THIS IS ISLAM chapter2

THIS IS ISLAM

Chapter2

SECTION VlI 

ANNEXES 

 ANNEX I: What is the Qur‘an 

 ANNEX II: Comparison 

 ANNEX III: Knowledge in Islam 

 ANNEX IV: Quotations from famous people 

 Web sites  

 

ANNEX I 

 

WHAT IS THE QUR’AN 

 

The Qur‘an is a divine revelation transmitted to Muhammad  (Muhammad, 570-632) by Angel Gabriel throughout the  course of twenty years (610-632).  It is the God‘s words for all 

of humanity. 

―This too is a blessed scripture that we have revealed, 

confirming the previous scriptures, that you may warn the 

most important community and all those around it.‖ [6:92]  

The Qur‘an is the last of the sacred Scriptures revealed by God  to guide humanity throughout the different ages, in all of the  cultures and civilizations.  

―Why do they not study the Qur‘an carefully? If it were 

from other than God, they would have found in it numerous 

contradictions.‖  [4:82] 

―Say, ‗My Lord prohibits only evil deeds, be they obvious or 

hidden, and sins, and unjustifiable aggression, and to set up 

beside GOD powerless idols, and to say about GOD what 

you do not know.‘ For each community, there is a 

predetermined life span. Once their interim comes to an end, 

they cannot delay it by one hour, nor advance it. ―(7:34] 

The Qur‘an was revealed in the Arabic language: 

―We revealed these laws in Arabic, and if you ever acquiesce 

to their wishes, after this knowledge has come to you, you 

will have no ally, nor a protector, against GOD.‖  [13:37] 

And it was memorized and copied by the disciples of Prophet  Muhammad. 

Upon the death of the Prophet, his followers decided to put it  in writing and, upon realizing this, a group was formed for the  recompilation. 

The exemplary in Arabic that exist now are copies of the  original text. 

It may be possibly the only divine revelation that humanity  completely conserved in the original language in which it was  revealed. 

All of the Scholars of the Islamic world without exception,  from the very beginning to this day in age, have been and still  are in agreement that the original Arabic text is absolutely  loyal to the revealed words and that nothing was added nor  removed from it. 

Words for those who are alive: 

―What we taught him (the messenger) was not poetry, nor is he (a 

poet). This is but a formidable proof, and a profound Qur‘an. So that anyone who is alive may be warned and that the word may come due  against the faithless.‖ [36:69, 70] 

A guide to help human beings who question the meaning of  life: 

―Your Lord is the one GOD, who created the heavens and 

the earth in six days, then assumed all authority. The night 

overtakes the day, as it pursues it persistently, and the sun, 

the moon, and the stars are committed to serve by His 

command. Absolutely, He controls all creation and all 

commands. Most Exalted is GOD, Lord of the universe.‖  

[7:54] 

It is a light. 

―O people, a proof has come to you from your Lord; we have 

sent down to you a profound beacon.‖  [4:174] 

―A beacon has come to you from GOD, and a profound 

scripture.‖  [5:15] 

―Those who believe in him, respect him, support him, and 

follow the light that came with him are the successful ones."  

[7:157] 

―You had no idea about the scripture, or faith. Yet, we made 

this a beacon to guide whomever we choose from among our 

servants. Surely, you guide in a straight path.‖  [42:52] 

―Therefore, you shall believe in GOD and His messenger, 

and the light that we have revealed herein. GOD is fully 

Cognizant of everything you do.‖  [64:8] 

With that light, God guides those who look for something  more than just brief pleasures in this world: 

―This worldly life is no more than vanity and play, while the 

abode of the Hereafter is the real life, if they only knew.‖  

[29:64] 

In regards to that there is no exception.  All of the Sacred  Scriptures are: 

―We have sent down the Torah, containing guidance and 

light. ― 

―Ruling in accordance with it were the Jewish prophets, as 

well as the rabbis and the priests, as dictated to them in 

God's scripture, and as witnessed by them. Therefore, do not 

reverence human beings; you shall reverence Me instead. 

And do not trade away My revelations for a cheap price. 

Those who do not rule in accordance with God's revelations 

are the disbelievers.‖  [5:44] 

―Subsequent to them, we sent Jesus, the son of Mary, 

confirming the previous scripture, the Torah. We gave him 

the Gospel, containing guidance and light, and confirming 

the previous scriptures, the Torah, and augmenting its 

guidance and light, and to enlighten the righteous.‖  [5:46] 

―They never valued GOD as He should be valued. Thus, 

they said, ‗GOD does not reveal anything to any human 

being.‘ Say, ‗Who then revealed the scripture that Moses 

brought, with light and guidance for the people?‘ You put it 

down on paper to proclaim it, while concealing a lot of it. 

You were taught what you never knew - you and your 

parents. Say, ‗GOD (is the One who revealed it),‘ then leave 

them in their heedlessness, playing.‖  [6:91] 

―If they disbelieve you, those before them have also 

disbelieved. Their messengers went to them with clear proofs, 

and the Psalms, and the enlightening scriptures.‖  [35:25] 

His message goes to all of humanity without distinction of the  religion one professes: 

―Say, ‗GOD has proclaimed the truth: You shall follow 

Abraham's religion - monotheism. He never was an 

idolater.‘‖  [3:95]  

―Such was our argument, with which we supported Abraham 

against his people. We exalt whomever we will to higher  ranks. Your Lord is Most Wise, Omniscient. 

And we granted him Isaac and Jacob, and we guided both of 

them. Similarly, we guided Noah before that, and from his 

descendants (we guided) David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, 

Moses, and Aaron. We thus reward the righteous. Also, 

Zachariah, John, Jesus, and Elias; all were righteous. And 

Ismail, Elisha, Jonah, and Lot; each of these we distinguished 

over all the people. From among their ancestors, their descendants, and their siblings, we chose many, and we 

guided them in a straight path.‖  [6:83-87] 

The Qur‘an teaches us that the soul is alive in this world and  that it never dies.  Each death translates into the birth on a  superior dimension of life: 

―He initiated you from one person, and decided your path, as 

well as your final destiny. We thus clarify the revelations for 

people who understand.‖  [6:98] 

―Therefore, you shall race towards forgiveness from your 

Lord, and a Paradise whose width encompasses the heaven 

and the earth. It awaits those who believed in God and His 

messengers. Such is God's grace that He bestows upon 

whomever He wills. God is Possessor of Infinite Grace.‖  

[57:21] 

―O you who believe, if you are told, ‗Please make room,‘ you 

shall make room for each other to sit. God will then make 

room for you. If you are asked to get up and move, get up and 

move. God raises those among you who believe, and those 

who acquire knowledge to higher ranks. God is fully 

Cognizant of everything you do.‖  [58:11] 

While the soul ignores all of these truths, it is condemned to  failure: 

―Is one who was dead and we granted him life, and provided 

him with light that enables him to move among the people, 

equal to one in total darkness from which he can never exit? 

The works of the disbelievers are thus adorned in their eyes.‖  

[6:122] 

―Say, ‗Shall I tell you who the worst losers are?‘ They are the 

ones whose works in this life are totally astray, but they 

think that they are doing well.  Such are the ones who 

disbelieved in the revelations of their Lord and in meeting 

Him. Therefore, their works are in vain; on the Day of 

Resurrection, they have no weight.‖  [18:103-105] 

The Qur‘an has been revealed to teach humanity how to  correctly use the liberty that God has given us: 

―We sent our messengers supported by clear proofs, and we 

sent down to them the scripture and the law, that the people 

may uphold justice.‖  [57:25] 

Those who do not know about the divine purpose with which  God has created us and has created everything that exists, live  like castaways in a dark ocean, without a lighthouse and  without a guide: 

―Indeed, the real blindness is not the blindness of the eyes, 

but the blindness of the hearts inside the chests.‖ [22:46] 

―Do not those who disbelieve see that the heavens and the 

earth were closed up, but We have opened them; and We 

have made of water everything living, will they not then 

believe?‖  [21:30] 

―Whoever is guided, is guided for his own good, and whoever 

goes astray does so to his own detriment. No sinner will bear the sins of anyone else. We never punish without first 

sending a messenger.‖  [17:15] 

One of the major objectives of this divine guide is the  establishment and defense of justice: 

―Those who believe are fighting for the cause of God, while 

those who disbelieve are fighting for the cause of tyranny.‖  

[4:76] 

―Whoever mediates a good deed receives a share of the credit 

thereof, and whoever mediates an evil work, incurs a share 

thereof. God controls all things.‖  [4:85] 

―Oh you who believe, you shall be absolutely equitable, and 

observe God, when you serve as witnesses, even against 

yourselves, or your parents, or your relatives. Whether the 

accused is rich or poor, God takes care of both. Therefore, do 

not be biased by your personal wishes. If you deviate or 

disregard (this commandment), then God is fully Cognizant 

of everything you do.‖  [4:135] 

There does not exist injustice nor imbalance in the creation: 

―Verily Allah will not deal unjustly with man in aught: It is man  that wrongs his own soul.‖  [10:44] 

It is the human being that generates this.  However, finally, the  injustice and the oppression will be defeated and the just  beings will inherit the Land: 

―We have decreed in the Psalms, as well as in other 

scriptures, that the earth shall be inherited by My righteous 

worshipers.‖  [21:105] 

―Verily, the Revelation that has come to you from your Lord 

(Allah) increases in most of them (their) obstinate rebellion 

and disbelief. We have put enmity and hatred amongst them 

till the Day of Resurrection. Every time they kindled the fire 

of war, Allah extinguished it; and they (ever) strive to make 

mischief on the earth. And Allah does not like the Mufsidun 

(mischief-makers).‖  [5:64] 

The Qur‘an offers the disorientated human being without  objective, captive of the material values, indifferent before  oppression and injustice, a goal:   

―Why should you not fight in the cause of God when weak 

men, women, and children are imploring…‖  [4:75] 

―How many a prophet there has been with whom a multitude 

of godly men fought. They did not falter for what befell them 

in the way of God neither did they weaken, nor did they 

abase themselves; and God loves the steadfast.‖  [3:146] 

―Oh you who believe, you shall reverence God and believe in 

His messenger. He will then grant you double the reward 

from His mercy, endow you with light to guide you, and 

forgive you.‖  [57:28] 

The Qur‘an is a Scripture that speaks about everything: 

―We have revealed to you this book to provide explanations 

for everything, and guidance, and mercy, and good news for 

the submitters.‖  [16:89] 

It is not limited to relative topics of the divine kin, nor to the  establishment of social justice: 

―Certainly, those who stand up for their rights, when 

injustice befalls them, are not committing any error. The 

wrong ones are those who treat the people unjustly, and 

resort to aggression without provocation. These have 

incurred a painful retribution.‖  [42:41-42] 

―God has provided for some of you more than others. Those 

who are given plenty would never give their properties to 

their subordinates to the extent of making them partners. 

