COMMON PRINCIPLES OF FAITH IN THE DIVINE FAITHS
COMMON PRINCIPLES OF FAITH IN THE DIVINE FAITHS
Humanity has forever reflected on and sought the answers to
such questions as; What is the meaning and purpose for my life?
What is the source of life? How can I find my and everything else's
Creator? What does the Lord require of me? What are right and wrong,
good and evil? Philosophers have developed their theories and
published their ideas, but the true answers are found only in the
divinely revealed religions and with divine guidance, because people's
intellect and knowledge are severely limited. The most accurate answers
to the above questions are to be found in the true religions sent down
by our Lord.
Allah has always guided humanity by sending His Messengers to
spread His revelations. Ever since the time of the Prophet Adam (pbuh),
the first human being, people have been informed of Allah's existence
and commands and have found the truest and wisest answers to their
questions in the divinely revealed religions.
It is necessary to reflect on an important subject here. Even
if true religions had different laws, according to their time and
environment, they have always contained the same beliefs and morality
and have transmitted the same fundamental principles (e.g., Allah's
existence, unity, and attributes; the purpose and reason for humanity's
and all other beings' creation; how to serve Allah; the ideal
character, way of life, and conduct; the definitions of good and evil,
right and wrong; and how to prepare for the eternal life in the
Hereafter.)
A great part of the world's population follows Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam. The Jews' book of revelation, which consists
of 39 books, is known as the Torah. The first five books are parts of
the Torah revealed to the Prophet Moses (pbuh). The remaining books are
thought to be revelations sent to Prophets after him or accounts
written about them. The word "Torah" is also used to refer to the whole
of the Torah, and that is the sense in which the word is used in this
book.
The Gospel is the holy book of the Christians and consists of
both the Torah and the Gospel, which contains four books, a collection
of letters, and a vision (Revelations). Although Judaism as well as
Christianity have suffered degeneration over time the essentials of
many beliefs and moral values belonging the true faith have been
preserved. The identification of the common beliefs and values among
the scriptures of the three revealed faiths will bring Jews,
Christians, and Muslims closer to one another and enable them to know
each other better. This will also provide the necessary framework for an
alliance between genuine believers in Allah.
In our present era, Christians, Jews, and Muslims know each
other only through hearsay acquired from family and friends or various
media outlets. These sources often contain incorrect information or
opinions. Of course, if one wants accurate information, he or she
should consult the religion's texts: the Torah, the Gospel, and the
Qur'an. In the coming pages, we will provide each religion's principles
of faith and codes of conduct in order to examine their common
principles of faith. As we shall see, these common principles reveal
that the real ideological battle should not be fought among the three
divinely revealed religions, but between them and Darwinist,
materialist and atheist ideologies.
Allah Is the Creator of Everything
Everything we see around us, from the cells of our bodies to the endless galaxies, was created by Allah out of nothing. The perfection in every detail of the universe, its spectacular artistry and faultless order, are proofs of His creation. The following verses reveal that Allah created everything without precedent and gave everything its order and measure:
He to Whom the kingdom of the heavens and the earth belongs. He does not have a son and He has no partner in the Kingdom. He created everything and determined it most exactly. (Surat Al-Furqan: 2)
...He created all things and He has knowledge of all things. That is Allah, your Lord. There is no god but Him, the Creator of everything. So worship Him. He is responsible for everything. (Surat Al An'am: 101-102)
.. the Originator of the heavens and earth. When He decides on something, He just says to it, 'Be!' and it is. (Surat Al-Baqara: 117)
The same facts are revealed in the Gospel:
Allah, Who made heaven and Earth and sea and everything in
them. (Acts, 14: 15)
In the sight of Allah, Who gives life to everything.. I charge
you. (1 Timothy, 6: 13)
For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on
earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or
authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before
all things, and in Him all things hold together. (Colossians, 1: 16-17)
The God who made the world and everything in it, he who is Lord
of heaven and earth.. (Act, 17: 24)
When they heard it, they raised their voices together to God and
said, 'Sovereign Lord, Who made the heaven and the earth, the sea, and
everything in them.. (Acts 4: 24)
The Torah also reveals that Allah created everything from nothing:
The Maker of heaven and Earth, the sea, and everything in
them – the Lord, who remains faithful forever. (Psalm, 146: 6)
In the beginning Allah created the heavens and the Earth.
(Genesis, 1: 1)
.. You are the Lord, You alone; You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. To all of them You give life, and the host of heaven worships You.... (Nehemiah, 9: 6)
Allah Is the Only God
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Muslims believe that there is no deity besides Allah, Who creates everything from nothing and creates it faultlessly and perfectly, is great and supreme, knows the essence and the secrets of everything, is eternal and infinite, was neither born nor gives birth, is free from all faults and imperfections, is alive, knows everything, has power over everything, is most exalted, governs, is all powerful, and protects and forgives. Everything that exists in the heavens and on Earth has surrendered to Him and testifies to His existence. Allah reveals that there is no other deity besides Him:
He is Allah. There is no deity but Him. Praise be to Him in this world and the Hereafter. Judgment belongs to Him. You will be returned to Him. (Surat Al-Qasas: 70)
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Your God is One Allah. There is no deity but
Him, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. (Surat Al-Baqara: 163)
Allah bears witness that there is no deity but Him, as do the
angels and the people of knowledge, upholding justice. There is no deity
but Him, the Almighty, the All-Wise. (Surah Al 'Imran: 18)
The Torah also states this fact in many passages, some of which are given below:
.. so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other. (1.Kings, 8: 60)
This is what the Lord says: "I am the first and the last; apart from Me there is no god." (Isaiah, 44: 6)
Turn to Me and be saved, all you ends of Earth; for I am God, and there is no other. (Isaiah, 45: 22)
Many passages in the Gospel state this same fact: ... it is written: "Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only." (Matthew, 4: 10)
... O, the Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.'" (Mark, 12: 29-30)
You are right in saying that God is One and there is no other but Him. (Mark, 12: 32)
To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (1.Timothy, 1: 17)
You believe that God is One; you do well. Even the demons believe - and shudder. (James, 2: 19)
Jesus answered, 'The first is, "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is One;" ' (Mark, 12: 29)
Allah Is All-Powerful
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All people are dependent beings with faults and shortcomings. Confined to time and space, they can continue to exist only by the will of Allah, Who has created time, space, humanity, and everything else. He is beyond fault and imperfection, supreme and exalted, and nothing can happen if He does not will it to happen. Unless Allah wills it, no leaf can fall to the ground and no woman can conceive or give birth. Allah knows every secret and everything, whether visible or invisible. Given that He is above everything and therefore has infinite and supreme power, no force or thing in the heavens or on Earth can render Him helpless. The following verses reveal these truths:
Allah created the seven heavens and of Earth the same number, the command descending down through all of them, so that you might know that Allah has power over all things and encompasses all things in His knowledge. (Surat At-Talaq: 12)
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Everything in the heavens and everything in Earth belongs to Allah. Whether you divulge what is in yourselves or keep it hidden, Allah will still call you to account for it. He forgives whoever He wills and punishes whoever He wills. Allah has power over all things. (Surat Al-Baqara: 284)
No! I swear by the Lord of the Easts and Wests that We have the power to replace them with something better than them. We will not be outstripped. (Surat Al-Ma'arij: 40-41)
The Gospel reveals that Allah is All-Mighty:
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered... (Luke, 12: 6-7)
Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with Allah all things are possible." (Matthew, 19: 26)
Then the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before Amman fell on their faces and worshipped God ,singing, 'We give you thanks, Lord, God Almighty, Who are and who were, for You have taken Your Great Power and begun to reign. (Revelation 11: 16-17)
For nothing will be impossible with God. (Luke, 1: 37)
And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: 'Great and amazing are your deeds, Lord God the Almighty!Just and true are Your Ways, Kings of the nations! Lord, who will not fear and glorify Your name? For You alone are Holy. All nations will come and worship before You, for Your Judgements have been revealed." (Revelation, 15: 3-4)
The Torah has many passages that reveal Allah's Infinite Power:
... "Praise be to the name of God forever and ever. Wisdom and power are His. He changes times and seasons, sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things. He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him. (Daniel, 2: 20-22)
And Allah said to him: "I am Allah Almighty." (Genesis, 35: 11)
Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord guards the city, the guard keeps watch in vain. (Psalm, 127: 1)
For lo, the One Who forms the mountains, creates the wind, reveals His thoughts to mortals, makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth, the Lord, the God of hosts, is His Name! (Amos, 4: 13)
Allah Knows Everything
Allah knows, hears, and sees everything, regardless of when or where it happens, or how secret it is. For example, He knows when and where all people are be born and die, what they do while in this world, what they strive for, when and why they laugh or cry, and what they plan and think right down to the last detail. He also knows everything that happens in the universe, the conditions of all of the countless plants and animals on Earth, all laws of the universe, and the countless other things. Allah says:
Do you not know that Allah knows everything in heaven
and Earth? That is in a Book. That is easy for Allah. (Surat Al-Hajj:
70)
He knows what is said openly and what you hide. (Surat Al-Anbiya:
110)
You do not engage in any matter, recite any of the Qur'an, or do any action without Our witnessing you while you are occupied with it. Not even the smallest speck eludes your Lord, either on Earth or in heaven. Nor is there anything smaller than that, or larger, which is not in a Clear Book. (Surah Yunus: 61)
In the Qur'an Allah reveals that He creates and knows everything. In other words, nothing, regardless of how hidden or insignificant it is, is outside of His knowledge. The Gospel and the Torah reveal this great truth:
For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and
nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.
(Luke, 8: 17)
Do not be like them, for God knows what you need before you ask
Him. (Mathew, 6: 8)
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will
fall to the ground unperceived by God. (Mathew, 10: 29)
You know when I sit and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts
from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar
with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue, You know it
completely, O Lord. (Psalm, 139: 2-4)
.. for only You know what is in every human heart.. (1. Kings, 8: 39)
My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in
secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.(Psalms, 139: 15)
The secret things belong to the Lord, our God.. (Deuteronomy, 29:
29)
Allah Is Compassionate and Forgiving
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The Qur'an reveals that Allah is "the most compassionate of the compassionate" (Surah Yunus: 92). Allah's compassion is reflected on everything: The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, the scenery we like to behold, the animal for which we feel compassion, the friends and family members we trust and love, our clothes, and our homes are just some of His gifts. Allah's compassion, mercy, and protection can be felt throughout one's life. Therefore, we need to show our appreciation for His countless gifts by turning to Him and earning His good pleasure. Allah accepts genuine repentance and guides those who sincerely turn to Him to enlightenment, for He is Most Forgiving. He answers the prayers of those who turn to Him and rescues people from their troubles and sorrows. In the Qur'an Allah reveals these truths in the following verses:
Allah would never let your faith go to
waste. Allah is All-Gentle, Most Merciful to humanity. (Surat
Al-Baqara: 143)
Say [from Me]: "O My servants, you who have transgressed
against yourselves, do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Truly Allah
forgives all wrong actions. He is the Ever-Forgiving, the Most
Merciful." (Surat Az-Zumar: 53)
He sends down Clear Signs to His servant to bring you out of the
darkness and into to the light. Allah is All-Gentle with you, Most
Merciful. (Surat Al-Hadid: 9)
The Gospel also reveals that Allah is most compassionate. Some passages in which this is revealed read:
Because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising
sun will come to us from heaven... (Luke, 1: 79)
... God is full of compassion and mercy... (James, 5: 11)
His mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to
generation. (Luke, 1: 50)
By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break
upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow
of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.' (Luke, 1: 78-79)
As does the Torah:
The Lord watches over all who love Him, but He will destroy all the wicked. (Psalm, 145: 20)
The Lordis compassionate and gracious... abounding in love. (Psalm, 103: 8)
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end..(Lamentation, 3: 22)
Worshiping None but Allah
Say: "O People of the Book. Come to a proposition that is the same for us and you – that we should worship none but Allah, not associate any partners with Him, and not take one another as lords besides Allah." (Surah Al 'Imran: 64)
They were only ordered to worship Allah,making their religion sincerely His as people of pure natural belief, and to establish prayers(salat) and pay alms(zakat) –that is the religion of the correct. (Surat Al-Bayyina: 5)
The Gospel
"Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only." (Matthew, 4: 10)
Yet for us there is one God, from Whom are all things and for Whom we exist, and one Lord… through Whom are all things and through Whom we exist. (1.Corinthians, 8: 6)
.. And they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, Who is blessed forever! Amen. (Romans, 1: 23-25)
The Torah
Fear the Lord your God, serve Him only, and take your oaths in His name. Do not follow other deities, the deities of the peoples around you. (Deuteronomy, 6: 13-14)
Yet I have been the Lord you're God ever since the land of Egypt; you know no God but me, and besides me there is no savior. (Hosea, 13: 4)
Allah Has no Partners or Helpers
He [Abraham] said: "You have adopted idols apart from Allah as tokens of mutual affection in this world. But then on the Day of Resurrection, you will reject one another and curse one another. The Fire will be your shelter. You will have no helpers." (Surat Al-Ankabut: 25)
Your Lord creates and chooses whatever He wills. The choice is not theirs. Glory be to Allah! He is exalted above anything they associate with Him! (Surat Al-Qasas: 68)
Those you call on besides Allah are servants, just like yourselves. Call on them and let them respond to you, if you are telling the truth. (Surat Al-A'raf: 194)
The Gospel
They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator – Who is forever praised. (Romans, 1: 25)
Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that 'no idol in the world really exists', and that 'there is no God but One.' [Allah is beyond this] (1. Corinthians , 8: 4)
Little children, keep yourselves from idols.(1.John, 5: 21)
The rest of humankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands or give up worshipping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk. (Revelation, 9: 20)
The Torah
What use is an idol once its maker has shaped it a cast image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in what has been made, though the product is only an idol that cannot speak! Alas for you who say to the wood, 'Wake up!' to silent stone, 'Rouse yourself!' Can it teach? See, it is plated with gold and silver, and there is no breath in it at all. (Habakkuk, 2: 18-19)
"I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other deities before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on Earth, beneath it or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them... (Exodus, 20: 2-5)
All who make idols are nothing, and the things they delight
in do not profit; their witnesses neither see, nor know. And so they
will be put to shame. Who would fashion a god or cast an image that can
do no good? Look, all its devotees shall be put to shame; the artisans
too are merely human. Let them all assemble, let them stand up; they
shall be terrified, they shall all be put to shame. (Isaac, 44: 9-11)
Allah Is Exalted
All might belong to Allah. (Surah Yunus: 65)
[He is] the Possessor of the Throne, the All-Glorious. (Surat Al-Buruj: 15)
Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High. (Surat Al-A'la: 1)
The Gospel
Now to the ... eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever... (1 Timothy, 1: 17)
.. praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom He favors! (Luke, 2: 13-14)
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. (Luke, 2: 20)
The Torah
Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power, the glory and the majesty, and the splendor, for everything in heaven and Earth is yours... You are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from You; You are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give You thanks and praise Your glorious name. (1 Chronicles, 29: 11-13)
Ascribe to the Lord, O families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. (1 Chronicles, 16: 28)
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; His Greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall laud Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works, I will meditate. The might of Your awesome deeds shall be proclaimed, and I will declare Your greatness. They shall celebrate the fame of Your abundant goodness, and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. The Lord is Gracious and Merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is Good to all, and His compassion is over all that He has made. (Psalm, 145: 3-9)
Allah Gives Power
[Hud said: ] "O My people, ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him. He will send heaven down to you in abundant rain, and increase you with strength upon strength. Do not turn away as evildoers." (Surah Hud: 52)
Then once again We gave you the upper hand over them, supplied you with more wealth and children, and made you the most numerous group. (Surat Al-Isra: 6)
The Gospel
... And the power of God was present for him [Jesus] to
heal the sick. (Luke, 5: 17)
But Jesus said to them, 'Not everyone can accept this teaching,
but only those to whom it is given.' (Mathew, 19: 11)
The Torah
... in the Lord my horn is lifted high... (1 Samuel, 2: 1)
Yours, O Lord, are the greatness, the power, the glory,
the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and on the
earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as
head above all. Riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all.
In Your hand are power and might; and it is in Your hand to make great
and to give strength to all. (1.Chronicles, 29: 11-12)
Allah Gives and Takes Life
He gives life and causes to die. When He decides on something, He just says to it: "Be!" and it is. (Surah Ghafir: 68)
There is no deity but Him – He gives life and causes to die – your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers, the previous peoples. (Surat Ad-Dukhan: 8)
[Has he not been informed] that He brings about both death and life? (Surat An-Najm: 44)
The Gospel
... But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves
but on God, Who raises the dead. (2 Corinthians, 1: 9)
Why is it thought incredible by any of you that God raises the
dead? (Acts, 26: 8)
The Torah
The Lord brings death and makes alive. (1 Samuel, 2: 6)
In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of every human being. (Job, 12: 10)
I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord. (Ezekiel, 37: 6)
Allah Gives Wealth or Poverty
Allah expands the provision of any of His servants He wills and restricts it. Allah has knowledge of all things. (Surat Al-Ankabut: 62)
Say: "O Allah, Master of the Kingdom. You give sovereignty to whoever You will and take sovereignty from whoever You will. You exalt whoever You will and abase whoever You will. All good is in Your hands. You have power over all things." (Surah Al 'Imran: 26)
The Torah
The Lord sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and exalts. (1 Samuel, 2: 7)
But remember the Lord your God, for it is He Who gives you power to get wealth.. (Deuteronomy, 8: 18)
Yours, O Lord, are the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and on the earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as head above all. Riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all.. (1. Chronicles, 29: 11-12)
Allah Protects the Loyal
So that Allah might recompense the truthful for their truth and punish the hypocrites, if He wills, or turn toward them. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surat Al-Ahzab: 24)
The Torah
He will guard the feet of His saints... (1 Samuel, 2: 9)
The Lord loves those who hate evil; He guards the lives of His faithful; He rescues them from the hand of the wicked. (Psalm, 97: 10)
For the Lord loves justice; He will not forsake His faithful ones. The righteous shall be kept safe for ever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. (Psalm, 37: 28)
The Gospel
Do not fear what you are about to suffer.. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Revelation, 2: 10)
Allah Is Praised
Everything in the heavens and everything in Earth belongs to Him. Allah is the Rich Beyond Need, the Praiseworthy. (Surat Al-Hajj: 64)
O humanity, you are the poor and in need of Allah, whereas Allah is the Rich Beyond Need, the Praiseworthy. (Surah Fatir: 15)
The Gospel
"Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God forever and ever." (Revelation, 7: 12)
With the tongue we praise our Lord... (James 3, 9)
.. and again he says, 'Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people'; and again, 'Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise Him'; (Romans, 15: 10-11)
The Torah
I call to the Lord, Who is worthy of praise... (2. Samuel, 22: 4)
O Lord , you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name... (Isaiah, 25: 1)
I thank and praise You... You have given me wisdom and power... (Daniel, 2: 23)
Allah's Path Is the Most Righteous
This is the path of your Lord – straight. We have made the Signs clear for people who remember. (Surat Al-An'am: 126)
They have been guided to speak good words and guided to the praiseworthy path. (Surat Al-Hajj: 24)
The Gospel
But godliness with contentment is great gain. (1 Timothy, 6: 6)
The Torah
As for God, His way is perfect. (2 Samuel, 22: 31)
Happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord. (Psalm, 119: 1)
… For I will proclaim the name of the Lord; ascribe greatness to our God ! .. His work is perfect, and all His ways are just.. (Deuteronomy, 32: 3-4)
Allah Guides to the Righteous Path
By it, Allah guides those who follow what pleases Him to the ways of peace. He will bring them from the darkness to the light by His permission, and guide them to a straight path. (Surat Al-Ma'ida: 16)
Say: "My Lord has guided me to a straight path, a well-founded religion, the religion of Abraham, a man of pure natural belief. He was not one of the idolaters." (Surat Al-An'am: 161)
The Way should lead to Allah.. (Surat An-Nahl: 9)
The Torah
God arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. (2 Samuel, 22: 33)
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths. (Proverbs, 3: 6)
Do not let those who wait for You be put to shame.. Make me to know Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth, and teach me, for You are God, my salvation; for You I wait all day long (Psalm, 25: 3-5)
Allah Gives Success to His Followers
As for those who make Allah their friend, and His Messenger and those who believe: It is the party of Allah who are victorious! (Surat Al-Ma'ida: 56)
The Gospel
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. (Ephesians, 2: 8)
Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him. (James, 1: 12)
The Torah
And observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in His ways, and keep His decrees and commands, His laws and requirements, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go. (1 Kings, 2: 3)
To Abide by the Book, Allah's Revelation, as a Whole
There you are, loving them when they do not love you, even though you believe in all the Books. When they meet you, they say: "We believe." But when they leave, they bite their fingers out of rage against you. (Surah Al 'Imran: 119)
Those who conceal what Allah has sent down of the Book and sell it cheap take nothing into their bellies but the Fire. On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will not speak to them or purify them. They will have a painful punishment. (Surat Al-Baqara: 174)
The Gospel
.. I believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets.. (Acts, 24: 14)
But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets and of all who keep the words of this book. Worship God!" (Revelation, 22: 9)
The Torah
Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law My servant Moses gave you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may be successful wherever you go. (Joshua, 1: 7)
Moses and the elders of Israel commanded the people: "Keep all these commands that I give you today." (Deuteronomy, 27: 1)
[The Prophet Moses (pbuh)] "Hear now, O Israel, the
decrees and laws I am about to teach you... Do not add to what I
command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the
Lord, your God, that I give you." (Deuteronomy 4: 1-2)
The Believers Fear and Respect for Allah
No doubt, fearing Allah is one of the common and important qualities of all believers. In the Qur'an, Allah clearly describes the nature of this fear: a deep and genuine respect for Allah that causes them to refrain from doing things of which He does not approve and to strive to win His good pleasure and avoid His wrath. Striving to follow such a path shows the level of their fear and respect for Allah:
Fear [and respect] Allah in the way He should be feared [and respected]. (Surah Al 'Imran: 102)
So fear [and respect] Allah, as much as you are able to... (Surat At-Taghabun: 16)
Muslims are required to contemplate Allah's creation in order to comprehend His infinite reason, knowledge, might, and greatness. This will increase their fear and respect for Him. Such people will be cured or protected from evil deeds and mistakes, and will avoid those things that deny them His good pleasure. As Allah says in the Qur'an:
O you who believe! If you fear [and respect] Allah, He will give you discrimination, erase your bad actions, and forgive you. Allah's favor is indeed immense. (Surat Al-Anfal: 29)
The Gospel reveals that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) stated that only Allah needs to be feared (and respected):
I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you Whom you should fear: Fear Him Who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into Hell. Yes, I tell you, fear Him. (Luke, 12: 4-5)
The Gospel repeatedly states that people must fear (and respect) Allah:
Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God... (1 Peter, 2: 17)
… to every nation, tribe, language and people. He said in a loud voice: "Fear God and give Him glory." (Revelation, 14: 6-7)
But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him Who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into Hell. Yes, I tell you, fear Him (Luke, 12: 5)
The Torah says:
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. (Psalm, 111: 10)
It also states that the fear of Allah guides people to the right path:
The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The
ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous. (Psalm, 19:
9)
Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. (Psalm, 2:
11)
Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in His ways. (Psalm, 128: 1)
The Lord Almighty is the One you are to regard as holy, He is the One you are to fear... (Isaiah, 8: 13)
The Believers Love for Allah
Every beautiful thing is the gift of Allah and a reflection of His beauty. All conscientious and thoughtful people submit to Allah, the true owner of this beauty, with great joy and love. Believers love Allah more than anything and anybody else, for they know that He created all of the beauty and the beings they love. This love of Allah is the true source of the believers' happiness and inner peace. Every Muslim who loves Allah also fears and respects Him and makes a genuine effort to win His good pleasure. Such adds to the beauty of the world, for those who love Allah also love His creation, feel compassion and mercy for them, and wish to protect them and give them goodness and beauty.
Those who forget Allah and give all of their love to His creation, instead of to Him, and those who disregard His existence and instead feel a deep love only for others, will reap sorrow, unhappiness, and discontent. In the Qur'an Allah describes the big difference between such types of love:
Some people set up equals to Allah , loving them as they should love Allah. But those who believe have greater love for Allah. (Surat Al-Baqara: 165)
The Torah says:
... The Lord our God, the Lord is One. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be [placed] in your hearts... (Deuteronomy, 6: 4-7)
The same is stated in the Gospel , as follows:
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind."(Matthew, 22: 37)
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' (Matthew, 12: 30)
Not Ascribing Partners to Allah
He said, 'You have adopted idols apart from Allah as tokens of mutual affection in this world. But then on the Day of Resurrection you will reject one another and curse one another. The Fire will be your shelter. You will have no helpers.' (Surat Al-Ankabut: 25)
Your Lord creates and chooses whatever He wills. The choice is not theirs. Glory be to Allah! He is exalted above anything they associate with Him! (Surat Al-Qasas: 68)
Those you call on besides Allah are servants just like yourselves. Call on them and let them respond to you if you are telling the truth. (Surat Al-A'raf: 194)
The Gospel
They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—Who is forever praised. (Romans, 1: 25)
Jesus.. ".. the Lord our God, the Lord is One… "Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is One and there is no other but Him. (Mark , 12: 29-32)
.. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God (1. Thessalonians, 1: 9)
The Torah
But you have forsaken Me and served other gods (Judges, 10: 13)
Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. They forsook the Lord .. because they forsook Him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. (Judges, 2: 11-13)
Do not bow down before their gods or worship them or follow
their practices. You must demolish them and break their sacred stones
to pieces. Worship the Lord your God, (Exodus, 23: 24-25)
.. O Lord my God, are the wonders You have done. The things You
planned for us no one can recount to You; were I to speak and tell of
them, they would be too many to declare. (Psalm, 40: 5)
The Impermanence of Worldly Life
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The worldviews of unbelievers and believers are mutually
exclusive. For example, unbelievers consider living life to the full as
their primary purpose, for they will not be able to enjoy anything
after they die. On the other hand, believers make good use of things in
their everyday lives without considering these to be an end in
themselves. Rather, they regard such things as a means to be grateful
to Allah and to win His good pleasure. Believers are very well aware of
the impermanence of posh cars, grand houses, impressive gardens,
valuable jewelry, beautiful people, and of everything else, for they
know that the true originals are to be found in the eternal Paradise.
Allah commands people not to be fooled by the temporary beauty of
worldly things and not to become enslaved by them:
To humanity the love of worldly appetites is painted
in glowing colors: women and children, heaped-up mounds of gold and
silver, horses with fine markings, and livestock and fertile farmland.
