Most Read in the Category of 100 Questions & Answers on Islam

The Quran is the last holy book that Allah sent down to people. The Quran was sent down to the Prophet Hz. Muhammad (pbuh) through Gabriel (Jibril) and then it reached today through being written down and reported.

The Quran is a material and spiritual guide for individuals and the community, all classes of people living in any place or time and for the whole life of man. Everybody, from the president to the man in the street, finds the things that are about them in the Quran. They take the knowledge and lessons that are necessary for peace and tranquility both in the world and the hereafter. 

The virtues and characteristics of the Quran are stated as follows in verses and hadiths:

* "And this is a Book which We have revealed as a blessing: so follow it and be righteous, that ye may receive mercy."(al-Anam, 6/155).

* "And this is a Book which We have sent down, bringing blessings and confirming (the revelations) which came before it: that thou mayest warn the Mother of Cities and all around her. Those who believe in the Hereafter believe in this (Book), and they are constant in guarding their prayers."(al-Anam, 6/92).

* "Do they not ponder on the Qur'an (with care)? Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein much discrepancy." (an-Nisa, 4/82).

* "The Qur'an as a guide to mankind also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong)..."(al-Baqara, 2/185).

* "The Quran is guidance and glad tidings for those who believe."(al-Baqara, 2/97).

* "This Quran is a guidance and glad tidings for those who believe."(Sad, 38/29).

* The following is reported from Harith bin Awar: Once, Hz. Ali said:

"I heard the Messenger of Allah say:

'Behold! A dissension will come.' Thereupon, I asked,

'O Messenger of Allah! What is the way out of it?' He said,

'It is to obey the Book of Allah.'(Then Hz. Prophet explained the characteristics of the Quran as follows:

'It contains all information about what has happened to those communities before you, news of dissensions and tumults that will happen after you and signs of Doomsday. It is the distinguisher between the truth and the falsehood. If anyone seeks guidance elsewhere Allah will lead him astray. It is the strong rope of Allah. It is the reminder with wisdom, and it is the straightest path. It protects souls who obey it from being ruined and misguidance and tongues that recite it from ambiguity.

Scholars of the Qur’an always crave more from it. Reading it again and again never bores its reader; neither does the reader lose any taste by reading it over and over again. Its magnificent wonders that astonish the mankind never end, "They said `We have really heard a wonderful Recital." (al-Jinn 1). He who utters it, speaks the truth. He who acts according to it, will be rewarded. He who pronounces judgment according to it, will be just. He who invites people to it, will guide them to a straight path.'" (Tirmidhi, Thawabu"l-Qur'an 14, 2908)

* "The Quran is a clear light, wise dhikr and the true way."

* "The Quran is a rope of Allah extended onto the earth from the sky."

* "The superiority of the Quran to other words is like the superiority of ar-Rahman to His creatures."

* "If a person reads a verse from the Book of Allah, it will be a luminous light for him on the Day of Judgment."

* "Make your houses luminous by performing prayers and reading the Quran."

The Quran was revealed into the heart of the Prophet (pbuh) in terms of not only its meaning but also its words. That is why, the Quran is called wahy al-matluww (the recited revelation). Therefore, the Quran is the whole of not only meaning but also words. The Quran was not sent down to the Prophet (pbuh) as a whole; it was sent down verse by verse and chapter by chapter.

The Miracle of the Quran

The Quran contains all kinds of principles of creed, deeds and ethics that will make man attain real bliss. It is a great literary miracle in terms of its words and meaning. The Prophet (pbuh) stated the following regarding the issue:

"Every Prophet was given miracles because of which people believed, but what I have been given, is Divine Inspiration which Allah has revealed to me. So I hope that my followers will outnumber the followers of the other Prophets on the Day of Resurrection."(Bukhari, Fadailu'l-Qur'an, 1)

In fact, the miracles of the other prophets ended as their time passed. The miracle of the Quran will exist until Doomsday. In various verses of the Quran, it is insistently stated that the Quran is a miracle:

"Say: "If the whole of mankind and Jinn were to gather together to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up each other with help and support...."(al-Isra, 17/88).

As a matter of fact, nobody has been able and will be able to produce a verse similar to the verses of the Quran in terms of style and eloquence. The Quran is a miracle in terms of its words and meaning. The Prophet (pbuh) could not read and write. He did not learn anything from anybody. Therefore, he was regarded to be illiterate. However, the book he brought contained great realities and informed about many scientific truths that science and experience managed to find in fourteen hundred years. This proves that the Quran is the word of Allah directly. For instance, the fact that the sun rotates around itself and moves toward a fixed point along with the other planets dependent on it, the opening of the pyramids and the mummified bodies of the Pharaohs were discovered in the last century.

However, the Quran informed us about them and similar realities many centuries ago. No matter how much science develops, it cannot contradict the Quran. On the contrary, the development in science will make it easier for the Quran to be interpreted and explained. As Badiuzzaman Said Nursi puts it,

"As time gets older, the Quran gets younger; the realities it contains become apparent more brightly."

Another miraculous aspect of the Quran is that it prophesied many events that took place later. Whatever it prophesied happened exactly.

Some of the definitions and description of the Quran are as follows:

- The All-Wise Qur'an, which makes known to us our Sustainer, is the pre-eternal translator of the great Book of the Universe...

This universe is likened to a great book written by the pen of power. In a booklet, the phrase signs of creation (ayat at-takwiniyya) is used for the beings in the world. Sign of creation means what is created based on the command "be" (kun), what shows the existence, oneness, names and attributes of Allah and what serves as evidence for them. The verses (signs) in the Quran come from the attribute of Allah called speech and the signs in the universe come from His attribute called power (qudrah). 

This book of the universe makes Allah known with all of its signs but humans have not been able to read it and evaluate it correctly. That is, they did not understand the language of the book.The All-Wise Quran translated the book of the universe, informed humans about it and described our Lord, who is the writer of this book, to us. It told us about His attributes, names and deeds.

- the discloser of the treasures of the Divine Names concealed in the pages of the earth and the heavens...

Concealed means veiled, covered, that has become invisible and unknown. Thanks to the Quran, translating the book of the universe, the manifestations of the names of Allah that had been concealed in the world and in the sky started to be read. In this sentence, the names of Allah are likened to treasures. For instance, the name al-Khaliq (the Creator) is a treasure; all creatures are like the jewels of that treasure. The name al-Muhyi (the Giver of Life) is a separate treasure; all lives come from the treasure.

- the key to the truths hidden beneath these lines of events...

In this book of the universe, every event, like every creature, is like a word or line. It is necessary to read them correctly. The truths that are concealed under events can be read correctly only by the guidance and instruction of the Quran.

Night and day, health and illness, joy and sorrow, old age and death are all truths written in this book. The most important event for men among them is death. Those who regard death as "non-being, non-existence, entering into grave and disappearing" cannot understand the reality of death and misevaluate that important event. The reality of death is understood with the guidance of the Quran. Birth means to come to the world from the wound; similarly, death means to go to the realm of barzakh from the world. Then, another birth called ba'th will follow it; people will go to the Gathering Place from the realm of grave through it.

There are very detailed explanations about the reality of death in Risale-i Nur Collection. Let us remember some of them: Death is “a change of residence, a rest from duty,the liberation of the spirit”. The grave is “the gate of a realm that is better than this world.”

- the treasury of the favors of the Most Merciful and pre-eternal addresses, which come forth from the World of the Unseen beyond the veil of this Manifest World...

The phrase the world of unseen mentioned above can be understood as the great throne where this visible realm is controlled and administered, as the realm of similitude where the examples of everything are taken, and as the unknown realms like the Preserved Tablet (Lawh al-Mahfuz) where everything is recorded and preserved.
The words favor and addressing complete each other and point to the same target. Being addressed by God Almighty is a great favor for His servants. Being informed about His commands and prohibitions, attaining His consent, and being shown the ways of going to Paradise are a great grace and grant of God.

- the sun, foundation, and plan of the spiritual world of Islam...

The source of all beauties, virtues, merits and high ethics, primarily belief, is the sun of the Quran. The foundation of our religion is the realities of the Quran. A building of guidance and stability that will continue forever was built by hadiths, which are the first interpreters of the Quran, on this foundation.    

The word plan can be interpreted as the ijtihads and fatwas produced under the light of the Quran and hadiths in order to answer the new needs that arise in the growing building of Islam.

- and the map of the worlds of the hereafter...

In the Quran, the road map of the life in the hereafter that starts with going to the Gathering Place and continues as “standing, scales (Mizan), bridge (Sirat) and Paradise or Hell" is drawn; the nice aspects of Paradise and the tortures of Hell are also shown to the man like photographs.

- the distinct expounder, lucid exposition, articulate proof, and clear translator of the Divine Essence, attributes, and deeds...

The only source of sound information about the essence, attributes, and deeds of Allah is the Quran. Human mind and imagination cannot do anything about these unknown and eternal realities. Since Allah makes Himself known in the Quran, there is no need for man's groundless guesses and invalid thoughts.  

We learn from the verses of the Quran and our authorized scholars the following reality and similar ones: “Allah’s existence is necessary; He is pre-eternal and post-eternal; He is free from time and space; He has endless attributes; no change or decrease will take place in these attributes no matter how many creatures He creates; His existence and attributes, His mercy and wrath, His compassion and jealousy and all of His other deeds cannot be compared to the states and abilities of His creatures.

The beings in the universe declare the existence of Allah and His attributes with their states but people generally ignore these spiritual expressions or misunderstand them. Therefore, burhan an-natiq (articulate proof) is necessary.  (When the phrase burhan an-natiq is used for the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), it means the one who conveys the message of the Quran to people.)   

The phrase clear translator means the Quran translates the words of the book of the universe to the people who do not understand them; it has a similar meaning to the phrase articulate proof.

the instructor, true wisdom, guide, and leader of the world of humanity...

The Quran was sent down in order to train the spirits of people, to perfect their hearts through belief and their minds through science and knowledge, to teach them true wisdom, to dissuade people from the wrong paths and to show them the way of guidance. True wisdom, that is, the real information about the purpose of the creation of both human beings and other creatures and their duties can be learned from the Quran because the verses of the Quran are the words of the Creator who created those beings. 

As it is known, the word "wisdom" is also used for philosophy. The adjective "true" used here indicates that philosophy is not true wisdom.  

Wisdom has several definitions. One of them is "deeds together with knowledge" (practicing what one knows and learns) That is, if an idea makes man do good deeds, it has wisdom. Ideas that are only talked about but not practiced are personal ideas; they cannot be a means of guidance for people.  

it is both a book of wisdom and law, and a book of prayer and worship, and a book of command and summons, and a book of invocation and Divine knowledge - it is book for all spiritual needs; and it is a sacred library offering books appropriate to the ways of all the saints and veracious, the purified and the scholars, whose ways and paths are all different...

The Quran is a book wisdom because it teaches man the purpose and duties of all beings; it is a book of shari'ah (law) because it informs man of the commands and prohibitions regarding both individual and social life.

It also contains "prayer, worshipping, commands and calls", which are essentials of shrai'ah, with all aspects.

The Quran is a book of dhikr which makes man gain at least ten rewards for its one letter when he reads it; it is also a book of knowledge in that it makes Allah known with His names and attributes.

The essentials of all true ways and paths are present in the Quran. Every fruit tree perceives a different fruit based on their structure in the universe; similarly, every tafsir scholar perceives different meanings in the Quran, finds doors of different knowledge, becomes exposed to the manifestations of different names of Allah and presents a different way of guidance. With this aspect, the Quran serves like a library though it is a single book. (see Badiuzzaman Said Nursi, Sözler (Words) , Yirmi Beşinci Söz (Twenty-Fifth Word)

After having become a prophet, ten years later, at the age of 50, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) needed wives to help him do the housework, take care of his children, and help him in inviting people into Islam. He wanted to marry both Sawda, who was old and widow, and the daughter of Abu Bakr, Aisha.

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) made this request ten years after the beginning of the Revelation. Aisha was born 5-6 years before the beginning of revelation. Thus, it appears that the age of Aisha was 17-18 when she got married to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

This point is included in full detail in the book “Asr-ı Saadet (The Era of Bliss)” by Mawlana Shibli. (Ist. 1928. 2/ 997)

We can definitely conclude from the biography on Asma, Aisha’s elder sister, that Aisha was at a marriageable age when she got married to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The old biography books write about Asma as follows: “When Asma was 100 years of age, she died in the seventy third year of the Emigration (Hijrah). During the Emigration, she was exactly 27 years old. Since Aisha was 10 years younger than her sister was, she needs to be at her 17. Besides, she had been engaged to Jubair before she married the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). So she was a girl at a marriageable age.” (Hatemu’l Enbiya (The Seal of Prophets) The Prophet Muhammad and His life, Ali Himmet Berki, Osman Keskioğlu, p. 210)

We advise you to read the following explanations for detailed information regarding the issue.

The narrations that Hz. Aisha was engaged when she was six or seven years old and that she married at the age of ten (1) have been the most important reason so far in the formation of the opinion about her marriage age. It should not be forgotten that the reasons like the fact that marriage at an early age was very common at that time and the fact that the physical development of children was completed at an earlier age due to the influence of geographical structure were determinative in the formation of this opinion. That is why the issue had never been discussed and had never come to the fore until recently.

The people who do not take the conditions of that period into consideration and those who examine Islam "from outside" raise the issue; they criticize the issue by evaluating it from their own viewpoint. The response of the Islamic World to this different stance is not the same; while some insist on the necessity of accepting the matter as it is (2), others, though a few, state that Hz. Aisha was at a more mature age when she married (3). It is a fact that the balance cannot always be maintained, that the narrations regarding the issue are overlooked while the reactions are answered or the other alternatives are overlooked as a reaction to that attitude during these discussions.

As it is known, everyone is the child of the period they lived and should be evaluated by the following generations based on the culture of that era.

Communities act based on the “customs” that are the result of the collective accumulation, and it is difficult or even impossible for those who are in a position to decide about that community to decide correctly when those customs are not taken into consideration.

When this issue is viewed from this viewpoint, it is known that girls were married off at an early age (4) and that the age difference in such marriages was not considered as important (5) in the period when the Messenger of Allah lived. It can be said that this understanding was triggered by the negative attitude adopted by the community related to girls at that time and the pressure formed by this attitude on the families. It is important to note that the climate and geographical conditions were suitable for children to complete their physical development earlier and that girls were viewed as beings who needed to grow up in the house of their husbands. Moreover, this is not an issue involved with girls only; it is understood from the practices of that period that boys were married off at an early age too. For example, the age difference between Amr ibn As and his son Abdullah is only twelve, which means Amr must have been married when he was nine or ten years old.

Acting upon this information, we can say that even if Hz. Aisha married when she was nine years old, there is nothing strange about it. If such an issue had been in question, those who wanted to have a storm in a teacup and those who slandered Hz. Aisha unreasonably while returning from Sons of Mustaliq Expedition would definitely have criticized this marriage when he married Hz. Zaynab. No matter what the result is, this information alone has enough power to prove that there is no negative aspect in the marriage of Hz. Aisha.

- What is the fact regarding the issue? Is the information above the only alternative about determining her age?

In order to get answers to these questions, it is certainly necessary to open the door to those days and to examine the issue based on evidences by entering through that door. Let us see what the evidences that were obtained mean:

1. When the names of the people who became Muslims on the first days of the prophethood are listed, the name of Hz. Aisha is mentioned together with her elder sister Asma. It is remarkable that this mentioning takes place immediately after the Companions like Hz. Uthman, Zubayr ibn Awwam, Abdurrahman ibn Awf, Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas, Talha ibn Ubaydullah, Abu Ubayda ibn Jarrah and Arqam ibn Abil-Arqam, who are known as ‘Sabiqun al-Awwalun’  and before the Companions like Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, Ja’far ibn Abi Talib, Abdullah ibn Jahsh, Abu Hudhayfa, Suhayb ibn Sinan, Ammar ibn Yasir and Habbab ibn Arat. (7) It means Hz. Aisha was a little girl but she was in a position to express her will and to be among the first Muslims. The existence of a note stating that “she was little then” confirms it. (8)

2. The state of her elder sister Asma also strengthens this opinion; it is known that she became a Muslim when she was fifteen years old. (9) Another known fact is that she was born in 595. (10) They all show the year 610, the first year of the prophethood. It means Hz. Aisha became a Muslim in 610 though she was a little girl. Therefore, she must have been at least five, six, or seven years old then; When her life of 13 years in Makkah and at least seven months (11) in Madinah are added, it will be seen that she was at least eighteen years old – if we take the possibility of her birth five years before the prophethood as a basis.

3. Hz. Aisha states the following related to her life in Makkah:

"When I was a little girl playing games in Makkah, the following verse was sent down to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh):   

‘Nay, the Hour (of Judgment) is the time promised them (for their full recompense): And that Hour will be most grievous and most bitter.’ (al-Qamar, 54/46) (12)

This information opens us different doors related to her age:

4. The verse in question is the verse 46 of the chapter of al-Qamar; there are different narrations about when this chapter, which was sent down as a whole in Ibn Arqam's house, sent down: the fourth year of the prophethood in 614 (13), the eighth year of the prophethood in 618 or the ninth year of the prophethood in 619 (14). Some scholars who particularly took into consideration the incident of the splitting of the moon and the need for it at that time hold the view that it was sent down in 614; when this year is accepted, it means Hz. Aisha had not been born yet or had just been born. When 618 or 619 is accepted, the result does not change very much. In that case, it means she was only four or five years old; neither age shows that she had a maturity that could understand the incident and report it years later. Thus, she must have been born on the days when the prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) started.

Another point that is noteworthy here is as follows: Hz. Aisha states the following while mentioning that day: "I was a little girl playing games." The word ’jariya‘, which she uses in the sense of little girl, expresses transition to puberty and is used for that period. Ibn Yara, one of the Arab poets, expresses his purpose by referring to a person of that age as follows: "When she is eight years old, she is no longer a jariya; she is a bride to be, whom I can marry off to Utba or Muawiya." Some scholars say this word is used for girls over the age of eleven.

If we accept the year 614 as the year when the chapter of al-Qamar was sent down, it means Hz. Aisha was born at least eight years before the prophethood and it corresponds to the year 606. This shows that she was seventeen years old when she got married. If we accept the year 618 as the year when the chapter of al-Qamar was sent down, it shows that she was born in 610. One the one hand, this proves that Hz. Aisha was fourteen years old on the day of her marriage; on the other hand, it proves that she cannot have been born four years after the prophethood.

When we bring this information together with what is expressed in the first item, it is possible to conclude that Hz. Aisha was born in 606 and married when she was seventeen or seventeen and a half years old.

5. Some reminiscences Hz. Aisha narrates related to her life in Makkah supports it. Examples:

a) She says she saw two people remaining from the Incident of Elephant, which took place forty years before the prophethood and which was used as a criterion in determining dates, begging in Makkah. 

b) She states that the Messenger of Allah came to her father’s house every day in Makkah when they experienced tough days and narrates in detail that her father, Hz. Abu Bakr, who could not put up with those hardships, tried to migrate to Abyssinia.

c) She states that prayer was rendered fard as two rak'ahs first and that it was increased to four rak'ahs afterwards for residents and that it remained as two rak'ahs for travelers.

d) "We heard about Isaf and Naila as a man and a woman who committed a crime in the Kaaba and hence were turned into stone." (20)

Her statements like the ones above about those days and her other reminiscences show that she was at an age that could understand those incidents.

6. The fact that Hz. Aisha was betrothed to Jubayr, who was Mutim ibn Adiyy’s son, when her marriage with the Prophet started to be talked about strengthens this view. Another remarkable point regarding the issue is that the proposal was put forward by someone outside the family: Hawla bint Hakim. This clearly indicates that she was a young girl who reached the marriage age and who could marry.

It is also known that the decision of betrothal was abolished by Ibn Adiyy family thinking that the understanding of their son would change. (21) The question that comes to mind regarding the issue is as follows: When and why did Ibn Adiyy family make such a contract with the family of Abu Bakr if they feared that it would change the understanding of their son? The most reasonable answer to this is that the aforementioned contract occurred before the prophethood or before the proclamation of Islam openly started; in either case, she cannot have been born in the fourth year of the prophethood; furthermore, this suggests that she may have been born earlier.

If the possibility that this decision of the abolishment of betrothal was taken in the period when the proclamation of Islam openly started is considered, it will be seen that this indicates the years 613-614, the years when the house of Ibn Arqam was left, which means to accept that she had not been born yet when she was claimed to have been about to be betrotheded. In that case, it is impossible to mention that decision. Then, it is necessary to accept that she was at least seven or eight years old when the decision of betrothal was abolished; this shows that she was born in about 605. (23)

7. The age difference between Hz. Aisha and her other siblings is also remarkable in terms of shedding light on the issue. As it is known Hz. Abu Bakr had six children.  Asma and Abdullah were born of Qutayla bint Umays; Hz. Aisha and Abdurrahman were born of Umm Ruman; Muhammad was born of Asma bint Umays and Umm Kulthum was born of Habiba bint Kharija. Thus, Asma and Abdullah are siblings born of the same mother, and Hz. Aisha and Abdurrahman are also siblings born of the same mother. The age difference between those siblings will shed light on the issue:

a) Asma, the first daughter of Hz. Abu Bakr, was born in 595, twenty-seven years before the Migration. (24) She was married to Zubayr ibn Awwam during the Migration of the Messenger of Allah and she was six months pregnant that day. In other words, she was twenty-seven years old. (25) Three months later, she gave birth to her son, Abdullah, in Quba while she was migrating to Madinah. She died in 73 H when she was one hundred years old and when she still had her original teeth.

The age difference between Hz. Aisha and her sister Asma is ten. (26) Accordingly, it becomes clear that Hz. Aisha was born in 605 (595 + 10 = 605) and her age during the Migration was 17 (27-10 = 17). Since her marriage took place seven months after the Migration (27), it means that the age of Hz. Aisha passed seventeen and was close to eighteen at that time. If we accept that she got married in the month of Shawwal immediately after the Battle of Badr, it is necessary to accept that she completed the age of eighteen then.

b) Another point that attracts attention here is the age difference between Hz. Aisha and her full brother Abdurrahman. As it is known, Abdurrahman is Hz. Abu Bakr's eldest son and he became a Muslim after the Treaty of Hudaybiyya. Abdurrahman avoided confronting his father at the Battle of Badr; he was twenty years old then. (28) Accordingly, he must have been born in 604. In a community where the age difference between siblings is usually one or two, it is very unlikely for a sibling whose elder brother was born in 604 to be born in 614 and for two siblings to have an age difference of ten years; besides, there is no evidence to support it.

8. The narrations about the year of death of Hz. Aisha also reinforce this view. For, different years (55, 56, 57, 58 or 59 H) and different ages (sixty-five, sixty-six, sixty-seven or seventy-four) are mentioned about the time of her death. (30) This shows that there is no definite acceptance about the year of her death just like her birth.

In the narration stating that she died in 58 H at the age of 74 years old, her day of death is mentioned as Wednesday; it is also stated that her date of death corresponded to the seventeenth night of the month of Ramadan, that she was buried at night in the Cemetery of Baqi after the witr prayer upon her will, that her janazah prayer was led by Abu Hurayra, and that she was placed in the grave by her sister Asma's two sons Abdullah and Urwa, her brother Muhammad’s two sons Qasim and Abdullah her brother Abdurrahman’s son Abdullah (31); this narration has more details than others, which gives the impression that this information is stronger than the others. Thus, if we make a calculation based on this date, we see that she lived forty-eight more years after the death of the Prophet (48 + 10 = 58 + 13 = 71 + 3 = 74), which means she was born three years before the prophethood.

In that case, it is understood that on the day of her marriage, she was seventeen years and seven months old (74 -48 = 26-9 = 17 + 7 months).

In addition to the information above, the fact that she was in the battlefront on the day of Uhud, when even boys who wanted to fight were rejected (32), her deepness in religious (fiqh) issues, her mature attitude and statements in the face of the Incident of Ifk, the age difference between her and Hz. Fatima, her detailed knowledge about the Migration and the incidents that took place later, that her  marriage took place after her father brought it forward and after mahr was determined (33), the position of the Prophet as a model in the eye of the community, the sensitivity of prophethood and the fatherly compassion, the introduction of the requirement of being of age about marriage in the verses that were sent down (34), that the narrations about her age and marriage are not certain since there are differences in them (35) that Hz. Aisha herself used the phrase "six or seven", which is not definite, while mentioning her age, and that the dates of birth and death were not determined very clearly in the communities of that age are to be taken into consideration while evaluating the issue.  

Nevertheless, the result does not change and they all strengthen the opinion that she was born before the prophethood, was engaged at the age of fourteen or fifteen, and married the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) at the age of seventeen or eighteen.

In that case, the narrations that she was 6 or 7 years old when she was engaged and 9 when she got married should be interpreted as follows: ‘I looked that age.’ (36) The information that Hz. Aisha had a weak and thin body strengthens this interpretation. For, she had a body that was quickly affected by physical conditions and that made her look younger than her peers. That she got sick during the Migration to Madinah (37) and her mother tried to heal her by showing great care (38), that people thought she was in the hawdaj (a closed compartment put on the back of camel) and placed the hawdaj on the camel while returning from Sons of Mustaliq Expedition, and that they could not understand whether she was in the hawdaj or not (39) and similar incidences confirm this view.

To sum up, even if Hz. Aisha might have married when she was nine years old, it is very natural and normal according to the understanding of the community of that time but when the issue is viewed from a broader perspective, it is understood that she became a wife of the Prophet when she was seventeen or eighteen.  

The following question comes to mind here: "Why did this issue not come up in this way until recently?" As it was stated at the beginning of this writing, no negative statement was made regarding the issue until recently; neither Abu Jahl, who was an obstinate person like Pharaoh and who used any occasion against Islam, nor Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul, who produced mischief and slander from unexpected issues, expressed any objection to this marriage because there is nothing to object to regarding the issue. There is a natural acceptance for both cases according to the understanding of that period; this issue did not arise the need to bring a new perspective to the issue by approaching it differently; therefore, it was not possible for the Islamic scholars in the past to express different opinions about the accuracy of such news or the existence of alternative information.

Footnotes:

1. see Bukhari, Manaqibul-Ansar 20, 44; Muslim, Nikah 71; Fadailus-Sahaba 74; Abu Dawud, Adab 55; Ibn Majah, Nikah 13; Nasai, Nikah 78; Darimi, Nikah 56.
2. see Azimli, Mehmet, Hz. Âişe’nin Evlilik Yaşı Tartışmalarında Savunmacı Tarihçiliğin Çıkmazı, İslâmî Araştırmalar, Volume 16, Issue 1, 2003, p. 28 ff.
3. see Doğrul, Ömer Rıza, Asr-ı Saâdet, Eskişehir Kütüphanesi (Eser Kitabevi), Istanbul, 1974, 2/141 ff; Nadwi, Sayyid Sulayman, Hazreti Âişe, Translated by Ahmet Karataş, Timaş Publications, Istanbul, 2004, p. 21 ff. Savaş, Rıza, Hz. Âişe’nin Evlenme Yaşı İle İlgili Farklı Bir Yaklaşım, D. E. Ü. İlâhiyât Fak. Periodical. 4, Izmir, 1995, p. 139-144; Yüce, Abdülhakim, Efendimiz’in Bir Günü, Işık Publications, Istanbul, 2007, p. 82, 83.
4. It is known that Abdulmuttalib, the grandfather of the Prophet, married Hala bint Uhayb at an early age, that he Prophet’s mother Amina and his father Abdullah also married at an early age, that both marriages took place in the same place and hence there was almost no age difference between the Prophet and his paternal uncle Hz. Hamza.
5. Hz. Umar married Hz. Ali’s daughter Umm Kulthum with the intention of being a relative of the Prophet despite the age difference between them and this marriage was not found odd by the community of that day.
6. see Ibnul-Athir, Usdul-Ghaba, 3/240.
7. see Ibn Hisham, Sirah, 1/271; Ibn Ishaq, Sirah, Konya, 1981, 124.
8. see Ibn Hisham, Sirah, 1/271; Ibn Ishaq, Sirah, 124.
9. Nawawi, Tahdhibul-Asma, 2/597; Hakim, Mustadrak 3/635.
10. Nawawi, Tahdhibul-Asma, 2/597; Hakim, Mustadrak 3/635.
11. It is also stated that Hz. Aisha married not in the month of Shawwal, seven months after the Migration and immediately after the Battle of Badr, but in the month of Shawwal in the year after that. In that case, it means her age of marriage was one year later. see Nawawi, Tahdhibul-Asma, 2/616.
12. see Bukhari, Fadailul-Quran 6, Tafsiru Sura, (54) 6; Ayni, Badruddin Abu Muhammad Mahmud ibn Ahmad, Umdatul-Qari Sharhu Sahihil-Bukhari, Daru Ihyait-Turathil-Arabi, 20/21; Asqalani, Fathul-Bari, 11/291.
13. Suyuti, Itqan, Beirut, 1987, 1/29, 50; Doğrul, Asr-ı Saadet, 2/148.
14. The disagreement about the eighth or ninth year originates from the difference of month. For, the phrase the eighth month of the eighth year is remarkable in some narrations.
15. Those who evaluate all that information and calculate the possibilities conclude that when Hz. Aisha married, she was at least fourteen years old and that she could have been twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four or twenty-eight but we did not take those interpretations into consideration because they are not based on any facts. 
16. Ibn Manzur, Lisanul-Arab 13/138.
17. This information is reported only by Asma, her sister, along with her. see Ibn Hisham, Sira, 1/176; Haythami, Majmauz-Zawaid, 3/285; Ibn Kathir, Tafsir, 4/553; Bidaya, 2/214; Qurtubi, Tafsir, 20/195.
18. see Bukhari, Salah 70, Kafalah 5, Manaqibul-Ansar 45, Adab 64; Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad, 6/198. In that case, Hz. Aisha’s statement "I have always seen my parents as religious people for as long as I can remember" should be interpreted as "I saw Islam around when I started to know my environment" rather than "Islam existed in this house when I was born."
19. see Tabarani, Mu’jamu’l-Kabir, 2/285, 286; Mu’jamul-Awsat, 12/145; Ibn Hisham, Sirah, 1/243. This information is reported to us only by Ibn Abbas, Salman al-Farisi and Saib ibn Yazid along with her. Salman al-Farisi met the Prophet in Madinah and Saib ibn Yazid was born in Madinah three years after the Migration. Ibn Abbas was born in the tenth year of the prophethood, three years before the Migration during the exile of Shi’b Abi Talib. Thus, it is impossible for those three Companions to have seen prayers of two rak'ahs in the first years of Makkah and to have seen the order of five daily prayers and to report it. If it is not an issue that she told us by hearing it from the Prophet, it is something Hz. Aisha experienced and observed. This shows that she saw the first days of Islam and that she was in a position to understand all of those things. 
20. Ibn Hisham, Sirah, 1/83.
21. Bukhari, Nikah 11; Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad, 6/210; Haythami, Majmau’z-Zawaid, 9/225; Bayhaqi, Sunan, 7/129; Tabari, Tarikh, 3/161-163.
22. Therefore, some scholars say she was a young girl of thirteen or fourteen years at that time. see Savaş, Rıza, D. E. Ü. İlahiyat Fak. Periodical. 4, İzmir, 1995, p. 139-144.
23. see Berki, Ali Hikmet, Osman Eskioğlu, Hatemü’l-Enbiya Hz. Muhammed ve Hayatı, 210. Another possibility, though weak, can be mentioned here is as follows: she could have been betrothed in the cradle as a result of the agreement of the parents. However, there is no detailed information in the relevant texts confirming this. 
24. Nawawi, Tahdhibul-Asma, 2/597.
25. ibid.
26. Bayhaqi, Sunan, 6/204; Ibn Manda, Ma’rifatus-Sahaba, Köprülü Library, No: 242, Waraq: 195 b; Ibn Asakir, Tarikhu Dimashq, Tarajimun-Nisa, Damascus, 1982, p. 9, 10, 28; Mas’udi, Murujudh-Dhahab, 2, 39; Ibn Sa’d, Tabaqatul-Kubra, Beirut, 1968, 8/58.
27. There are narrations stating that this marriage took place six or eight months or one and a half years after the Migration, following the Battle of Badr. see Ibn Sa’d, Tabakat, 8/58; Ibn Abdilbarr, Istiab, 4/1881; Nadwi, Siratus-Sayyidati Aisha Ummil-Mu’minin, Tahqiq: Muhammad Rahmatullah Hafiz an-Nadwi, Darul-Kalam, Damascus, 2003, 40, 49.
28. Ibn Athir, Usdul-Ghaba, 3/467.
29. Ibn Abdilbarr, Istiab, 2/108; Tahdhibul-Kamal, 16/560.
30. see Ibn Sa’d, Tabaqat, 8/75; Nadwi, Siratus-Sayyidati Aisha, 202.
31. Ibn Abdilbarr, Istiab, 2/108; Doğrul, Asr-ı Saadet, 2/142
32. see Bukhari, Jihad, 65.
33. see Tabarani, Kabir, 23/25; Ibn Abdilbarr, Istiab, 4/1937; Ibn Sa’d, Tabaqat, 8/63.
34. see an-Nisa, 6.
35. For different narrations like "one and a half, two or three years before the Migration", "when she was six or seven years old", "the year when Hz. Khadijah died or three years after her death", "seven or eight months after the Migration, the first year of the Migration" or "after the Battle of Badr, see Bukhari, Manaqibul-Ansar 20, 44; Muslim, Fadailu’s-Sahaba 74; Ayni, Umda, 1/45; Ibn Abdilbarr, Istiab, 4/1881; Nadwi, Siratu’s-Sayyidati Aisha, 40, 49.
36. Some scholars approach the evaluations regarding the issue with reaction and view the statement "I was six or seven years old" as a mistake of the narrator and state that it should be "I was six or seven years old when Hz. Muhammad was given the duty of prophethood".
37. see Bukhari, Manaqibul-Ansar 43, 44; Muslim, Nikah 69; Ibn Majah, Nikah 13.
38. Bukhari, Manaqibul-Ansar 44; Muslim, Nikah 69; Abu Dawud, Adab 55; Ibn Majah, Nikah 13; Darimi, Nikah 56; Tabarani, Kabir, 23/25; Ibn Abdilbarr, Istiab, 4/1938; Ibn Sa’d, Tabaqat, 8/63; Ibn Ishaq, Sirah, Konya, 1981, 239
39. see Bukhari, Shahadat 15; Maghazi, 34; Tafsir, (24) 6; Muslim, Tawba 56; Tirmidhi, Tafsir, (63) 4; Ibn Sa’d, Tabaqat, 2/65; Ibn Hisham, Sirah, 3/310.

Jihad is the name given to every activity and movement in the way of Allah (SWT). It means endeavoring to make justice superior and dominant. In other words, jihad has to do with action in Islam; it is the power of Islam to act.

The word jihad is often interpreted as “holy war” in Western languages. (1) Such an interpretation stems from the efforts to show Islam as a religion which spreads by the force of weapon.

However, the meaning of the word “jihad” is not “war.” To fight for the sake of Allah (SWT) is also a sort of jihad but, in general terms, this word includes any kind of activity and action to make the religion of Allah go everywhere.

1-Abu'l Ala Mawdudi, Jihad in Islam, Islamic Publications LTD, Lahor, p.1; Rudolph Peters, İslam ve Sömürgecilik ( Islam and Colonialism), Trans. Süleyman Gündüz, Nehir Pub. ist.1989, p.29; M.J. Kister, "Land Property and Jihad" , Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient, Leiden, 1991, XXXIV, 276; W. Montgomery Watt, Islamic Political Thought, Edinburgh, p. 14; Ahmet Özel, İslam Hukukunda Milletlerarası Münasebetler ve Ülke Kavramı (International Relations In Islamic Law and The Concept of Country), Marifet Pub. Ist. p. 64

 Types of Jihad

1. Jihad against Ignorance:This jihad means to teach people the truth and the good. God Almighty addresses the Prophet as follows in the Quran:

“Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious.” (an-Nahl, 125)

The following is stated in another verse:

“Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is right, and forbidding what is wrong; they are the ones to attain felicity.” (Aal-i Imran, 104)

The Quran is a spiritual drug that is enough to cure the material and spiritual, and individual and social wounds of not only one nation but also all of the people to come until the Day of Judgment. The duty of presenting this drug to humanity was given to Muslims.

2. Jihad against one's Soul:The believers are warned against the trick of the soul as follows in a verse: “…nor follow thou the lusts, (of thy heart), for they will mislead thee from the Path of Allah.” (Sad, 26)

The Prophet (pbuh) stated the following “The greatest jihad is the one against your soul.” He also said, “Your greatest enemy is your soul, which is inside you.” (Ajluni, Kashfu’l-Khafa, Beirut, I, 143, Hadith No: 413)

The Prophet attracts attention to the importance of this jihad. As a matter of fact, while returning from a battle, the Prophet (pbuh) said, “We have returned to the great jihad from the small jihad.” (Kanzu’l-Ummal, IV, 430, Hadith No: 11260 ) Thus, he expressed concisely that overcoming one's soul was more difficult and more important than fighting the enemy.

3. Jihad against Satan:The following verse in the Quran shows that Satan is the greatest enemy to man: “Verily Satan is an enemy to you: so treat him as an enemy.”(Fatir, 6 ) Thus, attention is attracted to the fact that the greatest jihad is the one done against the greatest enemy.    

4. Jihad with Weapons:This jihad is not continuous. It is not fard for everybody. If the state has enough power, jihad is fard al-kifayah; that is, when a group of people makes jihad, the other people are not held responsible.

It is a known fact that many reasons of these wars can be mentioned. According to our evaluations, the wars of the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) took place due to the following reasons and wisdoms:

1. In order to make the enemy feel that they have enough power to fight.

Some wars of the prophet (PBUH), especially sariyyas that were perfomed before the Battle of Badr, aimed to show polytheists and Madinah Jews who had hostile feelings against Islam and its followers, and Meccan polytheists who were waiting for an opportunity to attack Muslims that Muslims were strong and to set an area of freedom for conveying the message of Islam and to protect Muslims' existence against attacks. 1

These sariyyas are struggles that are made to show the existence of Muslims and their power and with the result of overcoming obstacles in front of tabligh. The dominance of brute power of that time in the region, regarding the powerful as rightful and not giving the right of living to the weak caused the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to send platoons in order to ensure security in the area. The sariyyas of Saif al-Bahr and Rabigh along with Abwa, Buwat, Hamraul Asad and small Badr were carried out with this purpose. 2

2. Preventing the financial sources of attacks.

Some wars of the prophet (PBUH) were fought for the purpose of controlling the ways of commerce of Meccan polytheists and weaken them in terms of economy since they had started setting an army in order to fight the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Muslims by using the goods of Muslims of which they had to leave behind during the migration from Mecca and captured by polytheists after that. The sole livelihood of Meccan polytheists was trading. The armed guardsmen of caravans that were sent to Damascus had to be pursued near Medina in order not to let them harm Muslims. For this reason, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) prepared the aforementioned ghazwas and sariyyas for the purpose of pursuing the polytheist caravans. 3

As a matter of fact, the Battle of Badr was fought for the purpose of preventing the preparation of battle which was aimed to be started by Quraysh with the profit that they had made from trading caravans. The Battle of Uhud was prepared with the income acquired from Abu Sufyan’s Damascus trading caravan in order to take revenge from the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). 4

The sariyyas of Saiful-Bahr, Rabigh, Harar, Nahla, Qarda and Is, which were made against Meccan polytheists, who were always threatening Muslims, were an effective enforcement against  major powers in preparing for a battle such as pursuing trading caravans and cutting financial sources.5

3. Defending against attacks.

While all battles of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had a defensive quality in terms of their reasons and main purposes, the number of defensive battles in terms of strategy is few in number. Some battles of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) occurred as a result of the attacks of the enemy in order to harm Muslim’s existence and their territorial integrity. In such situations, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) used his right of legitimate self defense. Since permission is given by the Qur’an for battling in order to defend when there is an attack 6 and it is emphasized that battles should be fought based on legitimate reasons.7   

The period of struggle between the battles of Badr and Khandaq are attempts for defending against Meccan polytheists and Jews of Medina. 8 The vital importance of the necessary defensive measures particularly towards Jews, with whom they lived together, can be seen in the later periods. As a matter of fact, with the betrayal of Qurayzans, Muslims experienced dangerous moments during the battle when they had to defend Madina against powerful Ahzab troops, which had been formed by Meccan polytheists and Khaybar Jews. 9 During the Medina period, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was obliged to struggle with hostile attitudes of Jews towards Muslims and had to be ready against possible attacks. 10 For this reason, the battles of Badr, Uhud and Khandaq are the greatest defensive battles in terms of legitimacy and strategy that aimed to defend against attacks.

4. Gathering information about the enemy.

Some ghazwas and sariyyas of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) were carried out for the purpose of gathering information against the enemy that were watching for an opportunity to attack at any moment. Muslims had to be always on the alert against all enemies, especially polytheists. For these reasons, after ensuring the security of Madina, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) aimed to be more cautious against Meccan polytheists by making agreements with nearby tribes. The first sariyyas were carried out for the purpose of gathering information about the enemy, enquiring intelligence and controlling their political and economic situations.11

Patrols and spies were sent before battles in order to receive information. Having information about the general situation of enemy via combat patrols, intelligence and other ways was of vital importance in terms of the security of Muslims. For, Muslims who had to struggle with a limited power against the enemy until the conquest of Mecca were obliged to receive information about the fighting force of the enemy which included the manner of their fighting, place and under which conditions they would do this. 12  The sariyyas of Nahla, the first Dhu’l Qassa, Wadi’l Qura’, the second Jinab, Hunayn, Abdullah ibn Rawaha and Khaybar sariyyas were carried out in order to have information about the enemy which could launch instant attacks.

5. The breach of treaties and punishing betrayal

The breach of treaties constitutes a crime in international relations. The breach of the terms of treaties by any party was the cause of some battles at the time of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The breach of the constitution of Madina (the charter of Madina) along with the breach of the treaty of Hudaybiyyah, which were made by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) after the Migration formed the basic cause of some of battles.

The apostle of Allah (PBUH) always conformed to treaties fully. The most striking example of this is as follows: According one clause of Hudaybiyyah treatment, “When someone becomes Muslim in Mecca and wants to take refuge in Medina, his demand will not be accepted and he will be repatriated to Mecca.” After the phase of signing, Abu Jandal, who was the son of a Meccan delegate, came to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by dragging his chains and demanded protection from him. When Suhayl ibn Amr, who signed the treaty on behalf of Meccans, rejected his demand by asserting the idea that the agreement had become valid, Abu Jandal cried out, “O Muslims! Will you give me back to these Qurayshis who want to make me apostatize?” Upon this the Prophet (PBUH) said, “O Abu Jandal, be patient! Expect your reward from Allah. Allah will show you and others like you a door. We have made an agreement with Quraysh. This is a mutual promise for the sake of Allah and we cannot break it.13

This sad event is a very important example of the Prophet's (PBUH) loyalty to the clauses of the treaty.

The period of fighting that had started after the Migration ended with the treaty of Hudaybiyyah; however, this treaty was terminated by Qurayshis' breach. For this reason, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) advanced towards Mecca in order to discipline them. 14 Just like the battles that were made against polytheists, the battles of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) which were waged against the Jewish tribes of Madina were made with legitimate issues such as violating the rules of the treaty and collaboration with enemy against the conditions of the treaty. 

6. Punishing the Raid and Plunder

The plundering of summer pasture animals that belonged to the Prophet (PBUH) and Muslims and martyring of some Muslims in the meantime formed the reason of some sariyyas. It was necessary to struggle with the people who used to attack Muslims just because of their beliefs and with tribes that organized these attacks. The defense which is made by someone with the aim of protecting his property and life in the event of raid and plunder is considered self-protection. The loss of property and life during self-protection does not require any punishment in terms of Islamic laws. The sariyyas of Harar, the second Dhu’l Qassa, Tarif, the sons of Fazara, Ukl, Uranis and Mayfaa along with ghazwas of the sons of Qurayza, Safawan / the first Badr, Sawiq and Dumatu’l Jandal happened as a result of plundering the properties of Muslims and the prophet (PBUH) and the martyring of some Muslims during the attempt of this plundering and events including similar attacks.

7. Preventing the enemy to gain supporters

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had a peaceful attitude and he was open to agreement in every phase of his life. He made an agreement with tribes of various religions that lived in Madina in a situation when he had been expelled from his homeland and forced to migrate but not left in peace even in Madina.  Within this framework, some agreements were made with some tribes before the enemy who were situated on the way of Qurayshis' commerce way in order to prevent them from joining the enemy and set a peaceful platform. 17 The ghazwas of Abwa and Dhu’l-Ushayra were carried oud in order to actualize the agreement of peace. The struggle of the Apostle of Allah (PBUH) should be considered as an effort to finalize the disagreements with peace during Medina period, when there were no hot wars yet.

8. The Military Interventions performed upon receiving the news of Attack.

An important part of ghazwas and sariyyas of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) were carried out as a result of receiving the news of attack sometimes by a single tribe and sometimes a communion of tribes that were planned against the Prophet and Muslims just for their belief. Not reacting after receiving the news of attacking plan would mean to surrender in the face of enemy attack. The prophet Muhammad (PBUH) moved in order not to get the first blow of the attack which had certainly been planned by the enemy. While the assault of the enemy is a legitimate reason for war, the reaction is considered a legitimate cause against the preparation of a certain attack received by the intelligence. 18 The following ghazwas and the military expedition of Tabuk were carried out as a result of receiving the attacking plan of the enemy; The first Dhul-Qassa, Qarqaratu’l- Kudr, Bahran, Dumatu’l Jandal, Muraysi, Wadi’l-Qura, Turaba, Najid / Hawazins, Mayfaa, Jinab, Dhatu’s-Thalathil, the sons of Bakr, Abdullah ibn Rawaha, Khaybar, Ghaba, the sariyyas of Qutba ibn Amir along with Ghatafan, Qatan, Dhatu’r-Riqa, Hunayn, Taif, Khaybar and the ghazwas of Fadak. When the large number of ghazwas and sariyyas is considered, it is seen that they were carried as a result of receiving the news of attack.

9. Helping Muslims that are persecuted.

Some of the wars were fought in order to end the pressure on the freedom of religion and belief applied by the tribes and states that oppressed and tortured Muslims. The tribes and states that were full of the feeling of enmity against Muslims displayed their enmity whenever they had an opportunity. This enmity was shown in the form of oppressing and torturing the Muslims who lived in other states as a minority.

The Muslim individuals and communities that are oppressed and whose freedom of belief and worshipping is prevented and who are prevented from practicing their religion are held responsible if they do not try to end this oppression. 19

And why should ye not fight in the cause of Allah and of those who, being weak, are ill-treated (and oppressed)?― men, women, and children, whose cry is: "Our Lord! rescue us from this town, whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from Thee one who will protect; and raise for us from Thee one who will help!" 20

The verse above can be used as a basis for fighting to help people who are exposed to oppression. The fact that the Prophet (pbuh) helped the tribe of Khuzaa after their demand for help during the period of Hudaybiyyah Peace 21 can be interpreted as fulfilling the command of this verse. 22 The sariyya of Bi'r al-Mauna and the ghazwa of Dumatul-Jandal were the military interventions that the Prophet (pbuh) carried out in order to help the Muslims who were exposed to oppression.

10. Eliminating the barriers that prevent tabligh (conveying the message of Islam)

Since tabligh is the primary duty of the Prophet (pbuh), the aim is to make Allah known all over the world in the medium of peace. The duty of tabligh was not ignored even in the situations when the enemy forced Muslims to fight. 23 As a necessity of this responsibility, the Prophet (pbuh) sent delegates of tabligh to the tribes and states around Madinah. When the reasons behind the ghazwas and sariyyas that were claimed to have been carried out due to tabligh are examined, it will be seen that they took place because the delegates had to defend themselves when they were attacked. In other words, wars were fought not because the addressees did not accept Islam but because they attacked Muslims. Therefore, the Prophet (pbuh) fought in order to eliminate the barriers that prevented tabligh not to make people accept Islam by force.

Among the sariyyas that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) sent with the intention of calling to Islam are Dhat al-Atlah under the leadership of Ka'b b. Umayr 24, Dhat ath-Thalathil led by Amr b. As 25, Dumatul-Jandal led byAbdurrahman b. Awf, Jazima led by Khalid b. Walid 26. The sariyya led by Ibn Abi'l Awja went to Sons of Sulaym to invite them to Islam but they said, "We do not need your call." Then, they attacked Muslims by shooting their arrows and martyred all of the Muslims except Ibn Abi'l Awja. 27

The Prophet (pbuh) sometimes sent delegates to some tribes and states when he was asked and he sometimes sent delegates with the intention of conveying the message of Islam without being asked. Some of these delegates whose aim was nothing but to convey the message of Islam were ambushed and betrayed; they were martyred. The following sariyyas were attacked and the Muslims that participated in them were martyred: the sariyyas of Raji', Bi'r al-Mauna, Sons of Sulaym, Dhat al-Atlah, Dhat ath-Thalathil, Sons of Jazima, Uman, Bahrayn and Dumatul-Jandal.    

Some tribes demanded delegates of tabligh stating that they tended to be Muslims and promised that they would protect the delegates of tabligh; however, they ambushed and martyred the delegates; these attacks caused the formation of some sariyyas and ghazwas. The delegates that aimed nothing but to inform people about the religion that would bring salvation to humanity were attacked treasonously and ambushed. The Prophet (pbuh) struggled against those people who attacked Islam in order to defend Islam. The ghazwa of Dhat ar-Riqa' and the sariyyas of Jamum, Mayfaa, Sons of Amir, the Second Sayf al-Bahr and Khaybar asked were performed in order to counteract the attacks against the peaceful delegates.

11. Punishing those who mistreated and killed the envoys

The Messenger of Allah sent envoys to the rulers of the countries in the region after the Treaty of Hudaybiyya with the intention of calling them to Islam. Some of those rulers replied the call positively; however, others replied the call negatively and insulted the envoys and the Prophet (pbuh). 28 Some of these envoys who were sent to the leaders and rulers of the tribes and countries to fulfill the duty of tabligh were insulted, killed or attacked. However, envoys and messengers have had security of life in international law. 29 Insulting, attacking and killing envoys who had security of life was a major crime. The sariyyas of Himsa, Sons of Qurayt and Qurata and the expedition of Muta were performed because of this.

 12. Answering the declaration of war by the enemy

Declaration of war by the enemy is one of the reasons of fighting by the Prophet (pbuh). Not to answer a tribe or state that wages war against you will encourage the enemy and make them attack you more strongly and bravely; therefore, it is necessary to answer the declaration of war by the enemy. In that case, to answer the declaration of war is regarded as self defense because the enemy shows that they are determined when they declare war. When the Prophet (pbuh) was faced with this determination and the risk of being attacked, he answered the declaration of war. The only example of this kind of war is the Ghazwa of the Little Badr.

When the Prophet was defeated by Meccan polytheists in a sense during the Battle of Uhud, he accepted the offer of Abu Sufyan, who challenged him based on the pride of victory, to fight again near Badr the next year. 30 As a necessity of answering the declaration and threat of war by Quraysh, the Prophet prepared an army and went on an expedition 31; however, when he went there, there was nobody there. Abu Sufyan, who set out from Mecca with an army of two thousand people, decided to return before he arrived at Badr due to the excuse of famine. 32 It is clearly understood that this expedition was performed due to the declaration of war by Abu Sufyan.  

Conclusion

It is understood from this study, in which the causes and reasons of the Prophet (pbuh) are examined, that his battles and wars are based on various causes and reasons. Accordingly, all wars are based on legitimate reasons; therefore, it can be concluded that no battle, war or intervention of the Prophet (pbuh) is unjust. When all of the causes and reasons are taken into consideration, it is clearly seen that the Prophet (pbuh) did not attack any tribe or state unjustly.

When the principles of Islam, which are based on the Quran and the Sunnah, are taken into consideration, it is seen that the relationships among individuals and states are based on the principle of peace. War is an unwanted obligation that is temporary; it can take place as a struggle of existence.

To express it in a way that is related to today, it will be seen that the reasons and causes of the Prophet's (pbuh) wars are legitimate when they are examined under the criteria that are used to determine the legitimacy of war in the past and today.     

Footnotes

1. Khattab, Mahmud Shit, Komutan Peygamber Hz. Peygamber’in Askerî Dehası, translated by Ağırakça, Ahmed, İst., 1988, p. 56.
2. For detailed information on ghazwas and sariyyas, see Nargül, Veysel, Kur’an ve Hz. Peygamber’in Uygulamaları Işığında Cihad, (Unpublished doctoral thesis), Erzurum, 2005, p. 111-217.
3. Ibn Hisham, Abu Muhammad Abdulmalik b. Hisham, as-Siratu’n-Nabawiyya, published with critiques by Mustafa Saka and friends, by., nd., II, 241-242, 245; Muslim, Sayd 17.
4. Ibn Sa’d, Muhammad, at-Tabaqatu’l-Kubra, Beirut, 1985, II, 37; Samhudi, Nuruddin Ali b. Ahmad, wafau’l-Wafa, Beirut, nd., I, 281. See also Ibnu’l-Athir, Abu’l-Hasan Ali b. Muhammad, al-Kamil fi’t-Tarikh, Beirut, 1965, II, 113, 116; Bukhari, Manaqib, 251, Maghazi, 2.
5. See Hamidullah, Muhammad, İslam Peygamberi, trnsl by Salih Tuğ, Ankara, 2003, II, 1036-1037.
6. al-Hajj, 22/38; al-Baqara, 2/190; ash-Shura, 42/41.
7. al-Baqara, 2/194.
8. Khattab, Komutan Peygamber, p. 13.
9. Waqidi, Muhammad b. Umar, Kitabu’l-Maghazi, Oxford University, 1966, II, 459-460; Ibn Qayyim, Abu Abdillah Muhammad b. Abi Bakr, Zadu’l-Maad fi Hady-i Khayri’l-Ibad, Cairo, nd., III, 129-130.
10. al-Baqara, 2/91; Aal-i Imran, 3/183; Qasas, 28/48-50.
11. Ibn Hisham, I-II, 601, ff.; Hamidullah, İslam Peygamberi, I, 139.
12. See Balazuri, Abu’l-Abbas Ahmad b. Yahya b. Jabir, Ansabu’l-Ashraf, Beirut, 1996, I, 383-384; Kattani, Abdulhay, at-Taratibu’l-Idariyya, Beirut, nd., I, 363.
13. Ibn Hisham, III-IV, 318; Bayhaqi, Ahmad b. Ali b. Husayn, as-Sunanu’l-Kubra, Hyderabad, 1344, Sunan, IX, 219-220.
14. Ibn Qayyim, Zadu’l-Maad, III, 290, 394.
15. See Ibn Hisham, I-II, 501-504.
16. Ibn Sa’d, II, 28-29, 57-59, 74-78; Ibnu’l-Athir, II, 137-139; Suhayli, Abdurrahman b. Abdillah b. Ahmad, ar-Rawdu’l-Unf fi Tafsiri’s-Sirati’n-Nabawiyya li Ibn Hisham, Cairo, nd., II, 296; Samhudi, I, 277-278, 298.
17. al-Anfal, 8/58; at-Tawba, 9/12-13; Güner, Osman, Resûlullah’ın Ehl-i Kitap’la Münasebetleri, Ankara, 1997, p. 299.
18. al-Anfal, 8/58; at-Tawba, 9/12-13; Aal-i Imran, 3/146-147, 200.
19. al-Hajj, 22/39-40.
20. an-Nisa, 4/75.
21. Abu Yusuf, Yaqub b. Ibrahim, Kitabu’l-Haraj, Cairo, 1396, p. 230; Balazuri, Futuhu’l-Buldan, published with critiques by Abdullah Anis at-Tabbaa’, Beirut, 1987, p. 41.
22. Yaman, Ahmet, İslam Devletler Hukukunda Savaş, İstanbul, 1998, p. 86-87.
23. Darimi, Siyar, 8.
24. Ibn Sa’d, II, 127-128.
25. Ibnu’l-Athir, II, 232.
26. Ibn Hisham, IV, 280-281.
27. Ibn Sa’d, II, 123.
28. Ibn Kathir, Ibn Kathir, Imaduddin Abu’l-Fida Ismail, al-Bidaya wa’n-Nihaya, Beirut, 1966, IV, 268 ff.
29. Shaybani, Muhammad b. Hasan, Sharhu Siyari’l-Kabir, (with the explanation of Sarakhsi), Beirut, 1997, II, 72; Turnagil, Ahmet Reşid, İslamiyet ve Milletler Hukuku, İstanbul, 1972, p. 92-96.
30. Ibn Hisham, III, 100; Balazuri, Ansab, I, 417.
31. Tabari, Abu Jafar Muhammad b. Jarir, Tarikhu’t-Tabari Tarikhu’l-Umam wa’l-Muluk, Beirut, nd., III, 42; Ibn Hazm, Abu Muhammad Ali b. Ahmad, Jawamiu’s-Sira, trnsl by M. Salih Arı, İstanbul, 2004, p. 180-181.
32. Ibn Hisham, III, 220; Ibn Sa’d, II, 59-60.

(Dr. Veysel Nargül)

The Sunnah is what the Prophet did, said and all of his acts and attitude. Then, we can say that what he did during his lifetime is the Sunnah.

The word sunnah used in fiqh books means “there is reward if we do it but there is no sin if we do not do it.” For instance, eating with the right hand, cleaning the teeth, not to eat while standing, etc.

However, when we consider the word sunnah in its broad sense, it includes everything that our Prophet did. In that case, the wishes and prohibitions of Allah are also included in the Sunnah. For instance, did our Prophet perform prayers? Yes. Then it is sunnah to perform prayers.

Accordingly, it is necessary to divide sunnah into parts.

Fard:Everything that Allah definitely wants us to do or to avoid. It is our Prophet who carries out the commands and prohibitions of Allah in the best way and who serves as an example. We should follow him in order to carry out the commands and prohibitions of Allah. Such as performing prayers, fasting, avoiding fornication and not eating anything haram (forbidden).

Wajib:The wajibs of our religions: for instance, it is wajib to perform the prayer of witr as three rakats.

Nafilah:The things other than fard and wajib that we carry out while performing prayers. For instance, to read some verses from the Quran while performing prayers is fard but to read subhanaka prayer is nafilah.

Adab:If we do as the Prophet did while doing our daily tasks like eating, sleeping, entering the mosque or toilet, etc, we will have done them in accordance with their procedures. A person who does not act accordingly is not regarded to have committed sins.

It means we can divide sunnah as fard, wajib, nafilah and adab. It is the order of the superiority of the parts of sunnah.

We can think of it like a human body. Man has necessary organs to live: for instance, the brain, heart, head, etc. The principles that we must believe in are like the heart and brain of our spirit.

Our body has sense organs like eyes, ears, hands, feet, etc. Fards are like them. They are the eyes, ears, hands and feet of our spirit. A person who does not perform fards is like a person without hands, feet, eyes and ears. 
We also have some beauties and adornments like fingers, eyebrows and hair in our bodies. We can live without them. However, if we have them, we will be perfect. Similarly, the nafilah and adab parts of sunnah are the adornments and beauties of our spirit. If we perform them, we will receive many rewards; if we do not perform them, we will not receive any sins.

To sum up, the fard and wajib parts are the sunnahs that are obligatory to be performed. We will receive many rewards if we perform the nafilah and adab parts.

As for harams, we must protect our spirits from killing and poisoning harams as we protect our bodies from killing factors like aids, poison and fire.

The importance of Sunnah

Sahih (authenticated) Muslim summarizes the importance of Sunnah as follows:

Whatever or whenever the Apostle of God (peace be upon him) conducted or said something on anything, he did it as a prophet. Everything that he did is far from being deviated and wrong. All his words and actions were kept within the limitations of God's design. Therefore, everyone should follow and imitate every moment of his life. His life is a live Quran, and a sum of Divine Laws.

There are so many verses and hadiths in Quran and in hadith books, which precisely state that adhering to the Sunnah is the fundamental basis of the religion.

Some of them are as follows:

O you who believe! Obey God and obey the Messenger, and those from among you who are invested with authority; and if you are to dispute among yourselves about anything, refer it to God and the Messenger, if indeed you believe in God and the Last Day. This is the best (for you) and fairest in the end. (an-Nisa, 4:59)

Tafsir scholars of the Quran interpret the command, "refer it to God and the Messenger" as "consult the Quran and the Sunnah".

Badiuzzaman Said Nursi interprets the verse, Say (to them, O Messenger):

"If you indeed love God, then follow me, so that God will love you and forgive you your sins." God is All-Forgiving, All-Compassionate (Aal-i Imran, 3:31) as, If you believe in God (May His Glory be exalted), you will surely love Him. Since you love God, you will act in the manner He loves. To do that, you must resemble the one God loves. And he may be resembled by following him. Whenever you follow him, God will love you, too. Besides, you have to love God so that He shall love you.

These phrases form only a brief and concise meaning of the verse. It means that the most exalted goal for man is to receive Almighty God's love. The verse shows that the way of achieving this elevated aim is by following God's Beloved one and his Practices. (Flashes, 11th Flash)

Al Maududi expresses the statements below about surrendering to the Sunnah:

Leaving the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad even on a small scale could lead you to be loved less by God and His messenger. The first condition of love and affection is absolute submission. One who loves the Messenger of God, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), should submit him/herself to him and should obey his commands.

In this connection, I would like to mention some of the parts which are about adhering to the Sunnah from Risale-i Nur Collection.

The sources of the Noble Prophet's Illustrious Practices are three: his words, his acts, and his conduct. And there are three categories of each of these three: obligatory, voluntary, and laudable.

It is imperative to follow those that are obligatory and compulsory, and there are penalties and punishment for giving them up. Everyone is charged with following them. As for the voluntary sort, as laudable, the believers are again charged with following them, but there is no penalty or punishment for giving them up. However, there is great merit in acting in accordance with them and following them. And to change them is innovation, misguidance, and a great error. To follow and imitate the Prophet's customary actions is extremely laudable and in accordance with wisdom, and is beneficial for both personal life and social life and for human kind. For in all his habitual actions are numerous things beneficial for life, and furthermore, through following them, such conduct and actions become like worship.

Yes, since as both friend and foe agree, the person of Muhammad (PBUH) manifested the highest degrees of moral virtues; and since as all are agreed, he is the most famous and excellent individual in the human race; and since as indicated by his thousands of miracles, and testified to by the World of Islam that he founded and its achievements, and affirmed by the truths of the Qur'an of which he was the herald and interpreter, he was the most excellent Perfect Man and most excellent guide; and since as the fruit of following him, millions of the people of perfection have advanced through the degrees of attainment and reached the happiness of both worlds; for sure his Practices and actions are the finest examples to be followed, and the safest guides, and the soundest laws to be taken as principles. Happy is the one whose share of following the Practices of the Prophet (PBUH) is great. While those who are lazy and do not follow them suffer vast loss, and those who consider them to be unimportant commit a great crime, while if they criticize them, which infers denying them, it is serious misguidance. (ibid)

O Friend! When I was making my way with apprehension and full of anxiety, I witnessed that Prophet Muhammad's Sunnah was serving as stars and lamps. Each sunnah or sharia law shines as sun bright over the oppressive rebellion ways against God's design. If a man, even, least bit discards and departs from that straight path (of God) of sunnah; he becomes a puppet of Satan, a stage where fears and misdeeds exhibited, and a mount loaded with the burden of mountains. (Mesnevi-i Nuriye)

The Practices of the Prophet (PBUH) are courtesy. There is no matter among them beneath which a light, and courtesy, is not to be found. The Noble Prophet (Upon whom be blessings and peace) said:

Those who obey God and His messenger will be in the company of prophets, devotees, martyrs, and the ones that God bestowed His benefaction and gifts. How beautiful friends are those!

One whoever obeys His messenger, he/she obeys God.

Addabani Rabbi fa ahsana tadibi, the interpretation of it is as follows: "My Sustainer taught me good conduct, and how well he taught me." Yes, one who studies the Prophet's biography and knows his Practices will certainly understand that Almighty God gathered in His Beloved all the varieties of courtesy and good conduct. One who gives up the practices abandons courtesy. He verifies the rule, "The ill-mannered person is deprived of Divine favor," and is discourteous in a way that causes him loss.

 “There is a beautiful straightness for the ones among you who wish for the hereafter and recall the name of God often by submitting oneself to God.”

The importance of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his Sunnah were embroidered like a golden string in the verses by God.

The hadiths that demonstrate the unbreakable connection between the Quran and hadiths:

Abu Dawud narrates from Irbad b. Sariya. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) once led the prayer and then turned to us; he made such a fluent speech that the hearts shivered and the eyes shed tears. One of the listeners said, "O Messenger of Allah! It seems as if it were a farewell speech; so what injunction do you give us?" The Messenger of Allah said, "I enjoin you to fear Allah, and to hear and obey even if it be a slave; for, those of you who live after me will see great disagreement. You must then follow my sunnah and that of the rightly-guided caliphs. Hold to it and stick fast to it. Avoid novelties, for every novelty is an innovation, and every innovation is an error. They lead you to fire."

Muslim narrates from Jabir (r.a.):

When the Messenger of Allah delivered the sermon, his eyes became red, his voice rose and his anger increased so that he was like one giving a warning against the enemy and saying, " The enemy has made a morning attack on you and in the evening too." He would also say, "The last hour and I have been sent like these two" and he would join his forefinger and middle finger; and would further say:" The best of the speech is embodied in the Book of Allah, and the best of the guidance is the guidance given by Muhammad. And the most evil affairs are their innovations; and every innovation is error."

Bukhari and Muslim narrate from Anas (r.a.):

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, "None of you will be regarded to have believed unless he loves me more than himself, his father, his children and everybody."

The Prophet said, "May the mercy of Allah be on my deputies." When he was asked, "Who are you deputes?", he said, "Those who practice my Sunnah and teach it to others."

The Messenger of Allah expresses the loftiness and holiness of the Sunnah and the necessity of following him concisely as follows: "If Musa Ibn Imran (Moses) had lived in my period, he would have done nothing but follow me."   

That is, there is no way else but to follow Hz. Muhammad, who is the perfect man, even for Moses, who is a prophet having a book; it is such a great bliss and luck for the ordinary and sinful ummah like us to follow the Sunnah of the glorious Prophet.

"If you abandon the sunnah of your Prophet, you will go astray."

"If a person follows his own desires instead of what I have brought, he will not be regarded as a real believer."

"Allah and I damn those who abandon my Sunnah."

"A person who deviates from my Sunnah is not regarded to be following my way."

"A person's deed that does not comply with our way is rejected."

They are some verses and hadiths related to the issue. There are a lot of verses and hadiths in the Quran and hadith books stating definitely that adhering to the Sunnah is an indispensible principle of the religion. Then, the claim "Let us act in accordance with the Quran only" is away from being serious. Sincere Muslims do not heed claims like that.

The Share of the Woman in Inheritance and Equality

A. The Situation before Islam

One of the reasons why people claim that Islam regards men to be superior to women and that it violates the equality of men and women is the fact that the woman is given one share but the man is given two shares in inheritance. In fact,giving one share to women and to shares to men has nothing to do with men being superior to women. On the contrary, Islam protected the rights of small children and women who were oppressed and maltreated by the people of Jahiliyyah by giving women share from the inheritance. As a matter of fact, the following is stated in a verse:  

“From what is left by parents and those nearest related there is a share for men and a share for women, whether the property be small or large,― a determinate share.”(an-Nisa, 4/7) 1

In the Arab community of Jahiliyyah, women were not given any shares from the inheritance. What is more, women were inherited like property when their husbands died. Only the men who could use weapons and could defend the country had the right to inherit. The property of the man who died was divided among his male relatives that could fight.  2 However, in Madinah, sons who had reached the age of puberty could inherit their fathers' property; younger sons, daughters and mothers could not inherit anything from their fathers.  3

“Allah (thus) directs you as regards your children's (inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females.” 4

Therefore, when the verse above was sent down, the polytheists did not like this decree and said,

“The woman is given one fourth or one eighth; the daughter is given half share; little children are given shares. However, they could neither ride horses nor fight. Little children are also given inheritance but little children are of no use at war.” 5

What is understood from this viewpoint is that the value of man was measured by his contribution to economic life.  

This mentality is the mentality of the Arab Jahiliyyah, which still existed in the hearts of some people, against the method of division that Allah rendered fard based on justice and numerous wise reasons. The mentality of Jahiliyyah that is present in the brains of some people living today is not much different from the mentality of the Arab Jahiliyyah. The reason why this verse was sent down displays the situation of the women and children during the Era of Jahiliyyah clearly. The wife of Sa’d b. Rabi, who was martyred at the Battle of Uhud, went to the presence of the Messenger of Allah together with her two daughters. She said,  

“O Messenger of Allah! These are the daughters of Sa’d. Their father was martyred at Uhud. Their uncles inherited his property and they did not leave anything to the girls. However, these girls cannot marry without any property.”

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) listened to the complaint of the woman and said, “Allah will send His decree regarding the issue." 6 Thereupon, the verse of inheritance was sent down. 7

Islam saved women and children from being deprived of inheritance; it gave them a social and legal personality together with men. Therefore, those who claim to defend women rights should not criticize Islam by saying, “Islam gives women half share”; on the contrary they should accept and appreciate the equity and superiorityof Islam, which gave women the right of inheritance through a great revolution. With this decree, the Quran did not only eliminate the inequality and injustice among older and younger children but also gave the rights of inheritance to the mother, daughter, sister, grandmother, granddaughter, etc by mentioning their names separately. These shares, which the Quran arranged as fixed rights, cannot be eliminated by any legal or traditional arrangements like a will.  They are regarded to be included in the category of(nasiban mafrudan) “a determinate share” (an-Nisa, 4/7). This phrase is the most obvious indication that the relevant decree is clear and understandable and that it cannot be changed.  

B. Verses Related to the Inheritance Regarding Women

It is obvious that the woman has the right of receiving inheritance like the man in Islam. The objections about the decree is related to the fact that the woman is given half as much share as the man.

First of all, we should state that the generalization that Islam orders the woman to be given half share in inheritance originates from not evaluating the verses related to the issue as a whole deliberately. When those verses are evaluated without any prejudice and carefully, it will be seen that this claim is not true: 

1. Giving the woman half share in inheritance is not valid for all cases; it is valid only when she is an inheritor together with her brother(s) of the same parents:

“Allah (thus) directs you as regards your children's (inheritance): to the male, a portion equal to that of two females: if only daughters, two or more, their share is two-thirds of the inheritance; if only one, her share is a half.”(an-Nisa, 4/11) 8

Therefore, it is clear that the rule of giving the woman half as much as the man in inheritance is not a general rule valid in all cases. Thus, to claim that the woman is given half as much as the man in inheritance is a general rule regardless of the state of the woman means to deviate the meaning of the verse mentioned above.   

2. As it is clearly seen in the verse, the share of the woman in inheritance is not half as much as the man as it is claimed. If the person that has died has only daughters (at least two), two-thirds of the inheritance will be given to them. If the person that has died has only one daughter, she will receive half of the inheritance. (an-Nisa, 4/11)

3. If a child of the parents dies and leaves inheritance andhe has children, the mother and the father are given one sixth of the inheritance each. If the person that has died has no children and the parents are inheritors, the woman will receive one third of the inheritance. If the person that has died has brothers, the mother will receive one sixth of the inheritance.    (an-Nisa, 4/11) 9

4. If the husband has died, his wife will receive one fourth of the inheritance. If the man that has died has more than one child from that wife or another wife, or if his son has sons, his wife will receive one eighth of the inheritance.

“…their (your wives) share is a fourth, if ye leave no child; but if ye leave a child, they get an eighth...”(an-Nisa, 4/12) 10

As it is seen, the claim that the share of the woman is always half as much as the man's share is not true. The share changes based on the people sharing the inheritance.  

C. Why Two Shares for the Man and One Share for the Woman?

According to the Quran, it might seem unjust that the woman receives half share when she is an inheritor together with her brother when it is viewed superficially but in fact it is just. Let alone being just, it will be seen that it is correct when it is viewed under the light of fairness and rightness. 

1. In Islam, inheritance is divided based on the needs and responsibilities of people.The sustenance of the mother, wife, daughter and sister has to be provided by the father, husband, son and brother. In general, the woman does not have to provide sustenance for other relatives. 11 The man has to provide sustenance for his wife, daughter, mother and sister in all cases. The man is the formal guard of his family and is responsible for everybody in the family. Therefore, in accordance with the rule “Bounties are based on responsibilities”, the man, who is responsible for providing sustenance his wife, daughters, mother and when necessary his sister, is given twice as much share compared to his sister, who does not have such responsibilities.

2. The woman has full authority to spend her property as she wishes. Even if the woman is rich, she does not have to spend any money for the family. 12 From this point of view, if the woman and the man were to be given equal shares, the balance would be disturbed against the man since he has to provide sustenance for the family; the woman does not have such a responsibility. Badiuzzaman Said Nursi states the following regarding the issue:  

The verse “...And for the man a portion equal of that of two...”is pure justice, so too is it pure compassion. Yes, it is justice, for the overwhelming majority of men take a wife and undertake to provide for her. As for women, they take a husband and load their livelihood on him, and this makes up for the deficiency in what they have inherited."13

3. If the woman is not married,she is a single person who does not have to look after anybody. When she gets married, her husband has to provide sustenance for her and her children as it is mentioned above. The woman has no responsibility of earning money. 14 Furthermore, the woman receives mahr from her husband and will have many gifts like gold, household appliances, money etc depending on the tradition. The woman does not have to spend the money she has. 15 If she wishes, she can increase it by investing. The brother will spend the inheritance he receives on marriage expenses, mahr and sustenance of the family. Besides, if the sister who is single cannot live on the inheritance she has received, the brother has to support her. 16 Therefore, when the issue is viewed from this viewpoint, to give the man one share and the woman half share is real justice. 

It is important to note that Islam proposes a structure in which women are interdependent socially but independent economically. This is important if we want to understand the emphasis of Islam on the mutual love, respect, tolerance and understanding among the members of the family. However, no matter how virtuous economic independence is, it does not mean that women have to provide their own sustenance and that they can live independently outside the family. The economic responsibility of the family always depends on the man. In fact, this privilege, given to women, shows the importance our religion gives to women.   

4. The brother can give equal share or more to his sister if he wishes while dividing the inheritance. It will be regarded as donation or gift. Nobody can prevent it.

