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A Brief Guide to Islam’s

Foundations, Pillars and
Obligations, Its Morals and
Ethics, Its Position Towards
Extremism and Terrorism and
the Status of Women In Islam

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Abu ‘Iyad Amjad Rafiq

 THIS IS

ISLAM
A Brief Guide to Islam’s Foundations, Pillars and
Obligations, its Morals and Ethics, its Position
Towards Extremism and Terrorism and
the Status of Women in Islam

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Say: “We have believed in God (Allah) and in what was revealed to
us and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and
the Descendants, and in what was given to Moses and Jesus and to
all the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between
any of them, and we are Muslims [submitting] to Him.”
The Quran (3:84)

<§>

Abu ‘Iyad
Amjad bin Muhammad Rafiq
 Title: This is Islam
Author: Abu ‘Iyad Amjad bin Muhammad RafTq
Version: 2.0
!

!
1st Edition, Safar 1440 AH / October 2018 CE.
© 2018 Abu 'lyad Amjad bin Muhammad RafTq
IslamAgainstExtremism.com
* @islamextremism

ISBN 13: 978-1-64467-302-7

ISBN 10:1-64467-302-9

All rights reserved Worldwide. No part of this book may be reprinted, reproduced or !
utilized in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or other means now known or !
;
hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording without express written
permission from the copyright holder.
1
For further information contact:

Wright Street Mosque Germantown Masjid

472 Coventry Road 4944 Germantown Avenue
Small Heath Philadelphia
Birmingham BIO OUG PA 19144
United Kingdom United States i
t. +44 (0) 121 773 0033 t. +1 215 848 2615
e. [email protected] e. [email protected]

Masjid Bin Baz Masjid al-Furqan

East Road (next to no. 2) 874-A Weston Road
Plaistow Toronto, Ontario
London E15 3QR M6N 3R6, Canada
United Kingdom t. +1 416 243 5320
e. [email protected] e. [email protected]

Masjid al-Sunnah Muadh bin Jabal Centre

3 Paternoster Lane 19 Spackmans Way,
Bradford BD7 3DS Slough, Berkshire
- United Kingdom SL1 2SA
t. +44 (0) 1274 501 736 t. +44 (0) 1753 533376
e. [email protected] e. [email protected]
;
Contents
Introduction............................... 5
Innate Disposition (Fitrah)........ 6
The Core Of Islam....................... 13
Previous Prophets...................... 16
Jesus The Messiah...................... 18
Muhammad The Messenger....... 25
Pillars and Obligations................ 29
The Major Prohibitions.............. 33
Justice, Kind Dealings and Ethics 40
Perfection of Character.............. 44
Race and Colour.......................... 50
Religious Fervour and Zeal........ 54
Extremism and Extremists........ 56
Terrorism and Jihad................... 64
Islam and Women....................... 78
Closing Notes.............................. 97
How to Become a Muslim........... 98
 Title: This is Islam t
Author: Abu ‘Iyad Amjad bin Muhammad Rafrq I
Version: 2.0
■

1st Edition, Safar 1440 AH / October 2018 CE. !

I
© 2018 Abu ‘Iyad Amjad bin Muhammad RafTq
IslamAgainstExtremism.com •
* @islamextremism i
■

ISBN 13: 978-1-64467-302-7

ISBN 10:1-64467-302-9 !

All rights reserved Worldwide. No part of this book may be reprinted, reproduced or
utilized in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or other means now known or \
hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording without express written
permission from the copyright holder.

For further information contact: :

Wright Street Mosque Germantown Masjid
472 Coventry Road 4944 Germantown Avenue
Small Heath Philadelphia 1
:
Birmingham BIO OUG PA 19144 '
United Kingdom United States
i
t. +44 (0) 121 773 0033 t. +1 215 848 2615
e. [email protected] e. [email protected]

Masjid Bin Baz Masjid al-Furqan

East Road (next to no. 2) 874-A Weston Road
Plaistow Toronto, Ontario
London E15 3QR M6N 3R6, Canada
United Kingdom t.+1 416 243 5320
e. [email protected] e. [email protected]

Masjid al-Sunnah Mu'adh bin Jabal Centre

3 Paternoster Lane 19 Spackmans Way,
Bradford BD7 3DS Slough, Berkshire
United Kingdom SL1 2SA
t. +44 (0) 1274 501 736 t. +44 (0) 1753 533376
e. [email protected] e. [email protected]
Contents
Introduction............................... 5
Innate Disposition (Fitrah)........ 6
The Core Of Islam....................... 13
Previous Prophets...................... 16
Jesus The Messiah...................... 18
Muhammad The Messenger...... 25
Pillars and Obligations................ 29
The Major Prohibitions.............. 33
Justice, Kind Dealings and Ethics 40
Perfection of Character.............. 44
Race and Colour.......................... 50
Religious Fervour and Zeal........ 54
Extremism and Extremists........ 56
Terrorism and Jihad................... 64
Islam and Women....................... 78
Closing Notes.............................. 97
How to Become a Muslim........... 98
Transliteration Table
Consonants
* J) d d k

b 3 dh 2a t J 1

t J r 2a ? f m

th 3 z u n

E. J s t 8h J5> h
:
L h o* sh i_9 f 3 W

L kh § (3 q y :
:
;

Vowels
:.
i
Short a i u
Long L a ^rr I 3~ u
\
Dipthongs aw ay '
3-

The Mighty and Majestic.

May Allah make good mention of His Prophet in the
highest company and grant him safety.
Peace be upon him.
Allah be pleased with him.

Disclaimer: It is impossible to translate the Quran into any other language

whilst retaining its full range and depth of meaning. Hence, all verses from
the Qur’an cited in this work, whilst providing an accurate enough rendition
of the basic meaning, remain limited due to the limitations of the English
language and are unable to convey fully what is in the original Arabic. Note:
Parts of citations may appear with bolded or italicised text. This is from the
author for purposes of emphasis.
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 5

Introduction
Dear respected reader,
Due to geopolitical events—both past and contemporary— there
are many orientations that seek to portray Islam and Muslims in a
negative light. These voices come from a wide range of ideological
backgrounds and compete for your ears, heart and mind in order
to shape opinions and fulfil agendas. It would be unfair to accept
such ideologically motivated narratives without question and
without giving Muslims a chance to:
- explain the reality of what they believe in and practise,
- free themselves from criminal acts perpetrated in their name,
- and explain the role which Islam plays in their lives.
The book in your hands offers a brief presentation of Islam for
non-Muslims. It explains the most important foundations and
pillars of Islam. It discusses the major obligations and prohibitions
and the wisdoms behind them. Likewise, it covers morals and
ethics in Islam and its position towards racism. It also discusses
religious zeal, extremism and the activities of terrorists such as al-
Qaeda, ISIS and similar groups. Finally, the book provides a brief
treatment of women in Islam and addresses some common
misconceptions related to this subject.
We hope it is both interesting and enlightening and serves as a
stepping stone for a further objective and detailed study of Islam.

Abu ‘Iyad
19 Safar 1440
28 October 2018
6 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
Innate Disposition (Fitrah) 1
We start our journey into the essentials of Islam with an affair that
places all of humanity on the same footing, treating them as equals
from birth. This is the innate disposition or natural inclination and its
explanation is as follows:

In the teachings of the Prophets and Messengers of God1, every

child is born with an ingrained subconscious acknowledgement of
a creator which forms part of its natural inclination. Humans are
also hard-wired to infer purpose and wisdom from basic reflection
upon the observed contrivance, order, regularity, functionality and i

beauty of natural phenomena. In addition, all humans are endued

with a basic sense of morality and the anticipation of justice. This
explains the existence of a common set of morals between all
people regardless of their ideas and beliefs about life and the
universe. !
Collectively, all of this is referred to in Islam by the word fitrah,
;
which means innate disposition or natural inclination. It is the natural
state upon which humans are born. If left alone without contrary .
teaching every child will go on to develop a natural desire to show
gratitude to the Creator of whom it is innately and intuitively aware
through its fitrah and then perceptively through the innumerable
favours and bounties it experiences on a daily basis. To deny that
humans are recipients of tremendous favours and bounties which
are enjoyed on a daily basis is to deny sensory perception itself.
Due to this innate disposition, humans are naturally inclined
towards the message of the Prophets of God. To put it another way,
humans are born pure, innocent and predisposed to good.

1 The words for god in the languages of Hebrew, Aramaic (Syriac) and Arabic
are it, el, ilah, iloh, elah and Allah refers to the one, true deity. This is not “the
exclusive God of the Muslims” but the God of all Prophets, Messengers and
mankind. “God” has been used throughout this work to make for easier
reading for a non-Muslim audience.
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 7
At birth, they are not inherently evil, nor guilty of sin, nor do
they carry any burden on their shoulders. Nor are they considered
inferior due to race, lineage, class or caste.
Alluding to this, God stated in the Qur an:
4iii jiij Jjjuj v Lgii. yLl ^ji 4I11
“The fitrah. (natural state) [which] God (Allah) determined and
upon which He created [and moulded] mankind. Let there be no
change in the creation of God.” (30:30).
And the Prophet Muhammad said: “Every child is bom
upon the fitrah.112
This fitrah is likened to a seed which has been planted in each
soul, predisposing it to good. The message of Islam as conveyed by
the Prophets of God appeals to the fitrah before it appeals to
reason. With an uncorrupted fitrah a person is naturally inclined
to the worship of God alone and simply requires instruction and
guidance to nurture the fitrah to its full potential.
However, if this fitrah has been eroded, altered or corrupted—
due to parents or the environment—then the faculties of reason
are appealed to so as to guide the instinct back to its original state.
As such, in conveying their messages, the Messengers of God
appealed to the two human faculties of innate disposition (fitrah)
and reason (aql). In performing this task, they were instructed by
revelation (wahy) from God.
The overwhelming majority of humans have never deviated
from this natural tendency to believe in the existence of a creator
and the desire to venerate and worship this creator. This tendency
arises due to the innate disposition, (fitrah), simple reflection upon
the natural phenomena and inward acknowledgement that favours
and benefits are being enjoyed. This establishes that this tendency
is deeply ingrained and cannot be erased very easily because the
factors which give rise to it are inescapable and universal.
In fact, in Arabic, the meaning of the root verb (fatara) which is
related to fitrah combines two concepts: that of creation, origination
and that of natural state and disposition. The natural state of humans
is to recognise a creator, both innately and perceptively. The input

2 Related by Muslim (no. 2658).

8 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
of all human perception forces this inescapable conclusion and is
one of the central arguments of the Qur an.
The Muslim scholar Ibn al-Qayyim (d. 1350) said: “Whoever
reflects upon the whole universe, its upper and lower [parts] and
all of its domains will find it bearing witness to the affirmation of i
its maker, originator and owner.”3
In the 36th chapter of the Quran (Ya Sin), a story is told of a
believer who sincerely pleads with the inhabitants of his city. They
had rejected a series of messengers sent to them. He said:

“0 my people, follow the messengers. Follow those who ask you

not for any payment and who are rightly-guided. And why should I

3 Madarij al-Salikin (l/82). Innate human faculties unavoidably generate beliefs

of design, order and purpose which are rationally legitimate and warranted.
Marks of design and purpose are recognized perceptually and implicitly
(innately) and from here the inferential step to a designer is natural,
minimal, rational and warranted. Such marks include contrivance, order,
organization, intent, purpose, law-like behaviour, pursuit of goals or
outcomes or goal-steering mechanisms, regularity, beauty and adaptation.
This itself is the very source of the rational justification for science and the
scientific method, since the scientific method has underlying assumptions
that cannot be verified by the scientific method itself, and must be assumed.
It is therefore not possible to separate innate beliefs about the universe from I
scientific inquiry and the scientific enterprise as a whole. This is why up until
the 19th century, and in the entire history of humanity—with very rare
exceptions—all scientific research was conducted by believers in a Creator on
the basis that they were studying the mechanisms in creation—the ways and
means, the causes and effects, the handiwork of the Creator—in order to gain
further enlightenment about the Creator. Likewise, to exploit their findings
to facilitate human progress. The entire scientific enterprise rests upon the
assumptions that the universe is real, material, orderly, designed, consistent
and rationally investigate. This is why it is impossible to erase the innate
disposition (fitrah)—in which belief in a Creator is permanently embedded-
through any amount of materialist brainwashing within the lifecycle of
education. It is why people will always be inclined towards belief in God and
the desire to worship a Creator. Detailed knowledge of that creator, however,
can only come through the medium of revelation, and not any other means.
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 9
not [be grateful and] worship the one who originated me (fataranl)
and to whom you shall be returned?” (36:20-22).
The essence of the call of the Messengers of God is conveyed in
the statement of this man. He employed the verb root (fatara) and
essentially said: “Why should I not be grateful and worship the one
who originated me and everything around me and through whose
immense creativity and power we subsist and enjoy tremendous,
unending favours—something both I and you feel innately and know
perceptively through the physical senses?”
This man appealed to the innate disposition and the binding link
between the observed contrivance, order, functionality, regularity and
beauty in creation and what it generates of awe and the compelling
desire to show gratitude to the Originator of creation.
Muslim scholars have explained the following statement of God
in the Quran in the same way:
^13 iiLa) aJJI tij-lll

“Their messengers said: Ts there any doubt about God (Allah)?

The Originator (Fatir) of the Heavens and Earth.’” (14:10).
There are two appeals made in this verse which summarises the
call of the Messengers of God.
The first appeal is made to the fitrah, the natural inclination in
which belief in a maker and creator is firmly embedded. This is
represented in the question, “Is there any doubt about God
(Allah)?” Implying that He alone is to be thanked and worshipped
with gratitude and humility, and that this is the truth.
The second appeal is to observation, reflection and the use of
reason. It addresses the situation where the natural inclination has
either been altered or buried with pride, arrogance or desires. This
is represented in the statement, “The Originator of the Heavens
and Earth”, and requests observation, investigation and reflection
upon God’s creation—from which no other conclusion can be made
except that the universe and all life therein were created with
knowledge, choice, intent, power and wisdom. Thus, the
Messengers appeal to the natural constitution (fitrah) first as that
is the default position in humanity, and thereafter, reason (aql)
based upon empirical evidence, should it be necessary.
10 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
Due to the very nature of the fitrah—the innate, subconscious
awareness of God—and how it is inseparably tied to the observed
design, contrivance, order and regularity of the universe—the very
features giving rise to the assumptions required for undertaking
any type of scientific investigation—it is impossible for atheists to
avoid terminology which presupposes design, purpose and wisdom
in things. This presupposition from which the fitrah is inseparable
is the very foundation of all scientific inquiry. Despite this, atheists
make a concerted and conscious effort to pretend otherwise and
dismiss it all—quite arrogantly—as mere illusion. On rare occasions,
they are honest and frank enough to acknowledge the compelling
feeling which overtakes them when they reflect upon creation and
its wonders.
For example, in a debate about God’s existence, atheist Richard
Dawkins acknowledged: “I think that when you consider the
beauty of the world and you wonder how it came to be what it is,
you are naturally overwhelmed with a feeling of awe, a feeling of
admiration and you almost feel a desire to worship something. I
feel this... We, all of us, share a kind of religious reverence for the
beauties of the universe, for the complexity of life. For the sheer
magnitude of the cosmos, the sheer magnitude of geological time.
And it’s tempting to translate that feeling of awe and worship into
a desire to worship some particular thing, a person, an agent. You
want to attribute it to a maker, to a creator.”4
This is the fitrah appealed to by the believing man mentioned
earlier and appealed to by all the Messengers of God. Even the
staunchest and most arrogant of atheists cannot escape this feeling
on occasion, because it is latent and deep in the human soul.
Disbelief (kufr) is when the natural expression of this fitrah—
gratitude with the heart and limbs—is deliberately prevented or
concealed due to arrogance and pride, or preference for lusts, or
wealth, power, and authority. This disbelief may be rationalised
thereafter, through claims about the origin of the universe and the
origin of life which are presented and packaged as scientifically
validated truths. In reality, they are nothing but conjectures

4 As occurs in his Fixed-Point debate at the University of Alabama (2007)

regarding his book “The God Delusion”.
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 11
resting on hidden, undisclosed assumptions, coupled with fallacious
modes oflogic and reasoning.5
Scientists are baffled and at a loss as to why—despite sustained
brainwashing with speculative materialist philosophy throughout
the lifecycle of standard and higher education—this natural
tendency cannot be erased or blunted.6 It is God’s “signature” in
His creatures, predisposing them to recognise Him and to worship
Him alone.
From the above discussion, we can understand the previous
statement of God in the Qur’an:
4JJI <$&) ,>111 jLZ <1)1
“The fitrah (natural state) [which] God (Allah) determined and
upon which He created [and moulded] mankind. Let there be no
change in the creation of God.” (30:30). The Muslim scholar, Imam
al-Sadl (d. 1956) stated that God created man with an inclination to
accept what is true and beneficial and to be averse to what is false
and harmful, this being the reality of the fitrah. He then stated,
regarding the statement, “Let there be no change in the creation of
God”, “Meaning: No one is able to change the creation of God such
that he can alter the created being into a form or mould other than
the one which God has placed him in.”7
Thus, no one is able to completely erase the fitrah which is deep
and latent in every human being, even if it is concealed and buried
to varying degrees through pride, arrogance and preference for
lusts, desires, wealth and authority. This is why the staunchest and
most arrogant of atheists such as Richard Dawkins can be found
making the type of statement that was cited earlier.

5 It is physically, chemically, biologically and rationally impossible for life to arise

from non-life purely through random physical and chemical interactions in
the absence of knowledge, choice, intent, and wisdom. In other words, some
form of steering by an agent based on a deep knowledge. This is proven by
the fact that origin of life research has come to a dead end and can progress
no further. Despite this, many of its researchers are too arrogant to admit it
and continue in their oblivion, trying to generate life from non-life.
6 See: http://aboutatheism.net/7gsuaktr which discusses research at Oxford
University by Justin Barrett and Olivera Petrovich.
7 Refer to Taysir al-Kanm al-Rahman (Cairo:Dar al-Hadlth) p. 703.
12 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
It should be noted from our discussion regarding the fitrah that
all humans are equals at birth. This is evidence that Islam is the
true religion because it is founded upon universality and justice. It
is both a lie and injustice to claim that: a) there is a select group of
chosen, favoured people who are above others merely because of
their lineage or caste, or b) that humans are born sinful, or with a
burden of sin that they did not commit, and can only be saved by a
blood-sacrifice, or c) that humans are born purposeless and must
therefore create their own subjective realities and purposes in life
in order to be truly happy. These false foundations—when turned
into core elements of religious doctrine or used to generate lifestyle
philosophies—lead to racism, injustice and corruption because they
are man-made constructs. These doctrines did not come from God,
the Creator of all of humanity, and are not found in any revealed,
uncorrupted book or on the tongue of any sent messenger, and nor
do they have any sound, rational or empirical basis.

The fitrah—the innate disposition which has been explained—and

the Messengers of God who establish the truth through observed
and rational evidences are the two proofs God will use against
those who chose to reject His signs and preferred disbelief.8
Likewise, against those who acknowledged Him and His favours yet
erected false deities and worshipped them instead of or alongside
Him. This is known as associationism (shirk) and is the greatest
injustice because it is a violation of the universal order. This will be
explained further in the chapters to follow.

8 As for the ideologies of philosophical naturalism and materialism which

underpin the atheistic frame of mind, these are nothing but sophisticated
versions of nature worship in which the attributes of knowledge, choice,
intent, independent power and lastly, wisdom—by which we mean the
pursuit of end-goals and objectives—are stripped from God and cryptically
credited to nature through the use of highly technical language in inventive
theories which are validated by maths rather than by strict empirical means.
There are only two possibilities. Either choice with intent is behind creation
or it is the pure randomness of physical and chemical interactions. The study
of the universe and its law-like organisation, and detailed investigation into
the complexity of biological life bear witness to the otherwise obvious fact
that there is choice with intent behind this creation.
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 13

The Core Of Islam

Based upon the above, the message and guidance of Islam appeals
to and acts upon the fitrah. It nurtures this raw potential to inward
and outward perfection through beneficial knowledge and
righteous action. This guidance is based upon the fundamental
facts and realities of human nature. Therefore, Islam is but the
attainment of peace and serenity in the heart and soul and
outward nobility and perfection in character through sincere
gratitude to God via righteous, beneficial works that have a
rectifying influence upon the individual and the society.
It is founded upon the firm conviction that no one deserves to
be worshipped but God alone. This is the ultimate truth upon
which the universe stands and persists and to which it bears
witness and from which the notion of justice emanates. God alone
is the creator of all elements, forces, entities, physical laws and
cause-effect mechanisms through which living things arise and
subsist and as such, He alone is worthy of worship. Muslims believe
that this is the true basis for sound religion and that it is known
innately, through intuition—without conscious reasoning—as well
as through observation, reflection and reason via the physical
senses and rational faculties.
Only God has the attributes of independent creation, ownership
and regulation through a vast interconnected system of causes and
effects—showing that He alone is the true giver and taker of life,
absolute, independent controller of benefit and harm and sole
owner of all the means of provision and subsistence. Therefore, it
is only rational that He alone is thanked and worshipped for the
innumerable favours which one enjoys on a daily basis.
God said in the Quran:
^JJI jcSdla (jjjJIJ fsJbln_L> ^jjl pxSoj IjJlIc.1 ^lljl L^l Li

ij-? 5^ ^ £La frl_c_Ul ptL LJulyfj JybjYl j^SLI Qxi-

“0 mankind, worship your Lord who created you and those

before you so that you may be righteous. [He] who made for you
the earth a repose [spread out] and the sky a ceiling and sent down
14 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
rain from the sky, and brought forth thereby fruits as provision for
you. So do not set up rivals [in worship] to God (Allah) while you
know [that He alone is worthy of worship].” (2:21-22).
To single out God with all types and forms of worship and to
I
shun the worship of all other deities which are assumed, invented
and erected by men is the first and most important of Islam’s five
pillars. It is summarised in the statement:
<iii * <ji• v
There is no deity [worthy of being worshipped in truth]
but God [Allah] alone [La ilaha ilallah].
This is known as Tawhld (monotheism), or the word (kalimah)
of Islam. It is the word of all the Messengers of God. It is that by
which the heart attains true serenity, peace and satisfaction.
The entire Qur’an is an elucidation of this statement. It presents
proofs and signs for its truthfulness and for it being the greatest
justice, from which all other manifestations of justice arise. It also
presents arguments of reason to falsify what opposes it.
Upon this, God does not accept any act of devotion, or any act of
goodness, benevolence and charity unless it is founded upon firm
conviction in the meaning of this statement, which is: That none
has the right to be worshipped but God alone and that only His
worship is truth and justice and that worship of others besides or
alongside Him is falsehood and injustice.
It is opposed to reason and unjust to invent, assume and erect
deities from within God’s creation, become attached to them and
worship them, be they:
- celestial bodies, such as the earth, sun, moon and stars,
- trees, stones, statues and the likes,
- humans including the prophets and righteous living or dead,
- any other living creature or whatever has a life force,
- or any of the elements and forces.
These elements, entities and forces are created, subservient,
themselves subject to laws and do not independently control life,
death, provision, sustenance, health, sickness, benefit or harm.
Thus, taking anything from them as deities alongside God, or as
intermediaries through which worship is channelled to God, is
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 15
baseless, opposes innate disposition, common sense and reason
and is the foundation of false religion.
Muslims hold that all of humanity was once united upon this
way of worship of God alone and that novel religions and schisms
arose due to: a) exaggeration in the status of righteous people, b)
awe of natural phenomena and of the life force in nature and c)
awe of the celestial bodies and their movements. These affairs,
coupled with ignorance, caused them to deviate from both natural
inclination (fitrah) and sound reason (aql) and led them to invent
religions in which the worship of created elements, bodies, entities
and forces was justified on crude emotional grounds or reasoned
philosophical ones.9
God said in the Quran:
dlyjlj <djf 6JL>^ 4-qI (jlSi"

“Mankind was one nation [which was united upon Islam, but
then became divided]. Then God (Allah) sent the prophets as
bringers of good tidings and wamers and sent down with them the
Scripture in truth to judge between the people concerning that in
which they differed.” (2:213).
Revelation came to guide them back to the truth and to resolve
the differing they had fallen into regarding it.
This now leads us naturally to a discussion of the Prophets that
were sent from time to time with a message from God to direct
people back to their natural inclination, to that in which there is
true serenity of the heart and soul, and peace of mind.

