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THE BEAUTIFUL
TEACHINGS
OF ISLAM
_____________________________________________
The Clear Religion Series - Part 2
Excerpted from Who Deserves to Be Worshipped
www.saaid.net/The-clear-religion/017.pdf

Majed S. Al-Rassi
Edited by Ann Ronayne
Revised 2019

This book may be copied and distributed for

free as long as no changes are made.
www.saaid.net/The-clear-religion/029.pdf

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NO DOUBT THIS LIFE IS AN EXAMINATION

WHICH NEEDS YOUR FULL CONSIDERATION
AS TO WHAT YOU WILL TAKE TO
YOUR FINAL DESTINATION
ONLY TRUE BELIEF AND GOOD DEEDS ARE
YOUR WAY TO SALVATION

(Muhammad Sherif)

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CONTENTS

HONORIFIC PHRASES IN THIS BOOK 4

ABOUT THE WORD ‘LORD’ 5

ABOUT THE WORD ‘ALLAH’ 6

INTRODUCTION 7

1. THE SIX ARTICLES OF ISLAMIC FAITH 9

1.1 Belief in Allah 9
1.2 Belief in the angels 10
1.3 Belief in the scriptures 11
Distortion of the Old Testament 14
Biblical proofs of the Bible’s distortion 18
Who distorted the Bible (Old and New Testaments)? 18
Distorting revelations is the biggest sin 21
An important note 21
Revelation of the Quran 22
The entire Quran is a proclamation of monotheism 24
The Prophet’s teachings 24
Preservation of Islamic teachings 25
1.4 Belief in the messengers of Allah 26
Obedience to the Prophet (bpuh) 30
Loving the Prophet (bpuh) 30
1.5 Belief in the Last Day 33
1.6 Belief in predestination 34

2. THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM 35

2.1 The declaration of the two testimonies of faith 35
2.2 Prayers 36

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2 The beautiful teachings of Islam

2.3 Zakah (obligatory charity) 36

2.4 Fasting the month of Ramadan 37
2.5 Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) 38

3. MAIN ASPECTS OF THE MORAL SYSTEM IN ISLAM 39

3.1 Relationship with the Lord 39
3.2 Relationships with people in general 40
3.3 Relationships with parents 41
3.4 Relationships with other relatives 41
3.5 Relationships with neighbours 42
3.6 Food — moral conduct 43
3.7 Hygiene — Islamic moral conduct 43
3.8 Spiritual — Islamic moral conduct 43
3.9 Family structure and rights 44
3.10 Decency and veiling 45
3.11 The rights of the wife 45
3.12 Polygyny 46
3.13 Divorce rules 47
3.14 Protection of life 47
3.15 Protection of property 47
3.16 Animal rights 48
3.17 Maintaining health 48
3.18 Rights of the deceased 50

4. FEATURES OF ISLAMIC TEACHINGS 51

4.1 Rationality 51
4.2 Perfection 51
4.3 Clarity 52

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Contents 3

4.4 Scientific validity and accuracy 52

4.5 Prophetic fulfilment 53
4.6 Moderation 53
4.7 Comprehensiveness 53
4.8 Uniqueness 53
4.9 Justice 54

CONCLUSION 55

BIBLIOGRAPHY 56

APPENDIX 57

GLOSSARY OF ISLAMIC TERMS 59

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HONORIFIC PHRASES IN THIS BOOK

(bpuh): Blessings and peace be upon him; used after mention of the
Prophet Muhammad

(pbuh): Peace be upon him; used after mention of any prophet or

after mention of Angel Gabriel

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ABOUT THE WORD ‘LORD’

T he word lord in English has several related meanings. The

original meaning is ‘master’ or ‘ruler’, and in this sense it is often
used to refer to human beings: ‘the lord of the mansion’ or ‘Lord So-
and-So’ (in the United Kingdom, for example). The word Lord with a
capital L is used in the lexicon of Islam to refer to the One and Only
God—Allah. In Islam, there is no ambiguity about the meaning of this
word. While it is true that one may occasionally use the word lord
(whether capitalized or not) to refer to a human being, in Islamic
discourse the reference of this term is always clear from the context.
Whereas for Christians, Hindus and other polytheists, the word Lord
with a capital L may refer to Allah, to Jesus or to some imagined
deity, for Muslims, there can be no plurality of meaning. Allah alone
is the Lord, and the Lord is Allah—not Jesus, not Rama, not any other
being.

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ABOUT THE WORD ‘ALLAH’

A lthough the English word ‘God’ has often been used

interchangeably in this book with the word Allah, there is a
difference. ‘Allah’ is the word in Arabic that is translated as ‘God’.
However, ‘Allah’ has a much more precise meaning than ‘God’.
‘Allah’ is not merely an Arabic term for the word ‘god’. Instead, the
root word of the word ‘Allah’ is ilah, which means ‘a god’. There are
countless numbers of made-up ‘gods’, but only One True God worthy
of worship, Whose name is Allah. The word ‘Allah’ literally means
‘the worshipped’, or ‘the God’. Allah is, thus, the proper name for the
only Being that is worthy of worship in truth, the True Creator of the
universe. By saying ‘Allah’, Muslims are, in essence, negating every
other entity which people wrongfully worship, while affirming
worship to Him alone. The name ‘Allah’ is how God Almighty has
referred to Himself in the Quran, and how Prophet Muhammad
(blessings and peace be upon him) also referred to Him. Therefore, in
this work, the term ‘Allah’ will often be used in reference to this One
and Only God Who is worthy of worship.

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INTRODUCTION

S ome of the prophets sent by Allah, the Exalted, were supported

by revealed books that were the basis of enlightenment for the
people they were sent to. As a revelation from the Almighty, each of
these books is easily distinguishable, in its characteristics, from books
written by human beings.
The last of these books is the noble Quran, the primary source of
Islamic teachings, which Allah Has promised to preserve from being
altered. The sayings and traditions of Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) are
the second source; they add to and detail the teachings of the noble
Quran.
This booklet sheds light on the basic characteristics of those main
two sources of Islamic teachings. It also includes a discussion of the
Islamic moral system.
Islam has unique moral teachings that call for strengthening the
relationship between humans and their Lord, as well as among one
another. They also call for us to correct and improve ourselves, both
inwardly and outwardly.
It should be noted that these moral teachings have been revealed
from Allah; they are not a result of human work or experiences.
Enjoy the book.

Kind regards,
Majed S. Al-Rassi
Phone: 966 50 5906761
e-mail: [email protected]

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1. THE SIX ARTICLES OF ISLAMIC FAITH

I1.1 Belief in Allah

slamic belief is based on six fundamental articles of faith.

This includes the following beliefs:

❖ Belief in Allah’s existence: The existence of humankind and the
entire universe is not a mere accident or the product of chance.
The universe, and everything in it, manifests and points to the
certainty of there being a Creator.
❖ Belief that Allah is the Creator, the Sustainer, the Owner of the
universe and its contents, the Provider of everything, the Giver of
life and the Causer of death.
❖ Belief that Allah is the only One Who has the right to be
worshipped.
❖ Allah has revealed, both in His final revelation, the Quran, and
through his Prophet’s teachings, ninety-nine names and numerous
attributes. They offer some insight into the absolutely unique,
wondrous and perfect nature of Allah. The most frequently used
name is Allah, which means ‘the Worshipped’. Some of those
attributes are: the Everlasting, All-Powerful, All-Knowing, All-
Hearing, All-Seeing, Self-Sufficient and Self-Sustaining. Allah
Almighty is above all comprehension, and He does not resemble
His creation, as He has said in the Quran:

{…There is nothing like unto Him…} (Quran 42: 11)

{Say: He is Allah, [Who is] One, Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He

neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent.}
(Quran 112: 1-4)

He is the most Rich, free of all needs. He has said in the Quran:

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10 The beautiful teachings of Islam

{And I did not create the jinn and humankind except to worship
Me. I do not want from them any provision, nor do I want them to
feed Me. Indeed, it is Allah who is the [continual] Provider, the
firm possessor of strength.} (Quran 51: 56-58)

Allah’s ninety-nine names and attributes have all been mentioned

in the Quran and the statements of the Prophet (bpuh).

1.2 Belief in the angels

Angels are creatures created by Allah for specific functions. They are
normally invisible and have no free will; they do as Allah commands
them. They should not be worshipped. The angel Gabriel (pbuh) was
responsible for conveying the revelation to the prophets. Two angels
are assigned to every human being to record their good and evil deeds.
Another angel accompanies each human being, encouraging him or
her to do good deeds. Others blow the human spirit into the foetus
four months after conception, and still others take the human spirit at
the time of its death, by Allah’s permission. There are other angels
that have various responsibilities.1
There are two main points of difference between the Islamic and
Christian views of angels. In Islamic teachings, angels are noble and
free of sin, yet righteous Muslims hold a greater status in the eyes of
Allah. The angels were commanded to bow to Adam (pbuh) due to his
superior knowledge, and they all did as they were commanded.
Christians, on the other hand, believe that angels are of two kinds:
good/obedient and evil/disobedient. That is how they justify their
belief that Satan is a ‘fallen angel’―an evil angel who disobeyed
God.

