What is Islam?

Hello, salaam, konnichiwa, hola, namaste, shalom, and hello to all the other beautiful cultures and languages out there. In a previous blog entry, I briefly wrote about the history of ninpo because, for all intents and purposes, the primary focus of my blog as a whole is to combat misconceptions. It is by no stretch then that I take time out to write about the other half of my identity as a Muslim. Just how ninpo and the ninja are immensely misunderstood by the general public, so too are Islam and Muslims, if not more. In order to fully understand anything in life, one must begin their journey to its beginning. While I cannot detail all the events of the beginning of Islam as it would take far too long, I have tried my best to determine the most important and relevant details of its early history. I invite you to journey back with me to a story which begins roughly 1,400 years ago.

In the late 6th century AD, there was once a man named Muhammad Ibn Abdullah (1) (pbuh) (2) who lived in the thriving city of Mecca. Mecca was a rich city within the deserts of Arabia which housed many idols of gods that travelers could pay tributes to in order to gain good fortune. The idols were housed in and around the Kaaba, a square building covered in black drapes originally created by the prophet Abraham (p). Other than travelers who were passing through, many people would also undertake long pilgrimages to donate money to the idols of their worship. This income kept the economy of Mecca strong and stable, ensuring the lasting power of the ruling family, the Quraish tribe. In fact, one of Muhammad's (p) own uncles was a member of the ruling party, Abu Talib. Abu Talib was a man who cared deeply for his nephew and Muhammad (p) held great respect for him. Muhammad (p) himself was a simple, honest and good-natured man that had earned him a small reputation among his neighbors. Although he was unlettered (which at the time was very common), he was still incredibly intelligent. He married his wife Khadijah (r.a.) (3) at the age of 25 when she was 40. Although a widow, she was a powerful and independent woman who was very successful in her business both before and during their marriage. Although, like Muhammad (p), she was also good-natured. He respected and admired her immensely and she would counsel him in times of need. Muhammad (p) described their relationship like being best friends.

Despite living within the city, Muhammad (p) would often venture out of the city limits to a small, nearby mountain called Mount Hira. He would travel there to a cave alone frequently to meditate, questioning injustice, social unrest, discrimination, and the state of the economic system which separated the rich from the poor. For years, Muhammad (p) continued his retreats to meditate on Mount Hira. Several years later when Muhammad (p) had turned 40, he made the same journey to the cave that he had been making for many years, only this time he would experience something which would change not only his own life forever, but the future of the world.

As he was ascending Mount Hira, he looked toward the sky and saw a being in the form of a man. The being spoke in a loud but calming voice, "Read!" to which Muhammad (p) frantically replied, "I cannot read!" Again, the voice louder this time, spoke, "Read, O' Muhammad!" Frightened and confused, he began running down the mountain. Around every corner, he saw the image of the angel. This time, he commanded, "Recite in the Name of Your Lord Who created. He created the human being from congealed blood. Recite and your Lord is Most Honorable, Who taught (to write) with the pen, taught the human being what he knew not." (4). Knowing he could not escape, Muhammad (p) recited after him and managed to escape back home. As he stormed through the doors of his home, he threw himself into his wife Khadijah's arms and cried out, "Cover me! Cover me with a blanket!" Khadijah consoled and embraced him until he began to come to his senses, and explained what he witnessed. He added, "I fear something may happen to me." Khadijah, his pillar of strength and best friend, had faith that God would not let such harm come to him. She said, "Never! By Allah (5), Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your kith and kin, help the poor and the destitute, serve your guests generously and assist the deserving calamity-afflicted ones." Shortly after, she took Muhammad (p) to see her cousin, Warafa Ibn Naufal, a blind elderly man and a devout Christian who was known for his works on the Gospel. Muhammad (p) detailed the events which he experienced and Warafa said, "This is the same one who keeps the secrets (angel Gabriel) whom Allah had sent to Moses. I wish I were young and could live up to the time when your people would turn you out." Muhammad (p) asked, "Will they drive me out?" to which Warafa replied, "Anyone (man) who came with something similar to what you have brought was treated with hostility; and if I should remain alive till the day when you will be turned out then I would support you strongly." A few days later, Warafa ibn Naufal had passed away.

