In this section, you will find answers about some miscellaneous questions about Islam:
VAST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ISLAM AND THE ACTUAL PRACTICE OF MUSLIMS
WHY ARE MUSLIMS DIVIDED INTO SECTS / DIFFERENT SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT?
HEREAFTER - LIFE AFTER DEATH
DO MUSLIMS WORSHIP THE KAABA?
IS THE QUR'AN SATAN'S HANDIWORK?
VAST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ISLAM AND THE ACTUAL PRACTICE OF MUSLIMS
Question:
If Islam is the best religion, why are many of the Muslims dishonest, unreliable, and involved in activities such as cheating, bribing, dealing in drugs, etc.?
Answer:
1. The media maligns Islam.
a. Islam is without doubt the best religion but the media is in the hands of the westerners who are
afraid of Islam. The media is continuously broadcasting and printing information against Islam. They either provide misinformation about Islam, misquote Islam or project a point out of proportion, if any.
b. When any bomb blasts take place anywhere, the first people to be accused without proof are invariably the Muslims. This appears as headlines in the news. Later, when they find that non-Muslims were responsible, it appears as an insignificant news item.
c. If a 50 year old Muslim marries a 15 year old girl after taking her permission, it appears on the front page but when a 50 year old non- Muslim rapes a 6 year old girl, it may appear in the news in the inside pages as 'Newsbriefs'. Everyday in America on an average 2,713 cases of rape take place but it doesn't appear in the news, since it has become a way of life for the Americans.
2. Black sheep in every community.
I am aware that there are some Muslims who are dishonest, unreliable, who cheat, etc. but the media projects this as though only Muslims are involved in such activities. There are black sheep in every community. I know Muslims who are alcoholics and who can drink more than non-Muslims.
3. Muslims are best as a whole:
Inspite of all the black sheep in the Muslim community, Muslims taken on the whole, yet form the best community of tee-totallers as a whole, i.e. those who don't imbibe alcohol. Collectively, we are a community which gives the most charity in the world. There is not a single person in the world who can even show a candle to the Muslims where modesty is concerned; where sobriety is concerned; where human values and ethics are concerned.
4. Don't judge a car by its driver:
If you want to judge how good is the latest model of the "Mercedes" car and a person who does not know how to drive sits at the steering wheel and crashes the car, who will you blame? The car or the driver? But naturally, the driver. To analyze how good the car is, a person should not look at the driver but see the ability and features of the car. How fast is it, what is its average fuel consumption, what are the safety measures, etc. Even if I agree for the sake of argument that the Muslims are bad, we can't judge Islam by its followers. If you want to judge Islam, then do so according to its authentic sources, i.e. the Qur'an and the Sahih (right) Hadith.
5. Judge Islam by its best follower i.e. Prophet Mohammed (pbuh):
If you practically want to check how good a car is, put an expert driver behind the steering wheel. Similarly the best and the most exemplary follower of Islam by whom you can check how good Islam is, is the last and final messenger of God, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
Besides Muslims, there are several honest and unbiased non-Muslim historians who acclaimed that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was the best human being. According to Michael H. Hart who wrote the book, 'The Hundred Most Influential Men in History', the topmost position, i.e. the number one position goes to the beloved Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (pbuh). There are several such examples of non-Muslims paying great tributes to the Prophet, like Thomas Carlyle, La- Martine, etc.
WHY ARE MUSLIMS DIVIDED INTO SECTS / DIFFERENT SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT?
Question:
When Muslims follow one and the same Qur'an, then why are there so many sects and different schools of thoughts among Muslims?
Answer:
1. Muslims should be united.
It is a fact that Muslims today are divided amongst themselves. The tragedy is that such divisions are not endorsed by Islam at all. Islam believes in fostering unity amongst its followers.
The Glorious Qur'an says:
"And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves;" [Al-lmran 3:103]
All Muslims should follow the Qur'an and authentic Ahadith (sayings of prophet Muhammad) and be not divided among themselves.
2. It is prohibited to make sects and divisions in Islam.
The Glorious Qur'an says:
"As for those who divide the religion and break up Into sects, thou hast No part in them in the least: their affair is with Allah: He will in the end tell them the truth of all that they did." [AI-An'am 6:159)
In this verse, Allah (swt) says that one should disassociate oneself from those who divide their religion and break it up into sects.
But when one asks a Muslim, "What are you?", the common answer is either 'I am a Sunni, or 'I am Shia'. Some call themselves Hanafi, or Shafi or Maliki or Hanbali. Some say 'I am a Deobandi', while some others say 'I am a Barelvi'.
3. Our Prophet was a Muslim.
One may ask such Muslims, "What was our beloved prophet (pbuh)? Was he a Hanafi or a Shafi, or a Hanbali or a Maliki?" No! He was a Muslim, like all the other prophets and messengers of Allah before him.
It is mentioned in chapter 3 verse 52 of Al-Qur'an that Jesus (pbuh) was a Muslim. Further, in chapter 3 verse 67, Al-Qur'an says that Ibrahim (pbuh) was not a Jew or a Christian but was a Muslim.