All that is merely the enjoyment of the life of this world. The best
homecoming is in the Presence of Allah. (Surah Al 'Imran: 14)
Know that the life of this world is merely a game and a diversion,
ostentation, and a cause of boasting among yourselves and trying to
outdo one another in wealth and children: like the plant-growth after
rain that delights the cultivators but then withers. You see it turning
yellow, and then it becomes broken stubble. In the Hereafter, there is
terrible punishment, but also forgiveness, from Allah and His good
pleasure. The life of this world is nothing but the enjoyment of
delusion. (Surat Al-Hadid: 20)
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The Gospel of Mark explains that worldly worries and cravings, as well as material wealth, lead people away from Allah's path:
Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word. But the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop – thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times what was sown. (Mark, 4: 18-20)
The Gospel warns people not to dive into this world's temporary pleasures and that the love of this world causes hearts to harden. Various passages refer to these facts, as follows:
Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness, and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. For it will come upon all those who live on Earth. Be always on the watch. Pray... (Luke, 21: 34-36)
The world and its desires pass away, but the one who does the will of God lives forever. (1 John, 2: 17)
… For this world in its present form is passing away. (1 Corinthians, 7: 31)
The Torah reveals that life on Earth is temporary, that the love of material wealth and devotion to the world is a grave mistake, and that believers should not let themselves be led astray:
Whoever loves money never has enough money, and whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner, except to feast his eyes on them? … wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner,... Naked a man comes from his mother's womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand. (Ecclesiastes, 5: 10-16)
We are aliens and strangers in your sight, as were all of our forefathers. Our days on Earth are like a shadow, without hope. (1 Chronicles, 29: 15)
Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the Lord's wrath. (Zephaniah, 1: 18)
And said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised." (Job, 1: 21)
Those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches? No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough that he should live on forever and not see decay. For all can see that wise men die; the foolish and the senseless alike perish and leave their wealth to others. Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves. But man, despite his riches, does not endure; he is like the beasts that perish... Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases; for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him. (Psalm, 49: 6-17)
Believing in the Prophets
Throughout history, Allah has sent Prophets to call their people to belief in Allah , inform them of His religion, teach them right from wrong, and abide by the morality that wins His good pleasure. In the Qur'an Allah reveals the lives of such Prophets as Abraham, Solomon, David, Lot, Jesus, Moses, Noah, Joseph, Ishmael, and Isaac (peace be upon them all) because their lives contain important lessons for humanity (Surah Yunus: 111). Prophets were chosen by Allah to serve as teachers and givers of good tidings, and as role models of virtue and faith. Muslims believe in all of the Prophets and love and respect them, without preferring one over the other. In the verses Allah describes Muslims' belief and obedience to Prophets, as follows:
The Messenger believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and so do the believers. Each one believes in Allah , His angels, His Books, and His Messengers [saying: ] "We do not differentiate between any of His Messengers." They say: "We hear and we obey. Forgive us, our Lord. You are our journey's end." (Surat Al-Baqara: 285)
The belief in Prophets is also a principle of faith in Christianity and Judaism. The Torah relates the life stories of many Prophets (e.g., Adam, Noah, Jethro, Jacob, and Joseph [peace be upon them all]), although some of the information given is not accurate. The Gospel, on the other hand, points out the importance of obeying the Prophets: The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent (John, 6: 29). Another passage reveals that people must follow the example set by the Prophets and work to acquire their morality and code of conduct, as follows:
I have set you an example, so that you should do as I have done for you. (John, 13: 15)
Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. (Mathew, 10: 41)
Many People Envy the Prophets
[Their leaders went off asking: ] "Has the Reminder been sent down to him out of all of us?" They are in doubt about My Reminder. They have yet to taste My punishment. (Surah Sad: 8)
Their Prophet said to them: "Allah has appointed Saul to be your king." They asked: "How can he have kingship over us, when we have much more right to kingship than he does? He has not even got much wealth!" He said: "Allah has chosen him over you and favored him greatly in knowledge and physical strength. Allah gives kingship to anyone He wills. Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing." (Surat Al-Baqara: 247)
Why was this Qur'an not sent down to one of the great men of the two cities? (Surat Az-Zukhruf: 31)
The Gospel
When the Sabbath came, he [Jesus] began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. "Where did this man get these things?" they asked. "What's this wisdom that has been given him that he even does miracles! Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. (Mark, 6: 2-3)
Because of this, God in his wisdom said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.' (Luka, Bap 11, 49)
The Torah
But they mocked messengers of God, despised His words and scoffed at His prophets until the wrath of the Lord was aroused against His people and there was no remedy. (2. Chronicles, 36: 16)
All Prophets Are Accused of Being Possessed
Equally, no Messenger came to those before them without their exclaiming: "A magician or a madman!" Did they bequeath this to each other? Indeed, they are an unbridled people. (Surat Adh-Dhariyat: 52-53)
The Gospel
When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said: "He is out of his mind." And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said: "He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons." (Mark, 3: 21-22)
For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon.' (Matthew, 11: 18)
No Prophet Speaks on His Own
Your companion [ Muhammad] is not misguided or misled. Nor does he speak from whim. It is nothing but Revelation revealed, taught to him by one immensely strong. (Surat An-Najm: 2-5)
The Gospel
By myself I [Jesus] can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but Him Who sent me. (John, 5: 30)
Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the Prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man. (2 Peter, 1: 20-21)
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David (as He said through His holy prophets of long ago)(Luke, 1: 69-70)
The Torah
The Lord said to me: "... I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him." (Deuteronomy, 18: 17-18)
Faith in Paradise and Hell
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Prophets have taught people the true religion, announced the good reward of Paradise, and warned them against the punishment of Hell. Those who obey Allah's commands and work to earn His good pleasure will be rewarded with Paradise, and those who were called to Allah's righteous path but declined to follow it will face an eternal and horrific punishment in Hell.
In the Qur'an Allah reveals that believers will find eternal bliss, happiness, and goodness in Paradise. Unbelievers, on the other hand, will face an eternal life of unequalled suffering and sorrow in Hell:
But as for those who believe and do right actions, We will admit them into Gardens with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, forever and ever. Allah's promise is true. Whose speech could be truer than Allah's? (Surat An-Nisa: 122)
Those who do not believe will be driven to Hell in companies. When they arrive there and its gates are opened, its custodians will ask them: "Did Messengers from yourselves not come to you, reciting your Lord's Signs to you and warning you of the meeting on this Day of yours?" They will say: "Indeed they did, but the decree of punishment is justly carried out against the unbelievers." (Surat Az-Zumar: 71)
People who abide by Allah's commands and work to earn His good pleasure will be rewarded with the most stunning homes, splendid cloths, beautiful jewelry, tastiest foods and drinks. Moreover, Allah will cause them to live in peace and happiness together with their friends and loved ones. But those who are ungrateful to Allah and rebellious will have committed the gravest sin and therefore will deserve the punishment of Hell.
Allah reveals in the Qur'an that the suffering therein is incomparably horrendous, painful, and devastating. The ceaseless and eternal physical and spiritual suffering is accompanied by confinement, darkness, smoke, revolting foods and drinks, cries, burning heat, metal whips, boiling water, and other types of sufferings. Allah also reveals that its inhabitants will finally admit their guilt; be debased, forsaken, and remorseful; and desire to return to Earth or to be exterminated. They will beg for help but not receive any; they will ask for their sufferings to be eased, but their request will be denied.
The Torah and the Gospel reveal that good people and evil people are not equal in His Presence and that everyone will get what they deserve. The Gospel explains the distinction between good and bad people in the following allegory:
Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew, 13: 47-50)
The Gospel reveals that the righteous will find eternal life (Matthew, 25: 46), and that the evil-doers will be cast into the eternal fire together with Satan (Matthew, 25: 41) and experience eternal punishment therein (Matthew, 25: 46). How will you escape being condemned to Hell? (Matthew, 23: 33) and Fear Him Who, after killing the body, has the power to throw you into Hell (Luke, 12: 5) are reminders of this severe punishment. Another Biblical passage describes the suffering, hopelessness, and remorse of those in Hell, as follows:
The time came when the beggar [Lazarus] died... The rich man also died and was buried. So he called… "have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire." But Abraham replied, "Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us." (Luke, 16: 22-26)
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Mathew, 10: 28)
If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into Hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into Hell. (Mathew 5: 29-30)
The Torah states that those who do good will be rewarded with good and that those who do evil will be punished for their deeds:
Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds. Woe to the wicked! Disaster is upon them! They will be paid back for what their hands have done. (Isaiah, 3: 10-11)
... trembling grips the godless: "Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning?" He who walks righteously and speaks what is right, who rejects gain from extortion and keeps his hand from accepting bribes, who stops his ears against plots of murder and shuts his eyes against contemplating evil- this is the man who will dwell on the heights, whose refuge will be the mountain fortress. His bread will be supplied, and water will not fail him. (Isaiah, 33: 14-16)
... Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. (Daniel, 12: 2-3)
As heat and drought snatch away the melted snow, so the grave snatches away those who have sinned. (Job, 24: 19)
… Therefore the grave enlarges its appetite and opens its mouth without limit; into it will descend their nobles and masses with all their brawlers and revelers. So man will be brought low and mankind humbled, the eyes of the arrogant humbled. (Isaiah, 5: 14-15)
Wicked men are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous stands firm. (Proverbs, 12: 7)
Belief in the Resurrection
Allah will resurrect and then judge all people according to what they did while on Earth. All Prophets have revealed this great truth, for they taught His true religion and warned their people to prepare for this day. All sincere believers conduct themselves in the full awareness of their resurrection and subsequent judgment. As for those who reject the resurrection, in the Qur'an Allah says that they will meet the following fate:
He makes likenesses of Us and forgets his own creation, asking: "Who will give life to bones when they are decayed?" Say: "He Who made them in the first place will bring them back to life. He has total knowledge of each created thing." (Surah Ya-Sin: 78-79)
Mankind! if you are in any doubt about the Rising, know that We created you from dust then from a drop of sperm then from a clot of blood then from a lump of flesh, formed yet unformed, so We may make things clear to you. We make whatever We want stay in the womb until a specified time and then We bring you out as children so that you can reach your full maturity. Some of you die and some of you revert to the lowest form of life so that, after having knowledge, they then know nothing at all. And you see the earth dead and barren; then when We send down water onto it, it quivers and swells and sprouts with luxuriant plants of every kind. That is because Allah is the Real and gives life to the dead and has power over all things (Surat Al-Hajj: 5-6)
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Allah, there is no god but Him. He will gather you to the Day of Resurrection about which there is no doubt. And whose speech could be truer than Allah's? (Surat An-Nisa: 87) |
Allah can resurrect all people with great ease, for He created humanity from nothing and brings life to dry soil when it appears lifeless. Various Biblical passages speak of the Prophet Jesus' (pbuh) message to people who did not believe in the resurrection. One of them is as follows:
Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice... those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. (John, 5: 28-29)
" and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." (Luke, 14: 14)
But someone may ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?" How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. (1.Corinthians, 15: 35-36)
So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; (1. Corinthians, 15: 42)
Some of the passages in the Torah that describes the resurrection are as follows:
Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. (Daniel, 12: 2)
Then you, My people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.' " (Ezekiel, 37: 13-14)
... But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy... the earth will give birth to her dead. (Isaiah, 26: 19)
"As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance." (Daniel, 12: 13)
Belief in the Day of Judgment
Belief in the Hereafter and the Day of Judgment are central to
Islam. All people will be resurrected in order to be judged on what
they did in this world. On that day, people will be held personally
accountable and will find no one to help them or shoulder their sins.
Believers who have done good will have an easy Day of Judgment;
evil-doers and unbelievers will find that Day to be very harsh.
Allah reveals the details of this Day. For example, nothing will remain
secret, not even the smallest things, and everyone's good and evil
deeds will be proclaimed and rewarded. Allah reveals that:
We will set up the Just Balance on the Day of Resurrection, and no soul will be wronged in any way. Even if it is no more than the weight of a grain of a mustard seed, We will produce it. We are sufficient as a Reckoner. (Surat Al-Anbiya: 47)
On that day, the unbelievers' ears, eyes, and skin will bear witness against them:
When they reach it [the Fire], their hearing, sight, and skin will testify against them concerning what they did. (Surat Al-Fussilat: 20)
Prophets and other witnesses will give evidence when people account for their deeds on Earth. Allah, Who is infinitely just, will judge each individual:
And Earth will shine with the Pure Light of its Lord, the Book will be put in place, the Prophets and witnesses will be brought, and it will be decided between them with the truth. They will not be wronged. Every soul will be repaid in full for what it did. He knows best what they are doing. (Surat Az-Zumar: 69-70)
The following passages on the Day of Judgment are from the Gospel:
Nothing in all of creation is hidden from the Sight of God'. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to Whom we must give account. (Hebrews, 4: 13)
… [It is God] Who will give to each person according to what he has done. To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking, who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. (Romans, 2: 6-8)
But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of Judgment for every careless word they have spoken. (Matthew, 12: 36)
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. (Romans, 3: 19)
if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the Day of Judgment, while continuing their punishment. This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority. (2. Peter, 2: 9-10)
The accounts in the Torah also confirm the existence of this Day and reveal that humanity will be judged by God:
The day of the Lord is near for all nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head. (Obadiah, 1: 15)
.. whose day has come, whose time of punishment has reached its climax. (Ezekiel, 21: 29)
The day of your watchmen has come, the day God visits you. Now is the time of their confusion. (Micah, 7: 4)
" 'whose day has come, whose time of punishment has reached its climax, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: .. It will not be as it was: The lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low. (Ezekiel, 21: 25-26)
The Day of Resurrection
… Asking: "So when is the Day of Resurrection?" But when the eyesight is dazzled, the Moon is eclipsed, and the Sun and Moon are fused together, on that Day humanity will ask: "Where can I run?" No indeed! There will be no safe place. (Surat Al-Qiyama: 6-11)
… when the stars are extinguished, when heaven is split open, when the mountains are pulverized, when the Messengers' time is appointed ... (Surat Al-Mursalat: 8-11)
The Hour is coming. (Surah Ta Ha: 15)
They will ask you about the Hour: When is it due? Say: "Knowledge of it rests with my Lord alone. He alone will reveal it at its proper time. It hangs heavy in the heavens and Earth. It will not come upon you except suddenly." They will ask you, as if you had full knowledge of it. Say: "Knowledge of it rests with Allah alone. But most people do not know that." (Surat Al-A'raf: 187)
On the Day the sky is like molten brass and the mountains like tufts of colored wool. No good friend will ask about his friend. (Surat Al-Ma'arij: 8-10)
When heaven is split apart and goes red like dregs of oil. (Surat Ar-Rahman: 37)
The Gospel
But in those days, following that distress, the Sun will be darkened and the Moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky…. (Mark, 13: 24-25)
No one knows about that day or hour... Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. (Mark, 13: 32-33)
Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness, and the anxieties of life, and that Day will close on you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all those who live on Earth. (Luke, 21: 34-35)
... The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and Earth and everything in it will be laid bare... That Day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. (2 Peter, 3: 10-12)
The Torah
For the Day of the Lord is near... The Sun and the Moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine… the earth and the sky will tremble … (Joel, 3: 14-16)
Before them the earth shakes, the sky trembles, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine… The day of the Lord is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it? (Joel, 2: 10-11)
... the Day of the Lord is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty. Because of this, all hands will go limp, every person's heart will melt... pain and anguish will grip them; they will writhe like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at each other, their faces aflame. See, the Day of the Lord is coming – a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger – to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. (Isaiah, 13: 6-10)
"The great day of the Lord is near-near and coming quickly.. That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness… The Lord says: I will bring distress on the people and they will walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord. … Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the Lord's wrath. " (Zephaniah, 1: 14-18)
All People Are Tested
He created the heavens and Earth in six days when His Throne was on the water, in order to test which of you has the best actions. (Surah Hud: 7)
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As the above verse reveals, one of the reasons for creating Earth was so that Allah could test humanity. In reality, each person undergoes a life-long trial that will end only with his or her death. After that, he or she will either be rewarded or punished.
The troubles, sorrows, and hardship experienced in this world are a means of testing. Those who are patient and trust in Allah while enduring hardship will have behaved in accord with Allah's will. People are also tried with wealth, children, beauty, health, and other gifts of Allah. Regardless of what gifts they receive, however, they must act in line with Allah's approval instead of their own selfish desires.
As it is stated in one verse, a verbal affirmation of faith and belief is not enough, for:
Do people imagine that they will be left to say: "We believe," and will not be tested? (Surat Al-Ankabut: 2)
Those who are patient are given good tidings in the Qur'an:
We will test you with a certain amount of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth, life, and fruits. But give good news to the steadfast. (Surat Al-Baqara: 155)
The Gospel reveals that being tested is a positive influence that strengthens one's faith:
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James, 1: 2-4)
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. (1. Corinthians, 10: 13)
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him. (James, 1: 12)
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. (1. Peter, 1: 6)
Some of the passages in the Torah about the fact that Allah tests people in this world are as follows:
If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, "Let us follow other gods" (gods you have not known) "and let us worship them," 3 you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love Him with all your heart and with all your soul. (Deuteronomy, 13: 1-3)
"I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve." (Jeremiah, 17: 10)
Sometime later God tested Abraham. (Genesis, 22: 1)
Everything Happens by the Will of Allah
People's plans can only become reality if Allah wills it. Believers are fully aware of this fact, and so their behavior and conversation reflect this reality. Allah reminds believers not to speak in absolute terms about anything, but to state that they intend to do something only if Allah wills it. For example:
Never say about anything: "I am doing that tomorrow," without adding "If Allah wills." (Surat Al-Kahf: 23-24)
The Gospel says something similar:
Now listen, you who say: "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say: "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." (James, 4: 13-15)
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny[]? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of God.(Matthew, 10: 29)
Allah reveals in the Torah the fact that everything always happens by the will of Allah as follows:
UNITING AGAINST THE THREAT OF RADICALISM
UNITING
AGAINST THE THREAT OF RADICALISM Radical tendencies, irrespective of their origin, are one of the most dangerous threats to world peace and security. Radicalism means to advocate fundamental and sudden changes by means of uncompromising and hard-line policies. Radicals seek such changes by employing cunning and often aggressive policies. One of radicalism’s characteristic traits is the angry attitude visible in its adherents’ speeches, books, and demonstrations. Radical movements are dominated by blindly advocated taboos, instead of conscious behavior, and reflect amass psychology. This psychology, in turn, can get so out of control that people, who no longer know what they are doing or why, turn their aggression on others. In an environment where love, affection and understanding have ceased to exist, people begin to feel animosity toward different ideologies or races without knowing what the other party really represents or believes.
Ignorance enables radicalism to find new recruits, even though it is a harmful and destructive movement. Misinformed or one-sidedly informed people are vulnerable to extremist movements, whose philosophical programs they adopt without careful reflection. This is why education is an essential aspect of the ideological fight against radicalism. In our own time, radicalism has emerged among Muslims, Christians, and Jews. This situation is abused and taken advantage of by proponents of Samuel Huntington’s proposed clash of civilizations theory. The scale of radicalism’s threat to world peace has become apparent in the 9/11 attacks on the United States and its consequences. The fact that these attacks are widely believed to have been carried out in the name of Islam resulted in a great deal of prejudice against Muslims and misunderstanding of Islam. Given the fact that Islam prohibits all acts of violence and aggression, most of the Islamic world condemned these terrorist attacks. Muslims prayed alongside Christians for the innocent lives lost, and American Muslims rushed to the aid of the victims. Despite this, prejudice against Muslims in the United States and some European countries has vastly increased, and incidences of violence have been reported. The arguments of those radicals who seek to divide the world into two warring factions have created an atmosphere of anxiety.
In order to eradicate radicalism and its damaging consequences, cultural and educational campaigns designed to reach all sections of society must be organized. We can list the topics and the responsibilities of various sections of society to be covered by this program, as follows: - Being aware that radicalism, an extremist tendency, that is incompatible with true religious morality, must be defeated ideologically so that its claim to be acting in the name of religion can be exposed as false. People of all three divinely revealed religions must be told that they have a responsibility to be compassionate, patient, gentle, friendly, polite, and respectful. They have to be made aware that Allah forbids violence, aggression, and anything that harms innocent people. They must understand that it is wrong to go down that path. These efforts will ensure that people who emerge, supposedly in the name of religion, and who support harshness and violence will be recognized as misguided liars and thereby prevented from finding new recruits. - A program must be designed to give full and accurate
information about all parties involved in the conflict, so that
international cooperation becomes possible. An important step toward
mutually friendly relations is the creation of an environment in which
Jews, Christians, and Muslims can begin to know each other’s beliefs,
traditions, and rituals better. This can be done through cultural and
educational programs. As people come to know each other better, they
will realize that they have many things in common. This, in turn, will
make reconciliation possible. Muslims, Christians, and Jews should tell
one another about their respective worldviews in line with Allah’s
divine books of revelation, thereby preventing the mutual
misunderstanding and radicalism caused by a lack of accurate knowledge. These and similar joint efforts will eradicate the conditions conducive to radicalism. In addition, believers must begin to show sincere respect for others’ beliefs and values. Genuine believers must seek to draw closer to Allah instead of accusing one another. They should concentrate on enhancing their sincerity and work to earn Allah’s good pleasure and mercy. In the following verse Allah reveals that people who act otherwise are wrong: The Jews say: »The Christians have nothing to stand on,« and the Christians say: »The Jews have nothing to stand on,« yet they both recite the Book. Those who do not know say the same as they say. Allah will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection regarding the things about which they differ. (Surat Al-Baqara: 113) Eradicating the harm caused by Jewish, Christian, and Muslim
radicals is possible only if all moderate, peace-loving, civilized, and
genuinely religious people cooperate and form an alliance. Such an
alliance will defeat those who present war and conflict as the only
option, and disprove the assertions of those who advocate a show of
force as the only way to achieve security and prevent further
bloodshed, tears, and material damage. Another important way to curb radicalism is to expose the movements and ideologies that promote extremism as false. In the coming pages, we will scrutinize the errors of various radical Jewish and Christian movements. But first, we need to remind people in the Islamic world to be alert against radicalism.
Muslims Must Not Forget That the Moral Values of the Qur'an Forbid All Forms of Extremism
It is a mercy from Allah that you were gentle with them. If you had been rough or hard of heart, they would have scattered from around you. (Surah Al 'Imran: 159) Since Muslims are only responsible for announcing the Qur’an’s morality, and since they are prohibited from being bullies or enforcers and are required to be softly spoken to even the cruelest tyrant, they cannot be extremists or radicals, for such groups advocate that which violates the Qur’an’s morality.
Radicalism is an ideological movement and political approach that is incompatible with the moral values of Islam. When radical groups are examined, it gradually becomes clear that they are, in reality, using a compilation of slogans and methods used by Darwinists and materialists or that they have adopted the »fanatical rage of the time of ignorance« (Surat Al-Fath: 26). One of the common characteristics of such ideologies is their emotional force, an underlying cause of radicalism that is totally incompatible with Allah’s commands. The Qur’an describes Muslims as people who control their anger and who are reasonable, moderate, and tolerant. They always prefer reconciliation in order to reach solutions within the framework of mutual understanding and optimism. They show their calming and peaceful sides in all situations. One verse reveals these attributes: Those who give in times of both ease and hardship, those who control their rage and pardon other people – Allah loves the good-doers. (Surah Al ’Imran: 134) Muslims must be polite and respectful when interacting with people of different beliefs and ideologies. They never resort to force or threats, for their responsibility is limited to teaching others about the Qur’an’s morality. The rest is up to the conscience of those people. The following verse describes this approach: Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and fair admonition, and argue with them in the kindest way. Your Lord knows best who is misguided from His way. And He knows best who are guided. (Surat An-Nahl: 125) Allah commanded Prophets Moses and Aaron (peace be upon them) to speak with Pharaoh, and to do so softly: »Go to Pharaoh; he has overstepped the bounds. But speak to him with gentle words so that, hopefully, he will pay heed or show some fear.« (Surah Ta Ha: 43-44) Pharaoh was the worst denier and tyrant of his time. He
rejected Allah, engaged in the perversion of making an idol out of
himself, and was a despot who killed and oppressed the believers
(Israelites). Yet, Allah commanded His Prophets to speak with gentle
words when they visited him. Notice that Allah’s ordained method is to
establish a friendly dialogue. Agitating words, expressions of anger and
heated protests are incompatible with His code of preaching and
morality. What Should Muslims‘ Perspective towards Terror Be? All forms of terrorist attack are roundly condemned in Islam. According to the Qur’an, it is a great sin to kill an innocent person, and anyone who does so will suffer great torment in the Hereafter: … If someone kills another person – unless it is in retaliation for someone else or for causing corruption in the earth – it is as if he had murdered all mankind. And if anyone gives life to another person, it is as if he had given life to all mankind. Our Messengers came to them with Clear Signs, but even after that, many of them committed outrages in the earth. (Surat Al-Ma’ida: 32) This verse equals the killing of one innocent to slaughtering all of humanity! Another verse expresses the importance that the faithful attach to life: Those who do not appeal to any other deity besides Allah [alone]; nor kill any soul whom Allah has forbidden [them to] except with the right to do so; nor fornicate. Anyone who does so will incur a penalty. (Surat Al-Furqan: 68) In yet another verse, Allah issues the following commandment: Say: »Come, and I will recite to you what your Lord has forbidden for you«: that you do not associate anything with Him; that you are good to your parents; that you do not kill your children because of poverty – We will provide for you and them; that you do not approach indecency – outward or inward; that you do not kill any person Allah has made inviolate – except with the right to do so. That is what He instructs you to do, so that hopefully, you will use your intellect. (Surat Al-An’am: 151) Any Muslim who believes in Allah with a sincere heart, who scrupulously abides by His verses and fears suffering in the Hereafter, will avoid harming even one other person. He knows that the Lord of Infinite Justice will suitably reward him for all his deeds. In one of the hadiths, our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) listed the kinds of people who are not pleasing to Allah: »Those who act cruelly and justly in the sacred lands, those who yearn for the ways of the ignorant, and those who wrongly shed human blood.« (Sahih Bukhari Hadith) Another element worthy of note on this subject is the way they treat places of worship. Churches, synagogues and mosques are houses for the worship of Allah. It is a terrible crime in the Sight of Allah to slaughter innocent people as they worship in their churches, synagogues or mosques. The people who go to those places are devout, prayerful people. All houses where the name of Allah is remembered are sacred in the eyes of Islam. Visitors to these houses may be Jews, Christians or Muslims. The important thing is that each one is a devout believer in Allah. A Muslim must respect and protect the holy places where the People of the Book worship Allah, and protect them. For Muslims, these places are precious because in these places, people, whether Jews or Christians remember Allah.