5. The issue also has a psychological aspect. Islam is not peculiar to a certain time era, country or nation. It is universal; it takes into consideration all times, communities and the general human psychology in its decrees. In almost all communities, the daughters have been regarded as "girls who take the property of the household to other people" ; it is also valid today. In fact, even if she gets married, has a separate family and has children, she still needs the mercy, compassion and ward of her parents and brothers. The compassion and mercy she receives is more valuable than the property she receives from her family. In that case, to give the son and the daughter the same share while dividing the inheritance can harm this compassion and mercy. Dealing with the issue from this viewpoint, Badiuzzaman Said Nursi stats the following regarding the issue:

“It is also mercy, for a weak girl is greatly 1n need of kindness from her father and brothers. The Qur'an decrees that she receives kindness from her father without worry. Her father does not consider her anxiously, thinking of her as “a harmful child due to whom half of his wealth will pass to the hands of a stranger.” Anxiety and anger are not mixed with his kindness. She also receives her brother’s kindness and protection free of rivalry and jealousy. He does not consider her “as a rival who will destroy half the family and give an important part of our property to someone else." They will be no hatred and hostility mixed with his feeling of compassion and protection towards her. Thus, the girl, who is delicate and weak by nature, is apparently deprived of a small part, but in place of it she gains inexhaustible wealth in the form of the compassion and kindness of those close to her. And to give her more than her due with the idea of being more merciful to her than Divine Mercy, is not kindness, but a great wrong. Indeed, the savage greed of the present time, which recalls the appalling tyranny of burying girl children alive in the Age of Ignorance due to savage jealousy, may possibly open the way to merciless wickedness. Like this one, all Quranic rulings confirm the decree, “And we did not send you but as Mercy to all the worlds.” (al-Anbiya, 21/107)." 17

With this evaluation, Badiuzzaman Said Nursi deals with the issue from a deep viewpoint.

Conflicts occur between many brothers and sistersbecause men and women receive equal shares from the inheritance today. The brother cannot accept it when the sister receives half of the fortune of his father and takes it to other people. Due to this Jahiliyyah mentality, many inheritance conflicts occur between brothers and sisters in our country. Today, many people put pressure on their sisters and ask them not to take any shares from the inheritance or to be contented with a little amount. Sisters generally waive their rights under pressure. Women are persuaded and silenced in illegal family courts. As we see in the media, conflicts of inheritance can be transformed into unending blood feuds. Not to accept the method of God's division of inheritance and not be contented with one's share causes a lot of injustice and oppression.

Due to the reasons we have tried to list above, the man is given his share based on the rate of his financial responsibilities; the woman, who does not have any financial responsibilities whether she is rich or poor, is always under social security even when she is single, a daughter, wife, mother and widow; she is given a share accordingly. 18 If this decree of Allah, who has endless wisdom in His decrees, is not just, it means there is no justice on earth.

In conclusion, the law of inheritance, which is dealt with as the continuation of family law in the Quran, is one of the issues that are explained in every detail. To regard the equality of women in inheritance, which is one of the most current issues of today, from the viewpoint of equality only forms the basis of the mistake. For, the shares of the women are evaluated differently in different situations. She is dealt with in different categories depending on whether she is a wife, mother, the only sister or one of the sisters. Those who defend absolute equality in every issue including this pretend not to see the basic principles mentioned above. Therefore, that the woman is given half as much as the share of the man in some cases in inheritance has nothing to do with the idea of regarding men to be superior to women.  If it were like that, we would have to say that children are superior to their fathers since they receive a bigger share than their fathers. It would be a ridiculous claim. On the contrary, this method of division is directly proportionate to the responsibilities of the woman and man; it aims to distribute sustenance in a balanced way and to ensure love and justice both in the family and in social life. 

Besides, the fact that the necessities and the responsibility of the woman and man are deterministic here and that children, who are about to start life and who will face financial difficulties in life due to needing property more than the others, are given more shares than their parents and that the men are given more shares than the women aim to ensure humane life in the family, which is the smallest social unit. It is also an indication of steps taken to form the middle class. 19

Footnotes

1. an-Nisa, 4/7.

2. see Tabari, Jamiu’l–Bayan 4/262, Egypt, 1968; Razi, Tafsiru’l-Kabir 9/194, Beirut; Tahir b. Ashur, at–Tahrir wa’t-Tanwir 4/248, Tunus, nd; Ibn Kathir, Tafsirul-Qur’ani’l-Azim 2/161. Arabs used to say, “Those who do not fight with their spears, who cannot defend their country and who cannot get booty cannot be inheritors.” see ibid; for the practices of inheritance in the Era of Jahiliyyah, see  Ali Osman Ateş, İslâm’a Göre Cahiliye ve Ehl-i Kitap Örf ve Adetleri p. 379-388.

3. Hamidullah, Muhammad, İslâm Peygamberi 1/260, İrfan Yay. İst. 1980; For the practices of inheritance in Judaism, see Ali Osman Ateş, İslâm’a Göre Cahiliye ve Ehl-i Kitap Örf ve Adetleri p. 372-380.

4. an-Nisa, 4/11.

5. see Tabari, ibid 4/275; Ibn Kathir, ibid 2/197.

6. Abu Dawud, Faraid 4; Ibn Majah, Faraid 2.

7. Wahidi, Asbabu’n–Nuzul p.150; see Ibn Kathir, ibid 2/196; Qurtubi, al-Jami’ li Ahkami’l-Qur’an 5/39; Razi, ibid 9/203-204. Something that Jabir b. Abdullah experienced is also mentioned among the reasons why the verse was sent down. See Bukhari, Tafsiru’l-Qur’an 4; Tirmidhi, Faraid 6; Tirmidhi, Tafsiru’l-Qur’an 5.

8. an-Nisa, 4/11.

9. an-Nisa, 4/11.

10. an-Nisa, 4/12. A remarkable issue in this verse is that women are given the right of debt and will just like men.“In what your wives leave, your share is a half, if they leave no child.” When a person whether male or female dies, his/her debts are paid, his/her will is fulfilled and then the inheritance is divided. It means the woman has all kinds of civil and social rights. The woman can own property, leaves inheritance, receives inheritance, bequeaths, fulfills wills, borrows and lends. That is, the Quran gives woman the right of owning property and using her property as she wishes; thus, it gives woman a free personality. See Süleyman Ateş, Çağdaş Kur’ân-ı Kerim Tefsiri, Yeni Ufuklar Neşriyat, 1988, 2/574; For more detailed information about the state of the woman whose husband dies regarding inheritance, see Hamza Aktan, İslâm Miras Hukuku İşaret Yay., İstanbul, 1991.

11. For more detailed information about the sustenance of the woman and her responsibilities, see  İslâm’da Kadın Hakları (Anthology) 2/178-283 Rehber Baş. Yay. 1. Baskı. Ankara, 1993.

12. For more detailed information, see Ruhi Özcan, İslâm Hukuku’nda Hısımlık Nafakası p. 68-84, Çağlayan Yayınları İzmir, 1996.

13. Nursi, Badiuzzaman Said, Mektubat p. 37, Envar Neşriyat, İstanbul, 1997; see also Sözler p. 381.

14. see Kasani, Alauddin Abu Bakr Ibn Masud, Badaiu’s–Sanai’ 4/28. Egypt, 1328; Sarakhsi, Muhammad b. Ahmad, al-Mabsut 5/187. Egypt, 1324; Ibn Rushd’il–Hafid, Muhammad Ibn Ahmad, Bidayatu’l–Mujtahid 2/55, Egypt, 1379.

15. For instance, if the husband is poor and the wife is rich, the husband is responsible. The woman cannot be held responsible for the sustenance of her husband. The same decree is valid for the husband who cannot earn his keep and provide sustenance for his wife due to some reasons like being disabled. In this case, the sustenance of the man is provided by his relatives not by his wife. The woman is supported by her own relatives. The marriage sustenance that the woman is to receive from her husband is a debt that does not drop due to prescription. Even if the woman spends her own money, she can take this money from her husband. see Özcan, Ruhi, Hısımlık Nafakası p. 71.

16. For sustenance of kinship, see Ruhi Özcan, ibid p. 89-154.

17. Nursi, Badiüzzaman Said, Mektubat 37; Sözler p. 381.

18. For the social security of the woman in Islam, see Faruk Beşer, Kadının Çalışması Sosyal Güvenliği ve İslâm p.165-180, Nun Yay. İst. 1995; Bayraktar Bayraklı says, “If the father in a family is old and if the sons and daughter work together and earn money together, their shares in inheritance are equal.” He uses verse 32 of the chapter of an-Nisa as evidence. However, this verse cannot be evidence for the issue because this verse states that the woman, who was deprived of inheritance during the Era of Jahiliyyah, needs to be given her share from the inheritance. The share of the woman from the inheritance depending on various situations is determined by verses and hadiths. It is also necessary to say that the income of the girl in such a family belongs to the girl only. She does not have to spend her money on the expenses of the family. It is her personal property.  see Bayraktar Bayraklı, Kadın, Sevgi ve Temel Hakları p. 64, İşaret Yay. İstanbul, 2000.

19. For middle class and Islamic principles, see İzzet Er, Sosyal Gelişme ve İslâm p. 94-115, Rağbet Yayınları, İstanbul, 1999.

Qurban lexically means approaching. Thereupon, sacrificing an animal means to sacrifice an animal out of the goods that Allah gave in order to approach Him and attain his pleasure and consent.

Allah states the following in the Chapter al-Hajj: “It is not their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah: it is your piety that reaches Him.” (22/37). Accordingly, it is understood that the real aim of sacrificing an animal is to fulfill the order of Allah and show that one fears Allah. It means we can sacrifice even our most valuable things if Allah asks us. The aim is to show that we can even sacrifice our lives just like Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham) who decided to sacrifice his son, Ismail (Ishmael). In a sense, qurban means we can get rid of the feeling of loving worldly possessions and sacrifice everything for the sake of Allah.

The real purpose of qurban is to attain Allah's consent and to wish to approach Him. A person who sacrifices an animal approaches Allah and attains His consent through it. Sacrifice is also an example of social assistance and solidarity. In general, the poor eat most of the meat of the animals that are sacrificed. As it is seen, the understanding of approaching God and helping the poor exist in the essence of this worship. No matter what the fiqh decree about it is, sacrifice has had an important place for centuries in our religious life as a kind of worship that is a symbol and sign of Islamic communities.

The religion of Islam aims to make the individual attain spiritual wisdom and human virtues; meanwhile, it introduces some unifying and integrating commands and practices for the community. This superior characteristic of Islam becomes more apparent in financial kinds of worship with social dimensions like zakah, hajj and sacrifice. These kinds of worship have existed since the first days of Islam without undergoing any change and intervention in their general principles and essence in all Islamic communities and have been transferred to new generations.  

The Wisdoms of Sacrificing Animals   

1- Qurban lexically means something through which one can approach Allah. As it is understood from the word sacrifice (qurban) is an opportunity to be close to Allah and to gain His consent. The following is stated in the Qur’an:

“To every people did We appoint rites (of sacrifice), that they might celebrate the name of Allah over the sustenance He gave them from animals (fit for food). But your God is One God, submit then your wills to Him (in Islam): and give you the good news to those who humble themselves [The Pilgrimage (Al-Hajj),34 (22:34)].” In that verse, it is expressed that Allah Almighty commanded that decree in order to remind His slaves that He is the owner of all animals and that He offered them to human beings as an indication of His mercy and grace. Man, can fall into heedlessness and forget in the course of time that the real owner of his possessions and wealth is Allah Almighty, who gave him all the possessions as a grace. Like Qarun, he may think that he obtained all of the things through his own work, knowledge and ability; and he may start to appropriate the Divine blessings for himself and assume that he has a power and might. He may feel conceited and go beyond the limit. So, the command of sacrifice reminds him that all the possessions and commodities, vineyards and orchards, wealth and money are the bounties of Allah Almighty who bestowed them on him and that Allah is the real owner. He informs man that he cannot have anything without His permission and will. Thus, man gives up arrogance and becomes humble. He starts to behave like a real slave and tries to give thanks to Allah. And that behavior becomes an opportunity to approach to Allah and gain Allah’s consent.

2- Allah does not need sacrifice, nor does he need all of the other worship performed by man. However, with the command of sacrifice, Allah tests His slaves, measures their devotion and their attention to that Divine decree and their closeness to Him. The following is expressed in the Qur’an, Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage) verse 37:

“It is not their meat nor their blood, that reaches Allah, it is your piety that reaches Him: He has thus made them subject to you, that you may glorify Allah for His Guidance to you and proclaim the good news to all who do good...”. As it is seen in this verse too, the purpose of sacrificing animals is sincerity, devotion and being close to Allah. The purpose is to remember Allah with the bounties He gave and especially to gain His consent. Unless those purposes and aims are intended, no matter how much meat is given away nor how much blood is shed, they have no value before Allah.

3- Sacrifice is also an opportunity to remind the salvation of Prophet Ishmael (peace and blessings be upon him) as a favor of Allah from being sacrificed. Allah, the Most High, tested Prophet Abraham (pbuh) and wanted him to sacrifice his only son, Ishmael. Both Hazrat Abraham and his son Hazrat Ishmael (peace be upon them) complied with that will sincerely. Hazrat Abraham laid down his son and started to slaughter him in the throat. However, the knife did not cut Hazrat Ishmael (pbuh). It was because the intention of Allah, the Most high, was not Hazrat Ishmael’s being slaughtered but to show and inform angels and people who will come till the end of time about those two noble prophets’ inaccessible submission and obedience, devotion and generosity. Because that wisdom occurred, Allah Almighty had commanded the knife not to cut Hazrat Ishmael. Instead of Hazrat Ishmael, He had sent down a ram to them from Paradise to be sacrificed. So sacrificing is a commemoration of that great and exemplary event.

4- Every year, thousands of animals are sacrificed by Muslims. It is, in a sense, a symbolic expression that a Muslim can sacrifice anything he has in order to worship Allah, comply with His command and give up anything he has for His sake.

5- The decree of sacrificing imposed by Islam is also a great bounty and mercy upon people. Poor people who have had difficulties and have not been able to eat meat for one year may have an opportunity to get a lot of meat to eat with the occasion of Eid al-Adha. Thus, the aspect of Islam that realizes social justice will be seen.

The word Islam means peace in Arabic. Islam is a religion which was sent down in order to present man with a life full of tranquility and peace in which endless mercy and compassion of Allah is manifest.  Allah calls all people to Islamic ethics as a model in which mercy, compassion, tolerance and peace can be practiced. The following is stated in verse 208 of the chapter of al-Baqara:

"O ye who believe! Enter into Islam whole-heartedly; and follow not the footsteps of the Evil One; for he is to you an avowed enemy."

As it is seen in the verse, Allah states that the security of people can be ensured only through accepting Islam and practicing the ethics of the Quran.

Allah damns mischief

Allah orders people to avoid committing bad deeds and prohibits them from unbelief, sins, rebellion, oppression, tyranny, killing and shedding blood. Those who do not obey this order of Allah are defined as those who follow the footsteps of Satan as the verse puts it; they openly assume an attitude that Allah has rendered haram. There are many verses regarding the issue in the Quran. Two of them are as follows:

"But those who break the Covenant of Allah, after having plighted their word thereto, and cut asunder those things which Allah has commanded to be joined, and work mischief in the land― on them is the Curse; for them is the terrible Home!."(ar-Rad, 13/25)

"But seek, with the (wealth) which Allah has bestowed on thee, the Home of the Hereafter, nor forget thy portion in this world: but do thou good, as Allah has been good to thee, and seek not (occasions for) mischief in the land: for Allah loves not those who do mischief."(al-Qasas, 28/77)

As it is seen, Allah prohibits all kinds of acts related to mischief, including terror and violence and damns those who do those kinds of deeds. A Muslim is a person who beautifies and improves the world.

Islam defends freedom of thought and tolerance

Islam, which is a religion that introduces and openly ensures freedom of thought and life, has introduced commands that prevent and prohibit tension, conflicts among people, talking against one another and even thinking of bad things about others. 

Let alone terror and violence, Islam prohibits putting even the slightest pressure on people's thoughts.

"Let there be no compulsion in religion. Truth stands out clear from Error."(al-Baqara, 2/256)

"Thou art not one to manage (men's) affairs." (al-Ghashiya, 88/22)

It is against the essence and spirit of Islam to force people to believe in a religion or to perform worship. For, Islam lays free will and conscientious acceptance as a condition for belief. Doubtlessly, Muslims can warn and encourage one another so that they can practice the ethical attributes explained in the Quran. However, they cannot force one another regarding the issue. It is not appropriate to offer some worldly privileges in order to make someone perform worship. 

Think of a community model opposite to it. For instance, suppose that people are forced to worship. Such a community model is completely contrary to Islam. For, belief and worship become valuable when they are for Allah. If a system forces people to believe and worship, people will become religious people because they are afraid of that system. What is valuable in terms of religion is practicing the religion for the sake of Allah in a free environment. 

Allah has rendered it haram to kill innocent people

According to the Quran, to kill an innocent person is one of the major sins:

"…if anyone slew a person―unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land― it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if anyone saved a life it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people. Then although there came to them Our Messengers with clear Signs, yet even after that many of them continued to commit excesses in the land."(al-Maida, 5/32)

"Those who invoke not, with Allah, any other god, nor slay such life as Allah has made sacred, except for just cause, not commit fornication― and any that does this (not only) meets punishment." (al-Furqan, 25/68)

As it can be seen in the verses above, those who kill innocent people are threatened by a great torture. Allah states that to kill one person is a grave crime like killing all people. It is not possible for a person who obeys the limitations imposed by Allah to harm even one person let alone killing thousands of innocent people. Those who think they can escape justice and get away will not be able to escape reckoning in the presence of Allah. Therefore, believers who know that they will be reckoned before Allah after death act very carefully to obey the limitations imposed by Allah.

Allah orders believers to be compassionate and merciful

The ethics of a Muslim is explained as follows in a verse:

"Then will he be of those who believe, and enjoin patience, (constancy, and self-restraint), and enjoin deeds of kindness and compassion. Such are the Companions of the Right Hand."(al-Balad, 90/17-18)

One of the most important characteristics of the ethics sent down by Allah to His slaves so that they will attain salvation on the Day of Judgment, His mercy and Paradise is "enjoining patience to one another".

Islam, which is defined in the Quran, has a very modern, enlightened and progressive structure. A real Muslim has a personality that is peaceful, tolerant, democratic, cultured, intellectual, honest, fond of art and science and civilized.

A Muslim who is raised by the high ethics introduced by the Quran approaches everybody with love envisaged by Islam. He shows respect to all kinds of thoughts, appreciates esthetics and art, and displays compromising, inclusive and moderate attitudes. Communities formed by people like that will have a more developed civilization and higher ethics than those of the modern states accompanied by joy, peace, justice, security, abundance and welfare. 

Allah orders tolerance and pardoning

The concept of "forgiveness and tolerance"  expressed by the phrase "hold to forgiveness" in verse 199 of the chapter of al-Araf in the Quran forms one of the basic rules of the religion of Islam.

When the history of Islam is viewed, it will clearly be seen how this important characteristics of the Quranic ethics are practiced. Muslims eliminated the wrong practices in every place that they reached and formed a free and tolerant medium. They enabled the peoples that were contrary to one another in terms of religion, language and culture to live together under the same roof with peace and tranquility; they also made those who were subject to them gain great knowledge, richness and superiority. As a matter of fact, one of the most important reasons why the Ottoman Empire, which had spread over a large geography, existed for centuries is the practice of the medium of tolerance and understanding introduced by Islam. Muslims have always been the most merciful and just people of their periods. All of the ethnic groups living in this multinational structure practiced freely the religions that they belonged to and they had all of the means of practicing their religions and cultures. 

When tolerance, which belongs to Muslims in its real sense, is practiced in the way that Islam orders, it will bring peace and tranquility to the whole world. As a matter of fact, the following stated in the Quran:

"Nor can Goodness and Evil be equal. Repel (Evil) with what is better: then will he between whom and thee was hatred become as it were thy friend and intimate!"(Fussilat, 41/34)

The verse above attracts attention to this characteristic.

They all show that the ethical characteristics that Islam advises people are the virtues that will bring peace, tranquility and justice to the world. The barbarism, so called "Islamic terror", which is on the agenda of the world, is the work of ignorant fanatics who are completely away from the Quranic ethics and the criminals who have no relations with the religion of Islam. The cultural solution to be used against these people and groups that commit barbarism under the disguise of Islam is to teach people about the real Islamic ethics.

In other words, the religion of Islam and the Quranic ethics do not support terrorism and terrorists; on the contrary, they will save the earth from the trouble of terrorism.

The Religion of Peace and the Prophet of Love

Prophets are the people appointed to make the world a land of welfare and peace. They were sent so that they would convey the religion of Islam, which means, "peace and welfare" to humanity. The Prophet (pbuh) stated the following in a hadith: 

"We prophets are brothers of the same father; we have the same religion."(Bukhari, Anbiya, 48)

Allah states the following in the Quran:

"The Religion before Allah is Islam."(Aal-i Imran, 3/19)

He informs us that all prophets were sent down so that they would inform people about this religion and that the prophets displayed the first examples to people.

Islam means peace and welfare. A Muslim means a person who has attained peace and welfare and who aims peace and welfare. One of the names of Allah is "Salam" (Peace). Accordingly, He is the source of peace and welfare. A Muslim who surrenders to Him is a person who attains peace and tranquility in his inner world by adhering to the source of peace and welfare and then who wants to convey this peace to the outer world. In fact, a good Muslim tries to keep away from all kinds of stress, crises and feelings that harm inner peace even if he lives in most unfavorable conditions. Therefore, a Muslim who aims 'Daru's-Salam' (land of peace and welfare), Paradise, has been appointed to make the world a land of peace. Probably because of this, the first man was put into Paradise before he came to the world; first, he was made live in Paradise and was equipped with the culture of Paradise; then, he was sent to the world. Being sent to the world, man is in love with Paradise; he tries to build it in the world first and dreams of attaining it at least in the hereafter.

Similarly, another name for a Muslim is mumin (believer), which means having security and trust. Mumin is also a name for Allah. Therefore, a believer means a person who believes in Allah, who is the source of security and trust, who adheres to Him, who is coherent and peaceful in his inner world and who takes this medium of security that he has built in his inner world to the outer world. Therefore, the existence of the believers is good for everyone. As a matter of fact, the following is stated in the Quran while mentioning the community of Islam:

"Ye are the best of peoples, evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing in Allah..."(Aal-i Imran, 3/110)

Another name of Allah who is the owner the religion of Islam is Wadud (Hud 11/90). Wadud is a noun meaning the one who loves a lot or who is loved a lot. Yes, Allah is the source of love. He created love and placed it in us when He blew into us from His spirit. As Ibn Arabi puts it,

"We originated from love; we were created out of love; we tended toward love and gave our heart to love."(Ibnu'l-Arabi 1998, 38)

As a matter of fact, the following is stated in a verse:

"My Lord is indeed full of mercy and loving-kindness"(Hud, 11/90)

Allah, who is beautiful in all aspects and loves beauty, placed love into the nature of man, sent prophets, who were full of love, so that love would be manifest on words and attitudes; he also sent books containing principles that enable people to love and to be loved. Finally, He sent Hz. Muhammad (pbuh) and transformed people who savagely attacked one another into people who loved one another and preferred others to themselves.  Two of the verses regarding the issue are as follows:

"And hold fast, all together by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude Allah's favour on you; for ye were enemies and He joined your hearts in love so that by His Grace, ye became brethren; and ye were on the brink of the pit of fire, and He saved you from it. Thus doth Allah make his signs clear to you: that ye may be guided."( Aal-i Imran, 3/103)

"And those who before them, had homes (in Medina) and had adopted the Faith― show their affection to such as came to them for refuge, and entertain no desire in their hearts for things given to the (latter), but give them preference over themselves even though poverty was their (own lot). And those saved from the covetousness of their own souls, they are the ones that achieve prosperity." (al-Hashr, 59/9)

According to Islam, the greatest conquest is peace. As a matter of fact, what is meant by a manifest victory in the first of the chapter of al-Fath "Verily We have granted thee a manifest Victory" is the Peace Treaty of Hudaybiyah (Tabari, 26:67-68; Ibn Kathir, 4:183) according to most of the scholars. According to the most important article of this treaty, which was signed by two groups that were on the brink of war, Muslims and Makkan polytheists would not fight each other for ten years. With this treaty, which was signed after the battles of Badr, Uhud and Khandaq in the 6th year of the Migration, the Prophet (pbuh) eliminated the barrier of war which prevented Islam, the religion of trust and peace, from spreading; in a sense, the barrier between people and their preferences and finding the truth was eliminated. 

Hz. Muhammad (pbuh), Statue of Love and Trust

Hz. Prophet (pbuh) worked for the goodness of the community, whose existence is beneficial for humanity, and died after forming such a community. As a matter of fact, when he was alive, the Jews of Khaybar could not help saying, "Paradise was built in the world by Muslims" due to his justice and equity. The Prophet (pbuh) displayed and set the best example through his lifestyle.  

"Ye have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful pattern (of conduct) for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Final Day, and who engages much in the praise of Allah."(al-Ahzab, 33/21)

As a matter of fact, he was appreciated by everybody during his forty-year life before prophethood in Makkah and he was called 'Muhammadu'l-Amin' (Muhammad the Trustworthy). This trustworthiness and prestige caused Hz. Khadjah (ra) to appoint him as her deputy in international trade; he was chosen as the referee in the incidence of placing the Black Stone in the Kaaba and he became a respectable member of the society called Hilf al-Fudul (Union of the Virtuous), established in Makkah to struggle against injustice in Makkah. His trustworthiness and honesty in trade partnership before his prophethood attracted the attention of everybody. His life before his prophethood is a period of forty years, which is more than half of his life of forty-three years. In that period, before he received revelation from Allah, he lived as a pure and trustworthy man when most people were deprived of virtue. Therefore, his ethical perfection before prophethood is very important for the people of today who would use the negative characteristics as an excuse for not believing in him. The following is stated in the verses of the Quran explaining that he was a person who was known for his high ethics in the community where he lived: "Or do they not recognize their Messenger, that they deny him?" (al-Mu'minun, 23/69)

"Say: "If Allah had so willed, I should not have rehearsed it to you nor should He have made it known to you. A whole lifetime before this have I tarried amongst you: will ye not then understand?""(Yunus, 10/16)

I lived among you for forty years before I became a prophet. You know my righteousness, honesty, trustworthiness and illiteracy. I never rebelled against Allah when I was young. How would you ask me to do something like that now?(Qurtubi, 8:321) Ono of the Quranic verses mentioning his nice characteristics is as follows:

"Nay, verily for thee is a Reward unfailing."(al-Qalam, 68/3)

This verse of the chapter of al-Qalam, which was sent as the third chapter after the chapters of al-Fatiha and al-Alaq, clearly approves the virtues he has because the verses of the Quran that surrounded all of his life had not yet been revealed at that time. He had great and high ethics. Afterwards, Hz. Aisha, his wife, summarized his ethical personality, which became more mature and perfect with the Quran as follows:

"His ethics was the ethics of the Quran."(I. Hanbal, Musnad, 6:188)

During the Prophet's marriage ceremony with Hz. Khadijah, Abu Talib, his uncle defined his nephew, who was twenty-five years old, as follows: "Honestly, Muhammad is a young person who does not resemble and who cannot be regarded as equal to any of the youths of Quraysh. For, he is distinguished from them with his honor, nobility, virtue and intelligence." (I. Hisham, 1/201)

Hz. Khadijah (ra) said to the Prophet (pbuh), her husband, the following when he got very excited when he received the first revelation:

"Take it easy; do not worry. I swear by Allah that Allah will never embarrass or disgrace you. For, you take care of your relatives. You always tell the truth. You never misappropriate. You put up with troubles and help the weak. You like entertaining guests. You help the people who are in trouble and who are oppressed."(ibid, 1:253)

The virtues he had were also expressed by his enemies. The Byzantine Chosroes asked Abu Sufyan, who was not a believer at that time, who was in the presence of the Chosroes as an envoy, questions about the characteristics of the Prophet (pbuh) and the following conversation took place between them:  

- Have you ever heard him telling lies?
- No, we have never heard any lies from him.
-A person who does not tell lies to people will not lie about Allah.

Jafar b. Abi Talib, who migrated to Ethiopia, stated the following in the presence of the Negus:   

"O Negus! Allah sent to us a prophet among us; we have known him for forty years as an honest, noble and trustworthy person..."(Ibn Kathir, Tafsir, 2:411)

The Prophet (pbuh) went to Taif in order to convey the message of Islam to the people living there and to ask them to support him when he was exposed to the excessive pressure of the polytheists and unbelievers in the tenth year of the prophethood. He stayed there for ten days and visited the houses there one by one to tell them about Islam. However, they made fun of him and chased him away. They threw stones at him and his friend, Zayd until their feet bled while they were leaving. He took refuge in a vineyard and prayed there as follows:

"O Allah! I complain to You of my weakness, my scarcity of resources and the humiliation I have been subjected to by the people. O Most Merciful of those who are merciful. O Lord of the weak and my Lord too. To whom have you entrusted me? To a distant person who receives me with hostility? Or to an enemy to whom you have granted authority over my affair? So long as You are not angry with me, I do not care. Your favor is of a more expansive relief to me. I seek refuge in the light of Your Face by which all darkness is dispelled and every affair of this world and the next is set right, lest Your anger or Your displeasure descends upon me. I desire Your pleasure and satisfaction until You are pleased. All power belongs to You."(Köksal, 5/66-71)

Meanwhile, the angel arrived and told the Prophet he could destroy them if he wished. Hz. Prophet (pbuh) replied as follows:

"No. I do not want them to be destroyed. On the contrary, I hope their descendants will worship Allah and will not associate partners with Him."(Köksal, 5/76)

When his tooth was broken during the Battle of Uhud, the people around him asked him to damn the polytheists. He said, 

"I was not sent as a person who damns. O Lord! Give guidance to my tribe because they do not know." (Bukhari, Anbiya, 37)

In short, he was in love with all humanity; he devoted all his life to the salvation of humanity; he was a prophet of love and mercy. According to him, the guidance of one person, that is, becoming a Muslim, was better than the world and what is in it. 

Makkah was conquered in the eighth year of the Migration. Makkans, who had dismissed the Prophet (pbuh) and the believers from their hometown, who had oppressed and tortured them and who attacked Madinah several times after he migrated, had to surrender to the army that entered Makkah under the command of Hz. Muhammad (pbuh). While Makkans were waiting worriedly and anxiously, Hz. Muhammad (pbuh), who represented love, mercy and tolerance at the highest level, addressed them as follows:

"This day let no reproach be (cast) on you: Allah will forgive you, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy. You can leave. You are free!"(Köksal, 15/288-289)

It is very important for us to know the names and attributes of the Messenger of Allah mentioned in the verses of the Quran and hadiths so that we will know him truly.  

He is the prophet of mercy (Rasulu'r-Rahma, Nabiyyu'l-Marhama). He was not sent to a certain group but as mercy to all realms.

He is a giver of glad tidings and a warner (al-Mubashshir, al-Bashir; al-Mundhir, an-Nadhir).

He is clear truth (al-Haqqu'l-Mubin).

He is the trustworthy hand-hold (al-Urwatu'l-Wuthqa).

He is the straight way (as-Siratu'l-Mustaqim).

He is the star of piercing brightness (an-Najmu'th-Thaqib).

He is a lamp spreading light (an-Nur, as-Siraju'l-Munir).

He is the one who invites to Allah (Dai ilallah).

He is an intercessor whose intercession is accepted (ash-Shafi', al-Mushaffa').

He is the improver (al-Muslih).

He is the beloved and friend of Allah (Habibullah, Khalilurrahman).

He is the owner of sound evidence and proof (Sahibu'l-Hujja wa'l-Burhan).

He is the distinguished person chosen by Allah (al-Mustafa, al-Mujtaba, al-Mukhtar).

He is praised; he is the one that deserves to be praised (Muhammad, Ahmad, Mahmud, Hamid).

He is Muhammad the trustworthy (Muhammadu'l-Amin).

He is the last prophet (Khatamu'n-Nabiyyin) (Qadi Iyad, 189-195).

It is possible to know this person who is full of love, who is chosen as a statue of trustworthiness and honesty and who is the person to be taken as an example only through knowing him, being like him and loving him. This is what is meant by understanding him. As a matter of fact, he emphasized this fact by saying,

"A person who follows my sunnah is of me; he who ignores it is not of me."(Ma'mar ibn Rashid, 11/291)

To sum up, to understand and to love the Prophet (pbuh) can only be possible through knowing him well regarding all aspects, to follow him, to mention him a lot, to show respect to the universal values he introduced, to love what he loved and to keep away from what he disliked, and to have the ethics of the Quran, which is his ethics.  

Pictures of Love from the Life of the Prophet

Now, we want to display some pictures of love from the life of the Messenger of Allah:

1. Love of Allah: TheMessenger of Allah (pbuh) was aware that he was always under the surveillance of Allah. He tried to fulfill his duties of servitude toward him. His target regarding the issue was "To be a slave who thanks" (Bukhari, "Munafiqun," 79) The Prophet (pbuh) was the person who knew Allah in the best way. He was always in touch with Him. His only aim was to attain His consent. Death meant to attain Him. As a matter of fact, love of Allah and to love for the sake of Allah are the main topic in many of his words. Besides, the fact that he is full of love is connected with his affinity and contact with Allah.   

2. Love of Children: The Prophet (pbuh) took children on his lap, kissed and caressed them. (Bukhari, "Adab", 22) When somebody said that he had ten children but he had not kissed even one of them, the Prophet said, "A person who does not show mercy will not be shown mercy. What can I do if Allah has removed mercy from your heart?" (ibid). He took care of both children and young people; he showed them respect and appreciated them. Young people had a different and important place among those who believed in him. He rewarded efficient young people by appointing them as commanders of the armies which included notable Companions. During the expedition of Tabuk, he gave the standard of Sons of Najjar to Zayd b. Thabit, who was only twenty years old; He appointed Hz. Ali, who was twenty-one years old, as the standard-bearer during the Battle of Badr; he appointed Usama b. Zayd, who was eighteen years old as the commander of the army consisting of forty thousand soldiers sent against Sons of Qudaa; he appointed Muadh b. Jabal, who was twenty-one years old, as the governor of Yemen. (Doğuştan Günümüze…, 1:391-392)

3. Love of his Family and Relatives: He was a head of family who loved his family. He never avoided helping them. He would chop meat, cut up zucchini, and sew. He took care of his family regarding their duties toward Allah more than anything else. For, he received the following command from Allah:

"Enjoin prayer on thy people, and be constant therein. We ask thee not to provide sustenance: We provide it for thee. But the (fruit of) the Hereafter is for Righteousness."(Ta-Ha, 20/132)

He started to invite his relatives first because Allah gave him the following order:

"And admonish thy nearest kinsmen."(ash-Shuara, 26/214)

He always continued his relationships with his relatives and asked them to do so, too. He always emphasized love of parents, encouraged people to love their foster mothers and foster brothers and the friends of their fathers; he took care of them and served as a good example.

4. Love of Friends: The Prophet (pbuh) elevated the people who were living in the darkness of Jahiliyyah to the rank of the best people of the human history by putting up with all kinds of troubles and hardships. He forgave the people who had tortured him in the past and honored them.

"Now hath come unto you an messenger from amongst yourselves: it grieves him that ye should perish: ardently anxious is he over you: to the Believers is he most kind and merciful." (at-Tawba, 9/128)

"lower thy wing (in gentleness) to the Believers.!."(al-Hijr, 15/88)

"And lower thy wing to the Believers who follow thee..."(ash-Shuara, 26/215)

5. Love of ummah: He devoted his life to his ummah; he will say,"My ummah! My ummah! O Allah! I want my ummah!"  in the hereafter when the other prophets will be interested in their own problems. (Abu Awana, Musnad, 1:158)

6. Love of humans: He is a prophet sent as mercy to all realms (al-Anbiya 21/107). He invited everybody to Islam no matter how bad some people were. He was a prophet that never avoided any sacrifice in order to save people. He visited houses, fairs, cities and he went on expeditions to many places under very hard circumstances. He treated his neighbors very well regardless of their beliefs. He opposed killing people unjustly, torturing and enslaving them. He prohibited killing people by torture even in war; he ordered his soldiers not to touch those who did not take part in war and those who said they accepted Islam. The number of the people that died in wars during his period was only about four hundred.

The love and compassion of the Prophet (pbuh) was of divine origin:

"It is part of the Mercy of Allah that thou dost deal gently with them. Wert thou severe or harsh-hearted they would have broken away from about thee; so pass over (their faults), and ask for (Allah's) forgiveness for them; and consult them in affairs (of moment). Then when thou hast taken a decision, put thy trust in Allah. For Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him)."(Aal-i Imran, 3/159)

7. His love of other living beings and the environment:We see that he also gives importance to the living beings other than human beings, to animals and plants and that he did his best for a clean environment.

"Show mercy to those on earth so that those in the sky will show mercy to you."(Tirmidhi, Birr, 16)

By uttering the hadith above, Prophet attributed attaining mercy to showing mercy to all beings on earth. He stated that a woman who gave water to a dog was forgiven and that killing a cat by torturing attracted Allah's wrath. When he saw a man milking a goat, he said:

"Leave some milk for the kid of the goat when you milk." (Majmua'z-Zawaid, 8:196)

When he was asked, "is there a reward for the favors done to animals?", he said, "Yes, there is a reward for every favor done to any living being." (Bukhari, Shurb, 9) He ordered people to whet the knife while slaughtering animal and not to maltreat animals while slaughtering them. (Muslim, "Sayd". 57)

Once, he planted five hundred date trees (I. Hanbal, 5:354) and stated the following regarding the issue:

"If a Muslim plants a tree and human beings, domestic animals, wild animals or birds eat its fruits, what they eat will be regarded as sadaqah for the person who has planted it."(Muslim, Musaqat, 10)

"If you have a sapling even when Doomsday is about to strike, plant it."(Bukhari, al-Adabu'l-Mufrad, 168)

When he saw a man beating a tree so that his sheep would eat its leaves, he intervened by saying

"Calm down! If you want the leaves to fall, shake the tree; do not beat it."(Usdu'l-Ghaba, 3:276)

Allah declared Makkah as a protected (haram) area and the Prophet (pbuh) declared Madinah and Taif as protected areas. (Bayraktar, 5:223-227)

"The earth was rendered a mosque for me; its soil is clean and makes things clean."

There are many hadiths expressing the love of the Prophet (pbuh) toward Makkah, Madinah, Mount Uhud and some other places. He was also interested in celestial bodies and evaluated their rising and setting times as an opportunity to pray.

To Love the Prophet

Love is a feeling that settles in the heart and becomes manifest with words and attitudes. To love someone means to give things for the sake of the beloved. Love is an act of giving. To love the Prophet (pbuh) means to set one's heart on him, to make a sacrifice and to give away one's property and life for his sake when it is necessary. This will take place only through knowing him, following him, loving what and whom he loves, showing respect to the Quran and his sunnah, which he entrusted to us,  protect them and not going before him regarding any issue.

There is no love without knowledge. Therefore, we cannot love him properly unless we know him truly. It is not right to limit his love to having his name, mentioning his name with respect, his personal possessions (relics). It means to be aware of the fact that to love him means to mention his name a lot with respect, that we are mentioning him when we utter kalima at-tawhid, salawat, when we recite and listen to adhan, when we utter the supplications of Allahumma salli wa barik "May Allah's greetings, mercy and abundance be on you, o Prophet!"

It is necessary to love in order to be loved.  To deserve love, to love and to be loved can only be possible through being in connection with Allah the source of love.

"On those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, will (Allah) Most Gracious bestow Love...."(Maryam, 19/96)

The source of love is Allah, who is also called al-Wadud (the Loving One).

"Say: "If ye do love Allah, follow me: Allah will love you and forgive you your sins; for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." Say: "Obey Allah and His Messenger"; but if they turn back, Allah loveth not those who reject Faith."(Aal-i Imran, 3/31-32)

References:

Asım Köksal, İslâm Tarihi; Bukhari, al-Adabu'l-Mufrad; Doğuştan Günümüze İslâm Tarihi; Abu Awana, Musnad; Ibn Hisham, as-Siratu'n-Nabawiyya; Ibnu'l-Arabi, İlâhî Aşk, (Trnsl by Mahmut Kanık), İstanbul, 1998; Qadi Iyad, Kitabu'sh-Shifa; Ma'mar b. Rashid, al-Jami'; Mehmet Bayraktar, "Asr-ı Saadette Çevre Bilinci", Bütün Yönleriyle Asr-ı Saadet'te İslâm; Muhammed Hamidullah, Hz. Peygamberin Savaşları; Munawi, Faydu'l-Qadir; Tabari, Tafsir; Ibn Kathir, Tafsir; Razi, Tafsir; Qurtubi, Tafsir.

The religion of Islam allowed eating the flesh of some animals but forbade eating the flesh of others. When the animals that are allowed or forbidden are examined, it will be seen that the flesh of the animals that are healthy are allowed and the ones that are harmful are forbidden. Pork (the flesh of pig) is forbidden due to its feeding style, appearance, disgusting nature and having harmful elements that can infect human beings like trichina.

In the Quran, pig is mentioned in five places. The verses are as follows:

"He hath only forbidden you dead meat, and blood and the flesh of swine, and that on which any other name hath been invoked besides that of Allah." (al-Baqara, 2/173; an-Nahl, 16/115)

 “Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat, blood the flesh of swine, and that on which hath been invoked the name of other than Allah…” (Surah al-Maeda, 5/3)

 “Say: "I find not in the Message received by me by inspiration any (meat) forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it, unless it be dead meat, or blood poured forth, or the flesh of swine― for it is an abomination or what is impious, (meat) on which a name has been invoked, other than Allah's.” (al-Anaam, 6/145)

The ugly state of the pig is pointed out in the following verse:

 “…Those who incurred the curse of Allah and His wrath, those of whom some He transformed into apes and swine, those who worshipped Evil;― these are (many times) worse in rank and far more astray from the even Path!” (al-Maeda, 5/60)

It is reported by Jabir b. Abdillah that the Messenger of Allah stated the following in the year when Makkah was conquered:

"It is definite that Allah and His Messenger rendered it haram to buy and sell wine, the flesh of animals that died, pigs and idols." (Bukhari, Buyu'; Tajrid as-Sarih Translation Vl / 537,538)

Eating pork is forbidden in many other religions, too. For instance, the following is stated in Deuteronomy chapter of the Torah, the Book of Jews:

"…And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase." (the Torah, Deuteronomy,  14/8)

Allah ordered people to eat nice and clean food and thank Him for them. Eating halal food paves the way for prayers and worship to be accepted. Haram food causes them to be rejected. The Messenger of Allah stated the following:

"O people! Allah is clean and He accepts only what is clean. Doubtlessly, Allah orders believers what He orders His prophets." Allah states the following:

"O ye messengers! Enjoy (all) things good and pure, and work righteousness: for I am well-acquainted with (all) that ye do." (al-Muminun, 23/51)

He also said,

"Eat of the good things We have provided for your sustenance." (Taha, 20/81)

Then, the Messenger of Allah mentioned a man who was on a long journey, whose hair and clothes were untidy and who prayed, "O Lord! O Lord!":

"What this man eats, drinks and wears are haram. How can his prayer be accepted?" (Muslim, Tirmidhi, Ahmad b. Hanbal)

The following is stated in a verse:

"He forbids them what is evil." (al-Araf, 7/157)

It is stated by medicine that pork is harmful to man. Doctor Glen Shepherd wrote the following in summary in the article he wrote in Washington Post, on May 31, 1952:  

"One in six people in USA and Canada have trichina worms in their muscles because they eat pork infected with trichinosis. Many people who are infected show no symptoms. Most of those, who do have, recover slowly. Some die; some become paralyzed on the left side. All were careless pork eaters. No one is immune from the disease and there is no cure. Neither antibiotics nor drugs or vaccines affect these tiny deadly worms. Preventing infection is the real answer... The symptoms of the disease caused by trichinas are similar to those of more than fifty diseases. Methods like salting the meat or smoking it do not kill trichinas. The controls in slaughterhouses are not enough to identify the meat containing trichina."

Many researchers say that keeping eating pork weakens the feeling of jealousy in man because the only animal that is not jealous of its female partner is the pig. 

On the other hand, the pig emits an unpleasant smell since it eats all kinds of dirt where it feeds; its meat has a low value in terms of the chemicals in protein. It is regarded scientifically impossible to remove the trichina worms from pork. Professor Hirsch, one of the hygiene authorities in the world, stated that fact clearly.   

To eat pork, some of whose harms are stated by medicine, is forbidden in Islam along with some other religions. (Tajrid as-Sarih Translation, VII, 537 ff.; Yusuf al-Qardawi, İslâm'da Helal ve Haram, trns by Mustafa Varlı, Ankara 1970, 50-53)

THE WISDOM BEHIND THE PROHIBITION OF PORK

A NECESSITY OF TESTING

Whether something is halal or haram depends on Allah's order. If Allah decrees that something is halal, it becomes halal; if He decrees that something is haram, it becomes haram. That is, the religion is a test; it is an offer to people. God Almighty tests people to make them deserve Paradise. Therefore, He decreed some orders and prohibitions. What is essential is to obey these orders and prohibitions. These principles are very useful for both man's individual life and community life. Thus, they make us obey the orders more consciously. One of the things that our religion prohibits is pork. This prohibition has a lot of reasons and wisdom. We will mention only a few of them here.  

TOXIC SUBSTANCES

Pork is very fatty. If it is eaten, the fat mixes with the blood. Thus, the blood becomes filled with fat particles. This too much fat causes arteriosclerosis, hypertension and heart infarct. Besides, toxic substances called sutoxines are present in lard. Lymphatic glands need to work harder in order to remove those toxic substances that enter the body. It causes infection and swelling in lymph nodes of especially children. The throat of the child swells and it looks like a pig. Therefore, this disease is called scrofulosis (pig disease). If the disease deteriorates, all of the lymph glands become infected and swollen. Temperature increases; pain starts and a dangerous state occurs.

TOO MUCH SULFUR

The mucus-like collagen tissue that is abundant in pork is rich in terms of sulfur. Thus, too much sulfur is taken into the body. This extra sulfur settles in muscles and nerves, causing infection in joints, calcification and hernia of the loins. If a person eats pork regularly, the hard cartilage in the body is replaced by the mucus-like collagen tissue from the pig. Consequently, the cartilage softens; it cannot carry the weight of the body and is crushed. Thus, deformation starts in joints. The flesh of those who eat pork becomes jelly-like; layers of fat form. For instance, if a sportsman eats it, he becomes tired, lazy and inactive. Some footballers had to give up playing because of it.

OVERGROWTH

The amount of growth hormone in pigs is too much. A piglet that is only a few hundred grams when it is born becomes one hundred kilos in six months. Such a speedy growth is due to the abundance of the growth hormone. The growth hormone that is taken through pork causes tissue swelling and infection in the body. It causes the nose, chin, hand and foot bones to grow abnormally and the body to fatten.  The most effective aspect of the growth hormone is that it paves the way for cancer. As a matter of fact, pig slaughterers state that male pigs get cancer after a certain age. 

SKIN DISEASES

Substances known as histamine and imidazole in pork cause excessive itching. They also pave the way for infectious skin diseases such as eczema, dermatitis and neurodermatitis.  These substances also increase the risk of boils, appendicitis, gall bladder diseases, venal and arterial infections. Therefore, doctors advise heart patients not to eat pork.

A REMINISCENCE

German doctor, Prof. Dr. Reckeweg, narrates one of his reminiscences in his book called "Pork and Human Health":

"I went to the farm of a family which was off the road for medical examination. The father had acute arthrosis (a degenerative joint disease) and coxarthrosis (hip joint disease). He also had a liver disease. The woman had varicose veins and eczema, which caused harassing itching. The daughter suffered from cardiac insufficiency and rheumatism. Their son, who seemed to be the healthiest one among them, suffered from cardiac insufficiency after angina and furuncle. The other son had hairs like pig and acute pleurisy; he also suffered from recurrent fistula excretion.

During my medical examination in the farm house whose inhabitants and their diseases I have mentioned above, I witnessed something very strange. A big pig was leaning against a branch of a tree and scratching its back near the family members. İ said to them, “Do you see that pig there? You eat the substances that cause the pig to itch and that cause infections when you eat pork. The only cause of your diseases is those substances.”

“Some of those other farmers living near Dark Woods got rid of most of their diseases by taking my advice and giving up eating pork. Now there are herds of sheep like the ones in the Islamic countries on the meadows around those farms.”

PORK AND TRICHINA

One of the most dangerous diseases that pork infects man with is trichina. Pigs catch this disease by eating mice and pork that contain trichina. However, trichina does not cause a big problem in pigs. Nevertheless, it causes a very dangerous and fatal disease in human beings. The trichina worms ingested through pork pass into the blood through the stomach and intestines. Thus, they spread all over the body. Trichina worms particularly settle in muscle tissue in the jaw, tongue, neck, throat and chest regions. They lead to paralysis of the chewing, speech and swallowing muscles. They also cause vein obstructions, meningitis and brain infections. Severe cases may even end in death. The most dangerous aspect of the disease is that there is no definite cure for it. Trichina is common especially in European countries. Trichina outbreaks have been observed in Sweden, Britain and Poland, despite strict veterinary controls. In Turkey, trichina outbreaks have never been seen except among Christians living in Turkey.

FOOD AND HUMAN CHARACTER

Humans and animals are influenced by the food they eat to a certain extent. For instance, it is known that carnivorous animals like cats, dogs and lions are fiercer and herbivorous animals like sheep, goat and camel are obedient and meek. The same thing is valid for humans. It has been determined that people who eat vegetables are generally gentle and those who eat meat and meat products are harsh. The pig is the only animal that is not jealous of its female partner. It has been observed that the feeling of jealousy is weakened or eliminated in those who eat pork. Giving a lot of importance to the effect of feeding on character, Savorin, a French philosopher said, "Tell me what you eat, I will tell you who you are."

LEGITIMATE (HALAL) FOOD IS ENOUGH FOR HUMAN NEEDS

Our Lord created many kinds of food for us. However, He prohibited us from eating and drinking some harmful kinds of food because He has endless compassion and mercy. He does not place on a slave a burden greater than he can bear. His orders and prohibitions can be easily carried out. What will man lose if he does not drink alcohol and does not eat pork?

This article, written by Prof. Dr. Selahattin Salimoğlu,  is quoted from  the book "Merak Ettiklerimiz 1 (Prof. Dr. Adem Tatlı)". Cihan Yayınları, ISTANBUL; ISBN 975 - 7486 - 13 - 2)

Main characteristics of Islam that distinguish it from other religions are as follows:

1- Islam addresses all centuries and all people; its principles meet all needs of humanity.

This universal characteristic of Islam is pointed out as follows in the Quran:

"We have not sent thee but as a (Messenger) TO MEN, giving them Glad tidings, and warning them (against sin)." (Saba', 28)

"O Muhammad! Say: "O men! I am sent UNTO YOU ALL, as the Messenger of Allah." (al-A'raf, 158).

2- Islam is a religion of easiness and simplicity.

In Islam, people are not demanded to do things that they cannot do or will have great difficulty in doing. 

The principles of easiness and simplicity of Islam are stated as follows in the Quran:

"On no soul doth Allah place a burden greater than it can bear..."

(al-Baqara, 286).

"Lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear..."

(al-Baqara, 286).

"Allah intends every facility for you He does not want to put you to difficulties..."

(al-Baqara, 185).

While the Quran clarifies that Islam is a religion of easiness and simplicity, the Prophet introduces the following principles in his hadiths:  

"I was sent only as mercy for all creatures. I was not sent for torture or causing troubles..."

"Allah did not send me as a person to cause trouble and hardship or a person to wish them. He sent me as a teacher and to make things easy..."

"The best of your religions is the one that is the easiest. There is no doubt that religion is easiness..."

"Keep away from what I prohibited and do what I ordered as much as you can. The ummahs before you were destroyed because of the abundance of their problems and conflicts against their prophets."

"Do good deeds as much as you can. Allah will not get tired of giving you rewards unless you get tired of worshipping."

"Make things easy; do not make things hard. Give good news; do not make people afraid."

Hz. Aisha reported the practice of the Messenger of Allah regarding the issue as follows:

"When the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was left free to choose between two things, he would choose the easier one unless it was a sin. If something was a sin, he would definitely keep away from it the most among all people."

The hadiths above show what easy decrees to practice Islam contains. This easiness has a great place in the fact that it is a universal religion and it will exist until Doomsday. 

Some examples from the practices of Islam showing that our religion is a religion of ease:

In our religion, it is necessary to make wudu with water. However, when there is no water or when there is the risk of becoming ill because of very cold water, tayammum is made with soil. Soil replaces water. 

- Our religion provides convenience to travelers and lets them perform 4-rak'ah prayers as 2-rak'ahs due to some reasons like tiredness, lack of time, etc.  

- It is fard to stand while performing prayers. However, those who are too weak to stand can perform prayers by sitting. 

- It might be difficult for ill people and travelers to perform fasting in Ramadan. Therefore, our religion leaves them free to perform fasting or to eat. It is not a sin if they do not perform fasting. They can fast when they get better or when they return from the journey.

- If there is a risk like an epidemic, war, etc, the Muslims who have to perform hajj can postpone their hajj until the risk is over.

3 - All of the decrees of Islam are reasonable. There is nothing that is contrary to reason and logic in Islam.

The most important property of man which distinguishes him from other beings is the mind. Man thinks about other things, distinguishes the good from the bad and makes a choice between what is right and wrong thanks to his mind.

Therefore, the mind and the people who are wise are mentioned in about 70 verses in the Quran. The phrases "Do they not hear?", "Do they not understand?" are often used.

Being sane is necessary for being responsible in our religion; therefore, those who are not sane are not held responsible.

When the people who did not believe in Hz. Prophet said to him, "Show us some miracles so that we will believe in Allah and accept that you are a prophet", Allah did not like what they said and asked them to observe the earth and the skies and meditate on them in order to believe in His existence instead of demanding to see miracles.  The following is stated regarding the issue in the Quran:

"Behold! In the creation of the heavens and the earth; in the alternation of the Night and the Day; in the sailing of the ships through the Ocean for the profit of mankind; in the rain which Allah sends down from the skies, and the life which He gives therewith to an earth that is dead; in the beasts of all kinds that He scatters through the earth; in the change of the winds, and the clouds which they trail like their slaves between the sky and the earth;― (here) indeed are signs for a people that are wise." (al-Baqara, 164)

Hz. Anas, one of the notables of the Companions, praised someone in the presence of the Messenger of Allah while mentioning him. The Messenger of Allah asked Anas:  

- How is his mind (intelligence)?

Hz. Anas said:

- O Messenger of Allah! His worship, ethics and virtues are very good. The Messenger of Allah asked again:

- How is his mind (intelligence)? Hz. Anas said:

- O Messenger of Allah! We are mentioning his worship, virtues and charities but you are asking about his mind. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah said:

- A stupid worshipper can be deceived by Satan easily and commit more sins than a sinner due to his ignorance. People can approach Allah in accordance with their minds.

The hadith above, which is reported in Mawardi's "Adabu'd-Dunya wa'd-Din" is very exemplary and thought provoking in that it shows the importance given to the mind in Islam.

Some other hadiths regarding the mind are as follows:

"A person who has no mind has no religion."

"Allah does not like a believer who does not think."

"If a person's mind is not sound, his religion will not be sound..."

"Paradise has 100 degrees. 99 degrees are for those who are sane; 1 degree is for the others..."

"O Ali! When people approach Allah through various good deeds, you approach Him with your mind."

"Allah did not create anything more valuable and honorable than mind."

4 - Islam abolished and eliminated the class differences, inequalities and privileges that were present in every era and introduced the principle that people had no difference in terms of origin.

The following is stated in the Quran:

"O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female." (al-Hujurat, 13).

The Prophet stated the following:

"Human beings are sons of Adam. Allah created Adam out of the dust of the ground."

Thus, Islam states that all human beings come from the same parents and that no one can claim to be superior to others by nature.

Islam regards people to be equal like the teeth of a comb in the presence of law. Islam does not give any importance to the difference of race, color and language; it states that what makes man valuable and makes him superior to other people is the fear of Allah in his heart and the degree of his belief. The Prophet states the following regarding the issue:

"O people! Do not forget that your Lord is one (the same) and that your father is one. An Arab is not superior to a non-Arab, a non-Arab is not superior to Arab, a white person is not superior to a black person and a black person is not superior to a white person in any aspect other than taqwa (fear of Allah)."

Thus, our religion regards everybody equal in terms of law; it does not give importance to the worldly superiority and temporary titles; it takes into account the inner world of man rather than his outward appearance. 

Judaism gives importance to bodily pleasures and material benefits. It encourages its followers to give importance to the world ambitiously. Christianity and Hindu religions gives importance to the development of the spirit, weakening the desires of the soul by inflicting pain on the body and neglecting the worldly life. However, Islam establishes a balance between the spirit and the body, the world and the hereafter. It gives equal importance to both of them; it aims to meet the needs of both of them separately.   

The following verse of the Quran expresses the balance between the world and the hereafter in Islam in the best way: "Our Lord! Give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter."

Islam does not give much importance to the world to the detriment of the hereafter or to the hereafter to the detriment of the world. 

Islam states that the hereafter will be obtained in this world and asks people to work for the world as if they will never die and to work for the hereafter as if they will die tomorrow. 

6- There is no class of clergymen in Islam. Everybody has to learn his religion as much as they can. In Islam, there is no privileged, distinguished class that will work as an intermediary between the slave and the Creator for worship and that will make people confess their sins. 

7- Islam is a religion of ethics and virtues and it is the guard of science, knowledge and truth in the strict sense.

Jesus did not die.

Like all prophets, Jesus called people to the truth and asked them to believe in the existence and oneness of Allah and to serve and worship Him.

He never showed any hesitation in his duty and he never felt scared and worried. He was persistent and loyal about his cause. As Hz. Isa continued to fulfill his duty of conveying the message of God, the jealousy and hatred of Jews increased. In the end, they resorted to a trick in order to kill him; they started to apply their plan. They sent a hypocrite called Tatianos to his house.

They surrounded his house with a group of 4 thousand people. When Tatianos entered the house, he could not find Jesus at home. While he was going out to tell them that Jesus was not at home, God Almighty made his face resemble the face of Jesus. When Jews saw him, they thought he was Jesus and caught him. Though he said he was not Jesus, they did not listen to him. Then, they crucified him.

Yes, Jesus is alive; he is not dead. There are several hadiths stating that Jesus will descend on the earth at the end of time.  A hadith reported by Jabir bin Abdullah in Muslim is as follows: “One group from my ummah will continue to support and serve the truth until the Day of Judgment. Finally, Jesus, son of Mary, will come. The leader of Muslims will say to him: “Come and lead the prayer.” Jesus will say: “No, some of you are leaders of others as a grace of Allah.” 

Explaining and interpreting this hadith and similar ones in his book called Mektubat, Badiuzzaman attracts attention to the following issues: At that point, when the current of irreligiousness appears to be very strong, the religion Christianity will approach its essence, that is, oneness; it will be purified of superstition and distortion, and unite with Islam.

Christianity will in effect be transformed into a sort of Islam. Following the Qur’an, the When the real Christianity follows Islam, the true religion will become a mighty force as a result of Christianity joining it. Although defeated before the atheistic current while separate, Christianity and Islam will have the capability to defeat and rout it as a result of their union. There are great praises in hadiths about the end of time Christians who will realize this union.

As for the issue of Jesus descending on the earth physically, let us read about this issue from Mektubat: “...Then the person of Jesus (Upon whom be peace), who is present with his human body in the world of the heavens, will come to lead the current of true religion, as, relying on the promise of One Powerful Over All Things, the Bringer of Sure News has said. Since he has told of it, it is true, and since the One Powerful Over All Things has promised it, He will certainly bring it about.

Indeed, it is not far from the wisdom of an All-Wise One of Glory Who all the time sends the angels to the earth from the heavens, sometimes sends them in human form (like Gabriel appearing in the form of Dihya), and sends spirit beings from the Spirit World making them appear in human form, and even sends the spirits of most of the dead saints to the world with similitudes of their bodies, it would not be far from His Wisdom - even if he was not alive and present with his body in the skies of the world, and had truly died and departed for the furthest corner of the Hereafter - to clothe Jesus (Upon whom be peace) in his body and send him to the world, so to bring the religion of Jesus to a good conclusion; for such a momentous result. Indeed He promised it because His wisdom required it to be thus, and since He promised it, He will most certainly send him.

When Jesus (Upon whom be peace) comes, it is not necessary that everyone should know him to be the true Jesus. His elect and those close to him will recognize him through the light of belief. It will not be self-evident so that everyone will recognize him.”

The members of the divine religions like Judaism and Christianity are called "Ahl al-Kitab" (the People of the Book). The people of the Book are mentioned a lot in the Quran. The people of the Book are regarded as "unbelievers" because they do not accept the Prophet (pbuh) but they are not unbelievers in the sense of "deniers of Allah".

The Quran gives privileges to the people of the Book regarding some issues compared to the other unbelievers. For instance, it is permissible to marry the girls and women of the people of the Book and it is permissible to eat the meat of the animals slaughtered by them. (al-Maida, 5) This privilege is given to them because they are closer to belief compared to the other unbelievers. The Quran addresses them as follows:

"Say: 'O People of the Book! Come to common terms as between us and you: that we worship none but Allah; that we associate no partners with Him; that we erect not from among ourselves Lords and patrons other than Allah.'" (Aal-i Imran, 64) That is, let us not know each other as Lord, God. Let us evaluate all of our deeds based on the command of God and the consent of Allah. Let us be slaves of Allah. Let us know ourselves as His slaves. Let us be subject to one another based on this rule. (1)

The Quran states that the People of the Book take their scholars and priests to be their Lords. (at-Tawba, 31) When Adiy b. Hatam, who converted to Islam from Christianity, said, "O Messenger of Allah! We did not take them to be our Lords", the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

"They rendered haram what Allah rendered halal and they rendered halal what Allah rendered haram. This means taking them to be their Lords." (2)

In fact, it is not necessary to call a person "Lord" in order to take him to be Lord. (3)

The following verse expresses the way to follow while dealing with the people of the Book:
 
"And dispute ye not with the People of the Book, except with means better (than mere disputation) unless it be with those of them who inflict wrong (and injury): but say "We believe in the Revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down to you; Our God and your God is one; and it is to Him we bow (in Islam)." (al-Ankabut, 46)

In the verse, the People of the Book are dealt with in two groups:

1. The cruel ones.
2. The just ones.

We are ordered to deal with them in the best way. This approach will attract them to Islam and they will not have difficulty in adopting Islam because when they accept Islam they do not have to refuse Moses and Jesus. Thus, they will follow the religion of the last Prophet and they will be saved from being the members of a distorted religion.

The Quran states that Christians are closer to Islam than Jews:

"Strongest among men in enmity to the Believers wilt thou find the Jews and Pagans; and nearest among them in love to the Believers wilt thou find those who say: "We are Christians:" because amongst these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant." (al-Maida, 82)

History proves the verse above. The number of Jews that accepted Islam is very low. However, many Christians accepted Islam as a result of their research. The number of Christians that accepted Islam in Europe is more than hundreds of thousands. Many churches were transformed into mosques in Europe and they serve as Islamic centers now.   

The nice outcomes of Islamic activities in Christian countries are a reality; however, it is also a reality that the administrators in those countries have an attitude against Islam.  

God Almighty, who orders us to deal with the fair ones of the People of the Book in the best way, states the following about the cruel ones:

"Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger nor, acknowledge the Religion of Truth from among the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizyah with willing submission and feel themselves subdued.." (at-Tawba, 29)

The issue whether the characteristics mentioned in the verse“include all of the People of the Book or not?” is sometimes discussed. (4) It should not be ignored    that the verse does not say, "fight all of the People of the Book until they pay the Jizyah" but says, "fight those among the People of the Book with such and such characteristics." (5) The practices of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) were like that.  During the Makkah period of Islam, the Prophet (pbuh) sent some Muslims to Ethiopia, which was a Christian country, and said that they would be safe there. During the Madinah period, the Prophet entered into dialog with Jews and Christians, informed them about the religion of Islam and tried to persuade them. Some of the People of the Book accepted Islam as a result of these practices.

As it is stated in the Quran, "Not all of them (the people of the Book) are alike " (Aal-i Imran, 113). It is against the Quran and the historical reality to regard all of them to be in the same category.
 
The following verse does not prevent entering into dialog with them and having human relationships with them. "O ye who believe!take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: they are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guideth not a people unjust."(al-Maida, 51) As a matter of fact, to marry the girls and women of the People of the Book is permitted in the Quran. (al-Maida, 5)

Hamdi Yazır states the following related to the above-mentioned verse: Believers are not prohibited from doing Jews and Christians favors, befriending them and administering them; they are prohibited from being their close friends and accomplices because they cannot be real friends of believers. (6)

It is possible to summarize the issue as follows: It is something to have human relations with them and it is something else to admire their religions, customs and traditions; the former is not prohibited by the Quran but the latter is prohibited.

References:

1. Yazır, II, 1132
2. Razi, XVI, 37
3. Yazır, IV, 2512
4. Riza, X, 333; Qutub, III, 1631-1634
5. Ateş, III, 1133-1134
6. Baydawi, II, 211

Christianity is a religion that is originally based on revelation, that has a holy book and that is originally monotheistic; however, it was transformed into the belief of trinity afterwards. There are religious concepts like prophets, angels, the hereafter and qadar (destiny) in this religion but they are not understood and explained in the same way as they are in Islam.

In fact, Christianityis a religion that is based on monotheism. There are statements confirming this fact in the Bibles and other resources. Oneness of Allah is mentioned (John, V / 44). However, some phrases and figurative expressions in the same texts caused the emergence of the belief of trinity. Some writers of the Bible and the time period between Jesus and the time of writing the Bibles had an important role in this understanding. On the other hand, trinity is not expressed clearly anywhere in the holy book of Christianity.  However, some expressions like "I and the Father are one", "your father's spirit", "God's spirit" led to some interpretations that regarded Jesus and holy spirit as God along with God.

The first person to start these interpretations was Paul, who joined the disciples later. Paul, who is defined as "the greatest theologian during the time of Jesus", is known as the founder of the Christianity today. According to modern scholars, today's Christianity consists of the interpretations of Paul rather than the system introduced by Jesus. It can even be said that the centuries that followed based their religious beliefs on Paul's interpretations rather than the Bibles. Paul's suggestions focused on Jesus Messiah rather than God. According to him, Jesus was not only a human being but also a being revived by the power of God. 

As it is seen, today's Christianityis based onthe interpretations of Paul. Both theoriginal form of the religion and the Bible, their holy book, were distorted. Christianity is a distorted religion. Therefore, the Christianity adopted by the Christians living today and the Christianity mentioned by the Quran are completely different from each other.   

In the Quran, the word "Nasrani" is used for a Christian and the word "Nasara" for Christians. (Aal-i Imran, 3/67; al-Baqara, 2/62, 111, 113, 135, 140; al-Maida, 5/14, 18, 51, 69, 82; at-Tawba, 9/30; al-Hajj, 22/17). Christians are also addressed by the verses containing the phrase "Ahl al-Kitab" (the People of the Book) like the following verse:

"Say: "O people of the Book! come to common terms as between us and you: that we worship none but Allah; that we associate no partners with Him."(Aal-i Imran, 3/64)

According to the Quran, just like Jews, Christians did not keep their promise; therefore, enmity and grudge will dominate them until Doomsday. Hz. Muhammad (pbuh) is a messenger sent to them, too. He explained to them most of the things hidden by the People of the Book. However, Jews and Christians said they were "Allah's sons and beloved ones"; thus, they opposed Hz. Muhammad (pbuh). Jews regarded Uzayr and Christians regarded Jesus as God's son. They became unbelievers since they deified human beings. (al-Maida, 5/12-18; at-Tawba, 9/20) They acted contrarily to the essence of the religion of oneness by attributing sons to God. However, the following is stated in the Quran: 

"Say: He is Allah the One and Only; Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth, not nor is He begotten; And there is none like unto Him.."(al-Ikhlas, 112/1-4).

The Quran states that Jesus is Allah's slave and messenger and that he conveys the message of oneness.  (al-Maida, 5/46-47, 62-69, 72-77). In that case, the Christians who deify Jesus say, "Allah is one of three in a Trinity" (al-Maida, 5/72-75); thus, they deviate from the true path and move away from the line of oneness. Allah calls the Christians who move away from the principle of oneness to the origin of the religions, to oneness and the way of Islam. (al-Maida 5/46).

As it is stated above, Christianity is originally a true religion. Its prophet is Jesus and its book is the Bible. Jesus, who forms the focus of today's Christianity and the basis of Paul's theology, is God's slave and messenger. Jesus himself expresses it as follows:

He said: "I am indeed a servant of Allah: He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet; And He hath made me Blessed wheresoever I be, and hath enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live; (He) hath made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable; So Peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die and the day that I shall be raised up to life (again)"! (Maryam, 19/30-33).

Besides, The Christians who deified Jesus and his mother, forming the creed of trinity will be confronted with Jesus on the Day of Judgment; thus, the lies told by the Christians will be revealed once more. This issue is stated as follows in the Quran:

"Allah will say "O Jesus the son of Mary! Didst thou say unto men, `worship me and my mother as gods in derogation of Allah"? He will say: "Glory to Thee! never could I say what I had no right (to say). Had I said such a thing, Thou wouldst indeed have known it. Thou knowest what is in my heart, though I know not what is in Thine. For Thou knowest in full all that is hidden. Never said I to them aught except what Thou didst command me to say: to wit, `Worship Allah, my Lord, and your Lord'; and I was a witness over them whilst I dwelt amongst them; when Thou didst take me up Thou wast the Watcher over them and Thou art a Witness to all things." (al-Maida, 5/116, 117).

The Christianity in the period of the Prophet (pbuh) was distorted just like today's Christianity.

Then, today's Christianity is not the same as the Christianity conveyed by Jesus. They themselves made up the statements like ''the Christians call Christ the son of Allah." (at-Tawba, 9/30) and "and (they take as their Lord) Christ the son of Mary." (at-Tawba, 9/31).

Similarly, today's Christians have no relation with the Bible brought by Jesus. (al-Maida, 5/68) For, like Jewish scholars, Christian priests changed the decrees of the Book sent by Allah to them in return for some material benefits. (at-Tawba, 9/34)

Jesus Christ, who is created without a father as a miracle, is one of the four great prophets. At the age of thirty, he was given the prophethood; and after three years, God raised him to the heavens without being subjected to the assassinations of Jews

Jesus Christ, who is created without a father as a miracle, is one of the four great prophets. At the age of thirty, he was given the prophethood; and after three years, God raised him to the heavens without being subjected to the assassinations of Jews. He is also remembered with the name Messiah. It is explained that he was given this title because he healed illnesses by wiping, because Zechariah wiped him, because he will wipe the earth; i.e. he will cover it. As is narrated, Jesus Christ will again descend to the earth at the end of time and will be among the community of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

The claim that Jesus Christ was crucified.

When we look at the Gospels of present time, it is not possible to find a view upon which an agreement exists. According to the New Testament, Jesus Christ was faced with certain hardships in his legitimate and just cause, was accused of inciting the public and upon the insistent demands of Jews to crucify him, and the sixth Governor of the Province of Yahudiya of Roman Empire, Platus crucified him. In the Gospel of Luke, it is stated that Platus submitted to the wishes of Jews (1) and that he had Jesus Christ sentenced to death in the high religious court of Jews, Sanhadrin.

According to the Gospels, it is related that the place of Jesus Christ was not known, but that Yahuda Skaryot, who is one of the 12 Apostles, told his place for such a little amount as 30 silver coins and God made his figure resemble Jesus Christ (2).

The end of Jesus Christ, though, is disputed among Christians. While it is the common view that he was crucified, there are also the Christians who do not accept that he was, like the sects of Cerinthi and Tatianos. George Sale, who translated Qur’an into English, says, “Although some Christians say that the view that Jesus Christ was not crucified, was devised by Prophet Muhammad, this is not true. Such sects as Basilid, Cerinthi and Carpocrati were of the same opinion before. In his work the Travels of the Messengers, Photius said that this statement was written: ‘Jesus Christ was not crucified; another person was crucified in his stead. Because of this, he laughed at the ones crucifying him.’”

Other Christians, though, believe that he was crucified at the time of Platus and then was resurrected and lifted up to the heavens. Skaryot, who showed his place, was then sorry for his treachery and committed suicide. Christians have separated into three groups upon this issue. The group called Melkaiye believes that Jesus Christ was crucified both as a body and as a soul, but that this death did not affect his soul directly, rather through feelings and with touch. Another group called Yakubiya says that the essence of Messiah who is composed of two essences was crucified; and the third group called Nasuri believes that he was killed as a body; but his soul was raised up to the heavens. (3)

The end of Jesus Christ in Qur’an:

The views of Gospels and Christians about the end of Jesus Christ are shortly as is explained above. Qur’an makes very clear and definite explanations about this issue. Some verses about the issue:

“And they (the unbelievers) schemed (against Jesus), and God put His will into effect (and brought their schemes to nothing). God wills what is the best (for His believing servants) and makes His will prevail.

(It was part of His countering their scheme) when God said: "Jesus, (as your mission has ended) I will take you back (to Myself) and raise you up to Myself, and will purify you of (the groundless slanders of) those who disbelieve, and set your followers above those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection.” (4)

In another verse, the issue is further clarified and it is stated:

“And their saying "We killed the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, the Messenger of God " – whereas they did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but the matter was made dubious to them. Those who differ about this matter and about Jesus are indeed confused; they have no definite knowledge thereof, following mere conjecture; and they killed him not of a certainty.

But God raised him to Himself. God is All-Glorious with irresistible might, All-Wise.” (5)

In the verse, it is clearly explained that Jesus Christ was not crucified, but somebody was crucified mistakenly. Scholars explained this verse as follows: When Jews went to Jesus Christ with the intention of killing him; they could not find him, because God Almighty had raised him to the heavens. Jews got anxious and feared that the public would interfere and thus they caught someone and crucified him as Jesus Christ. Although the public knew the crucified man namely, they did not know him in person.

According to another view, Jews learned that Jesus Christ was in a house and went there in order to kill him. Their leader Yahuda sent a man named Taytayus inside to kill Jesus. God Almighty raised Jesus Christ to the heavens and made this man resemble him; and the Jews crucified this man instead of Jesus Christ.

Besides these narrations, it is related that one of the apostles made mischief and committed espionage; and then God made him resemble Jesus as a punishment and he was then crucified.

These narrations clearly shows that the Jews who tried to kill Jesus Christ could not succeed and that God saved him from their attacks and raised him to the heavens.

The descent of Jesus Christ on earth

The community of Mohammad (PBUH) is a community praised in many aspects. They are praised both in Quran and in the other Scriptures.

