Friday, 1 July 2011
Download an A4 leaflet on Islam free
Download the A4 single sheet leaflet on Islam, whose text apppears below, from the "download the leaflet" tab above.
Text of the Leaflet on Islam
ISLAM - IN BRIEF
THE CONCEPT OF GOD IN ISLAM
There is only One God. He alone should be worshipped.
He does not beget, nor is He begotten. He has no sons, siblings, parents, cousins, nor relatives of any sort.
He is eternal and does not die.
There is nothing like Him. He is all Hearing, all Seeing, all Knowing, all Powerful, the Creator of the Universe.
He is not composed of persons, nor a trinity. There are no secondary, lesser, greater, equal, or multiple gods, no intermediaries, and no denying of God's existence either.
There are no sharers or associates whatsoever in His Divinity. Simply, He is One, in every sense.
The proper name of God in Arabic is Allah. It has no grammatical derivations, so cannot be turned into gods, goddesses etc.
PROPHETS
Muslims believe in all the prophets God sent to guide and warn people, and do not reject any of them, from Adam, to the last and final prophet, Muhammad, peace be on them all. They were the purest and noblest of humanity and were not divine in any way. God sent all the prophets with the same message and not different messages. The message was: to submit wholeheartedly to the will of God and to worship Him and Him alone, without any associates in, or parts to, His Divinity, and to obey the prophet. Thus, Islam is not a new faith but is the same Ultimate Truth that God revealed to all prophets, including Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them). Since the time of prophet Muhammad, that message is available unchanged and unadulterated. He is the last, not first, prophet of Islam; a messenger to all mankind, to be followed til the end of time.
THE QUR'AN
The Qur'an is the last and final scripture of God, revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It's message is for the entire world, until the end of time. It is 100% the word of God, unlike the other scriptures that we have with us today, that have been changed by humans, thus it supersedes the previous scriptures. It has no versions or editions. Millions of people from all over the world have it memorised, and they all recite word for word the same thing. It contains practical guidance on how to live our life, stories of previous prophets from which to learn lessons, warnings, rules, comfort, solace, and in it God corrects any misconceptions people may have about Him or His prophets. It tells us what has always been expected from humans since the beginning of time; what He told His prophets to teach people since the very beginning. That message never changed. The essence of Islam is what always was, and has always been, the true and natural religion; the way of all the Prophets, the original message, the only message.
The Qur'an has been translated into nearly every language. These are regarded as translations of the Qur'an, but not as the Qur'an itself, which is in Arabic.
ACCOUNTABILITY
We are each responsible for and accountable for our own deeds, good or bad, and for the choices we make in life. Nobody else is responsible for them, nor carries the burden of them. No innocent person is made to suffer or die for other's sins. Newborn babies are sinless, and are not tainted by the burden of sins they did not commit. There is no concept of original sin, nor of a broken relationship with God, nor of damnation requiring a saviour. Forgiveness is directly from God. Prayer is directly to God. God is the God of all.
THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT
This world is a temporary life. After death, we will all be resurrected when the Day of Judgement comes, and called to account for our deeds, and recompensed accordingly. Those who may have escaped worldly justice, will not be able to escape and will face absolute justice.
Those who believed in and worshipped God alone, obeyed His Messengers, and did good deeds with sincerity, will, only through God's mercy, after being judged by Him, be admitted into Paradise. God will also judge those who disobeyed Him, rejected His message, did evil deeds etc; only those deemed deserving will go into hell. Nobody will be wronged in the slightest, not even by a dot. It will be the day of perfect and ultimate justice, for God is the most Just.
The door to repentance is open in this world. For all who repent, ask for forgiveness, and resolve sincerely to try not to repeat past mistakes, Allah is all-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
BELIEF IN THE UNSEEN
Muslims believe in Allah, His angels, His books (that He originally revealed), His Prophets, resurrection after death and the Day of Judgement, and that whatever Allah has ordained must come to pass.
THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
These form the basic framework of a Muslim's life:
Shahaadah: The testimony that there is no God but Allah, and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the messenger of Allah.
Salaat: Prayer five times a day
Zakaat: Annual alms-giving to support the needy
Sawm: Fasting from dawn to sunset daily during the month of Ramadan, annually
Hajj: the pilgrimage to Mecca, once in a lifetime, if one is physically able and can afford it financially.
TO BECOME A MUSLIM - you verbally declare and believe firmly in the heart, the shahaadah, the words of which translate into English as, "I testify that there is no God but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."