Would they give up God‘s blessings?‖  [16:71] 

All of the topics covered are open to philosophical and  metaphysical dimensions: 

―For that cause We decreed for the Children of Israel that 

whosoever kills a human being for other than manslaughter 

or corruption in the earth, it shall be as if he had killed all 

mankind, and whoso saves the life of one, it shall be as if he 

had saved the life of all mankind.‖  [5:32] 

―Anyone who gives up his home, emigrating to God and His 

messenger, then death catches up with him, his recompense 

is reserved with God.‖  [4:100] 

―Anyone who earns a sin, earns it to the detriment of his 

own soul. God is Omniscient, Most Wise.‖  [4:111] 

Over which bases are established a social model is poured  over all of the most weak, the most defenseless, the neediest:   

―They consult you concerning women: say, ‗God enlightens 

you regarding them, as recited for you in the scripture. You 

shall restore the rights of orphaned girls whom you cheat out 

of their due dowries when you wish to marry them: you shall 

not take advantage of them. The rights of orphaned boys 

must also be protected as well. You shall treat the orphans 

equitably. Whatever good you do, GOD is fully aware 

thereof.‘‖  [4:127] 

We are called to reflect on the signs that surround us: 

―They remember God while standing, sitting, and on their 

sides, and they reflect upon the creation of the heavens and 

the earth: "Our Lord, You did not create all this in vain. Be 

You glorified. Save us from the retribution of Hell.‖  [3:191] 

―Do not corrupt the earth after it has been set straight, and 

worship Him out of reverence, and out of hope. Surely, God‘s 

mercy is attainable by the righteous.‖  [7:56] 

―He is the One who sends the wind with good omen, as a 

mercy from His hands. Once they gather heavy clouds, we 

drive them to dead lands, and send down water therefrom, to 

produce with it all kinds of fruits. We thus resurrect the 

dead, that you may take heed.‖  [7:57] 

As the great Andalusia Gnostic from the 7th century said: 

―The Qur‘an, maximum ocean, whose abyss is bottomless 

because it has no bed to reach, nor shore to draw into.‖ 

Throughout the centuries, the scholars have written exegesis  about this miraculous text, each from the field of their  specialty, the grammar, medicine, metaphysics, law…without 

any of them being able to drain not even a little all of the  teachings enclosed in it. 

What was written is not equivalent to the Qur‘an nor does it  represent a complete interpretation of the Qur‘an and all of its  meanings.  Its levels of reading are infinite and its  comprehension encloses a relationship with the level of  erudition and of spirituality of the reader.  Its passages, though revealed in specific moments and  adequate to the events that were occurring, possess a generic  and eternal value; it speaks to us about things that do not  change in the human being:   

―Have you noted the one whose god is his ego? 

Consequently, God sends him astray, despite his knowledge, 

seals his hearing and his mind, and places a veil on his eyes.‖  

[45:23] 

And the concrete circumstances in which they were revealed  represent examples of similar situations that continually hold  a place in our everyday life and in the history of humanity,  because of that, its verses speak to us directly.  It connects with what is happening to us and it responds to the questions that  are burning in our mind and in our hearts at the same time in  which we are reading: 

―O you who believe, if you strike in the cause of God, you 

shall be absolutely sure. Do not say to one who offers you 

peace, ‗You are not a believer,‘ seeking the spoils of this 

world. For God possesses infinite spoils.‖  [4:94] 

The Qur‘an has an anti-dogmatic text: 

―We have sent down the Torah, containing guidance and 

light.‖  [5:44] 

―The people of the Gospel shall rule in accordance with God‘s 

revelations therein.‖  [5:46-47] 

―We gave him the Gospel, containing guidance and light, 

and confirming the previous scriptures, the Torah, and 

augmenting its guidance and light, and to enlighten the 

righteous.  

You shall rule among them in accordance with God‘s 

revelations, and do not follow their wishes if they differ from 

the truth that came to you. For each of you, we have decreed 

laws and different rites. Had God willed, He could have 

made you one congregation. But He thus puts you to the test 

through the revelations He has given each of you.  

You shall compete in righteousness. To God is your final 

destiny - all of you - then He will inform you of everything 

you had disputed.‖  [5:48] 

That calls for tolerance: 

―You shall invite to the path of your Lord with wisdom and 

good advice, and debate with them in the best possible 

manner.‖  [16:125] 

For modesty: 

―You shall not walk proudly on earth - you cannot bore 

through the earth, nor can you be as tall as the mountains.‖  

[17:37] 

For honor: 

―You shall not touch the orphans' money except for their 

own good, until they reach maturity. You shall fulfill your 

covenants, for a covenant is a great responsibility.  You shall 

give full measure when you trade, and weigh equitably. This 

is better and more righteous.‖  [17:34-35] 

For what is good: 

“You shall cooperate in matters of righteousness and 

piety; do not cooperate in matters that are sinful and 

evil.”  [5:2] 

For justice: 

―Oh you who believe, you shall be absolutely equitable, and 

observe God, when you serve as witnesses. Do not be 

provoked by your conflicts with some people into committing 

injustice. You shall be absolutely equitable, for it is more 

righteous. You shall observe God. God is fully 

Cognizant of everything you do.‖  [5:8] 

Islam does not confront the rest of the transcendences‘ beliefs.   On the contrary, it considers all religions part of the Truth  revealed and recognizes all of the prophets as part of one spirit  and deliverers of the same message: 

―Say, ‗We believe in GOD, and in what was sent down to 

us, and in what was sent down to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, 

Jacob, and the Patriarchs, and in what was given to Moses, 

Jesus, and the prophets from their Lord. We make no 

distinction among any of them. To Him alone we are 

submitters.‘‖  [3:84] 

―Surely, those who believe, those who are Jewish, the 

Christians, and the converts; anyone who (1) believes in 

God, and (2) believes in the Last Day, and (3) leads a 

righteous life, will receive their recompense from their Lord. 

They have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.‖  [2:62] 

―We have inspired you, as we inspired Noah and the 

prophets after him. And we inspired Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, 

Jacob, the Patriarchs, Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon. 

And we gave David the Psalms. Messengers we have told 

you about, and messengers we never told you about. And 

God spoke to Moses directly.  Messengers as bearers of good news and warners, so that the people will have no excuse 

when they face God, after all these messengers have come to 

them.‖  [4:163-165] 

For value: 

―Therefore, do not reverence human beings; you shall 

reverence Me instead. And do not trade away My revelations 

for a cheap price.‖  [5:44] 

The Qur‘an is not a history book, in a way which the wording  respects some kind of order of events, but rather it is an  educational book, a guide and a personal construction of  human beings to which they return over and over again to the  same topics, observing them from different point of views,  focusing on different aspects of the same and interspersed  commentaries.   

―Oh people of the scripture, do not transgress the limits of 

your religion, and do not say about God except the truth.‖  

[4:171] 

ANNEX II 

COMPARISONS 

Islam, Catholicism and Judaism 

[Refer to www.urd.ac.ir/english] 

 

 

COMPARISON: THE CONCEPT OF GOD 

Islam: One Omnipotent God, Omnipresent, Omniscient and  Omnipresent. 

Catholicism: Trinity of God (The Father, the Son and the Holy  Spirit). 

Islam: God is the Creator.  To refer to God as ―the Father‖ is to 

reduce Him to the human dimension.  It is, in fact, easier to be  a father than a mother.  Our father in Islam is Adam (P), who is  the father of all Humanity. 

Catholicism:  God is the Father and the Creator. 

Islam: God is without gender, and is neither man nor woman. 

Catholicism: God is male. 

Islam: God is without image. 

Catholicism: God is represented in the iconography of two  men and a dove. 

Islam: God has no mother or father, and has no children. 

Catholicism: God the Father has a son.  God the Son has a  father and a mother.  He also has brothers, grandparents, and  is the grandson of the father and mother of Mary.  Seeing God  in this way, it should also be said that the God Father has inlaws, and is the son-in-law of the father and mother of Mary 

(P).  By this reasoning, Mary had two husbands, God the Father  and Joseph the carpenter.  

Islam: God is omnipotent and is not mortal. 

Catholicism: God, the son, was mortal and was crucified. 

Islam: The Holy Spirit is the Angel Gabriel who brought the  word of God to the great Prophets. 

Catholicism: The Holy Spirit is God, one third of the Trinity.  He is Lord and Giver of Life.  He spoke for the Prophets (P). 

 

COMPARISON: PRAYER 

Islam: Considers God to be Clement and Merciful.  The  clemency and mercy of God are not comparable to human 

clemency.  Therefore Muslims in their prayers plead for God‘s 

clemency and mercy, regardless of whether they deserve it or  are worthy of it.  They ask God to judge them with His  clemency, not with his Justice, because God uses his justice rather than his clemency when we find ourselves in  difficulties.  For example, Muslims say: 

My God, forgive me although I am undeserving and am 

unworthy of your forgiveness. Forgive me because 

forgiveness is worthy of you who are most Clement.  My 

God, on the day of Justice, please use your clemency and not 

your justice. 

When ÝÀ‘isha asked the Prophet (PBD) about what to supplicate on  the grand Night of Ordainment (laylat al-qadr), replied You should  say:  

 

O Allah verily you are all-pardoning and You love to pardon, so 

pardon me. 

 

Catholicism: In the oration known as ―The Lord‘s Prayer‖, the 

faithful ask for forgiveness of ―our trespasses, as we forgive those  who trespass against us.‖  In these terms the suppliant considers 

his own clemency greater than that of God‘s, he therefore 

pleads to God to augment His clemency and mercy, but in the  final analysis he is presenting himself as a model of clemency  before God.  He is thus asking God to increase His clemency  and mercy until they have reached the suppliant‘s own level 

of clemency.  The suppliant would be correct if by saying:  

―forgive our offenses and help us to forgive those who have 

trespassed against us.‖ 

 COMPARISON: FAITH 

Islam: Faith in Islam is based on logic and reasoning. 

Catholicism: Faith is based on unquestionable dogma, that is,  blind faith or faith without reasoning. 

Islam: Islam is the only religion inviting reasoning and  analysis.  Muhammad (PBD) Prophet of Islam, said: one hour of  thinking is worth seventy years of praying to God.  The Qur‘an is  full and rich with invitations to reason.  According to Islam the  Prophets of God, among them Jesus, invited reasoning.  The  dogma of faith is considered to be a distortion on the part of  Catholicism. 

Catholicism: Invites the acceptance of religious dogma with  no thought or reason, that is, without rationale. 

Islam: Education and study, as a positive objective, are  considered to be prayers to God.  Muhammad (PBD) said: the 

wise man‘s ink is worth more than the martyr‘s blood. 

