Category Jewels of Islam

Moderate Accountability: The Prophet’s Method of Education

The Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) used to bring the minors to accountability for their mistakes and wrong-doings with moderation and without any excess or carelessness as is mentioned above. Even the degree of accountability or blame differed and was not of one degree all the time. It varied according to the graveness of the mistake or the wrong-doing and its dangerousness. It also varied according to the fact that whether the doer repented and blamed himself or he was insistent on the wrong-doing and persistent therein. It also varied according to whether the doer was ignorant of the Islamic ruling on the issue or s/he was fully aware thereof. In addition to many other factors according to which the degree of blame was different and gradable.

The Great Mamluk Sultan Al-Zahir Baybars

Baybars gained his first major military victory as commander of the Ayyoubid army at the city of Al-Mansoorah in February 1250 CE against the Crusaders’ army led by Louis IX of France, who was captured and later released for a large ransom. Filled with a sense of pride at their military strength and growing importance in Egypt, a group of Mamluk officers in the same year murdered the new Sultan, Turan Shah.

Significance of the Islamic Hijri Calendar

As an Islamic scholar wrote on the advent of the 15th century of the Hijrah calendar 22 years ago, “It (the advent of the 15th century) is indeed a unique occasion to ponder that the Islamic Era did not start with the victories of Islamic wars, nor with the birth or death of the Prophet nor even with the Revelation of the Qur’an itself. It starts with Hijrah, or the sacrifice for the cause of Truth and for the preservation of the Revelation.

Concept of Friendship in Islam

Friends are by no means only a means for ‘time-pass’ or entertainment. Indeed friendship is more profound than that. Friendship and companionship are inseparable aspects of an individual’s life. Experience has shown, too, that many friendships have changed the destiny of individuals and their course of life. Friends influence each other’s ways, faith, and religion.

Islam: A Total Way of Life

Islam is a “total way of life.” It has provided guidance in every sphere of life, from individual cleanliness, rules of trade, to the structure and politics of the society. Islam can never be separated from social, political, or economic life since religion provides moral guidance for every action that a person takes. The primary act of faith is to strive to implement God’s will in both private and public life.

How Do We Know the Qur’an is Unchanged?

The revelation of the Qur’an was not an isolated event in time. It was a constant stream of verses descending to Muhammad PBUH throughout the 23 years of his prophethood in Makkah and Madinah. The Prophet PBUH appointed numerous Companions of his to serve as scribes, writing down the latest verses as soon as they were revealed. Mu’awiya ibn Abu Sufyan and Zaid bin Thabit were among the scribes who had this duty.

Significance of Knowing the Narrators of Prophetic Hadith

Among the sciences of Hadith is the study of the Chain of Reporters (the Isnaad). Many Muslim scholars have specialized in this field. It includes identifying the name of each and every narrator (reporter), his character (his truthfulness, piety, public behavior), his ability and reputation as a memorizer and the types of narrations he is known to report, whether authentic, weak, fabricated, etc.

The Family Institution in Islam

The breakdown of Western families is proceeding at an alarming speed. Rising divorce rates show that the West tops the world. In 2014 the United Sates stood at 10th place with 53%, and Belgium led at 71%. With a population of 320 million it is estimated that there is one couple breaking up in the U.S. every 6 seconds. Unbelievable! Isn’t it?

Muslims Call Others to Islam: Why?

Islam is what is sometimes called a proselytizing religion. That means it is a religion that attempts to convince people that its belief system is the correct belief system. Islam is a religion that not only holds all of the answers to life’s big questions but it is also inclusive in that there are no restrictions on who can be a Muslim.