Wednesday, February 16, 2011
ISLAMIC MULTIMEDIA RESEARCH FOUNDATION: LIVE PEACE TV FROM ISLAM.TV
ISLAMIC MULTIMEDIA RESEARCH FOUNDATION: LIVE PEACE TV FROM ISLAM.TV: "Live Broadcast by Ustream.TV"
TWO DIFFERENT SEAS
Modern Science has discovered that in the places where two different seas meet, there is a barrier between them. This barrier divides the two seas so that each sea has its own temperature, salinity, and density. For example, Mediterranean sea water is warm, saline, and less dense, compared to Atlantic ocean water. When Mediterranean sea water enters the Atlantic over the Gibraltar sill, it moves several hundred kilometers into the Atlantic at a depth of about 1000 meters with its own warm, saline, and less dense characteristics. The Mediterranean water stabilizes at this depth (see fig 13)
The Mediterranean sea water as it enters the Atlantic over the Gibraltar sill with its own warm, saline, and less dense characteristics, because of the barrier that distinguishes between them. Temperatures are in degrees Celsius (C°). (Marine Geology, Kuenen, p. 43, with a slight enhancement.) (Click on the image to enlarge it.)
Although there are large waves, strong currents, and tides in these seas, they do not mix or transgress this barrier.
The Holy Quran mentioned that there is a barrier between two seas that meet and that they do not transgress. God has said:
He has set free the two seas meeting together. There is a barrier between them. They do not transgress. (Quran, 55:19-20)
But when the Quran speaks about the divider between fresh and salt water, it mentions the existence of “a forbidding partition” with the barrier. God has said in the Quran:
He is the one who has set free the two kinds of water, one sweet and palatable, and the other salty and bitter. And He has made between them a barrier and a forbidding partition. (Quran, 25:53)
One may ask, why did the Quran mention the partition when speaking about the divider between fresh and salt water, but did not mention it when speaking about the divider between the two seas?
Modern science has discovered that in estuaries, where fresh (sweet) and salt water meet, the situation is somewhat different from what is found in places where two seas meet. It has been discovered that what distinguishes fresh water from salt water in estuaries is a “pycnocline zone with a marked density discontinuity separating the two layers.” This partition (zone of separation) has a different salinity from the fresh water and from the salt water (see figure 14).
The Mediterranean sea water as it enters the Atlantic over the Gibraltar sill with its own warm, saline, and less dense characteristics, because of the barrier that distinguishes between them. Temperatures are in degrees Celsius (C°). (Marine Geology, Kuenen, p. 43, with a slight enhancement.) (Click on the image to enlarge it.)
Although there are large waves, strong currents, and tides in these seas, they do not mix or transgress this barrier.
The Holy Quran mentioned that there is a barrier between two seas that meet and that they do not transgress. God has said:
He has set free the two seas meeting together. There is a barrier between them. They do not transgress. (Quran, 55:19-20)
But when the Quran speaks about the divider between fresh and salt water, it mentions the existence of “a forbidding partition” with the barrier. God has said in the Quran:
He is the one who has set free the two kinds of water, one sweet and palatable, and the other salty and bitter. And He has made between them a barrier and a forbidding partition. (Quran, 25:53)
One may ask, why did the Quran mention the partition when speaking about the divider between fresh and salt water, but did not mention it when speaking about the divider between the two seas?
Modern science has discovered that in estuaries, where fresh (sweet) and salt water meet, the situation is somewhat different from what is found in places where two seas meet. It has been discovered that what distinguishes fresh water from salt water in estuaries is a “pycnocline zone with a marked density discontinuity separating the two layers.” This partition (zone of separation) has a different salinity from the fresh water and from the salt water (see figure 14).
INTRODUCTION TO ISLAM
ISLAM & MUSLIMS :-
The word "Islam" is an Arabic word which means "submission to the will of Allah". This word comes from the same root as the Arabic word "salam", which means "peace". As such, the religion of Islam teaches that in order to achieve true peace of mind and surety of heart, one must submit to Allah and live according to His Divinely revealed Law.