1 For more detail, see al-Uthaymeen, Explanation of the Three

Fundamental Principles of Islaam.

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The six articles of Islamic faith 11

According to Islamic belief, both angels and human beings are

creatures of Allah, and both are obliged to worship Him. Angels have
no choice, though; they worship Allah and never disobey Him, so they
commit no sins. Thus, the second main point of difference between
the Christian and Islamic views of angels is that of free will. Whereas
angels have no free will, human beings do, so humans might choose to
obey Allah, to be sinful, or to follow some commandments while
disobeying others.

1.3 Belief in the scriptures

This article of faith refers to belief in all the scriptures as revealed in
their original form by Allah to His messengers. Revealed scriptures
form the enlightenment which the messengers received to show their
people the right path to Allah. All the revealed books call to the
worship of Allah alone, and they forbid the worship of anything in
place of, or in addition to, Him. They contain guidance for humankind
in all aspects of life. They define right and wrong, and they offer
human beings a complete system of beliefs and practices to govern all
their affairs. The Creator alone knows best what is beneficial for His
creation and what is not. Thus, the divine laws contained in those
scriptures command and prohibit various acts and substances in order
to protect the human spirit, human body, and human society from
harm. Human beings need to abide by Allah’s commandments, as
documented in His revealed books, in order to fulfil their potential by
living a righteous life.
The original texts of the revealed books do not differ from each
other in their main doctrinal principles. However, due to the
differences among nations in terms of time and place, there were some
differences in the practical teachings (laws) of the scriptures,
according to the wisdom of Allah. Their basic message, however,
remains the same.

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12 The beautiful teachings of Islam

Muslims believe in the previous books as mentioned in the Quran:

the Scripture of Abraham (pbuh), the Torah of Moses (pbuh), the
Psalms of David (pbuh), and the Gospel of Jesus (pbuh). The
following verse from the noble Quran emphasizes the fact that belief
in all the previous scriptures sent by Allah is an integral part of the
Islamic belief system:

{Say [O believers]: We have believed in Allah and what has been

revealed to us and what has been revealed to Abraham and Ishmael
and Isaac and Jacob and the descendants and what was given to Moses
and Jesus and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We
make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims [in
submission] to Him.} (Quran 2: 136)

Long before the coming of Prophet Muhammad (bpuh), all of these

scriptures had been either lost or irrevocably corrupted by later
generations, over the centuries, with myths, superstitions, idolatry, and
irrational philosophical beliefs. The existing forms of those scriptures
contain contradictions and hence cannot be described as Allah’s
revelation.
The Bible, for example, is composed of many books written by
various authors. The scripture that was revealed to Jesus (pbuh) has
undergone so many changes that today we have the four well-known
Gospels instead of one Gospel.
These were written between 40 and 115 years after Jesus
(peace be upon him) had left and are based on documents that
have been lost. The Gospel according to Mark was the first
one written in Rome, at least 40 years after the disappearance
of Jesus (peace be upon him). The Gospel according to
Matthew was written in the Greek Language about 90 years
after Christ. The Gospel according to Luke was written in
Greece approximately 80 years after Christ. These three
Gospels are called Synoptic because they originate from the
same lost document and they have a lot in common. The
Gospel according to John, on the other hand, has deep

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The six articles of Islamic faith 13

differences with the Synoptic Gospels. It is in this Gospel of

John where the Divinity and pre-existence of Jesus (peace be
upon him) was mentioned, even though Jesus himself never
claimed this. This Gospel was written between the years 110
and 115 CE.2
Analysis of these Gospels reveals the following:
1. There exist no written documents dating from the period of
Jesus’ lifetime that record his sayings, actions, or lectures.
2. The Gospels were written 40-115 years after Jesus’
‘disappearance’ and were based on documents that have since
been lost. As a consequence, there was manipulation of the
content.
3. The historical record of the Gospels points to the fact that they
were written by people who never knew, saw, heard, or met
Jesus. (They are named as Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John,
although their actual identities are not known.) What they
narrated as the Gospels was actually based on what they heard
from the preceding generations. This points to the fact that the
original message revealed to Jesus, which was in his
possession, did not exist later (after his ascension). Otherwise,
there would be no need for people to write it.
4. The Gospels were written in Greek, whereas Jesus (pbuh)
spoke Aramaic; since they do not record his original speech,
they cannot be the words of Allah.
5. For at least 100 years after the Gospels were written, they did
not have any canonical authority. During this time, writers
from different sects changed them in order to suit their own
agendas.

2 Abdul Razak, Study Guide, Comparative Study — Islam and

Christianity.

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14 The beautiful teachings of Islam

6. The clearest evidence of biblical distortion is the revision of

the Bible to the extent that every edition is different from the
previous one.
7. There is a lack of authentication in documenting the original
text of the Bible.
8. The present Gospels, seen as a whole, are full of
contradictions.3
These factors have been brought up here in order to demonstrate
that the Gospel of Jesus (pbuh), meaning his original message that
was revealed by Allah, has not reached us in its original form. It can
be affirmed that the four Gospels included in today’s Bible cannot be
considered equivalent, or even similar, to the inspired message given
to Jesus (pbuh). Based on these historical facts, these four Gospels
should be treated as historical writings, like the other books in the
New Testament, not as the true scripture (word of Allah) that was
revealed to Jesus.4

Distortion of the Old Testament

Moving to the Old Testament texts, there are many verses that
describe the Lord with weak and negative attributes. Some of them are
even curses! This clearly indicates that the Old Testament cannot be
the word of God because the Lord would not undermine Himself in
the books He revealed to His people. The Lord is perfect, and hence
His book must be perfect and free from contradictions.

3 Source for points 1-7: Caraballo, My Great Love for Jesus Led Me to
Islam, 14-15.
4 At one time, there were a number of Gospels, but only four are accepted
as part of today’s Bible. Some scholars believe that these were chosen
by the First Council of Nicaea, convened by the Roman Emperor
Constantine in 325 CE.

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The six articles of Islamic faith 15

In the twelve passages cited below, a series of nine examples prove

conclusively to the sincere researcher that the current Old Testament
is not the true Old Testament, the revelation that was in Jesus’ hands.
It is the word of ‘men’, not the word of ‘God’, the Lord.5
1. Here it says that the Lord acted as if he had slept and drunk
wine! If this verse is true, then who controlled the universe
while He acted this way?
Then the Lord awoke as from sleep, like a strong man
shouting because of wine. (Psalm 78:65)
2. Here it says that the Lord will not hear. This is not an
appropriate characteristic for Allah.
Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not
hear? (Habakkuk 1:2)
3. Here it says that the Lord forgets.
How long, O Lord, Will you forget me forever?
(Psalm 13:1)
4. Here the Bible says that the Lord was not strong enough to
displace some people because their chariots were made of
iron.
And the Lord was with Judah, and he took possession of
the hill country, but he could not drive out the
inhabitants of the plain because they had chariots of
iron. (Judges 1:19)
5. Here it attributes more negative characteristics to the Lord.
Therefore will I lament and howl: I will go stripped and
naked: I will make a wailing like the dragons, and a
mourning like the ostriches. (Micah 1:8)

5 The great researcher Ahmed Deedat had a book titled 50,000 Errors in
the Bible, which is available online.

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16 The beautiful teachings of Islam

6. These two verses say that the Lord got tired after creating the
heavens and earth and then had to rest. This attribute fits the
human being, not the Lord, Who is the Most Strong.
…In six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on
the seventh day he rested and was refreshed. (Exodus
31:17)
And on the seventh day God finished his work that he
had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his
work that he had done. (Genesis 2:2)
But the following verse contradicts the previous two verses:
Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends
of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his
understanding is unsearchable. (Isaiah 40:28)
7. Here it says that the Lord will sound the trumpet. Is this fit for
the Lord?
…The Lord God will sound the trumpet and will march
forth in the whirlwinds of the south. (Zechariah 9:14)
8. Here it implies that the Lord has failed and is hurt.
For thus says the Lord: “Behold, I am slinging out the
inhabitants of the land at this time, and I will bring
distress on them, that they may feel it.” Woe is me
because of my hurt! My wound is grievous. But I said,
“Truly this is an affliction, and I must bear it.” My tent is
destroyed, and all my cords are broken; my children have
gone from me, and they are not; there is no one to spread
my tent again and to set up my curtains. (Jeremiah 10:18-
20)
9. Psalm 89:38-46 describes the Lord acting badly against Jesus!
38 But now you have cast off and rejected; you are full
of wrath against your anointed.