The Errors of Radical Christians The vast majority of Christians approach members of other religions with the love, and respect required by the Gospel. This is a very important – and very recent – development. During the second half of the twentieth century, the Christian world’s conviction that all other religions are completely wrong was largely abandoned, and the view that non-Christians should not be automatically condemned gained the upper hand. Christian writers, researchers, and officials expressed this view regularly. Organizations representing Christians decided to establish a dialogue and cooperate with other religions to find solutions to the world’s problems.
However, it is still possible – although not often – to encounter Christian harshness and even aggressions toward non-Christians. Some religious figures make unfounded allegations against other religions and claim that their followers are destined for Hell. Such allegations create discomfort in the Islamic world. Some Christian leaders continue to make aggressive comments about Muslims, misinterpret the Torah, and claim that in the near future a Muslim-Christian war will occur. Or, even worse, they claim that such a war is both necessary and unavoidable. The Torah relates stories from past nations, their wars, and the consequences thereof. Most of these are specific to those times and events. Therefore, such narratives must be considered in the context of those times, and one should refrain from reinterpreting those narratives to support war and conflict. One of the most fundamental errors of Christian radicals is their belief in Armageddon, which they think will take place before the Messiah’s (pbuh) arrival. This unfounded belief violates the morality that Jesus (pbuh) taught to his followers. Even a cursory reading of the Gospel shows that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) recommended love, peace, and friendship.
Christians should know that Muslims are also awaiting the
Prophet Jesus’ (pbuh) second coming, for this miracle is foretold in
the Qur’an and in the Prophet Muhammad‘s (may Allah bless him and grant
him peace) hadiths. Therefore, Muslims and Christians should make
joint preparations for his arrival. The best preparation is to adopt
the morality that pleases Allah. For it is Allah's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men... Show the proper respect to everyone. Love the brotherhood of believers, fear Allah... (1 Peter, 2: 15-17) All conscientious Christians must shoulder this responsibility, for the war and conflict demanded by radicals will bring great losses, tears, and suffering to both sides. It would be a grave mistake to refrain from taking the necessary steps, when an alliance of all believers could remove this probability. The tensions desired by radicals can be prevented by Muslims and Christians of common sense. Removing the prejudices and creating an alliance of believers will enable them to play a leading role in delivering world peace. In this way, Christians and Muslims will bring peace and happiness to the world, just as the morality ordained by Allah demands. The Errors of Radical Jews On 25 February 1994, Baruch Goldstein unleashed a vicious attack on the Abraham Mosque in al-Khalil (Hebron) in the West Bank. The Jewish settler Baruch Goldstein entered the mosque and, under the protection of Israeli soldiers, walked to its center and opened fire with his M-16 assault rifle on the 500 Muslims performing their morning prayers, repeatedly changing magazines. Sixty-seven Muslims died on the spot; a further 300 were wounded.
In reality, this was only one of the many attacks carried out by certain radical Israeli Jewish groups. In 1980, the same groups tried to blow up Muslim places of worship in Jerusalem (e.g., al-Aqsa Mosque and the Qubbat as-Sakhrah). The radical Jewish settlers who walk around with their weapons and launch bloody attacks on Palestinians are members of these groups. There is a radical tendency in the Jewish world to promote hate and animosity toward non-Jews and advocate the harshest and most unforgiving treatment of Palestinians. This tendency has strong support within Israel and plays an important role in forming and continuing its aggressive, uncompromising, and occupying 50-year attitude against Palestinians and its Arab neighbors. No doubt, Jewish militants are a small minority within the Israeli Jewish community (also among all Jews around the world). However, there is a radical culture that provides ideological support and continues to threaten Middle Eastern and world peace. In order for this to be put right: 1- Jewish religious figures should abide by the Torah‘s moral approach of love, respect, justice, and compassion. Many Jewish religious figures are working toward this end. 2- Zionist must be made to be implemented in a manner compatible with religious moral values. Of course Israel has the right to exist and protect itself. Moreover, it is perfectly legitimate for Jews to live in Palestine, the lands of their forefathers, alongside Muslims and Jews and to want to exist in peace. But Israel has no right to force a whole nation to live under troubles and oppression for over 50 years. Palestine is large enough for all these peoples to live together in peace and harmony. For this reason, Israel must withdraw from all of the territories that it has occupied since 1967, recognize an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza, and make peace with the Palestinians as well as the Arab world by entering a friendly and constructive dialogue with them. In addition, it is very important that religious Jews follow Allah’s advice and invite all Jews to abide by the moral conduct ordained by Him.
As with Christians and Jews, Allah has commanded the Jews to defend justice, honesty and the rights of the innocent, and to live by peace and love. Therefore, certain elements of radical Jewish fanaticism contradict other passages from the Torah, such as: Who stops his ears against plots of murder and shuts his eyes against contemplating evil (Isaiah, 33: 15). It must not be forgotten that no ideology that sanctions violence and aggression, and disrupts law and order, can succeed. Violence always brings only loss. Preventing such destructiveness necessitates the exposure of the fanatics’ deceptions and errors, which also will prevent their influence over any other people as well as help them to see reason.
Jews who genuinely believe in Allah must abide by the Torah‘s true principles and advocate for peace in order to prevent others from embracing radicalism. Some of the Torah passages that recommend peace, love, compassion, and virtue are as follows: Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life... Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself... (Leviticus, 19: 15-18) He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your Allah. (Micah, 6: 8) You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house... (Exodus, 20: 13-17)
Tranquility, love, and warmth will only grace Palestine and Israel when true religious morality is practiced. It must be remembered that both Jews and Muslims have suffered the greatest damage in their history at the hands of irreligious ideologies. The Torah is full of accounts of the cruelty inflicted on Jews by idolaters. The genocide and tyranny against Jews by atheists is well documented (e.g., the Nazis and Stalin’s officially encouraged anti-Semitic racists and communists). These irreligious forces hated and terrorized Jews because of their faith in Allah. Muslims and Jews must join forces against these anti-religious entities and disregard the radical propaganda that could prevent such an alliance. |
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Left: An article by Rabbi Eric
Yoffie, who condemned attacks on Muslims by some radicals in the
aftermath of 9/11. Radicalism of whatever stripe can only be eradicated
by teaching and spreading true religious morality.
Right: The statement
of Islamic scholar Yusuf al-Qaradawi, who says "Islam Does Not Permit
Aggression Against Innocent People."
As mentioned earlier, Islamic
societies have been centers of affection and goodwill toward
non-Muslims throughout history, particularly in our Prophet’s (may Allah
bless him and grant him peace) time. Islamic history is full of
examples of Christians and Jews seeking and finding refuge with
Muslims. Bearing this reality in mind at a time when the world so
desperately needs peace, Muslims must develop a model based on the
Qur’an’s morality and our Prophet’s (may Allah bless him and grant him
peace) life that will set the standards for the rest of the world.
Peace-seeking citizens
of Israel, as well as Jews living in other countries, oppose
radicalism and this is a highly significant development. Jews of
genuine faith must bear in mind that the Torah prohibits murder,
committing injustice, taking revenge, and bloodshed, and should become
leaders in the ideological and cultural struggle against fanaticism in
solidarity with all conscientious Christians and Muslims. The
ideological debate against Jewish radicalism is one of the most
important means of finding a lasting and peaceful solution to the
Palestinian issue. Only then will Jews and Muslims – as well as
Christians – be able to live with each other in peace. MUSLIMS AND THE PEOPLE OF THE BOOK IN THE HISTORY OF ISLAM
MUSLIMS
AND THE PEOPLE OF THE BOOK
IN THE HISTORY OF ISLAM
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Everyone looking at the history of Islam since very early times and at the position of Christians and Jews under Islamic administration with an unbiased eye will encounter one very obvious fact: The People of the Book have always lived in peace and security under Islamic rule. Indeed, Christians and Jews who were persecuted under the rule of different faiths and sects from time to time sought refuge in Islamic lands and found the security they sought in Muslim countries. The main reason why the People of the Book were able to live in such peace and comfort is that Muslims form their attitudes and behavior toward the People of the Book according to the moral values of the Qur’an.
The Prophet Muhammad’s (may Allah
bless him and grant him peace)
Loving and Affectionate Morality Must Serve As a Role Model for
All Muslims
In the time of the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), Arabia was home to communities of different religions, cultures and ideas. Jews, Christians, Sabians, Zoroastrians and idol worshippers all lived side by side, together with many different tribes hostile to each other. Yet no matter what their tribe or beliefs are, our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) called people to faith in Allah with affection, patience, compassion and love. in the Qur’an Allah describes his pleasing attitude to those around him as follows:
It is a mercy from Allah that you were gentle with them. If you had been rough or hard of heart, they would have scattered from around you. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them... (Surah Al ’Imran: 159)
As pointed out earlier, the Qur’an reveals that no one should be pressured to embrace Islamic morality. Muslims are charged only with explaining the religion of Allah. No one can force anyone else to believe or worship. One can find the true path and come to believe, only by the Will of Allah. Our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) always scrupulously abided by that prohibition and stated frequently that a man could live by religious morality only when, in his heart, he really wanted to. Allah told our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) in one holy verse how he should behave towards those around him:
We know best what they say. You are not a dictator over them. So remind, with the Qur’an, whoever fears My Threat. (Surah Qaf: 45)
In one hadith our Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) says: »I was sent as a tolerant, seeker after Allah (one from the faith of the Prophet Abraham (pbuh)), and whoever opposes my Sunna is not one of us.” (Al Jami As Sagir, 1. 427)
Elsewhere he tells believers »I was sent to be compassionate and a peace-maker...” (Al Jami As Sagir). This superior moral virtue of our Prophet (May Allah bless him and grant him peace) is expressed as follows: »Someone who responds with gentleness (who controls his earthly passion) when angered will merit the love of Allah!” (Esbahani: Hazrat Aysha)
There are many hadith concerning the compassionate, loving and tolerant qualities of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). For example, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) says: “Allah will have no compassion on he who has no compassion for other people.” (Bukhari and Muslim) Other passages read: »Be merciful, that you may be shown mercy. Forgive, that you may be forgiven. Shame on those who speak too much. Shame on those who know their sins but persist in them.” (Ahmad Diya ad-Din al-Kamushkhanawi, Ramuz al-Ahadith, Vol. 1)
»Allah is loving and merciful, He loves gentleness, and what He gives from gentleness He gives with nothing else.” (Al-Kutub As-Sittah Translation and Commentary, Vol. 7)
The great Islamic scholar Imam Ghazzali summarizes the information he collected in the hadith regarding our Prophet’s (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) attitude to those around him: »He was far from knowing anger and quickly showed compassion for things. He was the most loving of men toward other people. He was the most auspicious of men and did the most good to others, and the most useful and beneficial to others.” (Hujjat-ul-Islam, Imam Ghazzali, Ihya Ulum-id-din, Vol. 2)
The human love, consideration and affection of our prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) that bound those around him to the religion and warmed their hearts to faith is a superior moral virtue that all Muslims must concentrate on. Allah revealed these moral virtues of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), a role model for all mankind, in Surat At-Tawba:
A Messenger has come to you from among yourselves. Your suffering is distressing to him; he is deeply concerned for you; he is gentle and merciful to the believers. (Surat At-Tawba: 128)
Love, affection, tolerance and compassion are shared virtues
among the messengers sent by Allah as guides to salvation. Allah
reveals in the Qur’an that He has bestowed “sensitivity to love” on
other prophets, and cites the Prophet John (pbuh), on whom He bestowed
knowledge from His Presence, as a model on this subject. He describes
this holy personage as having “...tenderness and purity from Us - he
had takwa (respectful fear of Allah).” (Surah Maryam: 13) Therefore,
Muslims who believe and follow in the path of the messengers must also
have moral values built on affection, love and compassion. When
believers truly live by these moral values commanded by Allah, they
will see that many issues that appear to be problematic are easily
resolved, that peace and security will spread and that abundance and
plenty will reign.
The Prophet Muhammad’s (may Allah
bless him and grant him peace)
Exemplary Approach toward the People of the Book
The Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), the best role model for Muslims who deal with the People of the Book, was always tender hearted, just and compassionate toward Jews and Christians and tried to create an atmosphere based on reconciliation and love among these three religious communities. Various agreements and guarantees allowed Christians and Jews to live as autonomous religious communities. When the young Muslim community was still suffering from the Meccan polytheists’ cruelty and oppression, our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) advised some of them to seek refuge with the Christian king of Ethiopia, Negus (or al-Najashi). The Muslims who later on migrated to Madinah with our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), on the other hand, developed a model of coexistence with that city’s Jewish community that was to become a model for all later generations. The Muslims’ acceptance of Jews and Christians during the period of Islam’s expansion in Arabia entered the history books as an example of justice and understanding.
One such example was our beloved Prophet’s (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) words written in the text of an agreement prepared for the Christian Ibn Harris bin Ka`b and his co-religionists: »The religion, churches, lives, chastity, and goods of all Christians living in the East are under the protection of Allah and all believers. None of those living by Christianity will be forced to turn to Islam. If any Christian is subjected to any killing or injustice, Muslims must help him.«1
The Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) allowed the Jews to become a party to the Constitution of Madinah signed with the Aws and Khazraj clans, which permitted them to continue living as a separate religious community. The basis for this compassion and understanding of the Jews’ faith and traditions was laid down in the following article: »The Jews of Banu Awf [non-Muslim minorities] are a community along with the believers. To the Jews their religion, and to the Muslim their religion.«2
As a requirement of the morality ordained by Allah, the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) not only showed compassion and understanding toward the People of the Book, but also taught his Companions that those Jews and Christians living under the rule of Islam must be protected. The privileges that he granted them in the settlements of Adruh, Maqna, Khaybar, Najran, and Aqaba prove that Muslims both guaranteed these non-Muslims’ lives and property and recognized their freedom of belief and worship. The following articles of the agreement between our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and the Christians of Najran need to be pointed out:
To the Christians of Najran and the neighboring territories, the security of Allah and pledge of His Prophet are extended for their lives, their religion, and their property - to those present as well as those absent and others besides;
No bishop shall be removed from his bishopric, nor any monk from his monastery, nor any priest from his priesthood, and they shall continue to enjoy everything great and small as heretofore... They shall not oppress or be oppressed.
If anyone demands his right from you, justice will be maintained between you.
In addition, according to some accounts, our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) attended their weddings, visited their sick, and was generous to them. The Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) even spread out his cloak so that the Christians of Najran who came to visit him could sit on it. Following his death, the Muslims’ moral conduct toward the People of the Book continued to be based on the compassion that the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) had shown to them throughout his life.
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The above letter was sent to al-Mundhir bin Sawa, Ruler of Bahrain. The letter reads: "... Peace be upon you! I praise Allah with no associate, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. Thereafter, I remind you of Allah, the Mighty, the Glorious. Whoever accepts admonition, does it for his own good. Whoever follows my messengers and acts in accordance with their guidance, he, in fact, accepts my advice..."
"I praise Allah to you, except Whom there is none to be worshipped, the King, the Holy, the Peace, the Faithful, the Watcher, and I bear witness that Jesus, son of Mary, is the Spirit of Allah and His Word, Which He cast to Mary the virgin, the good, the pure, so that she conceived Jesus. Allah created him from His Spirit and His Breathing. I call you to Allah, the Unique without partner, and to His obedience, and to follow me and believe in that which came to me, for I am the Messenger of Allah. ... I invite you and your armies to Allah. I have accomplished my work and my admonition, so receive my advice. Peace upon all those that follow True Guidance." |
Six of Prophet Muhammad's (may
Allah bless him and grant him peace) original letters inviting various
kings and provincial governors to Islam have been preserved. These
historic documents show his supreme virtue, forgiveness and affection
toward others, and his determination to teach Islam. Rulers and their
subjects were invited in the most appropriate way to live the true
religious life, and their accepting and effective language have led many
people to believe in Islam. The wisdom inherent in our Prophet's (may
Allah bless him and grant him peace) style is an example for all
Muslims to follow. 
The letter to the Christian king
of Ethiopia Negus (or al-Najashi) is an important example of the
Muslims' attitude toward Christians. Following Muhammad's (may Allah
bless him and grant him peace) letter and his discussions with the
Muslim leader and the leader of the Makkan delegation sent to take them
back to Makkah, King Najashi proclaimed that he would protect all
Muslims who sought refuge in his country. The letter said: 
MUSLIMS’
ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE PEOPLE OF THE BOOK MUST BE IN AGREEMENT ADNAN OKTAR: Our beautiful Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was very compassionate towards Christians. He would go and eat with them, eat their food. He would also trade with the Jews and encourage his companions to do so. In that era both Christians and Jew lived their lives as if they were in Heaven. It was a term of peace and splendor for them. From Mr. Adnan Oktar’s Live
interview on Channel Malatya,
From Mr. Adnan Oktar’s Live Interview on Cay TV, July 23rd , 2008 ADNAN OKTAR: Our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to meet with Jews, do business with them and have relations with them. He also had relations with Christians, and that is not a crime. |
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Freedom of Belief and Worship under the Islamic Administration
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Beginning at the time of the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless
him and grant him peace) there has always been freedom of religion in
Muslim-ruled lands. Muslims protected the Christians’ and Jews’ belief
systems, rituals, churches and synagogues, and schools of religious
education. Articles guaranteeing the protection of monasteries and
churches have been important parts of all agreements signed between
Muslims and the People of the Book. Early agreements also allowed
Muslim travelers to rest in the monasteries located along the travel
routes. This suggests that Muslims were attempting to develop their
relationship with the People of the Book on mutual respect and that
they were taking pains to establish friendly relationship with them.
Historical documents reveal that many Muslims visited monasteries to
rest for the night, to enjoy a meal, or even to have a civilized
conversation during their travels or campaigns.
The People of the Book often responded warmly toward Muslims. The following expressions were recorded in an agreement signed by Caliph Umar, which was presented to Abu Ubayda by the Syrian Christians:
[We imposed these terms on ourselves: ]… not to withhold our churches from Muslims stopping there by night or day; to open their doors to the traveler and wayfarer; …to entertain every Muslim traveler in our customary style and feed him… We will not abuse a Muslim, and he who strikes a Muslim has forfeited his rights.4
As "if God had not driven some people back by means of others, monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, where God's name is mentioned much, would have been pulled down and destroyed," (Qur'an, 22:40) points out, Jewish and Christian places of worship are regarded by Muslims as holy places in which God's name is remembered. Thus, as it is their responsibility to protect such places, throughout Islamic history all Jewish and Christian houses of worship have been protected so that the Jews and Christians can pray and worship in them as they please.
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As the following verse; »if Allah had not driven some people back by means of others, monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, where Allah’s name is mentioned much, would have been pulled down and destroyed,« (Surat Al-Hajj: 40) points out, Jewish and Christian places of worship are regarded by Muslims as holy places in which Allah’s name is remembered. Thus, as it is their responsibility to protect such places, throughout Islamic history all Jewish and Christian houses of worship have been protected so that the Jews and Christians can pray and worship in them as they please. For instance, historic documents signed during Abu Bakr’s (ra) reign state that the Christians of the peacefully taken city of Tabarriya were given guarantees that their churches would not be harmed. Likewise, the agreement signed after the conquest of Damascus stated that churches would not be destroyed or occupied. Umar’s (ra) covenant to the people of Jerusalem guaranteed the protection of all places of worship. During the conquest of the Armenian city of Dabil (Dvin) in Uthman’s (ra) time, the assurances given to Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians guaranteed the protection of all places of worship.5
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Permission to restore damaged churches and build new monasteries was never withheld. For instance, the St. Sergius monastery outside of Medain was destroyed by Patriarch Mar Amme and rebuilt during Uthman’s reign. Uqba, the governor of Egypt, contributed to a Nestorian monastery, the Church of Edessa was restored during the reign of Mu’awiyya, and the Saint Marcos Church was built in Alexandria. These are just a few examples of this tradition. The continued existence of churches and synagogues in Palestine, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, and Iraq proves the Muslims’ respect for the other divinely revealed religions. The Sinai Monastery with a mosque right next door is an important pilgrimage center on Mount Sinai and an example of the respect Muslims showed to the places of worship of the People of the Book.
Under Islamic rule, the People of the Book have always celebrated their religious festivities as they pleased. From time to time, the Muslim leadership even attended them. A letter by the Nestorian Patriarch Isho’yab III (650-60) reveals the Muslim leaders’ compassion and understanding toward the People of the Book:
They [Abbasids] have not attacked the Christian religion, but rather they have commended our faith, honored our priests... and conferred benefits on churches and monasteries.6
Benjamin of Tudela, a famous twelfth-century Jewish explorer who could not conceal his astonishment when he discovered such attitudes in the Islamic world, expressed the impossibility of such religious understanding and pluralism in Christian Europe. He also stated that Jews and Muslims prayed together in holy places and at the tombs of holy people; that mosques were built next to synagogues, and that different congregations celebrated each other’s religious festivities.7
These historical facts reveal that, contrary to much of what we read today, Islam is a religion of peace and love. Christians and Jews lived freely under Muslim rule and enjoyed the freedoms of religious belief and thought.
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The
history of the St. George monastery in Ariha goes back to the fifth
century. |
The
St. Sabbas Monastery was built at the beginning of the fourth century. |
A painting depicting Mt. Sinai. |
There
are many historical places of worship and holy places in Jerusalem and
its vicinity. The area is sacred to all Muslims, Jews, and Christians.
Many monasteries and churches dating back to the fourth century have
been preserved. Under Muslim administrators, Jews, Christians, and
Muslims freely prayed in their respective places of worship and lived in
peace and security. Alliances of genuine believers can recreate the
same atmosphere of tranquility today. |
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| Only argue with the People of the
Book in the kindest way - except in the case of those of them who do
wrong - saying, "We believe in what has been sent down to us and what
was sent down to you. Our God and your God are one and we submit to
Him." (Surat Al-Ankabut: 46) |
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The Tranquility the People of the Book Experienced under Muslim Rule
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Christians and Jews enjoyed the highest degree of freedom and
love under Muslim rule. During the first few centuries of the Christian
era, Jews oppressed Christians; as the latter became more powerful,
they began to oppress Jews and even fellow Christians belonging to
other sects. The Middle Ages were dominated by the Catholic church’s
oppression of all Jews and Christians who did not agree with its
teachings. Some non-Catholics sought refuge with the Muslims. The
oppression and violence directed by Byzantium against the Egyptian
Monophysite and the Jacobean Christians, the horrors endured by those
Jews and Orthodox Christians who found themselves in the path of the
Catholic Crusaders, and the persecution endured by the Jews of Europe,
as well as by the Muslims and Jews in Spain after the Reconquista, have
never occurred on Muslim soil.
The Ottoman Empire set an example of this highly compassionate
attitude. The Patriarch of Antalya, Makarios, compared the tyranny of
Catholic Poland against the Orthodox population with the Ottoman
administration and concluded:
We mourned the thousands of people, men, women, and children killed by those heathens. The Polish wish to exterminate people of the Orthodox faith. May Allah make the Turkish state eternal, because they do not interfere with the Jews or Christians, provided they pay their taxes.8
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Jews escaping Spanish tyranny found the peace and security they sought on Ottoman soil. Driven out of Spain and faced with more hardship in other countries where they sought refuge, many died of hunger and thirst at the gates of towns and cities they were not permitted to enter. Jews who boarded Genoese ships were either exploited or sold to pirates. Sultan Bayazid welcomed the Jews into his empire and demanded that the people show them the respect and affection to which they were entitled.
The order proclaimed not to refuse the Jews entry or cause them difficulties, but to receive them cordially.9 Sultan Bayazid is known to history as a religious man, and his hospitality and affection were based on the Qur’an’s morality.
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Another example of the comfortable and prosperous lives led by Jews on Muslim soil was seen in Muslim Andalusia. This state, which founded the most advanced civilization in Europe at that time, was characterized by the understanding exhibited toward members of different faiths. Andalusia was gradually weakened due to the constant attacks of Spanish Christians. Granada was its last stronghold, and historic documents state that »those who have not seen the splendor of Jewish life do not know what splendor is.« At that time, Granada was the safest place on Earth for Jews.10
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Another example is Palestine, where Jewish and Christian communities enjoyed religious freedom, lived in peace and safety, and engaged in trade and crafts. The Ottoman Empire guaranteed peace and security for some five centuries in the area, and such order has never been seen there since. The freedoms enjoyed in Jerusalem and its surrounding area under Ottoman rule is described by one of Israel’s ex-foreign ministers, Abba Eban, as follows:
Jerusalem and the Jewish nation suffered bloodshed and torture from the Romans and every other occupying force. Only after the conquest of Jerusalem by Sultan Yavuz Selim and its fortification by Kanuni did the Jewish nation discover what humanity, equality, and a peaceful life meant.11
Throughout the Muslim world, Muslims, Christians, and Jews lived together in peace and tranquility for centuries. The People of the Book engaged in commerce and acquired property as they wished, engaged in the trade or profession of their choice, and were appointed to posts in the state administration and even in the sultan’s palace. They enjoyed the freedom of thought and expression at the highest degree, and made scientific and cultural achievements that are still with us today. They were not denied their social rights, and enjoyed maximum freedoms of belief and worship. For instance, historical sources reveal that Christian physicians in the Abbasids’ palace could read the Gospel with their families and staff, and no one interfered with their worship.
The importance of science and scientists in the Islamic world guaranteed the caliphs’ patronage of Christian and Jewish scientists. Scientists of various religious denominations would meet at state-organized gatherings to discuss scientific matters. Jewish and Christian physicists would exchange views with their Muslim counterparts, and many medical works would be discussed in the presence of the caliph or his bureaucrats.12
Living under the Islamic rule, the People of the Book took part in the bustling cultural life. Muslim leaders extended their cultural patronage to the lands they conquered and imported them to Baghdad, capital of the empire, where they would be studied by Muslim, Christian, and Jewish scientists. Each of them in turn, could teach their works based on these studies alongside their own religious beliefs. At a time when Muslims supported science and freedom of thought, Europe, the center of Christianity, had Inquisition courts that burned people at the stake for their heretical, meaning non-Catholic, thoughts or religious beliefs.
Glory be to Him Who took His
servant on a journey by night from the Sacred Mosque [Masjid al-Haram]
to the Further Mosque [Masjid al-Aqsa], whose surroundings We have
blessed, in order to show him some of Our Signs. He is the All-Hearing,
the All-Seeing. |
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The
Church of the Holy Sepulcher visited by Christian pilgrims, 1836.
