?Why Were We Created

10. 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:
10.1 The declaration of the two testimonies of faith:
“I testify that there is no deity30 worthy of worship except Allah, and I testify that Muhammad (bpuh) is His slave and messenger.”31 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, or any other act that signifies worship or belief in an entity other than Allah.
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30 deity: an object of worship.
31 In Arabic: Ash-hadu al-la ilaha illa Allah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Abduhu wa Rasooluhu.
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10.2 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.
10.3 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.32 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
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32 There are also different amounts due for livestock, crops, inventory, etc.;
the details are beyond the scope of this book.
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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.
10.4 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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10.5 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.

11. THE MEANING OF WORSHIP IN ISLAM
he meaning of worship is, simply, total submission and complete obedience to Allah’s commandments in belief, intentions, statements, and actions. This is achieved by striving to do what Allah has encouraged, avoiding what He has forbidden, and worshipping Him alone, according to His teachings. This is the true meaning of worship of Allah or ‘slavery to Allah’ in Islam, and this state applies to all of the messengers and true followers of Allah. May He enable all of us to achieve this level of worship.

12. THE MORAL SYSTEM IN ISLAM
slam 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.
12.1 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, 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 graveyard; when stopping for a rest or setting up camp; and in many other situations.
12.2 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.
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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.
12.3 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
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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)
12.4 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 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.
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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.
12.5 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.
12.6 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.
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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.
12.7 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.
12.8 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 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.
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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.
12.9 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 behavior like looking at pornographic pictures and being alone with members of the opposite sex who are not mahrams.33 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.
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33 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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12.10 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.
12.11 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:
«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.
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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 coprovider 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.
12.12 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.
12.13 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.
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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.
12.14 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.
12.15 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 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.
12.16 Animal rights:
The Prophet (bpuh) ordered that animals be treated fairly and with kindness, instructing that they should be fed and given water.
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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.
12.17 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)
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:
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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 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.
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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 for the digestive system.
12.18 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.

13. ISLAM AND OTHER RELIGIONS
ne may ask, “If all true religions came with the same message, namely the worship of Allah alone, then why do we find such ifferences between them?”The answer is that the original forms of these earlier messages were either lost or distorted by later generations. Consequently, the pure messages of monotheism became polluted with myths, superstitions, idolatry, and irrational philosophical beliefs, to the extent that those religions no longer represent the embodiment of Allah’s revelations.
However, Allah, the Compassionate, did not leave human beings without guidance. He ultimately sent Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) to revive the original message and to call human beings back to the correct path: believing in the unique Oneness of Allah and worshipping Him according to His teachings as mentioned in the Quran.
Consequently, Islam is the seal and completion of all religions, the Quran is the seal and completion of all revealed books, and Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) is the seal of all prophets—the final prophet.

14. FEATURES OF ISLAMIC TEACHINGS
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:
14.1 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.
14.2 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 Quran.”34 As a result of his findings, he left Christianity and embraced Islam.
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14.3 Clarity:
Allah is the Most Compassionate. He therefore guides people through clear and simple revelations that are free of myths, superstitions and mysteries.
14.4 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.35
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34 Bucaille, The Quran and Modern Science.
35 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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14.5 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.
14.6 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)
14.7 Comprehensiveness:
Islamic teachings provide people with definite guidelines to follow in all aspects of life: spiritual, individual, social, moral, political, economic, and so on.
14.8 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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{...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.
14.9 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)

15. ISLAM, THE UNIVERSAL RELIGION
slam is a universal message to all of humankind, for all times until the Day of Judgement. Whereas every other prophet was sent to his own people, and for a limited time period, Muhammad (bpuh) was sent for everyone: male or female, rich or poor, Arab or non-Arab, slave or freeborn. Islam can be practiced anywhere on the earth; it is not tied to locality or culture. Prophet Jesus’ mission was limited to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matthew 15:24)
Therefore, if you are not from the tribes of Israel (the descendants of the twelve sons of Prophet Jacob) and you are a Christian, then you are following a religion and a message which were not meant for you.
This means you are not on the right track!

16. WHY ISLAM?
very person should revert to Islam because it is the birthright of every person and the original imprint on every human soul at birth.
Every person should revert to Islam because Allah has sealed and superseded all previous messages with Islam.
Allah has mentioned to all people:
{…This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favour upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion…} (Quran 5: 3)
Every person should revert to Islam because people in every era must worship their Lord (Allah) according to the law prescribed by Him as revealed to His Prophet (bpuh). The tribes of Israel, for example, were ordered to worship Allah according to the law of Moses. When Prophet Jesus was sent to them, they were ordered to worship Allah according to what was prescribed in the Gospel. Then when Allah sent Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) with the message of Islam to all people, it became incumbent on all people, the tribes of Israel and all others, to enter Islam.
After all, what could be more serious than the rejection of the religion which the Creator and Sustainer of everything has enjoined upon all people? Indeed, this is the greatest injustice committed by human beings. It is sad but true that if a person dies in this state, he or she will be punished and cast into the hellfire to live there for eternity.
This concept has been emphasized hundreds of times in the Quran and in the statements of Prophet Muhammad (bpuh).
Allah has mentioned:
{And whoever desires other than Islam as religion—never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the hereafter, will be among the losers.} (Quran 3: 85)
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Also, Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) said:
«Whoever among the Christians and Jews hears of me, does not follow what I have brought, and dies in this state will be among the inhabitants of hellfire.» (Recorded by Muslim) Note that Allah was reported to have said in a prophecy, “And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:19)
Since it has been proven that the prophet referred to here is Muhammad (bpuh), this means that whoever believes in the Bible must believe in this prophet and in what this prophet says; otherwise, they will be called to account for that. After they realize who this prophet is, it follows logically that they must adhere to his teachings.
There are those who may not accept Islam because they think that becoming a Muslim means turning one’s back on all the previous prophets sent by Allah.
This is a false concept because of the following:
Firstly, belief in all the prophets of Allah is a pillar of Islamic faith; hence, one is not a believing Muslim unless he or she believes in Jesus, Moses and all the other prophets (peace be upon them all).
Secondly, belief in the prophets is a part of what each prophet taught. (In other words, every prophet called his people to believe in the prophet who would come after him and to follow that prophet whenever he appeared.) Therefore, rejecting a prophet amounts to rejecting his predecessor.
Thirdly, rejecting any prophet amounts to rejecting the One Who sent him: Allah.
Fourthly, Islam promises great rewards to the followers of previous faiths if they believe in Islam in addition to their previous faith.
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The Messenger of Allah (bpuh) said:
«Three people have a double reward: a person from the People of the Scriptures (the Jews and the Christians) who believed in his prophet (Jesus or Moses) and then believes in Prophet Muhammad (by embracing Islam)...» (Recorded by Bukhari)
The first reward is for believing in their previous religion (before knowing about Islam); the second reward is for recognizing the truth of Islam and following it.
From the Islamic perspective, the relationships among the prophets are like the relationships among the links in a chain; rejecting one of them amounts to rejecting all of them. Likewise, becoming a Muslim means having the honour of believing in all the prophets who came before Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) and not turning one’s back on any previous prophets.
Finally, we have to accept Islam because Islam has revived the eternal divine teachings that had been either forgotten, lost, or distorted in the previous messages. Islam retains and maintains the practical teachings mentioned in the previous scriptures (as originally revealed), which are part of the birthright of all people until the end of this world.

