Islam: a religion of peace and justice

Islam is a religion of peace in the fullest sense of the word. The Quran calls its way "…The ways of peace…" [Quran: 5:16] It describes reconciliation as the best policy [Quran: 4:128], and states that God abhors any disturbance of peace [Quran: 2:205]

The root word of Islam is 'Silm', which means peace. So the spirit of Islam is the spirit of peace. The first verse of the Quran breathes the spirit of peace; it reads: "In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate."
This verse is repeated in the Quran no less than 114 times. It shows the great importance Islam attaches to such values as Mercy and Compassion. One of God's names, according to the Quran, is As-Salaam, which means Peace. Moreover, the Quran states that the Prophet Muhammad  was sent to the world as a mercy to mankind. [Quran: 21:107]

A perusal of the Quran shows that most verses of the Quran (and also the Hadeeth) are based on peace and kindness, either directly or indirectly. The ideal society, according to the Quran is Dar As-Salaam, that is, the house of peace [Quran: 10:25]

The Quran presents the universe as a model, which is characterised by harmony and peace [Quran: 36:40] When God created heaven and earth, He so ordered things that each part might perform its function peacefully without clashing with any other. The Quran tells us that "It is not allowable [i.e., possible] for the sun to reach the moon, nor does the night overtake the day, but each, in an orbit, is swimming." [Quran: 36:40] For billions of years, therefore, the entire universe has been fulfilling its function in total harmony with His divine plan.

According to Islam, peace is not simply an absence of war. Peace opens doors to all kinds of opportunities which are present in any given situation. It is only in a peaceful situation that planned activities are possible. It is for this reason that the Quran says: "…And settlement is best…" [Quran: 4:128] Similarly, Prophet Muhammad  has observed: "God grants to gentleness (Rifq) what He does not grant to violence ('Unf). [Abu Daawood]

According to Islam, peace is the rule and war is only an exception. Even in defensive war we have to analyse its result; if the result is doubtful, Muslims should avoid war. Stray acts of aggression are not enough for Muslims to rush into war. They have to assess the whole situation and adopt a policy of avoidance when war is not certain to achieve a positive result.

In actual fact, the mission of all the Prophets from Aadam (Adam) to 'Eesaa (Jesus), may Allaah exalt their mention, was one and the same - of establishing the ideology of monotheism in the world, so that man might worship the One God alone. As we know, there came a large number of Prophets in ancient times but the message of monotheism remained at the initial stage; it could not culminate in revolution.

In ancient times, the system of monarchy was entrenched throughout the world. The kings, in order to secure their political interests, adopted the course of religious persecution. These kings suppressed all religious movements that were different from the state religion. They would nip all 'apostasy' in the bud since they saw religion as a matter of affirming one's loyalty to the state. If a person adhered to a religion other than the state religion, he was regarded as a rebel.

That is why in ancient times, prophetic movements could go no further than the state of Da'wah, or invitation to Islam. No sooner would a movement based on monotheism arise than the coercive political system would be activated to pull it out by its roots. The reason for the absence of any historical record of Prophets (besides the Prophet Muhammad ) in antiquity is traceable to the intense opposition of these coercive political systems.

All the Prophets of ancient times, historically speaking, were like mythical beings, rather than real human beings accepted as historical figures. Prophet 'Eesaa (Jesus)  was the last link in the chain of these persecutions faced by the preachers of monotheism. Then God decreed the abolition of this coercive political system, even if it entailed the use of force in order that the age of religious persecution might be brought to an end forever, and replaced by the age of religious freedom. This Divine plan was brought to completion through the Prophet Muhammad  and his companions  all. This is the command given in the Quran: "Fight them until there be no fitnah [i.e., persecution] and [until] the religion [i.e., worship], all of it, is for Allaah…" [Quran: 8:39]

Therefore, Prophet Muhammad  received special divine succour in the form of a powerful team consisting of one hundred thousand individuals. Equipped with this team, the Prophet  waged war to end this coercive system of religious persecution, and it was in Arabia that it was first of all overthrown. Then within a very short span of time, they advanced to abolish the coercive system established by the Sassanid and Byzantine empires.

In the wake of this Islamic action, the coercive system was abolished forever in the major part of the inhabited world of the time. This war waged by Prophet Muhammad  and his companions was not a war as is commonly understood, but rather a divine operation, which was carried out by people who possessed a high standard of moral character.

However, this operation was certainly only temporary in nature. Its goal was to put an end to the age of religious persecution and usher in the age of religious freedom. This end was fully achieved during the early period of Islam, the age of the pious Caliphs. Afterwards the time came to keep the sword in its sheath and engage in Da'wah work, that is, the call to God, which was the real and permanent goal of Islam.

It is no exaggeration to say that Islam and violence are contradictory to each other. The concept of Islamic violence is so obviously unfounded that, prima facie it stands rejected. The fact that violence is not sustainable in the present world is enough to convince one that violence, as a principle, is quite alien to the scheme of things in Islam. Islam claims to be an eternal religion and such a religion cannot afford a principle in its scheme which will not be sustainable in later periods of human history. An attempt to bracket violence with Islam amounts to casting doubts upon the very eternity of the Islamic religion.

