REAL HAPPINESS AND INNER PEACE

 

Real happiness and peace can be found in submitting to the commands of the Creator and the Sustainer of this world.  God has said in the Quran:

“Truly, in remembering God do hearts find rest.” (Quran 13:28)

On the other hand, the one who turns away from the Quran will have a life of hardship in this world.  God has said:

“But whoever turns away from the Quran,[1]  he will have a hard life, and We will raise him up blind on the Day of Judgment.” (Quran 20:124)

This may explain why some people commit suicide while they enjoy the material comfort money can buy.  For example, look at Cat Stevens (now Yusuf Islam), formerly a famous pop singer who used to earn sometimes more than $150,000 a night.  After he converted to Islam, he found true happiness and peace, which he had not found in material success.[2] -islamreligion.com

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FOOTNOTES:

[1]i.e. neither believes in the Quran nor acts on its orders.

[2]The present mailing address of Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam), in case you would like to ask him about his feelings after he converted to Islam, is: 2 Digswell Street, London N7 8JX, United Kingdom.

The Last Ten Days of Ramadan (Days 21 to 30)

By  Magda Azzam

The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “If any Muslim comes out of Ramadan without gaining forgiveness and goodness, he is a real loser.” (reported by Ibn Hibban and At-Tabarani) 

The last ten days of Ramadan are very special days in the life of every Muslim. According to Muslims, they are the most blessed days in the blessed month of Ramadan, the month the Qur’an was revealed. Muslims believe that although the Prophet Muhammad was promised Paradise, he used to exert himself even more in worship during these last ten days, hoping to draw closer to Allah. The Prophet’s wife `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, “With the start of the last ten days of Ramadan, the Prophet used to tighten his waist belt (i.e., work hard) and used to pray all the night, and used to keep his family awake for the prayers.” (reported by Al-Bukhari) 

For Muslims, the last ten days should be a time to perfect one’s fast and avoid anything that may break it. It is a time to give more charity and to settle disputes and forgive one another. It is also a time for soul searching, evaluating one’s life, supplicating, and asking forgiveness. This should be done sincerely because if Allah accepts the supplications, the reward is the remission of one’s sins. 

The best time to do it is in the last part of the night. Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “When the last one third of the night remains, our Lord, the Glorious One, descends towards the lower heaven and proclaims: Is there anyone supplicating to Me, so that I grant his supplication? Is there anyone begging of Me for anything, so that I grant him his wish? Is there anyone who seeks My forgiveness, so I forgive him?” (reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim) 

During the last third of Ramadan, one should read more Qur’an and remember Allah more often, even constantly. 

The last ten days are also known for i`tikaf (spiritual retreat). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform i`tikaf in the mosque during the last ten days of Ramadan, barely sleeping during that time. I`tikaf requires a total devotion to Allah; it is a sort of vacation with Him. The time is spent worshiping, performing extra salah (ritual Prayers), reading the Qur’an, making dhikr (remembrance of Allah) and du`aa’ (supplication). One should leave behind the cares of this world, and even eat and sleep in the mosque. Those who cannot perform i`tikaf for ten days should try to do it for a shorter time, if only for one night or a day or two. 

Laylat Al-Qadr also occurs during the last ten days of Ramadan. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Any Muslim who stands in Prayer during Laylat Al-Qadr out of faith and sincerity, his previous sins will be forgiven.” 

- https://islamonline.net

Fasting Children and the Role of the Parents

 

The practice and spirit of fasting should be engrained in children so that it comes natural and effortless for them as they reach adulthood.

The month of Ramadan is a time of excitement, socializing, and devotion. As we take care of the spiritual and social part of ourselves during this special month, it is important to remember to also focus some time on our children. They should not merely be on the sidelines, watching as all the events pass by; they should instead be active and central players in all that occurs, and take advantage of this blessed time.

 

Just as it is an obligation for Muslim parents to teach their children how to perform prayers, it is also expected of them to train their children regarding the importance, rules and etiquette of fasting. This is part of the overall education that children must gain from an early age. Fasting is one of the main pillars of Islam, and it is, therefore, a foundation for all other knowledge. For this reason, the practice and spirit of fasting should be engrained in children so that it comes natural and effortless for them as they reach adulthood.