9 Depature from the truth took place recurringly for the same basic reasons
among nations across the Earth. When people saw the benefits and harms
latent in natural phenomena such as the sun, rain, fire, rivers, animals,
humans and so on, they began to assign divine attributes to these entities.
They began to revere them—initially alongside God, and then later, besides
God—so as to solicit benefits and ward off harms. This led to a decline in
monotheistic belief and practice and the concurrent development of folk and
cult religions in which those with an appetite for power, authority and
wealth were able to manipuluate these aberrations of human instinct for
their own personal, material benefit and also to gain power, authority and
ascendancy. Such people became enemies to the Messengers of God.
16 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM

Previous Prophets
Islam—which in its simplicity and universality has natural appeal
to all people with intact innate disposition and uncorrupted
reason—was preached by all the Biblical Prophets: Noah, Abraham,
Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, Jesus and John
Muslims believe in and respect all of these prophets as an essential
article of faith and are commanded by God with the following: i

^Jox.Lo-wil3 Jl cJyji Loj 4JJL ll-ol

jlS»i ^ of L03

QtycXlyJi 4J jj-SCjJ

“Say, [0 believers]: We have believed in God (Allah) and what

has been revealed to us and what has been revealed to Abraham
and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the Descendants [the Twelve
Tribes] and what was given to Moses and Jesus and what was given
to the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between
any of them, and we are Muslims [in submission] to Him.” (2:136).

The Prophets mentioned by name in the Quran are:

1. Adam 9. Isaac 17. Job

2. Idris 10.Jacob 18. Ezekiel
3. Noah 11.Joseph 19. Jonah
4. Hud 12. Shu’ayb 20. Elias
5. Salih 13. Aaron 21. Elisha
6. Lot 14. Moses 22. Zechariah
7. Abraham 15. David 23. John
8. Ishmael 16. Solomon 24. Jesus

There were many thousands of other prophets and every nation

was sent a messenger at some point in its history.
The Torah, Psalms and Gospel in their original forms are also
accepted by Muslims as revealed books. All of these books called to
this same message. However, Muslims dispute the claim that these
books remain in their original form today. This is due to irrefutable
evidence—through both internal and external analysis—of the
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 17
occurrence of loss, distortion, addition and alteration in the
recording and transmission of these books. The Quran, which is
the spoken word of God, and its explainer Muhammad Ckj^p)
came to correct and confirm the truth that was in the original
versions of past revealed books.

As such, Islam is not considered a new religion by Muslims but a

confirmation and renewal of the religion of all previous Prophets.
God said about the people of past scripture:
4J StJi 4JJI LoJ

“They were not commanded except to worship God (Allah)

alone, making devotion purely and sincerely for Him alone.” (98:5).

Traces of Islam’s greatest pillar—pure monotheism in belief, speech

and deed—can still be found in the current forms of past revealed
books. For example, in Deuteronomy 6:4 we find the word of Islam:
«“Hear 0 Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.”» And in Mark
12:29: «“‘The most important one,’ answered Jesus, ‘is this: ‘Hear, 0
Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one’.”»
The meaning is lost in translation, but these statements, in the
original Hebrew or Aramaic (ins njn; mrr) and (ins njrr
7n$) would be identical to the statement ilahuna ahad - “Our Lord
and Deity is uniquely one” - and qul huwallahu ahad - “Say: He is
Allah [who is] Uniquely One” - and the declaration of monotheism
in Islam, la ilaha illallah, which means: “None has the right to be
worshipped but God alone.”
The learned scholars of the Children of Israel10 knew full well
that what the Qur an called them to was the same as that which
was in the books of their Prophets and that Islam was not a novel
religion. They were also reminded that before Muhammad
it was what Jesus, the Son of Mary (££)u£) came to
preach to them after they had erred in doctrine, law and conduct.
Since the vast majority of the Western world is Christian, the
subject ofJesus in Islam requires a specific chapter.

10 Cohenite priests descended from Aaron were present in Yathrib (MadTnah)

during the era of the Prophet, and they were addressed by the Quran.
18 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
Jesus The Messiah
Jesus (;&&$) was a great and righteous prophet from a line of
Prophets including Abraham, Moses, David and Solomon
He was miraculously born of a chaste and righteous woman
through God’s spoken word of command [(Be!)].
pjU I 4_c_x^i I 4-^cJSo 4JJl (jl * i&ftl cJli SI

“[And mention] when the angels said, ‘0 Mary, indeed God (Allah)
gives you good tidings of a Word from Him, whose name will be the
Messiah, Jesus, the son of Maiy —distinguished in this world and
the Hereafter and among those brought near [to God]’.” (3:45).
Hence, Jesus is the Word of God in the sense explained. He was
created through God’s word of command. As confirmation of his
prophethood, he spoke whilst in the cradle to defend his mother
from calumny, healed the sick and raised the dead by God’s
permission. He came to confirm the Torah (the law) and preach the
Gospel (the news).

“And He [God] will teach him the Book and the Wisdom and the
Torah and the Gospel. And [make him] a messenger to the Children
of Israel.” (3:48).
The message of Jesus was not new or unique: salvation through
the worship of God alone. This is manifested by pure monotheism
in belief, speech and deed, and perfection of morals and character
through adherence to the law. As Jesus stated:
.jkxaJLMLd Jctj+a IJla SjJ.ix.li Jf) 4JJT (jl

“[Jesus]: Indeed, God (Allah) is my Lord and your Lord, so

worship Him. That is the straight path.” (3:51).
Jesus is among the greatest of all Prophets and is highly
respected in Islam. A Muslim’s faith is invalid without belief in
Jesus. Muslims are in fact the true followers of Jesus today, just as
they are the true followers of Moses.11

11 As for Judaism, this was not the name of the religion of Abraham, nor Isaac,
nor Jacob, nor the Tribes, nor the early Israelites, nor Moses, nor David, nor
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 19
Prophet Muhammad said: “Both in this world and the
next, I am the nearest of all the people to the Son of Mary, and all the
prophets are paternal brothers, and there has been no prophet between me
and him (Jesus).”12 The Prophet also said: “Whoever testifies that no
deity is worthy of worship but God alone, without any partners, that
Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, that Jesus is the servant of God,
His Word which He bestowed upon Mary, a Spirit from Him, and that
Paradise is true and Hellfire is true, then he will enter Paradise through
any of the eight gates of Paradise he wishes”13
Regarding the statement of God:
Lo-jj VI <JJT Vj j (j ij_L*_3 V i—iiSUT

Vjj aITl <1a f-fy* ti! i-v^-li <lfl di3—^3

J U H3 /G o' <llT Uil i^fiT lili

t_ybjVl L«3 l
“0 People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your
religion and nor say about God (Allah) except the truth. The
Messiah, Jesus, the son of Maiy, was but a messenger of God and
His word which He directed to Mary and a soul [created at a
command] from Him. So believe in God and His messengers. And

Solomon Judaism is named after the tribe of Judah, one of the twelve
tribes of Israel. As a system, it did not develop until after the 6th century BC.
The term was then applied retrospectively, starting from the time of Moses.
The name of true religion which God is pleased with for His creation is not tied to any
race, tribe, gene or location. Further, the Jewish Encyclopedia (1912) makes a
distinction between the original Mosaic teachings and Rabbinic Judaism, a
much later development which has remained the main form of Judaism until
today. The Jewish Encylopedia also mentions that the original Israelite faith
underwent frequent changes throughout the ages. It was strongly affected
and moulded by the beliefs and practices of host nations such as Egypt,
Persia and Babylonia. The Israelites fell into wholesale apostacies throughout
their history. A Cohenite leadership—from the descendants of Aaron—was
present in MadTnah during the Prophet’s era. The Qur an reminded them of
the favours God had bestowed upon the Children of Israel when they were
upon right guidance and were the best of nations in the earliest part of their
history. It then described how the later ones departed from the guidance of
Moses, fell into apostasy and polytheism, altered their scripture, distorted
their law and contended with their prophets.
12 Reported by Imam al-Bukhari in his Sahlh.
13 Reported by Imam Muslim in his Sahlh.
20 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
do not say, ‘Three’. Desist, it is better for you. Indeed, God is but
one deity. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs
whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And
sufficient is God as Disposer of affairs.” (4:171).
This verse was revealed in relation to various factions of the
Christians, such as the Jacobites, Nestorians and others. They had
various sayings such as, “Jesus is God”, others said, “He is the Son of
God” and others said, “He is the third of three/'
The commentators of the Qur’an provided the following general
elaboration of the meaning of the above verse, as clarification and
admonition for Christians:
0 people of the Gospel, do not exceed the true belief and do not
exaggerate and say of God except the truth. God has neither a son
nor a wife. Jesus the Son of Mary was no more than a messenger
like many other messengers before him. He was sent with the
message of Islam which is to worship God alone, without ascribing
any partners to Him. Jesus is the Word of God, with the meaning
that he was created through a Word spoken by God which is “Be!” -
not that he, Jesus, in his essence, is the actual Word of God. It was
through this Word that Gabriel (JibrTl) was sent and he breathed
from the Spirit (Ruh) of God into Mary This Spirit is not a
part of God’s essence but a created entity which gave rise to life
and its reality is unknown. The same Spirit was breathed into
Adam who was born without father and mother. Through
this Spirit came the miraculous birth of Jesus. Hence, Jesus is the
Word and the Spirit of God. He was created through God’s Word of
command and the sending and breathing of the created Spirit
through Gabriel. So people of the Gospel, believe in this truth
regarding Jesus, the Son of Mary and submit to God alone. Shun the
worship of all other deities including Jesus and his mother Mary
and do not say “There are three (deities)/1 for there is only one deity
worthy of worship in truth. You have unjustly raised Jesus from
the station of servitude, prophethood and messengership to one of
lordship (rububiyyah). Yet Jesus and his mother Mary were mere
mortals, they ate, drank and walked the Earth and owned and
controlled nothing in the heavens and Earth, save that God
bestowed miracles upon Jesus as a sign of his prophethood. Desist
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 21
from this statement of “Three,” believe in the absolute oneness of
God and worship only Him alone. This is the straight path
indicated by authentic, uncorrupted revelation and sound reason.14

Traces of the original message of Jesus can be found in what is

ascribed to Jesus in the current representations of the Gospel in
the hands of the Christians.
In Mark 12:29 we find the word of Islam: «“The most important
one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, 0 Israel: The Lord our God, the
Lord is one\”» In John 17:3 we read: «“Now this is eternal life: that
they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you
have sent.”» This is a reference to worshipping God alone and Jesus
being sent as a prophet and messenger.
The believers in Jesus only knew him as a prophet. In Matthew
21:10-1 we read: «When Jesus had entered Jerusalem, the whole
city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” The crowds replied,
“This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”» In Matthew
21:45-46 we read: «When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard
Jesus’s parables, they knew he was talking about them. They
looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd
because the people held that he was a prophet.»

Jesus also made it clear that salvation and eternal life (in Paradise)
is by observing the commandments.
In Matthew 19:16-17 there occurs: «Just then a man came up to
Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal
life?” Jesus replied by saying: “If you want to enter life, keep the
commandments.”» In Matthew 5:17-20 we read: «“Do not think
that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not
come to abolish them but to fulfil them. For truly I tell you, until
heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least
stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until
everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one
of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will
be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices
and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of

14 Refer to the commentaries of Ibn Kathlr, al-Tabari and al-Baghawi.

22 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
heaven. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that
of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not
enter the kingdom of heaven ”» Thus, to his followers, Jesus was no
more than a prophet who called to pure monotheism, righteous
works and observance of the law.

The Children of Israel split into two: a) those who believed in Jesus
as Prophet and Messiah and b) those who rejected him out of anger
and resentment for his criticism of their iniquities, excesses and
departure from the law.
Those who believed in him also split into two:
- Those who remained loyal to his teachings from the Israelites,
represented by James the Just. They are generally referred to as
the early “Jewish Christians” by researchers.
- Those who deviated from his teachings. They are the Pauline
Christians, led by Paul who had never met Jesus and was originally
a persecuter of the followers ofJesus.
James Tabor, a professor of Religious Studies and a scholar of
the origins of Christianity and ancient Judaism, writes: “There are
two completely separate and distinct Christianities embedded in
the New Testament. One is quite familiar and became the version
of the Christian faith known to billions over the past two
millennia. Its main proponent was the apostle Paul. The other has
been largely forgotten and by the turn of the first century A.D. had
been effectively marginalized and suppressed by the other... Its
champion was no other than James...”15
As for Paul, he invented a mythological Jesus consistent with
Greek and Roman pagan beliefs in human gods, sacrifices, saviours
and redemptions bearing little to no resemblance to the historical
Jesus as an Israelite prophet.16

15 In The Jesus Dynasty: The Hidden History ofJesus, His Royal Family and the Birth
of Christianity. New York: Simon and Schuster (2006). p. 261.
16 «
Paul’s interpretation of the Christ figure bears the unmistakable stamp of
a saviour figure of the Greek mystery religions into whose form Jesus was
cast. The statements of Jesus Himself, however, do not support His exaltation
to the Godhead... With the gradual demise of the Jewish wing of Christianity
Paul’s Christology came to the forefront in the Christian understanding on
Jesus. His glorification of Christ’s divinity has played a major role in the
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 23
Paul also removed righteous works from faith and abolished the
law, making it of no effect. He was considered an apostate from the
law by Jesus’s actual disciples and followers. His innovated religion
spread through the aid of empire and with the formulation of the
Trinity in the 5th century [on the back of Greek philosophical
concepts]17 it became the dominant religion of the Western world.
Any connection to the actual beliefs and practices of Jesus the
Israelite Prophet were completely lost by the time of the arrival of
Prophet Muhammad $&>).

Islam is a direct connection to the authentic teachings of Jesus

and to his immediate and direct followers such as James,
and of the Israelite Prophets before him. Muslims believe in the
Lord of Jesus, worship like Jesus, invoke God alone like Jesus, have
the same dietary laws as Jesus and are circumcised just like Jesus.
Devout Muslim women dress like Mary and strive to mimic
her piety, modesty and chastity. Both Jesus and Mary have a lofty
position in the heart of every Muslim.

deification of Jesus.” Jack Mclean in The Deification of Jesus. World Order,

Spring Summer edition, 1980, p. 24.
17 “Towards the end of the 1st century, and during the 2nd, many learned men
came over both from Judaism and paganism to Christianity. These brought
with them into the Christian schools of theology their Platonic ideas and
phraseology.” Mclintock, J. and Strong, J. in Cyclopaedia of Biblical, Theological,
and Ecclesiastical Literature, 1891, Vol. 10, “Trinity,” p. 553). “The use of Greek
philosophy in Christian theology had far-reaching consequences for the core
of Christology: the ontological terms ousia, physis and prosopon were
introduced to explain and safeguard the mystery of Jesus Christ. In the
process the Christian faith was dejudaized and Hellenized.” Jongeneel, J. Jesus
Christ in World History. (2009) p. 91. This explains why we see a transition in
the status ofJesus in the early Gospel of Mark from being a prophet, a “son of
man” who preaches worship of God alone, righteous works and adherence to
the law as means of attaining the kingdom of God in the next life, to the
status of Jesus in the later gospel of John as the “Son of God”, then as the
Word becoming flesh, God Incarnate and so on. This is clear evidence of the
influence of Greek philosophy on the development of Christian theology. In
Pauline Greco-Roman Christianity, Jesus was framed for Gentiles in a way
very much like the gods they already knew and worshipped. Jesus was moved
from an Israelite monotheistic setting to a pagan, polytheistic Greco-Roman
setting. This very much suited evangelists trying to win converts.
24 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
On account of clear Quranic texts and Prophetic traditions,
Muslims believe that righteous works are a vital part of faith.18
They hold that salvation is through a combination of a) faith,
works and observance of law on behalf of the servant as necessary
means and b) grace, mercy and bounty on behalf of God as the
determining factor in salvation and success. Each person is born
clean and sinless, is responsible only for his or her own deeds and
will not bear the burden of any other. This agrees perfectly with
common sense and reason, is in perfect accord with divine justice,
and was the original and actual teaching of the Gospel.

Muhammad was sent to revive this pristine way, the way

of Abraham, Moses and Jesus
For Jews and Christians who believe in Muhammad
there is a double reward.
God fep) said:
4jl 4j llil I3JU ^AJlC. 'Juu I .03-Lo^J Aj jc-A Alls

Laj jjcr^Jo 4_L_9 ^0 llS" til Hjj

“Those to whom We gave the Scripture before it [the Qur’an] they

are believers in it. And when it is recited to them, they say: ‘We
have believed in it. Indeed, it is the truth from our Lord. Indeed
[even] before it we were Muslims [submitting to God].1 Those will
be given their reward twice for their patience” (28.52-54).
This verse is a reference to the People of the Book who believed
in their prophet—whether Moses or Jesus—and then believed in
Muhammad For such Jews and Christians who accept
Islam after having been faithful to whatever they possessed of the
messages of Moses or Jesus there is a double reward for their
patience and sincerity. This is indicated in the authentic traditions.
Prophet Muhammad said: “Three persons will receive a
double reward” and from them he mentioned, “a man from the people
of the Book who believes in his prophet and believes in Muhammad. ”19

18 In his Epistle, James refutes the innovated doctrine of Paul that faith alone
(devoid of works) justifies salvation. Refer to James 1:22-25 and James 2:14-
26.
19 Related by Imam al-Bukhan.
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 25

Muhammad The Messenger

In light of what has preceded, what Prophet Muhammad
came with was not a new religion, nor an invention.
God stated in the Quran:

“Say [0 Muhammad]: I am not a novel thing among the

messengers.” (46:9).
Rather, he only revived the religion of Abraham, Moses and
Jesus God said in the Qur an:
Qo-StjYlJ LI 1-3Aj,s\a CjUSLII <■ *llic
“He has sent down upon you, [0 Muhammad], the Book in truth,
confirming what [scripture] was before it. And He revealed the
Torah and the Gospel.” (3:3).
And also:
<lic. b-cl^oj {jA U L9JL4OUO <L>llS3l udJI

“And We have revealed to you, [0 Muhammad], the Book in

truth, confirming that which preceded it of the Scripture and as a
criterion [of truth] over it.” (5:48).

Prophet Muhammad was from the offspring of Ishmael

(p&»*&), the son of Abraham Abraham and Ishmael had
settled in the western region of the Arabian peninsula known as
the Hijaz and they built a house for God’s worship in Mecca. This is
the Ka'bah in whose direction Muslims from all regions of Earth
turn during their prayer to God. Abraham prayed for this city to be
secured and for the region to be blessed with God’s praise and His
worship (Quran 14:37)—a prayer whose fulfilment is evidently
witnessed by the entire world today.
Muhammad fe*£4S^) was prophesied by the Israelite Prophets.
His name, lineage and location were mentioned in the books in the
hands of the Jews and in the Gospel of Jesus, he was mentioned as
Ahmad. This can still be traced in the current Gospels when the
Greek is rendered back into the original Aramaic (Syriac) language,
the language that Jesus actually spoke.
26 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
God said, referring to those Jews and Christians who recognised
and believed in Muhammad (fe&Sifa):

j^yij
“Those who follow the Messenger, the Unlettered Prophet,
whom they find written in what they have of the Torah and the
Gospel...” (7:157).
It is evident from the readings of the relevant texts in question20
that there was a burden upon Arabia and that the glory of God
would be taken from the Israelites and given to another nation.21
That a prophet named Ahmad would appear among an idol-
worshipping nation and whose message would be for all nations.
He would be from the offspring of Kedar, son of Ishmael, and
emerge from the deserts and mountains of Paran (Hijaz) in a dry,
arid, place lacking vegetation (Mecca). He was described by the
Prophet Isaiah as Ahmad, as God’s servant (abd), chosen one
(mukhtar) and beloved (hablb) who would be received by an
rejoiceful people at the mountain of Sela‘ (in Yathrib, MadTnah).
His message would be directed towards his own idol-worshipping
people who would fight him, though he would be victorious over
them. He would also come with a new hymn (the Qur’an) and a new
law. He would be victorious over the nations and his praise and
mention would become great.
These descriptions are highly specific and do not fit any
Israelite Prophet. However, they match exactly, the descriptions of
the Prophet of Islam in terms of his lineage, name, titles, location
of appearance and settlement, the nature and content of his
message, his adversaries, his victory, the spread of his call and the
singing of his hymn, which is the Quran, in all regions of the
earth.22

20 Refer for example to Isaiah 42:1-25, 21:13-17, Habakkuk 3:3.

21 Matthew 21:43.
22 It is important to study the texts of these prophecies through the original
Hebrew—in the case of the Old Testament—and by rendering the Greek
originals of the Gospels into Syriac (Aramaic)—the actual language spoken by
Jesus. The languages of Hebrew, Arabic and Aramaic are very similar.
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 27
The Prophet (&*&&&) was sent at a time when the teachings and
traces of past messengers in various parts of the world had been
completely erased or distorted. The Pagans of Arabia had inherited
many of the deities of the ancients and worshipped them alongside
God. The Sabeans worshipped the celestial bodies. The Jews and
Christians had departed from the teachings of Moses and Jesus
respectively. They had altered their religion through the distortion
of their revealed books and the syncretisation of concepts and
beliefs from other nations such as the Babylonians, Egyptians,
Greeks, Persians and Romans. All other nations had likewise fallen
into the worship of other deities besides or alongside God. Past
messages of monotheism brought by messengers of God in various
nations across the earth had long been lost or obscured through
novel beliefs, concepts, rituals and practices.

