - because there is only one God. It is unfortunate that some people mistakenly believe that Muslims worship a different God than Jews and Christians, and that "Allah" is just the "god of the Arabs". This myth, which has been propagated by the enemies of Islam, is completely false since the word "Allah" is simply the Arabic name for Almighty God. It is the same word for God which is used by Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians. However, it should be clarified that even though Muslims worship the same God as Jews and Christian, their concept of Him differs somewhat from the beliefs of other religions - mainly because it is based completely on Divine Revelation from God. For example, Muslims reject the Christian belief that God is a Trinity, not only becaue the Qur'an rejects it, but also because if this was God's true nature, He would have clearly revealed it to Abraham, Noah, Jesus and all of the other prophets.

The Qur'an

The Arabic world "Al-Qur'an" literally means "the recitation". When used in regards to Islam, the word Qur'an means God's final message to mankind that was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. The Qu'ran, sometimes spelled Koran, is the literal the word of God - as it clearly says time and time again. Unlike other sacred scriptures, the Qur'an has been perfectly preserved in both its words and meaning in a living language. The Qu'ran is a living miracle in the Arabic language; and is know to be inimitable in its style, form and spiritual impact. God's final revelation to mankind, the Qur'an, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years. The Qur'an, in contrast to many other religious books, was always thought to be the Word of God by those who believed in it, i.e. it wasn't something decreed by a religious council many years after being written. Also, the Qu'ran was recited publicly in front of both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities during the life of the Prophet Muhammad. The entire Qur'an was also completely written down in lifetime of the Prophet, and numerous companions of the Prophet memorized the entire Qur'an word-for-word as it was revealed. So unlike other scriptures, the Qur'an was always in the hands of the common believers, it was always thought to be God's word and, due to wide-spread memorization, it was perfectly preserved.

In regards to the teachings of the Qur'an - it is a universal scripture, and it is addressed to all of mankind, and not to a particular tribe or "chosen people". The message that it brings is nothing new, but the same message of all of the prophets - submit to Almighty God and worship Him alone. As such, God's revelation in the Qur'an focuses on teaching human beings the importance of believing in the Unity of God and framing their lives around the guidance which He has sent. Additionally, the Qur'an contains the stories of the previous prophets, such as Abraham, Noah, Moses and Jesus; as well as many commands and prohibitions from God. In modern times in which so many people are caught up in doubt, spiritual despair and "political correctness", the Qur'anic teachings offer solutions to the emptiness of our lives and the turmoil that is gripping the world today. In short, the Qur'an is the book of guidance par excellence.

The Prophet Muhammad(S)

Unlike the founders of many religious, the final prophet of Islam is a real documented and historical figure. He lived in the full light of history, and the most minute details of his life are known. Not only do Muslims have the complete text of God's words that were revealed to Muhammad, but they have also preserved his saying and teachings in what is called "hadith" literature. This having been said, it should be understood that Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad was only a man chosen by God, and that he is not divine in any way. In order to avoid the misguided wish to deify him, the Prophet Muhammad taught Muslims to refer to him as "God's Messenger and His Slave". The mission of the last and final prophet of God was to simply teach that "there is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty God", as well as being a living example of God's revelation. In simple terms, God sent the revelation to Muhammad, who in turn taught it , preached it, lived it and put it into practice. In this way, Muhammad was more that just a "prophet" in the sense of many of the Biblical prophets, since he was also a statesman and ruler. He was a man who lived a humble life in the service of God, and established an all-encompassing religion and way of life by showing what it means to be an ideal friend, husband, teacher, ruler, warrior and judge.

For this reason, Muslims follow him not for his own sake, but in obedience to God, because Muhammad not only showed us how to deal with our fellow human beings, but more importantly, he showed us how to relate to and worship God, worship Him in the only way pleasing to Him. Like other prophets, Muhammad faced a great deal of opposition and persecution during his mission. However, he was always patient and just, and he treated his enemies well. The results of his mission were very successful, and even though his mission started in one of the most backward and remotes places on earth, within a hundred years of the death of Muhammad, Islam had spread from Spain to China. The Prophet Muhammad was the greatest of all of God's prophets, not because he had new doctrines or greater miracles, but because the results of his mission have broght more human beings into the pure and proper belief in the One True God than any other prophet.

