Islam’s view on the Devil

Islam’s view on the Devil

Muslims name the devil Iblis, or Shaytan (Satan). They understand him in quite a different way to
Christians. In Christianity the devil appears to have independent power and is the leader of hell. He is
a rival to God and a fallen angel.
Islam rejects these concepts. The devil is not a fallen angel. Angels were created without free will and
are always in obedience to Allah.
Shaytan is one of the creatures created from smokeless fire called the Jinn and they posses free will.
Shaytan has no independent power. There is no duality of power, as all power belongs to Allah and
Shaytan, like us, can only act because Allah has given him permission. However, he has no real
control over humans. In Islam, the devil and his followers can whisper, suggest and provoke, but
humans have the free choice whether to follow this whispering or not.
In the Quran Allah explains who the devil is, why and what he does without ambiguity.
“Behold, We said to the Angels, ‘Bow down to Adam’. They bowed down, except Iblis, He was one of the Jinn” (Quran chapter 18, verse 50)
“And surely, We created you (your father Adam) and then gave you shape, then We told the angels,
“Prostrate to Adam”, and they prostrated, except Iblis, he refused to be of those who prostrated.
Allah said: “What prevented you (O Iblis) that you did not prostrate when I commanded you?” Iblis
said: “I am better than him (Adam), You created me from fire and You created him from clay.” Allah
said: “O Iblis get down from this (Paradise), it is not for you to be arrogant here. Get out for you are of those humiliated and disgraced.” Iblis said: “Allow me respite till the Day they are raised up (Day of Resurrection).” Allah said: “You are of those allowed respite.” Iblis said: “Because You have sent me astray, surely I will sit in wait against them (human beings) on Your Straight Path. Then I will come to them from before them and behind them, from their right and from their left and You will not find most of them as thankful ones (they will not be dutiful to You).” Allah said: “Get out from Paradise, disgraced and expelled. Whoever of them (mankind) will follow you, then surely I will fill Hell with you all.”
And O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in Paradise, and eat thereof as you both wish, but approach
not this tree otherwise you both will be of the unjust, wrongdoers.” Then Shaytan whispered
suggestions to them both in order to uncover that which was hidden from them of their private parts
before, he said: “Your Lord did not forbid you this tree save you should become angels or become of
the immortals.” Shaytan swore by Allah to them both saying: “Verily I am one of the sincere well
wishers for you both. So he misled them with deception. Then when they tasted of the tree, that
which was hidden from them of their shame (private parts) became manifest to them and they
began to stick together the leaves of Paradise over themselves (in order to cover their shame). Their
Lord called out to them saying “Did I not forbid you that tree and tell you, Verily Satan is an open
enemy unto you?” They said: “Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If You forgive us not, and
bestow not upon us Your Mercy, we shall certainly be of the losers.”
Allah said: “Get down one of you an enemy to the other (Adam, Eve, and Shaytan). On earth will be
a dwelling place for you and an enjoyment, for a time.” He said: “therein you shall live, and therein
you shall die, and from it you shall be brought out (resurrected).” (Quran chapter 7, verses 11-25)
Allah then sent down teachings and guidance to Adam (as) as mentioned in the Quran:
“Then Adam received from his Lord words (of revelation), and He pardoned him. Verily! He is the Oftforgiving, the Merciful. We said: ‘Go down, all of you, from this place; then whenever guidance
comes to you from Me; and whoever follows My guidance, will feel no fear and know no sorrow.”
(Quran chapter 2, verses 37-38)