The most important truth that Allah revealed to mankind is that there is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty Allah, thus all human beings should submit to Him. The word "Muslim" means one who submits to the will of Allah, regardless of their race, nationality or ethnic background.
Being a Muslim entails willful submission and active obedience to Allah, and living in accordance with His message. Some people mistakenly believe that Islam is just a religion for Arabs, but nothing could be further from the truth. Not only are there converts to Islam in every corner of the world, especially in England and America, but by taking a look at the Muslim World from Bosnia to Nigeria, and from Indonesia to Morocco, one can clearly see that Muslims come from many various races, ethnic groups and nationalities. It is also interesting to note that in actuality, more than 80% of all Muslims are not Arabs - there are more Muslims in Indonesia than in the whole Arab World!
So though even though it is true that most Arabs are Muslims, the large majority of Muslims are not Arabs. However, anyone who submits completely to Allah and worships Him alone is a Muslim.
Continuity of the Message :-
Islam is not a new religion because "submission to the will of Allah", i.e. Islam, has always been the only acceptable religion in the sight of Allah. For this reason, Islam is the true "natural religion", and it is the same eternal message revealed through the ages to all of Allah's prophets and messengers.
Muslims believe that all of Allah's prophets, which include Abraham, Noah, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, brought the same message of Pure Monotheism. For this reason, the Prophet Muhammad was not the founder of a new religion, as many people mistakenly think, but he was the Final Prophet of Islam. By revealing His final message to Muhammad, which is an eternal and universal message for all of mankind, Allah finally fulfilled the covenant that He made with Abraham, who was one of the earliest and greatest prophets.
Suffice it to say that the way of Islam is the same as the way of the prophet Abraham, because both the Bible and the Qur'an portray Abraham as a towering example of someone who submitted himself completely to Allah and worshipped Him without intermediaries. Once this is realized, it should be clear that Islam has the most continuous and universal message of any religion, because all prophets and messengers were "Muslims", i.e. those who submitted to Allah's will, and they preached "Islam", i.e. submission to the will of Almighty Allah.
The Oneness of Allah :-
The foundation of the Islamic faith is belief in the Oneness of Almighty Allah - the Allah of Abraham, Noah, Moses and Jesus. Islam teaches that a pure belief in One Allah is intuitive in human beings and thus fulfills the natural inclination of the soul. As such, Islam's concept of Allah is straightforward, unambiguous and easy to understand.
Islam teaches that the hearts, minds and souls of human beings are fitting receptacles for clear divine revelation, and that Allah's revelations to man are not clouded by self-contradictory mysteries or irrational ideas. As such, Islam teaches that even though Allah cannot be fully comprehended and grasped by our finite human minds, He also does not expect us to accept absurd or demonstrably false beliefs about Him.
According to the teachings of Islam, Almighty Allah is absolutely One and His Oneness should never be compromised by associating partners with Him - neither in worship nor in belief. Due to this, Muslims are required to maintain a direct relationship with Allah, and therefore all intermediaries are absolutely forbidden. From the Islamic standpoint, believing in the Oneness of Allah means to realize that all prayer and worship should be exclusively for Allah, and that He alone deserves such titles as "Lord" and "Savior".
Some religions, even though they believe on "One Allah", do not make all of their worship and prayers for Him alone. Also, they also give the title of "Lord" to beings that are not All-Knowing, All-Powerful and Un-Changing - even according to their own scriptures. Suffice it to say that according to Islam, it is not enough that people believe that "Allah is One", but they must actualize this belief by proper conduct.
In short, in the Islamic concept of Allah, which is completely based on Divine Revelation, there is no ambiguity in divinity - Allah is Allah and man is man. Since Allah is the only Creator and continual Sustainer of the Universe, He is transcendent above His creation - the Creator and the creature never mix. Islam teaches that Allah has a unique nature and that He is free from gender, human weaknesses and beyond anything which human beings can imagine. The Qur'an teaches that the signs and proofs of Allah's wisdom, power and existence are evident in the world around us. As such, Allah calls on man to ponder over the creation in order to build a better understanding of his Creator.
