إجازة الشيخ أحمد بن محمد بن أحمد لبن بقراءة الإمام عاصم

SPOTLIGHTS ON I S L A M

BY: ISMAIL ABUL'AZAYEM
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Introduction.
Ahmad Asks Questions.
Islam and the Muslims of today.
A simple explanation of Islam.
The Pre-Islamic Society.
The Change Effected By Islam.
Attacks Against Islam.
Muhammad a true Prophet.
The Holy Qur'an.
More light on the Message of Islam.
Transactions in Islam.
Islam in Practice.
Glossaries.

INTRODUCTION

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        This book serves many purposes both inside and outside Muslim nations. It gives a general idea about Islam to Muslim teenagers living in non-Muslim countries who, unless they have a good idea about their religion, may easily be overwhelmed by the nonIslamic trends that prevail in the countries where they live.

        It can be also of some help to the non-Muslim reader who is anxious to know the truth about Islam. Many are keen to know more about Islam after finding that it has been misrepresented to them.

        In Muslim countries, this book can be used in secondary schools and colleges, especially where the teaching is done in English. It is also useful for those students in religious colleges (such as Al-Azhar University) who intend, in their future career, to undertake the task of disseminating Islamic ideology in English speaking countries.

        The book is in the form of conversations between the father and son of a Muslim family who live in America. The son is keen to have more information about Islam. It is hoped that such a form will make it more appealing to the reader.

        Finally, this book is one of a series of books written mainly for young students inside and outside Muslim nations. It is hoped that the series may shed some light on the main aspects of Islam.
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I. Abul ‘Azayem
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Ahmad asks questions
        Ahmad lives in Ann Arbor 1, Michigan. His father is a professor at Michigan University and his mother is a dentist. His parents came to the United States of America twenty years ago and have settled there 2. Ahmad is now seventeen years old. He was born in the States and speaks fluent English 3.

        When Ahmad was 8 years old, his parents started to teach him how to read and write Arabic; but because he has little chance to practise, he has not reached a very high standard 4. When he was young he would copy 5 his parents when they said their daily prayers and would try and observe 6 Ramadan with them. When he started school and his friends knew that he was a Muslim, they asked him several questions about Islam. He answered as much as he could, but had to ask his father, when he went home, to find out 7 more about his religion.

        Teenagers tend to question everything and Ahmad's questions about Islam increased in number 8 and gained in depth 9. In his spare time 10, he began to read about Islam. Many writers spoke favourably about it, but there were others who launched bitter attacks 11 against it and this infuriated 12 Ahmad. He wanted to know the truth, so, as usual, he asked his father.

Islam and the Muslims of Today
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        Ahmad said to his father, "I feel rather sad when I see that Muslim countries are lagging behind in many fields. Why is it Islam has not made them great nations?’’

        His father answered, ‘I am glad that you raised this question 2. It is a big mistake to judge Islam by the Muslims of to-day. You must have read that the Muslims were once 3 the leaders of the world in almost every field.

Their empire spread 4 from the Atlantic Ocean to the borders of China. Muslim scholars distinguished 5 themselves in the fields of science, medicine, philosophy, mathematics, architecture, astronomy 6 and many other sciences. Many of those who started 7 the European Renaissance were taught in Muslim schools and universities. This is acknowledged 8 by many Western writers. One of them says: `Had it not been for the high culture, the civilization and intellectual, as well as social, splendours 9 of the Arabs and soundness of their system, Europe would, to this day, have remained in the darkness of ignorance 10 (1)

        "Islam was the most important factor 11 in the rise of the Arabs and the spread of Islamic civilization all over the known world at that time, but Islam was not the cause of the fall of that civilization."

"May I ask why?" said Ahmad.
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        "Because there are certain factors that govern 12 the rise and fall of civilizations," said his father. "Ibn Khaldoun, the Arab sociologist 13, and, in fact, the founder of modern sociology 14, studied these factors and said that every civilization has a life cycle 15 It has its infancy, childhood, youth, old age and then its downfall 16 There are factors that govern its birth and others that govern its fall.

This was the case with ancient civilizations like the Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Persian civilizations. This was also the case with Islamic civilization. Islam was the most important factor in its growth. Then it passed through the different stages 17 of life till it was overtaken by another civilization; in this case, Western civilization. I expect you want to know how its downfall came about. The most important factor was the Muslim's alienation 18 from the spirit of Islam. Islam calls for brotherhood 19, unity, altruism 20 and power; but among the Muslim rulers just before their downfall there spread enmity 21, disunity 22 and selfishness, which weakened them so that they were overwhelmed 23 by their enemies.

Those Muslim rulers began to care for their own personal pleasures and neglected the welfare 24 of Muslims as a whole and this was, in my opinion, one of the most important factors which led to their downfall. "After this there was an age of decadence 25 in which ignorance, superstition 26, and sectarianism 27 prevailed. If you want to know how Islam made the Muslims a great nation, read the history of Prophet Mohammad and his great Caliphs. You will see how they created a strong society based on faith, righteousness 28, freedom, equality and brotherhood, and how they worked both for this life and the life hereafter 29.

        "The Muslims of today have started to recover, but it will take them some time to regain 30 their former status 31. All the Muslim countries have now gained their independence and adherence 32 to Islam is gaining momentum 33. So let us wait and hope for the best. Does that answer your question?"

        "Oh yes," said Ahmad. "I know now why the Muslims of today are lagging behind but I still don't understand how Islam was the cause of their progress in the past."

        His father said, "To answer that question we must first talk about Islam and then I will explain how its principles, when put into practice 34, created a great nation."

        "That's a good idea!" said Ahmad.

A simple explanation of Islam
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        “Well,” said Ahmad, "let's begin with talking about Islam itself. Sometimes, I am asked to explain Islam to friends, what should I tell them?"

        "Tell them," said the father, "that Islam is the last of the holy messages. A Muslim believes that Allah is the Creator of the Universe 1 and that Mohammad is the last of his apostles. He believes in all the prophets and that their messages direct man along the right path 2 which is beneficial 3 to him both in this life and in the life hereafter.

Whatever man does in this world will determine the reward 4 or punishment he will have in the eternal life after death. The more righteous a person is, the greater his reward will be.

        "Tell them that Islam influences 5 the various aspects of a Muslim's life, be they spiritual, social, moral or economic. Islam demands all the best qualities in men and women. Muslims should be truthful 6, virtuous 7, modest, courteous and compassionate 8.

They believe that people should understand and help one another. A Muslim should be kind to his relations, his neighbours 9 his Muslim brothers and mankind 10 at large. In general, he should stick to what is right 11 and avoid 12 what is wrong and be clean in his thoughts 13, behaviour 14 and dress. He should cherish 15 what is beautiful and wholesome 16 and avoid what is indecent I7. Truth and virtue are his goals 18 To him, arrogance 19 and vanity 20 , harshness 21, selfishness and indifference 22 are distasteful 23, offensive 24 and displeasing 25 to God (1).

        "For a person to satisfy these requirements he should follow the rules which are called the Five Pillars of Islam.

He should:
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        1- Bear witness to the Oneness of God 26 and that Mohammad is His messenger.
        2 - Observe the daily prayers.
        3 - Pay the Zakat, which is spent on the needy 27 and on the welfare of the Muslims.
        4 - Keep the fast 28 of the month of Ramadan.
        5 - Make a pilgrimage 29 to Mecca at least once in his lifetime, if he can afford it.

        "The aim of these rules is to purify 30 his soul and make him at peace with God, with himself and with his fellow men 31.

        "Tell your friends that Islam encourages 32 the Muslim to work so as to support himself 33 and his family. Work is both a duty 34 and a virtue 35. A conscientious 36 worker 37 is rewarded both in this life and in the life hereafter because he is God's agent in achieving prosperity 38 and a comfortable life for himself and his fellow men.

        “Honest work is respected 39 by Islam and whatever a man earns in his private property which he can manage freely; but usury 40 and exploitation 41 of those in need are dishonourable 42 acts and they are prohibited 43.

        "A Muslim has to pay the Zakah and give alms 44 to the needy. This purifies his earnings 45 and promotes a feeling 46 of love in the Muslim community 47.

        “A Muslim should be exemplary 48 in his social behaviour and should play his part in promoting the common good.

His thoughtfulness 49 towards other members of the community should not be limited to those of his own religion, but embrace human beings 50 at large.

        "A Muslim is also asked to learn and help others to learn. He should read the Qur'an and be instructed by it. Islam encourages the Muslim to witness 51 God's supreme power in the miraculous creation of this Universe.

Such contemplation 52 leads the Muslim to have a firm belief 53 in Allah and to learn more of the aspects of His supreme 54 power. Hence the great discoveries of Muslim scientists who pushed back the frontiers of knowledge.

        “Another important aspect of Islam is that it considers all people equal. All the nations make up one big family whose father and mother are Adam and Eve. Colour, wealth, origin or rank do not make one person superior to another. It is only piety 55 that counts.

This spirit of equality has given the good Muslim a feeling of dignity and honour which is unparalleled 56 in other communities.

        "Tell your friends that a Muslim is a brother to other Muslims. This feeling of brotherly love has prevailed 57 among true Muslims everywhere. The most striking example 58 of true brotherhood was when Prophet Mohammad emigrated with his Meccan followers to Medina, away from the oppression 59 of the heathens 60 of Mecca.

The Muslims of Medina gave a unique example of brotherhood by asking their immigrating Muslim brothers to share with them their wealth and property. The new community established 61 in Medina was an ideal 62 community based on brotherly love and totally unselfish attitudes.

        "This is a simple explanation of Islam and I am sure that if Islamic principles were always practised, the world would be a better place to live in."

"I agree," said Ahmad, “and I hope that we shall live to see another ideal society like the one which existed at the time of Prophet Mohammad."

"Amen," said the father.
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The Pre-Islamic Society
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        Ahmad said to his father, "I should like to know more about Arab society and the change that took place in Arabia as a result of Islam."

        His father replied, "The change that took place was unusual. Mohammad, who was known for his integrity 1 , addressed the people of Mecca in the year 610 AD and told them that he was a prophet sent by Almighty God 2 to lead them along the right path 3. Of course the overwhelming majority 4 of the Meccan people rejected his claim 5.

The reason is clear enough. However honest and truthful a person is, his countrymen would find it difficult to accept his claim that he was chosen by God to deliver His message.

This is the plight 6 of all prophets. There is a French proverb that says: "Nul n'est prophete dons sons pays", which means: `There is no prophet in his own country.' This was also the case with prophet Mohammad.

Nevertheless, in less than a generation 7, his message revolutionized 8 life, not only in Mecca, but also throughout what is now called the Middle East. Never before, in the history of mankind, was there such a great change in such a limited period of time.

