Why did God Create Mankind?

From the perspective of humankind, the question “Why did God create man?” implies “For what purpose was man created?” In the final revelation (the Quran), this question is answered without any ambiguity. Humans are first informed by God that every human being is born with an innate consciousness of God. In the Quran, God said:

“[Remember] when your Lord extracted from the loins of Adam’s children their descendants and made them testify [saying]: ‘Am I not your Lord?’ They said: ‘Yes, we testify to it.’ [This was] in case you say on the Day of Judgment: ‘We were unaware of this.’ Or you say: ‘It was our ancestors who worshipped others besides God and we are only their descendants. Will you then destroy us for what those liars did?’” (Quran 7:172)

The Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, explained that when God created Adam, He took from him a covenant at a place called Na,maan on the 9th day of the 12th month. He then extracted from Adam all of his descendants who would be born until the end of the world, generation after generation, and spread them out before Him to take a covenant from them also. He spoke to them, face to face, making them bear witness that He was their Lord. Consequently, every human being is responsible for belief in God, which is imprinted on each and every soul. It is based on this inborn belief that God defined the purpose of mankind’s creation in Quran:

“I have created the jinn and humankind only for My worship.” (Quran 51:56)

Thus, the essential purpose for which humankind was created is the worship of God. However, the Almighty is not in need of human worship. He did not create human beings out of a need on His part. If not a single human worshipped God, it would not diminish His glory in any way, and if all of humankind worshipped Him, it would not increase His glory in any way. God is perfect. He alone exists without any needs. All created beings have needs. Consequently, it is humankind that needs to worship God.

The Meaning of Worship

To understand why human beings need to worship God, one must first understand what is meant by the term ‘worship.’ The English term ‘worship’ comes from the Old English weorthscipe meaning ‘honor.’ Consequently, worship in the English language is defined as ‘the performance of devotional acts in honor of a deity.’ According to this meaning, man is instructed to show gratitude to God by glorifying Him. In the Quran, God says:

“Glorify the praises of your Lord...” (Quran 15:98)

In glorifying God, man chooses to be in harmony with the rest of creation which naturally glorifies its Creator. God addresses this phenomenon in many chapters of the Quran. For example, in the Quran, God states:

“The seven heavens and the earth and whatever is in them glorify Him and there is nothing which does not glorify His praise. However, you do not understand their glorification.” (Quran 17:44)

However, in Arabic, the language of the final revelation, worship is called ‘ibaadah, which is closely related to the noun ‘abd, meaning ‘a slave.’ A slave is one who is expected to do whatever his master wills. Consequently, worship, according to the final revelation, means ‘obedient submission to the will of God.’ This was the essence of the message of all the prophets sent by God to mankind. For example, this understanding of worship was emphatically expressed by Prophet Jesus (the Messiah or Jesus Christ),

“None of those who call me ‘Lord’ will enter the kingdom of God, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”

It should be noted that ‘will’ in this quote means ‘what God wants human beings to do’ and not ‘what God permits humans to do,’ because nothing happens in creation without the will (permission) of God. The ‘Will of God’ is contained in the divinely revealed laws which the prophets taught their followers. Consequently, obedience to divine law is the foundation of worship. In this sense, glorification also becomes worship when humans choose to obey God’s instructions regarding His glorification.

The Need for Worship

Why do human beings need to worship and glorify God by obeying the divinely revealed laws? Because obedience to divine law is the key to success in this life and the next. The first human beings, Adam and Eve, were created in paradise and later expelled from paradise for disobeying the divine law. The only way for human beings to return to paradise is by obedience to the law. Prophet Jesus, was reported in the Gospel according to Matthew to have made obedience to the divine laws the key to paradise: Now behold, one came and said to him,

“Good teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” So he said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

Also Prophet Jesus was reported to have insisted on strict obedience to the commandments, saying:

“Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

Divine laws represent guidance for humankind in all walks of life. They define right and wrong for them and offer human beings a complete system governing all of their affairs. The Creator alone knows best what is beneficial for His creation and what is not. The divine laws command and prohibit various acts and substances to protect the human spirit, the human body and human society from harm. In order for human beings to fulfill their potential by living righteous lives, they need to worship God through obedience to His commandments.

Remembrance of God

All of the various acts of worship contained in the divine laws are designed to help humans remember God. It is natural for human beings to sometimes forget even the most important things. Humans often become so engrossed in fulfilling their material needs that they totally forget their spiritual needs. Regular prayer is ordained to organize the day of the true believer around the remembrance of God. It interweaves spiritual needs with material needs on a daily basis. The regular daily need to eat, work and sleep is linked to the daily need to renew man’s connection with God. With regard to regular prayer, God states in the final revelation,

“Verily, I am God, there is no god beside Me, so worship Me and establish regular prayer for My remembrance.” (Quran 20:14)

Regarding fasting, God stated in the Quran,

“O you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you that you may become God-conscious.” (Quran 2:183)

The believers are encouraged to remember God as much as possible. Although, moderation in all spheres of life, whether material or spiritual, is generally encouraged in divine law, an exception is made regarding the remembrance of God. It is virtually impossible to remember God too much. Consequently, in the final revelation, God encourages the believers to remember Him as often as possible:

“O believers! Remember God often.” (Quran 33:41)

Remembrance of God is stressed because sin is generally committed when God is forgotten. The forces of evil operate most freely when consciousness of God is lost. Consequently, the satanic forces seek to occupy people’s minds with irrelevant thoughts and desires to make them forget God. Once God is forgotten, people willingly join the corrupt elements. The final revelation, addresses this phenomenon in as follows:

“Satan got the better of them and caused them to forget God. Those are the party of Satan. Truly the party of Satan are the real losers.” (Quran 58:19)

God, through Divine law, has prohibited intoxicants and gambling primarily because they cause human beings to forget God. The human mind and body easily become addicted to drugs and games of chance. Once addicted, mankind’s desire to continually be stimulated by them leads them into all forms of corruption and violence among themselves. God says in the Quran:

“Satan’s plan is to incite enmity and hatred among you with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of God and regular prayer. Will you not then abstain?” (Quran 5:91)

Consequently, humankind need to remember God for their own salvation and growth. All humans have times of weakness in which they commit sins. If they have no means of remembering God, they sink deeper and deeper into corruption with every sin. However, those who follow the divine laws will be constantly reminded of God, which will give them a chance to repent and correct themselves. The final revelation accurately describes this process:

“Those who, having done something shameful or having wronged their own souls, remember God and immediately ask forgiveness for their sins...” (Quran 3:135)

The Religion of Islam

The most complete system of worship available to human beings today is the system found in the religion of Islam. The very name ‘Islam’ means ‘submission to the will of God.’ Although it is commonly referred to as ‘the third of the three monotheistic faiths,’ it is not a new religion at all. It is the religion brought by all of the prophets of God for mankind. Islam was the religion of Adam, Abraham, Moses and Jesus. God addresses this issue in the Quran with regard to Prophet Abraham, saying:

“Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was an upright Muslim who did not worship others besides God.” (Quran 3:67)

Since there is only One God, and humankind are one species, the religion which God has ordained for human beings is one. He did not prescribe one religion for the Jews, another for Indians, yet another for Europeans, etc. Human spiritual and social needs are uniform, and human nature has not changed since the first man and woman were created. Consequently, no other religion is acceptable to God besides Islam, as He clearly states in the final revelation:

“Surely God’s religion is Islam…” (Quran 3:19)

“And whoever desires a religion besides Islam will not have it accepted, and he will be among the losers in the hereafter.” (Quran 3:85)

Every Act is Worship

In the Islamic system, each and every human act can be transformed into an act of worship. In fact, God commands the believers to dedicate their whole lives to Him. In the Quran, God says:

“Say: ‘Surely my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for God, the Lord of all the worlds.’” (Quran 6:162)

However, for that dedication to be acceptable to God, each act must fulfill two basic conditions:

1. First, the act must be done sincerely for the pleasure of God and not for the recognition and praise of human beings. The believer also has to be conscious of God while doing the deed to insure that it is not something forbidden by God or the last Messenger, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.

In order to facilitate this transformation of mundane deeds into worship, God instructed the last Prophet, to prescribe short prayers to be said before even the simplest of acts. The shortest prayer which may be used for any circumstance is: Bismillaah (In the name of God). There are, however, many other prayers prescribed for specific occasions. For example, whenever a new piece of clothing is worn, the Prophet, taught his followers to say:

“O God, thanks is due to You, for it is You who has clothed me. I ask You for its benefit and the benefit for which it was made, and seek refuge in You from its evil and the evil for which it was made.” (An-Nasa’i)

2. The second condition is that the act be done in accordance with the prophetic way, called in Arabic the Sunnah. All of the prophets instructed their followers to follow their way because they were guided by God. What they taught were divinely revealed truths, and only those who followed their way and accepted the truths would inherit eternal life in paradise. It is in this context that Prophet Jesus, may the peace and blessings of God be upon him, was reported in the Gospel according to John 14:6, as saying:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Similarly, Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood related…

“One day Prophet Muhammad, drew a line in the sand for them and said, “This is God’s path.” He then drew several lines [branching off] to the right and to the left and said, “These are the paths [of misguidance] on each of which is a devil inviting people to follow it.” He then recited the verse: ‘Verily, this is my path, leading straight, so follow it. And do not follow the [other] paths for they will scatter you about from God’s path. That is His command to you in order that you may be conscious of God.’” (Ahmed)

Thus, the only acceptable way to worship God is according to the way of the prophets. That being the case, innovation in religious affairs would be considered by God among the worst of all evils. Prophet Muhammad, was reported to have said,

“The worst of all affairs is innovation in religion, for every religious innovation is a cursed, misleading innovation leading to the hellfire.” (An-Nasa’i)

Innovation in the religion is forbidden and unacceptable to God. The Prophet was also reported by his wife, Aa’ishah, to have said:

“He who innovates something in our religion, that is not of it, will have it rejected.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

It is fundamentally due to innovations that the messages of the earlier prophets were distorted and the many false religions in existence today evolved. The general rule to follow in order to avoid innovation in religion is that all forms of worship are prohibited, except those which have been specifically prescribed by God and conveyed to humans by the true messengers of God.

The Best of Creation

Those who believe in One Unique God, without partners or offspring, and do righteous deeds [according to the above-mentioned principles] become the crown of creation. That is, although humankind is not the greatest creation of God, they have the potential to become the best of His creation. In the final revelation, God states this fact as follows:

“Surely, those who believe and do righteous deeds are the best of creation.” (Quran 98:7)

The Gravest Sin

To contradict the purpose of one’s creation is then the greatest evil that a human being can commit. Abdullaah reported that he asked God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) which sin is the gravest in God’s sight and he replied,

“To ascribe a partner to God, even though He created you.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)

Worshipping others besides God, called shirk in Arabic, is the only unforgivable sin. If a human being dies without repenting from his or her sins, God may forgive all their sins, except shirk. In this regard, God stated:

“Surely God will not forgive the worship of others besides Him, but He forgives sins less than that to whomever He wishes.” (Quran 4:116)

Worshipping others besides God essentially involves giving the attributes of the Creator to His creation. Each sect or religion does this in their own particular way. A small but very vocal group of people down through the ages have actually denied God’s existence. To justify their rejection of the Creator, they were obliged to make the illogical claim that this world has no beginning. Their claim is illogical because all of the observable parts of the world have beginnings in time, therefore it is only reasonable to expect the sum of the parts to also have a beginning. It is also only logical to assume that whatever caused the world to come into existence could not have been a part of the world nor could it have a beginning like the world. The atheist assertion that the world has no beginning means that the matter which makes up the universe is eternal. This is a statement of shirk, whereby God’s attribute of being without beginning is given to His creation. The numbers of genuine atheists have historically always been quite small because, in spite of their claims, they instinctively know that God does exist. That is, in spite of decades of communist indoctrination, the majority of Russians and Chinese continued to believe in God. The Almighty Creator pointed out this phenomenon, saying:

“And they denied [the signs] wrongfully and arrogantly, though within themselves they were convinced of them.” (Quran 27:14)

To atheists and materialists, life has no purpose beyond the fulfillment of their desires. Consequently, their desires also become the god which they obey and submit to instead of the One True God. In the Quran, God said:

“Have you seen the one who takes his desires as his god?” (Quran 25:43, 45:23)

Christians gave Prophet Jesus Christ the attributes of the Creator by first making him co-eternal with God, then by making him a personality of God whom they titled ‘God the Son.’ Hindus, on the other hand, believe that God has become man in many ages, by incarnations called avatars, and then they divided God’s attributes between three gods, Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver and Shiva the destroyer.