From the start of his prophethood in 610 ce and for a period of 13

years in Mecca, the Prophet preached peacefully to the Pagan
Arabs. He invited them to single out God in worship and shun the
worship of deities that have no power over benefit or harm. He
spoke against their racism, their maltreatment of women and
slaves, killing of female newborns, disdain of the poor, weak and
needy and other misdeeds. He enjoined benevolence to widows
and orphans and the frequent giving of charity.
Unfortunately, his message was not in the personal, economic
and political interests of the pagans of Mecca.
He was shown hostility and his believing companions were
oppressed, tortured and murdered. Attempts were made on his life
and he was forced to migrate to what became known as the city of
MadTnah in 622 ce. He continued preaching for another ten years
whilst facing hostility, plots and the machinations of the
polytheists and various forces who formed alliances and initiated
wars against him.
Being granted permission to ward off aggression and injustice
from himself and his believing companions, he only fought to
defend the instrument of peaceful preaching so that the message
of Islam, genuine monotheism and perfection of morals and
character, could be heard by others without hindrance.
28 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
After inviting the Pagan Arabs, he also invited the Jews back to the
original, uncorrupted religion of Prophet Moses Through
the Qur an, he reminded them of how the Children of Israel were
favoured when they adhered to right guidance and how their
leaders strayed, fell into disbelief, opposed the Prophets, distorted
the Book, altered the law, entered into magic and other iniquities.
He also argued with the Christians and invited them to the true
religion of Prophet Jesus He explained the falsehood of the
Trinity, that Jesus was not divine, never claimed to be and never
asked to be worshipped. He explained through the argument of the
Qur an that Jesus called to the worship of the one true deity, God
(Allah), and none other, and that his mother was but a chaste,
truthful, righteous woman, chosen by God over all other women.
Despite many wars waged to extinguish his message, the
Prophet came out victorious. The entire Arabian peninsula entered
Islam during the last two years of his prophethood, willingly and
without compulsion, when they saw his victory over Quraysh and
it allies, coupled with their firm belief that God would never give
custody of Mecca to an imposter and liar. His followers were
victorious over the great nations of the time, the Romans and
Persians. Over the passing of centuries, Islam eventually spread all
the way to westernmost Africa, reached France and Switzerland on
one side of the Earth and northern Australia on the other side.23

Islam—in its beliefs, teachings and codes—takes humans from their

initial predisposition towards good to the peak of perfection in
human character and morals for those who truly abide by it. At the
same time, it protects them from that in which lies the destruction
of individuals, societies and nations. In the next two chapters we
will look at its greatest pillars and obligations and its greatest
prohibitions.

23 Unlike Christian European colonialism, the spread of Islam was not

accompanied by the wholesale slaughter and organised extermination of
indigenous people. For a scholarly and objective, non-Muslim’s treatment of
the spread of Islam, refer to the book, “The Preaching of Islam", by the British
Orientalist scholar and historian, Thomas Walker Arnold (d. 1930), London
Constable & Company, 1913.
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 29

Pillars and Obligations

The first pillar of Islam is pure monotheism and affirmation of the
messengership of Muhammad which incorporates belief
in all previous prophets and messengers as has preceded. There are
another four pillars which in addition to the first comprise the
essence of Islam as outwardly observed:

Daily prayers in a state of physical cleanliness as a form of

devotion and gratitude to God for his innumerable favours is the
second greatest pillar. The prayer provides a daily, direct and
constant connection with God upon which all moral conduct is
hinged. When performed sincerely and correctly, it prevents from
shameful and evil deeds (Quran 29:45). When insincere and done
for show, it will have little to no effect.

Fasting the month of Ramadan as a means of exercising patience

and developing sympathy for the hungry and needy is a bodily act
of worship and the next greatest pillar. Through it, a Muslim is
reminded that all food and drink comes through a vast system of
interconnected causes and effects created and controlled by God.
Being without food and drink from dawn to sunset is a reminder of
this fact and develops humility, gratefulness and piety.

Giving obligatory charity to the poor and needy to the equivalent

of 2.5% of any excess wealth unused for one lunar year having a
value greater than 85 grams of gold. This reminds a Muslim that
wealth—created by God and which facilitates the attainment of
worldly needs and interests—belongs ultimately to God. As such,
we are only temporary custodians of it and must dispose of it in
accordance with His good pleasure, for the beneficial interests of
others. Hence, voluntary charity is also highly emphasised.

Performing pilgrimage (hajj) to Mecca when one has the means to

do so is an enactment of the actions of Prophet Abraham who built
the House of God’s worship in Mecca with his son Ishmael. Every
nation has rituals but the rituals of hajj symbolise strict, pure
monotheism completely free of all traces of polytheism, idolatry
30 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
and the worship of others besides God. People from every corner of
the Earth come in a white garment and are indistinguishable in
terms of class or wealth. They are equal before their Lord and
Creator whether they are blue, brown, grey or green-eyed or
white, brown, black or red-skinned.

So these are the five pillars of Islam. One can see what they contain
of tremendous cultivation of the soul and preparing it to become a
repository for every type of goodness. The qualities of humility,
gratitude, patience, compassion and sacrifice developed through
these pillars of Islam are the fabric upon which moral conduct and
perfection of human character are built.

Thereafter, honouring one’s parents, relatives, neighbours and

guests—whether Muslim or non-Muslim—are among the most
emphatic of deeds in Islam after the five pillars.

As for honouring the parents, then sufficient an illustration is the

fact that a Muslim is commanded to maintain kindness and keep
beautiful company with parents even if they are polytheists who
strive to make him or her worship other deities besides God. To
associate partners with God in worship is the most heinous deed
and the only unforgiveable sin in Islam, if a person dies upon it.
God said:
O' (J AllL>A9 (_5^“ ti-Aj A-ol Vi li4=ii

jcJx. 4j dll La ^ (jl dJl JaLS- dJLj J-II3J3

^J] iljlil (jA j-fjlJ tsjijjLo llijJl

“And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His
mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness,
and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to Me and to your
parents; to Me is the [final] destination. But if they endeavor to
make you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge,
do not obey them but accompany them in [this] world with
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 31
kindness and follow the way of those who turn back to Me [in
repentance].” (31:14-15).
The scholar and Quranic commentator al-BaghawI (d. 1122)
said: “It means benevolence, keeping ties with them and beautiful
companionship.”24
Of the parents, the mother has the greatest right and is most
deserving of kindness and benevolence. A man came to the
Prophet Gte4ci%^) and asked: “Who has the greatest right to my
kind companionship?” The Prophet said: “Your mother " The man
asked: “Then who?” He said: “Your mother ” The man asked: “Then
who?” He again said: “Your mother.” The man asked: “Then who?”
Then the Prophet said:11 Your father.1'25

As for honouring the neighbor, it is the greatest of rights after the

rights of parents and blood-relatives and applies to every
neighbour. The Prophet was commanded to emphatically
stress this right. He said, liThe [angel] Gabriel has not ceased advising
me with respect to the neighbour until I thought he (the neighbour) would
be made to inherit (from his fellow neighbour)."26 The Prophet also
negated complete faith from the one who does not withhold from
harming his neighbour, “By God, he does not have faith, by God, he does
not have faith, by God, he does not have faith whose neighbour is not safe
from his harm."27 And in another authentic tradition, he said,
“ Whoever believes in God and the Final Day (ofReckoning), let him honour
his neighbour."28 Under the chapter heading, “The Jewish
Neighbour,” the famous collector of Prophetic traditions, Imam al-
Bukharl relates the following authentic tradition from the famous
commentator of the Qur’an, Mujahid (d. 722), who said: “I was with
‘Abd Allah bin ‘Amr whilst his servant was preparing a sheep [for a
meal] and he said, ‘0 servant! When you have finished [cooking the
meal] then begin by offering to our Jewish neighbour [first].’ So a
man present said, “The Jew, may God rectify you?’ He replied, ‘I

24 Ma'alim al-TanzTl (6/288).

25 Related by al-Bukharl (no. 5626).
26 Reported by Muslim in his SahTh.
27 Related by al-Bukharl in Kitab al-Adab.
28 Related by al-Bukharl and Muslim.
32 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
heard the Prophet (}&&&&*) advising with [kindness] to the
neighbour [with such emphasis] until we feared he would relate to
us [through revelation] that the [neighbour] is to inherit [from his
fellow neighbour]’.”29
The neighbour in Islam is defined as the one who lives in the
vicinity of any direction, left, right, front, back and would also
include above and below in flats and apartments.

As for honouring the guest, whether Muslim and non-Muslim, the

Prophet said: “Whoever believes in God and the Last Day, let
him honour the guest”30 The famous scholar of Prophetic traditions
Imam al-NawawT (d. 1277) stated: “The Muslims are united upon
honouring the guest and that it is from the most emphasised deeds
of Islam.”31

There are many qualities and other deeds of virtue which Islam
enjoins and which are too numerous to mention. Through the
emphasised and regular obligations, as well as the commended
actions, Muslims are encouraged to achieve excellence (ihsan) in
their piety and devotion, this being the highest of ranks within
Islam.

It should be noted that a righteous deed is only a righteous deed if

it is founded upon pure monotheism. If deeds are hinged upon
beliefs that oppose the teachings of the Messengers, then those
deeds are not acceptable to God. This means that righteous deeds
performed by polytheists, idolators and those who worship others
alongside God are in vain. This is because inventing and erecting
deities, ascribing divine attributes to them and soliciting them for
good and repelling or lifting harm—despite the fact they are only
subservient creatures of God with no independent power over the
affairs sought from them—comprise the greatest injustice and a
gross rejection of the universal order as well as revilement of the
intellect.

29 Related by al-Bukharl in al-Adab al-Mufrad.

30 Related by al-Bukharl and Muslim.
31 Sharh al-NawawT'ala Muslim (3/393).
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 33

The Major Prohibitions

The major prohibitions in Islam, after polytheism and idolatry are:
- murder,
- usury (interest),
- adultery and fornication,
- alcohol,
- gambling,
- cutting off from one’s parents and
- giving false witness.

These crimes and vices lead to loss of life and harm to health,
wealth and personal dignity and corruption of society. Any benefit
in these vices is negligible and restricted.
These affairs cause harm and decay to society over time despite
the financial benefit gained by a small minority who commercialise
these vices or despite the temporal pleasure gained by those who
indulge in them, whether occasionally or habitually.
Some of these vices become punishments upon minds, bodies,
families and societies when they turn into addiction. Hence, these
vices are seen as nation destroyers. There are evil people who
profit immensely from the commercialisation of these vices.
It grieves Muslims to see the societies they live in suffer from
the harms inevitably produced by these vices, including the loss of
life, broken homes, abuse, sickness, wastage and so on.
Usually, the greatest opponents and enemies of Islam and of the
teachings of the Prophets of God in general are those with vested
interests. They stand to lose most if people give up enslavement to
false deities, exploitative lifestyle philosophies, desires of the soul,
vices and harmful practices—and instead, submit to God alone. By
adhering to His commands and prohibitions they are freed from
the clutches of exploiters and profiteers and attain true freedom
from enslavement.

As for these vices, these nation destroyers, over long periods of

time—in a slow, imperceptible manner—they lead to:
34 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
a) loss or confiscation of private property32 from individuals and
economic enslavement of nations and their subjects in the case of
usury as well as the usurpation of political power from nation
states33 by those who issue currency as a usurious debt instrument.

b) harm to wealth, health, intellect, family and children in the

case of alcohol,34 and gambling.35

32 Private property forms the basis of many other rights and its destruction is
the destruction of individual freedom. Islam is vehemently against the
confiscation of private property through its condemnation of and severe
prohibition against oppressive economic and trade practices, chief of which
is usury. For this reason, devout Muslims and Muslim rulers—in obedience to
God—do not to partake in usury or interest-based banking practices in order
to protect the economic interests of the nation and its political power from
being usurped. By shunning interest, devout Muslims are indirectly aiding
the citizens of whichever nation they reside in. This is because they take no
part in increasing the communal burden known as the “national debt” which
is forced upon the entire nation through a usurious, debt-based economy.
33 Usurious central banks are the instruments of this process. Since political
power always follows economic power as a fundamental law of human
activity, then the usurpation and control of economic power in this manner
leads to the hijacking of nations and their political independence. As such,
nations can be coerced into actions (such as invasions, wars or implementing
policies for the benefit of private banks and corporations) which are not in
the interests of their economies nor their citizens. As a result, institutions,
processes and mechanisms that are supposed—or alleged—to work for the
citizens (such as government, democracy) become meaningless, empty slogans
and of no effect. Today, the majority of developed western nations are run as
socialist democracies, which—ignoring the illusory layer of token democracy-
are stealth, subtle and graduated implementations of most of the planks of
Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto. These include heavy progressive taxation,
centralisation of all credit, abolition of private property and inheritance rights,
centralised control of the means of communication and transport, equal liability to
labour (a social welfare scheme) and free education to prepare children to work
for the communal debt-slave system by combining education with industrial
production.
34 Alcohol negatively impacts the brain, heart, liver, pancreas and the
immune system. The many diseases produced as a result (including a range
of cancers) lead to tremendous financial burdens upon the economies of
nations. On average, around 50% of all violent crime is committed under the
influence of alcohol. Statistics also indicate a similar link between alcohol
consumption, domestic violence and sexual assault. A 2012 document titled
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 35
c) breakdown of the family institution and thereby lineage and
thereby the gradual loss of inheritance and property rights36 in the

“The Government’s Alcohol Strategy” by the UK Secretary of State for the

Home Office declares: “Society is paying the costs - alcohol-related harm is
now estimated to cost society £21 billion annually.” In August 2018, Lancet,
the science journal, published a huge global study establishing that there is
no safe limit in the consumption of alcohol. The report concludes: “Alcohol
use is a leading risk factor for disease burden worldwide, accounting for
nearly 10% of global deaths among populations aged 15-49 years, and poses
dire ramifications for future population health in the absence of policy
action today. The widely held view of the health benefits of alcohol needs
revising, particularly as improved methods and analyses continue to show
how much alcohol use contributes to global death and disability. Our results
show that the safest level of drinking is none. This level is in conflict with
most health guidelines, which espouse health benefits associated with
consuming up to two drinks per day. Alcohol use contributes to health loss
from many causes and exacts its toll across the lifespan, particularly among
men.” Refer to “Alcohol use and burden for 195 countries and territories, 1990-2016:
a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016” in Lancet 2018;
392: 1015-35. This study proves that there is zero net benefit in alcohol. By
shunning alcohol, devout Muslims save the lives of people and protect their
own health and that of others. They relieve the health services and thereby
lift economic burdens, something for which they should be thanked.
35 The effects of gambling are well-researched in the scientific literature. It
creates impaired family relationships, emotional problems and financial
difficulties. Evidence clearly and consistently establishes a link between
gambling problems and family (domestic) violence. Children of gambling
parents are also at a much higher risk of developing the same problem
compared to others. Also, gambling leads to crime, bankruptcies and family
breakdown. A report reveals the staggering cost of gambling: “The extent of
Britain’s addiction to controversial casino-style gambling machines is
revealed today with the disclosure by two bookmaker giants that more than
£12 billion was wagered on their machines in the first half of this year.”
Revealed: The £46bn cost of Britain’s roulette machine addiction. Daily Mail 5
August 2012. Non-Muslim governments allow gambling practices—stealth
forms of organised looting of the masses already suffering from economic
hardships—and then try to manage the consequences at tremendous cost to
society. Islamic law eliminates the problem from its very roots.
36 Blood and family relations form the basis of inheritance and property
rights through which property and wealth remain in private hands, allowing
varying degrees of economic independence to private individuals. The
promotion of sexual permissiveness and so-called sexual liberation is simply a
means of eroding the family institution, which in turn leads to the erosion of
private property and inheritance rights. When sex is promoted outside of the
36 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
case of sexual promiscuity and sexual liberation lifestyle
philosophies, as well as the emergence and spread of diseases that
harm and place burdens upon society in numerous ways.37

institution of marriage and outside of the union of a biological male and

biological female, it leads to the gradual erosion of property and inheritance
rights because the basis of the transfer of property and wealth between
private individuals is the family and ties of blood. Homosexuality, lesbianism,
gender confusion, transgenderism and early sexualisation of children all
undermine the family institution and erode the underlying basis for these
rights. These lifestyles are promoted predominantly by Marxists, Socialists,
Communists and Collectivists who are the enemies of private property and
who see in sexual liberation philosphies a powerful tool for the attainment of
ideological, social and economic objectives.
37 Sexual promiscuity leads, naturally, to the spread of disease in societies.
Many reports on the subject over the past couple of decade indicate the
following realities:
- The soaring of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) coincides with a
culture of promiscuity,
- In Britain and the US, Chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis continue to
grow despite sex education programs, promotion of “safer sex" and use of
contraceptives,
- Abortion rates naturally increase with unwanted pregnancies,
- It is young people that are disproportionately affected,
- Casual sex increases mental health problems and depression.
See Record rise in sexual diseases among promiscuous young adults. Daily Mail, Jul.
16, 2008. ; CDC: 'Alarming' increase in STDs. USA Today, Nov. 18, 2015; CDC:
Sexually transmitted disease rates are rising. USA Today, Oct. 19, 2016; Study:
Casual teen sex linked to higher depression rates. Cornell Chronicle (Cornell
University) Dec. 4, 2012.
® Sexual promiscuity is like gambling and alcohol in the sense that non-
Muslim nations allow these vices to take place believing that regulation and
education will limit their harms to society. This allows populations to be
exploited by business interests who—through detailed long-term population
studies—understand the human instinct, motivation and psychology to a
level that enables them to engineer maximum exploitation. With this
knowledge, they commercialise vices in order to profit immensely. However,
society has to bear the burden of all the costs associated with the negative
effects brought about through these vices, which are always inevitable.
In Islam, the solution is simple because it cuts off everything at its roots:
Usury, alcohol and gambling are completely unlawful and sexual relations
and intimacy are kept within the context of deep, meaningful, long-term,
faithful relationships with chaste partners. This leads to the creation of
mentally and psychologically sound offspring and strong, stable societies.
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 37
Hence, the prohibition of these vices in Islam whose laws are
aimed at protecting: life (nafs), property, wealth (mal), intellect
Caql) and lineage, honour (nasi, ‘ird) through ways that are simple
and effective and also aligned with the fundamental facts and
realities of human nature. Islam does not allow business models to
be built on top of vices and harmful practices in which a few profit
at the expense of millions of others, even if some pleasure or gain
is acquired by those millions in the process.
Those who are most opposed and hostile to Islam are those with
vested interests in the perpetuation of these vices. Likewise, those
who prefer vices, or attainment of fame and power over gratitude
to God—through whose creative power, such people enjoy the
pleasures of the world on a daily basis. Much of the propaganda
against Islam and Muslims can be put into context from this
perspective, in addition to the fact that the most strategic and
resource-rich locations in the world are populated by Muslims.
Thus, invasions and wars are justified by presenting these
populations as ignorant, backward and inherently violent due to
their adherence to Islam. In reality, Islam has everything that can
save exploited and ailing Western societies from their social and
moral decadence, their economic woes, and their eventual ruin.

Incidentally, the largest group of converts to Islam—despite the

tremendous amount of anti-Islam propaganda—are educated Christian
women from Western nations who spend many years studying
Islam before converting.38 They convert for two main reasons. The

Islam rectifies societies and saves them from destruction. It saves them from
exploitation and from becoming slaves to their desires.
38 News headlines over the past twenty years abound in this regard: “Why are
so Many Modem British Career Women Converting to Islam”, Daily Mail, 28
October 2010. “Europeans Increasingly Converting to Islam”, Gatestone Institute,
27 January 2012. “Surge in Britons converting to Islam: White women lead a wave of
Britons embracing Islam” The Telegraph, 4 January 2011. “How 100,000 Britons
Have Chosen To Become Muslim... And Average Convert Is 27-Year-Old White
Woman”, Daily Mail, 5 January 2011. “Converts to Islam increase after French
attack”, World Bulletin, 24 February 2015. “More in France are Turning to Islam,
Challenging a Nation’s Idea of Itself’, NY Times, 3 February 2013. “Islam is
Ireland’s Fastest Growing Religion”, International Business Times, 21 February
2014. This article points out that most of the converts are women. “Lifting the
38 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
first is a clear, lucid explanation of divinity in Islam, devoid of
mystery, confusion and bewilderment The second is that they see
within Islam a coherent, practical framework of moral and social
guidance which they found missing in their former lives leaving
them empty and disillusioned despite having material comforts,
apparent happiness and successful careers.
In a 2010 survey, conducted by Kevin Brice from Swansea
University in Wales, converts to Islam identified “alcohol and
drunkenness,” a “lack of morality and sexual permissiveness” and
“unrestrained consumerism” as negative aspects of British culture.
The survey also revealed that nearly two thirds of the converts
were women, more than 70% were white and the average age at
conversion was just 27.39 In short, intellectual and spiritual
fulfilment coupled with moral direction and inner serenity are the
main factors in their conversion to Islam.

ca

The divorcing of works from faith and the abolition of the law in
Pauline Christianity set up Christian nations to become brittle,
hollow and non-resilient, the effects of which are clearly visible in
these nations today. When the age of empire came to an end for
Christianity, and Christian nations entered the era of secularism,
materialistic and liberal philosophies and various social, political
and economic doctrines devised to erode and destroy the concept
of national sovereignty, it was brought to its knees.
The people of these nations, their traditional values, and their
overall wealth, health and independence have been harmed by
private international banks that hijack and manipulate economies
through usurious debt-based credit creation, alcohol consumption,
gambling, sexual promiscuity, the marketing of homosexuality and

Veil on Ireland’s Fastest Growing Religion”, Independent Ireland, 21 September

2014. “Islam Growing in America”, US Department of Defence, 4 October 2001.
“Hispanic Islamic Converts Find Comfort in God and Latino Culture”, Huffington
Post, 11 September 2012.
39 Refer to A Minority Within a Minority: A Report on Converts to Islam in the
United Kingdom, Kevin Brice (2010).
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 39
lesbianism as desirabale lifestyles, the orchestrated promotion of
gender confusion, early sexualisation of children, emasculation of
men and the erosion of the family and traditional values.
There are movements in Western nations of white Christian
backgrounds which have recognised these realities and are trying
to address the harms. Often—due to the geopolitics of today—and
due to uncritical acceptance of media narratives, they are inclined
towards blaming Islam, and thereby Muslims, and see in a stricter
return to Christianity, a solution.
However, an innovated religion in which «=>
-Jesus has been made divine like Greco-Roman gods,
- Idols and statues are worshipped,
- The scripture is distorted and has lost integrity,
- The law is abolished and
- Salvation is justified by belief alone, without works,
■=> will never be able to offer protection to the individual or the
society and nor will it be able to ward off subversive doctrines and
lifestyle philosophies. A religion in which salvation is through a
doctrine of blood-sacrifice devoid of law does not have the
capacity to rectify the servant or the land.
If these movements want to follow authentic religion, protect
their morality and find salvation through the way that Jesus
actually practised and preached—as opposed to what Greek
evangelists writing in the second century CE falsely attributed to
him in order to win converts from the pagan audiences of Greece
and Rome—then they will find it only in Islam which is the call of
all of the Messengers of God.40 Thus, we advise these concerned
movements—whom we empathise with—to shake off the centuries-
old bias and look at Islam with new, clean spectacles.

