Scientific Explanation of Halaal and Haram Meat.

Introduction to Islam

Introduction to Islam

Islam as an Ideology

The word 'Islam', in Arabic, linguistically means submission and peace. As a term, 'Islam' refers to the Message which was revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him) by Allah, the One Creator, and a 'Muslim' is the one who believes in Islam.

In sharp contrast to Christianity, Judaism, and other religions, Islam is not merely a religion. Rather, Islam is a unique and comprehensive ideology which guides the life of the human being. The Islamic ideology, like any other ideology, consists of a creed or doctrine, a system of rules and regulations, and a method by which to implement this system.

The creed of Islam (Aqeedah) provides the correct and comprehensive answers to the fundamental questions regarding the existence of humanity and the surrounding universe. It addresses the issue of the human being's purpose in life and integrates it into the grand scheme of existence, i.e. what came before this life and what will come after it. Thus, the Islamic creed settles the core problem in every person's life, that of the nature of our existence, and serves as the guiding principle for humanity to conduct its affairs.
The Islamic system provides a comprehensive law governing the affairs of the human beings. It establishes, in the absolute, correct manner,

1) The relationship between the human being and his Creator,
2) The personal affairs of individuals, and
3) The social, political, economic, and international relationships that exist in the society.

The method related to the ideology provides the means for implementing the idea (the creed and systems), thereby transferring it from 'theory' to 'practice'. It is an integral part of the ideology and distinguishes it from a philosophy, which provides hypothetical ideas but no practical means of implementing them.

Thus, Islam consists of a creed, system, and method. What distinguishes Islam from the ideologies of Capitalism and Communism is that Islam is built on the correct idea, established through rational thought. In contrast, the other ideologies in the world failed to build a comprehensive and rational view of the life of the human beings and the world in which they exist.

The Islamic Creed (Aqeedah)

The Islamic creed (Aqeedah) encompasses ideas and thoughts related to our existence which, as a whole, are unique to Islam, and adopting these ideas with absolute conviction is a prerequisite for becoming a Muslim. Since the Islamic creed is absolute, it tolerates no indecisiveness or uncertainty in its ideas or thoughts. This is, of course, regarding the fundamental beliefs in Islam. As for the laws which emanate from the Islamic creed, the possibility of differences exists, and is acceptable provided there is sufficient evidence from the legislative sources of Islam to support each view.

Attaining the absolute certainty and conviction in the Islamic creed can be achieved only in two ways:
1) Through intellectual and enlightened thought, or
2) Through a report from a credible source, whose authenticity is established as absolute via the intellectual thought.

Thus, the Islamic creed cannot be adopted by imitation, emotional appeal, blind faith, or a less than absolutely authentic report.

The Islamic creed is structured around three fundamental ideas:
The first idea is the conviction that the Universe, Life, and Human beings are created, and therefore have a Creator, addressed in the Arabic language as Allah. Allah is absolute, unlimited, independent, One, and has neither a beginning nor an end.

The second idea is the conviction that Prophethood is a necessity for humanity and that the Creator, Allah, indeed sent Messengers and Prophets to humanity to organise its affairs.

The third idea in Islam is the conviction that the Quran is a book revealed by Allah, consisting of only the speech of the Creator Himself, and therefore, is the miraculous proof of the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him).

The Existence of The Creator

The belief in the existence of Allah, the Creator, is arrived at through a rational and enlightened examination of the universe. Studying any aspect of the Universe, whether it be the subatomic particles present only in particle accelerators or the mountain ranges, solar systems, and galaxies that are abound, would lead anyone to conclude that this universe is created.

All of these things are finite and dependent because they are bound by physical laws, change with time, and are limited in the scope of their effects. These attributes make it impossible for anything in this universe to be infinite, whether it be in relation to time, space, or any other dimension or attribute. Consequently, they must have a beginning, which is their creation by the Creator, Allah. This proof is simple and obvious and it is not surprising that the majority of people believe that there exists a Creator.