17. A FINAL CALL TO REASON
concluding suggestion: consider what everyone has in common.
Come, let us reason together: {Say: O People of the Scripture, come to a word that is equitable between us and you—that we will not worship except Allah and not associate anything with Him and not take one another as lords instead of Allah. But if they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we are Muslims [submitting to Him].} (Quran 3: 64)
In the noble Quran, {People of the Scripture} is the respectful title given to the Jews and the Christians. Muslims are being commanded to invite them with noble and respectful words: O People of the Book, O learned people, O people who claim to be the recipients of divine revelation of a holy scripture, let us gather onto a common platform: that we worship none but Allah, because none but Him is worthy of worship and because He is our Lord and Cherisher, our Sustainer and Evolver, worthy of all praise, prayer and devotion.
These truths are basic and an integral part of any human being’s intellect. Sort through the layers of indoctrination that hide this simple fact, and one will be able to see that deep down, every human being retains the simple and obvious concept of Allah. In essence, every human being agrees that there is only One God worthy of worship, One God Who is free of partners, helpers, and anything that is ascribed to Him falsely.

18. THIS IS IT
In this book, you have been shown the right path, and Allah has given you the ability to distinguish right from wrong. He has also given you the freedom of choice as to whether or not to accept the message of Islam. If you accept His call, you will be warmly welcomed into paradise. If you reject it, you will end up with the biggest loss ever imagined: the loss of paradise and the guarantee of dwelling in hellfire for all eternity. Take a moment to comprehend what eternity really means. It is a very frightening realization.
To those who have been faithful Christians, you are warmly welcome to embrace Islam because:
❖ Jesus asked his followers to follow Muhammad (bpuh) whenever he appeared.36
❖ When Jesus comes back before the end of this world, he will follow Muhammad (bpuh) and abide by his teachings.37
Yes, since Jesus called his true followers to follow it while he was on the earth, and he will follow Islam when he comes back, all faithful Christians should follow Islam as well.
To those who have been believing Jews, remember that Abraham and Moses surrendered themselves completely to their Lord, whether they called Him Elohenu, God, or Allah. All pride in ethnicity or ancestry is vain; what will matter in the end is your individual relationship with your Creator. This means total submission: Islam.
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36 See al-Rassi, The Amazing Prophecies of Muhammad (bpuh) in the Bible: Twenty-Eight Proofs from the Bible of Muhammad’s Prophethood.
37 See al-Rassi, Eleven Facts about Jesus and His Mother (Mary) in the Islamic Teachings.
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To those of other faiths or those who, until now, did not feel that they had any faith at all, consider this message now, without any reluctance or hesitation, before it is too late―before death overtakes you. It could be soon. Who knows?

19. A WHISPER
ome people are not able to find the truth because of their blind commitment to their beliefs. Their tenacious adherence is usually not based on an intellectual understanding of the teachings but on powerful cultural and emotional influences. Because they were brought up in a particular family or society, they firmly cling to the beliefs of that group, believing that they are upholding the truth.
There are others who are convinced about the religion of Islam and are mentally ready to embrace it. However, when they contemplate the drastic changes it will bring to their lives, changes that might not please their families and communities, they hesitate, and even after taking the decision, they sometimes go back and change their minds later.
It is whispered in their ears that no matter how much money, prestige, status, and power an unbeliever may have possessed in this life, he or she will never have enough to buy entrance into paradise. In the hereafter, the poorest inhabitant of Earth who has testified to the truth of Islam will be far happier and more dignified than the richest person who did not accept the message of Islam.
Rejecting Allah’s message is the biggest sin that one can commit. For this reason, while the soul is still in his or her body, the wise individual should take this opportunity; he or she is still alive to accept Allah’s message before it is too late. The time for repentance is limited because once death arrives, it is no longer possible to obtain forgiveness.
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Allah has mentioned:
{[ For such is the state of the disbelievers] until, when death comes to one of them, he says: My Lord, send me back that I might do
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38 Compiled from Caraballo, My Great Love for Jesus Led Me to Islam.
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righteousness in that which I left behind. No! It is only a word he is saying…}39 (Quran 23: 99-100)
Religion is, without question, the most important aspect of a person’s life, for it determines whether or not a person is rightly guided. It follows, therefore, that choosing the true faith is the most important personal decision one must make, and this decision needs to be based on clarity and total conviction. When it comes to matters of religion and creed, nothing must be left to chance because the one who is truly guided—as opposed to the one who is not—will surely find eternal happiness in the hereafter!
Having been presented with the previous proofs, we should use our intellect to analyse and reason. A crossroad has been reached, and Allah (Glorified is He) calls on all people to follow the clear, straight road and avoid all the murky, dubious ones. The right path has now become distinct from the wrong path, as Allah has mentioned: {There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion. The right course has become clear from the wrong, so whoever disbelieves in taghoot and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold with no break in it. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing.} (Quran 2: 256)
It is my duty and responsibility, as a resident of this great planet, and as one who has submitted my free will to the law and commandments of the Supreme Being, to urge all human beings to stay away from the worship of false deities—to stop putting their faith in statues, sphinxes, figures, amulets, talismans, horseshoes, and any other objects that have been manufactured by humans or created by
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39 The unbelievers will ask for a ‘second chance’ when they see the angels ready to punish them, but it will be too late; they were given the time, the intellect and the guidance, but they neglected it for years until time ran out.
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God. After first repenting, a person should submit completely to the will of Allah, the Only God of the universe.

