The 25 Most Frequently Asked Questions About Islam For The New Millenum

by Dr. Shahid Athar



INTRODUCTION:
The pluralistic American society has changed from being a "melting pot" to a "salad bowl" where all ingredients are encouraged to preserve and display their distinct tastes and flavors. However, even though Islam is a major religion with over 1.25 billion followers worldwide and over 8 million in the U.S., some Americans still mistake it for a cult, or that all Muslims are terrorists, or that every Muslim has 4 wives. The really naïve among my compatriots ask me if my wife puts on a veil, walks behind me, and belly dances for me! Misconceptions about Islam and Muslims continue because of the lack of availability of correct information about the basic teachings of Islam.

The misrepresentation of Islam by the media, especially Hollywood, often challenges Muslims to answer questions put forth by their non-Muslim neighbors, colleagues, and friends. I have been blessed by the opportunity of speaking about Islam and Muslims to non-Muslims in schools, colleges, churches, synagogues, inter-faith gatherings, and on radio and TV talk shows. Such experiences have been most rewarding, often resulting in friendships. In addition, these experiences have enabled me to put together 25 frequently asked questions about Islam, and of course my answers to them

List of Questions


What is Islam?

Who is Allah?

Who is a Muslim?

Who was Muhammad (salla Allah 'alayhi wa sallam - Peace and Blessings be upon him)

Do Muslims worship Muhammad?

What do Muslims think of Jesus?

Do Muslims have many sects?

What are the pillars of Islam?

What is the purpose of worship in Islam?

Do Muslims believe in the Hereafter?

Will the good actions of non-believers be wasted?

What is the dress code for Muslims?

What are the dietary rules in Islam?

What is Jihad?

What is the Islamic year?

What are the major Islamic festivals?

What is Shari'ah?

Was Islam spread by the sword?

Does Islam promote violence and terrorism?

Is there such thing as "Islamic Fundamentalism"?

Does Islam promote polygamy?

Does Islam oppress women?

Is Islam intolerant of other religious minorities?

What is the Islamic view on dating and premarital ***, abortion, homo***uality and AIDS, euthanasia and suicide, and organ transplantation?

How should Muslims treat Jews and Christians?

1. What is Islam?
"Islam" is an Arabic word that means peace and submission. The "peace" in Islam means to be at peace with oneself and your surroundings and "submission" means submission to the Will of God. A broader meaning of the word "Islam" is to achieve peace by submitting to the Will of God.
Islam is a unique religion with a name that signifies a moral attitude and a way of life. Judaism takes its name from the tribe of Judah, Christianity from Jesus Christ, Buddhism from Buddha, and Hinduism from the Indus River. However, Muslims derive their identity from the message of Islam, rather than the person of Muhammad (salla Allah 'alyhi wa sallam-peace and blessings be upon him). Therefore, Muslims should never be called "Mohammedans".

2. Who is Allah?
Allah is the Arabic word for the "One God." Allah is not a deity specific to Muslims alone. He is God of all creations, because He is their Creator and Sustainer. An Arabic speaking person of any religion would only call God by His name in Arabic, which is Allah. After all Moses and Jesus did not speak English, and the English-language word "God" was not in their vocabulary!

3. Who is a Muslim?
The word "Muslim" means the one who submits to the Will of God, declaring that "there is no one worthy of submission except the One God and Muhammad is the messenger of God." In a broader sense, anyone who willingly submits to the Will of God is a Muslim. Thus, all the prophets preceding Prophet Muhammad are considered Muslims. The Qur'an specifically mentions Abraham who lived long before Moses and Jesus that, "he was neither a Jew or a Christian but a Muslim," because, he had submitted to the Will of God. Thus, there are Muslims who are not submitting at all to the Will of God and there are Muslims who are doing their best to live an Islamic life.
One cannot judge Islam by looking at those individuals who have a Muslim name but in their actions, they are not living or behaving as Muslims. In fact, many Muslim Americans have not even adopted traditional Muslim names and there are good Muslims. The extent of being a Muslim can be according to the degree to which one submits to the Will of God in his beliefs and his actions.

4. Who was Muhammad?
Muhammad was born in a noble tribe of Mecca in Arabia in the year 570 CE. His ancestry goes back to Prophet Ishmael, son of Prophet Abraham. His father died shortly before his birth and his mother died when he was six. He did not attend school and was thus unable to read and write.
In accordance to the prevalent custom, he was raised first by a nurse, and then by his grandfather and uncle. As a young man, he was known as a righteous person, a trait that earned him the title of Al-Amin-the trustworthy. He often used to retire to meditate in a cave near Mecca. At age 40, he was given the prophethood when the angel, Gabriel, appeared in the cave with God's Command. Subsequently, the revelations came over 23 years and were compiled in the form of a book called the Qur'an which Muslims consider as the final and the last word of God given to humankind. The Qur'an has been preserved in its original form and confirms the truth in the Torah, the Psalms, and the Gospel.

5. Do Muslims worship Muhammad?
No. Muslims do not worship Muhammad or any other prophets. Muslims believe in all prophets including Adam, Noah, Abraham, David, Solomon, Moses, and Jesus. In fact, the belief is all prophets of God are an integral part of the faith. Muslims believe that Muhammad was the last of the prophets. They believe that God alone is to be worshiped, not any human being.

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6. What do Muslims think of Jesus?
Muslims hold Jesus and his revered mother, Mary in great esteem. The Qur'an says that Jesus is the outcome of a miraculous birth without a father. "Lo! The likeness of Jesus with God is the likeness of Adam. He created him of dust, and then He said unto him: Be and he is" (Qur'an 3.59). He was given many miracles as a prophet, which includes speaking soon after his birth in defense of his mother's piety. God's other gifts to him included healing the blind and the sick, reviving the dead, making a bird out of clay and most importantly, the message he was carrying. These miracles were given to him by God to establish him as a prophet. According to the Qur'an, he was not crucified but was raised into Heaven. (Qur'an, Chapter Maryam)

7. Do Muslims have many sects?
Muslims have no sects. In Islam, there are two major schools of thought, the Shia and the Sunni, which have more in common than differences. They follow the same book-The Qur'an; the same prophet Muhammad, offer their prayers 5 times a day, fast in the month of Ramadan, and go for Hajj--pilgrimage to Mecca. Those who follow Prophet Muhammad, in accordance with his sayings and actions, are called Sunni and those who in addition also follow the sayings and views of Ali (Muhammad's son-in-law), whom they consider as the rightful successor to Prophet Muhammad, are called Shia.
The word Shia means a partisan (party of Ali) and it started more as a political party to help Ali in his conflict with his political adversaries. Most Shias live in Iran, Iraq, and Azerbaijan while the rest of the Muslim world is mostly Sunni. Shias comprise about 16 percent of the Muslim population.

8. What are the pillars of Islam?
There are 5 pillars of Islam, which are the articles of faith. 1) Belief (Iman) in one God and that Muhammad is His messenger. 2) Prayer (Salat) which is prescribed 5 times a day. 3) Fasting (Siyam) which is required in the month of Ramadan-9th month of the Islamic Hijri calendar. 4) Charity (Zakat) which is the poor-due (2.5%) on the wealth of the rich.5) Hajj--the pilgrimage to Mecca once in a lifetime if one can afford it physically and financially.
All the pillars should be of equal height and strength in a building in order to give it due shape and proportion. It is not possible that one would do Hajj without observing fasting or without practicing regular prayers. Now think of a building that has pillars only. It would not be called a building. In order to make it a building, it has to have a roof, walls, doors, and windows. These things in Islam are the moral codes of Islam such as honesty, truthfulness, steadfastness, and many other human moral qualities. Thus in order to be a Muslim, one should not only be practicing the pillars of Islam but should also have the highest possible attribute for being a good human being. Only then, the building is completed and looks beautiful.

