The Miracles

it clear to those around them.

The Qur‘aanic account of Jesus’ ministry confirms most[68] of his miracles mentioned in the Bible and identifies some not mentioned in the Bible. For example, the Qur‘aan informs that Jesus was a messenger of God from his birth, and his first miracle was speaking as a child in the cradle.  After Mary had given birth to Jesus, people accused her of fornication. Instead of responding to their accusations, she pointed to her newly born child:

 فَأَشَارَتْ إِلَيْهِ قَالُوا كَيْفَ نُكَلِّمُ مِنْ كَانَ فِي الْمَهْدِ صَبِيًّا قَالَ إِنِّي عَبْدُ اللهِ آتَانِيَ الْكِتَابَ وَجَعَلَنِي نَبِيًّا

A Man

                The Qur’aanic revelation not only affirms Jesus’ prophethood, but it also clearly denies Jesus’ divinity.  In Chapter al-Maa’idah, (5): 75, God points out that Jesus ate food, which is a human act, obviously not befitting to God.

مَا الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ إِلاَّ رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ وَأُمُّهُ صِدِّيقَةٌ كَانَا يَأْكُلاَنِ الطَّعَامَ انْظُرْ كَيْفَ نُبَيِّنُ لَهُمُ اْلآيَاتِ تُمَّ انْظُرْ أَنَّى يُؤْفَكُونَ

The True Message of Jesus Christ

   JESUS, THE PERSON 

There are many verses in the New Testament supporting the messengership / prophethood of Jesus. The following are only a few: In Matthew 21:11, the people of his time are recorded as referring to Jesus as a prophet: “And the crowds said, ‘This is the prophet Jesus of Nazareth of Galilee.’ ”  In Mark, 6:4, it is stated that Jesus referred to himself as a prophet: “And Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honour, except in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.’ ”  In the following verses, Jesus is referred to as having been sent as a messenger is sent. In Matthew 10:40, Jesus was purported to have said: “He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.”  In John 17:3, Jesus is also quoted as saying: “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” [65]

A Messenger

             Throughout the Quran, Jesus is identified fundamentally as a Messenger of God. In Chapter as-Saff (61):6, God quotes Jesus as follows:

وَإِذْ قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ يَابِنِي إِسْرآئِيلَ إِنِّي رَسُولُ اللهِ إِلَيْكُمْ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ مِنَ التَّوْراةِ

“And [remember] when Jesus, son of Mary, said: ‘O Children of Israel, I am the messenger of Allaah sent to you, confirming the Torah [which came] before me.”

   

The Jinn

(something hidden or which cannot be seen)

The above is the root meaning of the word Jinn. The existence of the Jinn is firmly established by the Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah and the consensus of the Scholars (Ijma’) It suffices to say that the word Jinn and its derivatives occur more than 29 times in the Qur’an. A related word "shaytan" and its plural "shaytana" together occur more than 80 times. In fact, there is an entire Surah called Surah Al-Jinn, which speaks in clear explicit terms about the Jinn.

THE BASIC CONCEPTS OF ISLAM The Concept of Faith (Iman)

Some people may think that man becomes a Muslim when he confesses belief in the Oneness of the True God and in Muhammad as His Last Messenger. But this is far from the full meaning of Faith. The full meaning of Faith in Islam is not, by any means, something nominal or mere formality. Faith in Islam is a state of happiness acquired by virtue of positive action and constructive conceptions as well as dynamic and effective measures. The Holy Qur'an and the Traditions of Muhammad define these required measures and establish the standards which build up a meaningful Faith.

(4) Why does Islam Prohibit men from wearing gold ornaments and silk clothes ?

    1- This prohibition is based upon a number of the sayings of the prophet and has been approved by the majority of Muslim scholars.Their opinion is that strength and resolution are essential qualities in a man and Islam advocates that a man should not be surrounded by any signs of weakness or for that matter signs of luxury since luxury usually goes hand in hand with social injustice. A man should be resolute, determined and courageous in everyday life and when he participates in battles to defend his faith and homeland. Wearing gold ornaments and clothes made of silk are indications of luxury which is not approved of by Islam. Moreover, Islam does not forbid women to wear gold ornaments, any form of jewelry, or silk material since woman’s love of gold, jewelry and adornment is an inherent trait in their nature.

(3) Why did Islam prohibit eating the flesh of pigs?

 1- Islam was not the first religion to prohibit the eating of the flesh of pigs. The Jewish religion prohibited it at an earlier date. In Europe and America Jews do not eat the flesh of pigs, except in very rare cases, and nobody criticizes them. On the contrary they respect their adherence to their faith On most flights in the U.S.A. Jews demand Jewish or Kosher food and they are served without any remarks of criticism, because the Western World respects the religious observances of the Jewish faith.With the advent of Christ, he declared that he had not come to change the religious laws of the Jews,so it is only logical to assume that the flesh of pigs was also prohibited in Christianity .

