What is the Islamic perspective on greeting people of other faiths during their religious festivals and celebrations?
Islamic teachings emphasize the importance of courtesy, good neighbourliness, reciprocity in kindness and magnanimity. While Muslims and non-Muslims may exchange gifts, greetings and pleasantries, Muslim scholars, however, have an issue with greetings that are specific to religious festivities, especially if these may be understood to mean an acceptance and validation […]
Fasting Facts: Who’s Exempted, Benefits, and Pitfalls to Avoid
People Exempted from Fasting Fasting is obligatory on adult Muslims from dawn to sunset during Ramadan, during which time they are forbidden to eat, drink or indulge in marital relations. In the verses of fasting Allah Ta’ala says that He wants ease for Muslims and does not want to put […]
Making Religion the Scapegoat
Fair and equal principles should be used in evaluating any religion. Otherwise, associating only Islam with violence is historically inaccurate in comparison to the record of some other faiths. Christians, for example, fought each other for centuries in Europe, and in the First World War (where about 18 million people […]
Jihad: Against Aggression or Religious Diversity?
Some Muslims and non-Muslims have concluded that the concept of jihad in Islamic teachings is identical with the originally Christian concept of “Holy War” – unprovoked and violent aggression against people of other faiths simply because of intolerance to religious diversity, and for the purpose of spreading the faith. This […]
Armed Jihad: whose Responsibility, is it? Individual or Collective Obligation?
Some have tried to argue that engaging in military warfare is an individual obligation (fardu ‘ayn) on all Muslims and in no need of getting the permission of a legitimate leader or head of state, in the same way as fasting during the month of Ramadan, paying zakat and performing […]
Forms of Jihad as Recognised by Classical and Contemporary Scholars
Muslim scholars use the term jihad to refer to various forms, levels and categorizations of enjoining right, forbidding wrong and striving in Allah’s cause (fi sabilillah) as used in the Qur’an and Sunnah. They have therefore come up with various ways of classifying the different forms of jihad that Muslims […]
What does Jihad Means
“Jihad” (from the verb “jahada”) on its own simply means “to struggle”, “to exert effort”, “to exert oneself”, “to toil” or “to strive”. Jihad simply means to strive hard or struggle in pursuit of a just and goodly cause in a manner that is in line with the guidance/way/path of […]
Introducing the word JIHAD
Some people regard the involvement of Muslims in various forms of warfare, conquests, violence, aggression, and terrorism as demonstrating that the concept of Jihad in Islam, by its very nature, undermines peaceful co-existence between Muslims and people of other faiths, especially in multi-religious societies. Is the Islamic concept of jihad […]
Does Islam Glorify war through Martyrdom?
Some people have questioned the promise of Allah in the Qur’an that those who are killed while engaged in military jihad (i.e. fighting in the cause of defending Islam, justice or resistance against evil and aggression) will go to Paradise. A martyr (a “shahid,” in Arabic) according to most religions […]
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Fasting Facts: Who’s Exempted, Benefits, and Pitfalls to Avoid
People Exempted from Fasting Fasting is obligatory on adult Muslims from dawn to sunset during Ramadan, during which time they are forbidden to eat, drink or indulge in marital relations. In the verses of fasting Allah Ta’ala says that He wants ease for Muslims and does not want to put […]
Making Religion the Scapegoat
Fair and equal principles should be used in evaluating any religion. Otherwise, associating only Islam with violence is historically inaccurate in comparison to the record of some other faiths. Christians, for example, fought each other for centuries in Europe, and in the First World War (where about 18 million people […]
Jihad: Against Aggression or Religious Diversity?
Some Muslims and non-Muslims have concluded that the concept of jihad in Islamic teachings is identical with the originally Christian concept of “Holy War” – unprovoked and violent aggression against people of other faiths simply because of intolerance to religious diversity, and for the purpose of spreading the faith. This […]
Armed Jihad: whose Responsibility, is it? Individual or Collective Obligation?
Some have tried to argue that engaging in military warfare is an individual obligation (fardu ‘ayn) on all Muslims and in no need of getting the permission of a legitimate leader or head of state, in the same way as fasting during the month of Ramadan, paying zakat and performing […]
Forms of Jihad as Recognised by Classical and Contemporary Scholars
Muslim scholars use the term jihad to refer to various forms, levels and categorizations of enjoining right, forbidding wrong and striving in Allah’s cause (fi sabilillah) as used in the Qur’an and Sunnah. They have therefore come up with various ways of classifying the different forms of jihad that Muslims […]
What does Jihad Means
“Jihad” (from the verb “jahada”) on its own simply means “to struggle”, “to exert effort”, “to exert oneself”, “to toil” or “to strive”. Jihad simply means to strive hard or struggle in pursuit of a just and goodly cause in a manner that is in line with the guidance/way/path of […]
Introducing the word JIHAD
Some people regard the involvement of Muslims in various forms of warfare, conquests, violence, aggression, and terrorism as demonstrating that the concept of Jihad in Islam, by its very nature, undermines peaceful co-existence between Muslims and people of other faiths, especially in multi-religious societies. Is the Islamic concept of jihad […]
Does Islam Glorify war through Martyrdom?
Some people have questioned the promise of Allah in the Qur’an that those who are killed while engaged in military jihad (i.e. fighting in the cause of defending Islam, justice or resistance against evil and aggression) will go to Paradise. A martyr (a “shahid,” in Arabic) according to most religions […]
What Jihad in Islam Does Not Mean
Just as the word “crusade” may mean many things depending on the context in which it is used, so also does the Arabic word “Jihad” have many meanings depending on the context in which it is used. However, unlike “crusade”, the term or concept of “jihad” has never been understood […]
Should Muslim Work with a Non-Muslim Governments
The Qur’an (11:113) says, “And do not incline toward those who do wrong, lest the Fire should touch you, and you would have no protectors other than Allah, nor would you then be helped.” This verse is used by some Muslims to prohibit working with and in non-Islamic governments, as […]
Should Muslim Build Alliances with People of Other Faiths
The Quran verse 5:51 is understood by some Muslims to imply that it is not permissible for Muslims to become friends, companions or have alliances with Jews, Christians and other non-Muslims. As a result, they do not support, and may even be against interfaith relationships and cooperation. What is the […]
Brotherhood and Love with People of Other Faiths
Some Muslims object to using terms that denote affection for people of other faiths, and regard this as a form of unacceptable friendliness or association (wala’). Do the Qur’anic terms for close relationships exclude people of other faiths in their scope? And is it acceptable for a Muslim to describe […]