|
Click
here if you would like to Contribute or send a feedback.
Click
here to learn more about traditions of Muslim community.
Islam
means peace, peace derived by the submission to the will
of God. This was the religion, which was preached by all
the prophets. Prejudices, interpretation and convenience
changed this one religion to many 'isms'. Prophet, the last
amongst the last messengers, lifted veils from the prejudices,
corrected the misinterpretations, criticized the conveniences
and presented the religion in its pristine.  Welcome
to the Page on Islam. OurKarnataka.Com (OKC) believes in all
religions and we would like our visitors to take a look at
all the religions first hand before jumping into conclusions
like this religion (or that religion) is full of fanatics
and hence responsible for all the world problems.
OurKarnataka.Com (OKC) thanks Mohammad, Mysore for
contributing to this section. Mohammad is pursuing his
Bachelor's degree in Mahajanas College, Mysore. Born to H M Abdul Ghani and Mrs.Fatima,
he likes to sing and play chess. Mohammad aims to be a
honest and successful businessman and wants to improve
the business his poor father has started.
Islam
and Secularism - 14
Throughout
the world today there is increasing emphasis on harmonious
coexistence of different religious faiths and Islam had
inculcated this spirit from the very beginning of revelation
of the Qur'an. he
doctrine that religion and politics can not be separated in
Islam is a later historical construct rather than the
Qur'anic doctrine. It is human construct rather than the
Qur'anic doctrine. Read
On
Islam
and Secularism - 13
But
it will be naïve to blame Islam for this. One has to look
into the political history of the country rather than search
for its causes in to Islamic doctrines. Islamic doctrines do
not nurture any concept of absolutism as perhaps no other
religion does. In fact the Qur'an's emphasis is on
consultation (Shura), and even the Prophet used to consult
his companions in secular matters. Read
On
Islam
and Secularism - 12
Islamic
societies, however, found it more challenging to adopt
change and adjust to it smoothly. Many sociologists ascribe
this resistance to change inherent to the teachings of
Islam. This, however, is not true. No religion including
Islam is prone or opposed to change. The causes of
resistance to change lie in the society, not in religion. In
fact most of the Muslim societies were led by feudal lords
and failed to produce modern bourgeois class. Read
On
Islam
and Secularism - 11
Qur'an
and Hadith then were the main sources of law. But in secular
matters like building up institutions like army or police or
bureaucracy, they did not hesitate to borrow concepts form
other sources like roman or Persian. Thus Hazrat Umar
borrowed the concept of Diwan (i.e. maintaining records of
salaries to a paid army and bureaucracy). Similarly the
Caliphs were called upon to legislate on matters like land
ownership, Read
On
Islam
and Secularism - 10
In
Medina the Prophet (PBUH) laid the framework of governance
through what is known as Mithaq-e-Madina (Covenant of
Medina). This Covenant also basically respects tribal
customs to which adherents of Judaism, Islam and pre-Islamic
idol worshippers belonged. Each tribe, along with the
religious tradition it belonged to, be treated as an
autonomous unit in the Covenant.. Read
On
Islam
and Secularism - 9
Is
Islam compatible with secularism? This question is quite
important in the present context, particularly in 21st
century. Both non - Muslims and orthodox Muslims feel that
Islam is not compatible with secularism. Fundamentalist
Muslims totally reject secularism as anti - Islamic and
haram. Maulana Maududi, founder of Jammat - e - Islami- e -
Hind had said, while leaving for Pakistan in 1948, that
those who participated in secular politics were raising flag
of revolt against Allah and his Messenger. The Saudi Ulama
too denounce secularism as strictly prohibited in Islamic
tradition. Read
On
Know
about Islam - 8
Islam gives two important bases to unite mankind into one
brotherhood. The entire mankind is related spiritually to
one another because it shares the spirit of same God who is
its creator. It also shares a sanguineous relationship with
one another by virtue of being the descendent of the same
Adam and Eve. The ethnic and linguistic differences, which
divide us into communities and tribes, are only a sign of
identification and should not be given any more importance
beyond this, says Quran. The religious differences, which
are dividing our societies, are a creation of our own, and
have crept in because of the inability of our ancestors to
