Islam 101

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• Islam 101
• Dr. Ishaq Zahid
• zahidi_at_citadel.edu
• http//www.islam101.com

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Outline

• Islamic Theology Basic Beliefs
• Muslim Non-Muslim Relations
• Quotations From Quran and Hadith
• Questions/Answers

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No Compulsion

• Let there be no compulsion in religion. Truth
  stands out clear from Error. Whoever rejects evil
  and believes in God has grasped the most
  trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And God
  hears and knows all things.
• (The Holy Quran, 2.256)

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World Muslims

• 1.2 billion, Muslims represent between 19.2 and
  22 of the world's population.
• One of every five persons in the world is a
  Muslim
• Second largest religion in the world

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World Distribution of Muslims
Source  Britannica Yearbook, 1997
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American Muslims

• 6 million (The New York Times, Feb. 21, 1989)
• About 40 Afro-American
• Not all Muslims are Arabs, Not all Arabs are
  Muslims

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The Basics of Faith

• Belief in One God (Allah)
• Belief in Prophethood
• All the Divine Books as revealed by God to
  various prophets
• Angels, Jinns(Demons), Life after Death and the
  Day of Judgment, Heaven and Hell

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Allah the One God

• Allah is the Arabic name for God used by Muslims
  of the world as well as Arab Christians.
• Say He is God, the One and Only  God, the
  Eternal, Absolute  He begets not, nor is He
  begotten And there is none like unto Him. (The
  Quran, Chapter 112)

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Allah name in the Bible

• "ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI? which is, being
  interpreted, My God, My God, why hast thou
  forsaken me?" (Mark 1534).
• ALLELUYA YA ALLA HU OH! Allah
• Elohim Eloh im (plural), translated to Allah in
  the Arabic Bible.

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Prophets and Scriptures

• SOME PROPHETS Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael,
  Ishaq, Jacob (Israel), Joseph, Benjamin, Moses,
  Aaron, David, Solomon, Zakareya, John, Jesus,
  Muhammad (peace be on them)
• DIVINE BOOKS Torah, Zabur (Psalms), Injeel
  (Gospel), Quran
• Belief in ALL prophets of God
• Source of All Books is God
• Main Message of all Prophets Islam

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Prophet Muhammad

• Descendant of Ishmael, the first son of Abraham.
• Born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in the year 570 C.E.
  
• Received first revelation at the age 40 through
  angel Gabriel.
• Died in the year 632 C.E, after preaching Islam
  for 23 years.
• GEORGE BERNARD SHAW said about him
• "He must be called the Saviour of Humanity. I
  believe that if a man like him were to assume the
  dictatorship of the modern world, he would
  succeed in solving its problems in a way that
  would bring it much needed peace and happiness."
  (The Genuine Islam, Singapore, Vol. 1, No. 8,
  1936)

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Quran The Holy Book

• Original intact as given by the Prophet in Arabic
• 23 Years of Revelations (610 - 632 C.E.)
• 114 Chapters One Chapter, Multiple Revelations
• Chapter (Surah) names
• Historic Context matters
• Verses Explain Verses
• Commentary needed in the light of Arabic,
  History, and Sunnah

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Sunnah and Hadith

• Approvals, disapprovals of the Prophet
• Compiled in separate books, known as Hadith
  books, after the death of the Prophet
• Classified from authentic to false.

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Quran Verse 812

• Often misinterpreted Verse by Islam bashers
• Remember thy Lord inspired the angels (with the
  message) "I am with you give firmness to the
  Believers I will instill terror into the hearts
  of the Unbelievers smite ye above their necks
  and smite all their finger-tips off them."
• (The Quran, 8.12)
• Read for an explanation
• http//www.islam101.com/terror/verse8_12.htm

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Quran Verse 861

• 008.061 But if the enemy incline towards peace,
  do thou (also) incline towards peace, and trust
  in God for He is One that hears and knows (all
  things).
• 060.008  God forbids you not, with regard 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 loves those who are
  just.
• 060.009  God only forbids you, with regard to
  those who fight you for (your) Faith, and drive
  you out of your homes, and support (others) in
  driving you out, from turning to them (for
  friendship and protection). It is such as turn to
  them (in these circumstances), that do wrong.