The Islamic Way of Life

In the Holy Qur'an, God teaches human beings that they were created in order to worship Him, and that the basis of all true worship is God-consciousness. Since the teachings of Islamic encompass all aspects of life and ethics, God-consciousness is encouraged in all human affairs. Islam makes it clear that all human acts are acts of worship if they are done for God alone and in accordance to His Divine Law. As such, worship in Islam is not limited to religious rituals. The teachings of Islam act as a mercy and a healing for the human soul, and such qualities as humility, sincerity, patience and charity are strongly encouraged. Additionally, Islam condemns pride and self-righteousness, since Almighty God is the only judge of human righteousness. The Islamic view of the nature of man is also realistic and well-balanced. Human beings are not believed to be inherently sinful, but are seen as equally capable of both good and evil. Islam also teaches that faith and action go hand-in-hand. God has given people free-will, and the measure of one's faith is one's deeds and actions. However, human beings have also been created weak and regularly fall into sin. This is the nature of the human being as created by God in His Wisdom, and it is not inherently "corrupt" or in need of repair. This is because the avenue of repentance of always open to all human beings, and Almighty God loves the repentant sinner more than one who does not sin at all. The true balance of an Islamic life is established by having a healthy fear of God as well as a sincere belief in His infinite Mercy.

A life without fear of God leads to sin and disobedience, while believing that we have sinned so much that God will not possibly forgive us only leads to despair. In light of this, Islam teaches that: only the misguided despair of the Mercy of their Lord. Additionally, the Holy Qur'an, which was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, contains a great deal of teachings about the life hereafter and the Day of Judgment. Due to this, Muslims believe that all human beings will ultimately be judged by God for their beliefs and actions in their earthly lives. In judging human beings, Almighty God will be both Merciful and Just, and people will only be judged for what they were capable of. Suffice it to say that Islam teaches that life is a test, and that all human beings will be accountable before God. A sincere belief in the life hereafter is key to leading a well-balanced life and moral. Otherwise, life is viewed as an end in itself, which causes human beings to become more selfish, materialistic and immoral.

Islam for a Better Life

Islam teaches that true happiness can only being obtained by living a life full of God-consciousness and being satisfied with what God has given us. Additionally, true "freedom" is freedom from being controlled by our base human desires and being ruled by man-made ideologies. This stands in stark contrast to the view of many people in the modern world, who consider "freedom" to be the ability to satisfy all of their desires without inhibition. The clear and comprehensive guidance of Islam gives human-beings a well-defined purpose and direction in life. In addition to being members of the human-brotherhood of Islam, its well-balanced and practical teachings are a source of spiritual comfort, guidance and morality. A direct and clear relationship with Almighty God, as well as the sense of purpose and belonging that ones feels as a Muslim, frees a person from the many worries of everyday life. In short, the Islamic way of life is pure and wholesome. It builds self-discipline and self-control thought regular prayer and fasting, and frees human-beings from superstition and all sorts of racial, ethnic and national prejudices. By accepting to live a God-conscious life, and realizing that the only thing that distinguishes people in the sight of God is their consciousness of Him, a person's true human dignity is realized.

Q1 Who is your Rubb? (the Lord,the Creator etc).
A. My Rubb is Allah Who has created me and all that exists. He nourishes me and all creatures by His Bounties.


Q.2. What is your religion?
A. My religion is Islam, which is submission and obedience to the Order of Allah and His Messenger with love, hope and fear.


Q.3. How did you know Allah?
I know Him by His signs and creation like the day and night; the sun and the moon; the heaven and the earth, and all that is there in and between them.


Q.4. Where is Allah?
A. Allah is above the heavens raised over the Throne and separated from His creatures.


Q.5. Is Allah with us (in person)?
A. Allah is settled over His Mighty Throne, but He is with us by His Knowledge, hearing ,seeing and other attributes. As He said: "Fear not verily! I am with you both hearing and seeing (V,20. :46)


Q.6. Who are the friends of Allah?
A. Those people are the friends of Allah who are pious and righteous, fear Him much abstain from all kinds of sins and perform all kinds of goods, and holdfast to the Qur`an and Sunnah.


Q. 7. How do you worship Allah?
A. I worship Allah in a manner in which all my ibadah is dedicated to Him Alone. I do not ascribe anyone with Him in worship.


Q-8. Why did Allah send Messengers?
A. Allah has sent Messengers so that they call the people to worship Him Alone, not ascribing any partner with Him, and in order that mankind should have no plea against Allah.


