What are advantages of Islam through the Islamic author?

Answer 1

IntroductionIslam is an Arabic word meaning peace, purity, obedience and submission (to the Will of God or Allah), and a Muslims is the believer who accepts God's sovereignty and completely surrenders himself or herself to His Law (called "Shari'ah" and based on Quran and Sunnah or the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad [pbuh]). All are equal before the Divine Law without any distinction of colour and sex. No critical reader can fail to miss the point made here. Islam gives guidance on many important matters and aspects of human relations on which Christianity is silent. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) completed what was left incomplete by Jesus Christ, the Messiah, son of Mary, revived by a fresh and final revelation (Quran) and perfected to coverall aspects of human actions and relations and to give guidance to the people of all times and nations. It is in short, a Universal Religion. Islam is the truth expresses in a simple and direct way, and consequently has a tremendous appeal to any sincere and rational mind. It is a solution to all the problems of life, and a guide towards a better, contented happy and peaceful life. Islam is the religion of peace as you shall see from the following merits, advantages, virtues, balance of mind or moderation, ease and grace not found in others: Contents at a Glance

1. Reasons Why Islam and Not Other Ideologi...

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Reasons Why Islam and Not Other Ideologies?1. Islam Meant for the World:

Jesus came only for the children of Israel (Matthew 15 : 24) and not for the Gentiles (Matthew 10 : 5, 6) but Muhammad (pbuh) was a world prophet, a mercy to all the nations (Quran 21 : 107), and a messenger of God to you all, O mankind (Quran 7 : 158).

2. No "Chosen" People in Islam:

Christianity believes that the Israelites are a "chosen" people and acknowledges the prophets of Israel only. Only Muslims are broad-minded enough to accept the prophets and scriptures of all nations (see Quran, 35 : 24, 10 : 48, 40 : 78, 2 : 213 and 2 : 136). Unity of God, unity of mankind, and unity of all races and creeds in a single all-embracing Faith and Brotherhood is the teaching of Islam alone.

3. Finality and Perfection of the Message, Complete Guidance, and Islam a Complete Way of Life:

Jesus Christ himself admitted that he had not come with the final or complete Divine message for the time was not yet ripe for it and someone else after him will guide you into all truth (John 16 : 12, 13). He was Muhammad (pbuh), the last and final Prophet and the Quran (5 : 3) says: "This day I perfected your religion for you and completed my favour unto you, and have chosen for you Islam as the religion". Islam alone gives guidance in all walks of life: individual and social, material and moral, economic and political, legal and cultural, national and international, private and others, purification of the soul and the reformation and the reconstruction of society on the eternal and all-embracing principles set forth in the Quran and the life example of Muhammad (pbuh) {Sunnah}. Islam alone gives complete guidance concerning a man's relationship with God (as in worship or 'Ibaadah'), or a man's relationship with his fellow-man (as in business or Ma'amilah), or a man's relationship with his society (as in a way of life or Ma'ashirah), or a man's relationship with himself (as in morals, Tasawwuf, Akhlaq and Islamic Mysticism), or the deeds of one's heart (belief or 'Aqaid) and body, etc. It is not possible for the Christians to produce such a complete book for the public providing definite guidelines in all walks of life.

4. Balance Between Individualism and collectivism in Islam:

A unique feature of Islam is that it neither neglects the individual nor the society but establishes harmony and balance between the two assigning to each its proper role and creating the spirit of cooperation and collaboration among the individuals which forms the basis of the positive social structure of the Muslim community and society. Islam believes in the individual personality of man and holds everyone personally responsible and accountable to God. No mediator, no priesthood, no confession to a priest, no dying for the sins of others, etc in Islam. Islam guaranteed fundamental rights to the individual and does not permit anyone to tamper with them. Man must not lose his individuality in the collective social life or in the state but properly develop the personality according to Sunnah (Quran 13 : 12). The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has said: "The example of believers in their mutual affection and mercy on each other is that of the body : when an aspect of it complains, all the other organs sympathise with it by fever and by remaining awake", "He is not a believer who takes his fill while his neighbour starves", and "He who has extra food should give it to those who have no 'food', etc. Congregational prayers, Zakat (charity), good treatment of neighbours, generosity with guests, doing good to blood relations, extension of loan, helping people out of their distresses truthfulness and prohibition of lying, back-biting, calumny, false charges, false witness, false oaths, confiscation of other's property, etc.are virtues leading to happy social life and the miraculous wide-spread of Islam in a remarkably short interval of time.

