A clarification on the account of Zaynab and Prophet Muhammad

 Introduction

Among the pitfalls of historical examination is that of misunderstandings created by either  well-meaning people, or through   blatant misrepresentations of the lives and actions of important personalities. While this is a situation most regrettable in the religious realm, this certainly happens in the secular world as well.

This can happen in the lifetime of that figure, but it becomes harder to correct after the death of that figure. There are a number of examples I can think of, wherein I had accepted as historically valid a particular "fact", only to be corrected upon encountering a sounder bit of information from reliable sources. 

While this process of acceptance and rejection can be subjective, and certainly occurs in almost every field of study, some assertions deserve to be rejected automatically as ridiculous attributions! Among such claims is that having to do with the marriage of Zaynab, Radee Allahu 'anhaa, to the Prophet Muhammad, Sall Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam.

The claim in question is summarized as follows: Zaynab bint Jahsh, married to the Prophet's (adopted) son Zayd Ibn Al-Haarithah, was an exceedingly beautiful woman, and when this was noticed by the Prophet, he took actions to break up that marriage to have her for himself. Critics assert everything from seduction to incest in this scenario.

It will be demonstrated in this composition, supported by historical analysis, logic and Quranic references, that such an assertion is simply unfounded. It is our hope that this article answers this particular claim, to benefit Muslim and Non-Muslim readers alike. 

Who was Zaynab?

Zaynab bint Jahsh was actually a cousin to the Prophet. As such, she would have been well-known to the Prophet through her life. The reports around her suggest that she had a sort of aristocratic upbringing and world-view, even after she accepted the message of the Prophet Muhammad. 

Who was Zayd?

Zayd Ibn Al Haarithah was an ex-slave, who eventually became the adopted son of the Prophet Muhammad (before the Prophethood). He was known to have deep respect and loyalty to the Prophet, to the point where his actual family came looking for him, and he (Zayd) prefered to stay with his adopted father. He was known as "Zayd ibn Muhammad" (Zaid, son of Muhammad).

As an ex-slave, he would have come from a lower or despised part of society. 

What was the Prophet's agenda?

We have to remember that according to all the reports, it was the Prophet himself who pushed for a marriage between Zayd and Zaynab to take place. The reports assert that Zaynab was reluctant, yet it ultimately happened. 

The Prophet's agenda here is addressing social divisions and class warfare. He initiated a number of actions towards greater social cohesion. In Madinah, he created "pacts of brotherhood" between members of varying tribes and classes, which proved to be very successful. His message was that of unity and breaking down harmful divisions. Even in the ritual prayer (salaah), the emphasis on being closely together is given. He is reported to have said " Establish the rows, shoulder to shoulder, close gaps, be accommodating to your brothers, and leave no breaches for the devil.." (Sunan Abu Dawud 666, reported by Ibn 'Umar)(ft.1).

The Qur'anic revelation itself is the foundation for his many actions, for the sake of brevity we cite only a few  examples:

" And among His (i.e. God's) signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the diversity of your tongues and colors, indeed, in that are signs for those of knowledge." (Q 30:21)

"O Humanity. Indeed, WE (God) created you from a male and female, made you into peoples and groupings, so that you will know (each other)(ft.2), Indeed, the most honorable of you in Allah's sight are those with the most taqwaa(ft.3)  in your midst, Indeed, Allah is knowing, aware" (Q 49:13)

"And marry those among you who are single, and righteous, be they among your male or female servants. If they are poor, Allah will give them from his bounty, and Allah is expansive, full of knowledge ('Aleem)" (Q 24:32)

The breakdown of the relationship between Zayd and Zaynab

It is well-established from the sources that the marriage broke down. It can be described as irreconcilable differences. In fact, it is said that Zaynab herself said she could not even bear to look at Zayd, and agreed to return the dowry paid to her by Zayd, thus ending the relationship.

What happens to Zaynab as a divorcee?

Anyone with knowledge of Arab society, both in the past and present, can testify to the hardships a divorced woman will experience. Subsequent marriage was very difficult, if not impossible. Social stigmas are attached.  

The Qur'an itself states that the Prophet had tried to save the relationship between the two (Q 33:37), but those efforts failed.  It was after that that the Prophet did marry her. 

The context of this section of Soorah Al Ahzaab shows that there was a Divine wisdom in this entire saga, which shall be explored in the sections below.