After the greatest obligations and greatest prohibitions of Islam

are the subjects of ethics, just dealings and perfection in character.
The legislation of Islam draws out and cultivates these qualities in
its adherents with the aim of perfecting character.

40 Refer to Jesus in Islam, Christianity and the Jewish Talmud (2017) by the author
and to the website http://www.islamjesus.ws for more information.
40 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
Justice, Kind Dealings and Ethics
Muslims are obligated to speak good to people, behave justly and
ethically, fulfil their contracts and abide by all of their agreements.
God said in the Quran:

“And speak good with people...” (2:83).

The contemporary Muslim scholar, Shaykh Salih Al al-Shaykh, said

in relation to this verse: “Justice is the foundation for all mutual
interactions with non-Muslims, likewise, being kind to them,
likewise speaking good to them. All of this is with respect to those
who do not display enmity to Islam and its adherents.”41
That justice is the primary foundation for all dealings with all
people, irrespective of creed or race, is clear from another verse of
the Qur an:
(jl paJ <yj JJl 4JJI Sf

vLx%j 4JJI <j] Ij)U xn. a3j

“God (Allah) does not forbid you from being kind and acting
justly towards those who did not fight you because of religion and
did not expel you from your homes. Indeed, God loves those who
act justly.” (60:8).
The famous Muslim Quran commentator, IbnJarir al-Tabari (d.
932) said regarding this verse:
“The most correct of these statements is of the one who said
that [this verse] pertains to all of the factions from the varying
beliefs and religions. That you behave kindly towards them, and
that you are just regarding them, because God generalised with His
saying, ‘...those who fought not against you on account of your
religion and did not drive you out of your homes.’ So this applies to
everyone who is characterised by this. He did not specify some as
opposed to others in this regard.”42

41 Hadha Huwa al-lslam (p. 18), from a transcribed lecture given in front of an
audience of people of knowledge and influence.
42 Refer to Jami al-Bayan of Ibn Jarir al-Tabari under this particular verse.
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 41
In the context of this same verse, the Muslim jurist Ahmad bin
Idns al-Misn (d. 1285) stated regarding interaction between
Muslims and non-Muslims in the context of Muslim rule:
“The covenant of the guarantee of safety (dhimmah)43 obligates
certain rights from us which are due to them—[the non-Muslims]—
because they are in our neighbourhood and under our protection.
They are under the protection (dhimmah) of God the Most High, of
the Prophet and of Islam. Whoever transgressed against
them even if it was with an evil word or backbiting them with
respect to the honour of one of them, or any harm among the
types of harm—or who even aided in that—then he has ruined the
guarantee of (safety) of God, of His Messenger and of the
religion of Islam that had been granted to them../’
And then he explained the meaning of being kind as mentioned
in the verse mentioned earlier:
“To show gentleness to their weak, to satisfy the needs of their
poor, to feed their hungry, to clothe their naked, to use gentle,
kind speech to them from the angle of compassion and mercy
towards them—not out of fear or inferiority—to bear whatever
harm arises from them when they are our neighbours despite
having the ability to end (their harm), doing this out of compassion
for them, not out of fear or veneration of them. To supplicate for
guidance for them, that they be made people of happiness, to
advise them in all their affairs that pertain to their religion and
[likewise] their worldly affairs. To protect them in their absence
when anyone embarks upon harming them, to protect their
wealth, their families, their honour and all of their rights and

43 The dictionary meaning of dhimmah is: covenant, contract, bond,

protection, shelter, alliance, responsibility, clientship, care, custody,
coventant of protection, inviolability, security of life and property, the
neglect of which brings blame. In his famous Arabic Lexicon, Edward Lane
summarises the essence of the meaning of dhimmah as: “A sacred thing
which one is under an obligation to reverence, respect, or honour, and
defend; everything entitled to reverence, respect, honour or defence in the
character and appertenances of a person; security, safety, security of life and
property protection or safeguard; a promise, or an assurance, of safety,
protection, or safeguard, indemnity.” Refer to Lane’s Lexicon, and also the
dictionaries of Steingass and Hans Wehr.
42 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
beneficial interests. That they are supported in repelling any
oppression against them and delivering all their rights to them. A
(Muslim) does all such acts of goodness towards them that one who
is in a privileged position can possibly do towards the one who is
under-privileged and likewise, [all acts of goodness] that [even] an
enemy could possibly do towards an enemy, for all of that is from
nobility in character and manners. It is desireable that all of what
we do with respect to them is from this angle, not from the angle
of pride and loftiness on our behalf and nor from the angle of
belittling ourselves and exalting them through such actions
towards them.”44

Treachery, dishonesty and injustice are severely prohibited by

Islam and are traits of hypocrisy which clash with faith. The Quran
orders: “And fulfil every covenant, for every covenant will be
enquired into.” (17:35). The Prophet Muhammad (fe&#^) said:
“There are four traits, whoever possesses them is a hypocrite and whoever
possesses some of them has an element of hypocrisy until he leaves it: The
one who when he speaks he lies, when he promises he breaks his promise,
when he disputes he transgresses, and when he makes an agreement he
violates it.”45 These behaviours cannot be reconciled with faith and
are antithetical to them.

The late and famous Salafi scholar of Saudi Arabia Muhammad bin
Salih al-TJthaymln (d. 2001) advised a gathering of over two-
thousand Muslims in the city of Birmingham, United Kingdom, via
tele-link on 28 July 2000 with the following words:
“I invite you to have respect for the [non-Muslims] who have
the right that they should be respected, those with whom there is
an agreement [of protection] for you. For the land in which you are
living is such that there is an agreement between you and them...
So preserve this agreement, and do not prove treacherous to it,
since treachery is a sign of the hypocrites, and it is not from the
way of the believers. Do not be fooled by the sayings of those

44 Refer to his work al-Furuq (3/14). He is known as al-Qarafi, and is a famous

Malikljurist.
45 Related by al-Bukharl and Muslim.
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 43
foolish people, those who say ‘These people are non-Muslims, so
their wealth is lawful for us [to misappropriate or take by way of
murder and killing].’ For by God, this is a lie. A lie about God’s
religion, and a lie about Islamic societies. We cannot say that it is
lawful to be treacherous towards people whom we have an
agreement with. 0 my brothers, 0 youth, 0 Muslims, be truthful in
your buying and selling, and renting, and leasing, and in all mutual
transactions. Because truthfulness is from the characteristics of
the believers, and God, Blessed and Exalted, has commanded
truthfulness in His saying, ‘0 you who believe, fear and keep your
duty to God (Allah) and be with the truthful’ (9:119). And the
Prophet encouraged truthfulness and said, ‘Adhere to truthfulness,
because truthfulness leads to goodness, and goodness leads to Paradise.
And a person will continue to be truthful, and strive to be truthful until he
will be written down with God as a truthful person.’ And he warned
against falsehood, and said, ‘Beware of falsehood, because falsehood
leads to wickedness, and wickedness leads to the Fire. And a person will
continue lying, and striving to lie until he is written down with God as a
great liar.1 0 my brother Muslims, 0 youth, be true in your sayings
with your brothers, and with those non-Muslims whom you live ;
amongst. ”46

ca

This is the reality of Islam which places tremendous emphasis and

value on honouring one’s contracts and agreements and having
just, kind dealings with everybody irrespective of creed or race.
Likewise, Islam nurtures individuals to the peak of perfection in
nobility of character.

s
:
46 A recorded word of advice delivered on 28th July 2000. This advice has been
repeatedly disseminated to Muslim audiences in the West for the past -
eighteen years to serve as a reminder of their obligations and duties and as a
refutation of extremists and sympathesizers of terrorists such as the likes of
Anjem Choudary and his small band of followers.
44 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM

Perfection of Character
Perfection of character—through monotheism, righteous works
and observance of law—was the purpose of the message of the
Prophet He stated in a famous authentic tradition: ‘7
have not been sent except for the completion and perfection of noble
manners.”47 He also said: “The most perfect of believers in faith are those
with the best manners and the best ofyou are those who are best to their
wives. ”48 He also said: “[The whole of] righteousness is [but] noble
manners.”49 He also said: “There is nothing placed on the scales [of
righteous deeds] weightier than good manners.”50 Hence, the status of
good manners is lofty in Islam and is one of its primary aims.
Just as Jesus (^'40 called to the worship of only one Lord, to
righteous works and to adherence to the law as the only means of
salvation after God’s grace and mercy, Prophet Muhammad
called to the very same message. This is because what he
conveyed came from the same source as the teachings of all the
Prophets, having the same foundations and objectives, which is the
rectification of the servant and the land.
However, there is no moral and behavioural code which draws
out perfection in human character in a more complete, coherent
and balanced way than the code of Islam. If Muslims were to truly
act upon this guidance, they would receive recognition and praise,
as they often did in past centuries, when even warring enemies
had to concede their moral and ethical superiority.
Perhaps the best way to illustrate this is through examples that
can be drawn from the book, “The Preaching of Islam”, by the British
Orientalist scholar and historian, Thomas Walker Arnold (d.
1930).51

47 Sahlh al-Jami' al-Saghlr (no. 2349).

48 Sahlh al-Jami‘ al-Saghlr (no. 1232).
49 Related by Muslim (no. 4633).
50 Sahlh al-Targhib wal-Tarhlb (no. 2641).
51 Sir Thomas Walker Arnold (d. 1930) was a knighted British orientalist
scholar and historian of Islamic Art who wrote this book which documents
the spread of Islam across the East and West. Drawing upon hundreds of
resources written in more than ten languages, including those from centres
of Orientalism in Europe, Arnold provides a picture different from that of
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 45
First of all, let us start with Arnold writing about the effect of a 9th
century Muslim scholar on non-Muslim citizens. He wrote: “On the
other hand, the influence of the more orthodox doctors of Islam in
the conversion of unbelievers is attested by the tradition that
twenty thousand Christians, Jews and Magians became Muslims
when the great Imam Ibn Hanbal died.”52
Jews and Christians recognised the role of Muslim scholars in
encouraging and admonishing their rulers to abide by justice and
fairness with their subjects and as a result, non-Muslims received
justice, moderation and tolerance. They would also witness the
tremendous piety and nobility in character of Muslim scholars
which deeply affected and moved them. Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal
(d. 855) was one such scholar and he was respected and revered
greatly by non-Muslims and Muslims alike. He was treated by a
Christian physician once. When the Christian entered upon him, he
said: “I have desired to see you for many years. Your presence is
not only rectification for the people of Islam, but for the whole of
creation. There is to be found none amongst our Christian
associates except that he is pleased with you.”53

modern loons and rabid Islam haters, who, on ideological grounds and whims
of the soul, spread lies about Islam and Muslims. As this book predates the
modern era, it is free of inherent bias on grounds of geopolitics. It is free of
agendas such as those of neoconservative war-mongers, corporate terrorists
and ideologues such as Samuel Huntington and Bernard Lewis who provided
academic and intellectual fuel for the false clash of civilisations narrative.
This narrative was designed to provide justification for the planned invasions
and wars in the Middle East by presenting Islam and Muslims as inherently
backward and violent. This ideological and military assault has been to the
serious detriment of the people of those lands such as Afghanistan, Iraq,
Syria, Libya and others as well as the inhabitants of Western nations who
have to bear the economic, political and security consequences of these
invasions and wars. These geopolitical machinations are for the benefit of
corporate terrorists and the owners of private international banks who hold
sway over governments, and not for the benefit of the ordinary citizens.
52 The Preaching of Islam (London Constable & Company, 1913), p.74-75. The
tradition referred to is well established through noted and prominent
trustworthy authorities and is documented in both works of history and
biography. From such authorities is Abu Hatim al-RazI (d. 891). Refer to al-
Bidayah wal-Nihayah of Ibn Kathlr (10/342).
53 In the Musnad of Imam Ahmad (p. 79) with checking of Ahmad Shakir.
46 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
Numerous reports indicate that the funeral of Imam Ahmad was
attended by over one million people and this had a deep impact on
the Jews, Christians and Magians who were also in attendance.
Seeing the effect of the teachings of the Quran upon the character
of Muslims, especially their righteous scholars, these thousands
accepted Islam, willingly, without compulsion. Regrettably, this is
a side of Islam that many non-Muslims have never seen or
experienced5,1 but which throughout history, even the most hostile
of enemies have been forced to acknowledge.
Next, we can provide numerous examples that Arnold gives of
the recognition—even by warring enemies—of Muslim religious,
moral and ethical superiority, even during times of conflict.
1. Arnold recounts a story from the second Crusade told by Odo
of Deuil, a monk and chaplain of Louis VII of France, in which the
pilgrim Crusaders suffered a disastrous defeat at the hands of
Muslims in 1148 CE on their way to Jerusalem through Attalia,
which is southwest Turkey today. Those pilgrims who could afford
the exhorbitant demands of Greek merchants—who were their
fellow Christians—were able to take ship to Antioch. However, the
majority of them, including the sick and wounded were at the
mercy of the Greeks who had been paid by Louis VII of France to
provide escort for these pilgrims and look after their sick until
they were strong enough to move on. When the bulk of the army
had left, the Greek Christians acted treacherously towards their
brethren in faith and directed the Muslims to those large numbers
who still remained behind. In an ensuing battle, a party of three to
four hundred thousand attempted to escape, but were surrounded,
and were about to be annihilated completely. Arnold cites the
story as told by Odo of Deuil: “The situation of the survivors would
have been utterly hopeless, had not the sight of their misery
melted the hearts of the Muhammadans [Muslims] to pity. They
tended the sick and relieved the poor and starving with open-
handed liberality. Some even bought up the French money which

54 Partly because Muslims do not live up to and exemplify the lofty ideals of
Islam as they ought to and have become more inclined to the world and its
glitter, or are engrossed in deviations from Islam in belief and practice, or
are disobedient to God and His Messenger through crime and vice.
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 47
the Greeks had got out of the pilgrims by force or cunning, and
lavishly distributed it among the needy. So great was the contrast
between the kind treatment the pilgrims received from the
unbelievers [Muslims] and the cruelty of their fellow-Christians,
the Greeks, who imposed forced labour upon them, beat them and
robbed them of what little they had left, that many of them
voluntarily embraced the faith of their deliverers.”55
2. Speaking of the Christians of the Byzantine empire, Arnold
wrote: “They therefore readily—and even eagerly—received the
new masters [Muslims] who promised them religious toleration,
and were willing to compromise their religious position and their
national independence if only they could free themselves from the
immediately impending danger. The people of Emessa closed the
gates of their city against the army of Heraclius and told the
Muslims that they preferred their government and justice to the
injustice and oppression of the Greeks.”56
3. Speaking of the Christians of Syria and Jordan, Arnold cites a
letter written by Christians to the Arabs: “0 Muslims, we prefer
you to the Byzantines, though they are of our own faith, because
you keep better faith with us and are more merciful to us and
refrain from doing us injustice and your rule over us is better than
theirs, for they have robbed us of our goods and our homes.” and
then himself observes: “Emessa, Arethusa, Hieropolis and other
towns entered into treaties whereby they became tributary to the
Arabs... Further, the self-restraint of the conquerers and the
humanity which they displayed in their campaigns, must have
excited profound respect and secured a welcome for an invading
army that was guided by such principles ofjustice and moderation
as were laid down by the Caliph Abu Bakr...”57
4. Arnold also discusses the recognition by Christian writers of
the more recent past of the superiority of Muslims in religious
observance, devotion and ethical conduct. He recounts how they
praised Muslims, “... for the earnestness and intensity of their

ss The Preaching of Islam (1896), Westminster: Archibald Constable and Co. pp.
75-76.
56 Ibid. p. 44
57 Ibid. p. 49.
48 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
religious life; their zeal in the performance of the observances
prescribed by their faith; the outward decency and modesty
displayed in their apparel and mode of living; the absence of
ostentatious display and the simplicity of life observable even in
the great and powerful.” He also cites from an Alexander Ross, who
despite his dislike of Islam, was honest enough to admit: if
Christians will but diligently read and observe the laws and
histories of the Mahometans [Muslims], they may blush to see how
zealous they are in the works of devotion, piety, and charity, how
devout, cleanly, and reverend in their mosques; how careful are
they to observe their hours of prayer five times a day wherever
they are, or however employed. How constantly do they observe
their fasts from morning till night a whole month together; how
loving and charitable the Muslemans [Muslims] are to each other,
and how careful [i.e. caring] of strangers may be seen by their
hospitals, both for the poor and for travellers; if we observe their
justice, temperance, and other moral virtues, we may truly blush
at our own coldness, both in devotion and charity, at our injustice,
intemperance, and oppression; doubtless these men will rise up in
judgment against us; and surely their devotion, piety and works of
mercy are main causes of the growth of Mahometism [Islam].”58
5. Speaking about why Islam spread so easily across Africa and
Asia, Arnold explains the condition of African and Asian religion
whose doctors had, “substituted abstruse metaphysical dogmas for
the religion of Christ: they tried to combat the licentiousness of the
age by setting forth the celestial merit of celibacy and the angelic
excellence of virginity-seclusion from the world was the road of
holiness, dirt was the characteristic of monkish sanctity—the
people were practically polytheists, worshipping a crowd of
martyrs, saints and angels; the upper classes were effeminate and
corrupt, the middle classes oppressed by taxation, the slaves
without hope for the present or the future...” Arnold then states:
“Islam swept away this mass of corruption and superstition. It was
a revolt against empty theological polemics; it was a masculine
protest against the exaltation of celibacy as a crown of piety. It
brought out the fundamental dogmas of religion—the unity and

58 The Preaching of Islam (1913,2nd edition), p.74-75.

 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 49
greatness of God, that He is merciful and righteous, that He claims
obedience to His will, resignation and faith. It proclaimed the
responsibility of man, a future life, a day of judgment, and stern
retribution to fall upon the wicked; and enforced the duties of
prayer, almsgiving, fasting and benevolence. It thrust aside the
artificial virtues, the religious frauds and follies, the perverted
moral sentiments, and the verbal subtleties of theological
disputants. It replaced monkishness by manliness. It gave hope to
the slave, brotherhood to mankind, and recognition to the
fundamental facts of human nature.”59
These are only some examples from Arnold’s book alone and
there are hundreds more that could be extracted from other non-
Muslims sources. The intent behind them is to show that the
pillars, commands and prohibitions of Islam and its morality and
ethics have been shown to nurture human character to a level of
perfection that is—even if unwillingly—recognised by enemies and
foes, even in the midst of conflict and war, and whose factual
realities, even the most bigoted and hateful cannot dismiss. It is
from this angle that one can appreciate why Islam is winning large
numbers and rapidly growing through conversions, despite all of
the immense negativity. Those who interact with devout, upright
Muslims who are upon an orthodox understanding of Islam find
great disparity between how Muslims are presented in the media
and what they have directly learned and personally experienced
with Muslims.
It is important to note that not all Muslim individuals, societies
or nations may exhibit the types of ethics and qualities which have
been exemplified above. To take drug-dealers, pimps, groomers,
murderers, oppressors, extremists, terrorists and the injustices of
localised cultural traditions as examples of what Islam is and what
it calls to is from profound ignorance or pure dishonesty.
After our discussion of ethics, just dealings and perfection of
character, we move to the subject of race and colour.

59 The Preaching ofIslam (1913, 2nd edition), p.71-72.

50 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
Race and Colour
The children of Adam have been honoured and preferred over all
of God’s creatures due to what He bestowed upon them of the
ability to know, think, reflect, reason, choose and act and due to
the favours, facilities and enjoyments He has granted to them:
p.a 1 i lqj CjI'1 jli.ll d!3 J-fl-lj
LLoJl>

“And We have certainly honored the children of Adam and

carried them on the land and sea and provided for them of the
good things and preferred them over much of what We have
created, with [definite] preference.” (17:70).