9. What is the purpose of worship in Islam?
The purpose of worship in Islam is to be God conscious. Thus worship, whether it is prayer, fasting, charity, or Hajj, is a means to achieve God consciousness so that when one becomes conscious of God, in thought and in action, he is in a better position to receive His bounties both in this world and the Hereafter.

10. Do Muslims believe in the Hereafter?
God who is Just and manifests His justice has established the system of accountability. Those who do good deeds will be rewarded and those who do wrong will be punished accordingly. Thus, He created the Heaven and Hell and there are admission criteria for both. Muslims believe that the present life is a temporary one--a test and if we pass the test, we will be given a life of permanent pleasure in the company of good people in Heaven.

11. Will the good actions of the nonbelievers be wasted?
No. The Qur'an clearly says that, "anyone who has an atom's worth of goodness will see it and anyone who has done an atom's worth of evil will also see it" (Qur'an 99:7-8). By that, it is meant that the nonbelievers who have done good will be rewarded in this world for their good deed. On the other hand, those who do good if they are also sincere in submission to God (that is Muslims), they will be rewarded not only in this world but also in the Hereafter. However, the final Judgment is up to God himself. (Qur'an 2:62)

12. What is the dress code for Muslims?
Islam emphasizes modesty. No person should be perceived as a *** object. There are certain guidelines both for men and women that their dress should not reveal body forms. Men must cover at least the area from the knee to the navel and for women should cover all areas except the hands and face. The veil is not essential.

13. What are the dietary prohibitions in Islam?
Muslims are told in the Qur'an not to eat pork or pork products, meat of the animals that died before being slaughtered or carnivorous animals (as they eat dead animals), nor drink blood or intoxicants such as alcoholic beverages or use any illicit drugs. Muslims are also advised to be balanced in their intake of foods and beverages. The Prophet advised that one should a portion of the stomach empty.

14. What is Jihad?
The word "Jihad" literally means struggle, which in Islamic terms means to strive in the way of God. Any struggle done in day-to-day life to please God can be considered Jihad. One of the highest levels of Jihad is to stand up to a tyrant and speak the truth. The control of the self from wrongdoings is also a great Jihad. One of the forms of Jihad is to take up arms in defense of Islam or a Muslim country when Islam is attacked. Such a Jihad has to be declared by the religious leadership or by a Muslim head of state who is following the Qur'an and Sunnah.

15. What is the Islamic Year?
The Islamic year started from the migration (Hijra) of Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE. It is a lunar year of 354 days. The first month is called Muharram. Muslims do not celebrate a "new year" and like each day, pray for God's good pleasure and bounty

16. What are the major Islamic festivals?
'Idul Fitr marks the end of fasting in the month of Ramadan and is celebrated with congregational prayers, feasts, and exchange of gifts. 'Idul Adha marks the end of the Hajj or the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. After congregational prayers, those who can afford, sacrifice an allowed animal such as lamb, goat, or cow to signify Prophet Abraham's obedience to God, shown by his readiness to sacrifice his son Ishmael.
Muslims live as a majority in some 52 countries and as minorities worldwide, and after 'Id celebrations vary from cultures, but remain within the confines of the Islamic moral code and dietary regulations.

17. What is the Shari'ah?
The Shari'ah is the comprehensive Muslim law derived form two sources: the Qur'an and the Sunnah-the Traditions of Prophet Muhammad. It covers every aspect of individual and collective living. The purpose of Islamic laws are protection of the individual's fundamental rights to include right to life, property, political and religious freedom and safeguarding the rights of women and minorities. The low crime rate in Muslim societies is due to the application of the Islamic laws.

18. Was Islam spread by the sword?
The Qur'an declares, "There is no compulsion in religion" (2:256), thus, no one can be forced to become a Muslim. While it is true that in many places where Muslim armies went to liberate people or the land, they did carry the sword as that was the weapon used at that time. However, Islam did not spread by the sword because in many places where there are Muslims now, in the Far East like Indonesia, China, and many parts of Africa, there are no records of any Muslim armies going there. For instance, instance Muslims ruled India for over 1,000 years and yet on 15% of Indians are Muslims. If the 'sword' had been used, the statistics would have been otherwise. Despite 1,400 years Muslim presence in the Arab world, some 10% of all Arabs are Christians.
In the U.S., Islam is the fastest growing religion and, according to a 2001 study, it has 7 million followers obviously without any sword around.

19. Does Islam promote violence and terrorism?
No. Islam is religion of peace and submission and stresses on the sanctity of human life. The Qur'an (5:32) says: "anyone who saves one life, it is as if he has saved the whole of humankind and anyone who has killed another person (except in lieu of murder or mischief on earth) it is as if he has killed the whole of humankind."
Islam condemns all the violence. Muslims were and are the victims and not perpetrators of the violence that happened in the Crusades, Spain, the World Wars, Dr. Baruch Goldstein, the atrocities committed in Bosnia and Kosovo by the Christian Serbs, in the former Soviet Union, in Palestine, and Kashmir.
Anyone who is perpetrating violence is not practicing his religion at that time. However, sometimes violence is a human response of oppressed people as it happens in Palestine. Although this is wrong, these oppressed people think that this is a way to get world attention. Of course, there is a lot of terrorism and violence in areas where there is no Muslim presence, such as Ireland, Latin America, and Sri Lanka. Sometimes the violence is due to a struggle between the haves and have-nots, or between the oppressed and the oppressors. We need to find out why people become terrorists. Unfortunately, the Palestinians who are waging a resistance movement are called terrorists, but not the armed Israeli settlers and even the Israeli government. Too often Muslims are blamed for things they did not do, for instance, the Oklahoma City bombing.

20. What is "Islamic Fundamentalism"?
There is no concept of "fundamentalism" in Islam. The western media has coined this term to brand those Muslims who wish to return to the fundamental principles of Islam and mould their lives accordingly. Islam is a religion of moderation and a practicing God fearing Muslim can neither be a fanatic nor an extremist.

21. Does Islam promote polygamy?
Polygamy in Islam is permission not an injunction. Historically, all the prophets except Jesus, who was not married, had more than one wife. For Muslim men to have more than one wife is a permission which is given to them in the Qur'an, not to satisfy lust, but for the welfare of the widows and the orphans of the wars. In the pre-Islamic period, men used to have many wives. One person had 11 wives and when he became Muslim, he asked Prophet Muhammad, "What should I do with so many wives?" and he replied, "Divorce all except the four." The Qur'an says, "you can marry 2 or 3 and up to 4 women if you can be equally just with each of them" (4:3). Since it is very difficult to be equally just with all wives, in practice, most of the Muslim men do not have more than one wife.
Prophet Muhammad himself from age 24 to 50 was married to only one woman, Khadija. In western society, some men who have one wife have many extramarital affairs. Americans had a president who was adept at such behavior! A survey published in USA Today (April 4, 1988 Section D) asked 4,700 mistresses about their preferred status, and they said that "they preferred being a second wife rather than the 'other woman' because they did not have the legal rights, nor did they have the financial equality of the legally married wives, and it appeared that they were being used by these men."

22. Does Islam oppress women?
No. On the contrary, Islam elevated the status of women 1,400 years ago by giving them the right to divorce, the right to have financial independence and support and the right to be identified as dignified women (Hijab) when the rest of the world, including Europe, had no such rights. Women are equal to men in all acts of piety (Qur'an 33:32). Islam allows women to keep their maiden name after marriage, their earned money that they can invest or spend as they wish, and asks men to be their protector as women on the street can be molested. Prophet Muhammad told Muslim men, "The best among you is the one who is best to his family."
However, some Muslims warp Islamic teaching seemingly to oppress women in the name of "religion" an aberration deriving from cultural habits or ignorance about their religion. Female Genital Mutilations (female circumcision) has nothing to do with Islam. It is a pre-Islamic African custom practiced by non-Muslims including Coptic Christians.