        What is strange about this change is not only the short period of time in which it materialized 9, but also how deep rooted 10 it became. It is well known that changes in culture are not easy to effect and that they take a very long time to become well established; but the miraculous 11 change caused by Islam is an exception 12 To understand the depth of that change, we should look at pre-Islamic conditions in Arabia.

Islam calls this pre-Islamic period "Al Jahiliah", which means ignorance in the broad sense of the word 13, ignorance of what is beneficial to man in all aspects of life 14.

"The Arabs of that era 15 were illiterate 16 people, and made no effort to educate themselves or their children. Pre-Islamic Arabia was surrounded by the most outstanding 17 civilizations that enriched man's heritage 18 To the West was the ancient Egyptian civilization, to the North the Roman, to the East the Persian and to the South that of Yemen Though the Arabs were in contact with most of these countries and periodically sent their caravans 19 to them, they were scarcely affected 20 by these surrounding 21 cultures.

The reason was that the pre-Islamic society was not stable 22 Most of the inhabitants 23 were Bedoums who were always on the move.

Also, their bloodthirsty tribal feuds 24 kept them too busy to bother about importing any useful cultural trends 25 from outside their closed circle.

        "Pre-Islamic Arab society centred round the tribe. There was no national identity comprising 26 all the Arabs. Instead, they were divided into many tribes, each of which had its independent entity. There were many tribal feuds in pre-Islamic Arabia, and looting 27 was a common practice.

Tribal attacks created a situation which bred revenge 28 Historical records tell of one feud which lasted a hundred years. The El-Aws and El-Khazraj both lived in Yathrib and the bloody feuds that took place between them lasted till the advent 29 of Islam.

        "Whenever a fight between two tribes took place, the victorious tribe had the right to enslave 30 whoever was captured from the defeated tribe. Thus slavery was common and slave dealers 31 had a flourishing market 32.

        "Inside the family, man was the supreme master whose word was law. He was the sole 33 possessor of everything, including the women he had under his control. There was no limit to the number of women he was entitled 34 to marry so long as he could afford it. 35 "Male infants were more welcome than females because the male infant would grow up to be a fighter who would guard the tribe against its enemies and take revenge on them if they succeeded in attacking his own tribe.

Thus parents considered their female infants a useless burden 36 and some parents went to the extent 37 of burying 38 those innocent infants alive."

        "Oh, how terrible!" said Ahmad.
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        "Yes," said his father. "Burying a female infant alive was not unusual. Cruel fathers did it to spare 39 themselves the trouble and the cost of rearing 40 a female child whom they considered useless and who might, in later years, bring shame 41 upon the family if her behaviour was irresponsible 42."

        "How was their time spent?" asked Ahmad.
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        His father answered, "When they were not fighting or looting, they were engaged either in breeding camels and sheep or in trade. In their leisure time, they drank alcohol, gambled 43 or behaved in a licentious manner 44. Sorcery 45 and superstition were rampant 46 People resorted 47 to sorcerers for cures.

Such sorcerers gave imaginary causes for diseases 48 and pretended to make use of supernatural forces 49 in their attempts 50 to treat their patients.

        "The privileged sector 51 of that society was aggressive, boastful 52, cruel and selfish.

It had an inflated sense 53 of its own importance and would not accept any limit to its freedom of action. Only tradition put some limits on its freedom. Manual work 54 was considered beneath its dignity 55. It was there to fight, give orders and be served.

        "On the other hand the unprivileged sector, which was composed of servants and slaves, was submissive 56, depressed and phobic 57. It did the work of the shepherd 58 and the humble craftsman 59 in that simple and primitive society 60. It was there to serve and be thankful 61.

        "That society of tribal feuds, inequality, ignorance, superstition and licentious behaviour probably spread hatred 62 and superstition leading to a vicious circle 63 of attacks and counter-attacks."

"Were there no positive elements at all in that society?" asked Ahmad.
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        "Yes, there were," said the father. "In fact the pre Islamic Arab had some good traits 64 and it was the desert that played an important part in forming these traits. He was hospitable and brave. Hospitality 65 was a common heritage in a society where every person had to wander 66 and was exposed to losing his way in the desert and facing death unless he came across the tents of some Bedoums and unless those Bedoums were hospitable enough to share with him their scanty 67 food and water. Hence hospitality was a necessity in that extensive 68 desert where death lurked 69 round every corner threatening 70 the ever-wandering Bedoums. It was the custom of the generous Bedoums to light fires outside their tents at night so as to attract those that were in need of refuge 71 and help.

        `Courage also sprang from 72 desert life. Because life was difficult, it was the fittest who survived 73 managing by sheer 74 physical power, to extract a living 75 in that miserly 76 natural environment 77. Without bravery, the Arab could not have faced the unknown in the heart of the desert, defended his herd 78 from at tacking beasts in the grazing ground 79 or repelled 80 the surprise attacks of hostile 81 tribes.

        "These are the negative and positive elements in Arabia before the advent of Islam.

What Islam did was to eradicate 82 the negative elements and reinforce the positive ones.

The Change Effected By Islam
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        Ahmad said, "I should like to know more about the change that took place as a result of Islam. How did Islam spread and what was Islamic society like at the time of the Prophet?"

        His father replied, "When Prophet Mohammad started his mission in his native town 1 of Mecca, the vast majority of the heathen people of Mecca opposed him 2. Only a few people followed him. For 13 years, the Prophet concentrated 3 on building up the true Muslim personality 4 of his followers 5, who, as a result of their deep conviction 6, faced all sorts of oppression with great courage and endurance 7. As an example of the deep rooted conviction of these early Muslims let me tell you the story of Bilal.

        "Bilal was a slave who believed in Islam. His master did everything possible to dissuade 8 him but in vain. To punish the stubborn 9 slave, his master ordered him to be chained 10 outside in the scorching 11 summer sun with a heavy stone tied to his chest. There he lay for days, enduring heat, thirst and pain 12, but he never faltered 13 He kept on saying: `Ahadun Ahad' which means: 'He is only one.' The master was at a loss to know what to do.

Finally, Abu Bakr, the Prophet's friend and first follower, offered to buy him. The master readily accepted the offer and no sooner had Abu Bakr bought Bilal than he set him free.

The history of the early Muslims abounds 14 in similar instances 15 of endurance and unshakeable 16 belief. This made the pagans 17 of Mecca wonder at the great change that took place in those who followed Islam.

Converts 18 had a new cause for which they were ready to sacrifice 19 everything even their lives. The heathens wondered also at the constant spread of the new religion in spite of their constant efforts to nip it in the bud 20.

        "During the pilgrimage season, the Prophet came in contact with some residents of Yathrib and managed to convince them of his beliefs.They were converted to Islam and asked him to send back with them a learned Muslim to teach them the Qur'an.

Eventually, Islam spread throughout Yathrib and the Prophet himself emigrated there; he received a great welcome and a new era began."

        "I think Prophet Mohammad had a better chance there to build up 21 the Muslim community," said Ahmad.

        "Yes, of course," said his father. "In Yathrib the Prophet began to lay the foundations 22 of a strong Muslim society. He made good use of the believers in Mecca and Yathrib (which he called "Almadinah Al-Munawarah" - namely the Shining City) and they all shouldered 23 the responsibility of spreading Islam all over the known world.

        "The first thing built by the Muslims in Medina was a mosque. They all took part in building it and the Prophet himself participated 24 The mosque was to be the centre for all activities as well as to become the place for prayers.

        "The change that took place in Medina when it was converted to Islam was astounding 25 The long tribal feuds that had taken place between its two belligerent 26 tribes came to an end. Al-Aws and Al- Khazraj.

The two tribes of Medina, enjoyed peace and brotherly love under the banner 27 of Islam.

The Prophet gave them both one name- "Al-Ansar", namely the helpers, and called the Meccan Muslims who came to Medina "Al Muhajereen" namely the immigrants. Al Muhajereen and Al Ansar worked hand in hand 28 under the leadership of the Prophet to establish the first Islamic Society. We can say that the emigration of the Prophet to Medina marked the birth of a new era in the history of Islam.

"Strong faith 29 and deep conviction were the cornerstones 30 of that emerging nation 31 The fact that the first Muslims were lucky enough to be living at the time of the Prophet and to be his followers made them especially anxious to be good Muslims. They found in the Prophet an ideal leader for them to follow.

Their belief in him as a prophet was strengthened by their love and respect for him as an ideal human being. This rapport between followers and leader was quite outstanding 32 because the virtues they admired in their leader were genuine 33 and because he practised what he preached 34.

"Brotherly love was another important cornerstone. `The believers are but a single Brotherhood (1),' said the Qur'an. This brotherly love was the cause of their strength.

It cemented 35 the structure of that new society and enabled 36 it to face inward 37 and outward 38 troubles. There are numerous examples of brotherly love and co-operation 39 given by the Medina Muslims. Let me tell you one - the story of Salman and his Jewish master.

        "Salman Al-Farisi was the slave of a Jew and was one of the Medina people who were converted to lslam. He asked his master to give him his freedom and name the sum 40 he wanted in return. The miserly Jew said that if Salman wanted to purchase 41 his freedom, he should give him 40 ounces of gold and plant 300 palm cuttings in his orchard 42. Salman couldn't afford that much and it would take him years to save that amount of gold and buy the three hundred cuttings.

        "Knowing of Salman's distress 43 the Prophet said to the believers: `Help your brother.' They all did everything possible to help Salman regain his freedom. The poor worked in the Jew's orchard during their spare time and gave their wages 44 to Salman.

They all gathered 45 as many palm cuttings 46 as possible and helped to prepare the ground for them. In a very short time the gold and the young palm trees were ready. Then the Prophet himself came and planted the 300 cuttings with his own hands."

        "Fantastic!" said Ahmad. "That is a real example of brotherhood. Wasn't Salman the same person who suggested digging a moat 47 round Medina when it was attacked by a huge army of infidels?"

        "Yes, it was," said his father. "And because of his bright 48 idea, the infidels were kept outside Medina until a tempest 49 drove them away and they dispersed 50 into the desert. It's worth mentioning 51 that, because of his sincere and strong belief, Salman rose from the humble status of a slave to be the "Emir" or governor general of Persia. That was in the time of Omar Ibn EI-Khattab, the second Caliph of Islam. "The story of Salman illustrates 52 the extent of the brotherly love that prevailed among the Muslims and that was the strength 53 of the newly founded nation of Islam."

        "That was a good beginning," said Ahmad. "The change from tribal feuds and enmity into brotherhood and love is a great achievement."54

        "It certainly was," replied his father.

