www.islamic-invitation.com ISLAM A Companion Book Compiled by Khaled Fahmy Revised and edited Caren Knight (Kareema) In the Name of God The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful And We have sent you [O’ Muhammada ] Not but as a mercy for the ‘Alamin [Mankind, jinn and all that exists]. [Surat Al ‘Anbya’ 21: 107] The customary and most respectful salutation on the Prophet, “Peace and blessings of God be upon him” which is made after each mention of hiss name within this work has been omitted for ease of reading; however the reader is kindly requestted to observe this Muslim tradition. 2 Table of Contents 3 Table of Contents 8 Acknowledgement 9 A Foreword 12 Introduction 25 The History of The Arabs. 25 A Summary 29 Their Religion 35 The Arabs Character and Manners 39 The City of Makkah 42 The Life of Prophet Muhammad 42 Birth and Early Days 48 The Beginning of Revelation upon Muhammad 51 Muhammad’s Mission 61 The Pagan Arabs Sacred Idols 68 The Prophet at Al-Madienah 78 The Reconciliation of Hudeibiya 82 The Conquest of Makkah 96 The Person and Character of the Prophet Muhammad 96 Personal Appearance and Gait [of the Prophet]: 96 His Habits 97 Simplicity of his life 97 Courtesy and Kindness of Disposition 98 Friendship 99 Moderation and Magnanimity 100 Domestic Life 103 Conviction of Special Providence 103 Unwavering Steadfastness at Makkah 105 Earnestness and Honesty of Muhammad at Makkah 106 His disposition 106 Humility 106 Attitude at Prayers 107 The Social Changes Brought about by the prophet 109 The Political Organization Shaped by the Advent of Islam 110 The Political System of Islam 112 The Social Organisation of Islam 115 The Status of Women in Islam 120 1. The Purpose of Marriage 121 2. Marriage and Divorce 123 3. The Guardian and the Consent of the Bride 124 4. The Inequality of the Two Sexes with regard to Divorce. 3 126 5. Limitations of Divorce 129 6. Islam Recommends Reconciliation 133 7. The Form and Review of Separation 137 8. “Kholaa Divorce” 142 9. Female Seclusion 149 10. Islam and Polygamy 152 11. Polygamy is not essential in Islam 157 12. Polygamy is not an institution originated by Islam 159 Exposition of Islam 159 Muslim's Belief 162 Allâh’s Will: Universal and Legal 164 Describing Allâh by His Revelation 165 Qu’ran and Sunnah 166 Free from Contradictions 166 Belief in Angels 167 Angels’ Functions 168 Belief in Allâh’s Books 168 Books Known 169 Previous Scriptures Altered 170 Belief in Messengers 170 The First and Last Messengers 170 The Most Excellent Messengers 170 Messengers are Human Beings 171 Islam: The Universal and Final Message 172 The Rightly Guided Caliphs 174 Belief in the Day of Judgement 174 Resurrection 174 Records and Scales 175 The Prophet’s Intercession 175 The Prophet’s Pool 175 The Straight Path 176 Paradise and Hell 177 What Happens in the Grave? 178 Fate and Divine Decree 178 Levels of Belief 178 Knowledge 178 Recording 178 Will 178 Creation 179 Man’s Free Will 180 No Excuse for Sinners 4 181 Evil not Attributed to God 181 Benefits 182 Virtues of Belief in God 182 Virtues of Belief in Angels 182 Virtues of Belief in the Books 182 Virtues of Belief in the Messengers 183 Virtues of Belief in the Day of Judgement 183 Virtues of Belief in Fate and the Divine Decree 184 The Qu’ran 187 The Qu’ran; The Last Scripture From God 193 1. Calling the Jews and Christians to come to agreement with the Muslims 193 2. Ordering the Prophet to Praise God 193 3. Right and Wrong 194 4. Belief of the Faithful 194 The Qu’ranic Conception of Man 197 The Weaknesses of Human Nature 199 The Qu’ran and the Doctrine of Personal Piety 202 PRACTICAL DEVOTIONS 206 PRAYERS 208 Prayer – A Principle of Action 210 Time of the Five Stated Prayers 211 Aim of the Prayers 212 Muslim Prayer 213 Description of the Muslim Prayers 213 Ablution 215 Purification 216 How the Prayer is Performed 225 The Stated Daily Prayers 225 Table General Notes 226 The Friday Prayer 228 The Qunut 229 Special Prayers 232 ZAKAT OR LEGAL ALMS 233 Zakat 233 [a] Camels 233 [b] Bulls, Cows and Buffaloes 234 [c] Sheep and Goats 234 [d] Horses 234 [e] Silver 234 [f] Gold and Silver Ornaments 235 [g] Cash, Banknotes, etc. 5 235 [h] Articles of Merchandise 235 [i] Mines or Buried Treasures 235 [j] Fruits of the Earth 236 Expenditure of Income from Zakat 238 Supplementary Notes 241 FASTING 244 PILGRIMAGE 244 Pilgrimage as a Fundamental Institution 245 Certain Rites of the Institution 245 The Way of Performing the Pilgrimage 250 Summary of Pilgrimage Fundamental Enjoinments 252 TRANSACTIONS 252 MARRIAGE 254 Marriage – A Civil Contract 255 Kinds of Divorce 255 Different Forms of Divorce 256 Prohibited Marriages 256 Suggested Reconciliation 