Muslims believe that Allah is Loving, Compassionate and Merciful, and that He is concerned with the daily affairs of human beings. In this, Islam strikes a unique balance between false religious and philosophical extremes. Some religions and philosophies portray Allah as just an impersonal "Higher Power" who is uninterested, or unaware, of the life of each individual human. Other religions tend to give Allah human qualities and teach that He is present in His creation, by being incarnate in someone, something - or even everything.
In Islam, however, Almighty Allah has clarified the truth by letting mankind know that He is "Compassionate", "Merciful", "Loving" and the "Answerer of Prayers". But He as also emphasized strongly that "there is nothing like unto Him", and that He is high above time, space and His creation. Finally, it should be mentioned that the Allah that Muslims worship is the same Allah that Jews and Christians worship - because there is only one Allah. It is unfortunate that some people mistakenly believe that Muslims worship a different Allah than Jews and Christians, and that "Allah" is just the "Allah of the Arabs".
This myth, which has been propagated by the enemies of Islam, is completely false since the word "Allah" is simply the Arabic name for Almighty Allah. It is the same word for Allah which is used by Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians. However, it should be clarified that even though Muslims worship the same Allah as Jews and Christian, their concept of Him differs somewhat from the beliefs of other religions - mainly because it is based completely on Divine Revelation from Allah.
For example, Muslims reject the Christian belief that Allah is a Trinity, not only becaue the Qur'an rejects it, but also because if this was Allah's true nature, He would have clearly revealed it to Abraham, Noah, Jesus and all of the other prophets.
The Qur'an :-
The Arabic world "Al-Qur'an" literally means "the recitation". When used in regards to Islam, the word Qur'an means Allah's final message to mankind that was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. The Qu'ran, sometimes spelled Koran, is the literal the word of Allah - as it clearly says time and time again. Unlike other sacred scriptures, the Qur'an has been perfectly preserved in both its words and meaning in a living language.
The Qu'ran is a living miracle in the Arabic language; and is know to be inimitable in its style, form and spiritual impact. Allah's final revelation to mankind, the Qur'an, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years. The Qur'an, in contrast to many other religious books, was always thought to be the Word of Allah by those who believed in it, i.e. it wasn't something decreed by a religious council many years after being written. Also, the Qu'ran was recited publicly in front of both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities during the life of the Prophet Muhammad.
The entire Qur'an was also completely written down in lifetime of the Prophet, and numerous companions of the Prophet memorized the entire Qur'an word-for-word as it was revealed. So unlike other scriptures, the Qur'an was always in the hands of the common believers, it was always thought to be Allah's word and, due to wide-spread memorization, it was perfectly preserved.
In regards to the teachings of the Qur'an - it is a universal scripture, and it is addressed to all of mankind, and not to a particular tribe or "chosen people". The message that it brings is nothing new, but the same message of all of the prophets - submit to Almighty Allah and worship Him alone. As such, Allah's revelation in the Qur'an focuses on teaching human beings the importance of believing in the Unity of Allah and framing their lives around the guidance which He has sent.
Additionally, the Qur'an contains the stories of the previous prophets, such as Abraham, Noah, Moses and Jesus; as well as many commands and prohibitions from Allah. In modern times in which so many people are caught up in doubt, spiritual despair and "political correctness", the Qur'anic teachings offer solutions to the emptiness of our lives and the turmoil that is gripping the world today. In short, the Qur'an is the book of guidance par excellence.
The Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam)
Source: http://www.OpenTruths.comThe Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam)
Source: http://www.OpenTruths.comThe Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) :- Unlike the founders of many religious, the final prophet of Islam is a real documented and historical figure. He lived in the full light of history, and the most minute details of his life are known. Not only do Muslims have the complete text of Allah's words that were revealed to Muhammad, but they have also preserved his saying and teachings in what is called "hadith" literature.