 

Rather than presenting a list of suggestions, it may be useful to preview two very different scenarios of children during Ramadan. As you read through them, think about which scenario you would prefer for your child, and also for yourself.

 

Mustafa

Mustafa is an 11-year old Muslim boy who loves to play as any child does. During Ramadan, he enjoys the time that he has to socialize with cousins, friends, and neighbors. He especially likes the fact that he can stay awake longer than usual to enjoy the guests and food. He cannot wait for the ‘Eed celebration because of the many gifts and the wonderful fun that he will have. Unfortunately, Mustafa has no really gotten into the "fasting thing", he calls it. He feels that it is too difficult for him and that it will affect his studies.

 

Many of his friends do not fast; so' he does not think that it is necessary for him to do so either. There are even adult members of his household who do not fast. His uncle is the only family member who goes to the Masjid for Taraaweeh, but Mustafa refuses to go with him because he says that it is too crowded. His parents have never encouraged him to fast or participate in this special prayer. They have not wanted to make it a hardship for their children. They do some reading of Quran, but it is not an integral part of the day. They focus on the "fun" aspects of Ramadan rather than the spiritual.

 

As Mustafa reaches puberty, chances are that he will not fast during Ramadan as is required in the Islamic faith. He will miss out on that special opportunity to build a strong relationship with Allah, his Creator. The beauty and peacefulness of Ramadan can never be surpassed, not even by the "fun" that Mustafa is enjoying so much. The even sadder news is that this puts both Mustafa and his parents in a very precarious position because Allah will judge them for the choices they have made.

 

Ahmad

Ahmad is just as excited about Ramadan as Mustafa, but for different reasons. Of course, he enjoys the fun and festivities of the month, but the spiritual aspect is much more important to him. Ahmed has been fasting since he was 5years old. He began with half days and by the age of 7 he was fating full days. He is 12 years old now and continues to fast the complete month. He also attends the Masjid each evening with his father for the Taraaweeh prayers.

 

After completing Taraaweeh, he spends some time with his friends at the Masjid. He is excited about the Quran competition that the Masjid is conducting this year and has been busily studying Chapter Ya-Seen for the contest. His dream is to win the first prize so that his mother and father will feel proud of him. Ahmad does not find the fasting or the performing of praeyrs during Ramadan to be challenging. His parents have taught him from a very young age about the importance of prayer and fasting, and they have always been good role models for him.

 

More importantly, they have taught him about his duty to Allah, his Creator and the rewards that await those who fulfill this duty. Ahmad loves Allah and has a strong desire to be near to Him. The month of fasting offers him a special opportunity to strengthen this bond. The sweetness of faith that he experiences during this time is something that he looks forward to the whole year round. It is very likely that Ahmad will continue his faith and practice into adulthood and, 'Insha Allah' will receive his due rewards from Allah in the Hereafter. His parents have the pleasure of seeing their son grow into an obedient servant of Allah and, 'Insha Allah' will also get Allah's rewards.

 

After reading these two very different scenarios, which one did you aspire for your own child?

 

It is important to remember that the path to Paradise may be difficult, but the end of this path is filled with unimaginable treasures. Allah will guide us on that path and make it easy for us. As parents, it is an obligation for us to show our children the direction of that path; and the blessed month of Ramadan is a special and unique time to do just that. We need to be good role models for our children and encourage them to fulfill their responsibilities toward Allah. We need to praise them for their successes and remind them of Allah's pleasure. We need to emphasize that remembrance and fear of Allah are more wondrous than anything on this earth.

 

Ramadan is a gift from Allah that allows us to do all of that, and therefore we must take advantage of this blessed opportunity. Doing so will teach our children—as Ahmad's parents have—the importance of humbleness, obligation and working toward our ultimate goal, Paradise.

 

If we fail to teach our children these invaluable lessons by our own actions and instructions, then what message of importance are we passing on to them? - islamweb.net

Me-Time is Time For Allah

 

We often feel overwhelmed by all the tasks we face in our everyday life; whether as employees, mothers, fathers, homemakers. We often wish for some time for ourselves, time to relax, time off. Some me-time.