When a person becomes a Muslim, his/her previous sins are wiped out, and the new Muslim starts at the point of the shahaadah, with a fresh, clean slate. Islam is for everyone, regardless of nationality, race, status in society, or any other factor.
WHAT DOES ISLAM MEAN?
The word Islam means submission; submission to the will of God. It is derived from the same word as peace. A Muslim is one who willingly submits to the will of God.
OTHER ISSUES
Muslims do not eat pork. Pork has been forbidden by God in all the divinely revealed scriptures. None of the Prophets ate pork or allowed it to be eaten. Meat eaten must be halal. One of the requirements for it to be halal is that the name of Allah must be invoked at the time of slaughter, and animals must be treated in a kind way at all times, not only at the time of slaughter, but always. Muslims also do not drink alcohol. No other drug causes the same number of crimes and serious problems in families, societies, and to one's self, and others.
HIJAAB
Muslim men and women must dress modestly. Hijaab literally means 'to cover' and is generally used to refer to the covering a Muslim woman (Muslimah) adopts out of modesty when in public. It is one aspect out of a wider context of purity of thought and action for both men and women. This includes lowering one's gaze, avoiding free-mixing with the opposite gender, behaving in a proper manner in necessary interactions with the opposite gender, etc. Due to differences in temperament and nature between men and women, a greater degree of privacy is required for women. Hijaab protects a Muslimah - it is not a sign of authority of man over woman. A Muslimah's standards of modesty come from God, and not from man, nor from society at large. A Muslimah's hijaab is not a sign of subjugation or oppression, but of her obedience to God, her acceptance of His guidance, and there is inner peace and serenity that comes with that.
FESTIVALS
Muslims do not celebrate Christmas or Easter, nor even the birth of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
In Islam, there are two festivals. The first is EID AL FITR, which occurs after Ramadan, the month of fasting. In it, Muslims give thanks for being able to fast, ask for their worship to be accepted, and express their joy. The second is called EID AL ADHA, and it commemorates Prophet Abraham's readiness to sacrifice his son Ishmael at God's command, and his subsequent sacrifice of a ram. In commemoration, Muslims who are financially able, sacrifice (or pay to sacrifice) an animal, and share its meat amongst the poor, neighbours, friends, family and self.
DOES ISLAM ADVOCATE VIOLENCE?
Islam does not advocate, support, or condone terrorism, illegitimate acts of violence, or the harm of innocent people. Islam promotes peace, and aims for a peaceful society.
It does however, permit, and at times requires, Muslims to defend themselves, their family, property, religion, and community, from aggression and oppression. However, peace is the norm, not warfare, which is a last resort. Permission to fight an aggressive enemy is balanced by a strong mandate for making peace. Qur'anic verses underscore that peace should be inclined to whenever and as soon as possible in a situation of conflict. Civilians, livestock, trees and crops must not be harmed. The response to aggression must be proportionate, and there are warnings against breaching this restriction. Even for such situations, God gives us guidance, so that we do not transgress against others.
Sometimes verses are quoted out of context - they refer to the polytheists who had broken all treaties with the Prophet and were waging war against the Muslims, so Muslims were instructed to resume combat with them. The Qur'an makes clear that it was regarding only that specific group, not other polytheists who did not take up arms against the Muslims, nor broke treaties. The Qur'an goes so far as to say that if an enemy asks for protection, this should be granted, then he should be delivered to his place of safety; for Islam requires that all are treated with fairness, regardless of the situation.
FINALLY...
The ultimate truth of Islam stands on unshakeable ground, and in harmony with reason. It's universal message has remained unchanged for over 1400 years, not only a religion, but a way of life, for all people, all times, and all places. It is a complete code of conduct for every aspect of life, from the most intimate, to the most public. It not only exhorts one to be good, but provides complete guidance to practically live that, strongly aiming to prevent problems in society from the outset; solutions for problems are also given. The modern world only stands to benefit from Islam. An increase in knowledge and education, and scientific discoveries, provide further evidence that it is the truth.
It is hoped that this leaflet, apart from informing you in brief of God's message (Islam), and clearing misconceptions, will make you ponder, reflect, reconsider and re-evaluate your own beliefs, and reassess the basis for your own beliefs and doctrines. And it is that to which all people are invited by the Qur'an. It is the religion for the thinking person.
