Islam In The World
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This book is a review of the rights of Muslims, the criticism of Islam, and the condition of Islam in various countries. Views from both the Qur'an, and its cited interpretations, and the views of critics of Islam will be included into discussion.
Historical context
This correct understanding, perversely, first led to wars that united Arab tribes into a nation and later initiated the Islamic Empire and The Golden Age of Islam. This period extended from the second to the ninth century of the Muslim calendar which is the 7th to 13th century after the common epoch (ACE). At this time Islamic scholars evolved new legal, philosophical, and religious understandings. Artists, engineers, scholars, poets, philosophers, geographers, and traders in the Islamic world contributed to the arts, agriculture, economics, industry, law, literature, navigation, philosophy, sciences, sociology, and technology, both by preserving and building upon earlier traditions and by adding inventions and innovations of their own. Historian Howard Turner noted that: "Muslim artists and scientists, princes and laborers together made a unique culture that has directly and indirectly influenced societies on every continent".
Eventually, the Mongols and Turks that conquered and settled in parts of Persia, Central Asia, Russia, and Anatolia converted to Islam, and formal, inflexible state religions emerged which dictated that there could be no further development of human understanding of God's intent for mankind, and further, prohibited any artistic representation of God's handiwork, thus effectively suppressing inquiry into the natural world.
Elsewhere, much of Islam retreated into traditionalism and the huge technical innovations of the Islamic Golden Age were frequently rejected, except by the medieval Christian invaders of the Iberian Peninsula, who merged Muslim and Byzantine traditions at the beginning of the 13th century ACE. The end of the medieval period marked the beginning of the transformation of European higher education that would eventually result in the modern research universities from which emerged religious reformation and schism (16th – 17th century ACE), academic enlightenment (18 Century ACE) and eventually the hydrocarbon and electronic economy of the 19th and 20th Century ACE.
The translation movement centered at House of Wisdom played an important role in preserving and expanding knowledge from Greek, Persian, Indian, and other civilizations. Scholars translated, commented upon, and extended earlier works, producing original research that influenced disciplines including algebra, chemistry, geography, philosophy, and medicine. This exchange of knowledge helped connect intellectual traditions across Asia, Africa, and Europe.
The Islamic Golden Age also witnessed significant advances in medicine, astronomy, mathematics, and engineering. Scholars established libraries, observatories, hospitals (bimaristans), and educational institutions across major cities such as Baghdad, Cairo, Cordoba, and Damascus. Works by scholars such as Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, Ibn Sina, Al-Biruni, and Ibn al-Haytham made lasting contributions to mathematics, medicine, astronomy, and optics. Many of their writings were later translated into Latin and became standard references in European universities, contributing to the development of the Renaissance and the Scientific Revolution.
Islamic orthodoxy was widely imposed by brutal state force from about the 14th century until quite recently, and external developments by Christians and Buddhists were often rejected as 'un-Islamic'. Yet many Muslims continued to evolve new interpretations of their traditional teachings. One of the most controversial of these is the Baha'i Faith, a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia. Baha'i claims to emphasize the spiritual unity and teaches the integration of all religions of all humankind by claiming that God's messengers have included Krishna, Buddha, and others, including Abraham and Christ who were canonized by the author of the central religious text of Islam.
In classical Arabic, Islam is not a proper noun, but a reference to submission or assention. Therefore, this book uses The Assent to refer to Islam as a way of Life and Islam to refer to it as a religion. Similarly, The Assenter refers to the followers of the way of life, while Moslems refers to the followers of the religion. The title of this book uses the word Islam instead of Islamic to further emphasize its descriptive use rather than a proper noun.
Holy Qur'an
According to Islamic belief, the Qur'an was revealed to Muhammad over approximately 23 years through the Angel Jibril (Gabriel). Muslims believe that it is the final revelation from God and that its text has been preserved without alteration since its compilation during the caliphate of Uthman ibn Affan. The Qur'an contains 114 chapters (surahs), including Maryam, which is named after Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mary is the only woman mentioned by name in the Qur'an and is regarded as one of the most honored women in Islam. Jesus (Isa) is also among the most frequently mentioned prophets in the Qur'an, where he is described as the Messiah, born miraculously to the Virgin Mary, and a prophet and messenger of God, while not being regarded as divine.
The Holy Qur'an as it exists today was compiled by Muhammad's companions (Sahaba) in approximately 650, and is accepted by all Muslim denominations. It was revealed to the Last Prophet of God on Earth, Muhammad, peace and blessings of God be upon him and all the prophets and messengers before him. This Last Revelation of God on Earth, was given the Prophet through the Angel Jibril (Gabriel).
- in Qur'an there is one Surah about Jesus and there isn't for Prophet Mohammad.
- in Qur'an there is one Surah about Jesus mother Mariam and there isn't for the Prophet's parents.
This shows emphatically that Muhammad was not the author of the Qur'an, and the Surat about Jesus and Mary, and other Surat in the Qur'an explain that Jesus was a Prophet a messenger from God. Jesus furthermore, as explained in the Qur'an, was born without a father (virgin birth), and that he is not the son of God.
The Qur'an emphasizes continuity with earlier prophets, including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, John the Baptist, and Jesus. Muslims believe that Muhammad was sent as the final prophet in a long line of messengers who preached the worship of one God. Respect and honor are accorded to all prophets, and Muslims commonly invoke blessings upon them when mentioning their names.
Islam
The Amman Message issued on 9 November 2004 (27th of Ramadan 1425 AH),is an Islamic declaration that affirms the legitimacy of eight recognized schools of Islamic jurisprudence (madhāhib). It also emphasizes ,mutual respect among Muslims and discourage the practice of declaring other Muslims to be unbelievers (Takfir). The eight schools recognized are:
- Sunni Hanafi
- Sunni Hanbali
- Sunni Maliki
- Sunni Shafi'i
- Shia Ja'fari
- Shia Zaidiyyah
- Ibadi
- Zahiri
Islam in the world
Relation with other religions
Muslim
A person enters Islam by sincerely accepting and publicly reciting the Shahada (Arabic: shahādah), the Islamic declaration of faith:
Arabic (transliteration):
Ashhadu an lā ilāha illā Allāh, wa ashhadu anna Muḥammadan rasūlu Allāh.
English translation:
"I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."
The Shahada is the first of the Five Pillars of Islam and is regarded by Muslims as the fundamental statement of Islamic belief. By sincerely professing it with conviction, a person affirms belief in the oneness of God (Tawhid) and the prophethood of Muhammad, thereby entering the Islamic faith.