Catholicism: Galileo, who in his wisdom declared the earth  was round, was condemned to death by the Church.   

Islam: There are no intermediaries between man and God. 

Catholicism: The Church and its clergy are considered to be  the intermediaries between man and God. 

Islam: Supplication and prayer are directed particularly to  God. 

Catholicism: Prayer is often indirect and is channeled through  the Church. 

Islam: God forgives.  He is the Judge on the Final Day of  Judgement.  He punishes or forgives.  Forgiveness is granted  directly by God. 

Catholicism:  Forgiveness is granted by priests of the Church  and often in return they receive a monetary recompense. 

Islam: Forgiveness is petitioned directly to God, it is forbidden  to confess sins to anyone other than God himself, since God is  the final judge on the Day of Judgement and He is  omnipresent and omniscient.  

Catholicism: Invites the believer to ask forgiveness and  indulgence of the priests of the Church, who are often paid in  return. 

Islam: In Islam it is a sin to confess or recant the sin to others,  even to a member of the clergy.  It is a private matter, and 

therefore he privately and directly asks for God‘s forgiveness.  

To ask forgiveness from anyone other than God is a greater  sin, when considering that God is the judge on Judgement  Day, and only God has the power of forgiveness, for He is  omniscient.  But if a person has committed an offense against  another person, he may ask the offended person to forgive  him.  If a public sin has been committed, the transgressor  should ask forgiveness in public. 

Catholicism: Sin must be confessed to a priest, and this is  interpreted by Muslims as a means of controlling society. 

Islam: Islam speaks of love for God, and affirms the clemency  and mercy of God.  In the Qur‘an, more is devoted to God‘s 

mercy than to the fear of God.  Quote, Imam Alí. 

Catholicism: The Church invites faith more on the basis of the  fear rather than the love of God. 

Islam: The ingestion of the flesh of another human being is  considered a deplorable act. 

Catholicism: The faithful symbolically ingest the flesh and  blood of Jesus (P) as a positive sacrament of the Holy  Communion. 

Islam: Both Muslims and Jews forbid the ingestion of pork or  pork products. 

Catholicism: The eating of pork is permitted, despite the fact  that its flesh is genetically similar to that of the human body,  therefore susceptible to the transmission of virus. 

 

COMPARISON OF JESUS AND MARY (P) 

Islam: Jesus (P) is a human being and a great Prophet of God. 

Catholicism: Considers Jesus to be the ―son of God‖, one third 

of the Trinity. 

Islam:  The birth of Jesus (P) without a human father was a 

miracle of God‘s will, but he is nonetheless a human being and 

a great Prophet of God. 

Catholicism: The father of Jesus was God himself. 

Islam: Recognizes the purity and virginity of Mary (P), and  accepts that Jesus was conceived without a father, because he 

was born of God‘s will. 

Catholicism: Jesus was incarnate in Mary (P), of a virgin birth,  but is the son of God. 

Islam: Mary (P) was never married. 

Catholicism: Mary (P) was married to Joseph when her son 

was born.  Joseph doubted Mary‘s (P) virgin birth but the Angel  Gabriel convinced him that he should accept (that his wife had  served as a vehicle for the birth of the son of God). 

Islam: A chapter of the Qur‘an is called ―Mary‖ and is devoted  in part to her story.  Another chapter called ―The Table‖  describes ―The Last Supper‖. 

Catholicism: The Bible contains no chapter devoted to either 

―Mary‖ or ―The Table‖ (Al-Maeda). 

Islam: Islam attributes miracles to Mary (P) such as having  received the fruits of Paradise sent by God. 

Catholicism:  The Bible recognizes no such miracles. 

Islam: Islam attributes more miracles to Jesus than are  described in the Bible, such as his having spoken in public  only days after his birth, regarding the Prophecy.  The Qur‘an  affirms that the miracles of the Prophets were granted by God. 

Catholicism: The Bible attributes miracles to Jesus, but fewer  than those related in the Qur‘an. 

Islam: Islam recognizes the ascension of Jesus (P) without his  having been crucified. 

Catholicism: Catholicism recognizes the ascension of Jesus (P) 

after his death on the cross. 

Islam:  Based on Islamic vision, a miracle occurred by which  Jesus (P) was not crucified, but he did ascend to God.  It was  Judas the traitor, who in the eyes of the enemies of Jesus  looked just like him, who was crucified in his place.  The 

Qur‘an affirms that: ―Certainly they did not kill him, rather God  raised him up to Him.‖  (The Qur‘an, 4:157-158) 

Catholicism: Jesus (P) was crucified, suffered and was buried,  then was resurrected on the third day, at which point he  ascended to Heaven. 

Islam: Jesus (P) had knowledge and awareness of God, and just  as the other great Prophets, at no time believed that God had  abandoned him. 

Catholicism: According to the Bible, as he suffered on the  cross Jesus (P) called out, ―Father, why have you abandoned me?‖, 

in which case he would have been unaware of God (and 

doubtful of God‘s unfailing presence). 

Islam: Jesus (P) had no fear of death, because he knew that  death was the portal to Paradise and a closeness to God. 

Catholicism: Jesus (P) was afraid of dying.  Before his  crucifixion he lamented in Gethsemane and was anguished by  the persecution he suffered. 

 

COMPARISON OF THE ORIGINAL SIN 

Islam: Adam and Eve (P) were created by God with no father  or mother, and are the father and mother of all Mankind. 

Catholicism: Adam and Eve (P) were created by God without 

father or mother and are also God‘s first progeny. 

Islam: In Islam, Adam and Eve (P) were forgiven for their sins. 

Catholicism: Adam and Eve were punished for their  disobedience of God, were expelled from Paradise and lived a  life of suffering and hard labor on earth. 

Islam: Life begins in innocence, each child is born pure and  blameless, and if a child dies before he reaches maturity he  enters Paradise.  There is no logic or justice in a child carrying  the burden of the sins of others, especially of Adam and Eve 

(P), for a sin committed thousands of years before, and which  according to Islam was forgiven. 

Catholicism: Life begins in sin, each child is born in ―original  sin‖ because of the sin of Adam and Eve (P), therefore,  although only a child, perhaps only a fetus, if it dies before  baptism it cannot enter Paradise but must remain in Limbo.  

After the Vatican‘s claiming for centuries of the existence of 

Limbo, the Pope recently denied the existence of Limbo without clarifying where dead children go if they have not  been baptized.   

Judaism:  ―The soul which does sin will be put to death: the son will  not be made responsible for the evil-doing of the father, or the father  for the evil-doing of the son; the righteousness of the upright will be  on himself, and the evil-doing of the evil-doer on himself.‖ (The Bible,  Ezekiel 18:20) 

Islam:  Each person is responsible for his own actions, from 

the time ―he has use of reason‖, that is, his maturity.  On the 

Day of Final Judgement he will answer for his actions, but not  for those of others.  According to Islam, each person will be 

questioned regarding his own actions, no one else‘s. 

Catholicism: Each person bears the burden of the sin of Adam  and Eve (P). 

Islam: Jesus (P) and the other Prophets taught what was just,  and invited others to follow their example.  Each of us is  responsible for our own actions.   

"The duty of the messenger is only the delivery (of the 

message). God knows what you reveal and what you hide." 

(The Qur‘an, 5:99) 

"No bearer shall bear another's burden, and should one 

heavily burdened call [another] to carry it, nothing of it will 

be carried, even if he were a near relative. You can only warn 

those who fear their Lord in secret, and maintain the prayer. 

Whoever purifies himself, purifies only for his own sake, and 

to God is the return" (The Qur‘an, 35:18)    

Catholicism: Jesus (P) forgave our sins, ―washed us free of  them‖, by means of his sacrifice, more than two thousand 

years ago. 

Islam: In order to assume responsibility for our behavior and  actions we must be aware of ourselves.  Thus anything that  alters our state of awareness is prohibited, therefore alcohol is  forbidden by Islam. 

Catholicism: Alcohol is permitted and wine is drunk on the  occasion of religious ceremonies, such as the Mass and  liturgical acts.   

Judaism:  (The Bible, Old Testaments, Proverbs 20:1) Bible  Quote, Proverbs 20:1 

 

COMPARISON: MATRIMONY 

Islam: Marital relations are necessary and marriage is  considered, as Muhammad (PBD) said, to be ―half of religion‖. 

Catholicism: Marital relations are established as an act that  permits the procreation of children, and suggests, as in the  case of priests, monks or nuns, that celibacy brings them closer  to God. 

Islam: Marriage is preferable to an unmarried state, and it is  better to be married than to remain a virgin, or celibate. 

Catholicism: It is preferable that nuns do not marry and so  they must remain virgin. 

Islam: Islamic clergy do marry.  According to Islamic thinking, 

―marriage brings man or woman closer to God.‖ 

Catholicism: The Catholic clergy, those (presumably) closest  to God, such as monks or priests, must remain celibate and  promote celibacy. 

Islam: Divorce is a ―permitted evil‖.  It could be seen as the 

solution to a marriage that has failed, in which the couple  concerned no longer wishes to remain together.   

Catholicism: Divorce (although today in many countries now  tolerated), is strictly prohibited and only the Pope is  empowered to annul a marriage. 

Islam: Polygamy is permitted because it is interpreted as a  viable social solution, when faced with a demographic  imbalance, with more women than men.  (It is also the  response to other imperatives, according to the case).  The  Prophet Abraham (P) himself was polygamous. 

Catholicism: Prohibits polygamy, regardless of demographics.   In many countries, the female population greatly exceeds the  male. 

Islam: There are provisions in Islam for temporary marriage, 

which is allowed according to the precepts of the Shi‘ite 

School of Islam. 

Catholicism: Prohibits temporary marriage or free union.

Islam: There is no discrimination among the children born of  various models or types of marriage.  They are all legitimate  and they all have equal rights of inheritance and the father is  equally responsible for their maintenance. 

Catholicism:  Does not recognize polygamy and discriminates  against children born out of wedlock.  (They are considered 

―illegitimate‖.  No such stigma is attached to children in 

Islam.) 

Islam:  A clergyman is not required as an intermediary in  order to perform the marriage ceremony in Islam.  Muslim  couples are in accord regarding the terms of their agreement,  and a verbal arrangement is sufficient, although for purposes  of civil law, ratified by a notary. 

Catholicism:  A clergyman is required for the performance of  the marriage ceremony and the ratification of the marriage  vows. 

 

COMPARISON: WOMEN 

Islam: Sexual satisfaction, in Islam, is confined to the marital  status.  Sexual provocation is not permitted in a social context.  European or Occidental Culture: Sexual provocation in social  and professional relationships is considered appropriate. 

