DOES ISLAM TOLERATE OTHER BELIEFS?
The Qur'an says:
God forbids you not, with regards to those who fight you not for
(your) faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly
and justly with them; for God loveth those who are just
(Qur'an, 60:8)
It is one function of Islamic law to protect the privileged status of minorities, and this is why non-Muslim places of worship have flourished all over the Islamic world.
History provides many examples of Muslim tolerance towards other faiths: when the caliph Omar entered Jerusalem in the year 634, Islam granted freedom of worship to all religious communities in the city.
Islamic law also permits non- Muslim minorities to set up their own courts, which
implement family laws drawn up by the minorities themselves.
WHAT DO MUSLIMS THINK ABOUT JESUS?
Muslims respect and revere Jesus, and await his Second Coming. They consider him one of the greatest of God's Messengers to mankind. A Muslim never refers to him simply as 'Jesus', but always adds the phrase 'upon him be peace'. The Qur'an confirms his virgin birth (a chapter of the Qur'an is entitled 'Mary'), and Mary is considered the purest woman in all creation. The Qur'an describes the Annunciation as follows:
Behold!' the Angel said, 'God has chosen you, and purified you,
and chosen you above the women of all nations. O Mary, God gives
you good news of a word from Him, whose name shall be the Messiah,
Jesus son of Mary, honored in this world and the Hereafter, and
one of those brought near to God. He shall speak to the people
from his cradle and in maturity, and shall be of the righteous.'
She said: 'O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has
touched me?' He said: 'Even so; God creates what He will. When He
decrees a thing, He says to it, "Be!" and it is 3:42-7)
Jesus was born miraculously through the same power which had
brought Adam into being without a father:
Truly, the likeness of Jesus with God is as the likeness of Adam.
(3:59)
During his prophetic mission Jesus performed many miracles. The
Qur'an tells us that he said:
I have come to you with a sign from your Lord: I make for you out
of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it and
it becomes a bird by God's leave. And I heal the blind, and the
lepers (3:49)
Neither Muhammad nor Jesus came to change the basic doctrine of
the belief in One God, brought by earlier prophets, but to confirm
and renew it. In the Qur'an Jesus is reported as saying that he
came:
To attest the law which was before me. And to make lawful to you
part of what was forbidden you; I have come to you with a sign from
your Lord, so fear God and obey me 3:50)
The Prophet Muhammad said:
that Muhammad is His messenger, that Jesus is the servant and
messenger of God, His word breathed into Mary and a spirit
emanating from Him, and that Paradise and Hell are true, shall be
received Hadith from Bukhari)
WHY IS THE FAMILY SO IMPORTANT TO MUSLIMS?
The family is the foundation of Islamic society. The peace and security offered by a stable family unit is greatly valued, and seen as essential for the spiritual growth of its members. A harmonious social order is created by the existence of extended families;
children are treasured, and rarely leave home until the time they marry.
WHAT ABOUT MUSLIM WOMEN?
Islam sees a woman, whether single or married, as an individual in her own right, with the right to own and dispose of her property and earnings. A marriage dowry is given by the groom to the bridge for her own personal use, and she keeps her own family name rather than taking her husband's. Both men and women are expected to dress in a way which is modest and dignified; the traditions of female dress found in some Muslim countries are often the expression of local customs.
The Messenger of God said:
faith amongst believers is he who is best in manner.
CAN A MUSLIM HAVE MORE THAN ONE WIFE?
The religion of Islam was revealed for all societies and all times and so accommodates widely differing social requirements. Circumstances may warrant the taking of another wife but the right is granted, according to the Qur'an, only on condition that the husband is scrupulously fair.
IS ISLAMIC MARRIAGE LIKE CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE?
A Muslim marriage is not a 'sacrament', but a simple, legal agreement in which either partner is free to include conditions. Marriage customs thus vary widely from country to country. As a result, divorce is not common, although it is not forbidden as a last resort. According to Islam, no Muslim girl can be forced to marry against her will: her parents will simply suggest young men they think may be suitable.
HOW DO MUSLIMS TREAT THE ELDERLY?
In the Islamic world there are no old people's homes. The strain of caring for one's
parents in this most difficult time of their lives is considered an honor and blessing,
and an opportunity for great spiritual growth. God asks that we not only pray for our parents, but act with limitless compassion, remembering that when we were helpless children they preferred us to themselves. Mothers are particularly honored: the Prophet taught that 'Paradise lies at the feet of mothers'. When they reach old age, Muslim parents are treated mercifully, with the same kindness and selflessness.
