UNDERSTANDING ISLAM

By: Qatar Fanar

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Understanding Islam

By Qatar Fanar

Published by Peace Vision at Smashwords

Copyright 2012 Peace Vision

Table of Contents

What is Islam?

The Creation

Creation of the Universe

Creation of Mankind

Is there Life after Death?

The Oneness of Allah

Attributes of God

Five Pillars of Islam

Purpose of Messengers

The Previous Books

The Sacred Mosque in Makkah

The Prophets Mosque in Al-Madina

Al-Aqsa Mosque in Al-Quds

Miracles of the Qur’an

Islamic Art

Islamic Architecture

The Environment

Women in Islam

The Rights of Children in Islam

Human Rights in Islam and Ethnic Minorities

The Last Sermon of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

The Covenant of Omar

WHAT IS ISLAM?

Islam is the belief in one God, translated into Arabic as Allah.

He is one Supreme Being without shape and form that we can't comprehend.

In the Arabic language, the word Islam has many meanings. It comes from the root of ‘Islam’ is described literally as meaning ‘submission’, ‘surrender’, ‘peace’ and ‘safety’.

Salaam is also known as one of Allah’s attributes. A Muslim is a person who submits himself to the worship of Allah, therefore making all those who believed in the original message of the oneness of God Muslim; including all the Prophets, from Adam, Noah, Moses, Jesus to Mohammad (May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon them all).

Islam has come as a mercy to mankind with a book of guidance called The Qur`an,

the word of Allah – revealed 1400 years ago and unchanged ever since.

This book, along with the teachings of the final Messenger Muhammed, shows all of humanity how to behave in the way commanded by the Creator in all aspects life, both material and spiritual.

THE CREATION

Is it not in the very nature of every human to look to the sky when he is in need and desperate for help? When there is a loss for him to cry out to a Lord, when he is in despair to raise his eyes for help from a superior being, it is a very innate nature of the whole of mankind.

Every human has within him a natural inclination to ask certain questions about the purpose of life; what are we doing here? What is the purpose of life? Is there a creator or did this all appear by random chance?

Until these questions are answered, a person’s soul can never find peace and life will seem to be a futile and meaningless labour.

The soul will be in constant turmoil in the uncertainty of what will happen next. The Qur`an invites man to travel the earth, make his own observations and reflect on how creation was originated:

Say [O Mohammad], Travel through the land and observe how He began creation. Then Allah will produce the final creation [i.e., development]. Indeed Allah, over all things, is competent." (Qur`an 29, 20)

CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE

Just by reflecting on the vast and wonderful creation around us, every single human being can sit and contemplate about the world around him, and come to the conclusion that there must be one designer, one creator to this magnificent universe.

When you read this poster, look at this hall, look at this building, you