- All through the years, Islam has been misunderstood, and people looked at Islam as their prime enemy for different reasons and motives. Islam was introduced by the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The people of Mecca (Saudi Arabia), the home town of the prophet, refused this new religion. It was a big threat to their trade and source of income. The people of Mecca lived on the income of the trade between the north (Syria and Lebanon) and the south (Yemen). Another main source of income was the religious tourism to visit Ka'bah (the holy house believed to be built by Ibrahim & his son Ishmael). Although they believed in one God, they promoted the idea of local secondary gods to make Arabs from all over the place happy, and to make more money. They saw that Islam would change the whole situation and would affect their income. Islam also focused on equality, and that was something else the people had to refuse. They were outraged with the idea that the masters and elite of society would become equal to their slaves, and free them!
- The people of Mecca knew the prophet very well. He was a grandson of the chief of the biggest and the most powerful tribe (Quraish). His beloved father died before his birth and his beloved mother passed away when he was 6 years old. He was brought up by his grandfather and his uncle, and he was well known. They knew he was honest, and he was smart and polite and fair. Yet when he invited his own people of Quraish to Islam, they accused him of being mad and a liar, simply because it was threatening their income and lifestyle. What prophet Muhammad wanted and asked them to do was quite similar to the words of Jesus (peace be upon him), when he asked the rabbis to stop trading religion and to stop selling in the house of God. If that was the reason for rejecting Islam by the Arabs of Quraish at the beginning, it was a quite similar story later on.
- Islam was started by the first word of the Quran (iqraa) which means "read". The word "Quran" means the read texts, so we understand the core of this religion, which is to read and learn and think, to use your mind. The early Muslims got it right, and they worked hard on learning and studying the Quran. As a result, the Islamic world became very advanced, and the during time in European history known as the dark ages, the Muslims ruled the world from China in the east to Spain in the west. Most of the modern sciences are based on Islamic studies like chemistry, astronomy, medicine and algebra, to name a few.
- The West more than the East realized that Islam was a vivid religion; it inspired the Muslims and motivated them. They also realized that if Muslims would stick to the roots of Islam, no one could stand against them. But what are the roots of Islam? To kill civilians? To threaten others? Of course not. The roots of Islam are to read, learn and use your brain, the beautiful gift of Allah.
- To be continued....
- Hisham El Meniawy
- Guest lecturer & Egyptologist
- www.hegyptology.com
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Islam:...... Religion for our Time( part 3)
Islam:..... Religion for our Time( part 2)
Muslims believe that Islam is the last message from Allah, so it has to be very flexible in order to suit all times, and before to suit all people and places. In Islam there is no need for anyone to link you to Allah, like most religions, it is so simple and easy clear and straight. All you need to do is to believe in your heart in Allah, then do only the good one path in life you need to walk. We are made by Allah, not for anything but to worship Him.
However, that Allah doesn't need us, doesn't need our worship.... it is the
moral of the story. We were made as humans with desires and needs but
we also have morals and ethics. We were made of clay, which comes from earth, and Allah gave us life through his soul, so we are body and soul. If we keep feeding the body and forget the soul, we become so heavy, more earthy. If we take care of the soul, we can fly high and free our bodies from the gravity of the earth.
The teaching of Islam comes from two main things. The first and the most important is the Quran, the holy book, which is, according to Muslims, the word of Allah. The second source, which comes after, to explain but not to complete the Quran, is the sayings and lifestyle of prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him) .The Quraan is a complete book. It explains everything Muslims need to know about this life and the afterlife. So going through the Quran we can learn how important is to respect the other people and their beliefs. The same goes for Suna, which is the sayings and doings of the prophet.
When Islam was introduced to the world in the 6th & 7th centuries AD, people were always given the right and the ability to choose, with all freedom and respect. As a matter of fact, Islam ruled most of the ancient world not by sword like some media say but with love. Most people converted to Islam through the ways and the good behavior Muslims were introducing.
Now we can understand a little bit about how important the Quran is, as well as the image of the prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him). The current issue in the United States concerning the burning of the Quran on the anniversary of 9/11 is the worst example the non-Muslims can give to the whole world, and the very wrong way to refuse the hand of peace offered by the American Muslims who are trying to clear the path between them and the others, by offering to build an Islamic center near the so-called ground zero.
Burning the Quran may happen any day and everyday by some fanatics....
people, this is not an issue as Muslims can do the same thing to the Bible, but they never did, and never will do for one simple reason, which is to respect the others.
To be continued....
Islam: ..... Religion for our Time..... Part 1
Religion, no matter which one, is something to enhance the relationship between people and their God, and to enhance the relationships among the people themselves. What is between people and God is something very personal and is reflected on each one, not the others. If anyone goes to his worshipping place a million times a day, that is his own decision and for his own benefits. If that religion does not enhance his relations with the others, then it is not the fault of religion, it is of the person himself.
I do not care about what you believe in and which religion you follow, what God you worship. I do care about how you respect me and how you accept me, just give me my own space, freedom and rights.
People in the West look now at Islam through a very small window and the glass is not clean. What they can see are only the negatives of a very small group of people who are imposing their fanatical ideas, and they are not accepted by the majority of the Muslims.
Let's go through a couple of little facts about Islam. First, what does it mean, Islam, as a word and as a religion? As a word, the origin of the word is salaam, which means peace, and it shows very clearly in the way Muslims are greeting everyone by saying "al salaam alikom", which means "peace be upon you". Muslims say it day and night, coming and going, to their families and to anyone they don't even know. They don't just say it but they also believe it.
Islam as a religion means the full submission to God (Allah) in all we do and what we say. The religion Islam was introduced as people know it by the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), in the early 6th century AD. But as a matter of fact, Islam as an idea was introduced by Allah Himself to Adam at the beginning of creation, and all the messengers and prophets of Allah were carrying the same message of peace. As Muslims we must acknowledge all the messengers before the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and we must respect them and believe in them all the same way, otherwise we can't be Muslim to start with.
We are not here to fully go through the religion of Islam, as it needs a very long time to explain, but just to explain the fact that Islam has always been the real meaning of love and peace, and it is not like as some people say now, that Islam is evil, God forbid.
To be continued....
Hisham El Meniawy
www.hegyptology.com
I do not care about what you believe in and which religion you follow, what God you worship. I do care about how you respect me and how you accept me, just give me my own space, freedom and rights.
People in the West look now at Islam through a very small window and the glass is not clean. What they can see are only the negatives of a very small group of people who are imposing their fanatical ideas, and they are not accepted by the majority of the Muslims.
Let's go through a couple of little facts about Islam. First, what does it mean, Islam, as a word and as a religion? As a word, the origin of the word is salaam, which means peace, and it shows very clearly in the way Muslims are greeting everyone by saying "al salaam alikom", which means "peace be upon you". Muslims say it day and night, coming and going, to their families and to anyone they don't even know. They don't just say it but they also believe it.
Islam as a religion means the full submission to God (Allah) in all we do and what we say. The religion Islam was introduced as people know it by the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), in the early 6th century AD. But as a matter of fact, Islam as an idea was introduced by Allah Himself to Adam at the beginning of creation, and all the messengers and prophets of Allah were carrying the same message of peace. As Muslims we must acknowledge all the messengers before the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and we must respect them and believe in them all the same way, otherwise we can't be Muslim to start with.
We are not here to fully go through the religion of Islam, as it needs a very long time to explain, but just to explain the fact that Islam has always been the real meaning of love and peace, and it is not like as some people say now, that Islam is evil, God forbid.
To be continued....
Hisham El Meniawy
www.hegyptology.com
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