Portal talk:Islam/Archive 1

Creation - Islam Portal
Greetings fellow Pedians. I recently set up a Christian Portal and thought that, being one of the largest religions in the world, Islam deserves a portal of its own. Would you be happy to see it established? If you would want any help from me, I will be only to happy to help. I might even start it myself soon; if you would like to start it then follow this link. Brisvegas 01:21, 22 November 2005 (UTC)
 * Great job on the Christianity Portal. Yes, please work on the Islam portal. --JuanMuslim 1m 04:57, 22 November 2005 (UTC)
 * Wow! The portal sure has come a long way these past few days. Well done to everyone who contributed! Brisvegas 09:47, 24 November 2005 (UTC)
 * Please continue to monitor the Islam Portal for changes. There are several anti-Muslim Wikipedians who will no doubt seek to present an inaccurate view about Islam and Muslims. That is the main reason I was reluctant to contribute to the development of the portal. --JuanMuslim 1m 22:13, 24 November 2005 (UTC)
 * Excellent job Juan! -- Svest 01:27, 25 November 2005 (UTC)

Please keep this portal. Portal are a great idea. Hopefully, they will link wiki pages and people together. -- HusainI 18:00, 22 August 2006 (UTC)

Religion portals
I've noticed you've created quite a plethora of religion-based portals. In accordance with the conventions currently being discussed at WPT:P, I would like you to confirm that you intend to maintain all of these portals (I believe at least 6 are accredited to you at present), and that you intend to improve them in order to bring them up to the standard that is requested and required in order to maintain their presence in the namespace. While major religions are fairly high-volume and require suitable portals, several of the recent ones you have made are fairly irrelevant and definitely not high volume. While you have clearly put work into their creation, I feel obliged to let you know that several are liable to be removed from the namespace unless they demonstrate their necessity through extensive links either by articles or through the category system.

Finally, I must also point out that most of your portals are not listed at either WP:P or Portal:Browse, both of which are requirements stated at WP:P. Please feel free to contact me should you wish to discuss these matters further.

All the best, Deano 18:04, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

Religion Portals
Someone said that he will delete the religious portals I set up if I don't do this and that. Will you please update the religious portals to confirm to whatever standards. Also, please help maintain the portals. Any advice, suggestions, etc are appreciated. Maybe I shouldn't have wasted my time with creating the portals. While creating the portals, I ensured that all information was accurate. These are the religious portals I established. -> Islam · Buddhism · Hinduism · Sikhism · Bahá'í Faith · Jainism · Shinto · Confucianism · Taoism · Zoroastrianism --JuanMuslim 1m 21:21, 5 December 2005 (UTC)

Fethullah Gülen
Hello, there seems to be an edit war going on at Fethullah Gülen. Would someone people familiar with Turkey and/or Islam like to pop in to look? -- JamesTeterenko 04:40, 10 January 2006 (UTC)

Halal Userbox
I'm designing a Halal userbox, and i'm wondering about what image I should use. Any ideas would be great. --SeanMcG 02:47, 21 February 2006 (UTC)

Facts portal
I added "That Muslims respect the prophet Jesus(pbuh)" This is a fact most christians and athiests do not know, and its often the fact that makes christians feel more comfortable about muslims; That they are not so strange after all. I think its an important fact for people to know. -- --Duckmonster 23:31, 23 February 2006 (UTC)
 * What does (pbuh) mean? Meursault2004 12:22, 25 February 2006 (UTC)
 * It means "peace be upon him". An english salutation, many muslims feel to be a sign of respect. I'm not a muslim personally, but I prefer to respect muslim courtesys when talking about muslims. I think its a lovely custom. Duckmonster 07:59, 9 March 2006 (UTC)
 * Is the abbreviation SAW in Arabic? Meursault2004 11:29, 9 March 2006 (UTC)
 * It is usually SAAWS--it stands for Sala Allahu Alayhi Wa Salam; it's the arabic version of PBUH. Stoa 16:35, 9 March 2006 (UTC)
 * It should also be mentioned that in modern days, PBUH (in this case meaning "police be upon him") is also widely used as a short prayer by many Muslims, when mentioning the name of someone they consider to be a known criminal. For instance, a few days ago Hassan Nasrallah wrote an article in a Lebanese newspaper where he used "(PBUH)" after mentioning the name of President Bush.

Selected Place
I am going to add a "Selected Place" feature on the front page if no one objects; the area at the bottom looks a bit drab and bare. Stoa 01:44, 9 March 2006 (UTC)

Wikiethics
We started a new policy page and need further input. Please visit Wikiethics with your suggestions. Resid Gulerdem 03:12, 17 March 2006 (UTC)

More links
The Islam template isn't showing up in that section. Can someone check it out try to fix it? Thanks. Stoa 18:53, 1 April 2006 (UTC)

Featured article
The sept.11 article has been here for months now and it is not acceptable to stay here forever! Please do not revert w/o discussing. Cheers -- Szvest 15:22, 6 May 2006 (UTC)

On this day
We can make a separate part for Islamic occasions like Eid ul-Fitr and International Day of Quds.--Sa.vakilian 05:33, 20 October 2006 (UTC)

MashAllah at the muslimwikipedia there is an an islamic calendar, which has an on this day, in both the gregorian calander and the islamic calendar, for example http://www.muslimwikipedia.com/mw/index.php/Dhul-Hijjah_23. Although partially populated, it may be of some use to you 81.178.217.233 02:17, 13 January 2007 (UTC)

Include Mosque Aqsa
In image "A view of the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, a holy site in Islam", beside Temple Mount, Mosque Aqsa (not shown) is a Holy site for Muslims. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 203.101.174.115 (talk) 10:17, 25 December 2006 (UTC).