23. Is Islam intolerant of other religious minorities?
Islam recognizes the rights of the minority. To ensure their welfare and safety, Muslim rulers initiated a tax (Jazia) on them. Prophet Muhammad forbade Muslim armies to destroy places of worship such as churches and synagogues. Caliph Umer did not even allow them to pray inside a church. Jews were welcomed and flourished in Muslim Spain, and when they were persecuted in Spain the rest of Europe after the exit of Muslims, Turkey gave the Jews refuge. The Jews consider that part of their history as the Golden Era. In Muslim countries, Christians live in prosperity, hold government positions, and attend their church. Pakistan has had a Christian chief justice of the Supreme Court. Even Iraq has a Christian senior vice president. Christian missionaries are allowed to establish and operate their churches, schools, and hospitals.
However, the same religious tolerance is not always available to Muslim minorities as seen in the past during Spanish Inquisition and the Crusades, or as seen now by the events in Bosnia, Israel and India. Muslims do recognize that sometimes the actions of a ruler do not reflect the teachings of his religion, and in fact, many of the Muslims being accused of terrorism are struggling against such undemocratic regimes.

24. What is the Islamic view on:


a. Dating and Premarital ***:
Islam does not approve of intimate mixing of the ***es, and forbids premarital and extramarital ***. Islam encourages marriage as a shield to such temptations and as a means of having mutual love, mercy, and peace.


b. Abortion:
Islam considers abortion as murder and does not permit it except to save the mother's life when advised by competent medical professionals (Qur'an 17:23-31, 6:15 1).


c. Homo***uality and AIDS:
Islam categorically opposes homo***uality and considers it a major sin. However, Muslim physicians are advised to care for AIDS patients with compassion just as they would for other patients.


d. Euthanasia and Suicide:
Islam is opposed to both suicide and euthanasia. Muslims do not believe in heroic measures to prolong the misery in a terminally ill patient.


e. Organ transplantation:
Islam stresses upon saving lives (Qur'an 5:32). Thus, transplantation in general would be considered permissible provided donor consent is available. The sale of the organ is not allowed.

25. How should Muslims treat Jews and Christians?
The Qur'an calls the Jews and Christians as "People of the Book", i.e., those who received Divine scriptures before Muhammad. Muslims are told to treat them with respect and justice and do not fight with them unless they initiate hostilities or oppose their faith. The Muslims ultimate hope is that they all will join them in worshipping one God and submit to His will.

" Say (O Muhammad): O people of the Book (Jews and Christians) come to an agreement between us and you, that we shall worship none but Allah, and that we shall take no partners with Him, and none of us shall take others for Lords beside Allah. And if they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we are those who have surrendered (unto Him)." (Qur'an 3:64)

What about Hindus, Bahai, Buddhists, and members of other religions? They should also be treated with love, respect, and understanding to make them recipients of the invitation to Islam.

Biography of the Prophet

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Story of Adam

The creation of man is referred to in the Koran in many places. Adam was the first man God created. Then He created Eve, and they lived together in heaven.

God regarded man as his noblest creation. He sent him as His vicegerent on earth. Before creating Adam, He told the angels in the heavens that He was creating 'man from clay, moulding him from earthly substance', and asked them to 'fall down before him in prostration, when I have given him form and breathed into him My spirit'. The angels were aghast:

They asked: 'Pray, will you put man there Who will do mischief and shed blood? Why not send us instead who worship and glorify You? [2:30]

They prayed to the Lord not to humiliate them. God told them to obey His command, for, he said, 'You know not what I know.' The Koran states:

So each one of them obeyed except Satan. God asked him: 'Why did you not prostrate?' Satan replied: 'Because I am worthier, my Lord, than Adam. Of fire You have created me, from clay you have created him.' [7:12]

God thundered: Begone from My presence! There is no place for you here. Your arrogance makes you the meanest of My creatures. [7:13]

Satan bowed before the Lord, and made one plea: Grant me, my Lord, a reprieve until the day man is raised again. [7:14]

God granted Satan the reprieve. Satan then said: Since you have thrown me out, I shall now waylay man on the straight path you have laid and make him commit sin, from the right hand to the left, from before and behind him; You will not find in Adam and in most of his progeny, gratitude for Your bounties. [7:16-17]

God told Satan that he was disgraced, and banished him from paradise: Those of My creatures who follow you they shall be consigned to hell with you. [20:123-124]

Turning to Adam, God said: You and Eve can reside in the garden of paradise. Eat fruits from any tree you like, but there is one to which you shall not go nor shall you eat its fruits. For, indeed, it will be a transgression. [2:35]

Adam and Eve began to live blissfully in paradise, but Satan would tempt them so as to swerve them from the right path. He whispered into their ears that they should enjoy their bare bodies, which until then they had not perceived. He told them that their Lord had asked them to keep away from the prohibited tree because He did not wish them to become angels and thus immortal. He asked them to swear that they would not betray his trust and then urged them to eat the forbidden fruit. He assured them that he was their 'true friend'.

He used all his guile to entice them. Eventually, Adam and Eve succumbed to his enticements and tasted the forbidden fruit. They covered themselves with leaves in order to conceal their shame. On seeing this transformation, their Lord asked them:

Did I not forbid you to go near that tree? Did I not warn you that Satan is your enemy? [7:20-22]

Adam and Eve realized their mistake and begged forgiveness of their Lord: O Lord, we have sinned grievously. Please grant us Your forgiveness or else we shall be lost forever. [7:23]

The Lord in His mercy forgave them, but cast them down to live on earth. He told them that there shall be eternal enmity and feuding between them and Satan. The Lord reminded Adam and Eve, and their progeny who followed them, that clothing might cover their shame, but what was more important for them was to cover themselves with the 'garment of true piety':

O Children of Adam! Let Satan not be your guide as he has been of your parents. He misled them and drove them out, stripping them of their nakedness. [7:27]

Satan made Adam and Eve commit indecency. Thus they disobeyed the command of their Lord. They were warned of Satan's designs; they were asked to tell Satan:

Our Lord commands us to do what is right and just. He is to be worshipped in every place and prayed to with all the sincerity of faith. It is He who has brought us to life, and it is He who will raise us again. After we die we shall return to Him. Some of us have been guided right. But some have taken to Satan's ways. They are, indeed, in the wrong. [7:29-30]

Referring to Cain and Abel, the two sons of Adam, the Koran says that each of them made an offering to God; the offering of Abel was accepted and that of Cain was rejected:

Cain said to his brother: 'I will kill you.' But his brother replied: 'Only from those who truly fear the Lord does God accept an offering. If you try to kill me, I will not do the same to you. For I fear my Lord, Who is the Lord of all beings. If you kill me, the sin will be on your head and you will be consigned to hell.' [5:27-29]

Abel's words had no effect on Cain. He murdered his brother without any cause and 'took his place among the lost'. God sent a raven who dug the ground to cover the corpse of Abel. Seeing this, Cain felt most remorseful and cried, 'Woe to me. I am worse than this raven, for I cannot hide the evil that I have done to my brother.' The Koran admonishes:

O Children of Israel! If anyone kills another without just cause, except in retaliation for a murder or for causing corruption in the land, it is as if he has killed the whole of mankind. And whosoever saves a life, it is as if he has saved the whole of mankind. [5:32]

Story of Noah

God sent Noah to his people and asked him to tell them to worship none but the One, who was the Creator of all. He was also told to warn them that 'stern retribution will overtake them' if they did not heed his call.