Moses in Islam

Moses in Islam
When Musa (Moses) approached the burning bush, he was called by name “Verily! I
am your Lord! So take off your shoes, you are in the sacred valley, Tuwa, and I have
chosen you. So listen to that which is inspired to you. I am Allah (God)! None has the
right to be worshipped but Me, so worship Me, and perform prayers for My
remembrance.”
Allah said “What is that in your right hand, Musa?” He said: “This is my stick that I lean
upon, and with it I beat down branches for my sheep, and with it I find other uses.”
Allah said: “Cast it down, Musa!” He cast it down, and behold! It was a snake,
moving quickly. Allah said: “Grasp it, and fear not, We shall return it to its former
state, And press your (right) hand to your (left) side, it will come forth white, without
any disease as another sign, that We may show you of Our Greater Signs. Go to
Pharaoh! Certainly, he has transgressed”.
Musa said: “O my Lord! Open for me my chest (grant me self-confidence, boldness),
ease my task for me; and make loose the knot in my tongue, (i.e. remove my
speech impediment) so that they understand my speech. Appoint for me a helper
from my family, Haroon (Aaron), my brother. Increase my strength with him, and let
him share my task (of delivering God’s Message and Prophethood), so that we may
glorify You, and remember You often. Truly You are a Well-Seer of us.” Allah said:
“You are granted your request, Musa” (Quran chapter 20, verses 9-36)
The Quran recounts more of his life than any other Prophet. The Quran tells us of how
he went to Pharaoh to present the message of Tawheed (oneness of God) Pharaoh
said: “If you choose a god other than me, I will certainly put you among the
prisoners.” Musa said: “Even if I bring you something manifest and convincing.”
Pharaoh said: “Bring it forth then, if you are of the truthful!” (Quran chapter, 26 verse
29-31)
We also learn how Musa brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt, admonished the
Israelites for making a golden calf to worship instead of worshipping God, and
brought them to the land of Canaan and many other stories. Musa is a Prophet and
Messenger of Allah, and to him was revealed the Torah. He spoke with Allah, so as to
guide the Israelites. Musa was a real person who lived and was sent a Message from
Allah. The mission of Moses was a struggle against oppression and tyranny, and
Muslims take lessons from this, particularly now when oppression is great in the world.

Jesus in Islam

Jesus in Islam
Muslims believe that Jesus is neither God, nor the son of God. We believe he was
born by a miraculous birth as he was conceived without a father. Allah (God)
transmitted the Ineeil (the Gospel) to Jesus (Isa). The text was revealed to him.
Muslims believe that this has been distorted and changed over time. It is mentioned
in the Quran that he could speak as a baby in the cradle, and that he defended his
mother Mary when the people asked her where the baby came from. This is a
miracle of Jesus given to him by Allah.
As to the trinity, Allah says: “O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians)! Do not
exceed the limits in your religion, nor say of Allah nothing but the truth. The Messiah
Jesus, son of Mary, was a Messenger of Allah and His Word (He said "Be!", and he
was), which He bestowed on Mary and a spirit (Rooh) created by Him; so believe in
Allah and His Messengers. Say not: “Three!” Cease! It is better for you. For Allah is the
only One God. Glory be to Him (Far Exalted is He) above having a son. To Him
belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allah is All Sufficient
as a Disposer of affairs.” (Quran chapter 4, verse 171)
Jesus performed miracles by bringing the dead back to life and healing the sick.
Also, the Quran mentions another of his miracles: “Remember when the disciples
said: “O Jesus son of Mary! Can your Lord send down to us a table spread (with
food) from heaven?" Jesus said: “Fear Allah, if you are indeed believers. They said:
“We wish to eat thereof and to be stronger in Faith and to know that you have
indeed told us the truth and that we ourselves be its witnesses.”
“Jesus, son of Mary, said: “O Allah, our Lord! Send us from heaven a table spread
(with food) that there may be for us - for the first and the last of us - a festival and a
sign from You; and provide us sustenance, for You are the best of sustainers.” Allah
said: “I am going to send it down unto you, but if any of you after that disbelieves,
then I will punish him with a torment such as I have not inflicted on anyone among
all the Creation.” (Quran chapter 5, verses 112-115)
In response to some questions by pagan Arabs about Allah and whether he had
children, the Prophet Muhammad (saw) recited to them the following short chapter
from the Quran: "Say: He is Allah, the One. Allah As-Samad (The Self- Sufficient
Master). He does not reproduce, nor was He born; and there is none equal or
comparable to Him." (Quran chapter 112)
So, Muslims believe in Jesus, who has a special status. However, many of the stories
related in the Bible we do not have confidence in their authenticity, so we do not
comment upon them. It is reported that Muhammad (saw) said “whatever the
people of the book (Jews and Christians) tell you, do not confirm it nor falsify it, but
say ‘we believe in Allah and his Messenger.’”

What are the Quran and Hadith?

