Introducing Islam

A Graphic Guide

Ziauddin Sardar, Zafar Abbas Malik

• Publisher: Icon Books
• Year: 2014
• eBook ISBN: 9781848317741
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Islamic Theology

Islam is one of the world's great monotheistic religions. Islamic culture, spanning 1, 500 years, has produced some of the finest achievements of humanity.Yet the religion followed by a fifth of humankind is too often seen in the West in terms of fundamentalism, bigotry and violence- a perception that couldn't be more wrong. Introducing Islam recounts the history of Islam from the birth of Prophet Muhammad in the 6th century to its status as a global culture and political force today. Charting the achievements of Muslim civilisation, it explains the nature and message of the Qur'an, outlines the basic features of Islamic law, and assesses the impact of colonialism on Muslim societies.Ziauddin Sardar and Zafar Abbas Malik show how Muslims everywhere are trying to live their faith and are shaping new Islamic ideas and ideals for a globalised world.

As Salam alaykum: peace be upon you. I am Fez and, insha Allah (God willing), I will make sure that the authors keep to the straight path. Stay tuned.

Muhammad, peace be upon him*, is the most influential man in history. But he is not an ordinary man. He is a Prophet – the last Prophet of God.

*Attention Muslim readers: in keeping with tradition, you are required to repeat this salutation every time you come across the Prophet’s name.

Prophet Muhammad did not start a new religion. He conveyed the same message as all the other prophets of God – including Adam, Noah, Ibrahim, Moses and Jesus.

The eternal message that Muhammad preached is not named after him. It is called Islam which means peace and submission to God. The term Islam also signifies the natural inclination of human beings, a God-centred worldview, a civilization with over fourteen hundred years of history and an universalist world culture.

The followers of Muhammad are not called Muhammadan, this is an insulting term that first emerged during the crusades. Those who believe in the message of Muhammad and that he is the last Messenger of God are called Muslims.

‘moslems’ is a condescending colonial term used by people with stiff upper lips who have difficulty in pronouncing the ‘mu’ sound.

The Life of Muhammad

570 CE: Prophet Muhammad was born in Makkah (aka Mecca), in the Arabian peninsula now called Saudi Arabia. His father, Abdullah, had died a few weeks before his birth. His grandfather entrusted him to a foster-mother, Halima, who looked after him during his infant years. When he was six, his mother died. Two years later, his grandfather also died. The young Muhammad was now looked after by Abu Talib, his paternal uncle. Abu Talib was a generous but poor man. So Muhammad had to earn his livelihood from a tender age – he was thus unable to learn how to read or write.

Makkah was a desert city. Its main distinction was the Ka’aba, the house dedicated to the One God and built under divine inspiration by Prophet Abraham. The majority of Makkah’s inhabitants were idol worshippers. Makkah functioned as a city-state, governed by a council of ten hereditary tribal chiefs with clear division of power. The most powerful of Makkan tribes was the Quraysh – the tribe of Muhammad. The city’s inhabitants were poor but generous people, they loved poetry and war, and were fiercely loyal to their tribes and their gods. While it had no natural resources of its own, it was an active commercial centre. Foreign traders brought their goods to be sold in the local market. Muhammad became a trader and accompanied Abu Talib on business trips to Palestine and Syria.

He is not one of us who proclaims the cause of nationalism and he is not one of us who fights the cause of nationalism and he is not one of us who dies in the cause of nationalism. Nationalism means helping your people in an unjust cause.

Prophet Muhammad

WARNING! Islamic tradition forbids the portrayal of Prophet Muhammad or any of his Companions. DECLARATION! “We agree and comply” – the authors. The Ka’aba in Makkah

The Pledge

ne day, a trader from Yemen was cheated of his goods by a group of Makkans. When the trader asked for help, no one came to his support. So he wrote a satirical poem and recited it aloud for all to hear. When Zubair, one of Muhammad’s uncles, heard the poem he felt great remorse. He called a meeting of city’s elders and established an order of chivalry with the declared aim of protecting the oppressed of the city, local inhabitants or foreign visitors. Young Muhammad became an enthusiastic member of this organization which was called Hilf al-fudul. Later he would say: ‘I am not prepared to give up the privilege (of being a member) even against a herd of camels; if somebody should appeal to me even today, by virtue of that pledge, I shall hurry to his help.’

Muhammad’s Wisdom

uhammad often helped the inhabitants of Makkah to settle their disputes. Once, the Ka’aba caught fire and was burnt to the ground. When it was rebuilt, all the tribes of Makkah took part in its construction. But when it came to fixing the sacred Black Stone in the wall, a quarrel arose amongst the Makkan leaders – all wanted to have the honour of fixing the stone. Finally, they agreed to select a judge from amongst them and abide by his ruling. The judge was Muhammad; and his solution to the problem saved the honour of all concerned. He spread a white sheet on the ground, placed the Black Stone in the middle, and asked the tribal leaders of Makkah to hold the sheet and carry the stone to its site. Muhammad than fixed the stone in its place. It was his integrity, honesty and wisdom that earned Muhammad the title of Al Amin – ‘the trustworthy’.

Four tribal leaders of makkah

Marriage

ne day, when Muhammad was 25, his uncle Abu Talib said to him: ‘I am, as you know, a man of scanty means, and truly the times are hard. Now there is a caravan of your own tribe about to start for Syria, and Khadijah, daughter of Khuwaylid, is in need of the services of men of our tribe to take care of her merchandise. If you offer yourself for the enterprise, she would readily accept it.’ Muhammad replied: ‘Be it as you say.’

Muhammad’s courtesy, honesty and devotion to his work, earned the admiration of the widowed Khadija. So impressed was she with the young Muhammad that she proposed marriage. Muhammad accepted. At 40, she was 15 years older than him.

To bring about a just reconciliation between two contestants is charity, helping a person mount his animal or to load his baggage onto it is charity, a good word is charity, to remove obstacles in the street is charity, smiling upon the face of your brother is charity…sexual relations with your spouses is charity.

Prophet Muhammad

The Revelation

27 Ramadan, 611 CE: Muhammad was in the cave of Hira, a few miles from Makkah. It was his practice to retire to this cave regularly for prayer, meditation and reflection on the questions of creation, purpose of life and death, the struggle between good and evil. While in a state of inner reflection, Muhammad heard a commanding voice addressing him. Frightened, and with trembling voice, he a...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• The Life of Muhammad
• The Authors
• Further Reading
• Index and Little Dictionary