The nobles among them refused to believe him. They said: You are just a human being like us; why should we follow you? Except the vulgar who may thoughtlessly hasten to listen to you, you have no superiority over us; in fact, you are nothing but an impostor [11:27]

Noah beseeched them not to misunderstand him: I have a clear message from the Lord Who in His mercy has granted me this task. I ask you not to be deaf to what I have to say. I am not coercing you nor am I asking you for wealth. My reward is with my Lord. I will not turn away believers. Only pause and think of your future. I do not claim to possess God's treasures nor have I the knowledge of the Unseen; I am also no angel. But do not be scornful of those who believe in God or talk ill of them. [11: 28-31]

These people, however, remained adamant in their opposition and told Noah bluntly: You have raised a dispute between us; we have heard your contentions and also the warnings of dire consequences. Bring upon us the calamity that you threaten; let us see what your God can do to us. [11:32]

Noah warned them that if God so willed, He would do what He wanted and nothing could frustrate it. He pleaded with them again to come out of their 'persistent delusion'. But they refused to listen to him.

In desperation, Noah told the Lord: O my Lord, night and day I have pleaded with my people, but instead of listening to me they have fled away from me. Each time I have asked them to seek Your forgiveness, they have put their fingers in their ears and wrapped their heads with rich garments; they have persisted in their arrogance. Even so I pleaded with them, privately as well as publicly, in all earnestness, entreating them to seek Your forgiveness and to remember Your bounties and Your Awesome Majesty. But they have said 'no' to me. On the contrary, they have asked people not to abandon the worship of their gods. [71:5-23]

God then asked Noah not to be distressed and to construct an ark 'under Our eyes and by Our inspiration'. As he began the work, the chiefs of his people mocked him. He told them that soon they would realize who was in for 'lasting doom'.

And so it happened; under a decree from the Lord, the waters gushed forth and flooded the earth. Noah was commanded by the Lord to take into the ark two creatures of each species, a male and a female, members of his family, except the wrongdoers among them, and all the believers who numbered just a handful. Noah's son refused to board. The father pleaded with him, but he said, 'No, I will climb the mountain and take shelter there and protect myself.'

Noah cried out: This day there shall be no protection from the wrath of God, save for those who will receive His mercy. The waves came gushing forth in torrents and swept off Noah's son and all unbelievers; when Noah saw his son drowning, in a moment of weakness he asked God to forgive his son and to save him.

The Lord said: 'He was not a true son of yours; what he did was wrong. Do not ask for something which is wrong and of which you have no comprehension. Otherwise, you may be counted among the ignorant and the willful.' Noah realized his folly and was repentant.

He asked for God's forgiveness, and the blessings came: Noah! Take to the way of peace; Our blessings are upon you and upon people descending from you. We will give satisfaction to believers and retribution to unbelievers. the future is only known to Us; neither you nor your people have an inkling, hence be patient and fear your Lord. [11:48]

As the floods overwhelmed the unbelievers and took them to their doom, Noah prayed to the Lord: O my Lord! Forgive me and all believers who have taken shelter under my roof, but do not leave on earth a single unbeliever. For if You spare any one of them, He will lead Your servants astray and also their offspring and make them faithless wrongdoers. [71:26-28]

Noah and his companions in the ark were safely conveyed to the shore. God kept them steadily under His grace and granted them His bounties.

Story of Hud

To the industrious and hardworking people belonging to the tribe of Aad, God sent Hud as His messenger. He told them:

O my people, worship God. There is no one other than Him. The other notions you have are all false. He is the only true God. I ask you to worship Him, I ask nothing for myself. My reward is with Him who has fashioned me. Will you not understand this? Seek His forgiveness and remember His bounties, and do not revert to your evil ways. [11:50-52]

The elders of the tribes rebuked Hud: We think you are a simpleton. Nay, worse, a liar. [7:66]

Hud assured them: I am not a simpleton; I am God's apostle. I bring His message to you, hence, heed the warning I give, for you are Noah's people. If you have God's blessings, everything will go well with you. [7:67-69]

But they persisted in their unbelief and told Hud: You have brought us no clear Signs save what you are telling us. How can we abandon our gods? It seems some of our gods have smitten you with evil so that you go on the wrong path. [11:53-54]

Hud answered them: I swear by my Lord that I am not guilty of your charge. I believe only in my Lord; To me no one else matters and none can delude me and make me go against Him. Nothing moves without His will; His path alone is the right path. If you do not respond to my call and turn away from the Lord, the loss will be yours, not His. In your place He will bring others, for He has control over all things, He watches over all that happens. [11:54-57]

Hud reminded the elders of the tribe of how God gave them tenure of the land upon which they built their castles and homes. They had forgotten all His bounties and resorted to corrupt dealings and evil ways. Eventually, they had to pay the price of their unbelief: they were overwhelmed by a raging tempest. The fury lasted for seven nights and eight days; the people of Aad perished and their castles and dwellings became like 'stumps of hollow palmtrees'.

Story of Salih

For the good of the people of Thamud, God sent Salih as His messenger. He asked them to believe in the Oneness of God and to worship none but Him. He told them that God had sent a Sign to the arrogant oppressors of the poor in the form of a she-camel. Water was scarce at the time, and the privileged class tried to prevent the poor and their cattle from having access to the springs and pastures.

The she-camel was made a test case to see if the haughty, rich people would come to see reason. Salih wanted them to allow the she-camel to graze without any let or hindrance. He warned them that they should have no evil intentions toward her, or the wrath of God would fall upon them.

He reminded them that the Lord had been kind to them in the past and had made them successors to the people of Aad, who were destroyed for their evil deeds. They had been given land, so as to build palaces and castles on the plains and homes in the mountains. Salih beseeched them not to spread disorder in the world, to remain ever-conscious of God's power and to be grateful for His kindness.

But the chiefs of the tribes jeered at him; they asked the people not to believe in what Salih said. Some did not listen to them and heeded Salih's call, but many followed the advice of their chiefs. And as a mark of their defiance, they hamstrung the she-camel and killed her, challenging Salih to bring upon them the calamity which he had threatened them with.

Salih grieved for his people, for he knew what lay in store for them. He therefore left Thamud with his followers, and soon thereafter there was a dreadful earthquake, which destroyed the inhabitants of Thamud, burying them along with their castles and palaces.

Story of Abraham

After Noah, Abraham was selected by God to be His Prophet. Abraham first preached in his own country, now known as Iraq. Then he moved to Syria, Palestine and Egypt. Finally, he settled down in Arabia.

In carrying on with his mission, he was assisted by other messengers appointed from his own family by God: Lot, his nephew, who lived in the midst of the people of Jordan, and Abraham's two sons, the elder son Ishmael [or Ismail], and the younger Isaac [or Ishaq].

Isaac preached in Syria and Palestine. Ishmael assisted his father in Arabia and is credited with having helped him in building the Ka'aba, which is now the religious center of the Islamic world. Ishmael and Isaac founded two sects, the Ismailites and Israelites respectively.

The tribe of Quraish, to which Muhammad belonged, is said to be Ismailite in origin, while the Jews and the Christians are said to be descendants of Jacob, whose other name was Israel, the son of Isaac and the grandson of Abraham. Hence Abraham is regarded as the father of all Semitic peoples; from him were born not only Jews and Christians but also the Muslims. He is the common bond who links them all. After him, God transferred the leadership to Isaac and Jacob, and their descendants are collectively described in the Koran as 'the Children of Israel'.

As soon as Abraham received the commission from the Lord to propagate the Oneness of God and preach His worship among the people, he called upon the Lord to preserve the Ka'aba that he had built to eradicate the worship of idols, which had led many people astray. Abraham asked them, 'What is it that you worship?'

They replied: We worship the idols, as did our fathers. And in devotion to them we shall remain steadfast. [26: 72, 74]

Abraham asked them: Do they hear you when you call them? Have they the power to do anything, either good or bad for you? [26:73]

He reminded them that there was only one God, the Lord of all creation, who controlled Life, death and resurrection. He told his own father, Azar, to desist from worshipping idols. He said he had learned from his own experience that God alone was worthy of worship. He was shown by God 'the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth so that he might be convinced of the faith' in his Creator.