20. WHAT IS MOTIVATING PEOPLE TO TURN TO ISLAM?
It is a fact that Islam is growing rapidly in the West and around the world. In the U.S. alone, the number of Muslims has risen dramatically, from about 10,000 in 1900 to at least several million people today.
Here are four main reasons that non-Muslims become Muslims:
1. Islam teaches that all believers are equal in the eyes of God, and it forbids any form of racism or discrimination due to colour, land of origin, tribe, etc.
2. Islam does not have a religious hierarchy; there is no priesthood in Islam, so individuals have a direct relationship with God, without intermediaries. All Muslims are taught to do good and avoid evil and to educate themselves about their religion, and they go to reputable scholars for knowledge and advice.
3. Islam teaches that all its followers are considered normal human beings. No one is allowed to exalt himself or herself over others by claiming divinity, or to deceive the community by claiming to have a direct message and/or direct alliance with God, or to have spoken with God. No one can make the false allegation that God has taken him as a son and that as a result of that, people should follow this person blindly!
Unfortunately, some members of the clergy utilize this concept to deceive their followers for their own personal benefit. An example is when they convince their followers that they cannot be questioned and are beyond reproach; some even solicit sexual relations from vulnerable individuals who come to ask them questions and/or seek forgiveness from sins through them.
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I spoke to one young woman who turned to Islam after waking up from her sleep and discovering this huge lie and deceit… finally realizing that she had squandered her modesty and decency in the bed of a drunk clergyman!
4. Islam teaches its adherents to establish and strengthen their own direct relationship with Allah, where no intercession is needed from another person. In Islam, there is no church to act as an intermediary between an individual and Allah. It rejects the concept of seeking forgiveness of sins by confessing to a priest, an ordinary human being, who has no authority to absolve anyone of sin.
Muslims must follow the guidance of God’s law as it has been revealed, and this will lead them to success. If individuals err, they only have to turn to Allah, because He is the OftForgiving, the Most Merciful. Islam frees the mind from barriers and roadblocks, granting its followers unobstructed access to Allah. It teaches that Allah is the only One from Whom people should seek forgiveness. He does not need intermediaries (in any form) standing in between, presenting themselves as the gatekeepers to Allah and contending that only through them may people have access to Him. Islam strictly rejects the man-made concept of confessing one’s sin to a human being such as a “priest”, and it rejects the act of seeking salvation through this person. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing, Most Merciful, and Most Knowledgeable. He is All-Rich. He does not need intermediaries to convey people’s needs to Him. People only need to raise their hands and say, “Allah, please forgive me; I promise to repent,” and Allah will forgive them.40 That’s it!
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40 Islam teaches that one must repent for the sake of Allah only (not out of compulsion or to be seen doing so), stop committing the sin, sincerely
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In general, this direct relationship is a means of accessing Allah’s mercy and forgiveness. This concept is logical and straightforward; anyone would naturally be pleased to hear and believe it.
However, Allah (God) warns humankind that He refuses to forgive those who associate partners with Him: {Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allah has certainly gone far astray.} (Quran 4: 116) regret it, and intend not to return to it.

21. THE ISLAMIC STANCE ON TERRORISM41
very religion has adherents who pervert it, like psychiatric patients who try to steal the truth and replace it with an alternate narrative. Describing a terrorist group as Islamic is like describing the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) as Christian. After all, KKK members use a cross and believe in Christ, yet they have persecuted and killed African-Americans in the name of religion and Christ.
Terrorists have various religions and political ideologies, and massacres have been committed in many countries with the aim of ‘cleansing’ those countries. There are people who claim the Jewish faith although their behaviour has nothing to do with Judaism, just as there are people who call themselves Hindus but whose actions actually have nothing to do with Hinduism. Bearing this in mind, claiming that terrorists are Islamic is preposterous.
In Islam’s sacred book, the Quran, God instructs us to say that {You have your religion, and I have my religion}. (109:6) In other words, I am free to practice my faith, and you are free to practice your faith, since there is {no compulsion in religion}. (2:256) This is despite the fact that Islam makes it clear that it is the only religion that is still intact and not distorted, and hence it is the only religion accepted by God in the Hereafter.
The Quran also declares, {Whoever kills a soul… it is as if he had killed the whole humankind, and whoever saves one, it is as if he had saved all humankind}. (5:32)
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41 There is no universally accepted definition of terrorism; in general, it refers to threats and violence by a non-state actor against noncombatants, in the pursuit of ideological objectives and with the intent to create fear.
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Does humankind have any greater sign of tolerance and mercy than this?
Keeping in mind these teachings, and analysing them fairly and logically, we can conclude that terrorist organizations that commit acts which contradict the teachings of Islam do not represent Islam at all.