Love of God

Shirk also occurs when human beings love, trust or fear the creation more than God. In the last revelation, God said:

“There are among men those who worship others besides God as equals to Him. They love them as only God should be loved. But those who believe have a stronger love for God.” (Quran 2:165)

When these and other similar emotions are directed more strongly to the creation, they cause human beings to disobey God in a effort to please other humans. However, only God deserves a complete human emotional commitment, for it is He alone who should be loved and feared over all creation. Anas ibn Maalik narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“Whoever possesses [the following] three characteristics has tasted the sweetness of faith: he who loves God and His Messenger above all else; he who loves another human being for God’s sake alone; and he who hates to return to disbelief after God has rescued him as he hates to be thrown into a fire.” (As-Suyooti)

All the reasons for which humans love other humans or love other created beings are reasons to love God more than His creation. Humans love life and success, and dislike death and failure. Since God is the ultimate source of life and success, He deserves the full love and devotion of mankind. Humans also love those who benefit them and help them when they are in need. Since all benefit (7:188) and help (3:126) come from God, He should be loved above all else.

“If you try to count God’s blessings, you will not be able to add them up.” (Quran 16:18)

However, the supreme love which humans should feel for God must not be reduced to the common denominator of their emotional love for creation. Just as the love humans feel for animals should not be the same as what they feel for other humans, the love of God should transcend the love humans feel towards each other. Human love of God should be, fundamentally, a love manifest in complete obedience to the laws of God:

“If you love God, then follow me [the Prophet] and God will love you.” (Quran 3:31)

This is not an abstract concept, because human love of other humans also implies obedience. That is, if a loved one requests that something be done, humans will strive to do it according to the level of their love for that person.

The love of God should also be expressed in the love of those whom God loves. It is inconceivable that one who loves God could hate those whom God loves and love those whom He hates. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was quoted by Aboo Umaamah as saying:

“He who loves for God and hates for God, gives for God and withholds for God, [and marries for God] has perfected his faith.” (As-Suyooti)

Consequently, those whose faith is proper will love all those who love God. In Chapter Maryam, God indicates that He puts love in the hearts of the believers for those who are righteous.

“Surely, God will bestow love [in the hearts of the believers for] those who believe and do righteous deeds.” (Quran 19:96)

Aboo Hurayrah also related that God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said the following in this regard:

“If God loves a servant He informs angel Gabriel that He loves so-and-so and tells him to love him, so Gabriel loves him. Then Gabriel calls out to the inhabitants of the heavens: ‘God loves so-and-so, therefore love him.’ So the inhabitants of the heavens love him. Then he is granted the love of the people of the earth.” (Saheeh Muslim)

By
Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips

Why did God create us?

The purpose of creation is a topic that puzzles every human being at some point of his or her lifetime. Although most people put the question of why we are created aside after occasional brief reflection, it is extremely critical for human beings to know the answer. Without knowledge of the correct answer, human beings become indistinguishable from the other animals around them. The animal necessities and desires of eating, drinking and procreating become the purpose of human existence by default, and human effort is then focused in this limited sphere.

Without knowledge of the purpose of life, human existence loses all meaning and is consequently wasted, and the reward of an eternal life of happiness in the hereafter is completely destroyed.

Humans most often turn to other human beings like themselves for the answers. However, the only place that clear and precise answers to these questions can be found is in the books of divine revelation. It was necessary that God reveal the purpose to man through His prophets, because human beings are incapable of arriving at the correct answers themselves. All of the prophets of God taught their followers the answers to the question "Why did God create us?"

From the point of view of God, an even more fundamental question needs to be asked, "Why did God create?" This question should be asked because humankind is not, in fact, the greatest creation. God says in the Qur’an:

Indeed, the creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than the creation of mankind, but most of mankind do not realize it. [40:57]

The composition of human beings is far less complex than the composition of the universe in which they exist. However, very few people reflect on this reality. Because of the apparent supremacy of human beings over other creatures on this earth, man's journeys through space and the continued advancement of their technology and knowledge, humankind in every age becomes arrogant and considers itself the greatest thing in this world. It is worth noting that the majority of humankind's amazing discoveries are not concerning the human being, but his surroundings. In this verse, God brings human beings back to their actual status in this world. Humankind is merely a small part of the existence which resulted from the miraculous act of divine creation.

Creation is fundamentally the consequence of the divine attribute of being the Creator. A creator who does not create is something of a contradiction in terms. This is not to say God needs His creation. God is free from all needs. It is the creation which needs Him. But, as the greatness of a writer becomes apparent in his writings, the perfection of divine creative attribute is manifest in creation. Creation in the true sense is unique to God alone. Although humans ascribe the act of creation to themselves, what they do is not true creation. Humankind merely manipulates what already exists - what was already created by God.

In the creation of humankind, the divine attributes of forgiveness, mercy and kindness are also manifested.

God's love is manifest in beings brought into existence, whether believer or disbeliever, to enjoy life, if only for a brief moment. It is also realized in the creation of paradise for those who choose righteousness over evil.

Why did God create humankind? 

"{Remember] when your Lord extracted from the loins of Adam's children and their descendents and made them testify [saying] : 'Am I not your Lord?' They said: 'Yes, we testify to it.' [This was] in case you say on the Day of Judgment: 'We were unaware of this.' Or you say: 'It was our ancestors who worshipped others besides God and we are only their descendents. Will you then destroy us for what those liars did?' " [Qur'an, 7: 172-3]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) explained that when God created Adam, He took from him a covenant. He then extracted from Adam all of his descendents who would be born until the end of the world, generation after generation, and spread them out before Him to take a covenant from them also. He spoke to them, face to face, making them bear witness that He was their Lord. Consequently, every human being is responsible for belief in God, which is imprinted on each and every soul. It is based on this inborn belief that God defined the purpose of humankind's creation:

"I have created the jinn and humankind only for My worship" [Qur'an, 51: 56]

Thus, the essential purpose for which humankind was created is the worship of God. However, the Almighty is not in need of human worship. He did not create human beings out of a need on His part. If not a single human worshipped God, it would not diminish His glory in any way, and if all humankind worshipped Him, it would not increase His glory in any way. God is perfect. He alone exists without any needs. All created beings have needs. Consequently, it is humankind that needs to worship God.

