twenty-three years of the commencement of his mission, the whole of Arabia was brought into the fold of Islam, while in the next two decades the Roman and the Sassanid empires,— the two great empires of the world

greatest of all Prophets, before or after him. The expansion of Islam is the most miraculous of all miracles. (Historical Role of Islam, p.4) Seeing an Advantage Amidst Disadvantages After attaining

staunch opponents of the Prophet of Islam. However, the serious-minded people of Makkah did not fail to realize the truth of his message, and gradually began to accept Islam. About 200 people from Makkah as

as well as the surrounding areas entered the fold of Islam after a 13-year period of dawah activity. The Makkan leadership was in the hands of the Quraysh tribe. Such leaders as Abu Jahal, Abu Lahab, etc

of the Prophet’s example is one of gradation. That is to say that the final goal of the Prophet of Islam is the one we find in his final phase after the last pilgrimage. That is to say, all the earlier examples

statements in the Quran which clearly refute this theory. For instance, the Quran tells the Prophet of Islam to follow the way of Abraham (The Quran, 16:123). As we know, the Prophet Abraham did not give his

incomplete shariah. Similarly, after mentioning several prophets, the Quran says to the Prophet of Islam: ‘Those [the previous prophets] were the people whom God guided. Follow their guidance’ (The Quran

surrender yourselves totally to God. (The Quran, 2:208). According to this verse, total submission to Islam is required of every believer. But total submission does not mean that all the commands have to be

campaign to bring about the implementation of the total Islamic system. This verse simply means that we must wholeheartedly obey the command of Islam which we find is addressed to us in our particular situation

ideology. That is to say, to work hard to conquer people’s hearts and minds by the superior ideology of Islam. In the light of this Quranic explanation, it would be true to say that jihad, in fact, is another

was iqra, ‘read’ (The Quran, 96:1). When we reflect on this verse, we find the starting point of Islamic action. It is to start from where there is no fear of violent reaction, from the point where it is

was revealed in the Quran, several options existed in Makkah regarding the starting point for the Islamic movement. One option was to begin by launching a movement to clear the Kabah of the 360 idols, which

uncertain conditions prevailed all around. People were in favour of first consolidating the new Islamic state in Madina and only then launching any outside campaign. In spite of general opposition, the

Osama’s repeated requests, Abu Bakr refused to ride, preferring to go on foot. Both the Prophet of Islam and his first caliph resorted to such actions as matters of pressing need. The exigency in the present

field of action outside the land of Arabia to demonstrate their spirit of struggle in the cause of Islam. Whenever Muslim energies were not directed to this external target, they were soon enticed into internal

advantage. In the face of non-Muslim aggression, encounters between Islam and non-Islam had formerly taken place on the battlefield. Islam, being militarily the weaker because of reduced numbers of fighting

he lives in such a way that his neighbours are not happy with him, then such a person’s faith in Islam will become suspect. For any person the first criterion for his humanity and his religiosity derives

possible to tell whether or not he possesses human feelings, or whether or not he is sensitive to Islamic commandments. If a person’s neighbour is happy with him, it is a proof that he lives up to the standards

neighbour is not happy with him, it will be a proof that he falls below this standard. According to Islam, a believer must unilaterally make concessions to his neighbours. He should ignore any unpleasant

standards of that time, these people were educated, whereas the Madinans were not. So the Prophet of Islam, instead of asking for ransom money from these prisoners of war, asked each of them to educate ten

secured their release. (Sirah Ibn Kathir, v. 2, p. 512) This was the first school in the history of Islam. This was the first occasion on which some system was established for the education of Muslim youths

that had turned hostile to the Prophet. This shows the great importance attached to education in Islam. In the light of this event one can conclude that education had to be sought in all situations, even

jurist (Qazi).12.IN ISLAM, HOW CAN A WOMAN DIVORCE A MAN?Islamic law on marriage and divorce provides for almost all eventualities including a woman’s right to divorce her husband. Islam has two provisions