Q-9 What is the meaning of Islam ?
A. Islam means i.e. submission to Allah with Tawhid .


Q-10 What are the pillars of Islam?
A. 1. Testimony of Faith (There is no true God except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah )
2. To establish Salat (prayers).
3. To pay Zakat.
4. To observe Saum (fasting) in Ramadan.
5. Hajj (pilgrimage to the Sacred House) if one can afford the journey.


Q-11 What is Iman?
A. Iman (Faith) means to believe in the heart, to confess by the tongue and to act with the parts of the body.


Q-12 Can there be any variation in Iman?
A. By some words and deeds it may increase and by some words and deeds it may decrease.


Q-13 What do you mean by increase and decrease in Iman?
A- Iman (Faith) increases by obedience to Allah and good deeds while it decreases by sins and evil acts.


Q-14 What are the pillars of Iman (Faith)
A. The pillars of Iman are six i.e. to believe in:
1. Allah.
2. His Angels.
3. His Messengers.
4. His Books.
5. The Last Day.
6. Divine Preordainments good or bad.


Q-15 What is Belief in Allah?
A. The Belief in Allah is that you should believe that Allah is the Sole Creator Sustainer Provider and the One in Whose Hand is the disposal of all affairs. Everything stands in need of Him, but He stands in need of none. He is the Only One Who is worthy of being worshipped. He has the Best Names and Perfect Attributes.


Q-16 Who are the angels?
A. The angels are creatures of light. They are Allah's obedient slaves, they do that which they are commanded and are incapable of disobedience.


Q-17 What do you mean by Belief in the Book and the Messengers?
A. It means that Allah sent the Messengers like Moses, Jesus, Abraham. Noah etc. and sent down the books like the Torah, Injeel, Zaboor (Psalms) etc. to call the people to worship Allah Alone, associating nothing with Him. He sealed (finalized) the Messengers with Prophet Muhammad and abrogated all previous books with the Qur'an. Therefore the worship should be done according to the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet .


Q-I8 What is meant by Belief inthe Last Day?
A. The Belief in the Last Day means to believe that Allah has ordained a fixed term for everything, and a term for this world. He will assuredly raise the dead from their graves and will account for everyone their deeds in this world. On that Day of Resurrection, rewards and punishments will be assigned. Every one will be justly rewarded or punished.


Q-19 What is meant by Belief Preordainment (Qadar)?
A. The Belief in Preordainment (Qadar) means to believe that everything — good or bad — happens or takes place according to what Allah has ordained for it. He has created everything in due proportion.


Q-20 What is the cleaning of "There is no God but Allah"?
A. It means there is no true deity except Allah Alone, Negating all false gods and affirming that Allah is the only true God.


Q-21 What is the meaning of ^Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah"?
A. It means total submission to him in whatever he ordered, and avoiding what he forbade and believing in all those matters he informed us about.


Q-22 What are the conditions of the testimony of Faith?
A. There are seven conditions of the testimony of Faith:
1- Knowledge which negates ignorance.
2- Certainty which negates doubt.
3- Sincerity and purity of intent which negates Shirk.
4- Truthfulness which negates hypocrisy.
5- Love and devotion which negates disdain of Allah`s religion.
6- Submission which negates disobedience.
7- Acceptance which negates rejection or denial.


Q-23 What is the greatest thing that Allah has enjoined?
A. The greatest thing Allah has enjoined is Tauhid (Monotheism).


Q-24 What is Tauhid (Islamic Monotheism)?
A. Tauhid means declaring Allah to be the only God who deserves to be worshipped in truth and confirming all attributes with which He has qualified Himself or that are attributed to Him by His Messenger .


Q-25 What are the aspects of Tauhid?
A. There are three aspects of Tauhid:
1- Tauhid-ar-Rububiyah.
2- Tauhid-al-Uluhiyah.
3-Tauhid-al-Asma was-Sifat.


Q- 26 What isTauhid-ar-Rububiyah?
A. It is declaring Allah to be One and Unique in His work, Iike creation, sustenance, bringing to life and causing death etc.


Q-27 What is Tauhid-al-Uluhiyah?
A. It is declaring Allah as the Only God to whom all acts worship must be dedicated such salat (prayers), Zakat, Sawm(fasting), supplications vowing etc.