Christian pilgrims could visit Palestine, then under Muslim
administration, as they wished and worship freely. |
 A photograph of the Wailing Wall, 1900. Among the people of the Book there are some who believe in Allah and in what has been sent down to you and what was sent down to them, and who are humble before Allah. They do not sell Allah's Signs for a paltry price. Such people will have their reward with their Lord. And Allah is swift at reckoning. (Surah Al 'Imran: 199) |
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The Muslim
leaders’ sense of justice led many Christians and Jews to bring their
cases to Islamic courts, even though they had their own courts with
their own laws. At one time, the Nestorian patriarch Mar Timothee I
(780-825) even circulated a decree to counteract the ever-increasing
number of Christians taking their cases to Islamic courts.13
This unequalled compassion and justice in Muslim lands was based on
the Qur’an’s morality. Muslim leaders who adopted such ethical
standards always achieved security, peace, and justice in their
domains. These administrations’ priority was the public’s happiness and
prosperity; therefore, they established systems that set the standards
for future generations. When these same values of compassion, mercy,
justice, understanding, modesty, patience, selflessness, and devotion
derived from the Qur’an’s morality begin to pervade today’s societies,
it will be possible to create a world order in which all people will
find peace and security.
MUSLIMS MUST LOOK
AFTER THE PEOPLE OF THE BOOK |
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Legal Status of the People of the Book in Muslim Societies
The People of the Book living within the Muslim realm were
considered dhimmis, rather than prisoners of war, and therefore
were guaranteed certain legal rights. For example, in exchange for
paying the jizya tax, their lives and property were guaranteed, and
they enjoyed freedom of religious belief and thought, were exempted
from military service, and had the right to their own law courts to
resolve their disputes. On some occasions, their taxes were refunded.
This tax on non-Muslims has sometimes been misinterpreted in
order to portray it as an injustice. But as we have seen above, the
protections that they secured after paying it were hardly
insignificant. In addition, the collected money was used to protect the
non-Muslims’ rights and future, and to take care of their needy
coreligionists. Studying the dhimmis’ status and the Muslim
administrators’ practices in this regard reveal the truth of the
matter.
Our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: »I am the adversary of those who wrong the dhimmis or burden them with a load they cannot carry.« According to this principle, Muslims considered it their duty to protect those non-Muslims living under their rule. The Muslims’ sense of justice dictates that dhimmis come under the state’s protection. During the reign of Umar ibn al-Khattab(ra), the Muslims signed an agreement with the Christians of Hira. One of the provisions stated: »If any of their men become weak and old, or inflicted with a disease, or was rich and had become poor, the jizya shall be lifted from him, and he and his family shall be supported by the public treasury [bayt al-mal] so long as he resides in the dar al-Islam.«14 This clearly reveals the attitude of the Muslim authorities toward the dhimmis. When non-Muslims could not pay their taxes, they were supported by public funds, which were an important aspect of state support. Before signing the agreement he had made with the people of Damascus, Umar revealed the sensitivity of Muslims toward the jizya and non-Muslims:
My own opinion and on the Book of Allah [citing Q. LIX, 6-8] is that you should keep what has been given by Allah to you [of the land] in the hands of its people .If the jizya is paid by them [the dhimmis], you should require no more of them . For if we divide the land [among us], nothing will be left for our descendants .[If the land is left with its people,] the Muslims will be able to live on its produce.
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You may therefore impose on them [the dhimmis] the jizya, never to take them as prisoners, nor to do any injustice or harm to them, or to take any of their property unless you have a [valid legal] claim to it. You must fulfill the obligations you accepted in accordance with your agreement with them.15
As we have seen, genuine Muslims who abide by the Qur’an’s morality considered it their responsibility to protect the lives, property, and peace of non-Muslims. Once, during a battle with the Byzantine army, the situation became so untenable that Muslims could no longer provide the necessary protection to Christians. Thus, Muhammad, our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), ordered the jizya to be returned to them.16
The amicable history between Muslims and Jews and Christians is an example for the present. The Islamic code of ethics requires that non-Muslims be treated with affection, that their values and beliefs be respected, and that an environment in which peaceful coexistence is possible be created. Therefore, the spread of this code, as well as efforts to correct some misguided practices claiming to be Islamic, will play an important role.
In addition, Muslims’ love and understanding must find an appropriate response in the Jewish and Christian communities, because Allah also commands them to love all other people and to be the leaders in all matters of good and peace.
CHAPTER 1 HOW SHOULD THE STANCE OF MUSLIMS BE TOWARDS THE
CHAPTER 1
HOW SHOULD THE STANCE OF MUSLIMS BE TOWARDS
THE PEOPLE OF THE BOOK ACCORDING TO THE QUR’AN AND THE SUNNAH?
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This book reveals, in the light of the Holy Scriptures of the three divine religions, that Muslims, Christians, and Jews have common principles of faith, worship, and moral values; that they face common dangers; and makes a call on the People of the Book –that is the Christians and Jews–for unity as revealed by our Lord in the Qur'an. The aim of this call is to unite all devout people for common goals; to strive together against Darwinism, materialism, atheism, anti-religiosity, and social as well as moral degeneration, and to spread belief of Allah and good morals around the world. This is a call to all Jews, Christians, and Muslims who are sincere, conscientious, tolerant, helpful, conciliatory, reasonable, virtuous, peaceful. It should not be forgotten that we all believe in the same Allah and strive to live and extend the reach of the morality Our Lord has commanded us. The followers of these three divine faiths believe;
- that Allah created the universe from nothingness and sustains all matter with his Endless Power;
- that Allah created all life forms in a miraculous way; and that man has a soul given by Allah;
- that Allah sent Prophets to humanity throughout history, like the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and the Prophets Jesus, Moses (peace be upon them) along with the Prophets Noah, David, Abraham, Isaac, and Joseph (peace be upon them all); and they love them all.
- that Allah created our lives according to destiny; and they all believe in the Resurrection, Hell, Heaven, and the existence of the angels.
Not only in matters of faith, the People of the Book and Muslims also have common values about morality. For example, in a world in which prostitution, homosexuality, and drug abuse, together with selfishness, greed, and hardheartedness are spreading fast, they value and seek to live by honor, chastity, modesty, selflessness, honesty, compassion, mercy, and unconditional love.
As Muslims we all have a profound love and respect for Prophets Moses (pbuh) and Jesus (pbuh); we know that they are esteemed, blessed people in the Sight of Allah, and we believe in all Prophets our Lord had sent. Furthermore, as the requisite of the morality Allah taught us in the Qur'an, we respect the beliefs, values, and traditions of all Jews and Christians. In the Qur'an, Allah commands the Muslims to invite the People of the Book to unite on a common premise:
Say: "O People of the Book! Come to a proposition that is the same for us and you – that we should worship none but Allah, not associate any partners with Him, and not take one another as lords besides Allah." If they turn away, say: "Bear witness that we are Muslims." (Surah Al 'Imran: 64)
This is our call to Jews and Christians: As people believing in Allah and obeying His revelation, let us unite in a common premise of "faith". Let us all love and obey Allah, our Creator and our Lord, and pray to Him to lead us to a truer path. When Muslims, Christians, and Jews unite under these premises, when they realize that they are friends and not enemies, and when they see that the real enemies are Darwinism, materialism, atheism and irreligion, the world will become an altogether different place. Wars, antagonisms, fears, and violence will end, and a new civilization founded on this common premise, one based on love, respect, and contentment, will emerge.
The Compassion and Mercy of Muslims towards the Members of the other Two Divine Religions; Judaism and Christianity
Islam recognizes both Judaism and Christianity as divinely revealed religions that originated in the revelation of Allah and does not consider them equal with systems of idolatry or unbelief. Rather, it regards Jews and Christians as People of the Book and requires Muslims to show understanding and respect to their beliefs. Allah reveals this subject in the Surat Al-Baqara as follows:
Alif Lam Mim. That is the Book without any doubt. It contains guidance for those who guard against evil: those who believe in the Unseen, perform prayer, and spend from what We have provided for them; those who believe in what has been sent down to you, what was sent down before you, and are certain about the Hereafter. (Surat Al-Baqara: 1-4)
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These verses describe Muslims as people who believe in the Qur’an revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) as well as in the earlier divinely revealed books. In the Qur’an Allah reveals these earlier divinely revealed books as: the Pages of Abraham (pbuh), the Torah revealed to Moses (pbuh), the Book of Psalms revealed to David (pbuh), and the Gospel revealed to Jesus (pbuh). However, over time these books were tampered with by some people and therefore contain both accurate (e.g., belief in Allah, virtue, the Day of Judgment, and the rejection of idolatry), and inaccurate information. By looking at the Qur’an and the hadiths of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), we can easily distinguish the accurate and distorted parts of these books.
In the Qur’an Allah revealed that these books are:
He has sent down the Book [the Qur’an] to you with truth, confirming what was there before it. And He sent down the Torah and the Gospel, previously, as guidance for humanity... (Surah Al ’Imran: 3-4)
Another verse states the following about the Torah:
We sent down the Torah containing guidance and light, and the Prophets who had submitted themselves gave judgment by it for the Jews - as did their scholars and their rabbis - by what they had been allowed to preserve of Allah‘s Book, to which they were witnesses. (Surat Al- Ma’ida: 44)
The Qur’an reveals that some Jewish scholars and rabbis »distorted words from their proper meanings « in the Torah (Surat Al-Ma’ida: 41) and falsified the Book of Allah: » Woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say: ‘This is from Allah,’ to sell it for a paltry price« (Surat Al-Baqara: 79). Some of the Christians, on the other hand, made a grave mistake by deifying the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) (Surat An-Nisa: 171). In the Qur’an, Allah draws our attention to some moral mistakes of some of the People of The Book. However, this does not mean that the People of the Book are in complete ignorance and error, for He also reveals that some of them are deeply religious and devoted to Allah:
They are not all the same. There is a community among
the People of the Book who are upright. They recite the Signs of Allah
throughout the night, and they prostrate. They believe in Allah and the
Last Day, enjoin the right and forbid the wrong, and compete in doing
good. They are among the righteous. You will not be denied the reward
for any good thing you do. Allah knows those who guard against evil.
(Surat Al’Imran: 113-115)
Among the People of the Book are some who believe in Allah and in what has been sent down to you and what was sent down to them, and who are humble before Allah. They do not sell Allah’s Signs for a paltry price. Such people will have their reward with their Lord. And Allah is swift at reckoning. (Surat Al’Imran: 199)
Therefore, a Muslim’s attitude toward the People of the Book reflects the probable existence of lots of genuinely faithful people among them. According to Islam, Muslims need to approach these sincere believers with love, compassion and understanding. A Muslim is obliged with having an understanding that approaches every human being with compassion, gives him the right to express his opinion, respects his acts of worship and places of worship and provides him the opportunity to live freely. This is a commandment of the Qur’an as well as a fact which is exemplified by our Prophet’s (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) life. This aside we need to keep in mind that only Allah knows the hearts of people, and He reveals that some among the Jews and Christians have earned His good pleasure in His Sight.
The Prophet Abraham (pbuh) Was a Haneef
Allah reveals in the Qur’an that He has created a way and a method for all nations. Throughout history, He has sent Prophets to people to inform them of His laws, commands, and prohibitions. Essentially, all Prophets have invited their nations to believe in and worship Allah and to abide by the limits He has established for humanity. In other words, all true religions in their original state are based on the principles of not associating others with Him and of working to win His good pleasure, compassion, and Heaven. All nations are expected to follow Allah’s will without fail and to do good deeds in order to earn His reward:
We have appointed a law and a practice for every one of you. Had Allah willed, He would have made you a single community, but He wanted to test you regarding what has come to you. So, compete with each other in doing good. Every one of you will return to Allah, and He will inform you regarding the things about which you differed. (Surat Al-Ma’ida: 48)
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»Peace be upon Noah, among all beings.« That is how We recompense the good-doers. He truly was one of Our servants who believes. Then We drowned the rest. One of his followers in faith was Abraham. (Surat As-Saffat: 79-83)
Allah reveals in the Qur’an that the Prophet Adam (pbuh) was the first of a long line of Prophets. After the Prophet Adam (pbuh), the Prophet Sid (pbuh) and the Prophet Idris (Enoch) (pbuh) were sent. Then Allah sent the Prophet Noah (pbuh) as His Messenger. The Prophet Abraham (pbuh) lived after the Prophet Noah (pbuh) and is his descendant. Allah revealed this in the Qur’an as follows:
"Peace be upon Noah, among all beings." That is how We recompense the good-doers. He truly was one of Our servants who believes. Then We drowned the rest. One of his followers in faith was Abraham. (Qur'an, 37:79-83)
In the Qur’an Allah reveals that the religion of Abraham (pbuh) was a »haneef« religion. The word »haneef« means one who surrenders to Allah’s Will, not compromising in any way on His Religion, and being devout. In one verse, Allah commands the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) to abide by the haneef religion of the Prophet Abraham (pbuh):
Then We revealed to you: »Follow the religion of Abraham, a man of pure natural belief. He was not one of the idolaters.« (Surat An-Nahl: 123)
The Prophet Abraham’s (pbuh) sons, grandchildren, and other devout Muslim descendents all abided by his religion. In the Qur’an this truth is revealed as follows:
Who would deliberately renounce the religion of Abraham, except someone who reveals himself to be a fool? We chose him in this world, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the righteous. When his Lord said to him: »Become a Muslim!« he said: »I am a Muslim who has submitted to the Lord of all the worlds.« Abraham directed his sons to this, as did Jacob: »My sons. Allah has chosen this religion for you, so do not die except as Muslims.« Or were you present when death came to Jacob and he said to his sons: »What will you worship when I have gone?« They said: »We will worship your God, the God of your forefathers, Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac – One God. We are Muslims submitted to Him.« (Surat Al-Baqara: 130-133)
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As we can see, the religion followed by the Prophet Abraham (pbuh) represents the common ground among Muslims, Jews, and Christians who have faith in Allah, the One and Only. Love, faith, and respect for the Prophet Abraham (pbuh) are just as important to Muslims as they are for Christians and Jews. However, those who follow his morality are the ones who are closest to him. He was exuberant in his faith in Allah, loved him deeply, followed all of His commands willingly, and thus was an example for all humanity. As Allah says in the Qur’an:
The people with the strongest claim to Abraham are those who followed him and this Prophet, and those who believe. Allah is the Protector of the believers. (Surat Al’Imran: 68)
Therefore, all Jews and Christians, who believe wholeheartedly in Allah, like the Prophet Abraham (pbuh) and the believers who followed him, must only turn to Allah and follow this great Prophet‘s example of virtue, sincerity and insight. The best way to show one’s love, obedience, and closeness to the Prophets is by emulating them. Muslims do not discriminate among the Prophets and what was revealed to them, for Allah commands:
Say: »We believe in Allah and what has been sent down to us, what was sent down to Abraham and Ishmael, Isaac and Jacob, and the Tribes; what Moses and Jesus were given; and what all of the Prophets were given by their Lord. We do not differentiate between any of them. We are Muslims submitted to Him.« (Surat Al-Baqara: 136)
The Compassion Brought by the Morality of the Qur’an
Islam, a religion of peace and love, requires believers to treat all people with justice and respect. Devout Muslims are forgiving, modest, understanding, gentle, genuine, and honest people who are full of love. In fact, Allah commands them to be just even when it is not in their own interests or those of their families to be so; to feed orphans and prisoners of war first, even if they are hungry themselves; and to be selfless, patient, and firm in virtue. Such Muslims are far more compassionate and understanding towards non-Muslims, for they know that there is no compulsion in religion. When dealing with non-Muslims, they do their best to show the way to the right path, address the other person’s conscience, and become the means of this person’s acceptance of a virtuous life, which is only possible if Allah grants him or her faith. In the following verse Allah reveals that He rules people’s hearts and that only He can bring light into them:
Do those who believe not know that if Allah had wanted to He could have guided all humanity? (Surat Ar-Ra’d: 31)
You cannot guide those you would like to, but Allah guides whoever He wills. He has best knowledge of the guided. (Surat Al-Qasas: 56)
Muslims are only responsible for relaying the truth and inviting people to believe, for belief cannot be forced upon someone. Allah says:
There is no compulsion in religion. Right guidance has become clearly distinct from error. Anyone who rejects false deities and believes in Allah has grasped the Firmest Handhold, which will never give way. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. (Surat Al-Baqara: 256)
Muslims naturally abide by the Qur’an’s morality when dealing with the People of the Book. For example, the Qur’an says that Muslims are expected to respect the Christians’ and the Jews’ beliefs and reputations, protect them and be compassionate toward them, for they are fellow believers in Allah’s existence and unity, His angels and Prophets, the Day of Judgment, and the necessity to abide by religious morality. This fact is an important measure for the Muslims to feel compassion for them and to protect them.
Allah also reveals in the Qur’an that those Christians and Jews who believe in Him as the One and Only, and the Day of Judgment and do good deeds will receive the fairest rewards for their virtue:
Those with faith, those who are Jews, Christians, and Sabaeans, all who believe in Allah and the Last Day and act rightly will have their reward with their Lord. They will feel no fear and will know no sorrow. (Surat Al-Baqara: 62)
Thus, glad tidings are given to all who believe in Allah and the Day of Judgment and do right deeds; and Allah has revealed in the Qur’an that those believers have rewards in the Sight of Allah. In Surat Al-Ma’ida: 48 Allah states; »We have appointed a law and a practice for every one of you,« and that everyone has to »compete with each other in doing good.« It is a command for all sincere believers to live righteously and compete in doing good. Therefore, Muslims cannot be uncompromising and uncompassionate towards people who, like themselves, believe in Allah and are righteous. The history of Islam proves this point.
The truth revealed by all these facts is that the morality of Islam requires Muslims to be understanding towards Jews and Christians, to enable them the freedom of worship and faith, to be respectful towards their culture and traditions and to approach those devout believers among the People of the Book with love and compassion. Anything in the contrary would not be compliant with neither the morality of the Qur’an, nor the Sunnah of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).
Before we analyze this history, we must point out a very important factor that determines the Muslims’ attitude toward the People of the Book: Muslims’ love for the Prophets Moses (pbuh) and Jesus (pbuh).
The information above reveals one fact: The morality of Islam obliges Muslims to treat Jews and Christians with understanding, to ensure their freedom of worship and faith, to respect their culture and customs, and approach the People of the Book who have sincere faith with compassion and love. A contrary attitude would be incompatible with both the morality of the Qur’an and the Sunnah of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).
In the Qur’an Allah praises all the Prophets (peace be upon them
all), Muslims have a heartfelt love for the Prophet Moses (pbuh) and
the Prophet Jesus (pbuh).
In all epochs, Allah has sent
Prophets to deliver His revelations to humanity. Prophets are chosen in
His Presence and therefore are ennobled by Him. These role models of
virtue taught His religion to their nations, advocated goodness and
warned of evil, and helped people toward faith. The Qur’an gives many
examples of past nations and peoples and their Prophets’ lives. These
narratives reveal details of their teachings about Allah and His
religion, their ideological fight against unbelievers, and the
responses they received from the people they invited to faith. The
Prophets’ patience, selflessness, sincerity, fine thinking, and other
superior human virtues made them ideal role models. Muslims believe in
all the Prophets who were chosen by Allah to reveal the truth to
humanity, such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (peace be
upon them all):
He has laid down the same religion for you as He enjoined on Noah: that which We have revealed to you and which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: »Establish the religion and do not make divisions in it.« What you call the idolaters to follow is very hard for them. Allah chooses for Himself anyone He wills, and guides to Himself those who turn to Him. (Surat Ash-Shura: 13)
As Allah revealed in the Qur’an »...We believe in Allah and what has been sent down to us and what was sent down to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the Tribes, and what Moses and Jesus were given, and what all the Prophets were given by their Lord. We do not differentiate between any of them. We are Muslims submitted to Him’ (Surat Al-Baqara: 136), Muslims believe in all the prophets, making no distinction between them, have a profound love for them all and take the lives and moral values of these holy individuals as models for themselves.
All the prophets have preached the true faith in the Sight of our Lord to their peoples, have called on them to believe in Allah, the One and Only, and have warned and frightened them with regard to the Day of Judgment. All the prophets are holy individuals with superior moral virtues and profound faith and must serve as models for Muslims and are remembered with respect. Just like Allah praised these blessed individuals in the Qur’an, Muslims must praise and remember the exemplary virtues, behavior and faith of the Prophets Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), Jesus, Moses, Jacob, Noah, Joseph, Abraham, Elijah, Jethro, Lot and all the other prophets (peace be upon them all) with fervor and enthusiasm. This is a form of religious observances that Allah praises in the Qur’an. There is wisdom in the lives of all the prophets for believers to reflect on and adopt as models for themselves. It is unbecoming of a genuine Muslim to ignore that wisdom or fail to reflect on it properly.
Of course, as Allah reveals in verse 21 of Surat Al-Ahzab, for everyone who believes in Allah and the Day of Judgment, the best examples are in the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), the Messenger of Allah. However, for an honest Muslim to consider the honorable moral values of the other prophets and to be one of those whom Allah will approve just like them, is just as important as it is to adopt the moral values of our beloved Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).
Allah reveals in the Qur’an that the Prophet Moses (pbuh) and the Prophet Aaron (pbuh) are blessed individuals who are auspicious and honorable in His Sight as follows:
We showed great kindness to Moses and Aaron. We rescued them and their people from their terrible plight. We supported them, and so they were the victors. We gave them the clarifying Book, guided them on the Straight Path, and left the later people saying of them: »Peace be upon Moses and Aaron.« That is how We recompense good-doers. They truly were among Our believing servants. (Surat As-Saffat: 114 - 122)
Allah sent the Prophet Moses (pbuh) to the Children of Israel, who were enslaved by Pharaoh at the time, for the following reason: »Then We gave Moses the Book, complete and perfect for him who does good, elucidating everything, and a guidance and a mercy, so that hopefully they will believe in their encounter with their Lord« (Surat Al-An’am: 154). In the Qur’an, Allah reveals how Moses (pbuh) was chosen:
Has the story of Moses not reached you? When he [Moses] saw a fire and said to his family: »Wait here. I can make out a fire. Maybe I will bring you a brand from it, or will find guidance there.« Then when he reached it, a voice called out: »Moses! I am your Lord. Take off your sandals. You are in the holy valley of Tuwa. I have chosen you, so listen well to what is revealed.« (Surah Ta Ha: 9-13)
The Prophet Moses (pbuh) fought against Pharaoh and his close allies, as well as those hypocrites and people of weak faith from among his own nation, and proved himself a universal role model by means of his submission to Allah and his faith, patience, courage, selflessness, intelligence, motivation, and drive. Muslims feel deep respect for him.
The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is introduced as »The Messenger and word of Allah« (Surat An-Nisa: 171), as well as a »sign« (Surat Al-Anbiya: 91) for people. In the Qur’an, Allah reveals some enlightening information about his life and mission and the miracles that He granted to him. The Prophet Jesus is praised in the Qur’an as follows:
When the angels said: »Mary, your Lord gives you good news of a Word from Him. His name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, of high esteem in this world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near.« (Surat Al’Imran: 45)
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The nature of the divine revelation given to the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), the Gospel, is described as follows:
And We sent Jesus, son of Mary, following in their footsteps, confirming the Torah that came before him. We gave him the Gospel containing guidance and light, confirming the Torah that came before it, and as guidance and admonition for those who guard against evil. (Surah Al ’Imran: 46)
As Allah reveals in the Qur’an, the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) is distinguished from the other Prophets in several ways. The most significant of these is that he did not die, but was raised up to the Presence of Allah and will return. In the Qur’an Allah states that »they certainly did not kill him« (Surat An-Nisa: 157), but that Allah raised him up to His Presence. His death or being killed is never mentioned in the Qur’an. Besides, Allah also reveals in the Qur’an information about the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) that never happened in the history and those events can only be realized with the Prophet Jesus (pbuh)’s second coming to the world. There is no doubt that events foretold in the Qur’an will come true. (This point will be examined in details in the following chapters of this book.) Consequently, Muslims are awaiting his return with great joy and anticipation, just like the Christians and are doing their best to prepare for his arrival.
Hazrat Mary, the mother of the Prophet Jesus (pbuh), is an exemplary individual whom Allah praises in the Qur’an because of her superior moral values and behavior, and whom Allah elevated above all the women of the worlds. Allah reveals the following about Mary in the Qur’an:
And when the angels said, ‘Mary, Allah has chosen you and purified you. He has chosen you over all other women. (Surah Al ’Imran: 42)
And Mary, the daughter of ‘Imran, who guarded her chastity We breathed Our Soul into her and she confirmed the Words of her Lord and His Book and was one of the obedient. (Surat At-Tahrim: 12)
Believers must harbor a profound love and respect for those holy servants whose superior moral virtues and behavior Allah praises in His verses, and they must adopt them as role models. All Muslims who truly believe must take pains to behave in this way.
THE
PEOPLE OF ISRAEL AND THE CHRISTIANS LIVED IN SECURITY IN THE TIME OF
OUR PROPHET (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)
From Mr. Adnan Oktar’s Interview for The Gulf Today
(UAE), October, 2008
ADNAN OKTAR: The people of Israel are descendants of the prophets; they are the children of our own prophets. They are the ones who follow the law of the Prophet Moses (pbuh), and they have brought that law, that faith, right down to the present day. It is therefore incompatible with good conscience to deprive these immaculate people of their state and nation, to seek to exile them or refuse them the right to live. Muslims are affectionate and compassionate and are full of love. Of course, they are our brothers too, and have the right to live. They are first-class people; they can live as they chose, trade and make art as they like in the region. So why should they be exiled from that region and why should they live restless or why should they be deprived of their right to live in peace? No reasonable person could accept that, I do not accept it either. Of course they are going to live in peace and in happiness and have their security guaranteed. They will live in plenty and abundance within the Turkish-Islamic Union. The commandment of the Qur’an is crystal clear, as are the Sunna and practices of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). The people of the Book were perfectly at ease in the time of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). The people of Israel were living perfectly at ease. They were living in Jerusalem then, in the region that is Israel. They were happy and wealthy. Our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) treated them with love and affection. One can marry Jewish girls, eat meat they have prepared, sit down at their tables, visit their homes and be friends with them, and that was what happened in the time of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and is Sunnah. The same applies to the Christians. As you know, one of our Prophet’s (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) concubines was a Christian. She is our mother, I mean someone we recall with love and respect. I am not only talking about Judaism here, the same goes for Christians. They are also people with the right to live in happiness and peace, with the right to comfortable lives, with the right to live in wealth and abundance, and we must see that they enjoy the ability to live in that way.
MUSLIMS HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT AND WATCH OVER THE PEOPLE OF THE BOOK From Mr. Adnan Oktar’s Interview on Kackar TV, January 22nd , 2009
REPORTER: Why is anti-Semitism, racism that is totally against Islam?
ADNAN OKTAR: We have love towards the descendants of the Prophets, we feel affection for the Prophet Abraham’s (pbuh) sons. Our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is from the Prophet Abraham’s (pbuh) lineage and so is Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh). Abdul-Qadir Gilani as well as all great imams are the descendants of the Prophet Abraham (pbuh). That is why we cannot have any enmity or animosity against the lineage of prophets. That could only have a place in an evil mind and in evil thoughts. We are against atheist Zionism; otherwise we love devout Jews with great compassion. We also feel affection and have love for them because they are the lineage of the prophets. In that sense we may have no opposition or animosity towards them that would be unlawful and it has no place in Islam. On the contrary there is protection, shelter and kindness in the Qur’an and we are obliged to act that way. They will surely practice their religion as they like and that is the same for Christians also, and we may only have positive involvement in that respect, not a negative one.
