TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction to Islam. 2. Concept of Islam. 3. Importance of Din in Human Life. 4. Difference between Din and Religion. 5. Distinctive Aspects of Islam. 6. Islamic Beliefs & its Impact on Individual & Society and the Fundamental of Islam 7. Islamic Worships: Spiritual, Moral and Social Impact. 8. Study of Sirah of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as Role Model for:- Individual 9. Diplomat 10. Educator 11. M ilitary Strategist 12. P eace Maker 13. Human Rights & Status of Woman in Islam. 14. Human Rights and Status of Woman in Islam 15. Dignity of Men and Women 16. Islamic Civilization and Culture: 17. Meanings and the Vital Elements 18. Role of Civilization in Development of Human Personality and Community 19. Characteristics of Islamic Civilization (Tawhid, Self-purification, Dignity of Man, Equality, Social Justice, Moral Values, Tolerance, Rule of Law) 20. Islam and the World. 21. Impact of Islamic Civilization on the West and Vice Versa. 22. Impact of Islamic Civilization on the West and Vice Versa. www.CSSExamPoint.com 23. Muslim World and the Contemporary Challenges. 24. Rise of Extremism. 25. Public Administration and Governance in Islam 26. Concept of Public Administration in Islam 27. Quranic Guidance on Good Governance 28. Concept of Governance and its Applications in the light of Qur'an, Sunnah and Fiqh. 29. Governance Structure in Islam (Shura, Legislation, Sources of Islamic Law) 30. Governance under Pious Khilafat 31. Particular letters of Hazrat Umar (R.A) and Hazrat Ali (R.A) to different Authority. 32. Responsibilities of Civil Servants 33. System of Accountability(hisbah) in Islam 34. Islamic Code of Life. 35. Salient Features of Islamic System, • Social System, • Political System, • Economic System, • Judicial System, • Administrative System, 36. Procedure of Ijma and Ijtihad www.CSSExamPoint.com CONCEPT OF ISLAM / BASIC TEACHINGS OF ISLAM ISLAM: Meaning and Scope Islam is the religion of those who believe in Allah, the one God of the universe, and who follow Muhammad (peace be upon him) of Arabia, the last of the Prophet of God. Islam is one of the three monotheistic and revealed religions. The Arabic word Islam literally means “surrender” or “submission.” Islam, as a faith, means total and sincere surrender to God so that one can live in peace and tranquility. Peace (Salam in Arabic) is achieved through active obedience to the revealed commandments of God, for God is The Just, The Peace. The name Islam is universal in meaning. Islam is not named after a tribe of people or an individual, as Judaism is named after the tribe of Judah, Christianity after Christ, and Buddhism after Buddha. Islam is not a name chosen by human beings; it was divinely communicated from God. According to Quran Quran endorses this fact as, “ Deen with Allah is Islam. ” (Al-Quran, 3:19) This very fact has been pointed out in another verse as : And whosoever seeks a Deen other than Islam, it will not be accepted from him. (Al-Quran, 3:85) Islam is a global faith, not of the East or the West. Islam is a complete way of life, implying a total submission to God. One who surrenders his or her will to God, voluntarily, is called a Muslim. It was not Muhammad but Adam who first brought Islam to humanity. Then, each Prophet and Messenger came to exhort the people to a clear understanding of God’s commandments. They offered teachings relevant to that time, until God chose the final Prophet, Muhammad, to come with the Last Testament referred to as the Qur’an. Allah is an Arabic word, meaning “The One and Only True God,” the proper name of The One who created the heavens and the earth. For a Muslim, Allah is the greatest and most inclusive of names for God, denoting The One who is adored in worship, The One who created all that exists. BASIC TEACHINGS OF ISLAM 1- Allah is one “Allah is One and there is no god but God,” is the first and the foremost teaching of Islam. Oneness of God or unity of Godhead is the heart of Islam and Islam’s Holy Scripture, the Qur’an, emphasizes this theme in almost every of its second or third verse. Every follower of Islam has not www.CSSExamPoint.com only to believe in One God in his heart but has also to express this belief by his tongue and demonstrate it through his deeds. In the technical language of the religion, the belief in One God is called Tauheed. This concept of unity of God is beautifully expressed in Chapter 112 of the Holy Qur’an which is entitled al-Ikhlas or at–Tauheed. It reads: “Say: He is Allah, the One! Allah, the eternally Besought of all! He begetteth not nor was begotten. And there is none comparable unto Him.” Tauheed is belief in Allah with all His powers and attributes. 2- Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah Muhammad (peace be upon him), the prophet of Islam, is the last of the Messengers of God who have been sent to mankind for guidance. Moreover, God sent prophets for the guidance of mankind. In the Qur’an which is the revealed book of Islam, the names of only a few messengers of God have been mentioned, the most famous among them being Adam, Nuh, Hud, Saleh, Abraham, Ismail, Isac, Jacob, Shoaib, Moses, Jesus Christ and Muhammad (may Allah’s peace be upon them). The book revealed to Muhammad (PBUH) is Al-Qur’an which is the last revealed message of God to mankind, the religion given to him is Al-Islam which is the first and last religion and was in fact given to every prophet who preceded Muhammad (PBUH). He has been called by the Qur’an as a messenger of Allah, a warner and a bringer of good news, a seal of the Prophets and witness on the Day of Judgment. He is a messenger to all mankind and his mission is universal. He is a mercy for humanity and was foretold by pervious Prophets specially by Jesus. He is role model for his followers and his conduct and character has been called supreme and superb by the Qur’an. His sayings, his traditions, his practices, his conventions (collectively called the Sunnah) carry great authority for the believers, being only next to the Qur’an which is the word of God. 3- Qur’an is the Book of Allah Al-Qur’an is the name of the last revealed book of Allah which forms the holy or religious scripture of Islam. It was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the last messenger of Allah to mankind, in parts, in a span of twenty two and half years between 610 A.D. to 632 A.D. The first revelation was made on 27th of Ramadan 13 years before Hijrah and the last on 9th of Zil Hijah of 10th A.H. The period comprises 12.5 years of Prophet’s life at Makkah during which 86 Surahs (chapters) were reveled and last 10 years of Prophet’s life at Madinah during which 28 Surahs are reported to have been revealed. www.CSSExamPoint.com BELIEFS Belief (Iman) as the Foundation of Islamic Faith. Belief is the first and the foremost article of Islamic faith. The revealed book of Islam says: “ But righteous is he who believeth in Allah and the Last Day and the Angels, and the Scripture and the Prophets ……”(Al-Qur’an 2:177). At another place the Holy Book says His messengers and the Last Day, he verily hath wandered far astray…. (al-Qur’an 4:136). whoso disbelieve in Allah and His Angels and His Scriptures and Thus the Qur’an has prescribed for the followers of Islam to believe in Allah, His Messenger, His Angels, His Scriptures and the Hereafter. To these five elements of belief, Prophet Muhammad has added another element and that is belief in destiny (Taqdir). Iman or belief, in short, is to expressed by proclaiming the following Kalima (formula) with the tongue and affirm its truth with the heart: “There is no god but Allah; Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah.” Furthermore one has to testify the truth of the above mentioned Kalima with the following words (which are called second Kalima): “I testify that there is no god but Allah who is One and has no partner. And I also testify that Muhammad is His servant and His messenger”. As stated above, there are six elements or constituents of belief which have been prescribed by the Qur’an and the Sunnah. These are: Belief in Allah, belief in Messengers, belief in Scriptures or books, belief in Angels, belief in the Hereafter or the Last Day, and belief in Predestination or Taqdir. All these constituents of belief are briefly discussed as under: KINDS OF BELIEFS 1. Belief in Allah: Allah is the Almighty and only one God of the whole cosmos. He is the Creator of each and everything in the universe. He is Eternal and Ever-Living. He has no partner, no children, no parents, no spouses. He is All-Powerful, Unique in Essence and Attributes, All-Perfect, Sovereign Lord, Omnipresent, Omniscient, All-Knowing, All-Seeing, All-Wise, Just, the Beneficent, the Merciful and the Forgiving. The heavens and earth are full of His signs and blessings. He gives life and death and revives the dead. He sent Prophets and revealed Scriptures for the guidance of man. He is the Master of the Day of Judgment. He is only to be worshipped. Followers of Islam have been enjoined by the Qur’an and by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to believe in Allah and serve Him alone.