What distinguishes the Islamic creed from other creeds and philosophies is that Islam went beyond the realisation of the Creator's existence. Islam uniquely gives a deeper understanding regarding the implication of the Creator's existence. Whereas many people allowed shallow thinking and emotions to arbitrate their understanding of, and relationship with, the Creator, Islam maintains its intellectual integrity to arrive at the conclusion that the Creator is absolute, unlimited, and ONE.

Allah cannot resemble the weaknesses and limitations of the creation. Allah is One, and He is self-subsistent. He does not produce children, nor does he have parents, and there can be nothing else like him. Allah does not have a gender, a weakness, nor a need. He cannot be divided into two or three, or assigned any attribute which limits him in any way. This is the correct, intellectual understanding of the Creator, and it is what Islam addressed the people with.

"Lo, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the difference of night and day, and the ships which run upon the sea with that which is of use to men, and the water which Allah sends down from the sky, thereby reviving the earth after its death, and dispersing all kinds of beasts therein, and (in) the ordinance of the winds, and the clouds obedient between heaven and earth are signs (of Allah's sovereignty) for people who have sense." [Translation of the meaning of Quran, Surah (Chapter) 2:Ayah (Verse) 164]

Since the creation is limited in all aspects and man is part of this creation, the Islamic creed affirms that man too is limited. Thus, human beings, through their own thinking, cannot formulate the correct systems by which to regulate their lives. The laws that are based on the thinking of human beings are fraught with the contradictions, biases, and short-sightedness that are a consequence of their limited thinking, knowledge, and scope. From this insight into our nature, stems another pillar of the Islamic belief, the need for guidance from the Creator.

Prophets and Messengers

The recognition that human beings are dependent on the Creator, Allah, for guidance in order to conduct their affairs prompts one to contemplate the means by which this guidance can reach humanity. Since the guidance serves to organize the relationships that characterize our lives, it must come in a way which we can perceive, understand, and follow. Only an ideology with a creed, system, and method provides such a tangible form of guidance.

In addition, it must address us as human beings and establish for us the practical manifestation of this guidance to which we can adhere to. Simply a book, or a 'vision', or a supernatural phenomenon is not sufficient to allow all of humanity to comprehend and live by the message they may contain.

Consequently, the ideology whose source is the Creator, rather than the genius of a human being, must be conveyed to humanity through human Messengers to whom Allah reveals the ideology.

This realisation leads the rational human being to expect the appearance of Messengers and Prophets, and to establish a criterion by which to assess the validity of their claims to be such. This criterion cannot be but that the Messengers must produce a miracle.

A miracle is a Divine act which defies and transcends universal norms and laws, which Allah grants to His messengers and Prophets in order to convince people of the truth of their message. Since Allah is the Creator of all things, He is also the Creator of the attributes that all things possess. He is also the only one who can remove these attributes from objects or endow objects with new attributes.

Thus, a miracle would occur if a stone, which has the attribute of being lifeless came to life; or fire, which has the attribute of producing heat, became cool; or human beings, being limited in knowledge and wisdom, produced a speech of sublime and unequivocal eloquence and meaning. These actions, or miracles, can only be from Allah, the Creator, and they serve as the only proof that one is in fact a Messenger from the Creator. Thus, we must evaluate the declaration of all persons who claim messengership for themselves and expound their falsehood or affirm their truthfulness based on the absence or witnessing of a miracle associated with their message.

The Quran and Muhammad, The Messenger of Allah

The miracle which establishes Muhammad (peace be upon him) as the Messenger of Allah is the Quran. The Quran is the Arabic text which contains the speech of Allah, revealed to Muhammad. Maintaining the rational basis of the doctrine requires that this claim be examined and that the authenticity of the Quran be established on sound proof.

Thus, evaluating the claim that the Quran is the speech of Allah, gives rise to three possibilities,

1) That the Arabs as a nation compiled the Quran because the Quran is in the Arabic language.
2) That Muhammad himself wrote the Quran and claimed that it is from Allah, or
3) That the Quran is in fact the miraculous speech of Allah; therefore, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

Because the Quran is purely an Arabic book, in language, style, and structure, there are no other rational possibilities other than the three mentioned.