Islam and the aim of life

People answer these questions in different ways. Some people believe the purpose of life is getting wealthy. However, what will be the purpose of their life after collecting millions of dollars? If the purpose of life is to become wealthy, there will be no purpose after becoming wealthy.
In fact, here lies the problem of some people in the last stages of their lives. After they have collected the money which they dreamt of, their life loses its purpose and they live in tension, restlessness and suffer from the panic of nothingness. 

Can attaining wealth be an aim?
We often hear of wealthy people committing suicide; sometimes, it is not the wealthy person himself but members of his family – his wife or children. The question is: Can aiming for wealth bring happiness to the individual? In most cases, the answer is 'No'. Is the purpose of collecting wealth a long-standing purpose?

As we know, a five-year-old child does not look for wealth: he prefers a toy to a million dollars. An 18-year-old adolescent does not dream of wealth because he is busy with things that are more important. A 90-year-old does not care for money; he is more worried about his health. This proves that wealth cannot be a long-standing purpose in all the stages of an individual's life.

Wealth can do a little to bring happiness to a disbeliever, because he is not sure about his end or his fate. A disbeliever does not know the purpose of life, and if he has a purpose, this purpose is doomed to be temporary or self-destructive.

What is the use of wealth to a disbeliever if he feels scared of the end and skeptical of everything? A disbeliever may gain a lot of money, but surely loses himself.
Worshipping Allaah as an aim: On the other hand, faith in Allaah gives the believer the purpose of life he needs. In Islam, the purpose of life is to worship Allaah. The term "worship" covers all acts of obedience to Allaah. The Islamic purpose of life can withstand the test of time. The true Muslim sticks to this purpose through all the stages of his life, whether he is a child, adolescent, adult or an old man.

Worshipping Allaah makes life purposeful and meaningful, especially within the framework of Islam. According to Islam, this worldly life is just a short stage of our lives. After this, there is the other life -- the Hereafter. The position of the person in the Hereafter depends on his deeds in this first life. At the end of the death, stage comes the Day of Judgment. On this day, Allaah will reward or punish people according to their deeds.
The first life as an examination:
Hence, Islam looks at the first life as an examination or a test of man. The Day of Judgment is similar to the day of announcing the results of the examinees. The second life (the Hereafter) is the time when each examinee enjoys or suffers from the outcome of his behavior during the test period.

In Islam, the line of life is clear, simple and logical: the first life, death then the Day of Judgment, and then the second life. With this clear line of life, a Muslim has a clear purpose in life.

A Muslim knows that he has been created by Allaah. He also knows that he is going to spend some years in this first life, during which he has to obey Allaah, because Allaah will question him and hold him responsible for his public and private deeds, because Allaah knows all deeds of all people. A Muslim knows that his deeds in this life will determine his second life. He knows that his life is a very short one -- a hundred years, more or less, whereas the second life is eternal.
The eternity of the second life:
This concept of eternal nature of the second life has a tremendous effect on the Muslim during his first life, because the Muslim believes that his first life determines the shape of his second life. In addition, this will be decided through the Judgment of Allaah, the Just and Almighty.

With this belief in the Hereafter and the Day of Judgment, a Muslim's life becomes as purposeful and meaningful as possible. A Muslim's long-standing purpose is to go to Paradise by pleasing his Creator.

In other words, a Muslim's continuous purpose is to obey Allaah, to submit to Him, to carry out His orders, and to keep in continuous touch with Him through prayer (five times a day), through fasting (one month a year), through charity (either obligatory or voluntary as often as possible), and through pilgrimage (once in one's life if he is able).
The need for a permanent purpose:
People have different purposes at different stages in their lives such as collecting money and property, indulging in sex, eating and dancing. However, all these purposes are temporary, they come and go. Money comes and goes. Health comes and goes. Sexual activities cannot continue forever. All these lusts for money, food and sex cannot answer the individual's question to himself: what next?
Then what?
However, Islam saves those who follow it sincerely from the troubling question: what is the aim of life? Islam makes it clear to the Muslim, from the very beginning, that the permanent purpose of life is to worship Allaah. We should know that the only way for our salvation in this life and in the Hereafter is to know the Lord who created us, believe in Him, and worship Him alone. 

Why the world needs Islam today

These are some of the distinct features of Islam, which make it necessary for modern man to seek his salvation through this ideology:

First, it must be well understood that Islam is not a mere ideological vision. It is a practical system of life that fully appreciates all the genuine needs of humankind and tries to realize them.

Second, in trying to meet the genuine requirements of man, Islam effects perfect balance between all areas of life and activity. It starts with the individual maintaining a balance between the requirements of body and soul, reason and spirit and in no case allows one side to dominate the other. It does not suppress the human instincts in order to make the soul ascend the higher planes, nor does it allow man, in his efforts to fulfill his bodily desires, to stoop down to the low level of animalism and hedonism. On the contrary, it makes them both meet on a single higher plane, doing away with all the internal psychological conflicts that threaten the human soul or set a part of it against the other parts.

