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Why should a person only follow Islam?
By
Thursday, September 13, 2007 At 10:22 PM
All
religions basically teach followers to do good deeds. Why should a person only
follow Islam? Can he not follow any of the religions? ?
1. Major difference between Islam and most other religions All religions
basically exhort mankind to be righteous and eschew evil. But Islam goes beyond
that. It guides us towards practical ways of achieving righteousness and
eliminating evil from our individual and collective lives. Islam takes into
account human nature and the complexities of human society. Islam is guidance
from the Creator Himself. Therefore, Islam is also called the Deen-ul-Fitrah
(the natural religion of Man).
2. Example - Islam commands us to shun robbery and also prescribes method of
eliminating robbery
a. Islam
prescribes method of eliminating robbery All major religions teach that theft is
an evil act. Islam teaches the same. So what is the difference between Islam and
the other religions? The difference lies in the fact that Islam, besides
teaching that robbing is evil, shows a practical way of creating a social
structure in which people will not rob.
b. Islam prescribes Zakat Islam prescribes a system of Zakat (obligatory annual
charity). Islamic law prescribes that every person who has a saving that exceeds
the nisab level i.e. more than 85 grams of gold, should give 2.5% of that saving
every lunar year in charity. If every rich person in the world gave Zakat
sincerely, poverty will be eradicated from this world. Not a single human being
would die of hunger.
c. Chopping off the hands as punishment for robbery Islam prescribes chopping
off the hands of the convicted robber. The Glorious Qur'an says in Surah Maidah:
"As to the thief, male or female, cut off his or her hands:a punishment by way
of example, from Allah, for their crime: and Allah isExalted in power, full of
wisdom." [ Al-Qur'an 5:38] The non-Muslim may say, "Chopping off the hands in
this 20th century. Islam is a barbaric and ruthless religion!"
d. Results achieved when Islamic Shariah Implemented America is supposed to be
one of the most advanced countries in the world. Unfortunately it also has one
of the highest rates of crime, theft, and robbery. Suppose the Islamic shariah
is implemented in America i.e. every rich person gives Zakat ( 2.5% of his
savings in charity above 85 grams of gold every lunar year), and every convicted
robber has his or her hands chopped off as a punishment. Will the rate of theft
and robbery in America increase, remain same or decrease? Naturally it will
decrease. Moreover the existence of such a stringent law would discourage many a
potential robber. I agree that the amount of theft that takes place in the world
today is so tremendous that if you chop off the hands of all the thieves, there
will be tens of thousands of people whose hands will be chopped off. The point
here is that the moment you implement this law the rate of theft will decline
immediately. The potential robber would give it a serious thought before
jeopardizing his limbs. The mere thought of the punishment itself will
discourage majority of the robbers. There will barely be a few who would rob.
Hence only a few person's hands would be chopped off but millions would live
peacefully without fear of being robbed. Islamic Shariah is therefore practical,
and achieves results.
3. Example: Islam prohibits the molestation and rape of women. It enjoins hijab
and prescribes capital punishment for a convicted rapist.
a. Islam prescribes method of eliminating molestation and rape All the major
religions declare the molestation and rape of women as grave sins. Islam teaches
the same. What then is the difference between Islam and the other religions? The
difference lies in the fact that Islam does not merely preach respect for women,
or abhor molestation and rape as serious crimes, but also gives clear guidance
as to how society can eliminate such crimes.
b. Hijab for men Islam has a system of hijab. The Glorious Qur'an first mentions
hijab for the men and then for the women. Hijab for the men is mentioned in the
following verse: "Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and
guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: and Allah is
well acquainted with all that they do." [Al-Qur'an 24:30] The moment a man looks
at a woman and if any brazen or unashamed thought comes to his mind, he should
lower his gaze.
c. Hijab for women Hijab for women is mentioned in the following verse: "And say
to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their
modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what
(must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their
bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers,
their husbands' fathers, their sons...." [Al-Qur'an 24:31] The extent of hijab
for a woman is that her complete body should be covered. The only part that can
be seen, are the face and the hands up to the wrists. If they wish to cover,
they can even cover these parts of the body. However some Islamic scholars
insist that even the face should be covered.
d. Hijab prevents molestation The reason why Allah has prescribed Hijab for the
women is given in the Qur'an in the following verse of Surah Al-Ahzab: "O
Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women, that they should
cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad): that is most
convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested. And Allah is
Oft-Forgiving, most Merciful." [Al-Qur'an 33:59] The Qur'an says that Hijab has
been prescribed for the women so that they are recognized as modest women this
would prevent them from being molested.
e. Example of twin sisters Suppose two sisters who are twins and who are equally
beautiful, walk down a street. One of them is wearing the Islamic Hijab i.e. the
complete body is covered except for the face and the hands up to the wrists, and
the other twin is wearing a mini skirt or shorts. Around the corner there is a
hooligan who is waiting for an opportunity to tease a girl. Who will he tease?
The girl wearing the Islamic Hijab or the girl wearing the mini skirt or shorts?