In the Islamic system, each and every human act can be transformed into an act of worship. In the Qur’an, God says: "Say: 'Surely my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for God, the Lord of all the worlds.' " [6: 162]

However, for that dedication to be acceptable to God, each act must fulfill two basic conditions: 

1] The act must be done sincerely for the pleasure of God and not for the recognition and praise of human beings.

In order to facilitate this transformation of mundane deeds into worship, God instructed the last Prophet to prescribe short prayers to be said before even the simplest of acts. The shortest prayer which may be used for any circumstance is : Bismillah (In the name of God). There are, however, many other prayers prescribed for specific occasions.

2] The second condition is that the act be done in accordance with the prophetic way, called in Arabic the Sunnah.

All of the prophets instructed their followers to follow their way because they were guided by God. The only acceptable way to worship God is according to the ways of the prophets. That being the case, innovation in religious affairs would be considered by God among the worst of all evils. It is fundamentally due to innovations that the messages of the earlier prophets were distorted and the many false religions in existence today evolved. The general rule to follow in order to avoid innovation in religion is that all forms of worship are prohibited, except those which have been specifically prescribed by God and conveyed to humans by the true messengers of God.

The question concerning the purpose of humankind's creation may be expanded to include the world in which they live. The question would then be, "Why did God create human beings in this world?" Again, the answer to this question can easily be found in the final revelation:

"[It is He] who created death and life to test which of you is best in conduct; and He is the Mighty, the Forgiving" [67: 2] 

"Surely I have created all that is on earth as its ornaments that I may test which of them is best in conduct." [18: 7]

Thus, the purpose for the creation of human beings in this world is to test their conduct. This world of life and death, wealth and poverty, sickness and health, was created to sift out the righteous souls from the evil souls. The tests serve to confirm on the Day of Judgment that those going to hell deserve it and those going to paradise only got there by God's grace.

Conclusion 

Without knowledge of the purpose of creation, human beings wander aimlessly through life, like ships at sea without rudders. Their goals are either wrong due to incorrect religious teachings, or materialistic and thus confined to this world. It is, therefore, essential for their own well-being that they know why God created them. Fundamentally, God created in order to manifest His attributes. Consequently,

Creation is the consequence of His being the Creator
Paradise manifests His Mercy and Grace
Hell, His justice
Humankind's errors, His forgiveness
Living and non-living beings, His Generosity, etc.

The significance of knowing that creation is a means by which God manifests His attributes is that human beings can then correctly recognize God and accept His decree and their destiny.

However, it is of even greater importance that human beings know the purpose for which they were created. The final revelation teaches that it is to worship God because humankind must worship Him in order to attain righteousness and the spiritual status necessary to enter paradise. The significance of this knowledge is that human beings understand that worship is as much a necessity as eating and breathing and that it is not a favour they are doing for God.

It is also essential that human beings grasp the importance of this world's bounties and trials. Without knowledge of the purpose behind their creation, humans tend to look at this world as being hostile to them. However, God created it primarily for their benefit. The tests of good and evil are designed to bring out the higher spiritual qualities of the human being. However, humans are not able to benefit from the tests unless they put complete trust in God and have patience in what He has destined for them. For those who reject God, the trials of this world become a punishment for them in this life prior to the eternal punishment in the next world.

By
Dr. Bilal Philips

The Challenge of Islam

What is Islam?

Islam is more than just another religion next to Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism or Judaism. Islam claims to be a way of life. It is a system which governs and controls the lives of more than 1.2 Billion men and women around the globe (1996).

Islamic publications describe it in these terms:

"Islam in its clear and direct way of expressing truth has a tremendous amount of appeal for any seeker of knowledge. It is the solution for all the problems of life. It is a guide toward a better and complete life glorifying in all its phases God, the Almighty Creator and the Merciful Nourisher."
Islam at a Glance, Durban, RSA

"Islam is the first and the final religion of mankind."
"Islam is the most rational religion. It gives a clear code of life."
"Islam is the shortest and broadest road that leads to God."
The Christian witness needs to have a meaningful response to these claims, not only by way of clear arguments but also through a convincing life testimony.

The Challenge of Islam

"Africa is to be the first Islamic continent" is a well-used Islamic slogan. Is this mere propaganda or do Muslims pursue this goal in earnest? Let's look at the resurgence of Islam:

Since the end of the last World War there has been a total upheaval and dramatic change in the 'world order'. The collapse of the colonial systems, the victory of liberal humanistic thinking over former perceptions of justice and ecology, the victimization of people and systems which resisted changes in their value system, the new interpretation of socialism, democracy and freedom, as well as the shift from the East-West conflict to an impending North-South one, and the migration of many millions of people in search for a better future, has produced a new society in many places on our globe. A new brand of nationalism has in many cases not kept its promises to facilitate the so much needed and wanted economic upliftment. The population explosion, the AIDS threat, massive unemployment and the soaring of criminal activities have led to an unprecedented pessimism and hopelessness in many areas of the world.

At the same time the industrial revolution with its ever-increasing appetite for energy - which is largely found in the oil fields of the formerly poor and unimportant Islamic countries of the Middle East - has created right there an unprecedented wealth. And - as we all know - wealth represents power. It is therefore not surprising to observe in these countries, the strife for military superiority, perfected by offensive nuclear weaponry. The human potential of Islam increased vastly when the former Soviet Union broke up and a number of the Republics in the South began to view themselves as Islamic states.

Material affluence in itself does not constitute power as yet, and with that no real threat to others. Only if aligned with an ideology, monetary power becomes a danger - and it did so when Iran came totally under the influence of the 'Ayatollah' Khomeini. Because of his extreme views he had to live in exile for a number of years, working to reverse the Western influence in and on his country. When, after his return, his fundamentalist doctrines were forcibly introduced, he gained full control over Iran. All those who did not agree with his views were either eliminated or had to submit.

The title 'Ayatollah' means 'sign of Allah', not a very modest assessment. The word 'Islam' means 'submission'. While one would not expect a country to revert to the proverbial 'Middle Ages', we have to realize that what happened in Iran shows the truest form of Islam. Many Westerners perceive the Iranian revolution as an excess. But it is not that. It reflects fundamental, i.e. original, Islam.

It is certainly not our intention to defend the present Western value system, but it still allows freedom of expression and freedom of religion and worship which largely ceases when the Shariah, the Islamic law, is introduced to a country.

The Ultimate Goal of Islam: to Bring All People Into Submission to Islam


To understand the underlying system, we ought to consider some theological aspects. A look at the Qur'an will be helpful here:

In Surah 8:39 we read (according to Pickthall):


"And fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression. And there prevail justice and faith in Allah altogether and everywhere: But if they cease, verily Allah doth see all that they do".


