Islam

Why Care About Religion?

Before looking at what Islam is, let us first establish why should one care to know about religion
(any, not just Islam) in the first place?
Religion is important because it answers the most fundamental and critical questions that human
beings have. Questions about our existence, such as, who are we, who created us, why were we
created, why are we given life, what is life, how should we live, what happens when we die, does
it just end or is there more to it? These and similar questions are the fundamental questions
which every human being at some point in their life has and actually must have. Religion is
important because it is supposed to answer all these questions.
Why Care To Know About Islam?
But why should one care to know about Islam? Well, here are some reasons:
This is the religion of 1.6 billion people around the world. One out of nearly every four persons
is a Muslim. This is the second largest religion in terms of number of followers. It is one of the
fastest growing religions, not only in the world but also in the US. And it is not just because
Muslims produce more children but also because many people convert to Islam. Another reason
to know about Islam is that media always mentions Islam but mostly in a very negative way, so it
is only fair to try to know what it actually is, before making an opinion about it. And last but not
the least, it claims that it answers all the fundamental questions that human beings have and
everything in it makes perfect sense and that it is the true religion. Sounds like a big claim?
But well see.
The Creator
Muslims believe that this universe and everything in it was created by God, called Allah in
Arabic. He is the only creator and everything else is His creation. The creator is absolutely
perfect and most exalted. He is eternal. He is not bound by time and space. He begets not, nor is
He begotten. And there is nothing like Him. He has got all the good and unique attributes of
infinite vastness and absolute perfection. For instance, He is All-knowing, All-powerful, AllWise, the Most Merciful and so on.
He is absolutely perfect (and I want to emphasize on it) and free from any kind of flaw,
weakness, imperfection, need and dependence, no matter how minute it is.
Purposeful Creation
Because God is absolutely perfect what He does is perfect too (otherwise He wont be perfect) so
this creation is a purposeful creation. And the purpose of creation is Gods praise, glorification,
reverence, worship and complete obedience and submission to Him. He created everything for
this purpose and everything in the universe (with a couple of exceptions) fulfills the purpose of
its creation (which is praise, worship, obedience, etc.) but without knowing and without choice.
Human beings are unique, because they are given:

1)
Intellect and wisdom, through which they are required to know the purpose of their
creation
2)
Freedom to choose, using which they are required to fulfill the purpose out of their choice
Life Is A Test!
One of the fundamental questions that we saw on the first slide was what is life. Well,
according to Muslims, the life of this world is a test. God created us for His worship and
obedience, gave us intellect to know it and choice to choose to fulfill it and then gave us life to
test us, as to who among us do what they are supposed to do.
So life of this world is a test and everyone is being tested. It also explains a famous question that
many human beings ask. They say, well if there is a God, then why is there so much trouble and
pain in the world? People are born with terminal diseases or in extreme hunger and poverty.
People oppress each other and torture and butcher each other without mercy. How can it happen
if there is a God? How can He allow all this? Well, the answer is, He allows it because He is
testing everyone. Those who are healthy are being tested and so are those who are sick. Those
who are born rich are being tested and so are those who are poor, and so on and so forth. The test
itself is from God and formed by Him.
And because it is a test, it has a result too. Those who perform well in it will be acknowledged,
appreciated, honored and rewarded, in a place called Paradise/Heaven. And those who fail and
commit crimes will be punished, in a place called Hell.
Again, what is required to pass the test? First of all, know who the creator is, what His attributes
are, how absolutely perfect and most exalted He is and why He created us and gave us life. Then,
knowingly and willingly fulfill the purpose of our life and creation, which is to praise Him,
glorify Him, thank Him, worship Him, obey Him in everything and submit to Him completely
and unconditionally.
Are We Told About The Test?
One may ask if this is a test, then are we told about it. The answer is, yes. God revealed books
and explained all the truth in His own words. Among these books are Torah, Psalms, Gospel and
the Quran. Everything that human beings required to know about their existence, their creator,
the life of this world being a test, and ways to pass the test, were explained in detail. But God is
the Most Merciful, He did not just reveal books but He also appointed human beings for the
guidance of mankind. These were called prophets/messengers of God. These were human beings
in all respects. They explained the word of God to the mankind and also practically demonstrated
what is required of them to pass the test of life. These messengers were sent to every nation. We
are told the names of some of them. Among them are Adam, Noah, Abraham, Lot, Isaac, Jacob,
Joseph, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, John, Jesus and Muhammad (may peace be upon them
all).
Islam Not A New Religion

It is usually considered that Islam is something that started in the 6th century and it is a new
religion. But it is a big misconception. Muslims believe that Islam is the oldest religion and has
been here since day one. It did not start with Muhammad (PBUH) but completed on him.
Muhammad (PBUH) is not the first prophet in Islam, he is actually the last. Muslims believe
that God is just one, so his message and religion is one, the truth is one. And all the messengers
from Adam to Muhammad may peace be upon them, have been preaching the same religion
Islam.
Islam literally means submission, purity and peace and we can define a Muslim as:
If a person fully submits himself or herself to the will of God, and worships God purely without
any association with God, then he or she should live in peace and harmony in this world and in
the hereafter, and such a person is called a Muslim.
Beliefs
These are the six core beliefs that every Muslim must have:
Belief in One Creator, belief in books, messengers, angels, Day of Judgment, and qadar. In the
next slides we will see each of these in a bit more detail.
The Creator
We have seen this before.
That there is exactly one creator of this universe, called God or Allah in Arabic. The creator is
absolutely perfect and most exalted. He begets not, nor is He begotten. He is not bound by time
or space. He ever was and will ever be. He has got all the good attributes of infinite vastness and
absolute perfection (He is All-knowing, All-Wise, All-powerful, and so on). He is absolutely
perfect and free from any kind of flaw, weakness, imperfection, need and dependence no
matter how minute it is.
Books
The second belief is the belief in books. That God explained all the truth in his own words. He
revealed these books to certain messengers who explained the word further and guided mankind.
Among these books are Torah, Psalm, Gospel and the Quran.
Every Muslim has to believe that these were the true books of God. That Torah was given to
Prophet Moses, Psalm was given to Prophet David, Gospel was given to Prophet Jesus, and the
final of them the Quran was given to the final Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon all
prophets).
Here are some verses from the Quran to just give you a taste of it.
4:170. O mankind! Verily, there has come to you the Messenger with the truth from your Lord,
so believe in him, it is better for you. But if you disbelieve, then certainly to Allah belongs all
that is in the heavens and the earth. And Allah is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise.
5:76. Say (O Muhammad PBUH to mankind): "How do you worship besides Allah something
which has no power either to harm or to benefit you? But it is Allah Who is the All-Hearer, AllKnower."

Quran The Final Revelation

35:3. O mankind! Remember the Grace of Allah upon you! Is there any creator other than Allah
who provides for you from the sky (rain) and the earth? None has the right to be worshipped but
He. How then are you turning away?
114:1-4. Say (O Prophet to mankind): He is Allah, the One and Only; Allah, the Eternal,
Absolute; He begets not, nor is He begotten. And there is none like unto Him.
You might have noted that in these verses the whole mankind is addressed. The Quran is not for
Muslims or Arabs only. It is for everyone. It is from God who is the God of all people and He
wants to guide everyone through this book.
Another important thing to note is that Muslims believe that out of all the books revealed to
mankind by God, only Quran has reached them in its original form; other books do not exist in
their original form and language.
The Quran was revealed in Arabic and Arabic is still alive today. It exists in the original
language. Also it is protected from corruption and the history is evident that since its revelation
nothing is changed in the Quran. There is just one version of it.
Also, I would like to share an interesting fact about the Quran and which is that many Muslims
memorize every single word of it by heart. It is not a small book; it takes about 30 hours to just
read it. But there have always been thousands of people who learnt every single word of it by
heart. So it is not just saved on the paper but is also saved in the hearts.

Messengers
The third belief is the belief in messengers. Every Muslim has to believe that God appointed
human beings for the instruction and guidance of mankind. These instructors explained the word
of God to mankind and guided them by teaching, preaching as well as practically demonstrating
what is required of human beings in order to pass the test of life. These were too many and were
sent to every nation, because God wants to guide everyone and there is no chosen race, He is the
God of everyone. We are told the names of some of the messengers and every Muslim has to
believe that these were the true messengers of God. No Muslim is a Muslim unless he/she
believes in all of them including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron,
David, Solomon, John, Jesus and Muhammad (may peace be upon them all).
It is important to note that Muslims believe that these messengers were human beings, just like
us. They were not gods or son of God or anything like that. They were human beings in all
respects and had the same temptations, worries, and weaknesses as we all have. But of course
they were the best among the whole mankind. The most righteous, the most noble, and the most
humble people that ever walked on earth.

Muhammad (may peace be upon him) is believed to be the final messenger to mankind.
Books and messengers are the two sources of guidance for Muslims.
Among books Muslims follow the Quran because that is what has reached them in its original
form and among Prophets Muslims follow Prophet Muhammad (may peace be upon him)
because his teachings have reached them in an authentic manner. And because the message is the
same and every prophet preached the same message, so following the last one is indeed
following
all
of
them.
Muhammad (peace be upon him)
Muhammad (may peace be upon him) was the final messenger that God sent to mankind. But
like all other prophets including Jesus, Muslims believe that, he was a human being and not God
or son of God. He was born in 6th century around 571AD. He died at the age of 63.
He was a descendant of Abraham (PBUH). Arabs in general are descendants of Abraham through
his son Ishmael.
Muhammad (may peace be upon him) was known as a very righteous man, even before he
became prophet. He was given the titles of The Truthful and The Trustworthy by his people.
He received first revelation at the age of 40 which reads as follows.
Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists), Has created man from a clot
(a piece of thick coagulated blood). Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous, Who has taught
(the writing) by the pen, Has taught man that which he knew not.
Arabs who were originally on the true religion had become polytheists and turned into a corrupt
and savage society by his time. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) revived the concept of
just one God, the only being who is worthy of worship. He also taught his people to treat women
nicely, free slaves, take care of the orphans, the needy and the poor, honor human life, do justice,
and so on. His people turned against him and drove him out of his homeland. He migrated to
another town and continued to preach his message. His message kept spreading and in just 23
years almost all of the Arabia had accepted Islam. In next hundred years the message had
reached to a big part of the world.
Angels
The fourth is the belief in angels. Every Muslim has to believe that angels are another creature
who were created from light (human beings were created from clay). They are different from us
because they do not have bodies, they are spirits. Also, they are not given freedom to choose so it
is not a test for them. They do whatever they are commanded, and never disobey. Some are
assigned specific tasks, for example, Arch Angel Gabriels duty was to bring revelation to
prophets and help them in their prophetic mission.
Day of Resurrection
The fifth belief is the belief in the Day of Resurrection/Judgment. As we saw before that life of
this world is just a test. And it is a timed test. There is an appointed time for every individual as
well as the whole world. Every individual has to die. And everyone will be resurrected one day

and asked about how he/she did in the test. Everyone will be judged. Every single thing we do
will be brought in front of us and well be judged accordingly. Those who pass the test would be
acknowledged, appreciated, honored and rewarded in Heaven. And those who fail the test would
be punished in Hell.
This is something that everyone whether religious or non-religious wants deep in their heart, that
there should be a perfect justice someday. Because, in this life we cannot do perfect justice.
Consider a man who kills 100 people, what is the most that we can do to him if we catch him? At
most we can kill him but that is just the punishment for killing one person, he killed 100. Or let
us consider another person, a firefighter for instance, who sacrifices his own life but saves
hundreds of lives. What is the most that we can do to reward and honor him? May be create a
monument for him or dedicate a national holiday to him? But it is of no use for him. He is
already dead. What did he get by giving his life and saving 100 lives? So, yes there should be a
day when this man is rewarded heavily for the noble act he did. We all want that. And Muslims
believe that there will be such a day when everybody will be paid in full according to what they
did in this life. If they did something noble they would be rewarded heavily and if they
committed crimes they would be punished accordingly.
Qadar
The sixth belief is the belief in Qadar. Qadar is an Arabic term and the concept of qadar is that
the test we are put into is from God and is pre-formed and decreed. The things that define and
form the test are fixed and from God. Things like, the time we are born, the life span we are
given, the families we are born into, the skills, strengths and weaknesses we are given, the
appearances we are given, the genes we are given, the situations we are put into, etc. All these
things are fixed and from God. But how we behave in a situation is left to us and our choice. We
can choose to worship God and we can choose not to. We can choose to obey Him and we can
choose not to, and so on and so forth. So the test is fixed but how we perform is left to us, that is
why we will be held answerable. But God has complete knowledge of everything. So He already
knows how we will perform in the test, because He is all-knowing. However His pre-knowledge
and our freedom to choose are different things. His pre-knowledge does not force to do things,
we do them on our own, but because He is all-knowing, He already knows what we will choose
out of our choice.
What is Required?
Let us revisit what is required to pass the test of life. Know who the creator is. What His
attributes are. How absolutely perfect and most exalted He is! And so on. Worship Him, Praise
Him, Glorify Him, Thank Him. Obey Him in everything, Submit to Him completely and
unconditionally. We have covered the faith part, now let us focus on worship, and let us see what
the modes of worship are.
Worshiping God
The first mode of worship is prayer. Prayers are both formal and informal. In formal prayers we
have to follow a protocol and do certain actions (shown in the pictures).