22. HOW TO BECOME A MUSLIM
very religion has its own requirements for conversion.
Someone who wants to become Jewish must pledge all of the following:
1) To enter the ‘eternal covenant’ between God and the people of Israel and to become a Jew of his or her own free will;
2) To accept Judaism to the exclusion of all other religious faiths and practices, which means to deny the prophethood of Jesus and Muhammad (bpuh) and to deny the revelations that God sent to humankind through them;
3) An undivided loyalty to Judaism and to the Jewish people under all circumstances;
4) To commit to learning the Torah and other Jewish knowledge; and
5) To raise his or her children as Jews.
To be a Christian, one must:
1) Believe that God (Allah) has a partner, a mother, and a son;
2) Believe that every new-born baby is born sinful;
3) Believe that God became a man and descended to Earth to die for the sins of the people;
4) Deny the prophethood of Muhammad (bpuh) publicly; and
5) Deny that the Quran is a revelation from Allah, the Exalted.
However, to become a Muslim is simple. One must:
1) Bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah (in other words, disown all false gods),
2) Bear witness that Muhammad (bpuh) is His messenger,
3) Believe in all the six articles of faith, and
4) Worship Allah as taught by Prophet Muhammad (bpuh).
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Hence, becoming a Muslim is a simple and easy process. If anyone has a real desire to be a Muslim and has full belief that Islam is the true religion of God, all he or she needs to do is to pronounce the shahadah, the testimony of faith.42 Pronunciation of this testimony with a sincere heart brings the person into the fold of Islam. It is the main gateway to Islam.
Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) said:
«Whoever testifies that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, Who has no partner; that Muhammad is His slave and messenger; that Jesus is the slave of Allah, His prophet, and His word43 which He bestowed in Mary and a spirit created from Him; that paradise (heaven) is true; and that the hellfire is true—Allah will eventually admit him into paradise, according to his deeds.» (Recorded by Bukhari)
The first part of the testimony consists of the most important words of truth that Allah has ever revealed to His noble prophets, “There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah.” He has stated: {And We sent not before you any messenger except that We revealed to him that: There is no deity except Me, so worship Me.} (Quran 21: 25)
Bearing this testimony implies that all forms of worship—whether praying, fasting, supplicating, seeking refuge, or offering an animal as sacrifice—must be directed to Allah and to Him alone. Directing any form of worship to other than Allah (whether to an angel, a prophet, Jesus, Muhammad [bpuh], a saint, an idol, a statue, the sun, the moon, a tree, a cross, or anything else) contradicts the fundamental message not only of Islam but of all the prophets; it is an unforgivable sin in the hereafter, so one must repent before death.

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42 The words of the shahadah are: Ash-hadu al-la ilaha illa Allah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan Abduhu wa Rasooluhu. (I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is His slave and messenger.)
43 It means that Jesus was created when Allah said the word “Be”; when He said it, Jesus was created in the womb of his mother, Mary.
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The second part of the testimony means that Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) is the slave and the chosen messenger of Allah.44 This implies that a true Muslim obeys and follows the commands of the Prophet (bpuh) as mentioned in the collections of his hadiths. One must believe in what he has said, practice his teachings, and avoid what he has forbidden because the hadiths were, in fact, revelations and inspiration conveyed to him by Allah.
As mentioned earlier, Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) was sent in order to implement the Quran in a practical way through his sayings, deeds, and legislation, as well as all other facets of life. When his wife Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was asked about his character, she replied: «His character was that of the Quran.» (Recorded by Muslim and Abu Dawood)
Hence, to truly adhere to the second part of the shahadah is to follow his example in all walks of life.
Allah has mentioned:
{Say [O Muhammad]: If you should love Allah, then follow me, [so] Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.} (Quran 3: 31)
A true Muslim must strive to mould his or her life and character to emulate the Prophet (bpuh), for he was a living example for human beings to follow.
Allah has said to His Prophet (bpuh):
{And indeed, you are of a great moral character.} (Quran 68: 4)
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44 The meaning of ‘slavery to Allah’ was explained in Chapter 11: The Meaning of Worship in Islam.
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Allah has also said to all people:
{There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often.} (Quran 33: 21)
When one enters the fold of Islam, all previous sins are forgiven; one starts a new life of piety and righteousness since he or she, in essence, has repented from the ways and beliefs of the previous life.
One man told the Prophet (bpuh) that he would accept Islam only under the condition that Allah would forgive his sins; the Prophet (bpuh) asked him: «Do you not know that accepting Islam destroys all sins that came before it?» (Recorded by Muslim)
As soon as a person accepts Islam, he or she is free of all previous sins. The person’s record is wiped clean, as if he or she was born that very day. One should try as much as possible to keep his or her records clean and strive to do as many good deeds as possible; the more good deeds, the more he or she will be elevated in paradise.
It should be emphasized again that accepting Islam does not mean turning your back on the messages of previous prophets (peace be upon them all). Indeed, it is a fulfilment of those messages. Therefore, if you are a Jew or a Christian, accepting Islam and following Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) is a fulfilment of the messages which Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them) brought, as has been clearly described and proven in the author’s book The Amazing Prophecies of Muhammad (bpuh) in the Bible: Twenty-Eight Proofs from the Bible of Muhammad’s Prophethood.
On the other hand, rejecting Islam means turning your back not only on Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) but also on Prophets Moses and Jesus. Doing so is actually a clear violation of their messages, and it diminishes your hope of paradise in the hereafter.
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It is now up to you to decide where your own future home will be. I wish you all the best!

