MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT ISLAM.

[nobody]

Assalomu Alaykum Dear Brothers and Sisters.

There is a lot of misconceptions about Islam amongst people. I think following article can help you clarify some of them , InshAllah.

MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT ISLAM.

Islam is a complete way of life. This is denoted by the Arabic word Din (Deen). It embraces the spiritual, social, moral, economic and cultural life of it's followers, as well as their belief in God. It is concerned with the total person, and all acts receive their justification and direction from the teaching that is embodied in Qura'n. The laws that govern the daily practical affairs are given in The Qura'n, because Islam is vitally concerned with how people interact with each other as a community and in the spiritual and material welfare of the individual. The equality of the individuals, race relations, the treatment of men and women, marrige and divorce, family life, justice, conduct of war and health are some of the subjects that have been dealt explicitly in Islam.


Contrary to what has been portrayed by some Western writers in the past, Islam is neither anti-Jewish, nor anti-Christian. In fact Islam teaches religious tolerance, and it explicitly directs it's followers to respect all other religions and faiths. Islam recognizes the truth that is contained in the doctrines of Judaism and Christianity, and confirms Abraham, Moses, Jesus and others as true prophets who preceded Mohammad.


Western writings, historical and religious works that were compiled in the past, often imply that Islam was spread by the sword: but this is far from the truth and the modern scholars admit that. By any account, the followers of Islam cannot be implicated in spreading Islam by the use of force; there may be rare examples in the history of Islam, but those are exceptions and not the rule. In this regard, Muslim zealots pale to nothing in comparison with the disciples and zealots of many other faiths in the history. Muslims adhere to the teachings of Islam and The Qura'n says, "If it had been your Lord's will, they would all have believed--all who are on earth--Will you then compel mankind, against their will, to believe" (2:256), and "Unto you be your religion and unto me mine" (109:6). The Qura'n also says, "Defend yourself against your enemies, but attack them not first, for God does not like transgressors" (2:190).


Islam's achievements are monumental. It gave equal rights to all human beings, regardless of race, color, sex, nationality, status or lineage. Throughout it's 1400 year history, Islam changed barbaric people to civilized people. (The most well known example of this transformation is the conversion of the hordes of Mongols to civilized Muslims).


Islam taught respect for other individuals and their rights. It gave rights to women, who had almost no rights in the history of mankind before that time. Islam set family laws and made rules for inheritance. It discouraged and eliminated slavery. It made the state responsible for the basic needs of all of it's citizens, regardless of their race or religion, and the state is responsible to protect the legitimate rights of the citizens.


Islam encouraged the acquisition and propagation of knowledge. In the dark period of the Middle Ages, Muslims scholars carried all the advances in the fields of science and social subjects. There is a very significant contribution of Muslim scientist and scholars to the subjects of chemistry, physics, mathematics, astrology, anatomy, physiology, medicine, navigation and many other fields. Medical schools were active in Baghdad and later in other parts of the Muslim world in the times of the Dark Ages in Europe. Medical schools had a rigorous curriculum of four years.

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[nobody]

Muslim astronomers measured the circumference of the earth with surprising accuracy, approximately eight hundred years before Europe recognized that the world was not flat.


The most outstanding contribution of Muslim scholars to the human knowledge is in the field of mathematics. The Muslim scholars introduced the use of zero and, with it, the modern system of writing numbers in tens, hundreds, thousands, millions and so on. They replaced the clumsy Roman system of numerals with the Arabic numerals that are used in our every day life today. All modern mathematics is founded on these discoveries.


The Muslims invented the sciences of algebra and trigonometry, including logarithms and trigonometrical ratios, and the relations of sine and cosine, tangent and cotangent. All of this learning was widely known by people in the Muslim countries. The Muslims introduced the manufacture of paper on large scale. This in turn reached Europe from Arabs in Spain and Scily. In the ninth century, when Baghdad was the seat of the Caliphate, the city had hundreds of bookshops. As a result of the wide acquisition and dissemination of knowledge, even the peasants and farmers in Muslim Spain could read and write, whereas, the dukes and princes in Europe were mostly illiterate.


Muslim navies commanded the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean, and the merchant naval vessels plied to Indonesia and Far East. At a time when the wealthy in Europe kept their treasures and possessions in the form of sacs of coins, the Muslims had a well developed banking system. The businessmen could write notes and cheques in Canton, China on their bank accounts in Baghdad or other Muslim cities. Similarly, they had reservations in Canton, just as Europeans did in nineteenth century in Shanghai.


Other important examples include the silk and cotton industries, embroideries, carpets, satin, velvet, muslin, and damask in textiles. Weapons, inlaid gold and silver work, glazed colored tiles, pottery lustre and glass are other noteworthy developments. There are numerous architectural wonders of their time that are still preserved across the Muslim world.


In the words of Sir John Glubb (In The Life and Times of Muhammad), "for five centuries after Muhammad, the Muslims dominated the world both culturally and militarily as completely as Europe and America have done for the last two hundred and fifty years".


Sincerely yours
nobody.

[IcyCool]

"The Muslim scholars introduced the use of zero and, with it, the modern system of writing numbers in tens, hundreds, thousands, millions and so on."

-- The Muslim scholars introduced the use of zero invented by Hindus would be correct.

[Gareeb]

Zur narsalr ekanu uqigani erindim. Vaqt buganda uqirman