Selected Muslim
I'd rather to substitute natable scholar Ahmed ibn Hanbal with holy prophet. On the basis of There's good example for you in the prophet of Allah--Sa.vakilian 05:30, 23 February 2007 (UTC)

Request for info
I am working on the article on purgatory, which discusses different views concerning the purification of the dead and the efficacy of prayers for them. There is a section in the article on the "Islamic view", but it is unsourced and I have no idea if its information is correct or not. If anyone would like to contribute, that would be most appreciated, or at the least perhaps someone could point me to a good reference, thank you. Lostcaesar 09:12, 4 March 2007 (UTC)

Jerusalem FAC
Jerusalem is featured article candidate now. Please comment there. Regards.--Dwaipayan (talk) 08:37, 9 April 2007 (UTC)

Al-Fatiha in different languages
I created a new page. Please add more content to it. Aminullah 09:37, 16 May 2007 (UTC)

About Al-Hadith
Explanation of the Quran and Imaan of the Believer!

The word Hadith comes from Arabic language MEANING the record of the statements and events of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

The Hadith is also acknowledged as the words of wisdom explaining the Holy Quran. The Hadith is the second pillar after the Quran upon which every Muslim rests his faith. Hadith consists of Mat'n and Isnad. Mat'n means the text of the Hadith, while Isnad means the chain of transmitters (Ravi's - / narrators) to that Hadith.

Since Islam has offered humanity the most comprehensive value system for all aspects of life, the explanation of this system is of the greatest importance. Islam presents its laws and principles as a mixture of spiritual and intellectual guidelines. Any neutral person who studies Islam rationally is amazed by the harmony of its commandments with human nature. Now our duty and mission is to present the true spirit of Islam, as it was revealed by Allah to His Prophet (PBUH). The true and comprehensive understanding of Islam would not be possible without careful recognition of the pattern set by the Holy Prophet (PBUH). True spirit of the Holy Qur`an cannot be ingested if indifference or negligence is shown towards the pattern set by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) whose words and acts are a role model for the Muslim Ummah.

The sanctity of Hadith is highlighted by Hazrat Annas Bin Maalik (R.A), one of the famous transmitters (Ravi's - / narrators) of Hadith. According to him: "It warns me to narrate or attribute any statement with Allah's Prophet (PBUH) that he did not say; as Allah's Prophet (PBUH) said that whoever attributes with me any false statement should find his place in Hell."

Following are some Hadith of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) that are vital in character Building of Muslims and that relates to our everyday lives:

Hakim Narrator:- Hazrat Buraidah Salmah (RA)

The Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H) said: He who recites, learns and practically acts (on what he learns), will be crowned on Resurrection day. This crown will be made of light (Noor) and its light will be like that of the sun. His parents will be given such two garments, the comparison of which will not be found in the whole world. They will ask why have we been given these garments. Allah will say “In lieu of the reading of the Quran by your child”. Hakim Narrator:- Hazrat Abdullah Bin Umro Bin Aas (RA)

The Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H) said: He who read the Quran, conceived the knowledge of Prophethood in between his ribs, even though no inspiration (Wahee) is being sent to him.

It is not a good conduct on the part of a Haafiz-e-Quran (one who memorizes the Quran by heart ) to address others with anger, who are in a rage themselves. Neither should he behave with the ignorant people in the same way. Since he is holding inside of him the Kalaam of Allah.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith - Hadith 1.75 Narrated by Ibn Abbas (RA)

Once the Prophet embraced me and said, "O Allah! Bestow on him the knowledge of the Book (Quran)."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith - Hadith 1.80 Narrated by Anas (RA)

Allah's Apostle said, "From among the portents of the Hour are (the following):

1. Religious knowledge will be taken away (by the death of religious learned men). 2. (Religious) ignorance will prevail. 3. Drinking of alcoholic drinks (will be very common). 4. There will be prevalence of open illegal sexual intercourse.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith - Hadith 9.135 Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar (RA)

Allah's Apostle said, "While I was sleeping, I was given a bowl full of milk (in the dream) and I drank from it (to my fill) till I noticed its wetness coming out of my limbs. Then I gave the rest of it to 'Umar bin Al-Khattab." The persons sitting around him, asked, "What have you interpreted (about the dream) O Allah's Apostle?" He said, (It is religious) knowledge."

Tirmizi Narrator:- Hazrat Abu Saeed (R A)

The Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H) explained this Hadith-e-Qudsi that Allah says, he who does not find time to do Zikir and Dua’ (supplication ), because of his involvement in the Quran , I bestow upon him more than those who do Dua’.