There are five obligatory formal prayers per day. During the prayer a person acknowledges that
he/she was created by God who is most exalted, so one humbles oneself before God by bowing
and prostrating while praising and glorifying God. Prayer is the best form of worship.
These five obligatory prayers are meant to be constant reminders. They are distributed
throughout the day and they remind us that God created us for His worship and we are given this
life
as
a
test.
These prayers are performed in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening, at the time of
sunset and in the night. Every prayer just takes 5-10 minutes. We can pray anywhere we are but
we are encouraged to pray in congregation because it promotes unity and brotherhood and
practically teaches equality because while praying we stand shoulder to shoulder together in
straight lines and there is no difference between rich and poor, white and black, and so on, all are
equal and all bow and prostrate before God together.
Five prayers are obligatory and the minimum but we are encouraged to pray additional.
Informal prayers have no protocol to follow. We should pray informally to God as much as we
can while walking, driving, sitting, laying, etc. We can informally pray to God in any language or
even silently in our hearts. The second mode of worship is fasting. Muslims are required to fast
during the day time for the whole month of Ramadan which is the 9th month of lunar calendar.
This is the obligatory fasting and the minimum, and we are encouraged to fast voluntarily some
other days of the year as well. A fasting person is not allowed to eat or drink anything including
water or have sexual relationship with the spouse from dawn until sunset.
The purpose of fasting is righteousness. Human beings are composed of bodies as well as spirits.
Both have needs and both need nourishment. But unfortunately we only care about the body and
its needs and desires and neglect the more important half, which is the spiritual part. Body is
from the earth and so its nourishment also comes from the earth. It needs food, drink, rest and
sex. Whereas, the Spirit is from the above and its nourishment also comes from the above. The
nourishment of spirit is in remembrance of God, in His worship, in being good to others, in
helping others, in giving charity, in sacrificing for others, and so on. The purpose of fasting is to
curb the desires of body (by not allowing food, drink and sex) and uplift spirit by engaging more
in worship, giving charity, helping others, being good and remembering God.
The month of fasting is meant to be an energizer. It gives us self-control because practicing
control and patience over lawful things (food, drink, sex with spouse) during fasting gives us
enough strength to avoid unlawful things later in the year when we are not fasting.
Fasting also teaches us the worth of blessings such as food and drink which we generally do not
value and always take for granted but there are millions who do not have access to food or even
clean water. When we experience hunger and thirst we realize the worth of the blessings and the
pain that less fortunate ones go through on daily basis. It enables us to have sympathies with the
poor, have an urge to help them, and be thankful to God for all His bounties upon us.
It is important to note that fasting is not something new, it was prescribed for previous
generations as well, again because, according to Muslims, it is the same one religion that every
prophet
preached.
Another mode of worship is pilgrimage to Makkah (Mecca), called the Hajj. This is obligatory
on every individual who can physically and financially afford it, once in their lifetime. Like other

modes of worship, additional can be performed. During the pilgrimage, some rituals are
performed.
Every year 2.5-3.0 million people from all over the world gather in one place (Makkah, which is
in present day Saudi Arabia) to perform pilgrimage. People from all parts of the world, having all
colors of skin, speaking all different languages, belonging to all different races, coming from all
walks of life, gather together and worship God by bowing and prostrating together and
performing other rituals together. All men are dressed the same, in two unstitched white sheets of
cloth. There are no robes of honor and no hats of pride. There is no rich, no poor, no white, no
black, all are servants of God and all pray to him together. Hajj is a practical demonstration of
equality of human beings, universality of religion, and the brotherhood that it teaches.
Picture from Hajj
Here is a picture from the Hajj. These white dots that you see are the human beings.
Charity
Excessive love of wealth is one of the causes of evils. Giving wealth in Gods way purifies us
and as well as helps others. Islam has prescribed financial obligation for the people. It has set a
threshold, all those who are above that threshold are required to pay 2.5% of their annual savings
to those who are below the threshold. It is to make sure that the wealth is not contained in few
hands that it circulates among all members of the society, that no one dies of hunger, and that
basic needs of everyone are taken care of. But this charity of 2.5% of annual savings is the
minimum and the obligatory one. But on top of it, we are encouraged to give more in Gods way,
as much as we can, as best as we can, and as often as we can.
Five Pillars
There are five things in Islam which contain a special significance. These are called the five
pillars of Islam, as if the building of Islam rests on these foundations/pillars.
a) First one is the testimony of faith. Whoever becomes a Muslim testifies that there is no deity
worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad (PBUH) is His messenger and slave.
b) Second pillar is the 5 obligatory prayers.
c) Third pillar is fasting in the month of Ramadan (9th month of lunar calendar).
d) Forth is obligatory charity, which is 2.5% of annual savings.
e) Fifth pillar is pilgrimage to Makkah, which is obligatory on those who can financially and
physically afford it, once in their lifetime.
Commandments for Obedience
Just like we are told how to worship God in the best possible manner, we are also told how to
obey Him. We are given detailed guidelines about what to do and what not to do. These
commandments are for our benefit and ensure a healthy and productive society in which
everyones rights are taken care of, and where everyone is treated with equality, justice and
fairness.
The first commandment is to not associate anyone or anything with God in worship. This is
something God cannot tolerate (unless the person repents). He is the only creator, the only one

worthy of worship, praise and obedience. If we start worshipping any mortal being, something
that is imperfect and something that itself was created by God, instead of God, then that is the
extreme injustice and the most unfair thing, something God does not tolerate unless the person
repents. Parents are given a very high status in Islam. We are required to respect and obey our
parents and be extremely kind, respectful and polite to them, especially to mothers. Mothers are
given a very high status in Islam, actually three times more than the fathers. Because they offer
and suffer more in bringing us into the world and bringing us up. Islam recognizes their service
and gives them a great honor. Another commandment is to honor human life. Islam emphasizes
on the sanctity of human life. Killing an innocent person irrespective of their religion, gender,
race, and so on is as big as killing the whole mankind. Similarly saving one life is as noble as
saving the whole mankind.
Islam emphasizes on morality. A sexually immoral society cannot be a productive society. So
committing sex before marriage or with someone except the spouse is a major sin in Islam.
Islam really emphasizes on justice. It promotes a society in which everyone is given their due
rights and in which no injustice of any kind is done to anyone. Usury or interest is prohibited in
Islam because it is a means of exploitation. Islam shuns all kinds of shameful sins whether
committed publicly or secretly. It emphasizes on morality, values and character. Islam not only
protects the lives and properties of the people but it also protects their honor. So slandering is
considered a big sin. Similarly, backbiting is prohibited. Islam commands Muslims to always
speak the truth. Here are some other commandments for obedience. Commandments like, do not
eat the property of the orphans, keep good relationship with relatives, be humble, help the poor,
the needy, the orphans, and the travelers, be nice with neighbors, keep promises and oaths, do not
discriminate or make fun of others, be modest, and so on, and there are many more.
What Is Required For Salvation?
We know that this life is a test and so for salvation we are required to pass this test. It is
important to note that we are not perfect. We can never be. Only God is perfect. Actually we are
not required to be perfect (we can never be). All what is required from us is that we sincerely
struggle to pass the test of life. Sin is the disobedience of God. We commit sin when we disobey
Him. And then we become a candidate of Gods punishment. The only way it can be averted is
that God may forgive us. And He does forgive. He is the Most Forgiving. He is willing to forgive
each and every sin of us, no matter how big it is and no matter how many sins we have. He says
in the Quran that His mercy encompasses everything. All He may require from us is that when
we disobey Him we should realize and confess our mistake and be ashamed of it, that we should
turn to God in repentance and seek His forgiveness, and that we should resolve not to repeat the
sin again and rectify ourselves. So in order to pass the test, a sincere struggle is required and
when we falter, we should turn to God in repentance. He forgives all our mistakes.
View of Society
Islam promotes a peaceful society where everyones life, property and honor are protected and
honored. It works for a society which is based on justice, peace, equality and fairness. Where
everyone is treated equally, everyone has equal access to opportunities to prosper, and in which
everyones basic rights and needs are taken care of. A society where there is no oppression,

exploitation, discrimination, injustice and evil of any sort. Islam not only envisions such a
society but also makes it incumbent upon its adherents to work and struggle to establish such a
society. And this struggle comes under a Quranic term called jihad which is unfortunately
widely misunderstood and misrepresented. But Jihad literally means struggle, and it is a struggle
to establish a just society and eradicate oppression and injustice, among other things.
Islam emphasizes on morality and modesty. As we said earlier, sexual immorality is detrimental
for a productive and healthy society. To avoid immodesty and immorality, Islam prescribes dress
code for both men and women. It asks them to dress up modestly and not send any false signals
to others. Similarly, it encourages people to marry and emphasizes on the love between husband
and wife. It focuses on building successful homes (by having a strong bond of love between
husband and wife), because a home is the basic unit of society.
Muslims and Islam
Finally it should be noted that what we studied was Islam and the teachings of Islam but
unfortunately not all Muslims practice these, so we should differentiate between Islam and
Muslims. Many Muslims do things that are totally opposite to the teachings of Islam. Some
practice their cultures and prefer them over Islam while non-Muslims perceive that these cultural
practices are teachings of Islam where in fact they may be totally opposite to what Islam teaches.
Islam should not be judged by what Muslims do. To know about Islam one should read the
Quran and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) because these are the two
sources that describe what Islam is.
Islam and Christianity
You must have noted some commonalities between Islam and Christianity. They both share some
terms/concepts like God, prophets, books, heaven, hell, etc. although there are some differences
in their details which we wont go into. But there are some major differences between the two
religions. It is important to know the similarities and differences between both as it can help us
know about them more. First major difference is that there is no concept of Trinity in Islam. God
is alone. He is just one being and not a composite of three distinct beings. Moreover, He does not
have son(s) or daughter(s). He does not have a wife. He does not beget, He creates. Another
difference is that there is no original sin in Islam. Everyone is born innocent and cannot be held
accountable for anything unless one attains maturity. And a mature person can only be held
accountable for something only that person did and cannot be blamed for something their fathers
or forefathers did. Muslims think it is very unjust to blame someone for something, someone else
did. Blood is not needed to blot out sins. We saw that sin is disobedience of God. When we
disobey God we earn His displeasure and become candidate of His punishment. But He is the
Most Forgiving. He forgives us our sins no matter how many and how big, if we repent and seek
His forgiveness. He does not need blood to forgive us. He may just need remorse and repentance
from us. Similarly He need not die or suffer in order to forgive us. Another important difference
is, that in Islam faith alone is not enough to be saved. Both faith and actions are required to pass
the test of life. Without actions (worship, obedience), faith is considered fake and is just a lipservice. Another difference is that the Holy Spirit is arch angel Gabriel in Islam and not the third

entity in the Trinity. In addition to these there are major differences about Jesus which we will
cover next.
Jesus in Islam
Every Muslim has to believe in Jesus (PBUH). No Muslim is a Muslim unless he/she believes in
Jesus (among other beliefs).
First the similarities:
Muslims believe that:
Jesus (PBUH) was born of a virgin pious lady, Mary
He was the Promised Christ (and Christ only means the anointed one)
He preached the divine book Injeel (Gospel) given to him
He was lifted to Heaven
He would be sent again near the end of time.
He is the word of God
He was supported by the Holy Spirit
Muslims believe in all the miracles that Jesus performed:
That he gave life to dead
That he cured blinds and lepers (all by the permission of God)
That he spoke as an infant others.
Differences:
But Muslims believe that Jesus was no more than a human being. He used to eat and excrete
(while God does not, is absolutely perfect). He was a human being in all respects. He was not
God or son of God. God does not have son(s) or daughter(s). He does not have a wife. He creates
and does not beget. He is far too perfect and exalted. So Muslims believe that Jesus was a human
being and was one of the prophets of God, like Moses and Abraham. They believe that he was
one of the most prominent Messengers and one of the best human beings that ever lived. They
believe that he was not crucified and that he did not die for our sins. When his people tried to kill
him, God saved him and raised him alive. And because he did not die he would be sent again
near the end of time to complete his life and die as others do. Muslims think that because he did
not had a father it does not make him the son of God because if we go by this argument then
Adam is a more proper candidate to be called the son of God, because Jesus did have a mother,
Adam had none, no father, no mother. And this is the argument presented by God in the Quran.
Verily, the likeness of Jesus before Allah is the likeness of Adam. He created him from dust, then
(He) said to him: "Be!" - and he was. (3:59)
Jesus is called the word of God because he was created as a result of the command/word of God
be (and he was).
Verses About Some Christians
In the end I would like to share some verses from the Quran about some of the Christians.
The first one says:

"Then, We (it is plural of respect and not number) sent after them, Our Messengers, and We sent
Jesus son of Mary, and gave him the Gospel. And We ordained in the hearts of those who
followed him, compassion and mercy. (57:27)
The second verse says:
"...and you will find the nearest in love to the believers (Muslims) those who say: "We are
Christians." That is because amongst them are priests and monks, and they are not proud." (5:82)
And the third says:
"And when they (who call themselves Christians) listen to what has been sent down to the
Messenger (Muhammad, peace be upon him) (i.e. Quran), you see their eyes overflowing with
tears because of the truth they have recognized. They say: "Our Lord! We believe; so write us
down among the witnesses." (5:83)

Transcript of 'Islam and Human Rights'

Assalamu Alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh
May peace and Gods mercy and blessing be upon all of you! Good evening and thanks for
taking time to attend this seminar on human rights in Islam.
Outline
Human rights in Islam is a vast subject which cannot be completely covered in one hour but Ill
try to give you a good overview of it. These are some of the rights that I will briefly talk about. If
you think of any questions during the presentation please write them down on the cards that have
been provided to you. Ill try to answer your questions at the end.
Some terms/keywords:
Here is a list of keywords that Ill be using. Muslims believe in one Creator, who is called Allah
in Arabic. Muhammad is the final prophet of God sent to the mankind. Among other prophets
that Muslims believe in are Abraham, Moses, David and Jesus. Quran is the Divine book which
Muslims believe to be the literal word of God sent for the guidance of mankind. The Quran and
the teachings of Prophet Muhammad are the two sources of guidance for Muslims, so Ill be
referring to these extensively in my presentation. I pronounce this word as Quran and not
Koran. Similarly, I say Islam. PBUH is the abbreviation of peace be upon him. And We is the
plural of respect in Arabic which is used as a pronoun for one God, in the Quran.
Human Rights in Islam
I would like to start with the speech of an early Muslim refugee, named Jafar, in the court of
King Negus of Ethiopia, who asked him to tell him about his faith and the reason for seeking
asylum in his country. And this is part of his answer:
O King, we were an ignorant people, who were worshipping idols, eating dead animals and
indulging in unlawful sexual pleasures. We teased our neighbors, a brother oppressed his
brother, and the strong devoured up the weak. At this time a man rose amongst us, who had
already been known to be truthful, noble and honest. This man called us to Islam; and taught us
to give up worshipping stones, to speak the truth, to refrain from blood-shed and not to defraud
the orphans of their property.