INTRODUCTION
We are living in an
era in which the world is in need of peace, friendship, and solidarity
more than ever. The tensions and conflicts that defined the twentieth
century continue in this new century as well, and innocent people all
around the world continue to suffer from them.
Despite the urgent need for solidarity and cooperation, certain circles are inciting conflict, particularly conflict between the world's two greatest and deep-rooted civilizations. This issue needs to be scrutinized, as the war of civilizations that they envisage would have disastrous consequences for humanity. One of the best ways of preventing such a disaster is to strengthen the solidarity and cooperation between these civilizations. This is not a hard task, as there are no fundamental differences between Islamic world and the Western world. On the contrary, - as we will put forward the proofs throughout this book- there is much common ground in between the Islamic civilization and the Judeo-Christian culture that constitutes the foundation of the Western civilization. Finding solution to the problems of the world in cooperation will not be difficult by taking this common ground as basis. Especially when taking the current situation and the nature of the world's problems into consideration.
Today, ideological
struggles, indeed, continue to divide the world. However, Muslims are
not at one pole and Jews and Christians are not at the opposing pole.
In fact, one pole represents people who believe in the existence and
unity of Allah, and the other pole represents the unbelievers, who
believe in such anti-religious ideologies as materialism and Darwinism.
There is only one way to defeat the alliance of the various groups of
unbelievers on an ideological level: eradicate the negative and
destructive influences of Darwinist, atheist and anti-religious
materialism and further the cause of a society dominated by morality,
happiness, tranquility, security, and prosperity. This will be done by
forming an alliance of all conscientious people, namely, sincere
Christians, along with religious Jews and Muslims, who will come
together and unite in this common cause.
There may have been conflicts and disputes in between the
members of these three divine religions in the past with various
pretexts; that is a historical fact. But those were originated from the
erroneous reasoning and evil motives of certain states, nations, and
individuals, and most of the time from their pursuit of their own
economic and political gains; not from the fundamental beliefs of
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. One of the common aims of these
divinely revealed three religions is to ensure the happiness, security,
peace, and tranquility of all people and every sort of opinion against
this aim, which stipulates conflict, is erroneous according to these
three religions.
Therefore, this cooperation and alliance will be based on the sincere believers' quest for justice, peace, and support for all people. The resulting alliance will not be restricted to meetings and conferences, but will cement an alliance between people who advocate common values, intellectual struggle for the same cause, and seek permanent solutions to common problems. This alliance will be one of the main contributing factors to tranquility at a time when the Prophet Jesus' (peace be upon him) second coming is expected and Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) is present on Earth.
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CONCLUSION
THE BRIGHT FUTURE AWAITING THE WORLD
Throughout this book, we have examined the situation of the Turkish-Islamic world, the urgent need for creating the Turkish Islamic Union, and the resulting benefits of it for Muslims and other nations alike. As we saw in the previous chapter, recent developments clearly show that the Islamic world is ripe for great and fundamental change. The Qur'an and the hadith literature suggest that the approaching period will be a bright one for the world's Muslims, Allah willing. Setting up the Turkish Islamic Union will speed up the process and begin a new era of plenty and prosperity for humanity in general.
The current situation may seem to be very negative at first look,
whereas in reality each negative development signals the approach of a
blessed period. War, destitution, famine, oppression, and tyranny
against Muslims across the world are signs of the End Times foretold by
our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). That all of
these events are taking place is also a clear sign that the global rule
of Islamic morality is approaching, as prophesized by our Prophet (may
Allah bless him and grant him peace) (Allah knows the truth).
Therefore, the current situation must not cause Muslims to feel
despair and hopelessness; on the contrary, it should motivate them and
increase their zeal and excitement. In addition, they must act with the
awareness that despairing of solace from Allah is not an option, for
Do not despair of solace from Allah.
No one despairs of solace from Allah
except for people who disbelieve. (Surah Yusuf: 87)
The great scholar Bediuzzaman Said Nursi explained, in his
famous the Damascus Sermon (Hutbe-i Samiye), the conditions in which
Muslims live, warned of the dangers of falling into despair, and spoke
of the bright future awaiting them, as follows:
Despair is the most detrimental sickness. It has permeated
into the heart of the Islamic world... Such a despair that it
has stifled our sublime morality, swerving our attention from the
interests of the general to our personal interests. It is the very same
despair that has broken our spiritual might... Despair is the most
dreadful sickness of our people... It is the pretext of the
coward, the inferior and the helpless... It is only Islam which will
truly and spiritually pervade the continents of the future and lead
humanity to bliss both in this world and the next.58
The End Times
The hadith literature is the foremost source that reveals the Islamic world's bright future. This literature, which describes in great detail the nature of the End Times (the period before the Last Day), reveals that these signs bear a great resemblance to hundreds of events taking place right now. Some of the most prominent signs of the appearance of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) are that people seek to distance themselves from the purpose of their Creation and, consequently, participate in society's spiritual break-down by altering Allah's law, openly denying Allah's existence, spreading disorder around the world, and increasing decadence. Other signs include frequent natural disasters (e.g., earthquakes and floods, droughts and famines); increasing warfare, conflict, and bloodshed; emergence of bid'ats (innovation, changing the original teaching of the Prophet); widespread poverty; astonishing and shocking events; and the almost complete disappearance of contentment and stability. In the End Times, murder, killing, and fighting will intensify, and the oppression of Muslims will worsen. In addition, Muslims living during this time will be subjected to such violence and tyranny that most of them will not be able to find a way out of the cruel environment in which they live.
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Following this difficult and disordered period, Allah will send a holy savior, the Mahdi (one who guides to the righteous path), who will deliver people from the darkness of ignorance into the light of true knowledge. This blessed person will first enlighten the Islamic world and then bring peace, love, and morality to the entire world. With his arrival, all anti-religious ideologies that deny Allah's existence will be completely refuted, religious morality will be returned to its original pure state, as revealed by the Qur'an and the hadiths, and the Islamic world will gain economic, political, and social power.
The hadiths also reveal that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will return to Earth during the End Times. His second coming is one of the greatest events of the End Times, and is revealed by a number of hadiths and many Qur'anic verses. Allah reveals in the Qur'an that the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was not killed or crucified, but that He caused the people to see it that way, and then raised him to His Presence. (For further information, please see Harun Yahya, Jesus Will Return [London: Ta-Ha Publishers Ltd., 2001]). This fact is revealed in Surat an-Nisa':
And [on account of] their saying: "We killed the Messiah, Jesus son of Maryam, Messenger of Allah." They did not kill him and they did not crucify him, but it was made to seem so to them. Those who argue about him are in doubt about it. They have no real knowledge of it, just conjecture. But they certainly did not kill him. Allah raised him up to Himself. Allah is Almighty, All-Wise. (Surat an-Nisa': 157-158)
Those who believe and do right actions, happiness will be theirs and a wonderful Homecoming. (Surat ar-Ra’d: 29) |
When the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) returns, he will rule by the Qur'an. He will free Christians from their myths and invite them to live by the Qur'an's values. This way, Islam and Christianity will unite into one faith, and the world will enter a new golden era in which peace, happiness, security, contentment, and prosperity rule. The Golden Age, like the time of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), will be a blessed period characterized by justice instead of cruelty. There will be so much prosperity that people who want to give alms to the poor will not be able to find anyone to accept them. Developments in science and technology will raise the quality of life, and goodness and comfort will increase. Wherever they turn, people will see prosperity and beauty.
When the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) returns, he will rule by the Qur'an. He will free Christians from their myths and invite them to live by the Qur'an's values. This way, Islam and Christianity will unite into one faith, and the world will enter a new golden era in which peace, happiness, security, contentment, and prosperity rule. The Golden Age, like the time of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), will be a blessed period characterized by justice instead of cruelty. There will be so much prosperity that people who want to give alms to the poor will not be able to find anyone to accept them. Developments in science and technology will raise the quality of life, and goodness and comfort will increase. Wherever they turn, people will see prosperity and beauty.
Some of the Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) hadiths on the End Times are listed below.
THE PROPHET JESUS (PBUH) AND HAZRAT MAHDI (PBUH) WILL APPEAR IN THIS CENTURY
Works by great and esteemed scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah,
including Sunan Abu-Dawud and Maktubat of Imam Rabbani, explicitly
state that Allah sends an individual every century in order to revive
and rid religious morals of any innovations: FIVE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED YEARS HAVE
PASSED FROM THIS WORLD. (Al-Burhan fi Alamat
al-Mahdi Akhir al-zaman, p. 89) Anas Ibn Malik narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: THE LIFE SPAN OF THE WORLD IS SEVEN DAYS IN THE DAYS OF THE HEREAFTER. Almighty Allah has said: ONE DAY IN THE SIGHT OF YOUR LORD IS LIKE A THOUSAND OF YOUR YEARS. Allah will ASCRIBE THE EQUIVALENT OF GOOD DEEDS OF THE SEVEN THOUSAND YEARS OF THE AGE OF THIS WORLD to the one who meets the need of any of his brothers in the faith on the path of Allah as if he spends his days in fasting and his nights in worship. (Al-Burhan fi Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir al-zaman, p. 88) Narrated from Daqqaq Ibn Zaid al-Juhani: Said Nursi, the renovator of the Islamic 1300s and the greatest one of the last millennium, cited the 1500s as the period of dominion of Islamic moral values. He stated that Muslims would enjoy a time of clear and explicit victory up until then. He said that in the years after that, the rise of the moral values of Islam would come to an end and that the Last Day would break for the unbelievers in the Islamic year 1545. (Allah knows the truth.) "A group from my community will
remain in truth until Allah's command [the Last Day]." The great Sunni scholar al-Barzanji states that the life span of the world will not last until the Islamic 1600, in other words, that the Last Day is expected to come in Islamic 1500s by Allah's leave. (Allah knows the truth.) THE LIFE OF THIS COMMUNITY WILL EXCEED 1,000 YEARS, YET BE LIMITED TO 1,500 YEARS ... (Muhammad ibn 'Abd ar-Rasul Barzanji, Al-Isha'ah li Ashrat as-Sa'ah, The Portents of the Last Day, p. 299) Suyuti's statement made on the basis of the hadith handed down from our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is as follows: "THE LIFE OF MY COMMUNITY WILL NOT EXCEED 1,500 YEARS.(Suyuti, al-Kasfu an Mujawazati Hazihil Ummah al-Alfu, al-hawi lil Fatawi. 2/248, Tafsir Ruh-ul Bayan. Bursawi 4/262, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Kitab al-'Ilal, p. 89) As is clear from the hadith of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and statements by great Islamic scholars, the Islamic 1400s we are now living in is the age of the coming of Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh). The Prophet Jesus (pbuh) will return to earth in this century, Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) will appear and the moral values of Islam will rule the world.
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Calling on the World of Islam
At present, irreligious systems of thought are collapsing around the world and people are turning to faith and religious morality. Furthermore, Islam has become the most important subject on the world's agenda, and people's attention has turned toward the true religion. Our time's technological development has made intra-Muslim cooperation easier, and have created the opportunity to convey the beauty of Islamic morality to the masses.
However, parts of the Islamic world still suffer from poverty
and ignorance. People who take advantage of this situation act in the
name of Islam, but contrary to Islam, and thereby make Muslims accused
in the eyes of the world. Circles who oppose Islamic morality use the
Muslims' present weakness and disorder to oppress them and plan even
worse tyranny. The solution to the Islamic world's ongoing tension and
conflict, both internal and external, lies in forming a Turkish Islamic
Union that will unite all Muslims and guide them to the right path.
Therefore, every Muslim must work for its creation.
All Muslim governments should prepare for the Turkish Islamic
Union by developing their relations with other Muslim countries and
organizing cultural activities that will help establish true Islamic
morality in their countries. All Muslim NGOs, associations, charities,
members of the media, and intellectual leaders should make genuine
efforts to resolve the differences between Muslims and to achieve unity
and solidarity. All Muslims should work to create this Islamic unity,
regardless of the mosque or school they attend, the Internet sites that
they visit, and the charities or associations to which they belong.
Moreover, they must encourage other Muslims to follow their example.
It is the prayer of all Muslims that the great Islamic
civilization, one that will bring goodness, justice, and peace to
Muslims and non-Muslims alike, will flourish once more. Allah willing,
the formation of the Turkish Islamic Union will bring all of this
about. All Muslims who wish to play a role in this holy duty should
make the following prayer and then act upon it:
Come, let's heal the rifts between Muslims. Let's bridge the gaps
between Muslims who do not pray in one another's mosques, who do not
read each others books, and who are hostile to one another because of
small ideological differences. Let's do away with such artificial
segregations. Let the house of Allah, the mosque, be the place of
worship of not this group or that sect but of all Muslims. Let every
Muslim greet and talk with every other Muslim. Let's end the disputes
between communities or individuals, and let all Muslims work hand in
hand in humility and compassion to serve Allah's religion. Let's not
forget Allah's command:
Hold fast to the rope of Allah all
together, and do not separate. Remember Allah's blessing to you when
you were enemies and He joined your hearts together so that you became
brothers by His blessing. You were on the very brink of a pit of the
Fire and He rescued you from it. In this way, Allah makes His Signs
clear to you so that, hopefully, you will be guided. (Surah Al 'Imran:
103)
THE GOOD NEWS OF THE TURKISH ISLAMIC UNION
This book was
written in the summer of 2003. It would have been very difficult to
speak about a Turkish Islamic Union 20, 30, 40, or 50 years ago,
because neither the world in general nor the Islamic world in
particular fulfilled the necessary criteria for forming such a union.
To the contrary, many conditions would have prevented it. However,
after a series of changes from 1980 onward, the idea of such a union
was no longer unrealistic. Let's examine these changes one by one.
Muslims Have Become Freer
The last "Turkish
Islamic Union" was the great Ottoman Empire. Since its collapse, the
Islamic world has been divided into many nation states that remained,
some for a prolonged period of time, under colonial rule. From 1920
onward, most of the Middle East, North Africa, the Indian Subcontinent,
and the Muslims of Southeast Asia came under the rule of European
colonial powers, in particular France and Britain. Muslims of Central
Asia and the Caucasus first fell under the rule of the Russians and
later on, and even worse, the Soviets. The Balkan Muslims came under the
rule of such non-Muslim people as the Serbs and Croatians, whose
rulers, after the Second World War, accepted communism.
In short, the majority of Muslims lived under colonial rule. With the end of colonialism in the 1950s and 1960s, Muslims began to achieve their independence. Britain first withdrew from the Indian subcontinent and then the Middle East. In the Indian subcontinent, India, West and East Pakistan (later to become Bangladesh), were created. In the Middle East, the various Arab nations gained their independence. In Southeast, Malaysia and Indonesia declared their independence in 1965.
At the end of the 1980s the Eastern Bloc disintegrated, and in 1991 the Soviet Union collapsed and many Muslim peoples won their independence. In Central Asia, the Muslim Turkish nations finally rid themselves of Russian/Soviet rule after 150 years and became independent republics. The end of communism also freed the Balkan Muslims. Bosnia-Herzegovina was freed from Serb-dominated Yugoslavia and emerged as a Muslim nation in central Europe, and Albania was freed from Enver Hoxha's oppressive and blood-thirsty communist regime.
Except for Muslims living as minorities in various countries or under occupation (e.g., Palestine and Kashmir), Muslims now rule themselves. This great political change made it possible to speak of a Turkish Islamic Union.
  During the twentieth century, major changes took place in the Islamic world: In 1950s and 1960s, many Muslim countries became independent, and in the 1990s, communism collapsed, which enabled most Muslims living under its system to achieve a better and more comfortable life. |
Irreligious Ideologies Are Losing Their Effect
Even though Muslim nations became independent from the 1950s onward, this did not necessarily mean that they had gained awareness. To the contrary, in some of these Islamic countries, ideologies opposing the central tenets of Islam became dominant. One example is Arab socialism, which deeply affected the Arab world in the 1950s-1960s. Suddenly, militant Arab nationalism that was incompatible with Islam's morality and based upon Marxist methods and rhetoric became prominent. Although, it receded almost as quickly as it had appeared, it wasted time and caused tension.
Apart from that, Muslim nations were scattered between extremes and were divided into two main camps dominated by America and the Soviet Union. Nevermind moving together, they were almost equally divided between these two poles. Most Arab countries were close to the Soviet Union. "Muslim" Egypt saw no problem in siding with India during its war with Muslim Pakistan. It only became possible to define the Islamic world as such in terms of politics, strategy, and culture after the cold war ended, when the "Islamic world" began to play an important role.
The process of cleansing the Islamic world from the remnants of the cold war era still continues. The developments taking place alongside this suggest that a more democratic and compassionate climate is taking shape, one that will create a more conducive atmosphere for a better understanding, telling, and practicing of the Qur'an's values. Traditional intra-Muslim differences are softening with recent developments in the Middle East, such as Iraqi Sunnis and Shi 'ahs praying together in the same mosque for the first time in history.
Civilization Becomes Important in International Relations
The end of the cold war ended the "compulsory" division of Muslims into two opposing political camps. Civilizations, instead of political ideologies, have begun to gain ground. As Samuel Huntington said, people were no longer defined by the question of "which side are you on?" but of "who are you?"53 For many people, spread out from the Balkans to Central Asia, and from the Far East to Africa, who previously had identified themselves as "socialist," "Yugoslav," "Soviet," "anti-communist," or "nationalist," it became more important to determine which civilization they represented.
Huntington's "clash of civilizations" theory, which expresses this fact, is important in this regard. Huntington predicted that the twenty-first century would be defined by civilizations, rather than nation states or political groupings, and that the dominating identity would be the "civilization" identity. And, he was right. He also correctly predicted that these civilizations would be based upon religion. However, he was wrong to suggest that conflict would determine the relationship between civilizations, for it is more likely that this relationship will be based upon friendship and cooperation. To make this happen, all that Huntington and others who think like him must do is to abandon the biased Social Darwinist worldview that misdirects them.
The end of the cold war is not the only reason for the world to be defined in terms of civilizations. Another important reason is the fall of atheism and the rise of religion. These developments are closely associated with the beginning of the collapse of the materialist philosophies, due to new social and scientific discoveries that are disproving them, that have had a cultural monopoly over the world for the past two centuries. In particular, scientific developments are eroding the roots of materialism, and this enables people to see the evidence for Allah's existence more clearly. At a time in which belief in Allah is gaining momentum and people are turning anew to religious morality, faith in Islam is also growing rapidly.
Everyone Is Talking About Islam
Islam is the most rapidly spreading religion in the world. Many people in the West are making an effort to learn about its morality and frankly express the admiration and interest they feel for Islam. |
Another noticeable development is the universal recognition of the fact that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. Furthermore, Islam is the most important subject of current affairs. The situation of perhaps 30 or 40 years ago was altogether different. The world was thinking within the cold war's narrow ideological framework and many people believed, due to the materialistic worldview's influence, that religious morality could not be a defining factor in the lives of people and communities. But at the beginning of the 1980s, Islam suddenly became the most talked about subject on the planet, and the West realized that Islam's morality was a great power that could set people as well as nations in motion.
In the 1990s, the West's interest in Islam increased further, as indicated, in part, by the rise in the number of articles on Islam appearing in the media. The greatest interest in Islam came after 9/11, a tragedy that was totally contrary to Islam's morality. Westerners, in particular Americans, began to make great efforts to understand and know Islam closely. Currently, researchers and members of the media are very interested in Islam. Even though some of this research is biased, it is drawing the world's attention to Islam and causing many more people to look at its morality. (For further information, please see Harun Yahya, The Rise of Islam [Kuala Lumpur: A. S. Noordeen, 2003].)
Increasing Global Dialogue and Solidarity between Muslims
Another important development that cleared the way for the Turkish Islamic Union is globalization, a process that began in the 1980s and gained momentum in the 1990s with the advancements in communications technology, in particular the Internet. Some Muslims view globalization as the carrier of Western culture, and thus consider it to be a negative development. In reality, however, this process enables the whole world to enter into an intense cultural dialogue with itself in a common language. Globalization also makes it easier for Muslims to access information and increase their cooperation and dialogue with each other to previously unseen levels. In effect, globalization has been an important catalyst for the Islamic world's ongoing enlightenment.
The Internet, an important gift to all of humanity, demonstrates the vast growth in dialogue between Muslims. Thanks to it, joint efforts expanded and the possibility of accessing information increased and diversified. As a result, whole new generations that think, read, develop ideas, and produce solutions were born across the world. Dr. Farish A. Noor, a Malaysian political scientist who teaches at Freie University of Berlin as visiting professor, says the following about globalization's effect on the Islamic world:
As a result of improving communications technology and facilitating the freeflow of information and knowledge, Muslims are now free (or freer) to go directly to the core of Islamic learning itself: The major texts, narratives and ideas of Islamic thought are no longer confined to rare books stored in remote libraries…
One of the consequences of this breakdown of traditional hierarchies and rigid educational structures is the creation of new Islamically-conscious and educated constituencies. Access to Islamic texts and knowledge has meant that Muslim women and lay Muslims are also allowed to learn, discuss and comment more about Islam. This is happening all over the Muslim world thanks to the creation of global Islamist networks...54
To use Noor's terminology, "these are glimpses of a Muslim world where time and space no longer serve as barriers."55
Both the Internet and the global media unite the world's Muslims. An event in one Islamic nation can be watched in all others at once, and thus becomes an issue for Muslims everywhere. All of these means demonstrate that the Islamic world can look forward to a much brighter future.
Westerners' Search for the Ottomans
As we have been stressing from the onset, creating the Turkish Islamic Union will benefit Muslims and non-Muslims alike and will have a just, democratic, and progressive nature. After its formation, other civilizations, especially the West, will be dealing with a stable and trustworthy authority with which they will be able to have friendly and peaceful relations. As the Turkish Islamic Union will be responsible for preventing and curing the radical elements that appear in the name of Muslims, the West will have no cause for such worries.
One sign that foretells this union's arrival is its necessity, which the West recognizes. A power vacuum on old Ottoman soil has been diagnosed, and the idea that setting up a similar system could cure the problem is finding a growing audience. As history shows, the Ottoman Empire brought peace and stability to this area. And, based upon this success, applying the Ottoman model to this troubled area will go a long way toward solving its current problems and unrest. For example, in his article, entitled "A World Still Haunted by Ottoman Ghosts" The New York Times (March 9, 2003), David Fromkin begins by saying that "A ghost has been haunting the United States. It is the specter of the Ottoman Empire" and continues:
Today, the more ambitious spirits in the Bush administration propose not merely to invade Iraq, but to use it as a base for transforming the Arab Middle East. Once before in modern times, Western countries—England and France—set about remaking these Ottoman lands. After emerging victorious from World War I, they redrew the map of the Middle East. Iraq was one of the artificial states to emerge.
After World War I, Britain and France, by defeating the Ottoman Empire, won control of the Arab lands, and with it, a tantalizing bauble: the likelihood that vast deposits of oil might be found there.
The Europeans and their American business partners hoped to establish stable and friendly regimes. After they redrew the borders in the early 1920's, Britain and France introduced a state system, and sought to supply political guidance too. But the system did not endure. Instead, the area grew more turbulent and unsettled.
Looking back, it is clear that many characteristics of the Middle East, some of which President Bush would like to change, were shaped by the five centuries of Ottoman rule.56
  THE OTTOMANS LEFT AND PEACE CAME TO AN END The New York Times wrote that the fragmentation of the Ottoman Empire lay at the root of most of the international problems and conflicts. The truth on which the world is agreed Daily Turkiye, 3.12.2002 Daily Milliyet, 28.4.2003 THE GUARDIAN: AS THE OTTOMANS LEFT, THE PROBLEMS BEGAN Daily Ortadogu, 4.12.2002 THEY WISH THE OTTOMANS WERE BACK The fact that present day wars in many countries, from the Caucasus to the Balkans and the Middle East, began with the end of Ottoman rule is on foreigners' agendas. THE OTTOMANS LEFT AND PEACE CAME TO AN END Daily Yeni Safak, 18.12.2001 |
British journalist Timothy Garton Ash expressed similar views in an article published in The Guardian (March 27, 2003). Ash, dealing with the problems of Albanians in Kosovo and the Kurds in northern Iraq, says "in both cases, we are still wrestling, nearly a century later, with the legacy of the Ottoman empire," and concludes:
Let's face it: when this bleedin' war is over, we'll be back in 1918, confronting many of the same questions in the same places that our grandparents wrestled with, from the Balkans to the Middle East. And we still don't have answers. Sometimes I think we should reinvent the Ottoman empire.57
It is obvious that at a time when even the West is discussing how to reinvent the Ottoman Empire, Muslims should give it serious consideration. The developments taking place since the beginning of the fifteenth century Hijri show that Muslims are at a historic crossroad. We all must be worthy of this responsibility.
We Are Making Step by Step Progress toward the Turkish-Islamic Union
There has been an apparent acceleration toward the formation of the Turkish-Islamic Union since this book was first published. The active role in foreign policy and fine results obtained by Turkey have confirmed that it must be the leader of the Turkish-Islamic world, while major steps have also been taken within the Turkish-Islamic world. These major advances include the acceleration toward the establishment of an Islamic Common Market, Syrian officials raising the question of lifting the border between Syria and Turkey, Iraqi leaders calling for unification with Turkey, the peoples of many Turkish-Islamic countries saying "We want the Turkish-Islamic Union," historic developments between Armenia and Turkey and the raising of the question of opening the border, headlines referring to the need of the world for a new Ottoman Empire, increased economic and cultural collaboration between Muslim countries, and a large number of reports in the foreign press referring to the need for Turkey as leader.
These developments will gather pace in the future, and the world will soon witness the foundation of the Turkish-Islamic Union.
THE TURKISH ISLAMIC UNION AND THE WEST
The resulting stability in the Islamic world, created by the political and economical cooperation between Muslim nations, will enable the West to establish balanced relations with Muslims. With the formation of the Turkish Islamic Union, Muslim nations will first resolve their own internal differences and then follow balanced and stable policies toward the external world. Differences between Muslim nations, as well as tensions between Muslim and non-Muslim nations, will be resolved by the Turkish Islamic Union in a peaceful and just manner.