Adoption reformation

As previously mentioned, Arabian society viewed adopted children with the same lenses as biological children. While adoption, particularly of orphans, is a praiseworthy action, shown by a plethora of Quranic texts and statements of the Prophet, the actual lineage of the adopted parties must be preserved (if known) as much as possible. With the advent of DNA testing technology, this is a task made much easier. 

Q 33:5 states "Call them by (the names of ) their fathers.." Also see verse 4, 36 and 37. Islam asks that the family line, the biological ties, be preserved. As a side note, some of the salafi writers have used this argument to speak against the common practice among Western Muslims (converts to Islam from Non Muslim backrounds) of changing names to traditional Muslim names(ft.4).

The particular relevance to the Prophet's status

In this chapter we have the famous text declaring the Prophet Muhammad as the seal of the Prophets. It is important to note context as well as precision of words. 

"Muhammad is not the father of any of your males, rather, he is God's messenger, and the seal of the Prophets. And Allah has knowledge of all things." (Q 33:40).

This shows us that marriage with Zaynab has three main benefits: {a) It demonstrates that the adoption reformation has taken place, placing emphasis on  the preservation of the biological family line. (b) It removes a social stigma that was present with marriage with a divorcee. (c) It shows us that there will be no prophetic successor to Muhammad. Thus, Zayd is no longer to be called "The son of Muhammad". Indeed, the Prophet's actual biological sons died in their toddler stages. 

The latter is the most important in the Divine wisdom. While reformers and great teachers can always emerge, we are taught that the doors of Nabuwwah and scriptural revelation have come to an end, demonstrated by Q 33:40.

Concluding thoughts?

The notion that Prophet Muhammad was so in love with Zaynab that he had to create false pretexts to be with her falls flat on its face when we examine the scriptural and historical evidence. Indeed, Karen Armstrong (a Non- Muslim religious scholar) has argued that not only had the Prophet always known Zaynab, but that whatever beauty there had been would have eliminated during the Makkan boycott in the previous period, a time in which Muslims were suffering starvation. 

The story that appears in some Muslim sources (that he saw her at her home in some state of undress) is more akin to the Biblical account of David (2 Samuel 11:2) has to be dismissed as fabricated. 

There is great wisdom in what actually happened with Zaynab, Zayd and the Messenger of God, and such hikmah is seen when studied deeply.

May Allah be pleased with those who were close and faithful to the Prophet, and may Allah's peace and blessings be on all of the Prophets and messengers. 

Footnotes

(1) The Hanafi school has a more nuanced understanding of the text mentioned here, as well as the subsequent discussions on standing "foot-to-foot, shoulder to shoulder" in prayers. We have seen problems between Hanafis and Non Hanafis, the latter sometimes taking the reluctance of their Hanafi brothers to stand foot to foot as demonstrations of racism (in an American context). This issue is actually a Fiqhi difference and stems from a different understanding of the texts that surround these practices within Salaah. For a glance at this issue, please see Maulana Abdul Rahman Ibn Yusuf's article at the following link. .See here

(2) The term here is Li'ta'aarafoo, "in order to come to know" This refers to benefiting from other communities of humans, adding to the diversity of existence. This can be found in food, music, philosophy, fashion, and countless other examples. In other words, God is saying he made us intentionally different as a means for us to learn from each other. 

(3) Taqwaa is a rich word whose meaning depends on context. Here, awareness of God and other people is the appropriate rendering.

(4) While the salafi position is understandable, I think that in a Western context, changing names is reflective of wanting a new life. In addition to this, the names African Americans typically carry are names given by the slave masters of generations past. Coming into Islam is a means to create a unique identity divorced from the past social crimes. It should be noted that Islam does NOT command changing names, unless the name carries a bad meaning. Thus, the hadeeth literature mentions that the Prophet changed someone named "war" (Harb) to "Calm" (Saleem), and "Ugly" (Qabeeh) to "handsome" (Jameel).

A deep dive into false ideas regarding Islam: with a focus on the Abrahamic ties

 

Introduction

Public discourse on any subject will always be subject to misunderstandings and intentional distortions, but   when it comes to religious affairs, this is even more problematic, because religion can be intertwined with identity and culture, thus, sensitivities and emotions become involved, without the benefit of patience and deep thought.

The Qur'an (39:3)   teaches that religion is supposed to be specifically for God. It also teaches that faith should be backed by rational arguments and evidence (22:46, 46:26, 12:1, et al).