He taught us to provide comfort to our neighbors and not to bring a slander against chaste
women. He enjoined upon us to offer prayers, observe fasts and give charity. We followed him,
gave up polytheism and idolatry and refrained from all evil deeds. It is for this new idea that our
people have become hostile to us and compel us to return to our old misguided life.
I shared this part of his speech with you to give you an idea of how a Muslim from very early
days of Islam, took Islam as a whole. It shows how much importance Islam gives to human
rights and how they are tightly integrated into the religion right from the very beginning. It is
important to note that Islam is a complete way of life. It deals with all aspects of our individual
as well as collective lives and provides complete guidance.
Right to live:
Okay. So, one of the most fundamental rights of a human being is the right to live. Islam gives
human beings this right and emphasizes upon the sanctity of life. Killing an innocent person
irrespective of that persons gender, religion, color, race, origin, and so on, is one of the worst
sins. It is so monstrous and atrocious evil in Islam that it declares the killing of one innocent
individual equivalent to the killing of the whole mankind. Allah says in the Quran in chapter 5
verse 32.
If anyone killed a person not in retaliation of murder, or (and) to spread Fasaad in the land - it
would be as if he killed all mankind
Just imagine killing one innocent person is like killing the whole mankind, in Islam. Sanctity of
life cant be emphasized more than this.
Right to be saved:
Because Islam honors and values human life so it gives every human being the right to be saved.
So if someone has had a bad accident, is drowning, is dying of hunger, thirst or disease, is
burning, or his life is in danger for any other reason, this person has the right that his or her life
should be saved. And saving the life of one human being, again irrespective of gender, religion,
color or race, is as noble and virtuous as saving the whole mankind. Allah says in the Quran.
and if anyone saved one life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind
So Islam really honors human life.

Right to practice religion freely:

Islam also ensures that human beings are not persecuted. Trials and persecutions are termed as
fitnah in the Quran, especially when people are persecuted because of their religious beliefs.
We have seen how in Islam killing one innocent person is equivalent to killing the whole
mankind. But Islam hates persecution too and declares it even worse and greater than killing.
Because in this case you just dont kill the person but otherwise make his/her life hell on this
earth; he dies every moment. And Islam does not allow it. Similarly, Islam hates it when people
are persecuted because of their religious beliefs. It gives people the right to practice their religion

freely without being persecuted or threatened. Similarly, it prohibits enforcing religion on others.
In Islam, no non-Muslim can be forced to be a Muslim. Because it has been made very clear in
the Quran that there is no coercion in religion. The Quran clearly says:
There is no compulsion in religion. Certainly, the truth stands out clear from falsehood.

Right of safety, protection and peace

Islam not only ensures that the people are not killed or persecuted, but it also ensures that they
are not oppressed, threatened or terrorized. It ensures safety and protection of their homes,
properties, businesses and belongings. Vandalism, robbery, piracy, terrorism, violence, and
oppression, all of these come under the Quranic term Fasaad. It is extremely wrong and unfair
that Islam is associated with terrorism all the time, whereas in reality it abhors it and commands
it followers to not indulge in any form of Fasaad.

Right of safety, protection and peace

Islam considers Fasaad (which as we saw earlier includes terrorism, violence, oppression,
robbery and piracy) a very severe crime against humanity and thus prescribes death as maximum
penalty for those who commit Fasaad. But Isam does not stop at that, because again it is a
practical religion. So it actually urges its followers to strive against Fasaad. This struggle to fight
oppression and terrorism to establish justice, peace and security comes under another broad
Quranic term, Jihad. Islam urges its followers to work to establish a society based on peace,
justice, fairness, and equality through teaching and preaching but recognizes that sometimes the
oppressors and persecutors resort to violence and war in which case believers are also given
permission to fight. They are also allowed to fight when they are attacked in the name of
religion.
Allah
says
in
the
Quran:
Permission to fight (against oppressors) is given to those who are fought against, because they
have been wronged; and surely, Allah is Able to give them victory - Those who have been
expelled from their homes unjustly only because they said: "Our Lord is Allah." For had it not
been that Allah checks one set of people by means of another, monasteries, churches,
synagogues, and mosques, wherein the Name of Allah is mentioned much would surely have been
pulled down. Verily, Allah will help those who help His (Cause: Justice, equality, peace, etc.) .
Truly, Allah is All-Strong, All-Mighty.
But it is so unfortunate that Jihad, as noble as it is, is portrayed as evil thing, as some kind of war
in which Muslims are set out to kill all non-Muslims, whereas in reality, it is supposed to be a
struggle against terrorism, oppression and violence to establish a peaceful, safe, and just society.
Jihad is actually a great blessing on mankind. Because, without it, there would be much
oppression on the earth as the verse says.

And if Allah did not check one set of people by means of another the earth would indeed be full
of Fasaad. But Allah is full of bounty to the mankind, that he commanded people to struggle
against
evil.
Right of protection of honor
After ensuring that peoples lives and properties are secure and they are living in peace, Islam
goes one step further and also protects the honor of the people. For this reason, backbiting is
prohibited in Islam. Similarly calling names, mocking at others, or damaging their repute by any
means is strictly prohibited in Islam.
Similarly slandering is prohibited in Islam. Accusing a chaste woman of immorality is
considered a big sin in Islam. So in Islam not only are lives and belongings of the people
protected but their honor, dignity, esteem and repute are also protected.

Equality of human beings under law

This brings us to the topic of equality of human beings. Human beings tend to discriminate
against others for a number of reasons and have a sense of superiority over the others. But Islam
broke all these shackles that lead human beings to discriminate against others. It emphatically
stated that all human beings are equal and that no one has any superiority over the other based on
color, race, gender, nation, tribe, language, religion, history, authority, position, status, power,
wealth, and so on. All are equal. Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said:
All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab
has superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any
superiority over white except by piety and good action.

Equality of human beings under law

So it is made very clear in Islam that all human beings are from Adam and Eve, and they are all
equal. No one has any superiority over the other. The only reason for superiority in front of God
is righteousness. But it is not for us to judge who is righteous. It is for God to judge. And He has
asked us to not ascribe any purity or piety to ourselves, He knows how we are. Also diversity is a
blessing from God, we are created different so that we could know each other. Life would be too
dull if we all looked the same, spoke the same language and had the same culture. So diversity is
a blessing from God and not a reason to discriminate against others.
Islam, being a practical religion, practically instills equality and brotherhood in its followers.
Muslims are required to pray 5 times a day. They are asked to pray in congregation where they
stand shoulder to shoulder together. There is no difference of rich and poor, black and white, and
so on. All stand together and bow and prostrate together. Similarly, very year around 3 million
people from all over the world gather at Makkah for pilgrimage. They have different colors of
skin, belong to all different countries, speak all different languages, and belong to all walks of

life. But there they are all dressed the same and they worship God and perform the rituals of
pilgrimage together. That is how Islam practically teaches equality. Similarly arrogance is
considered a big sin and Muslims are commanded to be humble.
Right to live as a free person
Our next topic is slavery. The world has a dark history of slavery. This evil practice continued in
the world until the mid of 19th century. It is estimated that in 17th and 18th centuries, when
slavery was at its peak, more than 100 million free human beings were enslaved. These were illtreated, ill-fed, tortured and persecuted. But Islam, gave the right to everyone to live as a free
person, centuries ago. In Islam, no free person can be enslaved and sold in slavery.
How Islam dealt with slavery
To deal with existing slaves, Islam took a number of steps. First of all it ordered its followers to
treat slaves kindly. Many verses of the Quran and teachings of the Prophet asked Muslims to
treat slaves kindly. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is reported to have that
He who has a slave-girl and educates her and treats her nicely and then manumits her and
marries her, will get a double reward.
Secondly, Islam prescribed liberation of slaves as expiation of certain sins. So people were
required to purchase and set slaves free as expiation of some of their sins like for unfulfilled
oaths and not giving wives their sexual rights.
Finally, Islam declared liberating of slaves as one of the most virtuous, noble and meritorious
acts and urged its adherents to purchase and set slaves free as a means to be righteous and get
closer to God. Because of these excellent teachings the slavery was significantly reduced among
Muslims in just few decades.
Right to Justice
Our next topic is justice. Islam emphasizes much upon justice. It gives every human being the
right to have justice. Establishing justice on earth was a crucial part of the mission of every
prophet that God sent to mankind, and they were sent to every nation. Islam not only commands
its adherents to struggle against injustice as we saw previously but also requires them to establish
justice. They are commanded to do justice even if it goes against themselves or their parents, or
their relatives. Allah says in the Quran:
O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even though it be against
yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, be they rich or poor, Allah is a Better Protector to both
(than you). So follow not the desires (of your hearts), lest you may avoid justice, and if you
distort your testimony or refuse to give it, verily, Allah is Ever Well-Acquainted with what you
do.
Similarly, they are commanded not to avoid justice in the enmity and hatred of others.
Right to be given equal treatment

Similarly, Islam gives everyone the right to be treated equally and given equal opportunities to
prosper. Dividing people in classes, empowering certain classes and oppressing others is
prohibited in Islam.
Rights of parents:
These days when we talk about human rights we dont hear anything about the rights of parents.
But in Islam, parents rights come before any other humans rights. Islam really emphasizes
much on the rights of parents. Islam requires its adherents to be thankful, respectful, kind, dutiful
and obedient to their parents. It requires them to serve their parents when they grow old, and
treat them utmost kindness, affection and respect. Allah says in Quran:
And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your
parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of
disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honor. And treat them with humility
and mercy, and say: My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was
small.
And among parents, mothers are given much higher status than fathers. Because these are the
mothers who offer and suffer more in bringing us into life and then bringing us up. Islam
recognizes this and gives them a great honor for this. It is sad that Islam is mostly targeted as a
religion which oppresses women but in reality the status and honor Islam gives to women as
mothers is unmatched. They enjoy three times higher status than fathers.
Once a person came to Allah's Messenger (PBUH) and said: Who among the people is most
deserving of a fine treatment from my hand? He said: Your mother. He again said: Then who (is
the next one)? He said: Again it is your mother). He said: Then who (is the next one)? He said:
Again, it is your mother. He (again) said: Then who? Thereupon he said: Then it is your father.
Paradise, in Islam, is said to lie under the feet of ones mother, which means that by just serving
ones mother and being kind, nice, and respectful to her one can get an eternal life in Paradise.
Status of women:
Throughout the history women have been considered as a worthless creature. In pre-Islamic
Arabia the birth of a daughter was used to be considered as utter embarrassment and disgrace.
And out of this insult and disgrace they would even bury their daughters alive.
Islam condemned and detested this evil practice. It told the world that the birth of daughters was
as great a blessing as was the birth of sons, let alone being a disgrace. It actually prescribed great
reward for those who bring up girls with kindness and love. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said
that
whoever is involved in bringing up daughters and extends benevolent treatment towards them,
then they will be protection for him against the hell-fire. He also said: Whoever raises two
daughters till they attain maturity, he and I will come on the Day of Resurrection like this". (he
joined his fingers together)

Similarly throughout the history women have been considered as the source of evil and sin. In
some traditions they were blamed to be the reason for the fall of Adam for centuries. But Islam
vindicated them from this false blame and made it clear that it was not Eve who caused Adam to
commit sin but they both were deceived by Satan and both should share the blame, not just the
poor Eve.
Similarly Islam made it clear that women are equal to men as human beings. They share the
same honor and dignity as human beings, as men. In Islam, women get the same treatment as
men. Reward for their good deeds is the same as the reward that men get for their good deeds..
Allah says in the Quran addressing both men and women:
Truly I will never cause to be lost the work of any of you, Be you a male or female, you are from
one another (or you are equal members of the human race)
In the Quran Allah presents example of two women the wife of Pharaoh and the mother of
Jesus, to all believers, as the ideal believers and the role models for them. This again proves that
Islam considers them equal to men and through their good deeds they can even be the role
models for men. So Islam elevated the status of the women, who had previously been
mistreated, oppressed and persecuted not only in Arabia but also in advanced civilizations of
Rome, Greece and Persia. It gave them the honor and dignity they deserved and which was long
overdue. But it is unfortunate that the same religion is now targeted and blamed as the one which
condones their oppression. But those who have studied the true teachings of Islam know how it
actually elevated their status. Thomas Lipmann, a Jewish journalist says in his book:
In a society in which women were possessions, taken and put aside like trinkets, often held in
conditions approaching bondage, the Quran imposed rules and prohibitions that curbed the
worst abuses, ensured womens property rights, and encouraged men to treat women with
kindness
and
generosity.
He also says:
The Qurans dictates on womens legal status were quite advanced for their time, and Islam law
gives women some rights more liberating than those found in Western legal codes
He further says:
The Quran and the Hadith [sayings of the Prophet Muhammad] lay down rules ensuring for
women the respectable and dignified status that had been denied them [in pre-Islamic society]
and emphasize the stability of the family.
After seeing the status of women in Islam, now lets talk about some of the rights that Islam gave
to women. Islam gives women the right to inherit from the property of their parents and
relatives. Similarly, they have the right to demand as much as they want from their husbands at
the time of marriage. This dower (or bridal money) is their money and they will keep it even if
they are divorced. Similarly they have the right to have their independent property and wealth
and keep their original name after marriage. Similarly, women have the right to bear witness and
to argue for their rights. They could even argue with the prophet for their rights. In the Quran