The Negative Impact of a State of Conflict on America
The artificial tensions between Islam and the West, as well as the "clash of civilizations" scenarios promoted by certain circles, are damaging to the Islamic world and to the West. Thus, the masses live in fear and worry. This situation became more noticeable after 9/11. A large portion of the American people suffers from the psychological effects deriving from the media's ongoing insinuation that "we can be attacked again at any time." The research figures published in the Journal of the American Medical Association by Dr. William E. Schelenger are noteworthy. A survey conducted in Washington, D.C., and New York with 2,273 subjects that sought to measure the effect of 9/11 on the American public yielded the following results:
The prevalence of probable PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) among people who were in New York City on September 11 was 11.2 percent, compared to 4.3 percent for the nation as a whole. . . . In addition, the researchers found that the prevalence of probable PTSD was significantly associated with the number of hours of TV coverage of the attacks that participants reported watching, and with the number of different kinds of potentially traumatic events they reported seeing.44
These figures are
only a small example of the damage that tension and conflict inflict
upon the human soul. Clearly, it is dangerous to escalate tension and
feed people's anxieties.
It is certainly important for the American administration to take the necessary precautions to protect America against attacks as well as to remove any worries in this respect. However, the proposed strategy should not further increase tension, and the public mind should not be left under the impression of constant danger. Policies should evoke calmness and follow peaceful methods.
The best way to relieve the American administration's anxieties, as well as those of the public, is the formation of the Turkish Islamic Union. This event will prevent the efforts of those people and organizations that try to legitimize terrorism by misinterpreting Islam. Moreover, it can reveal that their flawed religious interpretations, which place all Muslims under suspicion, have no validity whatsoever, and thereby prevent any mental confusion among the masses. The effectiveness of the propaganda of those seeking to create tension, as well as their efforts to spread it, will naturally weaken and stall. An environment conducive to compassion, peace, dialogue, and cooperation will be created, and peaceful policies will gain the upper hand.
The Danger of the West's Disintegration
War caused serious divisions in the West, and anti-war demonstrators organized mass demonstrations. |
America's Post 9/11 policy, especially the invasion of Iraq, caused serious disagreements and a rift in the West. In America, a polarization between the advocates of war and the defenders of peace materialized, and each party accused the other of barbarism or treason. During the run-up to the invasion and in the post-invasion period, serious disagreements emerged in such international bodies as the UN and the EU, which led some strategists to state that the Western alliance would disintegrate. For example, millions of people throughout the West and the world demonstrated against the invasion.
All of this could have been prevented by a strong Turkish Islamic Union, which could have rapidly answered the legitimate demands of the West for decommissioning Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction and preventing support for terrorism. Measures taken by the Turkish Islamic Union would have yielded fast results, and the desired results could have been achieved without the resulting military campaign, which caused a massive loss of life and property.
Excessive Defense Expenditures
When national budgets are examined, it emerges that their largest component consists of defense and military expenditures. During the twentieth century, 250 small or large-scale wars were fought and 110 million people died. The First World War was fought by 20 countries. Ten million people died, and destruction spread from the front lines and devastated civilian urban areas. History's worst war, the Second World War, was fought by 110 million soldiers, of which 27 million died at the front lines and another 25 million civilians lost their lives. This war devastated tens of countries in an area stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans.
It will be proper and conscientious to divert that part of the budget allocated to weaponry to the education of children and poverty. |
For instance, 1.5 million homes in Germany were destroyed, leaving 7.5 million people homeless. In addition, 6 million homes were destroyed in the Soviet Union, as well as 1,700 towns and cities, and 70,000 villages.45
Between 1990-2000, 56 armed conflicts broke out in 44 different regions of the world.
In short, the last century was an extremely bloody one. However, these losses increased military investments and inflated national defense budgets even further, instead of becoming a lesson and a cause for peace. The material costs of the twentieth century's major wars was huge: The First World War cost $2,85 trillion, the Second World War cost $4 trillion, the Korean war cost $340 billion, the Suez war cost $13 billion, the Vietnam war cost $720 billion, the Israeli-Arab war cost $21 billion, the Afghan war of 1979-89 cost $116 billion, and the Iraq-Iran war cost $150 billion.46
Throughout
this century, military budgets have continued to grow. Reports
published in 2002 showed that the world's total military expenditure
had reached $1 trillion. In comparison, 1.2 billion people subsist on
an income of under $1 per day, 113 million children have no access to
education, and every year more than 11 million children die because of
poverty and bad living conditions. For the same reasons, one in every
48 children is stillborn.47
America tops the military budget list with an annual $400 billion; a further $45 billion was requested by the Congress for the war on terrorism). This figure is greater than the combined military expenditures of all G8 countries.48 Next comes Russia ($60 billion) and China ($42 billion).49 Furthermore, America has military bases in over 40 countries and a smaller or larger military presence in 132 out of the 190 member states of the UN. Military aid to foreign countries is a significant cost factor in the budgets of Western countries, particularly in the case of America.
It can be assumed that America's economy can easily absorb such a huge defense budget, but figures reveal that that this expenditure has a considerably negative effect. Consider the following facts: Right now in America, 31 million people—including 12 million children— live under the poverty line; 3% of UShouseholds experience hunger and 7% of US households are at risk of hunger; and a great proportion of them do not receive any state aid. Since 1994, aid to such people has decreased by a third.50
These figures demonstrate the urgency of bringing peace to the world in order to reduce the amount of resources swallowed up by defense budgets. The Turkish Islamic Union will end all conflict and tension within the Islamic world, and thereby create a global atmosphere of peace and contentment that will allow both Muslim and non-Muslim nations to reduce their military expenditures. As a result, the investments made in arms technology and the money spent on arms development will be diverted to education, medicine, science, and culture. Such reductions will enable far greater resources to be used to solve such problems as famine, poverty, ecological damage, and infectious diseases. With the security issues eased, the living standards of all nations will increase and policies designed to improve the quality of life will be implemented. Funds dedicated to cultural and educational projects will increase, and a spiritually healthy, physically strong, compassionate, and loving generation will emerge.
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This atmosphere of peace is urgently needed in three problematic areas of the Islamic world: the Balkans, Central Asia, and the Middle East. America has a military presence in all these areas. Every year, it diverts huge funds to Israel because of the Arab-Israeli conflict. The one-sided and strong influence of the Israeli lobby over American foreign policy plays an important role in determining the amount of this aid in the Congress. Research by economist Thomas Stauffer reveals that aid to Israel since 1973 has cost the American people a total of $1.6 trillion. Dividing this amount by America's present population puts this figure at $5,700 per person.51 America can and does help its allies, Israel as well as other countries, but removing the basic justifications for this aid will be a positive development for the American economy and for the future of Israeli citizens. The atheist zionists' foremost propaganda message states that Israel is under constant threat from its neighbors and therefore needs to defend itself. There have been wars and skirmishes between Israel and neighboring Arab countries for decades, and tension still exists between them. However, this situation was not created by just one party to the conflict. Under the influence of atheistic zionism, Israel has often pursued aggressive and antagonistic policies.
It is not difficult to change this situation and allow both peoples to find peace and security. The formation of the Turkish Islamic Union will be an important step toward peace in the region, for it will protect the rights of Christians and Jews living in the Middle East and the rest of the Islamic world, so that the West will have no need to devise separate strategies and commit funds for their protection.
Securing Energy Resources
At the beginning of the twentieth century, coal was the single most important source of energy. In the 1950s, coal was replaced by oil. Before the Second World War, industry was driven by steam power, which was fuelled by coal; after that war, oil and combustion engine usage increased dramatically. In the latter part of the twentieth century, natural gas emerged as an alternative energy source and began to play an important role in the world economy.
The global economy depends upon the oil exported from the Islamic world, especially the Gulf region. That region alone contains two-thirds of the world's known oil reserves: Iraq has 11% of the world's oil reserves. The United Arab Emirates has 9.2%, Kuwait has 8.6%, Iran has 13%, and other OPEC countries have 22.6%. In addition, research reveals that the oil exports of the Gulf region will increase by 125% between 2000 and 2020. No doubt, the prevalence of stability and peace in these regions, as well as true democracy, will enable humanity to benefit from these resources in the best way. This is only possible through the establishment of the Turkish Islamic Union. |
At present, countries with oil and natural gas reserves are crucial for the world economy in terms of output, political climate, and technological capability. The oil crisis of 1973 showed just how important this energy source was for the global economy. The sudden and sharp rise in oil prices caused global disorder and recession, and similar crises were experienced in the years after this event.
For this reason, the Muslim countries' great oil, natural gas, and other valuable mineral reserves play an important role in the West's relationship with Muslim nations. These countries' geopolitical importance is another crucial reason why the West seeks control over these resources and influence in the region. In order to strengthen its position, the West develops a variety of strategies that resemble the colonial mentality of their imperialistic past. These strategies destabilize the region, which, in turn, has a negative impact on the West's interests.
Currently, America consumes approximately 20 million barrels of oil per day. In the 1950s, it produced 52% of the world's output; today, it imports 53% of its own consumption. Research suggests that American reserves will be exhausted within the next 20 years. Given that 24% of its imports come from the Gulf region, this region's importance to America is undeniable. Likewise, the reserves in Central Asia are equally important for America and the world. Europe's dependence upon oil and natural gas from these regions is even greater. As a result of these realities, there is an urgent need for genuine cooperation between the West and the oil-rich countries.
The West must support these countries' cultural and economical development in order to form and sustain such cooperation. The creation of stability, peace, and a functioning democracy in these natural resource-rich regions will enable the world community to benefit from these reserves in the most effective way. Disorder and instability in these regions, on the other hand, will prevent, or at least severely hamper, the extraction, production, and delivery of these resources to other countries. In times of conflict, security issues make it very hard to acquire these natural resources. For the same reasons, delivering these resources becomes even more problematic and more expensive, for longer transport routes have to be established. Establishing the Turkish Islamic Union will resolve all of these issues within a framework of security.
The Turkish Islamic Union will contribute to developing a model that will use all of these energy resources in the most effective way without harming any country. Muslim countries will move as part of an economic alliance, just as they will do in all other areas, and will develop common policies on resource usage. As this union will prevent regimes from disrupting these policies, which are based upon justice, the pursuit of stable and balanced policies on crucial economic matters, particularly oil production and pricing, will become possible.
The West's Responsibilities
Every country develops and follows a foreign policy with its own interests at heart in an attempt to benefit its people and its nation's future. However, this is done with the understanding that no country transgresses against or harms the interests of another. The same is true for the West's relationship with Muslim countries. From time to time, some Western countries develop policies in relation to the Islamic world that have nothing but their own interests at heart, even at the cost of the Islamic world's most basic needs. This, in turn, creates anti-Western sentiments among certain circles of Muslims and a mutual distrust and anxiety between civilizations. In reality, both parties' fears and worries can be resolved.
However, this requires Western governments, particularly the American, to be wary of certain powerful circles' influence and desire for a clash of civilizations. These circles can be defined as follows:
1- Hardliners with a Social Darwinist Perspective
This mentality, which considers non-Western civilizations to be primitive, was the dominant view in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Supposedly, it was scientifically justified by Darwin's theory of evolution; however, in reality, it is a remnant of colonialism. As we know, Darwin claimed that humanity and apes evolved from the same ancestor and that there were great differences between the races, for some were highly evolved while others were still "half-apes."
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This theory was widely recognized at the time of its formulation, but has been disproved by the strong scientific data obtained over the past few decades. Western imperialists used Darwin's so-called scientific claims to justify their exploitation and even enslavement of other nations. Claiming that the white race was superior to the "lower races struggling for survival," they tried to legitimize their policies of colonization and imperialism. While colonization was continuing at a rapid pace, colonialists were claiming to bring civilization to these nations. After a while, however, scientific advancements exposed Darwin's theory as lacking scientific substance and as nothing more than a myth. It also became clear that imperialists brought exploitation and misery, rather than civilization, to the lands they colonized. Still, the effects and remnants of the imperialist mentality and Darwinist logic continue to exist, albeit on a much smaller scale.
At the present time, certain circles in the West, under the influence of such flawed reasoning, set out from the premise of their race's and civilization's superiority when determining how the West will relate with the rest of the world. Of course, this is a great error that will only cause more tension and worsen existing problems. Both the Western and the Islamic civilizations are anchored in history, and both have influenced one another deeply. Moreover, the differences existing between civilizations should not be used as fodder for satisfying superiority complexes or, for that matter, as a source of conflict. To the contrary, the two civilizations should be seen as complementary and helpful to one another. Furthermore, all proposals made by the representatives of the military-industrial interest groups should be received cautiously, for they see international tension as a potential market and a source of economic gain—even at the cost of human lives.
2- Advocates of Militant Christianity
The Kach, a radical organization established by Rabbi Meir Kahane in Israel that operates in America under the name of the Jewish Defence League, carried out activities against Muslims in Palestine. Kach embraces some fanatical ideas, among them the idea that Jews are superior to all other people and that all non-Jews are animals (goyim). For this very reason, they advocate the ethnic cleansing of all Arabs in all lands ruled and occupied by Israel. The murder of 67 Muslim worshippers, along with the wounding of 300 others, in the Ibrahim Mosque in 1994 was just one of this fanatic group's deeds. |
Christianity is a religion of peace and love, for the Bible commands Christians to love even their enemies and to do good for people. Many Christians follow this advice and live peacefully. Most churches and religious leaders in America fall within these parameters. However, some other Christian leaders have preserved their Crusader instincts, as reflected in their aggressive and unjustified comments against Islam. On the one hand, they wrong the Muslims with their comments and, on the other, misrepresent the Old Testament by suggesting that there will soon be a war between Muslims and the West— and, even worse, that this war is necessary. These Christian faults reflect a strategic vision in line with some radical zionist elements in Israel, and their error must be explained to them by fellow Christians.
3- Radical and Atheistic Zionists
Among those who desire such a "crusade" against Islam, some radical Israeli politicians and the like-minded Israeli lobby in America are the keenest. Instead of withdrawing from the Occupied Territories and making peace with the Arabs, they believe that Israel must continue its hard-line policies uncompromisingly. As the "Iron Wall" strategy proposed in the 1920s by the fascist zionist leader Jabotinsky requires, they would like to see Israel as a modern day Sparta52 with America financing this war machine.
The American administration must be very cautious in its dealings with this radical view. However, there are orthodox Jews who demand that Israel defend peace, as true Judaism requires, and who advocate peace between Jews and Arabs. They must stand up to this radical movement and stop those who wish to drag the world into conflict from doing so.
As for the Islamic world, the most fundamental issue is to establish a union. Given the current lack of a central authority that represents all Muslim countries, the West finds it very difficult to establish a civilizational dialogue on a sure footing. Sometimes, exceptional actions are blamed on Muslims in general, and, at other times, issues concerning the Islamic world are treated as isolated incidents. Hence, the resulting wrong strategies and harmful incidents cause tension in the Islamic world as well as disorder in the West. Not having a central institution to protect the rights of Muslims, express their joint decisions and demands, and provide guidance for the West causes great difficulties. Thus, the necessity of our proposed Turkish Islamic Union becomes apparent once more.
THE U.S. THE MIDDLE EAST AND THE TURKISH ISLAMIC UNION
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The 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon marked a turning point and the beginning of a new world order. Some experts predicted that this attack would lead to greater conflict and violence, while a majority of voices pointed out that America's response and future policies must be measured and just.
In the aftermath of the attacks, America began a large-scale offensive against terrorism. Most countries and international organizations supported this effort, which, in essence, is a military operation directed against terrorism and all organs that support it. At present, despite some partial successes, this war has not met its objectives or achieved a conclusive victory.
One of the primary reasons for this failure is that the American strategy is based mainly on military operations to the exclusion of any educational or cultural measures. Military measures, such as removing regimes that support terrorism, cannot defeat terrorism, for terrorism is a socio-psychological and ideological problem. Such a military-only strategy creates tragedies in which countless innocent people lose their lives, as well as the radicalism that, in turn, becomes yet another factor feeding terrorism. Only an intellectual war can effectively diffuse the terrorists' propaganda and eradicate terrorism. Military operations should be used only when appropriate.
For this reason, the
war on terrorism must be conducted within the rules of international
law and by the use of peaceful but effective measures. Every activity
that ignores the law and human rights, especially when it is causing
civilian deaths, will cast a shadow over this war, even if it began as a
just cause. It is important for the American leadership to remember
such facts when determining its strategy, for it is the ideology of
terrorism that must be destroyed. The so-called "Islamic terrorism"
thought to be behind 9/11 feeds off radical groups that seek to use
Islam as a so-called justification for their quest for violence.
When the ideological structure of or education undergone by these groups are examined, one immediately sees that they possess a Darwinist mindset. There is therefore no significance to the way these groups claim to act supposedly in the name of Islam, because they actually have Darwinist mindsets. What is needed before all else is a powerful intellectual campaign against Darwinism and for people to be taught true religious moral values and the love, affection and compassion that lie at the heart of the Qur'an.
 The Bush administration has stressed several times that this war is not against Muslims but against terrorism. It is surely very important for America to consider issues that are sensitive to Muslims while making their policies. |
It is mainly the Muslims themselves who should replace these mistaken views with the correct understanding of Islamic principles and prevent those who misunderstand Islam from acting upon their rage. Thus, American policy should support a solution from within the Islamic world. As we have stated all along, forming the Turkish Islamic Union is the only realistic solution.
It is in America's best interest to adopt this approach, not to mention within the best interest of the Islamic world and the world in general. Those who think otherwise should reconsider, as they might well be dragging the world into a bloodbath. The American leadership also must be careful not to be distracted by such misrepresentations that lead them to identify Islam as a hostile religion and culture. The people behind such distortions are strategists and ideologues who wish to see a bloody war between the West and the Islamic world. They are doing their best to present American anti-terrorism policies as a war on Islam. Some commonsense announcements by the American leadership, which rejects the idea of a war between the West and Islam, have had positive effects; however, they need to be seen by the global community as affecting American policies.
How Can America Help Achieve Global Peace?
Paul Wolfowitz, the former American Deputy Secretary of Defense, was one of the theoreticians of the "Bush Doctrine" developed after 9/11. |
In the aftermath of 9/11, the Bush administration announced a new national security and foreign policy strategy. One week after the terrorist attacks, President Bush revealed the framework of this strategy in his speech to the nation. Known as the "Bush Doctrine," it proclaimed, in effect, that America would engage in preemptive strikes in order to defend itself. While such attacks may sometimes be justifiable, in actuality it meant the beginning of a new era. This strategy was hammered out under the prevailing psychology in the immediate aftermath of the attacks, drawing heavily on President Bush's patriotic feelings. Some hawkish circles in the country promptly suggested that this new strategy should target almost all of the Middle East and that the nation must be prepared to stomach a 20-year war in the region. Less provocative circles pointed out such an approach's inherent flaws and asserted that it risked escalating terrorism. Before examining the potential risks, it is necessary to clarify the meaning of "preemptive attack."
America, the world's only superpower, quite naturally should have political interest, as well as a strategy, in different parts of the world. Besides, American military intervention has had some positive results. For instance, in the 1990s, American diplomatic and military intervention targeting Serbia, which first attacked first Bosnia-Herzegovina then Kosovo, played an important role in stopping Serbian aggression. The important question here is whether or not such American policies are compatible with international law, and whether they are just and conciliatory, in compliance with human rights, and fairly protect the rights of each group.
 American intervention in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosova played a major role in restraining Serbian violence. |
In international relations, precautionary defensive measures by individual countries are usually received with a degree of compassion. Of course, every country wants to defend its existence and future, and therefore develops strategies for this purpose. However, this defensive approach should not allow unjustifiable intervention into other nations' affairs. The most successful and safest strategy for a country to adopt is one that seeks to preserve peace and happiness. Peaceful strategies lead people to prosperity and security, and every attempt to disrupt the peace and prevailing order is very dangerous.
Within the American leadership, those who advocate preemptive attacks are proposing a very risky strategy that far exceeds any country's legitimate rights of self-defense. According to this flawed mentality, which is trying to prepare the ground for all kinds of attacks, the assertion that "they might become a threat in future" is the perfect excuse. However, turning to military means alone to resolve disputes cannot succeed, as history has shown over and over again.
According to this flawed logic, international relations depend not upon law, but upon power. These people would like to see America show off its power and clearly demonstrate to its opponents that the nation is still going strong. The hawks believe, mistakenly, that America can maintain its superior military might only through war, and that therefore it must always be the one to strike first. However, not all members of the American administration share this dangerous attitude. From time to time, the hawks gain the upper hand in American politics. However, many bureaucrats as well as advisors advocate a measured and peaceful policy
 The twentieth century was full of wars that killed millions of people and caused heavy material losses. In this new century, humanity must seek peaceful solutions to all such problems. |
All countries, especially America, must strive for peace and protect and support it at all cost. Circles that push the ideas that "might is right" or "the use of force will solve the problems in direct proportion to its use" are, in reality, driving their country into a dead-end situation. One aspect of this is the risk of escalating terrorism. Many strategists point out that America has begun to lose its economic as well as political power. American military might may well have its advantages, but the ongoing threat of war, as well as the continuous state of alarm and readiness for war trumpeted by the hawks, will deal a serious blow to its economy.
Furthermore, if this country is always at war somewhere in the world, people will no longer perceive it as the guardian of human rights, democracy, and freedom. As a consequence of its hawkish policies, America will become a nation feared by, instead of respected by, the world community. Even if some military objectives are achieved, America will suffer economically and damage its international image. So, it would only be a very limited success for the country. In reality, the American government also does not want to end up in such a situation, and so it must be cautious and measured when taking the hawks' flawed views into account and do its best to follow rational policies.
Moreover, these circles should consider the example they are setting for other nations and calculate the potential costs of other countries behaving in the same way to protect their interests. It is fairly obvious what kind of disorder and conflict the world would experience were such nuclear-armed countries as Russia, China, India, or Israel to adopt the strategy of preemptive attack. Even just the possibility of such a scenario represents a great threat.
Clearly, America has the right to protect its national interests and defend itself against potential threats. The international community respects this, especially after the 9/11 tragedy. This right, however, can be used to benefit America and the world at large if its use complies with international law. The most important mechanisms for preventing this strategy from descending to the level of a personal war are international law and the broad consensus of the international community reached within its framework. If these mechanisms are ignored, the proponents of this strategy will lead America into a crisis and will represent a threat to world peace.
United for Peace and Justice is an NGO that uses the Internet to call for peace. Veterans against the Iraq war is another NGO that carries out an anti-war campaign. |
America must reconsider its strategy in the light of all the above concerns. The way to world peace and stability cannot be aggression and violence, but common sense, fairness, and caution. The primary strategy for its war against terrorism must be to support cultural activities. In order to defeat every ideology that considers violence to be a solution, human relationships a source of personal gain, and aggression legitimate, the conditions that give rise to terrorism must be fought. The widespread acceptance of religious morality, which demands conscience, love, and compassion instead of evil incited by anti-religious ideologies, will provide lasting solutions to terrorism and many other social ills.
Appropriate cultural programs can be implemented by American cooperation with non-governmental organizations, many of which are currently working on such issues. This is an encouraging sign, no doubt, but lasting solutions require state backing and a widening of these efforts' scope.
Besides, the American government must not forget that Christianity's central tenets oppose war and hostility. Allah forbids people to incite disorder or endanger peace and security. If America respects religious beliefs, it must become a role model for all people by seeking to bring peace and security, not fear and apprehension. Those members of the Bush administration who often perceive the need to mention their Christian faith must not forget that the Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) commands them to be ambassadors of peace: "Blessed are the peacemakers." (Mathew 5:9).
American religious leaders have called upon the American administration in this regard. In a letter (50 signatories) to President Bush in the days before the American invasion of Iraq, the National Council of Churches (NCC) gives important messages:
We write out of concern that those same precious gifts [of Allah] may be damaged by actions being contemplated by our nation.
We, leaders of American churches and church-related organizations, are alarmed by recent statements by yourself and others in the Administration about pre-emptive military action against Iraq for the expressed purpose of toppling the regime of Saddam Hussein. Understanding that Mr. Hussein poses a threat to his neighbors and to his own people, we nevertheless believe it is wrong, as well as detrimental to U.S. interests, to take such action.
We oppose on moral grounds the United States taking further military action against Iraq now… Military action against the government of Saddam Hussein and its aftermath could result in a large number of civilians being killed or wounded, as well as increasing the suffering of multitudes of innocent people.
... As Christian religious leaders responsible for millions of U.S. citizens we expect our government to reflect the morals and values we hold dear—pursuing peace, not war; working with the community of nations, not overthrowing governments by force; respecting international law and treaties while holding in high regard all human life.25
Each person faces a particular direction so race each other to the good. Wherever you are, Allah will bring you all together. Truly Allah has power over all things. (Surat al-Baqara: 148) |
The Devastation Caused by War
War is an evil that
always brings pain and tears to the warring parties and causes terrible
losses. Religious morality requires that people resolve their disputes
peacefully and in a conciliatory manner. Those who live according to
religious morality refrain from such harmful attitudes as hate,
revenge, and anger. Instead, they adopt a compassionate and forgiving
stance. When people are distanced from religious morality, an
environment conducive to internal and mutual communal conflict develops.
Accordingly, the two world wars were evils brought about by
irreligious ideologies. The First World War caused devastation from
Europe to the Middle East and killed more than 10 million people, while
the Second World War, which, like the first, had no valid
justification, ended in horrific bloodshed costing 55 million deaths.
The survivors witnessed levels of cruelty rarely seen in history, and
millions of innocent people perished in concentration camps.
However, these two world wars and the resulting devastation still have not convinced many people just how terrible a disaster war actually is. The Second World War did not end conflict and war; instead, new ones broke out all over the world, killing continued, and the political ambitions of the few killed millions of people, crippled untold thousands, destroyed entire cities, and devastated whole nations. Wars have also caused serious psychological damage to the survivors and damaged the spiritual well-being of an entire generation. Wars produced people who experience anxiety attacks, shake uncontrollably, and suffer from sheer fear just by hearing the word "bomb" or seeing a uniform. Some of them have remained schizophrenics for years because of the terror they have witnessed, and others have failed to readapt to society.
Those who believe that war can solve problems only have faith in military solutions. Those who plan new wars, particularly in the Middle East, must remember previous human tragedies and abandon their dangerous plans. The cost of invading Iraq reveals another dimension to such affairs.
Do not corrupt the earth after it has been put right... (Surat al-A‘raf: 56) The two world wars caused great destruction and killed millions of people. Humanity needed a long period of time to heal their wounds. |
Thoughts on the Cost of Invading Iraq
Many statistical studies conducted in America about the costs of invading Iraq reveal that besides the direct costs, there are serious other implications that need to be considered. For instance, the study by Senator Joseph Biden, chairman of the U.S. Foreign Relations Committee, puts this cost at $100 billion. Biden also stated that another $50 billion would be needed to rebuild Iraq, and that the total cost would be more like $150 billion. At present, it appears that the invasion was successful and that everything has been contained within the estimated limits. However, this will not cause the tragedies experienced during the war to be forgotten and does not justify using these resources for this war instead of the American people's prosperity.