The Koran narrates: When the night was dark, Abraham saw a star; he said to himself, 'This must be the Lord.' But soon the star set and his faith was shaken. Then he saw the moon rising in the sky. 'This is the Lord,' he said. However, when it waned, he lost faith in it. Likewise, when the sun rose, brighter than everything, he was convinced that it was the Lord. But the sun also set, and Abraham cried: 'I set my face against all these. I repudiate every other kind of worship except the worship of God, Creator of all that is in the heavens and on the earth.' [6:76-79]

The people jeered at Abraham and remonstrated with him, and even stoned him; they tried to frighten him into believing that their idols would destroy him and his God would not be able to save him.

But Abraham responded: Will you dispute with me about God who has guided me? I have no fear of the idols you worship. Unless my Lord wills nothing can happen. [6:80-81]

Turning to his father, Abraham asked what the images were to which he and his people were devoted. Azar replied that they worshipped what their fathers had worshipped. Abraham said: 'Then assuredly, you and your fathers are clearly in error.' Earlier, he had told Nimrod, the King of Iraq, not to forget that it was God who gave him the Kingdom and power and glory; but the King, in his arrogance, had denied it and had declared that he determined the life and death of his subjects.

Abraham had then asked him: 'God makes the sun rise from the east; can you make it rise from the west?' The King had no answer. He sentenced Abraham to be burnt alive.

Abraham bore all the hardships but remained firm and steadfast in his loyalty to God. One day he broke all the idols in the Ka'aba, one by one, except the largest. As soon as the people heard of the destruction, they rushed to the temple and, seething with rage, cried: Who has done this to our idols? This is, indeed, an outrage. [21:59]

They were told that young Abraham was the culprit. 'Fetch him,' they demanded. 'And let everyone witness what we do do him.' When Abrahm was brought before them, they asked him: 'Who has done this to our idols?' 'Not I; it is that big idol over there. Why don't you question him?' They replied that idols did not speak.

Abraham said: Isn't it strange that you should worship these idols which can neither speak nor do anything. They can neither help nor harm anyone. Shame on you and on your idol worship. How foolish of you to worship them. [21:60]

They were fashioned, he reminded them, by their own hands. He beseeched them to worship the One God who created and fashioned everything. They were so angered by his words that they decided to throw him into a pyre of blazing fire. They could not succeed, however, because God 'made them bite the dust'.

Abraham prayed to the Lord to grant him an heir, who 'will be numbered among the righteous'. So God gave him a gentle boy, Ishmael. But Abraham had pledged to God in a dream that if he had a son, he would offer him in sacrifice to the Lord. Abraham told his son of his dream and his pledge. 'Then, Father, ' said Ishmael, 'you should honor your commitment and surrender me to the will of God.'

So Abraham laid him down, and as he was about to slay him, he heard the Voice commanding him: Enough, Abraham! You have kept your word with Us. You have already fulfilled the vision. [37:105]

The Lord had intended merely to test Abraham; He now declared that he had fulfilled his commitment: We redeem Abraham's son with a great sacrifice and We give Our benediction to him and bless him through generations to come and shower Our peace upon him. [37:107-109]

Thus God rewarded the righteous and His 'believing servants'.

In Isaac, Abraham's other and younger son, the Lord gave to the world 'one of the best of prophets'. Among their descendants some did good deeds, but some who did bad, 'were blatant evil-doers, who sinned against themselves' . [37:110-113]

The Koran clarifies: Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian. He was a hanif, a man of pure worship, he was not an idolator but a believer in One God; only those who follow him are entitled to claim relationship with him. Muhammad and his followers are nearer to him. God is the protector of all believers. [3:67-68]

Referring to the House of Mecca, 'the place of sanctuary and serenity for the people', God asked Muhammad to 'make it your House of prayers'. Thus God's covenant given to Abraham and Ishmael was fulfilled and the Ka'aba became for the believers 'the pilgrim circuit' for worship and for prostration. Abraham and Isaac had prayed to God to 'send among our people after us a messenger of our own kin who recites to the people Your revelations, teaches them the Book and the wisdom it contains and purges them of all evil' [2:129].

God admonishes: Tell the people, O Muhammad! that to be rightly guided one need not be a Jew or a Christian. The righteous belong to the community of Abraham, who was pure in his worship of God. So were Ishmael, Jacob and the tribes, and Moses, Jesus and the rest. They are all Our messengers; We make no distinction between them. [2:135-136]

Story of Lot

Lot lived among a people who practiced naked lewdness; they went lustfully after men instead of women. God chose him as His messenger to tell them to give up their perversity and fear Him. He told them: My people, ask forgiveness of your Lord and repent for your evil ways. [27:55]

But instead of listening to him, they jeered at him, calling him and his family 'these despicable, puritan folk'. They hounded them out of the town. God rescued all of them except Lot's wife, who turned back and decided to be with the unbelievers. Suddenly a rain of fire and stones fell on the inhabitants of the place and they were destroyed.

The Koran reminds: In your travels either by morning light or the fain glimmer of the fall of night you can see their ruins as you pass by. [37:136-138]

Story of Shuyab

Shuyab was sent as a messenger by God to the people of Madyan, who were mostly merchants. they lived in an area surrounded by thick forests. He told them: I beseech you, my people, to worship God and fear the coming of the Last Day. Do not take to perverse habits and generate corruption in the land. [29:36]

Instead of heeding his call, they called him a liar; he reminded them that they should fear the Lord, who had sent him as His faithful apostle. He asked them to give up their practice of cheating in business: Fear the One who has created you and listen to what I have to say. Pay in full measure and do not defraud by stinting and giving short measure and weight. Use the right balance, and be honest and cease to be perverse. [26:179,181-183]

The people scolded Shuyab and called him 'bewitched'; they said to him: How can we forsake what our fathers taught us and abandon the methods which have come down to us? [37:136-138]

They praised his gentle nature and asked him to follow his forebears and give up his new fangled ideas. Shuyab told them he did not wish to cross swords with the people of Madyan, but he could not do what they were asking him to do.

He explained: My mission is to set things right and to fulfill God's will. My trust in Him is implicit. I always turn to Him in need. I beseech you not to disobey His call lest the same fate befalls you as befell the detractors of Noah, Hud and Salih. The people of Lot, who lived near by, also suffered because of their unbelief. [11:89]

The people of Madyan were deaf to his plea: You are weak in the head; but for your family, we would stone you. [11:91]

Shuyab answered them resolutely: My people, do what you like; I hold on to my belief; you will know who is a liar when God's punishment comes to you. [11:93]

The elders of the tribe warned Shuyab: We will expel you from our city and all those who follow you. [7:88]

Shuyab replied that his Lord controlled everything. The people jeered at him: If you are speaking the truth let pieces from the sky fall on us. [26:187]

Shuyab told them: Watch me then; and I am also watching you. [11:93]

Soon thereafter, Shuyab left the city with his followers. One night, a blast struck the inhabitants of Madyan and by next morning they lay lifeless, as if they had never lived.

Story of Joseph

Joseph was the eleventh of the twelve sons of Jacob. One day, he told his father that in a dream he had seen eleven stars, the sun and the moon prostrating before him. Jacob realized that Joseph, who had always impressed him as a noble and gentle soul, was blessed by God. Sensing the greatness that lay ahead of his son, Jacob became more protective of him and asked him not to narrate his dream to his brothers, who, out of jealousy, might try to harm him.

He told his son: The Lord has chosen you, O Joseph, for a much loftier purpose; He has given you His power to interpret dreams and foretell events; He has blessed you with His grace, as He had likewise blessed your forebears from Abraham to Isaac, for He is All-Knowing and full of wisdom. [12:6]

The other sons were aware of their father's extreme fondness for Joseph and were resentful of it. They decided that they would either have to 'kill Joseph or cast him out to some unknown land in order to win Jacob's favor'. One of the brothers pleaded with the others not to kill Joseph; instead he suggested that they should find a pit or well and leave him there for some passing caravans to take him away.