Q-28 What isTauhid-al-Asma was-Sifat?
A. It is an affirmation of all the Divine Names and Attributes of Allah in a manner that
suits His Majesty, as mentioned in the Qur'an and the Sunnah.


Q-29 How would you describe Ibadah?
A. It is a comprehensive word comprising deeds and words that Allah loves and is pleased with whether manifested or hidden,


Q-30 What are the conditions of Ibadah?
A. There are two conditions of Ibadah:
1. Sincerity to Allah.
2. Submission to Allah's Messenger i.e. to act according to his Sunnah.


Q-31 Write some types of Ibadah.
A. Some types of Ibadah are the prayers, the obligatory charity, fasting, the pilgrimage, fear of Allah, hope in His Mercy, Seeking His aid. And other acts of worship which Allah has commanded and enjoined.


Q-32 What is the greatest thing Allah has forbidden?
A. The greatest thing Allah has forbidden is Shirk (polytheism).


Q-33 What is polytheism?
A. It means to believe that there is one who shares Allah in His acts i.e. ascribing partners or setting up rivals to Allah in His rights.


Q-34 What are the types of polytheism?
A. There are three types of polytheism:
1. The greater polytheism (Shirk Akbar).
2. The lesser polytheism (Shirk Asghar).
3. The inconspicuous polytheism (Shirk Khafi).


Q-35 What is greater polytheism?
A. The greater polytheism is to devote any form of worship to other than Allah will never forgive one who dies upon Shirk, nor accept his good deeds, and he would be cast out from the folds of Islam.


Q-36 What are the types of greater polytheism?
A. There are four types of greater polytheism:
1- The polytheism in invocation i.e. involving supplications to other than Allah.
2. The polytheism in intentions i.e. purpose and intentions not for the sake of Allah but directed towards other deities.
3, The polytheism in obedience i.e. rendering obedience to any authority against the Order of Allah.
4. The polytheism in love i.e showing love to others which is due to Allah Alone.


Q-37 What is lesser polytheism?
A. The lesser polytheism is Ar-Riya, that means the acts of worship done to gain praise or fame rather than to please Allah, this type of polytheism, however, does not cast the person committing it out of the fold of Islam.


Q-38 What is inconspicuous polytheism?
A. The inconspicuous polytheism implies being dissatisfied with the conditions ordained by Allah.


Q-39 What is the proof of the inconspicuous polytheism?
A. The proof of the above Shirkis the saying of the Prophet "The inconspicuous polytheism is more hidden among this nation than the track of a black ant over a black stone on a dark night" (Musnad Ahmad)


Q-40 What are the types of Kufr (disbelief)?
A. There are two types of Kufr :
1. The majorKufr which cast its people out of Islam,
2. The lessor cr minor Kufr which does not cast the one who commits it out of Islam. It is Kufr of ungratefulness.


Q-41 What are the types of major Kufr?
A. There are five types of major Kufr :
1. The Kufr of denial.
2. The Kufr of arrogance associated with recognition of the truth.
3. The Kufr of doubt.
4-. The Kufr of disregard,
5. The Kufr of hypocrisy.


Q-42 What are the categories of hypocrisy?
A. There are two categories of hypocrisy:
1. Hypocrisy in Belief.
2. Hypocrisy in deeds and actions.


Q-43 What is the hypocrisy in Belief?
A. Hypocrisy in Belief is of six types:
1. Denial of the Messenger .
2. Denial of the thing with which the Messenger is sent.
3. Hating the Messenger
4.Hating the thing with which the Messenger is sent.
5. Rejoicing at the disgrace of Islam.
6. Disliking the prevalence of Islam.


Q-44 What is the hypocrisy in deeds and actions?
A. The hypocrisy in deeds and actions is of five types:
1- When he speaks, he lies.
2- When he promises., he breaks it.
3. When he is entrusted, he betrays.
4. When he disputes, he acts immorally.
5. When he makes a pact, he makes acts treacherously.