However, once we have that me-time, we do not come out as refreshed as we had wished or expected. Why?

 One on One With Allah

Our me-time should be time when we are one on one with Allah. Only us and Allah. Because it is in this special me-time with Allah that we can really, fully draw new strength and recharge our spiritual battery.

As Muslims who want to draw nearer to our beloved Allah, we should try and transform every moment of me-time in time with and for Allah.

We will gain energy for our worldly life and insha’Allah be more content and relaxed in our undertakings. We will receive light that guides us through the day. Light that illuminates the darkness of difficult times. And we will insha’Allah prepare for our time in the next world.

 All Of Creation Remembers Allah

How can we turn our me-time to time with Allah? Actually we can turn almost every activity into time with Allah. Imagine you have decided to take a walk to get some distance from your everyday activities, to refresh, to get some peace of mind. Walking in the forest is a healing experience. The more so when you connect your time to Allah.

All of Allah’s creation is in constant remembrance of Him. That is the way He created plants, animals, even mountains or rocks, rivers or the sea.

Feel it!

Feel how the trees always praise and remember Allah. Hear the dhikr of the birds praising Allah. It is amazing! Some trees are even bowing to Allah. Literally! And Allah even created some trees that are in constant physical submission to Him like the weeping willow.

Keep your eyes open for the signs and open your heart to it. This way you can transform your walk through the forest in a spiritual experience that leaves you feel blessed and strengthened for some time to come.

Connect to Allah Through Reading

Try to find books that increase your love for Allah. Read those books that make you want to become a better Muslim, that make you want to be good to people and that make you want to get up and perform some extra prayer and read Quran.

If you belong to those people who love to dive into a book to refresh and have some me-time, then you can choose books that connect you to Allah.

You will feel that after some time, you will not want to read books that do not have a positive spiritual effect on your heart.

Read on hajj experiences and it will create a strong longing for this special place that Allah has chosen out of any other place on earth. Murad Hoffman’s Journey to Makkah, for example, takes you on an emotional journey to where we turn everyday in our five prayers. Read about the inspiring life of earlier pious Muslims to boost your worship.

 Constant Connection With Allah

Even just sitting quietly in a small corner, on the sofa or the reclining chair can connect you to Allah. If you are too tired or exhausted to even move your mouth, let your heart remember Allah.

Just imagine that every beat of your heart calls out the name of Allah. Every breath you take breathes Allah. It is like a constant wireless connection. You just have to switch the button of remembrance on. And you are constantly connected to the most powerful source, to that Being that created everything, to your Allah.

And this constant WiFi connection with Allah will turn your me-time into time with Allah. Because He is always there, always intimately near. We just have to switch on the button to receive Allah’s signal.

 All Time is Time For Allah

Allah says in the Quran that He is the close, intimate Friend of the believers and that He takes them out of the darkness into the light (Surah Al-Baqarah 2: 257).If we keep connecting our spiritual heart to Allah, then we do not have to wait for me-time to connect to Allah but we can connect to Him in every situation and every moment. We just have to keep the WiFi switch on.

We have to keep the connection. Allah will never cut the connection.

He will always send His signal. He always wants the Best for us.

Allah wants us to turn to Him, to seek Him, not only in our free time, in our me-time, but all the time. It is only in His remembrance that our spiritual hearts will find peace and tranquility (Surah Ar-R’ad 13:28).

If you can take some useful information from this article, this comes from Allah SWT. Alhamdulilah. And if there is anything unclear, wrong or expressed in an impolite way, I ask Allah SWT for His forgiveness.

(From Discovering Islam archive)

About Claudia Azizah

Claudia Azizah is originally from Germany and mother of two children and writer. She served as Assistant Professor at the International Islamic University in Malaysia until August 2019. She is co-founder of the Ulu-Ilir-Institute in Indonesia. She regularly writes for the German Islamic newspaper. She is interested in Islamic spirituality, art and Southeast Asia. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram: #clazahsei

- aboutislam.net

What is the purpose of life

 

By Khaalid Yaseen

Khalid Yaseen delivered this lecture in Saudi Arabia, and later that night, 43 people accepted Islam. That should tell you how powerful the message in the lecture was.