In the social sphere, it proceeds to achieve equilibrium between the needs of the individual and those of the community. It does not allow an individual to transgress against other individuals, or against the community. Nor does it allow the community to commit transgression against individuals. It also does not approve of one class or group of people to enslave another class or group of people. Islam exercises a beneficent constraint on all these mutually opposed forces, prevents them from coming into collision with one another, and harnesses them all to co-operate for the general good of humankind as a whole.

Thus, Islam strikes a balance between different sectors of society and between different aspects of existence, spiritual as well as material. Unlike Communism, it does not believe that economic factors, i.e. the material aspect alone, dominate human existence. Nor does it contribute to what the pure spiritualists or idealists say, claiming that spiritual factors or high ideals alone are sufficient to organize human life. Rather, Islam holds that all these diverse elements put together, form what is called human society; and that the best code of life is that which takes note of all these, making full allowance for body as well as reason and spirit, arranging them all in the framework of a harmonious whole.

Third, it must always be kept in mind that Islam has an altogether independent existence of its own as a social philosophy and an economic system. Some of its outward manifestations may on the surface appear to resemble those of Capitalism or Socialism, but in fact, it is far from being the one or the other. It retains all the good characteristics of these systems, yet is free from their shortcomings and perversions. It does not extol individualism to that loathful extent which is the characteristic of the modern West. It was from this germ that modern Capitalism sprang and institutionalized that concept of individual freedom, where man is allowed to exploit other individuals and the community only to serve his personal gain. Islam guarantees personal freedom and provides opportunities for individual enterprise, but not at the cost of society or ideals of social justice.

The reaction to Capitalism has appeared in the form of Socialism. It idolizes the social basis to an extent that the individual is reduced to an insignificant part of the social machine with no existence of his own. Therefore, the community alone enjoys freedom as well as power, the individual has no right to question its authority or demand his rights. The tragedy of Socialism and its variants is that they assign to the State absolute powers to shape the lives of the individuals.

Islam strikes a balance between the two extremes of Capitalism and Socialism. Being appreciative of their role, Islam harmonizes the individuals and the State in such a way that individuals have the freedom necessary to develop their potentialities and not to encroach upon the rights of their fellowmen. It also gives the community and the State adequate powers to regulate and control the socio-economic relationships to guard and maintain this harmony in human life. The basis of this whole structure as visualized by Islam is the reciprocity of love between individuals and groups; it is not erected on the basis of hatred and class conflict, as is the case with Socialism.

It may also be pointed out here that this unique system of life as visualized by Islam, did not originate as a result of any economic pressure, nor was it an outcome of some mutually conflicting interests of antagonistic groups of people. It was revealed to the world as the ordained system of life, at a time when men attached no particular importance to economic factors, nor did they know anything about social justice in the sense we know it in modern times. Both Socialism and Capitalism are much later developments. Islam presented its scheme of social reform much before any of the social movements of our times. It guaranteed the basic needs of man – food, housing and sexual satisfaction – more than 1400 years ago. The Noble Prophet  said: ‘Whosoever acts as a public officer for us (i.e. the Islamic State) and has no wife, he shall have a wife; if he has no house, he shall be given a house to live in; if he has no servant, he shall have one; and if he has no animal (a conveyance), he shall be provided with one. Anyone who takes more than this has exaggerated (i.e. taken more than he deserves).’[Ahmad]

This historical announcement of fundamental human rights not only contains those rights voiced by many a revolutionary in our times, it adds to them some more as well, without necessitating any inter-class hatred, bloody revolutions, and without rejecting all those human elements in life that do not fall under the above three heads: food, housing and family.

These are some of the salient features of the Islamic code of life. They are sufficient to show that a religion with such laws and principles, that is comprehensive and includes the complete human existence, emotions, thoughts, actions, worship, economic dealings, social relationships, instructive urges and spiritual aspirations – all arranged in the framework of a single harmonious but unique system of life, can never lose its usefulness for mankind. Nor can such a religion ever become obsolete, as its objectives are the same as those of life itself and therefore, destined to live on so long as there is life on this planet.

Considering the existing state of affairs in the contemporary world, humankind cannot reasonably afford to turn its back upon Islam or reject its system of life. Humankind is still afflicted with the most savage and odious forms of racial prejudices. Surely, the world in the twentieth century has yet a great deal to learn from Islam. Long ago, Islam freed humanity from all racial prejudices. It did not content itself with the presentation of a beautiful vision of equality alone, but it achieved in practice an unprecedented state of equality between all people, black, white or yellow, declaring that none enjoyed any superiority over the others except in virtue and piety.

It not only freed the black from slavery, but also fully recognized their rights to aspire even to the highest seat of authority in the Islamic State. They could become the heads of the Islamic State. The Prophet  said: ‘Listen and obey even if a black slave be appointed as your superior, so long as he should enforce amongst you the Law of Allaah (God).’ 