When Jesus Christ saw the praised qualities of this community, he prayed God to make him one of them and God accepted his supplication. It is for this reason that when the time comes, he will descend to earth as mucaddid-renewer of the religion. (6)

The learned concluded that it is established through the Book, the Sunnat-sayings of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) and agreement among scholars that Jesus Christ will descend to earth (7) and that this has become an issue of belief based on sound hadiths and that whoever denies it, will be judged as unbeliever. (8)

According to Shavkani, the hadiths announcing the descent of Jesus to earth amount to 29 and they reach the rank of soundness (9). There is the same record also in Sahih-i Muslim (10). He says:

“Like the hadiths narrated about the expected Mahdi and Dajjal, the hadiths about the descent of Jesus son of Mary has reached the rank of soundness.” (11)

In the Explanation of Quran by Ibn-i Kasir, while the truth that Jesus Christ is a sign of the Doomsday, which is mentioned in the 61st verse of Az-Zukhruf Surah, is explained; it is stated that the narrations announcing that he will be descended before the outbreak of the Doom have reached the degree of soundness. Sheikh Abdulfettah Abu Gudde also states that the narrations reporting that Jesus Christ will descend to the earth and will kill the Dajjal, have come to the degree of soundness (12). It is seen in Nazmu’ul-Mutanasir by the learned Muhaddith-scholar of hadith- Kittani (13) that he supports the same views.

In Fathu’ul Bari by Ibn-i Hacer, too, there is the account that the hadiths stating that the Mahdi will be among this community and that Jesus Christ will pray behind him are sound hadiths (14).

In his work Sherhu’l-Makasıd, Sadeddin Taftazani also states that there are many hadiths about the descent of Jesus and that they are sound in meaning. (15)

We see that in some hadiths and verses, signs of the Last Hour are explained. These are gathered under the heading of ‘The signs of the Last Hour.’ One of these signs is the descent of Jesus Christ to the earth. In other words, Jesus Christ will descend onto the earth before the doom breaks out. In one of his verses, God Almighty says, “Surely he (Jesus) (brought into the world without a father, and granted such miracles as reviving the dead) is a means to knowledge of the Last Hour.” (16) and thus points out this fact. In many of his hadiths, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) also made it known that Jesus Christ would descend onto the earth. Some of them are as follows:

“The Doom never breaks out unless you see the ten signs… One of them is the descent of Jesus Christ…” (17)

“I swear by God upon whose hand of Power my life lies that it is close that Jesus son of Mary will descend as a just ruler among you.” (18)

As is known, Jesus Christ is in the heavens and in the third layer of life. He does not need to eat and drink like us and is in no need of other human requirements; and leads a life of light like stars and angels. In accordance with the good tidings given by the Prophet: “Jesus Christ will come at the end of time; he will practice with the Shari’a of Muhammad.” (19), he will come as a human onto the earth.

As the divine wisdom necessitates that he descends onto the earth, so he must perform some very important duties. Let us list some of them:

The Activities of Jesus Christ

a. His following The Mahdi

When Jesus Christ comes, he will practice with the Islamic Shari’a. The Messenger of God, who says, “If Jesus Christ was alive, he would do nothing except follow me.” (20), clearly states in one of his hadiths related in Muslim that he will follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). (21)

Imam-i Nevevi says: “Jesus Christ will not come as a separate prophet to the community of Muhammad, but he will come in order to carry out the Shari’a of Muhammad.” (22).

Imam Rabbani also says that Jesus Christ will descend onto the earth and follow the Shari’a of Muhammad, the seal of the prophets. (23)

Kadi Ilyas also points out that it is established by authenticated hadiths that he will come in order to revive the principles of Shari’a abandoned by the public. (24)

As is known, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is the seal of the prophets, i.e. the last prophet. This being the case, it can only be thought that Jesus Christ comes not as a new prophet, but as a follower of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and that he will practice according to the Shari’a of Muhammad. The learned say:

“Jesus Christ is responsible for reviving and practicing the Shari’a of Muhammad. The only prophet to practice with Islam is Jesus Christ. He will come at a time when the religion will be looked down on and despised; he will perform his duty as a just ruler. Before sent to the earth, he would be equipped with every piece of knowledge about Islam under the circumstances of that time and when he comes, he will practice them.” (25)

The hadiths that Jesus Christ will pray behind the Mahdi (26) which are in the degree of soundness also show that he will follow Islam. There are many narrations about this issue. Some of them are as follows:

“The Mahdi becomes imam; and Jesus Christ conforms to him-that is, he prays while the Mahdi leads the prayer” (27)

In another hadith narrated in Bukhari and Muslim, it is stated that:

“What will you do when Jesus son of Mary comes among you and conforms to him in prayer, while your imam is one of you?”(28)

In a hadith present in Musnad, which Ahmad narrated from Jabir, it is stated:

When Jesus Christ was offered to lead the prayer saying, “Lead the prayer, o Spirit of God!” he says: “Let your imam go forth and lead the prayer.” (29)

In one of the narrations about the topic, it is stated:

“Among this community, there will surely be a group fighting for the truth until the time when Jesus son of Mary enters the Sacred House during the break of dawn. Jesus son of Mary comes beside the Mahdi. He is said, ‘Go forth, o prophet of God! Lead the prayer!’ He replies; ‘No, as a favor from God, you are rendered rulers over one another’” (30)

In a hadith from Ibn Maja, reported by Abu Umame, it is stated; when imamate-leading the prayer- was offered to Jesus Christ, he says, “You go forth; this duty is given to you”

Another narration about the issue is as follows:

“While the Mahdi is performing the morning prayer with believers, he will offer Jesus, who has just descended, to lead the prayer; and Jesus Christ will put his hands on his shoulders and say ‘The qamat-preparatory call to prayer- was issued for you; so you lead’ and finally the Mahdi will lead the prayer as an imam to Jesus Christ and to believers.” (31)

In the Commentary of Fiqhu’l Akbar Aliyyu’l-Kari, the issue is a little more clarified:

“Jesus Christ will meet the Mahdi. Meanwhile, the prayer will be performed. The Mahdi will signal Jesus Christ to lead the prayer, but Jesus will express his excuse saying ‘This prayer is performed for you’ and will say; ‘You deserve more than me to lead this prayer.’ In order for it to be clear that Jesus Christ conforms to the Shari’a of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), he will conform to the Mahdi (in prayer), and they will thus pray together.” (32)

All these narrations stating that ‘Jesus Christ will conform to the Mahdi in prayer’ show that he will submit to Islam. In other words, Jesus Christ will not come with a new religion. Besides, they also point out the alliance between Christianity and Islam; and the compliance with and the dominance of the truths of Qur’an. (33)

Another point in Jesus Christ practicing with the Shari’a of Muhammad (PBUH) is this:

“At the end of time, Jesus (Upon whom be peace) will come and will act in accordance with the Shari’a of Muhammad (PBUH),” indicates that at the end of time the religion of Christianity will be purified and divest itself of superstition in the face of the current of unbelief and atheism born of Naturalist philosophy, and will be transformed into Islam. At this point, just as the collective personality of Christianity will kill the fearsome collective personality of irreligion with the sword of heavenly Revelation, so too, representing the collective personality of Christianity, Jesus (Upon whom be peace) will kill the Dajjal, who represents the collective personality of irreligion, that is, he will kill atheistic thought.” (34)

b. His purifying Christianity from superstitions

Another important duty of Jesus Christ is to purify Christianity from certain superstitions, especially from trinity, and to transform this into oneness. Because it is not possible for the people who, in the face of the developments in knowledge and in humane and civilized feelings, take justice and truthfulness as essential to continue Christianity in its former form. It will either perish or will return to its original form and be purified from superstitions.

While Christianity, which undergoes certain revolutions, falls firstly into idolatry and then into complete deviation, some will have already neared to oneness and begun to breathe with it. From the First and the Second World Wars on, Christianity, which has undergone certain changes especially in the last years, has been experiencing the pains of transition from trinity into oneness. The magazine ‘Plain Truth’ issued by a Christian group and addressing eight million people can clearly say that trinity was added into Christianity afterwards. Many a pious Christian can state that they did not hesitate to acknowledge the prophethood of Muhammad (PBUH). Does it not show that a great distance has been covered on this way that even in such a place as Vatican, the head of the Department of Relationships with Muslims, namely Michael Lelong, clearly explains this?

d. His eradicating unbelief

Jesus Christ wages a challenging war against unbelief. Unbelief cannot find in itself the strength to stand up against him. According to the hadith, “every disbeliever who feels his breath will die; and his breath will reach up to the furthest point within sight.” (35) In other words, as he has taken the vitalizing truths of Islam as his cause, no view of unbelief will find support against these sound truths, and finally will have to be demolished.

That Jesus Christ eradicates unbelief means that he will devastate the Dajjal who is the representative of unbelief and his ramshackle system based on unbelief and his collective personality.

c. His establishing peace

Jesus Christ, who stays on earth for forty years as a just ruler (36), will also establish peace-and as peace is established-people will use swords as scythe. (37)

In his time, swords will be put into their sheaths and there will be no need to use weapons.

While Jesus Christ eradicates unbelief, which is the source of every kind of evil, during his stay on earth, he will put faith, which is the source of all beauties, in its place. Thus, justice, equality, abundance, peace, and bliss, which are the requisite of faith, will blossom. These facts are each pointed out in narrations. When he comes, “enmities, fights, and jealousies will vanish” (38), the atmosphere of real peace and bliss will be formed, and “Just a single prostration will be seen worthier than the world and the things in it.” (39)

At that time, people will improve, their faiths will be strengthened, and they will run for good deeds to such a degree that they will value a single prostration more than the world and anything in it. (40)

This hadith is also very interesting in showing the spiritual atmosphere of that time:

“Jesus son of Mary will be among my community; he will be a just ruler and imam. He will break and crush the cross and will kill the swine. He will abolish jizya-the tax taken from non-Muslims under Islamic rule-, and will not touch zakat- distribution of one fortieth of one's income as alms performed by Muslims (one of the five pillars of the Islamic faith). No official of zakat will be recruited over herds of sheep, goat and ox or that of camel, any longer. Enmity and hatred will be removed. Poison of every poisonous animal will be removed. Moreover, a small male child will put his hand into snake’s mouth, but it will not hurt him. The wolf will be like the sheep dog in the herd of sheep and goat. Just as a bowl is filled with water, so will the earth be full of peace. There will also be a unity of religion and no one except God will be worshipped any more. And the equipments of war (weapons and the like) will be cast away.” (41)

In another narration present in Muslim, it is said: “he will kill the swine, break the cross and abolish the jizya” (42)

Breaking the cross as is stated in this and other narrations indicates that Jesus Christ will purify Christianity from superstitions which contradict with reason, sciences, and truths and with which Christianity was distorted. Thus, he will turn it into Islam and save it from trinity.

That he will abolish the jizya shows that at his time, there will be abundance in properties. When he comes, properties will become abundant to such a degree that there will be no need even to take the jizya. Some also interpret that they will accept Islam; because the jizya is not taken from Muslims.

Such expressions as ‘poisons will be removed from poisonous animals’, ‘the wolf and lamb wandering together’ are the signs of the atmosphere of peace; as in the expression ‘the weapons and equipments of war will be cast away.’

d. His killing the Dajjal

One of the biggest accomplishments of Jesus Christ is his killing the Dajjal. He will accomplish this with the Mahdi.

Just as the emergence of the Dajjal and his activities are tremendous, his being killed is important and pleasing as well.

As is narrated, when Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) ascended to Miraj, he talked with Jesus Christ; when the Dajjal was mentioned, Jesus said:

“My Lord informed me that the Dajjal would emerge. I will carry with me two arrows made out of the kadib tree. When the Dajjal sees them, he will melt like lead.” (43)

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) announced this truth:

“When the Dajjal, who is the enemy of God, sees Jesus Christ, he will melt just as salt melts in water. Even if Jesus Christ leaves him, he will melt until he is devastated. However, God will kill him with the hand of Jesus Christ in person.” (44)

Other narrations are as follows:

“Jesus Christ will descend from the heavens, will kill the Dajjal or will help the Mahdi to kill him.” (45)

“The Mahdi will emerge with Jesus Christ; will kill the Dajjal in the territories of Palestine in Bab-i Ludd; or will help the Mahdi to kill the Dajjal.” (46)

How will this truth manifest itself?

First, the Dajjal emerges, and starts performing his activities he planned step by step. Then a painful period starts. Utterly troublesome days are experienced. (47)

In his period, believers suffer severe troubles and famine. They are forced to take refuge in the Pass of Afiq or in the Hill of Duhan in Damascus. Therefore, in such a period, Jesus Christ comes at the Morning Prayer time; when the Dajjal sees him, he melts the way lead melts. (48)

It is also interesting that the place where the Dajjal will be killed is the Pass of Afiq. Jesus Christ fought with the Satan there; and finally with the help of God, he became victorious. He will defeat the Dajjal in the same place and in the same fashion. (49)

Jesus son of Mary will descend onto the minaret in the East of Damascus, his two hands on the shoulders of two angels. Each unbeliever within reach of his breath will die. He will also search for and find the Dajjal and will kill him on the door of Ludd. (50)

As Ibn-i Kasir explains, Jesus Christ represents the truth. The time will come; the truth will be strengthened through him and it will defeat the Dajjalism. That the door of Ludd is especially mentioned in the hadith shows that Islam will defeat Jews (the Dajjal is also Jewish); because Jews, in the widest circle, represent the Dajjalism and Ludd is under their dominion. (51)

The Great Dajjal, who travels around the world in order to raise mischief and to establish dominance, and who shows certain wonders bestowed on him by God in order to lead him astray, will not be able to escape from Jesus Christ.

Narrations show that the Dajjal, who distorts spiritually wherever he treads on and whomever he visits and makes them a means of destruction to the social life and his followers will not be able to further continue their activities and will try to preserve the circumstances in the fourth phase. Jesus Christ will deal with him. He will kill the Great Dajjal.

How will this happen?

As is stated by Bediüzzaman, there are two aspects to this:

The First Aspect: It could only be a wondrous person with the power of miracles who could kill and change the way of the awesome Dajjal, who will preserve himself through wonders, bestowed on him by God in order to lead him astray, such as magic, hypnotic powers, and spiritualism, and will spellbind everyone. And that person will be Jesus (Peace be upon him), who is the prophet of the majority of mankind, and whom most people follow.

The Second Aspect is this: It will be the truly pious followers of Jesus who will kill the gigantic collective personality of materialism and irreligion which the Dajjal will form —for the Dajjal will be killed by Jesus’ (PUH) sword— and destroy his ideas and disbelief, which are atheistic. Those truly pious Christians will blend the essence of true Christianity with the essence of Islam and rout the Dajjal with their combined strength, in effect killing him. The narration: “Jesus (Peace be upon him) will come and will perform the obligatory prayers behind the Mahdi and follow him,” alludes to this union, and to the sovereignty of the Qur’an and its being followed. (52)

The religion of Christianity will progress toward the creed of only one God, having been saved from the creed of the trinity of God; will be purified from certain superstitions and nonsense, will transform into Islam, will submit to the Quran and they will eradicate the view of irreligion by gaining a great strength together.

However, everything will take place within the circle of causes; because we live in the world of causes. It should not be expected that these would happen in an extraordinary fashion. Not all the deeds of even Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) were wonderful. He would show miracles occasionally and when needed, and would behave normally at other times. Sometimes he was hungry, and sometimes he stood up against hardships.

We should not expect that all the activities of Jesus Christ would be extraordinary. He will surely show some wonders when needed. However, at other times, he will take the circumstances of the time into attention and will behave in an appropriate way, in the correct fashion; and at the correct place and time.

As it is known that the Dajjal is the representative of irreligion, that he has a committee, a system and a regime and that these have manifested themselves as communism; it should not be forgotten that the biggest struggle of Jesus Christ will be against irreligion, unbelief, and communism.

Therefore, will Jesus Christ eradicate irreligion and its mentality? Judging from the verse in the An-Nisa Surah: “Yet there is none of the People of the Book but will, before the moment of his death, (grasp the truth about Jesus and) believe in him” (53) some mufessirs-the scholars who explain the verses of Qur’an- state that the People of the Book will believe in Jesus Christ. In the explanation of this verse, Aliyyu’l-Kari says that when Jesus Christ descends onto the earth, the entire world will become a single community of Islam (54). Mehmed Vehbi Efendi, too, records that when the Dajjal emerges, Jesus Christ will descend from the heavens and kill him; and then all the communities will believe in Jesus Christ and the entire world will become the people of Islam. (55)

At the end of time, when materialism and naturalism strengthen and proliferate, and come to such a point as to deny God and when the Dajjal in person leads this committee; Jesus Christ starts his duty. At a time when this group who deny God and the religion, the true religion of Christianity which comprises the collective personality of Jesus (Upon whom be peace) starts struggle against this current of irreligion. By uniting with the Mahdi, they will kill the Dajjal. In other words, Christianity, which is purified from superstitions, and Islam reach an agreement and kill the Dajjal’s mentality of unbelief.

Bediüzzaman explains this situation with his own words:

“At that point when the current appears to be very strong, the religion of true Christianity, which comprises the collective personality of Jesus (Upon whom be peace), will emerge. That is, it will descend from the skies of Divine Mercy. Present Christianity will be purified in the face of that reality; it will cast off superstition and distortion, and unite with the truths of Islam. Christianity will in effect be transformed into a sort of Islam. Following the Qur’an, the collective personality of Christianity will be in the rank of follower, and Islam, In that of leader. True religion will become a mighty force as a result of its joining it. Although defeated before the atheistic current while separate, Christianity and Islam will have the capability to defeat and rout it as a result of their union. Then the person of Jesus (Upon whom be peace), who is present with his human body in the world of the heavens, will come to lead the current of true religion, as, relying on the promise of One Powerful Over All Things, the Bringer of Sure News has said. Since he has told of it, it is true, and since the One Powerful over All Things has promised it, He will certainly bring it about.” (56)

“An association deserving the title ‘Muslim Christians’ who are a self-sacrificing association of Christians trying to merge the true religion of Jesus Christ with the truth of Islam will-under the command of Jesus Christ-kill and scatter the committee of Dajjal which ruins the civilization and holy values of the humanity with the intention of denying God; and will save the humanity from disbelieving in God.” (57)

The real matter is not to kill the Dajjal in person, who may die because of a virus; but to kill his profession and the system of unbelief he devised. This point is clarified in Rays from the Risale-i Nur Collection:

“Also, since the strange circumstances and fearsome activities of the Antichrist’s regime, and the covert organization and government that he founds, have been narrated as referring to his person, their true meaning has remained obscure. For example, “He will be so powerful and long-lived that only Jesus (PUH) will be able to kill him; nothing else will be able to.”12 That is, it will only be a revealed, elevated, pure religion that will be able to overturn his way and rapacious regime, and eliminate them. Such a religion will emerge among the true followers of Jesus (PUH), and it will follow the Qur’an and become united with it. On the coming of Jesus (PUH) and emergence of the true Christian religion, the Antichrist’s irreligious way will be wiped out and will cease. The Antichrist’s person could otherwise be killed by a mere germ or by influenza.” (58)

When Jesus Christ kills the Dajjal, the majority of people will enter the true religion, the true religion will soundly show its existence, and the fact mentioned in the verse just stated will manifest itself.

Under the light of all this knowledge, we can say that Jesus Christ performs his activities one by one, basing them on the collective personality. The Dajjal and his committee, who try to spread irreligion, melted like ice before him and the Mahdi; and will continue to melt.

Isn’t it a kind of ratification and manifestation of these narrations that the communism which is an atheist regime and which oppressed the world for seventy years, which undermined the one thousand year-long products of Russia all of a sudden, and which left nothing of holy nature intact, finally ended in a pleasing doom?

Irreligion, which is contradictory to the creation and to the laws of God, was to die and so it did. Russia herself will not resist before this fact; because, we clearly see that this good news has started to realize, “Because of the strong awakening caused by two horrible world wars, absolutely no nation without religion can live, and Russians cannot stay without religion any longer. They cannot go back and become Christian, either. They can only make peace with or submit to Quran, which breaks up absolute unbelief, which is based on truths and proofs and which persuades both the mind and the heart.” (59)

e. His killing Jews

“The Dajjal will come with seventy thousand Jews along with himself. All of them will be equipped with embellished swords and will be wearing green shawls. When the Dajjal looks at Jesus Christ, he will melt the way salt melts in water and begin to run away. And Jesus will say to him: “I will deal such a blow to you, you won’t be able to escape from it.” and will catch up with him on the eastern door of Ludd and will kill him. God will also defeat Jews. There will be no creature, any more which will not be made to speak by God when a Jew hides behind it. There will be no stone, no tree, no wall, and no animal, which will not say, “O Muslim slave of God! Come and kill him.” Except only for the tree called ‘Gharqad’. It is the tree of the Jews. It will not speak.” (60)

In another hadith recounted in Muslim, it is stated:

“The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him; but the tree Gharqad would not say, for it is the tree of the Jews.” (61)

Does that communism, which is a regime of irreligion, receives a blow not mean that the Jews who have made mischief over earth all through the history, who are notorious for their tricks and mischief and who have wrought communism upon our world in our age receive a blow?

Since the mischief of this nation which, as is stated in Qur’an, deserved the punishment of God and which is labeled ignoble and poor is in such a dimension as to far exceed all the mischief they made before; as we suppose, they have become deserving the divine punishment in accordance. Time will show when and how the Jews, who received an unforgettable blow with the downfall of communism, will suffer the other punishments they deserve.

f. His being a means to abundance and fertility

In one of his hadiths, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says: “How fortunate the life after the Messiah is!” and he explains the reason for this: When that day comes, the heavens pour down its rain, the earth grows its plants. This is to such an extent that even if you put the seed on a rigid stone, it grows.” (62)

This hadith shows that the abundance experienced at the time of the Mahdi will still continue afterwards.

These are just a few of the beauties achieved at the time of Jesus’ rule. One of these beauties is the abundance of property as is stated in a narration (63). It will become so abundant that there will be no one to accept it. (64)

As people head towards offering thanks, God will bestow on them his favors abundantly. Another important reason is that the money formerly spent for ammunition will be canalized into public service. Moreover, as technology develops and progress in agriculture and industry is made in that period, production will increase more and more.

Has Jesus Christ come?

Bediüzzaman says that Christianity will either disappear or will return to oneness by being purified from superstitions, and will stop the war against Islam.

His opinion is that the latter will happen. He relates the phases Christianity underwent up to this day on the way for its realization:

“Again and again it was torn, neared to Puritanism; but saw no benefit there. The veil was torn again, it fell into absolute deviation. Some, though, neared to Oneness; and it will see benefit there, It is already getting ready… Starting to be torn. If it perishes not, will find purity and will merge with Islam. This is a great mystery, the sign of which is: The Honor of Prophets said: ‘Jesus will practice with my Shari’a and will be among my community.’” (65)

We have given above some examples about how this truth will take place. Bediüzzaman gives many examples about this issue in his works. In one of them, he says: “At the end of time, the true religion of Jesus Christ (upon whom be peace) will rule; will come shoulder to shoulder with Islam.” (66). As in the Period of Bliss-the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Qur’an invites the People of Book to come to a common word; to worship only God and not to attribute partners to Him (67). This verse has begun to take much effect in our time when compared to the past. In our time when ignorance and blind imitation have been left aside, and replaced by reason, knowledge, justice, and trustfulness, the Christian world has also begun to heed this commandment of Qur’an.

Having seen these days from the Period of Bliss, the Messenger of God declared: “At the end of time, the true pious Christians will establish alliance with the people of Quran-Muslims, and thus will stand up against the mutual enemy: the atheists.” (68) Another hadith about the issue: “In future, you will make peace with the Romans establishing security and will fight together against a mutual enemy.” (69)

In a hadith from Ibn-i Mace, it is stated that when wars arise, an army not of Arabic origin whose horses are the worthiest breed, whose weapons are the best will support Islam. (70) Might not this army be an army of a Christian state which has an advanced technology of war and which will support Islam at the time of big wars?

Bediüzzaman spoke highly of the internal opposing group, which dealt a fatal blow to Germany and Bolsheviks, and which, at the time of World War II, fought against Russia, the representative of communism, and which said: “Depending on God, I will do away with irreligion, and will protect Islam and Muslims; and said that they are kind of a representative of the collective personality of Jesus Christ. (71)

Neither Muslim nor Christian countries could fight communism on their own, which has been acting on behalf of atheism for seventy to eighty years. Therefore, alliance was inevitable. Foundations like NATO and CENTO emerged for this reason.

It was the due time. Having sensed this correctly, Bediüzzaman felt the need to remind both Muslims and pious Christians of certain truths:

“Now, Believers should form alliance not only with their Muslim brothers, but also with pious Christians and should not pay attention to points of disagreement and should not engage in a row, because the absolute unbelief attacks.” (72)

“Now, people of religion and truth need to form sincere alliance not only with their corelionist, coworkers, and brothers; but also with true pious Christians and should not pay attention to points of disagreement for the time being and should not engage in a row.”(73)

Missionaries, pious Christians, and servants of Qur’an should have paid great attention; because the current of unbelief spreading from the North was trying to spoil the alliance between Muslims and missionaries in order to defend itself against the assault of Islam and Christianity. This current could deceive and give them a privilege and thus attract Muslims by benefiting from the principles of Islam that Islam protected the public, that it made zakat obligatory and interest forbidden, and that it avoided cruelty. (74)

In the Second World War, there was communism on one side, the regime of irreligion and Christian countries on the other. Bediüzzaman said in the evaluation of that war from this perspective, “… Because with this World War, with the event of two states claiming the sovereignty over earth, the great fight between the horrible current of irreligion and heavenly religions began with the two great religions having appealed to the court of reconciliation in search of peace.” (75)

The situation was delicate. And the enemy was great and tremendous. However powerful the disagreeing side was, they could easily be overwhelmed with little power. Meanwhile, the current of the Dajjal was in action. Christians and Muslims had to be in alliance against this current. Bediüzzaman was saying:

“An important worry and consolation comes to my heart: The worry is that at the end of these fights, damage greater than World War I might bring about a brutality of Dajjal in Europe, the source and support of civilization. My consolation is that the complete awakening of the world of Islam, the New World accepting the true religion of Christianity as principles of action and forming an alliance with Islam, and the Gospel forming an alliance with Quran and submitting to it will stand up against the two oncoming horrible currents with a divine help and will defeat them with God willing.” (76)

This current of the Dajjal was nothing other than communism. From the creation of the world, there was never seen a second system which waged war in such a way against all religions and holy things taking the nonsense “Religion is opium.” as principle. This system far surpassing Namruts, Pharaohs and Shaddats in destruction has developed by swallowing whoever it was faced, grew in power and has invaded an important part of the world. At such a time, neither Muslims, who are the followers of the true religion nor Christians had the power to resist on their own. There was no way other than the alliance between Muslims and Christians.

Formerly, Christian states did not support the unity of Islam; however, since communism and anarchy emerged, both America and European states had to support the unity of Islam. (77)

The formation of Islam means the realization of the third one of the duties of the Mahdi, which is ‘faith, life and the Shari’a’, because the third duty of the Mahdi is to base the Caliphate of Islam on the unity of Islam and to make alliance with pious Christians and thus to serve Islam. This duty could be fulfilled with a very big sultanate, power, and millions of self-sacrificing people. (78)

On 13 December 1992, the Papacy issued a book of 627 pages. This book, which was distributed to all of the churches, sold 200 thousand just in France. In the book, Christianity is evaluated in the direction of Islam. In the book, which includes Al-Fatiha Surah, it is said:

“People must comply not with the rules made by humans, but with divine rules.”

In the book filled with the creed of oneness, trinity is handled in this way:

“There has remained no possibility of explaining the creed of trinity in accordance with the faith of one God. Jesus Christ is only a prophet who conveys whatever is revealed to him by God.”

Since 1967, the Papacy with the title of ‘The Head of the Council of Dialogue between Religions’ has been congratulating Muslims on their Ramadan Festival. The announcement they issued in 1992:

“Dear Muslim sisters and brothers!

We Christians who respect your adherence to fasting and prayer wish to work together in order to establish peace.

With the high feeling evoked by fasting through the Ramadan which is obligatory on you as Believers and Muslims, you well know and understand that it is not possible to establish true peace without the help and the light sent by God. This is God who is the sole Lord of peace and bliss.

We pray to God that He bestows upon us Muslims and Christians the power to endure hardships in establishing peace through mutual help and dialogue.”

In his message to the world of Islam on the occasion of the Ramadan Festival, in 1996, Cardinal Francis Arinze both congratulated Muslims on their festival and said that the relationships between Muslims and Christians should be improved and that the relations should come to a further and intimate degree more than tolerance. Arinze quotes these words of Pope Jean Paul: “We Christians and Muslims have generally misunderstood each other and sometimes opposed to one another and even consumed ourselves with polemics and wars.” and says: “It is time we saved our memories from the negative remnants of the past and we looked toward the future. Whoever upset the other must apologize regretfully. We must forgive each other mutually.” (79)

It is as if Jesus Christ performs his activities behind veils. So he did come. Surely as a requisite of the purpose of test, not everyone can recognize him. Only his close followers will be able to recognize him.

Footnotes

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1. The Gospel of Luke, 23.

2. Matthew, 26:14-16.

3. Elmalılı, Hak Dini Kur'an Dili, 3:1517-1518.

4. Al-‘Imran Surah, 54-55.

5. An-Nisa Surah, 157-158.

6. Canan, A.g.e., 14:74.

7. Said Havva, A.g.e., 9:336.

8. A.g.e., p. 420.

9. Ibni Mace, 10:338.

10. Muslim, 2:58.

11. Sıddık Hasan Han, es-Seyyid Muhammed Sıddık el-Kannucî, el-Izaa (Kahire: 1407/1986), s. 114; Said Havva, A.g.e., 9:335-336, 446.

12. Said Havva, A.g.e., 9:445.

13. Kittânî, A.g.e., s. 147.

14. Ibni Mâce, 10:338.

15. et-Teftazanî, Mes’ûd bin Ömer bin Abdillah, Şerhu'l-Makasıd (Istanbul: 1277), Hatime: 8; 2:307.

16. Zukhruf Surah, 61.

17. Muslim, Kitabu'l-Fiten: 39.

18. Bukharî, Spells: 102; Mezalim: 31; Prophets: 49; Muslim, Book of Faith: 242; Ebu Davud, Melahim: 14.

19. Bukhari, Cruelties: 31; Spells: 102; Muslim, Faith: 242-243; Ibni Mâce, Tricks: 33.

20. Müsned, 3:387; el-Fıkhü'l-Ekber Aliyyü'l-Karî Şerhi Terc., p. 284.

21. Müslim, Book of Tricks: 34.

22. el-Heytemî, A.g.e., p. 68.

23. Imam-ı Rabbanî, Mektûbât, 2:1309.

24. Ibni Mâce, 10:338.

25. Şârânî, Muhtasaru Tezkiretü'l-Kurtubî Trans., p. 500.

26. Said Havva, A.g.e., 9:338.

27. Sahih-i Bukharî Trans. 1:83 (H. 1406, 5:208); el-Fethu’l-Kebîr, 2:143.

28. Bukharî, Book of Prophets (The issue of the descent of Jesus): 60, 4:324; Muslim, 2:56.

29. Ibn-i Hacer, el-Feth, 6:491.

30. Muslim, Faith: 247; Suyûtî, Celaleddin Abdurrahman, el-Havî li’l-Fetâvâ, I-II (Beyrut: 1983), 2:83.

31. el-Heytemî, A.g.e., p. 64.

32. el-Fıkhu'l-Ekber Aliyyü'l-Karî Şerhi Trans., p. 284.

33. Said NursiThe Rays, p. 507.

34. Said Nursi, The Letters, p. 13.

35. Ibni Mâce, 10:323.

36. Musned, 2: 437; 6:75.

37. Musned, 2:482-483.

38. Muslim, Book of Faith: 243.

39. Bukharî, Spells: 102; Cruelties: 31; Prophets: 49; Muslim, Book of Faith: 242; Abu Davud, Melahim: 14.

40. Canan, A.g.e., (Istanbul: Feza Gazetecilik A.Ş., 1996), 14:73.

41. Musned, 2:437; Muh. Tezkiretü'l-Kurtubî, p. 498.

42. Muslim, Book of Faith: 243.

43. Abdullah bin Mes'ûd, Tefsîru Ibni Mes'ûd, p. 243.

44. Muslim, Book of Tricks: 34.

45. Kittânî, A.g.e., p. 145.

46. Book of Proofs, p. 105.

47. Musned, 6:125, 435; Muslim, Tricks: 110.

48. Musned, 3:368; 4:216-217.

49. Sarıtoprak, A.g.e., p. 128.

* Ludd, a town with a population of fifteen thousand, 68 km distant from Jerusalem.

50. Muslim, Tricks: 110; Tirmizî, Tricks: 59, 62; Ibni Mâce, Tricks: 33; Musned, 2:66; 6:455-456.

51. Ibni Kesir, Nihayetü'l-Bidaye, 1:158.

52. Said Nursî, The Rays, p. 506-507.

53. An-Nisa Surah, 159.

54. el-Fıkhu'l-Ekber Aliyyü'l-Karî Şerhi Trans., p. 284.

55. Mehmet Vehbi, Hülasatü'l-Beyan, 3-4: 1109.

56. Said Nursi, The Letters, p. 54.

57. Said Nursî, The Letters, p. 413.

58. Said Nursî, The Rays, p. 581.

59. Said Nursî, The Addition of Emirdag, 2:71.

60. Ibni Mace, Tricks: 33.

61. Muslim, Book of Tricks: 82.

62. el-Münavî, Feyzü’l-Kadîr, 4:275.

63. Muslim, Book of Faith: 243.

64. Tirmizî, 4:93; Ibni Mâce, 10:340.

65. Said Nursî, The Words, p. 723.

66. Said Nursî, The Addition of Kastamonu, p. 111.

67. Al-‘Imran Surah, 64.

68. Said Nursî, The Booklets of Sincerity, p. 24.

69. Tac Translation, H. 960; Ibni Mâce, H. 4089.

70. Ibni Mâce, H. 4090.

71. Said Nursî, The Addition of Kastamonu, 53-54.

72. Said Nursî, The Addition of Emirdag, 1:206.

73. Said Nursî, The Booklets of Sincerity, p. 24; The Flashes, p. 151.

74. Said Nursî, The Addition of Emirdag, p. 159.

75. Said Nursî, Sikke-i Tasdik-i Gaybî, p. 191.

76. Said Nursî, The Addition of Emirdag, 1:53.

77. A.g.e., 2:54.

78. Said Nursî, Sikke-i Tasdik-i Gaybî, p. 11.

79. 17 February 1996, Yeni Asya.

The things that are definitely forbidden to do, use, eat, drink by our religion are haram; for instance, drinking alcohol, gambling, committing fornication, killing a person, backbiting and slandering... If something or a deed is rendered haram due to the harm, evil and dirt that it intrinsically possesses, it is called haram liaynihi or lidhatihi; for instance, pork and wine. If something is rendered haram not because of its own nature or quality but because of an external reason like the way of obtaining it, it is called haram lighayrihi (indirectly); for instance, stolen bread, grabbed money...

WHAT IS ISLAM?

Literal Meaning of the Word Islam

Literally, Islam means to surrender, to submit and to obey. This religion is called Islam because it is a religion based on surrendering to the commands of Allah and obeying them. 

Terminological Meaning

It is a way of life, a system based on creed and deeds to make people attain bliss both in the world and in the hereafter, sent by Allah and conveyed to people through prophets. Islam is a divine law that lead people who have minds to good things based on their own choices. 

The Content of Islam

The meaning of Islam is to surrender: to surrender to the commands and prohibition of Allah. Islam is not in question without surrendering to the decrees of Allah. (see al-An'am, 162 and an-Nisa, 65) Man is a slave that Allah created.

Since Allah encompasses everything with His knowledge and since He has wisdom, the necessity of slavery is to surrender to Him. The laws of life make it necessary for man to surrender to Allah because it is Allah who knows these laws and man best.

The universe and everything in it obey the laws of that Creator. Therefore, the religion of the whole universe is Islam. The sun, the moon and the stars are all Muslims. Since Islam means to obey Allah and to surrender to Him, we see that all those beings obey Allah without rebelling. That is, we witness that they surrender and that they are Muslims.

“Do they seek for other than the Religion of Allah?―While all creatures in the heavens and on earth have willing, or unwilling, bowed to His Will (accepted Islam), and to Him shall they all be brought back." (Aal-i Imran, 3/83)

In the verse above, the surrendering of the beings in the sky and on earth is given as an example and man is addressed as follows: "O man! You should surrender like them." As Hz. Ali (ra) puts it, "Islam is submission and surrendering." A person who does not surrender to Allah is not regarded as a Muslim. Man is regarded to be the slave of the being to whom he surrenders. Islam is a manifestation and reflection of belief. Can surrendering without belief, that is, Islam without belief be possible? Even if it is possible, it is not something that is acceptable. Munafiqs (hypocrites) are people that surrender without belief. Today, the people who introduce themselves as Muslims though they have not believed as it is necessary, they have not accepted the decrees of Allah heartily and they adopt other ideologies (religions) are included in this group. For a valid Islam (surrendering), it is necessary to surrender to the Sharia'ah of Allah willingly, fully and without any conditions.

If man surrenders to Allah with his own free will and choice, and lives like a Muslim by choosing Islam, he will live in peace and in harmony with the universe since he has surrendered to the same being as the universe has surrendered. Thus, such a person becomes the vicegerent and representative of Allah on earth.

WHAT IS ISLAM?

It is not possible to define the religion of Islam briefly but comprehensively. Its comprehensive definition can be made only by the definition of the Quran and the Sunnah because the content and the boundaries of Islam are determined by the Quran and the Sunnah. Islam can be learned from the Quran and the Sunnah. Allah has made this religion perfect and comprehensive in all aspects. There is no unexplained issue in Islam. It has been made clear whether something is permissible, haram (forbidden), maruh (abominable), sunnah, fard (obligatory) or wajib (necessary); the decree about any deed or belief has been made clear. There is definitely a decree about belief, worshipping, politics, social issues, economy, war, peace, law or any issue related to man in Islam; or, mujtahids make a judgment about it basing their decision on the Quran and the Sunnah. Allah explains this property of the Quran as follows:

"We have sent down to thee the Book explaining all things." (an-Nahl, 16/89 and also see Yusuf, 111)

Mujtahid scholars make judgments about the issues whose decrees are not stated clearly in the Quran and the Sunnah basing their decisions on the Quran and the Sunnah.

The Prophet (pbuh) defined Islam in various ways. One of those definitions is as follows:

"Islamis based on five principles: To testify that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad (pbuh) is His Messenger, to perform prayers, to pay zakah (alms), to perform Hajj and to observe fast during the month of Ramadan." (Bukhari, Iman 1; Muslim, Iman 22; Nasai, Iman 13; Tirmidhi Iman 3)

The hadith above states that Islam is based on those five principles. What we need to pay attention to is the fact that those five principles are fundamentals of Islam but they do not form the whole Islam. We cannot say that a house consists of its foundations only; similarly, it is wrong to say that Islam consists of those five principles only. A person who reads the Quran will see that ethics, economy, social issues, peace, war, goodness, evil etc. are mentioned along with those five principles in the Quran. Islam consists of a foundation and a building. The foundation consists of those five principles. The building consists of other decrees of Islam related to human life. The duty of a Muslim is to know Islam as a whole and to practice it as a whole.  

Under the light of the famous hadith above, we can divide the foundations of Islam into two: belief, which is summarized with the words of testimony and righteous deeds, which are mentioned as four deeds due to their importance. Islam is the belief that originates from kalima ash-shahada (words of testimony) and the principles of belief. Islam is worship that appears with prayer, zakah, fasting and hajj. They are called the principles or foundations of Islam. The remaining parts of Islam are the building that is established on these foundations. The elements that form this building are Islam's systems of life: political system, economic system, military system, social system, education system, etc. Islam also has sanctions to ensure its sovereignty. (Sanction means the force ensuring that laws and ethical commands are fulfilled; it means a rule related to enforcement) These sanctions are jihad, enjoining what is good and prohibiting what is bad, natural penalties and the divine penalties given by Allah both in the world and in the hereafter. Thus, Islam is belief, worship, life systems and sanctions. 

WHAT IS ISLAM?

Islam means surrendering of man to Allah with his inner and outer self, with his heart and body, mind and conscience, desire and hatred, feelings and sensitivities. Islam means to save one's heart, mind, body, inner and outer self from all kinds of influences except Allah. Islam is a general system, a program of human acts that imposes commands through laws and revelation related to all aspects of life and   that is declared and conveyed by the Prophet.  Those who obey this program are rewarded and those who do not are punished. Islam is the whole of decrees sent down by Allah, creed, worship, ethics, muamalat (transactions) and all of the news in the Quran and the Sunnah.

The opposite of Islam is Jahiliyya (ignorance). (Jahiliyya is the common name of all kinds of unbelief outside Islam as a belief and lifestyle. It means unbelief. ) Ignorance is definitely against every part of Islam.  As Hz.  Umar puts it, "When those who do not know Islam and Ignorance appear, the knots of Islam are untied one by one." Islam is against Ignorance in all details because every part of Islam is a work of Allah's knowledge that surrounds everything.  Every view and movement that is against Him is definitely Ignorance because it is the work of man's limited knowledge.  Besides, man's fancies and desires can overcome him and can show the good as bad and the bad as good.

"Do they then seek after a judgment of (the Days of) Ignorance? But who, for a people whose faith is assured, can give better judgment than Allah?” (al-Maida, 5/50)

When some people see the beauty and maturity in the acts, lifestyle or some systems of some of the people who follow the path of Ignorance, they feel doubtful. It is because something related to Islam can sometimes exist in Ignorance, too. That Islamic thing seems nice there, too. An ignorant person adopts that system because he does not know the truth of Islam. If that person knew the truth, he would understand that the partial good deeds that he saw in Ignorance belonged to Islam and would turn toward the source and the origin.    

There exists Islam and Ignorance in beliefs. There exist Islam and Ignorance in ethics, politics, teaching, war, peace and social issues. There exist Islam and Ignorance in all of the issues related to man, in all of the laws and rules. Ignorance in belief and worship is the most dangerous ignorance. Therefore, Allah forgets the people who do some deeds of ignorance but who have strong belief but He does not forgive the people whose belief and worship are those of Ignorance even if they have full Islamic ethics.

"Allah forgiveth not that partners should be set up with him; but He forgiveth anything, else to whom He pleaseth." (an-Nisa, 4/48)

Allah sent Islam as a whole. A person who takes it as a whole is a Muslim. A person who takes some of it and does not take the other part mixes Islam and Ignorance.

"Then is it only a part of the Book that ye believe in, and do ye reject the rest? But what is the reward for those among you who behave like this but disgrace in this life? -and on the Day of Judgment they shall be consigned to the most grievous penalty For Allah is not unmindful of what ye do." (al-Baqara, 2/85)

It is necessary for every Muslim to be purified of all of the customs and rules of Ignorance and take Islam as a whole. 

The Aim of the Religion of Islam

The decrees that Islam introduced aim the happiness of people. Those who act in accordance with these decrees will attain bliss both in the world and in the hereafter. Islam makes man attain happiness by improving his heart, mental thoughts and deeds. Since the happiness of the community depends on the happiness of the individual, the happiness of an individual means the happiness of the community. Islam introduced some decrees in order to realize this aim. They are called Shari'ah decrees  

Decrees of the Religion of Islam

The decrees of the religion of Islam are divided into four.

a) Belief (Decrees related to creed): They are the decrees that are related to the issues that man needs to accept and refuse in the religion of Islam. These decrees teach man what he needs to accept and refuse. By believing in the principles of belief, man takes his spiritual food, purifies his heart of wrong beliefs and gains his real value. 

b) Deeds: Deeds are the actions that man performs. They are the actions that need to be done or not to be done. The decrees that explain what deeds should be done under what conditions and how deeds become valid are called practical deeds; for instance, to pray, to pay zakah (alms), to make jihad, to learn knowledge.

c) Ethics: They are decrees that explain states and actions, attitudes and Islamic and human relations. They are decrees that are related to beautifying ethics and educating conscience; for instance, not cursing or telling lies, wanting things that one wants for himself also for others.

d) Law [Muamalat (Transactions), Uqubat (Penalties)]: They are the decrees that are outside the issues like belief, ethics and private deeds and that are related to governing the state, ruling the community, economic issues, marriage, divorce, inheritance, commercial and political affairs; in short, they are all of the decrees that determine the laws and rules of the Islamic state. 

Islam is not an indispensible part of human life but the whole of it with all aspects. Islam encompasses and determines man's twenty-four hours and all of the issues from birth to death.  Islam is the whole of man's life. It is a whole with its belief, worship and law. It cannot be divided or synthesized with something else. It does not accept removal and addition, and superstitions.  It is a perfect system completed by Allah.

General characteristics of Islam

1) Divinity: (Belonging to Lord; being divine) Islam is the true and divine religion. It is based on revelation. Its aim and purpose is divine. The pleasure (consent) of Allah is an indispensible aim for a Muslim. The source and method of Islam is divine, too.

2) Humanness: (Harmony with human nature) The Quran was sent to human beings, and prophets were chosen among human beings. Islam gives man and human mind great importance; and it has imposed decrees.  According to Islam, man was created on earth in the best way and as the vicegerent; he was made a distinguished being with the spiritual element; and the universe was put at his disposal.  Islam does not neglect any power and energy groups. It leads all of them to improvement, work and development.  By undertaking the burdens that he can carry, man continues on his way in peace, security and tranquility.  These responsibilities are harmonious with man's nature.  They become integrated with the sound of man's heart and conscience. It aims to improve his nature.  All of the decrees of Islam are oriented toward happiness in the world and in the hereafter. 

3) Comprehensiveness and universality: Islam is so long as to cover eternity, so wide as to encompass the whole mankind and so deep as to contain worldly and otherworldly affairs. Its message and decrees are related to the whole world and mankind.  It arranges all of the stages of human life, from the cradle to the grave and all fields of life. The teachings of Islam are also comprehensive. This comprehensiveness becomes manifest in belief, worship, imagination, ethics and virtues, and arrangements and laws. 

4) Moderation and balance:  Islam is a religion that has basic dynamics like balance, mildness, justice and moderation. It is away from excessiveness and deficiency.  It has no extremism. It does not let man go astray and be oppressed. The power of man is not sufficient to establish such a balanced system.  We can easily see the elements of moderation (justice and balance) in belief, worship, ethics and legislation. There is a balance between the world and the hereafter, matter and spirit, the rich and the poor.  It balances man's inside and outside, spirit and body, the individual and the community, women and men, the family and the nation. It determines their rights and duties towards one another in a balanced and harmonious way.

5) Clarity: The belief principles and religious concepts of Islam are plain and clear. They are easy to understand, explain and accept.  It is not refused by the mind and reason.   

6) Pure religion: It is a religion that cannot be distorted since it does not allow analysis and synthesis, removal and addition and since its source is sound and unchangeable. Its doors are closed to superstitions. It is the only true religion completed and accepted by Allah. 

7) Oneness (Tawhid): Islam is primarily a religion of oneness. It settles the perfect belief in Allah.  In Islam, the attributes of Allah cannot be associated with people and other beings.  It emphasizes that Allah does not resemble anyone. People and other beings cannot be deified. It is not possible to worship and pray any being except Allah.

8) Approving all prophets: A Muslim believes in all of the prophets sent by Allah. He does not discriminate among them. He accepts them as the messengers and slaves of Allah by keeping away from deifying them and inappropriate descriptions regarding Him.

9) Sovereignty belongs to Allah: It belongs to Allah to determine, laws and principles and to impose laws. Islam constitutes a community where decree, domination, sovereignty and authority are given to Allah and where there are no oppressors, oppressed people and slaves of slaves.

10) Sound source: The main source of Islam is the Quran. The Quran is a book that will not be distorted until Doomsday. All of the copies of the Quran in the world are the same.

11) Harmony with the universe: The universe and everything in it are regarded as Muslims since they surrender to and obey Allah. Man who accepts Islam and surrenders obeys the same rules in harmony with the universe. Thus, the effort and energy of man combine with the facilities of the universe. Islam does not make man conflict and fight with the natural powers in the universe.

12) It constitutes one community (umma): Islam constitutes a community (umma) that is harmonious and loyal and that acts in solidarity. The basic dynamics of this community, which comes together with the bond of creed and which does not discriminate among races, colors, countries and classes are fraternity, solidarity, equality, justice, advising truth and patience, spreading goodness and struggling against evil. It constitutes a virtuous and chaste community where bad characters and ugly traditions like fornication, prostitution, theft, injustice and interest are eliminated, where man's extreme desires for eating, drinking, housing and sex are prevented. Unbelievers are regarded as one nation; similarly, all Muslims constitute one nation that regards one another as brothers. 

13) Ease and glad-tiding: Islam regards anyone that utters kalima ash-shahada and lives accordingly a Muslim no matter what he was like in the past. It is based on the principle of equality and justice. It does not allow anyone to be forced to become a Muslim. It aims to spread by conquering hearts. Its decrees are easy enough to practice. Many conveniences have been introduced regarding worship taking man's stamina into consideration. Tasks or duties that are too difficult are not ordered. Islam’s mercy, pardon and glad-tiding overweigh. Islam views all of man's spiritual and bodily needs with tolerance and finds easy and simple solutions to them. However, those who ignore worshipping and obeying Allah despite all this ease due to laziness and extreme inclination toward the world are warned against the torture of Allah.

14) It gives importance to the mind and knowledge: Islam is a religion of revelation but it gives importance to the mind. It also gives great importance to science and knowledge, stating that learning knowledge is fard for all Muslims; it gives importance to issues like working, learning and thought. It should not be forgotten that Islam is not a rationalist religion but a religion of minds.

15) Human rights: Islam, which cares about human rights in such a way that cannot be seen in any system (religion), protects the following rights of man:

     a. Safety of religion: Islam protects the right of religion and the freedom of practicing religion.

     b. Safety of soul: Islam ensures the right of living.

     c. Safety of mind: Islam, which orders science and meditation, prohibits things that harm the mind like alcohol and drugs; it takes all kinds of measures in order to protect the mind from all kinds of disorders. 

     d. Safety of generation: It takes all necessary measures in order to ensure the protection of chaste and honor and the upbringing of healthy generations.   

     e. Safety of goods: Islam closes the ways that lead to crimes like theft in order to protect property; in addition, it gives man the right and opportunity to have sufficient means of livelihood.

To sum up, Islam guarantees the honor, chaste, freedom, religion, life, livelihood and job of every man.  

Regarding the issue of human rights, Islam is still in a position that cannot be achieved. It encourages the principle of human fraternity. Islam rejects racism and the understanding of superiority except for taqwa. Islam's orders, prohibitions, decrees, worship, understanding of punishment, etc prove equality.  This much equality does not exist in other systems even in theory. Islam does not overlook injustice for the sake of equality. It does not allow the exploitation of sexuality by overlooking sexual differences under the pretext of equality of women and men and the extremism that will lead to the exploitation and oppression of people. 

The Relationship of Islam with the Shari'ahs of the Previous Prophets

a) Islam is the name of all of the religions sent down through all prophets. (see al-Baqara, 130 - 133) Humanity came to the world with a prophet (Hz. Adam). Allah sent prophets with different shari'ahs (laws) based on the conditions of the time and the needs of humanity; however, creed (belief) was the same for all prophets.

b) The religions conveyed by the previous prophets had been sent to certain nations. The religion sent to Hz. Muhammad (pbuh) is a universal religion. That is, it was presented to the whole universe and humanity by Allah; it is a way of life that will be valid until Doomsday.

c) The religion of Islam, which Hz. Muhammad (pbuh) conveyed, abrogated the decrees (shari'ahs) of the religions conveyed by the previous prophets. That is, what is valid today is the shari'ah of Hz. Muhammad (pbuh).

d) The religion of Islam confirms all of the books and prophets sent by Allah before Hz. Muhammad (pbuh).

Some Verses on Islam

“The Religion before Allah is Islam (submission to His will).” (Aal-i Imran, 3/19)

“If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah) never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost. (all spiritual good).” (Aal-i Imran, 3/85)

“Whoever submits his whole self to Allah, and is a doer of good, has grasped indeed the trustworthy hand-hold: and with Allah rests the End and Decision of (all) affairs.” (Luqman, 31/22)

“…This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed my favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion...” (al-Maida, 5/3)

The Fundamentals of Islam

The fundamentals (pillars) of Islam are five: To testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad (pbuh) is His Messenger, to perform prayers, to pay zakah (alms), to perform Hajj and to observe fast during the month of Ramadan.

In the hadith in which the Prophet defines Islam, which is known as the hadith of Gabriel, which we mentioned at the beginning and which states that Islam is based on five pillars (which ignorant people wrongly call it five conditions of Islam), these five pillars are listed. We will deal with the basic principles of belief which we call kalima ash-shahada or kalima at-tawhid in detail when we explain the issue of oneness (tawhid).  Here, we will briefly mention the principles (pillars) which are stated as prototype examples due to the importance of these kinds of worship and which we can inclusively define as righteous deeds along with other kinds of worship in terms of its aspect related to creed. How to do these deeds are dealt with in fiqh and catechism books and in the subject of fiqh.  

What is righteous deed (amal salih)? Righteous deeds are deeds that are liked by Allah. A righteous deed has two characteristics: The first one is being in compliance with the shari'ah of Islam; the second one is the intention being for the sake of Allah and aiming to worship Him. If a deed does not contain both of them, it is not regarded as a righteous deed by Allah. Such a deed brings no profit and reward. Our Lord states the following:

“…Whoever expects to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and in the worship of his Lord, admit no one as partner.” (al-Kahf, 18/110)

The place of righteous deed in Islam is very important because these deeds are the fruits of belief in Allah and the hereafter. The meaning of kalima ash-shahada (tawhid) becomes manifest through doing righteous deeds and being on this way. When we remember that the meaning of Islam is surrendering and submission, and that this submission means obeying and surrendering to Allah's commands, it becomes clear that Islam cannot be without deeds, obedience and worship. Many verses praise righteous deeds due to its importance in Islam. Some of these verses regard them as close to belief; some mention the reward for them and others mention the benefits of them in the hereafter.

“By (the Token of) time (through the Ages), verily Man is in loss, except such as have Faith, and do righteous deeds, and (join together) in the mutual teaching of Truth, and of Patience and Constancy..” (al-Asr, 103/1-3)

For some other verses, see al-Maida, 9 ; ar-Ra’d, 29 ;an-Nahl, 97 ; al-Kahf, 30; Maryam, 76; al-Ankabut, 7, 9.

It is necessary to adopt Islam for the deed to be accepted. Therefore, Allah mentions belief and righteous deeds together. If a person does a righteous deed that is incompliance with the shari'ah of Islam and for the sake of Allah, his deed will be rejected by Allah unless he accepts and adopts Islam as a whole. There is no reward or benefit for such a deed. (see Aal-i İmran, 3/85)

There are several kinds of good deeds. They are all of the things that God Almighty orders, whether they are related to worship or transactions. When a Muslim does a righteous deed by aiming to obey his Lord, surrender to the shari'ah and demand the consent of Allah, he becomes a person of good deed.

The righteous deeds in the first place (in the narrow sense) are the acts of worship. The main acts of worship are daily prayers, hajj and zakah. They are the foundations of Islam. It is definitely impermissible to neglect or to despise their importance. Therefore, they are clearly stated in the famous hadith that defines Islam.   

The importance of worship in Islam is great. Worship arranges a person's relationship with his Lord and shows his servitude to Allah. Worship is the special right of Allah that he demands from His slaves. It is necessary to take care of worship and to invite other people to belief principles and then to worship. When worship is incomplete, man's belief cannot be strengthened and cannot settle in his heart. Furthermore, today, when the sovereignty of unbelief has reached everywhere, the belief of people who act lazily and neglect some kinds of worship especially daily prayers is imperiled. That is, it is very difficult for a person to remain a believer without performing daily prayers and other kinds of worship. Worship is like water for a fish and air for a person.

Among these kinds of worship, daily prayers are especially important in terms of creed. Islam describes prayers as a characteristic that distinguishes between a Muslim and an unbeliever. It s not permissible to neglect prayers even when a person is on a journey, at war or when he is ill. It is the habit of munafiqs (hypocrites) to abandon prayer and to act lazily when it is time to pray. When a person returns to his Lord, the first thing he will be questioned about is prayers. Prayer is a kind of worship that always reminds a person of his servitude to Allah and the meaning of kalima at-tawhid. Prayer prevents a person from committing all kinds of ugly deeds, fornication and evil. Some of the verses of the Quran that are related to the importance of prayers are as follows: ar-Rum, 31; al-Baqara, 1-3, 153 and 238; an-Nisa, 103; 142; al-Ankabut, 45 ...

The Muslim is invited to prayer by “Allahu Akbar”; he starts prayer by it; he often repeats it while praying because Allah is greater than every great being and loftier than every powerful being. If a person adheres to Allah, who is greater and mightier than everything is, he will not be afraid of anyone. He will avoid worshipping others.

Fasting, hajj, zakah and all of the other kinds of worship strengthen belief, purify the soul of evil and make a person adhere to his Lord. In fasting, a person prefers love of Allah to the desires of his body. It makes a Muslim have sincerity, will and patience. Zakah is a kind of financial worship that enables a Muslim to be purified of the disease of stinginess. Thanks to zakah, he understands it better that Allah is the real owner of the property and that he is only a person to whom that property is entrusted. Zakah means to prefer the consent and love of Allah to the love of property. It means to allocate a share of one's property to the poor of the community and hence to contribute to social justice. Hajj is the practical education of a Muslim. We see that a Muslim shows his servitude practically and clearly through the worship of hajj. The commands like obtaining knowledge, making jihad, ordering what is good, prohibiting what is evil, showing patience and tawakkul, having taqwa, loving Allah and fearing His torture  are among the main kinds of righteous deeds that the Quran insistently emphasizes. 

Conveying the Message of Islam

Islam must be conveyed to everybody as long as humanity exists. The real aim of this invitation and conveyance is to save people from being the slaves of other people and making them adhere only to Allah, who is one. There must always be some people who will carry out this duty.

“Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is right, and forbidding what is wrong; they are the ones to attain felicity.” (Aal-i Imran, 3/104)

The verse above affirms this duty. Islam must be conveyed to everybody but especially to those who superficially act like Muslims because what they regard to be Islam is not real Islam. This state must definitely be changed and they should be shown the truth.  

One of the aims of calling people to Islam is to save Islam from the monopoly the people who do not convey it to anybody and inform everybody about Islam. No one can have a monopoly on Islam. No one can dominate some kinds of worship and make them difficult for Muslims to perform. Those who do it, whether they do it on behalf of Islam or on behalf of Ignorance, commit disrespect toward Allah because Allah wants all of the obstacles preventing people from reaching Him to be eliminated. What is more, He rendered it fard to make jihad against those obstacles so that people would know about, learn and accept Islam, which is pure and lucid, of their own accord. To save people from the domination and tyranny of other people, from the landlords, big brothers, ancestors, fathers, masters and the customs that they adhere to, and to make them reach Islam, which is the system and sovereignty of Allah, in all phases of life... That is what Islam is; all of the prophets were sent to realize this.

To Make Islam Sovereign in Life

The basic principle that is the main basis of Islam throughout human history is the principle of “La ilaha illallah”. That is, the rule of allocating divinity, lordship, sultanate and sovereignty to Allah only. This rule should be manifest in the form of belief in the heart, worship in the feelings, and acts and law and system in life. If a person does not testify that there is no god but Allah in such a proper way, it is regarded as disrespect toward Allah and Islam.

This rule is applied fully when man turns toward Allah wholly in his life. Thus, man refers to the decree of Allah in all affairs and all phases of his life; he accepts and prefers Allah's decree to his own view.

The person who tells and conveys the decrees of Allah to people is the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). This rule constitutes the second part of kalima ash-shahada.

“Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” (al-Fath, 48/29)

This is the second part of the basic principle on which Islam depends. When this rule is practiced fully in all aspects of life, the perfect system will appear. This is the system to which Allah gives consent. 

The aim of Islam is to eliminate Ignorance. It is necessary to form a new and active staff to realize it. This is a group of people that acts in accordance with the Islamic method with their lifestyle, frame of mind, social system, standard of judgment and resource, in short, everything. Only such a staff can form the umma of Islam again and deserve to be the addressee of the following verses:

“Ye are the best of peoples, evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing in Allah.” (Aal-i Imran, 3/110)

“Thus have We made of you an Ummah justly balanced That ye might be witnesses over the nations and the Messenger a witness over yourselves...” (al-Baqara, 2/143)

All religions are based on the same basic principles and they emphasize the same realities. Each Prophet that was sent by Allah acted as if he was the continuation and complement of the previous prophet, repeated the message of his predecessor(s), completed it based on the situation and conditions, clarified the issues that needed explanations, renewed the issues that needed to be renovated and concentrated on the same issues in terms of basic disciplines - in compliance with the conditions of that period and the needs of that  time period. These issues of oneness, prophethood, resurrection after death and worship were the primary issues of all prophets. Yes, the principles mentioned above formed the essence of the message of all prophets and apostles with some differences in style, words and attitudes.

The message of the Quran is the continuation of the revelation that began with Hz. Adam (as), the first man and prophet. For, the essence of all religions before Allah is the same:  ISLAM.

“The Religion before Allah is Islam (submission to His will).…”(Aal-i Imran, 3/19)

The prophets that were sent in different eras and places did not reject one another; Hz. Muhammad (pbuh) did not reject any of them, either.

“The Messenger believeth in what hath been revealed to him from his Lord, as do the men of faith. Each one (of them) believeth in Allah, His angels, His books, and His Messengers "We make no distinction (they say) between one and another of His Messengers." And they say: "We hear and we obey; (We seek) Thy forgiveness, Our Lord, and to Thee is the end of all journeys." (al-Baqara, 2/285)

“Say: "We believe in Allah, and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Isma`il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the Prophets, from their Lord; we make no distinction between one and another among them, and to Allah do we bow our will (in Islam)."(Aal-i Imran, 3/84)

On the contrary, Hz. Muhammad (pbuh) is like the continuation and complement of all of the previous prophets. However, there is a difference; he is the last prophet; no prophet will come after him; therefore, he is the one that rendered the Divine Message have a universal dimension.     

Allah, who created man, who knows him with all his details and who meet his needs, sent His message to people in every era and ended it with Hz. Muhammad (pbuh). Thus, there will be no prophets after him; there will not be any change in revelation; and people will act upon the last revelation.  

“..This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed my favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion...” (al-Maida, 5/3)

“If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah) never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost. (all spiritual good)..” (Aal-i Imran, 3/85)

“Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but (he is) the Messenger of Allah, and the Seal of the Prophets: and Allah has full knowledge of all things.”(al-Ahzab, 33/40)

The religion of Islam contains all of the principles that make man materially and spiritually perfect and that ensure his happiness and salvation. Islam leads individuals and communities that follow it to happiness from grace and to perfection from happiness. It gives great importance to the protection of life. It punishes severely those who try to harm the peace in the community. It orders unity, grants and solidarity. It protects social life from anarchy and terror.   

Islam presents high ethics to people and makes them benefit from it with all aspects. All of its issues have thousands of benefits, and cures for material and spiritual diseases. The religion of Islam is based on knowledge and wisdom; thus, he leads sane people to good deeds and happiness by making them use their own will. It regards ignorance as the biggest enemy; it leads people to meditation. It is necessary to take into consideration the state of the world before and after the Era of Bliss in order to understand what a great mercy the religion of Islam is for the humanity.

Before Islam, the whole world was under the oppression of ignorance and aberration, terror and anarchy. This savagery and terror that affected the world deeply also impressed the Arabian Peninsula. People used to be proud of burying their daughters. They believed in superstitions, worshipped the idols that they made by their hands and asked their help.

In that dark period, the light of the Quran rose like the sun from a corner of the Arabian Peninsula. It broke into pieces the most intense layers of unbelief and oppression. It dazzled the eyes with its lofty manifestation, cleaned the spirits with its grace and guidance, brightened the minds and enlightened the consciences. It removed polytheism and placed oneness into the hearts. It removed oppression and established justice. It removed hatred and enmity from the hearts and placed love, compassion and mercy into the hearts.

This effect of the Quran is not limited to the Era of Bliss only. Any nation that accepted Islam and practiced it after that made progress and developed in science, trade and business, serving as examples for other nations. The brightest examples are the civilizations of Andalusia, Seljuks and Ottomans.

Circumambulating the Kaaba represents the idea of oneness. Its meaning regarding the social life is not to leave unity and to try to maintain this unity. Its meaning regarding individual life contains deep truths. The sky has seven layers; man has seven souls. Each turning around the Kaaba represents a phase, a stage; man covers a phase and is elevated up to the seventh sky, above the material realm. Besides, it means to rise from the lowest step of the soul, which has seven steps, to the highest one. That is, from nafs al-ammarah (soul commanding the evil) to nafs al-mutmainnah (tranquil self); from the animal life to the spiritual life.

Circumambulating the Kaaba is a kind of worshipping taken from the order of the universe. The planets rotate around the sun, the electrons around the nucleus, the moth around the candle; rotating around such a center means allegiance with love.    

God Almighty states the following in the Quran:

"The seven heavens and the earth, and all beings therein, declare His glory: there not a thing but celebrates His praise; and yet ye understand not how they declare His glory..."(al-Isra, 44)

The advancement in science as helped explain that verse. As a matter of fact, including the beings that had been thought to be lifeless, everything was found to consist of atoms. The electrons around the nuclei of the atoms rotate continuously and regularly around the nucleus; it was expressed as declaring the glory of Allah in the Quran. Therefore, to rotate around the Kaaba, which is the symbol of Islam, means to love Islam, to rotate around it like a moth and to attach oneself to Allah.

Worshipping; is fulfilling the duties like takbir, hamd, shukr by a slave for Allah in the way that He orders. Therefore, the fulfilling of the duties by each being can be said to be their worshipping and glorifying Allah.

Understanding Tawaf: Lexically, tawaf means to turn, walk, etc around something. Everything in the universe, from the tiny atoms to huge galaxies, is in a state of tawaf. In the atom, electrons turn around the nucleus, which is like the heart, with a dizzying speed; in the galaxy, billions of stars rotate around the center of the galaxy with an incredible speed. They rotate as if they worship the Creator that created them. As it is stated in the Quran, each swims along in an orbit. (Yasin, 36/40)

The view formed by tens of thousands of Muslims walking around the Kaaba is like the view of a galaxy turning together with billions of stars. Therefore, it is necessary to let oneself be on the orbit in order to get full spiritual pleasure in tawaf. A Muslim who can enter this orbit lets himself be controlled by that spiritual flow and gets the pleasure of becoming a drop in the sea of the believers. The circumambulation around the Kaaba is regarded to be the symbol of the summary of the universe and creation, and surrendering to the divine pre-ordainment.  

The formidable walk by men during the first three shawts of tawaf is called ‘ramal’ and leaving the right shoulder uncovered is called ‘iztiba’. 

The historical meaning of the three acts done was a display of power and intimidating the opponents. When Makkan Muslims migrated to Madinah, the climate of Madinah affected them they became a bit weak. When they went to Makkah again after seven years for umrah, they explained the situation to the Prophet. Thereupon, he told his Companions to seem powerful to polytheists and to walk formidably when they passed in front of them; and the Companions walked like that.

Doubtlessly, their walking formidably was enough to show that they were powerful that day. What about today? How will hajjis show that they are powerful today? Material power, spiritual power, moral power… What did we lose, where and how? How will we recover them? We definitely should think about them during hajj.

The ramal (formidable walking), which was performed in order to show the strength of Muslims to the Qurayshis according to what Ibn Abbas says, became a sunnah when Hazrat Prophet walked like that during the first three shawts of the Farewell Hajj. Hazrat Umar had said, after commenting on Hajar al-Aswad,

“Why do we still maintain ramal? We did it in order to be seem powerful in the eyes of polytheists, who said we were weak. As a matter of fact, Allah destroyed them.”(Bukhari, Hajj, 57)

Although Umar thought that the reason for ramal did not exist any more, he did not want to abandon something that Hazrat Prophet did and thus he continued the same application. Ramal may have continued because Muslims always need to be powerful and because they should never forget it. 

A person starts tawaf leaving the Kaaba on his left. It has a symbolic meaning. The heart of man, which is the place where Allah looks, faces the House of Allah in tawaf. Allah looks at the heart of man, not his shape, appearance, money and property. In this sense, there is an interesting relation between the Kaaba and the heart of man. Therefore, the heart of man faces the Kaaba during tawaf. It also indicates that tawaf should be performed heartily.  

A person enjoys the pleasure of being a believer around the Kaaba. It is very difficult to taste that pleasure, which takes place so vividly and enthusiastically in any other place. The feeling of closeness experienced in that holy place makes hajjis feel at home. Hajjis feel as if they are at home because the face of the Kaaba seems so familiar, its scent feels so acquainted and its coziness feels so comprehensive that no other love can be so attractive for a believer.

There is no difference among people who perform a prayer in congregation; similarly, there is no difference among people who circumambulate the Kaaba. All believers are equal there. There is no sign that differentiates a person from others. There exists unity, which is the symbol of oneness. It is necessary to be lost in the sea of believers and to melt in the congregation.

To turn around somebodyand to rotate like a moth around him is an act that shows hearty allegiance and that one can sacrifice everything for that person.In this sense, circumambulating the Kaaba is an indication of turning toward the Exalted Creator, bowing down only in the presence of Him and worshipping none but Him.

During circumambulation, the hajji should have a respect worthy of Him and a love between fear and hope. While circumambulating, the haji should build the house of belief, that is, his heart, just as Hazrat Ibrahim and Hazrat Ismail, his son, built the House of Allah by turning around it. The Kaaba is His house and the heart is the place where He looks at. The hajji continuously looks at the Kaaba, observes it and watches its loftiness; similarly, Allah watches the heart of His slave and pays attention to it. As Hazrat Prophet expressed concisely,

“Allah does not look at your shape, appearance or property but at your hearts and deeds. (Muslim, 1, 33)

It is like that both in the world and in the hereafter. As it is expressed based on the 88^th verse of the chapter ash-Shuara, on the Day of Judgment, when nothing will be of any use, Allah does not want gold or silver but a sound heart.

“Oh hajji! Do not think that they want gold or silver from you. They want a sound heart on the day when wealth and sons are not beneficial.”

As a matter of fact, in our culture, the sufis use all of the adjectives that are used to describe the Kaaba for the heart and call the heart the House of Allah. Or, they call it “Bayt al-haram” (the honorable house) and they use the same expression for the heart because the heart is the house of Allah and it is haram (forbidden) for anybody but the beloved to enter there. As a matter of fact, the following hadith that the Messenger of Allah stated while circumambulating the Kaaba confirms it.

“(O Kaaba!) You are so nice; your smell is so beautiful. Your fame and honor are so high. However, I swear by Allah, in whose hand is my life, that the honor and immunity of a believer with his property and life is greater than your honor.” (Ibn Majah, Fitan 2)

References:

1- Kur'ân'in Getirdigi - Emin Isik.

2- Kurban Kesmenin Psikolojik Temelleri - Doç Dr. Ali Murat DARYAL.

3- Kur'ân-i Kerîm ve Açiklamali Meâli - Türkiye Diyanet Vakfi.

4- Diyanet Islâm ilmihali.

5- Hac Rehberi - Irfan YÜCEL - Türkiye Diyanet Vakfi.

6- Diyanet yayinlari (hacci anlamak)

Let us deal with the issue from the point of view of that spotless personality. First of all, it must be known that our Prophet (pbuh), who was at the peak of high ethics, did not marry until he was 25 years old. Given the special situation of that hot country and that he lived in chastity, which is a fact that has been accepted since the period he lived, for so many years, it will be seen that he had chastity, a powerful will and a great control over his soul. If he had made a tiny mistake regarding the issue, his enemies in the past and today would have already declared it to the world. However, all of his enemies in both the past and today never dared to say such a thing although they attributed so many impossible things to him.

Our Prophet (pbuh) married at the age of twenty-five for the first time. This marriage was with a woman who was very lofty and exceptional in the sight of Allah and His Messenger but who had married twice before. That happy marriage lasted twenty-three years and ended in the eighth year of the prophethood like a curtain that came down, leaving a bitter longing behind. The Prophet (pbuh) was left alone again as he was until he was 25. After that 23-year long happy life, the Prophet was the sole parent of their children for four or five years; he was fifty-three years old then.

When he began marrying other women, he was already past 55, when very little real interest and desire for marriage remains. It is not something that can be accepted by the conscience, mind and heart to regard marriages after the age of fifty-five in a hot country as something related to desires and lust.

Another issue that comes to the mind here is the aspect that the prophethood of the Messenger necessitated polygamy.

A) First of all, it should be known that those who talk like that are either those who do not accept any principles and religions or are members of other religions based on different books. The former have no right whatsoever to reproach something like that because they themselves are involved in casual relations with numerous sexual partners without obeying any laws or rules; they even have incest relationships;. The attack of the latter is also unjust, malicious and impulsive; it is something sorrowful for them. There are so many great prophets accepted by the books they have and the congregations that follow those books that married more than one woman and made so many marriages.

For instance, when Prophet Solomon and David are taken into consideration, it becomes clear that those who are members of those religions do not act justly when they oppose polygamy. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) did not start polygamy; besides, polygamy is not contrary to the spirit of prophethood. Furthermore, as it will be seen later, polygamy was more useful than people think in terms of the duty of prophethood.  

In a sense, polygamy is necessary especially for the prophets who brought new religious decrees and shariahs because there are many issues of the religion that take place within the privacy of the family; those issues can only be learned fully by the spouse of a prophet. Therefore, there is a need for women teachers who will explain those aspects of the religion clearly without having to use hints or innuendos – that kind of narration usually makes it difficult to understand and to practice those issues.

The chaste and virtuous women of the Prophet's household were responsible for being guides and conveyors for women; therefore, they were indispensable for the Prophet, prophethood and the world of women.

B) Another aspect is related to the spouses of the Prophet (pbuh):

1) Since there were young, middle-aged, and old women among his wives, the religious judgments related to their different life stages and experiences were established. They were learned and applied first within the Prophet's household thanks to those chaste women.

2) Since each wife was from a different clan or tribe, bonds of kinship were established among those tribes and then between the Prophet and those tribes, which enabled a profound love and affinity in all of the community. Each clan and tribe regarded him as one of their members and they felt a profound interest toward him both due to religion and kinship.

3) Each wife that he married from a different tribe, proved to be of great benefit and service to the cause of Islam both during and after the Prophet's life; they conveyed his implicit and explicit sunnahs and the religious decrees to their close and distant relatives. In this way, their clans, both women and men, learned about the Quran, tafsir (interpretation of the Quran) and hadith from them; and theywere able to understand the spirit of the religion.

4) Through his marriages, the Prophet established ties of kinship almost throughout Arabia, which gave him the freedom to move and be accepted as a member of each family. Thanks to this close relation, everybody could go to him in person and learn the orders of the religion directly from him. The tribes also benefited collectively from their proximity to him: they considered themselves fortunate and took pride in that relationship.

Bani Makhzum through Umm Salama, the Umayyads through Umm Habiba and the Hashimites through Zaynab bint Jahsh considered themselves close to the Prophet and regarded themselves fortunate.