5. Unity of Matter and Spirit:

Unlike Christianity, Islam does not stand for life-denial or asceticism but for life-fulfillment regarding life as a unity where you live piously according to Shari'ah and Sunnah without renouncing the world. Thus, ther is no separation between "matter" and "spirit", "material and moral", "mundane" and "spiritual" and everything that the Shari'ah does not forbid is permissible, and with the good intent of the pleasure of Allah all life-activities of a Muslim can be a source of piety and closeness to Allah. Islam teaches: "Our Lord! Give us the good in this world and the good in the hereafter" (Quran 2 : 201), "Eat and drink but exceed not the limits" (Quran 7 : 31), "...for your body has a right over you, and your eyes have a right over you, and your wife has a right over you..." (Hadith)

6. Universalism and Humanism in Islam:

Islam id international in its outlook and approach, and addresses the conscience of humanity and banishes all false barriers of race, status and wealth. The message of Islam is for the entire human race (see Quran 1 : 1, 7 : 158, 25 : 1, 21 : 102 for Universalism and Humanism). Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: "All creatures of God form the family of God and he is the best loved of God who loves best His creatures" (Hadith).

7. Islam, a Revealed Religion and Not a Man-made System:

The Islamic ideology is based on revelation (Quran and Hadith) and hence without weaknesses, loop-holes, imperfections and contradictions. Quran is in Arabic, the text is absolutely pure, and the whole world has failed to meet the challenge of writing even a verse like it. If you are asked in the West to explain the conduct of the the rulers in a Muslim State, tell them politely and clearly that you are wrong in assuming the Islam is that which Muslims practice! Quran is the only Divine Book that has not undergone any change with time whatsoever.

8. Simplicity, Rationalism and Practicalism in Islam:

Islam is a simple, rational, intelligible, moderate, reasonable and practical religion. It has no myths, no superstition, no irrational beliefs and dogmas, no priesthood, and no life-denial. Islam (and not Christianity) awakens in man the faculty of reason, inculcates the spirit of inquisitiveness and exhorts him to use his intellect to see things in the light of reality. "To seek knowledge is obligatory on every Muslim, male or female" said Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh). Quran tells us to keep praying for more and more knowledge (Quran 20 : Verse 114), and that those who are ignorant or bad and those who are knowledgeable and pious cannot be equal (Quran 39 : Verse 9, 7 : 179, 6 :98 & 99, 2 : 260, 2 : 30, etc.). Islamic faith is the very mainspring of life and Islam is a practical religion which does not indulge in idle speculations and futile theorisations or mere-lip service. Keep in mind that "God does not appreciate mere belief, if it is not manifested through deeds, and God does not accept a deed, if it does not agree with the belief" (Hadith).