The actual rendering should read "until all of religion comes to Allah".


Surah 61:9 confirms this:


"It is He Who has sent His Apostle with guidance and the Religion of Truth that he may proclaim it over all religion, even though the Pagans may detest (it)".


This is backed up by a Hadith:


"The Messenger of Allah says: I have been commanded to fight against people till they testify the fact that there is no god but Allah, and believe in me (that) I am the messenger (from the Lord) and in all that I have brought".


Sahih Muslim I, p. 17


The word 'oppression' should actually read 'uprising' or 'revolt', which turns the passive tense into and active one. We should further realize that this is not just a question of all people to submit to God. In real terms that means no less than that all have to submit to Islam and its law.


Islam has divided the world into two parts:


the 'Dhar-ul Islam' and the 'Dhar-ul Harb'; or in English, the 'territory of Islam' and the 'territory of war'. This may not necessarily constitute armed conflict, though this was very much the case, but it is quite clear that those countries which are not as yet under the Shariah, are still to be conquered.


As Christians we might be tempted to assume that conflict might be of a spiritual nature. For we endeavor and wish that the whole world should come under the Gospel. In like manner Muslims endeavor to make the world Islamic.


However, the church cannot legitimately try to force its influence on the state, or rule the state. This would go against the Spirit of the Gospel. Attempts along this line have been made, wars have been fought, but none of these could be based on or can claim to have been supported by Scripture, our authority.


Islam works differently. Only when the Shariah is the established law in a country, it constitutes an Islamic state. To effect this, the government must be in Muslim hands. Islam does not differentiate between the secular and the spiritual. It follows an integrated system. Hygiene and politics, family life and prayer, hunting and business practices are all regulated by the Islamic law. While Christians and Jews may be tolerated, they are certainly strongly disadvantaged and not permitted to propagate their faith in an Islamic country.


Islam is on the Move to Expand its Influence


When we observe the current moves of Islam carefully, we can indeed notice how it consolidates itself and how concerted efforts are made to strengthen its position in many countries, and not only in those which were traditionally Islamic. Muslims double their population biologically twice as fast as non-Muslims do. This promotes migration and we can observe how in recent times much of the economy of Africa, but also of Europe, America, Australia and Asia is going into Muslim hands. Whoever controls the economy has also a strong influence on government, the media and education.


In many 'Third World' countries, Muslims often build very impressive mosques, even in areas with a very small number of their own persuasion.Schools are added, and free education, in contrast to most Government schools, is offered. This is extremely lucrative, and many parents cannot resist such temptation. In addition philanthropic help is offered to people in drought-stricken areas. Employment is offered, but to Muslims only. This will raise the pragmatic question, "why not become a Muslim?"


Together, all this begins to present an impact on the population, nominal Christians not excepted. The charity displayed, together with the sincerity which can easily be gauged in many Muslims, plus the social and material benefits are convincing. And who can blame the people - unless they have a goodly grounding in the Word of God, the Bible, and have founded convictions to possess the Truth when accepting and following our Lord Jesus Christ.


Who is to Blame?


At this point I must pause to give a most important explanation. We may by now have come to a point where we begin to fear or resent the Muslims. If this is the message you conceived, you have to do some correction:


Muslims, like all other people, are a creation of God! "They have a zeal for God - but it is unenlightened" (Rom. 10:2). Our Lord Jesus died for every Muslim as well! God loves the Muslims too!


We have to differentiate between the religion of Islam and its system, which does not offer salvation or assurance of forgiveness, and those people who grew or grow up under its teaching.


They have little chance to believe, because they have not sufficiently, effectively and convincingly heard and understood the Gospel. That is certainly not their fault. To some degree it is ours - if our evangelistic effort excludes the Muslims in our environment - or if our effort does not take into consideration the altogether different mind-set and understanding of a Muslim.


What is Happening in the Islamic World?


Let us now have a hard look at the advance of Islam: The ISLAM IN AFRICA ORGANISATION was founded by representatives of 24 African states at Abuja in Nigeria in November 1989. In its founding communiqué we are informed about its aims and purposes. It expresses very understandable and to them legitimate desires, such as the unification of all Muslims throughout Africa, the putting away of 'artificial boundaries', and re-instating a strong and united 'Umma' (= congregation of all Muslims) with the purpose of fulfilling the commands of Allah.


We will have to consider, however, the little syllable 're-'. It keeps on occurring in this document: 're-instate the Umma' in Africa, 're-store the use of Arabic script in the vernacular', 're-instate the application of the Shariah'. This means that what was there before, will have to be instated again, implying that there was an Umma in Africa, within which the local languages were written in Arabic lettering, and that Africans were under the Shariah law. All this is not true, excepting North Africa and some very isolated cases in which e.g. Ki-Swahili was written in Arabic script. Let us look at some of the statements:


'The Conference notes the yearning of Muslims everywhere on the continent who have been deprived of their rights to be governed by the Shariah and urges them to intensify efforts in the struggle to reinstate the application of the Shariah'.


The arising question certainly is, how any country can be administered when two sets of laws are applied to different people? The Muslims in Britain are pushing for the same. This can only lead to either confrontation or disintegration.


While we understand and have to accept the effort to establish Islamic Da'wa (mission) centers and to promote Da'wa work all over Africa, we find unacceptable the 'establishment and application of the Shariah to all Muslims', if this is done while Muslims are a minority, and if such action leads to Christians being disadvantaged, which will, no doubt, be the case.


Unacceptable also are the following objectives:
'To ensure the appointment of only Muslims into strategic national and international posts of member nations'.
'To eradicate in all its forms and ramifications all non-Muslim religions in member nations (such religions shall include Christianity, Ahmadiyya and other tribal modes of worship unacceptable to Muslims)'.
'To ensure that only Muslims are elected (!) to all political posts of member nations'.
'To ensure the ultimate replacement of all Western forms of legal and judicial systems with the Shariah in all member nations before the next Islam in Africa Conference'.


Among the disclosed names of the member nations we find Nigeria and Tanzania which have no Muslim majority. A number of other nations have not been made known. These are likely to have an even lesser Muslim presence. It is indeed noticeable by now that these aims are being implemented and not only in Islamic states, but also in those with Muslim minorities.