It is with those teachings in mind that we present A deep dive into false ideas regarding Islam: with a focus on the Abrahamic ties, to function as a clarification and a reference to those in particular that are associated with the Abrahamic faiths, to address wrong and often ignorant assertions made from such quarters about the religion of Islam, some of those notions having existed for centuries, but with the advent of mass communication, made much easier with the internet and social media, have the capacity to spread further and be taken as credible, simply because of marketing.  

Below, we take a look at some of the leading false ideas that are to be found in the public discourse:

Islam is for Arabs (only)

This particular assertion is made by those who can concede that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was indeed a Prophet of God yet find his message (risaalah) relevant only to the Arabs. Such an idea comes from the assertion that Muhammad was the "founder" of Islam, and that because the scripture (Qur'an) is in Arabic, it is therefore Arab-centric with no value to the wider world.

Such a view contradicts the religious teachings   as well as historical realities regarding the Muslim community globally. (ft.1)

The Qur'an refers to Muhammad as "The seal of the Prophets" (33:40), a "mercy to all nations" (21:107) as well as a Messenger "sufficient for all people" (34:28). These references should suffice in terms of how the Prophet is portrayed insofar as his potential audience. 

Moreover, the Islamic scripture speaks very eloquently on humanity's diversity as evidence of Divine power, wisdom, and as a means for mutual growth (Q 30:22, 49:13), and the Prophet to whom it was given has himself shown clearly that racism and "chosen people" concept have no place in faith. Although there are many statements made by him recorded, his words in his famous final speech (khutbat al widaa') provide a powerful message. He has stated " An Arab carries no virtue over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab over an Arab, nor a white over a black, (the only criterion being) piety."

What about Ishmael and Isaac?

Another notion widespread, in particular among Jews and Christians, is that Islam functions as a religious rebellion, generated by the feud between the sons of Abraham, itself being an extension of the feud between their respective mothers (Sarah and Hagar).

This notion is further given fuel by the fact that while Judaism (and by extension Christianity) asserts that the identity of the sacrificed son is Isaac (the progenitor of the Jews) while Islam teaches that the son here would be none other than Ishmael (the progenitor of the Arabs).

While it is true that there is a difference in the identification of the particular son (ft.2), as well as the fact that the Bible (Gen.16:12) uses disrespectful language regarding Ishmael, it should be noted that the Qur'an never does the same thing to Isaac!

Isaac is viewed with reverence by Muslims, he is given in the Qur'an as one of the carriers of the Divine message (37:112 among other places), and the invocation of peace is recited by Muslims when he is referenced. 

This is also strong proof that Islam is not a tribalistic faith, nor is it centered in Arab nationalism.

Qur'an vis-a vis Bible

Seven Quranic texts are often cited by missionaries of various denominations as proof that the Qur'an is relatively useless when it comes to matters spoken of in the Judeo-Christian dispensation. Islam does teach that God has sent forth communication and even scriptures before the advent of the Qur'an to Prophet Muhammad (see the Qur'an 2:1-5, 3:1-3, among other places), however it also teaches that the Qur'an itself functions as a clarification of matters that are present in the Judeo-Christian discourse (Q 27:76).  It also sees itself as a "guardian" insofar as preserving essential truths as conveyed in the past (Q 5:48).  It portrays itself as the "best narration" (Q 39:23) and the ultimate criteria for judgement (Q 25:1).

A summary of the cited texts is given below, along with a thorough yet succinct explanation.

[1] Q 5:43. This verse requires a simple reading of verses 41-42 which precede it. The context shows the insincerity of the party approaching Prophet Muhammad for a legal ruling. It is here a bit of sarcasm when it reads " And how do they come to you (O Muhammad) for judgement, while they possess the law, therein being God's judgement, then, they turn away after a while, and they are not of those who possess faith."

[2] Q 5:44. The "Law" possessed light and guidance. Remember that the particular aspect of "law" (here being "Taurah") that is referred to is the law of retribution, mentioned in Q 5:45 as something which appears not only in the Qur'an, but in the "law" which came before. 