Do not judge Islam by media portrayals, nor by the actions of some Muslims. Study it from it's authentic sources and speak to sincere practising Muslims. You will find a completely different picture than that painted by the media. You may even find that Islam is what you've been looking for all your life.
THE CONCEPT OF GOD IN ISLAM
There is only One God. He alone should be worshipped.
He does not beget, nor is He begotten. He has no sons, siblings, parents, cousins, nor relatives of any sort.
He is eternal and does not die.
There is nothing like Him. He is all Hearing, all Seeing, all Knowing, all Powerful, the Creator of the Universe.
He is not composed of persons, nor a trinity. There are no secondary, lesser, greater, equal, or multiple gods, no intermediaries, and no denying of God's existence either.
There are no sharers or associates whatsoever in His Divinity. Simply, He is One, in every sense.
The proper name of God in Arabic is Allah. It has no grammatical derivations, so cannot be turned into gods, goddesses etc.
PROPHETS
Muslims believe in all the prophets God sent to guide and warn people, and do not reject any of them, from Adam, to the last and final prophet, Muhammad, peace be on them all. They were the purest and noblest of humanity and were not divine in any way. God sent all the prophets with the same message and not different messages. The message was: to submit wholeheartedly to the will of God and to worship Him and Him alone, without any associates in, or parts to, His Divinity, and to obey the prophet. Thus, Islam is not a new faith but is the same Ultimate Truth that God revealed to all prophets, including Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them). Since the time of prophet Muhammad, that message is available unchanged and unadulterated. He is the last, not first, prophet of Islam; a messenger to all mankind, to be followed til the end of time.
THE QUR'AN
The Qur'an is the last and final scripture of God, revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It's message is for the entire world, until the end of time. It is 100% the word of God, unlike the other scriptures that we have with us today, that have been changed by humans, thus it supersedes the previous scriptures. It has no versions or editions. Millions of people from all over the world have it memorised, and they all recite word for word the same thing. It contains practical guidance on how to live our life, stories of previous prophets from which to learn lessons, warnings, rules, comfort, solace, and in it God corrects any misconceptions people may have about Him or His prophets. It tells us what has always been expected from humans since the beginning of time; what He told His prophets to teach people since the very beginning. That message never changed. The essence of Islam is what always was, and has always been, the true and natural religion; the way of all the Prophets, the original message, the only message.
The Qur'an has been translated into nearly every language. These are regarded as translations of the Qur'an, but not as the Qur'an itself, which is in Arabic.
ACCOUNTABILITY
We are each responsible for and accountable for our own deeds, good or bad, and for the choices we make in life. Nobody else is responsible for them, nor carries the burden of them. No innocent person is made to suffer or die for other's sins. Newborn babies are sinless, and are not tainted by the burden of sins they did not commit. There is no concept of original sin, nor of a broken relationship with God, nor of damnation requiring a saviour. Forgiveness is directly from God. Prayer is directly to God. God is the God of all.
THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT
This world is a temporary life. After death, we will all be resurrected when the Day of Judgement comes, and called to account for our deeds, and recompensed accordingly. Those who may have escaped worldly justice, will not be able to escape and will face absolute justice.
Those who believed in and worshipped God alone, obeyed His Messengers, and did good deeds with sincerity, will, only through God's mercy, after being judged by Him, be admitted into Paradise. God will also judge those who disobeyed Him, rejected His message, did evil deeds etc; only those deemed deserving will go into hell. Nobody will be wronged in the slightest, not even by a dot. It will be the day of perfect and ultimate justice, for God is the most Just.
The door to repentance is open in this world. For all who repent, ask for forgiveness, and resolve sincerely to try not to repeat past mistakes, Allah is all-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
BELIEF IN THE UNSEEN
Muslims believe in Allah, His angels, His books (that He originally revealed), His Prophets, resurrection after death and the Day of Judgement, and that whatever Allah has ordained must come to pass.
THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
These form the basic framework of a Muslim's life:
Shahaadah: The testimony that there is no God but Allah, and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the messenger of Allah.
Salaat: Prayer five times a day
Zakaat: Annual alms-giving to support the needy
Sawm: Fasting from dawn to sunset daily during the month of Ramadan, annually
Hajj: the pilgrimage to Mecca, once in a lifetime, if one is physically able and can afford it financially.
TO BECOME A MUSLIM - you verbally declare and believe firmly in the heart, the shahaadah, the words of which translate into English as, "I testify that there is no God but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."