9. Women and Chastity In Islam:

Jesus said or did nothing to humanize the Mosaic laws of war or to abolish slavery or to raise the status of women or to restrict the existing polygamy. In Christianity, woman is a temptress, blamed for the fall of man and the genesis of (original) sin (as in Timothy 2 : 11 & 14 ; I Corinthians 11 : 8 & 10). St. John Damascene, a canonized saint of Christianity says: "Woman is the daughter of Falsehood, a sentinel of Hell, the enemy of peace; through her Adam lost Paradise". On the other hand, Islam rejected "Original sin", cleared woman, vindicated her honour and dignity, raised her status to make her man's equal, exalted her position and impressed the sacredness of womanhood (Quran 2 : Verse 228, 9 : 71, 16 : 89, 33 : 35) and (Hadith: "Women are the twin halves of men" and "Paradise lies at the feet of the mother" says the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).)Fourteen hundred years ago, Islam gave woman for the first time the right to inheritance of the property and wealth of her father and husband and to acquire, own and dispose of wealth as she wished. Without these economic rights, she had no true freedom and dignity (Quran 4 : Verse 7 & 32). Quran further describes (Quran 30 : Verse 21) woman as a companion of her husband, an object of love and source of peace and solace to him (as he is to her), an equal and free partner (in sacred contract of marriage with the consent of both). No other religion contains the injunctions about the prevention and restraint of the carnal desires, evil instincts and worldly pleasures and about the protection of the chastity and character of women as are found in Islam: Dress decently, modestly (with only the face and hands open). Be never alone with a man, boy-friend or girl-friend in a room or private place. Do not play music because it leads to sex and so does alcohol which takes away the faculty of reason and is prohibited in Islam.

10. Muhammad (pbuh) and Jesus (also known as 'Isa' in Islam)

As a matter of fact, Jesus said or did nothing to free the slaves or even to improve their lot. Islam took the following concrete steps for the total abolition of existing slavery: kind and brotherly treatment, same food, same clothing, work not beyond their power to perform and that "your slaves are your brethren" (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith); righteousness "to set slaves free" (Quran 2 : Verse 177, 90 : 12 to 17); prohibition of enslaving a free man as Gog will be his adversary on the day of judgment (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith); and finally, Allah's command not only to give freedom to the slaves but also some money to rehabilitate them (Quran 24 : 33).

11. Political System and Constitution in Islam:

Unlike Christianity, there is no separation of religion and politics in Islam. Islam ensures social justice and international peace by bringing political, economic and international relations and affairs under the control of religion or ethics and by defining the basic duties of the individual towards the state and of the state towards the individual and of one State towards another State, as for example:

1. The sovereignty of the State rests with God and God's law (Shari'a based on the Quran and Sunnah) enunciated the rights of mankind without distinction of race and colour, without majority brutalityover minorities or shortsighted decisions of legislators or parliamentarians or the rule of any dominant economic class, or any particular territory or any particular race and without any need for amendments, alterations nor showing any sign of weakness as to its stability and constitution (Quran 3 : Verse 26).

2. All men are equal before law and in the sight of God. They have equal political rights and the same law applies to all.

3. All public offices, including that of the president, prime minister, king or caliph are trusts from God whom the people have a right to remove if he fails to carry on the administration according to the commands of God, the sovereign, and in the best interests of the people.

4. Government must be by consent and consultation (Quran 3 : Verse 159, 42 : 38),which is true democracy brought into existence by Islam in which there is no discrimination on the basis of race or colour, or sex or creed. The Western Christian countries have yet to learn and to practice the Islamic Law of Justice. The judicial and criminal system of Islam is fully responsible for maintenance of public peace and order. The honour and chastity of our women in Islamic States is safe and there is no danger to our property and the crime rate is negligible to law (as compared with the West), thanks to the Islamic Shari'ah and the Law of the Quran.

12. Economic System and Distribution of Wealth in Islam:

The Islamic objects are:

1. The establishment of a practicable system of economy which (unlike Communism) without using any compulsion or force, allows every individual to function in a normal way according to his ability, his aptitude and his own choice and liking.

2. Enabling everyone to get what is rightfully due to him. In Islam (unlike Capitalism and Communism) "wealth" is in principle the property of Allah Himself who has made obligatory as legitimate sharers in wealth, the poor, the helpless, the needy, the destitute and the like who too have a right to wealth (Quran 70 : Verse 24 to 25, 6 : 142).

3. Eradicating the concentration of wealth (unlike Capitalism) so that money or property on inheritance or else should not become concentrated in a few hands (Quran 59 : Verse 7), Islam checks the exploitation of man by man but does not totally abolish private property or enterprise but does clearly stop monopoly, blackmarketing , hoarding and interest (riba) or usury (Quran 2 : Verse 275).