This having been said, it should be understood that Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad was only a man chosen by Allah, and that he is not divine in any way. In order to avoid the misguided wish to deify him, the Prophet Muhammad taught Muslims to refer to him as "Allah's Messenger and His Slave". The mission of the last and final prophet of Allah was to simply teach that "there is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty Allah", as well as being a living example of Allah's revelation.
In simple terms, Allah sent the revelation to Muhammad, who in turn taught it , preached it, lived it and put it into practice. In this way, Muhammad was more that just a "prophet" in the sense of many of the Biblical prophets, since he was also a statesman and ruler. He was a man who lived a humble life in the service of Allah, and established an all-encompassing religion and way of life by showing what it means to be an ideal friend, husband, teacher, ruler, warrior and judge.
For this reason, Muslims follow him not for his own sake, but in obedience to Allah, because Muhammad not only showed us how to deal with our fellow human beings, but more importantly, he showed us how to relate to and worship Allah, worship Him in the only way pleasing to Him. Like other prophets, Muhammad faced a great deal of opposition and persecution during his mission. However, he was always patient and just, and he treated his enemies well.
The results of his mission were very successful, and even though his mission started in one of the most backward and remotes places on earth, within a hundred years of the death of Muhammad, Islam had spread from Spain to China. The Prophet Muhammad was the greatest of all of Allah's prophets, not because he had new doctrines or greater miracles, but because the results of his mission have brought more human beings into the pure and proper belief in the One True Allah than any other prophet.
The Islamic Way of Life :-
In the Holy Qur'an, Allah teaches human beings that they were created in order to worship Him, and that the basis of all true worship is Allah-consciousness. Since the teachings of Islamic encompass all aspects of life and ethics, Allah-consciousness is encouraged in all human affairs. Islam makes it clear that all human acts are acts of worship if they are done for Allah alone and in accordance to His Divine Law. As such, worship in Islam is not limited to religious rituals.
The teachings of Islam act as a mercy and a healing for the human soul, and such qualities as humility, sincerity, patience and charity are strongly encouraged. Additionally, Islam condemns pride and self-righteousness, since Almighty Allah is the only judge of human righteousness. The Islamic view of the nature of man is also realistic and well-balanced. Human beings are not believed to be inherently sinful, but are seen as equally capable of both good and evil. Islam also teaches that faith and action go hand-in-hand. Allah has given people free-will, and the measure of one's faith is one's deeds and actions.
However, human beings have also been created weak and regularly fall into sin. This is the nature of the human being as created by Allah in His Wisdom, and it is not inherently "corrupt" or in need of repair. This is because the avenue of repentance of always open to all human beings, and Almighty Allah loves the repentant sinner more than one who does not sin at all. The true balance of an Islamic life is established by having a healthy fear of Allah as well as a sincere belief in His infinite Mercy.
A life without fear of Allah leads to sin and disobedience, while believing that we have sinned so much that Allah will not possibly forgive us only leads to despair. In light of this, Islam teaches that: only the misguided despair of the Mercy of their Lord. Additionally, the Holy Qur'an, which was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, contains a great deal of teachings about the life hereafter and the Day of Judgment. Due to this, Muslims believe that all human beings will ultimately be judged by Allah for their beliefs and actions in their earthly lives.
In judging human beings, Almighty Allah will be both Merciful and Just, and people will only be judged for what they were capable of. Suffice it to say that Islam teaches that life is a test, and that all human beings will be accountable before Allah. A sincere belief in the life hereafter is key to leading a well-balanced life and moral. Otherwise, life is viewed as an end in itself, which causes human beings to become more selfish, materialistic and immoral.
Islam for a Better Life :- Islam teaches that true happiness can only being obtained by living a life full of Allah-consciousness and being satisfied with what Allah has given us. Additionally, true "freedom" is freedom from being controlled by our base human desires and being ruled by man-made ideologies. This stands in stark contrast to the view of many people in the modern world, who consider "freedom" to be the ability to satisfy all of their desires without inhibition.