C) What we have mentioned so far is general and could be true of all prophets in some respects. Now we will deal specifically with the virtues of each wife of Prophet Muhammad one by one:

We will see here that the reason and mind of man has to bow down before the blessed life of the Prophet (pbuh), who is supported by revelation; in other words, the thought of man has to prostrate before this genius, who is under the shade of revelation.

1) Hazrat Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her) was the Prophet's first wife. His marriage to this precious woman, who was 15 years older than him, is the greatest example for every marriage. He was loyal to Hazrat Khadija and showed respect to her during their marriage; he never forgot her after she died and mentioned her almost at any occasion.

The Prophet (pbuh) did not marry for four or five years after the death of Hazrat Khadija. Although he had to look after several children, he put up with the difficulties and acted like both a mother and father for them. If he had had any weakness toward women, would he have acted like that?

2) His second wife, though she is not the second one chronologically, is Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). She was the daughter of Abu Bakr, his closest friend; through this marriage, the Prophet accorded the highest honor and courtesy to a man who had shared all the good and bad times with him. Abu Bakr will have the honor of being together with the Prophet on the day when all the kinship will end with his eternal kinship. Yes, Hazrat Aisha and Abu Bakr had the honor of being close to the Prophet (pbuh) without leaving any material or spiritual gaps.

Besides, Aisha, who was an exceptionally person, had the nature to carry forward the prophetic mission. Her life after the marriage and her service after it proved that she could only be the wife of a prophet. She was one of the greatest authorities on hadith, an excellent mufassir, and a most distinguished expert on Islamic law; she truly represented the inner and outer qualities and experiences of Prophet Muhammad with her unmatched understanding.

Therefore, the Prophet was told in a dream that he would marry her; thus, when she was still innocent and knew nothing of men and worldly affairs, she was prepared and entered the Prophet's household.

Thus, she would become a source of honor for Hazrat Abu Bakr and would be prepared to become one of the most remarkable students of the Prophet (pbuh) among women and a great teacher and conveyor of the message of Islam by developing all of her talents and abilities. She entered the blessed home of the Prophet (pbuh) both as a wife and student.

3) His third wife, though she is not the third one chronologically, is Umm Salama (may Allah be pleased with her). Umm Salama, who was of the Makhzum clan and one of the first Muslims who had suffered great hardships in Makkah, migrated to Abyssinia and then to Madina, being among the ones in the first rank.

 Her husband put up with those long and troublesome journeys together with her. He was an unmatched person in her sight. When she lost her unmatched husband, Abu Salama, with whom she suffered many hardships, in Madinah, she was left alone with her children. Abu Bakr and Umar proposed marriage to her, aware of her needs and suffering as a destitute widow with children to support, but she refused them because she believed that no one could be better than her late husband.

Some time after that, the Prophet (pbuh) proposed marriage to her. This was quite right and natural because this great woman, who had never shied from sacrifice and suffering for Islam, was alone after having lived many years in the noblest Arabian clan; she could not be neglected and left to beg her way in life. Given her piety, sincerity, and what she had suffered, she certainly deserved to be helped. By marrying her, the Master of the Universe (pbuh) helped her. He was doing what he had always done, befriending those lacking in friends and supporting the fatherless children. He did what the conditions of that day necessitated.

Umm Salama was intelligent and talented like Hazrat Aisha. She had all the abilities to become a teacher and a conveyor of the message of Islam. When the Prophet took her under his protection, a new student to whom all women would be grateful was accepted into the school of knowledge and guidance.

We cannot explain the marriage of the Prophet, who was almost 60, with a widow with many children and assuming the related expenses and responsibilities with anything else, and never with lust and extreme tendency to women.

4) Another wife of the Prophet was Ramla bint Abi Sufyan (Umm Habiba). She was the daughter of Abu Sufyan, a person who represented unbelief against prophethood for a certain period. She was one of the earliest Muslims who was in the first ranks. She was a woman who migrated to Abyssinia, where her husband later embraced Christianity; then her husband died and she underwent many troubles.

The Companions, at that time, were few in number and poor. They did not have enough money to support others. So, what were her options? She could convert to Christianity and get help that way or she could return to her father's home, now a headquarters of unbelief or she could wander from house to house as a beggar. It was impossible for a member of one of the most religious, noblest and richest women to do any of them. There was only one thing left: the intervention and help of the Prophet (pbuh)

This was in question in the marriage with Umm Habiba (may Allah be pleased with her). In the presence of Negus, the marriage of this woman, who made all kind of sacrifices for her religion, to the Prophet was performed, which was something quite natural for a woman who was away from her hometown among black people and who underwent so many misfortunes due to the exit of her husband from Islam and then his death. Let alone renouncing, it is necessary to applaud it because it is something that was realized by the Prophet because he had been sent as “a mercy to the worlds”.

Besides, this great woman had many things to bring to the education life of fellow Muslims. Thus, Umm Habiba joined the Prophet's household as a wife and student.

Through this marriage, Abu Sufyan's family had the opportunity to enter the house of the Prophet, which caused them to change their ideas and to soften. The influence of this marriage was beyond Abu Sufyan's immediate family; it influenced the whole Umayyads. It can even be said that this family, which was hostile and closed to other people, softened thanks to the marriage of Umm Habiba and was ready to do all kinds of good deeds.

5) One of the women who entered the household of the Prophet was Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her). She was a lady of noble birth and descent with a deep thought as well as a close relative of the Prophet; she grew up near him. When the Prophet made known to her parents that he wished her to marry Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) her family hesitated a bit because the family had hoped to marry their daughter off to the Prophet. Eventually, they consented to her marriage to Zayd bin Haritha when the Prophet insisted.

Zayd was a slave who had lost his freedom once and was among the slaves; then the Master of the Universe (pbuh) saved him from slavery. The Prophet (pbuh) wanted to establish equality and balance among people by insisting on that marriage and starting to do it among his relatives. However, Zaynab, who had a lofty nature, did not seem to continue this marriage, which she agreed due to the insistence of the Prophet, for a long time.  The marriage did not bring happiness to Zayd, either; it only brought him agony and longing.

In the end, Zayd divorced Zaynab; but the Prophet (pbuh) was trying to dissuade Zayd and to make the marriage continue. Meanwhile, Jibril came and brought the divine command ordering the Prophet to marry Zaynab. The test that the Prophet was undergoing was very severe; he was going to do something that had never been done before; he was going to declare war against established, deep-rooted customs. It was a tough struggle. It could only be done because it was ordered by Allah. With a deep consciousness of slavery, the Prophet did what he was ordered though it was very hard for his decent personality. As Hazrat Aisha stated, “If the Prophet had been inclined to suppress anything of what was revealed to him, he would surely have suppressed this verse.” Yes, it was so hard for the Prophet (pbuh)...

Divine wisdom wanted that lofty and chaste woman to enter the household of the Prophet (pbuh), to educate and train her, and to make her convey the message of Islam. In the end, this was realized. She acted in accordance with the rules that being a wife of the Prophet necessitated.  

Besides, in the Era of Jahiliyyah, an adopted child used to be addressed and regarded as one’s biological child and the wife of an adopted son used to be regarded as the wife of one’s biological son. When this custom that belonged to the Era of Jahiliyyah wanted to be abolished, the first application was carried out through the Prophet (pbuh).” … nor has He made your adopted sons your sons. Such is (only) your (manner of) speech by your mouths…” (al-Ahzab, 33/4)

6) One of the women who had the honor of entering the household of the Prophet was Juwayriya bint Harith (may Allah be pleased with her). Muslims fought against her tribe and captivated both the men and women of the tribe. When this woman, who lived in the palace of her tribe, was brought to the presence of the Prophet, she was in considerable distress and felt humiliated; she was full of grudge and hatred.

The Prophet (pbuh) settled the problem very easily. When the Prophet married Juwayriya, she was elevated to the rank of the mother of the believers and received respect from the Companions. And when the Prophet said, “The relatives of the Prophet cannot be enslaved” and set them free, the hearts of Juwayriya and all her people were won.

As it is seen, our Prophet solved this problem very easily when he was about sixty by a marriage; thus, he made peace when there existed everything to continue the war.

7) One of the fortunate women to enter the household of the Prophet was Safiyya bint Huyayy (may Allah be pleased with her), the daughter of a chieftain of Khaybar. In the famous Battle of Khaybar, she lost her father, brother, and husband, and her tribe was captured; Safiyya was flaming with vengeance. However, when she married the Prophet and was elevated to the high rank of being a wife of the Prophet, the Companions began to show respect to her and the Prophet treated her very nicely, which made Safiyya forget about all that had happened. She started to take pride in being a wife of the Prophet.

Besides, many Jews had the opportunity to know the Prophet closely through Safiyya and they changed their attitudes against Muslims. There are many wisdoms in one deed of Allah, who makes many things through one thing. He created many good deeds and abundance in this marriage as He did in the other marriages.

Furthermore, it is appropriate to say that the Prophet taught something to his ummah in that he was aware of the thoughts of his enemies. Women like Safiyya, women belonging to different nations and tribes, are very important for understanding the internal states of those nations; however, it is necessary to be careful in case they try to find out about the secrets of Muslims in the same way.

8) One of the fortunate women to enter the household of the Prophet was Sawda (may Allah be pleased with her). She was among the first to embrace Islam and she migrated to Abyssinia with her husband; Like Umm Habiba, she was left alone when her husband died. 

Prophet Muhammad married her and repaired her heart; saving her from becoming miserable, he became a companion to her. Sawda, who wanted to marry the Prophet (pbuh), did not want anything else in the world.  

Such were the circumstances and motives behind the Prophet's several marriages. There was no lust involved. He married either in order to connect a close relationship with his viziers, as it was the case when she married the daughters of Abu Bakr and Umar, when he saw the talents and abilities in them or due to some other reasons that we have mentioned one by one above; he undertook great burdens when he married them.

The fact that our Prophet (pbuh) provided each wife with accommodation, food, clothing  equally, that he treated them meticulously equally, that he prevented possible troubles among them before they took place and that he solved the problems very easily, or as Bernard Shaw put it, “as easily as one drinks coffee”, shows that this exceptional person is a prophet.

We know how difficult it is to manage one wife and two children and we bow respectfully before the Prophet, who managed many women that had married before and that had developed various habits in the homes of their previous husbands in a very harmonious way.   

There is one more issue to mention: it is the fact that the number of his wives was more than the amount that was legitimate for the men of his ummah. It was a special situation. It is a special law that contains many reasons and wisdoms that we might or might not know. The revelation restricting polygamy came after he had contracted all of these marriages. Thereafter, he also was forbidden to marry again. (al-Ahzab, 33/52)

9) Another wife of the Prophet was Hafsa bint Umar al-Khattab, Hafsa, the daughter of Umar, was born five years before Muhammad (pbuh) became a prophet. Her mother was Zaynab, the sister of Uthman b. Maz'un, one of the great Companions.

It is not known when Hz Hafsa embraced Islam. It can be said that she became a Muslim after her father Umar embraced Islam because we know that all of Umar’s family and relatives embraced Islam then.

Hazrat Hafsa had been married to Khunays b. Huzafa, as-Sahmi. Huzafa was among the Muslims who migrated to Abyssinia. There are narrations that Hafsa also took part in this migration. After returning from Abyssinia, Huzafa migrated to Madinah together wit his wife Hafsa. 

Hazrat Khunays b. Huzafa took part in the Battle of Uhud and was seriously wounded. He died as a martyr due to that wound in Madinah. Hazrat Hafsa tried to heal her husband’s wound herself. She was very said when he died and she grieved for him. Hazrat Umar wanted Hazrat Abu Bakr to marry her daughter, Hafsa. However, Abu Bakr did not answer Umar’s offer. Then, Hazrat Umar offered Hazrat Uthman, whose wife Ruqayya, the daughter of the Prophet, had died and therefore, who was alone. However, Hazrat Uthman, who hoped to marry Umm Kulthum, the other daughter of the Prophet, said, “It is not appropriate for me to marry nowadays” after thinking for a while. 

Hazrat Umar, who tried to make her daughter marry a righteous believer with an act that fitted a Muslim father, went to the Prophet in a sad state when he could not do it. While talking to the Prophet, he said, “I am surprised by the behavior of Uthman. I offered him to marry Hafsa but he did not accept.” Hazrat Prophet said, “Shall I offer you a better son-in-law than Uthman and shall I offer Uthman a better father-in-law than you?” When Umar said, “Yes, o Messenger of Allah!”, Hazrat Prophet said, “Marry your daughter Hafsa off to me and I will marry my daughter Umm Kulthum off to Uthman.

Hazrat Umar was very pleased when he heard this offer. He had wanted to be relatives with the Prophet very much but he did not have the courage to offer him to marry Hafsa because Hafsa was, as Hazrat Aisha put it, “just like her father”, that is, she was a bit stern. With his offer, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) strengthened his relation with Umar and rewarded him due to his service to Islam by enabling the desire of Umar to realize.

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) married Hazrat Hafsa in the middle of the third year of Hijrah. He gave Hafsa 400 dirhams, that is, 118 grams, of silver as mahr (dowry).

After the death of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), Hafsa led a very modest and religious life. About sixty hadiths were reported from her: some directly from her, others what she heard from her father. Hafsa, who could read and write, died in the fort-fifth year of Hijrah; her janazah prayer was led by Marwan, the governor of Madinah. According to another narration, she died in the forty-first year of Hijrah.

War is not something that is desired but humanity has not been able to get rid of war throughout history. In the Quran, the struggle of two sons of Adam is mentioned. One of them is innocent the other is aggressive. The aggressive one kills the innocent one. (See the chapter of al-Maida, 27-31) The name of the innocent one is Abel; and the name of the aggressive one is Cain.

When Cain killed his brother, human blood was shed for the first time in the world. However, this blood increased in the course of time and spread to the whole world. Abel and Cain are the representatives of the innocent people and aggressive people. As long as people like Cain exist in the world, people like Abel will have the right to defend themselves.

Thus, Islam allows war based on certain conditions in order to prevent the cruelty of the oppressors and to ensure universal peace. For instance, let us have a look at the following verse:

“To those against whom war is made, permission is given (to fight) because they are wronged― and verily, Allah is Most powerful for their aid.” (al-Hajj, 39)

This verse addresses the Prophet and his Companions who are in the first rank of Islam. They had suffered pressure and torture that caused the death of some of them in Makkah. Some of them went to Abyssinia acting upon the advice of the Prophet. The others migrated to Madinah afterwards. They almost always heard news like the following: “Makkans are attacking; Makkans have attacked.” Muslims were allowed to fight when they were under such conditions.

The following is stated in another verse related to war:

“Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you but do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors.” (al-Baqara, 190)

The following issues are pointed out in the verse:

1- “Fight those who fight you.” That is, do not fight those who do not fight you. As a matter of fact, the Prophet enjoined his commanders not to kill children, women, old people and those who retired into seclusion in temples.

2- The war must be “fi sabilillah”, that is “in the way of Allah”. Others might fight in order to invade new countries and to own the resources of raw materials, etc. However, a Muslim can fight only in the way of Allah. That is, he struggles in order to stop cruelty, mischief and chaos in the world.

3- It is not permissible to transgress limits during or after the war. Islam orders Muslims to kill in a nice way when they have to kill. For instance, Islam prohibits killing by torture and cutting off ears, noses, etc.

The following is stated in another verse:

“And why should ye not fight in the cause of Allah and of those who, being weak, are ill-treated (and oppressed)?― men, women, and children, whose cry is: "Our Lord! rescue us from this town, whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from Thee one who will protect; and raise for us from Thee one who will help.’’ (an-Nisa,75)

In this verse, Muslims are advised to fight if they are oppressed in a town or if they are prevented from practicing their belief. At the end of the war, Muslims are freed from oppression and they attain freedom of religion and conscience; the people of that country are left free to accept Islam or not.

We can state the following in conclusion:

What is essential in Islam is peace not war. However, when people are oppressed or when a state attacks another state, war is in question. Islam allows war in those cases. Islam did not introduce war when it was non-existent in the world. When those who regard Islam as a religion of war look at their own history, they will see the reality that there were wars almost in every period of their history. Therefore, the existence of war decrees in Islam is not a deficiency for Islam but perfection. In the decrees that are mentioned in verses and hadiths, a reality like war which is inevitable was transformed into a civilized and humane form from a bedouin and wild appearance.

Worship means to fulfill the orders of Allah, to keep away from His prohibitions, and to act in accordance with His consent. As for the issue why we worship: 

* First of all, we worship because it is the purpose of our creation because Allah created us, human beings, so that we would know Him, believe in Him and worship Him. 

This issue is stated as follows in the Quran:

"I have only created jinn and men, that they may serve Me." (adh-Dhariyat, 56)

As believers, we act in accordance with our purpose of creation stated in the verse and try to fulfill our duty of worshipping our Creator.

* Furthermore, we worship Allah to thank Him for so many bounties he gave us. 

We thank somebody who gives us a small gift several times; if we do not thank Allah, who gives us so many bounties and gifts, by worshipping, we will definitely have shown ingratitude. We try to fulfill our duty of worship faultlessly to avoid such ingratitude. 

Allah created us out of nothing, equipped us with thousands of feelings and organs, created everything that those feelings and organs need and he gave us humanity, belief and guidance along with life.  

It is stated in the Quran that the bounties of Allah are endless and that it is impossible to count them as follows:

"If ye would count up the favors of Allah, never would ye be able to number them: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (an-Nahl, 18).

What we need to do for endless bounties is to know and love God Almighty, who is the owner of those bounties, to show that we love Him by worshipping and to show Him our thanks and gratitude in return for the bounties He gives us.

* In fact, our worship and thanks are not sufficient at all for the bounties given to us in this world. As a matter of fact, Allah prepared greater bounties for us in Paradise if we believe in Him and worship Him and He promised us endless bliss in Paradise. In that case, the bounties that Allah promised us to give in the hereafter are completely His special favor, grace and grant. They are not given to us in return for our worship and thanks.

The Prophet explains this issue as follows:

"Your deeds (worship) cannot take you to Paradise. My deeds cannot take me to Paradise, either. It can be possible only through the mercy of Allah."

1. One of the important benefits of worship is that it makes the decrees related to creed and belief settle in hearts and spirits and remain there. 

As it is known, knowledge increases, develops and becomes steady through practice and experience. It is difficult to maintain the knowledge that is not practiced and applied; they will not be very useful to man. The same thing is valid for the knowledge and decrees related to belief and creed. They become steady in man only through worship because worship, which means to fulfill the orders of Allah and to avoid His prohibitions, is like the practice and application of belief.

Abandoning worship causes the positive effect of belief on human behavior to weaken and fade away in the course of time. As the positive effect of belief on human behavior weakens, negative feelings, bad habits and harmful desires cover his realm of feeling and forces man to commit various sins and evil deeds. Therefore, belief and worship are closely interrelated. If we liken belief to a lamp, worship is like the glass of that lamp that protects it from being extinguished by the wind and that increases its light. Pointing to the role of worship to protect belief, the Prophet said, "Belief is naked; its garment is taqwa." As it is known, taqwa means to avoid the prohibitions of Allah and to keep away from harams and sins; we have mentioned above that it means worship.

2. Worship plays an important role in arranging the life of the individual because worship makes the thoughts turn toward God Almighty and places the magnificence and greatness of Allah into the minds of people. This makes a person think of the consent of Allah in everything he does and obey the divine orders and prohibitions.  

Thus, the personal life of an individual is arranged by the instructions of the religion and it is disciplined both materially and spiritually. 

3. Worship plays an important role in binding people together and ensuring peace and harmony in the community, too. Worshipping by turning to the same qiblah establishes an unbreakable loyalty and an unending relationship among Muslims. This loyalty and relationship bring about an unshakable fraternity, a serious love and sincere friendship.  

Thus, the life in the community becomes peaceful and tranquil; material and spiritual development are attained.

4. As for the effect of worship on the moral and spiritual world of man:

A believer who fulfills his worship becomes peaceful and comfortable. He becomes strong spiritually. He lives in peace and happiness throughout his life with the psychology of a person who fulfills his duty.

He will not feel stressed, bored or disappointed. He will not feel depressed and hopeless when he faces obstacles, difficulties and impossibilities; he will not lose his endurance and confidence. The inner world of a person who worships is settled and stable. Psychological storms, controversies and conflicts do not take place in him. 

5. Worship is the greatest means for personal perfection and maturity.

As it is known, man is a small and weak being in terms of his body. However, he owns a lofty spirit and a great talent. His inclinations and desires reach eternity; his feelings were not delimited when he was created. 

What elevates and widens the spirit of man, who has such a nature, is worship.

What develops his abilities and talents is worship.

What elevates his inclinations and desires is worship.

What realizes his ambitions and what renews his hopes is worship.

What ensures correct thoughts and healthy reasoning by disciplining his ideas is worship.

What controls feelings and emotions, what saves man from extremism and excessiveness is worship.  

To sum up, what makes man attain the perfection, and ethical and spiritual maturity is worship.

Gambling means to give or take money or goods depending on something that is not known how it will end. No matter what the name is, any game or bet that has this property and that is played in return for money or goods is called gambling. The word "maysir" mentioned in the Quran is derived from the word "yusr", which means ease, which indicates that money or goods are obtained or lost easily in gambling. 

Gambling is a way of obtaining undeserved money which makes man forget his Creator, prevents him from performing prayers, leads him to laziness, eliminates his strength to work and causes grudge and enmity among people. All kinds of gambling, which causes irreparable wounds in individual and social life, are haram in the religion of Islam.

The following is stated in the Quran regarding the issue:

"O ye who believe! Eat not up your property among yourselves in vanities" (al-Baqara, 2/188; an-Nisa, 4/29).

"O ye who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, (dedication of) stones, and (divination by) arrows, are an abomination― of Satan's handiwork: eschew such (abomination), that ye may prosper. Satan's plan is (but) to excite enmity and hatred between you, with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah, and from prayer (al-Maida, 5/90, 91; Ibn Abidin Raddu'l Mukhtar, İstanbul 1307, V, p. 355; Hamdi Yazır, Hak Dini Kur'an Dini, İstanbul 1960, II, p. 766).

Gambling and its harms:

There is no difference between alcohol and gambling in terms of being forbidden and being a sin. Allah renders them haram in the same verse:

" O ye who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, (dedication of) stones, and (divination by) arrows, are an abomination― of Satan's handiwork: eschew such (abomination), that ye may prosper." (al-Maida, 5/90).

All kinds of games of chance that cause benefit or harm are regarded as gambling. Gambling means to get a person's money or goods unjustly and to steal one's money or goods deliberately. Gambling is a social disaster. It is always seen that this destructive evil prohibited strictly by the religion of Islam destroys many families. Those who gamble around a table until morning due to the excitement caused by greed and ambition lose their health, wealth, ethics and money; they lose their human feeling. Those who win today lose some other day. 

Wives, children and the poor have the right on the money lost at gambling. The money obtained by gambling is not legitimate.

As gambling becomes widespread, social harms will increase. Working is replaced by laziness. The productivity in business life decreases. Gambling brings along evil deeds like alcohol, telling lies, greed, grudge, revenge and murder.

Gambling also causes disorders, disagreements and neglects in family life. There are many people who sell their religion, honor and country due to gambling and who tread on all kinds of sacred values.

Gambling becomes an addiction in a very short time like alcohol. It is very difficult to get rid of it. Therefore, gambling and alcohol are very dangerous habits. 

All kinds of games of chance in which you win or lose money like dice, card games, lottery, football pools, lotto, betting and sweepstakes are regarded as gambling.

All games of chance are played to enjoy and to spend time at first. As man wins, he plays for the sake of the pleasure and ambition of winning. As he loses, he plays in order to get back what he has lost. Then, he becomes a gambler. It should not be forgotten that those who lose everything at gambling tables, who sell whatever they have and live in debauchery and poverty, who destroy their wives and children start gambling as a means of pleasure and entertainment at first.  

It is an important duty to keep away from gambling as well as protecting the people around us especially our family members from gambling. The duty of protecting family members from harmful and evil things and educating them for a lifestyle that Allah and His Messenger want is given to the head of the family by the Quran:

" O ye who believe! save yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is Men and Stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe who flinch not (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do (precisely) what they are commanded " (at-Tahrim, 66/6).

If games like backgammon, chess, checkers, cards, tennis, and billiards are played with the intention of gambling by risking money, they are also regarded as gambling.

There are various hadiths of Hz. Prophet that prohibit backgammon: "A person who plays backgammon is regarded to have disobeyed Allah and His Messenger ." (Abu Dawud, Adab, 56; Ibn Majah, Adab, 43; Malik, Muwatta', 6; Ahmad b. Hanbal, Musnad, IV, 394, 397, 400). "The state of a person who plays backgammon and then performs prayers is like the state of a person who makes wudu with pus and the blood of pig and then performs prayers." (Ahmad b. Hanbal, V, 370).

Acting upon the general prohibition of backgammon in these hadiths, most of the scholars of Islam say that playing backgammon is not permissible.  Ibn al-Musayyab and some other Islamic scholars hold the view that it is not haram to play backgammon if the intention is not gambling. Cards and dominoes are regarded as the same as backgammon.  

The game of chess, which is called "shatranj" in Arabic, appeared during the period of the Companions after the death of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh); therefore, there is no hadith of the Prophet regarding chess. The Companions and Tabiun scholars stated three views about chess:

According to the Companions and Tabiun scholars like Abdullah b. Abbas, Abu Hurayra, Ibn Shirin, Hisham b. Urwa, Said b. al-Musayyab, Said b. al-Jubayr, it is permissible to play chess.  

According to Imam Shafii, chess is makruh tanzihi; according to Abu Hanifa, Malik and Ahmad b. Hanbal, it is haram.

Considering that chess is more like a game of intelligence and a brain sport rather than a game of chance and that there is no definite prohibition about it, this conclusion is made. However, it is understood that the Companions liken it to backgammon. As a matter of fact, the following is narrated from Abdullah b. Umar: "Chess is worse than backgammon." It is stated that Hz Ali regards it as gambling. (Ibn Kathir, Tafsiru'l-Qur'ani'l-Azim, İstanbul 1985, III, 170). On the other hand, it is reported that Yahya b. Sad heard the following from Imam Malik: "There is no good in chess; it is makruh to play chess and other games of chance." Imam Malik was reading the following verse while uttering that sentence:  "…Apart from Truth, what (remains) but error? "(Yunus, 10/32; see Malik, Muwatta, Ru'ya, 7).

Checkers is a game like chess. In the games of tennis and billiards, sport is prevalent. They need to be permissible unless some illegitimate elements are added to them.

In conclusion, four conditions are laid as necessary for the games that are played only for relaxation, entertainment and pleasure without the purpose of gambling to be religiously permissible:

a. They must not make people miss or delay fard prayers.

b. People must not expect any material benefits.

c. Players must abstain from uttering bad and unnecessary words during the game.

d. People must not waste their time by playing so much that cannot be regarded as relaxation and entertainment.

In the morning, man is in a state as if he has started a new life and has had the body vitality necessary for the daily activities to earn his living. It is Allah who gives him this vitality and who will make him successful in his efforts to earn his living. Therefore, man is bound to perform the morning prayer in order to thank Him for the bounty of health He has granted and in order to receive help from Him in his worldly efforts.

Every day, from the morning to the evening, man benefits from the bounties of life, health and mind that Allah has given him. Thanks to these bounties, he becomes successful in worldly affairs. The noon and afternoon prayers were rendered fard so that man would thank for the achievements he obtains and so that these activities would be prevented from putting the spirit into heedlessness and gloom.

The evening prayer was rendered fard so that daily activities and efforts that are about to finish as the evening approaches would be ended through a spiritual worship and so that it would be a sign of gratitude for the profits and benefits obtained that day.

After that, man will enter the realm of sleep. Before arriving at this realm, which is a sample of death and which is regarded as a period of peace and relaxation, ending the day with a sacred worship, to proceed to that realm with divine pleasure and a spiritual awakening and to beg Allah for pardoning and mercy will be a sign of a nice ending; therefore, the night prayer is performed. 

On the other hand, there are 5 different phases in the life of both people and the other beings around people: being born, growing up, stagnating, getting old and dying. 

Corresponding to those phases, our Creator ordered us to perform 5 daily prayers so that we will establish a nice balance between our material and spiritual existence and our efforts. We cannot thank Him enough because he ordered us to perform such a worship that is sacred, material and that contains so many benefits.

The wisdom behind the division of prayers into 5 times a day is not limited to what we have mentioned above.

The following explanation of Badiuzzaman Said Nursi clarifies the issue: 

"Just as the second-hand, minute-hand, hour-hand, and day-hand of a clock which tells the weeks look to one another, are examples of one another, and follow one another, so too the revolutions of day and night, which are like the seconds of this world - a vast clock of Almighty God - and the years which tell its minutes, and the stages of man's life-span which tell the hours, and the epochs of the world's life-span which tell the days look to one another, are examples of one another, are like one another, and recall one another.

For example:

The time of Fajr, the early morning: This time until sunrise resembles and calls to mind the early spring, the moment of conception in the mother's womb, and the first of the six days of the creation of the heavens and earth; it recalls the Divine acts present in them…"

Alcoholic drinks are drinks that remove the ability of thinking healthily and reasoning and causing the state called drunkenness.

The Quran prohibits alcoholic drinks and states that they are haram: " O ye who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, (dedication of) stones, and (divination by) arrows, are an abomination― of Satan's handiwork." (al-Maida, 5/90). Most of the scholars say that what is meant by the word "hamr" (intoxicants) in the verse includes all of the drinks that remove the mind. Hanafis explain hamr as follows: Only drinks that are made of grapes and become strong by foaming are called hamr. The other alcoholic drinks that intoxicate people are not regarded as hamr. They are regarded haram through analogical deduction (qiyas) compared to harm because they intoxicate people. Most of the fiqh scholars say that all of the alcoholic drinks that make people drunk are haram whether only a little amount or a lot of them are drunk and they are included in the content of the word hamr. (Sahih Muslim, Translation and explanation, A. Davudoğlu, IX, 247, ff.)

Along with Islam, drinking alcohol is haram in the previous heavenly religions, too: The following sentences in the Old Testament, the holy book of Jews, are remarkable: "And the Lord said to Aaron: Take no wine, or strong drink, you or your sons with you, when you go into the Tent of meeting, that it may not be the cause of death to you; this is an order for ever through all your generations. And make a division between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean." (Old Testament, Leviticus, Chapter, 10, A. 8, 9-11)

The following is stated in the New Testament: "And when they were taking food, Jesus took bread and, after blessing it, he gave the broken bread to the disciples and said, Take it; this is my body. And he took a cup and, having given praise, he gave it to them, saying; Take of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the testament, which is given for men for the forgiveness of sins. But I say to you that from now I will not take of this fruit of the vine, till that day when I take it new with you in my Father's kingdom." (New Testament, Matthew, Chapter 26, 26-29, John 30: et al)

It is known that Turks used to be Shamanists before Islam. It is known that various drinks like kumis were drunk during their feasts and consecration ceremonies in that religion. (Mehmet Aydın-Osman Cilacı, Dinler Tarihi, Konya 1980, p. 97 ff.)

Before Islam and in the first period of Islam, Jahiliyya Arabs drank alcohol and regarded it as part of daily life. Islam gave great importance to the protection of five things:  They are mind, health, property, honor and religion. A person who drinks alcohol cannot protect these five things. An organization established in America searched who prohibited drinking alcohol first in the world. When they found out that the first prohibition was applied by Hz. Muhammad, they built a monument in New York called "Muhammad Fountain" in New York to commemorate him. (Yeşilay Dergisi, iss. 441, August 1970)

The prohibition of alcohol was introduced gradually in the Quran.

In the first verse regarding alcohol that was sent down in Makkah, no prohibition is mentioned.

"And from the fruit of the date-palm and the vine, ye get out wholesome drink, and food: behold in this also is a Sign for those who are wise." (an-Nahl, 16/67)

After that, Hz. Umar went to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) once and said to him, "O Messenger of Allah! You know that wine destroys property and removes the mind. Ask Allah to explain the decree about wine. Then Hz. Prophet prayed as follows: "O Allah! Inform us about your decree regarding wine." Thereupon, the following verse was sent down:

"They ask thee concerning wine and gambling. Say: 'In them is great sin, and some profit for men; but the sin is greater than the profit.'" (al-Baqara, 2/219). When this verse was sent down, some Companions gave up drinking alcohol saying, "it is a major sin" but others continued drinking saying, "it is useful for man."

Once, Abdurrahman b. Awf gave a feast and some of the Companions were at this feast. Some of them drank alcohol. When it was time for the evening prayer, one of them led the prayer but recited the chapter of "al-Kafirun" wrongly. Thereupon, Hz. Umar prayed as follows: "O Lord! Expand your decree about alcohol!" Then, the following verse was sent down: " O ye who believe! Approach not prayers with a mind befogged, until ye can understand all that ye say." (an-Nisa, 4/43). Thus, drinking alcohol was prohibited during the times of prayer. Those who drank alcohol started to drink after the night prayer and performed the morning prayer after they became sober.

Once Utba b. Malik (r.a) gave a wedding feast. Sa`d b. Abi Waqqas was also there. They ate camel, drank alcohol and started to boast about their nobility. Sa`d recited a poet that praised his tribe and satirized the Ansar. One of the Ansar got angry and injured Sa'd with a bone of the camel. Sa`d complained to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) about him. Thereupon, the verses that introduced the prohibition of alcohol definitely:  

" O ye who believe! Intoxicants and gambling, (dedication of) stones, and (divination by) arrows, are an abomination― of Satan's handiwork: eschew such (abomination), that ye may prosper. Satan's plan is (but) to excite enmity and hatred between you, with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah, and from prayer: will ye not then abstain?" (al-Maida, 5/90-91)

Various hadiths of Hz. Prophet show the essentials of this application regarding the issue:

"Everything that intoxicates is wine and everything that intoxicates is haram. If a person drinks wine in the world and dies before he repents, he cannot drink kawthar in the hereafter." (Muslim, Ashriba, 73)

"If something intoxicates in large quantity, its small quantity is also haram." (al-Asqalani, Bulughu`l Maram, Translated by A. Davudoğlu, lV, 61, ff)

When Hz. Prophet was asked about the decree on wine, he said, "Doubtlessly, wine is not a remedy; on the contrary, it is trouble." (al-Asqalani, ibid, IV, 61)

"Some people from my ummah will drink alcoholic drinks by giving them different names." (al-Asqalani, ibid, IV, 61)

There is consensus of the ummah that alcohol is prohibited.

Islamic scholars agree on the issue unanimously. However, there is a disagreement on some kinds of drinks among mujtahids. In order to eliminate those doubts, Hz. Umar made a concise definition acting upon the word of the Messenger of Allah on the pulpit: "Everything that blocks the mind is alcohol." Accordingly, everything that makes man lose his mind and that makes him unable to differentiate between what is good and what is bad and between what is useful and what is harmful is regarded as alcohol. It does not matter whether it is liquid or solid. Opium, heroin and other similar drugs are regarded as the same because the functions of the mind change in those people who use them; they start to see distant things as near and near things as distant; they move away from normal things and they start to imagine possible and impossible things, living in a dream world. Some drugs stupefy the body, numb the nerves, cause mental depressions, weaken the willpower and make the individual a useless person for the community. The religion of Islam orders useful things for the individual and the society and prohibits what is harmful. When the prohibitions of Islam are examined by medicine, it will be seen that they are for the benefit of the society. As a matter of fact, prohibitions like alcohol and pork were examined by science and medicine, and their material and spiritual harms were explained by the experts. (see Yusuf al-Qardawi, al-Halal wa`l-Haram fi`l-Islam, Translated by Mustafa Varlı, Ankara 1970, p. 50-53, 75-88).

Islam prohibits drinking alcohol and its trade among Muslims as well. Hz. Prophet damned ten people regarding alcohol: The one who squeezes grapes,  the one for whom grapes are squeezed, the one who drinks alcohol, who carries it, the one for whom it is carried, the one who makes others drink it, who sells it, who spends the money earned from it, the one who buys it and the one for whom it is bought..." (Tirmidhi, Buyu`, 59; Ibn Majah, Ashriba, 6).

After the verse in the chapter al-Maida that expressed the definite prohibition of alcoholic drinks, the Messenger of Allah stated the following about the application: “Allah has definitely prohibited alcoholic drinks. A person who hears this verse and who has alcoholic drinks must not drink or sell them..." (Muslim, Musakat, 67; see Bukhari, Maghazi, 51; Buyu, 105, 112; Muslim, Buyu, 93; Far', 8; Ibn Majah, Tijarat, 11; Ahmad b. Hanbal, II, 213, 362, 512, III, 217, 324, 326, 340; Ibn Kathir, Mukhtasar Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Beirut (n.d), I, 544-547).

Servitude is a deed that organizes the relationship between man and the Creator, Allah. Therefore, the fact that Allah is the Creator and that man is created are emphasized in the first verses that were revealed:

“Proclaim! (or Read!) in the name of thy Lord and Cherisher, Who created― Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood.”(al-Alaq, 96/1-2).

The Quran attracts attention to this relationship in the first verse which calls man to worship:

“O ye people! adore your Guardian-Lord, who created you and those who came before you..”(al-Baqara, 2/21).

It is understood from the verse above that worshipping is a duty of the creation (nature) of man, an expression of thanks to the Creator, and a holy deed serving to realize the purpose of spiritual and bodily mechanisms.

Now we will present the reality of servitude, which we tried to outline in a few items:

Servitude is done in two ways:The first one is the servitude done in the absence of the Creator without addressing Him; the second one is the servitude done addressing Him.

1. The Servitude done in the absence of the Creator can be summarized as follows:

a. Servitude: To confirm the greatness of Allah and to applaud His art by looking at the wonderful deeds of the Creator seen all over the universe like creating, administering, arranging and designing.

b.Servitude: To see the beautiful arts which are the reflections of God's beautiful names, to talk about them and to show them to one another in order to take lessons from them.

c. Servitude: To evaluate the essence of the beautiful names of Allah, all of which are spiritual treasures, with one's mind and appreciate them with the heart.

d. Servitude: To perceive, think and meditate the pages of the universe as a book written by the pen of power and wisdom of Allah.

e.Servitude: To look at the wonderful arts, fine embroideries and decorated designs seen all over the universe, to watch the spiritual beauty and perfection of the Creator there and to know Him closely, to love and respect Him.

2. The servitude in the presence of the Creator addressing Him can be summarized as follows:

a. Servitude: To know that one is always in the presence of Allah and to act accordingly. To reach the doer through the deed and to reach the artist through the art.

b. Servitude: To understand that the Creator wants to be known by displaying His wonderful and miraculous arts; and to answer this request by belief.

c. Servitude: To understand that Allah, who is ar-Rahim (the All-Compassionate), wants to be loved since He Displays His products of His mercy as a reflection of His endless mercy by fulfilling this request of Allah; to allocate his love to Him and to try to make himself loved by Him by worshipping Him.

d. Servitude:  To understand that Allah, who is generous, grants people endless material and spiritual bounties and addresses people's material and spiritual sense organs, wants to give pleasure to palates and minds; in return for them, to present his praise and thanks to Him with his deeds, words and attitudes and even with all of his atoms if he can.

e. Servitude: To say,“Subhanallah, Alhamdulillah, Allahuakbar”  to praise Allah's attributes of  jalal (majesty) and jamal (beauty), whose reflections are seen everywhere from atoms to galaxies; to stand, to bow down and to prostate in His presence.  

In addition, servitude is divided into two as worshipping and serving: fasting, performing prayers, hajj, zakah are forms of worshipping; to produce all kinds of technology that makes life easy is also regarded as worship. For instance, to produce cars, to build ships, to construct roads and bridges, to establish factories that produce various technological products are also regarded as worship.  It is definitely necessary to aim to attain the consent of Allah and to be sincere if one wants his worship to be significant.

None of the divine books except the Qur’an at present are original versions that were revealed to the prophets of God. The original versions of these books lost in time and they were rewritten by human beings. Thus, elements of superstition were added to them. For example, the Torah could not be protected by Jews because they became captive and lived in exile for ages after Hz. Moses (AS) and they even accepted paganism by losing their beliefs; and along with these historical facts, the present version of the Torah was written by some religious men very long after Hz. Moses and was accepted as a divine book as if it was the original version. It is clear that the Torah cannot be the version that was sent to Hz. Moses (AS) after such a long and complicated period. Thus, it contains ascriptions and slander which cannot be told by prophets; and there are judgments that are against the spirit of the religion of oneness.

The Psalms of Hz. Dawud had also the same fate as the Torah.

As for the Bible, Hz. Isa (Jesus) (AS) did not let his revelations be written. For, he became a prophet at the age of thirty and his duty of prophethood ended at the age of thirty-three. He strived to show the true path for a short time period of three years by moving from village to village and city to city. Towards the end, he was constantly chased by Roman rulers as a result of the provocation of Jews. So, he could find neither time nor opportunity to let the Bible be written. Thus, the Bibles that are present are called with their authors and contain sermons, lessons and guidance of Jesus (AS) and look like the biography of him. Besides, they were not written by the first followers of Jesus (AS) and his believers but the people who saw the followers of Jesus (AS); so they were the listeners.       

There are some differences in the present Bibles in terms of content and manner of telling.  In fact, these Bibles were accepted with the agreement of a spiritual council that gathered in Nicea in MS 325. This council examined hundreds of Bibles and accepted the present four Bibles, which assert the idea of divine aspect of Jesus, with the agreement of 318 members by destroying the rest.

As it is seen, the philosophy of the idea of Jesus as being the son of God was accepted by a council after Jesus.

In fact, some Christian churches did not accept this decision. Thus, it is not possible to say that the present four Bibles correspond with the Bible that was sent to Jesus (AS).

Fatrah (interregnum) means pause and interval. As a religious term, it refers to the time between two prophets.

In a hadith mentioned in Bukhari, fatrah refers to the time between Prophet Jesus and Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon them). (1)

It is understood in some verses that the Arabs before Islam knew quite a little about the prophets that were sent to peoples. In the Qur’an, it is mentioned that the Arab idolaters said: “… Had it been the will of our Lord (to send us Messengers to warn us), He would certainly have sent down angels.” (2), and thus it is expressed how little they knew about messengership and therefore about the rightful religions.

Although the Arabs knew Prophet Abraham as a prophet, they accepted that his prophethood was limited to his own time. Due to the three thousand years of time span between Prophet Abraham and Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon them), there were not many who knew the decrees of the religion of Hanif conveyed by Prophet Abraham.

The scholars of Islam deal with the ahl-al fatrah (those who belong to the interval time) in three categories:

1. Those who contemplate and accept the existence and oneness of Allah with the help of his/her reason and intellect like Qus bin Saida and Zayd bin Amr, the father of Said bin Zayd who was given the good tidings of going to the Paradise, etc.

2. Those who tamper with and change the belief in one God and accept idolatry and those who invent a religion at their own will and gather people around them: Amr bin Luhay, who initiated idolatry among Arabs and other idolaters, etc.

3. Those who do not belong to either a positive or superstitious belief, who are neither believers nor idolaters, and who passed their lives in ignorance, and who did not think about these matters. In the Age of Jahiliyya (the time of ignorance before the Prophet) there were such people, too.

Among these three categories, the second will go to Hell because they were idolaters. Those who fall into the third group will not be people of the Hell as they are truly the people of fatrah. This is because a prophet who would convey the right and the truth to them did not come to them and they did not show signs of unbelief; so they are among those who are saved. All of the Ahl as-Sunnah (the mainstream Islamic belief) scholars agreed on it. (3)

Qus bin Saida and Zayd bin Amr mentioned in the first category will, on the other hand, be resurrected in the Hereafter individually as a separate ummah (community) by Allah, as they were believers in Allah’s existence and oneness among thousands of people, as they were not the community of any prophet because no prophet was sent then, and as they could not reach the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). They are the people of salvation and they saved their eternal lives because of their faith. When resurrected, they will be present in the place of gathering on the Day of Judgment as “a community of only one person”. These are ‘exceptional’ people and will be bestowed with Allah’s favors and benevolence.

It is obvious that the people of fatrah are not responsible for worship and religious decrees. However, there is a disagreement between the two sects of belief of Ahl as-Sunnah, Maturidi and Ash’ari, about whether they are responsible for believing or not. According to the belief system of Maturidi, those people must make use of the reason and intellect given to them by Allah and thus understand the existence of Allah by contemplating the heavens and the earth and what is between them. According to Ash’ari, on the other hand, the people of fatrah are not obliged to believe in Allah. This is because they were not sent a prophet. Allah says in the Qur’an: “We would never punish (a person or community for the wrong they have done) until we have sent a messenger.” (4). Therefore, they do not deserve punishment because they were not sent a prophet.

Badiuzzaman, an Islamic scholar who lived and published works in the 20th century, brings the mentioned verse as evidence and says:

 “The people who lived in the time between prophets are among those saved. It has been stated unanimously that they are not punished for their mistakes in secondary matters. According to Imam Shafi'i and Imam Ash'ari, even if they are deniers and do not believe in the fundamentals of faith, they still are among those saved. For responsibility before God occurs through the sending of prophets, and when prophets are sent, responsibility is established through knowledge of their mission. Since heedlesness and the passage of time obscured the religions of the former prophets, they could not provide the proof for the people of that time. If they obey the former religion, they receive reward; if they do not, they are not punished. For, since it was hidden, it cannot he a proof." (5)

Imam Ghazali, an important Islamic scholar, studies the people after the messengership of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in three categories:

1. Those who did not hear about the message of the Prophet and were not informed about him. Those who fall into this group are definitely the people of salvation and will go to Paradise.

2. Those who heard about the message of the Prophet, the miracles he worked and his high ethics, but did not believe in him. This group of people will definitely be exposed to torment.

3. Those who heard the Prophet’s name, but did not hear about anything except for the negative propaganda, and nobody told them the truth and encouraged them into belief; for these reasons, they stayed indifferent. I hope that they will also be among the people of salvation and thus go to Paradise.

Badiuzzaman, who states that at the end of time, a kind of fatrah is experienced, points out that such kinds of innocent people who die in the world wars will also be among the people of salvation. Badiuzzaman says:

“As at the end of time (akhir zaman), there came over the religion and the religion of Muhammad (PBUH)  a veil of indifference to the degree of fatrat, and as at the end of time the real religion of Prophet Jesus will reign and will become shoulder to shoulder with Islam. For all these reasons, of course the calamities suffered by the Christians who follow Prophet Jesus are a kind of martyrdom for them.” (6)

References

1. Bukhari, Manaqibu'l-Ansar: 53.

2. The Qur’an, Fussilat , 14.

3. Tajrid-i Sarih trns, 4:544.

4. The Qur’an, Isra, 15.

5. Letters (Mektubat), 360-361.

6. Kastamonu Lahikası, p. 77.

When there were disintegrations in the history of Islam and when people moved away from the spirit of the Quran, Islamic scholars searched for and found the solution in the Sunnah because the one to describe the Quran is doubtlessly the Prophet.

All of the Islamic scholars accepted the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) as the primary source in explaining the Quran. Is there a truth that it is based on?

Yes, the duty of prophethood does not end by only bringing the Quran; to explain it, to show how it will be applied are also the duties of the Prophet. For instance the following verses define some of the divine duties of the Prophet:

“We sent not a messenger except (to teach)in the language of his (own)people, in order to make (things)clear to them.”(Ibrahim,14-4)

“Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find mentioned in their own (Scriptures);― in the Law and the Gospel;― for he commands them what is just and forbids them what is evil: he allows them as lawful what is good (and pure) and prohibits them from what is bad (and impure); He releases them from their heavy burdens and from the yokes that are upon them. So it is those who believe in him honor, him, help him, and follow the Light which is sent down with him― it is they who will prosper.”(al-Araf, 7-157)

“It is not fitting for a Believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by Allah and His Messenger, to have any option about their decision: if anyone disobeys Allah and His Messenger he is indeed on a clearly wrong Path.” (al-Ahzab ,33-36)

“But no, by thy Lord, they can have no (real) Faith, until they make thee judge in all disputes between them, and find in their souls no resistance against thy decisions, but accept them with the fullest conviction.” (an-Nisa, 4-65)

“He who obeys the Messenger, obeys Allah: but if any turn away, We have not sent thee to watch over their (evil deeds).”(an-Nisa, 4-80)

“Take what the Messenger assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you. And fear Allah; for Allah is strict in Punishment.”(al-Hashr, 59-7)

“Say: "If ye do love Allah, follow me: Allah will love you and forgive you your sins; for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Aal-e-Imran, 3-31)

Yes, those verses above and similar verses states that the duty of our Prophet is not limited with conveying the Quran to people.

Can we clarify it a bit?

1. One of the duties of our Prophet is to explain the concise verses: For instance, the Quran says, “Perform prayers”, but how shall we perform prayers? It says “Perform ruku (bow down) and sajdah (prostrate)”, but it does not tell us in detail how to perform them. There is no detail as to how to perform qiyam (standing). Our Prophet explains the verse in form and content, and shows how to perform it by saying “Perform prayers as I do”. Our Prophet explains the concise commands of the Quran like prayers, fasting and hajj.

2. Explaining the verses that are hard to understand is also one of the duties of our Prophet.

For instance, the following is stated in a verse, “Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies of Allah and your enemies and others besides whom ye may not know but whom Allah doth know” (al-Anfal,8-60). In that verse, the phrase “make ready your strength and steeds of war” is used. The Companions asked the Prophet: “What is strength?” Our Prophet said, “Know that strength is throwing, strength is throwing, strength is throwing” three times. He ordered us to catch up with the changing throwing instruments of each age speedily, without losing any time.

3. The Prophet also limits and reserves the limitless and general verses of the Quran. For instance, the following is stated in the Quran, “Allah hath permitted trade and forbidden usury” (al-Baqara, 2-275). According to that verse, the trade of everything is halal (permissible). However, our Prophet limited it and forbade the trade of pigs and alcoholic drinks. Thus, he explained the limits of the legitimate trade. Another example is the following verse: “It is those who believe and mix not their beliefs with wrong― that are (truly) in security, for they are on (right) guidance.”(al-An'am, 6-82) When that verse was sent down, the companions asked our Prophet: “All of us do wrong to our souls. O Messenger of Allah, is there anyone of us who does not do wrong?” Our Prophet (pbuh) reminded the verse “Polytheism is indeed the highest wrong-doing” and explained that the wrongdoing here is polytheism. Therefore, our Prophet explains the verses of the Quran that are hard to understand.

3. The events in the Quran were also confirmed and approved by the Prophet by repeating them. Thus, he made people understand them better, which can be mentioned here regarding the issue.

4. Our Prophet also has the authority of legislation, that is, enacting laws that are not present in the Quran. For instance, the food items that are haram (forbidden) are mentioned in two verses. However, the flesh of donkey is not mentioned in any of them. Our Prophet forbade eating the flesh of domestic donkeys during the expedition of Khyber.

Why were they not explained in the Quran but left to our Prophet?

If the Quran had given all of the details, it would have been a book of many volumes.It would have made it difficult for us to benefit from it. Therefore, the Quran left the explanations of some issues to our Prophet. There are some other reasons why the explanations were left to our Prophet. Some issues were abrogated in the course of time.

Some of the hadiths reached us as weak hadiths. Acting in accordance with those weak hadiths brought about disagreement. Disagreement is mercy for the umma. If Allah had mentioned all of those issues definitely in the Quran, the probability of disagreement would have decreased. The flexibility of our religion against changing conditions of the time and society would have decreased. As a matter of fact, one of the superior aspects of our religion, I think, is that it opens the way to new interpretations in accordance with time and place, which is something good.

That is not all. Our Prophet left a margin for scholars. It is the beauty of our religion. Scholars determined some fundamental rules and methods in making judgments acting upon the Quran and Sunnah. Scholars have made interpretations for new issues with those methods. Thus, we can make our own laws for new conditions without needing any other legal and cultural system and without importing laws. As a matter of fact, all of our new needs that occurred until the last period of the Ottoman State were made into laws based on the Quran and Sunnah and they were collected into a book within the framework of our own values.
How will our people learn the Quran through hadiths? For instance, we all read the Chapter Ya Seen a lot. If we want to find out “how did our Prophet interpret that chapter?”, how will we find it? Is there a way or method of it?

First of all, the Quran is interpreted through the Quran because one verse explains another verse. An issue is explained in one aspect in a verse; in another verse, another aspect of that issue is explained,etc. However, there are a lot of interpretations of our Prophet about the Quran. One of the largest parts of Bukhari is Tafsir (interpretation). Furthermore, there are also hadiths related to interpretation that are not present in Bukhari and Tirmidhi but are present in other resources.

Applying the science of mathematics, I sometimes say: a line passes through two points. Similarly, the Quran is the point of origination about a meaning that we deduce from the Quran. If we do not refer to the hadiths as a second point, there may be thousands of views originating from one point. However, what is religion? It is the religion of oneness and togetherness. People cannot deduce different interpretations on their own from that verse but interpretations in accordance with the truth. We will search for what the Prophet said regarding the issue. If there is nothing regarding it in the words of the Prophet, then we will search for what Sahaba (the Companions of the Prophet), Tabi’in (people who met Sahaba) and Atbaut Tabi’in (People who met tabi’in) said; we will take into consideration what they said. They had more opportunity than us in understanding the Quran in accordance with its original.

To what extent are hadiths reliable?

There is no reason why we should not rely on hadiths. As we have mentioned before, the Quran directs people to the Prophet saying, “Take what the Messenger assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you”. That is, the Quran always points to the Prophet as the secondary resource.

Secondly, the Prophet points to himself; he attracts attention to his Sunnah and states that Islam will continue with his Sunnah. For instance, Hazrat Prophet sends Muadh to Yemen. The Prophet asks him, “How will you act there?” Hazrat Muadh says, “I will act in accordance with the Quran”. Our Prophet asks, “What if you cannot find something in the Quran?” He says, “With your Sunnah and if I cannot find it in your Sunnah, with my ijtihad (deriving laws from the original sources)”. Our Prophet becomes pleased with his answers. That hadith is an evidence for the scholars of Islam. It is proof that Sunnah is evidence and that ijtihad is necessary. Thus, when the Prophet was alive, Sahaba knew hadiths as the secondary source. 

Hazrat Umar narrates: “I have made a contract of alternation with a brother of mine. One day, he goes to the field and takes care of the field; I go to the Messenger of Allah and listen to him. In the evening, I inform my brother about what I saw and heard while I was with the Messenger of Allah. The next day, I go to the field and take care of the field; my brother goes to the Messenger of Allah and listens to him. In the evening, he informs me about what he saw and heard while he was with the Messenger of Allah. Thus, we have the opportunity to follow the Messenger of Allah closely.”

A Companion says: “I used to write whatever I heard from the Prophet. Some people said to me, ‘the Messenger of Allah is a human being too. Sometimes, he speaks when he is angry and sometimes, when he is calm. It is not true to write whatever he says.’ Thereupon, I gave up writing. However, I started to forget what I heard from the Prophet. Therefore, I went to the Prophet and told him about the issue. ‘O Messenger of Allah! I hear good things from you and I write them down but some people from Ansar said something. Therefore, I gave up writing. However, I feel uneasy when I do not write. What shall I do?’ the Messenger of Allah showed his blessed mouth and said, ‘Nothing other than truth comes out from this mouth. Write.’

Some people came to the Messenger of Allah and complained about their memory. He said to them, “Ask the help of your right hands” advising them to write down.

Let me say something else. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated a lot of hadiths and he is one of the seven people who narrated most hadiths. In a hadith I read in Mustadrak, Hazrat Anas says, “I wrote down hadiths from the Messenger of Allah during the day and I read them to him at night so that he would correct them.” That is, our Prophet corrected what he had written. After that, in the science of hadith, the students took the hadiths that they learned to their teachers and presented the hadiths to them. The students read the hadiths that they wrote and memorized before their teachers; the teachers corrected them and then gave the students diplomas.

Can we say that all hadiths are the interpretations of the Quran?

Yes we can.Our Prophet (pbuh)put the Quran into practice through his lifestyle. Therefore, the ideal lifestyle that the Quran wants from men is manifest in our Prophet (pbuh). If we consider it from the point of view of worshipping, our Prophet showed it how our worshipping towards Allah should be perfectly. Our Prophet carried out all kinds of worshipping in the perfect way. The worshipping of our Prophet is the perfect way of the worshipping that the Quran wants from us in all aspects. The same thing is valid for human relations too. Our Prophet showed us the best examples in his relationship with people and his neighbors. He also showed the best examples of husband and wife relationship. He showed us how to act towards children.

Thus, our Prophet (pbuh)represented practiced and showed the ideal of the Quran in all phases, sections and moments of his life. Muslims can take them exactly from the Prophet to the extent that they can. In a hadith, Hazrat Aisha expresses the ethics of the Prophet as, “His ethics was the ethics of the Quran.” Therefore, our Prophet explained the ethics of the Quran in terms of ethics. Maybe, he did not explain everything verbally but he practiced it. Every word, act and attitude of the Prophet is the interpretation of the spirit of the Quran.

On the other hand, he explained the stories about the previous nations. In hadiths, we can find some events about Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham) that are not present in the Quran. Thus, we can find all of the lessons that the Quran wants to mention, to bring to mankind in terms of law, ethics and lifestyle in the life of Hazrat Prophet sometimes in his words, sometimes in his deeds and sometimes in his analyses.

The following is stated in the Quran, “eat and drink: but waste not by excess”. In another verse, squandering is forbidden. Squandering is the brother of wasting. Let us look at the practice of the Prophet to understand those two verses better:
Our Prophet put a clear limit to wasting; the most living example of it is wudu (ablution). When he made wudu, he used the water carefully so as not to waste it. He commanded us two wash our organs with three handfuls of water during wudu. To use more water is makrooh (abominable). He puts that limitation. One of the companions becomes surprised and asks: “O Messenger of Allah! Is it to save water?”. He answers, “No, even if you are near a river, you will wash your organs three times.”   

I saw a narration from Abu ad-Darda in hadiths: “Once, our Prophet arrived at a river on the way to somewhere. They brought him a bowl of water from the river. He made wudu with it and some water remained. We would normally sprinkle it around. However, our Prophet says, “Go and pour it back to the river. It may be the drink of a creature in the future.”

If we eat more than we need, speak more than necessary, spend our time in vain, we waste them. They are the wasting that we cannot bring back. Lighting a match is also wasting. They are makrooh. The fact that our Prophet told us not to waste water while making wudu five times a day, he gave us the lesson of respecting nature. He teaches us that wasting is also a serious issue in other fields of life through the example of wudu.

Now, let us have a look at the explanation of the verse, “waste not by excess”. Thus, when we read a verse, we need to refer to the hadiths to see how that verse is explained. The larger our hadith culture is, the better we will understand the Quran. Can I say something like this as a conclusion?   When we read a verse from the Quran, we should try to understand it from the translations and interpretations of the Quran. However, it should not be enough for us; we should increase our hadith culture. We should learn many hadiths and form our life through them. When we read the Quran like that, it will be as if we are learning the meaning of the Quran from the Prophet.

Absolutely. Our scholars who understood it like that, for instance, Tabari, wrote all of the hadiths that he remembered about a verse. Some people criticized Tabari because he reported many hadiths. Most of his interpretation of forty volumes is full of hadiths. However, when we refer to hadiths, we understand the verses better. The light that a hadith gives is different from the meaning that we deduce by contemplating. In my opinion, it is the best way to try to understand the Quran through hadiths.

Are the Sunnah and hadiths binding?

Does the Sunnah, the life of our Prophet bind Muslims; do they have to follow it?

We will deal with that issue in accordance with hadiths and the views of scholars.

1. The Quran: There are some verses showing that Hazrat Prophet receives revelation other than the Quran (1) too.
Some of them are as follows:

1- It is understood from the following verses that our Prophet was given wisdom along with the Book: ‘Messenger from among themselves, rehearsing unto them the Signs of Allah, sanctifying them, and instructing them in Scripture and Wisdom’, (2) ‘sent down to him the Book and wisdom’, (3).

Those two words have both similarity and difference. Accordingly, since what is meant by the Book is the Quran, wisdom has to be something else. The probability that it is the Sunnah prevails.(4) It is the point of difference. The point of similarity is that both of them originate from revelation.(5)

2- The promise stated in the following verse was given to Muslims but it is not stated in the verse what it was: “Behold! Allah promised you one of the two (enemy) parties, that it should be yours: ye wished that the one unarmed should be yours” (6). It proves that it is informed through another kind of revelation.

3- The following verse proves definitely that there exists revelation apart from the Quran: “When the Prophet disclosed a matter in confidence to one of his consorts, and she then divulged it (to another) and Allah made it known to him, he confirmed part thereof and repudiated a part. Then when he told her thereof, she said "Who told thee this?" He said "He told me who knows and is well-acquainted (with all things)."”(7) Although there is no explanation about the disclosure of the secret in the Quran, the Prophet knows about it. It becomes clear that there exists revelation which is not included in the Quran since he cannot know it on his own and since it is stated that Allah informed him.

2. Hadiths:

1- According to the narration of Miqdad b. Ma’dikarib, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said the following: “...I was given the Book and the like of it”.(8)

2- Qudsi Hadiths: (9) The following phrases that are present in those kinds of hadiths: “the Messenger of Allah stated the following in the hadith that he reported from his Lord”, “Allah stated the following in the hadith that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) narrated” and the fact that those hadiths started with the words “O my slaves” prove that Hazrat Prophet received revelation other than the Quran.

3- The famous event that is known as the Jibril (Gabriel) hadith:(10). Jibril came in the form of a man, asked some questions and received answers; Hazrat Prophet told his companions that it was Jibril and that he had come to teach them the religion.

4- The expressions of Hazrat Prophet (pbuh) like ‘certainly my Lord revealed to me, (11) I was ordered, I was forbidden, (12) and the fact that he said Jibril taught him some things (13) prove that revelation exists other than the Quran too.(14)
The fact that Hazrat Prophet said “actually I did not know about them but Allah informed me about them” when he answered the questions of a Jewish person ”(15) supports that issue.

3. Views of the Scholars:

The Companions of the Prophet knew that our Prophet (pbuh) received revelation other than the Quran from his practices, explanations and words.They expressed it many times. Scholars also expressed their views about the origin of Sunnah based on hadiths and the expressions of the companions; most of them expressed that the source of Sunnah was based on revelation.
Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said that there was revelation about Hazrat Khadija and that she was given a manor in Paradise.

The expression that is present in narrations: Jibril brought down the Sunnah as he brought down the Quran shows that there exists revelation other than the Quran. (16) In addition, the fact that the Prophet received the information like treating the neighbors well, making wudu (ablution), performing prayers, calling out the talbiya, performing prayers in the sacred Aqiq Valley, the times of the prayers, the gate of paradise through which the umma of Muhammad will enter, the name of Hazrat Hamza (may Allah be pleased with him) being written on a tablet by the beings of the sky (17) shows that there exists revelation other than the Quran.

Tawus says that he himself has a written text that was sent by revelation about diyah (blood money, ransom) and that decrees about zakat and diyah came by revelation. (18)

By saying, “when a hadith from the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) reaches you, never make judgments contrary to it; because the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)was a conveyor from Allah, the Exalted” (19), Awzai stated that sunnah was based on revelation.
As we have mentioned before, a person who made important explanations about the issue was Imam Shafi.(20) According to the understanding that he bases on a person whose knowledge he relies on and that he himself also accepts, the Sunnah is either revelation, or the statement of the revelation or something that Allah handed him. It is based on his prophethood that is peculiar to him and the wisdom that Allah inspires him based on it. No matter which one of the above alternatives is accepted, Allah ordered people to obey the Messenger of Allah and act in accordance with Sunnah. The explanation of the Quran by Sunnah takes place either by the prophethood coming from Allah, or by inspiration or by the “command” that was given to him.

Ibn Hazm, who agrees on the same views, defines the sunnah as non-recited (ghayr matluw) revelation and says that it is necessary to obey the sunnah, which is the second revelation as it is necessary to obey the Quran. They are the same in that they are binding and they come from Allah.(21)

Ghazali states that the sunnah is based on revelation and that it is non-recited revelation.(22)

If the whole sunnah is regarded as revelation, it becomes spontaneously clear that Hazrat Prophet (pbuh) cannot change the Sunnah as he cannot change the Quran.(23)

There arises an important issue along with the understanding that the whole sunnah is based on revelation just like the Quran. If Hazrat Prophet (pbuh) waited for the revelation of sunnah like the verses of the Quran for every situation and event, how are his ijtihads and consultations to be dealt with? There were definitely some times when he waited for revelation but to think and accept that he acted like that in every phase of his life will cause problems.

Due to those situations, some scholars had the view that not all of the sunnah but some of it was based on revelation and some of it was based on situations like ijtihad and consultation.

For instance, Ibn Qutayba says the following, dividing the source of the sunnah into three:

a) the sunnah that Jibril brought from Allah. (24)
b) the sunnah that Allah left to His Messenger (pbuh), that He wanted him to explain his view. (25)
c) the sunnah that the Messenger of Allah practiced for adab; the sunnah that one receives rewards when one performs but does not receive any punishment when one abandons. (26)
Sarakhsi of Hanafis, who adopts the same view, says that the judgments that Hazrat Prophet made based on his opinion and ijtihad are like revelation:

Revelation consists of two parts:

1- Apparent revelation. It is divided into three.

a) The revelation that comes through the tongue of the angel, that is perceived by the ear and that is certainly known to be coming from Allah. That part is the revelation of the Quran.
b) The revelation that is explained to the Prophet by the angel through signs, without any words. (27)
c) Inspiration. It is the divine manifestation in the heart of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) without any doubt. A light arises in his heart and the judgment about the issue becomes clear.

2- Esoteric revelation: Calling it as “ma yushbihu’l-wahy” (resembling revelation), Sarakhsi says that there are judgments that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) reached through his opinion and ijtihad. The fact that he is not left free to make mistakes and that he is always under the control of revelation makes that kind of judgments like revelation. The ijtihads of other people from his umma are not like the ijtihad of Hazrat Prophet (pbuh) since there exists the probability of making mistakes and it is impossible to correct them through revelation. (28)

That explanation of Sarakhsi means all of the acts of Hazrat Prophet (pbuh) are beased on and are corrected by revelation. The act or word of Hazrat Prophet (pbuh) is either true or wrong. If it remains as it is, it becomes apparent that it is true because Allah will not let a wrong act or word continue.

Shatibi says the following:

Hadith is either pure revelation coming from Allah or an ijtihad by Hazrat Prophet (pbuh). However, in that case, his ijtihad is either based on a sound revelation in the Book or sunnah or has been checked by it. Even if the view that Hazrat Prophet can make a mistake in his ijtihad is accepted, he will never be left on a mistake; it will be corrected at once. In the end, it will become true. Therefore, there is no probability of mistakes in anything that comes from him. (29)

Acting upon those views, it can be said that those who say all of the sunnah is revelation do not exaggerate because all of the sunnah is checked by revelation; it is either left as it is or corrected. That is, since we cannot accept the existence of an application that is not checked by revelation, we can say as a conclusion that all of the sunnah is based on revelation. However, when we say that all of the sunnah is based on revelation, we mean the sunnah that was determined during the age of the Messenger of Allah and that reached us as sound.

4. Silently approved (taqrir) revelation

What we defined as taqrir sunnah when we explained sunnah is the silent approval by Hazrat Prophet (pbuh) of some actions or words that he saw or heard. (30) That is, when the companions did or said something based on their Jahiliyya applications or their own opinions, Hazrat Prophet sometimes corrected them, sometimes changed them and sometimes did not say anything. The companions regarded his silence as approval because it would not be appropriate for a prophet to leave a mistake as it was. Therefore, his silence meant that action or word was not wrong.

The companions were under the control of Hazrat Prophet (pbuh); similarly, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was always under the control of revelation as a necessity of the attribute of ismah (innocence) (31). Therefore, it should be known that his mistake would not be left without correction (32)and that the warning would be made at once, without any delay (33). Hazrat Prophet (pbuh) differs from everybody else and from those who are authorized to make ijtihad.

It is known that he was warned because of some of his actions even before he became a prophet. (34)

Once, when he wanted to take off his izar (outer garment) in order to throw stones but he was prevented. In another occasion, he wanted to take off his izar to help his uncle Abu Talib for the repair of the Zamzam Well but he fainted. He said someone with white clothes told him to cover himself when he came to.(35)

His body was protected to save him from exposing the parts that are not suitable to show to others; he was also protected from some unpleasant applications of that period. According to his own statement, he wanted to watch some games and entertainment in the places where marriage ceremonies were held but he fell asleep and could not watch or hear them; after that, he did not commit any bad things till he was appointed as a prophet.(36)

Can it be thought that a person who was under protection even when he was not a prophet and when he was not appointed as an example for his umma and humanity yet would not be protected in a period when he became an example in all aspects for his umma and humanity and that his errors and mistakes would not be corrected? (37)

As a matter of fact, we see some examples of it in the Quran.

Hazrat Prophet (pbuh) were worried about the protection of the revelation and Allah, the Exalted, eliminated his worry by saying there is no need to worry about it.(38)

He was warned about the issues like the guidance of men, people’s obeying the command of Allah, that his duty was only to convey the message of Allah that guidance depended on Allah’s will and that the result depended on the will of Allah (39); he was warned about Abu Talib, whom he asked for forgiveness and he was forbidden to pray for his uncle. (40)

On the other hand, he was stopped from cursing his enemies after the Battle of Uhud (41) from his wish of mutilation after what was made to Hazrat Hamza (may Allah be pleased with him) (42).

Furthermore, he was warned about releasing the prisoners of war in return for ransom after the Battle of Badr (43); he was prevented from the application he wanted in order to win the hearts of hypocrites (munafiqs) (44) ; he was also warned when he made himself haram what Allah had made halal due to the wishes of the prisoners of war .(45)

Those verses above and similar verses are clear indications that Hazrat Prophet (pbuh) was corrected when what he did was not in compliance with the divine consent. Allah, the Exalted, first leaves him free and wants him to make ijtihad or consultation with his companions. Then, if it was in compatible with Allah’s consent, it was left as it was; if it was not, he was corrected. As a matter of fact, the fact that he first said the children of the polytheists were like their fathers and then he said that they would go to Paradise, that he first said the lizards were cursed Jews and then gave up that idea due to the warning by revelation, that first he said the view about torture in grave was a Jewish mischief and then accepted the existence of torture in grave due to the warning by revelation and he took refuge in Allah from it in his prayers, (46) shows that he was warned and corrected outside the revelation of the Quran too.

As it is seen, it is impossible for the Messenger of Allah to continue a wrong deed, act or word that he saw or was informed about because that kind of silent approval is followed by umma; it is also impossible for the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) to continue the wrong acts or words in the presence of Allah; whatever he did during his lifetime is an example and something to be followed for us.

Then, Allah, who is All- Knowing, All-Aware, All-hearing, All-Seeing and Wise, either corrected all kinds of words, deeds and acts of the Prophet or approved them and left them as they were. Whether we call those things that Allah did not change and left as they were as esoteric revelation as Hanafi scholars called them (47) or as silently approved revelation, we can say that the sunnah of Hazrat Prophet (pbuh) is based on revelation.

Acting upon that fact, we think that we should accept that the continuation of some of the customs and traditions of the community the Prophet lived in were checked by Allah and since they were silently approved, it is not correct to regard them as only customs and traditions. Besides, we had stated that they were based Hazrat Ibrahim (pbuh) or other prophets.

Then, even if the attitudes and acts of the Prophet had existed in the same form in the period of Jahiliyya, they would have been corrected by revelation if they were wrong. It can be said that those that were not corrected were approved.

NARRATIONS THAT PERMITTED HADITHS TO BE WRITTEN

There are many narrations showing that it was permissible to write hadiths. One of the narrations belongs to Abdullah Ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with him); the hadiths he wrote were transmitted to the generations coming after him in the form of books. He says:

“I used to write what I whatever I heard from the Prophet in order to memorize them. Quraishis forbad me to write saying: ' 'You are writing whatever you hear from the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) ; however, the Messenger of Allah is a human being too.

Sometimes, he speaks when he is angry and sometimes, when he is calm. Thereupon, I gave up writing. However, I informed Hazrat Prophet about the situation. The Messenger of Allah showed his blessed mouth and said, ‘Write! I swear by Allah that nothing other than truth comes out from this mouth."

A narration confirming that Abdullah Ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote hadiths systematically belongs to Abu Hurayra and it is recorded in Bukhari. Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) says the following: "Nobody can outdo me in knowing hadiths of Hazrat Prophet except Abdullah Ibn Amr; because he used to write but I did not. "

The narrations that express permission about hadiths are not only those that we have mentioned. The fact that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said to the people who complained about their memory: “Ask the help of your right hands”, “fasten the knowledge by writing”, that he gave the written texts of his speeches to some people who wanted them in the written form, that there exist about 300 letters (that is written documents) that are all hadiths and whose lengths vary from a few lines to a few pages proves that it was permissible to write hadiths. Even if only the letters are considered, it will be understood that Hazrat Prophet did not oppose systematically and insistently to the writing of things other than the Quran and that he gave great importance to the usage of writing in civil life.

AS-SAHIFA AS-SAHIHA (SOUND PAGES) OF ABU HURAYRA:

In some narrations, it is stated that Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote the hadiths that he heard from the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). The name of that page is as-Sahifa as-Sahiha. Al-Hasan Ibn Amr Ibn Umayya ad-Damri narrates: " I reported a hadith near Hazrat Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him). However, he denied it by saying: " 'there is no such a hadith.'' I said to him that I heard it from him. Then, he said, "If you have heard it from me, it must be present with me in writing" and took me by the hand to his house. There, he showed me a lot of books in which the hadiths of Hazrat Prophet (pbuh) were written. He found the hadith that I reported and said to me: "Did I not tell you that if I narrated a hadith, it is present with me in writing?"

COLLECTING HADITHS:

The second important period of hadith history consists of works called “tadwin as-sunnah” (documentation and recording of hadiths in written form”. It covers the second century of Hegira.

WHAT IS TADWIN?

In the dictionary, tadwin means to compile and collect into a book. As a hadith term, it means recording of hadiths in written form officially and collecting into a book. The word “officially” is very important here. As it is seen in the previous parts, the recording of hadiths started during the period of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) individually and privately. As a matter of fact, the MESSENGER OF ALLAH himself left many written documents and they are all called “sunnah”. However, none of them can be included in the act of “writing” expressed by the word tadwin because in tadwin, the writing of the all of the hadiths is in question. Then, we can define tadwin perfectly as follows: "the activity of writing of all of the hadiths carried out in the second century of Hegira under the auspices of the state”.

HOW DID IT START?

The activity of tadwin started with Umar bin Abdulaziz, an Umayyad Caliph. Umar bin Abdulaziz (may Allah have mercy upon him), who is famous for his piousness and devotion to the sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), started to worry about hadiths as the generation of the companions who knew sunnah very well and great scholars started to die one after another. He thinks about making the scholars write the hadiths in order to prevent the risk of the loss of hadiths. Therefore, he sends commands and circular notes to governors as the Caliph.