[3] Q 5:46-47: "Injeel" means "Good news", being the Arabic rendering of what is called in English "Gospel". It does NOT reference an actual book, let alone the largely anonymous collections of "Gospels" that came into circulation after the time of Jesus. Jesus did not carry a book with him called "The Gospel", on the contrary, he represented and embodied that "good news". Therefore, his "followers" should conduct themselves in that light. In any case, the very next verse (5:48) tells us that now we have a scripture of Divine Origin, given to the global messenger, that safeguards the core truths that were conveyed before. It is worth mentioning here that Islam teaches that God's guidance was conveyed to peoples all over the world, not limited to a semitic context, and that we have limited information currently on the history (and even identities) of them. (Q 13:7, 40:78).

[4] Q 5:66-68. They did not, in fact, stick to Divine guidance, however, with the Qur'anic revelation to Muhammad, the chance for that guidance emerges once again. 

Modern scholarship has confirmed what has been hinted at in the Qur'an (2:79) regarding the editing process of the Bible, not only in theological points, but even in texts which seemingly are innocuous. (ft.3)

Some important examples of differences 

One must keep in mind that the Qur'an is for the benefit of all God-aware human beings (Q 2:1), and a thorough reading of its contents and language will show that its general message and application can fit in any time, place and cultural context. We have chosen below some examples to illustrate the Quranic logic vis a vis the rituals and laws that are associated with the Bible or with the faiths tied to it.

[1] Sabbath: The Bible gives two different reasons for its observance: that God "rested" after the creation of the universe (Gen.2:2) and as an act of gratitude to God for liberation (of the Jews) from Egypt (Deut.5:15). (ft.4). 

In Islam, there is no concept of God having to "rest", even as a metaphorical expression! The Qur'an says directly "God, none deserves worship except him, the self-subsisting, the eternal, slumber does not overtake him, nor does sleep." (Q 2:255). 

Thus, the theological assumptions present in the Biblical language have no equivalent in the Qur'an, thus, that assumption is rejected, and no need for Muslims to observe the Sabbath. Moreover, the other reason given, as an act of gratitude, at best, is for that immediate audience, not for all of humanity.

[2] Divorce: Allowed in the Mosaic dispensation (Deut.24:1), it is said to have been forbidden by Jesus, allowed only in cases of adultery (Matthew 19:9). If the Biblical text can be taken as authoritative, it becomes apparent that divorce was too easy and too lax in Jesus' time and insofar as his audience, so he seeks to stop the abuse of the Mosaic allowance.  

Islam, as a faith for all mankind, not only allows divorce, but it also gives us regulations on it. There's an entire chapter called "Divorce" (Soorah at Talaq, 65). This is logical, in that the bulk of mankind would not necessarily face the same issues as faced by the audience of Jesus in his time.

[3] Alcoholic Consumption:  While the Bible writers have expressed language ranging from praise of it (Psalm 104:15, Ecclesiastes 9:7) to condemnation of drunken behavior (Proverbs 20:1), nonetheless it has been generally allowed in most strands of Judaism and Christianity. 

The Qur'an, given to humanity as a guide to safety and maximum benefit, has decreed that it is totally forbidden. The Qur'an simply states that the harms of alcohol outweigh its benefit (2:219. also see 5:90)

Footnotes

(1) The Arab world only constitutes 20 % of Muslims globally. They are a minority in the Muslim world, the largest nation of Muslims being Indonesia, as well as half of the African continent. Moreover, "Islam" is an Arabic word which means "surrender to God", and according to the Qur'an, submission to God has been taught by the authentic prophets and teachers of the past, in both semitic and non-semitic societies. As for faith as presented in the Bible and Qur'an, refer to the paragraph "Islam: The path of Jesus and Muhammad" in the following article. Click here

(2) There are several issues present that need to be looked at. {I} The older son of Abraham, Ishmael-the progenitor of the Arabs- would be the logical son for the sacrifice. {II} While the Bible (Gen.22) certainly names Isaac (the younger son) as to be the sacrifice, it incorrectly calls him "Your only son", which, at no time, was ever the case! The Biblical wording absolutely suggests the motivations of tribal prestige, which is totally absent from the Qur'an. It is also relevant here to mention that the covenant, often spoken of by missionaries with Biblical citations, has a totally different expression than the Quranic language. In Q 2:124, we read that God tells Abraham that he will make him a leader of global impact ("Imaaman"), Abraham asks if this extends to his descendants, to which he is told "My covenant extends not to the oppressive". Thus, Islam teaches that neither tribe or bloodlines (real or imagined) carry any weight insofar as ties with God are concerned.