God also made them into tribes and nations for wisdoms:
o! Cls^^3 {y* (^1 ial> bl L^i IJ
4JJ1 (j| <JJ1 JulC. 'j£\

“0 mankind! We have created you from a male and a female,

and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one
another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of God (Allah) is
the most righteous of you.” (49:13).
The Muslim Scholar, ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Sa‘dI (d. 1956) said:
“They all return to Adam and Eve... and He made them into nations
and tribes so that they may know each other. If each soul had been
made independent [from others] then the mutual aid, cooperation,
inheritance and fulfilment of the rights of relatives would not have
been possible, so He made them into nations and tribes so that
they can attain these affairs... ”60
The renowned Muslim scholar Muhammad al-Amln al-ShanqltT
(d. 1973) said: “The statement of the Exalted: ‘We have created you
from a male and a female’ indicated the equality of all people in
their origin— because their father is one and their mother is one—
this being the greatest reprimand of boasting about lineage and
the insolence of some over others. After it, the Exalted made clear

60 TaysTr al-Karfm al-Rahman (Cairo:Dar al-Hadlth) p. 893.

 I
THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 51
that He made them into nations and tribes so that they may
become mutually acquainted with each other and that they can be
distinguished from each other. Not that they may boast and
become insolent towards each other. And this indicates that some
of them being more noble than others must be on account of some
other cause besides lineage.”61 That cause is following the guidance
of the Messengers of God which is founded upon pure monotheism
coupled with adherence to law and righteous works.
Diversity in colour and language is merely a sign amongst the
signs of God:
CjIjV liijj (jj L>?3

“And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth
and the diversity of your languages and your colours. Indeed in
that are signs for those of knowledge.” (30:22).
Therefore, race and colour do not signify inherent superiority
or inferiority of any race. As such, there is no tribalism or racism in
Islam and superiority is not by complexion, tribe or nationality,
but by individual piety and character:
{JlaJ I 4JJT oic t o!
Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of God (Allah) is the
most righteous of you.” (49:13).
The Prophet said: “An Arab has no superiority over a non-
Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab. Also a white has no
superiority over a black. Nor does a black has any superiority over a white
except by piety.”62 And in another report: “0 people! Verily your Lord is
One and your father [Adam] is one. An Arab has no superiority over a non-
Arab, and a non-Arab has no superiority over an Arab. A red man has no
superiority over a black man and a black man has no superiority over a
red man except by piety.”63 He also said: “ Verily, God does not
look at your appearances and belongings but He looks at your hearts and

61 Adwa al-Bayan (5/170).

62 Ai-AlbanT in Sharh al-Tahawiyyah, p. 361.
63 Ahmad in al-Masnad (no. 22978) and al-Silsilah al-Sdhihah (6/449).
52 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
your deeds.”64 The Prophet overturned and rooted out the deeply-
embedded spirit of tribalism, ancestral pride and racism from Pre-
Islamic Arabia through God’s guidance in just two decades and
made it a lasting legacy till this day.65

The effects of these teachings and their influence on racist ideas

and beliefs can be observed through the experience of Malcolm X
whose bitter racial animosities against whites due to four hundred
years of racism against blacks was dissolved in an instant during
his pilgrimage to Mecca in 1964.
He wrote of his experience: “Never have I witnessed such
sincere hospitality and overwhelming spirit of true brotherhood as
is practiced by people of all colors and races here in this Ancient
Holy Land, the home of Abraham, Muhammad and all the other
Prophets of the Holy Scriptures. For the past week, I have been
utterly speechless and spellbound by the graciousness I see
displayed all around me by people of all colors... There were tens of
thousands of pilgrims, from all over the world. They were of all
colors, from blue-eyed blondes to black-skinned Africans. But we
were all participating in the same ritual, displaying a spirit of unity
and brotherhood that my experiences in America had led me to
believe never could exist between the white and non-white.
America needs to understand Islam, because this is the one religion
that erases from its society the race problem... You may be shocked
by these words coming from me. But on this pilgrimage, what I
have seen, and experienced, has forced me to re-arrange much of
my thought-patterns previously held, and to toss aside some of my
previous conclusions. This was not too difficult for me. Despite my
firm convictions, I have always been a man who tries to face facts,
and to accept the reality of life as new experience and new
knowledge unfolds it. I have always kept an open mind, which is

64 Related by Muslim (no. 2564).

65 Any overt or hidden racism on behalf of individual Muslims, rulers or
ruled, in the past or the present has no connection to Islam and is completely
antithetical to it. In a similar manner, the blatant racism and disdain of other
races that were behind the entire European colonialist enterprise for
hundreds of years in which hundreds of millions were killed has no
connection with Jesus and his teachings.
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 53
necessary to the flexibility that must go hand in hand with every
form of intelligent search for truth. During the past eleven days
here in the Muslim world, I have eaten from the same plate, drunk
from the same glass, and slept in the same bed (or on the same
rug)—while praying to the same God—with fellow Muslims, whose
eyes were the bluest of blue, whose hair was the blondest of blond,
and whose skin was the whitest of white... Never have I been so
highly honored. Never have I been made to feel more humble and
unworthy. ”66
ca

So far, we have discussed the fitrah which places all humans on an

equal footing from birth, and this is the foundation for Islam. It is
natural for a person to perceive that there is a greater power and
authority behind what is observed of the natural phenomena and
what is experienced of innumerable benefits through the systems
of cause and effect in creation. This leads to the issue of singling
out this Creator for gratitude and worship being the greatest form
ofjustice from which all other manifestations ofjustice arise. From
here the pillars of Islam such as prayer, fasting and charity, the
emphasised obligations, the prohibitions, the inculcation of moral
excellence, ethical behaviour and perfection in character lead to
rectification of both the servant and the land. Islam maximises
goodness and rectification and minimises evil and corruption in
society—in all realms—whether personal, societal or economic.
However, there are dangers that can harm society if they are
left to take root. From them is religious fervour and zeal that lead
to extremism in religion. God revealed knowledge of this affair and
its danger upon the Muslim nation to His Prophet and we
shall discuss this matter in what follows.

66 Letter From Mecca, April 1964. From Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley
(1992).
54 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
Religious Fervour and Zeal
Fervour and zeal which lead to exaggeration in religion are
prohibited and comprise misguidance. The Prophet said:
“The extremists have perished, the extremists have perished, the
extremists have perished”67 And he also said: “Beware of exaggeration
in religion. That which destroyed those who came before you. was their
exaggeration in religion”68 As such, going to extremes, exaggerating
in worship, abstinence and delving deeply into religion through
speculation, conjecture and the likes are all prohibited and from
the ways of corruption and misguidance.
Previous nations are criticised in the Quran for falling into
exaggeration on account of religious fervour:
^sji VJ <ill jc. % ,^10 £ i^lij V vli$5i Qii l;
“0 People of the Book do not go to excesses in your religion and
say not of God (Allah) but the truth.” (4:17l).

The Prophet once reprimanded three men. One had

vowed to pray the whole night every night. Another vowed to fast
continuously each day and a third vowed to remain celibate for the
rest of his days. He censured them and informed them that he only
prays some of the night, fasts voluntarily some days and not others
and also marries. He then told them: “Whoever leaves my way [of
moderation] is not of me. ”69
Thus, exaggerating, creating burdens and imposing shackles
upon oneself and others through these means is forbidden and is
from the ways that led previous nations to ruin. An illustration of
this is the monasticism and celibacy that some Christians imposed
upon themselves. However, many of them were unable abide by it
for long because it opposes the fundamental facts and realities of
human nature. The Qur an speaks of the monasticism and celibacy
they invented:

67 Reported by Muslim (no. 2670).

68 Sahlh Sunan al-NasaT (2/640) of al-AlbanT.
69 In a tradition related by al-Bukharl (no. 5063 ) and Muslim (no. 1401).
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 55

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“And the monasticism, they devised it [and imposed it upon
themselves] whilst we did not prescribe upon them but to seek the
pleasure of God (Allah). However, they did not observe [their self-
imposed monasticism] with true observance. We gave those who
believed among them [and observed it dutifully] their due reward.
But most of them are disobedient sinners.” (57:27).
Similarly, among the Jews were those who went to extremes in
their religion by imposing the shackles of invented observances,
statutes and laws upon those beneath them. This led to a form of
despotic micro-management by religious leaders of the lives of
ordinary Jews. Those who came after began to distort and alter the
law in order to lighten burdens and find loopholes.

God does not impose hardships that lead to corruption in

morals and character. Thus, Islamic law is moderate in between
the neglect of the Christians who made the law of non-effect and
the extremism of the Jews, who exaggerated in it. Islam removed
the various shackles that had been imposed in matters of law and
brought ease. God said in the Qur’an:
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0 *

“He has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty.”
(22:78).

Muslims who faithfully follow the companions of the Prophet

(fefc#^) in their understanding and application of the texts
strongly oppose this type of exaggeration in belief, worship,
observance of law and conduct. Hence, in early Islamic history,
Muslim scholars opposed rebellious sects like the Kharijites—
precursors to al-Qaeda and ISIS—and the Rafidite Shfites. Both of
these sects were a political revolution against Islam and its
leadership, driven by ignorance, misguided zeal, extremism and
exaggeration mixed with worldly grievances. This leads us to a
very necessary discussion of extremism, its origins and causes.
56 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
Extremism and Extremists
Ignorance and exaggeration lead to extremism. These two traits
are a dangerous combination and are censured in Islam. The first
extremists to appear among Muslims possessing these two traits
were known as the Kharijites or renegade extremists who unleashed
terrorism against the Muslim nation. They are the ideological
ancestors of al-Qaeda, ISIS and similar groups today. They
combined worldly grievances with ignorance of Islam, the Quran
and its injunctions. There is a well-known model for their
appearance and deviation. Muslim scholars have spoken, written
and warned against it for over 1400 years from the time of Ibn
‘Abbas fe®?;)—the most learned of the Quranic scholars from the
Prophet’s disciples who refuted the extremists’ misinterpretation
of the Qur an—to the present day.

Their nucleus consisted of a group of hypocrites in the time of the

Prophet who were unhappy about not receiving a share
in the distribution of charities. They were mentioned in the Qur an:
jc-A 13] l^Lo j<aJ iIjLIjl^ql31 |

“And among them [the Hypocrites] are some who criticize you
concerning the [distribution of] charities. If they are given from
them, they approve; but if they are not given from them, at once
they become angry.” (9:68).

They accused the Prophet and later his companions of not judging
by justice and of engaging in monopoly and class distinction.70
They later assassinated two of his close friends—‘Uthman and ‘All
They were his two sons-in-law and the third and fourth
leaders of the Muslim nation respectively. Their appearance as an
insurgency was prophesied by the Prophet after they
revealed their discontent and exposed their ill intentions during

70 They can be likened to Marxist, Communist revolutionaries claiming to

fight the tyranny of capital and class distinction, but in reality seeking
power. They clothed their worldly motivations with religious rhetoric.
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 57
his time. He specifically mentioned the location of their
appearance (Iraq) as an insurgency, the time and circumstances of
their emergence as a separate body (during a civil war), and who
would eventually fight and kill them (‘All, the fourth caliph).
He also mentioned that they would continue to plague the
Muslim nation till the end of time and commanded Muslim
authorities to fight and kill them.
The traditions regarding the Kharijites are well known in the
books dealing with Quranic interpretation (tafsir), Islamic theology
CaqTdah), heretical sects ifiraq) and history (tarfkh).
When they appeared as an insurgent group twenty-five years
after the Prophet they claimed that the rulers of the
time, ‘Uthman and ‘All feg^), had judged with injustice, had
abandoned God’s law, left Islam and had to be removed. They held
that so long as such leaders were in power, Islam was non-existent
and that redemption lay in forcefully removing them and re
establishing Islam once again as they claimed. They alleged th
anyone who did not expel these rulers from Islam had show,
loyalty to them and was thereby also a non-Muslim, an apostate.
They then reframed jihad as the struggle against leaders and also
developed a new, innovated jurisprudence for interacting with the
rest of the Muslims whom they considered unbelievers.
After assassinating ‘Uthman in 656 CE and engineering a
civil war, they abandoned the main body of Muslims ruled by ‘All
fesfe;) and took up arms against them. Over a period of two years,
they mobilised the ignorant rabble to their cause through slogans
and tactics of propaganda. They used these means to recruit them
into their breakaway Islamic state at Nahrawan, a place that was
just south of Baghdad in Iraq. During this time period they started
slaughtering Muslims on the basis of this extremist ideology.
Their first victims were the Prophet’s companion ‘Abd Allah bin
Khabbab and the women of his household, one of whom was
heavily pregnant. They slaughtered him on the banks of the
Euphrates and then went on to slaughter his whole household,
including the pregnant woman and her unborn. Their justification
being that ‘Abd Allah did not agree with their excommunication
and disavowal of‘All, and hence was no longer a Muslim.
58 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
They justified their sedition and terrorism through the slogans
of Social Justice, Jihad, God's Law, Enjoining Good and Prohibiting Evil
and Redemption. The specific set of ideas, events and circumstances
and the motives leading to their separation and congregation as a
military force represent a clear model to which the appearance of
ISIS (Daesh) in the 21st century and all Kharijite movements in
history can be compared. A clear resemblance will be found each
time. The closest example outside of Islam for these extremists are
the Marxist, Communist revolutionaries who—using the slogans of
social justice and the tyranny of capital—instigate and mobilise the
masses to revolution and topple the authorities. After wrestling
power, they mercilessly slaughter anyone who is even the slightest
threat to them and their grip of power. The Kharijite extremists
clothe these same ideas and activities with religious rhetoric and
misapplication of texts. They are but ignorant worshippers with
insincere intentions. They feign piety whilst being motivated by
the world, and they speak with alluring speech that amazes and
deceives the young, naive and ignorant.

From the authentically related statements of the Prophet

about this group include the following: “They will depart from the
religion (Islam) like an arrow passes through its game and they do not
return back to it until the arrow returns back to its bow-string” and
“Their faith will not pass beyond their throats” and “They will recite the
Quran but it will not go beyond their collar-bones” indicating
ignorance and false scholarship. The Prophet also said, “They will
speak with the best speech of the creation,” meaning, beautified, alluring
speech, and “(They are) young of age, foolish of mind" and “Their speech
is beautiful, alluring yet their actions are evil” and “They are the most
evil of the creation” and “They call to the Book of God, yet they have
nothing to do with it” The Prophet went further and also
said “They are the most evil of those killed beneath the canopy of the sky”
and “They are the Dogs of Hellfire ”n The Prophet also signalled his

71 These reports can be found in the hadlth collections of al-Bukharl, Muslim,

Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and others and are well known and famous to the
Scholars of the Muslims and the students of knowledge.
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 59
intent to kill them should he have reached them.72 He said “If I was
to reach them, I would slaughter them, like the slaughtering of ‘Ad (a
destroyed nation of the past),” meaning, every last one of them until
not one of them remains as explained by the renowned scholar,
Ibn Hajar al-‘AsqalanI (d. 1449) in his commentary on this
tradition.73 He also mentioned their appearance in later times:
“There will appear at the end of time a people who are young of age,
foolish-minded. They will speak with the best (and most-alluring) of
speech (that is spoken) by people and will recite the Quran but it will not
go beyond their throats. They will pass out of Islam as the arrow passes
through its game. Whoever meets them, let him kill them, for there is a
reward for whoever kills them”74 In these texts, the Prophet actually
incited his nation—under the command of the authorities—to kill
them.
Recognising them as the very ones alluded to in these Prophetic
traditions, ‘All fe^), the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law, fought
and defeated their army of thousands in 659 CE, anticipating the
great reward mentioned by the Prophet for killing these terrorists
Their breakaway alleged “Islamic State” was disbanded but ten <
the terrorists escaped and fled to various lands and preserved thi
ideology which is why it remains till the present day. Out ot
bloodthirsty revenge, a terrorist known as Bin Muljam assassinated
‘All in 661 CE. Two of his associates tried to simultaneously
assassinate the Muslim rulers in Syria and Egypt—Mu awiyah and
‘Amr bin al-'As, both companions of the Prophet —but they failed.

It is interesting to note that the terrorists appeared during a time

of civil and political strife after they had assassinated ‘Uthman
(ithe third caliph and the Prophet’s son-in-law. They took
advantage of this situation to gather, organise and recruit
followers. Revolutions, civil war and the likes are their breeding
grounds. This is exactly how ISIS appeared in Iraq and Syria after
invasions of these countries—orchestrated by neoconservative

72 For documentation of these traditions refer to Jami’ al-Usul FT Ahadith al-

Rasiil of Ibn al-AthTr (10/76-92) under the heading of "The Kharijites.”
73 Refer to Fath al-Bari (6/435).
s
- 74 Reported by Ibn Majah (no. 167).
60 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
warmongers and corporate vultures—left vacuums of, power to
which the extremists flocked after the so-called “Arab Spring”
revolutions. They took advantage of this political turmoil to gather
and mobilise in a manner that was not possible for them prior to
that. Just like their ideological forefathers—the very first Kharijite
extremists—they use slick emotional propaganda to recruit the
ignorant and foolish from every nation.
When they gain power, they kill Muslims who do not agree with
their ideology. Describing them, the late Salafi scholar Muhammad
bin Salih al-'Uthaymm (d. 2001) said: “If you were to look into the
hearts [of the Kharijite extremists], you would find them black and
hard. They accuse sinful Muslims of disbelief, but they are greater
in disbelief.”75
From the above, it is clear that the first Kharijite extremists
were a revolution against Islam, its rulers and subjects and they
are the foundation of all insurgent movements thereafter. They
believe in the obligation of overthrowing Muslim authorities
whom they accuse of injustice and tyranny and they encapsulate
Islam around this one issue. In other words, Islam is about nothing
but political authority (sultah). Toppling rulers to snatch power is
the core activity by which redemption is sought. This is a gross
distortion of Islam not known to any Prophet or Messenger of God.
It was fabricated by the Kharijites of old and revived in the 20th
century by thinkers—such as Abu A‘la MawdudI (d. 1979) and
Sayyid Qutb (d. 1966)—both of whom were influenced by European
revolutionary ideologies which had uprooted the old monarchies.

It is a religious obligation upon the rulers of the Muslims to combat

them, Muslim scholars to refute their ideology and for Muslims to
expose them and warn against them. Their actions are pure
terrorism and not jihad. Those who sympathise with them or
defend them are ignorant, severely lacking in intellect and have a
deficient understanding of Islam.
Consider what the Muslim scholar and jurist Abu Bakr al-Ajurrl
(d. 970) said of these extremists in his book pertaining to Islamic

75 Liqa 'al-Bab al-Maftuh (no. ll).

 THIS IS [SLAM ♦ 61
theology: “The scholars have not differed that the Kharijite
(extremists) are an evil people, disobedient to God and His
Messenger, even if they pray, fast and strive hard in worship. None
of that will be beneficial to them. They proclaim the commanding
of good and prohibiting of evil but that will not benefit them
because they distort the Quran upon their desires and deceive the
Muslims. God, the Most High, warned us against them. The Prophet
warned us against them. The Rightly-Guided Caliphs warned us
against them. The Prophet’s companions warned us against them.
They are an evil, filthy despicable people. ”76
The famous Qur’an commentator Ibn Kathlr (d. 1373) said, close
to seven centuries ago: “If these [Kharijites] were to acquire
strength, they would corrupt the entire earth in Iraq and Sham
(Syria) and they would not leave a male or female child nor a man
or woman (alive). This is because in their view the people
(Muslims) have become corrupt in a way that nothing will rectify
their (situation) except mass murder.’’77 This is precisely what has
happened with al-Qaeda and ISIS during the past decade.
Many scholars, past and present, consider these extremists to
be apostates from Islam because they make lawful what God made
unlawful—which is the killing of innocent people.
For example, the late Salafi scholar ‘Abd al-‘Aziz bin Baz (d.
1999) said of them: “That which is apparent from the Prophetic
traditions is that they are disbelievers.” He also said, after
mentioning the view of the scholars who consider them only as
sinful Muslims, “That which is correct is that they are
disbelievers,” citing as evidence the statement of the Prophet
“If I was to reach them, I would slaughter them like the
slaughtering of 'Ad.”78 The people of ‘Ad were a nation of the past
who belied their Prophet and were destroyed by a screaming,
violent wind without a single survivor. The meaning of this well-
known tradition is that had the Prophet reached these extremists
and terrorists when they appeared he would have killed every
single last one of them.

76 In his book, Al-SharTah (l/136).

77 Al-Bidayah wal-Nihayah (10/585).
78 A Prophetic tradition related by al-Bukharl.
62 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
Shaykh Ibn Baz then said, “The correct and apparent view from
the textual evidences is that on account of their extremism, their
expulsion of Muslims (from the fold of Islam) and declaring them
to be eternal inhabitants of Hellfire, they are disbelievers.”79

Extremist elements like the Kharijites in Islam have parallels in

Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism.
One can read the essay 18 Principles of Rebirth as outlined by
Avraham Stern—founder of the Jewish terrorist group Lehi, also
known as the Stern Gang80—to identify this way of thinking which
forms the basis of the activities of extremist Jews such as the
Haredis , Gush Emunim and those within the settler community.
Their ideology is parallel to the caliphate-centric ideology of ISIS,
though it is based on the notion of redemption on the basis of land.
Upon this doctrine, the extremists among them believe in the
killing of non-combatant men, women and children and the
confiscation of land and property without mercy as a means of
redeeming land they believe is theirs by divine promise.81
Likewise, the Christian Lord’s Resistance Army which aims to
rule Uganda upon Biblical law and has to date massacred 100,000
people, displaced millions and taken an estimated 60,000 child
captives whom they use as soldiers. A toll much greater than that
of al-Qaeda and ISIS combined but of which we have not heard
much in the mainstream media.
In accordance with justice, Muslims do not paint all Jews and
Christians with the same brush as extremists and terrorists such as
Baruch Goldstein82 and Anders Breivik83 and their likes. Most Jews

79 http://www.binbaz.org.sa/mat/20688.
80 An extremist Zionist organisation that waged a campaign of terror against
the British in Palestine during the mid to late 1940s. They assassinated Lord
Moyne, Count Folke Bernadette and also plotted to assassinate Ernest Bevin
(British Foreign Secretary) and Winston Churchill (Prime Minister).
81 Professor Israel Shahak’s Jewish Fundamentalism in Israel (Pluto Press, 2004)
is an eye-opening read on the role and influence of Jewish religious
extremists and racial supremacists such as Gush Emunim and the Haredis in
the politics of the region.
82 A Jewish settler who in February 1994 walked into a mosque in Hebron and
killed 29 people whilst they were praying the dawn prayer.
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 63
and Christians reject the actions of these extremists and also I
provide explanations as to why their religious texts do not
sanction their actions.
It is the goal of «=>
- hardline political and religious ultra-Zionists84
- evangelical Christian fundamentalists,
- far-right nationalist movements which often have tinges of
white supremacist or racist ideology,
- unscrupulous academics,
- and money-hungry self-styled “terrorism experts ”85
•=> to present the ideology of these Kharijite extremists as the
embodiment of Islam itself. This is patently false.
It is like saying that the message of Jesus is embodied in the
actions of Anders Breivik, Timothy McVeigh and the Klu Klux Klan,
and that the message of Moses is embodied in the actions of Baruch
Goldstein, the Irgun and the Stern Gang and those Jewish “price
tag” settler terrorists who firebomb houses during the night whilst
women and children are sleeping in them.
There is much more to the teachings of those Prophets than the
political ideologies of these extremists and terrorists and the
grievances upon which they are founded.