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The six articles of Islamic faith 17

39 You have renounced the covenant with your servant;

you have defiled his crown in the dust.
40 You have breached all his walls; you have laid his
strongholds in ruins.
41 All who pass by plunder him; he has become the
scorn of his neighbours.
42 You have exalted the right hand of his foes; you have
made all his enemies rejoice.
43 You have also turned back the edge of his sword, and
you have not made him stand in battle.
44 You have made his splendor to cease and cast his
throne to the ground.
45 You have cut short the days of his youth; you
have covered him with shame.
46 How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever?
How long will your wrath burn like fire?
10. Here is the cursing of a prophet (Balaam) in the Bible! Could
this be the word of God? Could it happen that God sends a
prophet and then rebukes him for his transgressions and then
accuses him of not being in his right mind?
but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless
donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the
prophet’s madness. (2 Peter 2:16)
11. Genesis 19:30-38 narrates a very wicked story about a prophet
(Lot). According to this, his daughters got him drunk and then
had sexual relations with him while he was unaware of it; they
both bore children as a result. Even a very indecent person
would not do this.
12. Here is a Biblical curse for the Prophet Solomon:

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18 The beautiful teachings of Islam

Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along

with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite,
Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, from the nations
concerning which the Lord had said to the people of
Israel, “You shall not enter into marriage with them,
neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away
your heart after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in
love. He had 700 wives, who were princesses, and 300
concubines. And his wives turned away his heart. For
when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart
after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the
Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. For
Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the
Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the
Ammonites. So Solomon did what was evil in the sight
of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David
his father had done. (1 Kings 11: 1-6)
There are hundreds of verses in the Bible which are against logic and
common sense.

Biblical proofs of the Bible’s distortion

The Old Testament itself clearly testifies that it was altered by
humans. God (Allah) is quoted as saying:
How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with
us’? But behold, the lying pen of the scribes has made it into a
lie. (Jeremiah 8:8)

Who distorted the Bible (Old and New Testaments)?

Dr Bilal Philips has explained:
About five years after the end of Jesus’ ministry, a young rabbi
by the name of Saul of Tarsus, who claimed to have seen Jesus in


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The six articles of Islamic faith 19

a vision, began to change Jesus’ way. Paul (his Roman name) had
considerable respect for Roman philosophy and he spoke proudly
of his own Roman citizenship. His conviction was that non-Jews
who became Christians should not be burdened with the Torah in
any respect. The author of Acts 13:39 quotes Paul as saying: And
by him every one that believes is freed from everything which
you could not be freed by the Law of Moses. It was primarily
through the efforts of Paul that the Church began to take on its
non-Jewish character. Paul wrote most of the New Testament
letters (epistles), which the Church accepts as the official
doctrine and inspired Scripture. These letters do not preserve the
Gospel of Jesus or even represent it, instead, Paul transformed
the teachings of Christ into a Hellenic (Greco-Roman)
philosophy.6
Based on these facts, it can easily be concluded that the Bible in
its present form is no more than a collection of historical books
written by various writers over many years. The accounts of the life of
Jesus were written after his ascension, by men who never met him.
(They are named as Mark, Matthew, Luke and John, although their
actual identities are not known.) These are partial accounts, which
contradict each other and have no authentication. The current
version(s) of the Bible does not represent the original revelations and
cannot be described as the word of God (Allah).
Many Christians have found that when they do research to
discover the true teachings of God, the Bible cannot answer their
questions. Dr David Liepert is a Canadian physician who began
learning about Islam in order to convince Muslim co-workers that his
Christian beliefs represented the truth. As he combed through the
Bible, however, he was surprised to find that it did not contain the
evidence for his beliefs that he had assumed was there. After a great

6 Philips, The True Message of Jesus Christ, 52-53.


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20 The beautiful teachings of Islam

deal of soul-searching, and extensive research into Islam, he realized

that it had the strongest evidence supporting it, and he embraced Islam
as the true religion. His story is described in his book Choosing Faith.
Although the original revelations were not preserved and have
been replaced with the current Bible (including the four Gospels
attributed to Luke, Matthew, John, and Mark), the Old and New
Testaments still contain some remnants of the original truth. The
Quran confirms these parts, because it confirms the truth and denies
all falsehood. Islamic teachings set out a criterion for either accepting
or rejecting passages from the Bible, as described in the following
verse:

{And We have revealed to you [O Muhammad] the book in truth,

confirming that which preceded it of the scripture and as a criterion
over it...} (Quran 5: 48)

This verse emphasizes two main aspects of the Quran:

1) The Quran confirms only those teachings or passages of the
previous scriptures whose meaning have remained intact.
2) The Quran is the final, complete, authoritative, and authentic
revelation from Allah. It is the final arbiter and the only
criterion to correct any inaccuracy or misinterpretation which
might have occurred in the transmission of scriptures
throughout the ages. It helps us to discover, expose, and
disclose human additions to, or interpolations of, previous
revelations. Indeed, one of the names of the Quran is al-
Furqan (the criterion which distinguishes between right and
wrong, truth and falsehood).
It follows, therefore, that Muslims have no reason to reject the
essence of any passage in the Bible if such a passage is confirmed by
the Quran. For example, we read in the New Testament a reiteration of
one of the Ten Commandments:


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The six articles of Islamic faith 21

Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The

Lord our God, the Lord is one. (Mark 12:29)
Muslims who read this passage in the Bible can find no objection
to its essence. After all, the Quran confirms:

{Say: He is Allah, [Who is] One.} (Quran 112: 1)

{They have certainly disbelieved who say, “Allah is the Messiah, the
son of Mary,” while the Messiah has said, “O Children of Israel,
worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.” Indeed, he who associates
others with Allah – Allah has forbidden him Paradise, and his refuge
is the fire. And there are not for the wrongdoers any helpers.}
(Quran 5: 72)

If, however, Muslims read in the Bible (or in other previous

scriptures, for that matter) accusations of major moral sins levied
against great prophets, or doctrines which are totally negated in the
Quran, they can accept only the Quranic version as the original
unadulterated truth, revealed by Allah.

Distorting revelations is the biggest sin

The Quran has emphasized, in more than one verse, that distorting
Allah’s revelation is a severe sin.

{So woe to those who write the ‘scripture’ with their own hands, then
say: This is from Allah—in order to exchange it for a small price. Woe
to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what
they earn.} (Quran 2: 79)

An important note
It should be noted that those who followed the scriptures in their pure
and unadulterated forms, and then died before hearing the message of
Islam, are considered to be on the right religion; they will have
nothing to fear on the Day of Judgement.


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22 The beautiful teachings of Islam

Revelation of the Quran

Following the distortion of the previous scriptures, Allah, the Most
Compassionate, did not leave human beings to go astray without an
unadulterated reference. Indeed, He revealed the Quran as the final
revelation to humankind, and He promised to preserve it for all time.
It is the word of Allah, which He revealed to Prophet Muhammad
(bpuh) through the angel Gabriel (pbuh). It was revealed in parts
(fragments) of different lengths over a period of twenty-three years.
Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) recited the revelation to his Companions,
who wrote it down during his lifetime on palm leaves, parchment,
animal bones (the shoulder-blades of camels made a good writing
surface), and flat stones. When he recited it to them, he indicated
precisely where each revealed section belonged within the body of the
complete revelation. In addition, the Quran was memorized by
hundreds of Prophet Muhammad’s Companions. One year after the
death of Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) in 632 CE, the first caliph, Abu
Bakr (d. 634 CE, may Allah be pleased with him), instructed the
Prophet’s Companions to collect the whole Quran in one volume.
Later, the third caliph, Uthman (d. 656 CE, may Allah be pleased with
him), prepared several copies from the original text and sent them to
the major centres of the Islamic civilization. One of these
reproductions can still be found in Istanbul, Turkey.
From that time onwards, for more than 1400 years, the same
Quranic text has been in use, with the exact same wording, order, and
language (Arabic). Not a single word of its 114 chapters, 6200 verses,
and approximately 80,000 words has been changed since it was
revealed.7 Indeed, Allah has promised to preserve it forever:

7 This refers to the original Arabic Quran. There are differences in its
translations because they are merely interpretations of its meaning by
different individuals.


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The six articles of Islamic faith 23

{Indeed, it is We who sent down the Quran and indeed, We will be its
guardian.} (Quran 15: 9)

Just ponder over the fact that the Quran, in its entirety, is
memorized by millions of people, regardless of age, sex, social class,
or ethnicity! It is the only book that has been thus preserved, not only
on the shelf but in the hearts of humankind.
The Quran supersedes all previous scriptures. Allah has said to
Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) about it:

{And We have revealed to you [O Muhammad] the Book in truth,

confirming that which preceded it of the scripture and as a criterion
over it…} (Quran 5: 48)

An essential point to understand about the Quran is that it is a

miracle in terms of both its revelation and its content. Since the time
of its revelation, there have been those who denied the divine and
miraculous nature of the Quran, saying that Muhammad (bpuh) was
either taught by others or that he wrote it by himself! In order to
counteract this claim, Allah has presented a challenge to the whole of
humankind:

{And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down upon Our
slave [Muhammad], then produce a chapter the like thereof and call
upon your witnesses other than Allah, if you should be truthful.}
(Quran 2: 23)

This is one of the prophecies which the Quran accurately foretold,

for no one, from the time of Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) until this day,
has been able to produce the like of one chapter or even one verse of
the Quran. As such, Muslims do not need any other scriptures to base
their faith on, either fully or partially. The Quran remains clear and
easily understood by anyone who has a good command of the Arabic
language, and even when the meanings of its words are translated into


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24 The beautiful teachings of Islam

any of the world’s other languages, all of its legal injunctions and
instructions are clear.