When a person becomes a Muslim, his/her previous sins are wiped out, and the new Muslim starts at the point of the shahaadah, with a fresh, clean slate. Islam is for everyone, regardless of nationality, race, status in society, or any other factor.
WHAT DOES ISLAM MEAN?
The word Islam means submission; submission to the will of God. It is derived from the same word as peace. A Muslim is one who willingly submits to the will of God.
OTHER ISSUES
Muslims do not eat pork. Pork has been forbidden by God in all the divinely revealed scriptures. None of the Prophets ate pork or allowed it to be eaten. Meat eaten must be halal. One of the requirements for it to be halal is that the name of Allah must be invoked at the time of slaughter, and animals must be treated in a kind way at all times, not only at the time of slaughter, but always. Muslims also do not drink alcohol. No other drug causes the same number of crimes and serious problems in families, societies, and to one's self, and others.
HIJAAB
Muslim men and women must dress modestly. Hijaab literally means 'to cover' and is generally used to refer to the covering a Muslim woman (Muslimah) adopts out of modesty when in public. It is one aspect out of a wider context of purity of thought and action for both men and women. This includes lowering one's gaze, avoiding free-mixing with the opposite gender, behaving in a proper manner in necessary interactions with the opposite gender, etc. Due to differences in temperament and nature between men and women, a greater degree of privacy is required for women. Hijaab protects a Muslimah - it is not a sign of authority of man over woman. A Muslimah's standards of modesty come from God, and not from man, nor from society at large. A Muslimah's hijaab is not a sign of subjugation or oppression, but of her obedience to God, her acceptance of His guidance, and there is inner peace and serenity that comes with that.
FESTIVALS
Muslims do not celebrate Christmas or Easter, nor even the birth of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
In Islam, there are two festivals. The first is EID AL FITR, which occurs after Ramadan, the month of fasting. In it, Muslims give thanks for being able to fast, ask for their worship to be accepted, and express their joy. The second is called EID AL ADHA, and it commemorates Prophet Abraham's readiness to sacrifice his son Ishmael at God's command, and his subsequent sacrifice of a ram. In commemoration, Muslims who are financially able, sacrifice (or pay to sacrifice) an animal, and share its meat amongst the poor, neighbours, friends, family and self.
DOES ISLAM ADVOCATE VIOLENCE?
Islam does not advocate, support, or condone terrorism, illegitimate acts of violence, or the harm of innocent people. Islam promotes peace, and aims for a peaceful society.
It does however, permit, and at times requires, Muslims to defend themselves, their family, property, religion, and community, from aggression and oppression. However, peace is the norm, not warfare, which is a last resort. Permission to fight an aggressive enemy is balanced by a strong mandate for making peace. Qur'anic verses underscore that peace should be inclined to whenever and as soon as possible in a situation of conflict. Civilians, livestock, trees and crops must not be harmed. The response to aggression must be proportionate, and there are warnings against breaching this restriction. Even for such situations, God gives us guidance, so that we do not transgress against others.
Sometimes verses are quoted out of context - they refer to the polytheists who had broken all treaties with the Prophet and were waging war against the Muslims, so Muslims were instructed to resume combat with them. The Qur'an makes clear that it was regarding only that specific group, not other polytheists who did not take up arms against the Muslims, nor broke treaties. The Qur'an goes so far as to say that if an enemy asks for protection, this should be granted, then he should be delivered to his place of safety; for Islam requires that all are treated with fairness, regardless of the situation.
FINALLY...
The ultimate truth of Islam stands on unshakeable ground, and in harmony with reason. It's universal message has remained unchanged for over 1400 years, not only a religion, but a way of life, for all people, all times, and all places. It is a complete code of conduct for every aspect of life, from the most intimate, to the most public. It not only exhorts one to be good, but provides complete guidance to practically live that, strongly aiming to prevent problems in society from the outset; solutions for problems are also given. The modern world only stands to benefit from Islam. An increase in knowledge and education, and scientific discoveries, provide further evidence that it is the truth.
It is hoped that this leaflet, apart from informing you in brief of God's message (Islam), and clearing misconceptions, will make you ponder, reflect, reconsider and re-evaluate your own beliefs, and reassess the basis for your own beliefs and doctrines. And it is that to which all people are invited by the Qur'an. It is the religion for the thinking person.
Do not judge Islam by media portrayals, nor by the actions of some Muslims. Study it from it's authentic sources and speak to sincere practising Muslims. You will find a completely different picture than that painted by the media. You may even find that Islam is what you've been looking for all your life.
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