The first possibility is incorrect because the Quran lays an open challenge to all people, including the Arabs, to produce a work similar to the Quran in its magnificent literary style, structure, and meaning. The articulation and eloquence of the Quran far surpasses the speech and writings of any human being. The style, language, and content of the Quran make it relevant to the full spectrum of human experiences and needs, while its words and expression are derived from the vocabulary of the Arabic language.

The style of the Quran is neither poetry nor prose, but an unparalleled style of diction that has awed even the most fervent opponents of Islam. The works of human beings, however, are unable to transcend the limits of time and experience and are restricted in the scope of their message. They are of a style which can be imitated by others, improved upon, and critiqued. Man-made works address only a particular audience, whereas the Quran addresses a multitude of people of different origins, cultures, and times, understanding human nature like only the Creator could. The fact that no one can claim, even after fourteen centuries, to have produced a work equal to even any portion of the Quran is a definitive proof that neither the Arabs nor any other people could have produced the Quran.

Because Muhammad himself was a human being and an Arab, he too cannot be considered to have authored the Quran, regardless of the genius that one may claim he possessed. In addition, it is undisputed that Muhammad was illiterate, unable to read or write, let alone produce an unequivocal caliber of speech. The actual sayings of Muhammad are well documented and verifiably distinct from the speech which was revealed to him from Allah. Therefore, the multitude of evidences present regarding this issue exclude the possibility that the Quran is the speech of Muhammad (peace be upon him), and serve as an absolute proof that the Quran is the miraculous speech of Allah, the Creator.

Though the Quran is the ultimate proof of the Messengership of Muhammad, it is not the only proof. One has only to look at the content of the message brought by Muhammad to have conviction that Islam is definitely from the Creator of mankind, Allah. It is well recognized by Muslims and non-Muslims that Islam is an ideology. It is a comprehensive way of life which organizes all the affairs of humanity. In addition, this ideology came before any other ideologies existed in the world. The Romans, Persians, Arabs, and other nations, before the emergence of Islam, had no ideology which they had adopted or on the basis of which they conducted their affairs. Rather, all the societies in the world were run by authoritarian rulers or tribal chiefs who implemented their whims and desires and protected their personal or familial interests. Thus, it is evident that Muhammad was the first to carry any ideology to humanity.

A study of the historical emergence of ideologies in the West demonstrates that it took many centuries and the ideas of many individual thinkers and the efforts of many groups to give birth to the ideologies of Capitalism and Communism. After the theoretical framework of these ideologies was laid down, it took another century for them to be established in the practical form of nation states that implemented these ideologies. Over the course of time, these ideologies have evolved, adopting new ideas and discarding archaic ones.

However, if one looks to the Islamic ideology, its origins, its establishment, its achievements, and its systems, and compares it to the Western ideologies, one would easily come to the conclusion that it is impossible that the Islamic ideology originated from man's thinking. Firstly, Islam came through only one person, Muhammad (saw). Islam originated with his efforts and he began to carry its ideas initially to the Arab people with whom he lived and later to the rest of humanity. The ideas he brought were in sharp contrast to the status quo, and the resistance to his call was fierce. However, his struggle was successful, and after ten years, he was able to establish the Islamic ideology in the form of a state and implement its systems. His achievements, however, go far beyond this. Thirteen years after the establishment of the Islamic State, the whole of Arabia was under Islam and the Muslim armies were at the doorsteps of the Roman and Persian Empires.

At the time of Prophet Muhammad(saw)'s death, twenty three years after he began calling the people to Islam, the Islamic ideology was complete. Whereas the other ideologies have evolved over time through the contributions of many thinkers and politicians, Islam has remained in its original form even until today, 1400 years later. However, Islam is still able to address the problems in society in a relevant and practical way. The Islamic ideology with its original sources continues to serve as the basis for solving new problems which occur in the society due to the changing conditions under which humanity lives.