The clear and comprehensive guidance of Islam gives human-beings a well-defined purpose and direction in life. In addition to being members of the human-brotherhood of Islam, its well-balanced and practical teachings are a source of spiritual comfort, guidance and morality. A direct and clear relationship with Almighty Allah, as well as the sense of purpose and belonging that ones feels as a Muslim, frees a person from the many worries of everyday life. In short, the Islamic way of life is pure and wholesome.
It builds self-discipline and self-control thought regular prayer and fasting, and frees human-beings from superstition and all sorts of racial, ethnic and national prejudices. By accepting to live a Allah-conscious life, and realizing that the only thing that distinguishes people in the sight of Allah is their consciousness of Him, a person's true human dignity is realized.
Islam is not a new religion because "submission to the will of Allah", i.e. Islam, has always been the only acceptable religion in the sight of Allah. For this reason, Islam is the true "natural religion", and it is the same eternal message revealed through the ages to all of Allah's prophets and messengers.
Muslims believe that all of Allah's prophets, which include Abraham, Noah, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, brought the same message of Pure Monotheism. For this reason, the Prophet Muhammad was not the founder of a new religion, as many people mistakenly think, but he was the Final Prophet of Islam. By revealing His final message to Muhammad, which is an eternal and universal message for all of mankind, Allah finally fulfilled the covenant that He made with Abraham, who was one of the earliest and greatest prophets.
Suffice it to say that the way of Islam is the same as the way of the prophet Abraham, because both the Bible and the Qur'an portray Abraham as a towering example of someone who submitted himself completely to Allah and worshipped Him without intermediaries. Once this is realized, it should be clear that Islam has the most continuous and universal message of any religion, because all prophets and messengers were "Muslims", i.e. those who submitted to Allah's will, and they preached "Islam", i.e. submission to the will of Almighty Allah.
Source: http://www.OpenTruths.com
The word "Islam" is an Arabic word which means "submission to the will of Allah". This word comes from the same root as the Arabic word "salam", which means "peace". As such, the religion of Islam teaches that in order to achieve true peace of mind and surety of heart, one must submit to Allah and live according to His Divinely revealed Law.
The most important truth that Allah revealed to mankind is that there is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty Allah, thus all human beings should submit to Him. The word "Muslim" means one who submits to the will of Allah, regardless of their race, nationality or ethnic background.
Being a Muslim entails willful submission and active obedience to Allah, and living in accordance with His message. Some people mistakenly believe that Islam is just a religion for Arabs, but nothing could be further from the truth. Not only are there converts to Islam in every corner of the world, especially in England and America, but by taking a look at the Muslim World from Bosnia to Nigeria, and from Indonesia to Morocco, one can clearly see that Muslims come from many various races, ethnic groups and nationalities. It is also interesting to note that in actuality, more than 80% of all Muslims are not Arabs - there are more Muslims in Indonesia than in the whole Arab World!
So though even though it is true that most Arabs are Muslims, the large majority of Muslims are not Arabs. However, anyone who submits completely to Allah and worships Him alone is a Muslim.
Continuity of the Message :-
Islam is not a new religion because "submission to the will of Allah", i.e. Islam, has always been the only acceptable religion in the sight of Allah. For this reason, Islam is the true "natural religion", and it is the same eternal message revealed through the ages to all of Allah's prophets and messengers.
Muslims believe that all of Allah's prophets, which include Abraham, Noah, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, brought the same message of Pure Monotheism. For this reason, the Prophet Muhammad was not the founder of a new religion, as many people mistakenly think, but he was the Final Prophet of Islam. By revealing His final message to Muhammad, which is an eternal and universal message for all of mankind, Allah finally fulfilled the covenant that He made with Abraham, who was one of the earliest and greatest prophets.
Suffice it to say that the way of Islam is the same as the way of the prophet Abraham, because both the Bible and the Qur'an portray Abraham as a towering example of someone who submitted himself completely to Allah and worshipped Him without intermediaries. Once this is realized, it should be clear that Islam has the most continuous and universal message of any religion, because all prophets and messengers were "Muslims", i.e. those who submitted to Allah's will, and they preached "Islam", i.e. submission to the will of Almighty Allah.