(2) Is it true that alms giving grants wealthy people an advantage over poor people in winning the Grace of God?

 1- Alms in Islam are considered the first organized system of taxation in the history of the economy of the world. Prior to Islam, heads of states imposed taxes as they willed, according to the wealth they needed for their own personal requirements. The burden of taxes was laid chiefly on the poor whereas the rich were often exempted. With the advent of Islam and its legislation of alms, Islam organized the collection of alms and specified the amount to be paid .

(1)Does fasting hinder production?

1- Fasting was not introduced by Islam and the Quran states that the religious ruling of fasting was observed by the nation that preceded Islam.“O you who believe ! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you” (2/183).

(5) Is the Faith of Islam responsible for the backwardness of some Muslim nations ?

  1- History verifies the fact that Islam was able to establish a great civilization in a very short period after its advent. This civilization was one of the most lasting civilizations in history. Proof of this can still be witnessed in the various branches of the Islamic heritage which is manifested in the arts and literature that exist up to this very day .Libraries all over the world exhibit thousands of Islamic manuscripts written in Arabic which illustrate the extent of the great civilization that was inspired by the Faith of Islam and which extended from the Eastern boundaries of Persia bordering on India in the East to Andalusia which is known as Spain in the West . The influence of the grandeur of the Islamic civilization in Spain can still be seen and cannot be denied in the twelfth and thirteenth century Europe initiated an organized movement of translating Islamic works in all subjects and these works which were the outcome of the Islamic civilization formed the foundation upon which Europe’s modern civilization was established .

(4) Why are Muslims disunited despite Islam’s call for unity?

1- There is no denying that Muslim nations are currently disunited. However, this is a stage in the history of Muslim   nations and this stage, which all nations have experienced in the course of their history, is not permanent by any means. The nations of Europe have been able to overcome the factors that led to the contention and disunity of Europe which resulted in two world wars during this century.

(3 ) Is the Islamic code of punishment brutal ?

  1- Islam is not a religion that advocates brutality. On the contrary it calls for mercy, clemency and toleration. Nevertheless it insists on establishing law and order in the community so as to safeguard the freedom and the rights of its members, and to protect their lives, their belief, their wealth their possessions and their families.

(2) Is the Muslims’ attitude towards Salman Rushdy a manifestation of Islam’s opposition to the freedom of thought?

    1- Freedom of thought and expression is one of the rights guaranteed by Islam, since the entire universe with the heavens and the earth and all that lies between them inspires thought and meditation as is expressed in the following Quranic verse:

"And He has subjected to you, as  from Him, all that is in the Heavens and on earth : behold, in that are signs indeed for those who reflect” (45/13).

(1) Is Islam opposed to the freedom of belief ?

 1-Islam guarantees the freedom of belief and this is verified in the following Quranic verse :"Let there be no compulsion in religion'' (2/256).Accordingly,no one is forced to renounce his religion in favour of another faith. One's  freedom to adhere to the religion of one’s choice establishes the base of his belief. And this is emphasized in the following Quranic verse:"Let him who will, believe, and let him  who will, reject (it).” (18/29).

(5) What are Islam's rulings regarding art?

     1- Islam is a religion which admires beauty which exists everywhere. The Prophet himself once declared that God is perfection and He loves beauty. Nevertheless Islam gives priority to morals over beauty, and that in itself does not signify that Islam is against art. Islam thus considers that beauty should be dependent on morals. This is the attitudes taken by Islam concerning all branches of art. Islam's criterion when judging any branch or work of art is based upon the rule that what is right is good and what is evil is wrong.

The Quran draws our attention in many verses to the beauty of the Universe and the perfection of its creation which is admired by everyone who sees it, (15/10; 16/6; 41/12). Accordingly Islam does not condemn any branch or work of art if is beautiful. However, should it display any from of morally or materially repulsiveness Islam condemns it.

(4) What are Islam's Rulings on Democracy and Human Rights?

     1- Islam was the first religion to call for Human Rights emphasizing the necessity of safeguarding them. Any scholar of Islamic Legislation learns that it declares the fundamental Rights of Man which include man's life ,belief, his opinions, his wealth and his family, all of which are safeguarded by Islam. The history of Islam records 'Omar ben Khattab's decisive stand against the violation of human rights when he aid: "Why do you enslave people after their mothers gave birth to them as free individuals".

(3) Does The Faith of Islam advocate fatalism?

