The worst enemies of Islam are from within, writes American convert scholar of Islam, Hamza Yusuf. This article first appeared in Q-News, Europe’s largest Muslim magazine. On September 11th our lives changed forever. We witnessed an act of aggression that in many ways does not have a parallel in past or present times. There are several elements that make this act unique, from the use of civilian planes as weapons of mass destruction to the attack on the most widely recognized skyscrapers in the world. Nor have we ever witnessed the terrible indictment of Islam as having a part to…

By Sheikh Dr. Mohammad Ismail Al-Moqadem The unchangeable law of Allah, where the people of falsehood are against the people of the right, continued, as they continue to distort them, raise doubts about them to hinder (men) from the path of Allah, and would seek to make it crooked. Calls for reformation and renewal do not accept compromise, half measures or half solutions; it struggles against the corrupted beliefs. At the beginning, it might face a violent resistance from its opponents, as when it faces the conventional thoughts and tries to change it, it in fact defies its followers and…

It should be noted from the beginning that the very term Islam implies that peace is the basis and the norm of Muslim/Non-Muslim relations. Islam is derived from the Arabic root [S-L-M] whose generic meaning includes the concepts “peace” and “submission”. From a spiritual perspective, Islam may be defined as attaining peace through submission to Allah or the state of peace in submission to Allah. Ample references in the Qur’an and Hadeeth reveal that this concept of peace embraces peace with God, inner peace as a result of that relationship with God, peace with humans, peace with the animal world,…

The foregoing discussion provides ample evidence that the normative relationship between Muslims and Non-Muslims is that of peace, justice, mercy and mutual respect. Some may ask, however, how building and maintenance of peace can be reconciled with the concept of “holy war”? The Qur’anic Arabic term Jihad has been commonly mistranslated as “Holy War”. The Qur’an was revealed in Arabic, not in English. The Arabic equivalent of the English expression “Holy War” is “ Harb Muqaddasah”, an expression that is not found anywhere in the Qur’an or in the authentic sayings of the Prophet of Islam[P]. Even when the Qur’an…

Allah states in the Qur’an, “And announce to humanity, (O Abraham), the pilgrimage, and people will come from every part of the world by every means of transport.” [Qur’an 22:27]. Indeed, centuries after Prophet Abraham’s call, this call to journey to Hajj is still being responded to, in numbers larger than ever before; as intended. Hajj in Perspective • As an act , Hajj is fard / obligatory (on those who are able): Human beings who are able to perform the pilgrimage are obligated by Allah to make the pilgrimage to the Ka’bah. [Qur’an 3:97] • In significance, Hajj is…

slam deems it compulsory upon its followers to believe in the previous divine Messages and in all the Prophets and Messengers. Muslims must love them all, and respect them. Allah says: (And that was Our [conclusive] argument which We gave Abraham against his people. We raise by degrees whom We will. Indeed, your Lord is Wise and Knowing. And We gave to him [i.e. Abraham] Isaac and Jacob – all [of them] We guided. And Noah, We guided before; and among his descendants, David and Solomon and Job and Joseph and Moses and Aaron. Thus do We reward the doers…

When defining one of its important aspects, Islam, it means complete submission to Allah by choice and conviction, not through seduction or compulsion. Islam accommodates and welcomes all people as brothers and sisters regardless of their distinctive/particular affiliations or backgrounds. The Islamic attitude towards the followers of other religions is not only to show tolerance towards their beliefs, but also to affirm a non-negotiable Islamic principle of tolerance and religious responsibility. “There is no compulsion in [accepting] religion. The right course has become clear from error.” (The Qur’an 2: 256) In fact, Islam through the course of its history has…

HAJ is an impressive scene by any standard. It is a congregation of millions of people that can only be witnessed once a year in Makkah. Nowhere else on earth is it possible to see so many people come from all over the world, all dressed similarly without the image tagging we are so used to, seeking one thing only: spiritual purification. The trip goes beyond the actual days of Haj into a once in a lifetime lesson in sublimity. There are many activities to be done before Haj to attain spirituality and the actual Haj is the highlight. Those…

“God does not forbid you from showing kindness and dealing justly with those who have not fought you about religion and have not driven you out of your homes. God loves just dealers.” (Quran 60:8) The Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, used to prohibit soldiers from killing women and children,[1] and he would advise them: “…Do not betray, do not be excessive, do not kill a newborn child.”[2] And he also said: “Whoever has killed a person having a treaty with the Muslims shall not smell the fragrance of Paradise, though its fragrance…

The Islamic Political System is based on the following main principles: 1. Sovereignty of Shari`ah Sovereignty means the source of power. In Islam, Allah is the source of all powers and laws (3:154, 12:40, 25:2, 67:1). It is Allah who knows what is good and what is bad for His servants. His say is final. All human beings united cannot change His law. The Qu’an says, As for the thief -male and female, chop off their hands. It is the reward of their own actions and exemplary punishment from Allah. Allah is Mighty, Wise. (5:37). According to Islam, this order…