(3) It has been convincingly argued, for example, that Mark's Gospel was written in Rome (and not Palestine) by citing Mark 10:12, which allows a woman to seek out divorce. Such an allowance occurred under Roman law, but not in Jewish law, which is exclusively with the man! See Barton, John A HISTORY OF THE BIBLE: THE BOOK & ITS FAITHS, Penguin books, 2019, pg.297. Many authorities, similarly, have been able to detect that the famous story of the adulteress spared by Jesus with the words "let he who is sinless cast the first stone" to be a later interpolation. See Bart D.Ehram, MISQUOTING JESUS: THE STORY BEHIND WHO CHANGED THE BIBLE AND WHY, HarperSanFrancisco, New York, 2005, pp.63-66. Even the famous "Lord's prayer", the most recited supplication in Christendom, has been dismissed as wrongly attributed to Jesus later on. See John Shelby Spong BIBLICAL LITERALISM: A GENTILE HERESY. Harper One, New York, 2016, pp.135-137. This is just the tip of the iceberg. 

(4)  Genesis 2:2 is rendered as "ceased" in the JPS translation ( TANAKH THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, pg.4, New York, 1988) but has a note that allows for "rested". Robert Alter has also used the same word in his translation (THE FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES, New York, W.W.Norton &  Company, 2004, pg.20).  While this text has different understandings among Jews and Christians respectively, Islam does not allow for even this sort of language to be used. Thus, the theological importance of the Quranic text 2:255. which is famously called the verse of the throne (Ayatul Kursiyy). A brief examination of that text can be found here

The Qur'an with Christian Commentary: A critical review

 Below are some videos we have done which briefly explores some of the topics explained in the book "The Quran With Christian Commentary: A Guide To Understanding The Scripture Of Islam" by Gordon Nickel. 

A critical review part one

Briefly explores the assertion of  "versions" of the Qur'an. A practical, easily understood demonstration of how this is an incorrect notion is given.

Part 1

A critical review part two

Explores the idea that the Qur'an indirectly advocates the worship of Muhammad. The blog article referenced in the video can be found here

Part two video

A critical review part three

A detailed reply to the notion shared in the work that Islam advocates blanket killing of Non Muslims.

Part 3

While this work and subject matter may seem trivial or unimportant to some, it is my view that such publications, aimed at Christian readers who maybe inclined to investigate Islamic teachings, does a disservice by disseminating factually incorrect ideas about the faith, and it hampers both education and relations between faith communities. I have NO problem with a person adhering to their faith and their claims of religious truths, however, it is a serious calamity when ideas about "the other" is faulty. 

We recommend to all Non Muslim readers who are interested in the Qur'an to actually read the Qur'an for themselves. There are a number of good translations and commentaries available in English. One need not rely upon works produced by Orientalists or Christian missionary publishing houses.

A Critical Review part four

The work has suggested that Muslims in fact worship an entity different from the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob. It has indicated that this is shown by a sort of indifference that the "Islamic God" has vis-a vis the Loving gentle nature of God in Christianity. Numerous Quranic verses are shared on this topic.

Part four

Common misconceptions about Islam

Introduction

Islam is the religious choice of a fifth of humanity, it is the dominant faith in areas of the world rich in resources and strategic importance. It has influenced countless trends in philosophy, culture, theology, and the practical sciences. It has not only given us 'Umar ibn Al-Khattab(1), it has given us figures as diverse as Rumi (2) and Muhammad Ali.

Despite these presence of these undeniable facts, there persists a number of myths and misconceptions in the minds of people, Some of these myths have their origins during the time of the Crusades(3) while others are of a more recent creation,

While misconceptions may be held and perpetuated out of simple ignorance, we have to admit that outright distortions of the Islamic message are spread via mass media, movies and the like, out of political interests. In short, the religion of Islam and Muslims are a convenient scapegoat.

This brief article seeks to address the leading misconceptions on Islam. Comments/questions are welcome, and as time allows this writer will seek to address them all.

Who or what is 'Allah'?

Allah is the Arabic name for 'God'. Literally, it is a contraction of two words,"Al" and "Ilah", "The" "Object of worship". It refers to the One and Only God!

It may come as a surprise that Arabic translations of the Bible have God referred to as "Allah"!