Thus, Islam was not only brought by one man, it was also established by him, it also succeeded in overcoming two of the strongest nations in the world within twenty years after its establishment, and it is also still relevant and practical until today without any additions or subtractions from it. These are impossible attributes of man-made ideologies and the history of both Capitalism and Communism attest to this fact. Man-made systems, due to their inherent deficiency, are constantly revised in order to keep them applicable. All of these facts prove without any doubt that Islam must be from someone other than man himself, namely the Creator, Allah, whose existence has already been proven. The Quran is the foundation of this message, and therefore, it too must be from Allah.

Establishing the Quran as a miracle has profound implications, mainly that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and that the Quran is a credible source of information, for it is a revelation from the One whose knowledge has no limit. Thus, whatever the Quran informs us of is taken as an absolute proof and becomes part of the creed. This is how the belief in the existence of the angels, the previous Prophets and Messengers, the Day of Judgment, and Heaven and Hell are established.

The Quran also informs us that there will be no more Prophets or Messengers after Muhammad (peace be upon him) and that Islam is the final message for all of mankind. Also, accepting Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a Messenger is to affirm his truthfulness and to follow him in what he ordered us on behalf of Allah, the Creator. The speech of Muhammad (peace be upon him) is known as the 'Sunnah', and the Quran and Sunnah together comprise the Wahiy (revelation) which are the only reference in Islam.

Once the Quran is established as a revelation from Allah, it takes precedence over the human mind in the knowledge which it brings forth. Thus, the human mind cannot be used to pass judgment on the text of the revelation. This is because the knowledge of Allah is infinite while the knowledge of the human being is limited and imperfect. Consequently, the text of the revelation, its authenticity having been established rationally, is superior to the intellect.

Both the intellect and the revelation (Quran and Sunnah) productively settle the thoughts and ideas regarding the existence of human beings and of the universe. The human being intellectually recognizes that everything in this world, including oneself, is created, and that before this life, there is Allah, the Creator. He becomes convinced that his relationship with Allah is one of dependence on Him for guidance, for a message which provides him with the means by which to worship Allah, to organize his personal life, and to govern the society in which he lives.

His purpose in life becomes the obedience to and worship of his Creator. He realises, through the knowledge which comes to him by way of revelation, that after the death in this life, he will be resurrected, will stand before Allah on the Day of Judgment, and be called to account for his actions in this life. Thus, he becomes secure in the certainty of his creation, feels tranquillity in the purpose of his life, and looks forward to what is after this life.

These ideas constitute the Islamic creed and are encompassed by the testimony of belief (Shahadah) which must be uttered for one to enter the fold of Islam:

I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

The conviction in, and pronouncement of, this simple, yet rich utterance transforms the shallow thinker to an enlightened one, the arrogant to the humble, the defiant to the obedient, and the disbeliever to a believer.

The Islamic System

The Islamic creed (Aqeedah) addresses the very fundamental questions about which every human being inquires. The Islamic System, however, organises the affairs of the human beings, as individuals as well as communities and societies. The system is a basic element of the Islamic Ideology and can only be adopted from the sources of Islamic law, the Quran and Sunnah. Because the Islamic System addresses the human beings, it is essential to first understand his nature before looking to Islam's approach in dealing with his affairs.

By observing the lives of human beings, and studying their needs, the relationships they form, and the attitudes they possess, it becomes possible for us to understand the fundamental aspects of their nature. We see that they perform certain functions essential to their survival, such as eating and drinking, ridding themselves of waste, breathing, and sleeping. These are the basic biological needs which every human being must satisfy. If they go unsatisfied or are indefinitely suppressed, it will lead to death.

