Isn't it True that Islam is an Arab Religion?

This mistaken assumption is possibly based on the fact that prophet muhammad was an arab, that most of the first generation of muslims were arabs, and that the qur'an is in the arabic language.

But in actual fact, only about 18 percent of muslims in the world today are arabs. the largest muslim populations are found in indonesia, the indian sub-continent and other parts of asia. islam is also widespread in many parts of africa, and there are substantial minorities in europe, north and south america, and oceania. islam is the fastest growing major religion in the world, and its adherents on all continents include both arabs and non-arabs.

Further, not all Arabs are Muslims, for there are significant communities of christian Arabs as well as a number who belong to other religions or profess atheism. while "Arab" is a geographic and cultural term, "Muslim" refers to an adherent to the religion of Islam.

While the revelation was still in its early stages, the qur'an disclosed that islam is indeed a global religion. Allah addressed his prophet therein, saying:

"and we have not sent you but as a mercy to [all] the worlds." [1]

"and we have not sent you except comprehensively to mankind, as a bringer of good tidings and a warner, but most of the people do not know."  [2]

Islam is meant for all people regardless of race, nationality, cultural or religious background. from the commencement of his mission, the prophet's companions came from a wide range of lands and races. among them was an African, a byzantine, a Persian and a Jewish scholar. all were united in the brotherhood of faith.

There are many references in the qur'an to the universal nature of islam. it frequently addresses humanity, saying, "o mankind" or "o people." the prophet, his companions and their followers made every effort to spread the message of truth to all nations and peoples. he naturally began the propagation of god's message among his own people, the arabs, but that does not mean it was restricted to them - rather, only that initially conveying it to those nearest him was the logical first step toward the realization of a long-term goal. later in his mission when conditions became more favorable, he sent letters of invitation to islam to the rulers of the byzantine and persian empires, abyssinia, egypt, damascus, bahrain, yamamah, omanand others who represented the influential world figures of the day. whatever, their response to it, the prophet's message was fully acknowledged by the major powers of his time.

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Footnotes:

[1]21:107

^[2]34:28.

What is a Muslim?

A Muslim is someone who practices islam; that is, who willingly submits to the revealed directives of god. everything in the universe is inherently submissive to god, functioning according to the natural laws created by him. human beings are physically "muslim" in that their bodies function according to the genetic program set by god for the period of time he has decreed.

A ''Muslim" in the religious sense, however, is someone who consciously commits himself to the worship of god alone, not according to his own inclinations or those of other men but according to the method conveyed by god through his appointed prophets. the qur'an gives many examples of people who lived before Muhammad and believed in and obeyed the prophet that god had sent them. they entered paradise because of their obedience to god, and that is the meaning of "islam."

All the prophets of god, from adam to muhammad, and those who believed and followed each of them during the period of his prophethood [1] were called "muslims." but since prophet muhammad was the last of god's messengers to mankind, a "muslim" can now only be defined as one who accepts and complies with the final, completed message conveyed by god through him. for rationally, the most recently revised legislation always supersedes and invalidates whatever came before it

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Footnotes

 [1] i.e., until another prophet was sent after

What is Islam?

"Islam" is an arabic word which means peaceful, willing submission - submission to the code of conduct ordained by god. so islam is a religion, but it is also a complete way of life based upon a voluntary relationship between an individual and his creator. it is the way of life ordained by god which was taught by each of his prophets and messengers. what distinguishes islam from other religions is that it refuses to accept any form of creation whatsoever as a deity worthy of worship. instead, it emphasizes the exclusive worship of the one god who created the entire universe and to whom all creation will eventually return.

Monotheism is the foundation of islam and its most important concept which cannot be compromised in any way. not only is god acknowledged as the sole creator and sustainer of everything in existence, but islam declares that he is the only true deity and he alone is worthy to be worshipped. further, it recognizes that the attributes of god are nothing like those of his creation and cannot be compared to it; he is absolute, perfect and unique.