23. BEST DECISION THEY EVER MADE
slam is often called the fastest growing religion, and each person who embraces Islam has a unique story and unique reasons.
Despite widespread misconceptions about women in Islam, a growing number of women are finding that Islam is the true religion and the best way of life. Ann Ronayne’s story is below; she welcomes emails from readers and can be reached at ann.ronayne1@gmail.com.
“Me? Go live in Kuwait? No way!” That was my reaction when my manager tried to persuade me to take a position in Kuwait. But I was to learn that {...the command of Allah is a decree of predestiny that is ever fulfilled.} (Quran 33: 38)45
I was born and raised in suburban Washington, D.C. in a Catholic family, and I attended Catholic schools. In the 1960s, the Catholic Church made major changes in its teachings in an attempt to be more modern; it tried to focus more on positive aspects and de-emphasize what was considered negative: punishment, regulations, abstinence from certain foods at certain times, etc. (Even so, Catholics in the West routinely ignored many of the rules that still existed, such as the prohibitions on contraceptives.) The Mass, which had always been said in Latin, was said in English instead.
The nuns who taught us replaced their habits (modest dress) with modern clothes. Our religion classes had never involved reading the Bible, but now, instead of focusing on religious beliefs, they involved discussion of social issues and singing a lot of contemporary folk songs, as did the new Masses. It seemed strange that so much of what we had been taught as the truth was now completely changed. Still, when we prepared for our first Holy Communion, we were taught that the bread that the
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45 This translation is taken from Hammad, The Gracious Quran.
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priest was putting in our mouths was the actual body of Jesus (which would bleed if we were to bite it). For these and many other reasons, I doubted my religion and rejected it from a young age.
My decision was only confirmed as I learned more. If the trinity was such an important concept, why hadn’t Jesus explained that clearly (and repeated it over and over again)? If God wanted to forgive us, He could have done that without coming to Earth Himself and being crucified to atone for our sins. Was it Jesus the man or Jesus the God who died on the cross, and how can God –Who has no beginning or end – die? If God did send His son (who was also God?) down to Earth to guide us, why would He neglect to give us the message during his thirty-three years, so that the truth had to be discovered and given to us later by Paul, who never even met Jesus?! If Christianity were the true religion, why didn’t Jesus himself live and teach it?
For many years, I considered myself an atheist or an agnostic, but I was never concerned with choosing a label. I thought it was enough that I tried to be a good person, and I felt that nonbelievers actually did more good works because they didn’t depend on any supernatural being for help. I never felt that I was searching for answers about the purpose of life or about religious beliefs.
After the Gulf War, I was working as a computer consultant when my company was offered a position in Kuwait which was perfect for me. My initial reaction was that I had no desire to go and work in a place where I thought women were treated as second-class citizens; after all, I had the usual stereotypes about women in a place like Kuwait. The manager on location assured me that the working environment was professional and that there were many bright women in the organization, including those who would be my supervisor and manager.
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I was eventually persuaded to take the contract for one year, thinking that it would be an adventure.
I soon learned that all of the stereotypes I had brought with me were wrong.
My colleagues were always friendly and respectful, and it occurred to me that it was almost the only environment I’d ever worked in where I saw no evidence of sexual harassment―not even any off-colour jokes or racy calendars hanging in cubicles. (It was certainly different from the atmosphere I’d experienced in the US military.) The women working with me were university graduates and were not shy about speaking out, and most chose to wear Islamic dress. Advertisements did not use women’s bodies to sell products.
I was impressed to see the bonds among families and members of the society in general. When one colleague lost his pay check, all of the men quickly pitched in until they had collected the same amount of money for him. People also gave generously to the needy, both locally and globally.
When someone’s mother called and said she needed something, the person would leave work to take her to the doctor or get what she needed. If a man’s uncle died, all the men attended the funeral prayer; if a woman’s aunt died, all the women went to visit her to give their condolences. When someone married or had a baby or recovered from an operation, an extensive network of family members, friends and colleagues shared that experience.
Hospital rooms were large and even furnished with sofas and chairs to accommodate all the visitors.
The attitude towards the elderly was different from what I was used to, since extended families lived together, with several generations in one house; the children who didn’t live in the same house came to visit often, if not daily.
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Grandparents had children and grandchildren living with them and were not left to live and die alone, or sent to nursing homes (which don’t even exist). Older women were highly respected; they did not feel the need to make themselves look young and beautiful in order to gain self-esteem.
Taking care of one’s elderly parents was seen as a blessing and an opportunity for doing good deeds, rather than a burden, and care of one’s parents is emphasized in the moral system of Islam. (This is not to say that non-Muslims in the West don’t care about their arents, but there are different priorities and expectations. There is usually more of an emphasis on nuclear families and independence, with the elderly themselves not wishing to be a burden on their families.) In general, dealing with difficult situations was seen as a test and not a cause for despair. Taking one’s own life was rare and also forbidden because only Allah has that right.
When the month of Ramadan came around, I was amazed by the idea that one billion Muslims around the world were fasting together―abstaining from food and drink every day from long before sunrise until the sun set. I joined them in fasting the entire month, although I had no intention of becoming Muslim and didn’t experience the spiritual recharge that I would feel later as a Muslim.
At the time, I knew little about Islam, and I’m embarrassed to say now that I considered it a backwards religion which would only appeal to the ignorant masses. As I slowly realized that the stereotypes I had brought with me were all wrong, I became curious about the religion. As I learned more, I discovered that Islam was the reason for the moral system I had witnessed, and that these positive social aspects had been part of Islamic societies throughout the centuries. Even small things that had struck me―such as greetings given among strangers when one entered an elevator or an office―had their basis in Islamic teachings.
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I got a Quran translation and some other books and began reading. Over and over again, I was surprised at what I found―and perhaps more by what I didn’t find. I found a belief system which was rational and uncluttered, and I didn’t find the oppression of women or terrorism that I had expected. I was attracted by the emphasis on social justice and standing up against oppression.
Obviously, the key question about religion is deciding whether or not it is true. Since this decision must rely on faith to some extent, how can we really know? One factor is the credibility of the sources; in the case of Islam, the most important source is the Quran.
I was struck by its scientific accuracy, demonstrated by statements which describe scientific phenomena that were not discovered until recently. I learned that the Islamic world had made major contributions to scientific knowledge and was the seat of civilization and learning while Europe was in the Dark Ages.
Logically, I knew that an illiterate seventh century Arab could not have written this book himself. I began to question my idea that there was no Creator―that the intricate systems that made up the universe and its life forms could have developed randomly or that we were born, lived, and died with no purpose.
I was impressed that the Quran had never been changed over the years, so that the Quran we read today (in its original Arabic) is exactly the same as that revealed to Muhammad (bpuh) and passed on to his followers 1400 years ago. All Muslims memorize parts of it, and there are millions of people around the world who have memorized it in its entirety, so even if every copy disappeared today from the face of the earth, it would be easily recorded again.
I couldn’t help but to contrast that with the Bible, a collection of books written by various people over time; different Christian sects do not even agree on which books are included, and in some cases, scholars do not even know who wrote the books.