The others agreed. They asked Jacob to let Joseph go out and play with them, assuring him that Joseph would be taken good care of. Jacob was not happy at the suggestion; he told them that he feared they might not attend to him, and a wild animal such as a wolf might devour the young Joseph. But the brothers told their father not to worry, for there were so many of them that even if a wolf were to attack them, it would have to devour them first before it could do harm to their little brother.

So they took Joseph along with them, far away from home, threw him into a well and returned home weeping. They told Jacob that while they were away, racing with one another, a wolf, as the father had feared, has seized Joseph and devoured him. 'We searched for him but in vain; all we could find was his blood-stained shirt.' This they showed to Jacob, who refused to believe their story. In his distress he turned to God; he had a strong feeling within him that no harm could have come to Joseph, for God was sure to protect him.

Meanwhile, a caravan passed by the well into which Joseph had been cast. Halting to draw a bucket of water, a water-carrier saw the handsome young boy struggling to get out of the well. He dragged the boy out, took him along with him and hid him in his merchandise. When he reached Egypt, he sold Joseph for a few dirhams to an Egyptian nobleman of high rank, an officer in the royal court.

He took Joseph home and told his wife, Zuleikha, a lady of great beauty and charm, to take good care of him. As they had no children, he told her that they could adopt him as a son. And so Joseph was brought up in happy surroundings. He was given the best of training in the affairs of the world. The Almighty was working out His objective -- of which no one was aware -- of equipping Joseph with worldly wisdom and spiritual knowledge, with a view to making him His messenger.

Zuleikha felt deeply and passionately attracted to Joseph, but he maintained his distance and did not respond to her overtures. One occasion, when her husband was out, Zuleikha called Joseph to her room. As soon as he entered, she locked the door and said, 'Now come to me, my dear one.' Taken aback by this advance, Joseph told her: 'God forbid. My master has been generous to me; I cannot betray his trust. Those who do evil can never prosper.' So saying, he rushed towards the door and tried to unlock it.

Zuleikha caught hold of his tunic from behind and, in the tussle, it was torn. Joseph managed to unlock the door, but only to find his master outside. Zuleikha cried: What is the fitting punishment, my master! against one who has evil design against your wife, but prison and chastisement! [12:25]

Joseph denied the charge and said that it was Zuleikha who had sought to seduce him. An advisor from the household, a lady of reputation, was asked to settle the dispute. If Joseph's tunic was torn from the front, she said, then he was guilty; but if it was torn from the back, then Zuleikha should be held accountable. The husband saw that the tunic was torn from the back; he told his wife that she had been at fault. He asked her to seek forgiveness, for truly it was she who had sinned.

The news of the incident spread through the city like wildfire, and women in particular began to gossip about Zuleikha having gone astray. When she heard of their malicious talk she was furious. She invited all the noble ladies to a banquet at the palace; when they sat down for the feast she gave each of them a knife to hold in their hands, and then ordered Joseph to present himself.

The women were so struck by the extraordinarily good-looking young man that they could not take their eyes off him; in the excitement they cut their fingers with their knives in their hands. They exclaimed: O God preserve our chastity. He is not a man! He looks an angel. [12:31]

Zuleikha retorted: This is the man about whom you noble ladies blamed me. It is true I tried to seduce him, though he resisted me and remained guiltless. Even now I shall not give him up. If he does not respond, he shall be cast into prison and He will be with the vilest. [12:32]

Joseph prayed to God: Help me, O my Lord! Prison will be better than what I am asked to do. Do not desert me. The snare is such that in my youth I may succumb to temptation. [12:33]

Joseph was all the same jailed, since the master could not displease his wife. In prison, Joseph had two young men as his companions, who became friendly with him. One day, one of them told Joseph that he had dreamt that he was pressing grapes to make wine. The other prisoner narrated his dream, in which he saw himself carrying bread on his head while a flock of birds were pecking at it.

Joseph interpreted these dreams for his companions. He told the first that he would pour wine for his master, while the other would be beheaded and birds would peck at his head. That was what the future held for them. Joseph asked the one who was to serve wine not to forget him when he took service in the royal court. But after his release, when he became cup-bearer to the King, the young man forgot to mention Joseph, and so he continued to languish in jail.

One day, the King told his counselors that he had had a strange dream. He saw seven lean cows devour seven fat cows, and he saw seven green corns being replaced by seven dry, withered ones. He asked the wise men to tell him what this dream foretold. The counselors tried, but had to admit that they did not have the knowledge to interpret dreams. At that time the cup-bearer informed the King of his erstwhile friend Joseph and his uncanny ability to interpret dreams.

The King sent the cup-bearer to the prison with orders that Joseph should be freed at once. The King asked for Joseph to be brought before him, but Joseph refused, saying that unless the false charge of seducing Zuleikha was investigated and he was exonerated, he would not appear at the royal court.

The King agreed and ordered and investigation into the matter. The charge was found to be false, and Zuleikha admitted that she had tried to seduce Joseph and that Joseph was innocent. The King acquitted Joseph with honor. Joseph was happy that his innocence had been proved and that everyone now knew that he had not betrayed his master.

He cautioned the people, however: 'I do not want to justify myself or boast about my innocence. for any man can succumb to temptation and give in to evil; it is by the mercy of God that I was able to resist it and remain pure.' In his case, he said, the Lord was more than merciful to him.

Joseph then appeared before the King, who was so impressed by his honesty and candor that he declared that henceforth he would be his most trusted minister. Joseph asked the King to put him in unfettered charge of the storehouses of the kingdom, so that he could look after the needs of the people. the news of Joseph's appointment spread far and wide, and people from every part came to him for grain. His brothers were among those who came in search of food.

They did not know Joseph's real identity, but Joseph recognized them and asked them to bring their youngest brother, Benjamin, who was Joseph's only real brother. He would then, he said, give them the full measure of their requirements, warning them at the same time that if they failed to bring Benjamin, they would get no supplies. They promised to bring Benjamin with them on the assurance that Joseph accepted their money and kept it as a deposit against future sales of grain.

The brothers returned home and told their father what had happened. They begged him to send Benjamin with them, for otherwise they might all have to starve and die of hunger. They promised to take good care of him. 'No', said Jacob angrily. 'How can I trust him with you, knowing what you did to his brother Joseph?'

The brothers persisted, pleading with their father to let Benjamin go with them, so that 'we can secure what we need to keep our families alive'. Jacob reluctantly relented, but on one condition: that they would take a solemn oath before God that they would bring Benjamin back unless some dire calamity overtook each one of them. The brothers readily took the oath.

Jacob advised them 'not to go to the city through the same gate; each one of you should enter from a different gate.' So they entered the city through different gates and went straight to Joseph.

Joseph was happy to see Benjamin; he called his younger brother aside and informed him that he was his long-lost and only brother; the others were his step-brothers. He told Benjamin that he was deliberately putting the King's drinking-cup into his saddlebag so that Benjamin could stay back with him. Joseph then directed the attendants to search every visitor since the King's cup was missing.

Before doing so a reward was announced: whoever brought the cup back would get a camel-load full of corn. The brothers were upset; they told the attendants that they were no thieves, nor had they come to do any wrong. They agreed that whoever was found guilty should be punished.

Everyone was searched, and of course the cup was discovered in the saddlebag of Benjamin; the brothers told the minister that they were not surprised, as his brother Joseph was also a thief. Little did they realize that the person they were addressing, the King's minister, was none other than Joseph himself. But they were worried about how they would face their father, who had made them take a solemn pledge that they would bring back Benjamin.

They pleaded that Benjamin be freed: O powerful minister! we have a father old and venerable; he will grieve for him. Please take one of us in his place as a surety. Grant us this request, for you are most gracious. [12:78]

But Joseph refused. He told them: God forbid that we take someone other than the one with whom our property was found. That would be against the law, and we cannot act wrongfully. [12:79]

The brothers returned with the grain but without Benjamin. They told their father what their youngest brother had done, but he refused to believe them, saying that it was the evil in their hearts that was the real cause of the trouble. They had done the same with Joseph as they had now done with Benjamin. He scolded them for their lapse but said that he would also bear this loss with fortitude, for he knew the Lord would bring both his sons back and thus unite the family.