     1- Anyone who reads and meditates upon the verses of the Quran shall realize that Islam is a religion that urges man to action, for work is life and without work life shall cease to exist. Consequently we find in many Quranic verses that God Almighty linked righteous deeds and true Faith. Righteous deeds are every good deed or act performed whether it be of a religious or a worldly nature which benefits mankind or repels evil:"And say: work (righteousness); soon will God observe your work, and His Apostle and the believers (in the Faith)" (9/105).

 The Quran urges people to work even on Fridays, the day of rest and worship of the Muslims:"And when the (Friday Noon) prayer is finished, then you may dispense through the land and seek the Bounty of God" (62/10).

(2) What are Islam's rulings regarding the human mind and intellect?

     1- Islam is the only religion which has elevated the status of the human mind and declared its importance. The human mind is the faculty through which man can be charged with duty and  responsibility. It is man's intellect that makes him acknowledge his Creator, the mysteries of creation and the Supremacy of his Creator. The Quran addresses man's intellect and urges him to look at the Universe and meditate upon its existence in addition to studying it for the benefit of mankind and to strive to make the earth prosper and thrive. Moreover there is nothing to indicate that Islam prohibits Muslims to use their sense of judgement or that it is against scientific or academic thought.

(1)What is the relationship between God and man in Islam?

1- God created man and established him as His vicegerent on earth and made the universe with its heavens and Earth and all that lies between them subservient to him and instructed him to populate the earth.

This indicates that God intended that man should be the master in this universe, but at the same time he should not forget that God created him. In this sense only is he a slave to God his Creator whom he is expected to serve as one who worships Him and not as a servile or abject slave.

(6 )Does Islam encourage extremism and violence?

Islam is a faith of mercy and tolerance that advocates justice and peace. Islam also preserves and safeguards man's freedom, honour and dignity .These are not slogans but are the principles upon which Islam is found .God Almighty sent His Prophet Muhammad :"As a Mercy for all creatures." (21/107) 

(5) What are Islam's rulings regarding fanaticism and terrorism?

Islam is against any form of bigotry and accordingly does not urge its followers to dogmatism. Furthermore there is no evidence of any kind in sources of Islam, namely the Quran and the Traditions of the Prophet, to that effect. The summons to embrace Islam as stated in the Quran is based on a wise and eloquent invitation and such conduct can never be considered a manifestation of bigotry:"Invite all to the Way of Your God with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious ." (16/125) The Prophet himself said to the Pagans of Mecca who refused to believe in the Faith of Islam:"To you be your faith and to me my faith ."(109/6).

(4) What is the truth regarding Muslim wars (jihad)?

The Western World has misinterpreted Muslim fighting against aggression as being a Holy War. The truth is that Islam does not acknowledge the term " Holy War". Islam regards wars as either unjust or just. The word Jihad  is derived form the world juhd which means exerting one's utmost efforts and is divided into tow forms of efforts, the first of which is the effort made by one's soul and the second is the effort in fighting a just and righteous war .The first strenuous effort that is made is titled the Greater Jihad by which one endeavours to repel all evil, temptation and to purify one's soul from vices especially the vices of jealousy, envy, and hatred, thereby deserving to be brought into the Grace of God .

(3) What was Islam's attitude regarding the ancient civilizations and was Islam responsible for the burning of the Library of Alexandria?

 1-The claim that Muslims did not respect the ancient civilizations is a false and unjust allegation. In fact they benefited from the positive aspects of these civilizations and they translated many Greek, Persian and Indian books into Arabic, solemnly believing that human heritage includes the skills, the experience and the learning of different nations all of which should be employed for  the benefit of mankind. In this respect the Prophet said:"Seek knowledge even if it is in China".This means that one should  seek to acquire knowledge even in a land that does not believe in one's faith and even if it were at the other end of the world since at that time China was considered the most distant place on earth.

(2) Were the Islamic Conquests a form of colonization?

    1-  Islamic conquests were by no means a form of colonization . Colonization is based on plundering the wealth, and the occupied country. It also neglects developing its economy, its culture and its civilization. History bears witness that Muslim conquerors were never unjust and their rule was always based on equity and tolerance. Andalusia, which is a European country , flourished during the Muslim reign and prospered in all branches of life, and was superior to other European countries in every aspect as a result of the cultural and scientific progress introduced by the Arabs. The same applies to every country during Arab rule . The relics of architecture and other manifestations of the Islamic civilization can still be witnessed.

(1) Was Islam spread by the sword?