Allah described an incident of a woman who argued with the prophet for her rights, Allah heard
her plea and gave judgment in her favor. Similarly, women also have the right to vow or make
oath independently and without males endorsement.
Rights of Spouse:
Now lets talk about the rights that spouses have towards each other. We are told in the Quran
that spouses provide tranquility to each other and Allah puts love and mercy in their hearts.
And among His signs is that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that you may
dwell in tranquility with them and He has put love and mercy between your hearts: verily in that
are signs for those who reflect
Spouses have the right to fulfill their sexual desires from each other. They have the right to be
treated with kindness, respect, love, mercy and equity. Islam recognizes that a home is the basic
unit of society. Successful homes build successful societies. And it is the relationship between
husband and wife that promises a happy home. So Islam works to strengthen this relationship.
But when things dont really work out for a couple it does not insist on keeping them together. It
allows them to divorce if it is unavoidable.
We just saw that home is the basic unit of a society. Just like any other institution in the world,
for its proper functioning, the institution of home also has to have exactly one head. And Allah,
in all His wisdom, made husband the head of the institution of home. Actually both husband and
wife work together as a team. Husbands are made captains of the team but it is the team work
that promises success. Wives have the right to be treated with kindness, love, mercy and
affection.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is reported to have said that:
The believers who show the most perfect faith are those who have the best character and the best
of you are those who are best to their wives.
Similarly, the prophet declared the rights of women inviolable and in the Quran husbands are
commanded to live with the wives on a footing of kindness and equity. There are many teachings
about kind treatment of wives and giving them their rights. Islam also gives the wives the right
that their husbands should fulfill all their financial needs and provide for the family. So it is
absolutely husbands responsibility to provide for the financial needs of the family. Women
cannot be asked to go and earn money. They can work if they wish and contribute, but it would
be out of their own discretion, they cannot be forced to do so, as it is not their obligation and is
solely husbands obligation.
Rights of Children:
Children have the right to be well-fed and well-educated. Islam emphasizes on education. It is
obligatory upon every Muslim, male and female, to get educated. Actually the very first word of
the Quran that was revealed on Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was read.
All children should be treated equally. Daughters should be treated like sons.
Similarly, they have the right to be loved and brought up with love and affection. Once a person

saw Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) kissing his grandson and told him that he had ten children but
he never kissed any of them. Upon that the prophet said, He who does not show mercy to others
will not be shown mercy.
Rights of elderly:
Islam asks its followers to respect and honor the elderly. The prophet (PBUH) is reported to have
said, He is not one of us who does not show mercy to our young ones and esteem to our elderly.
Elderly should be greeted by others, given honor, and treated with kindness and respect. They
should also be given priority over young.
Right to inheritance:
Islam gives every human being the right to inherit from parents and relatives. It describes in
detail the share of every relative in inheritance, but we wont go into the details.
Rights of the relatives:
Islam gives importance to building strong bonds with relatives. It ensures a society which is
well-knit, cohesive and supportive. Prophet is reported to have said:
He who believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him show hospitality to his guest; and he who
believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him maintain good relation with kins; and he who believes
in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak good or remain silent.
Cutting the bond of relationship with relatives is prohibited and disliked in Islam, because again,
Islam wants a fully integrated and close-knit society and that is only possible when every person
maintains the ties of relationship with ones kin. Relatives also have the right to be helped and
supported in times of need.
Rights of the neighbors:
Islam lays much emphasis on the rights of neighbors too. Harming them in any way, physically,
psychologically, etc. is prohibited. It is reported that the prophet said:
By Allah, he is not a believer! By Allah, he is not a believer! By Allah, he is not a believer! It was
asked, "Who is that, O Messenger of Allah? He said, "One whose neighbor does not feel safe
from
his
evil/harm.
Neighbors, whether they are relatives or strangers, should be treated with kindness. It again
promises a supportive and well-integrated society. There are many Quranic verses and sayings of
prophet about the nice treatment of neighbors, but Ill just quote one to show how important it is
to be nice with neighbors. The prophet said that Gabriel kept recommending treating neighbors
with kindness until the prophet thought he would announce their share in inheritance like that of
the blood relatives.
Rights of the orphans:
Islam protects the rights of the orphans. Depriving them of their properties and wealth is
considered a major sin. People are warned to not do so, in strict words. Allah said in the Quran:

Verily, those who unjustly eat up the property of orphans, they eat up only fire into their bellies,
and they will be burnt in the blazing Fire!
Islam gives orphans this right that they should be brought up and treated with kindness. Kind
treatment with orphans bears a great reward. The prophet said, I will be like this in Paradise
with the person who takes care of an orphan. Then he raised his forefinger and middle finger
by way of illustration.

Rights of the poor:

Islam recognizes the rights of the less fortunate ones. It assigns their share in the wealth of
others. Islam sets a threshold; all those who are above the threshold are required to pay 2.5% of
their annual savings to those below it. It ensures that the wealth circulates in the society, that it is
not confined in few hands only, that no one dies of hunger, and that the basic needs of everyone
are taken care of. On top of this obligatory charity, people are encouraged and urged to pay more
in charity and feed the poor. Islam also asks its followers to feed the poor as expiation of some of
their sins. Feeding the hungry and helping the poor are considered very noble acts. People are
actually required to urge each other to give charity to the poor and feed and clothe them.
Rights of workers and laborers:
Like other rights, Islam prescribes and protects the rights of workers too. Depriving them of the
wages is a great sin. Prophet is reported to have said that Allah said that He would be against
three kinds of people on the Day of Resurrection and one of them is he who hires a workman and
having taken full work from him, does not pay him his waves. Similarly Islam requires people to
pay the workers their wages in due time. Prophet (PBUH) is reported to have said, Give to the
worker his or her wages before their sweat dries.
Similarly, Islam protects their other rights like they should not be over-burdened or under-paid,
and so on.
Rights of self:
Just like other human beings have rights upon us, we too have rights upon ourselves. We are
required to take care of our needs, like food, rest, etc. and stay healthy. Worshipping Allah is one
of the noblest things in Islam as that is what He created us for. But even in worship, we cannot
go to extremes and neglect the needs of our bodies. Once the prophet (PBUH) was told about a
man who used to fast every day and offer pray the whole night. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
said to him, your body has a right upon you, and your eyes have a right upon you, and your wife
has a right upon you, and your visitors have a right upon you. So we should fulfill these rights.
Similarly torturing oneself in any way or committing suicide is also not allowed.
Right towards each other

Islam gives detailed teachings about the rights that human beings have towards each other. I will
just mention a small subset of those. Greeting others by saying may peace, Gods mercy and
blessings be upon you, is considered a very noble act in Islam, because it promotes brotherhood
and love among people. For the same reasons, people are asked and encouraged to smile at
others. Smiling is considered charity and those who practice it are guaranteed to be rewarded for
it. Islam also asks its followers to be humble. Arrogance is very much disliked in Islam.
Similarly, being envious of others is not allowed. Islam also asks Muslims to not have suspicions
about others, but think good of them and their intentions. They are asked to fulfill the covenants
and promises that they make with each other. Visiting sick and praying for them is considered
very
noble.
Right to freedom of speech
Islam gives everyone the right to speak the good and the truth. Speaking the truth in front of a
tyrant ruler is actually considered to be the biggest Jihad, i.e. one of the most noble things in
Islam. Similarly one has all the right to speak for ones rights. We already saw the example of a
woman described in the Quran who argued with the prophet for her rights and Allah judged in
her favor. However, Islam, does not like that evil be said, except by someone who has been
wronged and he/she is saying that because he/she is enraged over the injustice done to him/her.
Cursing others, abusing others, using foul language, mocking at others, hurting their feelings by
making racial comments, etc. these all come under hate speech and Islam does not allow them.
Islam asks it followers to not do any of these. It tells them not to curse or mock at others deities
or religious figures, as it would jeopardize their peaceful coexistence with followers of other
religions as well as open doors for others to do the same to Muslims.
Right to contribute in policy making
Islam gives everyone the right to contribute in policy making. Mutual consultation is emphasized
much in Islam. There is one whole chapter in Quran with the title Consultation. Allah
commanded the prophet to run the affairs of the state by consulting people, and he used to
consult the people all the time. Similarly, Allah commanded Muslims in general to conduct their
affairs by mutual consultation.
Rights of animals
We have seen how Islam gives comprehensive teachings about the rights of humans. But it is
also interesting to note that Islam emphasizes on the rights of animals too.
First of all, in Islam animals cannot be killed or hunted except certain animals and for the sole
purpose of food. Prophet (PBUH) said,
'Whoever kills a sparrow or anything bigger than that without just cause, Allah will hold him
accountable on the Day of Judgment'. The listeners asked, 'O Messenger of Allah, what is a just
cause?' He replied, 'That he killed it to eat, not simply chop of its head and then throw it away.
Allowing the killing of animals for food makes sense. Because it is an eco system created by
God in which human, animal and plant species rely on others to live. And God, in all his wisdom,

allowed human beings to eat only certain animals which are suitable and healthy for them and
which are created in abundance by God. But other than food, killing animals or hunting them is
prohibited in Islam. Similarly, making them targets of shooting is also prohibited. Even when
they are killed for food, Islam requires that they should be slaughtered in the painless manner. It
is not allowed to slaughter an animal in front of others or sharpen knives in front of them. The
prophet [PBUH] said, Allah has ordained kindness (and excellence) in everything. If the killing
(of animals) is to be done, do it in the best manner, and when you slaughter, do it in the best
manner by first sharpening the knife, and putting the animal at ease."
A scientific study conducted at Hanover University of Germany concluded that the Islamic way
of slaughtering animals is the most humane method of slaughter (painless) and that captive bolt
stunning, practiced in the West, causes severe pain to the animal. In Islamic way of slaughtering
the animal, the trachea, esophagus, the jugular veins, and carotid arteries are cut with a sharp
knife but the spinal cord is left intact. In the study, EEG and ECG signals were recorded to
monitor the condition of heart and brain during and after the slaughtering. The results show that:
For the first three seconds from the time of Islamic slaughter, the EEG did not show any change
from the graph before slaughter, thus, indicating that the animal did not feel any pain during or
immediately after the incision. For the following three seconds, the EEG recorded a condition of
deep sleep unconsciousness. This is due to the large quantity of blood gushing out from the
body. After these first 6 seconds, the EEG recorded zero level, showing no feeling of pain at all.
As the brain message (EEG) dropped to zero level, the heart was still pounding and the body
convulsing vigorously (a reflex action of the spinal cord) driving a maximum amount of blood
from the body thus resulting in hygienic meat for the consumer. Islam also prohibits torturing
and hurting animals, and keeping them thirsty and hungry. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said,
"A woman was punished in Hell because of a cat which she had confined until it died She did
not give it to eat or to drink when it was confined, nor did she free it so that it might eat the
vermin of the earth
And if you wonder that such brutal incidents only occurred centuries ago, then youll be amazed
to know that they do occur these days too and sometimes on a large scale. For example, In 2008,
an artist from Costa Rica, put a starved dog as a work of art. Many people visited the
exhibition and enjoyed seeing the dog reducing to bones and finally dying of starvation. I have
just put a few pictures taken from the initial days of its starvation; later ones are too disturbing to
be shown here. But Islam condemns and prohibits torturing animals in any way and promises
punishment to those who do so. Islam even prohibits people from torturing animals
psychologically.
Abdul Rahman narrated, We were on a journey with the Apostle of God, and he left us for a
while. During his absence, we saw a bird called hummara with its two young and took the young
ones. The mother bird was circling above us in the air, beating its wings in grief, when the
Prophet came back he said: "Who has hurt the feelings of this bird by taking its young? Return
them to her.

So Islam even considers the feelings of animals. Similarly, loading animals too heavily, driving
them harshly, not giving them enough to eat or not taking care of their health is not allowed in
Islam. Prophet (PBUH) once passed by a camel that was so emaciated that its back had almost
reached its stomach. On seeing that he said: 'Fear Allah in (the matter of) these animals who
cannot speak. Only ride them when they are in good health and only eat them when they are in
good health.
Rights of environment
Similarly, Islam teaches us the rights of the environment. God provided enough resources in this
world for all its inhabitants that are to come till the day of Resurrection. Human beings are made
vicegerents of God on earth. So it is obligatory upon them to use the resources wisely and not
deplete, waste, or pollute them.
Destroying crops, trees, cattle, etc. comes under Fasaad and is prohibited. Islam emphasizes
upon the preservation of vegetation especially in the areas where it is scarce. Similarly, growing
vegetation is considered a charitable and meritorious act.
Muslims and Islam
This brings us to the end of our presentation. But before we end the presentation I would like to
make this important distinction between Islam and Muslims, which are unfortunately not the
same. What we have covered are the teachings of Islam but the way Muslims behave is not
always reflective of these wonderful teachings. Many of them are ignorant of the true teachings
and most of them follow cultural traditions and prefer them over religion whereas these may be
contrary to the teachings of Islam. We should not judge Islam by what Muslims do, rather it
should be judged by the teachings of Quran as taught, explained, and demonstrated by Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH), a very small subset of which I tried to cover in todays short presentation
to give you an idea. Dr. Ralph said: At this moment in history, the dynamics and clearly defined
values of Islam have the potential for resuscitating the western worlds decline to morbidity. This
can be done only if the image projected by Islam on the global screen and the actions of Muslims
on the world stage are compatible with Islamic principles of peace, justice, and reverence for
life.