In addition, human beings have instinctive behavior which leads them to build relationships, to improve their condition, and to express their feelings of fear, love, devotion, anger, etc. Amongst the many relationships that we form, one of them is that of devotion and loyalty to a specific object or being. This is characteristic of all human beings, spanning the full spectrum of culture and time, and it serves as an evidence that worshipping is an instinctive behavior of the human being. Thus, whether it is money or a cow, an idol or a sports hero, or the Creator, Allah, every human being comes to be devoted to something, making it the centre of his or her life.

The complexity of human life extends far beyond just the relationship with the Creator. Much of our effort goes towards earning wealth, exerting our authority, and protecting our lives and property. These and similar actions are the result of an instinct to survive, for it is through these things that we secure our lives physically. The survival instinct is also the source of our feelings of anger, fear, pride, etc. Regarding our sexual desires, maternal and paternal feelings, and the like, these arise from an instinct to preserve the human race. Emotions such as love, compassion, and mercy are also manifestations of this instinct.

The human being, having been created with these biological needs and instincts, makes an effort to satisfy them completely through his actions. Since human beings organise themselves into societies, it becomes crucial that they establish an order which ensures satisfaction of every individual's needs and instincts while preserving the integrity of the society as a whole. Throughout history, many people have undertaken this task, and their efforts have led to systems such as Capitalism/Democracy and Communism. All of these man-made ideologies have been failures in that they have never been able to provide for every individual, nor have they produced societies which promote justice, compassion, and the welfare of the people.

Islam, being the revelation from Allah, addressed the human being with a sure knowledge of this nature, and therefore, produced a system able to organize man's life in the correct, productive, and progressive manner. It addresses the individual as a human being with biological needs and instincts which require satisfaction. The Islamic system is the mechanism through which these needs and instincts are satisfied optimally, while maintaining a social order that preserves the dignity and honor of all human beings.

The Islamic system can be understood through its method of organising the different relationships that human beings form. The relationship that Islam establishes between the human being and the Creator provides the means of satisfying the instinct of worship. Also, Islam organizes the human being's personal affairs, such as the clothes he likes to wear, the foods he eats, and how he maintains his health. In addition, Islam has an economic, political, and social system which organises the relationships that human beings establish with each in order to live as a society.

By organising these relationships in agreement with human nature, Islam does not suppress any of man's needs or instincts, but rather, channels them in the proper direction, ensuring their satisfaction for every individual while protecting the dignity of the society as a whole.

The approach of Islam to man's problems is a preventative one, structuring the society so as to eliminate the possibility of social and moral depravity, economic exploitation, political corruption, and other vices. The Islamic society, however, is not a utopian society where every individual is perfect. Due to the very nature of the human being, it is inevitable that some problems will occur; though they are minimized in their frequency under the Islamic system. In order to deal with this incidents, Islam employs a punishment system which serves both as a hindrance to the development of the problem as well as a means of repentance for the one transgressing the limits set by Allah.

Worship in Islam (Ibadah)

The concept of worship in Islam defines the relationship between the Creator and his creation, the human beings. This relationship, however, cannot be established by the human being on his own. A relationship exists between two things, in this case, the Creator, Allah, and the human being. Since the human is unable to comprehend the essence of the Creator, the method to worship the Creator cannot possibly be established by the creation.

The Creator, on the other hand, has full knowledge of His creation and of His expectations from them; therefore, He is the only one who is qualified to define this relationship. This serves as another proof of the need for Messengers, for it is through these Messengers that Allah teaches the human beings how to worship Him. The Message of Islam, revealed by Allah, established this relationship based on five obligations:

The utterance of the testimony that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

The establishment of the prayer, five times daily.
The payment of Zakat, an annual financial obligation paid by Muslims on the surplus wealth they possess exceeding a specific amount.
Fasting during the month of Ramadan,
The pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj) at least once for those with the means to do so.

Through these actions, the human being worships the Creator and makes the earning of His pleasure his supreme goal. He makes Allah his Master and recognises himself as the slave of Allah, liberating himself from the bondage to anything else. The intention is what transforms these actions from merely rituals to acts of worship and devotion to the Creator. Therefore, the intention must be to sanctify the Creator only, and not for any other purpose. Also, these acts of worship are fixed and not subject to change because they were revealed in the last message to humanity, Islam.