The Oneness of Allah :-
The foundation of the Islamic faith is belief in the Oneness of Almighty Allah - the Allah of Abraham, Noah, Moses and Jesus. Islam teaches that a pure belief in One Allah is intuitive in human beings and thus fulfills the natural inclination of the soul. As such, Islam's concept of Allah is straightforward, unambiguous and easy to understand.
Islam teaches that the hearts, minds and souls of human beings are fitting receptacles for clear divine revelation, and that Allah's revelations to man are not clouded by self-contradictory mysteries or irrational ideas. As such, Islam teaches that even though Allah cannot be fully comprehended and grasped by our finite human minds, He also does not expect us to accept absurd or demonstrably false beliefs about Him.
According to the teachings of Islam, Almighty Allah is absolutely One and His Oneness should never be compromised by associating partners with Him - neither in worship nor in belief. Due to this, Muslims are required to maintain a direct relationship with Allah, and therefore all intermediaries are absolutely forbidden. From the Islamic standpoint, believing in the Oneness of Allah means to realize that all prayer and worship should be exclusively for Allah, and that He alone deserves such titles as "Lord" and "Savior".
Some religions, even though they believe on "One Allah", do not make all of their worship and prayers for Him alone. Also, they also give the title of "Lord" to beings that are not All-Knowing, All-Powerful and Un-Changing - even according to their own scriptures. Suffice it to say that according to Islam, it is not enough that people believe that "Allah is One", but they must actualize this belief by proper conduct.
In short, in the Islamic concept of Allah, which is completely based on Divine Revelation, there is no ambiguity in divinity - Allah is Allah and man is man. Since Allah is the only Creator and continual Sustainer of the Universe, He is transcendent above His creation - the Creator and the creature never mix. Islam teaches that Allah has a unique nature and that He is free from gender, human weaknesses and beyond anything which human beings can imagine. The Qur'an teaches that the signs and proofs of Allah's wisdom, power and existence are evident in the world around us. As such, Allah calls on man to ponder over the creation in order to build a better understanding of his Creator.
Muslims believe that Allah is Loving, Compassionate and Merciful, and that He is concerned with the daily affairs of human beings. In this, Islam strikes a unique balance between false religious and philosophical extremes. Some religions and philosophies portray Allah as just an impersonal "Higher Power" who is uninterested, or unaware, of the life of each individual human. Other religions tend to give Allah human qualities and teach that He is present in His creation, by being incarnate in someone, something - or even everything.
In Islam, however, Almighty Allah has clarified the truth by letting mankind know that He is "Compassionate", "Merciful", "Loving" and the "Answerer of Prayers". But He as also emphasized strongly that "there is nothing like unto Him", and that He is high above time, space and His creation. Finally, it should be mentioned that the Allah that Muslims worship is the same Allah that Jews and Christians worship - because there is only one Allah. It is unfortunate that some people mistakenly believe that Muslims worship a different Allah than Jews and Christians, and that "Allah" is just the "Allah of the Arabs".
This myth, which has been propagated by the enemies of Islam, is completely false since the word "Allah" is simply the Arabic name for Almighty Allah. It is the same word for Allah which is used by Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians. However, it should be clarified that even though Muslims worship the same Allah as Jews and Christian, their concept of Him differs somewhat from the beliefs of other religions - mainly because it is based completely on Divine Revelation from Allah.
For example, Muslims reject the Christian belief that Allah is a Trinity, not only becaue the Qur'an rejects it, but also because if this was Allah's true nature, He would have clearly revealed it to Abraham, Noah, Jesus and all of the other prophets.
The Qur'an :-
The Arabic world "Al-Qur'an" literally means "the recitation". When used in regards to Islam, the word Qur'an means Allah's final message to mankind that was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. The Qu'ran, sometimes spelled Koran, is the literal the word of Allah - as it clearly says time and time again. Unlike other sacred scriptures, the Qur'an has been perfectly preserved in both its words and meaning in a living language.