    1- There is a fundamental rule stated in the Quran namely the right to choose one's religion:"let there be no compulsion in religion," (2/256).Accordingly Islam emphasized that a person's belief in Islam or his rejecting to believe in it is a matter that depends upon man's free will and his sincere conviction. This is stated in the following Quranic verse:"Let him who will, believe,and let him who will,reject (it) ". (18/129) God, in the verses of the Quran, drew the Prophet's attention to this fact and emphasized that he was only a messenger whose duty was only to relate the Divine Message and that he had no authority to force people into conforming to Islam. This is clearly expressed in the following Quaranic verses:"Will you then compel mankind, against their will, to believe!"(10/99) "You are not one to manage (men's) affairs". (88/10)" If then they turn away, We have not sent you as a guard over them. Your duty is but to convey (The Message)". (42/48).The aforementioned verses make it clear that Holy Book of the Muslims definitely prohibits forcing anyone to follow the Faith of Islam.

(4) Are there any contradictions in the Sayings of the Prophet?

One of the main objections against the authenticity of the traditions of the Prophet is the allegation that they would contain contradictions.

    1-The Quran commands Muslim to be guided by what the Prophet said and to consider him as their ideal. This is stated in the following Quranic verses:

 "He who obeys the Prophet obeys God".

"So take what the Prophet assigns to you, deny yourselves that which he withholds from you" .

 The Prophet's Traditions include all that the Prophet permitted us to do and all that he forbade us to do. Therefore the Traditions of the Prophet are an essential part of the Faith of Islam and if we neglect to abide by them we will be wilfully disobeying the Quran.

(3)What is the proof of the authenticity of the Traditions the Prophet?

Some western orientalists are doubting the authenticity of the traditions of the Prophet .For example Goldziher considers them to be the invention of Muslims in the early time of Islam. The answer to all these allegations is as follows.

    1-The Prophet's Traditions are the second source of the Faith of Islam after the Quran . The Prophet was commanded by God to relate to all the people everything that had been inspired to him by God and in addition the explanation of the Quran 's verses. 

 The Prophet's interpretation of the Quran, his conduct, his actions,  and his advice are all essential elements of his Traditions. The prophet himself referred to the necessity of adhering to his traditions in his famous farewell speech in which he said:

"I have left two matters for you and if you adhere to them both you will never be misled. They are God' s Book the Quran, and my Traditions".

(2 ) What were the reasons for the Prophet's marriages?

    1-Muhammad was twenty five years old when he married Khadija, his first wife, who was fifteen  years his senior  and had been married twice . She remained his wife for twenty eight years until she died and he did not marry any other woman during this period of his life. He was always faithful to her memory, so much so that so that this loyalty provoked jealousy among some of his wives in later years.

(1) Was the Prophet Muhammad sent with the Message of Islam to the Arabs or to all mankind ?

    1- The very first time that Muhammad proclaimed his message to the  people , he declared the following:

"I am the messenger of God to all mankind and to you in particular".

This means that the Divine Message was sent to all mankind right from the very beginning and that the Prophet never claimed that it was meant to be a religion for the Arabs alone. This is confirmed by another of the Prophet's sayings:

"Every Prophet was sent to his own people whereas I was sent to all mankind "

(4) Did the collection of Quran throw any doubt upon the authenticity of its text?

     1- The prophet chose scribes form among his companions, who wrote down everything that had been inspired to him by Divine Revelation immediately after its revelation. They wrote on whatever was available such as parchment, wood, pieces of leather, stones or flat bones. According to authentic sources there were twenty nine scribes, the most renowned among whom were the four Orthodox Caliphs,Abu Bakr,Omar, Othman and ‘Ali in addition to Muawiya,Al Zubeir Ben Alawwam, Sa’eed ben Al’Aas,Amr ben Al Aas, Ubay ben Ka’b and Zaid ben Thabit .

(3) Is it true that the Quran did not introduce any new precepts and rulings?

In addition to the previous authentic refutation of the second accusation regarding theQuran, one may add:

     1- The Quran related facts totally unknown to the people of the Books. For example it narrated the story of Zakariya and the birth of the Virgin Mary and his guardianship of her. The Quran also devoted whole chapter to the Virgin Mary, which is unparalleled in the New Testament. Where could the Prophet Muhammad possibly have acquired these facts?

(2) Was the Quran contrived from previous scriptures ?

     1- Had the Quran been contrived from previously revealed scriptures, Muhammad's adversaries would not have ignored the matter and remained silent. They would undoubtedly have seized the opportunity to accuse him to that effect . All their allegations were unfounded and lacked proof.

 The Quran itself has already mentioned these allegations and their refutation

(1) Is the Quran a Divine Revelation or Contrived by man?

     1- The Quran is the Divine book of Islam which contains the tenets and religious laws upon which the Faith of Islam is founded and is also the source of its morals and ethics. If the Quran is proved to be a Divine Revelation, which is free from all falsehood, there is no alternative but to believe in it.