Transcript of 'Jesus in Islam'

Introduction
Assalamu Alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa baraktuhu
May peace and Gods mercy and blessings be upon all of you!
Jesus is no doubt the central figure in Christianity. But it may be interesting for you to note that
Muslims too hold him in very high regards. Actually belief in Jesus is essential part of every
Muslims faith and no Muslim is a Muslim unless he/she believes in Jesus. Muslims believe that
Jesus was born of virgin mother, Mary, that He is the word of God, that He is the promised
Christ, that he was supported by the Holy Spirit, that he performed many miracles including

healing blinds and lepers and raising from the dead, that he preached Gospel, the Divine Book
given to him, that he was lifted to the heavens and that he will be sent back in the End Times. It
must sound very familiar to the Christians. It is true that there are many similarities between the
Islamic and Christian belief about Jesus, but of course there are differences as well. But before
starting the presentation and going into the details Id like to make a request to all of you, to
please not be offended by anything that you find different from your beliefs. My goal is to share
with you how Jesus is viewed and regarded in Islam and not to offend anyone.
Outline:
First Id like to give you a very brief introduction of Islam. After that Ill talk about the mother of
Jesus, Marry, how her mother dedicated her to the service of God and how she was brought up.
Then well see how John the Baptist was born and what the Quran says about him. Next well
study the immaculate conception of Jesus and his virgin birth as described in the Quran and
believed by Muslims. Then well see that according to the Islamic belief Jesus is not son of God
or God or third entity in the Trinity. After that we will see how Jesus and Mary are given a very
high status among the human beings, in Islam. Next, well see that in Islam Jesus is a Prophet,
like Moses, Abraham, David, and so on, who was sent to guide his people. We will study some of
his teachings and read about his disciples. Finally well see that according to the Islamic belief
Jesus was not crucified but God saved him and lifted him alive, and because he did not die he
will be sent again near the End Times. If you think of any questions during the presentation
please write them down on the cards that have been provided to you, Ill try to answer them at
the end of the presentation.
Keywords:
Muslims believe in one Creator, who is called Allah in Arabic. Muhammad is believed to be the
final prophet of God sent to the mankind. The Quran is the Divine book which Muslims believe
to be the literal word of God. Ill pronounce the word as Quran and not Koran. Similarly, Ill say
Islam and not Izlam. Jesus is Isa in Arabic. PBUH is the abbreviation of peace be upon him.
We is the plural of respect in Arabic which is used as a pronoun for one God, in the Quran.
And Children of Israel and people of the book refer to Jews and Christians, in the Quran.
Brief Introduction of Islam (1/5)
That said, lets start with the brief introduction of Islam. The concept of exactly one creator is
central to Islam. That creator is called Allah in Arabic. Muslims believe that this universe and
everything in it was created by God. He is the only creator and everything else is His creation.
The creator, in Islam, is absolutely perfect and most exalted. He is eternal. He is not bound by
time and space. He begets not, nor is He begotten. And there is nothing like Him. Muslims
believe He has got all the good and unique attributes of infinite vastness and absolute perfection.
For instance, He is All-knowing, All-powerful, All-Wise, the most Merciful and so on. Again, He
is absolutely perfect and free from any kind of flaw, weakness, imperfection, need and
dependence, no matter how minute it is.
Brief Introduction of Islam (2/5)

Muslims believe that just because God is perfect what He does is perfect too. So this creation is a
purposeful creation and God did not create all this in vain. And the purpose of creation, in Islam,
is praise, glorification, reverence and worship of God and His complete obedience and
submission to Him. He created everything so that everything could praise, worship and obey
Him. Everything in the universe does that but without knowing and without choice. Human
beings are unique because they are given intellect and wisdom through which they can know the
purpose of their creation and they are also given ability to choose, using which they can either
choose to do what is required of them or choose to not do so.
Brief Introduction of Islam (3/5)
And life of this world is a test for human beings, not a written test but a comprehensive one.
Muslims believe that we are given life and sent in this world so that we could be tested as to who
among us realize the purpose of their creation and then fulfill it out of their choice. Since, it is a
test; it has got a result too. Those who pass the test, will be appreciated, acknowledged, honored
and rewarded in a place called Heaven or Paradise. Those who fail the test will be punished in a
place called Hell. Again, what is required to pass the test? First of all know who the Creator is,
what His attributes are, why He created us. And then fulfill the purpose of creation which is to
worship and obey Him in everything.
Brief Introduction of Islam (4/5)
But a question comes to mind that if this life is a test are we told about the test. And the answer
is Yes, everything in detail. God described everything in His own words. These were called
Books of God or word of God. Among them, Muslims believe, are Torah, Psalms, Gospel and the
Quran. Not only God described everything Himself but He also appointed human beings from
among human beings who explained the word of God to mankind and also practically
demonstrated what is required of them to pass the test of life. Muslims believe these instructors
and role models, called messengers and prophets were sent to every nation. Among them were
Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, John,
Jesus and Muhammad who is the final messenger. May peace be upon them all!
Brief Introduction of Islam (5/5)
So three things are required to pass the test, belief, worship and obedience. First is the belief.
Here are some core beliefs that every Muslim has to have. We have discussed the belief in the
Creator, Books and Messengers, others are belief in Angels, Divine Decree, and the day of
Resurrection. As for the worship, Muslims are taught different modes of worship. Among them
are praying, fasting and making Pilgrimage to Makkah. As for the obedience, they are given
excellent commandments. These commandments cover all aspects of our individual as well as
collective lives and ensure a peaceful society based on justice, equality, fairness, goodness, piety
and
modesty.
Mother of Jesus Mary
After the brief introduction of Islam, now let us see what the Quran tells Muslims about the
mother of Jesus. The Quran says that Mary was the mother of Jesus. She was the daughter of

Imran who was a descendant of Jacob, the grandson of Abraham. We are told that when the wife
of Imran got pregnant she vowed to God that she would dedicate the child who is in her womb to
the service of God. And she prayed that may God accept this from her. Here is the verse from the
Quran. It is in chapter 3 and the verse number is 35. It says: (Remember) when the wife of 'Imran
said: O my Lord! I have vowed to You what (the child that) is in my womb to be dedicated for
Your services, so accept this, from me. Indeed, You are the All-Hearer, the All-Knowing.
But when she delivered the child she found that it was a girl. We can tell that she is not very
happy. She was expecting a boy because these were males that were usually dedicated for this
purpose. Nonetheless, she names the daughter, Mary and prays that she and her offspring may be
protected from Satan. Here is the verse. You can also find it in your handouts; I wont be reading
all the verses but what I am describing is from the Quran and the handouts have the relevant
verses which you can read later. Next we are told in Quran that God accepted Mary with a
goodly acceptance, made her grow up in a good manner i.e. she turned out be an excellent and a
very fine child, and put her under the care of Zechariah. Zechariah was one of the priests of the
temple and a prophet. Mary of course had to move to the temple as she was dedicated for Gods
service and someone had to be her caretaker there. We are told in the Quran later that the people
in the temple disputed as to who would become the caretaker of Mary and then they cast lots
with their pens to decide the winner, who turned out to be Zechariah that is why Quran says that
God put Mary under the care of Zechariah. Then we are told that whenever Zechariah entered her
Chamber, her room where she used to worship God, he found sustenance with her, food and
fruits of different kind. He was of course surprised to see food with her. Hmm where does this
little girl get all this yummy food from? When he couldnt figure out who gives her food, one
day he asked her O Mary, where did this come for you from? And she said, this is from Allah,
from God. Verily God provides sustenance to whomever He wills, without limit.
Miraculous Birth of John the Baptist
This made Zechariah pray to God for the offspring. Zechariah was in his old age and he did not
have any children. After finding out that God provided food to Mary, his hope that God can still
provide him with offspring got strengthened. So Zechariah prayed, O my Lord, grant me from
you, a good offspring. You are indeed the All-Hearer of invocation and supplication. God
accepted his prayer. So he sent angels who called him while he was praying in the chamber. They
told him that Allah gives him glad tidings of John, who will confirm the word of God i.e. he
would testify that Jesus is the Word of God and Christ, he will be noble, modest and a prophet
from among the righteous. On hearing that, Zechariah said, O my Lord how can I have a son
when I am very old and my wife has been barren all her life?
Allah said, Thus Allah does what He wills.
He said, O my Lord, make a sign for me. Although he prayed for the offspring, but seems like he
is finding it hard to digest the idea of having a son, because He knows he is too old and his wife
has been barren all her life. So he asks for a sign, seeing which he could strengthen his heart.
God tells him, your sign is that you will not be able to speak to the people for three days except
with signs. So remember much your Lord, i.e. praise Him, and glorify Him in the afternoon and
in the morning.

In case you are wondering what does the birth of John the Baptist have to do with our topic, it is
important to note that the Birth of Jesus is mentioned at least three times in Quran and every time
the birth of John is mentioned before it to make us realize that the birth of John is miraculous
too. God, who can bless a very old man whose wife cannot produce child, with a son can also
bless Mary with a son, while she is virgin. It is easy for Him. Here are some of the characteristics
of John the Baptist, according to the Quran, that he was blessed with wisdom since childhood.
God made him sympathetic to men as a Mercy from God, and pure from disbelief. He was
righteous and dutiful to his parents. He was neither arrogant nor disobedient to Allah and his
parents. Peace be upon him the day he was born, the day he died and the day he will be raised up
to
life
again.
Mary was Chosen
Next we see that angels tell Mary that she was chosen by Allah and purified and chosen above
women of all nations. It is an unmatched honor that Mary enjoys. But with privilege comes more
responsibility and expectations. So the angels ask Mary to submit to her Lord, and prostrate and
bow down with those who bow down in prayer and submission.
Mary receives glad tidings of a son
So Mary grows up as a righteous, noble and chaste lady who is dedicated to the worship of God
and the service of religion. According to the Quran, one day angels come to Mary and give her
glad tidings of a son who would be the Word of God. They tell her that his name would be the
Messiah Jesus, Jesus Christ, son of Mary. That he will be held in honor in this world and in the
Hereafter he will be one of those who are near to Allah. They further tell Mary, that Jesus will
speak to the people as an infant and he will be one of the righteous. Now this is quite shocking
for the virgin lady to hear the news about having a son. She is like, wait a minute, do you tell me
that I can have a son when no man has ever touched me? In other words I am a virgin, how on
earth can I have a son. Angel Gabriel says, so it will be, for Allah creates what He wills. It is not
difficult for Him. When He has decreed something He just says Be and It becomes. Then the
angel Gabriel continues on to tell Mary more about the son. That Allah will teach him the Book
and the wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel. And that Allah will make him a messenger to the
progeny of Jacob and enable him to perform miracles as a sign that he is a true messenger from
God. Among the miracles that he will perform by the will of God are creating a living bird out of
clay, healing born blinds and lepers, give life to dead, and telling what people eat and what they
store in their houses. That he will confirm Torah as a true book from God and make some
forbidden things lawful. He will ask his people to fear God and follow Jesus. He will tell them
that God is his Lord and their Lord so they should worship God alone. So the angels tell Mary all
this in advance, about the virgin birth of Jesus, about him being the word of God, the promised
Christ, a messenger to progeny of Jacob, a teacher of Torah and Gospel, and having the ability to
perform many miracles.
Virgin Birth of Jesus
Now let us study the virgin birth of Jesus in more detail. This is described in chapter 19 and the
name of this chapter is Mary. The whole chapter is named after Mary, the mother of Jesus.