How can also the world of today ignore the message of Islam, stricken as it is with the evils of imperialism and tyranny with all their barbarous attributes? Islam alone can help humankind shake off these chains. It is opposed to imperialism and all forms of exploitation. The way Islam treated the people of the countries it conquered was so generous, just and sublime that the eyes of ‘civilized’ Europe can hardly penetrate those heights. We may in this regard cite the famous decision of the Caliph ’Umar   to whip the son of ’Amr bin Al-‘Aas, the victorious general and honored governor of Egypt, as he had beaten an Egyptian Copt without any legal justification. This shows the social liberty and human rights that were enjoyed by the subjects of the Islamic State.

Then there is the evil of Capitalism that has poisoned all life. Its abolition and the need to rid humanity of its evil consequences again call for Islam.

Fourth, Islam prohibits usury and hoarding which, taken together, form the mainstay of the Capitalist economy. This, in other words, means that Islam alone can effectively check the evils of Capitalism as it did check them 1400 years ago.

Finally, the world with the shadows of war still hanging over it cannot but turn towards Islam – the only way to establish and maintain real peace on this earth. The era of Islam has in a way just started, not ended; it is not a spent force, but a living dynamic force, its future is as bright as its great historical past is glorious, when it illumined the face of earth at a time when Europe was still groping its way in the dark recesses of Medievalism. 

The 'sword' of Islam

The first few people who embraced Islam at the hands of the Prophet Muhammad  were his wife Khadeejah  his adopted son Zayd  and his eleven-year-old cousin ‘Ali .

Among the ones who later joined this faith in Makkah were the honest merchant, Abu Bakr; the iron man of Arabia ’Umar; the shy businessman, ‘Uthmaan; the Prophet's brave uncle Hamzah; and the slave of a pagan family, Bilaal . They simply could not resist the alleged ‘magic sword’ of a humble and lonely prophet! The negligible minority of the believers in the new faith were soon driven away from Makkah.

In the city of their migration, Al-Madeenah, people not only welcomed the Muslims, but the ‘sword’ with which it is alleged that people converted to Islam, as well. It did not cease to work even there and its magnetic force continued to "pull" people towards it until the whole of Arabia joined the faith. Compared to the population of the rest of the world, at that time, the Arabs constituted a tiny minority. A fraction of this minority decided to take the sword beyond the boundaries of the Arabian desert to the mighty empires of Rome and Persia, the shores of the Mediterranean, the coast of Malabar and the far away East Indies Islands. All these people ostensibly went on surrendering to this ‘sword’ and joining the faith.

So sharp was the edge of the ‘sword’! It simply conquered the hearts, the bodies yielded automatically.

What is this ‘sword’ by which Islam spread?

It is the sword of truth, whose shine eliminates falsehood just like light wipes away darkness.

Has the sword gone blunt?

No, far from it.

It continues to pierce the heart of countless men and women even today -- in spite of the relentless efforts by people with vested interests, who would like darkness to prevail, instead of the light of Islam.

Given below are the impressions of some people who were recently conquered by the same sword. They are from different countries, speak different languages and have different backgrounds. Their present addresses are also given. Perhaps you may like to ask them how it feels to be struck by the sword of truth.

1- Leopold Weiss (Mohammed Asad):

Austrian statesman, journalist and author; former foreign correspondent for the Frankfurter Zeitung; author of Islam at Cross Roads and Road to Makkah and translator of the Quran. (Embraced Islam in 1926).

"Islam appears to me like a perfect work of architecture. All its parts are harmoniously conceived to complement and support each other. Nothing is superfluous and nothing lacking, with the result of an absolute balance and solid composure."

Present address: Dar Al-Andalus, 3 Library Ramp, Gibraltar Morocco.

2- Ahmad Holt: British civil contractor
Traveled extensively in search of the Divine truth. Spent much time in search and comparative study of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

(Embraced Islam in 1975).

"The sword of Islam is not the sword of steel. I know this by experience, because the sword of Islam struck deep into my own heart. It didn't bring death, but it brought a new life; it brought an awareness and it brought an awakening as to who am I and what am I and for what am I here?"

Present address: 23, Welland Garden Perivale, Middlesex UB6 8SZ, UK.

3- Bogdan Kopanksi (now Bogdan Ataullah Kopanski):

Originally Polish, now American. Ph.D. in History and Politics. Had a very interesting journey to Islam and faced severe hardship; was imprisoned twice by the Polish Communist regime (1968, 1981-82).

(Embraced Islam in 1974)

"When I was 12 years old I rejected the illogical and contradictory faith of the Church. Two years later in 1962, I was fascinated by the victorious struggle of the Algerian Muslim Mujaahideen against French colonialism. It was the first ' arrow' of Islam... in high school and the earliest days of my education in the university, I was a typical example of the 'rebel generation' of reds...My way to the truth of al-Quran was slow and unpaved...in 1974 I visited Turkey, I wrote my M.A. dissertation about Sultan and Caliph Suleiman Kanuni’s policy towards Polish Kingdom. There, I was hit by the most beautiful voice of mankind: Athaan, the call to prayer. My hair stood up. An unknown powerful force led me to an old masjid in Istanbul. There, old smiling Turkish, bearded men taught me wudhoo, (ablution), I confessed to tears the shahaadah (testimonies of faith) and I prayed my first salaah (prayer) at Maghrib...I swept out the rubbish ideologies ...for the first time in my life, my mind was relaxed and I felt the pleasure of Allaah's love in my heart, I was a Muslim...”.