The entire Quran is a proclamation of monotheism

1. Some of the verses inform us about Allah: His names, attributes,
acts, and speech. Those verses indicate the Oneness of Allah with
respect to His most excellent names, essence, and perfect
attributes.
2. Other verses point to the necessity of worshipping Allah alone,
without any associate or partner, and of renouncing the worship of
anything other than Him. These verses indicate the focus of
worship and the necessity for people to single out their Lord in
their intentions, when requesting His help and when turning to
Him in repentance, for example.
3. The Quran also contains injunctions and prohibitions; doing
something that has been enjoined or refraining from what has
been prohibited is the fulfilment and perfection of the affirmation
of the Oneness of Allah.
4. The Quran includes stories and information about prophets and
other righteous people of true and sincere belief. It tells about
their immediate rewards in the life of this world as well as the
immense rewards reserved for them in the hereafter.
5. The Quran also contains stories about those who associate
partners with Allah. It describes their punishment in this life and
the punishment they are promised in the hereafter. These are the
just deserts for those who deviate from the affirmation of Allah’s
Oneness.

The Prophet’s teachings

The teachings of Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) are the second source of
Islamic knowledge, after the noble Quran. They explain and elaborate


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The six articles of Islamic faith 25

on the Quranic verses. They also explain, in minute detail, the manner
of worship as performed by the Prophet (bpuh). The Prophet’s
statements provide further clarification and details as to how to fulfil
what Allah has ordered and refrain from what He has forbidden.
These teachings have been meticulously collected and reported by the
Prophet’s Companions (may Allah be pleased with all of them).

Preservation of Islamic teachings

Preventing Islamic teachings from alteration does not stop at the
preservation of the Quranic text; it is also forbidden to introduce into
the Prophet’s guidance (by saying or writing) anything that is contrary
to its premise, values, or teachings.
The Prophet (bpuh) said:
«Whoever introduces into this matter (the Islamic teachings)
something that does not belong to it, shall find it rejected.» (Recorded
by Bukhari and Muslim)
«One of the Prophet’s Companions said: The Prophet (bpuh) gave us a
highly effective admonition, such that many of us were tearful and felt
our hearts shudder.
Someone said to him: O Messenger of Allah! This sounds like the
admonition of someone bidding his audience farewell. Please outline
for us what you recommend.
The Prophet (bpuh) said: I urge you to always remain conscious of
Allah (God-fearing), and to listen to and obey your leaders, even if the
leader is an Abyssinian slave. Any of you who lives long will witness
much strife and conflict, so hold tight to my way and the way
followed by the Rightly-Guided Caliphs.8 Hold on to it and bite it with
your molars (do not let go of it), and steer away from any innovation
(in religious affairs and laws), for such innovations are deviations

8 He meant specifically the four caliphs who came after him.


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26 The beautiful teachings of Islam

(from the right path).» (An authentic hadith recorded by Ibn Hibban,
Abu Dawood, and Tirmidhi)9
Thus, in matters of religion, one is not permitted to change
fundamental principles of Islamic teachings. Whatever is contrary to
them is wrong and unacceptable. With this strict protection, Islam has
been kept as it was revealed, pure from myths and superstitions as
well as from changes that reflect the whims of people and leaders.

1.4 Belief in the messengers of Allah

Allah has conveyed His message through prophets and messengers,
individual human beings who were selected by Allah to be examples
of how the scriptures were to be understood and implemented.
Prophets demonstrated practically, for their followers, how they
should live in accordance with the law. The way of the prophets is the
only way to Allah, because it is the way prescribed by Allah Himself.
Without prophets, people would not know Allah, His attributes, or
how to worship Him.
The role of the prophets can be summarized as follows:
1. Receive the message from Allah.
2. Deliver this message to the people.
3. Advise people to fear Allah and abide by His
commandments.
4. Advise people who have deviated, disobeyed Allah, or
worshipped anything or anyone other than Him, to repent and
to obey and worship Him only.
5. Inform people about the fundamental aspects of faith.
6. Teach detailed religious and moral tenets to their followers.

9 hadith: a statement or action of Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) that was

remembered and recorded by his Companions and followers.


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The six articles of Islamic faith 27

7. Be a model for their people, and lead them to eternal

paradise.
Allah, the Exalted, has sent a prophet or prophets to every nation;
their duty was to convey the message that He alone should be
worshipped and that worshipping anything instead of, or along with,
Him is false and unacceptable. The Quran and Hadith have mentioned
twenty-seven prophets (see Illustration 1), while indicating that many
others existed but were not mentioned by name. The first of these
prophets was Adam, and the last was Muhammad (bpuh). May
Allah’s mercy and peace be upon all the prophets.
Every prophet was sent to a specific people and a specific era. For
example, in the present day Bible, Jesus says, “I was sent only to the
lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matthew 15:24)
Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) was an exception in that he was sent as
the last and final messenger until the hour of judgement. The proofs
that Muhammad (bpuh) was a messenger of Allah are innumerable,
and all have been mentioned in detailed biographical material about
his life. The greatest proof is the miracle of the Quran, which could
not have been written by any human and could not have been
conveyed by anyone other than a Messenger of Allah (bpuh).
Indeed, the books of the Bible mention the coming of Prophet
Muhammad (bpuh), in spite of the changes which have been
introduced in their content.10
The Quran and the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) relate,
with reverence, the lives of many of these prophets. Prophet
Muhammad (bpuh), the last prophet, remains the absolute example for
his followers, and his teachings were further elucidated through the
practice of his Rightly-Guided successors. The Prophet (bpuh)

10 See Chapter 15 of al-Rassi, The Amazing Prophecies of Muhammad

(bpuh) in the Bible: Twenty-Eight Proofs from the Bible of Muhammad’s
Prophethood.


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28 The beautiful teachings of Islam

continuously encouraged his followers to follow his way, and he

warned against conflict over Islamic principles and values. This was
to ensure that his followers would not deviate from the right path, as
did the followers of previous prophets.
Prophet Muhammad’s followers owe him two things: obedience
and love.


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The six articles of Islamic faith 29

Illustration 1: The prophets mentioned by name in

the Quran. Joshua is also listed here, although he was
named in the Hadith and not in the Quran.


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30 The beautiful teachings of Islam

Obedience to the Prophet (bpuh)

Obedience to the Prophet (bpuh) has been mentioned in thirty
different verses of the Quran. It implies following his commands and
avoiding what he prohibited. Obedience to the Prophet (bpuh)
indicates the true fulfilment of the second part of the declaration that
brings a person into Islam, “I bear witness that Muhammad is Allah’s
Messenger.”
When we examine what the Prophet (bpuh) encouraged, urged, or
ordered, we find that it is all from Allah and that it leads to something
good for us personally, for others who are close to us, for our families,
or for our wider community, whether it is the Muslim community in
general or humanity at large. He has only prohibited what is harmful
or of no benefit, such as adultery, gambling, drinking alcohol, lying,
being disrespectful to parents, and so on. In many statements, the
Prophet (bpuh) prohibited satanic ways such as these because these
tend to pull a person away from the right path.
Good believers reach a state of mind in which their desires and
pleasures in this life are in line with what Allah wants from them.
Every individual should be obedient to Allah and His Prophet (bpuh)
and should strictly observe the instructions from Allah. One’s faith
develops and grows through following Islamic teachings and
performing acts of worship, whereas it decays and suffers from a
spiritual loss if these teachings and acts of worship are abandoned.11

Loving the Prophet (bpuh)

Islam teaches that loving the Prophet is part of the Islamic faith. The
Prophet (bpuh) has been quoted as saying:

11 Compiled from Caraballo, My Great Love for Jesus Christ Led Me to

Islam.