Islam: Sexual attraction (and pleasure) are considered to be  marital values of the utmost intimacy, and should never be  treated as social, commercial or professional values. 

European or Occidental Culture: Sexual attraction (and/or  pleasure) is considered to be equally valid in a matrimonial,  social, commercial or professional context. 

Islam:  The Muslim woman covers herself when she leaves her  home in order to avoid provoking attention or attraction, in  consideration of the same values as Holy Mary (P). 

European or Occidental Culture:  Many, though not all  women, are accustomed to provoking sexual allure, in a social  context, by means of their garments or fashion. 

Islam: The use of sex as a commercial product in society is  considered to be an insult to women‘s dignity, and is therefore 

prohibited. 

European or Occidental Culture: The use of feminine  sexuality for the promotion of commercial products is  commonplace and is freely permitted, even encouraged. 

Islam:  The Muslim woman does not provoke or seek a  physical response in a social relationship, nor does she use her  feminine mystique for commercial purposes. 

European or Occidental Culture: Physical allure is valued in a  social and commercial context. 

Islam: The Muslim woman wears make-up and enjoys  sensuality in the intimate relationship with her husband, but  removes her make-up if she is to leave her home. 

European or Occidental Culture: Many, though not all,  Occidental women wear make-up and behave in a provocative  or sensual manner outside their home. 

Islam: Prostitution is prohibited in Islam. 

European or Occidental Culture: Prostitution is tolerated and  is considered to be remunerative labor. 

Islam: Both male and female homosexualities are prohibited  by Islam and are considered to be unnatural.   Anyone born a  hermaphrodite, however, has the right to surgery and may  chose to become either a man or a woman, providing the  person is an adult. 

European or Occidental Culture: Both male and female  homosexualities are tolerated and have become legitimized in  the definition of human rights.  In some countries a  homosexual couple may marry and even adopt children.   If Western culture tolerates homosexuality on the basis of 

―consenting adults‖ it is conceivable that incest, by virtue of 

the same definition, could be ―tolerated‖, and equally  considered within the rights of ―consenting adults‖.   

COMPARISON: ENTERING INTO THE FAITH 

Islam: In order to enter into the Islamic faith it is sufficient to  repeat two phrases, uttered in good conscience and with  absolute conviction. 

―In the name of God, the clement and the merciful, I bear 

witness that there is no God but God, (One God alone).  I 

bear witness that Muhammad (PBD) is the Prophet of God and 

is His messenger.‖ 

For admittance into the Shi‘ite School, which its members  consider to represent the original faith, it is only necessary to  add: ―I bear witness that the Imam Alí is the successor of the  Prophet‖. 

According to Islam, God forgives all prior sin of anyone who  enters into the faith. 

The Prophet (PBD) said: 

―He who performs good acts after having embraced Islam 

will not be punished for anything that he did in his preIslamic state, whilst he who continues to commit bad after 

having embraced Islam will be taken to account for 

everything from beginning to end.‖ 

Catholicism: In order to enter into the Catholic faith it is 

necessary to accept baptism by a priest who acts as God‘s 

intermediary.  Faith alone does not suffice. 

 Judaism: Only a blood descendant of a Jewish mother, strictly  speaking, may be considered a Jew.   Faith is not involved.   

COMPARISON: DUTIES REGARDING THE PROPHETS 

God demanded that Mankind hear and attend the message of 

the Prophets, since they have spoken in God‘s name.  If we 

were to ignore these messages we would have to account to  God for our failing. 

Judaism: According to the Old Testament (God speaking to  Moses):  

―I will give them a prophet from among themselves, like you, 

and I will put my words in his mouth, and he will say to 

them whatever I give him orders to say. And whoever does 

not give ear to my words which he will say in my 

name, will be responsible to me.‖ (The Bible, Deuteronomy 18:18-19) 

Catholicism: The new Bible Testament affirms that Jesus was,  in effect, the Prophet promised in these verses.  And said that  who does not give attention to that Prophet, will be cut off  from among the people. 

―So then, (…) Who is to be kept in heaven till the time when 

all things are put right, of which God has given word by the 

mouth of his holy prophets, who have been from the earliest 

times. For Moses said, The Lord will give you a prophet from 

among your people, like me; you will give ear to everything 

which he will say to you. And every soul who does not 

give attention to that Prophet, will be cut off from 

among the people.‖ (The Bible, Acts 3:19-23) 

And God said in The Qur‘an: 

―And when God took the covenant of the prophets: 'that I 

have given you of the book and wisdom. then there shall come 

to you a messenger (Muhammad) confirming what is with 

you, you shall believe in him and you shall support him to be 

victorious, do you agree and take my load on this? ‗They 

answered: 'we do agree. ‗God said: 'then bear witness, and I 

will be with you among the witnesses. 'Whosoever turns 

back after that, they are the transgressors. Are they seeking a 

religion other than that of God?, and to him whosoever is in 

the heavens and the earth has submitted willingly and 

unwillingly. To him they shall be returned? say: 'we believe 

in God and in what is sent down to us and in that which was 

sent down to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and the tribes, 

and in that which was given to (prophets) Moses and Jesus, 

and the prophets from their lord. We do not differentiate 

between any of them. To him we are submitters (Muslims). 

He who chooses a religion other than Islam, it will not be 

accepted from him, and in the everlasting life he will be 

among the losers. How shall God guide a people who lapse 

into disbelief after they believed and bore witness that the 

messenger is true, and after receiving clear proofs! God does 

not guide the harm doers. Those, their recompense shall be 

the curse of God, the angels, and all the people there they 

shall live for ever. Their punishment shall not be lightened, 

nor shall they be given respite. Except those who afterwards 

repent and mend their ways, God is forgiving and the most 

merciful. Indeed those who disbelieve after they have believed 

and increase in disbelief, their repentance shall not be 

accepted. These are those who are astray.‖ (The Qur‘an, 3:81- 90) 

ANNEX III 

KNOWLEDGE IN ISLAM 

Refer to: 

 www.hadith.net  

www.almostafaou.com  

 

THE QUR‟AN AND KNOWLEDGE 

 ―He gives wisdom to whomever He wishes, and He who is given 

wisdom, is certainly given an abundant good. But none takes 

admonition except those who possess intellect.‖ (The Qur‘an 2:269)   

 ―And they will say, ‗Had we listened or applied reason, we  would not have been among the inmates of the Blaze.‖ (The Qur‘an 

67:10) 

 

 ―Say, ‗Are those who know equal to those who do not know?‘  Only those who possess intellect take admonition.‖ (The Qur‘an 39:9)   

 ―God will raise those of you who have faith and those who have 

been given knowledge in rank and God is well aware of what you 

do.‖ (The Qur‘an 58:11) 

THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD (PBD) SAID ABOUT  KNOWLEDGE 

 

 When God wants good for a community, He increases their  scholars and decreases their ignorant ones, so when the scholar  speaks, he finds supporters, but when the ignorant one speaks, he  is defeated.2 

 Knowledge is a treasury, the key to which is the question, so ask  and God will have mercy on you for verily four people are  rewarded [for that question]: the questioner, the speaker, the  listener, and the one that admires them.3 

 The very basis of man is his intellect, and the man devoid of  intellect has no religion.4 

 Knowledge is too great to be encompassed, so take the best from  each thing.5 

 

THE ROLE OF THE INTELLECT IN CHASTISEMENT  AND REWARD 

 

 Verily all good is grasped through the intellect, and the man  devoid of intellect has no religion.6 

 The Prophet (PBD) asked a group of people who were praising a 

man, ‗How is the man‘s intellect?‘ to which they replied, ‗O 

Prophet of God, we are telling you about his endeavours at  worship and other good acts, and you are asking us about his 

intellect?!‘ So he replied, ‗Verily the stupid person suffers as a 

 -------------------------------------                                                     

2 Kanz al-ÝUmmÁl, no. 28692 

3 TuÎaf al-ÝUqÙl, no. 41 

4 RawÃat al-WÁÝiÛÐn, p. 9 

5 Kanz al-Fawa’id, v. 2, p. 31 

6 TuÎaf al-ÝUqÙl, no. 54 

result of his stupidity worse than the licentiousness of an  immoral person. The servants will rise up in rank in the  Hereafter and will receive great rewards from their Lord in  proportion to their intellects.7 

 

THE VIRTUE OF KNOWLEDGE 

 

 When committing a sin, the knowledgeable man is guilty of the  one sin whereas the ignorant man is guilty of two [i.e. the sin  itself and the sin of ignorance].8 

 Knowledge is the root of all good whereas ignorance is the root of  all evil.9 

 The quest for knowledge is incumbent upon every Muslim… 

Knowledge leads to action and action follows it...10 

 The worthiest of people are those who have the most knowledge,  and the least of them in worth are those with the least  knowledge.11 

 The people who are closest to the rank of prophet hood are the  people of knowledge and striving.12 

 On the Day of Resurrection, the ink of the scholars will be  weighed up against the blood of the martyrs, and the ink of the  scholars will preponderate over the blood of the martyrs.13   

----------------------------------                                                           

7 MajmaÝ al-BayÁn, v. 1, p. 487 

8 Kanz al-ÝUmmÁl, no. 28784 

9 BiÎÁr al-AnwÁr, v. 77, p. 175, no. 9 

10 AmÁlÐ al-ÓÙsÐ, p. 488, no. 1069 

11 AmÁlÐ al-ÑadÙq, p. 27, no. 4 

12 al-MaÎajjat al-BayÃÁ’, v. 1, p. 14 

13 TafsÐr al-Durr al-ManthÙr, v. 3, no. 423 

THE SUPERIORITY OF KNOWLEDGE TO ACTS OF  WORSHIP 

 

 A little knowledge is better than a lot of worship.14 

 To sleep having knowledge is better than to pray in ignorance.15 

 Verily the knowledgeable man is superior to the [mere]  worshipper as the sun is to the stars, and the worshipper is  superior to the one who does not worship as the superiority of the  moon to the stars.16 

 An hour spent by a knowledgeable man lying on his bed thinking  about his deeds is better than seventy years spent by the  worshipper performing acts of worship.17 

 The knowledgeable man is superior to the [mere] worshipper by  seventy degrees, the distance between two degrees spanning the  gallop of a horse for seventy years; and this is because Satan  plants an innovation amongst people which the knowledgeable  man notices and prohibits, whilst the worshipper attends to his  worship neither taking any notice of it nor recognizing it.18 

 By the One Who holds MuÎammad‘s soul in His Grasp! Verily 

one knowledgeable man is more difficult for Satan to bear than  seventy worshippers, for the worshipper serves himself whilst the  knowledgeable man serves others.19   

 

 ----------------------------------

                                                           