Clear your Doubts about Islam

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• Foreword
• What is Islam?
• What is a Muslim?
• Isn't it True that Islam is an Arab Religion?
• Don't all World Religions have Similar Objectives?
• Do Muslims worship God or Allah?
• If Islam opposes idol worship, why do Muslims pray to a square structure?
• What is the purpose of worship, and why should people worship at all?
• How do you know there is Life after Death?
• Why should someone be a Muslim? Can't we follow any religion we please?
• Isn't Islam fatalistic?
• Are there sects in Islam?  
• Who was Muhammad?
• Do Muslims worship Muhammad?
• Why should Muhammad be the Final Prophet? Haven't there been others after him?
• Didn't Muhammad write the Qur'an or borrow from the earlier scriptures?
• How does the Qur'an differ from other Scriptures?
• Is it true that Muslims don't believe in Jesus? What does Islam say about him?
• What is Shari'ah?
• What are the "pillars" of Islam?
• Why is alcohol prohibited?
• Why is pork prohibited?
• Why do Muslims allow the slaughter of animals?
• What is the Islamic View on Suicide; "mercy" Killings and Abortion?
• Doesn't Islamic Law Encourage Vengeance?
• Why does Islam Demand Harsh Punishments for Sex outside of Marriage?
• Why is a woman's share of inheritance half that of a man's?
• Why is the testimony of two women required in place of one man?
• Isn't Islam intolerant of other religions? How are Muslims supposed to treat people of other Faiths?
• What is Islam's Attitude toward Western Civilization Today?
• Why is so much of the Muslim world underdeveloped?
• If Islam is such a good religion, why do we find many Muslims dishonest, unreliable and lazy?
• What is Islam's view about education, science and technology?
• Does Islam Accept Slavery?
• Is There Any Mention of Human Rights in Islam?
• Doesn't Islam Oppress Women?
• Are Men and Women Considered Equal?
• Why does Islam keep Women Behind the Veil?
• Why is a Muslim Man Allowed to have more than one Wife?
• Why Does Islam Prohibit a Woman from Having more than one Husband?
• How can a Muslim Be Happy?
• Why are so many Muslims Fundamentalists and Extremists?
• Doesn't Islam promote Terrorism, making it a Threat to the World?
• Wasn't Islam spread by the Sword?
• Isn't Islam a Militant Religion?
• What is the Meaning of Jihad?

Foreword

No one can deny that islam is very much in the spotlight today. in spite of extremely negative portrayals by  western media (or perhaps because of them), increasing numbers of people are seeking to find out more about it. and more often than not, they are being pleasantly surprised by the fruits of their research. in fact, more people are embracing

Islam today than they did prior to september 11, 2001.

However, there does remain a great deal of misconception and misunderstanding on the subject, frequently fueled by political policies which deem it in their interest to support islam's enemies. in addition, muslims themselves, at first shocked and confused by the events of recent years, did not really know how to respond to the challenge. now they have been rudely awakened to the urgency of refuting the many false claims and accusations being spread against their way of life and of defending the truth, and accordingly, the rights and honor of muslims everywhere on earth.

Islam is the religion and way of life of about one-fifth of the world's population. muslims are of diverse nationalities, cultures and races, but their religion teaches that all men are essentially equal and that no distinction should be made between them on the basis of such superficial differences as color, class status or personal beliefs as long as they remain peaceful and law-abiding citizens. the behavior of certain misguided groups or individuals outside the fold of mainstream islam cannot be attributed to the religion any more than violence in north ireland or mafia activities can be attributed to christianity.

People of secular cultures often fail to understand why practicing muslims cannot always fit in completely with modern westernized lifestyles, why they insist upon a particular type of dress, or upon prayer at particular times. they tend to perceive muslim attitudes as unnecessarily demanding and uncompromising. misunderstandings are frequently due to unmistakable differences between the western concept of religion and that of muslims. islam can indeed seem strange to a society in which religion no longer plays a major role in everyday life; but to a dedicated muslim, islam is life, and there is no division between the secular and the sacred.

Because religious practice occupies a narrow place in his outlook, the adherent to western culture often does not comprehend the relationship between a muslim and his religion or what motivates him to take a particular direction in life. but in the view of islam, religion is not merely a personal issue or something symbolic pertaining to a limited area of one's existence. on the contrary, it involves molding a balanced way of life suitable not only to muslims but to everyone who inclines toward peace, justice and respect for rights. more simply, it can be said to mean the pursuit of happiness, security and moral perfection. in the hearts of muslims their religion remains both a secure refuge and the most effective motivator for tackling all kinds of challenges. at the same time, it preserves the distinctive character of the muslim believer and the pattern of his particular culture.