4. Qur'an says call yourselves Muslim.
a. If anyone poses a Muslim the question what are you, he should say "I am a MUSLIM, not a Hanafi or a Shan". Surah Fussilat chapter 41 verse 33 says;
"Who is better in speech than one who calls (men) to Allah, works righteousness,
and says, I am of those who bow in Islam (Muslim)?" (Fussilat 41:33]
The Qur'an says "Say, I am of those who bow in Islam". In other words, say, "I am a Muslim".
b. The Prophet (pbuh) dictated letters to non-Muslim kings and rulers inviting them to accept Islam. In these letters, he mentioned the verse of the Qur'an from Surah Ali Imran chapter 3 verse 64:
Say ye: "Bear witness that we (at least) are Muslims (bowing to Allah's Will)." [AI-Imran 3:64]
5. Respect all the Great Scholars of Islam.
We must respect all the great scholars of Islam, including the four Imams, Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Shafi, Imam Hanbal and Imam Malik (may Allah be pleased with them all). They were great scholars and may Allah reward them for their research and hard work.
One can have no objection if someone agrees with the views and research of Imam Abu Hanifa or Imam Shafi, etc. But when posed the question, 'what are you?', the reply should only be 'I am a Muslim'.
6. Some may argue by quoting the hadith (saying of prophet Muhammad) of our beloved Prophet from Sunan Abu Dawood Hadith No. 4579. In this hadith the Prophet (pbuh) is reported to have said, "My community will be split up into seventy-three sects."
This hadith reports that the Prophet predicted the emergence of seventy-three sects. He did not say that Muslims should be active in dividing themselves into sects. The Qur'an commands us not to create sects. Those who follow the teachings of the Qur'an and Sahih Hadith, and do not create sects are the people who are on the true path.
According to Tirmidhi Hadith No. 171, the prophet (pbuh) is reported to have said, "My Umma will be fragmented into seventy-three sects, and all of them will be in Hellfire except one sect." The companions asked Allah's messenger which group that would be. When upon he replied, "It is the one to which I and my companions belong."
The Qur'an mentions in several verses, "Obey Allah and obey His messenger". A true Muslim should only follow the Qur'an and the Sahih Hadith. He can agree with the views of any scholar as long as they conform to the teachings of the Qur'an and Sahih Hadith. If such views go against the Word of Allah, or the Sunnah of His Prophet, then they carry no weight, regardless of how learned the scholar might be.
If only all muslim read the Qur'an with understanding and adhere to Sahih Hadith, in-sha-Allah most of these differences would be resolved and we could be one united Muslim ummah.
HEREAFTER - LIFE AFTER DEATH
Question:
How can you prove the existence of the hereafter, i.e. life after death?
Answer:
1. Belief in the hereafter is not based on blind faith.
Many people wonder as to how a person with a scientific and logical mind, can lend any credence to the belief of life after death. People assume that anyone believing in the hereafter is doing so on the basis of blind belief.
My belief in the hereafter is based on a logical argument.
2. Hereafter a logical belief.
There are more than a thousand verses in the Glorious Qur'an, containing scientific facts (refer my book "Qur'an and Modern Science-Compatible or Incompatible?") Many facts mentioned in the Qur'an have been discovered in the last few centuries. But science has not advanced to a level where it can confirm every statement of the Qur'an.
Suppose 80% of all that is mentioned in
the Qur'an has been proved 100% correct. About the remaining 20%, science makes no categorical statement, since it has not advanced to a level, where it can either prove or disprove these statements. With the limited knowledge that we have, we cannot say for sure whether even a single percentage or a single verse of the Qur'an from this 20% portion is wrong.
Thus when 80% of the Qur'an is 100% correct and the remaining 20% is not disproved, logic says that even the 20% portion is correct. The existence of the hereafter, which is mentioned in the Qur'an, falls in the 20% ambiguous portion which my logic says is correct.
3. Concept of peace and human values is useless without the concept of hereafter.
Is robbing a good or an evil act?
A normal balanced person would say it is evil. How would a person who does not believe in the hereafter convince a powerful and influential criminal that robbing is evil?
Suppose I am the most powerful and influential criminal in the world. At the same time I am an intelligent and logical person. I say that robbing is good because it helps me lead a luxurious life. Thus robbing is good for me.
If anybody can put forward a single logical argument as to why it is evil for me, I will stop immediately. People usually put forward the following arguments:
a. The person who robbed will face difficulties.
Some may say that the person who is robbed will face difficulties. I certainly agree that it is bad for the person who is robbed. But it is good for me. If I rob a thousand dollars, I can enjoy a good meal at a 5 star restaurant.
b. Some one may rob you.
Some people argue that someday I may be robbed. No one can rob me because I am a very powerful criminal and I have hundreds of bodyguards. I can rob anybody but nobody can rob me. Robbing may be a risky profession for a common man but not for an influential person like me.
c. The police may arrest you.