May the figure of money be mentioned, which was 'generously donated' by the 'government and people of Nigeria' for the "Islamic Development Fund":US$ 21 billion! (IAO communiqué)


The Roman Catholic publication "Mission aktuell", which is the German official magazine of 'MISSIO', the Roman Catholic mission, reported that in the same year (1989) 'the Nigerian head of state', General Ibrahim B. Babangida, had 'a credit bank balance at the Arab-African International Bank of US$ 57.48 billion'". His chief of the army and two cabinet ministers had lesser amounts (US$ 15.2; 17.8 and 24.9 billion).


In close agreement with the above we find an article in the Turkish newspaper "Dünya" (1980). It speaks about Islamisation and says: 'The whole territory is to be islamicised before the year 2000 and in the Middle East in such a way that all living (people) who did not turn Muslims, (the Coptic Christians, the Christians in Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, the Assyrians, Chaldeans, Syrian (i.e. Syrian-orthodox Christians), Armenians, Nubians and Israelis), must be totally annihilated'.


We have to realize some hard facts: The Christians in Turkey and Lebanon have been strongly reduced by external pressure. Christians in Egypt are under constant scrutiny and are dictated upon by the state. Christians and pagans in Southern Sudan are being exterminated. The press speaks of genocide. There is no freedom of religion in any of the North African countries, and in the Middle East, Afghanistan, Pakistan or Malaysia.


In 1981 the so-called 'Mecca Declaration' was adopted by the 'Third Islamic Summit Conference of Kaaba'. Here are some extracts:


"We have resolved to conduct Jihaad ('holy war') with all the means at our disposal so as to free our territory from occupation".


"We declare that the oppression suffered by Muslim minorities and communities in many countries is a flagrant offence against the rights and dignity of man. We appeal to all states in which there are Islamic minorities to allow them full liberty".


"We are convinced of the need to propagate the precepts of Islam and its cultural influence in Muslim societies and throughout the world".


We have to read these lines as it were with Muslim's eyes. At the time of this summit there were no Islamic territories occupied by non-Muslims. The Islamic understanding is that, unless the Shariah is in force and an Islamic government in place, this is 'dhar-ul harb', territory which still needs to be conquered.


William Muir, one of the great and indeed very fair orientalists (1819-1905), made a statement which almost sounds like a prophetic utterance:


"It is my conviction that the sword of Muhammad and the Qur'an are the most fatal enemies of civilisation, liberty and truth which the world has yet known".


Another question arising is: In which countries Muslim minorities are suffering oppression? What kind of oppression is meant? Again it boils down to the same. Muslim minorities are oppressed as long as they are not governed by the Shariah - which amounts to 'full liberty'.


The last paragraph confirms this in no uncertain terms. While Muslims vociferously demand freedom from oppression, they oppress Christian communities in territories ruled by the Shariah. Indeed many human rights issues have been raised in this respect - without much response.


Despite the alleged 'oppression' in the 1980's, every two weeks one mosque was opened in Britain, a rate of expansion similar to that taking place in France and Germany. Similar advances are made in many other countries.


As far back as the early 1980's, a document emerged from the Islamic Foundation in Leicester with clear statements of intent such as:
"... the Islamic Movement (is) 'an organized struggle to change the existing society into an Islamic society based on the Qur'an and the Sunna and make Islam, which is a code for entire life, supreme and dominant, especially in the socio-political spheres'".


"... (the) framework will have to be based on recognizing the fact that the ultimate objective of the Islamic movement shall not be realized unless the struggle is made by locals. For it is only they who have the power to change the society into an Islamic society".


"Watchman Update", Dec. 1991 by Dr. Clifford Denton


The world's most advanced and powerful radio transmitters have been built in the Middle East and North Africa. Seven 2000 KW transmitters are among them - compared with the former Christian transmitter ELWA station of 50 KW.


The Ayatollah Khomeini is reported to have said:


'If we want to gain the final victory, we will have to know exactly what is to be done. Else we will meet the same fate as Hitler, who committed suicide ... In the early days of Islam the unbelievers were constantly hit over the head with the sword to make them Muslims. Many were killed. One should not shrink back from becoming a martyr ... Up to date we did not kill a single human being, but only attacking wild beasts have been purified, arrested and put away'.


As a result many thousands have been executed.


Again I like to persuade the reader not to blame this on the Muslims he comes in contact with. I compile this report not to blame any person, but to expose a religious system which is power-hungry, oppressive and deeply anti-Christian.


Christians Need to Get to Terms with Islam


The present setting of Islam in this world is very threatening. It gains acceptance and profile, even in liberal 'Christian' circles.


There are several contributing factors. Muslims are aware that oil reserves do not last forever. Consequently, they have invested vast amounts of capital in industries of the developed countries, which gives them a considerable influence in these concerns and through that on the relevant countries. Subsequently, the press in these countries, fortified by the liberal premise from which they operate, will rather be positive than in any way negative towards Islam.


Quite in line with this is the liberal World Council of Churches (WCC). It seeks 'dialogue' with other religions in order to learn from each other and to accept one another. In practice this replaces the Christian witness of Jesus Christ, as the only hope for mankind.


The Vatican sides with this, as can be seen from the prayer for peace arranged by the Pope at Assisi, to which representatives of all kinds of religions had been invited. At the Second Vatican Council the following decisions were laid down:


"The plan of God's salvation includes those who acknowledge the Creator, and in the first place among them the Muslims". (L.G.16)


"The Church has a high regard for the Muslims ... unfortunately many hostilities have arisen between Christians and Muslims.This sacred Council now pleads with all to forget the past, and urges that sincere efforts be made to achieve mutual understanding for the benefit of all. Let them together preserve and promote peace, freedom, social justice and moral values". (N.A.3)


This situation is the direct result of ignorance. The Christian Church has fought bitter and bloody wars against Muslims, but made hardly any move to present the Message of Grace to them.


Responding to the Challenge of Islam


Surely we can see how important it is to gain a realistic assessment of Islam, as it really is. Let us start by looking at the man Muhammad, the founder of the Islamic religion and power base.


(NB: The above information is also available in a separate pamphlet.)

Who Is Muhammad?

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was born in Makkah in the year 570 CE, at a time when Christianity was not yet fully established in Europe. Since his father died before his birth, and his mother shortly afterwards, he was raised by his uncle from the respected tribe of Quraysh. As he grew up, he became known for his truthfulness, generosity and sincerity, so that he was sought after for his ability to arbitrate in disputes. The historians describe him as calm and meditative. Muhammad (peace be upon him) was of a deeply religious nature, and had long detested the decadence of his society. It became his habit to meditate from time to time in the Cave of Hira near the summit of Jabal un-Nur, the 'Mountain of Light' near Makkah.