It was not long after that Muhammad (p) began to both accept and realize the importance of that fateful event. A couple years later Muhammad (p) had encountered the second revelation atop Mount Hira. During his ascent, he once again came into contact with the same being which was described as "sitting between the sky and the earth". It was here he introduced himself as the angel Gabriel and that Muhammad (p) was a prophet of Allah (swt) (6). He shared more revelations with the prophet. Eventually, Muhammad (p) was commanded to speak to others about the revelations of God. Fearing that many would not accept this way of life, he first began to speak about his experiences and the revelations with his closest companions in private. Given Muhammad's (p) honest nature and flawless character, his teachings were accepted quite easily by his friends. This way of life became known as "Islam" meaning "submission" and its followers were called "Muslims" meaning "those who submit to Allah".

As the spread of Islam began to move from household to household, it was inevitable that the ruling party of the Quraish would take notice. It is at this vital point in Islamic history where Muslims soon faced their first opposition. However, it did not happen immediately. At first when they realized Muhammad (p) was at the head of these teachings, they dismissed any idea of this new religion being harmful for they knew him to be harmless and a simple man of good character. It was not until the Meccan pilgrims slowly began to accept Islam and move away from their idols that the Quraish began to recognize a threat to their economy. They advised Abu Talib to speak with his nephew Muhammad (p) and deter him from his path. When Abu Talib later visited Muhammad (p) at his home, he asked his intentions. After realizing he was harmless and that he would not deviate from his path, Abu Talib supported him but did not embrace Islam as his own faith. He did, however, warn him that if he did not cease to preach Islam, the rest of the Meccan ruling party might feel threatened and resort to taking action. Abu Talib returned to the rest of the Quraish and assured them that Muhammad (p) would not harm them. Regrettably, they did not share Abu Talib's same sentiments.

As slaves began to accept the prophet's teachings, they began to demand rights from their masters. As more and more slaves began to embrace Islam, the Quraish eventually saw Islam as a threat to Mecca. Soon, the first Muslim was martyred, an elderly mother. Muhammad (p), as instructed by the angel Gabriel, preached tolerance and understanding. He was continuously receiving revelations and orders from Allah (swt) through the angel Gabriel throughout the years. As he had not received instruction on taking action, the prophet continued to instruct his followers in tolerance. Islam continued to grow rapidly in Mecca as it taught social equality, rights for women and slaves, the Oneness of God, that everyone was responsible for their own sins, and that through accepting Islam, all previous sins would be forgiven. Angered by this quick growth, the Quraish began to spread lies about Muhammad (p) and his followers, and many Meccans began to throw rocks at them as they walked through the streets. They continued to show patience and tolerance, refusing to act out of anger.

One day, Muhammad (p) and his followers visited the Kaaba and began to address the people. He explained to the Meccans that it was God's message that all people on earth accept His laws to ensure peace, equality and justice as He had instructed the people of earth countless times in the past through prophets such as Adam, Abraham, Noah, Solomon, David, Jonas, Jesus and others. Muhammad (p) spoke to the people and informed them how the ruling party of the Quraish were unfairly profiting off their pilgrimages and donations to the idols. Many people did not take kindly to this gesture and as they were ready to attack him, the prophet's uncle Hamza (r.a.) stepped out and ordered the people to stop. He was a renowned warrior and naturally, the people feared him. In public, he devoted himself to his nephew and immediately embraced Islam. He commanded that anyone who would dare attempt to harm the prophet would feel his wrath. Upon hearing this news, the Quraish were furious. They hired several mercenaries to attempt to kill the prophet. After several mercenaries failed, the prophet began to fear for not only his safety, but his family and his followers. Though he loved his home in Mecca, he realized that the Quraish were gaining success in trying to drive them out. It was not until much later that his beloved wife Khadijah (r.a.) had passed away. Devastated, the prophet seeked further guidance from Allah (swt). He continued to pray and pray, asking for direction, and the angel Gabriel informed him of the concept of hijrah (emmigrating from an area out of fear of religious persecution).

