The name of this religion is Islam, the Arabic root of which is "Silm" or "Salam", both meaning peace. "Salam" may also mean greeting one another with peace. One of the beautiful names of God is that He is The Peace, but this Divine Name also means more than that: it means submission to the One God, and living in peace with the Creator. It means living in peace with one's self, with other people, and with the natural environment. A Muslim is supposed to live in peace and harmony with all these segments. Hence, a Muslim is any person anywhere in the world whose obedience, allegiance, and loyalty are to God, the Lord of the Universe, and to the innate harmony of His Creation. Thus, Islam is a total system of living.
SAN FRANCISCO, June 24 — During Friday prayers at San Francisco's largest downtown mosque, Sevim Kalyoncu, a young Turkish-American writer, used to resent that the imam never addressed the women, as if his message was not intended for them. But the sermons underwent a sudden change when the Islamic Society of San Francisco took the controversial step of tearing down the barrier separating male and female worshippers.
At Darussalam, which lost some members to rival mosques, Amil Saunders, right, gathered with children and other women.
University of California, Los Angeles, and a prominent Islamic jurist known for his moderate interpretations.
Dr. Abou El Fadl said the practice began in 18th-century Saudi Arabia, where the austere Wahhabi sect of Islam started walling off or banning women from mosques. (He added that the modern spread of Wahhabism is one facet of the pervasiveness of Saudi financial support for Muslim institutions worldwide.)
Mrs. Nawaz's film takes an alternately light-hearted and serious look at the arguments on both sides.
The name of this religion is Islam, the root of which, Silm or Salam, means peace. Salam is also part of the greeting of peace among Muslims. In addition, one of the beautiful names of God is As-Salam, meaning "The Peace". The word, however, means much more than just "peace". It means submission to the One God, as well as to live in harmony with other people and with the environment. A Muslim is, therefore, any person, anywhere in the world, whose obedience, allegiance and loyalty are to God, Lord of the Universe, and who strives to live in accordance with God's laws.
Islam is the second largest faith community in the world and the fasting growing faith in the world. Founded by the Prophet Muhammed PBUH [Peace be upon him] in 7th century Arabia the religion emphasises a monotheistic approach to worship centred on the worship of one creator.
The word Islam translates to "submission" and emphasises the worship of one god. Islam acknowledges the contribution of previous prophets mentioned in the Jewish and Christian scriptures.
The approach to the presentation of Islamic beliefs and practices depends upon the addressee's religion and culture. A reference point of commonalty or contrast is useful. For example, the Christians believe in the "original sin"; the connotation is that a human being has the stigma of being born as a sinner and is dirty filthy by nature. What has a newborn done to be a sinner or to be a filthy person? Contrast this with the Islamic teaching that every human being is born in nature, meaning good with no stigma of any kind and, if left alone without any brain washing will do no wrong. Such a person has a natural ability to distinguish between right and wrong and his tendency is to do right. In the society which raises a person brain washed, many times when he reaches puberty he is all confused – good has become bad and bad has become good under the influence of the society. He was not dirty by birth but the society has made him dirty in beliefs and practices.
Many non-Muslims, when they think about Islam, picture religious fanatics on camels with a sword in one hand and a Qur'an in the other. This myth, which was made popular in Europe during the Crusades, is totally baseless. First of all, the Holy Qur'an clearly says "Let there be no compulsion in religion".
In addition to this, Islam teaches that a person's faith must be pure and sincere, so it is certainly not something that can be forced on someone. In debunking the myth that Islam was "spread by the sword", the (non-Muslim) historian De Lacy O' Leary wrote: "History makes it clear, however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of the sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd myths that historians have ever accepted." (Islam at the Crossroads, London, 1923, p. 8.).
Mercy Versus Wrath: Learning How To Deal With Frustration
It was the Psychoanalyst Erich Fromm who made an interesting observation that caught my attention and until this day on occassion I return to his observation and ponder upon it for a speaks much regarding the human condition.
He claimed that the human being when frustrated in his ability or her ability to be creative turns to destruction, becomes destructive and he pointed to crime and violence to make his point authoritative.
It is sad that so much confusion and chaos prevails in the spotlight today and in the minds of many so much so that the mind is crippled to look beyond the state of affairs to look to the other face of life its postive side or even to ponder upon the creation of Allah [swt] with deep and profound reflection to find a glimmer of light and hope.
Pope Benedict XVI, his companions and their deceptions
By: KHALID JAN
Published: January 11, 2007
Humanity is currently passing through an extremely turbulent time. Fear and artificial circumstances are created by people in power to plunge humanity into chaos and suffering. On the global stage, Muhammad (saw), the Qur’an and Islam are presented as the root cause of every perceivable conflict humans suffer from.
From commoner on the street, to the Pope on pulpit, both are eager to become popular overnight by evilizing Islam in any manner possible. Journalists and writers, totally unfamiliar with the Qur’an and Islam, are routinely writing articles and editorials on a subject of which they know nothing about.
"There is none amongst the believers who plants a tree, or sows a seed, and then a bird, or a person, or an animal eats thereof, but it is regarded as having given a charitable gift [for which there is great recompense]." [Al-Bukhaari, III:513].
The idea of the Prophet Muhammad sall Allaahu`alayhi wa sallam as a pioneer of environmentalism will initially strike many as strange: indeed, the term "environment" and related concepts like "ecology", "environmental awareness" and "sustainability", are modern-day inventions, terms that were formulated in the face of the growing concerns about the contemporary state of the natural world around us.
By: Rashid Shamsi (The Muslim World League Journal, Rajab 1420 - October 1999)
Food and drink have direct effect on our health. That is why Islam has prescribed regulations about our food and drink. It lays great emphasis on our physical as well as moral health, because both of these are equally important for a healthy society. The abstention from eating pork is one of the steps taken by Islam to practise hygiene and to attain purity of soul.
Islam, for the cultivation of inner faculties, insists upon the cleanliness of body and the purification of soul through Salaat (prayers) Zikr (remembrance of Allah) and other devotional duties. Islam teaches us how to attain the virtues and how to give up bad habits because both good and bad grow in the man according to his upbringing, education and environment.
A human being has natural desires: food, sleep and sex being the three primary ones. He has also other natural emotions: sorrow, happiness, love, fear, disgust and avarice etc. Islam doesn't recommend the complete abrogation of these impulses but offers a method of controlling them through religious education and discipline.
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