"The Qur’an reminds the Muslims of this change in the following verse:
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       "And remember God's goodness 55 towards you; when you were enemies, He united your hearts and through His grace 56 ye became brethren."57

        Ahmad said, "Obviously, the change from enmity into brotherhood was a major 58 one. Were there other changes?"

        "Oh yes," said his father. "There was the change from ignorance to knowledge. The Prophet encouraged the Muslims to learn.

He said:
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      "Searching for knowledge is an obligation on every Muslim whether man or woman.'

The Quran abounds in verses that incite 59 the Muslims to learn. It says:
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        `Say: "Are those equal, those who know and those who do not know" (2).

`Say: "Oh God, increase my knowledge".

        "God will raise up, to (suitable) ranks 60 (and degrees) those of you who believe and who have been granted 61 knowledge" (3).

        "You might be interested to know that any prisoner of war was set free 62 by the Prophet if he managed to teach ten Muslims how to read and write.

        "This strong drive for learning resulted in the overcoming 63 of ignorance which is one of the great barriers 64 to progress. It is also worth mentioning that learning was not limited to men. Both men and women were encouraged to learn. In the past women were completely neglected but Islam gave them their dignified position in the family. They are not less important than men. That is why they were asked to learn as well; and the history of Islam is full of many learned women who were very well educated.

        "Another important change was in the moral and civic behaviour 65 of the Muslim.

The pre-Islamic arrogant, selfish and vicious individual changed into a modest, unselfish and virtuous Muslim. Every Muslim was asked to imitate the Prophet in his ideal conduct in the way he treated others. Drinking, gambling and usury were prohibited and thus the social and civic structure of the Muslim society had a strong foundation.

"No less important was the building up of the physical power of the Muslims. The Prophet encouraged the Muslims to teach their children swimming, shooting and horse-riding.

He also said that a strong believer is better than a weak one. We have already seen that bravery was one of the good qualities of pre-Islamic Arabs. This quality was given a good cause, namely the defence of Islam. When the Meccan heathens attacked the Muslims at Badr, they out numbered 66 the Muslims by 3 to 1. Nevertheless, it was the Muslims who won the fight and the heathens were either killed, captured or driven back to Mecca.

Finally I should like to mention an important point about the Muslim society at Medina.

There the structure of Islam was complete.

Muslims were given a detailed 67 system comprising all the aspects of life. The Prophet showed them how to worship 68, how to behave and how to treat others. Islamic laws concerning marriage, inheritance 69 and ownership 70 were put into practice. So were penal laws. In short, Islamic jurisprudence 71 took its final shape and was practically enforced. What was the result? A marvellous change for the better. In less than one generation the ignorant, bloodthirsty 72 and vicious pre-Islamic society changed miraculously into an enlightened, kind and virtuous Muslim society.

        "Such a change always takes place when the true spirit of Islam is enforced. This is what we expect in our present era if Islam is truly put into practice. ‘Let's hope so," said Ahmad.

Attacks Against Islam
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        Ahmad was sitting by himself near the fire reading a book.

        "I see, you're very absorbed 1 in that book," said his father, sitting beside his son.

"What is it about?" "It's 'The 100', by Michael Hart. The book you told me about last week. I found it in the school library and I am reading, about Prophet Mohammad. The author 2 considers him the most influential person in the history of the world. Listen to what he says, Dad: `It is this unparalleled combination 3 of secular 4 and religious influence, which I feel, entitles Mohammad to be considered the most influential single person in human history."

        "Well," said the father. "I certainly agree with Michael Hart because the change effected by Islam has been both massive 5 and deep-rooted. The ignorant and backward 6 pre-Islamic Arabs progressed by leaps and bounds 7 after they followed Islam. This was not the case with the two other great religions, Judaism and Christianity."

        "No, it wasn't," said Ahmad. "No great civilization came in the wake 8 of either Christianity or Judaism. But Islam was the main influence behind the great Islamic civilization during the Middle Ages." "Another important point," said his father, "is that Islam has always been dynamic 9. It has spread far and wide 10 throughout the ages and wherever it spread it caused a deep-rooted cultural change. Even the very language of some countries changed and Arabic, the language of the Quran, became the national tongue 11 of their people. This is the case with the countries of the Middle East that used to have different languages before the advent of Islam.

        "So dynamic is Islam that it is still spreading in spite of the present deplorable 12 condition of the Muslims. It is spreading in Central Africa, in South-East Asia, in North America and in parts of Europe. The reason is that the doctrines 13 of Islam appeal to the human mind once it has the opportunity 14 of knowing about it. "Islam our Choice" is another book I should like you to read. It is in our library. The book is a compilation 15 of articles written by some influential Western people who have been converted to Islam, giving their reasons why they have became Muslims. They all agree that they had false ideas 16 about Islam at first and that when they understood it properly, they believed in it."Why did they have false ideas?" asked Ahmad. "Because of the false attacks launched against Islam," said his father. "From its early beginnings, Islam was attacked by several groups of people. It was attacked by those whose material well-being would be affected by it and by those who were too fanatic 17 to understand its true principles.

Both groups declared their disbelief 18.

Of them the Qur'an said:
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"As to those who reject faith, it is the same to them whether you warn 19 them or not; they will not believe. God has set a seal 20 on their hearts and on their hearing and on their eyes is a veil 21; great is the penalty 22 they incur 23".

        "But there's still a third group. This group is not evil but opposes Islam because it has a false idea about it. This group hasn't got the means or the chance to know what Islam really is. They don't have that `seal on their hearing' or that `veil on their eyes'. They are keen to know the truth and ready to listen and be convinced 24 The writers of `Islam our Choice' belong to this group. As soon as they came in contact with true Islam, they believed in it. An Arab proverb says: `Whoever is ignorant of something, opposes it.' A good number of those who oppose Islam are ignorant of it. You and your Muslim friends who live in non-Islamic countries face direct and indirect attacks on Islam. It is your duty to know what true Islam is. I suggest that you also read `Islam in Focus' by Hammudah Abdulati. See what he has written about you in the introduction: `The Muslims of the Western Hemisphere 25, especially those young among them who reside in remote areas 26, face complex problems. All the surrounding circumstances are unfavourable 27 as far as Islam is concerned. Radio comments and television shows, news items and magazine articles, motion pictures 28 and even school textbooks, all seem to misrepresent 29 Islam and not always innocently."

        What's our duty then?" asked Ahmad.
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        'to read as much as you can about Islam and try and be good Muslims yourselves. Read about the history of the Prophet and the great Caliphs to see how was put into practice.

Above all, read the Qur'an and the hadith and try to practise what they preach." `I promise to do that," said Ahmad.

       "every now and then," said his father, "we shall discuss what we read."

        "that's a good idea," said Ahmad.

Muhammad a true Prophet.

        Ahmad said to his father, "Yesterday, a boy at school said that Prophet Muhammad was no true prophet and that the Quran was not revealed 1 to him but was of his own making. I promised to discuss these allegations 2 with him tomorrow. I want to convince him by using reason and logic. Will you help me?" His father said, "This is an old attack that started with the beginning of Islam in Mecca and is still being launched. Let us find some logical proof 3 against these two attacks, namely that Muhammad is not a true prophet and that the Qur'an was not revealed to him but was of his own making. Let's start by discussing the first allegation.

        "The Prophet's personal conduct 4 throughout his life is a sound proof against this claim. He was known for his honesty, truthfulness and integrity of character. During his infancy and youth his behaviour was so unspotted 5 that he was called `Al-Amin', meaning the honest'. After he declared his message, even his enemies acknowledged his unblemished character. It was reported that Abu Sufian, one of Prophet Muhammad's great opponents 6 in Mecca, acknowledged to Heraclius, the Byzantine emperor, that Prophet Muhammad was known for being thruthful.

Heraclius wanted to know about the Prophet and asked Abu Sufian if Muhammad had ever been known to tell a lie. Though Abu Sufian was the Prophet's bitter 7 enemy, he couldn't help saying that Prophet Mohammad had never told a lie. Is it to be imagined that a person who was so honest and truthful would undergo 8 a sudden change and start to deceive 9 his people and tell them a lie? I think the logical answer is `No'.

"Another piece of evidence which proves that Muhammad was a true Prophet is his response to the cruelty 10 of the pagans of Mecca. The Prophet and the early Muslims suffered great hardships 11. At first they were slandered 12 and mocked 13 ; then the pagans' cruel treatment took the form of attacking individual Muslims and trying to humiliate them wherever they went and finally the pagans resorted to complete boycott 14, The Muslims were besieged 15 in their quarter at Mecca and no one at all was allowed to deal with them. No buying from them; no selling to them; no social relations of any kind.

Nevertheless, this cruel treatment failed to dissuade the Prophet from spreading his message. The Prophet endured all those hardships with a firm belief in the final victory he was promised by Allah. Would an impostor 16 stick to his belief in such a way and suffer 13 years of trouble and pain without being shaken?"17

        No, I don't think he would," said Ahmad.
        ==================================
        "During the boycott," continued his father, "Abu Taleb, the Prophet's uncle and great protector, died. A short time afterwards, the Prophet's wife, Sayeda Khadijah, died too. We can imagine Prophet Muhammad's feeling after the loss of these staunch 18 supporters in such a difficult time. The Prophet was sad and defenceless 19, but he didn't weaken 20 or yield 21 because he was sure of the truth of his cause. He decided to visit a neighbouring tribe called Thakif in the nearby town of El-Taef. He went alone to Thakif and informed its chiefs of his message but he was greeted 22 with little sympathy. Instead of helping him, the tribal leaders mocked him and encouraged their children and their riff-raff to throw stones at him. Prophet Muhammad had to go back all the way to Mecca exhausted 23 and sad but he never yielded and his belief in his cause was never shaken. He was sure of the final victory promised him by Allah."

"How far is El-Taef from Mecca?" asked Ahmad.
========================================
        "It is about 80 kilometres," said his father. "Of course there were no motor cars then and he had to cover that distance on foot.

Wouldn't it be natural for an impostor to yield if he was faced by similar hardships? But Prophet Muhammad was no impostor. He was delivering a true message 24 to his people and that is why he didn't yield in the face of hardship. "Let me give you more proof. After the Prophet had emigrated to Medina, the infidels of Mecca waged 25 many wars against him. In one of these battles called `Hunain', the Muslims faced a difficult situation despite 26 the fact that their number had greatly increased. The battle was at a turning point and the Muslims were about to suffer defeat.

Such a defeat would have been disastrous for the Prophet's cause. "In that critical situation Prophet Muhammad rushed forward 27 until he faced the enemy and shouted `Allahu Akbar' (God is Great) and repeatedly quoted his own piece of verse:

        "I am the Prophet, no lie! I am the son of Abdul Muttalib".