An individual in the west might see religion within a limited context pertaining to worship alone - a private matter between a person and god. but in islam it is a dynamic system that organizes the progression of life according to basic general principles and flexible rulings that guarantee potential benefit from advancements in science and technology as well as new material facilities. since there is no conflict between islam and scientific research, every new discovery in the world of matter, energy, time and space only increases the believer in faith and humility towards him who devised, projected and systematized such a plan and then assigned to mankind his place and noble role within it. within this understanding it remains to be said that knowledgeable muslims are not in need of secularism since they have no problem with religion.

How do you know there is Life after Death?

We live in a world that demands logic and proof and is not content with only belief. someone might wonder how a rational, practical minded person could believe in life after death. people tend to assume that anyone who believes in the hereafter does so on the basis of blind faith. but in fact, belief in the hereafter is completely logical. and it is the only way the injustices of this world can be reconciled with a just and all- powerful creator.

We know that in addition to physical pleasures and comforts there are certain ideal conditions that human beings instinctively desire and strive to attain, such as love, respect, security and contentment. though many people are able to acquire a portion of these objectives here on earth, there remains one that is largely unobtainable - and that is justice. most people hold the conviction that life is not fair: that they have often been misunderstood or not appreciated, that in some way they have been harmed, cheated or oppressed. daily newscasts disclose the killing, torture, displacement and starvation of countless innocent people by powerful tyrants and nations, lives ruined by the vicious or careless acts of others or by natural disasters, and the poor and helpless being subjected to theft and deception. seldom is even partial justice ever restored. yet, every human being desires justice. even if he does not seek it for others, he certainly wants justice for himself.

So why has the creator instilled in man a longing for something he cannot experience in this world? the answer is that this life is only one portion of his existence and that the logical conclusion which restores the equilibrium found in all creation is in the hereafter. it is there that every person will be fully and precisely compensated for his good and evil deeds. this is the perfect and absolute justice which god has promised all people.

The present life is a trial in preparation for the next realm of existence. the explanation given by the qur'an about the necessity of life after death is what the moral consciousness of man demands. if there was no life after death, the belief in god would be meaningless, or it would be a belief in some kind of indifferent and negligent deity who, after having created the human race, is no longer concerned with its welfare.

But certainly, god is just. he will indeed punish the tyrants who have killed thousands and caused suffering to their families, corrupted institutions and societies, enslaved people and nations, robbed, deprived and plundered. and what about i hose who patiently endured so much injustice and hardship, suffered to uphold truth, saved lives or sacrificed in order to assist many people? what earthly compensations could possibly restore the balance for them?

This can only take place in an eternal life where every individual affected in the least by someone's actions will testify for or against him, and where the innermost thoughts and intentions, known completely to god, will be judged precisely and perfectly. since man's term of life in this world is limited and because numerous individuals are affected by one's actions, adequate rewards and punishments are impossible in the present life. the qur'an states categorically that the day of resurrection must come and that god will then decree the fate of each soul according to its record of deeds.

Additionally, god has stated in the qur'an that the present creation is in itself a clear proof that he is able to create and re-create as he wills, whatever he wills, however he wills and whenever he wills, for god originates and repeats creation with equal ease. consider these words revealed to his final prophet:

"say, 'travel through the land and observe how he began creation. then Allah  (الله سبحانه و تعالى) will produce the final creation.'' [1]

"did we fail in the first creation? but they are in confusion over a new creation."[2]

"is not he who created the heavens and the earth able to create the likes of them? yes, and he is the knowing creator.”[3]

"do they not see that allah, who created the heavens and earth and did not fail in their creation, is able to give life to the dead?" [4]

"does man not remember that we created him before, while he was nothing” [5]

"and you have already known the first creation, so will you not remember?" [6]

"have they not considered how allah begins creation and then repeats it? indeed that, for allah, is easy." [7]

"and it is he who begins creation; then he repeats it, and that is easier for him." [8]

"as we began the first creation, we will repeat it. [that is] a promise binding upon us. indeed, we will do it." [9]

in fact, the material of creation is already in existence, merely to be developed once again at his command. observable evidence of this ongoing process is now being presented regularly by astronomers and specialists in other fields of modern science.

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Footnotes:

[1]   29:20

[2]   50:15

[3]   36:81

[4]   46:33

[5]   19:67

[6]   56:62

[7]   29:19

[8]   30:27

[9]   21:104