The concept of the Divine as given in Islam can be found in well known Quranic references "Say: He is God alone, God the Absolute, He has not given birth to any, nor was he born to any, and there is nothing like him." ( Q 112:1-4)

"He is God {Allah}, besides whom there is none deserving worship but him. (The one who) knows the hidden and the apparent, He is the Merciful, The Compassionate. He is God, besides whom none deserves worship but Him, The Sovereign, The Sacred, The Source of Peace, The Guardian (4) of faith, the Protector, The Mighty, The Powerful, The Great. Glory belongs to God, he is exalted above what is [wrongly] attributed to Him. He is God, The Creator, The Maker, The Creator of Form, To Him belongs the most beautiful of names. To him belongs glory, in the heavens and the earth, and He is The Mighty, The Wise." {Q 59:22-24}

Is Allah a moon god?

This particular assertion has been made in recent years by a handful of Christian polemicists in books and, more popularly, comic-book leaflets. The gist of their argument is that a pantheon of deities were deemed worthy of worship by the Arabs of Muhammad's time, and he simply picked one, a deity associated with the moon!  This, the argument continues, is why the traditional calendar is lunar, mosque domes often have a crescent moon adorning it, and the reason why many Muslim nations have a crescent on their flags!

There is a plethora of evidence to refute this notion and this has been addressed succinctly by others(5), however, this Quranic evidence should be sufficient for an honest reader.

"Do you not see that verily, to God is submissive who is in the heavens, the earth, the sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains, the trees, animal life as well as a goodly number of humans..?{ Q 22:18}

In another Quranic verse, we read that the pagans were asked "If you ask them 'who created the heavens and the Earth and subjected the sun and the moon, they will reply 'God".." [Q 29:61].

The Qur'an repeatedly speaks of both the moon and the sun as being used to measure time [6:96, 10:5, 55:5] and under the control of God. The Qur'an has never given legitimacy to a view that the Moon has Divine properties, or that "Allah" was synonymous with a moon deity!

Allah cannot be seen physically by human beings, because, ultimately, we would not be able to grasp Him in a full and complete manner, This is why God is never depicted in human form [or any physical form for that matter] and no pictures are present in prayer halls. Indeed, we find that if any decorations adorn the Mosques, it would be quotations from the Qur'an itself, designed to remind the visitor of the greatness of God.

"And the mosques are for God, therefore do not supplicate any other than him."[Q72:18]


Islam as the teaching of Prophets preceding Muhammad and coming through Muhammad

Islam is an Arabic word meaning "submission to God". The one who does the act of submission is called a "Muslim". If one were to read about the characters of old, particularly in the Jude-Christian dispensation, we find that indeed, they taught their followers submission to God. It is true that there are some differences in emphasis and rituals, however the core of submission remains.

As Muslims see it, this thread of teachers, scriptures and Prophets ended with the coming of Muhammad. He comes, according to Islamic teachings, as a Mercy from God to be felt universally [Q 21:107], as the Last of the Prophets with the final scriptural revelation { Q 33:40}, and with teachings that correct certain important misconceptions and that will act as an ultimate criterion for judgement between what is authentic and what is spurious, { Q 27:76 and 25:1].

As part of the Muslim practice, we are to pray for peace and blessings to be bestowed on all the Prophets and do not allow any disrespectful language about them.

Islam's relation with Jews and Christians 

The modern discourse has placed the three monotheistic religions alongside each other as reflective of the shared roots in Abraham, thus, the term Abrahamic religions.

While it is true that Islam has strong theological disagreements with the other two faiths, the Qur'an repeatedly calls them as "People of Scripture" and allows both marital and other social ties [Q 5:5].


Terrorism/Violence to spread religion

This is perhaps the greatest myth perpetuated by forces with political interests. It is imagined that Islam has taught its followers to spread the faith at the point of a sword, however, this is far from the truth. The Qur'an itself says "There is no compulsion in religious affairs, as truth stands clear from error.."[Q 2:256].

It says further "And say; Truth is from your Lord, so he who will accept, let him accept, and he who will reject, let him reject..[Q 18:29].

The Qur'an tells us that Noah says to his interlocutors "Shall we compel you to accept while you are hateful of it?" [ Q 11:28]

So we should be able to see clearly that using violence as a means to spread religion is not correct as far as Islam is concerned. In today's world, forces both inside and outside the Muslim community seem to believe otherwise, but all of that is connected to political causes and often are simply masks to disguise other agendas!

Islam is a missionary religion, it does seek to call people to investigate it and accept it. However, it does so by telling the "caller" to use "wisdom and articulate expressions" { Q 16:125}. The Qur'an refers to itself as a scripture given in order to influence people to think [Q 12:4, among other texts], so it is clearly against a blind faith.