        "This aroused 28 the fighting spirit in the Muslims and a substantial 29 change in the course of the battle took place. At last the Muslims emerged victorious. "Psychologically speaking, such behaviour would never have come from an impostor. Such a person would never run that risk. On the contrary, he would take the easiest way out.

        "The life history of the Prophet abounds in similar incidents which are sound proofs that his message was true.There was a British statesman 30 who was converted to Islam after he had read the life history of the Prophet. His name was Sir Jalaluddin Lauder (of course that was his name after he became a Muslim .) I'll quote you his words as they appear in `Islam our Choice'." The father got the book from his library and said, "This is what he said: `I eventually took up the study of the life of Prophet Muhammad. I knew very little of what he did and felt that the Christians with one voice condemned the celebrated prophet of Arabia. I was now determined to look into the matter without the spectacles of bigotry 31 and malice. After a little time I found that it was impossible to doubt the earnestness 32 of his search after 33 truth and God'."

        ''I want to read more about Prophet Muhammad.

What book would you advise?'' asked Ahmad.
=======================================
''I'll get you a book from the University library called "Muhammad and the Course of Islam" by Balyuzi. It will give you a good idea about the life of the Prophet. There's also a very informative 34 book, but written in Arabic.

It is entitled "Hayat Muhammed" (The Life of Muhammad) by Dr. Hussein Haykal. I suggest that you read it in the holidays. As well as giving you a good and more detailed idea about the life of Prophet Muhammad, it will help you with your Arabic.

        Ahmad thanked his father and said, "Let's go back to our original discussion. You said that the Prophet was known' throughout his life for honesty and truthfulness, that his belief in his true mission was never shaken in spite of the great troubles he faced and that his behaviour in the face of danger is a proof of his being truthful. Is there more evidence?"

        "Yes," said his father. "On some occasions during the 13 years of hardship in Mecca, Prophet Muhammad had to face temptation 35 as well. A famous incident was when the chiefs of Mecca went to Abu Taleb, the Prophet's uncle and supporter 36, and said to him: `Look at what your nephew is doing. He is denouncing 37 our religion and is blaspheming 38 our gods. We don't do him harm 39 because you protect him. If he can be dissuaded 40 from his cause by money, we will make him the richest of us all. If he wants honour and fame, we are ready to crown 41 him as our king. We shall do this if he renounces what he is claiming at present. If he refuses, then withdraw your protection and allow us to deal freely with him.' "Abu Taleb refused to withdraw 42 his protection if Prophet Muhammad did not accept their offer, but he promised to inform the Prophet of that offer. He hoped that the Prophet might come to a kind of compromise 43 with them especially because he (Abu Taleb) was weak and sick and couldn't bear to see Prophet Muhammad in such danger while he was unable to protect him properly."

        "What was the Prophet's answer?" asked Ahmad. ''A flat refusal 44 He said to his uncle without any hesitation: `By Allah, O uncle!

Even if they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left, I will never renounce this claim. I'll fight for it either until it is fully acknowledged, or until I die.' Noticing the determination 45 of his nephew, Abu Taleb said to him `Proceed in your course, O nephew; I shall never forsake 46 you.'

        "Would an impostor be so firm in his claim that neither threat nor temptation could affect him?" "Of course, the logical answer is `No'," said Ahmad.

The Holy Qur'an
=============
        Ahmad's father said, "Let's deal with another point that concerns the truthfulness of Prophet Muhammad's message. The unbelievers 1, both of ancient and modern times, allege 2 that the Qur'an was not revealed to Prophet Muhammad and that it was a book which he made up. This is another important allegation which, if refuted 3, will prove that Prophet Muhammad's message is true."

        ''Yes," said Ahmad, "that is a very important point. How can we logically prove that the Holy Qur'an was revealed to Prophet Muhammad?"

        "There is some sound proof of that"; said his father. "We all know that Prophet Muhammad lived in an illiterate community and that he himself was illiterate. Is it logical that an illiterate person would write such a perfect book as the Quran? This perfection of the Qur'an is evident to all those who make a thorough 4 study of its contents. They judge its perfection in several ways.

        "First, from the point of view of style. The Arabs in the age of the Prophet were well known for their literary taste. The calm life they led in the desert encouraged meditation.

Poetry 5 was their favourite hobby 6. They enjoyed listening to poetry or composing it if they were talented 7 in that way. When Prophet Muhammad related the Qur'an to them, they found in it something new. Though it is not poetry, it far excels 8 poetry in its exquisite 9 beauty and the elegance of its style. Even the most arrogant disbelievers acknowledged the exquisite beauty of the Qur'an. For instance when Al-Walid Ibn Al-Mogherah, one of those arrogant disbelievers, heard the Prophet quoting some verses of the Qur'an, he was so affected that he ran back 10 to the people of his tribe and said, `By God, I heard Muhammad saying such words as are neither the words of humans nor of Jinns 11 By God! It's so sweet and so beautiful."

"Unfortunately," 12 said Ahmad, "my school friend may not be convinced by this point because he doesn't know Arabic and would not be able to appreciate the wonderful style of the Qur'an."

"That's true," said the father, ''but it is a fact that the Qur'an challenged 13 the Arab disbelievers to try and phrase 14 anything of the like and they failed to do so. Isn't this another proof that the Qur'an is a heavenly 15 message?"

        "Yes, of course it is," said Ahmad.
        ============================
        "Another point is that the Qur'an includes certain prophecies 16, all of which came true.

Let me give you some examples. Perhaps the most important prophecy is that the Prophet Muhammad would succeed in making Islam supreme. This prophecy comes several times in the Qur'an.

Let's consider these verses:-
=========================
        "It is He who has sent His apostle with guidance 17 and the religion of truth, that he may proclaim 18 it over all religion, even though the heretics may detest".

Another verse says:-
================
        "Soon the multitude 19 will be vanquished and they will show their backs".

        'I cannot mention all the similar prophecies here, but they all assure the Prophet and the Muslims of their ultimate 20 victory, which did materialize 21.

        `There are other prophecies that deal with other topics 22. For instance, in the years before the Hijra, the Persians defeated the Christian Romans and Jerusalem itself was occupied. The Muslims, who were suffering hardship and persecution 23 in Mecca, felt a kind of sympathy 24 towards the Christian Romans because they were also suffering because of their beliefs. On the other hand, the pagans of Mecca were pro-Persian.

During this period the following verse was revealed:-
============================================
      "The Romans have been defeated in a land close by but they will soon be victorious after their defeat".

        "At that time it seemed impossible that the tables 25 would be turned and that the defeated Romans would emerge victorious; but that is what happened within the space of eight years. The victory promised by the Qur'an did materialize, in the battle of Issus in the year 622 (the year of the Hijra), when Heraclius carried the campaign 26 into the heart of Persia.

      "In addition, the Qur'an relates the history of past nations and previous 27 prophets. The history is so accurate 28 and detailed that it cannot be imagined that Prophet Muhammad, who was an illiterate person, brought up 29 in an illiterate community, could have been the author. Aren't these prophecies and these detailed and sound historical records 30 proof that the Qur'an was not written by Prophet Muhammad?"

        ''Yes, I'm sure they are," said Ahmad.
        ==============================
        "There's another point which, I am sure, will easily convince your friend."

"What's that," asked Ahmad.
=======================
        "The Qur'an and science," replied his father. "The Qur'an mentions certain scientific facts which were quite unknown 31 at the time of Prophet Muhammad. I'll only talk about facts, not theories. You know the difference.

don't you?"

"Of course I do," said Ahmad.
========================
        ''Well, let me first ask you a question. Why do we have night and day?"

        Ahmad said, `There are two reasons; first, the earth is round and, second, it turns round its axis 32 in front of the sun."

        "That's it," said his father. "You remember your geography lessons quite well. Let us now consider this verse from the Qur'an:

       "He coils 33 the night upon the day and coils the day upon the night". The Arabic wordíßæÑ means make like a ball. When seen from space the shining side of the earth looks like a shining hemisphere and the dark side looks like a dark hemisphere. These two hemi- spheres are continuously coiling upon each other as the earth rotates 34 round its axis.

The Qur'anic verse describes this process 35 in an accurate way. It is easy for us nowadays to imagine this process because we know that the earth is round. Our astronauts 36 have travelled into space and have seen the spherical 37 earth with their own eyes; but this fact was not known to the Arabs at the time of the Prophet. Isn't this sound proof that the Qur'an was inspired 38 by God?"

        "Sure it is," said Ahmad.
        ====================
        "Another example," said his father, "concerns an important discovery of modern times. It is about the expansion 39 of the Universe. This is a firmly established fact today. Using the most sophisticated 40 equipment 41, it has been discovered quite recently that the size of the Universe is constantly increasing and will continue to increase as the galaxies 42 travel further away from us. These galaxies travel at varied speeds, some faster and some slower than the speed of light. This recently discovered phenomenon 43 is clearly stated in the following Quranic verse: -

       "The heaven, we have built it with power. Verily we are expanding it".

        "It is unimaginable44 that an illiterate person living 14 centuries ago could have known such a fact which has been discovered only quite recently. Isn't it logical to say that the Quran was inspired by God Almighty and that these facts which were not known in the Prophet's time were revealed to Muhammad. A further point in this area is about man and space. Man has conquered 45 space only quite recently. Yet a verse in the Quran relates without any ambiguity 46 what man would achieve in the field of space.

The verse says:
=============
       "O ye assembly of Jinn and men, if it be ye can pass beyond the zones of the heavens and the earth, pass ye. Not without power shall ye be able to penetrate". 47

        The power mentioned in this verse can be interpreted as the power of science. It is clear that the Quranic verse states the possibility of man's penetrating through space, something which was inconceivable in the time of the Prophet and which was not attempted 48 until quite recently.

        "I can quote several other verses dealing with different aspects of science such as the water cycle, the earth's relief, the vegetable kingdom, the animal kingdom, human reproduction, etc. If you are keen 49 to know more about the subject you should read "The Bible, the Quran and science" by Maurice Bucaille." The father fetched the book from his library and continued: `Listen to what Bucaille says on this subject after he had examined 50 the Quran: `The Quran did not contain a single statement 51 that was assailable 52 from a modern scientific point of view.'

        "What about the Bible and science? These are the very words of Bucaille: 'I repeated the same tests for the Old Testament 53 and the gospels 54, always preserving the same objective outlook 55. I did not even have to go beyond the first book, Genesis, to find statements totally out of keeping with the cast iron facts 56 of modern science.'