Q-45 Are good deeds accepted (by Allah) with the polytheism?
A. Never! None of the deeds are accepted when mixed with polytheism.
Allah says: " If they had joined in worship others with Allah all that they used to do would have been of no benefit to them" (V.6: 88)
"Verily! Allah forgives not setting up partners in worship with Him, but He forgives whom He pleases sins other than that" '(V.4:116)


Q-46 What are the nullifiers of Islam?
A. The nullifiers of Islam are ten:
1. Polytheism of worship.
2. He who does not believe that the polytheists are disbelievers, or doubts their infidelity or holds their belief to be valid.
3. He who sets up intermediaries between one's self and Allah, supplicating them, trusting them and asking them to intercede on his behalf.
4. He who believes that the guidance of others is more perfect than the Prophet.
5. He who hates anything that the Prophet was sent with.
6. He who denies the religion of the Prophet or ridicules its reward or punishment.
7. Sorcery.
8. Supporting the polytheists against the Muslims.
9. He who believes that some people are exempted from abiding by the Shari`ah as Khidr was exempted by the laws of Musa.
10. Turning away from the religion of Allah by neither learning nor applying it.


Q- 47 What are the three fundamentals that every Muslim must learn?
A. The three fundamentals are:
1. Knowing Your Rubb (the Lord, the Creator, the Sustainer, and the One in Whose Hand is the disposal of all affairs).
2. Knowing your religion (Islam).
3. Knowing your Prophet Muhammad


Q-48 What is Taghut?
A. Everything that is worshipped. or followed or obeyed other than Allah is Taghut.


Q-49 How many Taghut are there and who are their leaders?
A. They are many but their leaders are Five:



Q. 50-Who are the leaders of Taghut ?
A. They are:
1. Satan, may Allah curse him,
2. Anyone who is worshipped with his consent.
3. A person who calls the people to be worshipped instead of Allah.
4. A person who claims the knowledge of Ghaib (unseen, hidden, invisible, absent etc).
5. The ruler who rules by laws other than the law sent down by Allah.

1. What is Islam?

The word "Islam" means peace and submission. Peace means to be at peace with yourself and your surroundings and submission means submission to the will of God. A broader meaning of the word "Islam" is to achieve peace by submitting to the will of God.

This is a unique religion with a name which signifies a moral attitude and a way of life. Judaism takes its name from the tribe of Juda, Christianity from Jesus Christ, Buddhism from Goutam Buddha and Hinduism from Indus River. However, Muslims derive their identity from the message of Islam, rather than the person of Muhammed (P), thus should not be called "Muhammadans".

2. Who is Allah?

Allah is the Arabic word for "one God". Allah is not God of Muslims only. He is God of all creations, because He is their Creator and Sustainer.

3. Who is a Muslim?

The word "Muslim" means one who submits to the will of God. This is done by declaring that "there is no god except one God and Muhammad is the messenger of God." In a broader sense, anyone who willingly submits to the will of God is a Muslim. Thus, all the prophets preceding the prophet Muhammad are considered Muslims. The Quran specifically mentions Abraham who lived long before Moses and Christ that, "he was not a Jew or a Christian but a Muslim," because, he had submitted to the will of God. Thus there are Muslims who are not submitting at all to the will of God and there are Muslims who are doing their best to live an Islamic life. One cannot judge Islam by looking at those individuals who have a Muslim name but in their actions, they are not living or behaving as Muslims. The extent of being a Muslim can be according to the degree to which one is submitting to the will of God, in his beliefs and his actions.

4. Who was Muhammad? (P)

In brief, Muhammad (Peace be upon him) was born in a noble tribe of Mecca in Arabia in the year 570 AD. His ancestry goes back to Prophet Ishmael (P), son of Prophet Abraham (P). His father died before his birth and his mother died when he was six. He did not attend a formal school since he was raised first by a nurse as it was the custom those days, and then by his grandfather and uncle. As a young man, he was known as a righteous person who used to meditate in a cave. At age 40, he was given the prophethood when the angel, Gabriel, appeared in the cave. Subsequently, the revelations came over 23 years and were compiled in the form of a book called the Quran which Muslims consider as the final and the last word of God. The Quran has been preserved, unchanged, in its original form and confirms the truth in the Torah, the psalms and the Gospel.

5. Do Muslims worship Muhammad? (P)

No. Muslims do not worship Muhammad (P) or any other prophets. Muslims believe in all prophets including Adam, Noah, Abraham, David, Solomon, Moses and Jesus. Muslims believe that Muhammad (P) was the last of the prophets. They believe that God alone is to be worshiped, not any human being.

