Download Islam – An Overview

Islam – An Overview
Islamic History after Mohammad
-Caliphate: The political-religious state comprising the Muslim community and the lands and peoples under its
dominion in the centuries following the death (A.D. 632) of the Muhammad.
-The Caliph: Leader of the Muslim world when a Caliphate has been established.
- By A.D. 750, Islam controlled all of the Saudi peninsula, most of the Middle East, Northern Africa, and most
of Spain.
-Jerusalem fell to Muslims armies in November of 637.
-A split would occur almost immediately after the death of Mohammad as to who would succeed and lead the
Muslim world. This led to the division known as Sunni and Shi’a.
-Sunnis vs. Shi’a Muslims
Sunni Muslims – 940 Million (Presently)
The followers of Sunni Islam, one of the two major branches of the tradition (the other is Shi'a), make
up approximately 80 percent of the Muslim population in the world. The Sunni are the majority in most
Islamic countries outside of Iran, Iraq, Yemen, and Bahrain. Sunna—translated variously as the "trodden
path," "the way," "example," or "habitual practice"—refers to the example or path of the Prophet
Muhammad and his followers. The Sunni and Shi'a both trace their differences to the 7th century C.E.,
when disagreements over the successor to the Prophet Muhammad arose. The Sunni maintain that the
Muslim community was to select the Prophet's successor (caliph) to lead, whereas, the Shi'a believe the
Prophet chose his son-in-law, Ali, to be his successor. Although Sunnis and Shi'as agree on many
theological and practical matters, the Sunni are typically seen as putting more emphasis on the power of
God and his determination of human fate, and are often understood to be more inclusive in their
definition of what it means to be a Muslim. The Sunni tradition has placed great emphasis on the role of
religion in public and political life, with great weight placed on the Shari’a (Islamic law) as the standard
for a broad range of social issues—marriage, divorce, inheritance, commerce, and so on.
Shi’a Muslims – 150 Million (Presently)
Shia Muslims account for approximately 15 percent of the total Muslim population in the world. Shiism
has the greatest influence in the contemporary world in Iran where nearly 90 percent of Muslims are
Shiite, but Shia are also the majority in Iraq, Bahrain, and Yemen. The division between the Shia and
Sunni is rooted in disputes over the proper succession of leadership after the death of the Prophet
Muhammad in 632 C.E. The Shia maintain that the rightful successor of the Prophet was his cousin and
son-in-law, Ali. Shia especially revere a succession of scholars (called Imams). The Imam is regarded by
Shia Muslims to be both a political and a spiritual leader. Although Shia and Sunni Muslims agree on
many doctrinal and ritual matters, the Shia hold past Imams and saints in particularly high regard. The
most important of these figures are memorialized by often elaborate tombs, which have become
important pilgrimage places and objects of devotion. Shia put particular emphasis on the death of Ali; he
was assassinated in 661, in Najaf, Iraq, which has become an important place of pilgrimage for Shia.
Another very significant figure is Husayn, Muhammad's grandson, who was murdered in Karbala (Iraq)
in 680; Shia commemorate this event each year on Ashura, a day of mourning recognized throughout the
Shia world, and, particularly, by pilgrimages to Karbala.1
The Shari’a
-Shari’a is defined broadly and can mean “Path”, “Proper path”, or “Path of righteousness.”
-Shari’a is the law of Islam. The theological and philosophical foundation for Shari’a is the idea of Justice.
Justice is a prevalent theme throughout the Qur’an, and is portrayed as an essential aspect of Allah’s character.
Surah 16.90: Surely Allah instructs justice and the doing of good (to others) and the giving to the
kindred, and He forbids indecency and evil and rebellion. He admonishes you that you may be mindful.
1
http://www.patheos.com/Library/Sunni-Islam.html
-While the idea of justice is applied to Allah as an essential part of his character in Qur’an, it no where develops
a theological framework for understanding what justice actually is. Thus, Islamic justice is action in accordance
with Allah, and the teaching of Mohammad (Hadith).
-The Shari’a and Islamic Jurisprudence are developments from outside the Qur’an.
-One Islamic Scholar writes,
Also meaning "path" in Arabic, sharia guides all aspects of Muslim life, including daily routines,
familial and religious obligations, and financial dealings. It is derived primarily from the Quran and the
Hadith—the sayings, practices, and teachings of the Prophet Mohammed. Precedents and analogy
applied by Muslim scholars are used to address new issues. The consensus of the Muslim community
also plays a role in defining this theological manual.