        "At the end of the book the writer says: `It is unthinkable 57 that a man of Muhammad's time could have been the author. It is inconceivable that many of the statements in the Quran which are connected 58 with science could have been the work of a man. It is, however, perfectly legitimate 59, not only to regard 60 the Quran as the expression of a revelation but also to award 61 it a very special place on account of the guarantee 62 of authenticity 63 it provides and the presence in it of scientific statements which, when studied today, appear as a challenge to explanation in human terms."

        "Now," said Ahmad, "I have enough proof that Prophet Muhammad is a true prophet and that the Quran was God's revelation to him, I can easily convince my friend."

More light on the Message of Islam
=============================
        In another session 1 Ahmad said he wanted to know more about the message of Islam. His father asked him if he knew the four main 2 parts of the message of Islam.

Ahmad said, "As far as I remember, they are:

=====================================

1. The belief of a Muslim.
2. The way he worships God.
3. His personal behaviour.
4. His dealings with others.

        "Exactly," said his father. "Let's take them one by one."

        "Let's start with the belief of a Muslim," said Ahmad. "What Should a Muslim believe?"

        His father said, "A Muslim should believe in Allah the one omnipotent God 3, who sent the apostles to direct the peoples of the earth onto the right path. He believes that Prophet Muhammad is the last of these apostles and that his message is universal; that is to say that it is for all the people of the earth. A Muslim should believe in the angels of God and in the holy books revealed by God to His apostles. The last of these holy books is the Quran, which was revealed to Prophet Muhammad. A Muslim should also belief in the day of judgment, when the faithful will be rewarded and the disbelievers punished.

This is the belief of a Muslim. Islam is a simple natural religion that the mind can easily accept. That is why it is called (the natural religion). A person who gets rid 4 of his preconceived 5 ideas will find Islam very acceptable. That is why Islam spread so easily, by means of its own dynamic power.

        "This brings us to the second part. Do you remember what it is?"

        "Yes," answered Ahmad, "it is about the way a Muslim worships God."

        "We may call this part `practical devotions, 6 said his father. "They are: (I) Prayers (2) Zakat (3) Fasting in Ramadan and (4) Pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a life time.

        "Let us talk about the first practical devotion, prayers. I am pleased, Ahmad, that you say your five daily prayers regularly. What benefit do you think is derived from daily prayers?"

        "That's an important question," said Ahmad, "and in fact, I wanted to ask you the same thing; but let me attempt an answer. I think that the five daily prayers, if carried out with great devotion, will purify the heart of the Moslem and develop his conscience."

        "Exactly," said the father. "During his prayers, a true Muslim feels that he is in the presence of God. The five prayers are a means for man's moral elevation so as to be worthy 7 of that presence. Hence a Muslim will refrain 8 during his daily life from doing anything that may not accord with the regulations 9 of God Almighty, in whose presence he prays five times every day.

In the Quran it is said:
==================
        "Prayer restrains 10 man from that which is evil and wrong".

        "It is well known that a person who carries out his daily prayers with devotion is a God-fearing 11 person, who tries in all his dealings to be a good Muslim." "What about the Zakat?" asked Ahmad. `Isn't it a kind of tax?"

        "Tax is collected by the government, which can increase it or decrease it according to its needs. Taxes are levied so that government projects and policies 12 can be effected. As for the Zakat, it is supervised 13 by the Muslim government and is a kind of charity which helps those in need. It is a certain percentage of a rich man's income 14 which is to be paid to the less privileged 15 in the society.

        "The word zakat means purification. It purifies the rich man's income and enhances that feeling of brotherhod which is fostered 16 by Islam. In the Muslim community you will not find that fight between classes which is stressed 17 by communists at present.

Instead, there is a feeling of brotherhood and love. Zakat plays an important role in creating that feeling. When the needy man feels that you are kind to him and that you will do everything possible to help him, he will love you as a brother, not fight you as a member of a wealthy class. There is no class division in Islam."

        "Now," continued Ahmad's father, "what are the two other acts of practical devotion?"

        "They are Fasting and Pilgrimage. I can tell the aim behind them."

        "Well, go ahead!"
        `Fasting during the month of Ramadan teaches the Muslim to be patient and unselfish. He feels the deprivation 18 of the poor and tries to lend them a helping hand. As for Pilgrimage, it is a unique gathering 19 of the Muslims in one place. They come from the four corners of the world to worship Allah together in His holy places, to know one another and to discuss the problems that face the Islamic Ummat or nation," said Ahmad.

        `You are quite right," said his father, "but I should like to stress the fact that a Muslims is asked to carry out 20 all these acts of practical devotion with sincerity and with a feeling that he is in God's presence and that God Almighty knows his real intentions. That is why the prophet said:

        "Your deeds are judged in accordance with your real intentions." For instance, if a person goes on pilgrimage in true homage 21 and obedience 22 to God, his pilgrimage will be accepted; but if he goes for the sake of showing off 23 or for a certain worldly gain 24 , then his pilgrim age will be considered invalid." 25

        "Well," said Ahmad, "Let us go back to the four main parts of the message of Islam. We have already discussed two of them, namely the belief of a Muslim and the way he worships God. What about the third part, the personal behaviour of a Muslim?"

        The father said, "This is of major importance. The Prophet said, I was sent by God to perfect moral behaviour.' In other words the main aim of Prophet Muhammad's message is to direct the people towards good behaviour. Prophet Muhammad himself gave a perfect example of good moral behaviour and a verse in the Quran commends the Prophet's personal behaviour saying:

        which means:"You have an exalted 26 standard of character".

        "According to Islam, sincerity is all-important. We have seen how a Muslim should worship God with complete sincerity. Sincerity should also be his guiding principle in personal conduct. He should not behave in a certain acceptable way to others while he secretly feels differently. Hypocrisy 27 is one of the moral evils fought by Islam and many a Quranic verse denounces the behaviour of hypocrites who meet you with one face and meet others with another. Truth and sincerity are twin brothers. If you say the truth, you are sincere to yourself and to others. An Arab who had recently been converted to Islam and who was accustomed 28 to doing wrong asked Prophet Muhammad to give him one piece of advice which, when followed to the letter, would make him a good Muslim. The prophet said to him, "Promise me never to tell a lie.

The man readily gave the promise. Later on, whenever he thought of doing something wrong he said to himself: `What shall I tell the Prophet if he asks me about this deed? Shall I tell a lie? But I promised not to tell a lie. I had better not do this wrong deed." This example shows how being truthful is one of the most important cornerstones in building up correct moral behaviour.

        "In addition to being truthful and sincere, a Muslim should have all the other good qualities. He should be kind-hearted 29, brave in defending his cause, helpful to the needy, etc. In other words, he should display 30 all man's best qualities."

        "There are many verses in the Quran which show a Muslim how to behave. The following are some verses that illustrate the qualities which a true Muslim should have. In Surat Al-Israa God Almighty says:

        "The Lord hath decreed 31 that ye worship none but Him and that ye be kind to parents".

       "And render to the kindred 32 their true right and also to those in want and to the wayfarer 33 but squander 34 not (your wealth) in the manner of a spendthrift". 35

        "Nor come nigh to adultry 36; for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil opening the road to other evils".

        "Nor walk on the earth with arrogance, for thou can not rend the earth asunder nor reach the mountain in height".

And these are some verses from Surat Lukman:-

========================================

        "O my son, establish regular praying, enjoin what is just, and forbid what is wrong and bear whatever be tide thee, for this is firmness 37 of purpose".

        "And swell not thy cheek for pride nor walk in arrogance through the earth".

         "These `verses, and many others, shape the moral character of a Muslim."

        Ahmad said, "This is further proof that Prophet Muhammad is a true prophet because it is inconceivable that a person who advocates such good moral behaviour and strict adherence to truth and who himself is a perfect example of good behaviour, would tell the people a lie."

        "You are quite right," said his father.
        ==============================
        "What about the fourth part?" asked Ahmad.

        "You mean how a Muslim deals with others?

        Well, it's getting rather late. Let's keep that for another session.

Transactions in Islam
==================
        The next evening Ahmad said to his father: "You promised to talk about how a Muslim deals with others."

        "Oh yes, I did," said his father. "I should like to start by saying that Islam regulates not only the religious aspect of the life of a Muslim but also his everyday dealings with others.

Hence it cares for both spiritual and physical life. It is not a one-sided 1 religion that cares only for the spirit and disregards 2 material life. It deals with both aspects because the healthy interaction 3 of the Muslim with the rest of society is of paramount importance 4.

The Prophet was once told that a certain Muslim was so devout that he spent all his time worshipping God. `And who supports him?' asked the Prophet. `His companions,' was the answer. The Prophet said, `Then his companions are far better than he is.'

        "The laws governing the Muslim's treatment of others form what is called Islamic jurisprudence or (ÝÞå ) (Fikh) in Arabic. This is further proof of the validity of Prophet Muhammad's message. It cannot be imagined that an illiterate person could have devised 5 such perfect code which was, and still is, successfully put into practice by Muslim communities all over the world.

        "Application of Islam to daily life can be divided into two main categories: (A) How Islam governs the behaviour of a Muslim inside the family and (B) How it governs his behaviour when dealing with other members of the community. Let's begin with the first category.

        "The family, being the cell 6 out of which the community is formed, is given great importance by Islam. It is established on firm ground and the ties 7 between its members are given every possible strength. Marriage is encouraged because it is a moral safeguard 8 and a social necessity. A Muslim is asked to choose his future partner with care and make sure she is pious and has firm religious beliefs."

"What about the other elements such as beauty, wealth, family status and the like?"

======================================================================

asked Ahmad. "They are of secondary significance," 9 said his father, "but the most important criterion 10 for choice should be how pious the person is. Of course it is obvious that a pious wife is quite faithful to her husband and more careful in raising her children in accordance with the sound rules advocated by our religion." Ahmad said, "Why then does Islam allow the Muslim to marry more than one wife? If a Muslim makes a good choice, there will be no need for polygamy." 11 "You are quite right but I should like to tell you the following facts about polygamy:

        1-Those who attack Islam try to depict 12 the Muslim as a sensuous 13 person whose sole aim is sexual gratification 14.Of course this is sheer nonsense.

        2 - In practice, polygamy is quite limited and the percentage of those who have more than one wife is insignificant.

        3 - In some extraordinary cases polygamy may be advisable 15 so as to solve 16 certain social or moral problems. Islam is practical enough to accept such a solution and to give it sanctity 17. Being legally married to another wife is far better than resorting 18 to casual liaisons which are widespread now in the Western hemisphere despite the grave effects they may have physically, socially and psychologically.

        4 - One important condition for having more than one wife is that the Muslim should be fair in dealing with them. Since this is quite difficult to carry out, we can say that polygamy is only permitted within certain strict limits so it is a rare phenomenon."