Some may say, if you rob, you can be arrested by the police. The police cannot arrest me because I have the police on my payroll. I have the ministers on my payroll. I agree that if a common man robs, he will be arrested and it will be bad for him, but I am an extraordinarily influential and powerful criminal.
Give me one logical reason why it is bad for me and I will stop robbing.
d. It is easy money.
Some may say its easy money and not hard-earned money. I agree completely that it is easy money, and that is one of the main reasons why I rob. If a person has the option of earning money the easy way as well as the hard way, any logical person will choose the easy way.
e. It is against humanity.
Some may say it is against humanity and that a person should care for other human beings. I counter argue by asking as to who wrote this law called 'humanity' and why should I follow it?
The law may be good for the emotional and sentimental people but I am a logical person and I see no benefit in caring for other human beings.
f. It is a selfish act.
Some may say that robbing is being selfish. It is true that robbing is a selfish act; but then why should I not be selfish? It helps me enjoy life.
1. No logical reason for robbing being an evil act.
Hence, all arguments that attempt to prove that robbing is an evil act are futile. These arguments may satisfy a common man but not a powerful and influential criminal like me. None of the arguments can be defended on the strength of reason and logic. It is no surprise that there are so many criminals in this world.
Similarly, raping, cheating etc. can be justified as good for a person like me and there is no logical argument that can convince me that these things are bad.
2. A Muslim can convince a powerful and influential criminal.
Now let us switch sides. Suppose you are the most powerful and influential criminal in this world, who has the police and the ministers on his payroll. You have army of thugs to protect you. I am a Muslim who will convince you that robbing, raping, cheating, etc. are evil acts.
Even if I put forth the same arguments to prove that robbing is evil the criminal will respond the same way as he did earlier.
I agree that the criminal is being logical and all his arguments are true only when he is the most powerful and influential criminal.
3. Every human being wants justice.
Each and every human being desires justice. Even if he does not want justice for others he wants justice for himself. Some people are intoxicated by power and influence and inflict pain and suffering on others. The same people, however, would surely object if some injustice was done to them.
The reason such people become insensitive to the suffering of others is that they worship power and influence, which they feel, not only allows them to inflict injustice on others but also prevent others from doing likewise to them.
4. God is Most Powerful and Just.
As a Muslim I would convince the criminal about the existence of Almighty God (refer to answer proving the existence of God). This God is more powerful than you and at the same time is also just. The Glorious Qur'an says:
"Allah is never unjust in the least degree" [An-Nisaa' 4:40]
5. Why does God punish me?
The criminal, being a logical and scientific person, agrees that God exists, after being presented with scientific facts from the Qur'an. He may argue as to why God, if He is Powerful and Just, does not punish him.
6. The person who has suffered injustice, irrespective of financial or social status, almost certainly wants the perpetrator of injustice to be punished. Every normal person would like the robber or the rapist to be taught a lesson.
Though a large number of criminals are punished, many even go scot-free. They lead a pleasant, luxurious life, and even enjoy a peaceful existence.
If injustice is done to a powerful and influential person, by someone more powerful and more influential than he, even such a person, would want that person who was the perpetrator of injustice, to be punished.
7. This life is a test for the hereafter.
The Glorious Qur'an says:
"He who created Death and life that He may try which of you Is best in deed; and He is the Exalted
In Might, Oft-Forgiving" [Al-Mulk 67:2]
8. Final justice is on day of judgment.
The Glorious Qur'an says:
"Every soul shall have a taste of death: and only on the Day Of Judgement shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained The object (of life): for the life of this world is but goods and chattels Of deception" [Al-Imran 3:185]
Final justice will be meted out on the Day of Judgement. After a person dies, he will be resurrected on the Day of Judgement along with the rest of mankind. It is possible that a person receives part of his punishment in this world. The final reward and punishment will only be in the hereafter.
God Almighty may not punish a robber or a rapist in this world but he will surely be held accountable on the Day of Judgment and will be punished in the hereafter i.e. life after death.
9. What punishment can the human law give Hitler?
Hitler incinerated six million Jews during his reign of terror. Even if the police had arrested him, what punishment could the human law have given Hitler for justice to prevail? The most they could have done was to send Hitler to the gas chamber.
But that would have only been punishment for the killing of one Jew. What about the remaining five million, nine hundred and ninety-nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine Jews?
10. Allah can burn Hitler more than six million times in hellfire.
Allah says in the Glorious Qur'an:
"Those who reject Our signs, We shall soon cast into the Fire; as often as their skins are roasted through, We shall change them For fresh skins, that they may taste the penalty: for Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise” [An-Nisaa’4:56]
If Allah wishes He can incinerate Hitler six million times in the hereafter in the hellfire.
11. There is no concept of human values of good and bad without concept of the hereafter.
It is clear that without convincing a person about the hereafter, i.e. life after death, the concept of human values and the good or evil nature of acts is impossible to prove to any person who is doing injustice especially when he is influential and powerful.