256 Prohibited Marriage Relations in Islam 257 Religious Ceremony on the Occasion of Marriage 259 Inequality of the Two Sexes Regarding Divorce 260 Limitation of Divorce 262 Islamic Legal Status of a Married Woman 264 INHERITANCE 265 Gifts and Donations 266 Points of Contact 267 A – Legal Heirs and Sharers 269 B – Residuaries 270 SALE AND USURY 273 Usury 275 Lawful Transactions 279 Qu’ran Enjoinments Relating to Trade and Usury 281 OWNERSHIP 281 Types and Divisions of Property Ownership 285 Divisions of Waqfs 286 PENAL LAWS 288 Crime of Murder 290 Adultery 291 Punishment for Slander 292 Theft and Robbery 295 Divisions of Punishment 296 Discretionary Correction or Ta’zir 6 302 Sinful Acts Classification 304 Permissible and Prohibited Food 306 MUSLIM JURISPRUDENCE 306 Qu’ran and Jurisprudence 308 Qu’ran - First Source of Jurisprudence 310 Divisions of The Qu’ran 312 The Traditions- Second Source of Jurisprudence 313 Transmission of Hadîth in Prophet’s Lifetime 314 Why Hadîth Was Not Generally Written 315 The Qu’ran is the Greatest Test for Judging Hadîth 316 The “Six Correct” Hadîth Books 317 The Four Great Imâms 319 JIHAD 319 Qu’ranic Verses on Jihad 325 Observance of Jihad 325 Misconception of the Duty of Jihad 327 Islam was not Spread by Force 327 Payment of Tribute Called “Jizia” 329 Islam, Jizia or the Sword 331 Directions Relating to War 331 Treatment of the Prisoners of War 333 Prisoners of War not Slaves 333 War as a Struggle to Be Carried out Honestly 334 Directions Relating to Reformation of Man’s External Life 338 MORALITIES 338 Muslim Ethical Basis of Social Life 339 The Moral Conditions 341 Chastity 345 Honesty 348 Peacefulness 349 Politeness 350 Forgiveness 352 Goodness 354 Courage 355 Veracity 357 Patience 357 Sympathy 358 True Believers 358 Their Manners and Characters as Described in the Qu’ran 362 Final Word 364 References 7 Acknowledgements I dedicate this work to all Dawah workers for their great efforts in passing on the authentic peaceful message of Islam to non-Muslims. I would like to thank brother Abdel Aziz Gohar and my editor Caren Knight of Norwich, UK, among others, for their thorough scrutiny of the manuscript and valuable inspection of the historical facts and Al-hadeeth within the text, along with their help in setting me in the right direction in my research and their careful suggestions for editing and revising this book to maximise its value. Likewise, I owe a heavy debt of gratitude to the late Sheikh Abdel Wahab Yahia; who suggested printing this book, and for his valuable and continuous support during his lifetime, and who demonstrated himself to be an invaluable adviser and a friend. 8 A Foreword Praise be to the Lord of the universe who gives the best reward to the God-fearing and the great loss to the transgressor. I bear witness that there is no God but Allâh; He has no partner and possesses real Sovereignty. I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger; the seal of the prophets and the leader of the God-fearing. May God bless him, his family, his companions, and those who follow them till the Day of Judgement. I owe a heavy debt of gratitude to Sheikh Ahmed Ghalwash, who first introduced me to the art of writing and the presentation of ideas and notions through his rational peaceful approach to dialogue, throughout his eminent book “The Religion of Islam… a Standard Book”. The book was published by Al-Azhar University Magazine, and was first published in two volumes in 1936. The book is, if truth be told, a standard book, and a concise introduction to Islam, it deals with almost every aspect of Islamic knowledge. It is a regrettable fact that if a non-Muslim wants to acquire knowledge about Islam, he or she is compelled to consult the media, the internet and the works of non- Muslim authors, who are never tired of reviling the Prophet and misinterpreting the doctrines of Islam. According to these media and authors, Islam represents all that is evil in human nature, and legalises the worst forms of brutality, moral corruption, ignorance, backwardness and lust. The Muslim world is badly in need of media and written works which may counteract these misrepresentations and show Islam as it is “without justifying anything or setting down anything whatever in malice”. This long felt desire, in spite of all the existing English books written on Islam in the last 75 years, still Dr. Galwash’s “Religion of Islam”, among other great works; strongly and genuinely expose the deliberate misrepresentations of Qu’ranic teachings, the Sunnah and the traditions of the Prophet by the non–Muslim 9 opponents of Islam, who use wrong thoughts as the basis of their conclusions of a deceptive logic.