And the superiority of the Kalaam of Allah over all other Kalaams is the same as the superiority of Allah over His creation.

Ibn-e-Habaan Narrator:- Hazrat Jabir (RA)

The Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H) said: The Quran is that recommender whose recommendation will be accepted and is such a disputer whose dispute will be accepted. whoever keeps it (Quran) in front of him, meaning practically does what it teaches ,the Quran will take him to Jannah. And he who keeps it behind his back, meaning does not practically do what it teaches, the Quran will take him to hell.

Note: “A disputer whose dispute will be accepted” means for those who are reading it and practically doing what it teaches, the Quran will dispute for them in the court of Allah for increasing their ranks. And for those who are careless, it demands why they are not paying it, its due right.

Muslim Narrator:- Hazrat Umar (RA)

The Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H) said: Allah increases as well as decreases the ranks of many people, because of This Quran. Meaning those who practically do what the Quran teaches, Allah rewards them with honor in this world and the hereafter. And those who do not practically do what the Quran teaches, Allah disgraces them.

Behqi Narrator:- Hazrat Abu Zar (RA)

The Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H) said to me that do recitation of the Quran and the Zikir (remembrance) of Allah. Because of this deed your Zikir (remembrance) will be done in the skies. And this deed will be a source of guidance with light (Noor) for you on the Earth.

Muslim Narrator:- Hazrat Abdullah Bin Umar(RA)

The Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H) said: Two persons should be envied. One who Allah has blessed with the Quran and he keeps himself busy day and night with its recitation. Second whom Allah has blessed with wealth and he keeps himself busy day and night by spending it (in the way of Allah).

Tirmizi Narrator:- Hazrat Imran Bin Hussain (RA)

The Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H) said: He who reads the Quran should ask a question through the Quran from Allah. Soon such people will come who will read the Quran and will ask the questions with it from other people.

Tirmizi Narrator:- Hazrat Abdullah Bin Umar (RA)

The Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H) said: (The day of Resurrection) The person with the Quran will be told “Keep on reciting the Quran and keep on climbing the ranks of Jannah and recite slowly slowly as you recited slowly slowly in the world. your place will be where your last Aayat will end.

Note:- “The person with the Quran” means a Haafiz of Quran or one who recites the Quran mostly or one who ponders as well as practices on the Quran.

Tirmizi Narrator:- Hazrat Abu Huraira (RA)

The Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H) said: On Resurrection day when the person with the Quran will come (In the court of Allah) the Quran will request to Allah “Present him with a special garment”. A crown of nobleness will be awarded from Allah. It (Quran) will again request “ O my Lord present more”. A full dress of esteem will then be awarded from Allah. It (Quran) will then request “O my Lord be pleased with this person”. So Allah will be pleased with him. Then it will be said to him “Keep on reciting the Quran and keep on climbing the ranks of Jannah” and (for him) for every Aayat a good deed will be increased.

Hakim Narrator:- Hazrat Uns (RA)

The Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H) said: In the eyes of Allah some people are like special people of a house. The companions (RA) requested “ Who are these people?” (P.B.U.H.) said: people of the Quran, as they are special people of Allah. Note:- “people of the Quran” means a Haafiz of Quran or one who recites the Quran mostly or one who ponders as well as practices on the Quran.

Tirmizi Narrator:- Hazrat Ibn-e-Abbas (RA)

The Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H) said: He who does not have even a portion of the Quran saved in his heart, he is like a deserted house.

Note: meaning – just like the happiness and prosperity of a home is by its inhabitants, similarly the happiness and prosperity of a person’s heart is by the remembrance of the Quran.

Tirmizi Narrator:- Hazrat Usman Bin Affan (RA)

The Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H) said: The best amongst you is the one who learns the Quran and teaches to other.

CONCLUSION

Without knowledge of Hadith, nobody can understand complete DEEN, nor we can follow and understand the Sunnah of Khatam-un-Nabiyeen Prophet Mohammad (SAW).

Hadith is the explanation of the Quran and Imaan of the Believer. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Arrahman-arraheem (talk • contribs) 18:20, 2 October 2007 (UTC)

About Al-Quran
== About Al-Quran ==

Arrahman-Arraheem 18:18, 2 October 2007 (UTC)WHAT IS "THE QUR'AN"? The Holy Book of Allah, the Qur'an, is not the work of a man, nor is it the collected thoughts or opinions of wise men through the ages. It is the "Word of the Almighty God (ALLAH)", the Creator, The Lord of the universe. It is the perfect revelation to mankind. Though called and treated as a book, the Qur'an is not a book in the ordinary sense of the word. It is neither a treatise nor a dissertation on a particular theme; nor it is a book on religion.

Its overall style and organization of the matter basically differ from the other religious scriptures. It is unique, the only one of its kind in the whole world. WHAT DOES IT DEAL WITH? The subject matter of the Qur'an is "man" (human beings) and it discusses those aspects of his life which lead to his REAL success or failure. The central theme that runs through the Qur'an is the exposition of "Reality" with the aim of inviting human beings to the Right Path. Its purpose is not simply to inform or to convince but to mould and transform. As such, it tries simultaneously to inform, to persuade, to convince and to motivate and mobilize men and woman to fulfill their mission in life.