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We do not have the original sources, and there are different versions of the later sources. There are many contradictions, and the New Testament actually rejects many of the teachings of the Old Testament.
I was surprised to find out that Islam had the same roots as Judaism and Christianity, and that Muslims believed in the same prophets, including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus (peace be upon them all).
I began to understand why Muslims loved Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) so much, and I wondered why I never knew anything about him... never even knew that he was a historical figure about whom so much was known, and whose gravesite is known and visited. Authentic narrations from those who were closest to him describe him as a modest, truthful man who stood up for justice and against oppression.
I used to walk along the beach at night, looking up at the moon and stars and reflecting on Allah’s creation, as the Quran recommended. I became convinced that the Quran must have been a message from God, but it took me a while to actually accept Islam… yet it was so rational and simple in its essence: one God, one Creator of the universe and everything in it, Who offered us guidance to make the best of our lives in this life and the next.
Obviously, there are more details, but this sums up the Islamic beliefs, and one who accepts this is essentially a Muslim.
The concept seemed so pure and logical, especially when compared to the concept of the trinity, which cannot be explained rationally. There are three Gods, but they are one God? Jesus is both fully divine and fully human, so that he is all powerful yet experiences hunger and thirst and other physical needs? Moreover, this uncomplicated main principle of Islam – that there is one God– is repeated over and over again in the Quran, in the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (bpuh), and in the prayers of ordinary Muslims.

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If the trinity were the true essence of God, wouldn’t it have been clearly explained and mentioned over and over again?
In Islam, God is just; He does not hold any of us accountable for the sins of another, which we had nothing to do with. There is no concept of original sin or of a crucifixion required to redeem all of us from that original sin perpetrated by someone else.
Of course, there were aspects that made me reluctant to make such a momentous change in my life. For example, although I understood the purpose and the benefits of Islamic dress, I couldn’t imagine wearing it myself until I attended a Ramadan dinner at an organization for English-speaking Muslim women and met dozens of Western women who had converted to Islam, and who felt proud to dress this way.
For all the reasons mentioned above, and under no pressure from anyone, I came to the conclusion that the Quran was the word of God, and that Islam was the true religion.
On the day that I decided I was ready to officially declare my Islamic faith, I asked a co-worker to help me do so officially.
There is actually no requirement to say this publicly or to get any kind of certificate; the declaration of faith is simply a matter of testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad (bpuh) is his Messenger. It was a very moving experience, since I was essentially starting life over again, with a clean slate. It was undoubtedly the best decision I’ve ever made.
When we returned to the office, I went back to my desk and resumed work. It didn’t occur to me that this was anything but a personal decision, and no one even knew that I was considering it… but my friend informed everyone, and to my surprise, I received congratulations from well-wishers for the rest of the day.
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That evening, she invited me to her aunt’s house, and with only a few hours’ notice, her mother, sisters, aunts, and cousins (most of whom I’d never met before) had a party for me, complete with gifts of Qurans, prayer dresses, gold, etc. Over the next days and weeks, I received dozens of gifts from co-workers (some of whom I had never met), friends, and acquaintances. I was very blessed, for I know that others who embrace Islam sometimes encounter many hardships.
In my feminist years, we spoke of ‘sisterhood’, but this was my introduction to true sisterhood. Muslim women considered me their sister, simply for the sake of Allah (God). Over the years, I’ve met so many amazing Muslim women of all nationalities and classes and educational backgrounds, and in our gatherings, we often talk about how blessed we are and how different our lives are from what many people think. It’s hard to describe the feeling of standing in prayer, shoulder to shoulder with so many different women, knowing that we are sisters in Islam whether or not we even know each other.
It took me several weeks to build up the courage to wear the hijab (Islamic headscarf), but I found it liberating in a way that I hadn’t expected. I was worried when I travelled to the U.S. wearing the hijab soon after becoming Muslim, but I needn’t have been. Everywhere I went, I was greeted by other Muslims with the Islamic greeting Assalamu alaykum (Peace be upon you).
I felt welcomed as a part of the worldwide Muslim community, and the hijab was what made that possible; if I wasn’t wearing it, other Muslims would not have recognized that I was also Muslim and would not have offered those greetings.
I don’t mean to claim that the Muslim community is some sort of utopia. Certainly, there are problems, but the problems are not from Islam; on the contrary, they are due to ignorance and rejection of Islamic beliefs and practices. The reality is that Islam does not need a reformation; Muslims do.
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Other Muslims who were formerly Christian:
There are many Christian women and men from all backgrounds who have embraced Islam. The following is just a small sample of wellknown contemporary Muslims who sincerely studied Christianity before rejecting it in favour of Islam. They were chosen because their stories (as well as their books, articles, and videos) are easily accessible online in English.
Dr Jerald Dirks is an American former Methodist deacon (minister) with a Master's in Divinity from Harvard University and a PhD in Psychology from the University of Denver. The more he studied the Bible, the more he realized that he could not accept Christian teachings, and the more he dreaded going back to preaching what he knew was not true. When he took his questions to other ministers whom he respected, some of them admitted (behind closed doors) that they agreed with him, but they could not abandon their religion without breaking up their families and cutting off their livelihoods. Dr Dirks, along with his wife Debra, realized that Islam was the religion that actually followed the message brought by Jesus (pbuh) and other Prophets of God. Read more about them at http://www.jeralddirksanddebradirks.com/.
Yusha (Joshua) Evans was attending a Bible College in the southern United States, learning to read the Bible in Hebrew and Greek and intending to become a Christian missionary or minister.
After reading the Bible cover-to-cover six or seven times, he was left wondering at the inaccuracies and inconsistencies he noticed. He left Christianity and began searching for the truth, but no religion satisfied
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him until he found Islam. See more about him at https://yushaevans.com/.
Aminah Assilmi (d. 2010, may Allah have mercy on her) was an American Baptist who found herself in a class with some Arab Muslims and decided to try to convert them to Christianity. When her attempts failed, she asked for a copy of their Quran so that she could read it and show them the error of their ways. After one and a half years of research, she ended up embracing Islam instead.
Dr David Liepert is a Canadian anaesthesiologist who started studying Islam with the intention of showing his Muslim colleagues that they were wrong and that Christianity was the truth. He sought to prove this by studying the Bible and trying to answer his own questions... yet he couldn't find the evidence to support his beliefs. His story is narrated in Choosing Faith: Rediscovering the Commonalities Between Christianity & Islam, which is available online at http://www.choosingfaith.com/.
Idris Tawfiq (d. 2016, may Allah have mercy on him) was a British writer and broadcaster who touched the hearts of many. He had a degree in English Language and Literature and taught in both the UK and Egypt. He also had a degree in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome; before embracing Islam, Idris was a Roman Catholic priest.