The text of the one of the letters that Umar bin Abdulaziz sent is recorded in Bukhari. It is the letter sent to the governor of Madinah, Abu Bakr Ibn Hazm:

“Search for, collect and write the narrations about Hazrat Prophet (pbuh) in your city. I fear that the science (hadiths) will be lost and scholars will disappear. While doing it, only the sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) should be accepted. Scholars should sit in famous places open to public like mosques, spread knowledge and teach those who do not know. Science will not disappear unless it is kept secret.''

According to the narration that Ibn Sa’d recorded, Umar Ibn Abdilaziz (may Allah have mercy upon him) had the following extra phrase in the letter he wrote to Ibn Hazm:

"...a current, known sunnah or the narrations of Amra Bintu Abdirrahman should be accepted..."

The following extra phrase is present in the narration of Darimi:

“Write the narrations that are certain to be coming from Hazrat Prophet (pbuh) and from Hazrat Umar that you have (or that are present in your region)".

According to what Abu Nuaym recorded in Tarikh Isfahan, Umar Ibn Abdilaziz sent that letter to all Islamic cities.

Thus, by taking the various narrations that mention tadwin into consideration, we have a more holistic idea about the issue. In order to appreciate that attempt of Umar Ibn Abdilaziz, we need to mention the following words of Muhammed Ibnu Shihab az-Zuhri, who was the person with the greatest service in the activity of tadwin and who gave that activity the name of tadwin:
“We did not regard it appropriate to write the knowledge until the administrators forced us to do it. When we started to do it (as a result of the enforcement and intervention of administrators), we believed that we should not prevent any Muslim from writing. ''.

REASONS THAT CAUSED THE COLLECTION OF HADITHS

It will be useful to look closely at the real factors that caused the hadiths to be written and collected into books:

1- With the unanimous agreement of scholars, one of them is the following reason that is stated in the letter of Umar Ibn Abdilaziz: The anxiety that hadiths will disappear with the death of scholars: It is really an important issue. Although hadiths were written by individuals, they were written in order to be memorized; when they were memorized, they were burned; or they were advised to be burned after one’s death. The narration above that we quoted from Zuhri is enough to understand the worry and anxiety among the scholars.

Besides, that period was a period in which political turmoil and civil anarchy prevailed. The death of Said Ibn Jubayr, the famous hadith scholar of the period, who was killed by Hajjaj az-Zalim, was enough to worry Umar Ibn Abdilaziz that hadiths would disappear. What is more, the same events caused the death of Talq Ibnu Habib; The famous scholar Mujahid narrowly escaped death but was sent to prison.

2- Although it was not reflected clearly in the letter of Umar Ibn Abdilaziz, the second important factor that started tadwin was the increase in the activities of fabricating hadiths due to political and madhhab disagreements. The following words of Zuhri (may Allah have mercy upon him) certifies and confirms it: "If it had not been for the unknown hadiths that came from the east and that were rejected by us, I would have never written a single hadith nor would I have let anybody write one."

Suyuti says the following in order to state the role of the activity of fabricating hadiths in tadwin: "In a period when scholars were dispersed and the fabrications and innovations (bid’as) of Kharijites and Rafidis increased, the sunnah was written and collected into books by combining the words of Sahaba and the fatwas of Tabi’in."

HOW TADWIN TOOK PLACE:

The narrations show that Umar Ibn Abdilaziz did not find it enough to send a circular note; he followed and checked the activities of tadwin meticulously. For instance, he hired special clerks to work for tadwin in the center; he allocated two clerks to Hishm Ibn Abdilmalik, and Zuhri. They wrote the hadiths of Zuhri for a whole year.

Umar Ibn Abdilaziz, the Caliph, himself took part in the activities of tadwin; he went to mosque with a pen in his hand for prayer and joined the lessons after the prayer, writing hadiths from Awn Ibn Abdillah and, Yazid Ibnu'r-Raqqaşi.

During tadwin, not only the narrations dating back to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), but also the words and actions of Sahaba and Tabi’in were included by some hadith scholars into the concept of sunnah.

The hadiths that were written upon the command of the Caliph were sent to the center in the form of books; they were duplicated there and were sent to Islamic cities. An important narration documenting that issue comes from Zuhri: " Umar Ibn Abdilaziz (may Allah have mercy upon him) ordered us to collect the sunnah and we wrote it in books. Umar Ibn Abdilaziz (may Allah have mercy upon him) sent a book to the every city that he dominated."

It is certain that the books that were sent were the duplicated copies of the original books in the center.
Some narrations state that the hadiths collected in the center were checked by scholars: Abu'z-Zinad Abdullah Ibnu'z-Zakwan narrates: "I saw Umar Ibn Abdilaziz bring together fiqh scholars. Fiqh scholars had collected a great amount of hadiths. He read them together with the scholars and when a sunnah that was not carried out was read, he said: “It is extra; there is no deed based on it."

It can be said that the copies that were sent to the cities were duplicated after the examination of that committee.
An important characteristic of tadwin activities is that hadiths were not written under any classification like sunan, sahih or musnad. What was important in tadwin was to write them, to put them into writing not any other style or purpose. Therefore, marfu (traced back to the Prophet), mawqut (timed), maqtu (cut-off) narrations were written together with hasan (well authenticated) and daif (weak). Their distinction and classification would be dealt with in the next century called the period of tabwib (dividing into chapters).

THE ROLE OF ABU BAKR IBN HAZM:

We do not have any document indicating that the governor of Madinah, Abu Bakr Ibn Hazm, wrote any hadiths personally upon the command of although he was a great hadith scholar. He may have found it enough to force the scholars to work for tadwin as the governor. As a matter of fact, Zuhri, who adopted the work of tadwin and played the primary role in it, is a scholar of Madinah and it is certain that he started to work upon the command of Abu Bakr Ibn Hazm.

Although the life of Umar Ibn Abdilaziz was not long enough to see the fruit of tadwin activities, we reported above from Zuhri that the books that were collected in his period reached enough amounts to be duplicated and sent to big cities. Therefore, Islamic scholars agree unanimously that the first tadwin started during the age of Umar Ibn Abdilaziz (may Allah have mercy upon him), in the last years of the first century Hegira.

Prof. Dr. İbrahim Canan
Dr. Ahmet Çolak

Footnotes:

1- Although it is said that what is meant by the verse: “Nor does he say (aught) of (his own) Desire. It is no less than inspiration sent down to him” is the Quran, there are some scholars who say it includes sunnah too. For instance, Elmalılı (a Turkish tafsir scholar) interprets that verse as “It, that is, the Quran or his speech, is nothing but revelation. It cannot be expressed in any other way. It can only be sent as revelation.” Thus, he indicates that sunnah is revelation too. (Yazır, Hak Dini VII, 457); Cf Qurtubî, Tafsir, XVII,84-85; Aydınlı, Abdullah, Sünnetin Kaynağı Hakkında, Din Öğretimi dergisi, Issue37, Ank, 1992, p.48; Kırbaşoğlu, Sünnet, 236 et al.
2- al-Baqara, 48; Aal-e-Imran, 164.
3- an-Nisa, 113; al-Jumua, 2.
4- For those who say what is meant by wisdom is sunnah, see Hasan al-Basri, Qatada, Yahya b. Kathir, (Suyuti, Miftahu’l-Janna, s.23); Imam ash-Shaii, ar Risala, 32,78,93.
5- The fact that the Quran and sunnah are revelation brings about the question what the difference between them is. We understand from that verse that there is no difference between them in terms of nature. However, one of them is wahy matluw (recited revelation), the other is wahy ghayr matluw (non-recited revelation). Suyuti explains the issue as follows: The word of Allah has two parts. Allah says to Jibril, “Say to the Prophet Allah commands you to do this and that. Jibril understands the divine wish and conveys it to the Prophet. It can be resembled to a king sending a reliable person as a delegate to his subjects and the conveyance of the message by the delegate through his own words. The other is: Allah says to Jibril, “Go to the Prophet and read this book to him.” Jibril reads the book to the Prophet exactly, word for word. The revelation of the Quran can be resembled to the second from and the sunnah to the first form. Therefore, it is said that it is permissible to report the sunnah with the meaning. Suyuti, al-Itqan, I,45; see Subhi es-Salih, Hadis İlimleri, s.261-262; Karaman, Hadis Usulü, p.9-10.
6- al-Anfal, 7.
7- at-Tahrim, 3.
8- It is important for our issue that it is stated at the beginning of the hadith that there will emerge some people who will say we will accept what is in the Quran but we will reject what is not in it and that the sunnah is given. See Abu Dawud, Sunnah, 6.
9- Those hadith that are called qudsi (sacred) or divine are stated by being attributed to Allah. There are some views that both the words and meanings of them belong to Allah or the meaning belongs to allah and the words belong to the Prophet like the other hadiths. See Al-Hadith, wa’l-Muhaddithun, s.18; Qawaidu’t-Tahdith, p.64 et al.
10- See, Bukhari, Eeman, 37; Muslim, Eeman, 1; Abu Dawud, Sunnah, 16; Tirmidhi, Eeman,4.
11- Muslim, Jannah, 63-64; See, Aydınlı, Sünnetin Kaynağı, p.50-51; Toksarı, Sünnet, p.98-99; Abu Dawud, Adab, 48.
12- Muslim, Eeman, 32-36; See, al-Munawi, Fayzu’l-Qadir, VI, 289-290.
13- For examples, see, Muslim, Janaiz, 1; Tirmidhi, Eeman, 18; Jihad, 32.
14- Although some researchers claim that since the hadiths in which the word revelation is mentioned are narrated in terms of meaning, they cannot be accepted as evidence that hadith in general are revelaed (Erul, Bünyamin, İslamiyat, C.1, s.1, p.55 et al), in another article the same person says that it is not possible to say that Allah is not in contact with Hazrat Prophet except the Quran. He also says the Messenger of Allah was appointed with the duty of tabligh (conveying the message), teaching and explaining. However, he also says that it will be better to call it wisdom. (Erul, Bünyamin, İslamiyat, V.III, p.1., p.184.
15- Muslim, Hayd, 34.
16- Bukhari, Nikah, 108.
17- See respectively, Suyuti, Miftah, 29; Musnad, II, 85,160; Bukhari, Adab, 28; Muslim, 1,140; Abu Dawud, Manasik, 24,27; Tirmidhi, Hajj, 14; Abu Dawud, Salat, 2; Bukhari, Badu’l-Khalk, 6; Abu Dawud, Sunnah, 9; Musnad, I, 191; Ibn Hisham, Sira, III, 101-102.
18- Suyuti, Miftah, 29.
19- Abdulghani Abdulkhaliq, Hujja, 337; It is said that there is ijma (consensus) that sunnah is based on revelation. See, ibid, p.338; It is reported that Hasan b. Atiyya said sunnah is based on revelation like the Quran. Darimi, Muqaddima, 49.
20- Imam Shafii, who says wahy matluw is the Quran and wahy ghayr matluw is the sunnah, states that the sunnah is the ‘wisdom’ mentioned in the Quran. (ar-Risala, 3-4,10; al-Umm, V, 127,128.)
21- Ibn Hazim, al-Ihkam, 93; cf. Kırbaşoğlu, Sünnet, p.260-261.
22- Ghazali, Mustasfa, I, 83; that Kattabi has the same opinion, see Khattabi, Maalimu’s-Sunan, V, 10.
23- Çakan, İ.Lütfi, Hadislerde Görülen İhtilaflar ve Çözüm Yolları, Ist, 1982, p.96.
24- The hadith that states a woman and her maternal or paternal aunt cannot be married to the same man at the same time is like that. Bukhari, Nikah, 27; Muslim, Nikah, 37-38.
25- He gives the following incident as example: wearing silk clothes is haram for men but Hazrat Prophet lets Abdurrahman b. Awf wear silk clothes due to his illness. See, Bukhari, Jihad, 91; Libas, 29; Muslim, Libas, 24-26.
26- Ibn Qutayba, Abu Muh. Abdullah, Ta’wilu Mukhtalifi’l-Hadith, Beirut, 1972, p.196 et al.
27- Phrases like the holy spirit blew into my heart are revelation of that kind. Ibn Majah, Tijarah, 2; Bayhaqi, Sunan, VII, 76; Suyuti, Miftah, 30.
28- Sarakhsi, Shamsuddin, Usulu’s-Sarakhsi, Beirut, 1973, II, 90-96.
29- Shatibi, Muwafaqat, IV, 19; For similar views, see, Abdulghani, Hujja, p.334 et al.
30- See, Aydınlı, Istılah, 148; Also See, Bukhari, I’tisam, 24.
31-Ismah, one of the attributes of the prophets, means being away from unbelief, not knowing Allah, telling lies, making mistakes, erring, neglecting, not knowing the details of the Shariah. It also means impossibility of continuing to make a mistake. See, Ghazali, Mustasfa, II, 212-214; Sabuni, Maturidiyye Akâidi, trns Bekir Topaloğlu, Ank. 1979, s.212-212; Yazır, Hak Dini, IX, 6357; Abdulghani, Hujja, 108 et al.
32- Sarakhsi, Usul, II, 68.
33- Sabuni, Maturidiyya, 121; Abdulghani, Hujja, p.222; For the view of Ibn Taymiyya that prophets will not be let continue to make a mistake, see Abduljalil Eesa, Ijtihadu’r-Rasul, Egypt, nd. p.33.
34- That Allah protected him (pbuh) from the impurities of Jahiliyya, see Ibn Sa’d, Tabaqat, I, 121; Abu Nuaym, Dalail, I, 129; Bayhaqi, Dalaîl, I, 313.
35- Abu Nuaym, Dalail, I, 147; See also, Bukhari, I, 96; Muslim, I, 268; Bayhaqi, Dalail, I, 313-314.
36- See. Tabari, Tarikh, II, 196; Abu Nuaym, Dklail, I, 143; Bayhaqi, Dalail, I, 315; Once, they took him (pbuh) to an entertainment by force, but he disappeared; Then, he said; a white-skinned, tall man said to me; ‘O Muhammad! Never touch that idol. Go back!’”. Cf Musnad, II, 68-69; Köksal, İslam Tarihi, II,117-121.
37- For more information, see Sarakhsi, Usul, II, 91; Ghazali, Mustasfa, II,214; Sabuni, Maturidiyya, s.121; Abdülghani, Hujja, 221-222; Abduljalil Eesa, İjtihad, p.31-33; Çakan, İhtilaflar, p.96,113; Erdoğan, Sünnet, 192 et al.
38- Qiyamah, 16-17.
39- See respectively al-Ghashiya, 21-22; Hud, 12; al-Kahf, 23; al,-Qasas, 56; Yunus, 99; ash-Shuara, 3.
40- at-Tawba, 113.
41- Tirmidhi, Tafsir, sura 3/12; Aal-e-Imran, 128; Abduljalil Eesa, Ijtihad, p.95.
42- The organs of Hazrat Hamza like his ear and nose had been cut off and his liver had been removed. Ibn Hisham, Sira, III, 101-103. For the verse see an-Nahl, 126-127.
43- al-Anfal, 67-68. See Abdülghani, Hujja, 185.
44- at-Tawba, 88, 84; See Ibn Kathir, Tafsir, II, 378; Abduljalil Eesa, p.105.
45- at-Tahrim, 1-2.
46- See Abduljalil Eesa, Ijtihad, s.59-66.
47- See, Sarakhsi, II, 90-91; Tahanawi, Muh. Ali b. Ali, Kashshafu Istilahati’l-Funun, Ist, 1984, II, 1523.

“The religion before Allah is Islam (submission to his will): nor did the People of the Book dissent there from except through envy of each other, after knowledge had come to them. But whoever disbelieves the Signs of Allah, Allah is swift in calling to account.” the Qur’an, The Family of Imran (Aal-i Imran); 19 (3: 19)

Religion means “the return in the form of a reward or a punishment” and it expresses the relation between the obedient and the leader who possesses power. As a term, several definitions of religion has been made. There are some basic differences between the definitions of the Western (European) scientists and Muslim scholars. Still, there are serious differences between the opinions of both regions about the source of the religion and its primary way of occurrence. 

According to the Islamic opinion, religion means the whole of the rules that guides man so that he will live in accordance with the purpose he was created for and so that he will realize that purpose in a certain discipline. Religion is a foundation regulating the relationship based on the holy commandment and domination of one side and the obedience and adherence of the other side, but it is comprehended from that verse that according to the Qur’an, the value of religion and devoutness is conditioned to be based on a voluntary submission. In other words, according to the Islamic comprehension, religion is a foundation that directs the men of understanding to good (deeds) and happiness with their own desire and will, and a Divine law regulating the acts of men based on their own choice.      

That verse is the first place the word Islam was mentioned in the Noble Qur’an. The dictionary meaning of Islam is “to be devoted to, to obey, to submit and to be in soundness and peace”. As a term, Islam means “accepting with all one’s existence all of the things Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) declares in behalf of the religion and being in a submission manifesting it”. The name of the true religion the Prophet set forth is Islam. Still, in Arabic, Islam is an infinitive that expresses submission to that religion. A person attached to the religion of Islam is expressed as Muslim in Arabic and as musalman in Persian language. In Turkish, the words Islamiyet and Muslumanlik are used for that religion and the word musluman is used for the person attached to that religion.   

There is a strong relation between the dictionary meaning and term meaning of the word Islam. According to the Islamic comprehension, religion is a law supplying agreement by preventing disagreements and contentions among the creatures possessing will and intelligence. Religion expresses the agreement not only among the people but also between the people and Allah. In this way, conformity between the will of the Creator and the wills of the creatures is supplied.     

Since all heavenly religions are based on the oneness of Allah, the religion of Islam that the Prophet Muhammad notifies and the other religions declared by other prophets are basically the same. Nevertheless, according to some Muslim scholars, the expressions such as the religion of Islam and Islamic community can only be used for the religion the Prophet Muhammad set forth and for its members. Even though Islam agrees with the previous true religions fundamentally, that religion has some specific attributes and some specific decrees peculiar to the community attached to it. According to another group of scholars, it is also possible for the previous heavenly religions to be called as Islam. According to them, in the Noble Qur’an there are several verses supporting that opinion: the declaration of the answer of the apostles of Jesus as “Testify that we are Muslims”, the statement about Abraham as “He was a hanif Muslim” and again giving place to a general qualification such as “He dubbed you the name ‘Muslims’ before and also now” are the examples of that. According to the persons having opposing opinions, those kinds of descriptions are related to the prophets.    

In our opinion, in the heavenly books except the Noble Qur’an, a religion name was not mentioned for the followers of those books and if we consider that the names such as Judaism and Christianity arose later and they were the names assigned to their followers afterwards, the meaning of the expression “Verily, the religion before Allah is Islam” can be understood easily. Although the religion declared by Prophet Muhammad has specific rules, insistently mentioning of the Qur’an’s feature of approval of the declaration of the previous prophets shows that what they proclaim is fundamentally within the sphere of Islam; however, in accordance with the Divine wisdom, the most perfect way of those doctrines can only be reached through the sending of Prophet Muhammad.  

In that case, the only way to achieve the consent of Almighty Allah is to believe in all things He proclaims. According to that, starting out from the facts, although other religion names can be mentioned in order to express the certain parties, the truth seekers’ agreement within the limits Almighty Allah approves is the ultimate aim and it is unavoidable for the period desired for the Divine declarations to reflect to the mind and the conscience of humanity. The Islamic scholars expressed that comprehension as “the complying community” and “the invited community”; the first one expresses the people who present the will of submission to what Prophet Muhammad declared actually and clearly; and the second expresses the potential group who are not at that level but in the reflection period mentioned above. Therefore, by comparing with the names such as “Jewishness” and “Christianity”, some Western authors’ calling Islam with a restricting name as “Muhammadism” is not appropriate because it is far away from reflecting the fact and it also has a feature of preventing the communication and the coalescing mentioned above.                                 

Comprehending the verse in that way in point of the ultimate aim does not conflict with the idea that everyone who has lived in any time or place and has been able to keep himself away from attributing partners to Allah and has been able to direct his attributes in accordance with that belief can be named as a “Muslim” according to the Qur’an’s comprehension. Indeed, in several verses, it can be seen that that criteria has been taken basically in point of the salvation of people in the hereafter.

With a broad meaning, Islam (being a Muslim) expresses submission with heart, tongue and behaviors. The most important and the most valuable submission among those is the one made with heart. In the Qur’an, it is seen that the word Islam is also used for the submission which has not reached the level of belief.     

The expression “The ones who were given books” has been generally comprehended with respect to the content of the expression “People of the Book”. The word knowledge is explained as “revelation and explicit proofs”. In the verse, declaration of the People of the Book’s falling into dissent just after the knowledge had come is for indicating that they were informed of the Divine declaration enough and although they have no excuse from that point, they fell into disagreement and quarreled with each other just because of their own faults and for thinking their benefits and mortal passions. Starting from the reason “Because of injustice among them”, some explanations were made that the persons implied here were the Jewish people or the Christians or the both. In the light of the historical knowledge, here, it can be said that instead of progressing in the way of peace and civilization by using the enlightenment the revelation has provided, the communities, who were addressed by the Divine revelation, excluding the common sense because of their personal desires and especially separating into religious groups based on their complicating of interests were criticized. Despite that warning, repeating the same mistake by the ones believing in the Qur’an has caused an important obstacle in fulfilling the mission of communicating the Divine message to humanity in the most favorable way and taking the place they deserve in the competition of civilization.

Allah states the following in a verse:

“Allah commands justice, the doing of good, and liberty to kith and kin, and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion...” (an-Nahl 90)

That is, God Almighty does not give consent to oppression and rebellion.

Allah, who is absolutely just, is not unaware of what oppressors do; oppressors and traitors will definitely be accounted for what they do in detail in the presence of divine justice.    

In another verse, the risk of inclining to oppressors and tolerating their oppression, let alone supporting them, is stated as follows:

“And incline not to those who do wrong, or the Fire will seize you; and ye have no protectors other than Allah, nor shall ye be helped.” (Hud, 113)

In another verse, the following is stated:

“Allah doth command you to render back your Trusts to those to whom they are due; and when ye judge between people that ye judge with justice...” (an-Nisa, 58)

The interesting point here is that the word "people" not "believers" is used when justice is mentioned. Accordingly, it is necessary to treat everybody with justice whether they are friends or enemies.

As a matter of fact, the following verse teaches us the same thing:

“Then shall anyone who has done an atom's weight of good, see it! And anyone who has done an atom's weight of evil, shall see it.” (az-Zilzal, 7-8)

One of the important essentials of justice in Islam is that a person's friends, relatives, nation and state cannot be held responsible for the mistake of that person. God Almighty states the following in the Quran;

“Nor can a bearer of burdens bear another's burden…” (Fatir, 18)

Everybody is punished due to their own sins. A person who commits a murder, not anybody else, will be punished because of that murder. However, if someone causes another person to commit a sin, both the sinner and the one that causes it will be punished.

God Almighty has determined boundaries in the Quran so that people will not violate one another's rights; He has named them as "boundaries of Allah". He tells us that those who transgress those boundaries will be regarded as oppressors and warns them that they will suffer divine torture.   

The Prophet (pbuh) states the following in a hadith: “Allah tortures those who torture others in the world.”

In the Quran, God Almighty states that the cruel nations that do not rule by justice will have a sad ending. We will give two verses as example:

“How many populations have We destroyed, which were given to wrong-doing? They tumbled down on their roofs. And how many wells are lying idle and neglected, and castles lofty and well-built?”
(Hajj, 45)

“How many were the populations we utterly destroyed because of their iniquities, setting up in their places other peoples!.”
(al-Anbiya , 11)

The religion of Islam orders us to show respect to the rights of the members of other religions, too. In times of peace, their rights are guaranteed and protected just like those of Muslims. As a matter of fact, according to Hanafi madhhab, “A Muslimwho kills a non-Muslim unjustly during the period of peace is executed.” That is, he is also killed.

The Prophet threatens people like that in a hadith as follows:

“I am the enemy of the person who persecutes a dhimmi. I will call my enemies to account in the hereafter.”
(Kashfu’l Khafa, II, 218, hadith no: 2341)

This is the reality about Islam. Then, it is necessary to look for the reason why some Muslims who are away from the spirit of Islam are involved in terror and oppression in their ignorance and souls instead of in the religion of Islam.

It is known that man can err; only a person who commits a crime is held responsible for it, not others. It is not fair to hold a person's religion responsible for a personal mistake that a person makes.

It is necessary to mention a very important point here:

The centers that prevent Muslims from learning the real Islam from its original resources and practicing it, that encourage them to be alienated from their religion by leading them to debauchery and that cause Muslims to be poor by exploiting them ruthlessly are to be held responsible for the Muslims that fall into anarchy. These centers had better call themselves to account and question their own conscience instead of blaming others.

The principle that the name transforms the thing according into its meaning becomes manifest in the fact that tasattur transforms the woman it hides into a jewel. The value of that jewel increases as the woman protects it and covers and hides herself.

The connection established with things makes things valuable or worthless based on where they are used. The name we give to things brings about the attributes of those things. Every attribute that a thing gets determines its place.

As-Sattar, which is one of the beautiful names of God Almighty, terminologically means the one who hides, covers and conceals mistakes and sins. The word tasattur means to cover oneself.

Tasattur, which has been regarded as an indication of being honorable up to now, does not mean so for people who moved away from their nature.

According to what we could see when we examine the history of the communities is the fact that what is normal, widespread and essential is tasattur. In some nations, tasattur was regarded as the indicator that determined the level of honor. On the other hand, nudity was regarded as a sign of disgrace and contempt and it was condemned and reproved by almost all nations throughout history.

The Quran tells us “tasattur is a good way to be preferred in order to be known and not to be  molested". (al-Ahzab, 59)

Our Lord, who created us as human beings and who defined the word human, who informed us about our nature, who created us as Muslims and defined the word Muslim, who taught us what Islam is, who created us naked, who infused us with chastity and honor, who covered us and who covered our mistakes, want believing women to be known and defined as covered.

To be known as a person in tasattur does not mean to be known by humans only but also by all creatures; not to be molested does not mean to be maltreated by humans only but to be treated well by the creatures.

To be in tasattur is equivalent to regard oneself among the ummah of Hz. Muhammad (pbuh).

Another reason behind tasattur is that the woman regards herself as protected and enables others to distinguish her as someone to be protected.

This intention determines the nature and the quality of that nature. What needs to be protected cannot be a shield at the same time. She needs to accept to be protected as a valuable jewel as a carrier of chastity and honor; thus, she needs to regard her chastity and honor as her jewel.

If this state, which is in compliance with her nature, is realized, the people who will protect the woman and who will act as a shield will be around her. She will be protected just like the woman of Sons of Qaynuqa tribe who was insulted was protected.

The woman is qualified as covered. This quality ensures people to learn what being a woman is, and the protection of the feeling of shame and chastity in the nature of woman is determined with this attribute: the woman is the one that is covered.

Covering (tasattur) is a necessity of creation

Covering is one of the factors which blocks the paths leading to fornication. Covering is a natural thing; it is the necessity of creation. Read how Badiuzzaman explains the issue :

To veil themselves is natural for women and their innate dispositions demand it. For women are weak and delicate, and since they are in need of a man’s protection and help for themselves and for their children whom they love more than their own lives, they have a natural desire to make themselves loved and not loathed, and not to be rebuffed.

Also, seven out of ten women are either old or ugly, and they do not want to show their age and ugliness to everyone. Or they are jealous, and they do not want to appear ugly in relation to others who are more beautiful. Or they are frightened of assault or aspersions, and want by nature to cover themselves so as not to suffer assault, nor to be accused of unfaithfulness in the eyes of their husbands.

It is clear that people are discomforted by the looks of those they do not like or find tedious; they are upset by them. Also, since a woman whose morals are not corrupted is sensitive and easily affected, she will certainly be distressed at dirty looks whose effects have been physically experienced, indeed, are poisonous. We even hear that many women are fed up at being the object of attention, and complain to the police, saying: “These brutes keep staring at us and disturbing us.” This means that present-day civilization’s unveiling women is contrary to their natures. And together with being in accordance with their natures, the Qur’an’s command to veil themselves, saves women—those mines of compassion who may be worthy companions for all eternity—from degeneration, abasement, what is in effect slavery, and wretchedness.

Furthermore, by nature women are fearful of men who are strangers, and anxious at them. Fear naturally demands the veiling of women. Being weak, their creation demands that through veiling themselves they do not excite the appetites of men outside the stipulated degrees of kinship, nor allow any opportunity for assault; their weak creation gives powerful warning. It shows that their cloaks and coats are shields and fortresses.

Today’s miserable condition of women, moral depression in which our youth are in, and side effects as a result of this depression deals a slap in the shameless faces of those opposed to the veiling of women and who consider covering to be “slavery”.

The authentic and extremely intense relationship, love, and affection between men and women does not arise only from the needs of worldly life. Yes, a woman is not only a companion to her husband in this worldly life, she is his companion also in eternal life.

Since she is her husband’s companion in eternal life, she surely should not attract the looks of others besides her husband, her everlasting friend and companion, and should not offend him and make him jealous.

As a consequence of the mystery of belief, her believing husband’s relations with her are not confined to this worldly life and his love is not only animal and temporary, during the time of her beauty; he holds true, earnest love and respect for her in regard to her being his companion in eternal life. And he bears that love and respect for her, not only during her youth when she is beautiful, but also when she is old and ugly. Certainly in return for this, she should show her beauties to him alone and restrict her love to him; this is demanded by humanity. Otherwise she would gain very little and lose much.

Happy family life is perpetuated through mutual confidence between husband and wife, and heartfelt respect and love. Immodest dress and free-and-easy behavior destroy the confidence, and spoil the mutual respect and love.

It is clear that everyone wants lots of children. There is no nation or government that does not support increase in population. In fact, the Most Noble Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Marry and increase, for at the Last Day I shall take pride in your large numbers.”(Ibn Majah, Wedding, 1). However, the abandoning of Islamic dress for women does not increase marriage, it decreases it greatly.( Today it is a certain fact that European countries try to revive the wedding foundation by promoting with wedding contributions)

Our country cannot be compared with Europe, because the people of Europe are cold and frigid, like the climate. Asia, that is, the lands of Islam, are relatively torrid countries. It is well-known that the environment has an effect on people’s morality. Perhaps in those cold countries immodest dress does not stimulate the animal appetites and carnal desires of those cold people, and be a means of abuse. But immodest dress which continually excites the carnal lusts of the easily influenced and sensitive people of hot countries is certainly the cause of much abuse and waste and the weakening of the young generation and a loss of strength. Instead of answering natural needs one a month or every three weeks or so, a person considers it necessary every few days. And then, since he is obliged to avoid his wife for perhaps two weeks out of every month due to contingencies like her monthly period, if he is defeated by his appetites, he will incline to houses of ill-fame. ( The Flashes, 24th Flash, 1st-4th instances of wisdom) 

Is there a type of covering for which Islam has prescribed?

We cannot say that there is a fixed type of clothing in form. Neither the Prophet nor the Companions of the Prophet had a particular type of clothing. Besides, assessing a universal religion like Islam which surrounds all humanity within obligatory clothing is contrary to its universality. When we look at the way of clothing of the Prophet, the Source of Pride of Humanity, we do not see one particular type. The Messenger of Allah used to wear sometimes a loincloth and sometimes a dress and some a nice loose robe.

Abdullah b. Jabir says: “I swear by Allah that I saw the Prophet in the moonlight with a robe and a shirt on him. Nobody could not look so beautiful with the garment on him except the Prophet .”And one day, another companion saw a nice shirt on the Prophet and he asked him to give it to him. The Messenger of Allah took it off and gave it to him as a present.

It is impossible to find a standard of clothing and such a suggestion in his life. The Prophet used to be dressed in the type of clothing common in the community or similar to it. And sometimes he used to be dressed altering it or improving it. It is not right to attribute wearing black cassocks to the Prophet. He usually used to wear bright white ones; and sometimes he used to wear white, red and green clothes. 

We should not remain focused on the shape and the color of the garment. We should not give rise to conflicts and contradictions by making them a matter of discussion. Ottoman people, our ancestors, took the teachings of Islam and integrated them with our culture. They took not the way of clothing but what should be learnt; they kept on the style of clothing of Kai tribe, which they used to wear in their land and improved it in time. With their garments of our magnificence period, with their garments and robes made of leather, they set examples for European people for a long time. 

Covering is the command of Allah

Woman who used to cover their heads in the period of Jahiliyya tied their headscarves on their necks or they let them loose down their backs. Forbidding this habit before Islam for sure with the 30th and 31st verses of the surah an-Nur in the Qur’an, Allah has commanded women not to display their charms – except that which is revealed of itself – and to draw their veils over their bosoms in order to cover their hair, head, ears and necks.

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says : “May God bless the first migrant women. When God revealed the verse “ the believing women should draw their veils over their bosoms”, they ripped a piece of cloth form their skirts and with that cloth, they covered their heads.” (Bukhari, Tafsir-u Surati’n-Nur, 13, Abu Dawood, Clothing)

Migrant women and women from Medina ripped a piece of cloth and with that, covered their heads when this verse was revealed, and our Prophet said  “it is not permissible for a woman who has reached the age of puberty to display her body except for her hands and faces”(Abu Dawood, Clothing, 32) to Asma, the sister of Aisha; they all show that women are obliged to cover their parts of the body.

In addition, the fact that the Prophet pointed to two inches over the wrist, and said “ it is not permissible for a woman who believes in Allah and in the hereafter to uncover her body except for her face and  their hands up to this point when she has reached the age of puberty” (Abu Dawood, Clothing, 33) proves that the commands in the related verse are binding.

Here at this point, we will explain the Prophet’s phrase “Kasiyatun ariyatun” (“dressed but naked”) with one or two sentences. The purpose of a woman’s covering her body is concealing her charm and not letting people be seduced by her. Considering the statements of our Prophet, we understand that the clothing must not be transparent and must not also display the outlines of the body. 

What is the purpose of covering?

The purpose of covering which our religion orders is that women must not display their charms and bodies to non-mahram men and they must not make it possible for non-mahram men to see the parts of their bodies that need to be covered. For this reason, covering must be thick enough not to display the hair, the color of the skin and their charms; and it must be loose enough not to display the shape of the body as well. Regarding this issue, there are many more hadiths apart from the hadiths mentioned above. (Muslim, Clothing, 34; Jannah, 13; Musnad 2:356)

In the 59th verse of the surah al-Ahzab from the Qur’an, the following is stated:” O (most illustrious) Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters, as well as the women (wives and daughters) of the believers, to draw over themselves some part of their outer garments (when outside their homes and when before men whom they are not forbidden to marry because of blood relation). This is better and more convenient for them to be recognized (and respected for their decency and decorum) and not harassed.”

In this verse, Muslim women are commanded to draw over themselves some part of their outer garments which do not display the shape of their bodies and not to go out of their house with garments which they wear in the house. In the 60th verse of the surah an-Nur, it is stated that old women can go out of their houses without taking their outer garments (coat, topcoats etc.) over on condition of covering their parts of the bodies that are necessary to be covered and charms as commanded in the 31th verse of the same surah :

“The women advanced in years, having passed the age of child-bearing and no longer feeling any sexual desire, incur no sin if they cast off their outer garments without making a display of their charms. But even so, it is better for them to abstain from this. God is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” (the Qur’an, an-Nur, 24:60)

In conclusion, it is an absolute decree of our religion with agreement of the Islamic scholars of the book and sunnah that women must cover their bodies except for the face and the hands near non-mahram men, with a garment which does not display the color of the skin and the shape of the body and they must draw their veil over their bosom lest their hair, heads and necks should be seen. To obey these commands are Muslims’ religious duties.

 “ The best garment is the garment of piety”

God commands in a verse of the Qur’an : “O children of Adam! Assuredly We have sent down on you a garment to cover your private parts, and garments for adornment. However, (remember that) the garment of piety and righteousness – it is the best of all. That is from God's signs, that they may reflect and be mindful.” (the Qur’an, al-A’raf, 7:26)

It is the sense of piety and modesty which is more important than the garment. Covering the necessary parts is the first condition of preserving honor. The wisdom of Allah gave a sustainable, nice and natural covering to many creatures except for human leaving them without the sense of shame and covering.

He created only man, upon whom He bestowed the sense of shame, in a naked form. Thus, man might both benefit from the test of covering and they also prove his duty of being the caliph of God in the world. Man has the ability to produce clothing from all the animals and plants and other materials spread on the earth and by doing so, he displays his power of benefiting from and ruling over all the creatures, which is a manifestation of his being the caliph of God. 

Covering is a characteristics of man only among all the living creatures. Nudity has always been considered as uninhibitedness and impudence by the conscience and common sense in every period of humanity.

 The decree of covering in our religion aims at preserving the psychological health of man, his honor due to his creation and public morality and maintaining the balance among humans and between genders; and also, establishing an honorable way of sexual life and family life. The fact that the bounds of covering are based on different decrees for man and woman is a distinction made due to the differences between these two genders.

Is a woman who does not wear a headscarf not chaste? It is doubtlessly impossible to consider a woman who does not wear a headscarf to be unchaste. Moreover, considering every woman who wears a headscarf to be chaste might be incorrect. Since there are chaste and honorable women among women who cover their heads and who do not, there may be some who lack honor and chastity.  

However if we consider the matter with respect to Islamic morality and decrees, this decree changes a bit. Islam informs people that some parts of the body of men and women are private and these parts must not be displayed to those who are non-mahram and points out that people may also commit an illicit intercourse with their hands and eyes.(Bukhari, Istizan, 12; Muslim, Destiny, 20) 

Since there will always be people in the community who might lustfully gaze at the private parts of men and women, a Muslim, who goes outside knowing it and displaying these private parts is a sort of behavior which damages the concept of Islamic honor and chastity. Besides, since the headscarf is a clothing item which covers women’s head and bosom which are to be covered by a woman, the matter should be understood this way. (Hayrettin Karaman)

Why should we cover our bodies in this age?”

I suppose you must have heard of this question in different places. I was in a public bus. Two old people were sitting right in front of me. They were talking to each other. Meanwhile two girls whose heads were covered got on the bus. They were standing at the front part of the as there were no seats left to sit. The old woman who was sitting in front of me, poking the other woman next to her with her arm, asked : “ Do you see them?”. The other woman replied : “ Yes, I do and I do feel so sorry for them. I feel pity for such young people. We also used to cover our heads in the past but now, we are in the modern age. How come do you think could such dressing still exist? We cannot even take a single step forward with this outdated habits.”

Unfortunately, there are still such people who think this way. We should state firstly that covering is not something that can be dealt according to the age. People may put on different and strange dressing and their intelligence might still work. For example, in Germany, everyone, men and women, used to wear kalpacs in a particular period in the past. German people who wore kalpaks did not become less intelligent; they become developed in industry and technology. European people used to cover their heads until recently. Covering their heads did not hinder their advancement. This matter is not related to the age we live in.

It is impossible to associate this matter with civilization. The expression “civilized people wander uncovered” is too meaningless. If civilization means being distant to the previous ages and their lifestyles, the age of savageness has been abandoned with the advent of Islam. Islam was revealed and it commanded people to cover their bodies. Covering was made attractive, perfect and mature and made to become a style of dressing which women would like.

For this reason, if civilization means living contrary to archaic ages, nudity today was something which was before Islam, in the time of Jahiliyya. If nudity and living uncovered is civilization, cannibals and tribal people in the jungle live displaying even their breasts.

What do people who strongly disagree with the way a woman is dressed defend? Why do they still insist on this matter? It is not possible to understand it. We presume that the owners of such ideas falter in the bigotry which they defend against others. Bigotry means supporting ideas which have no proof and bases. The proof of a believer on a matter which he claims are very strong.

(See. Gençliğin Cinsellik İmtihanı, M. Ali Seyhan, NESİL YAYINLARI)

There is only one condition for the worship to be accepted by Allah. It is sincerity. 

Sincerity is like the spirit of the worship that is performed.  Worship without sincerity is spiritless; it is only formality. It has no value in the eye of Allah. 

Sincerity in worship means to worship only because it is the order of Allah and it is a means of gaining the consent of Allah. Badiuzzaman Said Nursi expresses this issue as follows:

"Worship and servitude of God look to the Divine command and Divine pleasure. The reason for worship is the Divine command and its result is Divine pleasure. Its fruits and benefits look to the Hereafter."

If sincerity is used for a worldly interest and benefit, sincerity will disappear and that worship will be invalid; that is, it will not be accepted by Allah. 

In a hadith, the Prophet states the place of sincerity in the deeds and worship as follows:

"Doubtlessly, Allah accepts among deeds and worships only those that are performed sincerely for His own sake and consent."            

Islamic scholars divide religions mainly into two:

1. True religions.

2. Wrong religions.

The religions that are based on belief in one God and order people to worship and obey only Him are called "true religions". True religions are the religions sent by Allah. Therefore, they are also called heavenly religions. True religions are also called "the religion of oneness" because they are based on belief in oneness of Allah and worshipping Him only. 

The religions that were not sent by Allah, that were made up by men and that are not based on belief in one God are called "wrong religions".

Some true religions were distorted by men afterwards; and superstitions and wrong beliefs that were not originally present in them were added later. The religions that were true religions at first but that were altered later are called "distorted religions"; for instance, Judaism and Christianity.

The first religion of humanity is the religion of oneness based on the belief of one God, sent to Adam, the first man and first prophet. Sociological researches prove that the first religion of man was the religion of oneness. As a matter of fact, Schmidt, a researcher of history of religions and a sociologist, showed that Pigmies, who are the most primitive society on earth, were monotheistic people. The findings of Schmidt refuted the claim of Durkheim stating that Totemism was the first religion of humanity and eliminated the common view on the issue in the West. 

After Hz. Adam (pbuh), some people moved away from the belief of oneness, were alienated from the true religions and adopted some wrong beliefs in the course of time by obeying their souls and the suggestions of Satan. Thus, wrong religions appeared. As people moved away from the true religion, God Almighty sent them new prophets and new religions and invited them to the belief of oneness. However, some people accepted this invitation but others insisted on their wrong beliefs. Let alone insisting on their own beliefs, they tried to prevent those who wanted to return to the true religion and oppressed and tortured them. Thus, there was always a struggle between those who believed in the true religion and those who did not believe in every century and era. This struggle is still going on and it will go on until Doomsday.

The Last Divine Religion is Islam.

None of the divine books that were sent down before the Quran has their original versions today. In the course of time, their original versions got lost and they were written again by people. Therefore, superstitions and wrong beliefs were included in them. For instance, it is a historical fact that the Torah could not be maintained after Hz. Musa (Moses) by Jews, who lived in exile as slaves for centuries and who lost their beliefs and became idolaters; it is also a historical fact that the existing version of the Torah was written by some scholars and it was accepted as if it was the original Torah. It is clear that a book that was introduced after such a long and disorderly period cannot be the same Torah that was sent down to Hz. Moses. Therefore, it contains some claims and slanders that do not befit prophets and decrees that are contrary to the spirit of the religion.  

The Psalms that were sent down toDavid (Dawud) were exposed to the same things.

As for the Gospel (Bible), Hz. Jesus did not have the revelations he received written because he became a prophet when he was thirty years old and his duty of prophethood ended when he was thirty-three.   He went from village to village and from city to city in order to guide people in a very short time as three years. During his last days, he was always followed by the Roman administrators due to the incitement of Jews. He could not find time or opportunity to have the Gospel written. As a matter of fact, the Gospels that exist today are named by the people who wrote them and they look like a biography that include the preaching, lessons and guidance of Jesus to his apostles. Besides, they were not written by his apostles, who were the first believers, but those who listened to the divine words that were sent to Jesus from them.   

There are some differences among the existing Bibles in terms of content and narration. In fact, these Bibles were accepted by a council consisting of one thousand clergymen in 325 AD in Nicaea. This council examined hundreds of Bibles and accepted the 4 Bibles that claimed that Jesus was divine by the agreement of 318 members and destroyed the remaining Bibles by burning them.  

As it is seen, the principle that Jesus was God's son - God forbid - was accepted by a council that convened years after Jesus. Therefore, it is not possible to say that the existing four Bibles are like the original Bibles.

It is reported by a hadith that 124 000 prophets were sent throughout the history of the humanity. As a matter of fact, it is stated in the Quran that prophets were sent to all of the ummahs and communities.

Verily Allah will not deal unjustly with man in aught: it is man that wrongs his own soul. (Yunus 44)

For We assuredly sent amongst every People a messenger, (with the Command) "Serve Allah, and eschew Evil". (an-Nahl 36)

The names of the very few of those prophets are mentioned in the Quran. Those prophets whose names are mentioned lived in the Middle East.

It is not possible for the Quran to mention the names of 124 000 prophets. As a matter of fact, although there were many prophets that lived in the Middle East apart from the ones whose names are mentioned in the Quran, their names are not mentioned in the Quran. 

The prophets that are mentioned in the Quran were those who were known by the community especially by Christians and Jews. The Quran aims to teach people by giving them examples from the lives of the Prophets that people living at that time knew.

The fact that the prophets mentioned in the Gospel and the Torah are also mentioned in the Quran shows that all of those books are the word of Allah and that they all come from the same source. The issues that are mentioned are not the copies of one another because belief in Allah, Prophets and Books are issues that are present in all divine books. All of the divine books and prophets were sent down so that they would inform people about the issue.

"A ruler must have grace and mercy on his right side and wrath and education on his left side. Reward is a necessity of his mercy; and education necessitates punishment."

It does not befit the dignity of a ruler not to reward those who obey and not to punish those who disobey; both of them are signs of weakness. God Almighty is free from deficiencies like that.

We should state it clearly that decrees like rajm are among heavy grave deterrent sanctions in Islam. One of the common aims of humanity and heavenly religions is to ensure the continuation of the generation. Fornication is a mean, illegitimate way that degenerates and intermingles generations in terms of various legal and human criteria. It is a grave crime and an attractive mechanism of committing crime for      spirits. We cannot expect a heavenly religion like Islam not to take a deterrent measure to prevent such a mean crime. To punish a criminal is not contrary to mercy and love; it is a necessity of justice.

By using the phrase "do not approach fornication" instead of "do not commit fornication" miraculously, the Quran prohibits people from approaching fornication let alone committing it. For, the phrase "do not approach fornication" is more fluent    than the phrase "do not commit fornication". To say "do not approach" to someone is more effective than to say "do not do"; the phrase "do not approach fornication" expresses prohibiting from the things that can lead to fornication like touching, kissing, looking and winking. Doing the things that lead to fornication confirms fornication. Fornication is a very bad deed and a major sin. Besides, fornication is a very bad way in that it opens the veil of a passing fad, causes the confusion of generations, leads to haram deeds, violates the rights of others and demolishes the columns of the community by demolishing the family, spreads anarchy, causes agony and spreads immoral diseases.

Sheikhu'l-Islam Alusi states the following because it is death for children: "For it narrows and sterilizes generation. A person whose parents are not legitimate is like a dead person. (Alusi, Ruhu'l-Maani, Daru'l-Fikr, 8/67.) What can be the attempts and activities of the dead people related to the issues of the Islamic law?"

After all of the deeds that lead to fornication are forbidden, Islamic law regards the crime of fornication as violation of public rights and punishes it accordingly; it makes punishment and sanctions of fornication heavier to deter people.  In fact, the crime of fornication shakes the foundations of the family and threatens it. The family is the basis of the community. If such a crime becomes free, it will spread in the community, causing the family to collapse the community to be corrupted and the generation to degenerate.  However, the Islamic law regards the maintenance of the community to be superior to everything and gives great importance to it.

Therefore, the Islamic law punishes fornication severely and prohibits all kinds of fornication in order to keep people safe from its dreadful effects and to protect the community.  Furthermore, it does not want the married people who commit adultery to live and regards them as very bad examples. 

Fiqh scholars unanimously agree that a single person who commits fornication and who is not a slave whether male or female needs to be flogged with one hundred stripes. For, Allah states the following: "The woman and the man guilty of adultery or fornication― flog each of them with a hundred stripes: let not compassion move you in their case, in a matter prescribed by Allah, if ye believe in Allah and the Last Day: and let a party of the Believers witness their punishment." (an-Nur, 24/2)

Fiqh scholars also agree unanimously by giving various evidence that a married person whether male or female is stoned to death when he or she commits adultery.

The punishment of hadd, which also includes rajm, becomes definite in two cases: confession (the person who has committed fornication admits it) and witnesses (4 male witnesses). The necessary conditions for the punishment to be given to a person are: 1. To be sane, 2. To have reached the age of puberty, 3. To be able to choose, 4. To know that it is haram.

As it is seen, Islam stands against man in every stage of this way, tries to keep him away from this ugly deed and advises him to live in a legitimate atmosphere and within the boundaries of chastity. 

Yet, no matter how strong the system is and no matter how sound the rules it introduces are, not much will be solved if the individual does not have a pure conscience to accept that system and those rules. Therefore, along with very strong and sound rules, individuals should be raised in a way to apply those rules and they should be raised to have pure conscience lest the suggestions and advice should be heeded. The Quran takes man to the point "No matter what you do where and when, you are under the control of God Almighty, " and makes him do all of his deeds in such an atmosphere.

Theft, which means "to take something that belongs to another person from the place where it is kept without the owner being aware of it", is one of the basic crimes committed against property and right of possession. To protect the wealth originating from elbow grease and legitimate earnings is among the basic principles of Islam. Islam regards labor and possession as sacred and punishes those who take hold of others' property unjustly. Thus, as it is the case with all heavenly religions and legal systems, theft is regarded as a major sin and crime both legally and religiously and ethically in Islam.

Theftis a big betrayal that injures the heart of the owner and a murder that cannot be accepted by conscience. This murder has existed and exists in every century and everywhere. Therefore, the religion of Islam has imposed a severe penalty for those who commit this big crime in order to give an appropriate punishment. If this sanction were applied, theft cases would drop to a minimum.

Theft has been forbidden with evidence of the Quran, sunnah and the consensus of Islamic scholars. The following is stated in the Quran:

 “As to the thief, male or female, cut off his or her hands” (al-Maidah, 38).

The Prophet stated:

 “The people before you were destroyed because they set an honorable person free when he committed theft and when a poor person committed theft, they punished him.” (ash-Shawkani, Naylu’l-Awtar, VII, 131,136).

When the crime of theft is proved, the punishment of cutting one hand off is applied. As for cases in which this punishment is not necessary, the thief compensates for the loss.

Islamic jurists have discussed lawfulness in the crime and punishment, under what conditions the crime of theft will be considered to have been committed in order to provide justice and lawfulness, the conditions under which the punishment can be applied, the effect of situations such as repetition, enforcement and forgiving on punishment, one by one; and they have established a rich law doctrine. In short, they have decided that, in order for the crime of theft to be valid, it is necessary that there must not be excuses such as obligation, enforcement and starvation, which extenuate the commitment of the theft of crime partly or totally. It is necessary that the crime be committed willingly and deliberately, the subject have criminal liability, the stolen property be under protection and it be more than a specific amount.

Penalties in Islamic law are characterized as final and obligatory interventions which can be applied after the necessary precautions are taken in order to prevent crime. In this sense, it must be kept in mind that the main purpose of Islam is not punishing people but, contrarily, taking precautions which will hinder committing the crime of theft, educating and directing people. It is of great importance that, in order for all those endeavors in society to be successful, religious education, society’s general moral values and additionally lawful regulations and official politics be in harmony with each other.

Allah, the Supreme, ordered that theft be punished. Under these general conditions, it is necessary to cut the hand of the person off who dared to commit theft like a gangrenous organ of the Islamic social institution.

 “O you who believe! Cut off the hands of thief men and women, whose crime has been revealed and is without any doubts and excuses, as a punishment for what they have done, as a severe anguish by Allah, as an appropriate hindrance, as handcuffs so that they will not dare to do it again. Indeed, Allah is both supreme and wise.” His orders cannot be argued. He judges wisely. Justice is safe with His supreme protection and His punishment is totally full of wisdom. Allah does not approve oppression, torment and mischief. He bestowed upon us hands and strength to work for goodness and justice. Allah orders that we fear Him, make efforts for the good of religion, protect the poor, take care of the needy and help the weak, as He stated in many Quranic verses. He also made it fard (obligatory) for the rich to give freely from their property to the poor and to the weak with His judgments about helping, alms-giving and charity. A true Muslim must not disobey those orders of Allah and must apply them into their lives. If one does not fear Allah, does not seek nice reasons to approach Allah, cannot resist his lower-self’s desires and attempts to take a property of somebody else’s surreptitiously, for which he has got no right doubtlessly, as if Allah does not see him doing so, it is of course attacking Allah’s honor, and it is a secret war waged against Him. And, the hand of such a man deserves to be cut off as a punishment.

In this sense, it must not be thought that there is not equality between the crime and the punishment. As a matter of fact; that punishment is not only for the compensation of the stolen property, but also for the surreptitious perfidiousness and attack against Allah’s honor. It is as if that person has put his hand in fire or hit it on a sword. That punishment is, both for him and the ones who will follow his way and go astray, like an irremovable handcuff. With it, both the thief and the others are purified from mischief. Moreover, Allah deems the ones who attack His honor in this way worthy of such punishment not only because of His anger but also because there is wisdom in it. In a society in which this punishment is applied, theft is exterminated. There will not be a hand which is worthy of cutting off anymore. This punishment must be applied fairly and without any doubt so that it will not give rise to any unfairness. Otherwise, Allah’s honor and wisdom would look adverse. If the punishment for a hand which stole something is cutting off, consider what the punishment for someone who stole a hand unfairly (who cuts one’s hand off unfairly) would be!

So, if a thief, whether a woman or a man, who caused their hands to be cut off because they stole something, repents after the commitment of the crime and improves their behavior, Allah will accept their repentance because He is merciful and forgiving. And He does not punish them in the Hereafter, takes mercy on them and forgives them. In this sense, those who had their hands cut off and repented later should not be deemed malicious because they committed theft before; they should be helped.

The following is stated in the Quran:

"O ye who believe! fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you that ye may (learn) self-restraint."(al-Baqara, 2/183).

It is known that the Messenger of Allah said,  

"Fasting is a shield that protects man from Hellfire just like a shield that protects you from that during a war." (Nasai, Sawm, IV, 167)

Fasting is a kind of worship that protects the person who fasts from all kinds of lust and that increases his sincerity. It is very important to resist hunger, thirst and the other desires of the soul. Believers who believe in Allah and decide to make jihad for His sake will have a strong will thanks to fasting.   

Ramadan comes ten or eleven days earlier every year since the Hijri calendar is based on the lunar year. Therefore, a person sometimes fasts in very cold weather in winter and sometimes in very hot weather in summer. In a sense, the believer makes this promise: "I am ready to fulfill the orders of Allah even in freezing cold and scorching heat."

Besides, it is a very important event for a believer to give up the lust of his soul for a month in order to attain the consent of Allah. 

Hypocrisy cannot intervene in fasting. As a matter of fact, the nature and characteristics of fasting and a believer who fasts are described as follows:

"Fasting is a shield (or a screen or a shelter). So, the person observing fasting should avoid sexual relation with his wife and should not behave foolishly and impudently, and if somebody fights with him or abuses him, he should tell him twice, 'I am fasting." The Prophet added, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, the smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk. (Allah says about the fasting person), 'He has left his food, drink and desires for My sake. The fast is for Me. So I will reward (the fasting person) for it and the reward of good deeds is multiplied ten times." (Bukhari, Siyam).

There is nobody who does not know that INTEREST is forbidden in Islam. The reason why interest is forbidden by divine order is obvious: It is forbidden because Allah forbade it. Just as fasting or giving alms is fard because of “divine order”, so too is interest forbidden for the same reason. It is the only reason why we worship. Besides, there are some other reasons following the divine order. It is quite normal because, the One who ordered it knows very well the true nature and disposition of everything and how everything is supposed to be.

For instance, we know that fasting and alms, which we perform because Allah ordered us to do, have got many personal and social benefits. However, we never fast in order to lose weight or never give alms in order to balance social income distribution. As a matter of fact, a person who pays tax as a civic responsibility is not considered to have given alms; and a person who finds out the physical benefits of prayer yet does aerobics instead is not considered to have performed prayers. Similarly, if the starting point of worship is “benefits” instead of “order”, one who cannot see benefits although he has seen the order does not have any reasons to worship.

However, benefits in question can be a source of trust for a person who worships because of Allah’s order. And in this sense, it can be said that benefits are necessary because each order has got, though not necessarily, some specific benefits and reasons. Therefore, we fast because Allah ordered us to do so and fasting has got some benefits. And similarly, interest is forbidden because Allah forbade it. When we think that each order Allah gives us is a “means of disciplining” according to the explanations we have made in length so far, we can turn back to our question:

Why is interest forbidden?

Our answer is ready: It is forbidden because Allah forbade it. If we continue with this answer, our service to Allah will be harmed in case we do not obey the prohibition of interest. That is to say; our service to Allah will decrease in value. When either one of the union of Servant-and-Lord decreases, the other one will increase. When one quits serving Allah, the delusion of being Lord fills its place (He unconsciously feels himself godly). When the delusion of being Lord disappears, the consciousness of serving Allah will fill its place. It is obvious that avoiding giving and taking interest is a requirement of serving Allah. Similarly, it can be said that disobeying this order includes a claim of being a Lord. We can understand it this way in terms of “order”, that is, in terms of the notion of “obedience-disobedience.” For this reason, interest is forbidden in Islam. However, it is possible for us to see why it is also forbidden in terms of “belief” as well as it is in terms of “Islam” when we reveal the wisdom behind this prohibition. In this sense, let us remember of what interest is as a process again:

It is lending an amount of money to private person or incorporation, as capital sum. However, it is not an innocent way of lending money. The one who lends the money determines a list of conditions. A certain amount of money will be added to the amount of the money that is lent after a certain time. The one, who lends money, demands “something” and what he demands is “met”. He is sure of it. In short, the one who lends money, the moneylender, takes it for granted. On the other hand, there is someone who lives by planting wheat on his field or by selling his products in the market; and this person cannot determine any conditions for his income.  Neither when he will make profit nor the amount he will earn is guaranteed. For this reason, he often prays. When he starts earning, he gives thanks to the Creator. He always remembers the One who endows him with these blessings and boons. He does his best, as much as the causes let; however, he knows that these causes are not enough to make his products grow and be ready for harvest as he wants or to sell his products as well as he hopes. For this reason, he considers his efforts a cause inadequate yet necessary to earn his living. He is not so confident of himself. There is a significant difference between these two scenes. In the former one, the causes are strong and thick; he determines his income, not the boons and blessings endowed on him (rizq). (Determinism)

Interest makes the one who lends it alienate from service to Allah. As a matter of fact, this results in the thickening of the wall of causes and those who lean on this wall start to feel themselves godly because of the stupor caused by being able to do anything they like. In other words, interest manages to make people heedless, which makes them believe that everything is created by causes. This state prevents one from getting into the state of service to Allah. A person who is somewhere between fear and hope, life and death, and fullness and hunger is a believer as much as he is aware of this state. Interest prevents one from being aware of this state. And we think this is one of the wisdoms behind why interest is forbidden. It is doubtless that the prohibition of interest has got a different importance in Islam. The importance of this issue stems from the fact that interest, which is forbidden in the Quran and hadiths strongly, is one of the key points in the economy of our day (which is non-Islamic). Besides, it would not be exaggeration to say that modern economy is accorded with interest policies and facilities today.

The significant size of the money and capital markets today is known to everyone. On the other hand, it is really difficult to see a company or an entrepreneur which counts on their own capital in order to start up a new business or which continues their business with their own economic potential. It is known that interest is strictly forbidden in our religion with the strictest rules although it plays a vital important role in modern business and macro economy. Eventually, it causes all Muslims both in Turkey and all over the world a dilemma and makes them passive in business and social life, in which cooperation with financial foundations is almost an obligation today. It results from the fact that the issue of interest is not explained widely and comprehensively in Islamic literature and sources and so religious people who cannot obtain adequate information on the issue prefer to refrain from financial foundations and facilities fearing that they will make mistakes and commit sins. The aim of this article is to contribute modestly to the enlightenment of our people, who are quite critical of interest, on the issue;.

DEFINITION OF INTEREST

According to the economists, interest, which has got an important function on free market economy, determines the distribution between utilization and consumption of sources. Utilization of sources is directed to more productive fields via interest mechanism. When there is a shortage of sources, relatively less productive investments are suggested. According to a wide-spread definition, interest is the price deserved in return for the money rented. In a limited sense, it is the price that a lender charges a borrower for the use of the lender's money. In this sense, it is shaped according to the supply and demand in fund markets. It is also called “interest expense”.

Interest is an impersonal income independent of the possessor of the money. It shows that the limit of interest is generally determined according to the market conditions and that the lender does not play any role in it. As a matter of fact, the personal relationship between customers and financial foundations is disappearing gradually and millions of people do not know at all the owners or the managers of banks to which they entrust their money. That is to say; personal relationship between foundations and people has almost disappeared. In another sense, interest is the price charged in return for postponement or the proponing of utilization of property or service. It enables the link between today and the future.

Interest is the price determined according to the period of time in which the lender is deprived of the money he lent and in accordance with a certain rate, in debts which are only about paying a certain amount of money back. This definition, which evaluates the matter from the point of law, puts forward two elements - time and interest rate - which enable the emergence of interest. In many definitions, we see that interest is the price charged in return for the utilization of money. It is not exactly true; because it is not necessary for the borrower to utilize the money so that the lender will have the right to obtain interest. What is necessary and enough for the emergence of interest is the fact that the lender has been deprived of the money he lent for a while. It is necessary for earning interest from the lent money that the money has been received by the borrower on condition that it will be paid back after a certain time.

And according to a popular and widely accepted definition, interest is a means of income for the lender and an expense for the borrower.

In Islamic terminology, interest is explained with the concept “riba”. Riba means redundancy, abundance and increase. Therefore, extra money or property charged in return for anything lent is included in the scope of prohibition. Riba also means haram (unlawful) earning. According to another definition in Islamic Law, “Interest is the redundancy conditioned in trade.”

KINDS OF INTEREST

There are many kinds of interest in theory and practice and they are classified under some certain categories. We find it appropriate to talk about the issue long enough to help to comprehend the matter of interest better. Normally, interest is paid together with the capital money at the end of the allowed time. It is called ordinary interest; it is easy to calculate and it is not complicated at all. There is no difference between the interest rate declared and agreed upon and the one in practice. What is meant by “interest on paper” is ordinary interest; yet it is not so in practice.

It is the “compound interest” which increases interest and capital wildly and misleads the borrower. And in short, it means charging interest on interest. For instance, interest is collected four times in a year before the debt is paid back in the allowed time, in commercial loans, which are for one year. For this reason, interest rate which is declared to the customer as 60% on paper becomes 75% in practice. Compound interest increases even more in credit card debts in which the capital and interest are divided into monthly installments. No banks or financial foundations tell their customers the compound interest rate. However, interestingly, the very same banks especially inform their customers about it and emphasize compound interest in the income return which they provide their customers with. Compound interest may bear very dangerous results for borrowers. It may sometimes make borrowers deal with a very swollen debt even before they realize; just like a small snowball becomes an avalanche.

Discount Interest: A unique loan situation where an interest rate is determined, and then that percentage is removed from the loan amount, and the borrower is given the remainder of the loan. This kind of interest is usually deceptive for the borrower. For instance, the rate of a discount interest, the allowed time of which is 6 months, which is said to be 40% by a bank, a factoring company or any lender becomes 56% for a year in practice.

Default Interest: The higher interest that a borrower must pay after default. If a borrower defaults on a loan, he/she must pay default interest in order to compensate a lender for the added risk of extending credit to him/her. It is based on the assumption that borrowers are always ill-mannered and do not pay their debts deliberately. It is not searched if a borrower has got any defaults. Lenders do not have to prove their loss in order to have right to charge borrowers with default interest and borrowers cannot get rid of default interest by proving their faultlessness.

Compensatory Interest: Interest which is charged as the compensation for the assumed loss of the lender who is not paid back in due time. The lender does not have to prove his loss; the delay in payment of the debt is enough as the reason.

Penal Interest: It is punitive interest charged by a lender to a borrower if installments are not paid according to the loan terms. It can be for any kind of debts in addition to debts in money lending.

Legal Interest: The amount of interest that is allowed or required to be charged by law; independent of parties’ agreement. Even if the parties do not record an interest condition on contract, the one who does not pay his debt is charged with interest by law.

Conventional Interest: A kind of interest that is not underwritten by a government agency. The interest rate can be determined and recorded on the contract by the mutual agreement of the parties.

INTEREST THROUGHOUT HISTORY

Interest emerged due to lending in ancient times. Excavations carried out in Turkey have shown that Assyrian merchants sold tin and wheat to Anatolians on an interest rate of 100% with borrowed golden and silver coins, in 2000’s B.C. Interest, which is almost as old as the history of humankind, has always been a focus of attraction for philosophers and ecclesiastics. It has always been subject to governmental intervention in all religions and all law systems. It has always been seen disadvantageous both morally and socially because it provides lender with dishonored income and causes borrowers financial hardship as an amount of money which results from lending agreements or other kinds of contracts is added to the debt. Since ancient times, interest has been evaluated as a doctrine, a matter of justice and morality.

Aristotle, the well-known Greek philosopher, states the following in his famous book named “Politics”:

“The most hated sort (of wealth getting) and with the greatest reason, is usury, which makes a gain out of money itself and not from the natural object of it. Money was intended to be used in exchange but not to increase at interest. … Amongst all modes of getting wealth, it is the most unnatural.”

Thomas d’Aquin states:

“It is impossible to sell money and the use of money separately. As it is impossible to separate the use of something from the thing itself and to sell it in this way, it is unfair, it is even theft to charge interest on the use of something because it would be selling the same thing twice (the use of the thing and the thing itself). If interest is a price for time, nobody can demand it; because time is common to everyone and it only belongs to God. Therefore, charging interest is both theft and also a crime committed against God who gives time freely to people.”

Both in Roman law and ancient Greek law, interest was restricted and even banned, with different approaches though.

In original Judaism, interest was prohibited. Later, this prohibition was distorted on behalf of relations amongst Israelites and it was concluded that this prohibition was valid only amongst Israelites and it was permissible to charge non-Jews with interest. Attitude against interest in Christianity went through various stages. Prophet Jesus indirectly rejected the utilization of interest and suggested his apostles to perform good deeds by donating and helping others without expecting any return. Though the Church persisted on the prohibition of interest for a long time, it happened to accept interest gradually because of the oppression by social and financial life and especially due to the emergence of capitalism. Jean Calvin permitted the utilization of interest as he considered it not only a means of consumption but also production.

According to mercantilists, interest is the rent of the capital. Considering interest the same as the lease of land and the rent of real estates, Mercantilists said, “Interest is the rent of the capital”. And according to physiocrats, interest on an amount of lent money cannot be less than the income return which a land bought with that amount of money would provide. Classical economists such as Adam Smith and David Ricardo considered interest as the return the borrower pays to the lender in relation to the profit the borrower will make from the money he borrowed.

In classical economy, which is based on the view of financer-entrepreneur, interest and profit are evaluated and mixed together. The industrialization process the classical economists were going through proved that assumption right.

Karl Marx, who is known to have read the Quran, characterized interest as unnatural and immoral. Keynes, unlike other classical economists, defended that interest is not essential for investments. According to him, interest does not encourage investments; contrarily, interest hinders it.

PROHIBITION OF INTEREST IN ISLAM

Interest was prohibited gradually in the Quran and it was stated in various verses. 279th verse of the chapter al-Baqarah is short yet comprehensive:

“…if ye repent, ye shall have your capital sums; deal not unjustly and ye shall not be dealt with unjustly”

Moreover, the Prophet said in his Farewell Sermon:

“Allah has forbidden you to take usury (riba), therefore all riba obligation shall henceforth be waived. Your capital, however, is yours to keep. You will neither inflict nor suffer inequity.”

The message of the verses and the hadith is, in short, as follows:

One cannot take back more than he lent. The lender has got the right to collect the whole capital he has lent. According to the primary and direct meaning here, lending process is not made for making profit out of it. When considered together with other hadiths, we understand that the extra return does not have to be of the same kind with the lent item. That is to say; for instance, if the lent item is of A kind, interest on it is still prohibited even if it is of B kind. The other meaning in the verses and the hadith is that the lender has got the right to collect the whole capital he has lent. Although it seems quite natural, it is not always possible to collect the whole capital as exact. For instance, money on deposit in European banks is reduced because it is saved and protected by the bank; let alone increasing. In Former Soviet Union countries including Turkic republics and today’s Russian Federation, money deposited in a bank is paid back to the owner after reducing it by 10-15%. Although this treatment to the depositor may based on mutual agreement, it is not so indeed. As a matter of fact, it is indisputable that banks – which are both respected and awed – have got an influential power which persuades their customers to accept their conditions.

Another business field of the investment banks, which are the giant foundations of the West civilization, is the management of the wealthy people’s personal funds and the accumulation of the interest. However, in times of economic depression, those banks return less than the money they receive, declaring losses. It is known that investment funds, which are wide-spread in Turkey, sometimes cause harm to investors, who count on them.

However, in Islam, investors, depositors and lenders are protected by the right of them to collect their capital as exact. In this sense, one who does not pay his debt back in due time is regarded to have oppressed. According to the interpreters of the Quran, a lender/depositor/investor cannot be forced to take his money back incomplete in amount. Besides, there are interpretations which state that a lender/depositor/investor can ask for the compensation of his loss in addition to the capital when he is not paid back in due time, on condition that it is recorded in agreement at the beginning.

REASONS WHY INTEREST WAS FORBIDDEN

The secondary vital meaning of the verses and the hadith recorded above is that interest (riba) results in unfairness. It is indisputable that either the lender or the borrower will be treated unfairly when interest is charged on lending. Financial life both in our country and all over the world is full of examples which prove the issue right. As a matter of fact, banks are defined as “foundations which put umbrellas over their customers on sunny days and take it back when it starts to rain” in the West, where they were invented. Our recent history is full of lots of dramatic cases in which both lenders and borrowers infringed the rights of each other and eventually the rights of many innocent people were infringed. Bankers who appeared out of nowhere with a fake certificate bought cheap and a small office in the eighties collected a large amount of money from people promising them interest. Retirement pensions and salaries were deposited to those bankers with the hope of gaining interest return. Some people even sold the houses they had been living in and started to live in rented apartments in order to deposit the money to the bankers to make profit out of it. In the end, it went so far due to the infinite trickery of those bankers and to the naivety (and also greediness) of depositors that interest was charged on money deposited even for one day in order to lengthen this so-called “chain of happiness”. And finally, the bankers disappeared with the whole money they collected. Some of them were caught yet nothing could be taken back from them. Yet some of them were killed and most of them were sentenced to prison. Public was robbed before the eyes of government during these events which were recorded as a "disaster of bankers" in history of economics. We know that many tradesmen and merchants went bankrupt because of their debts owed to usurers in all cities of our country including especially Istanbul. And sometimes we hear of the ones who kill the usurer they owe to as a last option to get rid of the debts.

The murder of Nesim Malki which occurred in the year of 1996 is another significant case which shows that the borrowers are not always innocent. When the economic crisis of 1994 started, banks sent a short written note to their customers saying that they would charge an interest of 700% on credit accounts the very next morning. Lots of factories and businesses had to close down a few days later. The guarantee of unlimited deposits started headfirst by the government turned out to be a shield protecting those earning interest from the ones who did not have money deposited in banks. In the economic depression of November 2000 and February 2001, interest rates on credits were increased to 3000% all of a sudden. Innumerable companies went bankrupt and ended their financial life.

On the other hand, some businessmen transferred the credits they received from the banks to their personal accounts instead of using them in business. Even the bank owners did not see anything wrong with siphoning their own banks. Eventually, 22 banks went bankrupt; their owners were imprisoned and were dishonored in front of everyone. All of the loss of the crisis was put on the public.

In short, the wisdom behind the prohibition of interest is that either lenders or borrowers, or both of them as mentioned above will be wronged and eventually the rest of the public will also be harmed although they are not involved in the case. We come across interest hidden behind different masks in every economic issue due to the abundance and variety of financial instruments and foundations today. In our opinion, when concluding, if any financial process is included in the scope of prohibition of interest today, our criterion must be whether the financial processes in question can cause any unfairness or harm to the borrower or the lender, or the public.

The responsibility of man, who believes in Allah and the religion He sent, toward his Creator is called "ibadah" (worship, servitude).

Ibadah, in broad sense, means to arrange one's life in the way that Allah wants; in the strict sense, it means to turn toward Allah through ways like prayers, fasting, zakah, hajj and sacrificing an animal. Each worship has some properties and wisdoms peculiar to itself; if one performs worshipping by knowing them, they will be more meaningful. It is very important to know the historical, ethical and cultural dimensions and wisdoms of hajj, which consists of symbolic deeds, in order to display the wisdoms of hajj and to grab the spirit of hajj.

There are definitely a lot of wisdoms for man's worldly and otherworldly lives in everything that Allah orders. According to this unerring fact, hajj has a lot of wisdoms. Some of them can be listed as follows:

Everybody naturally needs to show their servitude toward Allah. Hajj is a kind of worship that makes it possible for man to show their weakness in the presence of Allah, to express their servitude and to thank Him for the bounties He has given. For, a hajji gets rid of worldly elements like money, property, post, and rank, and turns toward Allah. He expresses his surrendering and loyalty in the presence of the owner of power and strength. This makes him attain the pleasure of being a servant of Allah.

Hajj forms a very lively picture of equality and brotherhood by bringing together millions of Muslims who have the same aims and purposes regardless of their language, race, country, culture, rank and position. All hajjis, including the rich and the poor, the strong and the weak, undergo an actual training of equality and brotherhood wearing the same clothes, suffering the same deprivation, bearing the same difficulties and acting under the same circumstances. Hajj makes a millionaire and a poor person pray in Arafat wearing the same clothes, circumambulate the Kaaba together; thus, it teaches man not to boast due to his rank, position, property and money; it teaches hajjis to meet and know one another within the framework of Islamic brotherhood and not to forget the Gathering Place. 

To see the holy land where the religion of Islam emerged, where the Prophet (pbuh) and his Companions suffered a lot of hardship and troubles, and where many prophets since Hz. Adam lived and visited will strengthen the religious feelings of Muslims and will increase their loyalty to Islam.

Thousands of Muslims whose colors, languages, countries and cultures are different but whose aims are the same and who come from all over the world come together and meet one another thanks to hajj. This enables Muslims to contact one another, to be aware of the troubles of fellow Muslims and even to establish commercial relations. 

By performing hajj, a Muslim fulfills the duty of thanking for the worldly bounties like health, talents, property and money that Allah gave him.

Muslims who perform hajj develop ethical properties like patience, endurance, perseverance, putting up with difficulties, being able to do the same thing together  with a large group of people, mutual assistance, solidarity and being able to get used to certain rules. 

Hajj leaves deep memories that will not be deleted lifelong on a believer. These memories help Muslims not to lose their way in life after hajj. Hajj forms a milestone in the life of a believer.

A Muslim who opens his hands, prays Allah and gets rid of his sins in a place like Arafat, which is an example of Gathering Place, will not easily want to commit the sins he previously committed again. 

Thanks to hajj, nice interactions take place among Muslims. Believers learn nice properties from one another. Positive developments take place in their ideas. It decreases negative thoughts that alienate people from one another like racism.