But he wept so bitterly that his eyes grew weak and weary. He told his sons that God had endowed Joseph with knowledge of which they were not aware. 'Hence,' Jacob said, 'go and search for Joseph and Benjamin. God's spirit is protecting them.'

So the brothers were back in the city once again. They told the King's minister of their father's state of health. 'He is heartbroken; he cried so much that he has lost his eyesight.'

Joseph then revealed his true identity and the reason for keeping Benjamin with him. The brothers felt ashamed of their past conduct and their evil ways. They begged Joseph's forgiveness.

Joseph embraced them and said: This day let us forget the past and let me not reproach you. God will forgive you for what you did for He is, indeed, Most Merciful. [12:92]

Joseph asked them not to worry about the condition of their father. 'Take this shirt of mine,' he said, 'place it on his eyes, and he will recover his eyesight. Then all of you -- our parents and you, my brothers -- come to me, and we will once again be one family and live together.'

The brothers went back and brought their parents to Egypt, where Joseph embraced and welcomed them. He asked them to live with him in safety. He brought his father and mother on to the royal dais, and all of them prostrated before the Lord in gratitude. Joseph reminded his father of his dream, long long ago, and told how it had come true.

Then, raising his hand in supplication to God, he prayed, 'O my Lord, you have given me power and taught me to interpret events. I beseech You to guide me to the right path so that I may die in peace and be among the righteous.' He was well aware that all he encountered in life was in fulfillment of God's plan.

He told his father: God has indeed been good to me all along; even when I was in prison it was He who took me out. Again He has brought all of us back together here. Though Satan had sown enmity between me and my brothers, God wiped out everything and united us in one family. Verily, He understands the worst of our miseries and arranges to remove them, for He is Wise and All-Knowing. [12:100]

Story of Moses

A hundred years after the passing away of the Prophet Joseph, the rulers of Egypt passed a decree that a son born to an Israelite parent would be put to death; only daughters would be spared to serve the followers of Pharaoh. This was a 'dreadful torment' inflicted on Israelites.

During this dreaded era, Moses was born; his mother was, however, commanded by God 'not to cast the child into the river on birth, but to suckle it' till such time as she felt that there was real danger to his life.

For about three months she reared him and then she put him in a box and lay it in the river. God promised her that her child would be safe, that he would soon be restored to her, and that he would be made 'one of our apostles'.

The box was carried by the river Nile to the banks close to the palace of Pharaoh. A servant of Pharaoh who was passing by picked up the box and took the child to the Queen. Pharaoh was informed, and he ordered that the child be put to death.

But the Queen, who was childless, was enchanted by the baby, for, she said, God had made him 'such a lovely child that the beholder could not but love him'. She beseeched Pharaoh to spare his life. 'Let us adopt him. He will be raised in our palace and would never know that he was an Israelite. He will be one of us and will, in fact, be useful in our fight against the Israelites.'

Pharaoh relented. The Queen took to Moses as a mother would to her own new-born son. But the baby was restless and cried incessantly; no nurse was able to feed him.

Moses' mother, who felt utterly bereft without her child, had asked ten-year-old daughter to follow the course of her brother's journey in the box, and to keep a watch on him. The little girl did as she was told. She entered the palace after the baby was taken there and managed to get close to the Queen, eventually gaining her confidence.

As the child became weak through lack of nourishment, she talked to the Queen of a 'particular' nurse who might be able to suckle the child, to feed him with great affection and to bring him up. 'Thus', says God in the Koran, 'We restored Moses to his mother, so that her eyes might be cooled and she would cease to grieve and would know that God's promise was fulfilled.'

Moses grew up in Pharaoh's household under the benevolent care of the Queen. When he reached manhood, God 'gave him the power of knowledge and judgement'. Once, while on a visit to the city, he saw two men fighting; one was an Israelite, the other an Egyptian. The Israelite asked Moses for help, so Moses came to the rescue and struck the Egyptian forcefully. The Egyptian collapsed and died instantly.

Moses was most perturbed and asked God for forgiveness, saying, 'I shall never come to the help of those committing wrong.' The next morning, the man he had helped again called out for assistance. Moses realized that he was a quarrelsome person and rushed to lay his hands on him. 'Do you intend to kill me as you had killed the man yesterday?' the man shouted. 'Do you wish to become a tyrant in the land?'

Moses prayed to the Lord. 'Oh, my Lord, saave me from such people who are given to wrongdoing.' Then a man came running and informed Moses that Pharaoh's chiefs were planning to hang Moses and advised him to run away.

So Moses left Egypt in the direction of Madyan, praying to the Lord to guide him to the right path. On reaching the waters of Madyan, he saw a number of men drawing water for their animals, while two women stood by quietly, holding back their animals. Moses asked them why they were waiting.

They replied, 'We cannot water our animals until the men have left; that is our misfortune. Our father could not come to draw water for our animals as he is too old.' Moses drew water for both of them, and the women were grateful for his help. One of them went home and informed her father of what Moses had done. The father asked her to fetch Moses so that he might pay him the wages for the work.

Moses told the old man the circumstances under which he had had to leave Egypt. 'Have no fear any more,' he assured Moses, 'It is good you have escaped from those wicked people.' He was impressed by Moses and offered one of his daughters in marriage, provided Moses promised to live with them for eight years, or even longer if he so wished. Moses agreed and started his life in Madyan.

After eight years, Moses left with his wife and family. On their journey he saw a fire in the direction of Mount Tur. He made his family halt there, while he ran towards the fire hoping to obtain some information about the neighborhood, or at least get a burning firebrand to keep his family warm.

When Moses reached the spot he heard a voice from above the trees on the right side of the sacred valley. 'What have you in your right hand?' the voice said. Bewildered, Moses replied: 'It is my staff, with which I bring down the leaves for my sheep and do many other things.'

The voice spoke again: O Moses, I am the Lord of the Universe. Cast down your staff and listen to me. [20:19]

Moses threw it down, and there before his eyes it became a writhing serpent. The Lord spoke again: [ Draw near it and fear not: now seize the serpent and do not be afraid. It will become a staff again. [20:21]

Moses did as he was told. God then asked him to place his right hand into his bosom and to bring it out again; it was shinging white and without any stain. God then blessed him with supreme revelations and commanded him to go to Pharaoh and his people and to preach to them the Oneness of God and the glory of righteous conduct.

Moses prayed to God: Oh my Lord, enlarge my heart and strengthen me by curing my speech so that people may understand what I say. Also lighten my burden by assigning Aaron, my brother, to assist me. [20:25-32]

The Lord granted his prayer and asked him to proceed with His Signs: Go, you, O Moses and your brother, with Our Signs to Pharaoh. Speak gently to him but make him see the truth and fear Us. [20:43-44]

Moses and Aaron told the Lord that Pharaoh might subject them to violence, as Moses was wanted by his chiefs for killing one of their men.

The Lord assured them not to have any fear in their hearts: I am with you; I hear and see everything. Tell Pharaoh that you are My messengers. Ask him to let the Israelites be with you, and to torture them no more. [20:46-47]

Armed with the divine mission and the Book that was sent down to him which was to be the 'means of enlightenment to the people and a guidance and mercy to mankind', Moses left for Egypt with Aaron. They first went to the people and asked them to worship the true God. Moses showed them His Signs, but the people dismissed these as 'nothing but false magic' and laughed at him.

He asked them to sacrifice a cow as an offering to God. 'What sort of cow?' they asked him in jest. Moses told them that God wanted a cow which was neither young nor old but of middle age. 'What about its color?' they asked. Moses said it should be deep and bright yellow. There were several cows of this color, they told Moses.