83 A Christian Islam hater and far-right Zionist who in July 2011 slaughtered
over 70 people attending a youth camp on an Island in Norway. Almost all of
them were teenagers and future members of a political party that is very
sympathetic to the cause of the Palestinians.
84 Not all Jews are Zionists and not all Zionists are Jews. A large number of
Christians, particularly in America, are Zionists. Further, many religious Jews
vehemently reject the claim of the Zionists that they speak for all Jews.
85 There are many unscrupulous academics, journalists and personalities who
have jumped on the financially lucrative bandwagon of peddling lies,
distortions and hatred against Islam and indirectly, against Muslims. Many
have found publishing online—whether in the form of videos for advertising
revenue, or print and ebook format—as a lucrative source of income. The
vast majority of non-Muslims are not informed enough to see through the
lies and deceptions used in their rhetoric. And often, the motives of such
people will be hidden and unclear because they may bring genuine issues of
concern as the bait and hook—such as terrorism, crimes of a sexual nature
committed by Muslims and the negative impact of immigration.
64 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM

Terrorism and Jihad

The meaning ofjihad in its broadest sense refers to personal effort
and struggle by which a person strives to:
- remain devout and obedient to God,
- refrain from sins and transgressions and
- remain patient upon life’s trials and difficulties.
The Prophet {&*&&&) said: “The mujahid (one engaged in jihad) is
the one who struggles against his own soul in obedience to God.”86 It has
many manifestations, both inward and outward. Benevolence to
parents, raising children and speaking the truth, even if it is
against oneself, are all manifestations ofjihad.

From its manifestations is fighting (qital) behind the authority of

the ruler within a regular army following the rule of law. This—as
in all nations—is from the instruments of preserving national
security. It refers to a conventional war between two parties that is
fought justly, without treachery, and is always openly announced.
Muslim jurists are agreed that it is performed under the ruler’s
authority and that all the affairs of war, peace, alliances, truces,
covenants and diplomatic relations are strictly in the hands of the
ruler. It is not permissible for any person to engage in fighting
without the permission and authority of the ruler except in one
case mentioned by the jurists: sudden attack by an enemy. This
obviously requires immediate action from those in the vicinity
before logistical command is taken by the military command and
leadership of the state.
The famous Muslim jurist Ibn Qudamah (d. 1223) said: “The
affair of jihad is entrusted to the ruler and is under his
consideration. It is binding upon the subjects to obey him in
whatever he sees regarding it.”87 And the late Salafi scholar and
jurist, Muhammad bin Salih al-TJthaymln (d. 2001) said: “It is not
permissible to engage in a military expedition with an army except
with the permission of the ruler no matter what the situation. This
is because it is the rulers who are addressed [in the texts] with the

86 Related by Ahmad, Ibn Hibban and al-Tabaranl.

87 Al-MughnI (10/368).
 I
I
THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 65 r
affair of military expeditions and jihad and not individual citizens
among the people. Individuals must follow the authorities.”88
Further, war is not something primarily sought by Islam as it
only takes the place of necessity. If a Muslim land is not attacked
and no hostilities, barriers and hindrances are placed in front of
the peaceful practice, proclamation and conveyance of Islam, then
there is no legislation of jihad. In fact, the jihad of fighting is
legislated as a necessity (dururah), as an emergency measure for
the protection of the instrument of peaceful preaching as textually
stated by the Muslim scholar, Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 1328). 89
The contemporary Muslim scholar, Shaykh Salih A1 al-Shaykh,
I
said: “The legislation [of Islam] is not desirous for war. Rather, war
only takes the place of necessity. When the arena is open for
invitation to God and conveying the message of God the Mighty
and Majestic, then the foundation ofjihad in the path of God is not
legislated as has been said by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah... He
said that jihad has not been legislated except as [a means] to
protect [the instrument of] peaceful invitation. When it is possible
to convey the invitation [when hostility and hindrance are absent]
then there is no angle for jihad. He gave evidences and known
observations for that.”90
The foundation lies in the following texts of the Quran:
dljj uj U* <a5oJLj tll/j £ol

tjjUljlLj jcli.1 j-Aj {jS- folc.1 3-4

88
Shark al-Mumti’ (8/22). Muslim scholars are astute enough to note that the
issue ofjihad and the texts pertaining to it can be used by those motivated by
political interests to work sedition. Shaykh al-'Uthaymln alludes to this on
the same page: “A faction of people may make preparations [for battle]
giving the impression that they desire the enemy whereas in reality, they
desire to revolt against the ruler, or they may desire to transgress against
another faction of people.”
89 Refer to the discussion by Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 1328) in his work al-Jawab al-
Sahih (1/238, 240) in which he convincingly refutes the claim that the verses
of fighting have abrogated the verses of peaceful preaching and
argumentation. A discussion can be found in the article “Terrorism is not
Jihad” which is available at www.islamagainstextremism.com.
90 Refer to Hadha Huwa al-Islam (p. 25).
66 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
“Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good
instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best. Indeed, your
Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is
most knowing of who is [rightly] guided.” (16:125).
And also:

“And do not argue with the People of the Book except in a way
that is best, save those who commit injustice among them...”
(29:46).
The Quranic exegete, Imam al-Sadl (d. 1956) stated: “The
Exalted has prohibited disputing the People of the Scripture when
it is done without insight and without any pleasingly acceptable
principle, [it orders] that they should only argue in a way that is
best: with good manners, gentleness and softness in speech;
inviting to the truth; beautifying it; refuting the falsehood and
censuring it and using the nearest of ways leading to it. [it
explains] that the intent should not be mere argumentation in and
of itself, desiring to dominate [others] and for love of exaltation.
Rather, the intent should be to clarify the truth and guide the
creation. ”91
These are decisive commands which will always remain in
effect and they have not been abrogated at all.
The renowned scholar Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 1328) said: “What God
the Exalted mentioned about argumentation with the People of the
Book with that which is best—save those who commit injustice
among them—is a decisive command which has not been
abrogated by anything. ”92
He also said: “That it is known that fighting was only prescribed
for a necessity (dururah) and had the people believed through
evidences and signs [alone], fighting would not have been
required.”93 He goes on to explain that in law, that which is
legislated as a necessity cannot prevent that which is legislated as an
obligation, namely, preaching and good argumentation.

91 Tayslral-Karim al-Rahman (Beirut: Muassasah al-Risalah, 2002) p. 632.

92 Al-Jawab al-Sahlh (1/217).
93 Al-Jawab al-Sahlh (l/238).
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 67
He also said: “Fighting is only against the oppressor. For
whoever fought the Muslims [on account of religion] can only be a
transgressing oppressor. ”94
He also said: “Fighting is for the one who fights against us when
we desire to proclaim the religion of God... so whoever did not
prevent the Muslims from establishing the religion of God, then
the harm of his unbelief is only upon himself.”95

From the above, we learn that there is the jihad of defence which is
legislated for the protection of borders and citizens. This is easy to
grasp as every nation has the right to engage in defensive war for
purposes of national security.
Examples of Islamically legitimate jihads supported by Western
nations include the jihad against the Russian invasion of
Afghanistan in the 1980s. Likewise, during the 1990s Western
governments were rather indifferent to British citizens travelling
to Bosnia to fight against the Serbians who committed atrocities
against Muslims. They were not treated as terrorists, arrested,
interrogated, charged and imprisoned. Likewise the war of Saudi
Arabia and the Emirates against the HouthTs and Hizbollah proxies
in Yemen who are trying to destabilise the region. Some Western
powers support this war knowing full well that it has the legal
ruling of a legitimate jihad in Islamic law according to Muslim
scholars both within and outside of Saudi Arabia.
Then there is the jihad of removing obstacles which is legislated
due to necessity when hostilities and hindrances come in the way
of peaceful practice, preaching, discussion and argumentation.
When these circumstances exist, this jihad is legislated and this is
the jihad alluded to in the statement of the Prophet “J
have been ordered to fight back against the people until they testify that
none deserves to be worshipped but God...”96 Commenting on this
tradition, the Muslim scholar Ibn Taymiyyah said: “His intent [in

94 Al-Jawab al-Sahlh (1/240).

95 Majmu al-Fatawa (8/354).
96 Reported by al-Bukharl and Muslim. The verb qatala is used in this hadith
and is of the form fa ala which carries the meaning of reciprocation. Thus,
the fighting here is a response to fighting that has already been initiated.
68 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
this tradition] is fighting the wagers of war for whom God had
granted permission [that they be fought back]. He did not intend
[in this tradition] fighting those with a covenant and with respect
to whom God had commanded the honouring of their covenant.”97
This is precisely what the Prophet did. He fought back to
remove obstacles of hindrance, aggression, violence and hostility
so that people could freely and peacefully hear the message
without distortion and make a free, rational choice. However, he
never coerced a single person to accept Islam against his will. The
Muslim scholar Ibn al-Qayyim (d. 1350) said: “It will become clear
to whoever reflects upon the biographical account of the Prophet
that he did not compel a single person to accept his
religion, ever. Rather, he [only] fought whoever fought against him
[first]... the people entered his religion wilfully, out of choice. The
majority of the people of the Earth entered his call when guidance
became clear to them and that He is the Messenger of God in
truth. ”98

There were hundreds of tribes in Arabia. The Prophet only fought

hostile tribes and their allies within a specific region of Arabia. At
the head of them were his own people, the Quraysh. He fought
them because they brought war to him first after they oppressed
him, tried to assassinate him multiple times, expelled him and his
companions from Mecca, tortured and killed some of his
companions, confiscated their homes, property, wealth and

97 Majmu' al-Fatawa (19/20).

98 Hidayat al-Hayara (Dar ‘Alam al-Fawa id) pp. 29-30. They myth of forced
conversion by the sword is recognised by non-Muslim historians and writers.
Lawrence Browne wrote: “Incidentally these well-established facts dispose of
the idea so widely fostered in Christian writings that the Muslims, wherever
they went, forced people to accept Islam at the point of the sword.” The
Prospects of Islam, London, 1944, p. 12. James Michener wrote: “No other
religion in history spread so rapidly as Islam. The West has widely believed
that this surge of religion was made possible by the sword. But no modern
scholar accepts this idea.” Readers Digest, May 1955, pp. 68-70. De Lacy
O’Leaiy wrote: “History makes it clear, however, that the legend of fanatical
Muslims sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of sword
upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd myths that
historians have ever repeated.” Islam at the Crossroads, London, 1923.
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 69
businesses and also subjected them to a three year socioeconomic
boycott that brought them close to death by starvation.
When he successfully repelled their aggression and injustice by
sheer right and moral force of truth and justice and came out on
top, he showed tremendous mercy to them when he conquered
Mecca without battle, through peaceful means alone. He spared its
inhabitants—his enemies for 20 years—though he could have killed
them all, and told them they are free to go. Eventually, all of those
polytheists became Muslim. Thereafter, hundreds of delegations
travelled to him from all parts of Arabia during the last two years
of his life as is well recorded in the history books. These
delegations were those of the Jews, Christians and polytheists.
Discussions continued to take place about issues of religion and all
of this was after the so-called “verses of the sword” were revealed.
This proves that peaceful preaching, discussion and argumentation
were never abrogated at all and always remain in effect because
they are foundational whereas fighting to repel injustice and
hindrance is incidental and due to necessity. The overwhelming
majority of these delegations and the tribes they represented
accepted Islam, willingly, after being convinced of its truth. Those
who declined Islam and chose to remain non-Muslims willingly
became citizens under guarantee of protection.
So this explains the purpose of the legislation of this second
type of jihad. It is to remove aggression, obstacles and hindrances
from peaceful observance, conveyance, discussion and debate.
Decisions regarding it are only made by the ruler and the texts
pertaining to jihad are addressed to the ruler of the Muslims as has
preceded and not to any of the subjects. Further still, any fighting
that takes place is only ever against combatants and is prohibited
against women, children, the elderly, blind and lame and priests
and monks—all of those who have no participation in war. This is
also clear proof that the people being fought are not fought just
because they are non-Muslims, but because they have engaged in
aggression, injustice, hostilities and waging of war.
The above is proof that jihad in Islam has nothing to do with the
terrorists who kill non-combatant men, women and children
through treachery and perfidy in lands where there is no war,
70 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
where covenants are clearly in place which they have agreed to by
virtue of simply being in the land, and no one is being hindered
from the peaceful practice and proclamation of Islam.

For this reason, devout orthodox Muslims consider individuals like

Anjem Choudary and his followers and supporters, groups like
Hizb al-Tahnr and al-Muhajirun to be treacherous and perfidious
to God (Allah), the Most High, and to Islam and its people, before
they are treacherous and perfidious to those under whose
protection and guarantee of welfare they have chosen to live.
There is nothing greater in contradiction to the spirit of Islamic
law, ethics and morals than this. As for their lofty slogans, they are
nothing but shallow, beautified rhetoric.
Likewise, jihad has nothing to do with “fighting all the infidels
until they either convert or are exterminated” as is alleged by far-right
extremists and other Islam haters, a centuries old word of fiction
they inherited from those of like hearts and minds who came
before them. If their claim was true, Christian priests and Jewish
rabbis would be the first to have been killed in every place as a
means of totally eliminating their religion and its adherents. And
upon that, Jewish Professors like David J. Wasserstein would not be
writing articles titled, “How Islam Saved the Jews'99 1400 years later.
And nor would Christians have welcomed Muslims to rule over
them to escape the tyranny, oppression, slaughter and treachery of
their fellow Christians if Islam had a convert or die policy.100
The killing of those who are in the churches and synagogues
engaged in worship and study is prohibited by Islam as is
mentioned by the jurists in the works of Islamic jurisprudence. The
Muslim scholar Ibn al-Qayyim (d. 1350) said: “Killing is only
necessary in retaliation for war, not in retaliation for unbelief. For
this reason, women and children are not killed. Neither are the

99 A 2012 lecture given by Wasserstein and then later published as an article

in the Jewish Chronicle, “So, What Did Islam Do For the Jews”, 24 May 2012.
100
Refer to the book by the British Orientalist scholar and historian Thomas
Walker Arnold, “The Preaching of Islam” (London Constable & Company, 1913).
Examples from this book were given in a previous chapter to show how
Christian populations in numerous lands welcomed Muslims to rule over
them because of their justice and fair treatment.
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 71
terminally ill and the blind. And neither are the monks who do not
fight. Rather, we only fight the one who wages war against us. This
was the way of the Prophet towards the inhabitants of
the Earth. ”101

In contrast to the above, the alleged, spurious jihad of the Kharijite I

extremists discussed in the previous chapter, is against Muslim
rulers, governments and societies based upon a revolutionary
ideology similar to that of Marxists and Communists. It is based on
social, economic and political grievances clothed in religious
rhetoric, used to draw in the naive and ignorant as footsoldiers for
the cause. The Muslim Brotherhood and al-Qaeda ideology existed
well before the illegal and unjust invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq
by Western powers, showing that these deviants and extremists
were not “created” by foreign policy. Rather, these extremists
were already killing Muslim leaders and their subjects from th
1940s onwards on the basis of these extremist ideas they inherits
from the Kharijites extremists and terrorists of old.
Western nations have simply come in the way and hindered the
goals and plans of the Kharijite extremists. Neoconservative
warmongers, corporate terrorists and other propagandists goaded
Western governments to make invasions of Afghanistan, Iraq and
Syria in order to serve geopolitical ends. In turn the Kharijite
extremists have resorted to terrorist acts in the West. These
attacks are only spillover activities and are not primarily intended
or desired in their ideology. These attacks pale into insignificance
when compared to what these extremists do to Muslims because
Muslims, their rulers and governments are their primary targets.
A 2015 report titled “The New Jihadism” which was published
by the Department of War Studies at King’s College London 102
indicates that during the month of November 2014, chosen as a
sample month for the study, a total of 664 attacks led to the deaths
of 5042 people, the overwhelming majority of which were in Iraq
(1770), Nigeria (786), Afghanistan (782), Syria (693), Yemen (410),

101 Ahkam Ahl al-Dhimmah (l/llO).

102 “The NewJihadism: A Global Snapshot”, Peter Neumann, International Centre
for the Study of Radicalization, Kings College London, p. 14.
72 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
Somalia (216) and Pakistan (212). Peter Neumann, the author of the
report states: “This report, therefore, tells the story of a movement
in the middle of a transformation— one whose final outcome is
impossible to predict. The immediate focus, however, is jihadism’s
human cost: with, on average, more than 20 attacks and nearly 170
deaths per day, jihadist groups destroy countless lives— most of
them Muslim— in the name of an ideology that the vast majority of
Muslims reject.” And he notes in the conclusion: “In just one
month, jihadist groups killed 5,042 people—the equivalent of three
attacks on the scale of the London bombings in July 2005 each day.
Contrary to the often articulated complaint that jihadism is over­
reported and that groups like the Islamic State get too much
coverage, our survey seems to suggest that most of the victims
receive practically no attention. Hardly any of the attacks that
formed the basis for our analysis were reported in the Western
media. Indeed, even the suicide bombings— of which there were 38
—made virtually no headlines except in the countries in which
they took place. Yet most of the victims of jihadist violence
continue to be non-combatants, and the vast majority is
Muslim.”103
As such, all the deceptive, embellished claims of jihad made by
these insurgents, bandits, revolutionaries and terrorists of al-
Qaeda and ISIS are baseless and are only believed by the ignorant
and those with deficient intellects, whether Muslims or non-
Muslims.
Their actions are nothing but sedition and terrorism and come
under the texts of the Quran and Prophetic traditions that deal
with highway-robbery, rebellion, corruption and terrorism all of
which have their own treatment within Islamic law through
corporal and capital punishment. The ideology of these people
starts with expelling Muslim rulers from Islam on account of
perceived injustices. It ends with violence, turmoil, terrorism and
destruction of Muslim inhabited lands. This is precisely what al-
Qaeda and ISIS have helped to achieve much to the delight of:
- Ultra-Zionists, Jewish supremacists and extremists looking to
annexe resource rich Syrian and other nearby lands as part of their

103 “The New Jihadism”, p. 23.

 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 73
religious, ideological conviction that they have an inherent, race-
based right to own and occupy it.104
- Extreme Evangelical Christians awaiting Armageddon and the
destruction of the Arab Muslims so as to hasten the second coming
of Christ whom they believe will forcefully convert Jews and
Muslims to Christianity by the sword.
- Neoconservative warmongers and corporate terrorists and
vultures who plan and implement the invasion and destruction of
nations for financial, economic and thereby, political gain.
As for Muslims, they gain absolutely nothing from extremist
and terrorist groups like ISIS. At least 99.95% of Muslims oppose
them and want them destroyed. 105

In a 2010 interview, Professor Olivier Roy106 was asked the question,

“In your book you say that fundamentalist groups like al-Qaeda
have nothing to do with Islamic tradition. But in Europe the
fundamentalist ideology is regarded as the essence of the
traditional thinking. How do you explain this contradiction?”
Within his reply, he noted that, “Al-Qaeda is not the expression of
traditional Islam or even fundamentalist Islam; it is a new
understanding of Islam, cloaked in western revolutionary
ideology.”
And short of a decade earlier, David Forte, a Professor of Law,
wrote just after the September 11 attacks: “Over the past few
weeks, I have argued that Osama bin Laden and his Taliban allies
represent a perversion of Islam and are engaged in a campaign to
change Islam itself to define the faith politically, and not primarily
legally or theologically. The evidence, I believe, is unequivocal: His
war is as much against Islam as it is against the West. I have

1<M This an undeniable and factually correct statement. These people exist
and have well-known statements in this regard which are often freely
reported and discussed in Israeli newspapers. These people do not represent
nor speak for all Jews and many religious Jews denounce them openly.
105 Considering that the Muslim population today stands at 1.8 billion people.
106 He is the Research Director at the French National Center for Scientific
Research (CNRS) and lectures at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences
Sociales (EHESS) and the Institut d’Etudes Politiques (IEP) in Paris. He has
numerous books on politics and Islam.
74 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
written that Islam is a multivocal religion, that from its start it has
debated within itself the nature of its identity. And I have noted
that among all its varied traditions, one thing remains clear: The
acts of the terrorists of September 11, and the justification of them
by Osama bin Laden, replicate in modern guise a violent faction,
the Kharijites, that Islam found totally anathema to the faith early
in its history. In other writings, I have asserted that this form of
extremism has been inspired by the writings of influential
modernist radicals, such as Sayyid Qutb of Egypt, who believe that
virtually all Islam is in a state of unbelief and needs to be
reconquered. Thus, in its modern form, Bin Laden’s kind of
extremism has much more in common with Stalin, Hitler, and Mao
than it does with Islamic tradition. Like those state terrorists, Bin
Laden is at war with his own people. And finally, I have boldly
asserted that bin Laden and his extremists are evil, pure and
simple, and Islam is not. Since these opinions have been aired, I
have received many letters, telephone calls, and e-mails. Without
exception, Muslims who have contacted me have been grateful for
my views. They have been relieved to hear how a Christian and
Westerner is explaining to Americans the true nature of their
religion. They have thanked me for my understanding of Islam.
They agree with my characterization of bin Laden and al Qaeda. ”107

Given this, it is unjust for Islam haters and detractors to portray

the faulty understanding of the extremists and terrorists as an
orthodox reading of Islamic texts and valid juristic opinion. These
criminals have no legal authority for their actions which involve
treachery and perfidy.
The late Salafi scholar, Ahmad bin Yahya al-Najml (d. 2008) said:
“The Prophet (2&&S&) would prohibit perfidy and treachery and
he would command truthfulness, innocence and trustworthiness.
As for what the terrorists do in this time when they wear bombs or
they drive cars loaded with bombs and on finding a gathering of
people they blow up themselves or blow up just the car, then this
practice is built upon deception, Islam is far, far away from this

107 ’’Religion is not the enemy”, The National Review, 19th October 2001.
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 75
and does not affirm it at all. What is being done now of suicide
missions in Britain or other lands, they are planned and executed
by the TakfTrT Kharijites, These people are from the organisation of
al-Qaeda, those who follow Usamah bin Ladin, [Muhammad] al-
Mis'arT and Sad al-Faqlh and their likes who have been nurtured
upon the books of thinkers such as Sayyid Qutb. >*108
The late Salafi scholar, Shaykh Zayd ibn Muhammad al-
Madkhall (d. 2014) was asked: “There are some people who say that
bombings in the non-Muslim lands are valid in return for what
they do of butchering Muslims in Palestine and elsewhere. What is
the foundation regarding this issue?” He responded:
“Such people are merely speaking with their own opinions
without any semblance of Islamic knowledge supporting it. This
because there are covenants and agreements between nation
states. Every state has (agreements) of security with its
neighbours. Hence, treachery is not permitted at all and this is not
from the legislated jihad, rather it is from amongst the prohibited
crimes because of what results from it of harm. This transgression
is not correct even if it was against a non-Muslim, it is not correct
ever. There is no evidence supporting it at all. Rather, there are
agreements and covenants between the various states. Thus, it is
not permissible for anyone to traverse the path of chaos, such that
chaos spreads throughout the world, the affairs are overturned
and harm comes to Muslims, non-Muslims, the innocent from
humanity and those whose blood Islam has made inviolable. These
bombings, assassinations and suicide missions are Satanic
improvisations for which no evidence is established from the Book
and the Prophetic traditions. Rather, they are only in accordance
with erroneous understandings in which their proponents have
erred. They will bear their own burdens alongside the burdens of
all those whom they misguided from those they have enlisted as
soldiers and who have obeyed and followed them without
evidence. They have convinced them that they are engaged in
jihad in the path of Allah but they have lied regarding that. The

108 In a dictated statement titled, “The Sunnah is Innocent of Terrorist Activities”

and issued on 26 August 2005, a short while after the 2005 London 7/7
attacks.
76 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
true jihad is the one in which its conditions are met and its
preventative barriers are absent. Have these misguided sects
followed the path of true jihad? The answer is no.... They have no
authority except following desires and obeying Satan. They did
whatever they did of shedding blood and destroying property out
of envious jealousy, transgression and oppression. Thus, they
deserve the [capital] punishments due to the people of corruption
and crime.”109 End of quote.