6. What do Muslims think of Jesus? (P)

Muslims think highly of Jesus (P) and his worthy mother, Mary. The Quran tells us that Jesus was born of a miraculous birth without a father. "Lo! The likeness of Jesus with Allah is the likeness of Adam. He created him of dust, and then He said unto him: Be and he is" (Quran 3.59). He was given many miracles as a prophet. These include speaking soon after his birth in defense of his mother's piety. God's other gifts to him included healing the blind and the sick, reviving the dead, making a bird out of clay and most importantly, the message he was carrying. These miracles were given to him by God to establish him as a prophet. According to the Quran, he was not crucified but was raised into Heaven. (Quran, Chapter Maryam)

7. Do Muslims have many sects?

Muslims have no sects. In Islam, there are two major schools of thought, the Shia and the Sunni. Both have many things in common. They follow the same book - Quran. They follow the same prophet Muhammad (P). Both offer their prayers five time a day. Both fast in the month of Ramadan. They both go for hajj, pilgrimage to Mecca. Those who follow Prophet Muhammad (P), in accordance with his sayings and actions, are called Sunni and those who in addition follow the sayings and views of Ali (Muhammad's son-in- law), as the rightful successor to Prophet Muhammad (P), are called Shia. Shia means a partisan (party of Ali) and it started more as a political party to help Ali in his conflict with his political adversaries. Most Shias live in Iran and Iraq while the rest of the Muslim world is mostly Sunni. Shias comprise about 16-percent of the Muslim population.

8. What are the pillars of Islam?

There are five major pillars of Islam which are the articles of faith. These pillars are 1) the belief (Iman) in one God and that Muhammad (P) is His messenger, 2) prayer (Salat) which are prescribed five times a day, 3) fasting (Siyam) which is required in the month of Ramadan, 4) charity (Zakat) which is the poor-due on the wealth of the rich and 5) hajj which is the pilgrimage to Mecca once in a lifetime if one can afford it physically and financially. All the pillars should be of equal height and strength in a building in order to give the building its due shape and proportions. It is not possible that one would do hajj without observing fasting or without practicing regular prayers. Now think of a building which has pillars only. It would not be called a building. In order to make it a building, it has to have a roof, it has to have walls, it has to have doors and windows. These things in Islam are the moral codes of Islam such as honesty, truthfulness, steadfastness and many other human moral qualities. Thus in order to be a Muslim, one should not only be practicing the pillars of Islam but should also have the highest possible attribute for being a good human being. Only then the building is completed and looks beautiful.

9. What is the purpose of worship in Islam?

The purpose of worship in Islam is to be God conscious. Thus the worship, whether it is prayer, fasting, or charity, is a means to achieve God consciousness so that when one becomes conscious of God, in thought and in action, he is in a better position to receive His bounties both in this world and the hereafter.

10. Do Muslims believe in the hereafter?

God is Just and manifest His justice, He established the system of accountability. Those who do good will be rewarded and those who do wrong will be punished accordingly. Thus, He created Heaven and Hell and there are admission criteria for both. Muslims believe that the present life is a temporary one. It is a test and if we pass the test, we will be given a life of permanent pleasure in the company of good people in Heaven.

11. Will the good actions of the non-believers be wasted?

No. The Quran clearly says that, "anyone who has an atom's worth of goodness will see it and anyone who has done an atom's worth of evil will also see it" (Quran 99:7-8). By that it is meant that those who are non- believers but have done good will be rewarded in this world for their good deed. On the other hand, those who do good if they are Muslims, they will be rewarded not only in this world but also in the world hereafter. However, the final Judgment is up to God himself. (Quran 2:62)

12. What is the dress code for Muslims?

Islam emphasizes modesty. No person should be perceived as a sex object. There are certain guidelines both for men and women that their dress should neither be too thin nor too tight to reveal body forms. For men, they must at least cover the area from the knee to navel and for women, their dress should cover all areas except the hands and face. The veil is not essential.

13. What are the dietary prohibitions in Islam?

Muslims are told in the Quran not to eat pork or pork products, meat of the animals who died before being slaughtered or the carnivorous animals (as they eat dead animals), nor drink blood or intoxicants such as wine or use any illicit drugs.

14. What is Jihad?

The word "Jihad" means struggle, or to be specific, striving in the cause of God. Any struggle done in day-to-day life to please God can be considered Jihad. One of the highest levels of Jihad is to stand up to a tyrant and speak a word of truth. Control of the self from wrong doings is also a great Jihad. One of the forms of Jihad is to take up arms in defense of Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked. This kind of Jihad has to be declared by the religious leadership or by a Muslim head of state who is following the Quran and Sunnah.