Sharia developed several hundred years after the Prophet Mohammed's death in 632 CE as the Islamic
empire expanded to the edge of North Africa in the West and to China in the East. Since the Prophet
Mohammed was considered the most pious of all believers, his life and ways became a model for all
other Muslims and were collected by scholars into what is known as the hadith. As each locality tried to
reconcile local customs with Islam, hadith literature grew and developed into distinct schools of Islamic
thought: the Sunni schools, Hanbali, Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanafi; and the Shiite school, Ja'fari. Named after
the scholars that inspired them, they differ in the weight each applies to the sources from which sharia is
derived, the Quran, hadith, Islamic scholars, and consensus of the community.
The Hanbali school, Islam's most orthodox which spawned the Wahhabi and Salafi branches, is
embraced in Saudi Arabia and by the Taliban. The Hanafi school, known for being the most liberal and
the most focused on reason and analogy, is dominant among Sunnis in Central Asia, Egypt, Pakistan,
India, China, Turkey, the Balkans, and the Caucasus. The Maliki school is dominant in North Africa and
the Shafi'i school in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, and Yemen. Shia Muslims follow the
Ja'fari school, most notably in Shia-dominant Iran. The distinctions have more impact on the legal
systems in each country, however, than on individual Muslims, as many do not adhere to one school in
their personal lives.
Punishment and Equality Under Sharia
Marriage and divorce are the most significant aspects of sharia, while criminal law is the most
controversial. In sharia, there are categories of offenses: those that are prescribed a specific punishment
in the Quran, known as hadd punishments, those that fall under a judge's discretion, and those resolved
through a tit-for-tat measure (i.e., blood money paid to the family of a murder victim). There are five
hadd crimes: unlawful sexual intercourse (sex outside of marriage and adultery), false accusation of
unlawful sexual intercourse, wine drinking (sometimes extended to include all alcohol drinking), theft,
and highway robbery. Punishments for hadd offenses—flogging, stoning, amputation, exile, or
execution—get a significant amount of media attention when they occur. These sentences are not often
prescribed, however. "In reality, most Muslim countries do not use traditional classical Islamic
punishments," said Ali Mazrui of the Institute of Global Cultural. These punishments remain on the
books in some countries, but lesser penalties are often considered sufficient.2
2
http://www.cfr.org/religion/islam-governing-under-sharia/p8034
Punishment for Apostasy
Surah 4.89: They wish that you should disbelieve as they disbelieve, and then you would be equal; therefore
take not to yourselves friends of them, until they emigrate in the way of God; then, if they turn their backs, take
them, and slay them wherever you find them; take not to yourselves any one of them as friend or helper.
Surah 9.11-12: But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due, then are they your brethren in
religion. We detail Our revelations for a people who have knowledge. And if they break their pledges after their
treaty (hath been made with you) and assail your religion, then fight the heads of disbelief - Lo! they have no
binding oaths - in order that they may desist.
-Narrated Abdullah: Allah's Messenger said, "The blood of a Muslim who confesses that none has the right to
be worshipped but Allah and that I am His Messenger, cannot be shed except in three cases: in Qisas (equality
in punishment) for murder, a married person who commits illegal sexual intercourse and the one who reverts
from Islam (Apostate) and leaves the Muslims. (Bukhari, Volume 9, Hadith 17)
-Narrated Ikrima, "Some atheists were brought to Ali and he burnt them. The news of this event, reached Ibn
Abbas who said, "If I had been in his place, I would not have burnt them, as Allah's messenger forbade it,
saying, "Do not punish anybody with Allah's punishment (fire)." I would have killed them according to the
statement of Allah's Messenger, "Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him. (Bukhari, 9, Hadith
17)
-Narrated Abu Burda, "Abu Musa said.....Behold there was a fettered man beside Abu Musa. Muadh asked,
"Who is this (man)?" Abu Musa said, "He was a Jew and became a Muslim and then reverted back to Judaism."
Then Abu Musa requested Muadh to sit down but Muadh said, "I will not sit down till he has been killed.
This is the judgment of Allah and his messenger," and repeated it thrice. Then Abu Musa ordered that
the man be killed, and he was killed. Abu Musa added, "Then we discussed the night prayers ..... (Bukhari, 9,
Hadith 58)
-Command for fighting against the people so long as they do not profess that there is no God but Allah and
Mohammad is his messenger. (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 9)
-The Messenger of Allah said, "If someone changes his religion - then strike off his head." (Hadith al-Muwatta
of Imam Malik 36.18.15)
-Interestingly, in 2012 a leader in the Muslim brotherhood, Yusuf al-Qaradawi stated If They [Muslims] Had
Gotten Rid of the Apostasy Punishment Islam Wouldn’t Exist Today.”3
3
http://www.andrewbostom.org
Women under Shari’a
-A man is entitled to up to four wives, but a woman may only have one husband. In Western societies, a man
typically only takes one wife.