Ahmad said: "What about women's rights? Has Islam defined them?"

==========================================================

His father said, "Oh yes. In fact the rights given them by Islam far exceed those given by other religions. To have a clear understanding of the dignified status of women in Islam, you should first have an idea about the condition of the non-Muslim women. You remember that in one of our previous discussions I told you how pre-Islamic women were considered man's property 19 and there was no limit to the number of women a man could marry. Man was the supreme master and his word was law.

Under Islam, women are full and equal partners of men. They both have equal rights and equal - though not identical - responsibilities. Man is responsible for supporting the family and for the general welfare of its members. The woman is responsible for bringing up her children and for man aging the day to day family affairs.

Husband and wife are asked to treat each other with kindness, respect and love. The family is their joint responsibility and they should strive 20 hard to build it up on a sound foundation of love, co-operation, faithfulness and mutual understanding. That's why the Muslim family has strong bonds 21 that tie it together. In the non- Muslim Western countries, each member in the family is free to go his own way. That's why family ties are becoming less strong. This is not the case in the Muslim family."

        "Why is this?" asked Ahmad.
        ========================
        "Because Islam has defined the rights and responsibilities of each member of the family not only in its limited sense but in its broader sense as well. Every Muslim is exhorted 22 to love, help and care for his relatives. `Selatul rahim, ÕáÉ ÇáÑÍã or caring for the relatives, is considered one of the virtues which a good Muslim should have. It is his responsibility and their right. But he carries out this responsibility with a loving heart. That's why strong healthy bonds tie the Muslim family together and unite it in a whole."

Ahmad asked, "What happens if a marriage is not successful?"
======================================================
        The father said, "In this case divorce is permitted but not until every possible means of reconciliation 23 is attempted. Sometimes, for various reasons, a couple find they cannot carry on with their married life. Their disagreements 24 may increase with the passage of time and the efforts of their relations to reconcile them be come fruitless 25 In this case divorce may be the only remedy. If, in the future, they admit their weaknesses 26 and are keen to overcome them and to resume their married life, they can do so. This may be done once or even twice, but not for the third time because this means that their disagreement is deep-rooted and the chance of a successful marriage is very limited."

        "That is certainly very practical," said Ahmad. `Now, what about the Muslim's actions in the community?"

        There are detailed rules for that," said the father. "They govern the various social and business dealings of a Muslim.

The guiding principles of such dealings are:
=====================================
        1-God is the owner of everything on earth and man is God's agent to administer 27 the wealth given him by God. Hence he should administer it in accordance with His regulations.

        2-The Muslim's dealings should be carried out with honesty and without any deception.

Contracts should be clearly written and witnessed.

        3-Islam is against the hoarding 28 of money and keeping it unused. It should circulate for the benefit of the community.

        4 - Usury and any form of exploiting the urgent needs of a person are completely forbidden.

        5 - There is mutual responsibility between the individual and the community. The Muslim cares for the welfare of the other members of the community. The Prophet said: "None of you is a true believer in Islam until he wishes for his fellow man what he wishes for himself ".

        "On the other hand the community is responsible for the welfare of its members. It should provide them with justice and equal treatment regardless 29 of colour, origin or tongue. "People are as equal as the teeth of a comb" said the Prophet. This treatment is not limited to the Muslim members. It includes all those who live in the Muslim community regardless of their religion. "Omar Ibn El-Khattab, the second Caliph, was once walking in Medina and saw an old Jew begging 30 for money. He gave his orders that `Baitul-Mal' or the Islamic exchequer 31 should give the old Jew a monthly pension, and said `We have benefited from his efforts when he was young and should not forsake him in his old age."

        Ahmad said: "This is marvellous. It shows that Islamic rules were the forerunner 32 of the modern social insurance system. I can see now how Islam made the Arabs a great Nation and revolutionized conditions fourteen centuries ago with the spread of sound social and economic systems."

Islam in Practice
==============
        "Have you read today's paper, dad?" asked Ahmad. "There's an article about the terrible conditions among the blacks of South Africa."

        "No, I haven't read that article. What does it say?"

        Ahmad said, "It is entitled `The hideous conditions in the black settlements of South Africa' and it says that in spite of the fact that the white population in South Africa enjoys one of the highest standards of living in the world, the conditions of the blacks are as follows:- One third of the black children suffer from malnutrition.

        - There is one doctor for every 174,000 blacks.

        - The death rate among black infants is 13 times the death rate among white infants.

        - The whites use nuclear power stations while the blacks use wood for fuel.

        - One half of the pupils in a certain black settlement were in need of treatment for T.B. 1." (1)

        "Oh! How terrible " said his father. "This is the result of apartheid 2 or racial discrimination 3. I think that any discrimination because of race, colour or religion is backward, uncivilized 4 behaviour 5; and I am astonished to see that such behaviour still exists in countries such as South Africa."

        "Didn't you tell me that Islam is against discrimination of any sort?"

        "Certainly it is," said his father. "In fact, Islam is exemplary 6 in this respect. You remember the hadith I told you before: "People are as equal as the teeth of a comb". There is another Hadith that says: "No believer would go to his bed satisfied and well-fed while his neighbour was hungry", and a third Hadith that says: "None of you is a true believer until he wishes for his fellow man what he wishes for his own self ". These sound 7 rules made love prevail among the people. This is not the case in any place where discrimination is practised.

In such places hatred, not love, is spread."

        "Yes, of course," said Ahmad. "Life would be miserable and gloomy 8 where hatred was paramount." "Every person in the Islamic community should respect the rights and the dignity of the others regardless of their religion, race or colour. The non-Muslims are not forced to beconverted to Islam nor are they treated differently. I told you about the story of Omar and the old Jew whom he saw begging. Here is another story that illustrates 9 the equal treatment enjoyed by the non Muslims under Islam: It happened that two young men had a horse-race. The first was the son of the Muslim conqueror 10 of Egypt, Amr Ibn El-'As. The second was an Egyptian. The Egyptian won. This infuriated 11 the governor's son to such an extent 12 that he slapped 13 his opponent's face saying, `Take this slap from the son of the most distinguished.' The indignant Egyptian could not bear that humiliating 14 treatment, so he travelled all the way to Arabia and complained to the Muslim Caliph Omar Ibn El-Khattab. Omar was known for his firmness and justice. He sent for both the Muslim governor and his son. When they arrived he tried the case and found that the governor's son was guilty. Omar gave the sentence. He turned to the young man from Egypt and said to him `Slap the face of the son of the most distinguished.' Then he turned to the Muslim governor and said: `Since when did you enslave 15 people whose mothers bore them free?' Omar ordered the young Egyptian to slap the Muslim governor himself but the young man begged earnestly to be excused from doing so.

        "This incident may be unique in the history of mankind, which is full of oppression and discrimination, but it is not the only incident in the history of Islam, where all people are considered equal and justice should be given to every individual. That is why the non-Muslims lived peacefully and happily under Islam.

        When the city of Jerusalem surrendered 16 to the Muslims it was Omar, the second Caliph, who entered the holy city at the head of his army. He dismounted and walked bare-foot 17 in homage 18 and great respect. In the agreement between him and the Christian high priest, he stated that every person in the city would be safe, that no church would be molested and that freedom of worship 19 would be enforced.

        Islam is against any social or colour discrimination. Have you heard the story of Bilal and Abu-Dharr?"

        "No," said Ahmad.
        ===============
        "You know that Bilal was a black slave from Abyssinia and you remember his master used to torment 20 him after he had been converted to Islam."

        "Yes, I do; and then Abu Bakr bought him and set him free."

        "That's right," said Ahmad's father. "Bilal disagreed one day with Abu-Dharr one of the `Sahabah' or disciples of the Prophet. Abu-Dharr forgot himself in the course of the argument and called Bilal `son of the black woman.' Bilal complained to the Prophet and told him the words of Abu -Dharr. The Prophet was very angry with Abu Dharr and said to him, "You are a person with some Jahiliah still in you".

        "What's Jahiliah?" asked Ahmad.
        ===========================
        "I think I told you about it before. It is the label 21 used by the Quran for the pre-Islamic times. The Prophet meant that Abu-Dharr still kept in him some of the pre- Islamic ideas about colour and race discrimination."

        "What was the reaction of Abu-Dharr?" asked Ahmad.

        "Well, he was quite sorry for that slip 22 of the tongue and about the rebuke 23 of the Prophet which he well deserved. He was so repentant that he lay prostrate 24 on the ground and insisted that Bilal should kick his head so as to drive out that remaining part of `Jahiliah' which was still in him."

        "The Prophet was a great educator 25," said Ahmad.

        "Yes, and he educated his followers by giving them a good example," said his father.

"Once a non-Muslim Arab came to the Prophet asking for the repayment of a certain sum the Prophet owed him; he was very rude in his demand and said to the Prophet, `You, the sons of Abdul Muttaleb, are known for procrastination 26

        "This rude behaviour infuriated Omar, who couldn't bear hearing his Prophet insulted. He asked the Prophet to give him permission to kill the rude man: but the Prophet said to Omar, "You had better advise him to be more polite in his demand and advise me to be more punctual 27 in my payment". The astounded Arab was so affected by this exemplary reaction of the Prophet that he was converted to Islam and asked for the Prophet's forgiveness."

        "This is a marvellous example of modesty and self- control," said Ahmad.
        "Yes, it is," said his father. "In this way the Prophet taught his followers how to use the good qualities that become a true believer.

They should practise truth, honesty, dignity, modesty, self-control, altruism and all the other good qualities."

"What's altruism?" asked Ahmad.
===========================
"It is unselfishness. In fact we are badly in need of altruism in our present era when materialism 28 has spread far and wide. Every person is occupied in amassing 29 as much money as possible for him self regardless of others. He doesn't extend a helping hand to the miserable and the needy. A true Muslim should care for others as well. In some cases he prefers them to himself. Many examples of altruism were given by the Muslims in the past.

One of the most striking examples of altruism was that given by some wounded 30 Muslim fighters at the Battle of Yarmouk. Water was scarce and the soldiers were thirsty. When water was given to the first wounded soldier, he said, `The wounded fighter next to me is more in need of water than I am, so please give it to him.' When water was offered to the second soldier, he said the same. So did the third, the fourth and the fifth, who insisted that it should be given back to the first. When water was offered again to the first, he had already died."

        "How strange!" said Ahmad. "You could never imagine such unselfish behaviour taking place nowadays. May I ask why.

        His father said, "Because a true Muslim believes in the reward hereafter in our eternal life after death. Our life on earth is limited but our life after death is eternal 31 ; so a Muslim prefers an eternal reward to a temporary 32 one. That is why the true Muslim is ready to sacrifice his life and his money so as to gain that eternal bliss which is the reward given to those who adhere to the tof the Prophet."