Islam recommends you to advance loan without interest to others when they need it. The creed of usury takes undue advantage of the miseries and needs of the needy when you increase your wealth (illegally) by advancing loan on interest to them without any work or labour, thereby increasing greed of wealth which in turn teaches many more ways of dishonesty an fraud. For the benefit of the poor, in addition to "Khairat" or voluntary charity, Islam imposes 2.5% tax on the annual savings of the rich, called "Zakaat". The Islamic laws of inheritance make the concentration of wealth in few hands impossible. Islam tells us not to judge people by their financial and social status but look at their higher morals and greater participation in the acts of mercy in the way of God. In an Islamic State, even if any non-Muslim is unable to earn livelihood, he has "social security" to be maintained from the "Bait-ul-Maal" or public treasury.

13. Tolerance and Religious Freedom in Islam:

Islam enjoins equal faith in the founders of all the great religions of the world and the Quran (2 : 256) says: "there is no compulsion in religion". Islam has ordained justice, equality and mutual respect in inter-religious affairs and relations and has made it possible the subjugation and exploitation of one man by another or one nation by another. In the Islamic social order, no individual or religious community has the right to impose its own beliefs on others nor to restrict in any way the profession, preaching and practice by others of the religions of their own free choice.

14. Knowledge and Science in Islam and Christianity:

As a matter of fact, the Christians remained steeped in ignorance and uncivilized for more than a thousand years behind the Muslims and emerged from the right of ignorance and superstition only when the light of learning from the Muslim Universities penetrated the darkness of Europe and led to the Renaissance. Islam, unlike Christianity, makes the use of reason and acquisition of knowledge a duty of the faithful and the believer: "The acquisition of knowledge is a duty incumbent on every Muslim, male and female" or "Go in quest of knowledge even unto China" or "The ink of a scholar is more holy than the blood of a martyr" or that "God has not created anything better than reason or anything more perfect or more beautiful than reason,%u2026and God's wrath is caused by disregard of it" (Hadith). Islam encourages and gives the greatest possible impetus to scientific researches, investigations, projects, activities, and discoveries as a source of "Zikrullah" or God's remembrance and as "signs for people who have sense" (Quran 2 : Verse 164, 16 : 12).

15. Unity and Universal Brotherhood of Mankind in Islam:

The Islamic belief in the unity of mankind (irrespective of race, colour, nationality, language or sex but with righteousness, piety and good conduct being the only mark of superiority as in the Quran {49 : 13, 2 : 213, 3 : 103}) is the result of the Islamic belief in the unity of God. On the occasion of his last pilgrimage, the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) declared: "No Arab has superiority over any non-Arab, and no non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; no black person has any superiority over a white person and no white person has any superiority over a black person". The criterion of honour in the sight of God is righteousness or piety and honest living. The united brotherhood of Islam transcends all geographical and political barriers and unites all human beings in love and sympathy as brothers.

16. Sound Reason and Right Understanding in Islam:

The principles and rules of Islam are according to sound reason, right understanding and true nature and whenever any person raised any objection, our 'Ulema (learned men) gave a convincing, logical and complete answer to it. The distinctive characteristics of Islam as a world religion are its simplicity, its explicitness and its highly realistic attitude towards human problems, leaning neither towards excessive optimism nor excessive pessimism and enjoining moderation and balance of mind in all things. Islam rejects the Christian doctrine of Original Sin, and maintains that all men and women are born completely innocent and it is only by their own actions and deeds, that they acquire good or evil. There is also no clergy or priesthood in Islam and Muslims repent to God directly without any mediator for the forgiveness of any and all sins.

17. Rights and Duties in Islam:

Islam has given so thorough details of the obligations towards God, towards fellow human beings and other creatures the even a hundredth part of which is not to be found in any other religion.