 

All praise be to Allah and may Allah exalt the mention of His messenger, Muhammad.

 

The information which I wish to share with you may seem a bit extensive, but when you consider the capacity of the human brain and the capacity that it can store, I am sure that a few pages in tonight's talk will not overburden you.

 

I am honored to have this opportunity and I would like to begin by saying that all of you have an equal responsibility. That responsibility is to listen with an open heart and an open mind. In a world filled with prejudice and cultural conditioning, it is very hard to be able to find people to take a moment to think about life objectively and try to arrive at the truth about this world and the real purpose of our lives.

 

Unfortunately, when you ask most people the question: "What is the purpose of life?" (such a fundamental and important question), they will not tell you what they have concluded through observation or analytical reasoning. Rather, in most cases, they will simply tell you what someone else said, or they will tell you what is "commonly presumed" by others, i.e., What my father said purpose of life is, what the minister of my church said the purpose of life is, what my teacher in school said, what my friend said, etc. If I ask anyone about the purpose of eating or why do we eat, everyone will say [in one word or another] that it is for nutritional purposes, because nutrition sustains life. If I ask anyone why they work, they will say because it's a necessity in order to support themselves and to provide for the needs of their families. If I ask anyone why they sleep, why they wash, why they dress, etc., they will answer with appropriate answers, for these are common necessities for all human beings. We can follow this line of questioning with a hundred questions and receive the same or similar answers from anyone in any language from any place in the world. Then I ask you the question: Why, when we ask the question, "What is the goal and purpose of life?" that we get many different answers? It is because people are confused; they don't really know. They are stumbling in the dark, and rather than say, "I don't know"; they just offer any answer they have been programmed to give. Think about it. Is our purpose in this world simply to eat, sleep, dress, work, acquire some material things and enjoy ourselves? Is this our purpose? Why are we born? What is the object of our existence? What is the wisdom behind the creation of man and this tremendous universe?

 

Think about those questions. Some people argue that there is no proof of any diving origin; no proof that there is a god and there is no proof that this universe has come about through any divine purpose. There are people who argue this way, and they say that perhaps this world came about by chance. A big bang, and this great world [with all its orchestration] just came together. They argue that life doesn't have any definite purpose, and that there is nothing that can prove [either through logic or science] that there is a god, or a purpose or any divine reason behind this world.

 

Here I would like to mention a few verses from the Noble Quran that address this subject. We seek the protection of Allah from every evil thing. Allah mentions to us in the Noble Quran (what means): "And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is over all things competent. Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding. Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], "Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.." [Quran 3: 189-191]

 

Now here in these verses, Allah draws our attention to the creation of the heavens and earth, the alternation of the night and the day, the creation of the universe. He calls our attention to their creation and their precision, and mentions those who contemplate the wonders of creation and realize that this was not created for any foolish purpose, [that Allah is exalted above doing such a thing] and they seek refuge with Allah from the punishment of Hell. Truly, when you see the design of all that Allah created, you realize it is very powerful and very precise. Something very powerful and very precise; something beyond your own calculation and imagination, cannot be foolish. It cannot be just "thrown together".

 

There are many examples of things that happen by chance. Let me offer one situation. If you took ten colored marbles, then numbered them one to ten and you put them inside a bag. Next, you shook that bag to mix them up. Then, closing your eyes and reaching into the bag, you tried to pull out the marbles in order-1 to 10. What is the chance of pulling out the marbles in order? Do you know what the chances are? It is twenty six million to one (26,000,000 to 1). And this is something within our ability to do. So now I ask you, what is the chance that the heavens and the earth just came together as they are [with the exact precision and orchestration in their existence]?