The cost of invading Iraq became a major topic of discussion before and after the war. |
The $100 billion cost is not considered a significant amount by the hawks. However, it is three times the education budget for children aged between 0 and 12, four times the country's foreign relations budget, and able to cover the health costs of all American children without health insurance for 5 years. This is indeed a thought-provoking fact: That this amount of money is spent on an invasion that costs the lives of thousands of people instead of used to increase the living standards of all Americans. However, given that these estimated costs have been calculated based on ideal conditions, many retired military and defense experts say that the costs will spiral, considering the potential risks of the post-invasion period.
Past American wars have shown that the costs of these wars far exceeded the planned amount. For instance, the Secretary of the Treasury in Lincoln's cabinet estimated the cost of the Civil War for the North would be $240 million; in fact, the actual cost was 13 times higher ($3.2 billion). In the 1966 budget, $10 billion was earmarked for the war in Vietnam, which was expected to end in the summer of 1967. But the war continued until 1973, at a direct cost of between $110 and $150 billion.26 In addition, 47,000 American soldiers died on the frontline, another 11,000 soldiers died in various circumstances, and a total of 303,000 soldiers were injured. More than 1 million Vietnamese civilians lost their lives, 225,000 Vietnamese soldiers were killed in the war, and 570,000 were injured.27
The Turkish Islamic Union will be a giant step toward world peace. Thanks to this unity, various problems will be resolved peacefully, justly and quickly. |
Allah calls to the Abode of Peace and He guides whom He wills to a straight path. (Surah Yunus: 25) |
These examples reveal that the cost of warfare can spiral out of control when things do not go according to plan. Therefore, all future wars and invasions must be prevented, for the human and financial losses on both sides can increase dramatically. Moreover, a democratic, peaceful, and moderate order cannot be created in the Middle East by means of war, as the American administration is intent on doing. Even if military success is achieved, it is next to impossible to create a lasting peace and order in this way. Winning a war on the battlefield is not necessarily enough to control and rule a region politically. And, what usually happens after any invasion is a very good proof of this.
The Middle East rests on precarious balances. History proves that it is highly unlikely that foreign powers will maintain these balances justly or fairly, or achieve an order that is acceptable to the region's very diverse population. Only a power that shares the region's culture and civilizational ethos can do this. This must be a central authority that unites all Muslim nations, one that reflects and represents their will. This authority is the Turkish Islamic Union, which will not only resolve the problems in the Middle East, but also all problems between the West and the Islamic world. Therefore, the West, especially America, must support the formation of the Turkish Islamic Union, which will unite all Muslim nations under a peace-seeking, compassionate, and constructive umbrella and cooperate with it. In this way, America will find a reliable political union with which to maintain dialogue and cooperation, a union stretching from Morocco to Indonesia.
Many American strategists and thinkers have pointed out this fact, and William Nordhaus, a renowned economist and professor at Yale University, states in the "conclusions and suggestions" section of his report, titled: "The Economic Consequences of a War with Iraq," the following:
From a political point of view, unilateral actions, particularly those taken without support from the Islamic world, risk inflaming moderates, emboldening radicals … in those countries.28
AMERICAN COSTS OF MAJOR WARS
The tables above reveal the losses inflicted on America by the great wars in which she participated. |
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Who Is Behind the Invasion?
It is an interesting question to ask why America invaded Iraq despite the clearly visible damage and negative impact that such an act would engender. Many strategists think that this invasion had been planned well before 9/11, and suspicions concerning the American administration's claim that Iraq had, and possibly intended to use, weapons of mass destruction began to be heard.
Although oil seems to be the real reason for the war against Iraq, researchers say that very different reasons lie behind the scenes. |
This military action is part of America's new Middle East strategy. Those who developed this strategy had decided already in 1997 that America had to hit Saddam and remove him from power. The first signs of this emerged in 1997, when a group of strategists in Washington, under the influence of the Israeli lobby, formed the Project for the New American Century (PNAC) think-tank to advocate for occupying Iraq. The foremost names of PNAC, later to become the most influential people in the George W. Bush administration, were Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Vice President Dick Cheney. Even if they had originally set out to create a stable world order under American leadership, they acquired the belief, assisted by the Israeli lobby, that a war in the Middle East was necessary. Had they made a comprehensive evaluation, they soon would have realized that such a belief was mistaken. If the purpose was to create stability, it is obvious that war never brings about stability and order. To the contrary, it destroys the existing order and brings about nothing but loss. It is a historic fact that stability can be achieved only by preserving peace.
An article titled "Invading Iraq Not A New Idea For Bush Clique: 4 Years Before 9/11, Plan Was Set," published in the Philadelphia Daily News under the name William Bunch, stated the following:
But in reality, Rumsfeld, Vice President Dick Cheney, and a small band of conservative ideologues had begun making the case for an American invasion of Iraq as early as 1997— nearly four years before the Sept. 11 attacks and three years before President Bush took office.
An obscure, ominous-sounding right-wing policy group called Project for the New American Century, or PNAC—affiliated with Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rumsfeld's top deputy Paul Wolfowitz and Bush's brother Jeb—even urged then-President Clinton to invade Iraq back in January 1998.
"We urge you to ... enunciate a new strategy that would secure the interests of the U.S. and our friends and allies around the world," stated the letter to Clinton, signed by Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, and others. "That strategy should aim, above all, at the removal of Saddam Hussein's regime from power.29
But what was the reason for PNAC's members to be so persistent about bringing down Saddam? The same article continues:
While oil is a backdrop to PNAC's policy pronouncements on Iraq, it doesn't seem to be the driving force. [Ian] Lustick, [a University of Pennsylvania political science professor and Middle East expert], while a critic of the Bush policy, says oil is viewed by the war's proponents primarily as a way to pay for the costly military operation.
"I'm from Texas, and every oil man that I know is against military action in Iraq," said PNAC's Schmitt. "The oil market doesn't need disruption."
Lustick believes that a more powerful hidden motivator [for war] may be Israel. He said Bush administration hawks believe that a show of force in Iraq would somehow convince Palestinians to accept a peace plan on terms favorable to Israel.30
The relation of the pro-war group to Israel caused serious arguments in America. Patrick Buchanan's article, "Whose War?" deals with information that appeared in the media about this subject. "Is It Good for Jews?" an article that appeared in the New York Times, discusses the benefits Israel will get from the invasion of Iraq. The two articles in the National Review called attention to the error of presenting all Jews as being pro-war. |
In short, the real architects behind the invasion are Israel and its American allies. At this stage, it once again becomes apparent that America's Middle East policy is heavily influenced by Israel. Some radical zionists acting in Israel's interest exercise great influence over America's decision-making mechanisms and convince Washington to act according to Israel's Middle East strategy. Moreover, they do so while claiming that American and Israeli interests are identical, despite the fact that American interests in the Middle East are not compatible with supporting radical zionists in Israel. Just by doing so, the US manages to affront the entire Arab world. Its interests would be better served by persuading Israel to moderate its policies and make peace with the Arabs, with itself serving as a just mediator.
This same Israeli influence can be seen in the planning stage of the invasion. The Israeli lobby misdirected the strategists who would come to hold influential positions in the Bush administration so that they would see the "need" to invade Iraq. However, this has caused new tensions in the region and gradually opened the way for a military action that caused the death of many innocent Iraqi civilians.
Irrespective of how much these strategists talk about American interests, in reality they are defending Israel's interests, because it is not in America's interest to fight with the entire Middle East and to offend and alienate its people. America does not have an anti-Islamic ideology and strategy, as some circles claim. As we stated before, America was one of the greatest allies of the Balkan (e.g., Bosnian, Kosovan, and Macedonian) Muslims who were exposed, during the 1990s, to Serbian atrocities. The only American "frontline" that negatively affects the Muslim masses is in the Middle East, due to certain officials who, under the influence of the incredibly powerful Israeli lobby, take a pro-Israeli stand in foreign policy. Once these officials are freed from such manipulation and thus enabled to assess the Middle East without bias, fairer policies will be developed.
This is the reason behind the American strategy of rearranging the Middle East, which the American administration enacted after 9/11. Israeli radicals, playing upon Israel's long-standing fear of annihilation, have long sought to rearrange the Middle East to make it a more controllable and safer region for Israel. With this goal in mind, they have exerted their influence over America and manipulated its Middle East policy for decades.
Palestine must be a land where Jews, Christians and Muslims can live together in peace. It is possible to re-establish the security that once prevailed in Palestine under Muslim rule. |
In reality, it is not in Israel's interest to be in conflict with the Islamic world either. Jews, Christians, and Muslims have the right to worship as they wish in these lands, but the policies of atheistic zionists influential in Israel oppress Muslims and worries Christians and Jews. It would be far better for the Israelis, as well as for all Middle Easterners, if Israel withdrew from the Occupied Territories and made true peace instead of being in a constant state of war with the entire Middle East. Therefore it is necessary, also for the safety of the 4.5 million Jewish citizens, to intellectually fight the atheistic zionist philosophy that seeks to perpetrate war in the Middle East as well as to incite a clash of civilizations.
Atheistic zionism, a racist, chauvinistic, and oppressive ideology, aims to force non-Jewish residents from Palestine or even to kill them. It also intensely oppresses devout Jewish people. However, the ongoing lack of knowledge and misinformation combine to prevent both Jews and Christians from realizing the truth about atheistic zionism. It is the responsibility of every person working for world peace to show radical views' danger to humanity at large. Genuinely religious Jews, along with conscientious Christians and Muslims, must unite to invite everyone to the righteous path. When people come to realize the truth about the fascist, social Darwinist, and oppressive ideology known as atheistic and radical zionism, this large obstacle to world peace will be removed, and people who now advocate violence will become defenders of peace.
The Turkish-Islamic Union will be the salvation, not just of Palestine, which has suffered terribly for more than half a century, but also of Israel. Israel has effectively imprisoned itself behind giant walls, but will escape the predicament into which it has fallen by way of the justice, peacefulness and loving nature of the Turkish-Islamic Union, and peace and security will come to the whole region. These lands played host to friendship and brotherhood for 400 years under Ottoman rule. Jews, Christians and Muslims lived together in brotherhood, worshiped as they pleased, settled where they wished, engaged in trade freely and lived in complete security. The only means whereby this beauty of the past can be brought back to life, in an even better form, is with the foundation of the Turkish-Islamic Union..
 Both in Israel and America, many Jews advocate
peaceful coexistence with Muslims and that both sides make sacrifices
in order to establish this peace. Jews who advocate peace severely
criticize the Israeli policy of violence against the Palestinians as
well as the Iraqi war. In its website, Tikkun, a Jewish organization in
America, reveals the blunders of pre-emptive military action. News
about the anti-war demonstrations in Tel-Aviv in which both Jews and
Arabs participated (above left). |
AN INTERVIEW WITH MR. ADNAN OKTAR BY TASCA (TURKISH ARAB ASSOCIATION FOR SCIENCE, CULTURE AND THE ARTS), NOVEMBER 21st, 2008 ADNAN OKTAR: The Turkish-Islamic Union is an international one. But let us refer to it as "among brothers," a work among brothers. Of course we are trying to contact all the Turkic states. We are trying to reach all Islamic countries, but Christians and Jews are also entrusted to us by Allah. I feel a great affection for them, and a powerful love and urge to protect them. That is why I particularly want to see Armenia in the Turkish-Islamic Union. I particularly want Israel to be in it. I want them to see the love, concern, interest, support and help they will be given, how free they will be, and the friendly and loving manner they will be treated. Look at how the Jews have been devoted to the Prophet Moses (pbuh) for thousands of years. That is an excellent thing. Christians have been loyal to the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) for 2000 years. And that is excellent, too. But they are unaware. We are living in times resembling the period between the Prophet Jesus (pbuh) and the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). They may not have realized. They may not have understood the Qur'an. There are people who are inciting them against the Qur'an. But the more they have learned the more they have begun to realize. They have begun realizing the invalidity of belief in the Trinity, for example. The Jews, for instance, have better begun realizing the importance of belief in the Hereafter. It was in the Torah, but they took it out. But belief in the Hereafter can still be seen in the Torah. They have begun strengthening it under the influence of the Qur'an. The more these people are told about Islam and the Qur'an, at least they correct their polytheistic and false beliefs. That is a great success, a blessing and a beauty. In one verse Almighty Allah tells us to unite under a common word, the oneness of Allah. We are calling on people to do that, and they are our brothers. Theirs are old forms of Islam. They have been corrupted, but they are still old forms of Islam, and they are the People of the Book. For that reason, they are just as deserving of love, respect and protection as Muslims. They will therefore enjoy peace and security |
Jewish Religious Leaders Call for a Fast for Peace
 This advertisement, prepared by the Shalom group, explains why sincerely religious Jews have to oppose war. Below is the text of the call, "Fast for Peace." |
Ever since the beginning of the Iraqi crisis, religious leaders from all over the world have made genuine efforts for peace. One such effort was made by Rabbi Waskow, a leader of the peace organization Shalom, which calls upon people to fast for peace. Many religious leaders of various denominations joined in and once more demonstrated that Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are all anti-war:
We call upon Americans to fast:
To reflect, to seek a truer peace, to pray
IIn the name of the God of compassion, Who commands us to seek peace and justice…
God calls on us all to seek peace and pursue it.
Yet with deep concern we see the danger that neither the government of Iraq nor the government of the United States is taking this calling as its primary goal…
God calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves, to love the stranger and the foreigner, to do nothing to others that would be hateful to ourselves…
God calls us to feed the hungry, house the homeless, clothe the naked, heal the earth, free the mind and spirit…
God calls us to reflect—to think, to feel, and to pray before we act
Yet we see that with no evidence of any imminent and urgent danger, our government is rushing into a war that threatens to bring death to many families—"our own" as well as those who live in another country. A war that may engulf in rage and destruction an entire region of the world, one that all our traditions hold especially dear…
At this moment of great danger, we turn toward God…31
Saddam Hussein's Darwinian Ideology
Saddam Hussein was one of the many Arabs misled by the "Arab socialism" that pervaded the Arab world in 1960s. |
From the first day of the Iraqi invasion, the stated main goal was to remove Saddam's regime. Such a strategy, irrespective of the offered justifications, cannot be implemented successfully by military means. The lives lost during the invasion prove that this choice was wrong and that it should have never been made. However, it is also clear that Saddam was a dictator who was damaging to the region and whose regime needed to be removed.
The radical Ba'th ideology made Saddam adopt a cruel policy even toward his own citizens. However, in order to totally eliminate the detrimental effects of this ideology, a cultural struggle must be carried out against the ideologies in question. |
Saddam Hussein was just one of many people who, in the 1960s, were led astray by Arab socialism, which was sweeping through the Arab world at that time. Arab socialism fused extreme fascism with a fanatic third world leftist agenda supported by the Soviets. Stalinism, the Soviet version of communism, stamped its mark upon the worldview of Arab socialists, who developed aggressive, oppressive, and provocative policies. Saddam was a leading Ba 'th Party militant, the embodiment of this erroneous ideology in Iraq. In his youth, he organized and carried out attacks on political organizations and individuals opposed to the Ba 'th movement through the Jihaz Hanin (the Apparatus of Yearnings) terrorist organization. Following the Ba 'thists' first coup d'etat, an interrogation unit was formed under Saddam's command and subjected its sufferers to horrific torture. It was known that Saddam even devised new torture techniques.
Under the influence of the Stalinist ideology in which he fervently believed, he became a ruthless and merciless dictator known for his cruelty. In 1980, he ignited a bloody 8-year war by invading Iran; 2 years after that tragedy ended, he invaded Kuwait. He was violent with all domestic groups and individuals that he considered potential threats, as his chemical weapons attack on the Kurdish village of Halabja (northern Iraq) proved: 5,000 innocent people died. And, this was just one of his regime's crimes against humanity.
All of this clearly proves that Saddam was not fit to rule Iraq. People expect their leader to deliver peace, security, happiness, and prosperity, as well as peace and stability both to their neighbors in particular and the world in general.
Now that Saddam and his regime have been removed from power, the post-invasion strategies are crucially important. It is not enough to portray Saddam as a tyrant for a lasting peace to appear in the Middle East. What is needed is an analysis that can correct the conditions and ideologies that led him to tyranny. What made Saddam a bloody dictator was the Ba 'thist ideology and the fascist culture that sought to resolve all issues with force or even bloodshed. A comprehensive education campaign and enlightened policies are needed if the Arab world is to be cleansed of this ideology and culture, both of which must make way for a civilized generation and people who are compassionate, loving, and humanitarian, as required by Islamic morality. In a society that practices this morality, such problems will not be encountered.
It must not be forgotten that this provocative ideology and culture does not just exist in Baghdad, but also is found in many other regions—often under the guise of religion. Its real solution lies in telling people of the true religious morality in an effective way.
Achieving Law and Order
 Some circles in the American government seek to secure stability and order in the Middle East through war. If their policies are followed, wars will follow one another and the so-called goal of establishing security will bring the entire region closer to war. However, establishing the Turkish Islamic Union will eliminate the possibility of war and thus enable a permanent order to exist. |
It is highly probable that the Iraqi invasion will cause wide-ranging and prolonged instability in the Middle East. It appears that circles with influence over American policy at the period when the invasion started wanted to rearrange the whole Middle East, and even the Caucasus and Southeast Asia, if necessary, by war. Some members of the then American administration expressed the view that "America could take action against '40-50 countries'," by which they divulged such plans.32 Irving Kristol, a PNAC participant, argued that "it is always a positive sign when the American people are prepared to go to war,33 which is another example of this mentality. All of this means that even those who devise these plans will probably not live long enough to see the end of this continued state of war.
This state of war, which will drag the world into pain and destruction, will rock the world order and deeply affect the people in the region and mankind as a whole. As we pointed out earlier, America and all other nations have the right to protect their national interests and to take precautions against situations endangering their security. But like all nations, America, as the only superpower, must use this right on the basis of ensuring world order and peace. The national security strategies of all countries, especially America, must comply with international law in order to prevent arbitrary actions. Also, when issues like terrorism threaten world security, multilateral cooperation and international alliances increase the probability of peace. Reducing tension and resolving conflict by supporting moderate and democratic forces, instead of trying to suppress violence with violence, must become the way forward. If we want to make the twenty-first century one in which all people's prosperity and security are guaranteed, all leaders must drop any ambition of creating a world order in which only the strong rule and have rights by means of continuous warfare.
Both America and other Western nations, as well as all Muslim nations, want potential threats to world peace to be eliminated, wish for economic stability, call for the strengthening of democratic regimes, demand an end to human rights abuses, seek to end all forms of tyranny over people's lives, and seek a better quality of life and an equal share of world's rich natural resources. Some strategists portray Muslims as the intended targets, which, in addition to affronting the entire Islamic world, is an equally dangerous and flawed strategy. People who interpret religion wrongfully are susceptible to myths and false beliefs and become extremists by moving against the grain of religion. Such people, who can be found among Muslims, Jews, and Christians, are all a great danger to world peace. Removing this danger is only possible by preventing extremism and forming an alliance of all moderate, peace-loving, civilized, and sincerely religious people. Only such an alliance can weaken the influence of those who present war as the only option and believe, erroneously, that it guarantees security. Thus, even more bloodshed, tears, and financial losses will be prevented.
Allah calls to the Abode of Peace and He guides whom He wills to a straight path. (Surah Yunus: 25) |
In order to create this alliance, Westerners need to abandon their prejudices, come to really know and understand the Islamic world, and formulate joint policies that will help it develop. All parties can eradicate mutual misunderstandings by means of educational and cultural programs, for radicalism is the result of ignorance. While these educational projects will enable the West to understand Islam better, the myths and false beliefs anchored in the Islamic world will be done away with so that mutual compassion and understanding will take root. Hate, anger, and malevolence will be replaced by peace, compassion, and security. The resulting culture of peaceful coexistence will lead to peace between different civilizations, and cultural sympathy and interaction will deliver social progress, contrary to the claims of those who advocate a clash of civilizations.
Clearly, the Islamic world needs a culture of compassion just as much as the West. From time to time, some Muslims come under the influence of bigoted views that make them hostile to people of other religious denominations or ethnic groups, even though this is against the Qur'an's morality and the Sunnah of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Throughout history, Islamic societies were centers of justice and compassion, especially at the time of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Ever since that time, history has been full of examples of oppressed Christians and Jews seeking refuge in Muslim lands, known for their compassion and protection. Bearing this in mind, especially at a time when peace is so badly needed, Muslims need to develop exemplary models based on the prophetic Sunnah and the Qur'an's values. These models will develop the Islamic world's core values and deprive all foreign powers of their ability to claim that they will bring stability and democracy to the Islamic world. Rather, the Turkish Islamic Union will lead the way.
Muslims and the People of the Book
In the Qur'an, God calls Jews and Christians the "People of the Book" and reveals in detail how the Muslims should interact with them. From the birth of Islam onward, tolerance and mutual understanding between Muslims and the People of the Book have usually been very good, for even though their holy books and some of their beliefs have been tampered with, they still have many moral values and concepts based upon divine revelation. The Qur'an encourages respectful and civilized conduct between Muslims and the People of the Book. For example, Muslims can eat their food and vice versa, and Muslim men can marry their women (Surat al-Ma’ida: 5). These rules show that it is possible for individuals belonging to these three religious communities to have friendly and neighborly relations, bond as relatives, and accept each other's invitations to share a meal.
Only argue with the People of the Book in the kindest way-except in the ease of those of them who do wrong-saying, “We believe in what has been sent down to us and what was sent down to you. Our God and your God are one and we submit to Him.” (Surat al-Ankabut: 46) |
Our Prophet, (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), was always just and compassionate to Jews and Christians and sought to establish an atmosphere of mutual compassion and love among all members of these Divinely revealed religions. During his lifetime, he made agreements and gave assurances that the Christians and Jews could practice their religions freely and continue their existence in autonomous communities. In the early years of Islam, some of the Muslims who had endured Meccan oppression and cruelty sought refuge with Negus, the Christian king of Ethiopia, with the Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) blessing. On the other hand, the believers who migrated to Madinah with him developed a model of coexistence that became an example for all succeeding generations. In the period of Islam's growth, this entered history as an example of Muslim compassion and justice toward Jews and Christians.
For instance, the text of an agreement dictated by our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and written down by the Christian Ibn Harris b. Ka 'b and his fellow Christians stated: "The religion, churches, lives, chastity and goods of all Christians living in the East and the West are under the protection of Allah, the Prophet and all believers. None of those living by Christianity will be forced to turn to Islam. If any Christian is subjected to any killing or injustice, Muslims must help him."34 And then read this verse from the Qur'an: "Only argue with the People of the Book in the kindest way, saying, 'We believe in what has been sent down to us and what was sent down to you." (Surat al-'Ankabut: 46)
Numerous accounts relate that our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) attended Jewish and Christian wedding receptions, visited their sick, and hosted them generously. When the Christians of Najran visited him, he spread out his cloak and asked them to be seated thereon. His marriage to the Egyptian Christian Maria is an example of this mentality. Following his death, the good treatment accorded to the People of the Book had at its heart the same compassion that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) had shown toward these two communities throughout his life.
AN INTERVIEW
WITH MR. ADNAN OKTAR BY THE GULF TODAY, NOVEMBER 2nd, 2008 |
Muslims Treated the People of the Book
with Compassion and Justice
Christianity was born on Palestinian soil but spread towards present-day Syria and Iraq because of the Christian church's oppressive rule. When our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) began to teach Islam, there were many Jewish and Christian communities in southern Arabia. Therefore, from the very beginning of Islam, Muslims, Jews, and Christians maintained a dialogue.
With the spread and strengthening of Islam, the region's Jews and Christians came under Muslim rule. Relations based upon compassion and mutual understanding continued, and various agreements made at the time of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) granted the Jewish and Christian communities certain privileges that guaranteed their rights and existence. The privileges granted to the monks of the St. Catherine Monastery at Mt. Sinai are examples of this. These documents guaranteed the legal, religious, and social rights of those Jews and Christians who came under Muslim rule or acknowledged Islam's sovereignty. Problems were resolved by referring to these documents. For example, the history books mention that the Christians in Damascus presented the documents recording their privileges to Caliph Umar when they encountered a problem and asked him to resolve the issue accordingly.35
You who believe! Show integrity for the sake of Allah, bearing witness with justice. Do not let hatred for a people incite you into not being just. Be just. That is closer to heedfulness. Fear Allah. Allah is aware of what you do. (Surat al-Ma’ida: 8) ... There is a community among the People of the Book who are upright. They recite Allah’s Signs throughout the night, and they prostrate. They believe in Allah and the Last Day, and enjoin the right and forbid the wrong, and compete in doign good. They are among the righteous. (Surah Al ‘Imran: 113-114) |
The caliphs who succeeded the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) practiced Allah's justice according to the prophetic Sunnah. In the conquered lands, both the native population and the new arrivals lived in peace and security. For example, Abu Bakr, the first caliph, gave the following command to his army before sending them toward Syria:
Stop, O people, that I may give you ten rules to keep by heart: Do not commit treachery nor depart from the right path. You must not mutilate, nor kill a child or an aged man or woman. Do not destroy a palm tree, nor burn it with fire, and do not cut any fruitful tree. You must not slay any of the flocks or herds or camels, save for your subsistence. You are likely to pass by people who have devoted their lives to monastic services; leave them to that to which they have devoted their lives. You are likely, likewise, to find people who will present to you meals of many kinds. You may eat, but do no forget to mention the name of Allah.36
The rapid growth of Islam brought Byzantine-ruled Syria and Egypt, as well as Sassanid-ruled Iraq, under Muslim rule. Each of these regions had large Christian populations. These Jews and Christians witnessed first hand the Muslims' justice and compassion. None of them were asked or pressured to change their religions or traditions. No practice or intervention that would have altered the existing social order or unsettled them was permitted. Various Christian sects that were being oppressed by Rome or Byzantium actually preferred Muslim rule. The Western historian Phillip K. Hitti writes:
Under the stimulus of Islam, the East now awoke and reasserted itself after a millennium of Western domination. Moreover, the tribute exacted by the new conquerors [Muslims] was even less than that exacted by the old, and the conquered could now pursue their religious practices with more freedom and less interference.37
According to Princeton scholar and author Samuel Moffet: :
Under the patriarchal caliphs and all through the turbulent years of the civil wars, apart from the killings and horrors to be expected in any war, treatment of Christians in the [Muslim] conquered territories of Persia and Byzantine Syria proved to be remarkably generous.38
When examining their social and religious lives under Islamic rule, the following picture emerges:
On Islamic territory, true freedom of religion existed. No one was forced to change his or her religion, and communities that rebelled and came back later under the authority of Islam were given the same rights as before. The Islamic authority, save for a few exceptions, never intervened in the election of patriarchs or the appointment of religious authority, and guaranteed not to intervene by signing various agreements. These communities continued to speak their own languages in their private lives as well as in their religious lives. For instance, the Nestorians who left the Byzantine church chose to leave their Greek language also for the Suryani (Assyrian) language, and were free to do so. In the Christian and Jewish schools, religious education continued freely, and monasteries and other institutions that educated the community's future religious leaders preserved their autonomous status. Likewise, the sanctuaries of other religious denominations were protected by the Muslim authorities. During the conquest, places of worship were never harmed, for synagogues and churches were guaranteed protection by agreements made with the People of the Book from the time of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).