14 al-MaÎajjat al-BayÃÁ’, v. 1, p. 22 

15 Munyat al-MurÐd, p. 104 

16 BiÎÁr al-AnwÁr, v. 2, p. 19, no. 49 

17 RawÃat al-WÁÝiÛÐn, no. 16 

18 Ibid. no. 17 

19 Kanz al-ÝUmmÁl, no. 28908 

THE DEATH OF A SCHOLAR 

 

 The death of a scholar is an affliction that cannot be compensated  and a void that cannot be filled, for he is a star that has been  obliterated. The death of a whole tribe is easier to bear than the  death of a scholar.20 

 

ENJOINMENT OF SEEKING KNOWLEDGE 

 

 Seek knowledge even in China, for verily to seek knowledge is an  obligation on every Muslim.21 

 Seeking knowledge is an obligation on every Muslim. Indeed  how God loves those who strive in their quest for knowledge.22 

 He who cannot endure the submissiveness entailed in learning  for an hour will remain submissive to ignorance forever.23 

 There are two insatiable types of people who are never satisfied  by their quest: the seeker of knowledge and the seeker after this  world.24 

 

THE SEEKER OF KNOWLEDGE 

 

 The seeker of knowledge among ignorant people is as the living  one among the dead.25 

 When death comes to the seeker of knowledge whilst he is in that  state [of seeking knowledge], he dies as a martyr.26 

 -----------------------------------                                                      

20 Kanz al-ÝUmmÁl, no. 28858 

21 Kanz al-ÝUmmÁl, no. 28697 

22 al-KÁfÐ, v. 1, p. 30, no. 1 

23 ÝAwÁlÐ  al-La’ÁlÐ, v. 1, p. 285, no. 135 

24 Kanz al-ÝUmmÁl, no. 28726 

25 Kanz al-ÝUmmÁl, no. 28726 

 He who goes out to seek knowledge is indeed on the path of God  until he returns.27 

 He who seeks knowledge is as one who spends his day fasts and  his night praying. Verily a chapter of knowledge that a man  learns is better for him than for him to have as much gold as a  mountain and give it all away in the way of God.28  

 He who goes out to seek knowledge, God guarantees his  sustenance for him.29 

 The seeker of knowledge is the seeker of mercy; the seeker of  knowledge is the pillar of Islam and is given his recompense with  the prophets.30 

 Verily the angels spread their wings over the seeker of knowledge  and seek forgiveness on his behalf.31 

 He who traverses a path in order to gain knowledge thereupon,  God makes him traverse the path to Paradise.32 

 He who goes out to seek knowledge is himself sought after by  Paradise.33 

 Verily everything seeks forgiveness for the seeker of knowledge,  including the fishes in the sea, the reptiles on the land, and the  predators and livestock of the earth.34   

 

 

--------------------------------                                                                                                                    

26 al-TarghÐb wa al-TarhÐb, v. 1, p. 97, no. 16 

27 Kanz al-ÝUmmÁl, no. 28702 

28 Munyat al-MurÐd, p. 100 

29 Kanz al-ÝUmmÁl, no. 28701 

30 Ibid. no. 28729 

31 Ibid. no. 28745 

32 AmÁlÐ al-ÑadÙq, p. 58, no. 9 

33 Kanz al-ÝUmmÁl, no. 28842 

34 AmÁlÐ al-MufÐd, p. 29, no. 1 

TEACHING 

 

 He who has knowledge, acts upon what he knows and teaches it  to others is regarded as great in the greatest Kingdom [of the  heavens].35 

 The best form of charity is for a man to gain knowledge and then  teach it to his fellow brother.36 

 

THE VIRTUE OF THE TEACHER 

 

 It is narrated in TanbÐh al-KhawÁÔir: God, most High,  revealed to Prophet Moses (P) saying, O Moses, learn good and  teach it to people, for verily I enlighten the graves of the teachers  and the learners of good, so that they never feel afraid in their  resting place.37 

 The most generous from amongst you all…is the man who has 

been taught knowledge and subsequently spreads his knowledge  to others. He will be raised on the Day of Resurrection as a  community in himself and after him is the man who is generous  in giving up his life for God, Mighty and Exalted, and is killed  for Him.38 

 

GAINING KNOWLEDGE FOR GOD AND FOR OTHER  THAN GOD 

 He who seeks knowledge for God, no sooner does he learn even a  chapter of it than it increases him in humility within himself, in 

 --------------------------------                                                    

35 TanbÐh al-KhawÁÔir, v. 1, p. 82 

36 Munyat al-MurÐd, p. 105 

37 TanbÐh al-KhawÁÔir, v. 2, p. 212 

38 al-TarghÐb wa al-TarhÐb, v. 1, p. 119, no. 5 

humbleness in front of people, it increases his fear of God and his  striving in religion, and that is the one who benefits from the  knowledge that he gains. And he who seeks knowledge for this  world and for status amongst people and for a favoured position  with the ruler, no sooner does he learn even a chapter of it than it  only increases his arrogance within himself, his  presumptuousness with people, his self-delusion about God and  his estrangement from religion. That is the one who does not  benefit from his knowledge, and must subsequently refrain from  it and stop furnishing proof for the case against himself in order  not to feel regret and shame on the Day of Resurrection.39 

 He who desires knowledge in order that he may beguile people  will never even smell the fragrance of Paradise.40   

CHOOSING A TEACHER 

 

 Take the truth even if it be from wrongdoers, but do not take  falsehood even if it be from the righteous – be critics of speech.41 

 Knowledge is a part of religion [just as] prayer is a part of  religion...42 

 

THE RIGHTS OF THE STUDENT TO BE WATCHED BY  THE TEACHER 

 Be gentle towards those whom you teach as well to those whom  you learn from.43 

 

 -----------------------------------                                                       

39 RawÃat al-WÁÝiÛÐn, p. 16 

40 MakÁrim  al-AkhlÁq, v. 2, p. 364, no. 2661 

41 al-MaÎÁsin, v. 1, p. 359, no. 769 

42 Kanz al-ÝUmmÁl, no. 28666 

43 Munyat al-MurÐd, p. 193 

THE RIGHTS OF THE TEACHER TO BE WATCHED BY  THE STUDENT 

 There are three types of people whose right none will deem  lightly apart from the hypocrite who manifests his hypocrisy: the  old person in Islam, the just leader, and the teacher of good.44 

HONOURING THE SCHOLAR 

 

 He who goes forth to meet the scholars has indeed come forth to  meet me, and he who visits the scholars has indeed visited me,  and he who sits in the company of the scholars has indeed sat in  my company, and whoever sits in my company is as if he has sat  in the company of my Lord.45 

 

DUTIES INCUMBENT ON THE STUDENT 

 

 Al-KhiÃr (P) said to Prophet Moses (P), ‗Oh Moses, devote 

yourself exclusively to knowledge if you want it, for verily  knowledge is for the one who devotes himself exclusively to it.46 

 Man‘s intellect is incomplete until ten qualities come together in 

him … that he must never tire of seeking knowledge his whole 

life.47 

 

THE VIRTUE OF THE SCHOLARS   

 The scholars are God‘s trustees over His creation.48 

 --------------------------------                                                          

44 Kanz al-ÝUmmÁl, no. 43811 

45 Kanz al-ÝUmmÁl, no. 28883 

46 Kanz al-ÝUmmÁl, no. 44176 

47 TanbÐh al-KhawÁÔir, v. 2, p. 112 

48 Kanz al-ÝUmmÁl, no. 28675 

 The superiority of the scholar over others is as the superiority of  the prophet over his community.49 

 Whoever says: ‗I am a knowledgeable man‘ is indeed ignorant.50 

 

THE DUTIES INCUMBENT UPON A KNOWLEDGEABLE  MAN 

 

 He who acts contrary to what he knows, his immoral acts  supersede his righteous acts.51 

 The one who worships without any knowledge [of his actions] is  as a donkey in a windmill.52 

 

ENJOINMENT OF ACTING UPON ONE‟S KNOWLEDGE   

 Advise each other with knowledge, for verily your betrayal of  someone in their knowledge is worse than your betraying him in  their wealth, and very God will question you on the Day of  Resurrection.53 

 The ambition of knowledgeable people is greater awareness,  whereas the ambition of fools is telling stories.54   

THE SEVERITY OF THE CHASTISEMENT OF THE  KNOWLEDGEABLE MAN 

 Verily the inmates of the Fire will be tormented by the stench of  the knowledgeable man who had abandoned his knowledge.55 

 ------------------------------                                                          

49 Ibid. no. 28798 

50 Munyat al-MurÐd, no. 137 

51 al-MaÎÁsin, v. 1, p. 314, no. 621 

52 Kanz al-ÝUmmÁl, no. 28709 

53 AmÁlÐ al-ÓÙsÐ, p. 126, no. 198 

54 Kanz al-ÝUmmÁl, no. 29337 

THE VARIOUS TYPES OF KNOWLEDGE   

 The best type of knowledge is that which benefits.56 

 

THE MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE OF PEOPLE   

 The most knowledgeable of people is he who adds other people‘s 

knowledge to his own.57 

 

 

SAYINGS OF IMAM ALI (P) 

 Knowledge and wisdom are really the privilege of a faithful  Muslim. If you have lost them, get them back even though you  may have to get them from the apostates.  

 Value of each man depends upon the art and skill which he has  attained.  

 I want to teach you five of those things which deserve your  greatest anxiety to acquire them: Have hope only in Allah. Be  afraid of nothing but sins. If you do not know a thing, never feel  ashamed to admit ignorance. If you do not know a thing, never  hesitate or feel ashamed to learn it. Acquire patience and  endurance because their relation with true faith is that of a head  to a body, a body is of no use without a head, similarly true faith  can be of no use without attributes of resignation, endurance and  patience.  

 --------------------------------                                                                                                                      

55 BiÎÁr al-AnwÁr, v. 2, p. 34, no. 30 

56 AmÁlÐ al-ÑadÙq, p. 394, no. 1 

57 AmÁlÐ al-ÑadÙq, p. 27, no. 4 

 Like your body your mind also gets tired so refresh it by wise  sayings. 

 That knowledge which remains only on your tongue is very  superficial. The intrinsic value of knowledge is that you act upon  it.  

 A man can be valued through his sayings.  

 There is enough light for one who wants to see.  

 When you feel afraid or nervous to do a thing then do it because  the real harm which you may thus receive is less poignant than  its expectation and fear. 175. Your supremacy over others is in  proportion to the extent of your knowledge and wisdom.  

 Minds get tired like bodies. When you feel that your; mind is  tired, then invigorate it with sober advice.  

 A wise man first thinks and then speaks and a fool speaks first  and then thinks. 

 There is no greater wealth than wisdom, no greater poverty than  ignorance; no greater heritage than culture and no greater  support than consultation. 