        "Islam in practice is marvellous," said Ahmad. "I have noticed that Muslims usually lead a happy life." "Because they are at peace with themselves and with those around them," said his father. This feeling is the result of their keeping to the rules of Islam."

        "This feeling is badly needed in our modern society," said Ahmad. "Many people are neither at peace with themselves nor with their community. I think I know the remedy now."

        "I hope that it will be applied in due time," said his father.

CHAPTER ONE
============
1    lag v - gg - [behind]    develop more slowly (than others).
2    raise a question v.    bring up a subject for discussion.
3    once adv.    sometime ago.
4    spread v.    cover a large area.
5    distinguish oneself v.    behave so as to bring credit to oneself.
6    astronomy n.
     the scientific study of the sun moon, stars. etc...
7    start v.    begin.
8    acknowledge v.    recognize the fact or existence.
9    splendours n.    grand beauty and magnificence.
10    darkness of ignorance n.    unlightened lack of knowledge.
11    factor n.
     condition or circumstance helping to bring about a result.
12    govern v.    control.
13    sociologist n.    expert in sociology.
14    sociology n.
     scientific study of societies and human
behaviour in groups.
15    life cycle n.
     progression through different stages of development.
16    downfall n.    ruin.
17    stages of n.    periods, phases of...
18    alienation n.    turning away.
19    brotherhood n.    the quality of being brothers.
20    altruism n.
     consideration of the happiness and good of others before one's own, unselfish- ness.
21    enmity n.    particular feeling of hatred.
22    disunity n.    lack of unity.
23    overwhelm v.    defeat or overcome.
24    welfare n.    wellbeing.
25    decadence n.    fall to a worse level.
26    superstition n.    belief in magic and the supernatural.
27    sectarianism n.
     Tendency to split up or work in the interest of sects.
28    righteousness n.    lawfulness and moral good.
29    life hereafter n.    life after death.
30    regain v.    win back.
31    status n.    high social position.
32    adherence n.    remaining faithful.
33    momentum v.    importance, force.
34    put into practice v.    carry out.

CHAPTER TWO
============
1     universe n.
     all space and the matter which exists in it.
2    path n.    way.
3    beneficial adj.    having a good effect.
4    determine the reward v.    fix a recompense for service.
5    influence v.
     have an effect on.
6    truthful adj.    habitually telling the truth.
7    virtuous adj.    very honest.
8    compassionate adj.     showing pity.
9    neighbour n.    person living near another.
10    mankind n.     the human race both men and women.
11    stick to what is
right v.     remain loyal.
12    avoid v.    keep away from.
13    thought n.    way of thanking.
14    behaviour n.     way of behaving.
15    cherish v.     care for.
16    wholesome adj.    healthy good for the mind or character.
17    indecent adj.     improper.
18    goal n.     object of efforts or ambitions, aim.
19    arrogance n.    pride and self-importance.
20    vanity n.     conceit, high opinion of oneself.
21    harshness n.     lack of kindness.
22    indifference n.    absence of interest or feeling.
23    distasteful adj.     causing dislike, unpleasant.
24    offensive adj.     disagreeable.
25    displeasing adj.     making God angry.
26    oneness of God n.    being one only.
27    needy adj.     poor, in need of food, clothing. etc...
28    fast v.
     the act of staying without food, for religious purposes.
29    pilgrimage n.    A journey made to visit a holy place as an act of religious love and respect.
30    purify v.     to make free from evil.
31    fellow men n.    persons from the same nation, country, religion, etc...
32    encourage v.    give the confidence to do something.
33    support himself v.     provide money for himself to live on.
34    duty n.     what one must do by morality, law, conscience.
35    virtue n.     goodness or excellence.
36    conscientious adj.    guided by one's sense of duty.
37    worker n.     a person who works.
38    achieving prosperity n.    reaching a state of being successful.
39    respect v.     treat with consideration.
40    usury n.
     the practice of lending money to be paid back at a high rate of interest.
41    exploitation n.
     unfair use (of another person for one's own profit).
42    dishonourable adj.    shameful.
43    prohibit v.     forbid by law or rule.
44    alms n.     gift to old or sick or poor people.
45    earnings n.     the money which is earned by working.
46    promote a feeling v.    propagate.
47    community n.
     group of people living together and sharing interest, religion and nationality.
48    exemplary adj.    suitable to be copied as an example.
49    thoughtfulness n.    paying attention to the wishes feelings. etc... of other people.
50    embrace v.    include.
51    witness n.    see.
52    contemplation n.    the act of thinking deeply and quietly meditation.
53    firm belief n.    solid or hard feeling faith.
54    supreme adj.    greatest.
55    piety n.    devotion to God.
56    unparalleled adj.    incomparable.
57    prevail v.    be most frequent and usual.
58    striking example n.    example attracting attention.
59    oppression n.    the condition of being oppressed.
60    heathen n.    pagan, person not knowing the true Gad.
61    established adj.     settled.
62    ideal adj.    perfect.

CHAPTER THREE
===============
1    integrity n.    honesty that can be trusted.
2    Almighty God n.    God who can do anything.
3    lead them along the right path v.    guide them towards good behaviour.
4    the overwhelming majority n.    by far the greater number.
5    claim n.    a statement of something as fact.
6    plight n.    serious and difficult condition.
7    generation n.    single stage or step in family descent.
8    revolutionize v.    cause a complete change.
9    materialize v.    become real.
10    deep-rooted adj.    established firmly.
11    miraculous adj.    very wonderful.
12    exception n.    one apart from.
13    broad sense of the word n.    general meaning.
14    aspects of life n.    sides of life.
15    era n.    period in history.
16    illiterate adj.    with little or no education.
17    outstanding adj.    better than others.
18    heritage n.    something which is passed down over many years within a family or nation.
19    caravan n.    company of persons making a journey together for safety usually across desert country.
20    scarcely affected adj.    barely influenced.
21    surrounding adj.    which is round about.
22    stable adj.    firm, steady.
23    inhabitants n.    persons living in a place.
24    tribal feuds n.    bitter quarrels between clans over a long period of time.
25    trend n.    tendency.
26    comprising adj.    composed of.
27    looting n.    taking away unlawfully and by force.
28    breed revenge v.    develop punishment in return for harm done.
29    advent n.    arrival.
30    enslave v.    to make into a slave.
31    slave dealer n.    slave trader.
32    flourishing market n.    growing, healthy market.
33    sole adj.    only.
34    entitle v.    give the right.
35    afford v.    be able to provide for.
36    burden n.    load.
37    extent n.    degree.
38    burying n.    putting into the grave.
39    spare v.    save.
40    cost of rearing n.    price of caring for until fully grown.
41    bring shame v.    cause loss of self-respect.
42    irresponsible adj.    showing lack of ability to behave carefully.
43    gamble v.    take great risks for the chance of winning or making profit.
44    licentious manner n.    immoral way.
45    sorcery n.    magic done by evil spirits.
46    rampant adj.    widespread.
47    resort to v.    make use of.
48    disease n.    illness.
49    supernatural force.    force explained by the powers of spirits. gods and magic.
50    attempt n.    effort made to do something.
51    privileged sector n.    persons having special rights or advantages.
52    boastful adj.    full of self-praise.
53    inflated sense n.    blown-up opinion.
54    manual work n.    work done with the hands.
55    beneath its dignity adj.    below its standards of moral and social behaviour.
56    submissive adj.    willing to take orders others.
57    phobic adj.    morbid.
58    shepherd n.    man who takes care of sheep in the field
59    humble craftsman n.    unimportant skilled workman.
60    primitive society n.    early stage of social development.
61    thankful adj.    grateful.
62    hatred n.    violent dislike.
63    vicious circle n.    two factors making each other worse and worse.
64    trait n.    distinguishing quality.
65    hospitality n.    liking to give.
66    wander v.    move without aim.
67    scanty adj.    small in size.
68    extensive adj.    far reaching.
69    lurk v.    wait in hiding.
70    threatening adj.    as a danger for.
71    refuge n.    shelter.
72    spring from v.    come out from.
73    the fittest who survived    the most adapted who continued to exist.
74    sheer adj.    pure.
75    extract a living v.    make a living.
76    miserly adj.    stingy.
77    environment n.    surroundings.
78    herd n.    group of animals of one kind which live and feed together.
79    grazing ground n.    land used for feeding cattle.
80    repel v.    drive back by force.
81    hostile adj.    showing enmity.
82    eradicate v.    destroy completely.

CHAPTER FOUR
==============
1    native town n.    the place of one's birth.
2    oppose him v.    be against him.
3    concentrate v.    pay great attention.
4    personality n.    character, qualities.
5    follower n.    supporter.
6    conviction n.    firm and sincere belief.
7    endurance n.    ability to suffer.
8    dissuade v.    determine.
9    stubborn adj.    unreasonably obstinate.
10    chain v.    limit the freedom with the chain.
11    scorching adj.    very hot.
12    pain n.    suffering.
13    falter v.    act in an uncertain or hesitating manner.
14    abound v.    exist in large numbers.
15    instance n.    example.
16    unshakeable adj.    unchangeable.
17    pagan n.    heathen not knowing the true God.
18    convert n.    a person who accepts a particular religion or political belief.
19    sacrifice v.    give up.
20    nip it in the bud v.    destroy it before it gets strong.
21    build up v.    to increase.
22    foundation n.    base.
23    shoulder v.    bear much weight or responsibility.
24    participate v.    take part.
25    astounding adj.    astonishing.
26    belligerent adj.    showing a readiness to tight.
27    banner n.    flag.
28    hand in hand adj.    working together.
29    faith n.    belief.
30    cornerstones n.    most important foundation stones.
31    emerging adj.    becoming known.
32    outstanding adj.    better than others.
33    genuine adj.    true.
34    preach v.    to make known by speaking in public.
35    cement v.    strengthen.
36    enable v.    make it possible for.
37    inward adj.    towards the inside.
38    outward adj.    towards the outside.
39    co-operation n.    working together for common purpose.
40    sum n.    total amount.
41    purchase v.    buy.
42    orchard n.    fruit garden.
43    distress n.    unhappiness.
44    wage n.    money paid for work.
45    gather v.    get together.
46    cutting n.    short piece of the stem of a plant.
47    moat n.    ditch due for defence and filled with water.
48    bright adj.    clever.
49    tempest n.    violent storm.
50    disperse v.    scatter.
51    worth mentioning adj.    useful to talk about.
52    illustrate v.    explain by example.
53    strength n.    power.
54    achievement n.    successful finishing or gaining of something.
55    goodness n.    virtue, kindness, generosity.
56    grace n.    God's mercy and favour towards mankind.
57    brethren n.    brothers.
58    major adj.    very important.
59    incite v.    to rouse.
60    rank n.    degree of value.
61    grant v.    give.
62    set free v.    to liberate.
63    overcoming n.    getting the better of.
64    barrier n.    obstacle.
65    civic behaviour n.    public life of a citizen.
66    outnumber n.    to be greater in number.
67    detailed adj.    described fully.
68    worship v.    show respect and reverence to God.
69    inheritance n.    heritage.
70    ownership n.    right of possessing.
71    jurisprudence n.    the science of law.
72    bloodthirsty adj.    liking killing and murder.