The Qu'ran is a living miracle in the Arabic language; and is know to be inimitable in its style, form and spiritual impact. Allah's final revelation to mankind, the Qur'an, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years. The Qur'an, in contrast to many other religious books, was always thought to be the Word of Allah by those who believed in it, i.e. it wasn't something decreed by a religious council many years after being written. Also, the Qu'ran was recited publicly in front of both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities during the life of the Prophet Muhammad.
The entire Qur'an was also completely written down in lifetime of the Prophet, and numerous companions of the Prophet memorized the entire Qur'an word-for-word as it was revealed. So unlike other scriptures, the Qur'an was always in the hands of the common believers, it was always thought to be Allah's word and, due to wide-spread memorization, it was perfectly preserved.
In regards to the teachings of the Qur'an - it is a universal scripture, and it is addressed to all of mankind, and not to a particular tribe or "chosen people". The message that it brings is nothing new, but the same message of all of the prophets - submit to Almighty Allah and worship Him alone. As such, Allah's revelation in the Qur'an focuses on teaching human beings the importance of believing in the Unity of Allah and framing their lives around the guidance which He has sent.
Additionally, the Qur'an contains the stories of the previous prophets, such as Abraham, Noah, Moses and Jesus; as well as many commands and prohibitions from Allah. In modern times in which so many people are caught up in doubt, spiritual despair and "political correctness", the Qur'anic teachings offer solutions to the emptiness of our lives and the turmoil that is gripping the world today. In short, the Qur'an is the book of guidance par excellence.
The Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam)
Source: http://www.OpenTruths.com
Source: http://www.OpenTruths.com
This having been said, it should be understood that Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad was only a man chosen by Allah, and that he is not divine in any way. In order to avoid the misguided wish to deify him, the Prophet Muhammad taught Muslims to refer to him as "Allah's Messenger and His Slave". The mission of the last and final prophet of Allah was to simply teach that "there is nothing divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Almighty Allah", as well as being a living example of Allah's revelation.
In simple terms, Allah sent the revelation to Muhammad, who in turn taught it , preached it, lived it and put it into practice. In this way, Muhammad was more that just a "prophet" in the sense of many of the Biblical prophets, since he was also a statesman and ruler. He was a man who lived a humble life in the service of Allah, and established an all-encompassing religion and way of life by showing what it means to be an ideal friend, husband, teacher, ruler, warrior and judge.
For this reason, Muslims follow him not for his own sake, but in obedience to Allah, because Muhammad not only showed us how to deal with our fellow human beings, but more importantly, he showed us how to relate to and worship Allah, worship Him in the only way pleasing to Him. Like other prophets, Muhammad faced a great deal of opposition and persecution during his mission. However, he was always patient and just, and he treated his enemies well.
The results of his mission were very successful, and even though his mission started in one of the most backward and remotes places on earth, within a hundred years of the death of Muhammad, Islam had spread from Spain to China. The Prophet Muhammad was the greatest of all of Allah's prophets, not because he had new doctrines or greater miracles, but because the results of his mission have brought more human beings into the pure and proper belief in the One True Allah than any other prophet.
The Islamic Way of Life :-
In the Holy Qur'an, Allah teaches human beings that they were created in order to worship Him, and that the basis of all true worship is Allah-consciousness. Since the teachings of Islamic encompass all aspects of life and ethics, Allah-consciousness is encouraged in all human affairs. Islam makes it clear that all human acts are acts of worship if they are done for Allah alone and in accordance to His Divine Law. As such, worship in Islam is not limited to religious rituals.
The teachings of Islam act as a mercy and a healing for the human soul, and such qualities as humility, sincerity, patience and charity are strongly encouraged. Additionally, Islam condemns pride and self-righteousness, since Almighty Allah is the only judge of human righteousness. The Islamic view of the nature of man is also realistic and well-balanced. Human beings are not believed to be inherently sinful, but are seen as equally capable of both good and evil. Islam also teaches that faith and action go hand-in-hand. Allah has given people free-will, and the measure of one's faith is one's deeds and actions.