 One who imagines himself to be all-knowing will surely suffer on  account of his ignorance.  

 

 

IMÁM SHI‟ITE ÝALÐ (P) SAID: 

 Whoever increases his thinking in whatever he learns, his  knowledge will become proficient, and he will come to  understand whatever he did not understand before.58 

 Even if you are not an articulate scholar, at least be an attentive  listener.59  

 -----------------------------------                                                         

58 Ghurar al-Íikam, no. 8917 

ANNEX IV 

QUOTATIONS FROM 

FAMOUS PEOPLE 

HANS KUNG 

The following is an excerpt taken from ―Christianity and  World Religions: Dialogue with Islam‖, in Leonard Swidler 

(ed.), Muslims in Dialogue: The Evolution of A Dialogue, vol.  3 (The Edwin Mellen Press, 1992) by the Christian philosopher  Hans Kung who conveys a Christian opinion on Prophet  Muhammad (P): 

Of course many religions do not have prophets in the strictest sense.  Hindus have their gurus and sadhus, the Chinese their sages,  Buddhists their masters — but they do not have prophets, as do Jews,  Christians, and Muslims. There is no doubt that if anyone in the  whole of religious history is termed the prophet, because he claimed  to be just that, but in no way more than that, it was Muhammad.  But may a Christian assert that Muhammad was a prophet?  Christians, if they pause to survey the situation, must admit the  following (especially in light of the Hebrew Bible): 

 Like the prophets of Israel, Muhammad did not function by  reason of an office assigned to him by the community (or its 

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59 Ghurar al-Íikam, no. 4090 

authorities), but by reason of a special personal relationship 

with God.  

 Like the prophets of Israel, Muhammad was a person of  strong will who felt himself fully imbued with a godly 

calling, fully consumed, exclusively appointed to his task.  

 Like the prophets of Israel, Muhammad spoke to the heart of  a religious and social crisis, and with his passionate piety 

and revolutionary proclamation he opposed the wealthy 

ruling class and the tradition it was trying to preserve.  

 Like the prophets of Israel, Muhammad, who mostly called 

himself the ―Warner‖, sought to be nothing but the verbal 

instrument of God and to proclaim not his own, but God‘s 

word.  

 Like the prophets of Israel, Muhammad untiringly  proclaimed the one God who tolerates no other gods and who 

is at the same time the good Creator and merciful Judge.  

 Like the prophets of Israel, Muhammad required, as a  response to this one God, unconditional obedience, devotion, 

submission, which is the literal meaning of word Islam: 

everything that includes gratitude to God and generosity 

toward fellow human beings.  

 Like the prophets of  Israel, Muhammad combined  monotheism with humanism or human values, belief in the 

one God and God‘s judgment with a call to social justice, 

and a threat to the unjust, who go to hell, with promises to 

the just, who are gathered into God‘s paradise.  

Whoever reads the Bible — at least the Hebrew Bible — together 

with the Qur‘an will be led to ponder whether the three Semitic 

religions of revelation-Judaism, Christianity, and Islam-and especially the Hebrew Bible and the Qur‘an, could have the same 

foundation. Is it not one and the same God who speaks so clearly in 

both? Does not the ―Thus says the Lord‖ of the Hebrew Bible 

correspond to the ―Speak‖ of the Qur‘an, and the ―Go and proclaim‖  of the Hebrew Bible to the ―Stand up and warn‖ of the Qur‘an? In 

truth, even the millions of Arab-speaking Christians have no other 

word for God than ―Allah‖. 

Might it not therefore be purely dogmatic prejudice that recognizes  Amos and Hosea, Isaiah and Jeremiah, as prophets, but not  Muhammad? Whatever one may have against Muhammad from the  standpoint of Western Christian morality (armed violence,  polygamy, a sensual lifestyle for males), the following facts are  indisputable: 

 Today there are almost hundreds of million persons in the  huge area between Morocco to the west and Bangladesh to 

the east, between the steppes of central Asia to the North and 

the Island world of Indonesia to the south, who are stamped 

with the compelling power of a faith that, like virtually no 

other faith, has molded into a universal type those who 

confess it.  

 All those persons are linked by a simple confession of faith  (There is no God but God, and Muhammad is his prophet), 

linked by five basic obligations, and linked by thorough 

submission to the will of God, whose unchangeable decision, 

even when it brings suffering, is to be accepted.  

 Among all the Islamic peoples there has remained a sense of  fundamental equality before God of an international 

solidarity that is basically capable of overcoming race (Arabs 

and non-Arabs) and even the castes of India.

I am convinced that, despite all the renewed fears of Islam, there is a  growing conviction among Christians that, in the light of  Muhammad‘s place in world history, we must correct our attitude  toward Islam. The ―scourge of exclusiveness‖, arising from Christian 

dogmatic impatience and intolerance, condemned by the British  historian Arnold Toynbee, must be abandoned. Regarding the figure  of the prophet, I believe the following must be admitted: 

 Arabians in the seventh century rightly listened to and  followed the voice of Muhammad.  

 In comparison to the very worldly polytheism of the old  Arabian tribal religions before Muhammad, the religion of 

the people was raised to a completely new level, that of a 

purified monotheism.  

 The first Muslims received from Muhammad — or, better 

still, from the Qur‘an — endless inspiration, courage, and 

strength for a new religious start: a start toward greater 

truth and deeper understanding, toward a breakthrough in 

the revitalizing and renewal of traditional religion.  

In truth, Muhammad was and is for persons in the Arabian world,  and for many others, the religious reformer, lawgiver, and leader; the  prophet per se. Basically Muhammad, who never claimed to be  anything more than a human being, is more to those who follow him  than a prophet is to us: he is a model for the mode of life that Islam  strives to be. If the Catholic Church, according to the Vatican II 

―Declaration on Non-Christian Religions‖, ―regards with esteem the  Muslims‖, then the same church must also respect the one whose 

name is embarrassingly absent from the same declaration, although  he and he alone led the Muslims to pray to this one God, for through 

him this God ―has spoken to humanity‖: Muhammad the prophet. 

But does not such an acknowledgment have very grave consequences,  especially for the message he proclaimed, the teachings set down in 

the Qur‘an?  

I think for the peoples of Arabia Muhammad‘s prophecy led to 

tremendous progress. Whatever we Christians do with this fact, we  must affirm that he acted as a prophet and that he was a prophet. I do  not see how we can avoid the conclusion that on their way of  salvation, Muslims follow a prophet who is decisive for them. (Hans  Kung On "Is Muhammad A Prophet"?) 

 

MAHATMA GANDHI 

Mahatma Gandhi (2 October 1869–30 January 1948) was the  pre-eminent political and spiritual leader of India during the  Indian independence movement. 

"I wanted to know the best of the life of one who holds today an  undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind.... I became  more than ever convinced that it was not the sword that won a place  for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid  simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet the scrupulous  regard for pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers,  his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his  own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before  them and surmounted every obstacle. When I closed the second  volume (of the Prophet's biography), I was sorry there was not more  for me to read of that great life." 

Gandhi also advocated his views on Islam, another great  world religion. Islam is a religion of strict monotheism and  rigorous ethical discipline. Gandhi had a very high esteem for  this religion and regarded it as a religion of peace, love,  kindness and brotherhood of all men. It may be true that  sometimes the followers of Islam often took to sword for the  spread of their religion, but this was not in accordance with  the teachings of Koran. As Gandhi himself said in this  connection: 

"I do regard Islam to be a religion of peace" The charges of fanaticism  against Islam cannot be justified, according to Gandhi as there are  several passages in the Koran which speak of religious toleration. Of  course, there is a place for Jihad in Islam and this Jihad is generally  interpreted as a holy war against those who are not the followers of  Islam. But Gandhi justifies the true meaning of Jihad by saying that  the conditions laid down for the Jihad are so strict that they are not  capable of being fulfilled by everybody. To quote Gandhi, "where is  the unerring general to order Jihad? Where are the suffering and love  and purification that much precede the very idea of drawing the  sword? We are too imperfect and impure and selfish to resort to an  armed conflict in the name of God." (Mahatma Gandhi, statement published in 'Young  India,'1924.) 

 

GEORGE BERNARD SHAW  

George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950) Born  in Dublin, Ireland. He is the only person to have been  awarded both a Nobel Prize for Literature (1925) and an Oscar (1938), for his contributions to literature and for his work on  the film Pygmalion (adaption of his play of the same name),  respectively.  

"If any religion had the chance of ruling over England, nay Europe  within the next hundred years, it could be Islam."  

―I have always held the religion of Muhammad in high estimation 

because of its wonderful vitality. It is the only religion which appears  to me to possess that assimilating capacity to the changing phase of  existence which can make itself appeal to every age. I have studied  him - the wonderful man and in my opinion for from being an antiChrist, he must be called the Savior of Humanity."   "I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of  the modern world he would succeed in solving its problems in a way  that would bring it the much needed peace and happiness: I have  prophesied about the faith of Muhammad that it would be acceptable  to the Europe of tomorrow as it is beginning to be acceptable to the 

Europe of today.‖ 

"I have prophesized about the faith of Muhammad [peace be upon  him] that it would be acceptable tomorrow as it is beginning to be  acceptable to the Europe of today."(Sir George Bernard Shaw in 'The Genuine Islam,'  Vol. 1, No. 8, 1936.)  

BERTRAND RUSSELL  

"Our use of the phrase 'The Dark Ages' to cover the period from 699 

to 1000 marks our undue concentration on Western Europe … From 

India to Spain, the brilliant civilisation of Islam flourished. What  was lost to Christendom at this time was not lost to civilisation, but 

quite the contrary … To us it seems that West-European civilisation  is civilisation, but this is a narrow view".  (Bertrand Russell in History of Western  Philosophy, London, 1948) 

 

NAPOLEON BONAPARTE 

Napoleon I (1769-1821), went into history as a military genius  and statesman. 

The existence and unity of Allah, which Musa, had  announced to his own people and Isa to his own, was  announced by Muhammad to the entire world. Arabia had  become totally a country of idolaters. Six centuries after Isa,  Muhammad initiated the Arabs into an awareness of Allah,  whose existence prophets previous to him, such as Ibrahim  (Abraham), Ismail, Musa (Moses) and Isa (Jesus), had  announced. Peace in the east had been disturbed by the  Arians, [i.e. Christians who followed Arius], who had  somehow developed a degree of friendship with the Arabs,  and by heretics, who had defiled the true religion of Isa and  were striving to spread in the name of religion a totally  unintelligible credo which is based on trinity, i.e. God, Son of God, and the Holy Ghost. Muhammad guided the Arabs to  the right way, taught them that Allah is one, that He does not  have a father or a son, and that worshiping several gods is an  absurd custom which is the continuation of idolatry."  