Dresses that expose more than they conceal, are an indirect temptation to the
opposite sex for teasing, molestation and rape. The Qur'an rightly says that the
hijab prevents women from being molested.
f. Capital punishment for rapist The Islamic Shariah prescribes capital
punishment for a convicted rapist. The non-Muslim may be horrified at such a
stringent punishment in this age. Many accuse Islam of being ruthless and
barbaric. I have asked a common question to hundreds of non-Muslim men. Suppose
God-forbid, some one rapes your wife, your mother or your sister and you are
made the judge. The rapist is brought in front of you. What punishment would you
give him? All of them said, "we would put him to death." Some went to the extent
of saying, "we would torture him to death", If your wife or your mother is raped
you want the rapist to be put to death. But if someone else's wife or mother is
raped, capital punishment is a barbaric law. Why the double standards?
g. U.S.A. has one of the highest rate of Rape The United States of America is
supposed to be one of the most advanced countries of the world. An F.B.I report
in the year 1990 says that 1,02,555 cases of rape were reported. It further says
that only 16% of the cases of rapes are reported. Thus, in order to know the
actual number of rapes that took place in 1990, the reported figure should be
multiplied by 6.25. We get a total of 6,40,968 rape cases that took place in the
year 1990. If the total is divided by 365 the number of days in a year, we get
an average of 1,756 rape incidents everyday. Later another report said that an
average of 1900 cases of rape are committed in U.S.A every day. According to
National Crime Victimization Survey Bureau of Justice Statistics (U. S. Dept. of
Justice) in 1996 alone 3,07,000 cases of rape were reported. Only 31% of the
actual cases of rape were reported. Thus, 3,07,000 X 3.226 = 9,90,322 rapes took
place in 1996. That is, an average of 2,713 cases of rape took place everyday in
America in 1996. Every 32 seconds one rape is taking place in America. Maybe
American rapists got bolder. The FBI report of 1990 continues and says that out
of the rape cases that were reported only 10% of the rapist were arrested,
thatis only 1.6% of the actual rapes committed. Out of those arrested, 50% were
let free before the trial. This would mean that only 0.8% of the rapists faced a
trial. In other words if a person commits 125 rapes the chances that he will get
a punishment for rape is only once. Many would consider this a good gamble. And
the report says that of those people who faced trial 50% received sentences of
less than a year's imprisonment though the American law says rape carries a
seven year sentence of imprisonment. For a rapist, the judge is lenient to first
time offenders. Imagine a person commits 125 rapes and the chances of being
convicted is only once, and 50% of the time the judge will grant leniency and
give a sentence of less than a year!
h. Results achieved when Islamic Shariah Implemented Suppose the Islamic Shariah
is implemented in America. Whenever a man looks at a woman and if any brazen or
unashamed thought comes to his mind, he lowers his gaze. Every woman wears the
Islamic Hijab, that is the complete body is covered except the face and the
hands upto the wrists. After this if any man commits rape, he gets capital
punishment. The question is, will the rate of rape in America increase, will it
remain the same or will it decrease? Naturally it will decrease. Islamic Shariah
gets results.
4. Islam has Practical Solutions for the Problems of Mankind Islam is the best
way of life because its teachings are not doctrinaire rhetoric but practical
solutions for the problems of mankind. Islam achieves results both at the
individual and collective levels. Islam is the best way of life because it is a
practical, universal religion not confined to any ethnic group or nationality.
www.tamilmuslimmedia.com
Labels:
islam,
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4 Comments for this post
Mel Avila Alarilla Says:
September 13, 2007 11:25 PM
http://www.blogger.com/delete-comment.g?blogID=6892606388426618214&postID=9002791520529720664
Greetings
to all our Muslim brothers who have celebrated the great feast of Ramadan.
Greetings from the smiling people of the Philippines
GEM Says:
September 14, 2007 3:52 AM
http://www.blogger.com/delete-comment.g?blogID=6892606388426618214&postID=8284149618480931754
So what you
are saying is that Allah believes we are animals incapable of order and law.
The difference is that in America, women are consider equal human beings to a
man. Thus if a woman is forced to wear the ninja clothing so should the man.
If your theory holds...about punishment...then why do Muslim countries still
have thieves and rapists??! And why do scandinavian countries have a lower crime
rate including sexual than Muslim countries?...And they are the most liberals in
the world. Women's nudity is common in many areas...eg. beaches, tv and homes.
Are muslim men so inferior and close to animals that they will see a beautiful
woman's arm and not be able to contain themselves...like mere dogs.
If my mom is raped, i would want to kill the rapist...but that will be revenge
and not objective. This is why an independent person has to decide.
If what you wrote is true..then your religion is barbaric and your God is
hateful...who believes in revenge and no better than a human that commits a
crime.
Anonymous Says:
September 14, 2007 3:54 PM
http://www.blogger.com/delete-comment.g?blogID=6892606388426618214&postID=6349648721536370549
I agree
with what GEM has to say to some extent. I disagree about what he has said in
the end about Islam being barbaric.What I feel is that Islam is in desperate
need for reformation and a majority of Muslims need to learn how to accept
certain traditions and customs and beliefs before they ask for equal treatment.
Women need to be treated equally as men. If Sharia says that men can marry to a
maximum of four women it is a clear evidence of how sexist Islam is. If men can
be given the opportunity to have four wives then why can't women be allowed to
do the same.
Anonymous Says:
September 14, 2007 5:20 PM
http://www.blogger.com/delete-comment.g?blogID=6892606388426618214&postID=5499909554931259279
The Saudi
ruling class have robbed their country of billions, and they spend it on
prostitutes in London. Would you recommend chopping off their hands?
http://worldub.blogspot.com/2007/09/why-should-person-only-follow-islam.html
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