He clarified that it should be a cow that was neither yoked nor had ploughed any field; further, it was to be of sound mind and wholesome body. The people then realized what Moses meant; he wanted them to kill the golden cow that they and their forefathers had been worshipping. They asked Moses first to approach Pharaoh, their King, and if he agreed, they too would follow him.

Moses approached Pharaoh and appealed to him to give up his arrogance and high and mighty ways and to bow before the Lord, who was indeed the ruler of the world. Purify yourself, O Pharaoh, so that I may guide you to the right path. [29:18]

Pharaoh was furious and asked Moses who was this God of his, whose messenger he claimed to be. Moses replied: Our Lord is the one who creates all things; He gives them form and then guides them. [20:50]

Pharaoh enquired about the generations that had passed away. Knowledge of them, Moses said, was with God alone. He then asked Pharaoh to look around and see the variety of God's creations -- the rain, the wind, the cattle and the plants, all were the signs of His supremacy. Pharaoh asked Moses whether he had any proof of his prophethood. Moses threw down his staff and it became a live serpent. He then drew his hand out of the pocket of his cloak, and it shone with dazzling brightness.

Pharaoh's chiefs said Moses was no more than a magician; they told Pharaoh: 'Call the best of magicians from our cities to counter his magic'. Moses agreed to face them, and the Festival Day was fixed for the event. Two of the best magicians confronted Moses. They threw their ropes and staves at Moses, which turned into serpents and coiled around him.

Moses prayed to his Lord for help. The Lord told him not to lose nerve, and commanded: Throw your staff down and it will swallow everything which they have faked here; theirs are only magic tricks, what you have is real. No magician ever thrives, whatever he may do or wherever he may go. [20:69]

Moses threw his staff on the ground and it turned into a bigger serpent which swallowed all the other serpents. The magicians were wonderstruck and at once prostrated themselves, declaring that they believed in the God of Moses and Aaron.

Pharaoh thundered with rage: 'How dare you do so without my leave?' He warned them that he would cut off their hands and feet on alternate sides and crucify them on the trunks of palm trees if they did not desist from following Moses.

The magicians showed no fear and told Pharaoh that he could do what he liked with them but they would not retract from the clear path shown by Moses. They believed that his God was superior to Pharaoh. They asked for the forgiveness of the Lord for the sins of sorcery that Pharaoh had compelled them to commit.

Pharaoh grew more furious, and decided to wipe out every trace of the teachings of Moses. He issued a proclamation: O my people, I am the sovereign of Egypt; even rivers flow beneath my feet. Are you to listen to a man who cannot even speak properly? If he is really the Almighty's messenger, why is he not loaded with gold or attended upon by angels? [43:51-53]

Moses warned him that, if he disobeyed his call, 'we have been told by God that a grievous punishment awaits you.' But Pharaoh and his men paid no heed to Moses' warning.

Thus they were struck by the plague and other diseases; they begged Moses to save them from the scourge. But no sooner were they cured than they went back to the worship of Pharaoh. Two of Pharaoh's chiefs, Qaran and Haman, behaved particularly abominably; greed for wealth and lust for power blinded their vision.

With the passage of time, the attitude of Pharaoh towards Moses worsened: he denounced him publicly and tortured his followers. He declared that there was no other god except he. He told Haman: 'Build me a high tower, so that I may go to the top and find out who this God of Moses is.'

He ordered his chiefs to show no mercy to Israelites; they should be driven out of Egypt. A reign of terror was unleashed. As a result, many of Moses' people left him, while only a few remained as his followers. But Moses was not dismayed; he remained steadfast in the pursuit of his faith.

Then God came to Moses' rescue. He was told to gather his followers and take them through the midst of the seas, on a path that would be specially carved for them by God. Pharaoh and his men, fully armed, attempted to pursue them along the same path. As soon as Pharaoh and his men set foot on the path, however, it vanished, and they were drowned in the raging seas.

Israelites then settled in a secure habitation provided with all amenities and comforts. After some time, Moses, accompanied by seventy of his followers, ascended to the heavens to see God, leaving his people in the charge of his brother, Aaron. He bade Aaron to have no dealings with evil-doers and to perform his task with 'an honest heart'. Moses had what the Koran describes as 'a communion with God for thirty nights'. Subsequently, ten more nights were added, to make forty nights in all, which was the appointed time of communication with the Lord.

When Moses came to the appointed place, the Lord blessed him. Moses prayed: 'O my Lord, let me look at You.' The Lord said, 'You cannot see Me when I manifest My glory. But look upon the mountain; if it stays firm in its place, then you shall see Me. Now turn towards it.' And in an instant the mountain crumbled and became dust. Seeing this, Moses fell down in a swoon. [7:143]

When Moses recovered, God enquired: 'Why have you come in such haste to Us?' 'My people have taken to the path shown by You, my Lord,' he replied. 'I have come to seek Your blessings.' 'In your absence your people have gone astray,' God told him. 'They have been misled by a person called al-Samiri.'

Moses was grief-stricken. He begged God to forgive his followers and not to destroy them for their betrayal. God granted his wish and gave him tablets of stone bearing precepts that his people were to follow in order to achieve the best, both on earth and in the hereafter.

Moses returned to earth with a heavy heart and found that, under the guidance of al-Samiri, his followers had begin to worship the image of a calf made out of their ornaments. More in sorrow than in anger, he chided them and asked why they had broken their pledge to him. They said that al-Samiri had asked them to throw their ornaments into a fire, out of which had an effigy of a golden calf which made a lowing sound.

They were misled by this and began to worship the calf, believing that it was the God of Moses. Moses asked them if they were so naive to think that the calf had life? It could neither hear nor speak, nor do any good or harm to them. Aaron had warned them of the wrong they were doing, but they had insisted that until Moses returned they would continue to worship the calf.

Moses threw down the tablets, telling his people that they were not worthy of them. He dragged Aaron by the hair and asked him why he had flouted his command and not prevented his people from being misled. Aaron replied that the people had become so rebellious that they would have killed him had he tried to restrain them. Besides, he did not want to create a division in their ranks.

Moses asked God to forgive Aaron, and then turned to al-Samiri. 'Begone,' said Moses. 'You will remain an untouchable all your life, and hell shall be your destination.' Taking the effigy of the calf in his hands, Moses consigned it to the fire, which soon reduced it to ashes.

He told the Israelites that he had been chosen as the messenger; God had said to him: O Moses! I have chosen you in preference to others, and entrusted you with the mission to convey My words as contained in My revelations to all the people around, and to join the ranks of these who are grateful to Me. [7:144]

God imparted knowledge to Moses for the good of Israelites, and inscribed on the tablets 'detailed precepts' of faith in His oneness and the code of righteous conduct. In the tablets We have ordained laws concerning all matters, and We command you to hold to them firmly and be among those who are faithful to the best of the precepts they contain. [7:145]

Moses warned his people that those who repudiated God's Signs and the judgment to come were bound to meet their doom; no one would be able to save them then. He also asked them to remember the grace of God, because of which prophets were raised among them and were made rulers. No other people in the world had had such benevolence from the Lord. God had assigned Palestine to them, and so Moses called on his followers to enter this holy land.

They hesitated and told Moses: 'How can we? The land is inhabited by a mighty people. Until they leave, we cannot possibly enter it.' However, two among them, who were brave and God-fearing, volunteered. Moses asked God for his direction.

He answered: To those who have defied your command, O Moses! this land is proscribed for forty years. They will wander around the world but will have no home of their own. You need not sorrow over them, for that is the fate of rebellious people. [5:29]

The Israelites were divided into twelve tribes: The Lord commanded Moses to strike the rock with his staff. No sooner was this done than twelve springs gushed forth. Each group then took its own spring to drink, and to each the Lord gave shades of cloud as cover and manna and quail to eat, and all other good things. But the unbelievers rebelled and did not follow the command; they only harmed themselves. The Lord is, indeed, above all harm. [7:160]