We are told in this chapter that Mary withdrew herself in seclusion from her family to a place
facing east. There she placed a screen to screen herself from people and there Allah sent angels
to her. Angel Gabriel appeared to her in the form of a man. This was a test for her modesty. Just
imagine a virgin young girl in her room with a man, alone. But Mary is a chaste lady, on finding
a man in her room she is not like, wow, what a tall handsome man!. She is actually frightened
and worried. She seeks refuge with God from the man and tells him to fear God and not have any
bad intentions towards her. So it was a test of her modesty which she successfully passed and on
that the Angel Gabriel reveals his identity that he is an angel, a messenger from God, and tells
her not to be scared. He also tells her that he came to announce the gift of a righteous son.
Mary as we have seen before is shocked, she questions how can she have a son when she is a
virgin. Angel tells her that it will be so. Her Lord has said that it is easy for Him. And He will
make Jesus a sign for the mankind (i.e. his virgin birth) and a mercy from God. And that this is a
matter already decreed. So Mary conceives miraculously and withdraws with the child in her
belly to a far place, i.e. the Bethlehem valley, 4 to 6 miles from Jerusalem). Then when it is the
time to give birth, labor pains drive her to the trunk of a date-palm. She is in pain but the pain
and worries of forthcoming insult and embarrassment are overwhelming. At that point Mary
wishes that she had died before this and had been long forgotten. She is really worried about
what she is gonna tell her people. She is thinking of all the fingers that will be pointed towards
her, all the evil titles and names that she will be given, all the comments like oh look at her, isnt
it the same girl who was dedicated for Gods service, isnt it the same girl who belongs to a
noble family, and look what she has done. You can imagine how worried she is. But at that
point that what is below her, i.e. the newly born baby consoles her by saying, Grieve not, Your
Lord has provided a water stream under you and fresh dates. Shake the trunk of the date-palm
and it will let fresh ripe dates fall on you. So basically she is told that her Lord has not forsaken
her. He cares about her and has provided for her dates to gain energy and water to drink as well
as get purified. And that God is with her and He will let it pass, she will be able to face her
people, so she should not be grieved. After telling her about the dates and water, Jesus, the newly
born baby, asks her to eat and drink and cool her eye by looking at her adorable child and
hugging and kissing him. He also tells her that when she is ready to go back to her people she
should fast and when any human being tries to talk to her she should signal them that she is
fasting and cannot speak. So she comes back to her people, carrying the baby, Jesus, in her
hands. As expected, everyone is shocked. They exclaim! O Mary, you have indeed brought a
mighty unheard thing. O Mary, your father was not an adulterer nor was your mother an unchaste
lady, how come could you do such an evil and shameful thing. As was told previously, she
points to the child, meaning that they should ask him. They are like, what? Are you out of your
sense? How can we talk to a baby who is in cradle? On that, the baby, Jesus, says. Verily, I am a
slave of Allah. He has given me the Scripture i.e. Gospel and made me a Prophet. And He has
made me blessed wheresoever I be, and has enjoined on me prayer and charity, as long as I live.
And dutiful to my mother and I am not made arrogant or overbearing. Peace be upon me the day
I was born, the day I die and the day I shall be raised alive. This is the first miracle of Jesus,
when he spoke as an infant in the defense of his mother. He cleared her from all false allegations
and slander. It is important to note that Jesus performed this and other miracles by the help of

angel Gabriel, whose title in Quran is the Holy Spirit. So he was truly supported by the Holy
Spirit according to the Islamic belief.
This is a true narrative
The Quran tells us that this is a true narrative. Muhammad PBUH did not know about any of the
details. The whole Quran is the divine revelation and not Muhammads own writings, as it is
claimed by some non-Muslims. Also, it is interesting to note that the Quran has many more
stories of other Prophets and their families as compared to very few about him and his family.
Jesus is NOT son of God
After the story of virgin birth of Jesus, the Quran says: Such is Jesus, son of Mary, this is a
statement of truth about which people doubt.
It is important to note that most of the time when Jesus is mentioned in the Quran, he is
mentioned as Jesus, son of Mary to emphasize that he was son of Mary and not God.
Then the Quran reads that it befits not God that He should beget a son. Process of begetting is
associated with low animal desires. Human beings and animals beget, God does not. He is far too
perfect and most exalted to beget and have sons and daughters. He creates. He is the creator of
everything. And whenever He decrees something He just says Be and it becomes. That is
how He created Jesus, through His command or word of Be, that is why Jesus is said to be the
Word of God.
God is too perfect to have sons
It is not exclusive to Jesus only, God in general does not have any sons. He is far too perfect and
most exalted to have sons. His is all creation. Everything is created by Him and belongs to Him.
He does not need a heir or a name bearer or an intermediary.
Jesus is NOT God or part of Trinity
Muslims also believe that Jesus is not God, and similarly God is not Jesus. Declaring anyone else
God, other than the true God, the one Creator of the universe, is the greatest sin in Islam which
will not be forgiven unless the person repents sincerely. Muslims also believe that Jesus is not
part of the Trinity and that Trinity, itself, does not exist. They believe that God is just one.
Jesus is like Adam
According to the Islamic belief Jesus was born of virgin mother. But just because he was born
without a father, it does not mean that he was the son of God because then Adam is probably a
more proper candidate to be called the son of God. Because Jesus still had a mother. Adam had
none. No father, no mother. But the Quran says that both Adam and Jesus are human beings.
God created both of them. It says that the example of Jesus is just like the example of Adam.
God created him from dust/clay and just said, Be and he was. Then it says, this is the truth
from your Lord so be of not those who doubt.

Jesus will be reminded of Gods favors

In the Quran we are told that God will remind Jesus of His favors on him, on the day of
Resurrection. Gods favors on him, like giving him wisdom, teaching him Torah and Gospel,
giving him the ability and permission to perform miracles like speaking as an infant, creating a
living bird out of clay, healing born blinds and lepers, raising from the dead and so on, and
His favor of saving Jesus from his people when they tried to kill him and giving him the
disciples. These are the verses that talk about these favors.
Jesus will be questioned
After reminding Jesus of Gods favors on him, God will question him if he told his people to
worship him and his mother as two gods besides Allah. He will say, Glory be to you! It was not
of me to say what I had no right to say Had I said such a thing, You would surely have known
it. You know what is in my inner-self though I do not know what is in Yours, truly, You, only You,
are the All-Knower of all that is hidden and unseen.

Jesus will reply

Jesus will further say, I only said to them what You commanded me to say: i.e. Worship Allah,
my Lord and Your Lord And I was a witness over them while I dwelt amongst them, but when
You took me up You were the watcher over them. And You are a witness to all things. If you
punish them they are your slaves, and if you forgive them then verily You and only You are the
All-Mighty, the All-Wise. God will say that this is the day on which only the truthful will profit
from their truth.
High Status of Mary and Jesus
Now let us talk about the high status that Jesus and Mary have in Islam.
First lets talk about Mary. As we saw previously that Mary was chosen by God and purified and
chosen above women of all nations. It is a great honor and status that she enjoys among women
of all nations and all times. She was the real Miss universe, who unlike the miss universe of
our times was not selected by the physical beauty or attraction but the beauty of character,
morals, values, personality, modesty, piety, wisdom, obedience and submission to God. It is a
great honor that she enjoys, something even the most righteous among men envy about.
The Quran also praises her for her truthfulness when it says, that she was a woman of truth.
High Status of Mary and Jesus
It also praises her for her chastity and modesty and obedience. And presents her as one of the two
examples of the best women of all times. It is interesting to see that Islam is usually targeted, of
course falsely, as a religion which oppresses and subjugates women. But here we see, that the
Quran presents the examples of women to all the believers, men and women, of all times. That
these women are the shining stars, the role-models for mankind. If you want to know how a
believer should be then look at Mary and follow her example. Similarly Jesus holds a very high

status in Islam. He is given the title of the Word of God and the Messiah. Allah made Jesus
and Mary as a sign for mankind. Jesus was an example for the children of Israel.
But they were human beings
But as high a status as they had, according to Islam, both Mary and Jesus were still human
beings. We are told in Quran that they both used to eat food and then of course excrete. While
God does not eat. He is free from any need or dependence or flaw or weakness or imperfection.
And Quran presents this argument as something to be pondered about. Next we are told that
Jesus was a humble slave of God. He will never be proud to reject to be a slave of Allah and
whoever is proud and rejects Gods worship, God will punish them. And God has power over
everything if He wishes to destroy the whole mankind including Jesus and his mother, nothing
can stop Him and no one has power against Him.
Jesus is a Prophet like others
So in Islam, Jesus is not son of God or God, he is a human being but not any ordinary human
being. He is believed to be a prophet, like other prophets, like Abraham, Moses, and David. God
gave him the Divine Book, Gospel, which had guidance and light for his people. Muslims
believe in all the prophets and Jesus is certainly one of them. They are told to respect and honor
all of them and not make any distinction among any of them. Allah says in the Quran: Say (O
Muslims), We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been
sent down to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and to the sons of Jacob, and that which has been
given to Moses and Jesus, and that which has been given to the Prophets from their Lord. We
make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted (in Islam).
Muhammad PBUH is also a Prophet like Jesus. Muslims believe that he is the successor of Jesus
and the final prophet sent to mankind. He is a descendant of Abraham through his elder son
Ishmael, as you can see in the tree on your right.
Teachings of Jesus
We have seen that Jesus was a prophet according to Islam. Let us take a look at some of his
teachings that are described in the Quran. First of all, he confirmed Torah that was revealed
before him as a true revelation. He made things clear to his people in which they used to differ.
He made some things lawful for them that were previously made unlawful. As for the teachings,
he told them to fear God and obey him. He asked them to worship God, his and their Lord. At the
time of Jesus, the true spirit of religion had been lost. His nation had turned into a corrupt and
immoral society. People had taken liberties against the Gods religion. They even killed prophets.
Rabbis of his time had their hegemony on religion and they would exploit people in the name of
religion. We are told in Quran that Jesus condemned the rabbis of his time for what they used to
do and revived the true spirit of religion.
Disciples of Jesus

The Quran also mentions his disciples. It says when his people denied him, Jesus asked who
would be his helpers in the cause of Allah. The disciples said they would be the helpers of Allah.
So they believed in him and in the Gospel that was revealed to him and followed him.
Jesus was not crucified
This brings us to our last topic about Jesus, which is that according to the Islamic belief based on
the Quran, Jesus was not crucified. We are told that when his people plotted to kill Jesus, God
planned too and He is the best of the planners. He told Jesus, I will take you and lift you to
Myself and clear you of the falsehood of those who disbelieve. And I will make those who follow
you, superior to those who reject faith till the Day of Resurrection. Then you will come to me and
I will judge in the matters in which you used to dispute.
The Quran says that Jesus was not killed. Nor was he crucified. But it was made to appear to
them. That they crucified him, where in fact he was not crucified but God saved him and lifted
him
alive.
Jesus will be sent again
Since Jesus did not die and he was lifted alive, Muslims believe that God will send Jesus again to
complete his life on earth and die just as all other human beings die. He will be sent near the End
Times and will be known as the sign for the Day of Resurrection. We also know through the
prophetic narrations that Jesus will gain victory against anti-Christ and his cohorts.
The Quran also tells that his followers will believe in him as a righteous prophet and he will be
a witness over them on the Day of Judgment, that he conveyed the true message from his Lord to
them.
Summary
This concludes our topic. We have seen that according to the Islamic belief based on the Quran
Jesus was born of virgin mother, Mary. That He is the Word of God, as he was created by Gods
command or word. The he is the promised Christ, where Christ means the anointed one. That he
was supported by the Holy Spirit who is Angel Gabriel. That he preached the Divine book
Gospel, given to him. That he performed many miracles. That he was not son of God or God or
part of Trinity. That he was a human being, but one of the best that ever lived. That he was a
prophet. That he did not die and was lifted alive to the Heavens and will be sent again near the
End Times.
What is required for Salvation?
But Jesus is associated with salvation so I guess I should give you a quick description of what
Muslims believe about salvation. Since this life is a test, so the obvious answer to the question of
what is required for salvation, is to pass the test, which as we saw previously is to have belief
and worship and obey God. Sin is the disobedience of God. When we disobey God, we commit
sin and become candidate for punishment. The only way this can be averted is that God may
forgive us. And He does forgive us for each and everything. He is the Most Forgiving, the Most
Merciful. His mercy encompasses everything. What He requires from us is that when we falter,

we should realize and confess our mistake, be ashamed about it. Then we should turn to God in
repentance, seek His forgiveness, resolve to not repeat the sin and rectify ourselves. It is
important to note that perfection is not desired. We can never be perfect. Only God is so. All
what is required is a sincere struggle, through worship and obedience and whenever we falter we
should
turn
to
God
in
repentance.
And
He
does
forgive.
Islam and Christianity
Now lets take a very quick look at both Christianity and Islam. As you might have noted that
there are many similarities between Islam and Christianity. Like the concept of God, Books,
Prophets, Heaven and Hell. Christians and Muslims believe in the same God of Abraham, they
believe in the same prophets and in the same books. So the two religions are in a way very close
to each other. But of course there are some differences as well. Like there is no concept of Trinity
in Islam. Similarly, there is no concept of original sin. Also, blood is not needed to blot out sins.
Faith alone is not enough, both faith and actions (worship and obedience) are required to pass the
test. The Holy Spirit is angel Gabriel. And similarly there are some differences about Jesus that
we have studied in detail. But the differences should not stop us from coming closer to each
other and promoting tolerance, understanding, and mutual respect.

What the Quran says about some Christians

Lastly I want to share some verses of Quran with you. These are about Christians. It might be
interesting for you to note that the Quran speaks good of some Christians. First verse says that
those who followed Jesus, God ordained in their hearts compassion and mercy. Second verse
says that you will find nearest in love to the believers i.e. Muslims those who say We are
Christians This is because among them are priests and monks and they are not proud. So the
Quran says that among Christians are humble people and they are nearest in love to the
Muslims, we just need to work for it, address misconceptions and promote understanding, mutual
respect and love. Third verse says that when they listen to what has been sent down to you O
Muhammad you see their eyes overflowing with tears because of the truth they have recognized.
They say, Our Lord, We believe, so write us among the witnesses, i.e. those who testify your
Oneness and believe in you and messengers.