Around the year 622 AD, in the early hours of one morning before the sun had risen, the prophet and his followers snuck out of their homes and fled Mecca. Some of his followers informed him that there were thousands of Muslims in the city of Yathrib (later renamed to Medina) who were eager to accept him and his Meccan followers of Islam, and so they began their journey across the harsh Arabian desert to Yathrib. Upon hearing this news, the Quraish were afraid that Muhammad (p) would become too powerful if united with his followers in Yathrib, so they hired an army of mercenaries to intercept them. Upon finally arriving to Yathrib safely, the prophet and his followers were welcomed by the city's inhabitants through song and praise. There they constructed the first mosque ever built in Islam, masjid al-Quba. The Muslims of Yathrib had erected a home for the prophet and provided for the other Muslim refugees from Mecca. It was not long after that scouts had informed the prophet of the mercenary army coming their way.

Again, the angel Gabriel appeared to the prophet and commanded him to defend himself and his followers. It is worth noting that at this point, Muhammad (p) and his followers had endured years of persecution while showing restraint and patience toward their attackers. It was essential that they learned patience and tolerance before resorting to armed action. This was the first time since the establishment of Islam that Muslims were given the command to physically defend themselves and fight against their oppressors for their survival. The angel Gabriel said to Muhammad (p), "So when you meet those who disbelieve, strike their necks until, when you have inflicted slaughter upon them, then secure their bonds, and either favor afterwards or ransom until the war lays down its burdens. That is the command. And if Allah had willed, He could have taken vengeance upon them Himself, but He ordered armed struggles to test some of you by means of others. And those who are killed in the cause of Allah - never will He waste their deeds." (7). Empowered by these words and the promise of Paradise to those martyred, ordinary men turned into fierce warriors on the battlefield. With the help of several of the prophet's closest companions, the Sahaba (8), the followers of Islam were taught in the ways of self defense.

In the year 624 AD, the mercenary army of Mecca finally met the Muslims of Yathrib in the Battle of Badr. Though incredibly outnumbered, Muhammad (p) and his followers fought with a fury which the Meccans had never before witnessed. The battle was won decisively by the the Muslims. In 625, the second clash between the Meccan mercenaries and the Muslims of Yathrib took place, named the Battle of Uhud. With victory close in hand for the Muslims, a group of archers amongst the Muslim army disobeyed their orders to stay seated on high ground and began to pursue a group of fleeing Meccans. The archers were defeated and the Meccans ended up turning the tide of the battle into their hands, even badly injuring the prophet himself. Though they held the upper hand, they did not get careless by pursuing the Muslims further and set back to Mecca victorious. It would be a few years again until the Muslims of Yathrib could rebuild and attempt to take back their home of Mecca. In the year 627, the Battle of the Trench took place at the gates of Yathrib itself. The Meccans appeared in an army of 10,000 while the Muslims of Yathrib were around just 3,000. Prepared to face those odds, Muhammad (p) had built a trench around Yathrib and planned to utilize its natural fortifications against the larger army. The trench helped to take away the advantage of the Meccan cavalry. After a very clear and decisive victory with very few casualties amongst the Muslims, the Meccans were finally defeated. They suffered so many losses that Mecca was left defenseless. As a result of the defeat, the Meccans lost much of their trade along with their prestige. The remaining members of the Quraish ruling party disappeared. Finally, Muhammad (p) and his followers were able to return happily and safely to Mecca.

Muhammad (p) sent emissaries in all different directions to spread the word of Islam. The emissaries traveled to northern Africa, to south eastern Europe, and to east and southern Asia. The number of followers began to increase in the millions. As years went by, the revelations of God Had finally ceased after a period of 23 years in total. The angel Gabriel had advised the prophet and his companions on the assembly of all of the revelations. This collection of revelations is what came to be known as the glorious Qur'an. Every word and detail was verified by the angel Gabriel himself under the command of God to ensure that unlike the previous messages of God which Man corrupted, this book would remain the same forever, free from fabrications.