24. TO SUM IT UP…
he creation and existence of everything in this world has a purpose and wisdom behind it. Human beings are the most superior creation because Allah has given them the intellect, has created everything for them, and has given them power and knowledge over most of the creation. There is obviously a specific purpose behind their existence, and this has been elaborated in this book.
Wise people are expected to behave and act in accordance with the purpose of their existence; they should not remain oblivious to the final destination, which they are going to reach one day or another.

25. CONCLUSION
The following twenty-five facts were discussed in this book:
First, the purpose of creation is to worship Allah alone.
Second, the basic message of Islam is to worship Allah alone, without any intercessor or mediator. Any form of worship that is not dedicated to Allah alone will be rejected for being a form of polytheism, which amounts to apostasy from the Islamic point of view.
Third, the evidence that only Allah has the right to be worshipped was elaborated.
Fourth, Islam is a restatement of the basic message of all religions: worship Allah alone. It is the last religion, for all people and for all times. So all people―whether they were raised as Jews, Christians, Hindus, atheists, or with any other creed―should follow Islam once they hear about it, pronouncing the testimony right away to become Muslim without further delay. Whoever rejects it has rejected the message of Allah, and accordingly will be cast into hell. Such people cannot expect guidance after they have deliberately renounced guidance.
Fifth, Islam’s belief system is uniquely rational, simple, and uncomplicated. It rejects all forms of polytheism and false beliefs.
Sixth, both the divine origin of the name of the religion ‘Islam’ and the comprehensiveness of its meaning point to its truth.
Seventh, the message of false religions is paganism (the worship of creatures, rather than the Creator).
Eighth, Islam is the only religion today that teaches the right concept of Allah, free of any confusion or irrational facts.
Ninth, Islam’s basic principles and characteristics point to its truth.
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Tenth, indeed, Islam is the only religion that fights extremism—whether that extremism comes from secularism and materialism or from excessive spiritualism. Islam ensures a balance among spiritual, moral and materialistic needs. It is truly the middle path and is a perfectly balanced way of life. This should not be surprising, because Islamic teachings are not man-made; they have been revealed to humanity by Allah the Creator, the Most Wise and Most Knowledgeable.
Eleventh, the truth of every religion depends on its original revelation from Allah having been accurately preserved. This rule is only satisfied by Islamic teachings. The Quran is the final word of Allah, which has been preserved throughout the ages; hence it supersedes all previous scriptures.
Twelfth, Islam is the final religion, intended for all humankind.
Everyone therefore should embrace it.
Thirteenth, Allah and His creation are totally different entities. He is One, distinct from His creations.
Fourteenth, Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) was sent to all people. He is the last prophet, and his teaching, Islam, will remain the only correct and authentically revealed teaching until the Day of Judgement.
Fifteenth, prophets were human beings chosen and sent by Allah to convey and revive the original message: worship of Allah alone (monotheism) and being careful not to worship anything other than Him. Prophets were living examples of how the scriptures were to be understood and implemented.
Sixteenth, the reality of the prophets and their uniform message are revived and can only be found preserved in Islamic teachings, manifested in the Quran and the statements and actions of Prophet Muhammad (bpuh). These are the only authentic and proven resource documents today that preserve the essence of their message.
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guide those who follow it to a way of life that is more consistent with the way of life of Jesus and Moses than that which is practiced by most Christians and Jews today. They guide to the love and respect of Jesus, Moses, and all the other prophets (may Allah’s blessings be upon them all).
Seventeenth, Islam considers disrespect of any prophet as stepping out of the boundaries of Islam.
Eighteenth, Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a virtuous woman, honoured above the women of all nations in that time.
Nineteenth, it has been proven that the Bible is widely distorted; this implies that Christianity has been distorted as well, as is evident from several doctrines introduced by humans into Christianity, which resulted in its deviation from pure monotheism into tri-theism within the first 400 years after Jesus’ ascension. 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, were considered to have been on the right religion, and they will have nothing to fear on the Day of Judgement.
Twentieth, oral traditions passed on for generations were substantially changed from the original message. People who had never even seen Jesus began to write books focusing on his personality more than his message. These articles became overly exaggerated, losing the true essence of his existence and message while they exalted him to extreme heights. This then posed a problem for Christianity as divisions arose in the doctrine, with different groups each espousing their own theories and explanations. This resulted in variant notions of the crucifixion, the Trinity, the divinity of Jesus, the divine sonship of Christ, original sin, and atonement.
The following cardinal doctrines of Christianity are rejected by Islam:
• The Trinity
• The divinity of Jesus
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• The notion that Jesus is the son of God
• Original sin
• Atonement (reconciliation between God and humankind brought about by the life and death of Jesus)
• Redemption (salvation from sin through Jesus’ sacrifice)
Twenty-first, the popular Christian concept of salvation is inaccurate. The true way to achieve salvation is to do good deeds, to avoid and repent from sins, and to follow the commandments mentioned in the scriptures, sealed and superseded by the Quran.
Islam teaches that sin cannot be transferred from one person to another, and it cannot be inherited. Each person is accountable for his or her own deeds and will be rewarded accordingly.
Allah has mentioned:
{And whoever does righteous deeds, whether male or female, while being a believer,46 those will enter paradise and will not be wronged [even so much as] the speck on a date seed.} (Quran 4: 124)
Twenty-second, there is evidence in many places in the Old and New Testaments (in their present form) that Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) was mentioned by his illustrious predecessors, namely Prophets Jesus and Moses (may Allah’s blessings be upon them).
With this decisive and factual evidence, it is only befitting that sincere Christians and Jews accept Islam as a continuation of the prophets’ legacy left by all the messengers and prophets. Just as one cannot be a Muslim until he or she believes in Muhammad (bpuh) and all the prophets sent before him, no one is a true Jew or Christian until he or she believes in Muhammad, the prophet prophesied in both the Old and New Testaments; hence, Jews and Christians should enter Islam’s fold wholeheartedly.
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46 Believing in the six pillars of faith, which are mentioned in Chapter 9: The Six Articles of Islamic Faith.
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Twenty-third, the way to please Allah has been detailed for us.
The Quran defines it clearly, and the Prophet (bpuh) gives us details at every point.
Twenty-fourth, God (Allah) is One, His message is one, and the way to Him is one: namely Islam.
Allah has specified in the Quran:
{And [moreover] this is My path, which is straight, so follow it; and do not follow [other] ways, for you will be separated from His way.
This has He instructed you that you may become righteous.} (Quran 6: 153)
Twenty-fifth—last but not least—Islam is your birthright. Yes, you read correctly. Islam is your right. Every human being is born into the religion of Islam, and human beings are naturally drawn to what we already know. Thus, if you accept Islam, you are not turning your back on any prior revelation but rather returning to the original pure belief with which you were created. This being the case, Islam is your birthright, whereas other religious or ideological systems teach you to deviate from the pure belief with which you were created.
These are the twenty-five basic components which logically and rationally dictate that Islam should be considered the last and true religion of Allah.