In short, hajj has many wisdoms and ethical, social, economic and psychological benefits. Only some of them have been mentioned above.

A verse means a sentence whose beginning and end are obvious in the Quran. Each verse of the Quran is a miracle. Each verse is evidence for the honesty of the prophet that conveys it and an exemplary lesson for those who think, contemplate and meditate; each verse is ‘something strange’ because it is a miracle and has a value.   

Hadithsare the words, deeds, approvals and the sunnah of the Prophet that consist of his moral and humanly qualities expressed in words or in writing. In this sense, hadith is synonymous with the sunnah. 

The word hadith was started to be used as a general name for the news reported from the Prophet in the course of time.

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) did not only convey the revelation that he received from Allah to people but he also explained them and practiced them in his own life, being a concrete example for them. Therefore, he was also called the living Quran.

Islamic scholars generally regard the hadiths related to religious issues as to have beeen revealed to the prophet by Allah and show the following verse as evidence for it:

"Nor does he say (aught) of (his own) Desire. It is no less than inspiration sent down to him “(an-Najm, 53/3-4).

In addition, they say the word hikmah (wisdom) mentioned in the following verse means sunnah:

"Allah did confer a great favor on the Believers when He sent among them an Messenger from among themselves, rehearsing unto them the Signs of Allah, sanctifying them, and instructing them in Scripture and Wisdom, while, before that, they had been in manifest error." (Aal-i lmran, 3/164)

As a matter of fact, some narrations reported from the Prophet and his Companions put forth this truth. The following is reported from the Messenger of Allah:

"I was given the Book and the like of it (the sunnah)" (Abu Dawud, Sunan, II, 505).

Hassan Ibn Atiyya made the following explanation regarding the issue: "Jibril (Gabriel) brought and taught the sunnah to the Messenger of Allah just as he brought and taught the Quran." (Ibn Abdilbarr, Jamiu'l Bayani'l-ilm, II, 191).

As it is understood from the verses and news above, the Quran and the hadith (or the sunnah in a broader sense) are the same in terms of being revelations sent to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) by Allah. However, the Quran differs from the hadith because it is impossible to produce something like the Quran in terms of its meaning and words, it is determined in writing in the preserved tablet (Lawh al-Mafuz), and neither Jibril nor the Prophet (pbuh) can make any changes in it. Hadith was not revealed as words; so it is not miraculous like the words of the Quran; it is permissible to report it only with its meaning as long as the meaning is not changed.

As a fiqh source based on revelation, the state of the hadith in comparison to the Quran and in terms of the decrees it brings is as follows:

1. Some hadiths confirm and affirm the decrees that the Quran has brought;for instance, the hadiths that forbid disobedience to the parents, bearing false witness and committing suicide.

2. Some hadiths explain and complement the decrees that the Quran has brought.Performing prayers, making hajj and giving zakah are ordered in the Quran but it is not stated how they should be carried out. We learn how to fulfill them from hadiths.

3. Some hadiths impose decrees about the issues that the Quran does not mention at all.The hadiths that prohibit eating the flesh of domestic donkeys and birds of prey and the hadiths that determine several decrees about diyahs, etc are examples of hadiths showing that hadiths can be an independent legislative source.

What we have stated up to now shows the place of hadith (sunnah) in the religion of Islam. The fact that it is necessary to give importance to the hadith as a source that comes immediately after the Quran from the point of view of the religion of Islam and to act in accordance with the sunnah of the Prophet is ordered by definite expressions both by Allah and His messenger Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh). The following verses regarding the issue are present in the Quran:

"Say: ‘If ye do love Allah, follow me: Allah will love you and forgive you your sins’" (Aal-i Imran, 3/31);

"Say: ‘Obey Allah and His Messenger’; but if they turn back, Allah loveth not those who reject Faith” (Aal-i Imran, 3/32);

"And obey Allah and the Messenger; that ye may obtain mercy " (Aal-i Imran, 3/132);

" So take what the Messenger assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you " (al-Hashr, 59/7).

As it is seen, in the verses like the ones above, obedience to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) is ordered together with obedience to Allah; it is even stated clearly that obedience to the Prophet (pbuh) means obedience to Allah. 

In a hadith, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, "Know it very well that I was given the Quran and the like of it (the sunnah). The time will come when a man replete on his couch will say: Keep to the Quran; what you find in it to be permissible treat as permissible, and what you find in it to be prohibited treat as prohibited. Doubtlessly, what the Messenger of Allah makes haram is like what Allah has made haram." (Abu Daawd Sunnah, 5; Ibn Majah, Muqaddima, 2; Ahmad b. Hanbal, Musnad, IV,131), warning Muslims against those who despise the sunnah and want to separate it from the religion and emphasizing that the religion cannot be thought of without the sunnah.

The essentials which form the fundamentals of the Islamic Law are based on revelation (of Allah). They are outlined in the Qur’an. In other words, the legal essentials are established and ordained by the Creator of the Universe. Whatever the age, atmosphere and circumstances in which one lives, those essentials are the source of peace and means of comfort. This is because these decrees are the most suitable ones for man’s creation. When the decrees and jurisdiction in the Qur’an are studied, the outstanding point is that both corporeal and spiritual existence of man is taken into consideration.

In the matter of witnessing, it is possible to observe that, too. The translation of the verse about giving testimony is as follows:

“… And call upon two (Muslim) men among you as witnesses. If two men are not there, then let there be one man and two women, from among those of whom you approve as witnesses, that if either of the two women errs (through forgetfulness), the other may remind her…” (1)

So, here, the basic matter is directly related to the creation of women. This is a requisite of their psychological aspect. The underlying disposition of woman is excitement and she lives with her excitements. Therefore, ideas get rooted in her heart rather than her mind and develop effects in this way. She cannot really remain unbiased in the face of events. She approaches phenomena with intuition as her conscience and mercy prevail.

Due to that quality of theirs, the Qur’an says: “Women may forget, therefore they should be given helpers in testimony.” It is expressed by Allah the Almighty who created the woman. So, it is an unchanging rule. Are there not among women those who do not easily forget and those who have sharper memories than men? Of course, there are, but generally, this psychological state is seen in women more often. It is just natural that they cannot retain events in their memories long.

On the other hand, the woman is more introverted. She has a world of her own. She is busy with the housework all day. She takes care of children and of their upbringing. Very few women are interested in trade, business, and politics. How will a woman who is so away from the outer world be aware of the events that take place there, how will she learn about them and retain them in her mind and to what extent will she be able to bear witness?

By accepting two women’s testimonies equal to that of one man, and thus not burdening the woman with the responsibility as much as that of the man in the matter of witnessing, Islam does not harm her right, on the contrary, protects it and prevents her from sinning. This is because bearing witness is a tough duty that brings about great responsibilities.

In a verse in the Qur’an, the following is stated:

“… And do not conceal the testimony; he who conceals it, surely his heart (which is the center of faith) is contaminated with sin. God has full knowledge of what you do.” (2)

In hadiths (sayings of the Prophet) it is pointed out that witnessing bears great responsibilities and that wrongful testimony is counted among the greatest sins.

Indeed, Islam protects woman from great sins and prevents her from committing such a sin as wrongful testimony, by way of deception by some weaknesses of hers through excitement or through acting emotionally. Islam has taken precautions against it by appointing a helping woman beside her. Just for this reason, in some testimonial matters, two women replace one man.

Sometimes women may act jealously in the matters they will testify and the feeling of rivalry may prevail. Therefore, they may blemish the realization of justice by concealing some aspects of the matter. However, if two women bear witness, doubts will be eradicated as one of them will clarify the point the other conceals.

On the other hand, that the testimony of two women is deemed equal to the testimony of one man does in no way mean that the woman is worth half the man. This is only a sign that great importance is given to the presence of all sorts of assurance in testimony. In what kinds of lawsuits does the woman bear witness, from which of them is she exempt, and in which is she deemed half the man?

Islamic Law exempted woman from testimony in such crimes which require the punishment called ‘had’ as adultery, alcohol and robbery and in such punishments as ‘qisas’ (retaliation) and does not accept her testimony in them. In these lawsuits, the punishment of adultery requires four men’s testimonies and the others those of two men. In such lawsuits as related to trade, selling and purchasing, marriage and divorce, which fall into the category of relations and dealings, if there are not two men, then the testimonies of one man and two women are stipulated. However, in such matters in which men are not very competent such as the determining of virginity, the conditions that emerge during birth concerning the mother and baby, and establishing the milk brotherhood/sisterhood, one woman’s testimony is sufficient. Moreover, Umar Ibn Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him) saw one woman’s testimony as sufficient even in the matter of divorce. This is because the real aim in testimony is the preservation of rights, maintenance of justice and the realization of the truth. One of the wisdoms of not applying for woman’s testimony in the punishments of ‘had’ and in qisas (retaliation) is the sensitivity to prevent the slightest doubt in such matters. This is because in the lawsuit of qisas with an incomplete statement, a right would have been violated or a human being would have been wrongly retaliated. Such an inclination as forgetfulness and being overcome by emotions concerning women might overshadow the matter.

(1) Al-Baqarah, 282.

(2) Al-Baqarah, 283.

Fasting means not eating, drinking and not engaging in sexual activity during the time period between the time of fajr sadiq (the second/real fajr; the time of the day when there is light in the horizon before sunrise) and the sunset.  

Fasting is also called imsak. Imsak means keeping the soul/self away from the things it wishes and not doing them. The antonym for imsak is iftar, which means breaking the fast. 

The Religious Decree of Fasting

Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam. At the same time, it is one of the great signs of Islam. It was made fard (obligatory) in Madinah, one and a half year after the Hegira (Migration from Makkah to Madinah) and on the 10^th day of the month of Shaban. Its obligation is established by the Book (the Qur'an), the Sunnah (the practice of the Prophet) and by Ijma' (consensus of the ummah/community or the ulama/scholars of Islam).

In the Qur'an, the following is stated:

O you who believe! Prescribed for you is the Fast, as it was prescribed for those before you...(The Qur'an, Al-Baqarah, 2:183) 

Fasting is also a bodily worship like the obligatory prayer. The prominent quality of this worship is that it keeps people away from evils, and that it curbs the excessive wishes and urges of the soul. In the hadith, the following is stated: 

Fasting is a shield (it protects humans from lustful desires and evils). The fasting person should not utter bad words out of ignorance. The fasting person should answer those who want to fight and struggle with him/her only by saying: 'I am fasting.'  

Since fasting protects humans from evil inclinations, Allah's Messenger (PBUH) advised young, single people to fast in order to be relieved from the compression of lustful urges. It is also a scientifically accepted reality that fasting calms down lustful feelings. 

When the month of fasting comes, there occurs an overall decrease in the number of crimes committed in the community. The evils are reduced to the minimum. In return, the good deeds increase. Among individuals a cordial unification and affection form. Mutual help and solidarity increase. Allah's Messenger (PBUH) explains the reason for the social effect that fasting has in the following hadith: 

When Ramadan, the month of fasting, comes, the gates of Paradise are opened; the gates of Hell are shut and all devils are chained. 

The great worth and value that fasting has in the sight of Allah is explained in a hadith qudsi as follows:

All the good deeds and worships that humans perform are for themselves (there is a worry of pleasure and benefit in them). However, fasting is not like that. Fasting is a worship performed only for My acceptance. And I will give its reward. 

In another hadith qudsi, the following is stated:

For every good deed, there is a reward of ten to seven hundredfold. However, the reward of fasting is not given by that criterion. For it is for Me. It is only Me Who will give its reward. 

As is understood from those statements, although for every good deed and worship there is a certain thawab (reward for good deeds that is tallied on qiyamah/judgment day) attached to it from 10 to 700 credits, for the fast the amount of thawab is boundless. And Allah did not leave it to His angels to reckon its reward but kept it for only Himself. For this reason, on the Day of Judgment, the believers may find great amounts of rewards for their fasting that they never expected.  

Allah's Messenger (PBUH) pointed out that issue as follows:

There are two joys for the fasting person: The first one is the joy at the time of iftar (when s/he breaks the fast after sunset); the other is the joy of fasting (its reward) when s/he meets his/her Lord. 

In some hadiths, the high virtue and honorable status that the fasting people attain is expressed as follows:

There is a gate in Paradise called Rayyan. On the Judgment Day, only those who fasted can enter from that gate (into Paradise). Nobody else can enter through it. (On the Judgment Day), a call is issued: Where are those who fasted? Those who fasted get up and enter. And after they enter, the gate is shut; from then on, nobody can enter from that gate.

I swear to Allah that the smell of hunger of the fasting mouth is more pleasant than the smell of musk, cleaner and more amiable in the presence of Allah.

The prayer of three people is not rejected: 

That of the fasting person until s/he eats iftar (meal eaten after sunset to break one's fast)

That of the equitable/just head of the state

That of the wronged/oppressed.

Hajj is a kind of worship that consists of represented acts all over.

During hajj, hajjis wear a seamless garment resembling a shroud called ihram. This act represents dying and breaking off all relationships with the world.  

Waqfa in Arafat is a small sample of the Day of Gathering.

Hajjis, who go to Muzdalifa uttering takbirs after Arafat, stay there during the night before eid. They set off to go to Mina on the day of eid in order to throw stones at Satan.  To throw stones at Satan is a symbol and manifestation of hating the tricks and delusions of Satan. It also means to follow the sunnah of throwing stones by Hz. Ibrahim (pbuh).

After expressing their enmity and hatred toward evil and that they will struggle against evil by doing their best by throwing stones at Satan symbolically, who is the symbol of evil, hajjis slaughter animals to show that they are ready to sacrifice their own lives in the way of Allah. They experience the surrendering of being sacrificed in the way of Allah shown by Hz. Ismail.

Even if a cause is right, it cannot be superior without having defenders and followers that are ready to sacrifice their lives for it. Thus, with the animals that they slaughter, hajjis show symbolically that they will sacrifice their lives for Allah if it is necessary. 

Circumambulation, that is, rotating around the Kaaba, is a worship derived from the system of the universe. In the universe, planets rotate around the sun, electrons around the nucleus and moths around the fire; with this rotation, they show their loyalty and love to the center. In this sense, rotating around the Kaaba, which is the symbol of the religion of oneness, symbolizes love and loyalty to the religion.

Each rotation around the Kaaba symbolizes going up to the 7 skies by passing a phase at each rotation, going up to the highest level of the soul, which has 7 levels, from its lowest level in our inner world, attaining the goal of human life and reaching the spiritual life.  

Wisdoms and Benefits of Hajj

Hajj has many wisdoms, and material and spiritual benefits. Let us mention some of them:

* Believers come together with the same purpose and belief thanks to hajj. A large crowd that cannot be seen anywhere in the world turn to the Creator of the universe with the consciousness and excitement of worshipping and request from Him, ask for forgiveness and pray Him in order to live and die with belief. With the spiritual pleasure that they attain, they give up their bad characteristics and habits. They attain the enthusiasm to adhere to the orders of Allah.  

* With barefoot and bare head, hajjis wearing white garments all over denotes Gathering Day. Thus, hearts will soften, gazes will change, emotions will be obvious and a kind of spiritual eid is experienced.  

*Hajjis, who perceive the magnificence of Allah, who has made millions of people run to the Holy land with one command for 14 centuries, with all of their emotions, see, with their own eyes, millions of people who believe in the same things; thus, they do not heed the doubts and delusions of Satan. Their belief becomes strengthened. 

* When hajjis visit the holy lands where their religion emerged and spread to the world, where people struggled for it, sacrificed their lives and shed their blood, and when they visit the graves of the respectable heroes, they will nurture the desire and enthusiasm to practice and serve Islam. They will virtually address those mujahids and say, "We promise to maintain the holy relics you left to us and transfer them to the generations to come after us."

* The hardships and problems experienced during journeys make man appreciate the bounties they have and thank God for them. To be away from one's property, relatives and friends and not to be able to have a rest will remind man of the problems of the poor and make him show compassion to them and help them.  

* Hajj has the reward of jihad because during hajj, one travels, struggles against his soul and bears troubles and fatigue.  

Apart from the otherworldly and spiritual benefits mentioned above, hajj also has some material and social benefits:

* Hajj is like the general congress of the Islamic world that convenes every year. During hajj season, Islamic Countries have the opportunity to agree on their internal and external issues and to act together against the world. They also have the opportunity to know one another and to exchange their ideas on culture, science and art.

* During hajj season, which is like an international fair of Islamic Countries, every country can display their material and spiritual existence. They will have underdeveloped Islamic Countries and help them develop.

The Qur’an has strictly condemned terror and has described anarchy and mischief-making as most horrible things.

Islam prohibits every kind of terror, oppression, and treachery and opposes every kind of anarchy and ill-conduct. Islam does not respond evil with evil. The religion of Islam has been sent by Allah Almighty in order to set up justice, to break despotism and arbitrary oppression of fierce evil selves and to make human conscience temperate. So, Islam is very sensitive about it. The Qur’an regards the murder of an innocent person as the most horrible murder committed against the whole of the humanity.

Allah Almighty announces: “…if anyone slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people… (al-Maidah, 32) The Qur’an also curses every kind of mischief. The Qur’an draws our attention to the incitements and mischief-making of those who start discord, cause discord in the life of society, and sow discord while in power, and also clearly reveals the horror of mischief-making, and seriousness of discord: “When he turns his back, his aim everywhere is to spread mischief through the earth and destroy crops and cattle. But Allah loveth not mischief.” (al-Baqarah, 205)

The Qur’an has prohibited mischief. In al-Baqarah, 217, Allah Almighty announces: “Mischief, tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter.” (Al-Baqarah, 217)

In a Muslim’s soul, who makes use of these Qur’anic verses to full extent, there are no enmity, hatred and brutality. There is some kind of brotherhood even between his most fierce foe. A Muslim accepts the truth, which is, “we tolerate the creature just because of the Creator.” A Muslim is a defender of love. He has no time for hostility. In the Holy Qur’an, Allah Almighty draws the attention of believers to the prevention of damages to the worship places, by indicating that worship places are protected against some people as a result of the intervention by some other people: “…For had it not been for Allah's repelling some men by means of others, cloisters and churches and oratories and mosques, wherein the name of Allah is oft mentioned, would assuredly have been pulled down.” (al-Hajj, 40) 

The Prophet Muhammad is a prophet of mercy and compassion. In the Holy Qur’an, Allah Almighty declares: “We sent thee not save as a mercy for the peoples” (al-Anbiya, 107) The Prophet (PBUH) revealed all manners of good morality in the best way in his life and advised his community to be far from mischief. He ordered them to be away from mischief in a remarkable seriousness and sensitivity:

Beware of mischief ! For, at that moment, the tongue is like the sword blow. (Ibn Majah, Fitan, 24)

“Here is certain that there will appear mischief, diversity and controversy. When this situation takes place, go to Uhud with your sword. Hit it on the rock till it breaks into pieces. Then remain in your home. (Never leave your home) till there is a sinful hand on you or death visits your house.” (Ibn Majah, Fitan, 24) Just before the Doomsday, there is mischief like the pieces of dark nights. During that mischief, a person reaches morning as a believer, but ends up in disbelief at night; he reaches the night as a believer but ends up in disbelief in the morning. During that mischief, the one sitting is better than the one standing up. So break your bows, smash your arrows and hit your swords on the rock. If they get into the house of one of you, be the better one of the two sons of Adam (be the killed one not the killer). (Abu Dawud, Fitan 2, Tirmidhi, Fitan 33)

During the Era of Jahiliyya, many people lacked good manners and decency. Ethics, chastity and honor were issues that were talked about but not practiced. Women used to be dressed immodestly like today and they used to boast by showing their private parts. The religion of Islam, which was sent as divine mercy, introduced some commands and principles in order to amend the people who had been in debauchery. One of these commands is about the covering of women by jilbabs:

"O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments (jilbabs) over their persons (when abroad)." (al-Ahzab: 59)

There are a few views about what jilbab is:

1- Jilbab is a long shirt or loose robe covering the whole body.
2- It is a loose dress worn over a robe.
3- It is a scarf that covers the head, neck and the shoulders.
4- It is a garment that covers the upper part of the body down to the belly.

Khalil, who is the teacher of Sibawayhi says, "One of those meanings is permissible." (as-Siraj al-Munir Vol. 3. p. 271) A Muslim woman has to cover all of her body except her hands and face. If a person believes in it but does not practice it, she becomes a sinner. However, if a person denies it, she is regarded to have exited the religion of Islam. It is heresy to resort to interpretations that Islam does not accept and to spoil the belief of people.

If something was rendered haram, it is haram because Allah rendered it haram. The other reasons are not the real reason why it is haram. For instance, pork is harmful to human health and haram because of the virus it contains. However, even if this harm is eliminated, it will still be haram. The elimination of the harm does not render something halal. For, this harm is only the part of the harm that we can see. There are many more harms that we cannot see and reasons why it was rendered haram.

Everything that is haram is harmful to man. However, to what extent do we know these harms? That we do not know them does not make that thing harmless. It was not known in the past that pork was harmful; its harms became apparent as science developed. Then, people should have objected to it since its harms were not known in the past; such reasoning is not right. We are obliged to obey what we are ordered; as science develops and the visible benefits of obeying Allah appear, our definite knowledge will increase.

Science is still unable to understand the wisdoms behind the orders of Allah; they are understood in the course of time. Fornication has a lot of harms to both the personal life of man and the community. They have been stated by psychologists and sociologists.

Fornication is regarded as haram and a very ugly deed in Islam and in the heavenly religions before it. It is one of the major sins. Its punishment is the most severe one because it is a crime against honor and lineage.

The following is stated in the Quran:

"Nor come nigh to adultery: for it is a shameful (deed) and an evil, opening the road (to other evils)."(al-Isra, 17/32).

"Those who invoke not, with Allah, any other god, nor slay such life as Allah has made sacred, except for just cause, not commit fornication― and any that does this (not only) meets punishment. (But) the Penalty on the Day of Judgment will be doubled to him, and he will dwell therein in ignominy."(al-Furqan, 25/68, 69).

On this point, there are two verses in the Holy Qur’an. In these verses, Allah Almighty clearly announces:

“O (most illustrious) Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters, as well as the women (wives and daughters) of the believers, to draw over themselves some part of their outer garments (when outside their homes and when before men whom they are not forbidden to marry because of blood relation).” (1)

“And tell the believing women that they (also) should restrain their gaze (from looking at the men whom it is lawful for them to marry, and from others’ private parts), and guard their private parts, and that they should not display their charms except that which is revealed of itself; and let them draw their veils over their bosoms…” (2)

In the verses, it is not clearly indicated how believing women should veil themselves, and what places of them could be seen. However, this hadith interprets the verses as follows: The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) told his sister-in-law, Asma: “O Asma! It is not permissible for a woman to show the parts of her body to strangers apart from her hands and face after she reaches the age of puberty.” (3)

That a Muslim woman at the age of puberty should cover her hair is both Allah’s (SWT) and the Prophet’s (SWT) order. That is, it is a universal obligation to cover the head in a way the face would be open and to cover the neck and breasts. As to unveiling oneself, it means abandoning an obligation and therefore it is forbidden. She becomes sinful and is to be held responsible since she does not heed the command of Allah (SWT) and the Prophet (PBUH). This sinful person must repent and ask for her forgiveness from Allah (SWT) in order to get rid of her sin.

“They are also the ones who, when they have committed a shameful deed or wronged themselves (through any kind of sinful act), immediately remember God, and implore Him to forgive their sins – for who will forgive sins save God? – And do not persist knowingly in whatever (evil) they have committed. Such are the ones whose reward is forgiveness from their Lord and Gardens through which rivers flow, to abide therein. How excellent is the reward of those who always do good deeds!”(4)

Therefore, in order for repentance to be accepted or for sin to be forgiven, one needs not to be insistent on this sin without any excuse.

Here is a hadith on this point:

“When a believer commits a sin, there appears a black spot in his heart. If he withdraws from that sin and asks Allah (STW) for his forgiveness, his heart will be cleansed from that black spot. If he insists on the sin, the black spot becomes larger. It is in this sense that "the sin covers the heart, which reads in the Qur’an.” (5)

The saying “Within each sin is a path leading to unbelief.”expresses a significant reality. A person who keeps committing a sin becomes used to that sin in the course of time and cannot stop it. This habit drags him to greater spiritual dangers. He starts to believe that this sin has no punishment in the Hereafter and there should not be Hell at all. (6)

In order for this person not to come face to face with such a danger and not to be deceived by Satan, he needs to pull himself together and abandon that sin, which will result in his repentance.

(1)   (al-Ahzab, 33:59)

(2)   (an-Nur, 24:31)

(3)   (Abu Dawud, Libas, 33)

(4)   (Aal-i Imran, 3:135-136)

(5)   (Ibn Majah, Zuhd, 29)

(6)   Flashes, Badiuzzaman Said Nursi)

1. In Christianity, there exists the creed of trinity but in Islam, the creed of oneness. 

2. Islam includes all heavenly religions and prophets; Christianity accepts only the Bible as the true book; it does not accept the Quran as a book based on revelation.   

3. Christianity claims that man is a sinner by birth and therefore, he needs to be baptized to be cleaned; Islam states that all people are born sinless and that nobody bears the sin of another person. 

4. In Christianity, priests and clergymen have the authority to forgive people’s sins when they confess; in Islam, sins are forgiven only by Allah.

5. In Christianity, the words of Jesus are regarded as the words of God; in Islam, divine orders are conveyed through revelation by Gabriel (Jibril). 

6. According to Christians, Jesus was crucified. According to Islam, he was ascended to the sky, to the presence of Allah. 

7. Although today’s Christians claim that their religion is the last religion, that claim is not valid according to Islam because the following is stated in the Quran: "The Religion before Allah is Islam (submission to His will)..." (Aal-i Imran, 3/19); "If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah) never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (all spiritual good)." (Aal-i Imran, 3/85).

(see. Şamil Islam Encyclopedia, Christianity)

The Meaning of the Acts in the Prayer: Each pillar and part of the prayer has separate wisdoms. 

One of the names of Allah is al-Hakim (the All-Wise). That is, He definitely arranges and creates many wisdoms, interests and aims in every act of His. It is certain that there are thousands of wisdoms in His order and prohibition. There are many meanings in every act of the prayer, which is the most important worshipping.

We can list some of them as follows:

The prayer is the pillar of the religion. If we think that the Kaaba is the pillar of the universe, we will understand the wisdom behind turning to the direction of the Kaaba in the prayer.

To raise our hands while saying the takbir (Allahu akbar) means we throw the worldly things behind our back and stand for the prayer for Allah.

When we stand on our feet, we represent the worshipping of trees, mountains and the angels that always worship by standing.

When we bow down, we represent the worshipping of animals like the camel, the goat and the sheep, and the angels that always worship by bowing down.

When we prostrate, we represent the worshipping of reptiles, grass and the angels that always worship by prostrating. 

When we sit, we present the worshipping of all creatures to Allah on our own behalf. In the end, when we salute the right and the left, we salute the whole universe.

Besides, when we pray, we make our body and each organ in it worship.

Standing and reading the Quran in the prayer are also meaningful. There is a wisdom behind bowing down after standing and prostrating after bowing down, being in the closest state to Allah...

Man, who is in a state of representing the general worshipping performed universally, presents the worshipping that continuously takes place in his own body together with the worshipping of the living realm and the realm that we regard as non-living to the All-Merciful Lord five times a day.

1.STANDING (QIYAM)

First, we stand, raise our hands and say Allahu akbar (Allah is the greatest). Thus, man throws everything except Allah behind his back and becomes subject to His order and will. Servitude and slavery are registered like that. Thus, the worshipping of all of the beings is represented.   

2. BOWING DOWN (RUKU)

After praising Allah as He deserves, man feels so weak in the presence of that loftiness that he bows down to show it and lowers his head as a sign of respect and says ‘Subhana Rabbiyal-Azim (Glorious is my Lord, the Great). The believer represents the worshipping of all beings that bow down by doing so.   

3. SUPPLICATION (DUA)

Then, he straightens up, and thanks and praises Allah because He guided him to the right path. For a moment, he contemplates, while standing, the loftiness and grandeur of Allah and the simplicity and meanness of his act, then, he becomes terrified and appalled.

4. PROSTRATION (SAJDAH)

He prostrates and puts his forehead down feeling the modesty and weakness fully and says,

‘Subhana Rabbiyal-Ala (Glorious is my Lord, the Highest).

5. SITTING AND SALUTATION

After repeating those acts in a series, he finds himself directly in the presence of Allah without any intermediaries and asks help from Him.

When two beings meet, a salutation takes place between them. In one part of the prayer (sitting), the person who prays repeats the same expressions of salutation that took place between Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) and Allah during Miraj (ascension):

"At-Tahiyyatu lillahi, was-salawatu wattayyibatu. As-Salamu alayka ayyuhan-Nabiyyu, wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. As-Salamu alayna wa ala ibadillahissalihin”

(All kinds of Greetings, prayers and goodness belong to Allah. Peace be on you, O Prophet and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be on us and on the righteous servants of Allah!)

The acts of the body in the prayer:

There are 4 acts in the prayer. The first one is qiyam, that is, standing. The second one is ruku (bowing down). The third one is the first sajdah (prostration) and the fourth one is the second prostration. (Fususulhikam,  2/476-477)

In qiyam in praying, the head denotes the Lord and the feet denote the people. Man, who combines them in qiyam, reads the Quran (qira’ah), which is fard, in this position. He fulfils two fards: qiyam and qira’ah.

As for ruku’, it means practicing the situation of animals in prayer. In this position, the feet of animals look at the center of the earth, and the direction of their bodies is horizontal. That is, the animal stands parallel to the gravity of the earth. While standing like that, the head of the animal looks neither at the space nor at the gravity of the earth. It is a situation between them. Why do we practice it though we are human beings? A question like, ‘What is the animal to us?” may arise. The answer is as follows: the human body, which is the summary of 18 thousand animals, has an animal spirit that lives the worldly life. That spirit, which is called the soul in terms of desires, cannot be upgraded to the human spirit unless it is cleaned. He should eat a little, sleep a little and have sexual intercourse a little in order to be away from the animal side, which is close to the world. Then, he will be in the situation of being cleaned. Salah (prayer), which is a comprehensive worshipping, has to practice the animal present in it. 

The wisdom of sajdah; when a person prostrates, the head goes down to the level of the feet. Man practices the situation of the plants in prostration.

The second prostration is lifeless. It has no action in itself. That is, it has no action coming from inside. It acts as a result of external forces. The ores in the stones and the ground are included. The ore belongs to the thing that keeps it unless it is smelted since it exists in a dispersed state among non-living things. The element of each ore has a spirit in terms of its atoms.   

The second prostration is like the first one because the plants and non-living things are together; they are not in action like animals. Every globe, star and similar body in the space is non-living. The prostration is as big as their amount.

To sum up, the prayer (salah) is a kind of worshipping that contains man, animals and all creatures. However, it is understood when it is fulfilled heartily and spiritually not in appearance.

Allah, who sent separate prophets and religions to human beings in various eras of history, sent Islam as the last religion and Hz. Muhammad (pbuh) as the last prophet. With the advent of Islam, the validity of the previous religions like Judaism and Christianity ended.

It is similar to the following case: when a new law is enacted, the previous one becomes invalid. When the last religion and the divine law of Allah was sent, the validity of the previous religions and divine laws ended.

Main reasons why necessitate the other religions to be regarded as invalid are as follows:

1- First of all, the previous religions addressed certain eras and certain people. On the other hand, Islam addresses the whole mankind. Its message is general and universal.

2- The previous religions addressed only the people who lived when they were sent. The characteristics of the people living at those times were rude and their temper was close to savagery. They had not progressed in terms of science, civilization thought and understanding. Means of transportation and communication were very primitive. The cultures, beliefs and customs of every region were different from one another. The exchange of ideas and culture were very weak. 

Therefore, it was necessary to send separate prophets and different religions to different places. As time passed by and humanity made great progress in science, thought, culture and civilization, the previous local religions fell behind and could not meet the needs of people. Thereupon, God Almighty sent Islam, the last religion, to human beings.  

The religion of Islam has the property of being able to address everybody, from the people of 1400 years ago, to the people of today and the modern people of the future. Therefore, its validity is permanent and will last until Doomsday.

3- In the course of time, superstitions and wrong beliefs penetrated into the previous religions. The principle of belief in oneness of Allah, that is, the belief of tawhid, got lost. Islam still exists with its first day freshness and purity without any distortion.

In conclusion, we can state the following:

The religions other than Islam are like lanterns and lamps that illuminate a street. Islam is like the sun that illuminates the whole world.

Is there any need for the street lamp when the sun rises?

Can the validity of the light of the street lamp be mentioned in the presence of the sun?

In the periods before Islam, women were not regarded as humans. The religion of Islam elevated women to the rank where they needed to be. Freedom does not mean to be able to live as the soul of a person and Satan want. On the contrary, it means to live as the Creator wishes. For a person who does not obey the wish of Allah obeys the wish of his soul and Satan. 

Let us explain the general rights of women briefly:

"When news is brought to one of them, of (the birth of) a female (child), his face darkens, and he is filled with inward grief..." (an-Nahl, 16/58 )

In the verse above, Allah explains how the people of Jahiliyyah regarded women. However, the following is stated in the Quran:  

"He creates what He wills (and plans). He bestows (children) male or female according to His Will (and Plan)." (ash-Shura, 42/49)

A woman is born just like a man; she is also a baby like a male child. Parents will be held responsible if they discriminate between them when they show them compassion and when they give them presents; they will also be regarded to have ignored the advice and will of the Prophet and they will be deprived of the intercession of the Prophet. Knowing that the feelings of Jahiliyyah would relapse from time to time, the Prophet (pbuh) emphasized the importance of the education of girls as follows:

"A father person who raises three or two daughters will be together with me in Paradise even one child." (Ibn Majah, Adab 3)

When a girl is born, an animal (aqiqa) is sacrificed just like when a boy is born.  She has to be given a nice name and she has to be educated by her mother. She has to receive her sexual education from her mother. No verse or or hadith that encourages science and knowledge excludes women. On the contrary, the Prophet (pbuh) advised the education of especially women and ordered men to protect their rights. Mujtahid women were raised in his period. (For instance, Aisha, the wife of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) is one of them.)

A woman is raised without any discrimination and when she becomes old enough to get married, it is her right and a sunnah to see the candidate who wants to marry her. If she does not like the candidate, she has the right to reject him; the insistence of her parents, guardians or the candidate will not change anything. 

When she decides to get married, she can insist on receiving as much mahr as she wants. Mahr is her natural right and life guarantee determined by Allah. She can spend it however she likes as long as it is legitimate. She can spend her mahr and other property on charity or on business; she can establish companies, buy shares, etc; she can earn money and spend the money she earns however she wishes. All of the expenses for the house and the woman have to be met by the man. The man has no right to say to her, "buy your ornaments, clothes and cosmetics yourself". He has to provide her sustenance based on his income. If the man cannot meet her expenses after marriage, the woman's demand of a divorce will be accepted. 

Her husband cannot humiliate her; he should not forget that she is his partner. He cannot get angry with her and leave her alone at home.

"The best man is the one that treats women in the best way."(see Bukhari, Nikah 43; Muslim, Fadail 68)

To joke, to have fun and to entertain one's wife are among the duties of the husband.

A man cannot beat his wife unless she rebels, violating law. (See verse 34 of the chapter of an-Nisa and its interpretations regarding beating women. For instance, see Ibn Kathir IV/257; Qurtubi VI/170,172,173; Elmalı IV/1351; Abu Dawud, Manasik 56; Ibn Majah, Manasik 84; Muslim, Hajj 147; Tirmidhi, Rada'11; Abu Dawud, Manasik 56; Halabi Saghir p. 395; Halabi Kabir p. 621; Canan, Terbiye p. 391;) A man cannot disturb his wife through sudden arrivals originating from his jealousy. 

In a hadith, the Prophet (pbuh) prohibited a man who was away from home for a long time from returning home suddenly at night. One of the reasons for this is to give time to the woman to shave her armpit and pubic hair and to make up and to comb her hair. The hadith regarding the issue is as follows:

"When you return home at night, do not go to her directly; let her shave and comb her hair." (Bukhari, Nikah 121,122; Muslim, Rada' 58, Imarah 181,182; Darimi, Nikah 32, Jihad 163; Musnad NI/298)

The scholars who explain the hadith state that coming home suddenly at home might mean that the man suspects of his wife.

The husband also has the duty of satisfying his wife. The Prophet (pbuh) likened the man who ended sexual intercourse very quickly when he ejaculated to roosters, that is, to animals. He also advised people not to start sexual intercourse without patting and caressing the women. (From Daylami, Ghazzali, Ihya N/52 (Trnsl. N/129); see also Suyuti, al Jamiu's-Saghir (with Fathu'I-Qadir) VI/323) For, a man can be aroused at once by looking but a woman becomes ready for sexual intercourse after a long period of caressing. A good man is a person who manages to prepare his wife for the intercourse and makes her satisfied as he himself is satisfied. The men who think of only themselves during sexual intercourse should not forget that they oppress the women and that they take pleasure by torturing their wives.

The woman has the right to divorce from a man who cannot have a sexual intercourse with her in the period one year after the marriage. 

The woman has the right not to accept sexual intercourse before receiving her prompt mahr.

The sustenance of the woman, her treatment and medication have to be met by the man. If the woman cannot bake bread, her husband has to buy bread. If the woman wants to make up, the man has to pay for the accessories and perfume. The husband has to buy two dresses or two-piece suits every year, one being for the summer and the other for the winter. If a disagreement occurs, the quality of the garments is determined by the local authorities. The woman can demand sustenance when her husband goes on a cruise for the days he is absent. If she wants, she can demand a separate bed to sleep on when she is menstruating. 

She can ask for a servant based on the situation of her husband. The wage of the servant has to be paid by the husband. The woman does not have to do any housework except the housework that is traditionally done by housewives in that region. 

If she needs, she can agree on certain amount of sustenance with her husband. If that amount turns out to be insufficient, she can want it to be increased; if her husband does not agree, she can apply to the court. 

If the woman does not want the relatives of her husband, the husband has to hire or buy a separate house for her. The reason for this decree is the fact that they will prevent her from joking and from having sexual intercourse with her husband. Furthermore, the woman has the right to demand a separate room if she has children except for very little children who are not aware of sexual intercourse.

The woman has the right to visit her parents once a week; the husband cannot prevent it.

The woman has the right to work in legitimate business that does not harm the rights of her husband.

If the woman wants to go to a public bath after menstruation and puerperium, her husband has to pay for the public bath; however, if it is known that the woman does not cover her parts of the body that need to be covered in the public bath, she is not sent to the public bath.

The husband has to provide sustenance for his wife that he divorced revocably or irrevocably during the period of iddah.

What we have mentioned up to now are some of the examples mentioned in fiqh books on the rights of women over men. They are not advice but legal rights that have sanctions. If women are forced to work and do the hard work that only men can do in some places, it is not the fault of Islam but the fault of those who live contrarily to Islam.

Most of the Islamic scholars state that the woman has the right to vote when there is an election. For, there is no evidence stating that they have no such rights. Besides, election means paying allegiance. The Prophet (pbuh) accepted allegiance from women. (see al-Mumtahina (60) verse 12 and its interpretations) The view of everybody including young girls was asked for the caliph to be elected after Hz. Umar (ra). [see Muhammed Hamidullah, Islam Müesseselerine Giriş Ist.1981, p. 112 (reported from Ibn Kathir)]

When the woman dies, her shroud has to be bought by her husband.

(For more detailed information of the items presented in summary above, see Ibn Abidin, Raddu'l-Mukhtar, Egypt 1380 (1960) NI/571 etc. See also nafaqa parts of all fiqh books, especially Sarakhsi, Mabsut V/180, etc.)

As it s seen, a woman is a person who has no worries and concerns about sustenance; that is, she has full social security. They are all legal rights to be determined by the court when a disagreement arises. In Islam, the husband and wife are not two enemies that always try to get rights from one another. They are two halves of a whole that complement, help and support each other; for instance, the Prophet (pbuh) helped his wives with housework; Hz. Ali (ra) and his wife Fatima (ra) worked in cooperation.

WOMAN IN THE FAMILY:

Islam states that the man and the woman were created equally:

"O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female..." (al-Hujurat, 49/13).

Islam also states that it does not discriminate between man and woman and that they are not superior to each other in birth, death and life after death. For, man will stand and be reckoned in the presence of Allah alone.  (Maryam, 19/93) The state of the believing women who do righteous deeds and never leave the way of Allah is mentioned as follows: "Whoever works righteousness, man or woman and has Faith, verily, to him will We give a life that is good and pure, and We will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions."  (an-Nahl, 16/97).

The difference between man and woman originates from their bodies; it is stated that women are weak and delicate beings. Therefore, differences are seen in their functions in individual and social life; it is seen that women are protected there. Islam did not push women down as it was the case in Jahiliyya life beliefs; it did not make women dominant either as it is the case with matriarchal families. Islam has introduced such a family model that every member of the family has different duties and there is no injustice in those duties. Islam adopted a family model that launched a new era, eliminating all of the attitudes that could put pressure on women in the family and that could harm the family.

Islam gives the duty of being the head of the family to the man.

"Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means..." (an-Nisa, 4/34).

Allah states the following in another verse giving the duty of being the head of the family to the man:

"...(And women shall have rights similar to the rights against them, according to what is equitable; but men have a degree (of advantage) over them and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise."(al-Baqara, 2/28)

The man has to meet all of the needs of the family and to protect the family from all kinds of external effects; he has very important responsibilities. The man cannot interfere with the personal property of the woman in the family; he cannot lay a burden on her. Furthermore, if the woman does not want to look after her baby, she can ask a maid from her husband; she does not have to do housework, either. However, household duties and responsibilities like that are the indications of the taqwa of women; therefore, they are encouraged by the Prophet (pbuh). The woman is supposed to obey the legitimate order of her husband. (Abu Dawud, Nikah, 40).

The continuation of Islamic family life is possible only through preserving mutual rights.

"You have some rights over women and women have some rights over you." (Tirmidhi, Rada, 11).

What is meant by the surrendering and obedience in mutual rights for the woman is to fulfill her duties toward her husband legitimately. 

RIGHTS OF THE WOMAN OVER HER HUSBAND:

Since the man is obliged to put bread on the table, he has to meet the material needs of the woman and do it legitimately. (an-Nisa, 4/34). The man has to treat the woman well and protect her rights:

"...on the contrary, live with them on a footing of kindness and equity. If ye take a dislike to them, it may be that ye dislike a thing and Allah brings about through it a great deal of good. "(an-Nisa, 4/19).

Islam prohibits man from misusing "the authority of managing and leading the family". What is meant here is to maintain the order in the family. Therefore, it is not permissible for the man to use this privilege by oppressing the woman. Only through this principle can the relationships between the man and the woman continue normally.

Islam lets women use their abilities and efficiency in terms of social relations minimally and within legitimate boundaries. In this social framework, Islam lets women work, take part in activities and study in order to help Muslims. (Bukhari, Ilm, 36;Ibrahim Jamal, Müslüman Kadının Fıkıh Kitabı, trnsl by Beşir Eryarsoy, İstanbul 1987, p. 483, ff)

"A woman is like a rib. If you try to straighten it, it will break. If you want to be happy, leave it as it is."(Bukhari, Nikah, 79).

"The best of you is the one that treats his wife in the best way." (Tirmidhi, Rada, 11; Ibn Majah, Nikah, 50).

We learn from the hadiths above that the Prophet (pbuh) always warned Muslims about women and that advised people to get on well with them. Women should not be beaten; they should be given advice. However, if they rebel, disobey their husbands, sit together with non-mahram men, waste the property of men and reveal the secrets of the family, they are admonished first; then, they are rebuked severely; if there is no change, they can be beaten slightly to warn. (an-Nisa, 4/34). If beating slightly causes no change, they should not be beaten severely.

RIGHTS OF THE HUSBAND OVER THE WIFE:

"Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has given the one more (strength) than the other, and because they support them from their means." (an-Nisa, 4/34).

"Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient, and guard in (the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard... " (an-Nisa, 4/34).

Women should obey and show respect to their husbands so that their husbands would carry out their duties at home properly. The woman has to obey her husband regarding legitimate issues. Besides, the housework she does and looking after children will increase the taqwa of the woman. For, Islam did not render them obligatory for women; it encouraged women to do them so that they would attain the consent of Allah.

Men are superior to women because of having some natural qualities and powers that women lack. However, it does not mean that men are superior in terms of honor and virtue. (Mawdudi, Tafhimu'l Qur'an, I, İstanbul 1986, p. 317, 318).

"If a woman performs five daily prayers, fasts for a month in Ramadan, protects her chastity and obeys her husband, doors of Paradise will be opened for her."(Bukhari, Misqat, II/202).

However, the obedience mentioned in the hadith is related to the issues that are in compliance with the orders of Allah; if the husband wants something that is contrary to the orders of Allah, she does not have to obey him.  For, obedience to Allah is superior to obedience to the husband. 

Satisfying each other sexually is something that is necessary in the family; therefore, it is not appropriate for either party to ignore it. The woman should be aware of this fact and should show respect to her husband regarding the issue. Islam states that men and women are equal in terms of creation. There is no difference regarding worldly punishments in the equality of women and men. The punishment for the crimes committed against men and women are the same. The fact that a woman receives half share in inheritance compared to a man is not something humiliating or inequality. When it is taken into consideration that the husband has to look after the wife, that he has to meet her needs, that the woman's parents or guardian have to look after her and meet her needs before marriage and that her husband has to do them after marriage, it is clearly understood what Allah means by this decree.   

The woman does not have to give anything to the man from the inheritance that she receives if she does not want to do so. However, man has to meet her needs. Thus, it is possible for the woman to receive the inheritance but not to spend it. (Ibrahim Jamal, ibid p. 485).

Allah created the woman as the hostess of the house. The man is obliged to earn money for the family; the woman is obliged to spend the money properly for the household. For, the woman is the shepherd of the house of her husband. Islam does not regard the woman responsible for any other things. The Quran encourages the woman to stay at home with the following verse:

"And stay quietly in your houses..."(al-Ahzab, 33/33)

However, in some cases, she can go out. For instance, if there is no man to look after the household, if she has to work due to financial difficulties, if the man cannot earn enough money, if the man is ill and cannot work, etc, the woman can go out and work.  

"Allah allows women to go out to meet their needs." (Bukhari-Muslim).

However, when the conditions of life today are considered, a Muslim woman cannot protect herself from the eyes of evil men in the market, streets and business life no matter how careful she is. Therefore, women should keep away from streets even if she has financial difficulties.

Islam gives women duties at home and eliminates the need for working. Islam will save the spirit of man who is betrayed in war and peace.

References:

- Seyyid Kutub, İslâm Kapitalizm Çatışması, İstanbul 1988, p. 129;
- Said Havva, Islam, trnsl by Said Şimşek, Ankara nd., p. 197, ff;
- Mustafa Sibai, Kadının Yeri, İstanbul 1988, p. 57 ff.;
- Abdullah Nasuh Ulvan, İslâmda Aile Eğitimi, I, p. 221 ff.;
- Ömer Ferruh, İslâm Aile Hukuku trnsl by Yusuf Ziya Kavakcı, İstanbul 1976, p. 228 ff;
- Hz. Peygamber ve Aile Hayatı, Komisyon, İstanbul 1989, p. 171 ff;
- M. Ali Haşimi, Kur'an ve Sünnette Müslüman Şahsiyeti, trnsl by Resul Tosun, İstanbul 1988, p. 63 ff.
  (Şamil İslam Ans, Kadın item)

A Muslim cannot be a terrorist; a terrorist cannot be a real Muslim

Islam is a religion of tolerance; it regards Islam as the most valuable being; it regards transgressions and attacks against innocent people as major sins.  As a matter of fact, the Quranic verse that we have mentioned declares it loudly:

‘If anyone slew a person― unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land― it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if anyone saved a life it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people. Then although there came to them Our Messengers with clear Signs, yet even after that many of them continued to commit excesses in the land.’ (5: 32).

In fact, a Muslim serves to life only not to death. Therefore, we must never forget two basic principles of law that Islam has imposed:

The first one:The Quranic verse: ‘No bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another’ (6: 164). That is, another man cannot be punished because of a murderer. In law, crimes and punishments are personal.

The second one: one is considered innocent until proven guilty. That is, nobody can be accused unless they are proved to be guilty. It is not regarded as justice to punish somebody without evidence.  A person is regarded as innocent unless he is proved to be guilty. The following is reported from Hazrat Prophet: ‘A believer can protect himself within the frame of the religion unless he kills an innocent person illegitimately.’

Lexically, Islam means peace. This shows that the real peace of the body and the mind can only be possible through obeying Allah and surrendering to Him. A Muslim becomes a perfect Muslim only if he lives in peace and harmony in the community. A life in obedience to Allah and worshipping Him will bring about heart satisfaction and real peace will be achieved in the community. ( 13:28-29).

All of the prophets of Allah conveyed people that truth when they called people to the right path. It is necessary to remind the following hadith of the Prophet here: ‘There are three things which are principal elements including belief: to help people even when one is in economic difficulty; to pray for the peace of the mankind enthusiastically; to treat people justly as he wants himself to be treated justly.

Hazrat Prophet also said:

People are like a herd; each member of this herd should be like the guard and shepherd of the other members and should undertake the responsibility of the whole herd.’

‘Live together; ally with each other; do not conflict; make things easy; do not hamper each other and do not cause difficulties to each other.’

‘A person who sleeps at night with a full stomach while his neighbors are hungry is not a real believer.’

‘A Muslim is person who believes in Allah and who does not harm the lives and properties of others.’

To sum up, Islam does not neglect the individuals or the community. In fact, it aims to maintain harmony and equilibrium between them. The message of Islam is for the whole mankind. According to Islam, Allahis the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds ( 1:1). Hazrat Prophet is a messenger sent to the whole mankind. ‘O men! I am sent unto you all, as the Messenger of Allah “ (7: 158). ‘We sent thee not, but as a mercy for all creatures.” (21: 107).

In Islam, all people are regarded equal irrespective of their color, language, race or country. We cannot deny, in the age that is called the age of enlightenment today, that there are still obstacles, discriminations and differential treatments among people due to the reasons we have mentioned. Islam eliminates all of those discriminations and privileges, and declares to the world that everybody is equal due to the fact that they are all the creatures of Allah.  Islam has a real international standpoint; it rejects privileges based on color, clans, race, blood and territory. We condemn all kinds of attacks against mankind. We feel sorry for all kinds of transgressions that target innocent people. Islam prohibits the massacres in which innocent people are killed along with the oppressors. According to Islam, no one can be held responsible for the mistakes of others.

Islam never allows innocent and unprotected people to be killed. If those massacres are committed by some Muslim individuals as the biased media claim, we will declare those oppressors as criminals and sinners on behalf of Islam. We want to emphasize that it is absolutely necessary to punish the oppressors in a deterrent way without making any discriminations in terms of religion, race and gender.

When we face those events, we must not forget about this truth as states and individuals: If you were on a ship or in a house and there were nine innocent people and one murderer with you, you would definitely know how cruel a man who wanted to sink that ship or burn down that house would be. You would shout to make everybody hear about his cruelty. Even if there were only one innocent person and nine murderers, it would be against justice to sink that ship or to burn down that house. The same thing is valid for these kinds of events, too. We condemn these bloody and remorseless deeds and want to remind everybody that it is more dangerous to do similar deeds.

In the religion of Islam, along with man's life, his belief, chastity, freedom, goods, property honor and dignity are protected. For, the peace and happiness of man in this world and the hereafter are based on the items mentioned above.    

To violate the material or spiritual rights of a person is a great offense in the eye of Allah and it is not included in the scope of Allah's pardoning. That is, if you violate the rights of a person, you can be forgiven only by that person. Allah does not forgive that crime unless the other person receives his right or waives his right. Everybody has to show respect to the rights of others in the religion of Islam.     

Man is a being that has a social life. Then, there are numerous social relationships among people. These relationships need to be established on truth and justice. Otherwise, violation of people's rights and oppression will occur.   

The Quran protects the spiritual rights of people so much that it prohibits believers from harboring sinister suspicions about others, spying on others and backbiting.

“O ye who believe! avoid suspicion as much (as possible): for suspicion in some cases is a sin: and spy not on each other, nor speak ill of each other behind their backs. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother?”  (al-Hujurat, 12)

Now, let us think fairly: Does a religion that prohibits backbiting andspying on others allow anarchy, terror and killing others unjustly?

Everything is the best in the environment it exists. However, generally there is something which is the best and the most beautiful among all things.

For example, in the Holy Qur’an, it is expressed that man was created in the best of moulds. Accordingly, were the other things created deficiently? No. They are the most beautiful creatures in their own environments, too.

As an example, the Sun is the most beautiful in its own environment. In other words, none of the people could live if the Sun did not exist. However, man is the most beautiful in general, and the Sun is the most beautiful in point of its existence, and in point of the mission it performs. We can give more examples. Sheep, earth, fruit trees, angels, etc are the most beautiful and the most perfect creatures in their own environments.

In this case, the fact that man is the most perfect does not mean that other creatures are not perfect or that they are created deficiently.

No other sheep more perfect than those existing sheep can be conceived. No camels more beautiful than those camels or no sun more beautiful than the Sun can be imagined. In the same way, the Holy books revealed were the most perfect books which were to be sent at those times.

Teaching a primary school student the multiplication table is neither extra nor insufficient. However, not the multiplication table but more advanced topics are taught to a university student. Similarly, the holy books sent before the Qur’an are the best of their times and sending them at those times is reasonable and it is not a deficiency. From that standpoint, every prophet and every revelation sent to them is the best and the most favorable of its own time.

However, so to speak, the Qur’an was revealed when all men came to the same level like the students of a university who could take their lessons from a single book and from a single prophet.

Considering that the most advanced science is taught in universities, can we say the science taught in a university should be taught to primary school children? Humanity is also like an education institution. Every period is like the departments of that school and the lecturers of those departments are the prophets.

Since from the time of Adam (peace be upon him), humanity has come up to the level of university and achieved the ability to take the perfect lessons of the religion of Islam. Therefore, the last and the most perfect religion was left as the last. The essence of mathematics also exists in primary school. However, the lesson is taught in accordance with the level of primary school students and the teacher does not teach everything he knows but teaches the topics they can understand.

In the same way, the other prophets instructed the people according to their levels and educated them. In the end, when they reached the level of being educable from all aspects, the religion of Islam and the exalted Prophet (pbuh) were sent.

-Why did Allah let the Gospel and the Torah to be distorted although He has protected the Qur’an? Why did Allah let His own words be changed before?

1. Trusting in Allah for the things which we do not know their reasons (wisdom) demonstrates the perfection of our belief and our fidelity to our religion.

2. The things Allah has created on the earth are not the same as each other. He ties some of them to causes and creates some of them without any causes or means. For example, although every person comes from a mother and a father, He created Adam (pbuh) without a mother and a father, Jesus (pbuh) without a father and Eve without a mother. It means He sometimes acts out of general laws.

Moreover, with regards to laws, fire burns, the Moon does not split into two, trees do not walk and sticks do not transform into snakes. However, with the order and desire of Allah, Abraham (pbuh) was not burnt, the Moon was split into two, the tree walked by the Prophet’s (pbuh) order and the stick of Moses (pbuh) became a snake.

Moreover, while some prophets came and were killed by the communities they were sent to, Allah protected some of His prophets such as Moses, Abraham and Muhammad (pbuh).

The same situation can be valid for the books. Allah, who let the other books be changed, prevented the Noble Qur’an from being changed by His particular beneficence. For that reason, He indicated that the Qur’an is under His private protection. Allah, who prevented Abraham (pbuh) from burning in the fire, also protected the Qur’an from being changed.

Our souls and satans cannot ask why He did not prevent His other prophets from being killed but protected Abraham; they cannot express their opinion regarding the issue, either.

3. If Adam had not been expelled from Paradise, not so many people could have progressed. Seeds get out of storehouses and get into fields so that they become trees; similarly, human beings have descended to the field of Earth from the storehouse of Paradise so that they would progress like a tree.

In the same way, if the other books had not been changed, the revelation of the Qur’an would not have been in question, then. They had to be changed so that they would give rise to the revelation of the Qur’an. However, only the people who changed them are responsible for their alteration.

4. The status of the Prophet (pbuh) among the other prophets is apparent. He was sent as a mercy to all worlds and his prophethood does not pertain to a certain time and a certain period but comprises all times and periods. And he was sent to the human beings and the jinn. The other prophets are not like that.

So, the book of that prophet (pbuh) had to comprise all times and places. If that book had not had a seal that it was unalterable, men would also have changed that book. That seal has protected it.

5. No one can do anything against Allah if He does not let. Thus, He has shown it by protecting the Qur’an.

The religion of Islam has been built upon five pillars. They are: fasting, salah (performing ritual prayers), Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca), Zakat (Almsgiving), testifying of Allah's Oneness and of the prophethood of the Prophet Muhammad (Shahadah).

One of the pillars of Islam is to fast in the month of Ramadan. Through fasting, Muslims protect themselves from their evil selves' domination and fierceness by disciplining and purifying it. And there develops a sense of compassion towards the poor in their hearts with the pain of hunger they suffer from.

Another pillar of Islam is to perform ritual prayers. It means standing before the presence of Allah five times a day by understanding one's weakness and defectiveness with bowing down and prostration and showing one's servitude to Him. Prescribed prayers are universal worship and universal gratitude. Every Muslim has to perform it. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) ordered: Prayers are the pillars of the religion (Tirmidhi, Iman-8)

Another pillar of Islam is Hajj (Pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca). It has been ordered for the Muslims whose financial situation and health are suitable based on Islamic law, to go for Hajj at least once in a lifetime at a particular season which is determined by the Islamic law (Shariah). One of the greatest wisdoms of this worship, which is compulsory, is to have Muslims all over the world meet each other and to demonstrate that all human beings are equal in the sight of Allah (SWT) regardless of nationality, language, skin colour, and social status.

Another pillar of Islam is to give mandatory alms (Zakah), which is the last pillar of Islam. Allah Almighty has made it compulsory for wealthy Muslims, for the sake of Allah, to give the poor Muslims some of their wealth (2.5 %), the amount which Islam has determined. These goods, which the rich give to the poor, are called Zakah. As far as the Islamic law is concerned, this is the right of the poor. Islam encourages Muslims to help the poor apart from Zakah as well. And theyare called sadaqah (charity).

In order to become a Muslim, it is necessary for a person to utter kalima ash-shahada. The meaning of kalima ash-shahada is as follows "I testify that there is no god but Allah and that Hz. Muhammad is His slave and messenger."

The first part of this testimony expresses the existence and oneness of Allah and that He has no partners or counterparts. The second part states that Hz. Muhammad (pbuh) is the slave of Allah and that he was appointed by Allah to convey to people the foundations of belief and the pillars of Islam.

Women obtained the position and value that they deserved with Islam and reached the peace and bliss they had always longed for throughout history. Islamic law has abolished the practices of excess and negligence and set up a perfect balance and harmony between two genders.

According to Islam, women and men are equal to each other in terms of being servants that Allah Almighty has created. (al-Hujurat, 13; an-Nisa 1) As the Prophet Muhammad put it, " All human beings whether male or female are equal like the teeth of a comb.” (Bilmen, Ömer, Nasuhi, Hukuk-u İslâmiye ve İstilahat-ı Fıkhiye Kamusu, II. 73-74).

Women and men are two halves of an apple. This verse expresses it most beautifully:

They are clothes (Lîbas) for you and you are clothes for them. (Al-Baqarah, 2:187) Just as clothes cover private parts, protect you from warmth or cold, so too does each of you cover one another’s bad deeds and amend your deficiencies.

Then the debate ‘whether men or women are superior’ is inappropriate. Again, according to the explanation in the Qur’an, men have some qualities and superiorities, which women do not have; likewise, women have some qualities and superiorities that men do not have. Therefore, both genders are in need of each other from different aspects; and thus, both genders have superiorities different from each other by nature. To make comparisons on the same points would lead us to wrong conclusions. (An-Nisa, 4:34)

According to the Quran, a human being has only one character regardless of gender. Both women and men are held responsible for the same ethical characteristics. What matters in the eye of Allah is religious ethics and taqwa. Allah informs us about this fact as follows in the Quran:

"Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you." (al-Hujurat, 13)

As it is seen, according to the Quran, affinity to Allah is not based on a person's gender, color or race but on the "ideal Islamic ethics" informed by Allah. As a matter of fact, Allah states that believers who acts in accordance with high ethics whether male or female will be rewarded in the best way both in the world and the hereafter:

"Whoever works righteousness, man or woman and has Faith, verily, to him will We give a life that is good and pure, and We will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions." (an-Nahl, 97)   

After this short introduction, let us examine closely some customs that Islam abolished in favor of women and the rights Islam gives to women.

1. Some Customs That Islam Abrogated in Favor Of Women: Islam rejected the notion that women are cursed, which is the belief of Christians and Jews. It severely prohibited the practice of burying girls alive, which was a custom of the pre-Islamic era in Arabia. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) declared that there was no ill omen in anything and smashed the belief of considering women inauspicious. He ordered men to show great compassion, love and care to women. He despised the hatred towards the girls and praised them by saying, “be fair while giving presents to your children; if I had to prefer one, it would be girls.” As an answer to one of his Companions who asked who was more worthy of respect, he said “Your mother” three times, in the fourth he said “Your father.”

2. The Rights Acknowledged To Women: Right and duty are two sister words. If there is a right, there must be a duty as well. The Islamic Law, which recognized women’s rights and freedom from the very beginning and despised their being looked down on, has assigned some duties onto them. Before mentioning them, we shall recall the principle he mentioned at the Last Sermon in the presence of 130.000 people:

“O People! it is true that you have certain rights with regard to your women but they also have right over you. Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah's trust and with his permission. If they abide by your right then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them for they are your partners and committed helpers. And it is your right that they do not make friends with anyone of whom you do not approve, as well as never to be unchaste.”

Again, in a hadith, he says, “Fear Allah in respect of fulfilling the rights of women. Beware of transgressing their rights and freedom. For, they have been entrusted to you.” (Ajluni, Kashfu’l-Khafa, Beirut, 1351, I.36)

After this generalization, let us examine briefly the rights acknowledged to women in the Islamic law:

Women’s Right for Alimony (Nafaqa): A husband is obliged to provide alimony for his wife and for the children she gave birth to. That is, women may demand alimony from their husbands. In the Islamic Law, the husband has to meet his wife’s expenses of food, clothing, housing, and servant. Women may not be forced to share the expenses: It is incumbent on the husband to supply sustenance for the wife and children...

Women’s Right of Action: In the Islamic law, women have the right for action. They have freedom over their own properties. They can acquire or take upon themselves any kind of civil rights.

Furthermore, the guardianship of children is given to women, for boys until the age of seven, and for girls until they get married.

Right of Inheritance: Contrary to all systems of custom-practices laws (Roman Law excluded) at the time of Islam’s rise, the Islamic Law acknowledged women right for inheritance. This practice has been based on the equality except for giving two shares to brothers and one share to sisters among siblings. The logical reasons of the one-to-two practice have been satisfactorily explained both in the Qur’an and in the hadiths. Women getting fewer shares in inheritance are not something absolute.

The Right of Study and Education for Women: Study and education have a significant role in the Islamic community. The woman is the perfect pedagogue. It is the woman who mostly brings up and educates children. It is unthinkable that women be deprived of education. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) always encouraged and commanded women to learn how to write and read. There came a large number of women hadith-narrators, women of literature, and most importantly great women jurists in the history of Islam.

Right to Work: Women may exercise any profession, which is not contrary to the religion and ethics.

The Other Rights that Women can Demand from Their Husbands: A woman may want her due dowries (mahr) from her husband. Besides, the husband has to get on well with his wife. The woman may visit her family by informing her husband whenever she wants. The husband needs to have fun with his wife and allow her for legitimate pleasures. The husband may not treat his wife brutally for no reason. The husband must not reveal the secrets of his wife.

Let us indicate that although women have these rights, the head of the family is the husband. This is the principle adopted in the classical law systems anyway. Agreeing to this principle does not mean that there are, as some jurists claim, differences between women and men. The verse that points out this fact by saying that the husband is the head of the family also rejects this claim. The Holy Qur’an announces:

“Men are in charge of women, because Allah hath made the one of them to excel the other (which means, women also excel men in certain points), and because they spend of their property (for the support of women).” (an-Nisa, 4:34)

The source of progress is knowledge and science. The greatest enemy people must avoid is ignorance because the obstacle of all progress and evolution and the source of all declination is ignorance. In hundreds of verses, the holy Quran encourages human beings to learn the sciences related to the religion and to the world. We will quote two of them:

Are those who know equal to those who do not know? (Az-Zumar, 9)
Ask those who know the scripture, if you do not know. (An-Nahl, 43)

Our Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) has many Hadiths encouraging people to learn sciences. Some of them are as follows:

Acquire knowledge from the cradle to the grave.
Everything has a way. The way to Paradise is knowledge and science.
Go, take and acquire knowledge even if it is in China. (Bayhaqi, Shuabul-Eeman, Beirut, II. 254)
Wisdom is the believer's lost property. He takes it wherever he finds it. (Tirmidhi, Ilm 19)
It is fardh (obligatory) for all Muslim men and women to acquire knowledge. (Ibn Majah, Muqaddima, 17)

As it is known, when our Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) arrived in Madinah, he built his madrasah (school) together with his mosque first. The students studying in that madrasah at that time are called the people of the Bench (Suffa). All of those people had devoted their lives to knowledge and comprehension. The fundamental of all of the Islamic madrasahs and schools that have reached today is that madrasah of the Bench.

If the religion were an obstacle to progress, could the progress in the era of bliss , the perfection in Andalusia which had been the master of Europe, the civilization of Seljuk and Ottoman states that had bewildered the world have come to existence? Could thousands of religious scholars and philosophers such as Imam Ghazali, Ibn-i Sina, Farabi, Imam Rabbani, Mawlana Jalal-ud-Din Rumi have been raised in the world of Islam! Badiuzzaman expresses that Islam cannot be considered to be opposing science as follows:

How can a slave, a servant, a son be an enemy and an opponent to his master, chief and father respectively? In fact, Islam is the master and the guide of the science and the chief and the father of the true knowledge. (Muhakemat,10)

It is true that Muslims today is not in the desired level in the fields of science and technology but it is not right to claim that Islam is responsible for the backwardness.

Some circles proclaim every discovery of the science as a victory achieved against Islam. It may be true for an invalid religion that denies science. However, a Muslim considers that kind of progress as "the discovery of a mystery from the universe which is the book of the power of Allah". His wondering admiration and amazement towards the knowledge and wisdom of Allah increase as he hears about new discoveries.

One very important aspect of the issue is this: there is no rule that prohibits people from sciences in the Quran, the last and the most perfect of the true books. So, the allegation of some people that Islam is against science and technology is completely unfounded and deliberate.

Considering only the last century in which Muslims deviated - in fact, they were deviated in a planned way- from the spirit of Islam, and ignoring all of the progress and development of the fourteen centuries is not fair.

The period of Madinah was a period when Islamic judgments and decrees were sent down intensively and were taught to the ummah by the Prophet. Male Companions could see the Prophet in Masjid an-Nabawi and ask him about their questions and problems. They learnt from him what, why and how to do. However, it was not so easy for women. They also had questions to ask. Therefore, the women asked the Prophet to allocate one day of the week to them in his house. The Messenger of Allah accepted their offer. Thus, the women started to go to the house of the Prophet and ask their questions about the religion and received answers. During such a meeting, an interesting event took place. At a moment, the women started to talk among themselves loudly. They were chatting. Meanwhile, Hazrat Umar who was passing by was disturbed by the women talking loudly in the presence of the Messenger of Allah and knocked on the door. When he opened the door, the women saw him and stopped talking at once. Hazrat Umar was disturbed when he saw the situation. He could not help warning them and said, "Ladies! You are scared of me, but you are not scared of talking loudly in the presence of the Messenger of Allah!” Thereupon, the women said sincerely, “Oh Umar! You are hard-hearted and strict, but the Prophet is not"

Hazrat Umar, who had sacrificed all of his property for the sake of the Messenger of Allah, was not pleased that he was not like the Prophet. The Messenger of Allah noticed it and said,

"Oh Umar! If you walked on a wide street and if the devil saw you coming, he would change his way” to console him. The home of the Prophet was a kind of school for women. Especially the wives of the Prophet were regular students and in a sense teachers of this school. Prof Raşit Küçük, of Marmara University, Faculty of Theology, explains the issue as follows:

"The judgments and decrees of Islam involve both men and women. However, there are some judgments and decrees that involve only men or women. Hazrat Prophet did not have any difficulty in teaching the judgments and decrees that involved both men and women or only men because men were the same gender as him. He had to address women regarding teaching and practicing the issues that involved women and answering the questions of women. The wives of the Prophet, who were at different ages and who had different abilities, acted like teachers for the believing women. That process of teaching continued and even increased after the death of the Prophet." (1993, İzmir, Ebedî Risalet Sempozyumu Tebliği)

As a matter of fact, Allah’s Messenger’s school, which was near Masjid an-Nabawi, consisted of two parts. One of them was the School of Ashab as-Suffa, which consisted of male Companions, and the other was the School of Pure Wives, which consisted of women.

In fact, the rooms of the Pure Wives was like a school and the wives of the Prophet were both like students and teachers of that school because they learned the judgments and decrees of Islam directly from the Messenger of Allah and taught them to the ummah. That duty continued after the death of the Prophet as it was mentioned above. One of the most regular and best students of the School of Ashab as-Suffa was Abu Hurayra, who devoted his life to the preservation of the hadiths of the Prophet and who received the prayer of the Prophet for the strengthening of his memory in order to carry out this duty better; on the other hand, the best student of the School of Pure Wives was Hazrat Aisha, who had superior abilities like intelligence, memory and understanding and who was the unique wife of the Prophet. As a matter of fact, the first one of the "Mukthirun" (people who narrated the most hadiths) was Abu Hurayra, who was the best student of the School of Ashab as-Suffa who narrated 5374 hadiths; Hazrat Aisha, who was the best student of the School of Pure wives was the fourth of the Mukthirun; she narrated 2210 hadiths.

Yes, Islam has brought judgments and decrees involving all levels of life with various levels of importance as the last and perfect religion. The determination, teaching and application of those judgments and decrees was the primary and most important duty of the Era of Bliss because the style and form that Allah would consent to, that is the religion itself, was being determined in every moment and level of life.

When we look at the resources to understand this truth, we see a magnificent treasure of judgments, decrees and secrets. And the duty of presenting this treasure to the ummah becomes manifest as the unerring purpose of those marriages.

We can say that if we excluded those women and especially Hazrat Aisha, who had a special place among them, about half of the decrees and judgments of the religion of Islam would disappear!

There have been various considerations regarding punishment throughout history; the purpose of punishments was determined based on these considerations. In the West, the purpose of the punishments in the past (until about the 18th century) was intimidation, revenge and denouncing. Burning, crucifixion, amputation, breaking bones, cauterizing with hot iron, etc were the kinds of punishment seen there in the past.   

Besides, there was no conformity between the crime and the punishment in those eras. In the British Criminal Code, execution was applied for about 200 kinds of crime up to the 18th century. The French Criminal Code applied execution for 215 different types of crime. Most of these crimes were petty crimes.

In the course of time, individual revenge was replaced by the purpose of social and divine revenge. In social revenge, intimidation is prevalent; in divine revenge, the purpose is atonement. Since the 18th century, western thinkers have been struggling against the purpose of revenge in punishments and have been trying other purposes to replace it.  

THE PURPOSES OF PUNISHMENT IN ISLAM

The aim of punishment in the Islamic Criminal Code is not to oppress, torture or take revenge from the criminal. For, Hz. Prophet (pbuh) was not sent to terrorize and tyrannize people; he was sent as mercy for all creatures.

According to what is understood from the religious resources (verses and hadiths) and the statements of mujtahids, the purposes of Islam in punishing the criminals are as follows:

1. Preventing crime in general

The application of punishment in the Islamic law aims to be an exemplary punishment that will deter committing crimes. That is, Islamic punishments have the quality of preventing crimes before they are committed and deterring people from committing crimes by warning them. 

Therefore, in Islam, punishments are applied before the eye of the public. The application of punishments openly in the presence of the public is closely related to human psychology. 

The purpose of being exemplary and deterrent is realized in the best way by denouncing the punishment and applying it in the presence of the public. Thus, the feelings of the people related to hating crimes and condemning them will always be kept alert. Nobody wants to be in the place of the criminal and to be despised in the presence of the public at that moment. It will prevent the tendency of the people toward crimes.

2. Preventing crime in particular

One of the purposes of punishment in Islam is to improve the criminal. The punishment is carried out in order to improve the ethics of the criminal and to chasten him so that he will not commit a crime again.

Punishment in Islam is like education of the child by his father or the treatment of the patient by the doctor. The purpose is not to oppress and torture or take revenge from the criminal.

3. Atonement

Punishment in return for a crime is atonement (kaffarah), which is the necessity of absolute justice. Thus, the sufferer is satisfied and soothed; peace and order are maintained in the community. Therefore, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) stated the following in a hadith:

"A punishment applied for the realization of justice on earth is better than morning rain for 30 days for the people of the earth."(Ibn Hanbal, Musnad, II / 402)

It is the necessity of justice to retaliate against somebody who does something bad. The issue is stated as follows in the Quran:

"The recompense for an injury is an injury equal thereto (in degree): but if a person forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is due, from Allah: for (Allah) loveth not those who do wrong...."(ash-Shura, 26/40)

As it is seen, it is the necessity of justice to punish the criminal as much as he deserves. However, it is virtuous for the sufferer to forgive the criminal.

Mumathalah (equality) is necessary in punishment. That is, the punishment must be equal to and appropriate for the crime. If the punishment is severe compared to the crime, it will realize oppression and discontent, not justice, in the community.  The atonement characteristic of the punishment is a great grace and mercy for the criminal. According to the view of the most of the scholars, the penalty of a crime paid in the world will atone for the crime; the criminal will not be punished in the hereafter due to that crime.

As a matter of fact, the Prophet (pbuh) stated the following:

"When a person commits a crime and punished because of it, it is regarded his atonement."(Ömer Nasuhi Bilmen - Hukuki İslamiyye ve Istılahat-ı Fıkhiyye K., I / 33)

Since the purpose of punishment is improvement, it is better not apply the punishment if the criminal repents after he has committed the crime. For, the purpose of the punishment has occurred. 

When a person who confessed to the Prophet (pbuh) that he had stolen, the Prophet said to him, "I do not think that you have stolen."(1)

Similarly, when Maiz, one of the Companions, confessed to the Messenger of Allah that he had committed fornication in repentance, the Messenger of Allah said to him,

"Think well. You may have not committed fornication; you may have kissed or done something like that."

Thus, he tried to make Maiz withdraw his confession. However, when Maiz insisted that he had committed fornication, he was punished.(2)

It is necessary to state that in both cases mentioned above, the crime was not definite because nobody knew or saw that the crimes had been committed. The criminals repented and confessed their crimes. If they had not confessed, it would have been impossible to accuse them.