Five years after the Battle of the Trench, the prophet Muhammad (p) eventually passed away in the year 632 AD in the arms of his third wife Aisha (r.a.). Thus began the Era of the Four Caliphs and an increased expanse of Islam throughout the known world. Four of the prophet's closest companions were elected (notating a democracy) to assume leadership of the kingdom of Islam. The first was The Period of Abu Bakr (r.a.) (632-634), the second was The Period of Umar (r.a.) (634-644), the third was The Period of Uthman (r.a.) (634-644) and the greatest and final of the four caliphs to assume leadership was Ali (r.a.) (656-661), and son of Abu Talib. This was the greatest yet final era of caliphs. The Sahaba recorded transmissions of the prophet as he himself was unlettered. Many years later, those transmissions were compiled into what is referred to as "hadiths". Though they are not the word of God Himself, they are the instructions and lessons of the prophet as a guide to Muslims on how to apply the teachings of the Qur'an to their daily lives. (It is important to note that while the Qur'an is protected by Allah (swt), the hadiths themselves are not, and are still the point of intense scholarly debate within the Islamic world.)

Through the following several centuries, the Islamic world encountered the climax of its society known as the Golden Years of Islam. It had greatly contributed to many of the world's greatest arts, maths, sciences, technologies and even medical practices. The compass, abacus, the first airplane, algebra, surgical tools, stitches, distillation, as well as some of the greatest philosophy and poetry in the history of mankind came from this era. I could honestly write an entire series of articles based solely on the inventions of Muslims alone that they sadly do not get credit for and are more often than not mysteriously absent in our history books. While the golden years of Islam have long since passed, the Qur'an itself has never changed. Today, Islam has 1.8 billion followers, is still the fastest growing religion in the world and is the second largest by population. Like any religion, any faith, any political party, organization or group of people, Islam has and will continue to suffer from extremists. This is absolutely inevitable and has nothing to do with its teachings. It is sadly human nature to attribute one's own weaknesses to their beliefs in an attempt to justify their faults. Not only normal people like you and I, but leaders have been guilty of this as well. It is through these misdirected people that groups such as the KKK, Nazis, ISIS and many others have risen up. It is essential that we as human beings living in a multicultural world accept this notion quickly. As we continue to alienate ourselves further and label each other with stereotypical connotations, we collectively lose our sense of humanity day by day. It is through understanding each other and respecting each other's beliefs that we can combat extremism, religious persecution, and hatred.

Note: If I happen to have made a statement regarding Islam in error, I apologize in advance. Know that my intentions are merely to educate and dispel misconceptions. Allahu alim (God Knows best).

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Foot Notes:

(1) In Arab culture, it is tradition for men to take the name of their fathers as their last name in order to preserve lineage; thus "Ibn Abdullah" translates to "son of Abdullah" and for women, "Bint Muhammad" would translate to "daughter of Muhammad") in their examples.

(2) (pbuh) and (p) are acronyms which mean "peace be upon him". For Muslims, it is essential to pay respect to any prophet of God in such way.

(3) (r.a.) is an acronym which reads "radiyallahu anhu", meaning "Allah's blessings be upon them".

(4) Verses 1-5 from chapter 96 (Surah Alaq) in the Noble Qur'an.

(5) "Allah" is not only one of the many names of God in the Qur'an (it reveals 99 names overall) but was also the name people used to refer to God in the early Arabic and Hebrew languages.

(6) (swt) stands for "subhanahu wa ta'ala" meaning "may He be glorified and exalted".

(7) Verse

(8) The Sahaba were the closest companions of the prophet Muhammad (p) and were renowned for being the best of us after the prophet himself. The Sahaba consisted of both friends and family, and eventually after the prophet's passing, some of them would become the four caliphs.