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A Brief Illustrated Guide To Understanding Islam
This guide is for any one who would like to understand Islam, the Muslims (Moslems), and the Holy Quran (Koran). It is rich in information, references, bibliography, and illustrations. It has been reviewed and edited by a number of immanent scientists and specialists. It is brief and easy to read, yet contains lots of scientific knowledge and interesting information. To order your free copy please email: - Your name, - Your Address, - and Your email address to:
WHAT IS ISLAM?
Judaism,
Christianity and Islam are the three world religions or Divine guidance for the
benefit of mankind that originated in the Middle East, and spread though out the
world. In reality they are basically very similar, or more accurately each
Devine messages contained more guidance and details, focused on issues
appropriate to the human society experience and stage of development. Islam
is not a new religion, but the Continuation of truth and guidance that Our
Creator revealed to us through His chosen Prophets in deferent stages of our
development. It is believed that God out of his mercy for humankind have sent
one hundred and twenty four thousand prophet to human throughout the time and in
deferent places Prophets of God in the Quran and the Bible:
Muslims has to believe in all the
Prophets of God and their messages from Adam to Muhammad including Moses and
Jesus.
What
does Islam mean? The
Arabic word ‘Islam’ simply means ‘submission’, and derives from a word
meaning ‘peace’. In a religious context it means complete submission to the
will of God. ‘Mohammedanism’ is thus a misnomer because it suggests that
Muslims worship Muhammad rather than God. ‘Allah’ is the Arabic name of God,
which is used by Arab Muslims and Christians alike.
Who
is Muhammad? Muhammad
was born in Makkah in the year 570, at a time when Christianity was not yet
fully established in Europe. Since his father died before his birth, and his
mother shortly afterwards, his uncle from the respected tribe of Ouraysh raised
him. As he grew up, he became known for his truthfulness, generosity and
sincerity, so that he was sought after for his ability to arbitrate in disputes.
The historians describe him
as calm and meditative. Muhammad
was of a deeply religious nature, and had long detested the decadence of his
society. It became his habit to meditate from time to time in the Cave of Hira
near the summit of Jabal al-Nur, the ‘Mountain of Light’ near Makkah.
How did He
become a Prophet and a Messenger of Allah? At
the age of 40, while engaged in a meditative retreat, Muhammad received his
first revelation from the Angel Gabriel. This revelation, which continued for
twenty-three years, is known as the Quran. As
soon as he began to recite the words he heard from Gabriel, and to preach the
truth that God had revealed to him, he and his small group of followers suffered
bitter persecution, which grew so fierce that in the year 622, God gave them the
command to emigrate. This event, the Hijra, ‘migration’, in which they left
Makkah for the city of Madinah some 260 miles to the north, marks the beginning
of the Muslim calendar. After
several years, the Prophet and his followers were able to return to Makkah,
where they forgave their enemies and established Islam definitively. Before the
Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) died at the age of 63, the greater part of Arabia
was Muslim, and within a century of his death Islam had spread to Spain in the
West and as far East as China.
Who
are the Muslims? Over
one billion people from a vast range of races, nationalities and cultures across
the globe - from the southern Philippines to Nigeria - are united by the common
Islamic faith. About 18% live in the Arab world; the world’s largest Muslim
community is in Indonesia; substantial parts of Asia and most of Africa’s
population is Muslim, while significant minorities are to be found in the Soviet
Union, China, North and South America, and Europe.
What
do Muslims believe? Muslims believe in One, Unique, Incomparable God; in the Angels created by Him; in the Prophets through whom His revelations were brought to mankind; in the Day of Judgment and individual accountability for actions; in God’s complete authority of human destiny and in life after death. Muslims believe in a chain of Prophets starting with Adam and including Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Issac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Elias, Jonah, John the Baptist, and Jesus, peace be upon them. But God’s final message to man, a reconfirmation of the eternal message and a summing-up of all that has gone before was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) through Angel Gabriel. How does someone become a Muslim? Simply
by saying ‘There is no god apart from God, and Muhammad is the Messenger
of God.’ By this declaration the believer announces his or her faith
in all of God’s Messengers and the scriptures they brought. Contrary to the
common believe when a Jew or Christian accepts Islam then he is not converting
to a new religion nor he abandon Judaism or Christianity but rather he/she widen
and expand their scope and perception of God’s guidance to all humans.
Throughout history people accepted the revelations of God, so Jews accepts the
teaching of Jesus and become Christians, Jews and Christians accept the message
of Muhammad and become submitters to the will of God or Muslims.
Why
does Islam often seem strange in the west? Islam may seem exotic or even extreme
in the western countries mainly because the media tends to present it in such a
light, also politicians learned to use Islam to create a threat or an emergency
which helps them to rule their own people in such a condition with less
questions being asked. Also religion does not dominate everyday life in the West
today, whereas Muslims have religion always uppermost in their minds, and make
no division between secular and sacred. They believe that the Divine Law, the
Shariah, should be taken very seriously, which is why issues related to religion
are still so important.
Do Islam and
Christianity have different origins? No.
Together with Judaism, they go back to the Prophet Abraham, and their three
Prophets are directly descended from his sons - Muhammad from the eldest
Ishmael, and Moses and Jesus from Isaac, peace be upon them. Abraham established
the settlement, which today is the city of Makkah, and built the Ka’abah
towards which all Muslims turn when they pray.
Islam
in Australia: Some of Australia's earliest visitors
were in fact the Arab merchant ships, which for centuries sailed from the
Arabian Gulf and East Africa to Indonesia and China for trade. That was many
centuries before the Portuguese who came around 1542. This trade established
strong cultural and social links, and was primarily responsible for the spread
of Islam through out Indonesia, Malaysia and other parts of Southeast Asia. What
happened to those earlier Arab visitors, and what interaction did have with the
inhabitant of Australia? Is an area that yet to be searched and explored. A more
studied settlement and visits are those by Muslims from the east Indonesian
archipelago, fishermen from the island of Makassar who came to fish for the
'trepang', commonly known as the 'dugong' or sea cow for the lucrative Chinese
market where it was considered a delicacy.
Australian records dating from the early 1820's indicate the number of ships,
the size of the crew and the names of the captains. It is thought that the
fishermen of Makassar had been visiting the north coast of Western Australia,
Northern Territory and Queensland from as early as the 16th century.
Early Afghani settlers
Another group
of Muslims played a vital role of early European settlement in Australia. They
were camel drivers from the Indian sub-continent who were vital in early
exploration of the Australian continent and the establishment of service links.
Australian Muslims
Today Australian Muslims are significant part of the Australian community; they are from all ethnic backgrounds including the Anglo-Saxon/Celtic. They are contributing to the well being and advancement of Australia.
Please see the following articles and sites for more information about Islam. Articles in PDF format:
NB: To view these articles you require a viewer such as Adobe Acrobat reader which can be downloaded from www.adobe.com
Links to other articles:
Comparative Religion Please click on link http://www.missionislam.com/comrel/default.htm
A book you must read, A Muslim Testimony to
Jesus Christ by Mr. Farouk Al Fakhrany.
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Last updated: 15 December 2002 |
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