Present address : 3013, Harrel, Drive 203 Grand Prairie Tx 75051 USA

4- Vengatachalam Adiyar (Now ‘Abdullaah Adiyar) :

Indian, noted Tamil writer and journalist; worked as a News Editor in Dr. M. Karunanidhi's daily Murasoli for 17 years. Worked with three former Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu. Received Kalimamani Award from T.N Government in 1982.

(Embraced Islam in 1987).

"In Islam I found suitable replies to nagging queries arising in my mind with regard to the theory of creation, status of women, creation of the universe etc. The life history of the Holy Prophet  attracted me very much and made easy for me to compare with other world leaders and their philosophies."

Present address: 1 Ashok Avenue Rangarajapuram, Kodambakkam,  Madras India.

5- Herbert Hobohm: ( Now Aman Hobohm) 
German diplomat, missionary and social worker. An intellectual, who has been serving the German Diplomatic Mission in various parts of the world. Presently working as Cultural attache in German Embassy in Riyadh.

(Embraced Islam in 1941).

"I have lived under different systems of life and have had the opportunity of studying various ideologies, but have come to the conclusion that none is as perfect as Islam. None of the systems has got a complete code of a noble life. Only Islam has it; and that is why good men embrace it. Islam is not theoretical; it is practical. It means complete submission to the will of God.'

Present address: Cultural Attaché, German Embassy, PO Box 74 Riyadh-11492, Saudi Arabia.

6- Cat Stevens: (Now Yousuf Islam).

British, formerly Christian, world famous pop singer.

(Embraced Islam in 1973).

"It will be wrong to judge Islam in the light of the behavior of some bad Muslims who are always shown on the media. It is like judging a car as a bad one if the driver of the car is drunk.”
Present address: Chairman, Muslim Aid, 3 Furiong Road London N7. UK

7- Ms. Margaret Marcus (Now Maryam Jamilah): 
American, formerly Jewish. Essayist and journalist. Author of many books.

(Embraced Islam in 1962).

"The authority of Islamic morals and laws proceeds from Almighty God. Pleasure and happiness in Islam are but the natural by products of emotional satisfaction in one's duties conscientiously performed for the pleasure of God to achieve salvation. In Islam duties are always stressed above rights. Only in Islam was my quest for absolute values satisfied. Only in Islam did I at last find all that was true, good, beautiful and which gives meaning and directions to human life and death."

Present address: c/o Mr. Mohammed Yusuf Khan, Sant Nagar, Lahore ,Pakistan.

8- Wilfried Hofman: (Now Murad Hofman).

 Ph.D (law) Harvard, German social scientist and diplomat. Presently German ambassador in Algiers.

(Embraced in Islam in 1980)

"For some time now, striving for more and more precision and brevity, I have tried to put on paper, in a systemic way, all philosophical truths, which, in my view, can be ascertained beyond reasonable doubt. In the course of  this effort it dawned on me that the typical attitude of an agnostic is not an intelligent one; that man simply cannot escape a decision to believe; that the createdness of what exists around us is obvious; that Islam undoubtedly finds itself in the greatest harmony with overall reality. Thus I realize, not without shock, that step by step, in spite of myself and almost unconsciously, in feelings and thinking I have grown into a Muslim. Only one last step remained to be taken; to formalize my conversation. As of today I am a Muslim. I have arrived."

Present address: Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, BP 664,Alger-gare Algeria.

9- Cassius Clay (Now Mohamed Ali Clay):

American boxer (three times world heavyweight champion). Formerly Christian.

(Embraced Islam in 1965).

"I have had nice moments in my life. But the feeling I had while standing on Mount ‘Arafaat on the day of 'Hajj' (pilgrimage), was the most unique. I felt exalted by the indescribable spiritual atmosphere there, as over a million and a half pilgrims invoked God to forgive them of their sins and bestow on them His choicest blessings. It was an exhilarating experience to see people belonging to different colors, races and nationalities, kings, heads of states and ordinary men from very poor countries all clad in two simple white sheets praying to God without any sense of either pride or inferiority. It was a practical manifestation of the concept of equality in Islam."

(Speaking to the daily "Al-Madinah" Jeddah, 15, July 1989).

Present address: 1200 E, 49 St., Chicago Ill60615.

These were the impressions of a few persons who had been struck by the sword of truth themselves.

As for the propaganda that it was the sword of steel (i.e. the force ) which was instrumental in the universal expansion of Islam, we give below remarks of some prominent non-Muslims refuting this baseless claim:

1- M K Gandhi:

".......I become more than ever convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and his own mission. These, and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every trouble."

Young India 1924.

2- Edward Gibbon:

"The greatest success of Mohammed's life was effected by sheer moral force without the stroke of a sword."

History of the Saracen Empire, London 1870.

3- A S Tritton:

"The picture of the Muslim soldier advancing with a sword in one hand and the Quran in the other quite false."

Islam, London, 1951-page 21.