However, human beings have also been created weak and regularly fall into sin. This is the nature of the human being as created by Allah in His Wisdom, and it is not inherently "corrupt" or in need of repair. This is because the avenue of repentance of always open to all human beings, and Almighty Allah loves the repentant sinner more than one who does not sin at all. The true balance of an Islamic life is established by having a healthy fear of Allah as well as a sincere belief in His infinite Mercy.
A life without fear of Allah leads to sin and disobedience, while believing that we have sinned so much that Allah will not possibly forgive us only leads to despair. In light of this, Islam teaches that: only the misguided despair of the Mercy of their Lord. Additionally, the Holy Qur'an, which was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, contains a great deal of teachings about the life hereafter and the Day of Judgment. Due to this, Muslims believe that all human beings will ultimately be judged by Allah for their beliefs and actions in their earthly lives.
In judging human beings, Almighty Allah will be both Merciful and Just, and people will only be judged for what they were capable of. Suffice it to say that Islam teaches that life is a test, and that all human beings will be accountable before Allah. A sincere belief in the life hereafter is key to leading a well-balanced life and moral. Otherwise, life is viewed as an end in itself, which causes human beings to become more selfish, materialistic and immoral.
Islam for a Better Life :- Islam teaches that true happiness can only being obtained by living a life full of Allah-consciousness and being satisfied with what Allah has given us. Additionally, true "freedom" is freedom from being controlled by our base human desires and being ruled by man-made ideologies. This stands in stark contrast to the view of many people in the modern world, who consider "freedom" to be the ability to satisfy all of their desires without inhibition.
The clear and comprehensive guidance of Islam gives human-beings a well-defined purpose and direction in life. In addition to being members of the human-brotherhood of Islam, its well-balanced and practical teachings are a source of spiritual comfort, guidance and morality. A direct and clear relationship with Almighty Allah, as well as the sense of purpose and belonging that ones feels as a Muslim, frees a person from the many worries of everyday life. In short, the Islamic way of life is pure and wholesome.
It builds self-discipline and self-control thought regular prayer and fasting, and frees human-beings from superstition and all sorts of racial, ethnic and national prejudices. By accepting to live a Allah-conscious life, and realizing that the only thing that distinguishes people in the sight of Allah is their consciousness of Him, a person's true human dignity is realized.
Islam is not a new religion because "submission to the will of Allah", i.e. Islam, has always been the only acceptable religion in the sight of Allah. For this reason, Islam is the true "natural religion", and it is the same eternal message revealed through the ages to all of Allah's prophets and messengers.
Muslims believe that all of Allah's prophets, which include Abraham, Noah, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, brought the same message of Pure Monotheism. For this reason, the Prophet Muhammad was not the founder of a new religion, as many people mistakenly think, but he was the Final Prophet of Islam. By revealing His final message to Muhammad, which is an eternal and universal message for all of mankind, Allah finally fulfilled the covenant that He made with Abraham, who was one of the earliest and greatest prophets.
Suffice it to say that the way of Islam is the same as the way of the prophet Abraham, because both the Bible and the Qur'an portray Abraham as a towering example of someone who submitted himself completely to Allah and worshipped Him without intermediaries. Once this is realized, it should be clear that Islam has the most continuous and universal message of any religion, because all prophets and messengers were "Muslims", i.e. those who submitted to Allah's will, and they preached "Islam", i.e. submission to the will of Almighty Allah.
Source: http://www.OpenTruths.com
Sunday, February 13, 2011
AQEEDAH (FAITH)
The Islamic Aqeedah (faith) is as essential for man as air and water. Without this Aqeedah, he is lost and confused. Who is our Creator? What are His Names and Attributes? Why did He create us? What is our relationship to the Creator? Who are Angels? What is their role in human life? How should we believe in the Angels? What was the message of all the Prophet and Messengers? What happens after death? What are the signs of the Hour? What does it mean to believe in Predestination? Is everything including the actions of the slaves pre-decreed by Allah? Does man have freedom of choice? Only by studying the Aqeedah based purely upon the Quran and the Sunnah can one correctly answer these essential questions. The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said, "Knowledge is acquired by studying."
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