15. What is the Islamic Year?

The Islamic year started from the migration (Hijra) of Prophet Muhammad (P) from Mecca to Medina in 622 AD. It is a lunar year of 354 days. The first month is called Muharram. 1996 AD is in Islamic year 1416 AH.

16. What are the major Islamic festivals?

Idul Fitre, marks the end of fasting in the month of Ramadan and is celebrated with public prayers, feasts and exchange of gifts. Idul Adha marks the end of the Hajj or the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. After the public prayers, those who can afford, sacrifice a lamb or a goat to signify Prophet Abraham's obedience to God, shown by his readiness to sacrifice his son Ishmael.

17. What is Sharia?

Sharia is the comprehensive Muslim law derived form two sources, a) the Quran b) the Sunnah or traditions of Prophet Muhammad (P). It covers every aspect of daily individual and collective living. The purpose of Islamic laws are protection of individuals' basic human rights to include right to life, property, political and religious freedom and safeguarding the rights of women and minorities. The low crime rate in Muslim societies is due to the application of the Islamic laws.

18. Was Islam spread by the sword?

According to the Quran, "There is no compulsion in religion" (2:256), thus, no one can be forced to become a Muslim. While it is true that in many places where Muslim armies went to liberate people or the land, they did carry the sword as that was the weapon used at that time. However, Islam did not spread by the sword because in many places where there are Muslims now, in the Far East like Indonesia, in China, and many parts of Africa, there are no records of any Muslim armies going there. To say that Islam was spread by the sword would be to say that Christianity was spread by guns, F-16's and atomic bombs, etc., which is not true. Christianity spread by the missionary works of Christians. Ten-percent of all Arabs are Christians. The "Sword of Islam" could not convert all the non-Muslim minorities in Muslim countries. In India, where Muslims ruled for 700 years, they are still a minority. In the U.S.A., Islam is the fastest growing religion and has 6 million followers without any sword around.

19. Does Islam promote violence and terrorism?

No. Islam is religion of peace and submission and stresses on the sanctity of human life. A verse in the Quran says, [Chapter 5, verse 32], that "anyone who saves one life, it is as if he has saved the whole of mankind and anyone who has killed another person (except in lieu of murder or mischief on earth) it is as if he has killed the whole of mankind." Islam condemns all the violence which happened in the Crusades, in Spain, in WW II, or by acts of people like the Rev. Jim Jones, David Koresh, Dr. Baruch Goldstein, or the atrocities committed in Bosniaby the Christian Serbs. Anyone who is doing violence is not practicing his religion at that time. However, sometimes violence is a human response of oppressed people as it happens in Palestine. Although this is wrong, they think of this as a way to get attention. There is a lot of terrorism and violence in areas where there is no Muslim presence. For example, in Ireland, South Africa, Latin America, and Sri Lanka. Sometimes the violence is due to a struggle between those who have with those who do not have, or between those who are oppressed with those who are oppressors. We need to find out why people become terrorists. Unfortunately, the Palestinians who are doing violence are called terrorists, but not the armed Israeli settlers when they do the same sometimes even against their own people. As it turned out to be in the Oklahoma City bombing, sometime Muslims are prematurely blamed even if the terrorism is committed by non-Muslims. Sometimes those who want Peace and those who oppose Peace can be of the same religion.

20. What is "Islamic Fundamentalism"?

There is no concept of "Fundamentalism" in Islam. The western media has coined this term to brand those Muslims who wish to return to the basic fundamental principles of Islam and mould their lives accordingly. Islam is a religion of moderation and a practicing God fearing Muslim can neither be a fanatic nor an extremist.