In Islam, serving one's parents is a duty second only to prayer, and it is their right to expect it. It is considered despicable to express any irritation when, through no fault of their own, the old become difficult.
The Qur'an says:
Your Lord has commanded that you worship none but Him, and be kind
to parents. If either or both of them reach old age with you, do
not say 'uff' to them or chide them, but speak to them in terms of
honor and kindness. Treat them with humility, and say, 'My Lord!
Have mercy on them, for they did care for me when I was little
(17:23-4)
HOW DO MUSLIMS VIEW DEATH?
Like Jews and Christians, Muslims believe that the present life is only a trial
preparation for the next realm of existence. Basic articles of faith include: the Day of Judgement, resurrection, Heaven and Hell. When a Muslim dies, he or she is washed, usually by a family member, wrapped in a clean white cloth, and buried with a simple prayer preferably the same day. Muslims consider this one of the final services they can do for their relatives, and an opportunity to remember their own brief existence here on earth. The Prophet taught that three things can continue to help a person even after death; charity which he had given, knowledge which he had taught and prayers on their behalf by a righteous child.
WHAT DOES ISLAM SAY ABOUT WAR?
Like Christianity, Islam permits fighting in self-defense, in defense of religion, or on the part of those who have been expelled forcibly from their homes. It lays down strict rules of combat which include prohibitions against harming civilians and against destroying crops, trees and livestock. As Muslims see it, injustice would be triumphant in the world if good men were not prepared to risk their lives in a righteous cause.
The Qur'an says:
Fight in the cause of God against those who fight you, but do not
transgress limits. God does not love transgressors 2:190)
If they seek peace, then seek you peace. And trust in God for He
is the One that heareth and knoweth all things 8:61)
War, therefore, is the last resort, and is subject to the rigorous conditions laid down by the sacred law. The term Jihad literally means 'struggle', and Muslims believe that there are two kinds of Jihad. The other 'Jihad' is the inner struggle which everyone wages against egotistic desires, for the sake of attaining inner peace.
WHAT ABOUT FOOD?
Although much simpler than the dietary law followed by Jews and the early
Christians, the code which Muslims observe forbids the consumption of pig meat or any kind of intoxicating drink. The Prophet taught that 'your body has rights over you', and the consumption of wholesome food and the leading of a healthy lifestyle are seen as religious obligations. The Prophet said:
'Ask God for certainty (of faith) and well-being; for after
certainty, no one is given any gift better than health!'
ISLAM IN THE UNITED STATES
It is almost impossible to generalize about American Muslims: converts, immigrants, factory workers, doctors; all are making their own contribution to America's future.
This complex community is unified by a common faith, underpinned by a countrywide network of a thousand mosques.
Muslims were early arrivals in North America. By the eighteenth century there were many thousands of them, working as slaves on plantations. These early communities, cut off from their heritage and families, inevitably lost their Islamic identity as time went by. Today many Afro-American Muslims play an important role in the Islamic community.
The nineteenth century, however, saw the beginnings of an influx of Arab Muslims, most of whom settled in the major industrial centers where they worshipped in hired rooms. The early twentieth century witnessed the arrival of several hundred thousand Muslims from Eastern Europe: the first Albanian mosque was opened in Maine in 1915; others soon followed, and a group of Polish Muslims opened a mosque in Brooklyn in 1928.
In 1947 the Washington Islamic Center was founded during the term of President
Truman, and several nationwide organizations were set up in the fifties. The same
period saw the establishment of other communities whose lives were in many ways
modeled after Islam. More recently, numerous members of these groups have entered the fold of Muslim orthodoxy. Today there are about five million Muslims in America.
HOW DOES ISLAM GUARANTEE HUMAN RIGHTS?
Freedom of conscience is laid down by the Qur'an itself:
There is no compulsion in religion 2:256)
The life and property of all citizens in an Islamic state are considered sacred whether a person is Muslim or not. Racism is incomprehensible to Muslims, for the Qur'an
speaks of human equality in the following terms:
made you into nations and tribes, so that you may come to know one
another. Truly, the most honored of you in God's sight is the
greatest 49:13)