Unlike Christianity and other religions, Islam does not accept the notion that there is a conflict between matter and spirit in the human being. Spirituality in Islam is to make the commands and prohibitions of Allah the basis for one's actions. Thus, earning wealth, getting married, wearing nice clothes, if it is done in accordance with Islamic law, is considered a spiritual action and is rewarded. These actions, however, are different from the acts of worship, which are limited to specific actions, some of which have already been mentioned. Since their is no conflict between material and spirit, Islam does not create a conflict within the human being by compelling him to neglect the needs and instincts which are normally satisfied through the material. Rather, Islam directs the person to satisfy them in the lawful manner based on the commandments of Allah.

Islam also looks to the human being as having been born pure, free of sin. In fact, he is not accountable until he reaches the age of puberty and is of sound mind. The Islamic perspective directly conflicts with the Christian concept of original sin which looks to man as inherently sinful, carrying the sin of Adam from generation to generation. From the Islamic viewpoint, every human being is responsible for his own actions, and no soul will bear the burden of another. Allah is Just, Merciful, and Forgiving, and commands only repentance from his slaves in order to be forgiven, without the need for Jesus, or anyone else, to be offered as a sacrifice for the sins of others.

There is also no Church or clergy in Islam. The relationship between the human being and Allah is direct, devoid of any institutional intermediaries. There are no holy men in Islam, no holy dress, and no holy symbols to wear. The individual is known and respected for his or her knowledge and obedience to Allah Ta'ala.
Islamic scholarship is a right for everyone, man or woman, adult or child, and is even an obligation on the community as a whole. Thus, Islam has no conflict between religious and public life, no tolerance for creating a hierarchy of worshippers, and no man after Muhammad (peace be upon him) to mediate the relationship between the human being and his Master, Allah.

The Islamic concept of worship is simple and easy for the human being. He is responsible for his own actions, given a clear path to follow, and has only to repent to be forgiven for his sins. Unlike other beliefs, Islam does not burden the human being beyond his abilities; instead, it provides him with the correct way of worshipping his Creator and satisfying his instinct of worship while leaving his heart in a state of tranquillity.

Islam Today

Today, Islam has become the prominent issue in the world arena. In the Muslim world, many Islamic movements are calling for the reestablishment of the Islamic State and its ideology. Also, the number of Muslims in the West is rapidly increasing. There are over one billion Muslims in the world, the majority of them living in lands that were once ruled by Islam.

Since the destruction of the Islamic State, Muslims have been subjugated by their rulers to all types of foreign, unenlightened ideas. Today, an increasing number of Muslims are rejecting these ideas for their falsehood and returning to the Islamic ideology as the focus of their lives. The non-Islamic ideologies have failed in the Muslim World and in the West, and the resurgence of Islam is seen as a saviour and a great hope for the Muslims as well as the rest of humanity.

Muslims are also realising that the Islamic political and resurgence movement must be aimed primarily at the imperative goal of establishing the Islamic State, the Caliphate. This new movement towards the resurgence of Islam has had, and will continue to have, a significant impact on the world order. The Western politicians and the elite capitalists view Islam as a threat, fearing its potential to eliminate their power and wealth and to destroy the oppression and injustice that they impose upon the people to further their personal agendas. Therefore, they have worked tirelessly to counteract the efforts of Muslims through their subversive tactics in the Muslims lands and propaganda in the Western world.

The Non-Muslims, however, must look beyond the stereotypes and lies promoted about Islam and Muslims. Engulfed in a sea of problems, lacking a definite purpose in life, and plagued with contradictory ideas, the masses can no longer afford to turn a blind eye towards Islam, nor can they afford to passively allow the system and elite who control them to exploit them as pawns in their political and economic games.