At another place in his book he quotes Napoleon as having said, "I  hope that in the near future I will have the chance to gather together  the wise and cultured people of the world and establish a government  that I will operate [in accordance with the principles written in  Qur'an.]" 

"Moses has revealed the existence of God to his nation, Jesus Christ  to the Roman world, Muhammad [PBD] to the old continent…  Arabia was idolatrous when, six centuries after Jesus, Muhammad 

[PBD] introduced the worship of the God of Abraham, of Ishmael, of  Moses and of Jesus [P]. The ayrians and some other sects had  disturbed the tranquility of the East by agitating the question of the  nature of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Muhammad [PBD]  declared that there was none but One God Who had no father, no 

son, and that the Trinity imported the idea of idolatry…  I hope the time is not far off when I shall be able to unite all the wise  and educated men of all the countries and establish a uniform regime  based on the principles of the Qur'an which alone are true and which  alone can lead men to happiness"  

―I read the Bible; Moses was an able man, the Jews are villains, 

cowardly and cruel. Is there anything more horrible than the story of 

Lot and his daughters?‖ 

―The science which proves to us that the earth is not the centre of the 

celestial movements has struck a great blow at religion. Joshua stops 

the sun! One shall see the stars falling into the sea… I say that of all  the suns and planets…‖ 

 ―Religions are always based on miracles, on such things than 

nobody listens to like Trinity. Jesus called himself the son of God and  he was a descendant of David. I prefer the religion of Muhammad. It  has less ridiculous things than ours; the Turks also call us idolaters.‖   ―Surely, I have told you on different occasions and I have intimated  to you by various discourses that I am a Unitarian Moslem and I  glorify the prophet Muhammad and that I love the Muslims.‖ 

(Bonaparte et l'Islam, by Cherfils, Paris: France, pp.105-125) 

 

ANNIE BESANT  

ANNIE BESANT (1 October 1847–20 September 1933 in  Adyar, India) was a prominent Theosophist, women's rights  activist, writer and orator and supporter of Irish and Indian  self rule. Annie became speaker for the Fabian Society and the  (Marxist) Social Democratic Federation in London. In 1908  Annie Besant became President of the Theosophical Society. 

"It is impossible for anyone who studies the life and character of the  great Prophet of Arabia, who knew how he taught and how he lived,  to feel anything but reverence for that mighty Prophet, one of the  great messengers of the Supreme. And although in what I put to you  I shall say many things which may be familiar to many, yet I myself feel, whenever I reread them, a new way of admiration, a new sense  of reverence for that mighty Arabian teacher. 

"I often think that woman is more free in Islam than in Christianity.   Woman is more protected by Islam than by the faith which preaches  monogamy. In Al Qur‘an the law about woman is more just and  liberal. It is only in the last twenty years that Christian England has  recognized the right of woman to property, while Islam has allowed  this right from all times. It is slander to say that Islam preaches that  women have no souls". (The Life and Teachings of Muhammad, 1932)."   

LAMARTINE 

Alphonse Marie Louis De Prat De Lamartine was a French  writer, poet and politician (21 October 1790 - 28 February  1869). He is considered to be the first French romantic poet  (though Charles-Julien Lioult de Chênedollé was working on  similar innovations at the same time), and was acknowledged  by Paul Verlaine and the Symbolists as an important influence. 

"Never has a man set for himself, voluntarily or involuntarily, a  more sublime aim, since this aim was superhuman; to subvert  superstitions which had been imposed between man and his Creator,  to render God unto man and man unto God; to restore the rational  and sacred idea of divinity amidst the chaos of the material and  disfigured gods of idolatry, then existing. Never has a man  undertaken a work so far beyond human power with so feeble means,  for he (Muhammad) had in the conception as well as in the execution  of such a great design, no other instrument than himself and no other aid except a handful of men living in a corner of the desert. Finally,  never has a man accomplished such a huge and lasting revolution in  the world, because in less than two centuries after its appearance,  Islam, in faith and in arms, reigned over the whole of Arabia, and  conquered, in God's name, Persia Khorasan, Transoxania, Western  India, Syria, Egypt, Abyssinia, all the known continent of Northern  Africa, numerous islands of the Mediterranean Sea, Spain, and part  of Gaul". 

"If greatness of purpose, smallness of means, and astonishing results  are the three criteria of a human genius, who could dare compare any  great man in history with Muhammad? The most famous men  created arms, laws, and empires only. They founded, if anything at  all, no more than material powers which often crumbled away before  their eyes. This man moved not only armies, legislations, empires,  peoples, dynasties, but millions of men in one-third of the then  inhabited world; and more than that, he moved the altars, the gods,  the religions, the ideas, the beliefs and the souls.   "On the basis of a Book, every letter which has become law, he  created a spiritual nationality which blend together peoples of every  tongue and race. He has left the indelible characteristic of this  Muslim nationality the hatred of false gods and the passion for the  One and Immaterial God. This avenging patriotism against the  profanation of Heaven formed the virtue of the followers of  Muhammad; the conquest of one-third the earth to the dogma was his  miracle; or rather it was not the miracle of man but that of reason.   "The idea of the unity of God, proclaimed amidst the exhaustion of  the fabulous theogonies, was in itself such a miracle that upon it's  utterance from his lips it destroyed all the ancient temples of idols and set on fire one-third of the world. His life, his meditations, his  heroic revelings against the superstitions of his country, and his  boldness in defying the furies of idolatry, his firmness in enduring  them for fifteen years in Mecca, his acceptance of the role of public  scorn and almost of being a victim of his fellow countrymen: all these  and finally, his flight his incessant preaching, his wars against odds,  his faith in his success and his superhuman security in misfortune,  his forbearance in victory, his ambition, which was entirely devoted  to one idea and in no manner striving for an empire; his endless  prayers, his mystic conversations with God, his death and his  triumph after death; all these attest not to an imposture but to a firm  conviction which gave him the power to restore a dogma. This dogma  was twofold the unity of God and the immateriality of God: the  former telling what God is, the latter telling what God is not; the one  overthrowing false gods with the sword, the other starting an idea  with words.  

"Philosopher, Orator, Apostle, Legislator, Conqueror of Ideas,  Restorer of Rational beliefs.... The founder of twenty terrestrial  empires and of one spiritual empire that is Muhammad. As regards  all standards by which human greatness may be measured, we may  well ask, is there any man greater than he?" (Alphonse de LaMartaine in 'Historie  de la Turquie,' Paris, 1854.) 

 

THOMAS CARLYLE 

Thomas Carlyle (4 December 1795 – 5 February 1881) was a  Scottish satirical writer, essayist, historian and teacher during  the Victorian era. 

"… These Arabs, the man Muhammad and that one century, - is it  not as if a spark had fallen, one spark on a world of what seemed  black unnoticeable sand, but lo, the sand proves explosive powder,  blazes heaven high from Delhi to Grenada: I said: the Great Man was  always as lightening out of heaven; the rest of the men waited on him 

like fuel, and then they too would flame … How one man single- handedly could weld warring tribes and wandering boudoirs into a  most powerful and civilized nation in less then two decades". (Thomas  Carlyle in 'Heroes and Hero Worship and the Heroic in History,' 1840) 

 

ARTHUR STANLEY TRITTON, D. LITT 

He was a British historian and scholar of Islam (February 25,  1881 – November 8, 1973). 

"The picture of the Muslim soldier advancing with a sword in one  hand and the Qur'an in the other is quite false." (A. S. Tritton in 'Islam,' 1951) 

 

DE LACY O'LEARY  

―History makes it clear, however, that the legend of fanatical  Muslims sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point  of sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd  myths that historians have ever repeated.‖ (De Lacy O'leary in 'Islam at the  Crossroads,' London, 1923.) 

EDWARD GIBBON   

He was an English historian and Member of Parliament. (April  27, 1737 – January 16, 1794) 

―The good sense of Muhammad despised the pomp of royalty. The 

Apostle of God submitted to the menial offices of the family; he  kindled the fire; swept the floor; milked the ewes; and mended with  his own hands his shoes and garments. Disdaining the penance and  merit of a hermit, he observed without effort of vanity the abstemious 

diet of an Arab". (Gibbon in 'The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire' 1823) 

 

STANLEY LANE-POOLE 

He was a British orientalist and archaeologist. (18 December  1854 - 29 December 1931). 

―He (Muhammad) was the most faithful protector of those he  protected, the sweetest and most agreeable in conversation. Those  who saw him were suddenly filled with reverence; those who came  near him loved him; they who described him would say, "I have  never seen his like either before or after." He was of great taciturnity,  but when he spoke it was with emphasis and deliberation, and no one  could forget what he said...‖ (Lane-Poole in 'Speeches and Table Talk of the Prophet  Muhammad') 

―He (Muhammad) was one of those happy few who have attained the  supreme joy of making one great truth their very life spring. He was  the messenger of One God, and never to his life's end did he forget  who he was or the message which was the marrow of his being. He brought his tidings to his people with a grand dignity sprung from  the consciousness of his high office, together with a most sweet  humility.‖ (Stanley Lane-Poole in 'Studies in a Mosque') 

 

EDWARD MONTET  

"Islam is a religion that is essentially rationalistic in the widest sense  of this term considered etymologically and historically....the  teachings of the Prophet, the Qur'an has invariably kept its place as  the fundamental starting point, and the dogma of unity of God has  always been proclaimed therein with a grandeur a majesty, an  invariable purity and with a note of sure conviction, which it is hard  to find surpassed outside the pale of Islam....A creed so precise, so  stripped of all theological complexities and consequently so accessible  to the ordinary understanding might be expected to possess and does  indeed possess a marvelous power of winning its way into the  consciences of men." (Edward Montet, 'La Propagande Chretienne et ses Adversaries  Musulmans,' Paris 1890. (Also in T.W. Arnold in 'The Preaching of Islam,' London 1913.)  

 

GUSTAV WEIL 

Being destined for the rabbinate, he was taught Hebrew, as  well as German and French; and he received instruction in  Latin from the minister of his native town. Weil's great work  was "Mohammed, der Prophet" (Stuttgart, 1843), a life of  Mohammed. 

"Muhammad was a shining example to his people. His character was  pure and stainless. His house, his dress, his food - they were  characterized by a rare simplicity. So unpretentious was he that he  would receive from his companions no special mark of reverence, nor  would he accepts any service from his slave which he could do for  himself. He was accessible to all and at all times. He visited the sick  and was full of sympathy for all. Unlimited was his benevolence and  generosity as also was his anxious care for the welfare of the  community." (Dr. Gustav Weil in 'History of the Islamic Peoples') 

 

MICHAEL HART  

MICHAEL HART (born 1956) has been Fellow in Politics at  Exeter College, Oxford since 1982. Hart has been a Liberal  Party Councillor on Oxford City Council. Philosophically, he  is a liberal, but combines this with a belief in the need for a  strong state. 