Therefore, when the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) saw that they had really repented for the crimes that they had committed, he did not want their crimes to be definite through their confession. He regarded it sufficient for them to repent and ask for forgiveness from Allah.   

If the crime has become definite without the confession of the criminal due to the evidence and witnesses, the situation is different. The repentance of the criminal is not taken into consideration in that case.
In the application of hadd punishment, the interest of the community rather than the criminal is essential. No matter what the state of the criminal is, the punishment of the criminal is applied when the crime has become definite in order to prevent these kinds of severe crimes from spreading in the community and from causing mischief and discontent. However, qisas (retaliation) is excluded because in retaliation, the relatives of the person who was killed have the authority to forgive the killer. And this forgiveness is encouraged in the Quran.

Regarding the crimes that are called tazir and whose punishments are left to the judge to decide, the situation of the criminal is taken into consideration. If the judge is convinced that the criminal will improve, he can eliminate or mitigate the punishment. However, the interest of the community should also be taken into consideration while deciding. 

Footnotes:

(1) Ahmad b. Hanbal, Baqi Musnad al-Ansar, 21480
(2) Muslim, Hudud, 22; ash-Shawkani, Naylul-Awtar, VII, 95,109; az-Zaylai, Nasbu'r-Raya, III, 314 etc.

What is zakah?

Lexically, zakah means, increase, cleaning, abundance, good manners and praise; as a religious term, it means giving away some part of certain goods to certain people in order to please Allah.

Zakah, which is one of the financial worships, is one of the five pillars of Islam; it became obligatory in Madinah in the second year of the Hegira. The following is stated in the Quran: “And be steadfast in prayer; give Zakat...” (al-Baqara, 2/43, 110; al-Hajj, 22/78; an-Nur, 24/56; al-Mujadala, 58/13; al-Muzzammil, 73/20); “Of their wealth take alms, that so thou mightest purify and sanctify them; and pray on their behalf. Verily thy prayers are a source of security for them: and Allah is One Who heareth and knoweth.” (at-Tawbah, 9/103).

The importance of zakah (alms) for the person who receives it

* Zakah saves the person who receives it from becoming the slave of his vital needs. There is nothing more humiliating for a person to be in a state of contempt and misery and needing others because of not being able to meet his vital needs. Therefore, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) stated the following in one of his prayers: "O Allah! I ask taqwa, chastity and wealth from you."

* Zakah makes the poor work. The following is stated in hadiths: "The hand that gives is superior to the hand that receives." "A strong believer is better than a weak believer." A poor person will try to be a hand that gives not a hand that receives; he will try to be strong not weak. Besides, the following hadith also encourages believers to work: "Nobody has eaten a better meal than what he has earned by working."

* Zakah deadens the feeling of jealousy in the poor. It eliminates the enmity to be felt against the wealthy. Thus, there will be no discrimination between the poor and the rich in the community.

* Zakah elevates the prestige of the poor in the community. For, zakah is the right of the poor. It is not a donation of the rich. The rich cannot be freed of the responsibility unless they find the poor and give zakah. Since the poor free the rich of the responsibility of zakah, the prestige of the poor is higher in the community. 

The importance of zakah (alms) for the person who gives it 

* Zakah saves the individual from adoring matter. It breaks the chain of passion in man. It prevents the heart from hardening and the soul from getting wild.

* Zakah is the key to compassion for people.

* Zakah eternalizes one's property. The property spent for the good of the public in the way of Allah will not be lost but eternalized.  

* Zakah forms and maintains the balance between the spirit and the body.

* Zakah is an expression of high thanks to Allah. Thanks uttered by the tongue only will not fulfill the duty of thanking for the property. Thanking for the property is fulfilled through zakah and sadaqah.  

* Zakah cleans the property. Zakah purifies the individual of stinginess and his property of enmity, jealousy, theft and evil eyes. Thus, it provides security of property and life for man.  

* Zakah protects the owner from being the slave of the property and liberates him. The following is stated in a hadith:

"Those who adore gold, silver (money) and velvet (luxury) will be destroyed."

* Zakah develops the personality of the rich and leads them to goodness. It increases their value and prestige in the community.  

* Zakah increases property. It causes the property to grow and to be abundant. There is a promise given by Allah regarding the issue.

Not giving zakah causes the property to decrease and diminish.

* Zakah encourages the individual to invest.

* Zakah is a remedy for the love of the world in the heart.  

* Zakah protects Muslims from the mischief (testing) of property. The following is stated in a verse:

"Your riches and your children may be but a trial: but in the Presence of Allah is the highest Reward." (at-Taghabun, 15).

The following is stated in a hadith:

"There is a mischief (testing) for every ummah. The mischief of my ummah is property."

* Zakah makes a Muslim disciplined in terms of finance.

* Zakah reminds the individual of the importance of financial power.

First of all, we should not forget that the number of the members of the religion of Islam is probably in the first or at least in the second place. If whether a religion is a true religion or not depends on the number of its followers, the religions of Christianity and Islam are true religions. One out of every three people in the world is a Muslim today. This majority in number is a sign of an important truth.  

Throughout history, no religion has been able to make all people in the world follow it. If this point is taken into consideration, it is necessary to believe that no religion is the true religion. This thought is obviously wrong.

Those who do not accept the religion of Islam are divided into two groups:

First group: They do not accept Islam without based on any evidence for or against it. It is called denial without accepting. That is, they are the people who are not interested in whether Islam is right or not, who are interested in their own pleasures, who do not want to reject Islam based on any evidence or who do not think of exerting any efforts to accept Islam based on any evidence.  Most of the people who do not accept Islam are people like that. They do not want to keep away from their pleasure by accepting Islam, which aims to discipline people’s lives by laying burdens and responsibilities on them. This group, which is indifferent to Islam, is a complete victim of ignorance.

Second group: They are the people who are allergic to Islam with prejudice, who do not heed any evidence in favor of Islam and who regard every weak or slight sign as evidence against Islam. They are very few people and they have never been able and never will be able to refute the truths of Islam through real scientific and logical evidence without prejudice. On the contrary, many non-Muslims have embraced Islam throughscientific and logical reasoning throughout history. Even today, thousands of people, among whom are hundreds of scientists and clergymen, who were members of Christianity, which is a religion claiming to be universal, have embraced and continue to embrace Islam.

The evaluations of Badiuzzaman Said Nursi throw light upon the issue:

According to Nursi, there are eight barriers that prevent Islam, which is a universal religion and which makes all of its issues accepted by the mind, from spreading all over the world. They can be listed as follows:

1. The ignorance of foreigners / non-Muslims. Even the People of the Book could not discriminate between the white and the black because they were so ignorant.

2. They led a life that was away from civilization. Therefore, they were far away from understanding the beauty of the Islamic civilization.

3. Especially the People of the Book displayed great bigotry in their religion. This bigotry prevented them from seeing the Islamic truths.    

4. The domination and arbitrary power of the clergy and religious leaders. This despotism did not allow the people to reason freely and to make a choice.

5. The people obeyed and followed the clergy and religious leaders blindly. The fact that the minds of the people were grabbed by them did not allow the people to think of the possibility that the truth could be somewhere else.

6. The individual and social domination and despotism that the Muslims had. This despotism harmed the beauties of Islam and the civilization of the Quran despotically and caused a scene that was deemed as unpleasant by foreigners.

7. Various kinds of immorality among Muslims that originated from the acts that were contrary to Islam. This non-Islamic immorality harmed the attraction of the sun of Islam and prevented that bright sun like dark clouds from reaching the minds. These two obstacles have also started to disappear with the rise among mankind of the idea of freedom, and the desire to search for the truth.

8. The eighth barrier was the existence of the delusion that there were some controversies between some issues in the Quran and the facts that were approved by science. Due to this wrong delusion, many scientists kept away from Islam, committing a grave mistake.

According to Nursi, the first, second and third barriers have been destroyed by the virtues of knowledge and civilization, and they have begun to disperse.

The fourth and fifth obstacles have started to disappear since the idea of freedom and the tendency to search and find the truth have occurred among people. 

The sixth and seventh obstacles will disappear as despotism will be eliminated and as the ugly side of immorality will become visible. The fact that the separate despotic power residing in a single individual is now declining indicates that the fearful despotism of larger groups in society and of committees will also decline in thirty to forty years time. And the great upsurge in Islamic zeal, together with the fact that the ugly results of immorality are becoming apparent show that these two obstacles are about to decline; rather, that they have begun to do so. Inshaallah, they will completely disappear in the future.

The eighth obstacle is bound to disappear as it becomes clear that there is no controversy between the correctly perceived facts of the Quran and the correctly understood new discoveries of the exact sciences. In the past, the scientists and philosophers opposed Islam because they did not know about the facts of Islam well. This situation has changed completely now.   .

“In the 'Treatise on the Miracles of the Quran, the Risale-i Nur points out flashes of the Qur'an's miraculousness that lie beneath each of all the verses that science attacks, and it sets forth clearly the elevated truths, which the hand of science cannot reach, in those sentences and phrases of the Holy Quran that the scientists suppose to be points of criticism; it compels even the most obstinate philosopher to submit. It is clear and self-evident, anyone who wishes may look.”

“The future shall be Islam's and Islam's alone. And its ruler shall be the truths of the Quran and belief… We, Muslims, who are students of the Quran, follow proof; we approach the truths of belief through reason, though, and our hearts. We do not abandon proof in favor of blind obedience and imitation of the clergy like some adherents of other religions. Therefore, in the future, when the intellect, science and technology prevail, of a certainty, that will be the time the Qur'an will gain ascendancy, which relies on rational proofs and invites the intellect to confirm its pronounce.”[Hutbe-i Şamiye (Damascus Sermon)]

Hajj worship

Hajj lexically means intention and tending toward something. In religious terminology, it means to visit a certain place at a certain time with certain acts.

The certain place is the Kaaba and Arafat.

The certain time is the months of Shawwal and Dhul-Qada and the first 10 days of the month of Dhul-Hijja.

The certain acts are acts related to hajj like circumambulating the Kaaba, waqfa at Arafat and sa'y.

The Decree about Hajj

The worship of hajj is one of the 5 fundamentals of Islam. It is a worship that is carried out bodily and financially.

It was rendered fard in the 9th year of the Migration. Hajj is definitely fard by the Book (the Quran), sunnah and consensus of the scholars.

The verse of the Quran stating that hajj is fard is as follows:

Pilgrimage thereto (the Kaaba) is a duty men owe to Allah―those who can afford the journey. (Aal-i Imran, 97).

Hajj is fard for every believing Muslim man and woman having the necessary conditions of hajj. This issue is stated as follows in a hadith:  

"O people! Hajj was rendered fard for you. Then, fulfill the worship of hajj."

One of the Companions asked,

- O Messenger of Allah! Is it fard every year?

The Prophet (pbuh) kept silent until the man asked the same question for the third time. Then, he said,

"- If I had said 'yes', it would have been fard for you every year and you could not have afforded it."

There are many rights that Islam gives people. We can list the values that are regarded as basic rights as follows: Life, religion, mind, property and generation.

1- Right of Life:

The religion of Islam regards man as the most superior creature and deems the protection of human life among the basic principles. It is stated in the Quran that to kill a person unjustly is a serious crime like killing all people and that protecting the life of a person is a lofty and valuable act like protecting all people.

Hz Prophet (pbuh) addressed all Muslims as follows in the Farewell Hajj: " Just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust" (Bukhari, "Ilm", 37, "Hajj", 132, Muslim, "Hajj, 147), stating that the right of life of a human is untouchable. In another hadith, the following is stated: "Avoid seven destructive things. One of them is to kill a person, which is forbidden by Allah except justifiable causes." (Bukhari, "Wasaya", 23; "Tib", 48; "Hudud", 44; Muslim, "Iman", 144; Abu Dawud, "Wasaya", 10).

Killing people like women, children, old people and clergymen were prohibited even in the time of war. Killing a person as well as killing oneself (committing suicide) is prohibited and is regarded among major sins.

2- Right of religion:

Everybody has the freedom to choose a religion. “Let there be no compulsion in religion.” (al-Baqara, 2/256), “To you be your Way, and to me mine...” (al-Kafirun, 10976) This issue is emphasized in the verses above. Non-Muslims living under the sovereignty of the Islamic state were given the right to practice their own religions.

3- Mind:

Mind is the most superior quality of man because the trusts of Allah are accepted thanks to the mind and man can attain the consent and content of Allah thanks to it. The source and root of knowledge is the mind. The relationship between knowledge and mind is like the relationship between fruit and tree, light and the sun, sight and the eye. What distinguishes man from the other living and non-living beings in the universe and what makes him superior is the mind.

The warnings in the Quran that lead people to think like “Think!”, “Do you still not think?”, “Do they ever think”, “Look!”, “Do they not look?”, “Take warning then, O you with eyes!” show the importance given to the mind.

Badiuzzaman Said Nursi defines the mind as a summary of the consciousness filtered from feelings, the most valuable instrument of man, a luminous essence, a key to unlock the treasures of the universe, a tool that examines Allah’s names and attributes that become manifest in the world, an explorer that solves the mysteries in nature, a divine guide that prepares man for the happiness of the eternal life, a valuable present that acts on evidence and shows man high purposes and permanent fruits, and an essence that is isolated from matter with its being and that is related with matter with its action.

The religion of Islam prohibited alcoholic drinks, which intoxicate people, in order to protect such an important essence and imposed penalties on those who violate this prohibition. In the Islamic law, all of the substances that stupefy man and eliminate his ability to think and reason are regarded as forbidden along with alcoholic drinks.

4- Property:

The religion of Islam guarantees the right to obtain property. Islam wants man to lead a life that fits human honor. Islam is not against wealth. Islam does not want wealth to be a power belonging to a certain part of the society; it wants wealth to spread among individuals.

Our religion regards killing among major sins; similarly it regards stealing and grabbing as a major sin and imposes a very severe penalty like amputating the thief’s hand in case of theft.

5- Generation:

The institution of marriage is necessary for the continuation and development of human generation. The continuation and maintenance of human generation can only be possible through the establishment of family, which forms the society and which is the keystone of the society. The institution of marriage based on marriage contract forms the basis of the Islamic community.

Giving importance to the strengthening of the Islamic society, the religion of Islam adopted and encouraged having children and increasing the population. As a matter of fact, Hz. Prophet (pbuh) said, "Marry loveable and fertile women because I will be proud of your multitude in the presence of the other ummahs on the Day of Judgment." (Ahmad b. Hanbal, I, 412).

Hz. Zakariyya (pbuh) prayed Allah as follows for the continuation of his generation: ""Now I fear (what) my relatives (and colleagues) (will do) after me: but my wife is barren: so give me an heir as from Thyself―(One that) will (truly) represent me, and represent the posterity of Jacob; and make him, O my Lord! one with whom Thou art well-pleased! " (Maryam 19/5-6)

In Islam, having children and continuation of the generation is regarded as worship. Due to its importance, harming the child in the uterus, miscarriage and abortion are regarded as murder. It is forbidden to abort the fetus whose organs have become apparent. When the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) accepted allegiance from women, he laid down “not killing their children in any way” as a condition. This condition is very important. The child is under the control of its mother before it is born. However, after the birth, the father, not the mother, is responsible. Then, the condition “not killing their children in any way” is related to the fetus in the uterus.

"O Prophet! When believing women come to thee to take the oath of fealty to thee that they will not associate in worship any other thing whatever with Allah, that they will not steal, that they will not commit adultery (or fornication), that they will not kill their children, that they will not utter slander, intentionally forging falsehood and that they will not disobey thee in any just matter then do thou receive their fealty and pray to Allah for the forgiveness (of their sins)..." (al-Mumtahina, 60/12).

The decrees and principles of the religion of Islam are suitable for the nature of man and his/her reason. This evaluation is correct. Except for a small proportion of principles that are “ta'abbudi” (requiring obedience without needing to know its reason), all rules in Islam are "ma'qul al-mana" (understandable in terms of reason and logic).

The fact that the orders and prohibitions of Islam are valid for people who have reached the age of puberty and who are sane and do not hold responsible people who are not sane shows that Islam gives importance to reason and addresses reason and it also indicates that Islam is “a religion of logic”. 

For example, the institution of alms in Islam is an establishment that helps the poor by the rich and balances the social order, prevents the conflicts between the poor and the rich and turns those conflicts into reconciliation, love-respect and eliminates the injustices that foments the hatred and abhorrence between classes and layers of the society. This function of alms can easily be understood and is very reasonable.

In addition, one of the first conditions of embracing Islam is having faith in Allah and His apostle. The place of belief is the heart. The heart is large enough to hold divine feelings, inspirations, hadiths and the mind (reason). It is a clear indication of this truth that a person who is not sane is not responsible for having a faith.

The style of the Qur’an is full of rational and logical proofs that are required for the approval of man’s reasoning. There are always rational evidence and logical examples when it tells about the existence of Allah, that Hz. Muhammad (pbuh) is a true prophet, that the Qur’an is a word of Allah, and about the existence of resurrection after death.

Actually, if any order or punishment by Allah does not satisfy man’s reasoning, then it cannot be said that a fair test exists here. If someone makes an elementary school student responsible for the questions that belong to the sciences which are valid at university or for doctoral degrees, then that person will be oppressed. That is why, there is always an emphasis on human mind and thoughts in the Qur’an and there are phrases as follows: “Will you not then understand? Will you not then meditate?”   

Secondly, the phrase “Islam is a religion of logic” emphasizes the philosophy of a person who bases his thoughts on his own reason and logic. It is wrong. According to this person, “Great minds think alike”, so the things that he cannot understand are wrong. Therefore, what Islam has and what opposes to his view is wrong. because Islam is a religion of logic. What reason cannot grasp has no place in religion.

Such people who have this kind of philosophy are unable to understand the concept of “reason” because reason cannot grasp everything on itself without external factors; on the contrary, it tries to grasp in the direction of knowledge and ideas that were given to him beforehand. It is the best proof of this truth that a person who has a very high degree of reason but who is not necessarily educated cannot understand and do the things that an engineer, a doctor or a mufti who are not as clever as him.

The most important point to be mentioned here is this: It is not appropriate for some people who cannot comprehend an issue to say “unreasonable” for that issue. Most of us do not know about physics, chemistry, astronomy, mathematics, etc and do not comprehend them but nobody says they are unreasonable because some people do not understand them. The mind cannot discover everything on its own. If it were possible, there would be no need for prophets. Each issue has a field that can be understood by specialists only. Those specialists can easily understand the issue that some people cannot comprehend. Similarly, the fact that some people cannot understand the truths of the Quran does not mean that those truths are unreasonable and illogical. 

Another important point is this: The existence of some issues that are called ta’abbudi and that cannot be understood by reason is related to the testing of man. The principles of belief are scientific and based on reason. A few principles of Islam are present in order to test man’s belief and surrender not to satisfy the mind. There need to be some issues that the mind cannot comprehend easily so that it will be clear whether man believes in his mind only or believes in and surrenders to Islam.

To sum up, a person who says, “Since the Quran is the word of Allah, everything in it is correct – even if my mind cannot comprehend“passes the test. A person who hesitates saying, “Such and such issue in the Quran is unreasonable; my mind cannot comprehend it” fails the test because he is either not sincere or is very ignorant.

For instance, the fact that the morning prayer has two rak'ahs but the noon prayer has four rak'ahs has nothing to do with the mind. However, issues like the prohibition of pork and alcohol can be explained by science and reasoning. The issues based on reason are more than ta’abbudi issues.

“Since it is true that the truth always prevails, why does the unbeliever defeat the believer and the power defeat the truth?” Risale-i Nur Collection, The Words, 725

There is a malady which was often mentioned in the past and which now and then recurs today: To assume that the religion is an obstacle against development and to attribute our lack of development in comparison to the Christian world to the religion of Islam.

Before answering this question, firstly I want to mention some points. The line that we draw between these points will bring us to the first answer to this question. 

The First Point

At the time when Islam emerged, the Muslims suffered the oppression and aggression of the idolaters for some time and then became a state and continuously made progress until a century ago. It is the first proof of this fact that the Era of Bliss (the time of the Prophet) was an age of faith, morals, virtues, justice and peace. After that, Andalusia became such a pioneer in knowledge for Europe; and the Seljuk and the Ottoman Empires rose to such great peaks in knowledge and arts that it is impossible to conceal them with such claims.

Here, we need to differentiate between the terms Islam and Muslim. It is the Muslims who both develop and go back. Islam is whatever it is.

“This day I have perfected for you your Religion (with all its rules, commandments and universality), completed My favor upon you, and have been pleased to assign for you Islam as religion.”(The Qur'an, Al-Ma'idah Surah, 5:3)

Then the answer to this question should be searched for:

When were we good followers of Islam: When we built empires or when we moved backwards?  

The Second Point

Those who attribute our going backwards to Islam have to leave Muslims aside and to deal with Islam; saying “So and so principles of the Qur'an and so and so hadiths of the Prophet are against development.” As a result of their claim, they are bound to try to bring evidence.

For instance, they should prove that prohibiting lying, wrongdoing and oppression, alcohol, gambling, adultery and fornication, manipulation, interest, backbiting, racism and in short prohibiting all evils are against progress. 

The Third Point

There is another duty incumbent on those who attribute it to Islam that the Christian are more developed than us. And this duty is to search for and find the principles of today's technology and material progress in the New Testament and to bring up an argument saying “We went back because we lack these and these.” They cannot do that. For, there is no single verse in the New Testament about commercial life or governing of the state.

Let us mention a final point and move on to the answer:

Those who put forth this claim have to prove that the system of education which turned the hard working, brave, patriotic and honest person of former times into today's unruly, lustful and egoistic person originates from Islam.

Let us now try to answer the question in reference to the works of the author of Risale-i Nur Collection, Badiuzzaman Said Nursi.

In the Risale-i Nur Collection, in Lemeat, there is a question:

Once somebody asked: “Since it is true that the truth always prevails, why does the unbeliever defeat the believer and the power defeat the truth?”

That is to say, “Since the truth is superior and since it cannot be defeated, why do the unbelievers defeat the Muslims and the powerful defeat the rightful?”

The answer to this question is given concisely and satisfactorily with its four different aspects:

Firstly, the means are dealt with and it is pointed out that in this world of wisdom the means and causes collide with one another. Whether Muslim or Non-Muslim, whoever fulfills the prerequisites of what s/he intends to attain, and complies fully with its causes and means will succeed. It is definite how one can obtain high performance out of a product under what conditions, with what techniques and with what kind of a planning. Whoever abides by these conditions and applies these means will succeed.

The concept 'power' stated in the question is mentioned as follows: “Power has a right of it, and there is a mystery in its creation.”

If you want to succeed, and if you want to overcome your enemies or your rivals, you should try to be powerful. For, power also has its own right. Whoever has this right in his/her hand will most probably be victorious. If you crash steel and wood against one another, it is definite that the wood will be defeated.

Secondly, the matter is dealt with in relation to the world of qualities in humans. All beautiful qualities are included in the name of the word “Allah” and are exhibited in the best way by Allah's Messenger, peace and blessings upon him. However, in practice, a Muslim may not succeed in exhibiting all these beautiful qualities in his/her life because of the soul, devil, degenerated social composition, and many other factors. Similarly, a non-Muslim may possess some beautiful qualities as a result of the education s/he has received and of the social constitution. These are the Muslim qualities that s/he has. When a work is to be performed, these qualities not the beliefs inside hearts come into prominence.

Let us give an example from commerce: Such qualities as knowledge, honesty, hardworking, being planned and principled affect the result of commerce directly. If a non-Muslim possesses these qualities and a Muslim does not, it is just natural that this non-Muslim will be richer than the Muslim. Here, the unbeliever does not defeat the believer; but the Muslim qualities defeat the non-Muslim qualities. And the victor is, in the realm of qualities, again the truth.

This point may be mentioned so as to open perspectives for us :

“And in the world, the right of life is all-encompassing and covers all. This all-encompassing mercy has a meaningful point and a mystery of wisdom; unbelief is not an obstacle.”

The right of life is all-encompassing. That is to say, in this respect, there is no difference between believer and unbeliever, human and animal. Whoever is given life is also given livelihood. Livelihood is not the recompense of faith and worship, but is the recompense of life. The recompense of faith and worship is the eternal bliss in the abode of the Hereafter.

We may continue our ideas from this perspective as follows:

For the manifestation of each one of Allah's names, there are different mirrors and various platforms. Most of them are not related to the belief of the person. For example, a farmer who wants to obtain more shares from the manifestation of the name Ar-Razzaq (The Ever Providing) will receive more crops when s/he complies with the necessary conditions for this. Here, the faith of the person is not a criterion. Again, somebody who wants the name Ash-Shafii (Giver of Health) to be manifest on him/her will apply the necessary medicine. Here, too, his/her faith is not a criterion. For, s/he knows how to ask for the manifestation of this name and as a result s/he is bestowed with health. Somebody who has not followed this way, even if s/he is a perfect believer, might not attain health.

So, if a Muslim wants to benefit from the blessings of the Divine names in the life of the world, s/he should try to become a deserving mirror for these manifestations. Otherwise, s/he cannot attain the result s/he wants. However, the same believer aims at the Divine blessings in the abode of the Hereafter by complying with the requisites of worship, good deeds and sincerity.

A person who does not comply with these requisites will not have any share in Paradise, however successful s/he is in the world.

A third dimension of the subject is pointed out in the Risale-i Nur Collection as follows:

Allah has two categories of rules. One of these is the principles of the Qur'an, which bring into order the human deeds that depend on free will. The other category is comprised of the rules which ensure the order of the universe and of the things inside it. The first one is Shari'ah (Islamic Law); and the second is Shari'ah at-Takwin (The Law of Creation). The laws of nature fall into this second group.

It is pointed out by Badiuzzaman that those who obey and those who rebel against the decrees of the Qur'an will receive their reward and their punishment generally in the Hereafter and that those who comply with the law of creation and those who do not will receive their reciprocation generally in this world. Accordingly, a believer who does not comply with the law of creation suffers its punishment in the form of lack of success and misery in this world. And a non-Muslim who follows these laws receives the recompense of having acted in accordance with the Divine will in this world, even if s/he does not realize it.

These three points are the reasons for success and lack of success. And most of this matter can be explained by one or some of these points. It may also happen that we do not succeed though we have fulfilled all conditions. Here, we should search for a mystery of mercy and wisdom of the Divine Determining. In the fourth part of the answer, this point is explained; in other words, the perspective of Divine will and the Divine Determining is highlighted.

In the fourth point, in Risale-i Nur, it is emphasized that it sometimes helps the truth flourish for the falsehood to overcome the truth even if temporarily, and it strengthens and brightens the truth.

This point is of great significance in this respect:

In a hadith (saying of the Prophet), the following is stated: “The majority of troubles befall the prophets, and then other beloved servants of Allah according to their ranks.” It is a mystery of the Lord and Divine wisdom that most of the prophets were insulted by their communities, were driven away from their land and were exposed to torments. The troubles they suffered are 'negative worship', with the expression of the author of the Risale-i Nur Collection. The recompense of this worship, which is based on patience, which necessitates doing what one should do in the first place and then trusting Allah with the result, and which is very hard to endure, is similarly great. With these ordeals, the beloved servants of Allah, the prophets taking the lead, both improve spiritually and their true cause usually becomes settled in the hearts of people however late it may be, as a result of their suffering patiently. While those who oppressed and wronged them suffer in their graves, their followers live and make others live the truth in the world.

Just as day and night have different benefits in the growth of a plant, so too do the reflections of Jalal (majesty) and Jamal (beauty) affect the flourishing of the human spirit.

This is a Divine wisdom. And the troubles and ordeals that the friends of the Truth are faced with in the circle of this mystery are not related to the first three points.

A person should base his religious life on the Sunnah of the Prophet, not on his own mind and reason. That is, he should know how the Prophet practiced the religion and what he advised to his ummah.

Is Islam only a theoretical religion without practice? You should find answers to the questions above and try to practice Islam by surrendering to Allah. There might be differences in the life of a person at certain phases of life due to the effect of his age.

When we mention Islam, the first thing that comes to the mind is the Quran and the life of the Prophet. Allah sent a book containing His orders and prohibitions and a prophet that practiced the contents of that book. Then, the way of being a good Muslim is to obey the Quran and the Prophet (pbuh). To take the Prophet, who is a living Quran, as an example is something that Allah likes very much. As a matter of fact, Allah states the following in the Quran: “Say: 'If ye do love Allah, follow me: Allah will love you and forgive you your sins...'" (Aal-i Imran, 188)”

In a hadith reported by Abu Dawud, the Prophet said, “Be careful! In near future, some people will say the Quran is sufficient for us. However, I was given as much or twice as much knowledge as the Quran.” Thus, he stated that the Quran would not be understood fully without the Prophet.

As for the decrees that Islamic scholars concluded from the Quran, we have the following verse, which is very clear, regarding the issue: “…If they had only referred it to the Messenger or to those charged with authority among them, the proper investigators would have tested it from them (direct)...” (an-Nisa, 83)

As it can be seen, we are asked to refer to those charged with authority after the Prophet. The existence of four madhhabs is an explanation of this verse.
To sum up, the way of learning Islam well and to practice it is to act in accordance with the Quran, the Sunnah and the decrees concluded by Islamic scholars from these two resources. 

As for researching other religions and the views opposite Islam, it is necessary for us to learn our religion strongly and correctly first. Is it reasonable to search the beauties in the garbage dump in our neighborhood before we construct the foundations and walls of our building strongly? 

Do not misunderstand me; I do not want to say that there is nothing good there but if we want to pass through a poisonous room, we need a good mask. Otherwise, we will be poisoned. If we want to search some religiously harmful and poisonous things, we need a good mask that will prevent all kinds of gases, that is, we need a good and true religious belief so that those views will not harm us.

Yes, the only way to find God and the truth is to believe in the Quran and to act in accordance with it because the Quran is a holy book sent by Allah in order to lead humanity to absolute goodness and truth. It is the Quran that will show man the worldly and otherworldly bliss and that will make man mature. It invites man to belief and oneness, worship and servitude, brotherhood and love. It imposes the best criteria regarding belief and righteous deeds. Islam was constructed based on the criteria of the Quran. There is no truth outside the unshakable and magnificent rules of Islam and there is no need to search it. Whatever the Quran regards as good and approves is true; whatever it regards as bad and rejects is false. Islam, which was established by the Quran, rejects old wrong beliefs, superstitions, disgrace and prostitution. Then, all Muslims need to evaluate the holy realities related to creed, worship, ethics, halal, haram, mentioning Allah, ideas and love based on the Quran.

The verses of the Quran are strong enough to persuade everybody. Ordinary people love the plainness of its style; scholars and scientists admire its fluency and rhetoric. “Without doubt, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.” Thinkers of all levels satisfy their need for belief with the Quran and they become mature by following it. 

The Quran has encouraged man to meditate and has given man the criteria for it. People have been able to read the book of the universe through the criteria it has taught, have discovered the hidden realities in it and have found their Creator and Lord. It is a divine torch given to the mind in order to illuminate the dark and stormy ways of life. The sun illuminates the material world and the Quran was sent down to illuminate the spiritual world.

The following is stated in the Quran: “Verily this Qur'an doth guide to that which is most right (or stable).” (al-Isra, 9)

It is necessary to follow the laws of a science in order to be successful in that science; similarly, it is necessary to accept the principles of the Quran and the Sunnah in order to find the truth.

Yes, man can know the personality and attributes of God Almighty only through the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah. He can understand where he is coming from and where he is going, what his duty in the world is, the nature and the reality of the other world, and what will be acceptable and rejected there only through those two means. He will learn what deeds, actions and attitudes will attract the consent of God Almighty and what deeds, actions and attitudes will attract His wrath, what is true and what is wrong what is a mistake and what is right from the book of Allah and His Prophet. Every Muslim is responsible for realizing his own world of belief and worship under the guidance of these two realities.

He will also learn from these two fundamentals, the Quran and the Sunnah, how he will enter the sphere of Islam and believe in what principles and how he will remain in the sphere of Islam (by doing what deeds and avoiding what deeds).
Since the criteria of all Muslims are the Quran and the Sunnah, a Muslim has to evaluate all human views, claims, beliefs and creeds based on the Quran and hadiths, which are the interpretation the Quran.  

First, the Quran teaches us the principle of belief, "belief in Allah, as well as belief in angels, divine books, prophets the hereafter qadar (that Allah created everything, whether good or bad). A person becomes a believer only when he believes the truths of belief as it is stated by the Quran.

The Quran has taught Islam which consists of all of the orders and prohibitions of Allah, to believers. When a believer obeys these orders and prohibitions, he becomes a perfect Muslim.

There may be some wrong religions that are based on fear but it is wrong to say that all religions are based on fear. Especially those who regard the religion of Islam as a religion of fear are wrong. The Quran gives good news and warnings. The warnings do not aim to frighten people; on the contrary, they aim to protect people from making mistakes. To inform people about the dangers that they may confront aims to warn them to take measures; it does not aim to frighten them.  

Islam mentions not only Hell but also Paradise. Before the advent of Islam, people used to live away from the belief of resurrection; they used to believe that they would go to non-existence after death. Islam eliminated this belief and gave believers the good news that they would go to Paradise. As a matter of fact, the following hadith of the Prophet (pbuh) is a good example of it:

"Make it easy, do not make it hard; give good tidings, do not alienate." (Bukhari, 3/72.)

The religion of Islam is a helping hand of the Creator to human beings and knowledge of the truth aiming to make them happy in the world and attain salvation in the hereafter. We know our Creator and ourselves thanks to Islam; we also understand the ultimate goal of existence and attain peace and tranquility in our inner and outer world thanks to it. All of the prophets from Hz. Adam to Hz. Noah, from Hz. Abraham to Hz. Moses, from Hz. Jesus to Hz. Muhammad (pbuh) were the messengers and guides of this call to peace, love and salvation.

Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır states the following on the prohibition and harms of gambling while interpreting verse 219 of the chapter of al-Baqara:  

Answer as follows: There are big harms and sins in them. In general, both of them destroy goods and ruin people. They affect each other. Alcohol eliminates the mind; the mind is the support for both the religion and the world. A person commits so many murders due to alcohol and commits so many evils due to gambling that it is impossible to list them; they can be understood only by the term "major sins". However, they also have some benefits for people. People experience some joy and flavor; they earn money by selling alcohol. It gives courage to cowards and strength to one's character. Some people obtain goods by gambling. However, their sins and harms are much more than their benefits.

Then, their benefits are not real and strong benefits. The joy they give causes the mind to be covered. The temporary courage causes disasters. The temporary character harms the health; the goods that one obtains will not be useful for him; a little benefit will bring about a lot of harm. Those who become addicts cannot abandon them easily. To sum up, the joy and flavor they give are personal and temporary but the harms and bad outcomes caused by them are both personal and social; they are both material and ethical. They are contagious like infectious diseases. Those who do not suffer at the beginning will definitely suffer in the end. It is not logical to prefer a definite and general harm in return for an imaginary benefit.  Eliminating the harm is preferred to obtaining benefit. Then, they need to be haram logically. The verse expresses that they are religiously haram through an indirect indication. If there had not been any other verses regarding wine in the Quran, only this verse would have been enough to render it haram. However, this prohibition would not have been a prohibition understood from the words of the expression itself; there could be some people who would think they would limit the harms of alcohol and make use of its benefits by relying on their mind. Therefore, some Companions thought it was not prohibited religiously but rationally; then, the following verse rendered it haram religiously in a clear and definite way: "They are an abomination; ... eschew them" (al-Maida, 5/90).

THE PROPHET’S WIVES 

1. Khadijah (ra):

The Prophet’s married life starts with our reverend mother Khadijah. When he married her, the Prophet was 25 years of age and she was 40. So, the age gap between them was 15 years. She was a bit different to the Prophet from his other wives. She was there for him while he spread the message; she consolidated him when all the people abandoned him and mocked at him. Yet more, when the Prophet received the first revelation, which made him tremble with awe, she, without any hesitation, said the following soft and relaxing words: 

“Good tidings to you! I swear by Allah that Allah will never embarrass you, because you take care of your relatives, say the truest words, take on the burdens of those who are unable to do their errands on their own, host your guests in the very best way and you help people with events which happen in the path of Allah.” 

This precious woman is also one of the first Muslims. She passed away in the tenth year of the prophethood, three years before the Migration (Hijrah). The Messenger of Allah was very sad upon reverend Khadijah’s death. That year was named the year of sorrow because sorrowful events happened one after another in that year, such as the deaths of Abu Talib, who was the Prophet’s uncle and defender against idolaters, and of Khadija, with whom he found peace. 

The Messenger of Allah’s marriage with Khadijah lasted 25 years and his all children except for Ibrahim were born from this precious woman. When she died, the Prophet was 50 years old. That is to say, the Prophet spent the most of his married life and also his youth and mature years only with a woman who was 15 years older than him. 

2. Sawda bint Zam’a (ra):

This wife of his was also one of the first Muslims. Her first husband had passed away after the migration to Ethiopia and she was left alone. The Prophet healed this heart-broken woman’s wounds, saved her from miserableness by marrying her and became her companion. After all, this great woman wanted nothing else in the worldly life but being the Prophet’s wife; and when she married the Prophet, she was 55 years old. As it can be understood from this, the real aim in this marriage was helping a woman who was left alone and giving her a safe home. 

3. Aisha (ra):

She was the first and only virgin woman whom the Prophet married. She was the only daughter of Hazrat Abu Bakr, who was to become a caliph later on. Moreover, she was a woman of rare intelligence and a nature that can take over and pursue the cause of the prophethood in the best way. Her life after marriage and her later services proved that she, the eminent creation, could be nobody’s wife but the Prophet’s. As a matter of fact, she proved herself to be the greatest hadith reporter, the most perfect commentator of the Quran and the most precious scholar of Islamic law, and tried to represent the Prophet in all aspects. 

His marriage with reverend Aisha was the greatest gift for his cave-mate Abu Bakr, who was always with him and coped with his troubles together with him. 

4. Hafsa bint Umar (ra):

Hafsa was a widow. Her husband was a warrior who had been martyred in the battle of Badr. She was upset with her husband’s death and was left alone. His father Hazrat Umar firstly offered Hazrat Uthman to marry her daughter but he declined. Then, he offered Hazrat Abu Bakr the same but he declined as well. Upon witnessing this, the Messenger of Allah said that he wanted to marry her without waiting anymore and married her. This marriage was also a result of an obligation and with this marriage, that sublime person, Hazrat Umar was pleased and the loneliness of a woman, who was upset with her husband’s death and was left alone ended. 

5. Zainab bint Huzaima (ra):

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) married this woman after Hafsa. Her first husband was Ubaidah bin Harith who had been martyred at the Battle of Badr. This woman, who was left alone was 60 years old. She desperately needed a helping hand in this time of her loneliness. The Prophet of mercy and compassion who realized her neediness wanted to take her under his protection by marrying her. besides, she passed away two years after they got married. 

Of course, it is impossible for a marriage with a sixty-year old woman to have passion. The only aim of this marriage was to help someone who was left alone. 

6. Umm Salama (ra):

She was also one of the first Muslims and one of those who migrated to Ethiopia. Later, she migrated to Madina. Her dear husband, who accompanied her during troublesome migration travels and never left her alone, was martyred at the Battle of Uhud. Firstly, Hazrat Abu Bakr and Umar offered their hand of mercy to this woman, who had to handle with life on her own with her orphaned children, but she declined their offers. 

Later, the Messenger of Allah proposed to her and she accepted. So, her orphaned children could have a warm home, overcame the sorrow of their father’s death with the help of the Messenger of Allah and had a father who would never make them miss their real father. 

Umm Salama was a woman of great intelligence and sagacity, too, like Hazrat Aisha. She was talented to be a mentor and conveyor of the message. With this marriage, the hand of mercy took her under protection, and another student to whom especially women would be thankful was accepted for the school of knowledge and spiritual guidance. 

Otherwise, we cannot explain in another way why the Messenger of Allah, who was almost sixty, took on much responsibility by marrying a widow who had lots of children. 

7. Umm Habiba (Ramla bint Abu Sufyan) (ra):

She was a daughter of Abu Sufyan who led the unbelief in Mecca. Our Lord, who is capable of bringing the dead to life and ending the lives of the living, granted faith, in the early years of Islam, to this woman, who was predestined to ascend to the position of the mother of believers in the future.She had to migrate to Ethiopia with her husband because she could not live her faith under difficult conditions of Mecca. However, her husband converted to Christianity during this voyage and then he died. So, Umm Habiba was left alone. When the Messenger of Allah heard of this, he sent a message to the Negus saying that he wanted to marry this woman, who was left alone. Umm Habiba was very happy to hear this and she married the Prophet in the presence of the Negus. 

If the Prophet had not done so, this lonely and helpless woman would have had either to turn back to Mecca and leave her faith under violent torment by her father and family or to beg Christians for help or to become a beggar to be able to live on. However, this marriage was the most favorable option. 

Because of this marriage, Abu Sufyan, who was the fiercest enemy of Muslims and the Prophet then, lessened his torments to believers; and his grudge for the Prophet was a bit eased. Moreover, a relation was built with the Umayyad, which served as a factor that led them to become Muslims. After that, Abu Sufyan had the advantage of visiting the Prophet’s house easily and thus knowing Islam better and in the end, he became a believer. 

As clearly seen, the aim of this marriage was to help a lonely woman, to lessen through her the torments Muslims suffered and to lead a fierce enemy to faith by building relations with him. 

8. Juwairiyyah bint Harith (ra):

Muslims won the Battle of Muraysi and gained a lot of booty, together with about 700 captives. Juwairiyyah, the daughter of the leader of Bani Mustaliq tribe, was amongst the captives, too. Juwairiyyah was Harith bin Dirar’s daughter. Harith was the leader of Mustaliq Jews. Juwairiyyah was first married to Musafi bin Safwan. Then, Musafi died at the Battle of Muraysi. Juwairiyyah went to the Prophet and asked for her freedom. The Messenger of Allah paid her ransom himself and set her free. When her mother came to bring her back, she preferred to become a Muslim and stayed in Madina and later, she married the Messenger of Allah. 

After this marriage of the Messenger of Allah’s, the captives owned by Abdulmuttalib tribe were set free, and then the other Muslims, upon seeing this, set all of the other captives free thinking that people of a tribe who are relatives to the Messenger of Allah could not be kept as captives. 

This marriage of the Prophet took place also when he was in his sixties. He aimed at building relations with an important tribe; he had lots of captives set free, and more importantly, caused a lot of Jews to convert to Islam and ascended a woman, whose husband was killed in battle against Muslims and thus was full of hatred against Muslims, to the position of the mother of believers by taking her under his wings of mercy. 

9. Safiyya bint Huyayy (ra):

Her real name was Zainab. At those times, booty for chiefs and leaders in Arabia was called safiyya. As this woman was booty for the Messenger of Allah, she was named Safiyya. Her parents were important people from Jews. Her father was the leader of the Sons of Nadir and her mother was the daughter of the leader of the Sons of Qurayza. Her father, husband and brother were killed at the Battle of Khaybar and many people of her tribe were captured. Safiyya was full of excessive anger and hatred against Islam. 

The Messenger of Allah caused her to soften her feelings by marrying her after the battle. Through this marriage, relations were built with an important part of Jews and therefore, they could get to know Islam closer. Moreover, knowing some bad intentions of enemies beforehand became easier and the borders of Islam started to expand. 

10. Mariyatu’l Qibtiyyah (Umm Ibrahim) (ra):

The Messenger of Allah sent letters to sovereigns of neighboring countries in order to call them to Islam. One of these sovereigns was Muqawqis, the sovereign of Egypt. Muqawqis greeted the messenger in a good way and sent the Prophet some presents and two bondswomen. These two bondswomen learnt about Islam on their way and converted to Islam. When they arrived in Madina, the Messenger of Allah took Mariya for himself. Later, he set her free and married her, who gave birth to his son Ibrahim. 

This marriage had great influence on all Egyptians. Egyptians did not take sides at the war between Muslims and Byzantians living in Egypt and did not support the Byzantians. One of the reasons of this was that a woman from their nation was married to the Prophet. 

11. Maimunah bint Harith (ra):

Her real name was Barrah, which was changed for Maimunah by the Messenger of Allah later. It was the Prophet’s last marriage. One year after the Hudaibiyyah covenant, the Prophet and Muslims visited Mecca for circumambulation (tawaf). Abbas, the Prophet’s uncle, offered the Messenger of Allah to marry Maimunah. As a matter of fact, Maimunah was Abbas’ sister in law and she authorized him to choose the person for her to marry. The Prophet accepted this offer and married her. Upon this, the people of Mecca said: “It means Muhammad still loves his fellow citizens.” 

This marriage happened when the Messenger of Allah was in his sixties. The aim of this marriage was to help a widow, who was left amongst idolaters in Mecca although she was Muslim, to save her from her troubles and to make a goodwill gesture for the people of Mecca. 

12. Hazrat Zainab bint Jahsh (ra):

Hadhrat Zainab was born twenty years before the beginning of the prophethood and was the daughter of the Prophet’s aunt. Her real name was Barrah. The Messenger of Allah changed her name for Zainab. Her father was Burrah from Beni Asad tribe and her mother was Umm bint Abdulmuttalib, the Prophet’s aunt. She was one of the first migrants from Mecca to Madina. She was single when she migrated to Madina. The Prophet married her off to his stepson, Zaid bin Haritha. 

As it is known, the era of Mecca was the era of fundamentals of faith and the era of Madina was the era of fortification of Islamic rules. Events that happened during this era either abolished a superstitious rule spread in society and rooting from the past, replaced it with a new one or laid down a brand new one. 

The fact that Hazrat Zainab was married to Hazrat Zaid before the Prophet and that later got married to the Prophet unlike his other wives brought about rules abolishing the customs and traditions of the Era of Ignorance. 

The marriage of the Prophet which was objected the most both by the hypocrites of that time and the ignorant people of this time was the one with Hazrat Zainab. Moreover, it was a marriage which led to the establishment of very important rules. 

As a result of all these reasons, this marriage contract was a “divine contract”, which means it was signed by Allah the Glorious Himself. 

The notions of slavery and privileged class of people were quite strong and rooted in the Era of Ignorance. This had to be abolished and it had to be emphasized that the superiority of people for Allah did not stem from their class, rank or race but from their taqwa. For this reason, this wrong belief about marriage, which is one of the most vulnerable issues, had to be abolished through this marriage. 

The Prophet wanted to take a step towards this aim by marrying a noble and beautiful woman like Zainab off to his servant Zaid, whom he had set free. However, Zainab and her brothers did not favor the idea at first, which must have been because of the common belief in the society; because it was not traditionally appropriate for a free woman and a former servant to get married. 

Zainab told the Messenger of Allah her opinion: “O Messenger of Allah, I am your aunt’s daughter. I do not want to marry him. Moreover, I am from Quraish.” The Messenger of Allah explained to her that Zaid was very dear to him and to Islam and stated that he was indeed a noble person because of his parents. 

Then, 36^th verse of sura al-Ahzab was sent:

“It is not fitting for a Believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by Allah and His Apostle to have any option about their decision: if any one disobeys Allah and His Apostle, he is indeed on a clearly wrong Path.” 

Upon this, Zainab agreed to marry him saying, “I will not disobey Allah and His Messenger.” 

However, this marriage did not work out. There was not a sincere love and respect between them. Although Zainab was a religious woman who feared Allah, she was proud of her beauty and nobility, and looked down on her husband, who was a former slave and hurt him with sarcasm. 

Hazrat Zaid could not cope with this increasing incompatibility anymore. He consulted the Prophet and said that he wanted to get divorced. The Prophet was very upset because it was him who wanted this marriage to happen. He wanted to break the society’s wrong beliefs. For this reason, he said to Zaid every time he came to him: “Keep your wife, do not divorce her.” However, despite everything, this marriage did not last more than one year. Zaid had to divorce her at the end. 

After a while, it was time to abolish another common but wrong custom coming from the Era of Ignorance. It was the belief that stepchildren were considered as biological children and that, therefore, wives of stepsons were considered as stepfathers’ real daughters.

Islam changed the notion of step-child totally. The Quranic verse on this topic was very clear: 

“Call them by (the names of) their fathers: that is juster in the sight of Allah. But if ye know not their father's (names, call them) your Brothers in faith, or your maulas.” (Sura al-Ahzab, 5) 

After this Quranic verse was sent, Zaid was started to be called Zaid bin Haritha, in attribution to his father. After this wrong belief about stepchildren was abolished, it was made clear that their wives were not like stepfathers’ real daughters. Yet, this had to be proven and strenghtened with an example. This would be possible through the marriage of Hazrat Zainab and the Prophet. However, the Prophet was worried about possible gossips while abolishing this rooted tradition. However, this principle brought by Islam was supposed to be applied by him for sure. It was indispensable. As a matter of fact, the Quran explains it as follows: 

“Behold! Thou didst say to one who had received the grace of Allah and thy favor: "Retain thou (in wedlock) thy wife, and fear Allah." But thou didst hide in thy heart that which Allah was about to make manifest: thou didst fear the people, but it is more fitting that thou shouldst fear Allah. Then when Zaid had dissolved (his marriage) with her, with the necessary (formality), We joined her in marriage to thee: in order that (in future) there may be no difficulty to the Believers in (the matter of) marriage with the wives of their adopted sons, when the latter have dissolved with the necessary (formality) (their marriage) with them. And Allah's command must be fulfilled.” (Sura al-Ahzab, 37) 

Following this verse, in the fifth year of Migration (Hijrah), Zainab married the Prophet with a divine contract when she was 35. 

As a matter of fact, hypocrites started gossiping about this marriage: “Although Muhammad knew that his son’s wife was forbidden to him, he married his son’s wife!”, said they. Upon this, 40^th verse of sura al-Ahzab was sent: 

“Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but (he is) the Apostle of Allah, and the Seal of the Prophets: and Allah has full knowledge of all things.” 

Although prophets are a kind of father to their ummah and take care of them with more mercy and affection than their real fathers, this does not mean a biological fatherhood. So, this Quranic verse made it clear that it was not inappropriate in terms of reason, knowledge and nature for prophets to marry a woman from their ummah. With this, Islam separated the law of step-children and that of biological children from each other. However, this tradition was so old and strong that none of the Muslims could dare to have such a marriage at that time. For this reason, hypocrites of that time kept gossiping about this marriage and made up several stories about it. Yet more, they attempted to show this marriage as evidence to the Prophet’s lustfulness (God forbid). 

Badiuzzaman Said Nursi’s succinct and silencing response to those who think of this marriage to be a result of lust is as follows: 

“God forbid, a hundred thousand times! The hand of such vile doubts cannot reach up to that elevated one! Yes, he was such that from the age of fifteen to forty when the blood is fiery and exuberant and the passions of the soul enf1amed, sufficed and was content with a single older woman like Khadija the Great (May Allah be pleased with her) with complete chastity and purity - as is agreed by friend and foe alike. His then having numerous wives after the age of forty, that is, when bodily heat subsides and the passions are quietened, is evidence proving decisively and self-evidently to those who are even a little fair-minded that such marriages were not to satisfy the carnal appetites, but were based on other important instances of wisdom.” (Risale-i Nur Collection, Seventh Letter)

The Prophet, who knew Zainab when she was a virgin, could have married her before having her marry Zaid. There was no objection to it. So, this marriage includes important reasons such as correcting wrong beliefs that were spread amongst people and laying down some new rules.

In fact, that some news and nice things that are present in a nation or culture are also present in one of the true religions does not show that that religion was affected by that culture; on the contrary, it shows that its source was also revelation. During the course of time, its relation to the revelation was forgotten and it was regarded as the culture of that nation because Allah sent hundreds of thousands of prophets to the humanity. The first man is also the first prophet. That some news that is stated by religions is also present in a culture shows that it originates from revelation. However, revelation was forgotten in the course of time and it was thought to belong to a culture or person.

That Hazrat Musa (Moses) (pbuh) was left in a basket is mentioned in verses. If the life story of Hazrat Musa (pbuh) is read, it will be seen clearly. Many prophets lived in the Middle East; therefore, some glad tiding elements belonging to divine religions might exist in the Sumerian culture. It means some prophets that lived before Musa (pbuh) gave glad tidings that he would come. As a matter of fact, glad tidings about our Prophet (pbuh) are present in the holy books sent before him.

Some faithless people use scriptures like that in order to refute religions. However, the Quran tells us that no nation was left without a prophet, warner or guide. The similar scenes in the history of the world confirm this news of the Quran.

It is known that The Arabs of Jahiliyya Period had many elements of Hanif religion of Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham) remaining from thousands of years ago. The existence of the Kaaba, Arabs regarding it as holy and circumambulating it, their similar rituals make it impossible to say that they were imported from other religions; the existence of the laws that fit human honor or the existence of the historical scriptures about the historical stories are evidence for the religion, but they are the historical phenomena reversed by the materialists and the atheists that use the materials of Dajjal.

If some stories like the one about Hazrat Ayyub (Job) (pbuh) – if they are true – were narrated in the periods before he lived, they might be glad tidings about him or they might have the following meaning:

There might be many people who experienced great tests like Hazrat Ayyub in history. The determinations of the Quran aim to give examples of those universal events and present the lives of patient heroes that lived and that will live as living examples so that people will draw lessons. 

To sum up, the events that the Quran mentions and the characters in those events are definitely historic events. However, there may be some other events similar to them.

In order to be able to understand the importance given to human rights in Islam, it is necessary to take a glance at the state of the world before Islam.

1. All of the states in the world used to be ruled by monarchy. The king, ruler or empire had full authority over the people he ruled. He could execute anybody he wished and he did not have to account for to anybody.

2. People were divided into classes. The people around the king, his relatives and noble people were the privileged class. On the other hand, there was a big mass of people who were despised and whose rights were violated; they formed another class. There were great differences between the classes.

3. Slavery was applied in its wildest form. Human honor was trampled.

4. People used to be treated based on their race and color; the superiority of lineage was regarded as the only criterion. People did not use to be evaluated based on their intelligence, knowledge, ability, ethics and virtues.

5. There were no basic rights and freedoms. Basic rights like freedom of religion and conscience, right of property, freedom of obtaining a dwelling, freedom of thought were not in question for an ordinary citizen. People used to be oppressed and tortured due to their beliefs and thoughts.

6. The basic principles of law were trodden under foot. It was impossible even to imagine basic legal concepts like legal equality, sovereignty of law, privacy and legality of penalty. There was no independent and impartial judiciary. Personal wishes and commands had replaced laws; people who committed the same crime were punished differently based on the class they belonged to.

When the world was in this state, the religion of Islam emerged and realized the greatest revolution in human history.

If it is viewed through fair eyes, it will be seen that the ultimate human targets that have been determined today had been determined both in the Quran and in the Sunnah of Hz. Prophet centuries before the human rights declarations were issued in the Western world.

As a matter of fact, the principles related to human rights included in the speech (Farewell Sermon) made by Hz. Prophet (pbuh) during the Farewell Hajj are the clearest example of it.

This sermon was recited in the presence of more than 100.000 Muslims in 632 AD; that is, 1157 years before the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen issued in 1789, which is regarded as the first written document regarding human rights.

The new principles introduced by Islam regarding human rights were very influential on the struggle of human rights in the West.

Man has a more different value than the other creatures. This value increases when he believes in Allah and obeys His orders. Thus, man becomes the most honorable guest of the universe. Man gains the value of humanity with his birth or even before it, with his formation in the uterus, and carries it throughout his life.

The value originating from being a human has encompassed everybody. This compassion has surrounded everybody, man or woman, old or young, black or white, weak or strong, poor or rich no matter what their religion, nation, race and color are.

Thus the religion of Islam protects all individuals’ blood from being shed, honor from being tarnished, property from being grabbed, house from being trespassed, lineage from being broken and conscience from being pressurized. It ensures human honor and dignity.

Basic rights and freedoms brought to humanity by Islam are as follows:

1. Islam ended racial and color discrimination. All people come from Adam. It is not possible for a person to choose his race and color. It is completely the predestination of Allah. It is completely wrong and harmful in terms of Islam and humanity to regard people different in terms of color and race and to despise some races and colors and regard others as superior.

Allah states in the Quran that He created people from a single pair of a male and a female, and made them into nations and tribes when their numbers increased so that they may know each other. (al-Hujurat, 13)

As it is seen, the reason why people are of different races and colors is to know and help one another not to claim to be superior.

An incident that will shed light on this understanding of Islam is as follows:

One of the Companions, Abu Dharr, got angry with Bilal al-Habashi one day and insulted him by addressing him as, “son of the black woman”. He despised Abu Dharr due to the color of his mother. When the Prophet (pbuh) was informed about the situation, the Prophet got angry and addressed Abu Dharr as follows:

— O Abu Dharr! You condemned Bilal due to the color of his mother? It means you still have the mentality of Jahiliyya!"

Abu Dharr, who had uttered those words as a result of a momentary fury involuntarily, became very sorry for what he had done and repented. He started to cry, lay down and put his face on the ground; then, he said,

“I will not lift my face from the ground unless Bilal comes and steps on my cheek.” He apologized to Bilal repeatedly.

2. Islam put an end to boasting due to superiority of one’s lineage and ancestors. In a meeting where the Companions were present, Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas asked some of the notables of the Companions to list their ancestors. Meanwhile, he listed his ancestors from the beginning to the end. Salman al-Farisi (Iranian) was also present there. He did not have ancestors that he could boast of like the Qurayshis. He did not know his ancestors in detail, either.

When Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas asked him to list his ancestors, he founded this request odd and said, “I am Salman; son of Islam. I do not know my ancestors like you do. I know only one thing. Allah honored me through Islam.”

Hz. Umar was also disturbed by this unnecessary offer of Sa’d which evoked the mentality of Jahiliyya. He liked this meaningful answer of Salman very much; he said, “I am Umar; son of Islam.” Thus, he gave a similar answer to Salman’s.

When Hz. Prophet (pbuh) heard about the incident, he liked Salman’s answer very much, too. He said, “Salman is of me; he is from my family.”

Hz. Prophet married the daughters of the noblest families of the Quraysh off to some freed slaves among the Companions; thus, he eliminated the Jahiliyya mentality based on the superiority of lineage.

3. Islam has given people the right to check and inspect their administrators. It aims to end arbitrary acts, oppression, injustice and lawlessness.

When Hz. Abu Bakr was chosen as the Caliph, he addressed the people as follows:

"O people! I was chosen as your administrator though I am not the best one of you. If I carry out my duty in accordance with Islam, obey me. If I deviate from the right path, warn me."

One day, during his Caliphate, Hz. Umar asked the Muslims in the mosque, "What will you do if I deviate from the right path? They said, "We will correct you with our swords." Hz. Umar became very pleased when he heard that answer.

4. Freedom of thought and conscience.Freedom of thought and conscience is the most important right after the right of life. Not to give a person this right means to remove him from his own self and reduce him to the level of animals. Therefore, Islam does not allow thoughts and consciences being pressurized. With the principle, “let there be no compulsion in religion”, Islam did not regard it appropriate to make people accept the principles of belief by using force.

5. Islam dealt with the institution of slavery meticulously and gave it a legal status.

When the religion of Islam emerged, slavery was widespread all over the world with its wildest and most inhuman practices. Islam naturally was not expected to completely abolish this system, which was widespread in the whole world. Therefore, it did not abolish slavery radically and suddenly but improved the conditions greatly and gave it the most humane and civilized form. Besides, Islam increased and eased the ways of freedom and introduced formulas that would end slavery indirectly.

6. Freedom of Property. Love of goods and desire to obtain property are among the various feelings that Allah gave man. This issue is stated clearly in the Quran.

Islam gave individuals the right of property and paved the way for them to satisfy this need legitimately. The right of property given by Islam to the individual can never be intervened without the permission of its owner.

7. Legal Equality. Islam regards all people as equal as the teeth in a comb in the presence of law. It does not allow privileged treatment based on the social state and lineage of people.

In Islam, the sovereignty and superiority of law is essential. A head of the state and an ordinary people are treated equally by law. The criminal is certainly punished even if he is the head of the state.

The trial of Fatih Sultan Mehmet and a Greek architect, Hz. Ali and a Jew, Salahaddin al-Ayyubi and an Armenian in the presence of qadis are the most striking examples of the issue.

On the day of the conquest of Makkah, a woman from the noble families of Makhzum tribe had committed theft and had been caught red-handed. She had to be punished. However, since she belonged to a noble family, they did not want the family to be dishonored; therefore, they wanted the woman to be forgiven. How would they do it? How would they tell the Prophet about it? Eventually, they decided to send Usama, whom the Prophet loved very much, to the Prophet. Usama went to the presence of the Prophet and told him about the issue. He asked the Prophet to forgive the guilty woman. The Prophet got very angry. He went out and made the following historical speech: “O people! Do you know the reason why the nations before you were destroyed? When a person of high rank committed a crime, they, they spared him. When an ordinary person committed a crime, they eagerly wanted him to be punished. This oppression caused their destruction. By Allah, if Fatima, daughter of Muhammad, were to steal, I would have her punished without hesitation.

Thereupon, the punishment was executed.

The sentences in the speech of Hz. Abu Bakr when he was chosen as the Caliph are remarkable.

"The weak ones among you are the strongest ones in my eyes until they obtain their rights; the strong ones are the weakest ones in my eyes until I obtain the rights of others from them."

8. Privacy and Legality of Penalty. In Islam, there is no penalty without law, and it is not possible to punish someone else instead of the culprit.

The principle of privacy and legality of penalty is stated as follows in the chapter of al-Anam: " Every soul draws the meed of its acts on none but itself: no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another." (Verse: 164)

9. Independency and Impartiality of Courts.In Islam, courts, which are the institutions of justice, are kept away from all kinds of external pressure, personal hatred and grudge, and arbitrary practices; judges are not allowed to lose their impartiality. In the Islamic courts, the heads of states were tried side by side with ordinary citizens; they were punished if they were found guilty.

10. Dwelling and Privacy Immunity.In Islam, nobody has the right to intervene in the privacy of a person and to enter his dwelling without permission. It is forbidden to spy on the private affairs of people in Islam.

11. Freedom of Travel.It is regarded that travel helps people learn things and recover from illnesses in Islam. Therefore, people are encouraged to travel.

12. Right to live and guarantee of the protection of life, property and chastity.This issue is stated in the best way by the Messenger of Allah in the Farewell Sermon:

"O People!, just as you regard this month, this day, and this city, Makkah, as sacred, so regard the life, property and honor of every Muslim as a sacred trust. They are protected from all kinds of violation."

13. Social Security. The religion of Islam protects man so that he will not suffer from and will not be harmed by old age, illnesses, disasters and accidents; it guarantees the future of the needy through the social security measures it has introduced. Islam encourages people to work in the first place so that they will secure themselves financially. In addition, it has provided a separate security in the family and among neighbors thanks to various measures it has introduced. When all of these security measures are insufficient, the state itself guarantees the security of the individuals. The institution of zakah and foundations are perfect social security institutions.

14. Freedom of work, wages justice and equality. Working and making efforts are appreciated and encouraged a lot in Islam. It is not regarded nice to beg and be a burden on others. To work in order to make one’s living through legitimate means is regarded as worship if that person fulfills his fard duties. The verse "That man can have nothing but what he strives for" shows the importance Islam gives to effort and work.

Guaranteeing freedom of work — on condition that it is earned legitimately —, Islam arranges the relationships between employees and employer in the best way.

The principle "Pay the worker his wage before his sweat dries" guarantees the right of the worker in the perfect way.

As a principle, the worker will try to do the task he is assigned fully and in the best way and deserve the wage he gets.

15. Protection of Children. Islam takes care of children beginning from their birth, helps parents for their expenditure on food and clothing and allocates some money for them from the Treasure. Today, all rich states give parents child benefits. The Messenger of Allah insistently ordered his army not to kill women and especially children during war.

16. Basic Education is Compulsory and Free. The hadith "Seeking knowledge is fard for every Muslim, whether male or female" introduces compulsory education. Basic education curriculum has been prepared meticulously in Islam.

Along with, religious, ethical and literary knowledge, vocational knowledge is included in basic education. Islam regards it necessary for a child to learn vocational knowledge along with religious knowledge.

There are two kinds of decrees of shari'ah:

1. The decrees and prohibitions that come directly from Allah; we call them “taabbudi”, that is to say, their reasons (wisdom) are not known.

2. The part whose reasons (wisdom) that lay on the divine decrees and prohibitions may be searched about; we call them “maqul al-mana”.

We can look at your question from a different aspect. "Why is the morning prayer four rak'ahs but not ten or twenty rak'ahs?" The answer is "because Allah commanded us to do so."

The noon prayer was determined by Allah as 10 rak'ahs. To search the wisdom behind it will turn out to be in vain. The real answer to the question is because Allah commanded so. However, some shari'ah rules may be explained with wisdom, but they are not the real reasons. The actual reason is Allah’s command and prohibition.

For example, "Why did Allah command salah (prayer)?" One can list the wisdoms and purposes of it in volumes of books. One can answer why we fast by searching its wisdom and reasons. However, reasons (wisdom) and benefits cannot replace Allah’s decrees. For example, one of the reasons of fasting is to empathize with the people who suffer hunger and approach them with compassion.

So, a person can say “I will experience more hunger so that my feeling of compassion can be increased and I can help the poor much more.” Although the time of imsak (the time to begin fasting) is at 4.00 a.m., if one intends to start fasting at 11 o’clock at night, but if he breaks his fast 5 minutes before iftar (the breaking of fast at sunset), can his fast be acceptable? Certainly not. There is a determined time to break the fast.  And although that person stays hungry longer, his fast is not accepted. That is to say, the wisdom that required for fasting is applied (by staying hungry), but because of breaking the fast at a time that Allah does not permit, his fast is not accepted.

Thus, we should look at the all of the decrees and prohibitions in this way. That is to say, we do it because Allah ordered us to do so. Certainly, there may be reasons (wisdom) behind it, too. And these reasons can be searched. It is also knowledge and worship. However, wisdoms and benefits are definitely not the actual reasons, but details.

God Almighty does not need anything; He does not need our worship, either. It is we who need worship. Worship is a kind of remedy for our spiritual wounds. It is the food for our spirit and the remedy for the diseases in our heart. Therefore, the reason why God Almighty orders worship is our own benefit. When a doctor insistently advises some medicines to a patient, he does it for the benefit of the patient not for his own benefit. It is nonsense to say to the doctor, “Why do you insist on this medicine? Why do you need it?”; similarly, it is nonsense and illogical to think, “Why does God Almighty order us to worship? Why does He need it?”

The reason why Allah created the universe is to show the manifestations of his names and attributes and to present the wonderful reflections of those manifestations and these beautiful works of art to the witnessing of His own sacred being and to the comprehension of conscious beings like human beings. 

Man is usually busy with worldly affairs; so, he does not look at those divine wonders and does take lessons from them related to the oneness of the Creator, His endless knowledge, power and wisdom.  One can find the way going to the artist from the art, and to the giver of the bounties from bounties only by getting rid of worldly affairs.  The only means of getting rid of those pursuits is prayer (salah).

Light, air, water, meals, which are the food for our worldly life and biological existence, are necessary; similarly, worship and especially prayer (salah), which is the light of the mind, the air of the heart and the food of the spirit, are necessary for a sane person.

Prayer (salah), which means to repent and to apologize, due to our mistakes, to Allah, who is the pre-eternal and post-eternal sultan of the whole universe, who created us out of nothing, who grants us thousands of bounties, promises the eternal life of Paradise to those who show respect to Him, whom we need at every breath and who is our benefactor, is the expression of respect by man toward his Lord. No mind, heart or conscience can put up with the disrespect toward Lord by not performing prayers.   

Prayer is like an index of worship that contains all of the other pillars of Islam. For instance, a person who performs prayer also performs a kind of hajj by turning toward the qiblah; he performs a kind of fasting by not eating and drinking during the prayer; he gives a kind of zakah by allocating his time, which is his capital of life, to mention the names of Allah. In addition, during the prayer, he performs the worship of the beings in the universe by standing like trees and plants, by bowing down like the four legged creatures and by prostrating like reptiles.

Similarly, some angels worship Allah by standing all the time, some worship by bowing down and others by prostrating all the time. A person who performs prayers fulfills the worship of the angels by trying to do them at certain periods of time; in a sense, he becomes like an angel.

Prayer is an indicator of worship that is the primary fundamental of the religion of Islam. The following is stated in a hadith: “The most distinguishing property between a Muslim and a non-Muslim is prayer (salah).” (Muslim, Iman, 134; Abu Dawud, Sunnah, 15; Tirmidhi, Iman, 9)

Every person that enters the spiritual climate of Islam based on the contract of belief needs to breathe in this air of worship. It is a civic responsibility of citizenship for every person who accepts to be a spiritual citizen of Islam to perform prayers. The spirit, mind and conscience have the right to benefit from this spiritual atmosphere of worship. It is a great cruelty to deprive them of the interaction with their Lord just because the soul does not want it. 

The call to prayer announced five times a day is a call to stand in the presence of Allah and it is like a command to invite the soldiers to muster in the military quarters of the world of the eternal Sultan. A person who does not appear five days on end in the military headquarters is regarded as a fugitive and his military service up to that time goes down the drain; he will have to start military service from scratch.   

Think of the situation of a person who does not appear despite the call of Allah five times a day and runs away!

Prayer is real reunion. It means thanking the real friend who grants us abundant bounties.

Prayer is a stand in silence to the sublime Creator. 

Prayer is a luminous bond that connects the earth with the sky. It is a necessity of the common sense for those who want to attain the brightness of divine peace to clutch at this bond.

Performing prayers in congregation is very important. Prayer in congregation is regarded as one of the magnificent worship ceremonies of Islam. The fact that prayer in congregation is given a lot of importance in Islam shows that this holy religion is a religion of unity and that a constant solidarity is aimed among Muslims.   

Prayer in congregation eliminates the privileges originating from lineage and social classes. No matter what lineage, color and nationality they belong to, all Muslims stand in the same rank when they perform prayers and they turn to the same qiblah, worshipping Allah all together like a single body.

Prayer in congregation is the best means of integrating the community. It is a very good opportunity for believers to find out about one another’s situation. 

If the stones of a building are strong, the building is also strong. Accordingly, if everybody, who is a stone of the building of the society, becomes spiritually and physically sound and strong through the worship of prayer, the building of the society will be sound and strong. The basic condition for this soundness after belief is prayer.

There are a lot of verses and hadiths stating the importance of prayer. A few of them are presented below to give an idea:

“O ye who believe! Seek help with patient perseverance and prayer: for Allah is with those who patiently persevere.” (al-Baqara, 2/153)

In this verse, it is pointed out that it is necessary to learn to be patient and to benefit from the grace of prayer in order to pass the test in the world. In fact, prayer and patience are like the cogwheels of a machine that support each other. To perform prayers five times a day necessitates perseverance. However, a person who performs prayers learns to be patient because he disciplines his life. That is, prayer helps one be patient and patience helps one perform prayers.

“Prayer it is indeed hard, except to those who are humble.” (al-Baqara, 2/45)

In the verse above, it is emphasized that performing prayers is directly proportionate to knowing Allah. It is really difficult for those who are deprived of this knowledge to show long term patience related to performing prayers. 

This old world has seen so many people who said, “I performed prayers for one year; I noticed that it would never end; so, I gave it up.”

“Guard strictly your (habit of) prayers Especially the middle prayer, and stand before Allah in a devout (frame of mind).” (al-Baqara, 2/238)

“Prayer restrains from shameful and unjust deeds.” (al-Ankabut, 29/45)

“The Believers must (eventually) win through, those who humble themselves in their prayers.” (al-Muminun, 23/1-2)

In the meeting of “Alastu bi rabbikum”, which is beyond the boundaries of human mind and which is a secret meeting of the unseen world, everybody said “yes” with their spiritual structures and tongue of wisdom to Allah’s question, “(Am I not your Lord?)  Prayer is a signature that reaffirms the promise given in the unseen world in this world. Prayer is the ascension of the believer.

The word Islam is used in several senses. However, the special name of the religion that was sent to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is also Islam. Therefore, the name of the religion sent to our Prophet and the one sent to Abraham is different. These religions have different names but their main issues are the same. However, there are differences in details.

All prophets, from Adam to Muhammad (pbuh), conveyed the true religion to people. The principles of belief, which are the fundamentals of the religion, always remained the same. However, the issues related to worship and worldly affairs, which we call shari’ah, and some decrees changed based on the necessities of each period and people beginning from Adam to Muhammad (pbuh). God Almighty sent a different shari’ah to every ummah taking into consideration the living styles and interests of the people of each era. The following is stated in verse 48 of the chapter of al-Maida:

“…To each among you have We prescribed a Law and an Open Way...”

For instance, Jews can worship only in synagogues and Christians only in churches; however, we, Muslims, can worship anywhere. The suet of cattle and sheep was forbidden in the shari’ah of Moses but is permissible in our religion.

This issue is stated as follows in Risale-i Nur Collection:

“Sacred Laws change according to the ages. Indeed, in one age different prophets may come, and they have come. Since subsequent to the Seal of the Prophets, his Greater Shari'a is sufficient for all peoples in every age, no need has remained for different Laws. However, in secondary matters, the need for different schools has remained to a degree.” (Sözler (Words), p. 485)

“For very many of these are beneficial at one time yet harmful at another, and very many medicines were efficacious in mankind’s infancy yet ceased being remedies in its youth. This is the reason the Qur’an abrogated some of its secondary pronouncements. That is, it decreed that their time had finished and that the turn had come for other decrees.” (İşarât-ül İ’caz (Signs of Miraculousness), p.50)

Main decrees are the same for all prophets; they do not change and they are not abrogated. For instance, the principles of belief are the same in all heavenly religions, and worship is present in all of them. However, there are some differences in the secondary decrees (details) of worship. There were changes in the decrees like the form and times of the prayer and the direction of the qiblah.

Since the name of the religion for the followers of those books is not mentioned in the divine books except the Quran and since the names Judaism and Christianity were coined afterwards and since the followers of those prophets were called like that afterwards, we think that the meaning of the phrase “the Religion before Allah is Islam (submission to His will)” in the Quran is understood better.

The religion that Hz. Muhammad (pbuh) conveyed to people has decrees peculiar to it but the fact that it is insistently emphasized in the Quran that this book also confirms what the previous prophets brought shows that what they conveyed was generally within the sphere of Islam but, due to divine wisdom, the perfect form of these teachings was attained when Hz. Muhammad (pbuh) was sent as a prophet. Then, the only way to attain the consent of Allah is to believe in all of the things that He sent to us.

Astronomy

* It is not definitely known how the first matter of the universe came into being. It might remain unknown forever. However, there are some theories that can be true and have some grounds. The statements of the Quran regarding the issue are understood better with these theories:

“Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of Creation), before We clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?" (al-Anbiya, 21/30)

“Moreover, He Comprehended in His design the sky, and it had been (as) smoke.”(Fussilat, 41/11)

The general view that is prevalent among astrophysicists is similar to the framework drawn by those verses. 