 

My dear respected brothers and sisters, we have to ask ourselves a further question. When you see a bridge, a building or an automobile, you automatically consider the person or company that constructed it. When you see a large ship, an airplane, a rocket, a satellite; you also think about how incredible it is. [You know by its design who the maker is.] When you see a super international airport, nuclear plant or an orbiting space station you have to be thoroughly impressed with the engineering dynamics that are involved. Yet, these are just things that are manufactured by human beings. So what about the human body with its massive and intricate control systems? Think about it. Think about the brain: how it thinks, functions, analyzes, retrieves and stores information, as well as distinguishes and categorizes information in a millionth of a second, all of this constantly. Think about the brain for a moment. (And don't forget the fact that you are using your brain to consider itself!) This is the brain that made the automobile, the rocket ships, the boats, and so on. Think about the brain and who made that! Think about the heart. Think about how it pumps continuously for sixty or seventy years [taking in and discharging blood throughout the body] maintaining steady precision throughout the life of the person. Think about the kidneys and the liver and the various functions they perform. The purifying instruments of the body that perform hundreds of chemical analyses simultaneously and also control the level of toxicity in the content of the body. All of these are done automatically. Think about your eyes, the human cameras, that adjust, focus, interpret, evaluate, and discern color automatically, naturally receiving and adjusting to light and distance. Think about it-Who created them? Who has mastered their design and function? Who plans and regulates their function? Human beings do this? No, of course not. What about this universe? Think about this. This earth is one planet in our solar system, and our solar system is one [of possible many] solar systems. Our galaxy, The Milky Way, is one of the galaxies. There are one hundred million galaxies in the universe. They are all in order and they are all precise. They are not colliding with each other. They are not conflicting with on another. They are swimming along in an orbit that has been set for them. Did human beings set that into motion and are human beings maintaining that precision? No, of course not. Think about the oceans, the fish, the insects, the birds, the plants, bacteria, and chemical elements that have not yet been discovered and cannot be detected even with the most sophisticated instruments. Yet each of them has a law that they follow. Did all of this synchronization, balance, harmony, variation, design, maintenance, operation and infinite numeration happen all by chance? Do these things function perfectly and perpetually also by chance? No, of course not. That would be totally illogical and foolish. In the least, it indicates that however it came to exist-it exists beyond the realm of human capability. We will all agree to that. The Being, The Almighty Power, God, The Creator who has the knowledge to design and proportion crated all of this and is responsible for maintaining it. HE is the only one that deserves praise and gratitude.

 

If I were to give each one of you one hundred dollars for no reason, you would at least say thank you. What about your eyes, your kidneys, your brain, your children, and your life: Who gave you all of that? Is He not worthy of praise and thanks? Is He not worthy of your worship and recognition?

 

My brothers and sisters, in a nutshell, this is the goal and purpose of this life. Allah Says to us in the Noble Quran (what means): "And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me." [Quran 51: 56] This is what he Almighty said. Our purpose in this life is to recognize The Creator, to be grateful to Him, to worship Him, to surrender ourselves to Him and to obey the laws that He has determined for us. It means worship is our purpose in life. Whatever we do in the course of that worship, [i.e., the eating, the sleeping, the dressing, the working, the enjoying,] between birth and death is consequential and subject to His orders. But the main reason for our creation is worship. I don't think anyone who is analytical or scientific will have much of an argument with that purpose. They may have some other reason with themselves-but that is something they have to deal with between themselves and Almighty God. - islamweb.net

CHAPTER 97, AL-QADR (THE NIGHT OF GLORY)

 

Introduction

The chapter is famous for its declaration regarding the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr), during which the Quran was first revealed.  This is universally believed to have occurred during the month of Ramadan, as stated in Quran 2:185.  Muslims maintain that the Night of Power comes every year.  Many reports say that the Night of Power occurs during the last ten nights of Ramadan.  Most scholars maintain that it occurs on one of the odd-numbered of these last ten nights.

Verse 1 The beginning of the revelation of the Quran

This chapter speaks about the promised great night which the whole universe marks with joy and prayer.  It is the night of perfect communion between this world and the Supreme society.  That night marked the beginning of the revelation of the Quran to Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, an event unparalleled in the history of mankind for its splendor and the significance it has for the life of mankind as a whole.  Its greatness is far beyond human perception.  The Quranic statements which relate this great event radiate with God’s clear and shining light.

Verses 2-5 The virtues of the Night of Decree

There is also the light of the angels and the Spirit (Angel Gabriel) moving between the earth and God, Most High.  In addition, there is also the light of dawn which the chapter represents as perfectly harmonious with the light of the Quran and the angels as well as with their spirit of peace.  The night in question here is the same night referred to in Quran 44:3-6. 