Transcript of 'Abraham in Islam'

Introduction
Assalamu Alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh
May peace and Gods mercy and blessing be upon all of you! Good evening and thanks for
taking time to attend this seminar on Abraham in Islam. Abraham is one of the most well known
figures of the history of mankind. He is considered as one of the main prophets in Judaism,
Christianity and Islam. Today well see what Muslims believe about Abraham and what the
Quran says about him.
Outline
First well take a look at the historical background and see what historians say about the society
in which Abraham grew up. Then well see what the Quran says about his belief in monotheism
from a young age. After that well discuss his dialog with his father and people, about religion.
Then well study his life as a prophet. Next, well talk about his family, which was really a
family of prophets. Then well see how he has the honor of building the first house of worship on
earth and starting the ritual of pilgrimage. Finally well see how he was a true Muslim and a role
model for the whole mankind.
Some terms/keywords:
Here is a list of keywords that Ill be using. Muslims believe in one Creator, who is called Allah
in Arabic. Muhammad is the final prophet of God sent to the mankind. Among other prophets
that Muslims believe in are Abraham, Moses, David and Jesus. The Quran is the Divine book
which Muslims believe to be the literal word of God. The Quran and the teachings of Prophet

Muhammad are the two sources of guidance for Muslims. Ill pronounce the word as Quran and
not Koran. Similarly, Ill say Islam and not Izlam. Abraham is Ibrahim in Arabic. PBUH is the
abbreviation of peace be upon him. We is the plural of respect in Arabic which is used as a
pronoun for one God, in the Quran. And Children of Israel and people of the book refer to
Jews and Christians.
Historical Background
Before looking at what Islam says about Abraham, let us first see what the historians say about
the society in which he grew up. Most of what I am going to say now is derived from the works
of Sir Leonard Woolley. Scholars generally regard 2100 B.C. as the estimated period of
Abraham. He was born in Ur which was the capital city of Iraq. It was a flourishing industrial
and business center of the country with an estimated population of 250,000. The people of Ur
were mostly merchants and craftsmen by profession. The inscriptions of the age that have been
deciphered from the archaeological remains show that they had a materialistic outlook on life.
Their main object in life was to amass wealth and luxuries. Their prayers to their gods generally
consisted of supplications for long life, prosperity and flourishing business. The society was
divided in three classes. The Amelu, this was the highest class which consisted of the priests,
state officials and military officers. The Mushkenu, These were the merchants, craftsmen, and
farmers. The Ardu, these were the slaves. The Amelu class enjoyed special distinctions and
privileges, and they had greater rights both in criminal and civil law than others. Their life and
property were held sacred and precious. According to the Talmudic description, Abrahams father
belonged to the Amelu class and he was the chief official of the state. As for the religion, the
people of Iraq were pagans. The tablets excavated at Ur mention the names of about 5000 gods.
Every city had its own god and a special deity, who was regarded as the city god or the chief god
and was entitled to greater reverence than others. The city god of Ur was Nannar, the moon god.
The other big city was Larsah which later became the capital of the state instead of Ur, its city
god was Shamash, the sun god. Under these chief gods there were many smaller gods most of
whom had been adopted from the stars and planets and a few among the earthly objects. They
thought that their prayers for less important things were granted by these minor gods. The
symbols of all heavenly and earthly gods and goddesses had been formed in the shape of idols
and all rites of worship were performed before them. The first image on the screen shows a tower
that symbolizes a link between earth and heaven. At the top, the king stands in an attitude of
prayer. Above his head is the symbol of the moon god, Nannar. And to the right are the angels.
The middle one shows the King with the idol of Nannar. And the image on the right shows the
sun god, Shamash. The idol of Nannar had been kept in a grand shrine built on the highest peak
at Ur and near it the sanctuary of his wife Ningal had been built. The shrine of Nannar was just
like a royal palace where every night a different female worshipper would go and become his
bride. Thus there lived a large number of women in the shrine who had been dedicated to the god
and their position was no better than religious prostitutes. The woman who would sacrifice her
virginity in the name of god was regarded very respectable. The common belief was that a
woman must surrender herself at least once in her lifetime to another man in the way of god and
it goes without saying that those who benefitted most from this were the male priests themselves.

It is interesting to note that Nannar was not just an idol, he was the biggest landlord of the
country, the biggest merchant, the biggest craftsmen and the chief executive of countrys political
life, for a large number of gardens, houses and fields had been dedicated to his shrine. Besides
the income from these sources, people brought their offerings of corn, milk, gold, clothe, etc. to
the shrine. Naturally there was a big staff to look after these offerings. Many factories were run
and business on a large scale was done on behalf of the Temple. Similarly, the highest court of
justice had been established in the shrine and the priests acted as judges and their judgments
were regarded as from god. The royal dynasty also derived its sovereignty from Nannar who was
the real sovereign. The king ruled the country on his behalf and was, therefore, raised to the rank
of a deity and worshipped like the other gods. The dynasty which was ruling over Ur at the time
of Abraham was founded by Ur-Nammu who in 2300 B.C. had established a vast empire. It was
from him that the dynasty received the title of Nammu which became Namrud in Arabic.
Abrahams belief in Monotheism
After this historical background let us see what the Quran tells us about Abraham. According to
the Quran, Abraham believed in one God from very young age, although everyone else around
him was a pagan, an idol worshipper. As we saw previously that his people used to worship stars,
moon, sun and other heavenly and earthly objects. The Quran tells us that after his belief in one
God, he tried to reason with his people and questioned the legitimacy of their gods. First he
considered the star and questioned if it can be god. But when it set he said he did not like those
that set. Then he considered the moon and questioned if it can be his god. But it too set. He
concluded that it could not be god. It was his way of reasoning and telling his people that the
things they worship as gods were not really gods. Then he considered the sun. It was bigger and
brighter. He questioned if it could be god. But it too set. He concluded it too was not god. Thus
he rejected all false gods and said:
O my people, I am indeed free from all that you join as partners in worship with Allah.
Certainly, I have turned my face towards Him Who has created the heavens and the earth firmly
and truly I am not of polytheists.
Abrahams dialog with his father
The Quran tells us that Abrahams father, like everyone else, was an idol-worshipper. Abraham
being a firm believer in one God, tries to convince his father to give up worshipping stones. He
says: O my father, why do you worship that which hears not, sees not and cannot avail you in
anything. He also tells him that it is a sheer ignorance, plain wrong, utter non-sense, and
manifest error to take idols as gods. Abraham tells his father that he has got knowledge and
guidance from God. He asks his dad to follow him and tells him that he will guide him to the
straight path. He asks him to not worship Satan who is rebel against God. And warns him of
punishment from God, if he remains a polytheist and disbeliever in the true God. The Quran
tells us that instead of listening to the sincere call of his son, Abrahams father rebukes him on
rejecting his gods. He warns Abraham that he will stone him if he doesnt stop talking like this
about his gods. And he tells Abraham to just go away before he punishes him. So he expels him

from the house. Abraham says that he will turn away from him and his false gods and call on his
true Lord in hope. He also tells his father that he will ask for Gods forgiveness for his father.
Abraham keeps his promise
We are told in the Quran later that Abraham kept this promise. He kept praying for his father
until he found that his father died as a disbeliever and enemy of Allah. The Quran also testifies
that Abraham was very tender-hearted and forbearing.
Abraham confronts his people
The Quran tells us that Abrahams preaching was not limited to his father only, he also tried his
best to reason with his people. He asked them what do you worship. They said, we worship
idols and to them we are ever devoted. He said, Do they really hear you when you call them,
or do they have the power to benefit or harm you. They had no answer. But they were honest in
their reply when they said, no, but we found our fathers doing so. And this is a great tragedy
with mankind that when it comes to religion they blindly follow what their parents tell them to.
Abraham tells them these their idols, the false gods are his enemies. And that he only believes in
the true God, the Lord of the Universe, Who created him, Who guides him, Who feeds him, Who
gives him to drink, Who cures him when he is ill, Who will cause him to die, Who will resurrect
him and Whose forgiveness and mercy he hopes for. So basically, he tells them that God is the
one who does all these things and the idols they worship are mere stones. So they should not
worship them. Then he also declares himself innocent of their idolatry, disassociates himself with
them, and makes it clear to them that he is not going to be their partner in crime. He says,
Certainly, I am innocent of what you worship, except Him, Allah, Who did create me and
surely He will guide me.
Abraham calls his people to Monotheism
Then we are told in the Quran that after questioning his people about their faith and separating
himself from their pagan beliefs, he does not stop at that. He is the kind of person who had firm
belief in one God and is absolutely convinced that it is the truth, and he cannot see his people
worshipping idols which they carve by their own hands, instead of the one Creator, Allah. So he
calls them towards the worship of Allah, the only true God. He says:
Worship Allah, and fear Him, that is better for you if you really know You worship besides
Allah only idols, and you only invent falsehood. Verily, those whom you worship besides Allah
have no power to give you provision, so seek your provision from Allah, and worship Him, and
be grateful to Him. To Him you will be brought back.
He also makes it clear to them, that as a messenger, his job is just to convey, he cannot force
them to believe in monotheism.
His people dispute with him
But instead of paying attention to what he is calling them for, and thinking about it, his people
dispute with him and actually tell him to fear their gods. They tell him, hey what are you saying
about our gods that they are false, you should fear them, otherwise they will harm you. And He is

like, what? Seriously? You are telling me that I should fear these stones, who have no power to
harm or benefit anyone. Actually you should fear Allah, who is the All-Powerful and not
associate these false gods with Him, because He really has the power to punish you.
Abraham breaks idols
He further tells them that he is the witness that their Lord is the Lord of the Universe. But when
he sees that his people are not listening to his arguments, he warns them that he will plot a plan
against their idols in order to teach them a lesson. Then comes the day of the big festival which is
held outside the town and everyone from the town attends the festival. Abraham is not feeling
well so he tells them he cannot join them because he is not feeling well. So his people leave him
behind and go to attend the festival. Abraham finds a good opportunity to deal with their idols in
order to teach his people a lesson. So he goes to the temple. It is a great opportunity for him as
everyone is gone and wont be back until late in the night. So he has all the time. He turns to the
idols and finds food of all sorts that people had brought for their gods. Oh pizzas ,hmm hot dogs,
biryani, yummy, wow. But its all untouched. He asks them, will you not eat it. No answer. He
asks, what is the matter with you that you speak not. Whats wrong with you guys? Come on, say
something. Then he turns to them and starts striking them with his right hand and breaks them
into pieces all of them, except the biggest of them, which is probably the idol of Nannar. He does
not break it, so that people could turn to him and ask what happened to others. When the people
come back from the festival they are in shock to see their gods lying on the floor broken apart
into pieces. They are wondering who could do such a terrible thing to their gods. Then some of
them get reminded of Abraham. They say oh we know who it may be, it is a young guy called
Abraham and we heard him talking against them. It must be him. The others demand that it is a
such a big thing that we should bring this terrible man in front of everyone so that they could
know who it is who did this to their gods and punish him accordingly. So, Abraham is brought in
front of everyone and asked. Are you the one, who has done this to our gods, O Abraham.
Now, it is the time for Abraham to prove his point. So he says, well, it must have been the
biggest of them who did it. Ask them if they speak. I mean they are gods, they should be able to
tell you who broke them. This made them think for a while and see how irrational they were in
worshipping them as gods who can neither defend themselves nor even speak and tell who broke
them. But they are more irrational than that, instead of learning a lesson from it and seeing
Abrahams point. They act adamantly and say you know they do not speak. Abraham says, Do
you then worship besides Allah, things that can neither benefit you nor harm you. Shame on
you and on that which you worship besides Allah. Do you have no sense? But guess what;
they are still not willing to digest the fact that these are false gods, mere stones. So they take his
case to the court of the king. Now here is an interesting dialog between Abraham and the king.
And as we saw before the king was also worshipped and given the rank of deity. Abraham tells
the king that his Lord is the one who gives life and causes death. The arrogant king says, well, I
do the same. He calls two prisoners and decrees that one of them should be beheaded and other
one released. So he says, see I give life to whom I wish and cause death to whom I wish. We can
see he is not getting Abrahams point. But on that Abraham says, ok, well, my Lord causes the
sun to rise from the east, cause it to rise from the west. Now the king is speechless. So in a way,
Abraham, utterly defeats everyone there. But again, instead of conceding defeat the people

demand that he should be burnt alive or killed for what he did to their gods. They finally decide
to burn him alive and throw him in the pit of fire. At that point Allah says, O fire, be coolness
and safety for Abraham. So Allah saves Abraham through this miracle and his people are not able
to harm him. But they are still determined to not believe in him. Abraham can see these people
have closed their hearts and minds from seeing the truth so he decides to leave this place. But
before leaving he says to his people:
You have taken (for worship) idols instead of Allah, and the love between you is only in the life
of this world, but on the Day of Resurrection, you shall disown each other, and curse each other,
and your abode will be the Fire, and you shall have no helper.
Among all his people only Lot, who was Abrahams nephew, believed in him. Abraham migrated
with Lot to Palestine from his home in Iraq. It concludes the first phase of his life. We saw how
he grew up in a pagan society, how he questioned the established beliefs which led him to
believe in God, how he tried to convince his father and people, how he was expelled from his
home and put in the fire and how he was rescued.
Abraham was made a prophet
Next we see that the Quran tells us that Abraham was true in his faith and was a very firm
believer in one God. His faith was unshakable even when he was thrown in the fire, he was not
afraid. He believed in God and he knew He will save him and He did save him. We are also told
that Abraham was devoutly obedient to Allah and thankful for all his bounties. That Allah chose
him and guided him to the straight path. That he was a leader, a role-model and an ummah, a
nation, in himself. Allah honored his faith in Him and chose him to be the prophet. He says in the
Quran: And mention in the Book, that is the Quran, Abraham, verily He was a man of truth, a
Prophet.
And leader of all people
Allah also made him the leader of all the people. And the reason was that fulfilled every
command of Allah. He was tried and tested so many timed but he successfully passed all the
trials and fulfilled every command. On that, Allah made a covenant with him and made him the
leader of all the people. But he was also concerned about his progeny so he asked if the covenant
would be extended to his progeny as well. And he was told that it will not include polytheists and
wrong-doers. Here is the verse that talks about it. It says:
And (remember) when the Lord of Abraham tried him with (certain) Commands, which he
fulfilled. He (Allah) said (to him), Verily, I am going to make you a leader (Prophet) of
mankind. (Abraham) said, And of my offspring? (Allah) said, My Covenant includes not
polytheists
and
wrong-doers.
It is a great honor that he was made the leader of the whole mankind.
He was chosen and blessed
Similarly, the Quran tells us that Abraham and his family (i.e. his progeny) were chosen above
the whole world. They were blessed with the prophet hood, the scripture, and the wisdom. It also

tells us that Abraham was chosen in this world and he will be among the righteous in the in the
Hereafter.
Abraham the father of Prophets
The Quran mentions Abraham with other prophets at many different occasions. We are told that
he followed the way of Noah in worshipping Allah alone and calling his people towards
monotheism. He is not only a prophet but is also the father and ancestor of many of prophets
including Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Jesus and so on.
All prophets were among the best
The Quran also tells us that all the prophets of God were chosen and were the best among
mankind. They were the most righteous and the most noble among whole mankind. It is
important to note that the prophets were human beings just like us, they were not gods, but they
were the best that human beings can be.
Muslims believe in all prophets
Muslims believe in all prophets that God sent to mankind for their guidance, including Abraham,
Moses, Jesus and Muhammad, may peace be upon them all. Muslims respect and honor all of
them and make no distinction among them. They also believe in the books that were revealed to
these prophets. Allah says in the Quran:
Say (O Muslims), We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us and that which
has been sent down to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and to the tribes of Jacobs sons and that
which has been given to Moses and Jesus, and that which has been given to the Prophets from
their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted.