* There are various signs indicating that the world is round. 

 “He makes the Night overlap the Day, and the Day overlap the Night.”(az-Zumar, 39/ 5)

The word takwir (yukawwiru)  "overlap" mentioned in the verse means to wrap something around something global; for instance wrapping a turban around the head. 

 According to Mahmud as-Sawwaf, there is no definite evidence about whether the world rotates or does not rotate in the Book or the Sunnah. However, there are signs indicating that the world rotates:

“Thou seest the mountains an:d thinkest them firmly fixed: but they shall pass away as the clouds pass away.”(an-Naml, 27/88)

He regards the verse above among the verses indicating that the world rotates.

Physics

As a person ascends to the sky, the amount of oxygen in the air decreases and the air pressure falls one degree at every 100 meters; therefore, shortness of breath, speech and sight disorders, and fainting occur. When one ascends 20 000 meters, he cannot breathe if he does not have a special device; and consequently, he will die. The Quran mentions this fact in the following verse as follows:

“Those whom Allah (in His Plan) willeth to guide,― He openeth their breast to Islam; those whom He willeth to leave straying― He maketh their breast close and constricted as if they had to climb up to the skies.” (al-An’am 125)

Geology

Geology has proved that mountains have the same amount of mass under the ground as over the ground. 

“Have We not made the earth as a wide expanse, And the mountains as pegs?”(an-Naba’, 78/6-7)

In the verse above, the Quran likens mountains to pegs because about half of the tent pegs are pushed into the ground. The following is stated in another verse:

“And the mountains hath Allah firmly fixed.” (an-Naziat, 79/32)

The following verse shows that mountains, which floats in the sea of the atmosphere, maintain the balance of the earth:

“(...) He set on the earth mountains standing firm lest it should shake with you.”(Luqman, 31/10)

It is understood in the science of geology that mountains are an important element of the law of balance called isostasyin this century. In geophysics, there are about 110 great masses of mountains called "hot spots". They are big magma masses (of basalt compound) that fix the crust like rivets; they come from the depths of the earth (mantle), pierce the earth and harden on the surface, preventing the movement of the earth's crust. The coherence between what the verses state and what science, which is like the interpreter of the verses of creation, says is obvious.

Botany

The issue of the fertilization of trees had been known for a long time but the relationship between winds and fertilization was not known until recently. 

”and fruit of every kind Allah made in pairs, two and two.”(ar-Ra’d, 13/3)

After the fact mentioned by the verse above was discovered and it was found out that all plants had male and female elements and that fruits were produced as a result of the male fertilizing the female, it was understood that fertilization and pollination were made possible by winds. 

Genetics

“When thy Lord drew forth from the Children of Adam― from their loins― their descendants, and made them testify concerning themselves, (saying): "Am I not your Lord (who cherishes and sustains you)?"― They said: "Yea! we do testify!" (This), lest ye should say on the Day of Judgment: "of this we were never mindful.”(al-A'raf, 7/172)

While explaining this verse, Sayyid Qutb writes, “The Quran portrays this splendid scene describing a great truth, which is deeply established in human nature. This Quranic description was made fourteen centuries ago, when no human being had any vision of the reality of human creation, apart from myth that had no foundation. Now after all these centuries, human beings have come to know some rudimentary elements of that truth. Today, biological science tells us that genes keep a record for every human being, showing his or her qualities or characteristics when they are still in the loins of their ancestors. These genes, which keep the records of no less than three thousand million human beings, may be pooled together in a space not exceeding one cubic centimeter. Had this fact been stated at that time, it would have been met with derision and incredulity.

Allah, who says,

“Soon will We show them Our Signs in the (furthest) regions (of the earth), and in their own souls until it becomes manifest to them that this is the Truth. Is it not enough that thy Lord doth witness all things?”(Fussilat, 41/ 53)

definitely tells the truth."

Dactyloscopy

This branch of science examines fingerprints. The fingerprints of all human beings are different from one another. When the Quran states that man will be resurrected with all of his details, it points to this fine property:

“Does man think that We cannot assemble his bones? Nay, We are able to put together in perfect order the very tips of his fingers.”(Qiyama, 75/3-4)

Biology

A professor of medicine, who examined the verses of the Quran regarding reproduction, especially verse 5 of the chapter of al-Hajj and verse 12 of the chapter of al-Muminun and compared them to the findings of modern biology, stated that they were completely the same and that what the Quran mentions had not been known before the 19th century anywhere in the world. He ended his words as follows:

“The Quran explains man the facts about reproduction of man that human beings will discover in hundreds of years using a plain style.”

The verses the professor mentions are as follows:

“O mankind! if ye have a doubt about the Resurrection, (consider) that We created you out of dust, then out of sperm then out of a leech-like clot, then out a morsel of flesh, partly formed and partly unformed, in order that We may manifest (Our Power) to you; and We cause whom We will to rest in the wombs for an appointed term, then do We bring you out as babes, then (foster you) that ye may reach your age of full strength; and some of you are called to die, and some are sent back to the feeblest old age, so that they know nothing after having known (much). And (further), thou seest the earth barren and lifeless, but when We pour down rain on it, it is stirred (to life), it swells, and it puts forth every kind of beautiful growth (in pairs).”(al-Hajj, 22/5)

“Man We did create from a quintessence (of clay); Then We placed him as (a drop of) sperm in a place of rest firmly fixed; Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then We made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then We developed out of it another creature: so blessed be Allah, the Best to create!”(al-Muminun, 23/12-14)

Hygiene

With the decrees it introduced in all fields, the Quran enables man to protect his bodily and spiritual health; it also introduced perfect laws of hygiene, which were understood centuries after they were sent down.

The Quran mentions tasattur (covering the body), which is also important in terms of hygiene, wearing clean clothes, having enough rest, good nutrition, avoiding having, rotten and bad food, alcoholic drinks, carcass, blood and pork and the harms of fornication, which is the main cause of venereal diseases.

The Qur’an, the last holy scripture of Allah and His Divine address to all the humankind, was revealed verse by verse and chapter by chapter in 23 years. The Prophet would recite the verses and the chapters that were revealed to him to his companions, and they would memorize them and some would write them down. Apart from that, the Prophet had scribes of revelation. They were especially responsible for writing the revealed verses and the chapters.

The Prophet was informed via the Archangel Gabriel about where the revealed verse and the chapter are to be placed, how they are to be ordered in the Qur’an, and The Prophet would then describe it to the scribes of revelation and get what is necessary done. The entire Qur’an was written in the lifetime of the Prophet and it was established what would be placed where. Moreover, Gabriel would come every Ramadan and would recite to the Prophet the verses and the chapters revealed up to that time from the beginning. In the last Ramadan before the Prophet passed away, Gabriel came again, and this time they recited the Qur’an twice. The first time, Gabriel recited, and the Prophet listened; and the next time, the Prophet recited and Gabriel listened. Thus, the Qur’an took its final form.

However, during the lifetime of the Prophet the Qur’an had not been arranged as a single volume yet. It was scattered among the companions as pages and was memorized by many companions. However, it was clearly and absolutely known what would be placed where.

Finally, out of necessity, at the time of Caliph Abu Bakr, a commission was set from scribes of revelation and vigorous memorizers headed by Zayd bin Thabit. This commission was appointed for the job of gathering the Qur’an as a single volume. Everybody from the companions came and handed in the pages of the Qur’an they had. As a result of the shared work of the memorizers and the scribes of revelation, the pages, chapters and the verses were ordered as described by the Prophet. Thus, the Qur’an was arranged as a single book called Mushaf.

As a result, the Qur’an has been free from being forgotten, lost, distorted or altered, since it was written down exactly as it was revealed to the Prophet.

Upon necessity, at the time of Caliph Uthman ibn Affan more copies were made from this book and were sent to various places. The copies of the Qur’an at the present time come from this Qur’an.

As result of the soundness in its determination, unlike the other Holy Scriptures, the Qur’an was established in its revealed form without any distortion or alteration, and it has come to us by preserving its authenticity for 1400 years. It is obvious that the rhetoric and eloquent style of the Qur’an, its conciseness, the ease of memorizing it, its resemblance to no human discourse, people’s inability to imitate it and to attain its level of eloquence, and the maximum care taken in its preservation played a great role in its authenticity. However, the real reason is that Allah took the Qur’an in His protection and that He promised to maintain it as a miracle until the Doomsday in form and meaning. As a matter of fact the following is stated in the Qur’an:

“Indeed it is We, We Who send down the Reminder in parts, and it is indeed We Who are its Guardian.” (the Qur’an, Al-Hijr, 15:9)

Today, all of the copies of the Qur’an in the world are the same. There is no difference or alteration. Besides, it is in the memory of millions of memorizers and is recited at each instant by millions of people. This quality is not possessed by any other book than the Qur’an, nor even by any of the other Divine scriptures. It is absolutely necessary that the Qur’an, which is Allah’s final scripture, the validity of which extends to the end of time, should possess this unprecedented status.

(Mehmed Dikmen, Islam Ilmihali, Cihan Yayinlari, Istanbul, 1991, pp. 94-97.)

The religion of Islam does not consider polytheists (those associating partners to Allah) and the people of the Book, namely Christians and Jews, as the same. In the Surah of Al-Maidah, Allah (SWT) announces, The food of the People of the Book is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them (Al-Maidah Surah, 3:5). There can be economical and commercial ties with them. The following part of the verse reads that Muslim men can marry chaste women from the people of the Book. Yet a Muslim is not allowed to marry an idolater.

We deem it useful to show these Quranic verses about the people of the Book:

Say: "O People of the Book! Come to common terms as between us and you: that we worship none but Allah; that we associate no partners with Him; that we erect not, from among ourselves, Lords, and patrons other than Allah." (Al-i-Imran Surah, 3:64)

And dispute ye not with the People of the Book, except with means better (than mere disputation), unless it be with those of them who inflict wrong (and injury); but say, "We believe in the Revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down to you; our God and your God is One; and it is to Him we bow (in Islam)." (Al-Ankabut Surah, 29:46)

Strongest among men in enmity to the Believers wilt thou find the Jews and Pagans; and nearest among them in love to the Believers wilt thou find those who say, "We are Christians" (Al-Maidah Surah, 5:82)

The Proofs of the Prophethood of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) in the Distorted Bible.

It is significant that we have named the Bible as “distorted” in the heading. Distorted means falsified and changed. All proofs that we are going to present here are proofs about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that were carefully removed from the Bible and hence distorted. Despite the precise and careful works of the distorting process to remove each verse that informed about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) from the Bible, there remained so many proofs. If there are so many signs for Him (PBUH) in the distorted Bible, then how many signs were there in the authentic Bible that was revealed to the Jesus (AS)? Just think of it!

The distortions that Christians and Jews made in their books especially their removing the verses of news that informed about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) are mentioned in the Qur’an as follows:

“Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands, and then say: "This is from Allah" to traffic with it for a miserable price! Woe to them for what their hands do write and for the gain they make thereby.”(al-Baqara, 2/79)

“O People of the Book! there hath come to you Our Messenger, revealing to you much that ye used to hide in the Book, and passing over much (that is now unnecessary): there hath come to you from Allah a (new) Light and a perspicuous Book.―”(al-Maeda, 5/15)

The Qur’an informs us that Christians covered up a lot of information that was revealed to Jesus (AS). Some portion of this information is the expression in the Bible about the coming of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). In this section, we are going to analyze the expressions about the coming of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that exist in the Bible.

1. Jesus said; “If you love me, you will obey my commandments. Then I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Paraclete to be with you forever —“ (John 14:16,17)

2. Jesus said; “But the Paraclete, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and will cause you to remember everything I said to you.” (John 14: 26)

3. Jesus said; “I have told you now before the Paraclete comes, so that when he comes you may believe.” (John 14: 29)

4. Jesus said; “When the Paraclete comes, whom I will send you from the Father – will testify about me…” (John 15: 26)

5. Jesus said; “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I am going away. For if I do not go away, the Paraclete will not come to you, but if I go, I will send him to you.” (John 16: 7)

6. Jesus said; “… But when the Paraclete comes, he will guide you into all truth. For he will not speak on his own authority, but will speak whatever he hears, and will tell you what is to come.” (John 16: 13)

7. Jesus said; “… The Paraclate will glorify me, because he will receive from me what is mine and will tell it to you.” (John 16: 14)

The original word of the Biblical expression given above as Paraclete and given as good news by the prophet Jesus (PBUH) is “Munhamenna” in Syriac and “Periklytos” in Greek. The equivalent word of it in Arabic is “Ahmad”.

The Greek expression of Periklytos of the Bible, that is, “Ahmad” exists as “Briklitus” in some sources. As “Ahmad” (PBUH) is a name of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), it is expressed by the Qur’an that His name is “Ahmad” in the Bible. (See. Saff, 61/6)

And also all characteristics that were mentioned above are owned only by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Then, it is the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who is mentioned as the awaited person in the Bible and given the good news about.

Besides, the word of “Paraclete” is explained in Biblical interpretations as "the rightful person who will distinguish the truth and falsehood"; that it, is the name of the person who will lead humans to the truth after Jesus (AS). Can anyone other than Hz. Muhammad (PBUH) who performed this duty more than him be shown in this world?

8. Jesus said; “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I am going away. For if I do not go away, the Paraclete will not come to you, but if I go, I will send Him to you.” (John 16: 7)

Who other than Hz. Muhammad (PBUH) exists in this world and gives real consolation to the mankind? Yes, it is the prophet (PBUH) that saves man from eternal execution of death and gives them real consolation.

9. Jesus said; “I shall not speak with you for much longer, for the ruler of the world is coming, and I am nothing compared with him.“ (John 14: 30)

10. Jesus said; “…When he comes, he will give the world convincing evidence concerning its sin, its righteousness, and its judgment.” (John 16:8)

After the Prophet Jesus (AS), who came other than the Prophet Muhammad (PUBH)as the master of the world and distinguished the right from the wrong and showed humans the true path? And who is worthy of having the title of “the ruler of the world” other than him? And which prophet after Hz. Dawud (AS) other than the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) spread his religion from the west to the east and established a tax system in countries and conquered the hearts of sultans and one fifth of the humanity praised him with prayers and glorification every day? Who can other than Hz. Muhammad (PBUH) be shown as a single person who performed them all? So, the expression used for the person after the Jesus (AS) in the Bible as “the ruler of the world” is for the prophet Muhammad (PBUH). His famous title is “the pride of universe”.

11. “The testimony of John the Baptist is as follows; He confessed – he did not deny but confessed – “I am not the Christ!” So they asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not!” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No!”…” (John 1:20-21)

The prophet John (Yahya) is asked three questions and his answers to all of the three questions are negative:

a.Are you the Christ, that is, Jesus?

b.Are you Elijah?

c.Are you that Prophet?

So, three different prophets are mentioned in the Bible of John. They are Jesus (AS), Elijah and the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)!..

What is understood from these expressions is that; “that Prophet” is different from Jesus (AS). So, who is the person that revealed to the people of what he heard from God and that not lived during the time of the Prophet Jesus and mentioned as “that Prophet” other than the Prophet Jesus? Of course; the prophet Muhammad (PBUH). For no other person apart from the Prophet Muhammad can be shown as a second person after Jesus (AS) who performed the duty of the prophethood and gained an important place in history.

12. “Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves. You will recognize them by their fruit. Grapes are not gathered from thorns or figs from thistles, are they? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree is not able to bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree to bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will recognize them by their fruit.” (Matthew 7:15-20)

No part of the Bible says that there is no prophet after Jesus (AS). However, the following criterion is given in order to recognize the ones who claim prophethood:

“Recognize them by their fruit and identify the liar and truthful…”

If there had not been any prophets after Jesus (AS), he could have given a short and decisive answer like this: “There will not be any prophets after me, He who claims prophethood after me, is definitely a liar.” So, the method of Jesus (AS) for identifying the liar and truthful prophet is a proof which is enough for the coming of a new prophet after Jesus.

The coming of a prophet after Jesus (AS) is also enough for the prophethood of the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) because after Jesus (AS), the fruitful result of the forming of societies who believe in God, reliance for God, love for God and quitting of idol worshipping was achieved only with the religion that was brought by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

13. Jesus (AS) comes to Jerusalem. He starts to preach every day. However, prominent figures, oracles and religious figures want to kill him. Jesus (AS) gives them the following message:

“If you do not believe in these truths, God will bestow them on another nation that will believe and live according to them…”

In one of his teachings, he explains the example given below and the truth behind it to the oracles;

The parable of Landowner (Matthew 21:33-46; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19)

“Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a fence around it, dug a pit for its winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went on a journey. When the harvest time was near, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his portion of the crop. But the tenants seized his slaves, beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other slaves, more than the first, and they treated them the same way. Finally he sent his son to them,  saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and get his inheritance!’ So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. Now when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”

They replied to Jesus as follows:

“He will utterly destroy those evil men! Then he will lease the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his portion at the harvest.”

Jesus asked them:

“Have you never read in the scriptures? “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes!” For this reason, I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, and the one on whom it falls will be crushed.” (Matthew 21:43)

When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them.

They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, because the crowds regarded him as a prophet.

“…For this reason I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit…”

“The Stone”stated in those sentences are definitely the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the people who will be given the property of God are the ummah (community) of Islam… The efforts of interpreting “the stone” as Jesus (AS) by Christian scholars are in vain.

a.It is certainly understood from the sentence that the person explained with the imagery of stone will be different from Jesus (AS) who is claimed as the son of God. (God forbid).

b.According to their claim, Jesus (AS) was killed by Jews. Is not appropriate to ask what is the point of falling of the stone on them as the one on whom it falls will be crushed?

c. Jesus (AS) said in the Bible of John, 12:47; “If anyone hears my words and does not obey them, I do not judge him. For I have not come to judge the world, but to save the world…” as this is against the function being a “stone” as explained above because according to the expression of the Bible, the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, and the one on whom it falls will be crushed.”

d.In Psalms, it is stated that it was astonishing that the stone became the cornerstone with the expression, “… and it is marvelous in our eyes.” According to the claim of Christians, David (AS) respected Jesus (AS) so much that –God forbid- he used to think that Jesus is God. So why does he find it astonishing that Jesus is the cornerstone? So, this person must be different from Jesus (AS) and his prophethood must be regarded astonishing. The reality behind this is as follows: Since the Sons of Israelites were not born from Hz. Hajar and do not come from this family, they see the Sons of Ishmael as equivalent with themselves and actually no appearance of any prophets from the family of Ishmael (AS) may be the cause of their bewilderment.

e.The prophet Muhammad (PBUH) whose trueness and rightness is proved by certain proofs, expressed in the following hadith that the stone was himself:

“The simile of the prophets before me and me is like a mansion which is made so beautiful but a stone of it is missing. The people who look at it are amazed with its beauty; however, they wonder about the missing stone. Here that mansion is completed with me and the prophethood end with me.” (1)

14. In the Bible, it is mentioned about the prophet that will come and that will become the master of the universe as “the one who has got Sayf and staff.” (2) The Arabic word of Sayf here means sword. So, the prophet has a duty of Jihad. So, this person cannot be Jesus (AS) because he was not appointed to make Jihad and He did not fight in a war. “The owner of sword” can only be the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). For the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and His ummah was appointed  to make Jihad. Besides, the Prophet Muhammad has a staff and he used to carry a staff with him.

15. And again, the prophet that will come in the future is mentioned as “Sahib-ut Taj” (the owner of crown). (3) This is also peculiar to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Taj means turban that is wrapped around the head. In ancient times, the people who used to wear turban (head dress) among nations were Arabs. So ‘Sahib-ut Taj’ mentioned in the Bible certainly means Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

QESTION:Why is it that while the other prophets foretell the coming of Muhammad (PBUH), Jesus (PUH) does so more fully and in the form of good news?

THE ANSWER:Because Ahmad (PBUH) defended Jesus (PBUH) against the terrible denials and slanders of the Jews, and saved his religion from corruption. Furthermore, in the face of the burdensome Shari‘a of the Children of Israel, who did not recognize Jesus, he came with an elevated Shari‘a which was easy, all-encompassing, and completed the deficiencies of Jesus’ Shari‘a. For these reasons, Jesus often gave the good news that "the Ruler of the World" will come!

[1]Sahihu’l-Bukhari, IV, 162- 163
[2]Nabhani, Hujjatullah ala’l-Alamin, 99, 114.
[3] Nabhani, Hujjatullah ala’l-Alamin, 113,114; Ali al-Qari, Sharhu’sh-Shifa, 1:739.

The Proofs of the Prophethood of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) in the Distorted Torah.

The Qur’ansays that Jews distorted the book of their religion, the Torah, by changing the places of its words and their meaning. That is why the signs about the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) were aimed to be distorted and changed by Jews. The People of the Book, who distorted the actual meanings of the words, made it difficult to understand the signs of explanations for the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

The verses that indicate the issue from the Qur’an are as follows:

“Of the Jews there are those who displace words from their (right) places and say: "We hear and we disobey…”(an-Nisa, 4/46)

“They change the words from their (right) times and places; they say "If ye are given this, take it, but if not, beware…” (al-Maeda, 5/41)

Now we are going to look at the expressions of the Torah that indicate the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH):

1. This is what the Lord Almighty says: “In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land… And I will shake all nations, and the Himada of all the nations will come; and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts.” (The Old Testament Haggai 2:6-7)

The good news of his coming and the word of "Himada" in the original text of the Torah come from the same root of the name Muhammad in Arabic and the letters of the wordsAhmad as “Ha, Mim and Dal” and they usually have the same meaning. So, the word which gives the meaning of the name of the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is mentioned with a magnificent event that will take place in the future according to the expression of the verse.

So, what can be more magnificent than the coming of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who spread the existence of God to billions after the Old Testament? So this verse of the Torah informs about the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Islam’s triumph over all world states, which is a magnificent and glorious event.

2.Part 42 of Isaiah of the Old Testament virtually informs about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his coming… Let us first read the related part of the Old Testament and then analyze these expressions, which are present in the Torah:

“Here is my servant whom I support, my chosen one in whom I take pleasure. I have placed my spirit on him; he will make just decrees for the nations. He will not cry out or shout; he will not publicize himself in the streets. A crushed reed he will not break, a dim wick he will not extinguish; he will faithfully make just decrees. He will not grow dim or be crushed before establishing justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait in anticipation for his decrees.” This is what the true God, the Lord, says – the one who created the sky and stretched it out, the one who fashioned the earth and everything that lives on it, the one who gives breath to the people on it, and life to those who live on it: “I, the Lord, officially commission you; I take hold of your hand. I protect you and make you a covenant mediator for people, and a light to the nations, to open blind eyes, to release prisoners from dungeons, those who live in darkness from prisons. The Lord Intervenes I am the Lord! That is my name! I will not share my glory with anyone else, or the praise due me with idols. Look, my earlier predictive oracles have come to pass; now I announce new events. Before they begin to occur, I reveal them to you.” Sing to the Lord a brand new song! Praise him from the horizon of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and everything that lives in it, you coastlands and those who live there! Let the desert and its cities shout out, the towns where the nomads of Kedar live! Let the residents of Sela shout joyfully; let them shout loudly from the mountaintops.”

There is a great conformity between the expressions that are present in Isaiah of the Old Testament part 42, and the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The expression of these future events is also very important. So, this good news was not revealed in the time of Moses (AS) or much before. This will come true in the future… The good news stated here is the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and let us see this by analyzing the expressions one by one:

a. “Here is my servant whom I support, my chosen one in whom I take pleasure. I have placed my spirit on him; he will make just decrees for the nations.” (The Old Testament 42:1)

This sentence of the Old Testament totally indicates the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). For God supported him, had consent for him and selected him among humans. Besides, God sent Him Gabriel (AS) (the Archangel) and exposed justice among nations with him. So, five qualities of the person that was given the good news in the expression exist in him. This sentence of the Torah totally gives the good news of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) with all of its words.

b. “He will not cry out or shout; he will not publicize himself in the streets. A crushed reed he will not break, a dim wick he will not extinguish; he will faithfully make just decrees…” (The Old Testament 42:2-3)

These expressions, which are present in the Torah, inform about the high ethics of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). While the Qur’an expresses this characteristic of the prophet Muhammad with “And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character” (1), the Torah informs this as given above. So, the person about whom the good news given will have high ethics. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has such high ethics with the approval of everyone.

c. “He will not grow dim or be crushed before establishing justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait in anticipation for his decrees…” (The Old Testament 42:4)

This expression of the Torah also informs about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). For the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) ruled the earth while he was still alive and secured the justice. And he never lost his courage. Even when the verse has revealed to him, “Allah will defend thee from men (who mean mischief)” (2), he sent the guards who were waiting in front of his tent away and told them; “Now Allah will defend me, you don’t need to wait here.” (3) The people and nations who were almost tortured with oppression waited for this person. So, this expression informs about the courage of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), his securing of the justice and the waiting of the people of coastland; for this reason, it indicated and even defined the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

d. “I, the Lord, officially commission you; I take hold of your hand. I protect you and make you a covenant mediator for people, and a light to the nations…”(The Old Testament 42:6)

The person about whom the good news was given by the Torah was said to be protected by God and for this reason, in most difficult situations and even at times when surviving is almost impossible, he was protected and reached safety as recorded in history. Even during migration, when the possibility of being captured by the polytheists was close at hand at the cave where they sheltered and while his loyal friend, Abu Bakr (RA), was weeping for him, he informed the existence of this divine protection to his loyal friend with solidity by saying “Do not fear, God is with us.” (4) In every phase of the Prophet’s (PBUH) life, this divine protection is seen. Those who know the life of the Prophet will understand this better.

Besides, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) made people get on well with one another. Blood feuds came to an end  and enemies became loyal friends thanks to him … and again nations found the true path thanks to him and virtually became a source of light. So, the person about whom the good news was given has three qualities in the Torah: I. God protects him, II. He will get on well with people, III. He will become a guide for nations; they are the qualities which are known by everyone.

e. “to open blind eyes, to release prisoners from dungeons, those who live in darkness from prisons…” (The Old Testament 42:7)

This expression of the Torah informs about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) too. For blunt hearts and ill minds were healed thanks to him. With the help of him, souls are freed from the captivity of the evil and those who live in the darkness of polytheism reached the light of tawhid (the oneness of God).

f. “I am the Lord! That is my name! I will not share my glory with anyone else, or the praise due me with idols…” (The Old Testament 42:8)

This expression of the Torah is significant. For, with this verse, God informs that the person about whom He gave the good news would destroy polytheism. The biggest struggle of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was against the polytheists and when He conquered the city of Mecca, the first thing he did was to destroy idols.

Besides, in this verse, God says, “He will not allow praising for idols” The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) performed this task and with the expression “Alhamdulillah”, he informed that all praises are made for God. So the person about whom the good news is given is the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) because the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) successfully accomplished the duty of the person about whom the good news was given.

g. “Let the desert and its cities shout out, the towns where the nomads of Kedar live! Let the residents of Sela shout joyfully; let them shout loudly from the mountaintops.” (The Old Testament 42:11)

This expression of the Torah informs about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) too. Since, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was a member of the community that was coming from the descendants of Kadar, who was the son of Ishmael (PBUH), the son of Abraham (AS). So this expression indicates the ancestors of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

In short,these parts of the Old Testament have a complete conformity with the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Besides, in the continuation of this part of the Old Testament, verse 17, the humiliation of polytheists is significant because this humiliation was performed by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Yes, with a more detailed analysis, one may find many more signs in the Old Testament. So, as many sciences from embryology to astronomy, from geology to archeology approve what the Qur’an says, the signs of the Old Testament approve his (PBUH) prophethood.

3. “I will raise up a prophet like you for them from among their fellow Israelites. I will put my words in his mouth and he will speak to them whatever I command.” (The Old Testament, the Book of Deuteronomy, 18:18)

4. “Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must obey him in everything he tells you. Every person who does not obey that prophet will be destroyed and thus removed from the people.’ And all the prophets, from Samuel and those who followed him, have spoken about and announced these days.” (The New Testament, Acts 3:22)

Now let us analyze these two sentences taken from the Bible:

a.The addressing of Hz. Moses (AS) as “your brothers” to the sons of Israelites, who were coming from the race of Ishaq (AS), who was the son of Hz. Abraham (AS), is sign for the descendants of Hz. Ishmael (AS) who was the brother of Hz. Ishaq (AS), that is, for the sons of Ishmael. The prophet who came from the sons of Ishmael can only be the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) because only the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) came from the race of Ishmael. Hz. Joshua (AS) and Jesus (AS) did not come from the descendants of Hz. Ishmael race but from the sons of Israelites.

b.By saying “a prophet like me”, Hz. Moses (AS) implied the prophet Muhammad (PBUH). For it is the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who resembles to Hz. Moses by up to twenty qualities such as jihad, the laws and rules that he imposed, the punishments he established and his community’s obedience to him… but not Hz. Joshua or Jesus (AS).

c.The expression in the verse, “I will put my words in his mouth” is an implication for the illiteracy of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and though he did not know how to read and write, he memorized the word of God easily and read it to people. This news came true as exactly as it had been said.

And we want to point out to an expression that is present in the verses 18 and 19 of The Old Testament, the Book of Deuteronomy: In these sentences, it is emphasized “that prophet speaks with Lord’s name”. One of the most important characteristics of the Qur’an that was revealed to the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is that, 113 surahs of 114 starts with “Basmala” that is “B-ismi-llahi r-rahmani r-rahim” ("In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful"). Besides, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) started reading the verses of the Quran and everything with Basmala and advised his ummah to do so. Thus, the person about whom the good news was given in the Old Testament and was informed that he would start with God’s name is the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

5. “The Lord came from Sinai and revealed himself to Israel from Seir. He appeared in splendor from Mount Paran, and came forth with ten thousand holy ones. With his right hand he gave a fiery law to them.” (The Old Testament, the Book of Deuteronomy, 33:2)

a.In this expression of the Torah:“coming from Sinai” is a sign for Hz. Moses (AS) and the revelation of divine commandments to him; on the other hand, “revealing from Seir” is a sign for Jesus (AS) and the revelation of Bible to him, and finally “the splendor at Mount Paran” is a sign for the Prophet Muhammad’s appearance in Mecca. Since Paran is pronounced as Faran in Arabic language and Faran is one of the old names of Mecca.

Besides, the sentences that Hz. Ishmael resides in the desert of Paran in Genesis in the Old Testament are also proof for this. For Hz. Ishmael (AS) used to reside in Mecca. So, Paran is Mecca with the sign of the Old Testament. With the expression of the Torahi, God informs that “this splendor is at Mount Paran”. Who can be this splendor other than the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)?

b.What is meant with holy ones in the expression given as “came forth with ten thousand holy ones” is Prophet Muhammad’s Ahl al-Bayt and his Companions. In a very short time, this holy community reached up to ten thousands even hundreds of thousands.

c.The expression “The fiery law on the right” stands for jihad and it is a sign that future prophets have a duty of Jihad. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his community are responsible for jihad; so, the person indicated in the related expression proves that this person is the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). So, this expression of the Torah informs about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) with triple signs.

6. But God said to Abraham, “Do not be upset about “the boy or your slave wife.” Do all that Sarah is telling you because through Isaac your descendants will be counted. But I will also make the son of the slave wife into a great nation, for he is your descendant too.” Early in the morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He put them on her shoulders, gave her the child, and sent her away. So she went wandering aimlessly through the wilderness of Beer Sheba. When the water in the skin was gone, she shoved the child under one of the shrubs. Then she went and sat down by herself across from him at quite a distance, about a bowshot away; for she thought, “I refuse to watch the child die.”So she sat across from him and wept uncontrollably. But God heard the boy’s voice.”

“The angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and asked her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Don’t be afraid, for God has heard the boy’s voice right where he is crying. Get up! Help the boy up and hold him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”Then God enabled Hagar to see a well of water. She went over and filled the skin with water, and then gave the boy a drink. God was with the boy as he grew. He lived in the wilderness and became an archer. He lived in the wilderness of Paran. His mother found a wife for him from the land of Egypt.” (Genesis 21, 12-21)

In this part of the Torah, it is informed that a nation will be created from Hz. Hagar’s son. This nation is the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the ummah of Islam. For no other prophets came from the descendants of Hz. Ishmael except the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

7. “Verily God told Abraham that Hagar -the mother of Isma‘il- will bear children. There will emerge from her sons one whose hand will be above all, and the hands of all will be opened to him in reverence.” (The Old Testament, Genesis, 17)

These expressions of the Torah also informs about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). As we have explained before, no other known and famous prophets came from the descendants of Ishmael (AS), who was the son of Hagar except the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

8. “Moses said: “O Lord! Verily I have found in the Torah the best of Communities that will emerge for the benefit of humanity, that will enjoin good and forbid wrong, and that will believe in God. Let it be my Community!” God said: “That is the Community of Muhammad…” (The Old Testament, Isaiah, 42)

The nameMuhammad is mentioned as Mushaffah, Munhamanna, and Himyata, in the form of Assyrian names in Hebrew, in the heavenly books. The name Muhammad in its original form was present only in a few places. And those few occurrences were distorted by Jews. Besides, the sentences that Moses made to describe the community he saw in the Torah are very interesting.

When Moses described that community, he said, “They are the best of peoples, evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing in Allah.” The same words are used in verse 110 of the chapter of Aal-i Imran in the Quran:

“Ye are the best of peoples, evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing in Allah”

As it is seen, there is a complete conformity between the expression of Moses in the Torah and in the Quran. This conformity proves that the community that Moses saw was the ummah of Muhammad.

9. “In the last days the mountain of the Lord's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; Many nations will come and walk in the name of the Lord our God… (Old Testament, Micah 4 verses 1, 2, 5)

That sentence of the Torah describes clearly the holiest mountain among the mountains, and the takbirs and worshipping of hajjis coming from all over the world; that is, “ummah of Muhammad” known as “ummah given mercy”

10.The Old Testament, Daniel, chapter 2: In this chapter, Nebuchadnezzar, who subverted the state of Assyria, who made the city of Babylon a center and who reigned for forty-three years, the dream he saw and Daniel, who interpreted his dream are mentioned. The summary of the story is as follows:

Daniel, who was in the prison of cruel Nebuchadnezzar, told the king about his dream before Nebuchadnezzar told Daniel about his dream. The king confirmed what he said in astonishment and said, “This was the dream, and now interpret it to me.” Daniel said:

“That sculpture is the dominion in the world. You are the head of it.  After you, another kingdom will rise; it is represented by silver since it is inferior to yours. Then, two more kingdoms will come and will enlarge. Another kingdom of iron will crush and break all the others. Then, it will be replaced by many kingdoms, some of which are strong and some weak; iron and clay cannot be mixed; similarly those kingdoms will not come together and unite. Then, God will demolish those kingdoms and will send a real sultan whose sultanate will continue till Doomsday; that holy person will lead people to bliss in the world an in the hereafter. This is the meaning of the enlargement of the rock that fell from the sky in your dream and broke the idol into pieces.“

Those sentences of the Torah, through which the dream that Daniel interpreted is narrated, inform us about a holy person who will continue living until Doomsday with the religion that he will bring. There is no doubt that that person is our Prophet (pbuh). For the Prophet (pbuh) broke the idols into pieces and conquered the world with his material sultanate and the hearts with his spiritual sultanate.

[1] al-Qalam, 68/4.
[2] al-Maida, 5/67.
[3] Tirmidhi, Tafsîr, 5/6.
[4] Abu Nuaym, Dalail, Vol. 2,p. 328
 

The Proofs of the Prophethood of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) in the Distorted Psalms.

The Psalms, which is the second one of the divine books, is mentioned in three different verses of the glorious Qur’an. These verses are as follows:

“We have sent thee inspiration as We sent it to Noah and the Messengers after him; We sent inspiration to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes to Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon, and to David, We gave the Psalms.” (An-Nisa, 4/163)

“And it is your Lord that knoweth best all beings that are in the heavens and on earth: We did bestow on some Prophets more (and other) gifts than on others: and We gave to David (the gift of) the Psalms.” (Al-Isra, 17/55)

“Before this We wrote in the Psalms, after the Message (given to Moses): My servants, the Righteous shall inherit the earth.” (Al-Anbiya, 21/105)

The first two of these verses inform that the Psalms, which is one of the four of divine books, was given to David (AS) and the third verse informs that Psalms was sent after the Torah…

Now, we are going to look at the parts of the Psalms, where there are signs for the prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

1. “You are the most excellent of the sons of men. Grace has anointed your lips, therefore God has blessed you forever. Strap your sword on your thigh, mighty one: your splendor and your majesty. In your majesty ride on victoriously on behalf of truth, humility, and righteousness. Let your right hand display awesome deeds. Your arrows are sharp. The nations fall under you, with arrows in the heart of the king’s enemies. Your throne, God, is forever and ever. A scepter of equity is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness, and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows…” (The Psalms, 45:2-7)

Now, let us see how these expressions of Psalms explicitly refer to the prophet Muhammad (PBUH):

a. “You are the most excellent of the sons of men…”

The apparent beauties of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that assembled on his blessed body and which also point to his esoteric beauties do not exist in anyone. Furthermore, Imam Qurtubi relates that the beauty of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) did not appear completely. If his apparent beauty had completely been visible, the Companions could not have had the strength to look at him. (1)

Jabir bin Samura (RA) narrates; “I saw the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who was the sun of the universe in a moonlit night. He was wearing a red mantle. I began to look at his shining face and the moon to decide which one has more beauty. I swear by God that the holiness face of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who was near me, was more beautiful than the moon.” (2)

Hz. Aisha (RA) describes the beauty of the prophet (PBUH) with the following words: The women who saw the beauty of Hz. Joseph (AS) cut their fingers by losing themselves; if they had seen the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), they would have cut their arms.”

b. “Strap your sword on your thigh…”

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) says the following in one of his Hadiths: “I have been sent with sword in a period close to doomsday…” (3) This verse of Psalms also shows that the Prophet who will come is called “Sahib as-Saif”; that is, he will be the owner of sword and responsible for jihad. And his ummah is also called Sahib as-Saif; that is, they will be responsible for jihad. This news of Psalms can be seen in the Prophet’s life (PBUH) and in his community in the strict sense.

c. “On behalf of truth, humility, and righteousness. Let your right hand display awesome deeds.”

This sentence of Psalms also mentions about the justice of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). In fact, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was the most judicious one of humanity. The following  is narrated: A woman from Mahzumi tribe committed a theft. Quraishis did not want this woman, who came from an honorable tribe to be punished. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) loved Usama bin Zayd very much. They knew that the prophet would not hurt his feelings. For this reason, they requested the prophet not to punish this woman by putting Usama as an intermediary. The prophet (PBUH) said to Usama as follows:

“The sons of Israelites were destroyed just because they took sides. They used to punish the poor very severely but they did not punish the rich and influential ones. I swear by God that if my own daughter Fatima committed this crime, I would punish her in the same way.” (4)

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) did not make any religious discrimination when he made legal decisions. If a Jew was the rightful side, He gave the Jew His due by taking it from the Muslim. Sirah books are full of stories about the Prophet’s unique justice.

c. “Your arrows are sharp. The nations fall under you, with arrows in the heart of the king’s enemies…”

The truth of this news of Psalms is also seen in Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) life. For Persia, Byzantium, India, China and lots of countries were conquered and the majority of their folks were converted and became the ummah of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). And this expression of Psalms is stated in the verses of the Qur’an as follows:

“What Allah has bestowed on His Messenger (and taken away) from the people of the townships belongs to Allah to His Messenger and to kindred and orphans, the needy and the wayfarer; in order that it may not (merely) make a circuit between the wealth among you. So take what the Messenger assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you. And fear Allah; for Allah is strict in Punishment.” (Al-Hashr, 59/7)

d. “You have loved righteousness, and hated wickedness.”

This sentence informs about the two attributes of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as these attributes are expressed in the Qur’an as follows:

“Ye are the best of peoples, evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing in Allah. If only the People of the Book had faith it were best for them; among them are some who have faith, but most of them are perverted transgressors.” (Aal-e-Imran, 3/110)

2. “Your sons will take the place of your fathers. You shall make them princes in all the earth. I will make your name to be remembered in all generations. Therefore the peoples shall give you thanks forever and ever.” (The Psalms 45:16-17)

These sentences of Psalms are also about the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) because, although 1400 years have passed since the death of the prophet Muhammad (PBUH), believers have been reciting salawats by saying “Salli 'ala Muhammadin wa 'ala ali Muhammad…” especially after five daily prayers through the ages. So is there anyone whose name is mentioned as much as the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) on earth? Of course not. So, is it possible that the person who is mentioned in Psalms is not the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)?

3. “He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, from the River to the ends of the earth. Those who dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him. His enemies shall lick the dust. The kings of Tarshish and of the islands will bring tribute. The kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yes, all kings shall fall down before him. All nations shall serve him. For he will deliver the needy when he cries; the poor, who has no helper. He will have pity on the poor and needy. He will save the souls of the needy. He will redeem their soul from oppression and violence. Their blood will be precious in his sight. They shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba. Men shall pray for him continually. They shall bless him all day long. Abundance of grain shall be throughout the land. Its fruit sways like Lebanon. Let it flourish, thriving like the grass of the field. His name endures forever. His name continues as long as the sun. Men shall be blessed by him. All nations will call him blessed. Blessed be his glorious name forever! Let the whole earth be filled with his glory!” (The Psalms 72, 2-19 summary)

Anyone who listens to those sentences of the Psalms will approve that they describe the Prophet (pbuh). All of the attributes mentioned in those verses of the Psalms are present in the Prophet (pbuh).

Up to this part of our study, we have studied some of the parts of the distorted Gospel, Torah and Psalms that indicated the Prophet (pbuh). We have proved with the certainty of two plus two equaling four that the heavenly books mention Muhammad (pbuh) and give glad tidings that he will arrive. Although those heavenly books were distorted so much and especially the verses related to the Prophet (pbuh) were tried to be changed and removed, Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) shines brightly in the present heavenly books like the sun.

[1] Peygamberimizin Şemaili, Prof.Dr. Ali Yardım, Damla Yayınları.
[2] Darimi, Muqaddima, 10.
[3] Tirmidhi Vol. 3 p. 213; Ahmad bin Hanbal V/218.
[4] Bukhari, Anbiya 54, Hudud 12; Muslim, Hudud 8, 9.

The following verse forbids racism:

“O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).”(Surah Al-Hujuraat, 13)

In the same surah, the following is stated:

“The Believers are but a single Brotherhood: So make peace and reconciliation between your two (contending) brothers.”

As it is understood from the verses above, God regards only believers as brothers not people of other nations. According to Islam, a person who is not a believer cannot be the heir of his believing father. When there is no belief, worldly, organic and racial relations lose their importance.

The apostle of God (PBUH), who said, “No man is a true believer unless he wants for his brother that which he wants for himself”, guides us about how this verse has a reflection on our realm of deed and emotion.

What should be done when hatred and enmity occur between believers though they are supposed to love each other? The continuation of the verse orders the following: “make peace and reconciliation between your two (contending) brothers.” Let their hostility turn into friendship, love and brotherhood.

Yes, according to the decree of the Qur’an, all believers are brothers of one another. They are a family. On one line. The people who cause separation between them are considered to have worked for enemies knowingly or unknowingly. 

A divine lesson from the surah of Hud: In the event of Noah’s flood, when Noah said, “O God! My son is also from my family. (my breed)” O Noah, he is not from your family (breed).” So a person’s unbeliever and rebellious son is not considered from his breed. Then, an unbeliever from his race cannot be his friend or brother. Here is a related verse from God where there is no room for intentional misinterpretation:

“O ye who believe! Take not for protectors your fathers and your brothers if they love infidelity above faith: if any of you do so they do wrong.” (Surah at-Taubah, 23)

This verse is another explanation of the verse, “The Believers are but a single Brotherhood” in which there is a fine and deep consciousness.

Your father or brother who does not believe is not your friend.

Those who befriend them are considered to have disobeyed the truth and oppressed.

He is considered to have used his sense of love, which is given to him by God as a gift, in the wrong place and oppressed…

He/she caused himself/herself to be put into Hell with his/her wrong decision. He/she has suppressed his/her soul.

By doing so, the unbeliever has a better place than a believer in his/her heart and he/she has become an oppressor with his/her great injustice. 

Allah who is “Malik Yawm  ad-Deen” (The Owner of the Day of ad-Deen) states the following: “The Day whereon neither wealth nor sons will avail. But only he (will prosper) that brings to Allah a sound heart..” (Surah ash-Shuara, 88-89)

Is the relation between the son and father not the first step and the most advanced level of racial closeness? This verse informs us that this closeness will have no value at all on the Day of Judgment. So what value does racism have at this point? On that day, no property or the number of sons of any person will have any value at all.

On that day, the only valid thing will be the Submitted Soul. The pure heart of a person which is submitted to and become the slave of his Creator’s orders. A soul who does not tied his affection to anything but Him. This soul is precious no matter who owns it. And Paradise is the place where the reward is given to the submitted souls. Every believer will be given a position according to his/her ihklas (sincerity), deeds, morals and ambition there. All positions exist there according to these values. There are no separate positions for races in that place.

- What we need to do as Muslims is to surrender to and to obey the orders of Allah and His Messenger.

- It is known that in the modern legal system, fornication is not a crime. Is it possible for a sane person who has the concept of honor, whether he is a believer or not, to tolerate that fornication is not a crime when it is related to his/her relatives?

- We should state it clearly that decrees like stoning in Islam are severe deterring penalties. One of the common purposes of the humanity and all heavenly religions is to ensure the continuation of the generation. Fornication is a mean and illegitimate way that degenerates and confuses generations in terms of various legal and human criteria. Fornication is a severe crime and an attractive mechanism of committing crimes for naughty souls. We cannot expect Islam, which is a universal religion, not to take a deterrent measure to prevent such a mean crime.   

- Along with this deterrent measure, it is remarkable that four witnesses are necessary for the determination of the crime of fornication because it is almost impossible for four witnesses to see two people committing fornication. Furthermore, if a person who says he has seen two people committing fornication is not confirmed by three more people, he is given eighty lashes. It means nobody should speak about it recklessly.

As a matter of fact, almost all of the incidents of stoning that took place during the time of the Prophet were applied as a result of the confession of the criminals in order to get rid of the guilty conscience. In fact, the Prophet (pbuh) pretended not to hear the confessors in order to protect them from being stoned; he tried all means like investigating whether the confessor was sane or not, whether it was really fornication or preliminary deeds, etc; however, he had to apply the punishment when they confessed insistently.

- The decree of the Quran regarding the amputation of the hand of the thief is, so to speak, a contemporary decree because there were no age in which there were so many thieves, bandits, snatchers, muggers, etc. Everybody except thieves agrees that the superficial penalties for theft are not deterrent at all.    

- The number of the cases of the amputation of the hand in the first three centuries of the Islamic history, when this punishment was applied fairly, was only six. (Ismail al-Fahrani, “ash-Shariatu bayna’s-salihin wa’l-Murjifin” al-Ahram, 17 January, 2011)

At the moment, in every city of the world, at least one or more heads, not hands, are cut off, property owners are killed cruelly along with money and goods that are stolen due to these crimes. This age needs more than all of the other ages to stop this crime through a deterrent deed.  

-It is necessary to listen to the following determination of Badiuzzaman Said Nursi:

“One time in the desert, a man was the guest of a nomad who was one of the people of reality. He saw that the desert-dwellers did not concern themselves with guarding their belongings. His host had even left some money openly in the corner of the room.

The guest asked him, “Aren’t you frightened of thieves, just throwing your belongings in the corner like that?”

His host answered, “We do not have any thieves here.”

The guest said, “We put our money in safes and lock them, but it is still frequently stolen.”

His host told him, “We cut off the hands of thieves as a Divine command and on account of the justice of the Shari‘a.”

Whereupon the guest exclaimed, “Then most of you must be lacking a hand!”

His host told him: “I am fifty years old, and yet in my whole life I have only seen one person.”

To sum up:When the punishments are carried out in the name of the Divine commands and dominical justice, both the spirit, and the intellect, and the conscience, and man’s innate subtle faculties are affected and influenced. It is for this reason that the execution of a punishment once in fifty years is more effective than your imprisoning numerous people every day...” (Badiuzzaman Said Nursi, Hutbe-i Şâmiye (Damascus Sermon), Envar, p. 75-78)

We can say to our brothers who convey these questions to us but not to those who ask questions by objecting the following: The decrees imposed by Allah are reflections of His endless knowledge and wisdom. In principle, every decree has an added value on its own. No divine decree can be sacrificed for another one unless there is a necessity.

For instance, the existence of war does not render alcohol and pork halal. The person who objects to it should know that when he drinks alcohol at home, war will not end and peace will not be attained. If he thinks so due to humanistic reasons, it is contrary to humanism and conscience to drink alcohol at tables by enjoying oneself while a lot of people die in wars.   

Similarly, when people are killed in wars, does consuming pork contribute to peace? 

Besides, Allah has dealt and is dealing with wars. Yes, Allah orders us not to fight and make peace through the Quran and His Messenger.

Here are some of those verses:

“O ye who believe! Enter into Islam whole-heartedly; and follow not the footsteps of the Evil One; for he is to you an avowed enemy.” (al-Baqara, 2/208)

“Therefore if they (the unbelievers who are your enemies) withdraw from you but fight you, not and (instead) send you (guarantees of) peace, then Allah hath opened no way for you (to war against them).” (an-Nisa, 4/90)

“On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if anyone slew a person―unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land― it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if anyone saved a life it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people. Then although there came to them Our Messengers with clear Signs, yet even after that many of them continued to commit excesses in the land.” (al-Maida, 5/32)

The verse that allowed Muslims to fight for the first time about 15 years after the first revelation is the following one: “To those against whom war is made, permission is given (to fight) because they are wronged― and verily, Allah is Most powerful for their aid.” (al-Hajj, 22/39)

The believers were maltreated and tortured a lot by the unbelievers for 15 years: 13 years in Makkah and 2 years in Madinah. However, they were not allowed to fight because Islam is a religion of peace. The world Islam is derived from the word silm, which means peace. Therefore, when Allah allowed the Muslims to fight for the first time, He used mild words not extreme ones. For instance:  

a. Instead of an extreme expression like "fight at once", the phrase, "permission is given to fight" is used at the beginning of the verse. The expression" permission is given to fight" instead of "fight is ordered" is really a compassionate and mild expression. 

b. Similarly, the fact that a passive expression like "permission is given to fight" is used instead of an active expression like “I permit you to fight”, aims to indicate that war is something that is not desired in Islam unless there is a necessity.    

c. The Muslims were not allowed to fight when they wanted to fight but the permission was given on the condition that a war would be declared against them, which is clear evidence that war is not the real aim in Islam. The expression “permission is given (to fight) because they are wronged” in the related verse is an indication of this fact.  

d. Moreover, the fact that the reason for the permission to fight is expressed as “because they are wronged” in the verse indicates that Muslims cannot declare war against the enemies without any reason - with imperialistic thoughts.

The first war after this permission is the Battle of Badr. The polytheists came to Makkah from Madinah and reached the place called Badr near Madinah; the expression "Allah is Most powerful for their aid", which is the last part of the verse mentioned above and which is a gleam of a miracle giving news about the future clearly expresses that the unbelievers would be defeated by the believers; and they were defeated.  

If what is meant by the question “Why does Allah not deal with war” is “Why does Allah not stop wars?”, the answer to this question is very simple:

Allah created this world as a place of testing and He tests people in this place. He gave people a free will that they could use as they wished and power that they could use freely so that a fair test would take place. Everybody is tested equally so that there will be winners and the losers of this test.

Therefore, Allah does not prevent those who want to do good deeds and those who want to do bad deeds. Otherwise, He could have punished those who drink alcohol by removing their minds and reducing them to the level of animals and could have transformed those who eat pork into pigs. He would have eliminated the cruel murderers who rebelled against him and would have cut off their tongues that uttered evil words. 

So, He does not interfere in the cruel people because it is necessary for the fairness of the test. 

Yes. Both Paradise and Hell demand people.

Paradise is not cheap; Hell is not unnecessary.

The real conscience of humanity says, "Long live paradise!" for the oppressed and "Long live Hell!" for the oppressors.

The fact that there are oppressors and oppressed people in the testing place of this world, that the oppressors live and die wealthily and that the oppressed live and die in poverty prove the existence of the great court that will show the endless justice of Allah in the hereafter.

Some Westerner writers deliberately argue out the concept of Jihad as if it is only a matter of war, and disregard the other meanings. Whereas, jihad has a more comprehensive meaning, embraces every kind of struggle in the Gods cause. When, Quranic verses, Hadiths, and Prophet Muhammads practices on the subject are taken into consideration, it is quite clear that Jihad does not only mean war.

Examples from the Hadiths:

Hazrath Aisha asked, O Messenger of God, we see Jihad as the best of deeds, so shouldn't we join it? He replied, But, the best of Jihad is a perfect hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca). (Sahih Al-Bukhari Jihad, 2784)

In another hadith, it is stated that, Verily, words of truth and justice are a great Jihad especially when said in front of an oppressive ruler. (Tirmidhi's Kitabu'l-Fitan)

One other remarkable hadith was narrated by Abdullah bin Amr, A man came to the Prophet asking for permission to go to Jihad. The Prophet asked, "Are your parents alive?" He replied in the affirmative. The Prophet said, "Then struggle with your nafs (evil self) to keep their rights" (Sahih Al-Bukhari Jihad, Volume 4, Book 52, Number 248)

It is narrated on the authority of Tariq b. Shihab: It was Marwan who initiated (the practice) of delivering sermon before the prayer on the 'Id day. A man stood up and said: Prayer should precede sermon. Marwan remarked, This (practice) has been done away with. Upon this Abu Sa'id remarked: This man has performed (his duty) laid on him. I heard the Messenger of God as saying: He who amongst you sees something abominable should modify it with the help of his hand; and if he has not strength enough to do it, then he should do it with his tongue, and if he has not strength enough to do it, (even) then he should (abhor it) from his heart, and that is the least of faith. (Sahih Muslim Faith, Book 001, Number 0079-80)

When these Hadiths are resorted, it is seen that Jihad has wider connotation, which embraces every kind of striving in the cause of God.

Jihad means to strive or to struggle in Arabic, comes from the root of Jahd.

Jihad, in the broadest meaning is striving through the way of God, fulfilling the duties of servitude to God, struggling with both evil self and Satan, living and reflecting the essence of Islamic way of life by following the example of Prophet Muhammad, inviting people to the Religion, announcing the Divine Message to humanity, protecting Islam and Muslims against every possible enemy and fighting for it if necessary. Within the framework of this meaning, Jihad has two aspects: Spiritual and Material.

Spiritual Aspect requires an absolute faith and submission, sincerity and purity, self-sacrifice and great effort in religion. (Al-Baqarah Surah, 2:285, 286) By this way, it provides believers to be equipped with strong belief and scientific knowledge, to become conscious and provident, and to live religion with utmost sincerity as a model. (Az-Zumar Surah, 2-3) Material Aspect on the other hand, defines the necessity of developing economically, technologically, culturally against the possible assaults of the enemies.

The concept of Jihad in Islam refers to a large category of duties and responsibilities, which are determined by Quranic verses and Hadiths.

1- Trying to live the Religion in the sake of God with sincerity

2- Prevailing truth above everything.

3- Striving to call others to Islam, teaching those who do not know about it.

4- Enjoining good and forbidding evil.

5- Striving to bear patiently the difficulties involved in calling people to God and the insults of the people

6- Propagating the knowledge of the Divine Message commending right and forbidding wrong with great affection.

7- Striving hard to become superior in science and technology

8- Developing materially to prevail in the war of economics and culture.

9- Governing the state providently not to allow profiteers

10- Striving hard against enemies not to become their villain politically, economically, and militarily.

11- Taking preventative measures against every possible betrayal and assaults of the enemies.

12- When war is unavoidable, it is not running away from the enemy, fighting against them, and trusting in God.

False and deliberate evaluations on Jihad as if it is only a matter of war is lacking, incomplete and wrong according to the teachings of Quran and Sunnah.

It is accepted as brutality by some authors to sacrifice some animals by slaughtering their throat in the purpose of performing that religious duty and worship, and therefore, some criticism is directed towards the religion of Islam. Those who put forward those views ignore this fact: The meat obtained by sacrificing animals is an invaluable protein source which is indispensably important for people. That is why, today all over the world, countless animals are being slaughtered only for nourishment in the slaughterhouses and they are consumed as a source of nutrition.

There is no source which can replace meat in the world. With this regard, objecting to animals’ being sacrificed as a source of nutrition and considering it as a brutality is not only against common sense but also is irrational. Since the first era, human beings have been taking nourishment that way.

Ignoring that fact and taking objection to sacrifice only because it is a religious duty can be only an ideological attitude. Actual brutality is to kill people. They must try to stop it if they can. Trying to save the rights of people who are slaughtered by modern world is more relevant and to the point than taking objection to sacrificing animals, which were created as a source of nutrition for human beings.

No. Worship does not consist of the orders of the religion like daily prayers and fasting only. Everything, every act, word, deed, view and intention in accordance with the consent of Allah are regarded as worship. Both to obey the orders of Allah and to avoid His prohibitions are equally regarded as worship. Therefore, it is possible to divide worship into two:

1. Righteous deeds, 2. Taqwa.

Righteous deeds means to fulfill the orders of Allah like daily prayers, fasting, etc.

Taqwa means to avoid the things that Allah prohibits like alcohol, gambling and fornication.

The justice of Allah is valid for everybody, whether Muslim or not. Allah has rendered it haram to commit injustice and oppression to people regardless of their religion. Is it possible for Allah, who renders it haram for people to commit injustice and oppression to others, to oppress people by abandoning justice?

It is emphasized by the phrase “nor is thy Lord ever unjust (in the least) to His servants” in the following verse: “Whoever works righteousness benefits his own soul; whoever works evil, it is against his own soul: nor is thy Lord ever unjust (in the least) to His servants”(Fussilat, 41/46) that nobody will be oppressed and therefore everybody will be treated justly regardless of their religion. 

There are many verses regarding the issue. Two verses that address unbelievers directly are as follows:

“(Disdainfully) bending his side, in order to (lead men) astray from the Path of Allah; for him there is disgrace in this life, and on the Day of Judgment we shall make him taste the Penalty of burning (Fire). (It will be said): "This is because of the deeds which thy hands sent forth, for verily Allah is not unjust to His servants.”(Hajj, 9-10)

The following verse states that no deed, whether small or big, will be lost and that every deed will be rewarded or punished: “Then shall anyone who has done an atom's weight of good, see it! And anyone who has done an atom's weight of evil, shall see it.” (az-Zilzal, 99/7-8)

"Zarra" mentioned in the verses means a tiny ant or a particle that can be seen only in the sunlight. What is meant here is stating man's responsibility through the smallest thing that human senses can be interested in. The real aim is to state that the smallest good or bad deed will not be lost in the eye of Allah.

The Fundamentals of the True Religion and Main Religions

The true religion is a law of Allah and it is a holy collection of some sound decrees. Allah sent it as a grace and grant to human beings through His prophets. This law leads man to what is good. As long as human beings obey the orders of Allah's law through their will and desire, they will be on the true path and attain guidance. They will attain happiness and salvation both in the world and the hereafter. 

Religions are mainly divided into three:

The first one is true religions. They are the religions that comply with the description above.They are the religions established by Allah and sent to human beings through prophets. They are also called "divine and heavenly" religions.

All of the heavenly religions are essentially the same. However, there are some differences among them in terms of some worship and legal rules. 

All of the religions that were conveyed to human beings by prophets from Hz. Adam to Hz. Jesus were essentially the same; they were based on belief in one god, Allah; however, they were distorted later and their origins got lost. Allah sent His last and greatest prophet, Hz. Muhammad (pbuh), as a prophet to the whole mankind. He sent the last and perfect true religion, Islam, to people through Hz. Muhammad (pbuh). Today, the only true religion that exists and will exist until Doomsday is the religion of Islam.   

The second one is the religions whose origins were distorted and changed.As it is stated above, they were originally true religions but they were distorted afterwards and lost their divine properties; for instance, Christianity and Judaism. They are no longer true religions because some of their principles were distorted.

The third one is wrong religions. They are the religions whose origins have no relation with the true religion. They are religions that were made up by some nations. There may be some reasonable decrees in them but they are not divine religions in terms of their origins; therefore, they have no holy properties. The religions of the nations that worship fire, stars and idols are like that.

It is necessary to answer the questions "Who is the Prophet?" , "What is his duty?" in order to be able to evaluate the concept of jihad correctly. While making all people proceed toward the realm of the hereafter, God Almighty sent prophets to guide people in their journey that will take them to Paradise or Hell. The primary duty of these messengers of God is to make people know Allah, to teach them worship, halal and haram, and to teach them how to thank Him for His endless bounties. 

Hz. Muhammad (pbuh), who is the Prophet of the end of time, fulfilled this duty perfectly; he informed people about Allah in Makkah, taught them His commands and prohibitions and told them that to worship idols meant associating partners with Allah. He showed patience to all kinds of oppression and cruelty of the people who opposed his message for thirteen years and then migrated to Madinah acting upon the order and permission of Allah; he continued his duty there. The polytheists who wanted to prevent him from fulfilling this lofty duty continued to disturb him in Madinah too but they could not prevent Islam from being adopted by the people there. 

An important property of the Prophet (pbuh) of the end of time mentioned in all heavenly books is that he is “sahib-us sayf” (owner of the sword); that is, along with spiritual guidance, he is allowed to fight (when he is prevented from conveying his message). Some of the prophets in the past, for instance Hz. Dawud (David) and Hz. Suleiman (Solomon), supported their spiritual jihad with their swords when it was necessary.   

When history is examined objectively, it will be seen that the main factor that made Islam influence hearts and spirits was not war but conveying the message, that is, to tell people about the realities of Islam and show them the beauties of Islam. Historians agree that two groups of people had the greatest share in the spread of Islam. The first one is the scholars and teachers who dedicated their lives to teaching Islam and who migrated to very distant countries to do it. The second one is the merchants who went to some countries in order to do business and displayed the beauties of Islam to the people living there.  

The following verses show clearly that Islam spread through conveying the message and invitation not through sword:

“Let there be no compulsion in religion. Truth stands out clear from Error.”(al-Baqara Sûresi, 256)

“Therefore do thou give admonition for thou art one to admonish. Thou art not one to manage (men's) affairs.” (al-Ghashiya, 21-22)

There is a lot of evidence showing that Islam spread through conveying its message. We will mention some of them: When the Prophet (pbuh) started to convey the message of Islam in Makkah, he had no material means or power. Although all of the polytheists there were hostile against him, he conquered the hearts of people through conveying the message and persuasion. Many people, from Hz. Abubakr to Hz. Umar, became Muslims like that and declared to everybody that Islam was an invincible power. If the Companions had wanted, they could have killed all of the polytheists of Quraysh, foremost Abu Jahl, overnight. However, they did not do so. They continued to convey the message of Islam by enduring all kinds of troubles and hardships; they did not resort to terror and anarchy.

The Muslims who had migrated to Madinah before the Prophet did converted several people to Islam there by conveying the message of Islam and inviting them to Islam. Thus, the foundations of Islam were established through conveying the message in both Makkah and Madinah.   

In the following years, Islam settled firmly in Madinah. Makkan polytheists accepted Muslims as a power and signed a treaty with them at Hudaybiya. The duration of the treaty was ten years but it lasted for two years and was violated by Makkan polytheists. However, the number of the people that adopted Islam during these two years was more than number of the people that adopted Islam during the twenty year-period since the emergence of Islam.

In the following centuries, Moguls ended the Abbasid caliphate; they burned and disturbed Islamic resources. However, after a while, they started to convert to Islam of their own accord. It is a historical fact that the sword had no role in the conversion of Moguls to Islam. 

The spread of Islam in Indonesia, Malaysia and Africa took place through conveying the message not through the sword. 

After this short look at history, let us have a look at today: Muslims lost their material power in the last century but Islam continued its spread and development spiritually. Most of the people who have converted to Islam in European countries foremost in Germany and England, and in America are scientists; most of them adopted Islam only by examining it, without even being conveyed the message of Islam.

* Zakah (alms) is the balance of power in ownership. It neither eliminates the property of its owner nor does it leave it all to its owner, depriving the poor from it. It divides the property between the poor and the rich based on certain rates. 

* Zakah is a kind of social security and insurance. Among the aims of zakah are to help the needy, to support weak people like the poor, the destitute, those who are in debt and the travelers who cannot reach their destination. Everything that strengthens the personality of the individual that makes him economically strong and that improves his material and spiritual means strengthens the community, too. 

* Zakah is an insurance that covers all classes that are in need all of their needs regarding their bodies, spirits and ethics. The first foundations of modern social security were laid in 1941. Representatives from the UK and the USA convened for the treaty of the Atlantic in 1941 and decided to set up a social security organization for individuals. However, Islam introduced the organization of zakah 14 centuries ago. 

* Zakah eliminates the gaps and differences between the rich and the poor in the society. It decreases the distance between classes and enables the formation of the middle class.

The increase in the number of the middle class citizens will affect the market in the positive way. The property will not be something that is owned by one class only; the purchasing power of the poor will increase, too. Not only the rich but also a great portion of the community will be able to meet their needs and live comfortably in the community. 

Verse 7 of the chapter of al-Hashr prohibits the property from being some wealth that is circulated among the rich only. This can be achieved only through zakah.

* Zakah prevents money from being stockpiled; it leads money to investment. For, it is given from the capital not from the profit; so it will decrease if it is not put in business. The owner will invest the money in order to prevent it from being decreased; and he will try to increase it.

* Zakah enables social balance.  God Almighty created His servants differently in terms of both nature and living standards. Some of them are; rich some are poor and some are in between. 

The following is stated in a verse:

"Allah has bestowed His gifts of sustenance more freely on some of you than on others." (an-Nahl, 71)

It is impossible for everyone to have the same amount of income because there are different duties and jobs in the society that are different from one another in terms of responsibilities and working conditions. If some duties and professions are neglected, its impacts will cause irreparable harms to the society. If all the duties had the same salaries, nobody would want to do the harder works; everybody would prefer the easier ones. Thus, the harder jobs and the jobs that encumber more responsibilities would be neglected and life system would be broken. 

Therefore, it is a necessity for people to be different in terms of income and life standards. However, a bridge is necessary in order to prevent this difference from forming a cliff. This bridge is zakah.

* Zakah fastens together the individuals of a community. 

Zakah fastens together the individuals since it is a kind of social solidarity.  The rich will develop the feelings of love, compassion and mercy toward the poor. The poor will develop the feelings of obedience, respect, working carefully toward the rich. The feelings of jealousy, enmity, and envy will be soothed and even eliminated. The rich will not oppress the poor and put them under obligation; the poor will not develop the feelings of humility, slavery, grudge and enmity toward the rich. The following is stated in a hadith: "The heart makes a person love the one who does him a favor and makes a person dislike the one who treats him badly."

* Zakah prevents individuals from nurturing grudge and hatred and from cooperating with the enemies of the society and the subverters. If the rich do not meet the needs of the poor, necessity and financial difficulty will cause them to join the enemies of Muslims or will cause them to do evil deeds like stealing, robbing or killing.

* Zakah is a door to investment and a great initiative to development. Zakah has both social and economic aspects. Therefore, it is an initiative to development. 

* The difference between the rich and the poor has always caused a struggle of classes that has been going on openly or secretly since the beginning of social life - The revolutions and bloody riots seen in history are all the manifestations of this struggle that is the struggle of "you have; I do not have". Islam introduced the institutions of zakah,  sadaqah and foundations in order to soothe this struggle existing since the start of community life; it also trained its followers to have patience, content and consent to qadar. Neither the pride of wealth nor the envy caused by poverty is seen among believers who have been trained like that.

As Muslims, we believe in Hz. Moses, Hz. Dawud and Hz. Isa (Jesus) and the divine books that were sent to them; the Torah, the Psalms and the Bible and we have no doubt that they have no ruling against the true religion of oneness. However, these books could not be protected and thus they were distorted.

Now, we cannot say that the books that the Jews and Christians have no parts related with the revelation that were sent to the prophets. However, there is also no doubt that these books contain superstitious and false beliefs. Thus, we always deal with these books cautiously. We accept that the rulings in them which are in compliance with the Qur’an are the products of revelation. We consider the rulings that are against the Qur’an as later additions. We remain silent when the information in them is neither in compliance with nor opposite the Qur’an. We will neither accept nor reject them in that case. For, there is a possibility that the information in these books can either be revelation or not.

Abu Hurayrah (RA) said the following on this issue: «The people of the book used to read the Torah in Hebrew language. And they used to translate it to Muslims in Arabic. On this issue, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said to his companions the following: Do not approve or reject the words of the People of the Book.

Say ye: "We believe, in Allah and the revelation given to us and to Abraham Isma`il Isaac Jacob and the Tribes and that given to Moses and Jesus and that given to (all) Prophets from their Lord we make no difference between one and another of them and we bow to Allah (in Islam)."(al-Baqara, 2/136)

In his book Postmodern Conceptions, Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Ozdemir gives brief information about the Islamic practices under the title of Muslims brotherhood with Humanity. I leave you with this real important ascertainment. Is peace, which humanity seeks in Islam?

According to Quran, human is the most honorable of all beings. He is the caliph (leader of a Muslim nation) of Allah (swt) on earth. Because of that, it has been attached great importance to him and he has been honored. Killing an innocent considered as killing all of the humanity.

On the other hand, just because Muslims conception of other religions depends on Quranic decrees, they have never compelled people to convert under their sway. It should be seen as the natural consequence of the (Quranic) principle, There is no compulsion in the religion. (Baqarah Surah, 2:256)

Thereby, people who were in the conquered territories have never come across with compulsion, on the contrary with the condition of paying a special tax (jizya); they had been let free to choose their faith.

Some of the Prophets (pbuh) statements have brought a light on the matter for Muslim administrators. These are;

Whoever hurts a Non-Muslim citizen of a Muslim state hurts me, and he who hurts me annoys God." (Sahih Bukhari, Hadith)

"He who hurts a Non-Muslim citizen of a Muslim state, I am his adversary, and I shall be his adversary on the Day of a Judgment." (Bukhari)

Compulsion in the religion was prohibited from the very day of Islam just because it is contrary to the essence of the religion. It is stated clearly in the Holy Quran that Prophet Muhammads mission is to convey Allahs instructions and guidance not to convert them to Islam by compelling.

The applications of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in a surety happened within the framework of Quranic rules. As already known, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had started to live with Jews after the emigration from Macca to Madina. Prophet (pbuh) left a written document (script) about his relations with Jews. The code of rules, which Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) brought into being with the civic headliners of Madina should be accepted as the first written constitution that has ever made by a sovereign state.

In this written constitution, which consist of fifty articles it has been provided that Jews would maintain their own religion. By stating that, Jews and their allies were given a religious freedom.

The territory of Najran was located in south of Macca, used to be the center of Christianity. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) with the well-known treaty that he had made with Christians of Najran provided religious freedom and administrative autonomy to them. Moreover, immunization rights were given to their shrines and to their religious leaders.

These basic principles which were stated precisely with Quran and Sunnah (Prophets illustrious Practices), later carried on by Muslim administrators. In this respect instructions that Abu Bakr (as) [first caliph (leader of a Muslim nation) after the death of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had given to his executive commanders and the treaty that Omar (as) had made during the conquest of Jerusalem reflects the same approach. Moreover, Abu Bakr in his instructions to one of his commanders, Do not cut date palms, fruit-bearing trees, and do not kill animals like sheep, camel, and goat unless [you need to kill it> for food, given great importance to natural habitat even in the war times.

Islam is the only religion that Allah revealed to man since the beginning of the creation. Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus all worked to spread the same religion. Our Prophet, Muhammad (pbuh), conveyed the last divine message since he was the last prophet.

Islam is religion that is completely sensible.  Islam presents an ethical system that guides man in every step of him.   

The religion that Allah chose for man as suitable for their life is the religion Islam. Allah made His religion very easy so that people will practice it.

Religion removes the entire burden from man and all of the loads that limit and restrict him and that cause him difficulties. It tells people to surrender only to the qadar (destiny) that Allah, who has endless mercy, who creates everything in a good way for His righteous slaves and who has the whole power, determined for him and to seek His consent and content in everything and to turn toward Him.   

To trust in and depend on Allah, who is the owner of all beings and all events that take place in the universe, and to assume Him as one’s friend, means the end of one’s all fears, worries, troubles and difficulties.  This is one of the most important facilities and beauties brought by the religion of Islam for a person who practices the ethics of the Quran. In addition, Allah informed people about all of His commands and decrees, which are suitable for their nature and which are not difficult.   

Allah states in the Quran that the ethics of the religion is easy and that things will be easy for those who follow the religion of Allah as follows:

"And We will make it easy for thee (to follow) the simple (Path)."(al-A'la, 87/8)

"…He has chosen you and has imposed no difficulties on you in religion; it is the cult of your father Abraham..."(al-Hajj 22/78)

In parallel with the verses above, the Prophet (pbuh) said,  

"Religion is ease." (Bukhari, Iman: 29; Nasai, Iman: 28; Musnad, 5:69)

Thus, he invited people to practice the religion.

It is a reality that the religion of Islam is the best form of life for the nature, peace and happiness of man and that the life led in accordance with the ethics of the Quran is the best possible life style for man.

The purpose of the Qur’an in the Risale-i Nur Collection is discussed in two grounds:

To teach the truth of the Sphere of Dominicality and the manners of the Sphere of servitude (worship). When we say the Sphere of Dominicality, we mean the person, attributes, actions, and names of Allah (SWT). The Qur’an has introduced Allah (SWT) to human beings in this way and protected them from every kind of superstition (false beliefs). When it comes to the sphere of servitude, it means the duties of human beings to Allah (SWT). What has Allah (SWT) commanded and forbid? What actions and what deeds attract His consent and what causes His wrath? The answers to these questions have been given wonderfully in the Qur’an.

In both spheres, human mind has no single word to speak. In both spheres there can be no effect of time. Allah (SWT) still is with His person and attributes as He was in pre-eternity. The human pattern of which Allah (SWT) approves is the same as was in the pre-eternity.

Here is a truth that at the time of the previous prophets, in different centuries, there took place different approaches towards the attitudes. And this change has come to an end with mankind’s having reached a point in which everybody can take lessons from a single prophet and be disciplined by a single Book.

These kinds of debates or objections are largely made on the approaches related to attitudes and morality, yet the opposite of those approaches cannot be offered. Objections are made by the people who are used to deterioration; and viewing that the Qur’anic approaches cannot fit into this sort of corrupt society, they attempt at this kind of claims.

Truths do not change according to the number of people. Truth is what it is. Masses should try to find it out and follow it, not to fit the truth according to them.

Let us give two examples. Qur’an has banned alcohol and interest. Nobody but those who are addicted to them can claim that these are good and useful things. In a country or in a century, if the majority of people drink alcohol or are involved in interest, this would not mean that the Qur’an does not address that country or century. On the contrary, that would mean that they are far from being the ones that the Qur’an speaks to, that they are far behind, and that degenerated.

The other approaches are like this.