In agreements dating back to the initial period of Islam, clauses allowed Muslims to stay in monasteries while traveling. This shows that Muslims sought to develop a dialogue based on mutual respect with the People of the Book. Moreover, these communities were also permitted to rebuild derelict churches or build new synagogues and churches when they wished. For instance, the St. Sergius monastery outside Madain was destroyed by Patriarch Mar Emme (644-647 ce) but rebuilt at the time of caliph Uthman. Many such examples can be cited: Uqba, the governor of Egypt, helped build a monastery for the Nestorians; during Mu 'awiya's reign a church in Edessa was renovated, and the Marcos church was commissioned in Alexandria. The fact that churches and synagogues in Palestine, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, and Iraq still remain is an indicator of the Muslim's respect for other Divinely revealed religions. Another example of Muslim compassion is the Monastery of Mt. Sinai, one of Christianity's important pilgrimage sites.
The source of the Muslim's compassion is the Qur'an's morality, which says:
… if Allah had not driven some people back by means of others, monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, where Allah's name is mentioned much, would have been pulled down and destroyed. Allah will certainly help those who help Him … (Surat al-Hajj: 40)
The People of the Book were free to celebrate their festivities as part of their religious tradition in their places of worship as they wished, and Muslim leaders often joined these celebrations. The Nestorian Patriarch Isho'yab III (650-60 ce) wrote a letter to the Bishop of Persia following the Muslim conquest that voices the Muslim leadership's compassion toward the People of the Book from a Christian perspective:
The Arabs to whom God has given at this time the government of the world … do not persecute the Christian religion. Indeed, they favour it, honour our priests and the saints of the Lord and confer benefits on churches and monasteries.39
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Besides these freedoms and respect, the justice and fairness with which these non-Muslim communities were treated is remarkable too. The Muslim leaders' sense of justice was renowned, and many Christians brought their cases to the Islamic courts even though they had their own courts. At one time, the number of Christians using Islamic courts reached such high numbers that the Nestorian patriarch Mar Timothee I (780-825 ce) issued a declaration warning Christians.
The People of the Book living in Muslim-ruled lands were not considered captives, but dhimmis, which gave them a legal status: non-Muslim people who recognized Muslim authority paid a jizya tax. In return, their lives and property were protected, they enjoyed freedom of thought and religion, were exempted from military service, and allowed to resolve their internal affairs by their own laws. From time to time, the jizya tax was even returned to them. A majority of historians recognize the fact that the dhimmis lived under a compassionate and just system. The renowned historian Bernard Lewis states:
But by and large their [dhimmi's] position was infinitely superior to that of those communities who differed from the established church in western Europe in the same period. They enjoyed the free exercise of their religion. …40
People of the Book! Our Messenger has come to you, making clear to you much of the Book that you have kept concealed, and passing over a lot. A Light has come to you from Allah and a clear Book. By it, Allah guides those who follow what pleases Him to the ways of Peace... (Surat an-Nisa’: 15-16) |
Our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "On the Day of Judgment I will dispute with anyone who oppresses a person from among the People of the Covenant [i.e., a Dhimmi], or infringes on his right, or puts a responsibility on him which is beyond his strength, or takes something from him against his will,"41 thereby describing the correct attitude toward dhimmis. In line with this morality, Muslims considered it one of their important responsibilities to protect the non-Muslims under their authority. During a war with the Byzantine army, our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) ordered that the tax collected from non-Muslims be returned, for the Muslim army was unable to protect them.42 This is the type of morality that he taught Muslims. Another good example of compassion and consideration is Umar's words to an old dhimmi woman: "By Allah, we would not be fair if we take from him when he is young and disgrace him when he is old."43 Taking the jizya only from non-Muslims is not unjust, because Muslims had to serve in the army; non-Muslims were exempt from military service.
For centuries, Muslims lived side by side with Jews and Christians in peace and security. Those Jews and Christians who lived in Muslim-ruled lands engaged in free trade and acquired property, chose their desired profession, held offices in the state bureaucracy, and even worked in the ruler's palace. They benefited from the official policy of freedom of thought, were part of their society's scientific and cultural life, and wrote books that we still have today. The exercise of their rights was not challenged or prevented. Considering that at the same time in Europe people belonging to other religions or non-Orthodox sects were cast out, persecuted, and killed, and books that published different views were burned in piles, the freedoms and peace that reigned in the Islamic world becomes even more significant.
All of these practices are requirements of the Qur'an's morality prescribed for Muslims. Peace and security were the norms in the lands administered by Muslims practicing this morality. Muslim administrations sought the people's happiness and prosperity and developed systems that set the standards for generations to come. The Islamic world of today needs to return to the Qur'an's morality and our Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) path.
All of these historic facts point to another important matter: Remodeling the Islamic world according to the Qur'an's values is not only important for Muslims, but also for all members of other religious denominations living here as well as for members of all civilizations, especially those living in the West. The existence of strong nations based on the Qur'an's values will remove the West's concerns about the Islamic world and become one of the cornerstones of world peace.
AN
INTERVIEW WITH MR. ADNAN OKTAR BY AKHABER, NOVEMBER
2nd, 2008 |
AN
INTERVIEW WITH MR. ADNAN OKTAR BY AZERBAIJAN AZERNEWS, OCTOBER 23rd,
2008 |
|
THE BENEFITS OF TURKISH ISLAMIC UNIONFOR MUSLIMS
Contemporary world politics make it necessary for nations to integrate into international unions in the interest of their own national security and economy. In these international unions, which are usually based upon geographic location, such factors as natural resources, trading blocs, and even cultural values play an important role. Many neighboring countries combine their resources under the auspices of such organizations, create defensive alliances, and cooperate on a wide array of issues. The goal of such unions is to preserve peace, control the arms race, resolve disputes through diplomacy, promote socioeconomic development, and protect fundamental human rights and democracy. At the present time, NATO, the OSCE, the EU, NAFTA, OPEC, ASEAN, the G-8, the D-8, and APEC are the foremost international political, military, and economic unions.
These institutions
are subject to organizational reforms because of new members or a
widening of scope. All of these organizations, formed in the aftermath
of the Second World War, have contributed to creating stability and
order in the world and have played a major role in global socioeconomic
development. Member nations protect their economic and military
interests, and also acquire a stronger regional and international
position. Even the developed world perceives the necessity of such
partnerships. The creation of free trade zones, regional trade
agreements, abolished customs controls, and even a common currency (as
in the EU) safeguard the future of member states. Defensive pacts
enable member states to reduce military expenditures and to divert those
resources to cultural and educational fields.
A similar organization will provide considerable benefits to Muslim nations. For those that are desperate for technological as well as economic development, the foremost step toward stability is the creation of a central organization or, in other words, a unified Islamic world under the auspices of the Turkish Islamic Union.
Economic Development and Increasing Prosperity
Economic cooperation is necessary on two counts: stability and development. Muslim nations must bring stability and solidity to their economies. Developing industries and making the required investments is vital, as is the need for a comprehensive development plan and the simultaneous development of education, economy, culture, science, and technology. While various sectors are developed technologically, the labor force's educational levels and standards must be raised accordingly. Society must be motivated to become more productive, and the resulting economic cooperation will play a major role in eradicating poverty, illiteracy, the unjust distribution of wealth, and other socioeconomic problems rampant in Muslim countries. This partnership can be formed only by the creation of free trade zones, customs unions, and common economic areas.
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Most Muslim countries have geostrategic importance as well as rich natural resources (e.g., natural gas and crude oil). These resources and strategic opportunities, however, are not being used effectively. In the Islamic world, 86% of the population's living standards fall below $2,000, 76% under $1,000, and 67% under $500 per year. When the Islamic world's total resources are considered,17 this is quite a paradox: Roughly half of the petrol consumed in the West is exported from the Islamic world, as is 40% of the world's agricultural production.18 Many economists and strategists freely admit that the world economy depends upon the Islamic world's oil and gas exports, in particular those of the Persian Gulf.19
The Persian Gulf holds two-thirds of the planet's discovered crude oil reserves. Data obtained from research concludes that Saudi Arabia alone holds 25.4% of the world's oil reserves, or 262 billion barrels. A further 11% is found in Iraq, 9.6 % in the UAE, 9.2 % in Kuwait, 8.6 % in Iran, 13% in other OPEC member states. The rest is distributed across the remainder of the world.20 Research commissioned by the U.S. Department of Energy shows that between 2000 and 2020, oil exports from the area will increase by 125%.21 This means that the world will continue to meet most of its energy needs by imports from the Gulf region. Moreover, the Middle East has 40% of the global natural gas reserves; 35 % of these reserves are in the Gulf region.22 Algeria, Libya, and other North African countries have 3.7 % of the world's reserves.
The Caucasus and Central Asia are also rich in oil, natural gas, and other natural resources. For instance, Kazakhstan has between 10-17.6 billion barrels of proven oil reserves, and its natural gas reserves are estimated at between 53 and 83 trillion cubic feet. Turkmenistan has between 98 and 155 trillion cubic feet of natural gas reserves, making it the fourth largest producer.23 Some other Muslim countries have valuable mineral resources. For instance, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan are two of the world's leading gold producers. Turkey has one of the world's richest boron reserves, only recently discovered to be very important, and Tajikistan has the world's largest aluminum producing facilities.
Thanks to joint ventures, each Muslim country will benefit from the other country's experiences, and the investments will benefit both of them. Each country's different geography and economic conditions will turn into wealth and bring abundance. |
These advantages will become more important in the twenty-first century, which some have already christened the "energy century." Energy is an essential element of modern society in terms of the military, industry, urbanization, and transport. Given that economic activity and manufacturing depend primarily upon energy, nations will do their best to achieve control over these energy resources. The Islamic world is not using its resources effectively, for many of its members lack the infrastructure and technology to increase the production and use their natural resources to develop their industries. Therefore, the resources' contributions to the country's economy are limited to export earnings. These countries do not have the means to process their own crude oil, use it in their industrial complexes, or to develop their industries. Worse still, some Muslim nations do not even have the necessary means to explore and research their natural resources or to discover and extract them. Explorations undertaken by foreign companies reveal that other Muslim nations have oil and gas reserves, but they cannot benefit from their resources.
Naturally, the ineffective use of natural resources is not the Islamic world's only economic problem. However, solving this problem can begin the process of solving many other problems. The economies of Muslim nations contain differences in structure and functioning. Some nations' economies depend upon mineral resources, such as the members of OPEC, while other nations' depend upon agriculture. These differences are also reflected, to some extent, in their social structures, such as the widely varying degrees of rural and urban populations. Developing complementary relationships and helping each other in their respective areas of expertise can turn these differences into a source of riches. All of this will be possible with the Turkish Islamic Union.
Joint ventures and project partnerships will be an important step in the right direction, for they will enable countries to benefit from one another's experiences and the income earned from investment projects will benefit all of the participating countries. Such mutual financial support is compatible with Islamic morality, for helping the needy and having a sense of social responsibility are important characteristics that Muslims strive to acquire. With many verses in the Qur'an, Allah reminds Muslims to watch over the needy.
Society's internal
cohesion must be extended to international relations. As international
cooperation within a partnership cannot be one-sided, employment and
income levels will rise in both countries. For example, one country
will produce oil and another one will process it, and agriculturally
dependent countries will be able to import the food they need from
agriculturally developed countries. A manpower-poor country's need will
be met by another Islamic country, while rich countries will be able
to invest in and help out a manpower-rich country that does not have
enough jobs for its people. This will be to the benefit of both.
Sharing know-how and experience will increase prosperity, and all
Muslims will benefit from technological developments.
Joint ventures that realize the Islamic world's unification of opportunities and means will enable Muslims to produce hi-tech products. The Islamic common market will make it possible for Muslim-made products to be marketed in other Muslim countries without the hindrance of customs, quotas, and other cross-border obstacles. The marketplace will grow, the market share and exports of all Muslim nations will rise, industrialization will speed up, and economic development will bring progress in technology. When all of this comes to pass, Muslim nations will operate as a consortium against other investment groups and will become an important part of the global economy.
AN INTERVIEW WITH MR. ADNAN
OKTAR BY MPL, NOVEMBER 21st, 2008 |
The living standards and wealth of Muslim nations will increase, and their existing inequalities will disappear. Some free trade agreements are already in place between countries in the Gulf, the Pacific Rim, and North Africa. Trade agreements signed by Turkey are already operational in the Islamic world. Bilateral cooperation exists in some regions; however, their scope must be widened. Such cooperation will safeguard the rights and interests of all Muslim nations and lead to all of them becoming developed—a result from which all of them will derive a far greater benefit than if they do not cooperate with each other.
Moti Masjid, 1662, Delhi Badshahi Mosque, 1673, Pakistan The men and women of the believers are friends of one another. They command what is right and forbid what is wrong, and perform prayer and give the alms, and obey Allah and His Messenger. They are the people on whom Allah will have mercy. Allah is Almighty, All-Wise. (Surat at-Tawba: 71) |
All of these can be realized only under a central authority's leadership and coordination. Achieving this will be possible if Muslim nations adopt the Qur'an's values and the Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) Sunnah, or, in other words, if they adopt Islamic culture. The Turkish Islamic Union must lead the way to this cultural awakening, as well as the resulting political and economic cooperation.
Mutual cooperation among Muslims, part of the Islamic code, must be adhered to by all Muslims, for Allah commands people to refrain from avarice and to guard the needy and support one another. In fact, destitute people have a due share of the believers' wealth (Surat adh-Dhariyat: 19). As Allah states in the Qur'an:
Those of you possessing affluence and ample wealth should not make oaths that they will not give to their relatives, the very poor, and those who have migrated in the way of Allah. Rather, they should pardon and overlook. Would you not love Allah to forgive you? Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surat an-Nur: 22)
He who has plenty should spend from his plenty, but he whose provision is restricted should spend from what Allah has given him. Allah does not demand from anyone more than He has given it. Allah will appoint ease after difficulty. (Surat at-Talaq: 7)
Our Lord also reveals that believers are one another's guardians (Surat at-Tawba: 71). The word "guardian" conveys such meanings as friend, helper, mentor, and protector. It also expresses the importance of cooperation and solidarity between Muslim nations. The cooperation that will arise from this fraternal awareness between Muslim nations will bring prosperity and wealth to Muslims and eradicate poverty, an important problem of the Islamic world. Societies that follow the Qur'an's values will not experience famine, destitution, and poverty. Muslims will develop their nations by following rational and long-term policies, establishing good relations with other nations and people, valuing trade and development, and learning from other cultures' experiences. This was so in history and, Allah willing, under the Turkish Islamic Union's leadership it will be so once again.
AN INTERVIEW WITH
MR. ADNAN OKTAR BY PATRONLAR DUNYASI [BOSSES' WORLD], OCTOBER 13th, 2008 Adnan Oktar: Of course, if we have the Turkish-Islamic Union there will be no crisis or economic dilemmas, no terror and no troubles. There will be an outstanding wealth and plenty, an extraordinary wealth and a wonderful standard of well-being. |
AN INTERVIEW WITH
MR. ADNAN OKTAR BY MARAS AKSU TV, NOVEMBER 20th, 2008 Adnan Oktar: And there is huge spending on arms and personnel. All that will come to an end. The Turkish-Islamic Union will totally resolve the security issue and terrorism will be eliminated from the face of the earth. America would want that, and so, therefore, would Russia. |
AN INTERVIEW WITH
MR. ADNAN OKTAR BY KANAL 67, MARCH 22nd, 2009 Adnan Oktar: Once there is a Turkish-Islamic Union you will be unable to find any terrorists even if you want to. You won't even have time to say, "Stop! What are you up to?" These things will vanish instantly. There will be nothing of the kind once the Turkish-Islamic Union is established. They had had a whiff of it and are already trembling in their boots. |
Creating Peace and Security
Instability does not affect a given region alone; rather, it has a negative impact on the world as a whole. The Islamic world is one such region. Therefore, Muslim nations should not be considered as separate and independent entities. Tensions in the Middle East are felt in North Africa. Events in the Caspian region affect the future of the Middle East. What happens in the Persian Gulf has a direct bearing on Southeast Asia, which means that such apparently regional conflicts, troubles, and tensions are felt throughout the entire Islamic world. Naturally, the same is true for peace. For example, solving such long-term conflicts as the Arab-Israeli war would have a positive effect throughout the Islamic world.
Throughout the
twentieth century, a major part of the Islamic world remained locked in
continuous warfare, conflict, and instability. The resulting waste of
resources nearly brought economic development to a stand-still, caused
living standards to drop to rock-bottom, and most importantly, cost the
lives of millions of Muslims. Even now, intra-Muslim disputes and
conflicts continue and engender tensions from time to time. Wars and
conflicts between Muslim and non-Muslim nations are a great source of
instability and discontent. One significant benefit of the Turkish
Islamic Union is the role that it will play in delivering peace and
security to the Islamic world. The Turkish Islamic Union must resolve
intra-Muslim disputes and conflicts, as well as overcome the wars,
conflicts, and tensions between them and non-Muslim countries, by
peaceful and reconciliatory means. For example, an Arab-Israeli peace
would have the following benefits for the Islamic world: :
-
Peace would enable each country to reduce military expenditures and divert financial resources to wealth-creation in society. As all Muslim countries would be members of the joint defense pact, they would achieve greater security and stronger defenses with a smaller budget. Investments now being made in the arms industry and technology could be channeled into educational, scientific, and cultural development. Consider the following facts: The total arms expenditure of Middle Eastern countries in 1991, when the Gulf war broke out, was $70.7 billion. Arms spending dropped to $52.2 billion during the following years, but soon began to increase again. Military spending stood at $61 billion in 2000 and $72 billion in 2001.
- Present instability and conflicts in the
Islamic
world cause many of the region's doctors, engineers,
academics, scientists,
thinkers, and writers to migrate to the West, where they
continue their
work, for they do not feel secure in their home countries.
Research
reveals that this migration from Arab countries has cost the
Islamic
world $200 billion. In fact, 450,000 of these migrants are
college or
university graduates.24
An environment of peace
will eliminate internal tensions and end this migration. As a
result,
the work and skills of highly educated individuals will
primarily benefit
Muslims.
-
Present instability and conflicts in the Islamic world cause many of the region's doctors, engineers, academics, scientists, thinkers, and writers to migrate to the West, where they continue their work, for they do not feel secure in their home countries. Research reveals that this migration from Arab countries has cost the Islamic world $200 billion. In fact, 450,000 of these migrants are college or university graduates.24 An environment of peace will eliminate internal tensions and end this migration. As a result, the work and skills of highly educated individuals will primarily benefit Muslims.
Any blessing you have is from Allah. Then when harm touches you, it is to Him you cry for help.
(Qur’an, 16:53)
- Economic development will gain momentum. At present, there
are many disputes among Muslim nations, especially those involving
borders, which only intensify economic problems. For instance, the
source of the difficulties experienced in transporting and exporting
trade goods is unsafe transport routes. This also is true for water,
which is a major cause of conflict in the Middle East. Such conflicts
could be resolved if Muslim countries would cooperate and resolve their
disputes peacefully.
- Differences of culture and ethnicity will become a rich
resource in an environment of peace, one that is characterized by
compassion and dialogue. People will be more open-minded and
productive, and such a diverse cultural mix will enable the rise of a
new civilization.
- Peace also will strengthen Muslims living outside of the
traditional Islamic world. Islam is one of the fastest growing
religions in many non-Muslim countries. If these ethnically diverse
groups of Muslims unite, they will further the spread of Islam and
enable themselves to make a stronger cultural impression on their
societies. The effectiveness of individual efforts made by small and
separate Muslim communities is incomparable to the combined
intellectual efforts made by a united alliance. Muslims of course will
preserve their national identities; however, they will become a much
stronger force if they act as one body guided by Islamic awareness and
morality.
- A peaceful Islamic world will become a model for other countries, and existing conflicts will be resolved peacefully according to the example set by the Islamic world. Muslims will be living examples of finding peace and security when the Qur'an's values are practiced. In addition, they will bear witness to the fact that Islam is a religion of peace and compassion. Peace in the Islamic world might even guide many people to Islamic morality.
Rebuilding a Spectacular Civilization
With the establishment of the Turkish Islamic Union, peace and security will take hold, economic problems will be resolved, and a massive cultural advancement will take place, for there will be growing budgets for education, science, and culture. In this way, Muslims will build a new civilization that will serve as a role model for the rest of the world. Practicing the unity and solidarity commanded by the Qur'an will cause its values to have a direct impact upon all Muslims' everyday life, art, decoration, fashion, medicine, science, and technology. Friendship and fraternal feelings will prosper, peace and order will rule social life, people will find more time to reflect and conduct research, and they will be more free-thinking and open-minded when they do so. Environments free of disorder, destitution, and troubles are places in which new ideas take shape, new products emerge, beneficial inventions are made, and continuing progress is achieved. The Turkish Islamic Union will create such an environment throughout the Islamic world.
So eat from what Allah has provided for you, lawful and good, and be thankful for the blessing of Allah if it is Him you worship. (Surat an-Nahl: 114) |
In the book's first part, we examined the history of Islamic civilization. This civilization is an indicator of the environment in which future generations of Muslims will live. History shows that Muslims who practiced the Qur'an's values built a strong civilization that lasted for many centuries. In the Qur'an, Allah commands people to reflect, observe, and notice subtle details. Muslims are asked to ponder the beings in their surrounding environments, reflect on the order in which they live, and try to comprehend the wisdom behind it all. Our Lord says:
Have they not looked at the sky above them, how We structured it and made it beautiful, and how there are no fissures in it? And Earth, how We stretched it out, cast firmly embedded mountains onto it, and caused luxuriant plants of every kind to grow in it—an instruction and a reminder for every penitent human being. And We sent down blessed water from the sky and made gardens grow by it, and grain for harvesting and soaring date-palms with layered spathes. (Surah Qaf: 6-10)
Those who live by the Qur'an's values, who contemplate without coming under the spell of dogmas, false beliefs, or prejudices, ponder whatever they witness from all angles. As a result, they can see and consider ahead of their times. These qualities enable them to invent beneficial items for humanity and devise systems that ease the burdens of life and increase human comfort. The Turkish Islamic Union will open a new chapter in science and technology for the Islamic world, and, having acquired this vision, Muslims will build a civilization that produces science.
One area in which the Muslims' subtle thinking and deep awareness shows itself is art. At the core of art lie the abilities to reflect, notice subtleties, enjoy what is seen, and convey the resulting joy to others. The artistic awareness of someone who believes in and practices the Qur'an's values is of a superior nature, because Muslims consider art to be a Divine form of beauty, and works of art as objects that reflect Allah's Power and Might and the magnificence in Creation. In the Islamic world, artists are inspired by the beauty of Allah's Creation and thus produce works of art that are both inspired by the Qur'an's values and have unequaled depth, talent and intellect. With the formation of the Turkish Islamic Union, far more works of art will be produced that reflect the Muslims' sense of art, cities will be made more beautiful, spectacular buildings will rise, and the quality of life will increase immensely.
Islamic nations will be known for their cleanliness, order, works of art, cultural achievements, and technological developments. Their inhabitants will benefit from the means and comforts provided by technology, for prosperity, wealth, and beauty will dominate every aspect of life. Muslims will always meet with beauty, for their homes, gardens, house decorations, clothing, music, entertainment, theaters, cinemas, paintings, and conversations will reflect their inner spiritual beauty.
For all of this to take place, however, a great awakening must occur. False traditions, social structures, and mentalities that hold Muslims back must be removed and replaced with a Qur'an-based vision and morality so that the union will be rational, decisive, vibrant, and open-minded—just as it was with the first generations of Muslims. Islam does not require abstinence from the world; rather, Muslims are required to comprehend the world's true nature and then light the path for all people to follow. It is the Muslims' right to enjoy the blessings of this world. Those who believe sincerely and live by Allah's commands will experience all of the beautiful things that Allah has revealed in the Qur'an, one of which is a good life on Earth, as follows:
What is with you runs out, but what is with Allah goes on forever. Those who were steadfast will be recompensed according to the best of what they did. Anyone who acts rightly, male or female, being a believer, We will give them a good life and will recompense them according to the best of what they did. (Surat an-Nahl: 96-97)
AN INTERVIEW WITH
MR. ADNAN OKTAR BY BASKENT TV, FEBRUARY 13th, 2009 |
AN INTERVIEW WITH
MR. ADNAN OKTAR BY MALATYA TV, FEBRUARY 22nd, 2008 |
Introducing Others to Islamic Morality
"Let there be a community among you who calls to the good, enjoins the right, and forbids the wrong" (Surah Al 'Imran: 104). One of the Muslims' important duties is to command goodness, prevent evil, and call people to Islamic morality. However, the present disorder in the Islamic world prevents Muslims from fulfilling this duty, even though many non-Muslims have an increasing interest in Islam and the Qur'an's values. Allah's existence and oneness, the basic tenets of Islam, our Prophet's (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) life, the Qur'an's commands, and how Islamic society should be structured have now become common topics in the West. As interested people naturally direct such questions toward Muslims, Muslims must be able to represent Islam in the best possible way. In the West, this means through professional audio-visual productions, conferences and meetings, and publications. Moreover, on an individual basis they must serve as role models to the people with whom they come into contact.
The Muslim Union is also necessary to resolve many problems caused by people's remoteness from religious morality. Circles that oppose religious morality work to make irreligion prevail and often coordinate their actions so that they can move forward in unison. Irrespective of how much their alliance is based on self-interest, their coordinated action makes it much easier for them to achieve their targets. Although every system of thought that opposes religious morality is destined to be defeated, Muslims must nevertheless engage these systems in a great ideological struggle to defeat them. For this reason, one of the Muslims' most urgent responsibilities is to drop their internal differences so that they can spread the Qur'an's values and invite people to the path of Allah. Our Lord reveals the believers' responsibility in this regard in the following verse:
Those who do not believe are the friends and protectors of one another. If you do not act in this way (protect each other), there will be turmoil in the land and great corruption. (Surat al-Anfal: 73)
The formation of the Turkish Islamic Union will increase the pace of all efforts made to spread the Qur'an's morality. As in many other areas, such a combined effort will be rewarded many times over, and true knowledge will reach all people far more quickly and in a much better manner. At present, Muslims are making individual as well as combined efforts to explain and spread Islam. However, the Turkish Islamic Union will make these efforts more practical and systematic. Furthermore, some people who claim to represent Islam but display aggression and crudeness, which are not part of Islam, will be defeated; true Islam will be defined; and the erroneous stereotypes created by certain people will be destroyed.