A GREAT HUMAN NEED God, after creating the human race, has not just left them without any direction. If the loving Creator has provided air, water and food for physical existence and growth, He has also provided guidance for the moral, social and spiritual existence and development. The Qur'an is but Divine Guidance to mankind - guidance in the widest sense of the world.

O! Mankind surely to you has come the sermon (message/remembrance), which is healing for the diseases of the Heart, and is the guidance and blessing for the Believers (10:57)

How can anyone know for sure what is the "Reality"? How can anyone have the unquestionable knowledge of the ultimate values to which human behavior should confirm? Certainly not through the instinct, habit, intuition, reason or experience and not through the resources of guidance developed by man himself through the ages (mythology, philosophy, science, history, law etc.) which are too subjective and too limited, and are misleading. Divine Guidance is the greatest human need.

Surely the judgment (deen) in Allah's sight is Islam (Allah's Islam), But those who were given the book strayed away and repelled after the knowledge had come to them out of enimity,and whoever doesn't believe in His Ayyats ...then Allah is the strictest judge (3:19)

Has the language and style that cannot be imitated by human beings. It has stood as a challenge to the literary ability of mere mortals. It is a living miracle revealed to the Prophet.

Has been preserved in its exact original form as it was revealed, not a word added or removed. This is a historical fact beyond any doubt. Millions of Muslims, the world over, know its text by heart.

Has always been in the hands of the people and was never a property of clergy or a section of the society.

APPROACH TO THE QUR'AN Every discipline has its own demands. So has the Qur'an. Anyone who wants to really understand the message of the Qur'an, whether he actually believes in the Book or not, will be able to get the best results if he approaches it:

With an open mind, putting aside all the pre-conceived notions, bearing in mind the nature of this Book and its uniqueness, and in a spirit of reverence, and not with casual treatment given to any ordinary book.

This is the Book; In it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who are God-conscious. (2:2)

This Qur'an will guide to that which is most upright, and promises the believers who do good works, a rich reward; And threatens those who believe not in the Hereafter, with a grievous penalty. (17:9,10)

So, Don't the people Ponder in the Qur'an, Or do they have locks on their Hearts. (47:24)

Prophet Mohamed Multilanguage biography
Italic text —Preceding unsigned comment added by Manx61 (talk • contribs) 21:58, 9 December 2007 (UTC)

Islam and female genital cutting
Hi, I was wondering if anyone would be interested in taking a look at Female genital cutting. There is a dispute over whether or not FGC is a requirement of Islam, specifically, is it considered a religious practice. Current documentation states that while FGC is a cultural practice, it is not innately religious, though mentions that one school does find clitoridectomy obligatory. An editor argues that the one school should be weighted as the majority representation, that despite the other schools rejecting FGC as sunnah, the article should state that FGC is an Islamic religious practice. Additionally, I'd just appreciate some new eyes checking it over, noting areas of improvement. I've been trying to find a citation for the maysir argument, but haven't been able to find anything reliable. If someone knows of a source, I'd be greatly appreciative. Thank you for your time. Phyesalis (talk) 21:10, 16 December 2007 (UTC)

terrorism
Isn't it a little rediculas to have a portol about Islam and not mention terrorism a subject which is unseprable from Islam<br

terrorism is not unique to islam (for example the IRA) and only a very small minority of Muslims support terrorism, this portal is about the islamic faith not what some misguided people believe it justifies.

I presume you mean the Irish Republican Army. Nowhere in that article does it refer to terrorism or what religion they were, another bad article written to avoid upsetting the religionists? Just because there may be other terrorists (although there is no conformation in the article you speak about) doesn't somehow separate Islam from the atrocities it has caused —Preceding unsigned comment added by 85.210.157.149 (talk) 14:58, 10 February 2008 (UTC)

Sorry, I was reffering to the Real Irish Republican Army generaly refered to as the IRA, for other examples see List of designated terrorist organizations. Also only a very small number of Muslims believe that Islam promotes such atrocities and as the vast majority of Muslims do not believe this it would be wrong to associate the actions of a misguided few with the beliefs of a large ethnic group the majority who do not support their actions. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.2.113.79 (talk) 18:10, 18 February 2008 (UTC)

Islam is the religion of peace. Who are the real terrorists in the world? Yes, there are a few miscreants who interpret the Holy Qur'an to suit their perposes, but that is true for any religion. Through the ages Islam has been enlightening for its millions of followers and it continues to be now and will continue to be long into the future. I love Islam. Allahu Akbar! Ya Allah! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 165.155.110.74 (talk) 13:01, 16 April 2008 (UTC)


 * what a retarded rant since 911 islam has coused 11000 plus deaths through terrorism compared to about 35 for all other religions, clearly there is a real conection between Islam and atrocities —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.68.222.64 (talk) 22:14, 11 September 2008 (UTC)

This is not a dicussion page. And besided the US War in Iraq has claimed 1,500,000 lives+ and what for? Such a pointless war. Lord of Moria  Talk  Contribs 16:57, 3 October 2008 (UTC)