What are the Quran and Hadith?
Muslims believe the Quran is the revealed word of Allah (God). The Quran is absolutely central to
Islam. Muslims believe that it is the literal, verbal communication of Allah. Quran means “recitation”
Through it Allah gives guidance to all humanity, showing them how to live according to Allah’s will.
“And it is not the words of Satan, the outcast. Then where are you headed to? Verily, this Quran is
none other than a reminder to the worlds, to whomsoever among you wants to walk the straight
path. (However,) you cannot unless that is willed by Allah, the Lord of the Worlds” (Quran chapter 81, verses 25 - 29)
Following its guidance is the path to happiness and fulfilment in this life and the next. It must be
stressed that the Messenger Muhammad is the conveyor of the Quran, not its author.
“He does not speak of his own desire, rather it is revelation revealed” (Quran chapter 53, verses 3-4)
Muslim understanding of revelation differs markedly from Christian understanding. Whereas, for
Muslims the Quran is the speech of Allah, the New Testament Bible is a collection of observations of
people regarding the revelation. The Quran is the final revelation, in a series of revelations, to the final Messenger, Muhammad.
The Quran was revealed in the Arabic language, yet in it a challenge is issued to the whole of
creation to produce a small chapter like it, if there is any doubt about its authenticity. The Quran is
the miracle given to Muhammad to prove his messengership. It was revealed over twenty three
years, with some chapters sent down while Muhammad was living in Mecca, and the others while in
Medina. The content of the Quran is varied. In it Allah tells us to think and reflect on the creation of
the universe; to believe in Him and His messengers. There are descriptions of the last day, heaven and
hell. Allah relates stories of previous Prophets as examples for us to learn from. There are also rules and advice among other issues. The Quran is the primary source of law for Muslims.
The hadith are the sayings of Muhammad, his actions and examples of things that happened around
him that he remained silent on, thus giving his consent. The hadith is the second source of Islamic law.
It is seen as the detailed explanation of the Quran, as Muhammad would explain what was revealed
to him to his companions. The Quran established the authority of the Messenger Muhammad
explaining that his prophetic way must be followed.
“And whatsoever the messenger gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbade you, leave it” (Quran
chapter 59, verse 7)
As such, the Quran and hadith oblige Muslims to follow Islam in all aspects of their lives, in family, in community and at the government level.
The hadith were recorded by his companions, who narrated what Muhammad said and did. They
were memorised and written down during his lifetime, then transmitted, generation to generation,
then meticulously checked and commented upon by scholars before being compiled in categorised
book collections.
The hadith contain two aspects: the ‘text’ and the ‘chain of narration’. For example, A told me that B
told him and C told him that Muhammad said. The text is what was actually said by Muhammad. The
chain of narrators, A,B and C, are checked for trustworthiness and so the hadith are categorised
accordingly.
In summary, the Quran is the speech of Allah, divinely inspired to Muhammad, told to us by
Muhammad, whereas, the hadith is the speech of Muhammad in which he received inspiration as to
its meaning from Allah.

Spirituality in Islam

Spirituality in Islam
Islam has a unique view on spirituality, as it encompasses all aspects of the Muslim's life.
Islam doesn't view 'spirituality' separately from everyday activities. All actions that are
referred to Allah are spiritual, including the supplications we utter before we go to bed and
the type of bank account we hold. Allah (God) has prescribed certain actions that develop
positive characters, as well as bringing the Muslim closer to Him, thereby attaining taqwa
(God consciousness). This state achieves many things including Allah's love, closeness and
divine assistance.
In Islam, everything is potentially 'spiritual', because all actions must be in accordance with
Allah's guidance about what pleases and displeases Him. This view comes from the Islamic
creed and the Muslim's understanding of tawhid (the oneness of God). The fundamental
Muslim belief that ‘There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah' creates a world view, a
distinct perspective on life and a unique behaviour. It essentially means that all actions,
thoughts and desires - from intimate romantic relations with one’s spouse to picking up litter
from the floor - should be referred back to the Creator of Man, Allah. It establishes a
constant awareness, mindfulness and consciousness of Allah in everything that a Muslim
thinks, says or does.
Such consciousness is not static, it is dynamic. The level of taqwa (God consciousness) is
dependent upon how close the Muslim is with his Lord. This personal relationship is
established and strengthened by following a unique programme of activities that have
been prescribed by God Himself.
This 'spiritual' programme is also an effective means to minimise the negative traits and
habits of the Muslim. Some of these activities include remembrance of Allah, prayer, giving
charity, fasting, reading and reflecting upon the Qur'an, and asking for Allah’s help and
mercy.
Taqwa (God consciousness) is an essential element in Islamic spiritual practice, without it,
the Muslim's behaviour and attitude are corrupted. The benefits of God consciousness, as
derived from the Qur'an, are:
Help and facilitation of ones affairs; because of His words "Whoever has taqwa of Allah He
will make easy for him his affair" (Quran chapter 65, verse 4)
Closeness to Allah; because of His words "Allah is the close friend and protector of the
muttaqeen (the ones who have taqwa)" (Quran chapter 45, verse 19)
Love; because of His words, "Truly Allah loves the muttaqeen" (Quran chapter 2, verse 194)
A way out from unhappiness, and provision from where one does not expect; because of
His words, "Whoever has taqwa of Allah He will make a way out for him and provide him
from where he does not expect" (Quran chapter 65, verse 2)
Covering up of wrong actions and magnification of rewards; because of His words,
"Whoever has taqwa of God He will cover over his wrong actions and magnify a reward for
him" (Quran chapter 65, verse 5)
Entrance into the Garden; because of His words "Truly, there are for the people of taqwa
with their Lord Gardens of bliss" (Quran chapter 51, verse 15)