Muhammad (PBUH) is also a prophet

Muhammad PBUH is also a prophet like Abraham. He is actually a descendant of Abraham
through Ishmael. So he is included in the covenant that God made with Abraham. And Muslims
believe that He is the final messenger of God to mankind.
All prophets preached monotheism
It is important to note that Muslims believe that all the prophets preached the same religion,
Islam, which is belief in and submission to the one Creator. Allah says in the Quran. He (Allah)
has ordained for you the same religion which He ordained for Noah, and that which We have
inspired in you (O Muhammad PBUH), and that which We ordained for Abraham, Moses and
Jesus saying you should establish religion, and make no divisions in it.
So Muslims believe that God is one and so is his religion. And all the prophets that God sent
preached the same religion, Islam.
Abraham was given the scripture

Next we see that since Abraham was the prophet so like other prophets he too was given the
scripture. Like Muslims believe that Torah was given to Moses, Psalms was given to David
and Gospel was given to Jesus, may peace be upon them all. However, the Quran does not
mention the name of the scripture that was given to Abraham; it refers to it as the pages of
Abraham.
Some teachings from his scripture
The Quran also mentions some of the teachings from his scripture. Some of them are here on
this slide. The first one is, that sin is not inherited. That every person is responsible for only what
that person does and not what their fathers or forefathers did or anyone else did. The next one is,
that this life is not meaningless, it is a test .. so whatever we do here .. we will be asked about it
so everyones deeds will be judged on the Day of Judgment and everyone will be
recompensed, that is either rewarded or punished depending on their deeds.
Route of Abrahams migration for his prophetic mission
Here is the route of Abrahams migration for his prophetic mission. As we saw that he was from
Ur, in Iraq. When he left his father and people, first he went to Haran and then from there he
went to Palestine. He lived at some places in Palestine but made Hebron as his permanent
dwelling. He also went to Egypt a couple of times as part of his prophetic mission. This (where it
says House of the people of Lot, on the map) is the place where he made his nephew Lot settle
down. He also went to Makkah in Arabia and made his elder son dwell there. He used to visit
him in Makkah but he was settled in Hebron.
Abraham is blessed with Ishmael
Now lets talk about Abrahams family. We are told the in the Quran that after his rescue from
the fire he prayed to Allah bless him with children. However, his prayer was answered in a very
old age, according to the Bible he was 86 years old at that time. While Ishmael was still a kid,
Allah commanded Abraham to make him and his mother Hagar dwell in Makkah, Arabia.
Actually Abraham was now at the root of a big prophetic mission. He made his nephew live and
preach in Sodom and Gomorrah, he himself stayed in Hebron, Palestine and left his son Ishmael
in Makkah, Arabia, all on the command of Allah. Makkah was a barren land with no cultivation
at all. He prayed to Allah to make this city a safe place and provide its dwellers with fruits.
His great trial sacrifice of his son
When Ishmael became a boy and was old enough to help his father in different chores, he was
commanded in a dream to slaughter his only son. Now this was a great trial for Abraham. Just
imagine, he had no children all his life. He got a son at a very old age, when he was almost
hopeless. And when the kid became a boy and started helping him, you can imagine how happy
he was to have him in his old age and to think that he will become his strength. But then he saw
that he was slaughtering his dear and beloved son. If it were anyone else he would surely
disregard the dream. But he was a prophet, he knew very well that it was a command from Allah
and that he was being tested. So he told his son about the dream. Now look at the respectful and

obedient son. He didnt say. What Dad? Are you crazy? This is a non-sense, no way; I wont let
you do it. No, he didnt say that. He also knew that it was a true dream and that his father was
indeed commanded to do so. So he said, O my father! Do that which you are commanded, God
willing, you shall find me of the patient ones.
So both the father, and the son, submitted to the command and the will of Allah. Abraham laid
his son on his forehead on the ground, so that he could not see his face and started slaughtering
him. At that point Allah called out to him and said that he had fulfilled the dream. Then Allah
testifies in the next verse, that it indeed was a manifest trial, a great trial that Abraham
successfully passed. Allah saved his son and provided a sheep which got slaughtered. Because
the test was to see his willingness to obey the command of Allah and submit to him, and whether
his love for his son was more that his love for Allah. And Abraham had proved that he was a true
servant of Allah who submitted to his command without failing. So Abraham passed the great
test and for his submission and faith, Allah made him a famous and respectable figure in the
human history. Allah says in the Quran, that he left for Abraham a goodly remembrance in the
generations to come. And this is true even today after 4000 years. He is honored and revered
much in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, which all collectively make the majority of the world
population. Muslims, in particular, remember Abraham and honor him, much. Muslims pray 5
times a day, and in every single prayer, they mention multiple times Gods peace and blessings
upon Abraham. Similarly, they have been comemorating his act of submission and obedience
throughout the history. Muslims have two annual big celebrations and one of them is dedicated to
Abraham. It is called Eid-ul-Adha. Every year millions of Muslims slaughter animals
commemorating Abrahams act of submission and obedience, and feed their families, friends and
especially the poor. So they hold Abraham in very high regards and follow him. Another
interesting example is, that they have all their male children circumcised, following the practice
of Abraham.
Abraham is blessed with Isaac
Abraham was blessed with another son Isaac, from his wife Sarah, again at a very old age.
According to the Bible he was 100 years old at that time. It was also a miracle because not only
he was too old but also his wife had been barren all her life. But God cured her and she bore him
Isaac. Isaac was also chosen to be a prophet like his elder brother Ishmael, and who would later
continue Abrahams prophetic mission in Palestine. After him his son Jacob was chosen to be the
prophet. Jacob had twelve sons from which twelve big tribes originated. In the Quran the family
of Jacob and their descendants which later got divided between Jews and Christians, are
collectively referred to, as banu israel, the Children of Jacob. There are many verses in the
Quran about Isaac and his son Jacob. We are told that they were guided and were righteous.
That they used to do good deeds, perform prayers and give charity. That Allah ordained prophet
hood and the Book, the scripture among them. In other words Allah chose many of the
descendants of Jacob to be prophets and gave them the scripture. Among them were Joseph,
Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Jonah, Job, John and Jesus, may peace be upon them all.
Isaac and Jacob

Here are some verses about Isaac and Jacob, and as I said there are quite a few that mention them
and speak very high of them.
Abrahams advice to his sons
Abrahams whole life was dedicated to Allah and His service. He was the true believer in Allah
who is known for his belief as well as obedience and submission to Allah. The Quran tells us
that he passed this legacy of Monotheism on to his offspring. He advised his sons, Oh my sons!
Allah has chosen the faith for you; so die not except in the submission of one God, in other
words, as a Muslim.
Abraham builds the Kabah
That brings us to another unique thing about Abraham. And that is that Abraham has the credit of
building the first house of worship of God on earth, called the Kabah, in Makkah, Arabia. He
built this house on the command of Allah, with the help of his son Ishmael. The kabah, as I
said, is the first house of worship of Allah, on earth. It is full of blessings and guidance for the
whole world. Muslims all over the world face the Kabah while praying, it is a symbol of unity
and common focus. Also in it are manifest signs for the mankind, e.g. the station of Abraham,
that he used to build the Kabah. It is here inside this golden case. And you can see his foot prints
on it in the picture below. Another interesting thing about the kabah is that Allah has declared
the kabah and its surroundings secure and peaceful. Fighting and shedding blood is unlawful in
this area, called haram. Even the birds, the animals and the insects are given security. So no
living thing can be killed, hurt, tortured, wounded or targeted in the kabah and its surroundings.
Also the people are commanded to perform prayer near the station of Abraham, its again in the
honor and commemoration of Abraham. Abraham and Ishmael were also commanded to keep
this house clean and purified for the people who circumambulate, stay, pray, bow and prostrate in
this house.
Abraham and the Hajj
Another unique thing about Abraham is that after he built the kabah on the command of Allah.
He was further commanded to call the mankind for Hajj, the pilgrimage to the house of Allah,
that is, the Kabah. Allah says in the Quran that it is a duty that mankind owes to Allah, that
whoever has the means to go to the Kabah and perform pilgrimage must do so once in their life
time. The Quran tells us that Abraham and Ishmael, as they were building the kabah, were
praying to Allah to teach them the rituals of the pilgrimage. Allah taught Abraham the rituals of
Hajj and to this day Muslims follow those rituals every year. Making pilgrimage to the Kabah is
obligatory on every Muslim who can physically and financially afford it, once in their life time.
It is one of the five pillars of Islam. Among others are testimony of faith, 5 obligatory prayers,
obligatory charity which is 2.5% of annual savings and obligatory fasting in the month of
Ramadan, which is the 9th month of lunar calendar. These days, every year around 3 million
people perform Hajj. The black box that you see in the middle of this picture is the Kabah, and
these white dots are all human beings.
Some of the prayers of Abraham

That brings us to our last section, in which well talk about the personality of Abraham and
conclude this presentation. Lets first see some of the prayers of Abraham that are mentioned in
the Quran and that shed more light into his personality. One of his prayers that we have seen
was about children and we know that it was answered by Allah when he was blessed with
Ishmael first and then Isaac. Another that we have seen is the one that he made when he made
Ishmael dwell in Makkah. He prayed that Allah may make this place secure and peaceful. That
he may make its dwellers loveable by others and provide them with fruits. These all were
answered as we saw that Allah declared the Kabah as a secure place. And it is also true, that
since that day there has been abundance of fruits in Makkah although its land cannot bear fruits
but the visitors have been bringing fruits and food from all over the world. Similarly the
residents of Makkah have been respected and loved by others not only after the advent of Islam
but also in the pre-Islamic Arabia. Similarly, Abraham also prayed that Allah may keep him and
his progeny away from the idols and the evils of polytheism. Similarly while building the Kabah
Abraham and his son Ishmael prayed to Allah to accept this service from them and accept their
repentance. We can see how humble they were. They also prayed to Allah to teach them the
rituals of Hajj, make their offspring Muslims (i.e. those who believe in Allah alone and submit to
him), and raise from their children a messenger who would teach them the Book, and wisdom
and will sanctify them. And the answer to this prayer of them was Prophet Muhammad, who was
a descendant of Ishmael and who taught the Book and the wisdom to the people and purified
them. Abraham also prayed to Allah to make him righteous and regular in prayers, and give him
wisdom. He prayed to him to forgive him and his parents and the believers . He prayed to Allah
to not disgrace him on the Day of Judgment and grant him paradise. Another kind of interesting
prayer of his is that he prayed to Allah to grant him an honorable mention or remembrance in the
generations to come. And Allah did hear all his prayers. We have seen how Allah made him such
a respectable and honorable figure in the whole human history. And how millions of Muslims
have been commemorating his sacrifice, and remembering and praying for him in all their
prayers, following his rituals in Hajj, and following his practices like circumcision for males
throughout the history.
Abraham passed all trials
In summary, Abraham believed in Allah from young age even when everyone around him was an
idol worshipper. He was a true servant of God who passed all the trials in his life. He submitted
himself completely and unconditionally to the will of God. He left his home, his father, and his
people for the sake of Allah. He was thrown in the fire but it only strengthened his faith. He left
his small kid and his wife in a desert all alone, in the obedience of Allah. He even began
slaughtering his only son at that time, in the obedience of Allah.
Allah testifies in the Quran. Whenever his Lord said to him, Submit (i.e. be a Muslim)! He
said, I have submitted myself to the Lord of the universe.
Abraham intimate friend of God
So Abraham fulfilled all commandments and passed every trial. His faith in Allah was
unshakable. Allah appreciated his faith and obedience and made him the leader of all the people.

It is a great honor that is given to Abraham. Not only that, Allah even declared him, as his
intimate friend. And he also made him an honorable and memorable figure in the history of
mankind.
Abraham role model for all
There are many verses in the Quran that tell us that there is an excellent example in Abraham
and those who followed him, for the whole mankind. Some are listed here on this slide. He is
really a role-model for the whole mankind. Allah also says that for salvation, one should follow
the religion of Abraham. Allah says in the Quran:
And who can be better in religion than one who submits his face (himself) to Allah; and he is a
good-doer. And follows the religion of Abraham who was true in the Faith. And Allah did take
Abraham as an intimate friend.
And at another occasion:
Say (O Muhammad PBUH): Allah has spoken the truth; follow the religion of Abraham who
was true in the Faith and was not of the polytheists.
Finally I would like to say that Abraham is revered much in Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. It is
unfortunate that despite the fact that these religions have a lot in common, there is so much lack
of tolerance, understanding, and respect. But I think it is time that we start working towards
coexistence, tolerance, understanding, mutual respect, and friendship.