Its name, Laylat al-Qadr, or the Night of Power, may be taken to mean deliberate planning, management and organization, or it may mean value, position and rank.  Both meanings are relevant to the great, universal event of the revelation of the Quran and the assigning of the message to the Prophet.  It is indeed the greatest and most significant event the universe has ever witnessed.  It is the event which explains most clearly how human life benefits by God’s planning, management and organization.  This night is better than a thousand months.

This night is too sublime for proper human perception.  It is great because God chose it for the revelation of the Quran, so that its light may spread throughout the universe, and divine peace may spread in human life and conscience.  The Quran includes an ideology, a basis for values and standards, and a comprehensive code of moral and social behavior, all of which promote peace within the human soul and in the world at large.  It is great because of the descent of the angels, and Gabriel in particular, by God’s leave, carrying the Quran.  They fill all the space between heaven and earth in such a splendid, universal celebration, vividly portrayed in this chapter.

Humanity, out of ignorance and to its misfortune, may overlook the value and importance of the Night of Power.  When humanity does so ignore it, it loses the happiest and most beautiful sign of grace which God bestowed on it.  It also suffers the loss of the real happiness and peace gifted to it by Islam, namely, the peace of conscience, family and society.  What it has otherwise gained of material civilization is inadequate compensation for its loss.  The believers in Islam, are commanded not to forget or neglect this event.  The Prophet has taught us an easy and enjoyable way to commemorate it, so that our souls may always be in close communion with it.  He has urged us to spend this night of each year in devotion.  He said: "Seek the Night of Power in the last ten nights of Ramadan." (Bukhari, Muslim) He also said: "Whoever spends the Night of Power in worship, with a pure motive of faith and devotion, will have all his past sins forgiven." (Bukhari, Muslim)

Islam is not mere formalities.  Hence, the Prophet specifies that the consecration of that night must be motivated by faith and devotion.  This would make its consecration by any individual an indication of his or her full awareness of the far-reaching effects of what took place on that night.  The Islamic method of education and character building links worship with faith and establishes truth in our hearts and consciences.  By this method, worship is considered a means for maintaining full awareness of this truth, its clarification and firm establishment in our minds, hearts and souls.  This method has been proved to be the best for the revival of this truth so that it has an unfailing influence on our behavior. - islamreligion.com

The world of Islam

 

A fifth of humankind follows Islam, the fastest growing and perhaps most misunderstood religion on earth. Faced with a secular modern world, Muslims are turning anew to the roots of their faith.

Borne aloft five times a day, from Shanghai to Chicago, Jakarta to Timbuktu, Islam's call to prayer stirs the soul of devout Muslims everywhere. Whether cast from metal loudspeakers over teeming city streets or lifted as the murmured song of camel drivers kneeling in the sand, it begins with the same Arabic phrase Muslims have used for nearly 1400 years, Islam's melodic paean to the Creator: "Allahu Akbar -- God is Great."

Some 1.3 billion human beings -- one person in five -- heed Islam's call in the modern world, embracing the religion at a rate that makes it the fastest growing on Earth, with 80 percent of believers now outside the Arab world.

The term Islam, is an Arabic word meaning "submission to God," with its etymological roots firmly planted in "salaam", or peace.  

Muslims revere all Prophets of God, including Moses and Jesus, may Allah exalt their mention, and regard the books revealed to these prophets – Torah and Injeel -- as an integral part of their tradition. They disagree with Christians about the divinity of Jesus, may Allah exalt his mention, but honor him as an especially esteemed Messenger from God. The ultimate Messenger for Muslims is the Prophet Muhammad  (may Allah exalt his mention).

Born about 570 CE at Makkah, Muhammad  was an orphan raised by his grandfather and uncle. He grew up to be a modest and respected businessman who rejected the widespread polytheism of his day and turned to the One God.

At about age 40, Muhammad  retreated to a cave in the mountains outside Makkah to meditate. There, he was visited by the archangel Gabriel, who began reciting to him the Word of God. Until his death 23 years later, Muhammad  passed along these revelations to a growing band of followers, including many who wrote down the words or committed them to memory.