4- De Lacy O'Leary:

" History makes it clear however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims, sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd myths that historians have ever repeated."

Islam at Crossroads, London. 1923-page 8.

5- KS Ramakrishna Rao: 
"My problem to write this monograph is easier because we are not generally fed now on that (distorted) kind of history and much time need not to be spent on pointing out our misrepresentations of Islam. The theory of Islam and sword, for instance, is not heard now in any quarter worth its name. The principle of Islam that: ' there is no compulsion in religion' is well known".

Mohammed the Prophet of Islam, Riyadh 1989-page 4.

6- James A. Michener:

"No other religion in history spread so rapidly as Islam...The West has widely believed that this surge of religion was made possible by the sword. But no modern scholar accepts that idea, and the Quran is explicit in support of the freedom of conscience".

Islam- The Misunderstood Religion, Readers' Digest (American Edition ) May 1955.

7- Lawrence E Browne: 
"Incidentally these well-established facts dispose off the ideas so widely fostered in Christian writings that wherever the Muslims went, they forced people to accept Islam at the point of the sword."

Islam and human happiness

If we examine all the orders and laws of Islam, we find that every single law or order aims at bringing happiness to the individual. This applies to Islamic regulations with regard to worship, economics, penal laws and all other aspects of life. 

The Belief in Allaah and Psychological Security
When a person believes in Allaah, this belief gives him a strong feeling of security, which is a basic psychological need. This belief in Allaah gives the believer a strong support in critical moments and gives him continuous hope against all sources of despair. This belief gives strength to the sick and hope to the hopeless.

The Belief in Allaah and Ethical Responsibility

A person who believes in Allaah tends to be more ethically responsible than a person who does not believe. This belief makes a person feel that he is being observed by Allaah everywhere and on all occasions. This feeling makes a person try to be as uncorrupted and as far from sin as possible.
   
The Belief in Life after Death and the Feeling of Continuity

A Muslim believes in life after death. This belief gives the person a feeling of continuity. To a Muslim, death is not the end of life; rather it is a transition from the first life to the second one. A Muslim is not horrified by death because he knows that death is a change into another life. 

The Day of Judgment and God's Justice

A Muslim believes in the Day of Judgment, a day when every person is rewarded or punished for his deeds in this life. This belief gives the person a feeling of satisfaction with the justice of Allaah. Allaah is fair; everybody is responsible for his actions. This responsibility makes everybody watch himself and his own deeds. 
   
A Connection with God

A Muslim prays five times a day. This prayer is a connection between the believer and Allaah. Without this continual daily prayer, the man-God connection becomes weak. The stronger the man-God connection is, the more obedient to Allaah man becomes. 

Self-Control
A Muslim should fast for one month every year. This fasting trains the man's will and frees him from being enslaved by his own habits. Fasting also makes man more sympathetic with others suffering poverty or deprivation. 

A Sense of Belonging

A Muslim is urged to perform prayers with other men in groups. The Friday noon prayer must be a collective prayer. Pilgrimage is a collective practice. These practices help man to grow socially and to feel that he belongs. The feeling of belonging is one of the basic psychological needs of man. 

Away from Tension

Islam regulates the relations of the two sexes and discourages any unnecessary intermingling of the two sexes. This helps both sexes to be away from any source of sexual temptation or tension. 

Away from Sin 

Islam instructs both men and women to cover certain parts of the body. The woman should cover all her body except the hands and face. The purpose is to protect both the man and the woman from sin and tension. It has been proved medically, that neurological tension ends up causing many diseases in the heart and the digestive system. 

No Alcoholic Drinks
Islam prevents the drinking of alcoholic drinks in order to protect the human body from their damaging effect. Such drinks also damage the functions of the mind and the nervous system. 

Preventing Crimes

Islam legislates killing of the murderer, because this is the most effective way to protect society from more murders by the same murderer or new murderers. Islam legislates severe punishments for robbers and thieves because this is the best way to stop such crimes. 

Protecting Family
Islam prohibits adultery and legislates a severe punishment for adulterers and adulteresses, in order to protect marriage as a sacred institution, to protect the family as the best social cell for human life and to protect children from homelessness. Islam punishes a false accuser of adultery, because no liar has the right to spoil others' lives. 
    
No Interest in Economy

Islam prohibits interest because individuals in the same society should be partners. In the interest-banking system, the depositor requires a certain interest on his deposited money, whether the bank profits or loses. The interest system is a big blow to social solidarity. In Islam, interest is not allowed. The alternative in Islam is partnership, where all partners share the profit or loss in proportion to their invested shares. This system of Islamic sharing is fairer and often more profitable to a greater number of partners. 

Ready SolutionsIslam gives man solutions to his major problems. These solutions simplify the way and give him help and the guidance that he needs. Without these solutions, man is unable to reach a decision on many issues. If we look around, we find that many countries have several political parties that adopt contradictory policies and give contradictory answers to the questions of economics, politics and law. 

This shows us that man is not capable of solving his basic problems on his own. If we examine Western civilization, we find that people there disagree on everything: the existence of Allaah, the role of religion, divorce, marriage, racial discrimination, crime and punishment.  