-A man can divorce his wife by making a declaration (talaq) in front of an Islamic judge, irrespective of the
woman's consent. Even her presence is not required. For a woman to divorce a man (khula), his consent is
required.
-There is no specific minimum age for marriage, but most agree a woman must have reached puberty. Marriage
as young as 12 or 13 is not uncommon in Muslim-majority countries.
-Lesser inheritance rights compared to men.
-Lesser status as witnesses.
-An unmarried woman is under the guardianship of her nearest male relative.
Hadiths concerning Islamic women
-Allah's Apostle said, "If at all there is bad omen, it is in the horse, the woman, and the house." (Sahih, Bukhari,
Volume 7, Book 62, Hadith 32)
-The Prophet said, "After me I have not left any affliction more harmful to men than women." (Sahih Bukhari,
Volume 7, Book 62, Hadith 33)
-The Prophet said, "A woman should not fast (optional fasts) except with her husband's permission if he is at
home (staying with her)." (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 62, Hadith 120)
-The Prophet said, "If a man invites his wife to sleep with him and she refuses to come to him, then the angels
send their curses on her till morning." (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 62, Hadith 121)
-The Prophet said, "If a woman spends the night deserting her husband's bed (does not sleep with him), then the
angels send their curses on her till she comes back (to her husband)." (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 62,
Hadith 122)
-The Prophet said: "I was shown the Hell-fire and that the majority of its dwellers were women who were
ungrateful." It was asked, "Do they disbelieve in Allah?" (or are they ungrateful to Allah?) He replied, "They
are ungrateful to their husbands and are ungrateful for the favors and the good (charitable deeds) done to them.
If you have always been good (benevolent) to one of them and then she sees something in you (not of her
liking), she will say, 'I have never received any good from you." (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 2, Hadith 28)
-The Prophet said, "Isn't the witness of a woman equal to half of that of a man?" The women said, "Yes." He
said, "This is because of the deficiency of a woman's mind." (Sahih Bukhari, Volume 3, Book 48, Hadith 826)
-A wife must not seek divorce from her husband without a serious cause. If she does, she will not enter
paradise. If she can prove her case, she will be awarded decree only if she returns all that her husband had
bestowed on her as an entitlement or outright gift. A woman who seeks Khula, cannot expect settlement!
(Hadith Ibn-e-Majah, vol. 1, page 571)
-The Prophet said: "When a woman dies, if her husband was pleased with her, she goes to paradise. (Hadith
Mishkat_al-Masabih, Vol. 2, p 102)
-The Prophet said: "On the Day of Judgement, a husband shall not be questioned for beating his wife." (Hadith
Mishkat_al-Masabih, Vol. 2, p 105)
-Again, if a man is in a mood to have sexual intercourse, the wife must come immediately even if she is baking
bread at a communal oven (Hadith Tirmzi, Vol. 1, p 428)
-The Prophet said, “The woman whose husband remains happy at night, and every night, she will be admitted
into paradise.” (Hadith Tirmzi, Vol. 1, p 4 28)
-A man came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said: I have found a woman of rank and beauty, but she
does not give birth to children. Should I marry her? He said: No. He came again to him, but he prohibited him.
He came to him third time, and he (the Prophet) said: Marry women who are loving and very prolific, for I shall
outnumber the peoples (People of other religions) by you. (Hadith Abu Dawood, Book 11, Number 2045)
False claims concerning Islam in the Media
1. What does Shari’a mean?
Shari’a is the law of the Qur'an and literally means "A path to life giving water." In fact, the word Yarrah (i.e.
the root of the Hebrew word Torah) means precisely the same thing. Therefore, Shariah is actually ingrained in
Abrahamic tradition.
Furthermore, Shari’a forbids that it be imposed on any unwilling person. Islam's founder, Prophet Muhammad,
demonstrated that Shari’a may only be applied if people willingly apply it to themselves--never through forced
government implementation.
Additionally, the Qur'an does not promote any specific form of government, but requires that the form people
choose must be based on adl or "absolute justice." The Qur'an says, "Verily, Allah enjoins justice, and the doing
of good to others; and giving like kindred; and forbids indecency and manifest evil and transgression. He
admonishes you that you may take heed" (16:91). Notice, religious preference is never mentioned.