21. Does Islam promote polygamy?

No, polygamy in Islam is a permission not an injunction. Historically, all the prophets except Jesus, who was not married, had more than one wife. For Muslim men to have more than one wife is a permission which is given to them in the Quran, not to satisfy lust, but for the welfare of the widows and the orphans of the wars. In the pre-Islamic period, men used to have many wives. One person had 11 wives and when he became Muslim, he asked the Prophet Muhammad (P), "What should I do with so many wives?" and he said, "Divorce all except the four." The Quran says, "you can marry 2 or 3 and up to 4 women if you can be equally just with each of them" (4:3). Since it is very difficult to be equally just with all wives, in practice, most of the Muslim men do not have more than one wife. Prophet Muhammad (P) himself from age 24 to 50 was married to only one woman, Khadija. In the western society, some men who have one wife have many extramarital affairs. Thus, a survey was published in "U.S.A. Today" (April 4, 1988 Section D) which asked 4,700 mistresses what they would like their status to be. They said that "they preferred being a second wife rather than the 'other woman' because they did not have the legal rights, nor did they have the financial equality of the legally married wives, and it appeared that they were being used by these men."

22. Does Islam oppress women?

No. On the contrary, Islam elevated the status of women 1,400 years ago by giving them the right to divorce, the right to have financial independence and support and the right to be identified as dignified women (Hijab) when in the rest of the world, including Europe, women had no such rights. Women are equal to men in all acts of piety (Quran 33:32). Islam allows women to keep their maiden name after marriage, their earned money and spend it as they wish, and ask men to be their protector as women on the street can be molested. Prophet Muhammad (P) told Muslim men, "the best among you is the one who is best to his family." Not Islam, but some Muslim men, do oppress women today. This is because of their cultural habits or their ignorance about their religion. Female Genital Mutilations has nothing to do with Islam. It is a pre Islamic African Custom, practiced by non Muslims including coptic Christians as well.

23. Is Islam intolerant of other religious minorities?

Islam recognizes the rights of the minority. To ensure their welfare and safety, Muslim rulers initiated a tax (Jazia) on them. Prophet Muhammad (P) forbade Muslim armies to destroy churches and synagogues. Caliph Umer did not even allow them to pray inside a church. Jews were welcomed and flourished in Muslim Spain even when they were persecuted in the rest of Europe. They consider that part of their history as the Golden Era. In Muslim countries, Christians live in prosperity, hold government positions and attend their church. Christian missionaries are allowed to establish and operate their schools and hospitals. However, the same religious tolerance is not always available to Muslim minorities as seen in the past during Spanish inquisition and the crusades, or as seen now by the events in Bosnia, Israel and India. Muslims do recognize that sometimes the actions of a ruler does not reflect the teachings of his religion.

24. What is the Islamic view on-

a. Dating and Premarital sex:

Islam does not approve of intimate mixing of the sexes, and forbids premarital or extramarital sex. Islam encourages marriage as a shield to such temptations and as a means of having mutual love, mercy and peace.

b. Abortion:

Islam considers abortion as murder and does not permit it except to save the mother's life (Quran 17:23-31, 6:15 1).

c. Homosexuality and AIDS:

Islam categorically opposes homosexuality and considers it a sin. However, Muslim physicians are advised to care for AIDS patients with compassion just as they would for other patients.

d. Euthanasia and Suicide:

Islam is opposed to both suicide and euthanasia. Muslims do not believe in heroic measures to prolong the misery in a terminally ill patient.

e. Organ transplantation:

Islam stresses upon saving lives (Quran 5:32); thus, transplantation in general would be considered permissible provided a donor consent is available. The sale of the organ is not allowed.

25. How should Muslims treat Jews and Christians?

The Quran calls them "People of the Book", i.e., those who received Divine scriptures before Muhammad (P). Muslims are told to treat them with respect and justice and do not fight with them unless they initiate hostilities or ridicule their faith. The Muslims ultimate hope is that they all will join them in worshipping one God and submit to His will.

"Say (O Muhammad): O people of the Book (Jews and Christians) come to an agreement between us and you, that we shall worship none but Allah, and that we shall take no partners with Him, and none of us shall take others for Lords beside Allah. And if they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we are those who have surrendered (unto Him)." (Quran 3:64)

What about Hindus, Bahai, Buddhists and members of other religions?
They should also be treated with love, respect, and understanding to make them recipients of Invitations to Islam.

SUGGESTED READINGS:1. The Holy Quran (A-Yusuf Ali trans.) - Amana Corp., MD2. Islam in Focus (H. Abdalati) - Islamic Teaching Center, Plainfield, IN3. "Towards Understanding Islam" - (A. Moududi) - ATP, Indianapolis4. "Reflections of an American Muslim" (Shahid Athar) - Kazi Publication,Chicago.
http://al-usrah.net/articles/viewarticle.asp?id=118