At the age of 40, while engaged in a meditative retreat, Muhammad (peace be upon him) received his first revelation from God through the Angel Gabriel. This revelation, which continued for twenty-three years, is known as the Qur'an. As soon as he began to recite the words he heard from Gabriel, and to preach the truth which God had revealed to him, he and his small group of followers suffered bitter persecution which grew so fierce that in the year 622 God gave them the command to emigrate. This event, the Hijra, 'migration', in which they left Makkah for the city of Madinah some 260 miles to the north, marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar. After several years, the Prophet and his followers were able to return to Makkah, where they forgave their enemies and established Islam definitively. Before the Prophet died at the age of 63, the greater part of Arabia was Muslim, and within a century of his death Islam had spread to Spain in the West and as far East as China.

The last and final prophet that God sent to humanity, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) explained, interpreted and lived the teachings of Islam. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the greatest of all prophets for many reasons, but mainly because the results of his mission have brought more people into the pure belief in One God than any other prophet. Even though other religious communities claimed to believe in One God, over time they had corrupted their beliefs by taking their prophets and saints as intercessors with Almighty God. Some religions believe their prophets to be manifestations of God, "God Incarnate" or the "Son of God". All of these false ideas lead to the creature being worshiped instead of the Creator, which contributed to the idolatrous practice of believing that Almighty God can be approached through intermediaries. In order to guard against these falsehoods, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) always emphasised that he was only a human-being tasked with the preaching of God's message. He taught Muslims to refer to him as "the Messenger of God and His Slave".

To Muslims, Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the supreme example for all people - he was the exemplary prophet, statesman, military leader, ruler, teacher, neighbour, husband, father and friend. Unlike other prophets and messengers, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) lived in the full light of history. Muslims don't need to have "faith" that he existed and that his teachings are preserved - they know it to be a fact. Even when his followers only numbered a few dozen, Almighty God informed Muhammad (peace be upon him) that he had been sent as a mercy to all of mankind. Because people had distorted or forgotten God's messages, God took it upon Himself to protect the message revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him). This was because Almighty God promised not to send another messenger after him. Since all of God's messengers have preached the message of Islam - i.e. submission to the will of God and the worship of God alone - Muhammad (peace be upon him) is actually the last, seal of the prophets of Islam, not the first.

Who Are The Muslims?

One billion people from a vast range of races, nationalities and cultures across the globe – from the southern Philippines to Nigeria – are united by their common Islamic faith.

About 18% live in the Arab world, substantial parts of Asia and Africa are Muslim, while significant minorities are to be found in the Soviet Union, China, North and South America, and Europe.

The Arabic word "Muslim" literally means "someone who submits to the will of God". The message of Islam is meant for the entire world and anyone who accepts this message becomes a Muslim. Some people mistakenly believe that Islam is just a religion for Arabs, but nothing could be further from the truth, since in actuality over 80% of the world's Muslims are not Arabs!

Even though most Arabs are Muslims, there are Arabs who are Christians, Jews and atheists. If one just takes a look at the various peoples who live in the Muslim World - from Nigeria to Bosnia and from Morocco to Indonesia - it is easy enough to see that Muslims come from all different races, ethnic groups and nationalities. From the very beginning, Islam had a universal message for all people. This can be seen in the fact that some of the early companions of the Prophet Muhammad were not only Arabs, but also Persians, Africans and Byzantine Romans.

Muslims believe in One Unique, Incomparable God; in the Angels created by Him; in the Prophets through whom His revelations (including the Bible) were brought to mankind; in the Day of Judgement and individual accountability for actions; in God's complete authority over human destiny and in life after death.

Muslims believe in a chain of prophets starting with Adam and including Noah, Abraham, Ismael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Elias, Jonah, John the Baptist, and Jesus, (peace be upon them all). But God's final message to man, a reconfirmation of the eternal message and a summing-up of all that has gone before was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad through angel Gabriel.

In the past, even though you don't see it as much today, the word "Mohammedans" was often used as a label for Muslims. This label is a misnomer and is the result of either wilful distortion or sheer ignorance. One of the reasons for the misconception is that Europeans were taught for centuries that Muslims worshipped the Prophet Muhammad in the same way that Christians worship Jesus. This is absolutely not true since a Muslim is not permitted to worship anyone or anything besides Almighty God.

Who Is Allah ?

Many non-Muslims have come to incorrectly believe that Allah is the ‘God of Muslims’ – A deity somehow different from the God of the other faiths. It should be emphasized that the term “Allah” has no implied meaning at all of an Arabian god, a Moon god or even a Muslim god. Muslims are not claiming any exclusiveness when they say "Allah". However Allah is simply the Arabic Name of the one Almighty God; the same name by which Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians, refer to God. The Allah comes from the term ‘al-ilaah’. Al is the definite article in Arabic, equivalent to ‘the’ in English, while ilaah means ‘a deity or god’. So Allah means The God. This is beautifully articulated in the first pillar of Islam which is to believe that God is One, in Arabic it would be, "La ilaha illallah" meaning "There is no god but God"

What Is Islam?

The word "Islam" is an Arabic word that means "submitting and surrendering your will to Almighty God". The word comes from the same root as the Arabic word"salam", which means peace. Unlike the names used for other religions, such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity, the name for the religion of Islam was both revealed by God and carries a deep spiritual meaning, only by submitting one's will to Almighty God can one obtain true peace both in this life and in the life hereafter.

Islam teaches that all religions originally had the same essential message, which was to submit whole-heartedly to the will of God and to worship Him and Him alone. For this reason, Islam is not a new religion but is the same divinely revealed ultimate truth that God revealed to all prophets, including Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them all).For a fifth of the world’s population, Islam is both a religion and a complete way of life. Muslims follow a religion of peace, mercy, and forgiveness, and the vast majority have nothing to do with the extremely grave events which have come to be associated with their faith.

CHRISTIANITY

Isaiah 29:12 - Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was unlettered. (Holy Qur'an, 96:1)

Isaiah 21:13-17 - Ishmael's sons' (Kedar and Tema) descendants settled in Arabia. Medina was called Tema in Biblical times--next year an army of 1,000 Meccans marched against the Muslims. With only 300 (poorly armed) men, the Muslims defeated the Meccans at the Battle of Badr.