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The six articles of Islamic faith 31

«None of you is a true believer unless I am dearer to him than his

parents, his children, and all other people.»
(Recorded by Bukhari and Muslim)
The Prophet (bpuh) also said:
«There are three qualities which are certain to give anyone the
sweetness of faith: to love Allah and His Messenger more than anyone
else, to love a person for no purpose other than for Allah’s sake, and
to hate to relapse into disbelief after Allah has saved him from it as
much as one would hate to be thrown into the fire.»
(Recorded by Bukhari and Muslim)
We are required to love Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) more than all
others (except Allah) because it was through him that we learned Who
Allah is, along with His attributes, our position in relation to Him,
what He wants from us, and how to worship Him. The Prophet (bpuh)
has guided us, through practical examples, along the way; following
him is certain to earn us Allah’s acceptance and the ultimate bliss. He
has spared us the worst calamity that can ever befall anyone, which is
incurring Allah’s anger and punishment. He sacrificed everything—
his health, his wealth, and his whole life—to deliver Allah’s message
to us. If we realize all this, how can we not love him more than we
love ourselves and all others?
We love Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) because he was, as described
in the Quran, a ‘mercy for all nations’. His compassion extended to
all, whether they were friends or enemies. Consider this: his enemies
often had a change of heart and became his beloved Companions and
followers. They embraced Islam, saying that his character proved he
was a true Messenger of Allah (bpuh).
It should be noted that we must love Allah more than we love the
Prophet (bpuh); the Prophet (bpuh) comes only after Allah. Loving
Allah, the Prophet (bpuh), and his followers is an act of worship for
which we will be rewarded. The reverse is also true: hating Allah or
His Prophet (bpuh) will expel us from the bounds of Islam.


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32 The beautiful teachings of Islam

Correspondingly, hating those who hate Allah or the Prophet (bpuh) is

part of Islamic belief, for which we will be accounted and rewarded.
It needs to be clarified here that the emotion of ‘hate’ that is
referred to in this context is not the commonly known, evil type of
hate which is an imperfect human emotion; rather, it is the type of
hate that perfects one’s faith when directed—in the right measure—
against those who take a defiant stance against the Creator and His
chosen messengers. It is a lot like the negative feeling one has
towards the actions of a person who defies and abuses his or her
elderly parents in an evil manner, or towards the efforts of an outlaw
who fights the justice system and spreads fear and corruption in
society. It is clear that hating the actions of such individuals is a
natural feeling that good people are expected to have. Although
Islam teaches love in all its forms, it also instructs faithful believers
not to love those who do not love Allah and His messengers, until
they change their ways—in which case, they are commanded to love
them! In a nutshell, a Muslim loves and hates for Allah’s sake. Here
is an important fact about this emotion of hate: a Muslim is
instructed not to hate anyone for personal reasons. If a Muslim is
insulted by anyone, he or she is encouraged to forgive; surely, there
is a great difference between hate for the sake of Allah (a well-
placed emotion) and hate for self-satisfaction (a destructive
emotion). Keep in mind that expressing our feelings of hate or
revulsion at the refusal of our fellow human beings to believe in
Allah’s Oneness and to follow the monotheistic teachings of His
prophets should be part of a positive and pro-active approach to
those who disbelieve. We pray for them to be guided to the truth; at
the same time, we need to work for that and work with them towards
that.
The love we should have for the Prophet (bpuh) must be genuine
love, not a mere verbal statement. It should be supported and proven


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The six articles of Islamic faith 33

by our obedience, by following his commands and avoiding what he

prohibited.

1.5 Belief in the Last Day

Islam teaches that this life is only a test of conduct for each of us, to
see whether or not we will follow the commands of Allah. In the
hereafter, we all will be resurrected to stand before Allah for a just
reckoning of the deeds and actions we performed during our life on
this earth. People with good deeds will be generously rewarded and
warmly welcomed to Allah’s heaven, but those whose records are
overwhelmed with bad deeds will be punished and cast into hell. We
have been given knowledge of right and wrong, instinctively and
through revelation; we must choose our own path in this short life.
Our choices in this life will ultimately determine our places in the
eternal life to come. Allah has said in the Quran:

{So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, and whoever
does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.} (Quran 99: 7-8)

Belief in the Day of Judgement causes the consciousness of Allah

to be implanted in the human heart. It impels individuals and society
at large to obey Him sincerely, without any external pressure.
In effect, the hereafter for any individual starts right after his or her
soul departs from the body. Shortly after the burial, two angels come
to the grave and ask the following three questions (as in a final
examination):
Who is your Lord?
What is your religion?
Who is your prophet?
Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) said that the believer (one who
believes in all six articles of faith) will not have any difficulty
answering these questions correctly, while the unbeliever will not be


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34 The beautiful teachings of Islam

able to do so. Depending upon the result, the deceased will begin
either to suffer or to enjoy his or her stay in the grave, which will
either expand (to give comfort to) or contract (to torture) its occupant.
(As narrated in hadiths recorded by Bukhari and Ahmad)

1.6 Belief in predestination

This includes the following beliefs:
a) Allah knows everything. His knowledge is not bound by time; the
past, present, and future are all known to Him.
b) Everything that takes place is already written in a book called the
‘Preserved Tablet’.
c) Allah has created everything, including our actions, both good and
bad. He has commanded us to do good deeds, though, and has
forbidden us from doing evil; hence we will be rewarded or
punished based on our choice of good or bad actions.
d) Everything that happens in this universe is happening with Allah’s
permission, and nothing can take place against His will.
It should be noted that Allah’s prior knowledge is not the same as
control; it does not mean that we human beings have no free will. We
choose, but Allah knows in advance what choices we will make and
what actions we will take. He merely allows us to follow through with
our decisions.


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2. THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM

Worship in Islam is an all-inclusive term encompassing all of the

actions and statements that Allah loves and approves of. Every
virtuous action that is performed with the intention of carrying out His
commandments and seeking His pleasure is considered to be an act of
worship. Islam is built on five acts of worship that make up the
foundation on which all other deeds rest. These five pillars have a
high importance in Islam; learning and practicing them are priorities
for every Muslim, whereas everything else can be learned gradually,
with patience and dedication. These five pillars stand as the
framework of spiritual life, on which the structure of Islam rests:

2.1 The declaration of the two testimonies of faith

“I testify that there is no deity12 worthy of worship except Allah, and I
testify that Muhammad (bpuh) is His slave and messenger.”13 The
sincere declaration of this double testimony (also referred to as the
testimony of monotheism) and adherence to this teaching
automatically brings one into the fold of Islam, and dying while
believing it guarantees a place in paradise. That is why this testimony
is considered to be the cornerstone of Islam. The acceptance of this
belief distinguishes the Muslim from the non-Muslim, so all actions
depend upon this pillar; good deeds (no matter how great) are of no
avail to anyone who does not utter this testimony. On the other hand,
there are many actions that contradict this declaration, automatically
taking one outside the fold of Islam. The most serious of those acts is
worshipping other than Allah, whether through supplication, prayer,

12 deity: an object of worship.

13 In Arabic: Ash-hadu al-la ilâha illa Allah, wa ash-hadu anna
Muhammadan Abduhu wa Rasooluhu.


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36 The beautiful teachings of Islam

or any other act that signifies worship or belief in an entity other than
Allah.

2.2 Prayers
Formal prayers are prescribed five times daily as a duty to Allah, the
Exalted, at the following times: dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset, and
nightfall. Prayer provides people with regular contact with Allah,
which helps them avoid evil. This act of worship compels the
believers to remember their Lord night and day, no matter where they
are. These prayers take place continuously, so that at any given
moment, people are praying somewhere in the world. Muslim males
are enjoined to pray in congregation in a mosque, while females are
encouraged to pray in their homes, but a Muslim may offer formal
prayers almost anywhere as long as the location is clean. Furthermore,
it is symbolic of equality among the poor and the rich, the ruler and
the subjects, the dark-skinned and the fair-skinned. Human beings
from every conceivable background stand together shoulder to
shoulder, united in rows, prostrating themselves before Allah. Prayer
strengthens the belief in Allah and elevates people to a higher
morality. It helps to purify the heart and to prevent them from giving
in to temptation to engage in wrongdoing and evil.

2.3 Zakah (obligatory charity)

Every Muslim whose net annual savings are above a certain specified
minimum must pay 2.5% of those savings annually to the poor or
needy people in the community.14 Zakah fosters generosity and helps
purify the soul of selfishness and greed. Zakah also helps reduce
resentment and envy between the poor and the rich members of the

14 There are also different amounts due for livestock, crops, inventory, etc.;
the details are beyond the scope of this book.


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The five pillars of Islam 37

society. Islam is a practical religion. Not only does it safeguard the

average individual and his or her rights, but it protects the rights of the
weaker members of the community as well.