REMEMBER THIS
To accurately identify the true religion, you must maintain an objective point of view, one which does not allow your emotions to cloud your vision and thereby blind you to the truth. Indeed, you must look at all issues rationally so that you can separate truth from falsehood; then make a judgment and follow it with sincere prayers asking the Almighty to guide you to the right path.
Now that you have read this book and examined the evidence regarding the truthfulness of Islam, I pray to God Almighty that you can and will make the right choice! I invite you to choose Islam as your way of life and to get yourself on the right path! La ilaha illa Allah (There is no deity worthy of worship except God),
Muhammadan Rasool Allah (Muhammad is the Messenger of God). 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 to eternal bliss in the hereafter.
Kind regards,
Majed S. Al-Rassi
Phone: 966 50 5906761
e-mail: majed.alrassi@gmail.com

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.
Hammad, Ahmad Zaki. The Gracious Quran. Lisle, IL: Lucent Interpretations, LLC, 2008.
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.
______. The True Religion. 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.
______. Eleven Facts about Jesus and His Mother (Mary) in the Islamic Teachings. http://www.saaid.net/The-clear-religion/04.pdf.
______. Who Deserves to Be Worshipped? http://www.saaid.net/Theclear-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.

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: AlAttique 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. 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 47
abu (or abi):
father (of).

Alhamdulillah:
all praise is due to Allah.

Bismillah:
in the name of Allah.

Hadith:
the collected statements and actions of Prophet Muhammad (bpuh) that with the Quran form the basis of Islamic law.

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.

Hijab:
veil ordained by Allah for believing women

jinn (sg. jinni):
non-human, rational beings created by Allah from fire, often referred to as ‘demons’ or ‘devils’. They have free will like humans: some are Muslims, others disbelievers; some are obedient to Allah, others disobedient. Satan is a jinni. Some people try to ‘foretell’ the future by contacting a jinni. Some disobedient jinn mislead people into thinking that they can tell them what will happen in the future, near or far, or that the jinn can provide people with riches or some sort of power.
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47 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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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.

Ramadan:
the ninth month in the Islamic calendar; the month of obligatory fasting.

Shahadah:
the Islamic testimony of faith: Ash-hadu al-la ilaha illa Allah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Abduhu wa Rasooluhu. (I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is His slave and messenger.)

Sharia:
Islamic law derived from the Quran and the statements and actions of the Prophet (bpuh).

Taghoot:
idols; everything evil that is worshipped.

Zakah:
obligatory charity payable by Muslims, to be distributed to poor Muslims who qualify as recipients.

Source:
www.saaid.net/The-clear-religion/017.pdf