Dajjal Request
Sorry for the strange title, but it is relevant to the request & I did not know where else to place this request. I am a Muslim, and speaking to non-muslims they think that muslims believe that al-Dajjal and Satan (Iblis) are the same 'being' and use Wikipedia as their deffence. When I make the changes in Wikipedia & state that muslims do not believe that they are the same being (though I state Dajjal & Satan are both evil), the person (who is a non-muslim) changes it back (because he thinks I do not know the difference between Dajjal and Satan & that he knows better). Can someone with relatively high authority make the change (please ensure Dajjal is spelled with a capital letter) and clarify Muslim's beliefs between who al-Dajjal is and who Satan is on that page? I have made another change, but it is now getting close to edit warring. Thankyou! &#91;&#91;User:Cs1kh&#93;&#93; (talk) 09:13, 7 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Wouldn't people go to the Dajjal article to learn more about this person?  ITAQALLAH   15:33, 8 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Oh, I see you've edited there already.  ITAQALLAH   15:34, 8 May 2008 (UTC)
 * I edit there, but the person rejects my edits and changes it back (the essence of what I am saying in the document is that they are 2 different people/beings i.e. Dajjal & Devil are not the same according to Islam) the other person writes that muslims believe that they are the same. So if someone with good references that shows that the two are seperate beings could place a couple of references, that would be alot of help. I make efforts but they are messy and require fine tuning by a person with better language than me. &#91;&#91;User:Cs1kh&#93;&#93; (talk) 12:23, 12 May 2008 (UTC)
 * Have you tried doing a quick google search for dajjal on http://books.google.com?  ITAQALLAH   19:48, 12 May 2008 (UTC)
 * That has helped create a section stating they are not the same, (though there is now a person stating that al-dajjal is not arabic/islamic) the main part is done anyway. Thankyou &#91;&#91;User:Cs1kh&#93;&#93; (talk) 16:23, 19 May 2008 (UTC)

Onion Juice Therapy
Onion Juice Therapy is nominanted for deletion, see Articles for deletion/Onion Juice Therapy. It is an WP:Orphan article that makes claims for use of onion extract to treat established cancers (which is quite different from that article also talking tangentally about whether onions help prevent the devlopment of cancers in the first place).

The article says this is an established part of Sufi cultural/traditional-healing practice. Ignoring, for the moment, any issues of WP:PROVEIT requiring WP:Cite from WP:Reliable sources being needed to support claims of whether the approach is effective or not (along with WP:NPOV etc), the immediate issue as far as the AfD is whether or not this is a non-trivial minority viewpoint. However I have no knowledge of Sufism, nor therefore whether there are any reliable third party sources (apart from the http://www.brokenearth.org/NaturalHealing/index.htm link used in the article) Could Islam Portal members help clarify these points at the AfD discussion - thank you David Ruben Talk 23:46, 10 May 2008 (UTC)
 * AfD was closed with deletion. David Ruben Talk 18:09, 19 May 2008 (UTC)

within selected picture
within selected picture section we need the WTC after the crash. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 201.230.99.95 (talk) 18:15, 18 June 2008 (UTC)

Islam Template
As cool looking the Islam template is (the picture and the black background), it makes the text in it hard to read, and distracts from the article by having a big black bar going down the right side of the screen. Thoughts? klosterdev (talk) 22:43, 20 October 2008 (UTC)

Khuda
Hello, do you want to expand and wikificate this article like this one: de:Khoda? -- JCIV (talk) 13:01, 20 November 2008 (UTC)

Selected Scriptures
Hi,Everyone,Assalamualaikum. I'm new to wikipedia,started reading the portal on Islam.Thank you all who put in the time and effort to set it up.But I have one comment regarding the 'Selected Scripture' portion,Why are only the verses or parts of verses regarding unbelievers selected? By reading it one would be led to assume that the Holy book only dealt with the unbelievers!There are innumerable other informative, beautiful verses which may have been selected,which would have given a better idea what the Holy Quraan was all about. Thanks

"Enlightened Moderation"
By BABAR R. CHAUDHRY

Founder ‘Arrahman-Arraheem.com'

To understand this we must first realize that whenever new words or concepts are introduced and discussed, they always evoke two reactions; one positive and the other negative. Those who want to criticize look at the negative aspects while those who see the benefits support it. The important thing to remember in such situations is; what is the intention?

If we want to understand the meaning of “Enlightened Moderation” from the perspective of Islam and Pakistan, then we have to understand the true meaning and the spirit behind these two words. The literal meaning of ‘ enlightened' is what we call in Urdu ‘ Roshan Khayali' (or positive thinking ) and ‘ moderation ' means balance.

Enlightenment
Therefore, the first question we must ask is “What is Enlightenment”. In Islam, this is not a new concept or theory. 1400 years ago, before the advent of Islam and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), people experienced extremely repulsive and abhorrent traditions and lifestyles; women were traded like livestock and had no rights, new born girls were buried alive and slavery was commonly practiced. People who supported and carried out these actions considered themselves as doing the correct thing and on the right path. Unfortunately, they were misguided and had no one to show them the right path. They were living their lives in darkness, totally devoid of enlightenment!

In this darkness came enlightenment from Islam through the revelation of the Quran to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), which started with the words ‘ Iqra' in Surah Al'Alaq (96) which says, ‘Proclaim! (or Read!) In the name of thy Lord”. This means that enlightenment comes from reading or knowledge and which in turn removes the darkness prevailing in the minds and the hearts of all mankind.