2.4 Fasting the month of Ramadan

In Islam, fasting means abstinence from food, drink, and marital
relations from dawn to sunset. It is an annual obligation during the
month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar.
Fasting was imposed on former communities of believers in earlier
divine religions. The Quran states that the main purpose of fasting is
to help us be more conscious of Allah and more obedient to Him. It
teaches sincerity and engenders devotion. It helps us develop a sense
of social conscience, patience, self-restraint, willpower, and
compassion for needy members of the society.
Someone might ask: Why has Allah, in His wisdom, prescribed
fasting for many nations?
The answer is that the purpose of fasting is clearly defined as being
for the development of Allah-consciousness (piety) in the believer’s
heart, since only Allah knows who is actually fasting and who is not.
Consequently, the one who is fasting refrains from eating and drinking
based on an awareness of Allah. Regular fasting enhances that
awareness, which subsequently leads to the implanting of
righteousness in the heart of the individual.
As a secondary benefit, fasting is very good for one’s health. It
purifies the body of toxins; it is a rest from the useless waste cluttering
the body. It allows the body to recuperate and heal. It trains the body,
as well as the mind, to function with an amount of food that is
sufficient. Also, the needs of basic instincts of survival are kept in
check, and when the individual is able to control these, other needs are
easier to control. In return for this sacrifice, Allah grants the believers
great rewards and forgives their sins.


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38 The beautiful teachings of Islam

2.5 Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah)

The Hajj is obligatory for every Muslim once in a lifetime, if one can
afford it financially and bear it physically. During the Hajj, Muslims
from all corners of the world meet in an international congregation
dedicated to the worship of Allah. The Hajj lasts for days (not
including travel to and from Makkah), during which several million
pilgrims perform certain rites in specific places at specific times; as
such, it is a great lesson in patience but also brings magnificent
spiritual rewards. The huge gatherings for the Hajj are a reminder of
the Day of Judgement, when all of humankind will gather for their
reckoning. It emphasizes the belief that all Muslims are brothers and
sisters, irrespective of their geographical, cultural, racial or social
origins.


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3. MAIN ASPECTS OF THE MORAL

SYSTEM IN ISLAM

I slam has unique moral teachings that call for strengthening the
relationship between humans and their Lord, as well as with one
another. They also call for us to correct and improve ourselves, both
inwardly and outwardly.

3.1 Relationship with the Lord

In the Quran, Allah calls us to correct and strengthen our relationship
with Him and to draw close to Him through spiritual and physical acts
of worship such as prayer, Hajj,15 supplication, and charity. In
addition, the Quran calls us to seek knowledge about Allah through
His names and attributes. This instils fear and awe of the Lord in our
hearts and establishes discipline in applying Allah’s commands and
prohibitions.
The Prophet (bpuh) also instructed us to remember Allah at all
times and in every situation. This creates a permanent connection
between our Lord and us, and it instils stability, strength and
tranquillity in our hearts. It is one means of protecting against evil and
vice, since Muslims will be reminded constantly that Allah is
watching our every action. The Prophet (bpuh), for example, taught
specific invocations to be uttered when going to sleep; before entering
the lavatory; before sexual intercourse; while travelling; when in a
state of fear; upon entering or leaving one’s house; the first thing in
the morning and in the afternoon; when afflicted by distress, anxiety,
or misfortune; when burdened by debt or poverty; upon entering a

15
Hajj: the major pilgrimage to the Sacred Mosque, site of the Kaaba in
Makkah, to be undertaken by every able Muslim once in his or her
lifetime.


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40 The beautiful teachings of Islam

graveyard; when stopping for a rest or setting up camp; and in many

other situations.

3.2 Relationships with people in general

The Quran promotes behaviour that strengthens and reinforces social
relationships; for example, it places great importance on the role of
the family. Treating parents kindly, maintaining good relations with
other family members, seeing to the rights and needs of spouses and
children and dealing with them with love and mercy, and supporting
orphans and the weaker members of society are all obligatory.
Conversely, disobeying parents, severing family ties, neglecting or
abusing spouses and children, and isolating oneself are all prohibited.
In addition, the Quran teaches that we should treat others with high
moral behaviour and noble manners. We are encouraged to smile,
forgive, return harm with good, and have patience when dealing with
others. Since this high code of moral behaviour can be quite trying,
Allah has promised immense rewards for those who achieve it.
The Prophet (bpuh) instructed us to adopt good manners when in
gatherings, such as not raising our voices, respecting elders, being
gentle with youngsters, and greeting those present by saying Assalamu
alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu (May the peace, mercy and
blessings of Allah be upon you). Islam also demands that we guard
our tongues against saying negative things about others, even if what
we want to say is true.
Islam also enjoins that agreements and contracts be fulfilled,
entrusted items returned, and rulers obeyed. It enjoins noble
characteristics just as it forbids vileness, baseness, crime, oppression,
hostility, aggression, and all other blameworthy and reprehensible
qualities.


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Main aspects of the moral system in Islam 41

3.3 Relationships with parents

Islam highly recommends kindness to parents. This command is
mentioned eight times in the Quran. In one of the verses, Allah said to
Prophet Muhammad (bpuh):

{And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to
parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age
[while] with you, say not to them [so much as], ‘uff’, and do not repel
them, but speak to them a noble word. And lower to them the wing of
humility out of mercy and say: My Lord, have mercy upon them as
they brought me up [when I was] small.} (Quran 17: 23-24)

«A man asked Prophet Muhammad (bpuh): Whom should I honour

most?
The Prophet (bpuh) replied: Your mother.
The man asked: And who comes next?
The Prophet (bpuh) answered: Your mother.
The man inquired again: And who comes next?
The Prophet (bpuh) responded: Your mother.
The man queried again: And who comes next?
The Prophet replied: Your father.»
(Recorded by Bukhari and Muslim)

3.4 Relationships with other relatives

Kindness towards relatives has been promoted by most major
religions, but Islam takes this aspect to a new dimension. We are
obliged to assist our relatives through economic as well as social
means. Relatives have specific rights laid out by the Sharia (Islamic
law); these are based on the nearness of the blood relationship. This
can be seen mostly in the rights of inheritors, which are specifically
laid out in the Quran. Certain relatives receive shares of the


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42 The beautiful teachings of Islam

inheritance, and a Muslim may bequeath up to one-third of the estate

to relatives (or others) who are not assigned a share. When it comes to
charity, one must fulfil the rights of relatives before donating money
to others, so that members of one’s own family are not forced to go
elsewhere to seek help.
Muslims must treat all relatives―whether or not they are
Muslims―with utmost respect and kindness; they must not boycott
their relatives or cut off relations with them. They are encouraged to
stay in contact even if these relatives abandon them. Indeed,
maintaining family ties is of such great importance that Muslims are
rewarded greatly for any good actions that promote this.

3.5 Relationships with neighbours

Islam encourages treating neighbours very kindly. There is a verse in
the Quran that sums this all up:

{...and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the

near neighbor, the neighbor farther away, the companion at your side,
the traveler...} (Quran 4: 36)

Also, the Prophet (bpuh) said:

«(The angel) Gabriel continued to urge me to treat neighbours kindly
and politely, to the extent that I thought he would order me to make
them my heirs.» (Recorded by Bukhari and Muslim)
The Prophet (bpuh) also said:
«Anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day should not harm his
neighbour, and anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day should
entertain guests generously, and anyone who believes in Allah and the
Last Day should say what is good or keep quiet.»
(Recorded by Bukhari and Muslim)
Remember, kindness to neighbours is rewarded by Allah.


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Main aspects of the moral system in Islam 43

3.6 Food — moral conduct

The Prophet (bpuh) taught many practical good manners, including
the virtue of adopting the correct manners for eating and drinking.
These include eating with your right hand and being satisfied with the
food rather than finding fault with it. If you like the food, you should
eat it, but if you have no appetite for it, simply leave it in the dish
without criticizing it. This is both out of respect for the blessing of the
food and in order to avoid hurting the feelings of the person who has
cooked and/or offered it. It is also preferred to eat with others and not
alone, either by eating with your family or by inviting a poor person to
join you. Say Bismillah (In the name of Allah [I start]) before
beginning to eat, and say Alhamdulillah (All praise is due to Allah)
after the meal, in order to remember the blessing that you have been
given and also the One Who provided it. The Prophet (bpuh)
prohibited people from blowing on food or drink or breathing onto it,
out of respect for others who may be sharing it and to avoid the spread
of contagious diseases.

3.7 Hygiene — Islamic moral conduct

Islam also enjoins both physical and spiritual cleanliness. It
encourages us to keep our bodies clean, along with our clothes and
shoes. Islam has guided Muslims for our own well-being, down to the
minute details. For example, we are encouraged to wash thoroughly
after using the toilet, to clean the teeth often (especially with the
siwak, a natural toothbrush), and to shower after having sexual
relations.

3.8 Spiritual — Islamic moral conduct

In regard to spiritual purity, the Quran instructs us to straighten and
correct our souls and to purify our hearts from spite, malice, jealousy,
pride, and inequity. The Quran calls for integrity of the heart and for


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44 The beautiful teachings of Islam

love, affection, and humility towards people; it instructs us to purify

our tongues from lying, backbiting, slander, and insult, and the
enormity of such sins is emphasized in many of its verses. Chapter
104 (The Slanderer) is dedicated to slander and backbiting, which
should be replaced by truthfulness and softness in speech. Islam
encourages unity, so much so that we should give as many excuses as
we can for suspected bad behaviour or speech on the part of fellow
Muslims. The wealth, property, and life of a Muslim are held sacred;
no one has the right to interfere with these without the individual’s
express permission.
We should restrain our eyes from looking at what they are not
entitled to (such as the private parts of others), and we should keep
our ears from listening to loose and immoral talk, including lewd song
lyrics.
The Quran praises and encourages knowledge and criticizes
ignorance, saying that it leads to destruction. It commands people to
action and dynamism, while prohibiting wasteful talk and laziness.