These verses became the Quran, or "recitation," the literal Word of God and confirmation of the real Jewish and Christian Scriptures.

The Quran consists of 114 chapters, and covers everything from the nature of God (Compassionate and Merciful) to laws governing the mundane affairs of men. Among its commands are (what mean): "Do not usurp one another's property by unjust means" and "Do not kill anyone which God has forbidden."

The Quran is also a source of the pure Arabic language memorized by Muslim school children and recited by Muslim adults on every important occasion.

One of the five pillars of Islam, along with the two testimonies of faith (Shahaadah), prayer (Salah), fasting the month of Ramadan (Sawm), charity (Zakah), the pilgrimage (Hajj) is required of all who can manage it at least once in a lifetime.

By the time the Prophet  passed away in 632 CE, Islam was established throughout the Arabian Peninsula, bringing peace and unity to the tribes for the first time in memory. Within a century of his death the armies of Islam, empowered by faith, had conquered a vast swathe of territory -- stretching from India to the Atlantic coasts of Spain and Portugal, including North Africa and the Middle East.

This Islamic world built on the intellectual achievements of other civilizations, sponsoring an explosion of learning unparalleled until the Renaissance.

At a time when Europe was languishing in the early Middle Ages, Muslim scholars and thinkers were giving the world a great center of Islamic learning (Al-Azhar in Cairo) and refining everything -- from architecture to the use of numbers. At the same time, seagoing Muslim traders were spreading the faith to southern Asia, China and the east coast of Africa.

Flourishing by the end of the first millennium, the realm of Islam was tested as western Europe, spurred by its contact with the Islamic near East, awoke and lashed out, launching a series of armed Crusades to wrest Jerusalem from Muslim control.

Though fragmented and initially overcome, Muslims rallied to ultimately defeat the invading Christian armies, whose blood-soaked legacy -- the indiscriminate killing of thousands of innocent Muslim and Christian Arabs, and the Jews of Jerusalem -- lives on in the minds of people to this day.

As Europe rose to glory during the Renaissance and beyond, the Islamic world continued to thrive after the creation of the Ottoman Empire in the late 1200s CE. This powerful state fell at the end of World War I, resulting in the subdivision of its mostly Muslim lands into the Middle Eastern countries we know today.

Although a few Muslim nations are wealthy from oil resources, most are poor and increasingly demoralized by their position in the world. Disaffected and disenfranchised, many people in these societies are turning to Islam to assert their identity and reclaim power over their own lives.

In addition many Muslims, especially in the Arab world, are angry at the United States’ continued support of Israel, the war and the economic sanctions against ‘Iraq, which are widely perceived to have hit the people of ‘Iraq -- who are fellow Muslims -- right between the eyes.

For most of the world's 1.3 billion Muslims, Islam is a way of life, a discipline based on looking at the world through the eyes of faith.

"Islam gave me something that was lacking in my life," says Jennifer Calvo of Washington, DC.

Calvo is 28 and looks as if she just stepped out of a painting by Botticelli, with aquiline features and striking blue eyes, set off by a white head scarf tucked neatly into her full-length robe. Calvo was raised Catholic and works as a registered nurse. 

Two years ago, as people have done for 1,400 years, Jennifer became a Muslim by simply declaring the words: "Laa ilaaha illallaah, Muhammad Rasoolullaah”  (There is none  worthy of being worshipped except Allah (God), and Muhammad is His Messenger)."

"Everything is so much simpler now," she said. "It's just me and God. For the first time in my life I'm at peace."

For Calvo and most Muslims on Earth, that is what Islam's call to prayer represents. Kneeling to God five times a day, in unison, facing Makkah from wherever they happen to be, they find peace in an act of surrender.  - islamweb.net

The entire world is asking: what is Islam?

 

According to various reports in the Arab press, a wave of Americans has converted to Islam since September 11.

'Alaa Bayumi, director of Arab Affairs at the Council for American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), wrote in the London daily Al-Hayat : "Non-Muslim Americans are now interested in getting to know Islam. There are a number of signs... Libraries have run out of books on Islam and the Middle East... English translations of the Quran head the American best-seller list. 