Constant Ethical Values 
Islam gives man a stable system of ethical values. Islam makes it clear to believers that certain acts are good and certain acts are bad, that certain acts are allowed and certain other acts are prohibited. Islam gives man a clear reference to refer to in all aspects of life. With this reference, man's chances to make mistakes are minimized. 

The Just Ruler
Islam orders the ruler to base his rule on justice and consultation. Islam orders subjects to obey the ruler as long as he obeys Allaah. Islam gives the ruler fair rights and fair duties and gives subjects fair rights and fair duties as well. 

Basic Needs
In Islam, the ruler must secure the basic needs to everybody under his rule regardless of religion or race. The individual is entitled to the rights of housing, eating, clothing, learning and medical care. 

Equality of All

Socially and ethically, Islam emphasizes the equality of all persons before law and the equality of all humans in origin since all humans belong to the same father, Aadam (Adam) . Islam emphasizes fraternity and mercy as two major qualities of good believers. 

Every single verse in the Quran and every single tradition of the Prophet Muhammad,  aims at the happiness of the individual. Let us pray that Allaah guide us all to His right way. Let us submit to Allaah. Let us believe in all His Prophets and all His Apostles, may Allaah exalt their mention. Let us believe in all Revealed Books and the final Revealed Book, The Holy Quran. 

The beauty of Islam as seen by others

American poet, critic and author Colonel Donald S. Rockwell writes: "The simplicity of Islam, the powerful appeal and the compelling atmosphere of its mosques, the earnestness of its faithful followers, the confidence inspiring realization of millions throughout the world who answer the five daily calls to prayer, these factors attracted me from the first.

But after I had determined to become a follower of Islam, I found many deeper reasons for confirming my decision. The mellow concept of life -- fruit of the combined course of action and contemplation, the wise counsel, the admonitions to charity and mercy of the Prophet, , .

The broad humanitarianism, the pioneer declaration of women's rights, these and other factors of the teachings of the man of Makkah, were to me among the first obvious evidence of a practical religion so tersely and so aptly epitomized in the cryptic words of Prophet Muhammad, : 'Trust in God and tie your camel.' He gave us a religious system of normal action, not blind faith in the protection of an unseen force in spite of our own neglect, but confidence that if we do all things rightly and to the best of our ability, we may trust in what comes as the Will of God...

When I stood in the inspiring mosques of Istanbul, Damascus, Jerusalem, Cairo, Algiers, Tangier, Fez and other cities, I was conscious of a powerful reaction -- the potent uplift of Islam's simple appeal to the sense of higher things, unaided by elaborate trappings, ornamentation, figures, pictures, music and ceremonial ritual. The mosque is a place of quiet contemplation and self-effacement in the greater reality of the true God.

The democracy of Islam has always appealed to me. Potentate and pauper have the same rights on the floor of the mosque, on their knees in humble worship. There are no rented pews or special reserved seats.

The Muslim accepts no man as mediator between himself and his God. He goes direct to the invisible source of creation and life -- God -- without reliance on a saving formula of repentance of sins and belief in the power of a teacher to afford him salvation. The universal brotherhood of Islam, regardless of race, politics, color or country, has been brought home to me most keenly many times in my life, and this is another feature which drew me towards the Faith."

The baseless claim that Islam converted the peoples it had 'conquered by force' has also been refuted by prominent non-Muslims.


Mahatma Gandhi, for instance, writes in Young Indian, 1924:

"I became more than ever convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, , the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his absolute trust in God and his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every trouble."

James A. Michener writes in the Reader's Digest, under the titleIslam: The Misunderstood Religion: "No other religion in history spread so rapidly as Islam. The West has widely believed that this surge of religion was made possible by the sword. But no modern scholar accepts that idea, and the Quran is explicit in support of the freedom of conscience."

Laurence E. Browne writes in The Prospects of Islam: "Incidentally, these well-established facts dispose of the idea so widely fostered in Christian writings about the Muslims, that wherever they went, they forced people to accept Islam at the point of the sword."

De Lay O'Leany also writes in Islam at Crossroads, London, 1923, p. 8: "History makes it clear, however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims, sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of the sword upon conquered races is one of the most fanatically absurd myths that historians have ever repeated."

It is worth mentioning here that it is absolutely wrong to judge Islam by the deteriorating condition of Muslims and the blatant corruption that pervades the Muslim world. What Islam preaches is one thing, and what so many Muslims nowadays practice is something else.

The only way whereby we do justice to Islam is to find out about its noble teachings, which are clearly set out at length in the Holy Quran and the Prophetic traditions. The famous popular singer, Cat Stevens, who later embraced Islam once observed: "It will be wrong to judge Islam in the light of the behavior of some bad Muslims who are always shown on the media.

It is like judging a car as a bad one if the driver is drunk and he bangs it into a wall. Islam guides all human beings in daily life -- in its spiritual, mental and physical dimensions. Nevertheless, we must find the sources of these instructions -- the Quran and the example of the Prophet, . Then we can see the idea of Islam."