Conclusion

For the past 100 years, the world witnessed two major destructive wars which consumed tens of millions of lives and in between these two major wars, hundreds of wars were created, and only few have been extinguished. Those who manage and control the world order are the ones who create the conflicts and fuel them with weapons, money, and antagonism, for no other reason than to consolidate their interests.
Today, the world needs an alternative to Capitalism, Communism, Socialism, and all of these other man-made ideologies, to resolve the pains and the sufferings of the people oppressed by these systems and by the few elite who maintain it. Only the Islamic ideology provides such an alternative.

The world thrived under the authority of Islam for more than twelve hundred years. The very thought of world wars did not even exist. Presently, the Islamic ideology is again needed to reform the thoughts of the people, their convictions, their attitudes, and their outlook on life. Islam is needed to remove the disease and fallacy of freedom, liberate humanity from the slavery of man-made ideas, and establish the justice that can come only through the submission to the system provided by the Creator, Allah Azz wa jal.

The Islamic ideology is needed to address the problems of the world to resolve them, and not to make a business out of them. The Islamic ideology is needed to redefine the economic problem so that the well being of the individual becomes the center of attention, rather than the well being of the elite's and their interests. Islam is needed to provide the people with the wider and more fulfilling meaning of life - not as a time to maximize joy and benefit, but as an entry to yet a longer and more enjoyable life. The return of Islam means the return of an ideology; transcending the visions of social reform, and religious revival. Islam has at its foundation a clear doctrine, which serves not only as a belief, but also as a source from which springs the solutions for all of humanity's problems.

"I created the jinn and mankind only that they worship Me" [Qur'an 51 :56 ]

Alhamdulilahi Rabil Alameen

--Salman al-Farsi
[Found this article here: http://www.ummah.com/forum/showthread.php?94028-Introduction-to-Islam]

Hadith On Illegal Land Grabbing

Hadith of the Day posted this hadith on Facebook today:

Narrated Salim's father (i.e. 'Abdullah): The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection."
[Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 43, Number 634]


Subhan-Allah, I can't express how much pleasure I have gained through this hadith. Especially when we have a person (I will write about him in detail soon, Insha-Allah.) in our town who illegally grabs other poors' lands and houses, this hadith is like an ointment for the soul. This hadith also shows the illegality of colonial economy.

Hadiths 27/12/2010

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "If anyone calls others to follow right guidance, his reward will be equivalent to those who follow him (in righteousness) without their reward being diminished in any respect, and if anyone invites others to follow error, the sin, will be equivalent to that of the people who follow him (in sinfulness) without their sins being diminished in any respect".

[Muslim]

Narrated Abu Huraira: On the night Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) was taken on a night journey (Miraj) 2 cups, one containing wine & the other milk, were presented to him at Jerusalem. He looked at it & took the cup of milk. Gabriel said, "Praise be to Allah Who guided you to Al-Fitra (the right path); if you had taken (the cup of) wine, your nation would have gone astray."

[Bukhari Volume 7 Book 69 Number 482]


The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Do you know who will go first on the Day of Resurrection to the shade of God? Those who when given what is right accept it, when asked for something give freely and who judge in favor of others as they do for themselves.”

[Al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1042]


Narrated Abu Huraira: I heard Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) saying." By Allah! I ask for forgiveness from Allah and turn to Him in repentance more than seventy times a day."

[Bukhari Book 75, Vol 8, No 319]

Hadith About Good Manners

Nawas ibn Sam'an reported that the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) was asked about doing good and evil. He replied, "Doing good is having good manners. Doing evil is what troubles you inside and what you would not like others to know about."

[Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Darimi, Abu 'Awanah, Hakim, and Ibn Hibban]

Hadith (24/12/2010)

* Abu Ayub Ansari relates that a man said: Messenger of Allah, tell me that which cause me to be admitted to Paradise and will keep me away from the Fire. He answered: Worship Allah and do not associate anything with Him, observe Prayer, pay the Zakat and join the ties of kinship.