The Americans are showing increasing willingness to convert to Islam since September 11. Thousands of non-Muslim Americans have responded to invitations to visit mosques, resembling the waves of the sea (crashing on the shore) one after another. All this is happening in a political atmosphere that, at least verbally, encourages non-Muslim Americans' openness towards Muslims in America and in the Islamic world, as the American president has said many times in his speeches. ..."

CAIR Chairman Nihad Awad told the Saudi paper 'Ukaz: "34,000 Americans have converted to Islam following the events of September 11, and this is the highest rate reached in the US since Islam arrived there."

According to Dr. Walid Al-Fatihi, instructor of medicine at HarvardMedicalSchool Boston has recently become a center of Islamic proselytizing aimed at Christians. On September 22, 2001, Al-Fatihi sent a letter to the Egyptian weekly Al-Ahram Al-Arabi, in which he described the unfolding of events since September 11.

"On Saturday, September 15, I went with my wife and children to the biggest church in Boston (Trinity Church) in Copley Square by official invitation of the Islamic Society of Boston, to represent Islam by special invitation of the senators of Boston " wrote Fatihi. "Present were the mayor of Boston his wife and the heads of the universities. There were more than 1,000 people there, with media coverage by one of Boston's main television stations. We were received like ambassadors. I sat with my wife and children in the front row, next to the mayor's wife. In his sermon, the priest defended Islam as a monotheistic religion, telling the audience that I represented the Islamic Society of Boston.

After the sermon was over, he stood at my side as I read an official statement issued by the leading Muslim clerics condemning the incident (i.e., the attacks). The statement explained Islam's stance and principles, and its sublime precepts. Afterwards, I read verses of the Quran translated into English... These were moments that I will never forget, because the entire church burst into tears upon hearing the passages of the words of Allah!

"Emotion swept over us," Al-Fatihi continued. "One said to me: 'I do not understand the Arabic language, but there is no doubt that the things you said are the words of Allah.' As she left the church weeping, a woman put a piece of paper in my hand; on the paper was written: 'Forgive us for our past and for our present. Keep proselytizing to us.' Another man stood at the entrance of the church, his eyes teary, and said: 'You are just like us; no, you are better than us.'"

Al-Fatihi recounts the next day the Islamic Society of Boston issued an open invitation to the Islamic Center in Cambridge.
"We did not expect more than 100 people, but to our surprise more than 1,000 people came -- among them the neighbors, the university lecturers, members of the clergy, and even the leaders of the priests from the nearby churches, who invited us to speak on Islam," Fatihi wrote. "All expressed solidarity with Muslims. Many questions flowed to us. Everyone wanted to know about Islam and to understand its precepts.

Of all the questions, not a single one attacked me; on the contrary, we saw (the people's) eyes filling with tears when they heard about Islam and its sublime principles. Many of them had never heard about Islam before. Well, they had heard about Islam only through the biased media. That same day, I was invited again to participate in a meeting in the church, and again I saw the same things.

On Thursday, a delegation of 300 students and lecturers from Harvard visited the center of the Islamic Society of Boston, accompanied by the American Ambassador to Vienna. They sat on the floor of the mosque, which was filled to capacity. We explained to them the precepts of Islam, and defended it from any suspicions (promulgated in the media). I again read to them from the verses of Allah, and (their) eyes filled with tears. The audience was moved, and many asked to participate in the weekly lessons for non-Muslims held by the Islamic Center..."

Al-Fatihi says on September 21, the Muslims participated in a closed meeting with the Governor of Massachusetts. They discussed introducing Islam into the school curriculum. He claims Gov. Jane Swift agreed to implement their plans.

"These are only some of the examples of what happened and is happening in the city of Boston and in many other American cities, during these days," Al-Fatihi continued. "Proselytizing in the name of Allah has not been undermined, and has not been set back 50 years, as we thought in the first days after September 11. On the contrary, the 11 days that have passed are like 11 years in the history of proselytizing in the name of Allah.

I write to you today with the absolute confidence that over the next few years, Islam will spread in America and in the entire world, Allah willing, much more quickly than it has spread in the past, because the entire world is asking: 'What is Islam?!'" - islamweb.net