Jesus

Depicted as a Prophet and great teacher, Jesus is mentioned by name twenty five times in the Qur'an. Muslims affirm his virginal birth and view him as the Messiah, although the understanding we have on the meaning of that differs from mainline Christianity.

This article does not seek to enter into details on that(6), nonetheless what we should convey is that belief in Jesus as Messiah is part and parcel of Islam. He is loved and respected by Muslims, even though our understanding of his significance differs from Christians,

Women

Increasingly in the West the issue of how women are treated and viewed in Islam has been raised. The most visible Muslim women are of course those who wear Hijaab or other well-recognized dress associated with Islam.

It can be said that certain parochial cultures have a negative attitude towards women, but that reflects their own views, not necessarily the teachings of the Qur'an and Prophet Muhammad. In the time before Arabia accepted Islam, the Arabian custom was to view females with little regards, even practicing female infanticide! The Qur'an, in one of its earliest texts, addressed this horrific practice [Q 81:8-9]. Islam as taught by Muhammad himself gave inheritance rights, leadership roles, rights in choice of marriage and freedom with their own incomes. Indeed, we have an entire Quranic chapter entitled "The Women" [An Nisaa'].

There are guidelines for dress for women, but what is often ignored is that there is a dress code for both men and women. The Qur'an does directly speak on how women should dress [Q 24:31 and 33:59] but what is often ignored is that the context of these regulations, particularly in the Qur'an's chapter 24 as referred to above, speaks on men and women abstaining from inappropriate staring, and behavior in general. In other words, the dress code is connected to a wider set of behavioral guidelines.

How those guidelines are carried out will vary from culture to culture. Nigerian clothing styles differ from those in the Arab world, but so long as modesty and appropriate respectful guidelines are observed, they are all equally Islamic or allowable in Islam!

For women, the dress code includes the covering of the whole body, including hair. This actually seeks to create an environment of respect and appropriateness. It has no relation to oppression of women.


Endnotes

(1) 'Umar ibn Al-Khattab {d.644 C.E.} was initially a foe of Islam, even wanting to kill Prophet Muhammad, but his heart was touched by the Quranic message and he went on to become a strong defender of the faith, even at one point becoming the leader of the Muslim community after the Prophet's death. He is well known for his modesty and sense of justice for all.

(2) Jalaluddin Ar-Rumi [d. 1273 C.E.] was a great poet, philosopher and spiritualist. The Western world absorbs his poetry and often he is seen as having been divorced from Islam. While there is admittedly some controversy surrounding him in Muslim discourse, nonetheless he saw himself as totally in line with Islam. One quote attributed to him says "Be in the community of those who receive Divine Mercy, don't abandon the Sunnah of Ahmad [i.e. Prophet Muhammad], rather, be commanded by it." A book has recently been published, which I have yet to obtain, that speaks on this attempt to divorce Rumi from Islam. The book is called Rumi's Secret by Brad Gooch. A review of it, as well as a very pleasant overview of Rumi's reach, is to be found at [url] http://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/the-erasure-of-islam-from-the-poetry-of-rumi[/url] .

(3) Some of these myths are described well in the book Holy Wars: The Crusades And Their Impact On Today's World by Karen Armstrong [New York, 2001].

(4) Al Mu'min is rendered here as "The Guardian", but it has been variously interpreted. Tafseer Al-Jalalayn has it as informing us about God who is "The truthful, who conveys the truth of miraculous creation". I'raab Al Qur'an  mentions three different interpretations, which include God's "Protecting of his servants from danger." " The Protector of his closest ones [Awliyaaa'] from his own wrath." and "That the believers will testify on judgement day and their testimony will be truthful, verified as true by God.."  This work, by the 10th century Egyptian scholar Abu Ja'far Ahmad bin Muhammad Isma'il An-Nahhas, is a wonderful reference source for examining the grammatical possibilities of Quranic words. The edition we have is published by Dar Al Ma'rifah, Beirut, Lebanon.

(5) The famed Muslim debater and academic Dr. Shabbir Ally has published a thorough refutation of the moon god theory. It can be found at [url]http://www.beautifulislam.net/christianity/robert_moreys_moon_god_myth.htm[/url].

(6) The Islamic understanding of the role of Jesus is explained by this writer at [url] http://shamsuddinwaheed.blogspot.com/2008/01/jesus-in-islam.html[/url].