18. Tasawwuf, Ethics, Social Behaviour and Manners in Islam:

No other religion contains even a shadow of the science of ethics, manners and Tasawwuf (Sufism) as derived from the Quran and Hadith in Islam. The purpose of all efforts and struggles, devotional exercises and practices, and the end of all moral reform and self-purification is simply as follows in Islam: obedience to all the obligations and duties of Shari'ah according to Sunnah easily and as a matter of habit, and the fulfillment of all the Islamic rights of Allah, of one's self, and of all the creatures of Allah. In these are the goods of this life and of the hereafter. According to the greatest Mujaddid or Renovator of Tasawwuf in Islam, Maulana Thanwi, the simple little thing which is the essence of Tasawwuf is, that in any act of obedience (or worship) when and where you feel laziness, take care of and win over laziness and do it; and similarly when and where you feel tempted to commit a sin or evil, control yourself and win over the temptation, and do not do it. To one who has developed this ability nothing further is needed because this very thing results is the aimed, desired and required close relationship with Allah as well as guarantees and increase it! One's relationship with oneself (Tasawwuf) can only improve with one's relationship with the society (manners and behaviour) as a Muslim is one by whose hands and tongue other Muslims are safe, protected and unharmed (Hadith), and the general public may not suffer at the hands of anyone. One's action, condition and behavior may not be in the least bit offensive, suppressive, annoying, displeasing, and injurious or trouble-some to others. "Muslim Unity and Progress " depends upon our being extremely humble and very kind and sweet to another Muslim, on being on time, on using our head (without being emotional), on consultation with 'Ulema and Mashaikh, etc. All these books are based on Quran and Hadith, the like of which cannot be produced by any other religion.

19. Quran is the gist of All the Divine Books:

According to Mujaddid Alf-Thani, Islam is the gist of the Shariats of the Prophets and the essence of wisdom of all the wisemen. Thereis not a single good and virtue which has not been enjoined and there is not a single evil and vicious act which has not been prohibited. Some angels are in prostration, some in bowing, some in standing and Islamic prayers (Salaat or Namaz) combines them all. To believe in Muhammad (pbuh) is to affirm all the Prophets, and to deny him is to deny all prophets.

20. Making Life Easy and Relieving From Burdens:

These were the hardships put by the lord on the children of Israel as a penalty, such as killing the killer (but Islam accepts a monetary recompensation), killing a man from repentance, cutting of organs of body which are utilized to commit a crime or a vice, etc. Quran tells us in the chapter 1 : Verse 185 and verse 286: "Allah desires ease for you. He does not desire hardship for you ".

22. Prohibition of Suicide and Hopelessness from God's Mercy in Islam:

If you are troubled by sins and bad deeds or worried by the lack or shortage of good deeds, then do not despair as the solution exists. Repent and ask God for forgiveness (as many times as needed) since God is always Forgiving and Merciful. Keep trying and try as much as you can but never think that you will go to paradise by your deeds but by Allah's mercy. Do not commit suicide for anything. Consult a Sheikh or a learned man. All forms of suicide or self-killing by whatever means are forbidden in Islam because suicide is a sign of despair and lack of surrender to Allah's will.

We have given some of our reasons as to why Islam and not other religions and ideologies? You have read the merits and advantages of Islam over Christianity. Now you know the reason of 57 Muslim countries, 1000 million Muslims in the world, and 1.5 million British Muslims today are reasoning with you: Why Not Islam? To be a Muslim, no ceremonies are required. All you have to do is to believe in Islam (in the Unity of God, all His Messengers and Muhammad (pbuh) the last one - there being no new prophet born after him - all His messages or Books - Quran the last one, His angels as His creatures and servants, the Day of Judgment, man's accountability for his deeds and actions and Life after Death). In your free time, always recite: Laa - Ilaaha - Illallah, Muhammadur - Rasoolullah (that there is no God or deity besides Allah, and Muhammad (pbuh) is the last messenger of Allah). Greet a Muslim by "Salaam " which means peace. Learn Islam by reading the books recommended above, practice what you learn and keep consulting Ulema and Mashaikh, and do not neglect your duty of Da'wah. Tableegh and propagation of faith and Islamic teachings. Take a Muslim name and declare your Islam

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