These condemnations are unequivocal and clear. There is no single

text in the Quran or the Prophetic traditions or any juristic
opinion from the traditional schools of law in Islam that
encourages or justifies the killing of non-combatants in remote
lands such as what is done today in Europe and North America of
acts of terrorism. Rather, Islam emphatically prohibits killing non-
combatants even during war itself. Islam demands the fulfilment of
all contracts, agreements and covenants in host countries and
condemns treachery and perfidy. It is forbidden for Muslims to
cause public nuisance and agitation in non-Muslim lands, let alone
harm or even kill people. Marches and demonstrations do not have
any basis in Islamic texts. Rather, they have been imported into
Islam from Marxist and Communist revolutionary ideology and are
employed by extreme sects like the Muslim Brotherhood to foment
revolutions and topple authorities as a means of snatching power.
All people of sound mind know that the acts of sinful Muslims
who engage in terrorism—[as well as organised crime including
theft, drug-dealing, rape, prostitution and the likes] all of which
are condemned in Islam and for which corporal and capital
punishments exist—cannot be ascribed to Islam from near or afar.
To do so would be the same as arguing that Islam enourages the
consumption of alcohol merely because Muslims can be found who
habitually engage in it. This is clear dishonesty and is the way of
far-right nationalist movements who try to ascribe the crimes of
sinful, ignorant Muslims to Islam to serve their own agendas.

109 Refer to Nuzhat al-Qarl FT Sharh Kitab al-‘Ilm Min Sahih al-Bukharl (102-
103).
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 77
The extremists and terrorists clothe and beautify their terrorism
as jihad. They claim that the verses relating to fighting and war—
which are addressed only to the rulers of the Muslims—have
abrogated the verses of peaceful preaching, discussion and
argumentation. This is a blatantly dishonest, false and refuted view
whose invalidation is clear from what has preceded.

In summary, there are two groups who attempt to present their

fallacious understanding of Islam as mainstream Islam:
- Those Muslims who have adopted extremist ideologies which
have no basis in mainstream orthodox Islam but only in the
deviant ideologies of the Kharijite extremists. They seek to achieve
their goals by legitimising their actions with interpretations that
are novel and false.
- Those non-Muslims—both secular and religious—who have
prior ideological hatred of Islam and delight in the existence of
these extremists because of the utility they provide in a) scaring
people away from Islam, b) winning converts to their faith or cause
and c) furthering their racial, national or geopolitical agendas.
Both of these groups are two sides of the same coin and have
the same twisted view of Islam. Hence, both are active recruiters
and aiders and abetters of the terrorists by their propagation of
this false understanding of Islam and treating it to be the Islam of
the Prophet his Companions and of orthodox Muslims.

After the clarification regarding extremist and terrorism, we move

on to discuss the issue of women, which is also used to engineer a
large amount of negative press about Islam.
78 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
Islam and Women
With sustained media coverage of Muslims in the context of global
conflicts, more and more people continue to show interest in Islam
and its teachings. Access to unbiased sources of information about
Islam has been made easy through the Internet as well as increased
interactions between Muslims and non-Muslims.
The trend in conversions continues to grow and the majority of
converts are women who outnumber male converts with a ratio of
four to one.110 This is despite extremely negative media coverage in
light of acts of terrorism and claims that Islam denigrates women.
Converts are typically well-educated, tend to be in professional
occupations, come from a variety of backgrounds and comprise
Christians, Jews, Atheists, Hindus, Sikhs and others. This reveals
that inquisitive rational, thinking people who are fair-minded and
are willing to look beyond the propaganda are finding intellectual
and spiritual satisfaction which materialist societies and other
religions have been unable to offer them.
What is attracting these women to Islam?
Many are disillusioned with Christianity and its confusing
theology that a critical mind is unable to decipher. Mysterious
doctrines do not offer satisfactory answers about divinity. Many of
these women converts state that they find a clear and intelligible
treatment of divinity in Islam. Others discover—with plenty of
research and reflection—the great honour that Islam confers upon
women, contrary to the propaganda in the media and the claims of
detractors. Others find stability in their lives due to the moral
certitude provided by Islamic teachings compared to hazy,
contradictory and shallow notions of morals in other philosophies
and religions. Many see that women are objectified and exploited
in Western societies and come to the realisation that slogans such
as “women’s rights”, “women’s equality” and “women’s freedom” are
shallow, meaningless and hypocritical, especially when sales of
goods depend upon naked women and prostitution is made a
taxable occupation as is the case in some European nations. Others

110 As reported in “Women and Conversion to Islam: The American Women’s

Experience” by Elkoubaiti Naoualv, 2010.
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 79
•:
have found an antidote in Islam to a particular mind virus which
infects women, causes them to both mimic and hate men at the
same time, and causes them to metamorphosise into hate-filled
spiteful monsters far removed from their true feminine nature. :
The reasons are many and diverse and cannot all be enumerated. *
Secularists, atheists, feminists and many other groups are both
grieved and baffled by this phenomenon.111 ;
What is observed today in Western secular liberal nations is the
orchestrated destruction of the family unit by the erosion of
masculinity for biological males and femininity for biological
females through the promotion of sexual liberation philosophies,
emasculation and feminisation of men, instilling distrust and
hatred of men in the name of “feminism”112 and “equality”,

111 Secular, socialist, liberal societies exploit women primarily for commercial
objectives and to advance collectivist agendas that require the family unit
and traditional values to be eroded. The woman is not given any unique,
special rights in such societies but is manipulated through social engineering
into roles and behaviours that have little to do with genuine liberation of
women and keeping her true to her nature. Rather, they have more to do
with eroding the family institution—which is the basis of inheritance and
private property rights—and exploiting women as an under-tapped labour
force to expand the reach of taxable economies. Such economies must
service the debt imposed upon them through privately owned banking
institutions that create money as debt and charge interest upon it. This is the
true and real reason why women have been encouraged to leave the home
and enter the workplace in the name of liberation and equality. It is
primarily to double the taxable workforce to help service the national debt.
In addition, women are considered huge markets ready to be exploited for
profit at the expense of their personal and private interests which include
health, modesty and chastity. This is aided by promoting liberal philosophies
and lifestyles. Many Western women become worn out, disillusioned, feel out
of touch with their inner selves and yearn for something that will give true
meaning, purpose and satisfaction to their lives. This is the reason why many
women are accepting Islam, because its guidance is based on justice and on
the fundamental facts and realities of human nature.
112 Feminism is anti-women because it encourages women to reject, despise
and abandon their femininity and adopt masculinity by mimicking what men
do in order to prove to men that they can also be masculine and are
therefore equal to them. This is a very twisted form of psychology that leads
to twisted individuals and personalities. The failure of mainstream feminism
is well known and much research exists regarding it. Abandoning your true ;
80 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
destroying the institution of marriage and promoting gender
confusion and sexual indoctrination in children which is really a
form of horrendous child abuse.113 Muslims, and in fact even many
non-Muslims, reject the notion that 20th century capitalist,
hedonist, narcissistic Western culture is the universal model
against which all other cultures or values are evaluated. Thus, the
status, rights and obligations of women in Islam are to be
understood within the wider social and legal framework of Islam
itself and the aims of such a framework. From these aims are
keeping men and women true to their natures, protecting their
beneficial interests, and cementing family ties so that strong,
stable societies are produced. It cannot be evaluated by materialist,
hedonistic, narcissistic and liberal philosophies.

ca

The woman plays a central and crucial role in the family, society
and nation as a mother. Because the family unit is of the utmost
importance in Islam, the Muslim woman has been given multiple
layers of protection through a specific social and economic
structure along with a wide range of guaranteed rights that make
it difficult to harass and exploit her in a society that faithfully
abides by Islam and honours her status.114

nature and pretending to be something you are not is self-delusion and self­
subjugation, not liberation.
113 Refer to the excellent article, “Gender Ideology Harms Children" published by
the American College of Pediatricians on https://www.acpeds.org and also
“Transgender is ‘Mental Disorder;’ Sex Change ‘Biologically Impossible’” by Michael
Chapman on https://cnsnews.com, 2 June 2015. Refer also to Dr. Judith
Weisman’s book “Kinsey, Sex and Fraud" (1993) and her informative website:
http://www.dijudithreisman.com. Alfred Kinsey—absurdly celebrated as a
hero—was a sex-researcher who, from a distance, oversaw the sexual abuse
and molestation of babies and infants as part of his research to promote
sexual freedom and the exercise of lust between all ages without restraint.
His ideas form the foundation of all modem sex education in schools which is
essentially to use the cover of providing safe-sex instructions to children
whilst advancing Kinsey’s agenda of early sexualizuation.
114 In Western nations, the woman is only treated as an equal to man after she
has been stripped of her feminine qualities and denied her rights, such as the
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 81
As for that which takes place in Muslim countries of oppression,
withholding rights from women or denying women opportunities
which Islam allows them, then all of that returns to local cultural
influences and traditions.
Men and women are equal in the sight of God and differ only in
a limited number of injunctions that return back to established
physical and biological differences between them. Women have
been given numerous concessions not afforded to men on account
of such differences. Aside from these differences, men and women
are equal in terms of their origins, their status and worth in the
sight of God, their religious duties, their rewards and their
material rights.

In terms of origins, men and women are considered equal in that

they were created from a single soul:
lk- 5jL>3 (Ja |C.<Cal>
“He created you from one soul, then He made from it its mate.”
(39:6).
The woman was not created from any components besides
those from which man was created. All of humanity were created
and spread through a single male and single female.115 Likewise,
men are of women and women are of men116 in the sense that they
are begotten of each other. As such, the male and female are twin
halves to each other, as we see in the Prophetic tradition, “Women
are the twin-halves of men. ”117
In terms of status and rewards, men and women are considered
equal in that their righteous deeds are given the exact same weight
and recompense in the hereafter, as indicated in many texts.118
In terms of religious duties, men and women are equally bound
by Islam’s pillars and obligations since they are addressed in the
Quran collectively as “0 you who believe” and separately through

legal right to be provided for without being forced to work or spend out of
her own wealth.
115 Refer to Qur’an (4:1).
1,6 Refer to Quran (3:195).
117 Related by Muslim (no. 635), Ahmad in al-Musnad (6/256) and others.
118 Refer to the Quran (4:124), (33:35), by way of example.
82 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
the terms “believing men ’ (mu’minun) and “believing women ’
(mu’minat).119 They are also equal in terms of legal injunctions and
procedures that pertain to rights, obligations and criminal acts in
which life, property, honour are violated.
As for material rights, the Prophet granted Muslim
women the rights of education, ownership, property, inheritance,
buying, selling, contracting, renting, lending, mortgaging,
sponsoring, guaranteeing, complaining, suing, freedom of
expression and keeping her family name amongst others.
Most of these rights were not available to European women
until the 19th and 20th centuries. They were only granted to them
with much reluctance and resentment on behalf of men, and in
many cases, after lengthy campaigns and violence.
No nation in history gave this degree of freedom and equality to
women prior to Islam and after it, even until recent times.
As for the affairs in which men and women are treated
differently, then that returns back to the fundamental facts of
human nature in that men and women differ in some respects. The
woman has both strengths and weaknesses that the man does not
have and vice versa, the man has strengths and weaknesses that
the woman does not have. These differences do not mean that one
is superior to the other, since superiority in the sight of God only
has one factor and that is piety:
jcSlinii 4JJT JLix 1 o!

“Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of God (Allah) is the
most pious of you.” (49:13).
The strengths of the man are a cover for the woman and the
strengths of the woman are a cover for the man. So in Islam, a man
and a woman are a complimentary pair that make a unit, like lock
and key. Islam enjoins and inculcates those affairs that cement this
relationship on grounds ofjustice, which is to put everything in its
proper place, and not on imaginary grounds of absolute equality,
since men and women are not equal in all respects. Differences
between men and women are firmly established in biological,

119 Refer to the Qur'an (9:72).

 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 83
psychological, brain and military studies and are undeniable.120 On
account of these fundamental facts of human nature, men have
been given a degree over women in the sense that their physical
and biological constitution makes them more suited for having the
responsibility of maintenance, provision and protection. For this
reason, they are referred to in the Quran as “qawwamun”, the
maintainers and protectors of women, because of this extra degree
and because they spend upon women. As the Quranic exegetes
explain, this extra degree does not mean in rank and status, but in
ability and responsibility. This is because rank and status do not lie
in physical and biological constitution, but in faith and piety.121

Once the above is clear, we may address a number of issues that

are frequently raised about women in Islam in order to make it
appear that she is oppressed.

1. The Hijab and the Niqab

The topic of hijab is quite easy to understand in light of the
phenomena of sexual harrasment in Western secular, liberal
nations. In August 2016 media outlets in the UK ran headlines
covering a Trade Union Congress survey which indicated that
sexual harassment of women has reached “shocking” levels and
that between half to two-thirds of women experience sexual
advancements or harassment by males at work in relation to their
bodies or clothes.122

120
Refer to the excellent February 2015 paper by the Center for Military
Readiness titled, “New British Ministry of Defence Review Paper Shreds Case for
Women in Ground Close Combat (GCC)n which summarises a report by the
Ministry of Defence (MoD). The report presents key physical, biological and
mental differences between men and women and is a very interesting read.
121 Shaykh Mahmud Shakir, commenting on Imam al-Tabarfs report from Ibn
‘Abbas (&$&) in this subject, stated about the Qur’anic verse that refers to
men as “qawwamun”: “It is not informing about any [inherent] excellence
Allah has decreed for the man regardless of whether he behaves righteously
in what He commanded him or behaves sinfully.” TafsTr al-Tabari (Cairo, 2nd
edition) 4/536-537.
122 See llHalf of women ‘sexually harassed at work' - TUC survey” BBC News, 16
August 2016; “Sexual harassment at work is getting worse. We need to stamp it out”
The Guardian, 10 August 2016; “ Workplace sexual harassment at ‘shocking' lever
84 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
The hijab is one of numerous elements within Islamic guidance
that work together in a complimentary fashion to: a) protect and
maintain women’s personal respect, dignity and honour b) free
women from the tyranny of having to please male onlookers and
meet standards of beauty dictated by exploiters and profiteers, as
well as the tyranny of the belief that their worth is proportional to
their sexual charms, and from the tyranny of all the physical,
emotional and material costs associated with all of the above and
c) foster an environment in which women interact and conduct
their affairs free of harassment and of unwanted sexual advances.
In light of the above, the following points in explanation of the
hijab will suffice:
Eirst: Muslim women view Mary the Mother of Jesus
(^), as a symbol of purity, modesty and chastity. Mary was an
extremely devout woman who was favoured by God (Allah) over all
other women. She is described in the Qur’an as a purified, chaste
woman who was true in intention, word and deed. Muslim women
proudly and unashamedly take Mary as their role-model
and view her praiseworthy qualities as essential elements of a
woman’s respectability, dignity and honour.123

ITV.Com, 10 August 2016. Much of this harrassment involves comments of a

sexual nature about the body or clothes. As for research, then the following
are some resources: Koukounas E, Letch NM. Psychological correlates of
perception of sexual intent in women. J Soc Psychol. 2001 Aug;14l(4):443-56;
Awasthi B. From Attire to Assault: Clothing, Objectification, and De-humanization—
A Possible Prelude to Sexual Violence? Front Psychol. 2017 Mar 10;8:338;
Mclaughlin K, Hamish RJ. The Effects of Clothing and Dyad Sex Composition on
Perceptions of Sexual Intent: Do Women and Men Evaluate These Cues Differently.
Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 1987,17,2, pp. 108-126. Gueguen N. The
effect of women’s suggestive clothing on men's behavior and judgment: a field study.
Psychol Rep. 2011 Oct;109(2):635-8; Nicolas Gueguen, Jordy Stefan. Men’s
Judgment and Behavior Toward Women Wearing High Heels. Journal of Human
Behavior in the Social Environment Vol. 25 , Iss. 5, 2015.
123 Next time you see a Muslim woman dressed in hijab, do not look at her
through the subjective spectacles of the Islam haters and rabid, hate-filled,
psychologically twisted feminists but through her own eyes: A woman who
seeks to please God by emulating the qualities of Mary, the mother ofJesus—
[who was very devout and protective of her modesty and chastity]—and a
woman who seeks ownership and control of her own sexuality, by wrestling
it back from male exploiters and profiteers.
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 85
Second: The Quran orders Muslim women to draw their outer
garments (jilbab) over their bodies, describing it as being better for
them in that they are known as respectable women and not
harassed or harmed (33:59). It commands women to be modest and
protect their chastity by not engaging in illicit sexual acts and not
to show off their beauty and adornment except what is naturally
apparent thereof. Likewise, to draw the khimar (covering) over
their heads, necks and chests and not to display their beauty
except to their husbands, fathers, sons, fathers-in-law, step-sons,
brothers, nephews, other women, the old who lack vigour and
young male children who are not yet aware of the private affairs of
women (24:31). On the basis of these texts and Prophetic traditions
Muslim scholars have mentioned numerous conditions and
descriptions of a Muslim woman’s hijab that fulfil and serve the
objectives intended behind it.
Third: Female converts find within Islam and within the hijab a
reclamation of their femininity. They recognise it as an antidote to
the degradation caused by immodesty, immorality and sexual
permissiveness. These affairs are glorified by lifestyle philosophies
cleverly presented as freedom and liberation of women but which
are really aimed at social engineering and benefiting profiteers.
These profiteers make billions in various industries by exploiting
the nature of women psychologically and physically as a means of
influencing the economic activities of both men and women.
Hijab puts an end to unwarranted oppression and exploitation,
which is why there is so much propaganda against it and why
Muslim women who wear it are wrongly described as “oppressed”
and “subjugated”. Rather, Muslim women consider themselves
empowered and liberated by it.
As for the niqab, which is the veil, then this is not obligatory in
Islam. However, a small number of women choose to wear the veil
purely out of devotion to God, and not because they support al-
Qaeda or ISIS. These women seek to please God and to emulate the
modesty and chastity of Mary who isolated herself from
males and devoted herself to God. Christian nuns are seen as
symbols of modesty, chastity and religious devotion due to their
wilfully chosen isolation in convents and monasteries away from
86 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
the public sphere. Women who wear the niqab like to be seen in
the same way except that they do not participate in organised
physical isolation in places of worship.

2. Females only receive half the inheritance of males

This would be a valid doubt if males and females had equal
financial obligations. In Islamic law, females are absolved of all
financial obligations. It is obligatory upon the man to provide
shelter, food, clothing and that by which a woman maintains her
hygiene and beauty, according to what is customary. Further, the
woman has complete autonomy in her financial affairs and all of
her personal wealth and property—whether through inheritance,
gifting or business—is entirely her own. She is not obliged to spend
out of her wealth on the basic needs mentioned earlier.
The late scholar, Shaykh Ibn al-Uthayimn (d. 2001) stated: “It is
obligatory upon a man to spend on his family, upon his wife and
children with what is customary. Even if his wife was rich, it is still
obligatory upon the husband to spend. And in relation to this, if
the wife teaches, having specified this as a condition of marriage
upon the husband, that he enables her to teach, then he has no
right to take anything from her salary, not even half of it, nor less
than or greater than it.”124 Upon this, due to the greater financial
burden upon the man, his share is twice that of a woman. Men
have to spend not only on their wives and children, but also on
their parents, sisters and younger male siblings. Hence, it is perfect
justice for the man to receive twice the share of a woman on the
basis of responsibility. If the woman was treated equally and given
the same share, without an equal burden of responsibility, it would
be injustice against the man.
It is important to understand the difference between justice—
which means putting everything in its proper place—and abstract
notions of equality. Treating people with equality in situations
where they should be treated with justice, is actually injustice,
inequality and corruption.
In Islamic law—in accordance with the fundamental facts and
realities of human nature—it is not in the beneficial interests of

124 Refer to his Sharh Riyad al-Salihin (6/143).

 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 87
children, the husband, the family unit, the society and the whole
nation for women to be burdened with working to support
themselves and their children. This does not mean they are
prohibited to work, since societies need qualified and competent
women in numerous fields such as teaching, medicine and the
likes. However, it does not place an equal burden on women to
work in order to provide for themselves and their children. Rather,
the foundation is that they are free of all responsibilities in this
regard, while being permitted to work, according to need, in fields
and occupations that benefit to the society. Hence, the disparity in
inheritance shares—which are based on factual ground realities
and not just upon abstract notions of equality—and this is the
essence of justice.
Alongside the above, it is not always the case that the female
receives half the share of the male. A detailed study of inheritance
laws in Islam, makes clear that this only takes place in four
scenarios out of around at least thirty-five possible scenarios. In
other scenarios the female takes an equal or greater share than the
male and in somes instances she takes a share when the male does
not receive any at all.