What is generally said about Islam in the media and in many academic circles can also give a wrong idea about it. As Maurice Bucaille put it: "The totally erroneous statements made about Islam in the West are sometimes the result of ignorance, and sometimes of systematic denigration.

The most serious of all the untruths told about it are, however, those dealing with facts, for while mistaken opinions are excusable, the presentation of facts running contrary to reality is not. It is disturbing to read blatant untruths in eminently respectable works written by authors who a priori are highly qualified."

The future belongs to Islam

All praise is due to Allaah. May His peace and blessings be upon Prophet Muhammad, his household and companions.

Brothers in faith! Be dutiful to Allaah, for that is the best provision and the surest way to salvation on the Day of Resurrection.

Fellow Muslims! Things turn upside-down when those who follow destructive and erroneous sects and beliefs falsely assume that theirs is the true faith and that the good ending and the future belongs exclusively to them. However, the fact that men of reason and understanding do not dispute, is that the future belongs to the religion of Islam; that it shall prevail over all other beliefs, for it is the only true religion that Allaah has perfected for His slaves, with which He has completed His favor upon them and which He has chosen for them as religion. He Says (what means):

“This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as your religion.”  [Quran 5:3]

No wonder then dear brothers, that Islam enjoys such a distinguished position. This is because it is a religion that is full of innumerable qualities.

The future belongs to Islam, for it is the religion with which Allaah raised the status of man and honored him. He informed us in His Speech, which is the most-truthful of all speech, that He created man with His two Hands, breathed of His soul in him and made the angels prostrate before him. He honored man by subjecting him to His worship Alone, for there is no deity worthy of worship except Him, glorified are His Names and Attributes. He honored him by subjecting all that is in heavens and earth to him and gave him innumerable other blessings.

The future belongs to Islam, because it is the only religion whose message is characterised by pure monotheism, which agrees with the laws of nature and sound opinion. It is through Islam that Allaah made lawful for His slaves all good and useful things and prohibited all filthy and harmful matters. Removed from this Ummah (Muslims) are the heavy burden and fetters that were upon those who came before them -- such as strictness in matters of religion; for example, the imposition of self-killing as an atonement for sin, cutting the part of the body used for committing an impure act, purifying  a cloth by cutting off the place of filth with scissors, compulsory implementation of the law of equity in murder cases (with no option of paying blood money or pardon, whether the killing was intentional or  accidental) and prohibition of taking war booty.

All the above restrictions were removed by Allaah from this Ummah by His Mercy. He Says (what means): “Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find written [i.e. mentioned] in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel, who enjoins upon them what is right and forbids them what is wrong and makes lawful for them the good things and prohibits for them the evil, and relieves them of their burden and the shackles which were upon them. So they who have believed in him, honored him, supported him and followed the light which was sent down with him – it is those who will be successful.” [Quran 7:157]

The future belongs to Islam because in it, Allaah firmly laid the basis of a sound social system that is well-established like a firm structure. He established through Islam that unique society described by the Prophet  in the most eloquent way thus: “The similitude of the believers in regard to mutual love, affection and mutual-compassion is that of one body; when any limb of it aches, the whole body shares the agony, sleeplessness and fever that arises from it.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

The future belongs to Islam because it is the religion by which Allaah firmly fixed the principles of justice among His creatures -- Muslims and non-Muslims; Arabs and non-Arabs; black and white; male and female; young and old. He prescribed for each group its rights and duties -- a quality that is non-existent in any of the man-made systems and ideologies that most people follow and respect. These ideologies are full of deficiencies and are restricted to a particular place and time or the personal or national interests of those who formulated them.

The future is for Islam, for it is the religion with which Allaah preserves people’s lives, properties, honor and minds. He prohibits all killing of life except for a just cause, forbids the defamation of a person’s honor, disallows all that could affect the soundness of people’s minds such as narcotics and intoxicants and forbids the usurpation of properties unjustly. All this Allaah does through Islam, in order to protect the social structure of this Ummah from disintegrating.

There is no wonder then that a great and honorable future belongs to this religion. No amount of deception from the enemies of Islam, or their increasing assaults on the Muslims with their cavalry, infantry and wealth, nor their oppression such as killing and expelling people from their lands -- as the Jews do today, can weaken the firm bonds of this religion or disrupt its structure. For, the future is for Islam and the Muslims Inshaa’ Allaah and the victory belongs to Allaah and His Messenger   and to the truthful and persevering Muslims -- those who  know with certainty that victory comes with perseverance,  relief comes after sorrow and that with every difficulty there is ease. Allaah Says (what means): “They want to extinguish the light of Allaah with their mouths, but Allaah refuses except to perfect His light, although the disbelievers hate it.” [Quran 9: 32].

Brothers in faith! If this Ummah wishes to attain the promised victory and be well-established on the land, it should truly practice Islam by giving Allaah His right of worship with all sincerity and completely abstain from associating anything with Him in acts of worship. It should implement His Law and submit to His Judgment in all matters and be pleased with that. It is then that the whole of humankind will have felicity -- and the rightly-guided leadership will become that of Islam, the religion of Allaah, the Omniscient, the All-Wise, the All-Knowing.