Allah (SWT) revealed the Quran to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), which became a source of knowledge and enlightenment for the people of those times and brought them out from extremism, making them moderate. Moderation brought equality, human rights, forgiveness, love and harmony for all of mankind.

As I have mentioned repeatedly that Allah is “ Huda-lil-Aalameen ” – guidance for all times; and the Holy Quran is “ Huda-li-Naas ”- guidance for mankind and our Deen-e-Islam (Religion of Islam) will remain until Qayamah (the Day of Judgment). So if we keep taking guidance from the Quran and Hadith, and relate the Ayaat of Allah (SWT) in our lives, it will always keep us updated with modern times and tell us exactly what to do next. Remember, Allah's Laws never change; it is only the depth of the Quran which keeps increasing. As the human mind develops and progress take place, we can understand and relate the message of Allah (SWT) more clearly. The concept of Ijma and Fiqah, where people sit together to find solutions to problems that arise as a result of new developments, therefore helps to make effective decisions in this changing world.

Enlightenment also means eradication of superstition and inculcation of positive thinking. History witnessed that all the Prophets (AS) including Jesus, Moses, Abraham, and others enlightened the people of their times through the message of Allah, because Allah (SWT) possesses the attribute of Al-Noor. This is narrated beautifully in a Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that says: “Be conscious of the sight of a Momin (Practical Believer), as he sees through the Noor of Allah.” And what is this “light”, through which a Momin sees things? It is the Light of the Quran, (the Noor) given to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that ‘enlightens' the minds and thoughts. So the concept of ‘Enlightenment' is not something new in Islam.

Enlightened Thoughts.
When we talk about enlightened thoughts, there are two possible sources by which this can be achieved. First, through worldly knowledge and the second comes from Deen (Religious Knowledge). Worldly knowledge has its limits, which a person seeking knowledge comes to realize very soon. For example, if you are an engineer or a doctor and doing research, you reach a stage where you realize the limit of this worldly knowledge and cannot know more beyond a certain point. At this stage even the most renowned scientist is compelled to say ‘I don't know how all this is happening, some supreme being is doing all this. Some supreme power is handling every thing!' This is the point beyond which the knowledge of the Creator – Allah, begins and the door opens towards infinite learning.

Enlightened Moderation.
Deen, on the other hand gives us ‘enlightenment' in the sense that it saves us from taking wrong decisions, following decadent traditions, thinking negatively, falling prey to our weaknesses and desires. We all suffer from these human failings that get ingrained in our personality as we grow up in different circumstances and experiences going through life. While acquiring worldly knowledge is indeed a desirable thing, the key to success in life lies in adding Deen (Religion) to our base of worldly knowledge and to take Deen-e-Islam along in our worldly matters.

Moderation and Extremism.
This combination of both ‘Deen' and ‘Worldly knowledge' equals to ‘Moderation'. As Allah says in Surah Al-Baqarah 2 Ayat 143: “Thus have We made of you an Ummah justly balanced…. .”

These days all over the world, Islam and Muslims are being associated with ‘Extremism'. I feel that this linking of extremism with Islam is a misconception primarily due to the lack of knowledge. I will explain how Islam and Extremism do not go together. The root word of ‘Islam' comes from the Arabic word ‘Salama', which means ‘Peace'. If you look up the meaning of ‘Peace' in the dictionary, it says; freedom from disturbance; being in the state of mental calmness, freedom from war and violence. As can be seen, the meaning of the word ‘Peace' itself describes so many things all of which contradict the notion of Extremism. So how can anyone talk about Islam and at the same time associate it with Extremism!

In short, Islam neither propagates nor promotes Extremism. To achieve Islam (peace) we have to submit ourselves totally to the Will of Allah (SWT). And if we do this and follow His teachings we can never offend anyone and hence never be associated with Extremism.

Extremism and its Causes...
Extremism has many facets but most commonly, it is linked with terrorism or violence. I shall illustrate this point through an example. If a person becomes angry over a petty matter he is moving towards extremism and is no longer moderate. Similarly, a greedy and jealous person is also at an extreme. To be at the extreme of anything makes one “An Extremist”. You can make a person an extremist within minutes - just say something that annoys him or something that is not according to his liking and he becomes angry and reacts at an extreme. Conversely, Quran teaches the traits of Sabar (determination, patience and perseverance), Qanaat (to be happy and content with whatever one has), Darguzar and Ehsaan (to forgive and to forget).

By adopting these traits in his character, a person gradually becomes balanced and moderate and avoids becoming an extremist. These traits are extremely essential attributes to possess in these modern and frantic times.

Here I would also like to point out the causes of Extremism. I want to highlight an important issue, especially for the people of North America and Europe who must know why this is happening. Extremism occurs within people when their psyche is unbalanced; when there is no one to guide them; when they lose control over their emotions, intelligence and weaknesses. Whatever they think, they consider it to be right without any proof or confirmation; and they do not follow any commandments of Allah in their lives.