CHAPTER FIVE
=============
1    absorbed adj.    interested.
2    author n.    writer of a book.
3    combination n.    group of things joined together.
4    secular adj.    not religious.
5    massive adj.    large.
6    backward adj.    retarded.
7    by leaps and bounds adv.    very rapidly.
8    in the wake of prep.    after, following.
9    dynamic adj.    energetic.
10    far and wide adj.    over a large area.
11    tongue n.    language.
12    deplorable adj.    very bad.
13    doctrine n.    belief and teaching.
14    opportunity n.    occasion.
15    compilation n.    arrangement.
16    false idea n.    wrong idea.
17    fanatic adj.    filled with excessive enthusiasm.
18    disbelief n.    lack of faith or belief.
19    warn v.    give notice of possible danger.
20    set a seal on v.    close tightly.
21    veil n.    a covering of fine cloth.
22    penalty n.    punishment.
23    incur v.    bring upon oneself.
24    convince v.    persuade.
25    hemisphere n.    half the earth.
26    reside in remote areas v.    live in far regions.
27    unfavourable adj.    not advantageous, unhelpful.
28    motion pictures n.    cinema, films.
29    misrepresent v.    show wrongly.

CHAPTER SIX
============
1    revealed adj.    taught directly by God
2    allegation n.    a statement that charges someone with doing something bad which is not supported by proof, accusation.
3    proof n.    way of showing that something is true.
4    conduct n.    behaviour.
5    unspotted adj.    morally pure, unblemished.
6    opponent n.    person who takes the opposite side.
7    bitter adj.    full of hate.
8    undergo n.    experience.
9    deceive v.    trick, cause someone to accept as true what is false.
10    cruelty n.    state of unkindness or causing suffering.
11    hardship n.    difficult condition of life.
12    slander v.    harm by making a false statement.
13    mock v.    laugh at.
14    boycott n.    act of refusing to take part in.
15    besiege v.    surround by armed forces.
16    impostor n.    person pretending to be somebody he is not.
17    shaken adj.    affected.
18    staunch adj.    loyal.
19    defenceless adj.    unprotected.
20    weaken v.    become less determined.
21    yield v.    cease opposition.
22    greet v.    welcome.
23    exhausted adj.    tired out.
24    deliver a message v.    give out a message.
25    wage v.    to begin and continue a war.
26    despite prep.    in spite of.
27    rush forward v.    to move suddenly in the stated direction to move forward.
28    arouse v.    fully awaken.
29    substantial adj.    considerable.
30    statesman n.    person taking an important part in the management of state affairs
31    bigotry n.    state of being intolerant in matters of religion.
32    earnestness n.    seriousness.
33    search after v.    look for.
34    informative adj.    instructive.
35    temptation n.    that which attracts and tempts.
36    supporter n.    person who gives loyalty and attendance.
37    denouncing v.    speaking or writing against.
38    blaspheme v.    speak without respect.
39    do him harm v.    hurt him.
40    dissuade v.    prevent from doing something by giving reasons.
41    crown v.    give royal power to.
42    withdraw v.    take away.
43    compromise n    settlement.
44    flat refusal v.    firm, complete refusal.
45    determination n.    firm intention.
46    forsake v.    give up.

CHAPTER SEVEN
================
1    unbeliever n.    person without faith.
2    allege v.    declare without proofs.
3    refuted adj.    proved wrong.
4    thorough adj.    complete in every way.
5    poetry n.    art of a poet.
6    hobby n.    activity which one enjoys doing in one's free time.
7    talented adj.    showing or having a special natural ability.
8    far excel    surpasse.
9    exquisite adj.    very great and delicate.
10    run back v.    return.
11    Jinn n.    Genie, spirit with strange powers.
12    unfortunately adv.    by bad luck.
13    challenge v.    defy.
14    phrase v.    express in words.
15    heavenly adj.    from heaven.
16    prophecy n.    statement telling about something that is to happen in the future.
17    guidance n.    help, advice.
18    proclaim v.    make known publicly.
19    multitude n.    large crowd.
20    ultimate adj.    final.
21    materialize v.    to become fact.
22    topic n.    subject for discussion.
23    persecution n.    cruel treatment.
24    sympathy n.    ability to share the feelings of another.
25    tables n.    advantage.
26    campaign n.    a connected set of military actions with a particular purpose.
27    previous adj.    coming earlier in time.
28    accurate adj.    exact.
29    bring up v.    raise.
30    historical record n.    event written for future information.
31    unknown adj.    not identified.
32    axis v.    imaginary line on which the earth rotates.
33    coil v.    twist into a continuous circular shape.
34    rotate v.    to move round a certain point.
35    process n.    connected series of actions.
36    astronaut n.    person who travels in a space-craft.
37    spherical adj.    shaped like a globe.
38    inspired adj.    revealed.
39    expansion n.    increase in size.
40    sophisticated adj.    complicated, complex.
41    equipment n.    things needed to do something.
42    galaxy n.    immense group of stars in outer space.
43    phenomenon n.    a fact or event in nature that is unusual.
44    unimaginable adj.    hard to believe, unconceivable.
45    conquer v.    take possession of.
46    ambiguity n.    double meaning, lack of clarity.
47    penetrate v.    to make a way into or through.
48    attempt v.    try.
49    keen adj.    interested.
50    examine v.    study, read carefully.
51    statement n.    expression in words.
52    assailable adj.    that can be attacked.
53    Old Testament.    one of the two main divisions of the Bible.
54    Gospels.    first four books of the New Testament.
55    outlook n.    general point of view.
56    cast iron adj.    irrefutable.
57    unthinkable adj.    unbelievable.
58    connected adj.    linked.
59    legitimate adj.    lawful.
60    regard v.    consider.
61    award v.    give.
62    guarantee n.    promise, assurance.
63    authenticity n. genuineness.

CHAPTER EIGHT
==============
1    session n.    sitting.
2    main adj.    principal.
3    omnipotent God n.    Almighty God.
4    get rid of v.    become free of.
5    preconceived adj.    formed in advance.
6    devotion n.    religious practices.
7    worthy adj.    deserving.
8    refrain v.    to hold oneself back.
9    regulation n.    rule.
10    restrain v.    prevent.
11    fearing adj.    regarding with reverence.
12    policy n.    statement of aims and ideas.
13    supervise v.    watch and direct.
14    income n    revenue.
15    privileged adj.    having advantages.
16    fostered adj.    encouraged.
17    stressed adj.    made important.
18    deprivation n.    poverty.
19    gathering n.    meeting, reunion.
20    carry out v.    fulfil, complete.
21    homage n.    great respect.
22    obedience n.    willingness to obey.
23    for the sake of showing off adv.     for the purpose of getting admiration for oneself.
24    worldly gain n.    material gain.
25    invalid adj.    not correct, not effective.
26    exalted adj.    of high rank.
27    hypocrisy n.    pretending to believe or to be religious.
28    accustomed adj.    used.
29    kind-hearted adj.    showing, a kind nature.
30    display v.    show.
31    decree v.    order.
32    kindred n.    relatives.
33    wayfarer n.    traveller on foot.
34    squander v.    spend foolishly.
35    spendthrift n.    who spends money quickly.
36    adultery n.    immoral relations.
37    firmness n.    strength.

CHAPTER NINE
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1    one-sided adj.    limited.
2    disregard v.    pay no attention to.
3    interaction n.    mutual effect.
4    paramount importance.    greatest importance.
5    devise v.    invent.
6    cell n.    nucleus.
7    tie n.    something that holds people together.
8    safeguard n.    protection.
9    significance n.    meaning.
10    criterion n.    standard by which things are judged.
11    polygamy n.    custom of having more than one wife at the same time.
12    depict v.    describe.
13    sensuous adj.    getting pleasure by the senses.
14    gratification n.    pleasure and satisfaction.
15    advisable adj.    wise.
16    solve v.    find a solution for.
17    sanctity n.    holiness.
18    resorting to n.    making use of.
19    man's property n.    what is owned by man.
20    strive v.    struggle hard.
21    bond n.    feeling of closeness.
22    exhorted adj.    incited.
23    reconciliation n.    peace-making.
24    disagreement n.    opposition.
25    fruitless adj.    useless.
26    weakness n.    state of being weak.
27    administer v.    control.
28    hoarding n.    putting quantities aside for future use.
29    regardless adv.    without making any difference.
30    beg v.    ask humbly for money.
31    exchequer n.    office in charge of money.
32    forerunner n.    something coming before another important one.

CHAPTER TEN
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1    T.B. (tuberculosis) n    disease of the lungs caused by bad housing.
2    apartheid n.    official system of racial discrimination in South Africa.
3    discrimination n.    treating some people worse than others because of their race, religion or other reasons.
4    uncivilized adj.    like simple, backward people.
5    behaviour n.    way of acting.
6    exemplary adj.    giving a good example.
7    sound adj.    good, solid and healthy.
8    gloomy adj.    dark, unhappy.
9    illustrate v.    show, be an example of.
10    conqueror n.    man who takes a country by force of arms.
11    infuriate v.    make very angry.
12    extent n.    degree, point.
13    slap v.    hit with the open hand
14    humiliating adj.    humbling, making one low before other people.
15    enslave v.    turn into slaves.
16    surrender v.    give oneself up to enemies.
17    bare-foot adv.    without shoes.
18    homage n.    show of respect and of thanks.
19    worship n.    honour and prayer to God.
20    torment v.    be cruel to.
21    label n.    name, paper put on an object to show the owner name.
22    slip of the tongue n.    accidental mistake when speaking.
23    rebuke n.    telling a person he has done wrong.
24    prostrate adj/adv.    flat on one's face on the ground.
25    educator n.    teacher who forms the character.
26    procrastination n.    habit of leaving work until later.
27    punctual n.    always on time.
28    materialism n.    love of money and comfort, belief that matter is the reason for everything.
29    amassing n.    collecting in large quantities.
30    wounded adj.    hurt in fighting.
31    eternal adj.    not limited by time.
32    temporary adj.    lasting only a short time.