3. A woman’s testimony “is equal to half of man’s”

This doubt involves misrepresentation of a verse in the Quran
that provides guidelines for loan transactions. It is a very specific
scenario in which the lender is advised to have the contract put
into writing, with the borrower or his guardian dictating the terms
of the loan to a scribe. The verse further advises that two men are
brought to act as witnesses, and “if two men are not available then
a man and two women, from those that you are pleased with as
witnesses” (2:282). From here, it is argued that Islam denigrates
women because it reduces their testimony to half that of a man,
thereby making her equal to half a man in worth and status.
To answer this doubt, a broad observation is made first followed
by more specific points. As for the broad observation:
The truth value of testimony in Islam is independent of gender
and is based upon integrity (adalah) and precision (dabt). One
should keep in mind that one of the greatest scholars in Islam was
 88 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
‘A’ishah the wife of the Prophet fe<£^). She was also a
jurist125 and transmitter of the Prophetic traditions. Many women
were known for interpreting law, giving legal rulings (fatwa) and
transmitting the Prophetic traditions. The Wives of the Prophet
were ordered to memorise and convey what they had
been taught of the Quran and legal injunctions. Hence, they
feature prominently among those who interpreted law and gave
legal verdicts.126 They include: ‘A’ishah, Umm Salamah, Safiyyah,
Hafsah, Umm HabTbah, Juwayriyah and Maymunah (o&jSfft).
Thereafter, Umm al-Darda, Nusaybah bint al-Harith, Layla bint
Qa if, Asma bint AbT Bakr, Umm Shank, Fatimah, Umm Ayman,
Umm Yusuf, are among others that were listed by the scholar, Ibn
al-Qayyim for giving legal rulings.127 As interpreting law, issuing
legal rulings (fatwa) and transmitting reports (riwayah) involve
intellectual capacity and an element of testimony, then the verse
n question must have some other consideration behind the need
or corroboration of a woman’s act of witnessing in the realm of
loan contracts. Muslim scholars discussed this matter and provided
a number of explanations. From them were Ibn Taymiyyah (d.
1328) and Ibn al-Qayyim (d. 1350) who both rejected the claim of
the universal application of the two women equal one man rule in a
court of law with clear evidences.
This general observation can then be detailed and explained
further through the specific points of clarification:
First: The scenario described in the verse relates to private
contractual affairs relating to loans in which the parties involved
are advised to protect their interests and rights from future
challenge through a written contract witnessed by those whom
they are pleased with as witnesses. This has no connection to the
act of giving testimony in a court of law. The scholar and jurist, Ibn
al—Qayyim (d. 1350) wrote about this verse: “This is a command to
the people of rights [to take such measures with] which they are

125 The 14th century scholar al-Zarkashi authored a work, “Al-Isabah fima
Istadrakahu 'A'ishah 'ala al-Sahabah” in which he listed all the affairs in which
'A’ishah challenged the legal opinions of the Companions of the Prophet.
126 Refer to the Quran (33:34).
i 127 Refer to flam al-Muwaqqi’in (Dar Ibn al-jawzl) 1/18-22.
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 89
”128
able to protect their rights, And Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 1328)
explained that this verse does not mention the two categories of
two men and one man and two women as routes ofjudgement in a
court of law but only as means through which a private individual
may protect his right from future challenge. After mentioning and
summarising the verse, he said: “All of this is advice, teaching and
instruction for them—[the parties engaged in loan contracts]—
regarding that by which they may safeguard their rights [from
future challenge]. That by which [personal] rights are safeguarded
is one thing and that by which judgement is made by a judge [in a
court of law] is another thing.”129 Ibn al-Qayyim also states: “There
is nothing in the Qur’an which requires that judgements are not
made except through two male witnesses or a male and two female
witnesses. For Allah, the Sublime, only gave this command to the
people with rights [in loan contracts], so that they may protect
their rights through this particular level of evidence. But He did
not command the judges [in courts of law] to judge with this, let
alone command them to judge by this alone [in all disputes]. For
this reason, the judge may pass judgement by way of breaches [of
contract], refusal to take oath, the [testimony] of a single woman,
and of individual women with no man present with them... ”130
Second: In reiteration of the above, this verse is speaking about
the act of witnessing or mental recording in private loan contracts
and not the act of giving testimony in a court of law. These are two
separate issues and the origin of the doubt comes from confusing
between these two affairs.
Third: As for giving testimony in a court of law, there are other
situations covered in Islamic law in which the woman’s testimony
stands on its own right and is equal to that of a man, such as when
she is accused by her husband of adultery and who is unable to
bring witnesses. Her testimony on its own is sufficient to repel his
allegation. In some situations her testimony is given precedence to
that of a man, such as in those areas which are specialities and
private affairs of women.

128 Al-Turuq al-Hukmiyyah of Ibn al-Qayyim (Dar ‘Alam al-Fawa’id) p. 396.

129 Ibid. p. 183.
130 Ibid. p. 359.
90 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
Fourth: The Muslim scholars have given two explanations as to
why, if two men are not available, a man and two women are
recommended to act as witnesses in the loan contract.
The first explanation is that the ability of some women to
commit details to memory may be affected by the various states
they pass through due to their nature. Women undergo significant
changes which have the capacity to affect mental performance to a
degree that can impact the rights of others. “Women go through
significant biological changes across their lifespan, more so than
men, so these cyclic shifts can disrupt, malfunction, or create
disease.”131 These include menstruation, pregnancy, the postnatal
period, breast-feeding and menopause in which hormonal fluxes
take place. For this reason—according to this explanation—two
women and one man are advised if two men are not available to
witness the contract. Hence, the Qur’an stated, “if one of them
errs” and not “when one of them errs” proving that this does not
apply to all women, and not all the time. Rather, this guideline is a
safeguarding mechanism in the circumstances of the transaction
which the lender is advised to adopt in order to protect his right in
the case of future challenge.
The second explanation is that such affairs are not routinely
and habitually entered into by women because of the different
economic roles of men and women—given that in Islam, women
are relieved of all financial responsibilities in providing for the
family, this being the responsibility of men. Therefore, both men
and women are prone to forgetting things that are not part of their
daily experience. As such, the verse explains in this regard, “so
that if one of them errs, then one of them can remind the other..”
(2:82). The scholar and jurist Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 1328) said: “This is
so that one of them can remind the other if she errs. This takes
place with respect to affairs in which erring is habitual due to
forgetfulness and absence of precision...”132 He is alluding to the
fact that due to the absence of familiarity with financial terms and

131 Deborah Serani, PhD, Associate Professor at the Derner Institute of

Advanced Psychology Studies as cited in “4 Mental Health Issues That Are More
Common In Women” on Prevention.Com, 2 September 2016.
132 Ibid. pp. 399-400.
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 91
expertise and experience in these affairs, a person may be prone to
forgetfulness and lack precision in recollection. However, as for
affairs in which the woman is not prone to error—because she is
informed and experienced in them—then her testimony is not
equal to half a man’s testimony. Ibn Taymiyyah stated: “As for
testimony in [fields] in which there is no fear of habitual error,
then she is not equal, in such testimony, to half a man. ”133 This
means that when any person—male or female—has knowledge and
expertise in a field, then the capacity for error is reduced.
Fifth: Supporting this is what has been stated by Ibn al-Qayyim:
“There is no doubt that the wisdom in having plurality [of women
in this verse regarding loan contracts] is only with respect to
recording the testimony (al-tahammul). As for when the woman is
intelligent and is trustworthy in religion, then her report [in giving
testimony] suffices in attaining the objective, just as it does in the
field of transmitting reports regarding religious affairs. For this
reason, her individual testimony is accepted in numerous
situations.” And then he cites from Ibn Taymiyyah: “Two women
have been put in the place of a man only in the act of witnessing,
to observe and record in memory (al-tahammul), so that one of
them does not later forget. This is different to giving testimony (al-
ada) [from what has been recorded in memory].134 For there is
nothing in the Book nor the Sunnah which requires that
judgement [in a court of law] cannot be made except with the
testimony of two women [in place of a man]. And the command to
get two women to act as witnesses to observe [the details at the
time of the contract] does not make it binding that judgement [in a
court of law] cannot be made with less than two [women]. ” Then
Ibn al-Qayyim states: “Thus, the routes by which a judge makes
judgement [in a court of law] are broader than the routes through
which a person safeguards his right. ” 135
Sixth: The conditions stated in this verse are specific to loan
contracts, not business transactions in general or testimonies in a
court of law. Women are free to buy and sell and engage in trade

133 Ibid. p. 400.

134 Meaning, in providing the details of what she witnessed.
1351'lam al-Muwaqqi'm (Dar Kutub al-'llmiyyah) l/75.
 92 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
and business—alongside what this entails of making contracts—
without requiring two women to conduct business with a single
male. This would be necessitated if the claim of the detractors of
Islam was true, and this only exposes their stupidity, shallowness
and ignorance.
Seventh: As for testimony in a court of law in which a
judgement is made in relation to people’s rights including life,
wealth, property and personal honour and establishing justice,
then being male or female is not a criterion of truthfulness. Rather,
the criteria of acceptance as a witness are integrity (adalah) and
precision (dabt). Further, in a court of law, the evidence (bayyinah)
must be established by the judge, and the nature and form of this
evidence is much broader and wider. As such, Islamic law makes a
difference between:
a) being called to act as a witness (ish-had)
b) giving testimony (shahadah) which is recollection, and
c) establishing evidence (bayyinah).
Evidence that decides a case in a court of law is established
through a large number of routes and it is anything by which truth
is established. It is not hinged in any way to the guidance given to
individuals in private loan contracts, as has been clarified and
explained by both Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim.
In summary of the above, there is nothing in this verse which
renders women equal to half of men in worth and status and nor
anything which makes them of general intellectual inferiority. Rather,
because women go through significant biological changes across
their lifespan, more so than men, they are more prone to cognitive
impairment during those changes, and in some women, not all, it
can be to a degree that could affect the rights of others. For that
reason, in the realm of private loan contracts, individuals are
advised to safeguard their rights by having two women mentally
record the details of the contract so that in the case of future
challenge, if one of them errs in recollection, the other can remind
her. The deficiency of women is restricted to this affair alone and
does not imply general intellectual inferiority. For this reason the
scholar and jurist Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘AzIz bin Baz (d. 1999) gave
caution in this matter by stating: “This does not necessitate that

I
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 93
she is deficient in everything, not from the angle of her piety
towards God (Allah), nor from the angle of her establishing His
command and nor from the angle of her precision in the affairs she
enters into... Thus, it is not befitting for a believer to accuse her of
deficiency in every affair.”136 And he added that there are many
women who excel over a great number of men in terms of intellect,
precision and religiosity, which is most certainly true.
As for witnesses giving testimony in a court of law, then no
school of law in Islam has restricted a judge to using only two male
witnesses or in their absence, one male and two female witnesses.
Rather, admissibility of evidence in a court of law is based on
credibility and precision and not determined by gender in the case
of testimony (shahadah), which is only one route of many by which
evidence is established.

4. Female circumcision
This is a popular misconception spread through the phrase
female genital mutiliation (FGM) which is frequently and deceptively
linked with Islam when it is in fact a sub-Saharan African practice
that predated Islam and took on a cultural dimension. The ancient
Egyptians practiced what is known as pharoanic circumcision, a
harmful procedure which damages the female genitals. This spread
to sub-Saharan Africa after the Egyptians conquered those lands.
Further, Ethiopia and Eritrea are Christian majority countries in
which around 80% of females on average undergo circumcision
today.137 Females of many other African countries are circumcised,
irrespective of their religion and outside Africa, female circumsion
is not common in Muslim countries. To connect female genital
mutilation with Islam is clear deception and is another tool in the
arsenal of Islam haters and rabid, twisted, spiteful feminists.
In order to clarify this issue:
First: There are three types of circumcision procedures:
- Clitoral unhooding or clitoral hood reduction. This is the
removal of a part of the layer of skin covering the clitoris, also

136 Refer to Majmu Fatawa wa Maqalat (4/292).

137 Refer to the World Health Organization’s website at http://www.who.int
under “Female Genital Mutiliation”.
I
94 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
known as the clitoral prepuce. It is a fold of skin that is equivalent
to the male foreskin. This is a beneficial procedure for women with
clear benefits that are documented in the scientific literature.
- Excision, also known as “clitoridectomy”. This is the removal
of all or part of the clitoris.
- Infibulation, also known as “pharoanic circumcision”. This is
where the external parts of the female genitalia, as well as the
labia minora and the clitoris are removed and then the vagina is
stitched together. This is a barbaric practice and a crime against
women. This action predated Islam and unfortunately, remained a
cultural practice in some African lands.
Second: The size and shape of the prepuce, or the clitoral hood,
varies among females, just as the foreskin does in men. As a result,
some women may suffer from any of the following: sexual health
problems including unsightly appearance and lack of stimulation,
urinary tract and yeast infections, adhesion which is known
medically as phimosis,138 sexual pain, and irritation. There are
surgeries spread all across the United States that specialise in this
procedure of “hoodplasty”, or “clitoral hood reduction” in order to
treat these conditions. This procedure is commended for women in
Islamic law and is known as “al-khitan”, circumcision for women.
Third: In Madlnah, the Prophet came across a woman
that would perform female circumcision from prior to Islam and he
advised her: “Do not cut in excess and thereby cause harm...”—and in a
narration, “make only a small cut”—“... for it brings the woman greater
attention [from her husband] and it is more loved by the husband. ”139
Upon this, Muslim scholars and jurists have made it clear that it is
the prepuce (qulfah), the fold of skin comprising the hood that
covers the clitoris, that is reduced in size according to what is
appropriate. From these scholars are Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalanl, (d.

138 See Alei, G. et al. New Approach to Clitoral Phimosis: Hoodplasty. Journal of
Gynecologic Surgery. Vol. 27, No. 1, March 2011. Research indicates that one
in 5 women experience this. Refer to: Munarriz, R. et al. (2002) The Prevalence
of Phimosis of the Clitoris in Women Presenting to the Sexual Dysfunction Clinic.
Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy Vol. 28; Aerts, L. et al. (2017). The prevalence
of clitoral adhesions in women presenting to the sexual medicine practice. Journal of
Sexual Medicine. Volume 14, Issue 4, Supplement, Page ellO.
139 Related by Abu Dawud (no. 5271) and declared sahlh by al-Albanl.
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 95 i

1449) Abu al-Hasan al-Mawardi (d. 1058), Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 1328)
and Ibn al-Qayyim (d. 1350) by way of example. This procedure is
to be undertaken by an experienced specialist as indicated by
Muslim scholars and Ibn al-Qayyim also discusses the issue of
compensation for malpractice. 140
Eourth: The positive effects and outcomes of this procedure on
sexual health are documented in the research literature.141 They
can be summarised in three things: purity and hygiene, beautifying
the appearance of the female sexual organ and sexual satisfaction.
Collectively, these affairs lead to a stronger relationship between
the husband and wife. However, these affairs are secondary to the
fact that circumcision is an act of worship that is pleasing to God.
Eifth: After mentioning that circumcision is a symbol of
believers in God and a form of beautification which adds to their
internal and external beauty and purity, the Islamic scholar Ibn al-
Qayyim (d. 1350) explains: “And what beautification is better than
reducing that from the skin of the prepuce (qulfah) that ha;
exceeded the limit in its length... And alongside this, circumcision
comprises purity, cleanliness, adornment and beautification of
form (appearance), and regulation of sexual desire... You will find
that uncircumcised men and women are not satiated by sexual
intercourse. ”142 An excess of the prepuce can hinder stimulation
and gratification. Circumcision by a competent practitioner helps

140
Refer to Tuhfat al-Mawdud (Jeddah: Majma al-Fiqh al-Islaml), p. 283.
141 Refer to: Placik, Otto J. et al. A Prospective Evaluation of Female External
Genitalia Sensitivity to Pressure following Labia Minora Reduction and Clitoral Hood
Reduction. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery: October 2015, Vol. 136, Issue 4,
pP. 442e-452e. Presenting their results, the authors stated: “At 6 months, an
increase in the number of sexual relations was observed in 44.1 percent of
subjects (p = 0.011), an improvement in orgasm frequency was exhibited by
35.3 percent of subjects (p = 0.013), and an increase in orgasm strength was
observed in 35.3 percent of subjects (p = 0.006).” They also concluded that
this procedure does not lead to any loss in genitalia sensitivity. Similar
results were demonstrated in a much larger study by Alter GJ in Aesthetic
labia minora and clitoral hood reduction using extended central wedge resection.
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 2008;122:1780-1789. They reported a
significant improvement in self-esteem and sex life among the patients.
142 Refer to Tuhfat al-Mawdud (Jeddah: Majma al-Fiqh al-Islaml), p. 274.
96 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM
resolve this problem and helps regulate sexual desire by enhancing
the gratification of the woman which naturally, pleases the man.
Sixth: The National Health Service (NHS) in the UK provides
information on Labiaplasty (vulval surgery), stating: “A labiaplasty
is surgery to reduce the size of the labia minora—the flaps of skin
either side of the vaginal opening. Some women consider having a
labiaplasty because they don’t like the look of their labia, or
because the labia cause discomfort. This is a major decision you
should weigh up carefully.”143 After providing details about the
cost and the process, they make a careful distinction between this
procedure and “female genital mutilation”. As has preceded from
the speech of Ibn al-Qayyim, adornment and beautification can be
considered to be among the aims and benefits of circumcision.
Hence, this type of “female circumcision” with empirically verified
and proven medical benefits is a highly-beneficial procedure when
carried out by a competent, certified specialist.
It is clear from the above that confusion is spread regarding this
issue by detractors of Islam and in particular, feminists. They do
not distinguish between a known medical procedure, clitoral
unhoooding, and the harmful practice referred to today as “female
genital mutilation ’ which originates in ancient African culture.

While there are many doubts raised about women in Islam, these
specifically chosen examples should be enough inform the reader
that the Islamic legislation—in whatever it obligates, commends or
permits—comprises wisdoms and lofty objectives and that it is
deeper in sophistication than its detractors may presume. The bias,
shallowness in intellect and ignorance of such people are clear to
the people of knowledge and erudition in Islam. This brings us to
the end of our briefjourney into the basics of Islam.

143 Refer to https://www.nhs.uk in the Health section dealing with cosmetic

procedures. Note: In UK law, “female genital mutilation” is defined as the
partial or total removal of the external female genitalia for non-medical reasons. It is
a criminal, punishable offence in the UK to “excise, infibulate or otherwise
mutilate the whole or any part of a girls labia majora, labia minora or clitoris” as
stated in the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003.
 THIS IS ISLAM ♦ 97
Closing Notes
This has been a short and concise primer on Islam and is by no
means a comprehensive treatment. It has dealt with only some of
the most pertinent issues that Muslims feel the need to clarify and
explain. The reader is encouraged to pursue further studies into
Islamic belief, practice and law for further insight whilst being
aware that there are ideological and political orientations that
spread deliberate misinformation about Islam in order to hinder
people from listening to Muslims clarify their beliefs and practices.
Some of them are part of are well funded networks— to the tune
of tens of millions of dollars—and they have an extremely wide
reach.144 Some of them are media-sawy trained actors, using the
power of social media to spread propaganda. Some of them have
found tremendous riches in peddling hatred of Muslims by
manipulating and commercialising the sentiments of millions of
citizens of Western nations who are understandably worried about
immigration, crime and terrorism. Far-right movements with
hidden or subtle racist undertones—aggrieved by immigration and
crime—try to blame their woes on Islam and Muslims. They use
sophisticated emotional propaganda coupled with a deeply
polemical and extremely biased study of Islam that involves
frequent lies and distortions. They are sometimes co-opted or
given tactical and financial assistance by others who see their own
agendas being advanced in the process.145
Because of these sad realities, it is upon the sincere person to be
cautious and diligent regarding claims that are brandished about
Islam and Muslims, especially those which are deeply polemical
and used for hatemongering.

144 Refer to: “The Cold War on British Muslims. An examination of Policy Exchange
and the Centre for Social Cohesion' available on http://www.spinwatch.org.
Also: “Fear Inc. The Roots of the Islamophobia Network in America”, available on
the website http://www.americanprogress.org, an investigation conducted
by the Center for American Progress Action Fund revealing a small, tightly
networked group of misinformation experts guiding efforts reaches millions
of Americans through advocates, media partners, and grassroots organising.
145 A clear example of this is the collusion between ultra-Zionists from the US,
Canada and Australia with the likes of Tommy Robinson and the EDL.
98 ♦ THIS IS ISLAM

How to Become a Muslim

Entering into Islam is simple and easy.
A person enters into Islam by verbally expressing the following
statement, known as the shahadah, with full knowledge, conviction,
truthfulness and utmost sincerity:

Ash-hadu alia ilaha illalah. Wa ash-hadu anna

muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh.

The explanatory meaning of this statement is:

“I testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah
alone—[the God of Abraham, Moses and Jesus]—and I testify that
Muhammad is His slave and messenger.”
When you utter this statement aloud you have entered into
Islam. Although witnesses are not necessary for your entry into
Islam to be valid and acceptable to Allah, it is recommended to
express this statement in front of other Muslims. Preferably, in the
presence of someone who is learned as they will be able to instruct
you further. As for taking a bath after you have entered into Islam,
it is not an obligation, though you may do so if you wish.
Upon entry into Islam all of your past sins—no matter what level
they reached—are forgiven by Allah. He is the Most-Merciful and
forgives on account of grace and mercy, without requiring blood-
sacrifices, tribal memberships and special genes. The Prophet
said: “ Islam erase out all ofyour past sins. ”146
Allah continues forgiving the sins of His believing servants so
long as they do not knowingly and stubbornly persist in these sins
and are sincere in their repentance. As a former non-Muslim, you
may have habits and influences from your past that may take time
to relinquish. They can be best overcome by focusing on the most
important things first, which are the pillars and major obligations.
This will allow you to build a firm foundation from which you can
then proceed to tackle those other issues more easily.
If you have just become a Muslim, then welcome! May Allah
bless you and grant you the best of this life and the next.

146 Reported by Muslim in his Sahih (no. 121).

Due to geopolitical events—both past and contemporary— there are
many orientations that seek to portray Islam and Muslims in a
negative light. These voices come from a wide range of ideological
backgrounds and compete for your ears, heart and mind in order to
shape opinions and fulfil agendas. It would be unfair to accept such
ideologically motivated narratives without question and without
giving Muslims a chance to: explain the reality of what they believe
in and practise, free themselves from criminal acts perpetrated in
their name, and explain the role which Islam plays in their lives.
The book in your hands offers a brief presentation of Islam for
non-Muslims. It explains the most important foundations and
pillars of Islam. It discusses the major obligations and prohibitions
and the wisdoms behind them. Likewise, it covers morals and
ethics in Islam and its position towards racism. It also discusses
religious zeal, extremism and the activities of terrorists such as
al-Qaeda, ISIS and similar groups. Finally, the book provides a brief
treatment of women in Islam and addresses some common
misconceptions related to this subject.
We hope it is both interesting and enlightening and serves as a
stepping stone for a further objective and detailed study of Islam.

ISLAM AGAIHST
Eiiftmsin ISBN 978-164467302-7

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