Another reason for Extremism is ‘lack of knowledge'. To explain this further I will give you my example. When I used to live in the United States and people asked me about the Quran and what Allah says in it, I could not answer their questions because I had no knowledge. I had no references to quote from the Quran and Ahadith, yet I used to think that I am right and others are wrong. When people asked me, ‘Do you believe in the Bible?' My reply was an emphatic ‘No!'. The next question then used to be ‘Have you ever read the Bible?' My answer again was ‘No'. Then I was asked ‘Have you ever read the Geeta?' Again, my reply was in the negative. I was finally asked, ‘You have not read the Bible nor the Geeta nor the Quran with understanding, then how come you are so sure that you are right and others are wrong?' This was the million-dollar question, which always stumped me, as I never had its answer.

So, I was one of those people who used to think that I was right without having any knowledge or references of the Quran and Ahadith! To me this is one type of extremism, where one thinks he or she is right and the others are wrong without any proof or evidence! Without making any comparison or having an intellectual discussion! Without knowing that what my Deen–e-Islam offers to the world is better than what others have! I considered myself as a most educated and intellectual person but I had no idea on how to market my Deen !

Enlightened Moderation
There is no doubt that the Quran is the Book of Allah and that our Deen-e-Islam is complete and that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has left for us a Uswa-e-Hassana (a beautiful pattern of conduct). However, there is major weakness on our part, which is lack of knowledge and our inability to answer even the most basic and logical questions about our Deen with reference from the Quran and Ahadith.

Another cause for extremism is injustice. This happens when people feel threatened; they lose their property, their family and loved ones, their lives, their land etc. These situations act as a catalyst and the person feels justified to react in an extremist way and take revenge and behave in whatever manner he likes, which in turn earns him the label of extremist. So here we are talking about one of the biggest issues in the world which need to be addressed and brought to justice in order to eliminate extremism. ‘

Use of Force in Deen-e-Islam!!!
Another visible symptom of people suffering from extremism is that they force their concepts and beliefs on others because they consider themselves to be right and others wrong. This is another kind of extremism because there is no concept of force in Islam. Our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) preached and practiced the Quran and the commandments of Allah. He inspired people through his character and lead by example. He never forced anyone, even when people threw stones at him, put obstacles in his path and used bad words for him. Despite all this, he never gave up his mission. Instead, he displayed forgiveness, care, and love and shared the peace, which he got through the revelations. This eradicated extremism prevailing at that time and people began to listen and follow him.

We must understand that Islam is the religion of the Creator, who is all-powerful and can do anything Himself or can force others to do what He likes. Yet He chooses not to use force but wants submission voluntarily after analysis and reason. Islam therefore never talks about using force. Allah says in Surah Al-Baqara, Ayat 256: “ La Iqrah fid-Deen ” meaning that there is no compulsion in Deen-e-Islam. Allah has given us a choice and He has commanded us not to force on anyone to make him follow Islam.

Another manifestation of Extremism is when one acquires only religious knowledge and ignores worldly education. This unfortunately makes such people view and understand things in only a certain way and they remain out of touch with the rest of the people living in the world.

On the other side there are those people who possess only worldly knowledge and may be successful professionals such as doctors, engineers or businessmen. They have no knowledge or interest about Deen. Their practice of Deen is restricted to Friday prayers and fasting in Ramadan. As soon as the fast and prayers are over their religion is over. These people have no concept or essence of their Deen. This is another extreme!

As much as there is a need for religious people to acquire worldly knowledge to become moderate, there is also the need of the hour that educated people acquire religious knowledge so that they too become moderate.

What needs to be done ?
So the question now is what should be done and how can we improve the situation? Living today in the 21 st century I strongly feel that the need of the hour is for the educated masses to acquire the basic knowledge of the Quran and Ahadith so that they are equipped to answers questions about the basic teachings of Islam and are able to convey the true message and essence of Islam to the non-Muslims. In this way they can help in eradicating the misconceptions about Islam and dispel the notion that Muslims are extremists.

I do not know much about politics but I know that the Quran and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) have always taught moderation. The Quran gives us lessons of Sabar, Qanaat, Darguzar, Ehsaan. However, when it comes to safeguarding the sovereignty of one's country and its defense against aggression, the Quran talks about sacrifice.

Enlightenment in the Quran is for all times. We keep on learning more from the Quran and are enlightened as time passes. The Quran urges us to use our eyes, ears, hearts and minds to research and analyze. By following its teachings, it continuously moves us forward towards progress. Allah keeps giving us greater enlightenment through the knowledge of the Quran, which we should accumulate and apply in our lives until our last breath. Only in this way can we remain balanced and moderate individuals.