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Worship and Obedience

• Prayers (Salah)
• Charity (Zakat)
• Fasting ( Ramadan)
• Pilgrimage (Hajj)
• Any act done according to Quran and Sunnah to
  please God

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Prayers (Salah)

• Five Daily Prayers from Dawn to Late Evening
  regulate a Muslims day
• Prayers involve ablution, standing, bowing,
  prostrating, sitting postures
• Face Kabah, prayers in Arabic as taught by the
  Prophet.
• Additional Prayers optional

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Charity (Zakat)

• 024.056 So establish regular Prayer and give
  regular Charity and obey the Apostle that ye
  may receive mercy. (The Quran)
• Required 2.5 charity on yearly savings
• A Muslim must be a charitable person
• Removing a stone from the road is charity
• Greeting with a smile is a charity

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Fasting

• 002.183 O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed
  to you as it was prescribed to those before you,
  that ye may (learn) self-restraint. (The Quran)
• Ramadan is 9th month in Islamic Lunar calendar
• Daily dawn to sunset fast for 29/30 days (no food
  or drink)
• Eidul-Fitr Holiday at the end

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Hajj (Pilgrimage)

• Pilgrimage to Makkah once in life time for able
  Muslims
• About 2-3 million Muslims perform Hajj each year
  from all over the world.
• Eidul-Adha the biggest Muslim Holiday

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Video Clip

• Inside Mecca
• By
• National
• Geopgraphic

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Muslim Non-Muslim Relations

• A Christian King of Ethopia
• Treaty with Jews of Madinah
• Letter to Moncks of St. Catherine

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A Christian King Negus of Ethopia

• Negus gives Protection to migrated Muslims
• First Muslim-Christian Governmental Interaction

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Treaty with Jews of Madina

• Prophet has to migrate to Madina (about 200 miles
  from Makkah)
• Signs a treaty with Jews of Madina
• No compulsion in Religion

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Letter to Moncks

• Verily, I defend them by myself, the servants,
  the helpers, and my followers, because Christians
  are my citizens and by Allah! I hold out against
  anything that displeases them. No compulsion is
  to be on them.
• Their churches are to be respected.

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Some Quotations from Quran and Hadith

• Food
• Mothers
• Daughters
• Human Equality
• Justice
• Repel Evil with Goodness
• Suicide is a grave sin

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Food

• 002.172 O ye who believe! Eat of the good things
  that We have provided for you, and be grateful to
  God, if it is Him ye worship.
• Forbidden
• Meat of animals found dead
• blood
• the flesh of swine
• Alcoholic beverages (such as beer and wine) and
  intoxicants
• Meat on which name of God is not invoked at time
  of slaughtering or meat on which some one elses
  name is invoked
• Permitted food of the People of the Book

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MOTHERS

• The Qur'an elevates kindness to parents
  (especially mothers) to a status second only to
  the worship of Allah.
• Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but
  Him and that you be kind to parents. Whether one
  or both of them attain old age in your life, say
  not to them a word of contempt nor repel them,
  but address them in terms of honor. (Qur'an
  1723)
• And We have enjoined on every human being (to be
  good) to his/her parents in travail upon travail
  did his/her mother bear him/her and in years
  twain was his/her weaning (hear the command)
  "Show gratitude to me and to your parents to Me
  is (your final) destiny." (Qur'an 3114)

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DAUGHTERS

• Prophet Muhammad (Peace be on him) said,
  Whosoever has a daughter and does not bury her
  alive, does not insult her, and does not favor
  his son over her, Allah will enter him into
  Paradise. (Ahmad)

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Human Equality in Islam

• Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said
• "No Arab has any superiority over a non-Arab, nor
  does a non-Arab have any superiority over an
  Arab. Nor does a white man have any superiority
  over a black man, or the black man any
  superiority over the white man. You are all the
  children of Adam, and Adam was created from clay"

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Justice in Islam

• "Do not let your hatred of a people incite you to
  aggression." (Quran 52)
• "And do not let ill-will towards any folk incite
  you so that you swerve from dealing justly. Be
  just that is nearest to heedfulness." (Quran
  58)
• Oh you who believe, stand up firmly for justice,
  as witnesses to God, even if it be against
  yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and
  whether it be against rich or poor for God can
  best protect both. Do not follow any passion,
  lest you not be just. And if you distort or
  decline to do justice, verily God is
  well-acquainted with all that you do. (Quran
  4135)

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Repel Evil with Goodness

• 041.034 Nor can goodness and Evil be equal.
  Repel (Evil) with what is better Then will he
  between whom and thee was hatred become as it
  were thy friend and intimate!
• 003.134 Those who spend (freely), whether in
  prosperity, or in adversity who restrain anger,
  and pardon (all) men for God loves those who do
  good.

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Suicide is a Grave Sin

• O ye who believe! Eat not up your property among
  yourselves in vanities But let there be amongst
  you Traffic and trade by mutual good-will Nor
  kill (or destroy) yourselves for verily God has
  been to you Most Merciful! (Quran, 429)

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Concluding Remarks

• Strive for peace and justice for all!

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Questions and Answers

• Surah Al-Fatehah
• (Chapter 1 The Opening)
• 1. In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most
  Merciful.
• 2. Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and
  Sustainer of the worlds
• 3. Most Gracious, Most Merciful
• 4. Master of the Day of Judgment.
• 5. Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek.
• 6. Show us the straight way,
• 7. The way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed
  Thy Grace, those whose (portion) is not wrath,
  and who go not astray.