2. Do Muslims want Shari’a to rule America?
No. Shari’a is a personal relationship with God. Prophet Muhammad, even as the de facto ruler of Arabia, wrote
the Charter of Medina in which Muslims were held to Shari’a Law, and Jews to the Law of the Torah. Not a
single non-Muslim was held to Shari’a because Shari’a itself forbids compulsion. The Qur'an clearly says,
"There is no compulsion in religion" (2:257). Furthermore, Shari’a obliges Muslims to be loyal to their nation
of residence. Therefore, American Muslims must adhere to the US Constitution as the supreme law of the land.
3. If Muslims don't want Shari’a to rule America, then so what if it's banned?
First, Shari’a is a personal relationship between a Muslim and God. The First Amendment forbids Congress
from passing laws that restrict the free exercise of religion--particularly private exercise. Second, if Shari’a was
banned, then American Muslims could not marry, inherit, write wills or choose to divorce per Islam's
guidelines. If similar restrictions were imposed for other faith groups, then no Minister could conduct a
marriage ceremony, no Catholic Bishop could read the last rites and no Rabbi could perform circumcision on an
infant male Jewish child--because these are all Judeo-Christian religious laws. Even within our current legal
system, American Jews regularly resolve civil matters through rabbinical courts known as beit din. American
Muslims simply want to enjoy their same constitutionally guaranteed right.
4. What does Shari’a say about other religions?
Shari’a law champions absolute freedom of conscience and freedom of religion. Furthermore, Shari’a holds that
to be a Muslim, a person must testify to the truth of all past prophets, including Jesus, Moses, Abraham, Krishna
and Buddha--and must respect their adherents. When Prophet Muhammad peacefully became the ruler of
Arabia, his primary condition for non-Muslims (and Muslims) to reside in Arabia was that they allow all people
of all faiths--be they Jews, Christians, Muslims or idol worshipers--to worship in peace and without oppression.
5. What about countries that oppress people and claim they follow Shari’a?
Such countries have ignored the fundamental tenet of justice inherent in Shari’a Law, and have instead used
Shari’a as an excuse to gain power and sanction religious extremism. To be sure, not a single example of a
"Shari’a compliant" country exists. In fact, the most "Muslim country" in the world is likely America, because
America guarantees freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of expression and freedom of thought--all
hallmarks of Shari’a law. Those nations that oppress in the name of Shari’a are as justified in their claims, as the
slave owners who claimed their right to slavery was based on the Bible.
As for the "violent" verses from the Qur'an that are cited by both extremists and critics--honest legal
interpretation abhors quoting an excerpt as a means to understand the full law. Unfortunately, both extremists
and critics refuse to adhere to this basic principle. In sum, Shari’a law guides a Muslim's personal relationship
with God, just as the Old and New Testaments guide Jews and Christians in their personal relationships with
God. These paths to life-giving water are nothing to fear.4
Islamic Government
-The following excerpt is a modern Islamic interpretation of Sahih Muslim, Hadith 20.
The Islamic State is not an end in itself, but a means to an end, the end being the development of a
community of people who stand up for equity and justice, for right against wrong or, to phrase it
differently, for the creation of such conditions as would enable the greatest possible number of human
beings to live spiritually, morally and physically in accordance with the teachings of Islam.
Thus the founding of an Islamic State is not a sort of" worldly activity," something undesirable, as some
people wrongly suppose, but the sine qua non (an essential action) of social justice, as demanded by
Islam." The state, from the Islamic standpoint, is an endeavor to transform these ideal principles into
space-time forces, an aspiration to realize them in a definite human organization. It is in this sense alone
that state in Islam is a theocracy, not in the sense that it is headed by a representative of God on earth
who can always screen his despotic will behind his supposed infallibility.
4
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/qasim-rashid/shariah-law-the-five-things-every-non-muslim_b_1068569.html
As this State is meant to enforce the law of the Shari'a within its territorial jurisdiction, it is duty bound
to make itself an efficient organ for transforming the high ideals of Islam into reality. The Qur'an, while
enumerating the main functions of the Islamic State, says:" Those who, if We establish them in the land,
observe worship, and pay the poor-due and enjoin good and forbid evil" (xxii. 41).
This shows that the function of an Islamic State is not only to defend its citizens from external attack
and internal disorder, but also to enable individual men and women to realize the tenets of Islam and
their beliefs in the socioeconomic concerts of their practical life.