Portal subpages
For a list of the portal's subpages, please see this index. Cirt (talk) 19:17, 28 January 2009 (UTC)
 * Alternatively, see also Category:Islam portal. Cirt (talk) 02:13, 29 January 2009 (UTC)

Suggestions for improvement
I would recommend use of some other colors besides green and black in the background. Maybe a turquoise green-white-black combination would be better. Also there is a gap in the page (at least in my browser), below Selected location which needs to be filled. Readjust it or add another section. Finally, why does selected picture not have a picture in it?--Shahab (talk) 04:15, 31 December 2008 (UTC)

BC/BCE
Hello. Sorry to bother you, but is anyone interested in stating their opinions as Muslims on the use of BC/AD and BCE/CE for a discussion on the subject here? Thanks --  spin control 20:17, 2 April 2009 (UTC)
 * This talk page is just for discussion of maintenance of the portal, not likely to get too many eyes here. You'd be better off posting a similar query at the talk page of the related wikiproject, WikiProject Islam. Cirt (talk) 21:15, 2 April 2009 (UTC)

Interwiki
Is someone see interwiki link that repeats again and again?--Vojvodaeist 15:01, 19 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Which one? Cirt (talk) 20:35, 19 May 2009 (UTC)
 * Now it is OK. I see competly different yesterday from same browser.--Vojvodaeist 04:20, 20 May 2009 (UTC)

An editor needs help
There is a new user, their talk page is here, trying to write an article on Khuthubi muhammed musliyar ... or something. I think that they're translating. The article seems to touch on Qibla and dar al hijra, but the specifics are entirely lost on me. I apologize in advance if I'm in the wrong place, but the editor seemed well-intentioned and I thought that maybe there might be an editor here who might be able to help. Thanks. TreacherousWays (talk) 22:02, 9 February 2012 (UTC)

I also hope I am in the right place as there are other editors (including myself) who need help and are facing a whole barrage of problems from Israeli state funded editors who have succeeded in re-writing history on the Crimean Karaites page. Are there any ecumenical Brothers or Sisters who can help? Please read the outline of problems as listed here Talk:Crimean_Karaites Jizak Allahu khiran and Eid Mubarak. 62.255.75.224 (talk) 00:29, 21 August 2012 (UTC)

Protection log

 * please remove the protection log. I am working on this portal in English and Urdu language so that i can add interwiki links -- Rachitrali (talk) 06:36, 6 October 2012 (UTC)
 * The software displays the protection log for your information. Since the page is only semi-protected, you should be able to edit it. -- John of Reading (talk) 08:43, 6 October 2012 (UTC)

The "What's Islam" tab
The subpage Portal:Islam/What's Islam was [//en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Portal:Islam/Header&diff=602342465&oldid=600805091 added] to Portal:Islam/Header on 2 April 2014, but at that stage the header was showing a red link. The subpage was created on 22 May 2014 by a well-meaning new editor.

I noticed the page when today's edit turned up in my recent changes feed. I have removed the clearly unacceptable addition. However, the previous content also needs attention to meet MOS:ISLAM. Since the portal already has an encyclopedic description of Islam in Portal:Islam/Intro, would a better fix be to remove the extra tab?

What were your intentions for the subpage when you edited the header? -- John of Reading (talk) 06:33, 13 August 2014 (UTC)

[4 months on] Following further edits and some vandalism to the page, I've arranged for a copy of Portal:Islam/Intro to be displayed on the "What is Islam" tab. -- John of Reading (talk) 21:21, 10 January 2015 (UTC)

Notice from the Portals WikiProject
WikiProject Portals is back!

The project was rebooted and completely overhauled on April 17th, 2018. Its goals are to revitalize the entire portal system, make building and maintaining portals easier, support the ongoing improvement of portals and the editors dedicated to this, and design the portals of the future.

As of May 2nd, 2018, membership is at 60 editors, and growing. You are welcome to join us.

There are design initiatives for revitalizing the portals system as a whole, and for improving each component of portals. So far, 2 new dynamic components have been developed: Template:Transclude lead excerpt and Template:Transclude random excerpt.

Tools are provided for building and maintaining portals, including automated portals that update themselves in various ways.

And, if you are bored and would like something to occupy your mind, we have a wonderful task list.

From your friendly neighborhood Portals WikiProject. Hope to see you there. Sincerely,    &mdash; The Transhumanist   07:34, 2 May 2018 (UTC)

Islam header Turkic moon
The header for the Islam section is a Turkic moon, why is this so? I seem to distintly remember this was not the case before. Surely editors know this isn't an original islamic symbol but was imported by steppe people? In fact variations of the crescent can even be seen in a multitude of Mongol symbology. The Arab wikipedia uses the shahada correctly as the symbol of islam. --186.12.8.235 (talk) 01:42, 15 April 2020 (UTC)

Some things should be checked and hopefully, changed
In the "Topics" template, Deobandis are categorized as being Salafis while Barelvis are so important that they must be identified as Sufis in the template instead of the multitude of Sufi Tariqas which are far more important. This is most likely the doing of a Barelvi user or someone sympathetic to their movement because only they are this extreme in their leaning leading to such a categorization. I hope that these matters are considered. - Sulṭān ʿAbdullāh al-Hindi Talk 13:57, 17 August 2021 (UTC)
 * What we must understand is that Deobandis are not a monolith. Deobandis are not Salafis as a whole while the Ahl-e-Hadees are.
 * Similarly, there are many Sufi Tariqa which are far more important than the wild subcontinental Barelvis.
 * Similarly, the Atharis by the way of the Hanabilah (the people of the Hanbali Mazhhab) are also Sunni but are excluded from the template.
 * Furthermore, not all Sufis are Sunni. Rather, there are many non-Sunni Sufi groups even though they are smaller.