―My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world‘s most 

influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned  by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely  successful on both the secular and religious level. ...It is probable that  the relative influence of Muhammad on Islam has been larger than  the combined influence of Jesus Christ and St. Paul on Christianity.  ...It is this unparalleled combination of secular and religious  influence which I feel entitles Muhammad to be considered the most  influential single figure in human history.‖ (Michael Hart in 'The 100, A Ranking  of the Most Influential Persons In History,' New York, 1978. ) 

JOHN WILLIAM DRAPER 

JOHN WILLIAM DRAPER (May 5, 1811 – January 4, 1882)  was an American (English-born) scientist, philosopher,  physician, chemist, and historian. 

"Four years after the death of Justinian, A.D. 569, was born in  Mecca, in Arabia, the man who, of all men, has exercised the greatest  influence upon the human race... To be the religious head of many  empires, to guide the daily life of one-third of the human race, may  perhaps justify the title of a Messenger of God." (Dr. William Draper in  'History of Intellectual Development of Europe') 

 

 

J.W.H. STAB 

"Judged by the smallness of the means at his disposal, and the extent  and permanence of the work that he accomplished, his name in  world's history shines with a more specious lustre than that of the  Prophet of Mekka. To the impulse which he gave numberless  dynasties have owed their existence, fair cities and stately palaces  and temples have arisen, and wide provinces became obedient to the  Faith. And beyond all this, his words have governed the belief of  generations, been accepted as their rule of life, and their certain guide  to the world to come. At a thousand shrines the voices of the faithful  invoke blessings on him, whom they esteem the very Prophet of God,  the seal of the Apostles.... Judged by the standards to human renown,  the glory of what mortal can compare with his?" (J.W.H. STAB in 'Islam and its  Founder') 

WASHINGTON IRVING 

Washington Irving (April 3, 1783 – November 28, 1859) was an  American author, essayist, biographer and historian of the  early 19th century. His historical works include biographies of  George Washington, Oliver Goldsmith and Muhammad, and  several histories of 15th-century Spain dealing with subjects  such as Christopher Columbus, the Moors, and the Alhambra.  

"He was sober and abstemious in his diet and a rigorous observer of  fasts. He indulged in no magnificence of apparel, the ostentation of a  petty mind; neither was his simplicity in dress affected but a result of  real disregard for distinction from so trivial a source. "  "In his private dealings he was just. He treated friends and  strangers, the rich and poor, the powerful and weak, with equity, and  was beloved by the common people for the affability with which he  received them, and listened to their complaints. "  "His military triumphs awakened no pride nor vain glory, as they  would have done had they been effected for selfish purposes. In the  time of his greatest power he maintained the same simplicity of  manners and appearance as in the days of his adversity. So far from  affecting a regal state, he was displeased if, on entering a room, any  unusual testimonials of respect were shown to him. If he aimed at a  universal dominion, it was the dominion of faith; as to the temporal  rule which grew up in his hands, as he used it without ostentation,  so he took no step to perpetuate it in his family." (Washington Irving 'Mahomet  and His Successors') 

}ARTHUR GLYN LEONARD 

"It was the genius of Muhammad, the spirit that he breathed into the  Arabs through the soul of Islam that exalted them. That raised them  out of the lethargy and low level of tribal stagnation up to the high  watermark of national unity and empire. It was in the sublimity of  Muhammad's deism, the simplicity, the sobriety and purity it  inculcated the fidelity of its founder to his own tenets, which acted on  their moral and intellectual fiber with all the magnetism of true  inspiration." (Arthur Glyn Leonard in 'Islam, Her Moral and Spiritual Values') 

 

CHARLES MILLS 

Charles Mills, an English historian, born (1788 -1825). His  principal works are: "History of Mohammedanism" (8vo,  London, 1817); "History of the Crusades" (2 vols. 8vo, 1820);  and "History of Chivalry" (2 vols. 8vo, 1825). 

"Deeply read in the volume of nature, though extremely ignorant of  letters, his mind could expand into controversy with the wisest of his  enemies or contract itself to the apprehension of meanest of his  disciples. His simple eloquence was rendered impressive by a manner  of mixed dignity and elegance, by the expression of a countenance  where the awfulness of his majesty was so well tempered by an  amiable sweetness, that it exerted emotions of veneration and love.  He was gifted with that authoritative air or genius which alike  influences the learned and commands the illiterate." (Charles Stuart Mills in  'History of Mohammadanism') 

PHILIP KHURI HITTI   

Philip Khuri Hitti (1886 - 1978). He was of Maronite Christian  religion. He created the discipline of Arabic Studies in the  United States. 

"Within a brief span of mortal life, Muhammad called forth of  unpromising material, a nation, never welded before; in a country  that was hitherto but a geographical expression he established a  religion which in vast areas suppressed Christianity and Judaism,  and laid the basis of an empire that was soon to embrace within its  far flung boundaries the fairest provinces the then civilized world." 

(Philip K. Hitti in 'History of the Arabs') 

 

JOHN MEDOWS RODWELL 

John Medows Rodwell, 1808–1900.  Clergyman and orientalist. 

Rector of St Peter‘s, Saffron Hill, London, 1836–43; rector of St 

Ethelburga‘s, Bishopsgate, 1843–1900. Commenced oriental  studies as a young man. Published an English version of the  Qur'an in 1861.  

―Mohammad's career is a wonderful instance of the force and life  that resides in him who possesses an intense faith in God and in the  unseen world. He will always be regarded as one of those who have  had that influence over the faith, morals and whole earthly life of  their fellow men, which none but a really great man ever did, or can  exercise; and whose efforts to propagate a great verity will prosper." 

(Rodwell in the Preface to his translation of the Holy Qur'an) 

WILLIAM MONTGOMERY WATT 

William Montgomery Watt, Orientalist and priest (1909 –2006).  He was probably the foremost non-Muslim interpreter of  Islam in the West, was an enormously influential scholar in the  field of Islamic studies and a much-revered name for many  Muslims all over the world. 

"His readiness to undergo persecution for his beliefs, the high moral  character of the men who believed in him and looked up to him as a  leader, and the greatness of his ultimate achievement - all argue his  fundamental integrity. To suppose Muhammad an impostor raises  more problems that it solves. Moreover, none of the great figures of  history is so poorly appreciated in the West as Muhammad.... Thus,  not merely must we credit Muhammad with essential honesty and  integrity of purpose, if we are to understand him at all; if we are to  correct the errors we have inherited from the past, we must not forget  the conclusive proof is a much stricter requirement than a show of  plausibility, and in a matter such as this only to be attained with  difficulty." (W. Montgomery Watt in 'Muhammad at Mecca,' Oxford, 1953.) 

 

DAVID GEORGE HOGARTH 

David George Hogarth (1862 -1927) was a British archaeologist  and scholar. Works: A Wandering Scholar (1896), The  Penetration of Arabia: a Record of Western Knowledge  Concerning the Arabian Peninsula (1905), The Archaic  Artemisia of Ephesus (1908), Arabia (1922), Kings of the  Hittites (1926).  

"Serious or trivial, his daily behavior has instituted a canon which  millions observe this day with conscious memory. No one regarded  by any section of the human race as Perfect Man has ever been  imitated so minutely. The conduct of the founder of Christianity has  not governed the ordinary life of his followers. Moreover, no founder  of a religion has left on so solitary an eminence as the Muslim  apostle." (D. G. Hogarth in 'Arabia') 

 

JAMES ALBERT MICHENER 

James Albert Michener (1907 –1997) was an American author  of more than 40 titles, the majority of which are novels of  sweeping sagas, covering the lives of many generations in a  particular geographic locale and incorporating historical facts  into the story as well. Michener was known for the meticulous  research behind his work. 

"No other religion in history spread so rapidly as Islam. The West  has widely believed that this surge of religion was made possible by  the sword. But no modern scholar accepts this idea, and the Qur‘an 

is explicit in the support of the freedom of conscience."   "Muhammad, the inspired man who founded Islam, was born about  A.D. 570 into an Arabian tribe that worshiped idols. Orphaned at  birth, he was always particularly solicitous of the poor and needy, the  widow and the orphan, the slave and the downtrodden. At twenty he  was already a successful businessman, and soon became director of  camel caravans for a wealthy widow. When he reached twenty-five  his employer recognizing his merit, proposed marriage. Even though she was fifteen years older, he married her and as long as she lived  remained a devoted husband."  

―Like almost every major prophet before him, Muhammad fought shy 

of serving as the transmitter of God‘s word sensing his own  inadequacy. But the Angel commanded ‗Read‘. So far as we know, 

Muhammad was unable to read or write, but he began to dictate  those inspired words which would soon revolutionize a large segment  of the earth: "There is one God"."  

―In all things Muhammad was profoundly practical. When his 

beloved son Ibrahim died, an eclipse occurred and rumors of God 's  personal condolence quickly arose. Whereupon Muhammad is said to 

have announced, ‗An eclipse is a phenomenon of nature. It is foolish  to attribute such things to the death or birth of a human being'."  

―At Muhammad's own death an attempt was made to deify him, but 

the man who was to become his administrative successor killed the  hysteria with one of the noblest speeches in religious history: ‗If there 

are any among you who worshiped Muhammad, he is dead. But if it 

is God you Worshiped, He lives for ever'.‖ (James Michener in ‗Islam: The  Misunderstood Religion,‘ Reader‘s Digest, May 1955, pp. 68-70.) 

WEB SITES 

The Quran 

www.quran.net  www.iqna.ir  

Shi‘ite site: 

www.ahl-ul-bait.org  

www.shiasearch.com  

www.balaghah.net  

www.aqrazavi.org  

www.islamicfeqh.com  

www.wiki.ahlolbait.ir  www.hadith.net   www.hawzah.net  www.mahdawiat.com  www.taghrib.org  

 

Leader sites 

www.imam-khomeini.com  www.leader.ir  

 

Cultural sites 

www.en.icro.ir   www.iranmiras.ir   www.tebyan.net   www.english.aviny.com   

www.nlai.ir  

www.kanoonintl.com  www.noorsoft.org   www.itf.org.ir/index_pe.a spx    

Universities 

www.almostafaou.com www.urd.ac.ir  

Women sites 

www.iwna.ir  www.womennews.ir   www.itf.org.ir/mahjubah_home.aspx 

 

News sites 

www.presstv.ir www.irna.ir  www.abna.ir  www.tehrantimes.com  

www.english.farsnews.com www.mehrnews.com/en  

 

Magazine 

www.itf.org.ir/echo  www.itf.org.ir/zamzam