3.9 Family structure and rights

Islam teaches that children should be born within a legal marriage and
that sexual desire should be controlled and contained within these
parameters.
To uphold the family structure and the well-being of society, the
Quran prohibits fornication because it is one of the worst assaults on a
person’s honour and dignity. It can cause disease and produce children
who are looked upon by society as ‘illegitimate’. Likewise, the Quran
forbids everything which leads to fornication, so it prohibits behaviour
like looking at pornographic pictures and being alone with members


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Main aspects of the moral system in Islam 45

of the opposite sex who are not mahrams.16 It also commands that
men lower their gaze and not look or stare at women whom they have
no right to look at. Muslim women thus enjoy protection and security
and can be confident that Muslim men will not even look at them if
they are not permitted to. Likewise, women should not gaze at men
unlawfully.

3.10 Decency and veiling

With this same reasoning, Islam enjoins morality in behaviour and
appearance. Fashions that reduce women to sex objects are not
acceptable, and Islamic veiling is a means of protection from
unwanted external attention. Allah says in the Quran:

{O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the
believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments.
That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused...}
(Quran 33: 59)

In the privacy of their own homes and in the presence of their

husbands, when they will receive only the type of attention they
desire, women may wear whatever they wish.

3.11 The rights of the wife

Islam urges men to be kind to their wives. Allah says in the Quran:

{...He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find
tranquillity in them; and He placed between you affection and
mercy...} (Quran 30: 21)

Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) said:

16 mahram: a man with whom marriage is not permitted; for example, a

woman’s brother or father. Non-mahram men are those whom a woman
is permitted to marry.


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46 The beautiful teachings of Islam

«The best of you are those who are kindest to their wives.»
(Recorded by Ibn Majah with a sound chain of narration)
Some people are kind in public where everyone is watching, yet
they are mean and cruel at home. Islam holds Muslims accountable
even in this situation, where their true nature may be revealed. This is
the true test of moral behaviour.
In Islam, the wife retains her independent legal status and family
name. She is not the property of her husband in any way, but she has
many rights due from him, as he does from her.
The husband must give his wife a gift at the time of marriage, and
this is hers to keep even if she is later divorced. The wife does not
give a dowry to the husband, and she is never obliged to act as a co-
provider for the family, although she may do so voluntarily. It is the
husband’s sole responsibility to support his family financially. Islam
gives women (whether married, divorced, or single) the right to inherit
and own property and to conduct business.

3.12 Polygyny
Polygyny (a man’s having more than one wife) is permitted in Islam,
especially to alleviate social problems such as the plight of orphans
and widows who need support. It is also a way to safeguard honesty
and matrimonial trustworthiness (especially within the family) for
those who have a desire or need for more than one sexual partner;
instead of having an extramarital affair, the man is required to take
responsibility for his actions. Islam limits polygyny to a maximum of
four wives at one time, and it requires the husband to treat them
equally, caring for his wives financially and emotionally in the exact
same manner. It should be noted that if a woman is unhappy in this
situation, and she fears that she will be unable to fulfil her
responsibilities to her husband as well as to Allah, she can opt out of
the marriage. A man is not allowed to force his wife to stay married.


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Main aspects of the moral system in Islam 47

3.13 Divorce rules

Islam is a religion of moderation. Although divorce is allowed when
necessary, family unity is encouraged. For example, in the event of a
divorce, the two spouses are encouraged to bring arbitrators from their
family members to help reconcile them. Islam discourages divorce,
yet it recognizes the rights of both partners to end their matrimonial
relationship if circumstances dictate it. Prophet Muhammad (bpuh)
said:
«A believing man should not hate a believing woman. If he dislikes
one of her traits, he will be pleased with another.»
(Recorded by Muslim)
Therefore Islam is realistic about the option of divorce, but it also
encourages attempts to resolve any conflicts and hold the marriage
together.

3.14 Protection of life

The Quran also calls for the protection and sanctity of human life,
specifically mentioning that the taking of an innocent life is one of the
worst and most hideous crimes. The Prophet (bpuh) forbade breaking
the bones of a dead person, so what about the taking of an innocent
life? The Quran prescribes ‘a life for a life’ and ‘an eye for an eye’ for
all killings and injuries (large or small) respectively, unless the
victims or their families agree to accept financial compensation
instead.

3.15 Protection of property

The Quran declares that a person’s property and wealth are safe and
inviolable; therefore, it prohibits theft, bribery, usury, and deception.
It calls for moderation in spending; hence it forbids extravagance,
lavishness, and squandering money, while at the same time forbidding
the hoarding and amassing of wealth. It calls for balance; people

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48 The beautiful teachings of Islam

should neither be greedy, stingy, and covetous nor extravagant and

wasteful. It encourages people to seek their livelihoods and provisions
through lawful activities that bring financial or material benefit to all
parties concerned, such as buying, selling, and leasing.

3.16 Animal rights

The Prophet (bpuh) ordered that animals be treated fairly and with
kindness, instructing that they should be fed and given water. He
promised that such actions would be rewarded on the Day of
Resurrection. He also instructed that they should not be made to carry
a burden more than they can bear, tormented or caused undue
suffering, or killed (unless they were harmful). If an animal is to be
slaughtered as food, it should not be slaughtered in front of other
animals since this would cause them anguish.

3.17 Maintaining health

Islam promotes good health and therefore commands that only
wholesome and nutritious food be eaten, and eaten in moderation.
Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) warned against overeating, saying:
«No man fills a container worse than his stomach. A few morsels that
keep his back upright are sufficient for him. If he has to, then he
should keep one-third for food, one-third for drink, and one-third for
his breathing.» (A sound hadith recorded by Tirmidhi)
Islam prohibits the consumption of all harmful food and drink such
as pork, carrion, tobacco, alcohol and other intoxicants (mind-altering
substances), and so forth.

{He has only forbidden to you dead animals, blood, the flesh of
swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah. But
whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor
transgressing [its limit], there is no sin upon him. Indeed, Allah is
Forgiving and Merciful.} (Quran 2: 173)


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Main aspects of the moral system in Islam 49

In the past, pork was known to carry the risk of trichinosis, a

disease caused by parasitic roundworms usually found in undercooked
pork. Today, some consider this risk to be low, since food safety
standards are more advanced, but in fact, pork still may be harmful. In
its January 2013 issue, Consumer Reports published an article titled,
“Pork Chops and Ground Pork Contaminated with Bacteria,” which
began:
Our analysis of pork-chop and ground-pork samples from
around the U.S. found that yersinia enterocolitica, a bacterium
that can cause fever, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, was
widespread. Some samples harbored other potentially harmful
bacteria, including salmonella...
Some of the bacteria we found in 198 samples proved to be
resistant to antibiotics commonly used to treat people. The
frequent use of low-dose antibiotics in pork farming may be
accelerating the growth of drug-resistant “superbugs” that
threaten human health.
The dangers of tobacco are well known. A fact sheet at the World
Health Organization website states that tobacco kills six million
people a year (including 600,000 from the effects of second-hand
smoke, which causes “serious cardiovascular and respiratory diseases,
including coronary heart disease and lung cancer”). Up to half of all
tobacco users will die from a tobacco-related disease.

{O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing

on] stone altars [to other than Allah], and divining arrows are but
defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be
successful.} (Quran 5: 90)

As for alcohol, its dangers are also well documented. The World
Health Organization’s fact sheet on alcohol explains that,
“Worldwide, 3.3 million deaths every year result from harmful use of
alcohol, this represent [sic] 5.9% of all deaths.” Alcohol is also
described as “a causal factor in more than 200 disease and injury

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50 The beautiful teachings of Islam

conditions,” including “a range of mental and behavioural disorders,

other noncommunicable conditions as well as injuries” and infectious
diseases. Current medical advice often refers to “moderate drinking”
as being safe for some people, and news reports even cite some
benefits from “moderate” drinking. Allah addressed this argument
when He informed us:

{They ask you about wine and gambling. Say: In them is great sin and
[yet, some] benefit for people. But their sin is greater than their
benefit...} (Quran 2: 219)

Islam also prescribes fasting, which has many benefits for the
body, especially the digestive system.

3.18 Rights of the deceased

Islam maintains respect for a person even after death. When a Muslim
dies, he or she must be buried according to the teachings of Prophet
Muhammad (bpuh). The body of the person is washed and perfumed.
After that, it is wrapped in an unstitched white cloth shroud, and the
body is buried facing the Kaaba (the House of Allah in Makkah,
originally built by Prophets Abraham and Ishmael).
We are advised to hold the deceased’s body gently to ensure that
its bones do not break. Before and after the burial, people are
encouraged to pray that Allah forgive the deceased and admit him or
her into paradise. Islam prohibits sitting on or walking over a grave, in
another sign of respect for the dead.