Moreover, the State is bound to create such conditions in which the good reigns supreme in the society
and evil is suppressed and exterminated, and its citizens learn to live as good Muslims. 5
Authority in Islam
-The Qur’an: The perfect words of Allah, revealed through Gabriel to Mohammad. Muslims hold that the text
of the Qur’an remains perfect (unmolested) in the Arabic. If a translation is rendered, it is no longer Qur’an.
And while not all Muslims are native Arabic speakers, it is required of a Muslim convert to learn Arabic for the
purposes of reading the true Qur’an.
The Law of Abrogation: The Qur'an is unique among sacred scriptures in accepting a doctrine of
abrogation, in which later pronouncements of the Prophet declare null and void some of his earlier
pronouncements. Four verses in the Qur’an acknowledge or justify abrogation:
Surah 2.106: When we cancel a message, or throw it into oblivion, we replace it with one better or one
similar. Do you not know that God has power over all things.
Surah 16.101: When we replace a message with another, and God knows best what he reveals, they say:
You have made it up. Yet, most of them do not know.
Surah 13.39: God abrogates or confirms whatsoever he will, for he has with him the Book of the Books.
Surah 17.86: If we pleased, we could take away what we have revealed to you. Then you will not find
anyone to plead for it with us.
-The Hadith: Hadiths, also known as Sunnas, record the life and practice of the prophet, Mohammad. When a
matter is unclear or unresolved in Qur’an, Muslims consult Hadith for clarity and explanation. While there are
numerous Hadiths by many authors, the most influential and trusted are Sahih Buhkari and Sahih Muslim.
-The Shari’a: The Shari’a is Islamic law from Qur’an and Hadith (Based on the theory of Islamic justice). There
are four major schools of Islamic thought that interpret Shari’a, but there is a majority agreement overall.
5
http://www.usc.edu/org/cmje/religious-texts/hadith/muslim/020-smt.php
Five Pillars of Islam
-Confession: Shahadah, profession of faith, is the first pillar of Islam. Muslims bear witness to the oneness of
Allah by reciting the creed, "There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of God." This simple,
yet profound statement expresses a Muslim's complete acceptance of, and total commitment to, Islam.
-Prayer: Salat, prayer, is the second pillar. The Islamic faith is based on the belief that individuals have a direct
relationship with God. The world's Muslims turn individually and collectively to Makkah, Islam's holiest city,
to offer five daily prayers at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and evening. In addition, Friday congregational
service is also required. Although salah can he performed alone, it is meritorious to perform it with another or
with a group. It is permissible to pray at home, at work, or even outdoors; however, it is recommended that
Muslims perform salah in a mosque.
-Alms Giving: Zakat, almsgiving, is the third pillar. Social responsibility is considered part of one's service to
Allah; the obligatory act of zakat enshrines this duty. Zakat prescribes payment of fixed proportions of a
Muslim's possessions for the welfare of the entire community and, in particular, for its neediest members. It is
equal to 2.5 percent of an individual's total net worth, excluding obligations and family expenses.
-Fasting: Sawm, fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, is the fourth pillar of Islam. Ordained in the Holy
Qur'an, the fast is an act of deep personal worship in which Muslims seek a richer perception of God. Fasting is
also an exercise in self-control, whereby one's sensitivity is heightened to the sufferings of the poor. Ramadan,
the month during which the Holy Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, begins with the sighting of
the new moon, after which abstention from eating, drinking and other sensual pleasures is obligatory from dawn
to sunset. Ramadan is also a joyful month. Muslims break their fast at sunset with a special meal, iftar, perform
additional nocturnal worship, tarawih, after evening prayer; and, throng the streets in moods that are festive and
communal. The end of Ramadan is observed by three days of celebration called Eid Al-Fitr, the feast of the
breaking of the fast. Customarily, it is a time for family reunion and the favored holiday for children who
receive new clothing and gifts.
-Pilgrimage: Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, is the fifth pillar and the most significant manifestation of Islamic
faith and unity in the world. For those Muslims who are physically and financially able to make the journey to
Mecca, the Hajj is a once in a lifetime duty that is the peak of their religious life. The Hajj is a remarkable
spiritual gathering of over two million Muslims from all over the world to the holy city. In performing the Hajj,
a pilgrim follows the order of ritual that the Prophet Muhammad performed during his last pilgrimage.
The five pillars of Islam define the basic identity of Muslims - their faith, beliefs and practices.
**Islam Study prepared by Benjamin A. Francis