(Bukhari, Kitabul Adab)


* Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, "A person will not be able to move from his place (on the day of retribution), until he replies to five questions: How did you spend your life? How did you spend your youth? Where did you earn your wealth from? Where did you spend your wealth? How much did you act upon your knowledge?"

(Tirmidhi)

Hadith About Evil Eye

Ibn 'Abbas (RA) reported Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) as saying: "The influence of an evil eye is a fact; if anything would precede the destiny it would be the influence of an evil eye, and when you are asked to take bath (as a cure) from the influence of an evil eye, you should take bath".

[Bukhari, Book 026, No. 5427]

Islam as an Ideology

Introduction to Islam
 
Islam as an Ideology

The word 'Islam', in Arabic, linguistically means submission and peace. As a term, 'Islam' refers to the Message which was revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him) by Allah, the One Creator, and a 'Muslim' is the one who believes in Islam.

In sharp contrast to Christianity, Judaism, and other religions, Islam is not merely a religion. Rather, Islam is a unique and comprehensive ideology which guides the life of the human being. The Islamic ideology, like any other ideology, consists of a creed or doctrine, a system of rules and regulations, and a method by which to implement this system.

The creed of Islam (Aqeedah) provides the correct and comprehensive answers to the fundamental questions regarding the existence of humanity and the surrounding universe. It addresses the issue of the human being's purpose in life and integrates it into the grand scheme of existence, i.e. what came before this life and what will come after it. Thus, the Islamic creed settles the core problem in every person's life, that of the nature of our existence, and serves as the guiding principle for humanity to conduct its affairs.
The Islamic system provides a comprehensive law governing the affairs of the human beings. It establishes, in the absolute, correct manner,

1) The relationship between the human being and his Creator,
2) The personal affairs of individuals, and
3) The social, political, economic, and international relationships that exist in the society.

The method related to the ideology provides the means for implementing the idea (the creed and systems), thereby transferring it from 'theory' to 'practice'. It is an integral part of the ideology and distinguishes it from a philosophy, which provides hypothetical ideas but no practical means of implementing them.

Thus, Islam consists of a creed, system, and method. What distinguishes Islam from the ideologies of Capitalism and Communism is that Islam is built on the correct idea, established through rational thought. In contrast, the other ideologies in the world failed to build a comprehensive and rational view of the life of the human beings and the world in which they exist.

Some Useful Lines in Arabic.

When we meet another Muslim:

“As salamu alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu” ( may the mercy, peace and blessings of
Allah be upon you )

( And they will reply) “Wa alaikum salam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu” (and may the peace mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you )



When we sneeze we say:

“Alhamdulillah” ( all praises are due to Allah) and any Muslim present must reply “Yah hamuk Allah” ( may Allah have mercy on you ) and we can reply “Ya dikum Allah wa yuslihu balakum”



We praise Allah:

“Alhamdulillah” and “SubhanAllah” ( All the praises are due to Allah - how free from imperfections is Allah )



When we eat:

Allahumma barik lana fee ma razaktana wa zidna khairan minh



The greatest words for us to say are:

La il laha il Allah, Muhammad a rasool Allah. (There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger)



When the name of Prophet Muhammad is mentioned:

“SalAllahu allehi wa sallam” ( May peace and blessings of Allah be upon him )



When we want to thank someone we can make duaa for them saying:

JazakAllahu khair ( May Allah reward you with good )

or “BarakAllahu feek” ( May Allah give you barakah)



Before we go to sleep:

“Bismika Allahumma amutu wa ahyaa" (Oh Allah in your name I live and die)



When we hear of someones death:

"Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajiun." (To Allah we belong and to Him we return.)



When you see something bad:

"Audu billah" ( I seek refuge in Allah )



When showing appreciation for something:

"Masha Allah" ( As Allah wills)



When in distress:

"Ya Allah!" ( Oh Allah!)



When making a mistake and seeking forgiveness:

"Astaghfirullah." ( May Allah forgive me )



When planning to do something:

"Insha Allah" ( as Allah wills)




"Allah ta ala" ( Allah The most high )