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4. FEATURES OF ISLAMIC TEACHINGS

A llah has made the message of Islam easy to understand and to

follow. He annulled some previously prescribed rites and
practices, while he affirmed others, according to His wisdom. As a
result, the Islamic creed and law are suited to people’s spiritual,
psychological, social, and economic needs, for all of humankind and
for all eras. Islamic teachings have the following unique features:

4.1 Rationality
The truth should be clear and obvious. It should be so simple that
anyone is capable of seeing it, and this clarity is the most compelling
feature of Islam. One should not have to work through a series of
complicated logical proofs in order to derive a fundamental principle,
only to arrive at something that he or she is unsure of―yet this is
often the case with other religions or philosophies.

4.2 Perfection
Since Allah is perfect, His teachings must also be perfect and free
from any contradiction or error. The Quran challenges its readers to
find any errors in it if they do not believe it is really from Allah:

{Then do they not reflect upon the Quran? If it had been from [any]
other than Allah, they would have found within it much
contradiction.} (Quran 4: 82)

Dr Maurice Bucaille, a French surgeon, found many scientific facts

mentioned in the Quran that were not known by humans at the time
Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) was conveying these verses to those
around him. Dr Bucaille wrote, “I could not find a single error in the

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52 The beautiful teachings of Islam

Quran.”17 As a result of his findings, he left Christianity and embraced

Islam.

4.3 Clarity
Allah is the Most Compassionate. He therefore guides people through
clear and simple revelations that are free of myths, superstitions, and
mysteries.

4.4 Scientific validity and accuracy

It is not surprising to find in the Quran, and in the statements of
Prophet Muhammad (bpuh), information that has only recently been
discovered by modern science. This indicates that the Quran is the
word of Allah and that Muhammad (bpuh) is His messenger. On the
other hand, the religious views which the church presented
concerning God, the Bible, and the individual’s relation to God
forced people into an unfortunate choice: either science or God.
Many educated people have concluded that one cannot be a scientist
or an educated person and be a true Christian at the same time. Many
philosophers and scientists, and the majority of lay people, have lost
hope of reconciling religion and science; thus, the ideology of
secularism was developed and has since flourished. This dichotomy
would not have arisen if the original scripture that was revealed to
Jesus (pbuh) had not been distorted. Islam, the pure religion, raises no
contradictions whatsoever between religion and science. This is
naturally obvious because both religion and true scientific knowledge
are from the same source: Allah, the Exalted, who does not contradict
Himself.18

17 Bucaille, The Quran and Modern Science.

18 For more information on the many scientific facts that are referenced in
the Quran, see The Quran and Modern Science by Dr Maurice Bucaille

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Features of Islamic teachings 53

4.5 Prophetic fulfilment

Many of the events prophesied in the Quran and in the Prophet’s
statements have come to pass. This is further proof that Islam is not a
man-made religion, because it would be unimaginable for an
uneducated man who was living isolated from other civilizations to
make up such prophecies; they must have been revealed to him by
Allah.

4.6 Moderation
In Islam, there is no conflict between spiritual and worldly life.
Rather, it provides a balance among all aspects of human life, taking
into account the needs and wants of individuals and society.
Therefore, secularism, materialism, monasticism, and extreme
asceticism are all rejected by Islam, which provides a middle way to
achieve harmony and balance between the spiritual and material needs
of people. This is why Allah has called the Muslim nation a:

{...just community [moderate nation]...} (Quran 2: 143)

4.7 Comprehensiveness
Islamic teachings provide people with definite guidelines to follow in
all aspects of life: spiritual, individual, social, moral, political,
economic, and so on.

4.8 Uniqueness
Some have claimed that the Quran is man-made; Allah challenges
them to:

and A Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam by I. A. Ibrahim

(available online at www.islam-guide.com).

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54 The beautiful teachings of Islam

{...produce a chapter the like thereof...} (Quran 2: 23)

Indeed, the entire Quran—its language, its elegance, its miraculous

nature—is unparalleled. The ancient non-Muslim Arabs tried to
construct a verse yet failed, even though their language and poetry
were very highly developed in that era. Even many recent non-Muslim
scholars admit that the Quran is one of the greatest books known to
humankind. This point ultimately leads to the fact that Muhammad
(bpuh)—the illiterate—was a true prophet to whom the Quran was
revealed.

4.9 Justice
All of humankind descended from one man and one woman (Adam
and Eve). Islam teaches that the criterion by which all human beings
are judged is righteousness, not the colour of their skin or their status
in society. In the view of Allah, the best person is the most righteous.
A verse of the glorious Quran reads:

{...Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most
righteous of you...} (Quran 49: 13)

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CONCLUSION

T he various aspects of the Islamic moral system are amazing. This

is because, as we said in the introduction, it is based on revealed
teachings, as opposed to teachings developed by human beings.
Many volumes have been written on this subject. As an author, I
hope I have given you enough insight to encourage and enable you to
read more and more about this great religion.
May the light of truth shine in our minds and in our hearts. May it
lead us to peace and certitude in this life and eternal bliss in the
hereafter.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
Abdul Razak, Imam Jamil. Study Guide, Comparative Study — Islam
and Christianity. Washington, USA: Center of Seattle, 1978.
Bucaille, Maurice. The Quran and Modern Science. Riyadh:
International Islamic Publishing House, 2001.
Caraballo, Simon (Muhammad bin Abdullah Caraballo). My Great
Love for Jesus Led Me to Islam. Jubail, KSA: Dawah & Guidance
Centre.
Ibrahim, I. A. A Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam.
Houston, TX: Darussalam, 1997.
Philips, Dr Abu Ameenah Bilal. The True Message of Jesus Christ.
Riyadh: International Islamic Publishing House.
al-Rassi, Majed. The Amazing Prophecies of Muhammad (bpuh) in the
Bible: Twenty-Eight Proofs from the Bible of Muhammad’s
Prophethood. http://www.saaid.net/The-clear-religion/06.pdf.
______. Who Deserves to Be Worshipped? http://www.saaid.net/The-
clear-religion/017.pdf.
Saheeh International. The Quran: Arabic Text with Corresponding
English Meanings. Jeddah: Abul Qasim Publishing House, 1997.
al-Uthaymeen, Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih. Explanation of the
Three Fundamental Principles of Islaam. UK: Al-Hidaayah
Publishing and Distribution, 1997.

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APPENDIX

For Further Information about Islam

❖ Ata ur-Rahim, Muhammad and Ahmad Thomson. Jesus: Prophet
of Islam. Riyadh: International Islamic Publishing House, 2008.
❖ Baagil, M. Christian-Muslim Dialogue. Riyadh: International
Islamic Publishing House.
❖ Khan, Maulana Wahiduddin. God Arises. Riyadh: International
Islamic Publishing House, 2005.
❖ Khan, Abdul Waheed. The Personality of Allah’s Last Messenger,
2nd ed. Riyadh: International Islamic Publishing House, 2007.
❖ LeBlanc, Abdul-Malik. The Bible Led Me to Islam. Toronto: Al-
Attique Publisher.
❖ Liepert, David. Choosing Faith. Riyadh: International Islamic
Publishing House, 2011. (Available online at
http://www.choosingfaith.com/.)
❖ Philips, Dr Abu Ameenah Bilal. The Purpose of Creation. Riyadh:
International Islamic Publishing House.

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58 The beautiful teachings of Islam

Online Information about Islam

❖ islam-guide.com
❖ iera.org
❖ islamtomorrow.com
❖ discoveritsbeauty.com
❖ edialogue.org (live chat)
❖ islamhouse.com/en/ (thousands of free books)
❖ iera.org/shop/ (free downloads)
❖ iiph.com

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GLOSSARY OF ISLAMIC TERMS

alhamdulillah all praise is due to Allah

bismillah in the name of Allah

hadith a statement or action of Prophet Muhammad (bpuh)

that was remembered and recorded by his
Companions and followers

Hajj the major pilgrimage to the Sacred Mosque, site of

the Kaaba in Makkah, to be undertaken by every
able Muslim once in his or her lifetime

Kaaba the House of Allah in Makkah, originally built by

Prophets Abraham and Ishmael

mahram a degree of consanguinity precluding marriage; a

man whom a woman may not marry due to the close
blood or marriage relationship, e.g., her father,
brother, son, uncle, or father-in-law

Sharia Islamic law derived from the Quran and the

statements and actions of the Prophet (bpuh)

siwak (or a small twig (usu. of the arak tree) used as a natural
miswak) toothbrush

19 If a word has become part of the English language (i.e., is found in a

dictionary of Standard English), that spelling is used in this book.

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