accept and safeguard the message of prophets as it was
delivered to them. Read
On
Know
about Islam - 7
Minorities enjoy equal rights in an Islamic society and
their obligations are much less because they don't have to
lay their lives in its defense. They enjoy the right to
practice their religion, their personal laws, and their
vocations. The only two rights that are denied to minorities
are the right to participate in the legislative process and
the right to propagate their religion. If we are not
prejudiced against Islam we should be able to understand the
logic behind the denial of these rights. An Islamic Country
is an ideological entity demanding allegiance to the rules
laid down by God and as His Messenger. Read
On
Know
about Islam - 6
Quran describes Muslims as Middle
Nation (2:143), and a community of those who invite for
goodness (3: 04), God ordered Prophet to avoid extremes
(7:29). A person who does not adhere to moderation, and does
not propagate good, is not a true Muslim even if he has a
claim to Islamic brotherhood. The wars that Quran advocates
are the wars to root out corruption and establish good
(8:39). Any war that does not accomplish these objectives
cannot be justified, let alone be attributed to Islam. Quran
says that if Muslims are given power in the land, they
establish justice. Those who terrorize the innocent can't
justify their fight as a fight in the cause of Islam,
because terrorizing the innocent is injustice and
un-Islamic. Read
On
Know
about Islam
- 5
Prophet
said that God has created this world and its provision for a
certain period of time (25:2). At the end of this period God
will destroy every thing and will bring every one back to
life, and present to them the records of their deeds and
will judge them based upon these records. He told us that if
we believe in God and behave well we would get a permanent
place in paradise. If we do not believe in God and behave
bad we will be put into hell fire permanently (39:68-70).
Read
On
Know
about Islam
- 4
The reason why
idolatry is loathed so much is, because it makes a person
dependent on objects and sense to perceive abstract
realities. The Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient God
with the magnificence of all his attributes, can't be
perceived by a mind that is limited by the vision and sense
of objects. Limited intelligence, and limited senses can't
perceive "The Unlimited and The Infinite". Whereas
Quran argues about absurdity of polytheism and idolatry at
length, it cautions believers from derogating the idols and
others, who people call beside God (6:108). Read
On Know
about Islam
- 3
Prophet said that he is an ordinary servant of God
who can't benefit himself from the good or save himself from
the bad except to the extent that God has ordained for him.
He told his daughter Fathima (RA), not to pin any hope to
the fact of her parentage in avoiding the Hell and getting a
place in paradise. Prophet was a teacher, a guide and a
comrade to his companions. He did every thing himself before
he asked his companions to follow. This unassuming stand
about himself, the appeal of his message, and the dint of
his character opened the heart and minds of many
good-natured Pagans, Christians, and Jews to the message of
Islam and prophet organized them into a community. Read
On
Know
about Islam - 2
Anyone who claims to be a prophet after prophet
is trying to boost his ego and deride the intellect of
mankind. What mankind needs now is not a prophet, but
interpreters who can interpret the message of Islam. Islam
being the religion of all times, this interpretation is
required from time to time to make it appealing to the
contemporary consciousness, and applicable to contemporary
realities. Mankind does not need another religion but truth,
and the truth is available to any person who studies Quran
without relegating his common sense to the dictate of his
prejudices. Read
On
Know
about Islam
- 1
Islam is not just a sermon on virtues for a
virtues living. It is an inspiration for establishment of a
virtues society. A person who claims his allegiance to the
faith of Islam should support virtue and renounce evil with
his hand, or with his words or in the least with his
conviction. This is an important injunction of Islam because
evil does not give way to virtue in any society, unless
virtues struggle to establish itself. Social pressure and
moral issues is an anathema to the societies founded on
liberalism. For this reason Islam is the most maligned
religion in the world. Read
On
Click
here to enter the Main Page of this section.
Click
here to learn more about traditions of Muslim community.
Click
here if you would like to Contribute or send a feedback.
| 