Solomon 5:16 reads - "Cheeko mame tah kim vechulo Mohammadim"--meaning: "His speech is most sweet, and he is altogether desirable." ('Mohammad' means 'desirable')

Deuteronomy 18:18 - Both Moses and Muhammad (peace be upon them both) had usual births, married and had children, and were forced to migrate [Moses to Median and Muhammad (p) to Medina]; they marched to battles against their enemies and won physical and moral victories in their lifetime; they were virtually kings, gave laws and scriptures, first rejected by their people and then accepted in the end; they were human beings with no divinity attributed to them by their followers, died a natural death and were buried in this earth. Similarities between Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them both) are: threat to life in early infancy, both were Jewish lettered Prophets, and both performed miracles.

John 14:15-16; 16:7-11 - The Holy Ghost was already present with Jesus (peace be upon him) when he was alive, and the Comforter's arrival was conditioned upon Jesus's departure.

John 16:12-14 - Jesus's message (peace be upon him) was incomplete; therefore another Prophet was needed to guide mankind into all truth. Acts 14:14; 11:24 - The Gospel of Barnabus didn't get a place in the New Testament. Chapters 96 and 97 of his gospel read: "In the presence of a great multitude, the priest asked Prophet Jesus: 'Art thou the Messiah of God whom we expect?' Prophet Jesus answered: 'It is true that God hath so promised, but indeed I am not he, for he is made before me and shall come after me.' ... Then said the priest: 'How shall the Messiah be called, and what sign shall reveal his coming?' Prophet Jesus answered: 'The name of the Messiah is admirable, for God Himself gave him the name when He created his soul, and placed it in celestial splendour... Muhammad is his blessed name.'"

HINDUISM

Dr. Islamul Haq, PhD, D.D. was a very high Hindu priest (Achariya Mahant Dr. Saroopji Maharaj). He studied 10 great religions of the world in their original form at the Oxford University of UK and received two doctorate degrees. He said that "the Holy Books of all great religions of the world, except Jainism and Buddhism, have the names 'Allah' and 'Muhammad' in them. Prophet Muhammad is the only prophet mentioned in most of the Holy Books of the world."

The Vedanta of Atharva Veda says: "Assya illale mitra baruna raja...." Translation: "Just at that time, a personage by the name 'Mohammad' will appear with his followers in a desert country. O Lord of the desert, O Teacher of the world, Praise be to You. You know many ways to destroy the evils of the world. O the Holy One, I am Your servant; please let me have a place at Your feet."

Zend Avesta, part one, translated by Max Muller, pg. 260: "O Spetame Zarathustra, I proclaim that Holy Ahmad will surely arrive. You will receive from him holy words, holy thoughts, righteous deeds, and pure religion." In the Holy Qur'an, the second name of Muhammad is given as Ahmad (61:6). Dasateer, translated by A.H. Vidyarthi, pg. 47: "When the Persians will forget their religion and will plunge into extreme moral degradation, a great holy man will arrive into the Arab land. His followers will defeat the Persians. Instead of worshipping 'fire' in their temples, they will then pray facing the temple built by Abraham. The followers of that great holy man will be like blessings to the people of the world." Soon after Muhammad (peace be upon him) died, his followers did defeat the Persians. The Persians accepted Islam in great multitudes and started to pray facing the House of God, Ka'ba, built by Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him).

Islam is a code of Life

It is a Muslim belief that Muhammad's mission was for the whole world and for all the time; because:

The mission of Muhammad, as well as of other prophets who brought the universal message of Islam, does not end with the announcement of the message. He has to guide the people by explaining to them the implications of the Islamic creed, the morale code, the divine injunctions and commandment, and the form of worship that sustains the whole system. He has to exemplify the faith so others can pattern their participation in the evolution of Islamic culture and civilization. The believers must grow under his guidance into an organized community so that Allah's word will prevail over all other words.

• Spiritual Life: prayer (salah), fasting, charity giving (zakah), pilgrimage (hajj), love for Allah and His Messenger, love for truth and humanity for the sake of Allah, hope and trust in Allah at all times and doing good for the sake of Allah.
  
• Intellectual Life: True knowledge based on clear proof and indisputable evidence acquired by experience or experiment or by both. The Quran points to the rich sources of knowledge in the whole universe. Islam demands faith in Allah on the basis of knowledge and research and leaves wide open all field of thought before the intellect to penetrate as far it can reach.
   
• Personal Life: purity and cleanliness, a healthy diet, proper clothing, proper behaviour, and good healthy sexual relations within marriage.

• Family Life: A family is a human social group whose members are bound together by the bond of blood ties and/or marital relationship and nothing else (adoption, mutual alliance, common law, trial marriage...etc.). Marriage is a religious duty on all who are capable of meeting its responsibilities. Each member of the family has rights and obligations. 

• Social Life: Man is ordained by Allah to extend his utmost help and kindness to other family members, relations, servants and neighbours. No superiority on account of class, colour, origin or wealth. Humanity represents one family springing from the one and the same father and mother. The unity of the humanity is not only in its origin but also in its ultimate aims.

• Economical Life: Earning one's living through decent labour is not only a duty but a great virtue as well. Earning is man's private possession. The individual is responsible for the prosperity of the state and the state is responsible for the security of the individual. The Islamic economic system is not based on arithmetical calculations alne but also on moral and principles. Man comes to this world empty-handed and departs empty-handed. The real owner of things is Allah alone. Man is simply a trustee.

• Political Life: The sovereignty in the Islamic State belongs to Allah; the people exercise it by trust from Him to enforce His laws. The ruler is only an acting executive chosen by the people to serve them according to Allah's law. The State is to administer justice and provide security for all citizens. Rulers and administrators must be chosen from the best qualified citizens. If an administration betrays the trust of Allah and the people, it has to be replaced. Non-Muslim can administer their personal life of marriage, divorce, foods and inheritance according to the Islamic law or to their own religious teachings. They may pay Zakah or a different tax tributes "Jizyah". They are entitled to full protection and security of the State including freedom of religion.

• International Life: Man has a common origin, human status and aim. Other people's interests and right to life, honour and property are respected as long as the right of Muslim are in tact. Transgression is forbidden. War is only justified if the state security is endangered. During war, destruction of crops, animals and homes, killing non-fighting women, children and aged people are forbidden.