What is Shariah?

What is Shariah?
When the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, head of the Anglican Church,
suggested that some aspects of Shariah law should be incorporated into British law a
tirade of criticism was launched at him. Hardly surprising when most people’s notion of
Shariah law is based on misrepresentative media myths and stereotypes – usually of
something “medieval” in nature.
But many Muslims say that Shariah is an important part of their lives. So what exactly is
Shariah?
Broadly speaking, Shariah is the name given to law derived from Islamic sources. It
covers politics, economics, criminal law, business, contracts, family life, hygiene and
social issues. Though there are similarities with other legal systems in terms of the giving
rights and upholding principles and values, it differs completely in its source and
methodology and indeed, in the values it seeks to build.
Can Shariah Law fit Modern Society?
One thousand years ago European countries were ruled by Kings and the Church with
laws that maintained an unfair feudal system, oppressed women and pursued almost
continuous warfare. Europe would never dream of going back to those uncivilised nonprogressive
laws, so why do Muslims look towards laws applied during that era?
The Islamic world prospered under Shariah law in the past. This differs from Europe,
which viewed that progress only really began when the Church was separated from
politics and secularism was established. Under secularism, however, Muslim countries
have failed to achieve the progress that they enjoyed under Islamic law.
It is not a matter of Muslims reacting and going back to laws that worked in the past.
Muslims want appropriate laws for the modern age, that were also appropriate for past
ages; the Shariah gives just that. This suitability is due to the Shariah approaching law
from the perspective of the problems that face human beings. So, while technology
may have progressed and societies have become more complex, the core
relationships between people remain of the same kind. Human relationships still need
solutions. Hence, if they were successfully governed by Shariah law in the past, and their
nature has not changed, then they can be successfully governed by Shariah law today.
Laws made by men in a secular system are vulnerable to the prejudices and
inadequacies of the men and women who invent these laws. They are also vulnerable
to corruption and undue influence by the rich and powerful. We can see many
examples of countries that have suffered from injustice and corruption when attempting
to implement secular systems.
Muslims believe that the Shariah comes from Allah (God). It is Allah’s laws for human
beings and their societies. It is based upon text that everyone can access, so can be
challenged publicly by those who feels derivation of a law is incorrect. It includes
checks and balances to ensure that unfair application can be challenged through the
court system.

It transcends tribal loyalties, regional interests or the influence of the rich and powerful,
therefore it is highly resistant to corruption and able to unite people under its rule.
So how is Shariah Law derived in the Modern Day?
Shariah Law is based upon the Quran (the revelation from Allah) and the Sunnah
(example of the Prophet Muhammed).
In some cases, they give a direct verdict on a specific human problem and in other
cases scholars of Islam are needed to derive a verdict from these sources using various
judicial principles.
In recent years, Islamic Scholars have brought forward explanations of the Islamic
stance on modern developments such as stock-holding companies, corporate bonds,
stem cell research and organ transplants. Such opinions, at their core, must be derived
from the Quran and the example of the Prophet Muhammed.
Aren’t there Many Different Opinions in the Shariah – doesn’t this create conflict?
All Islamic opinions are based on the Quran and Sunnah. Therefore, if there is a
difference of opinion, the scholars who have derived this opinion and their followers
must have respect for the others as they are all Islamic opinions. There should be no
conflict over a difference of opinion.
For public matters, the leader of an Islamic State would be entitled to adopt whichever
opinion he believed to be strongest and then all people, including scholars with
different interpretations, would be bound to obey the law of the land. They would still
have the right to argue the case for the opinion they believe to be stronger. In private
matters people are free to decide which opinion they believe to be the strongest and
follow it.
Secular systems also have a wide difference of opinion on the solutions to problems and
what laws should be applied. Those with majority support usually take power and
implement their opinions on what is best. This can lead to disastrous results including
unpopular pre-emptive wars, economic recessions, tribal conflicts or even civil war.
But doesn’t Shariah Law invade People’s Private lives?
Shariah law includes laws about the private lives of Muslims such as the rights of
husbands and wives, the way people eat, drink and even sleep! But these things are not
left to the discretion of the state, rather they are left open for adoption by individuals.
In fact, the Shariah prohibits the State in Islam from spying on its citizens. This is in stark
contrast to Western Countries where CCTV watches the streets, personal information is
stored (and lost) by governments, phones are tapped and confidential conversations
are bugged. Actually secular western systems invade the private lives of their citizens far
more than would be permitted by the Shariah.

The Final Prophet

The Final Prophet
"The Messenger believes in what has been revealed to him from his Lord, as do the believers. Each
one of them believes in God, His angels, His books, and His Messengers. They say: 'We make no
distinction between one and another of His Messengers.' And they say: 'We hear, and we obey. We
seek Thy forgiveness, Our Lord, and to You is the end of all journeys.'" (Quran chapter 2, verse 285)
Throughout history the rich and powerful have oppressed the poor and weak. Men have suppressed
women and the vulnerable, as corruption and oppression became the social order across the world.
However, according to the teachings of Islam, Allah created man for a more noble purpose, to
worship Him alone and to lead a virtuous life based upon His guidance. But, people could not know
the role and purpose of their existence unless they received clear instructions about what Allah wants
them to do and not to do or about what Allah has decided is good and bad, right and wrong.
Hence, the need for messengers becomes apparent.
Since the beginning of time, Allah sent prophets to mankind, chosen from among their own people.
Twenty five of them are mentioned by name in the Quran. They were prophets chosen by Allah to
teach their people about Allah’s guidance. Since Allah is one, His message has always been one
and the same, so all prophets taught the same fundamental message, the message of Islam. Its
essence is to find peace in your life through submission to the One Almighty Creator; to believe in
Allah and to follow His guidance. How could the authenticity of their prophethood be proven?
Prophets were given miracles - abilities beyond the capabilities of ordinary people – as a proof of
their authenticity. The exact nature of the miracle was appropriate to the situation of the age.
For the Prophet Musa (Moses), whose contemporaries excelled in magic, his major miracle was to
defeat Egypt’s best magicians. Whilst Isa’s (Jesus) contemporaries were recognized as skilled
physicians, so his miracles were to raise the dead and cure incurable diseases. The Arabs who were
contemporaries of the Prophet Muhammad were renowned for their eloquence and mastery in
poetry. He was illiterate with no knowledge of previous scriptures, yet was bestowed with the
miraculous Quran, the like of which the entirety of Arab poets and orators could not produce.
An Outstanding characteristic of the Prophet Muhammad is that he was the best in his community
both, morally and intellectually. The people of Makkah knew him only as a man of excellent
character and cultured manners, calling him ‘Al-Ameen’, ‘The Trustworthy’. He never claimed to be
the author of the Quran. In fact he was never challenged as its author. From the many thousands of
the Prophet’s preserved sayings it can be seen that the linguistic style of Muhammad's speech and
that of the Quran are very different. No matter how hard one tries, one's style of speech cannot be
completely altered consistently, and certainly not over the period of 23 years during which the Quran
was revealed.
A further point worthy of note is that the Prophet Muhammad had already been prophesied in the
earlier scriptures of the Bible and Torah, therefore, the Jews and Christians were anxiously awaiting
him. According to the Quran, Isa (Jesus) was sent to the Children of Israel; he confirmed the validity of the Torah, which was revealed to Musa (Moses), and he also brought the glad tidings of a final
messenger after him. Allah states in the Quran:
“And when Isa son of Mariam said, ‘Children of Israel. I am indeed the messenger to you, confirming
the Torah that is before me, and giving good tidings of a Messenger who shall come after me, whose
name shall be the praised one...” (Quran chapter 61, verse 6)
The ‘praised one’ is the translation of ‘Ahmad’, which is one of Prophet Muhammad’s names. Unlike
the previous prophets, who addressed only their respective people, the guidance that was sent to
the Prophet Muhammad was a complete guidance for the whole of humanity, for all times and
places.