Main Exhibits - what do you know about Islam and its impact on Europe?

what do you know about Islam and its impact on Europe?

Firstly: Our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not produce his ideas by himself, rather the message that he brought came from Allaah – it was Revelation (wahy) which Allaah sent to him. Secondly: with regard to his life (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): He was the best of all people on earth in terms of lineage, for he was descended from the noblest line. Even his enemies bore witness to that. Hence his enemy Abu Sufyaan testified to that effect before the Byzantine ruler. The noblest of people were his people; the noblest of tribes was his tribe; the noblest of clans was his clan. His full name was Muhammad ibn [son of] ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib ibn Haashim ibn ‘Abd Manaaf ibn Qusayy ibn Kilaab ibn Murrah ibn Ka’b ibn Lu’ayy ibn Ghaalib ibn Fahr ibn Maalik ibn al-Nadar ibn Kinaanah ibn Khuzaymah ibn Mudrikah ibn Ilyaas ibn Mudar ibn Nizaar ibn Ma’d ibn ‘Adnaan… ibn ‘Ismaa’eel [Ishmael] ibn Ibraaheem [Abraham] (peace be upon them). Allaah sent him as a Prophet at the age of forty, which is the age of perfection. The first sign of Prophethood which was sent to the Messenger of Allaah was dreams: he did not see any dream but it would come true like daybreak. It was said that that lasted for six months. The period of his Prophethood lasted for twenty-three years. These dreams were one of the forty-six parts of Prophethood. Then Allaah honoured him with Prophethood, and the angel came to him whilst he was in the cave of Hira’, where he used to love to go to be alone. The first words (of the Qur’aan) to be revealed to him were: “Read! In the Name of your Lord Who has created (all that exists)” [al-‘Alaq 96:1 – interpretation of the meaning] His message came in stages. Firstly, he was appointed as a Prophet; secondly, he warned his nearest kinsmen; thirdly, he warned his people; fourthly, he warned the people to whom no warner had ever come, namely all the Arabs; fifthly, he warned all those whom his message reached, both jinns and humans, until the end of time. After that (initial revelation), he spent three years calling people to Allaah in secret. Then the following words were revealed to him: “Therefore proclaim openly (Allaah’s Message Islamic Monotheism) that which you are commanded, and turn away from Al‑Mushrikoon (polytheists, idolaters, and disbeliever” [al-Hijr 15:94 – interpretation of the meaning] See Zaad al-Ma’aad by Ibn al-Qayyim, 1/71 Thirdly: With regard to the message to which our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) called people, it is sufficient to quote what was said by Abu Sufyaan – who was a kaafir (disbeliever) at the time. Heraclius, the ruler of Byzantium, asked Abu Sufyaan, “What does he tell you to do?” Abu Sufyaan said: “He tells us to worship Allaah alone, not associating anything with Him, and he forbids us to worship that which our fathers used to worship. He commands us to pray, to give in charity, to be chaste, to keep our promises and fulfil our trusts.” Heraclius commented on Abu Sufyaan’s words by saying: “This is the description of a Prophet. I knew that he would appear, but I did not think that he would be from among you [the Arabs]. If you are indeed speaking the truth, then soon he will take possession of the place where my feet are standing. If I thought that I could meet him I would not hesitate to go to him, and if I were with him I would wash his feet.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2782; Muslim, 1773). Fourthly: After the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), he was succeeded as khaleefah (leader of the Muslim community) by Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq, during whose time a number of major events took place: the dispatching of the army of Usaamah [to Syria]; the wars against the apostates (ahl al-riddah); fighting those who refused to pay the zakaah; the emergence of Musaylimah the liar [a false prophet]; and the compilation of the Qur’aan. Then came ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab, who was one of the earliest Muslims, one of the ten whom the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had testified would enter Paradise, one of the Rightly Guided Caliphs (al-khulafa’ al-raashideen), one of the in-laws of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), one of the greatest scholars and ascetics among the Sahaabah (the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)). Many conquests took place during his time, including the conquest of Damascus, Jordan, Iraq, Jerusalem and Egypt. He is the one who decided, in consultation with ‘Ali, that history should be dated from the time of the Hijrah (the migration of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) from Makkah to Madeenah). He was martyred in 23 AH by the kaafir Magian murderer Abu Lu’lu’ah. Then came ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan, who was also one of the ten whom the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had testified would enter Paradise. He had also become Muslim in the earliest days. He was one of those whom Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq had called to Islam. He migrated twice, first to Abyssinia (Ethiopia) then to Madeenah. He married Ruqayyah the daughter of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), then she passed away and he married her sister Umm Kalthoom. He ruled as khaleefah for twelve years, then he was martyred in 35 AH at the age of eighty-odd. Then came ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib, who was also one of the ten whom the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had testified would enter Paradise. He was the brother of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) according to the system of brotherhood established when the muhaajiroon (migrants from Makkah) first came to Madeenah, and he was also the Prophet’s son-in-law as he married his daughter Faatimah, the best of all women (may Allaah be pleased with her). He was also one of the first people to become Muslim, one of the greatest scholars, bravest warriors, prominent ascetics and preachers. He was one of those who compiled the Qur’aan and showed it to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Fifthly: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was guided by the teachings of the Qur’aan, indeed his whole attitude was the Qur’aan as the Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said. The way our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was in Islam was the same as the way he had been before, but Allaah perfected his character and made it more beautiful. When the first revelation came, [his wife] Khadeejah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said, listing his attributes: “No, by Allaah, Allaah would never let you down. For you uphold ties of kinship, you help the weak, you give charity to the poor, you honour your guests and you help the deserving calamity-afflicted ones.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4; Muslim, 160) Both his companions and his enemies described him in a befitting manner, as he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) deserved, saying that he was honourable, brave, merciful, well-spoken, worshipped a great deal, was honest and trustworthy, and so on. This was all summed up in the verse: “And verily, you (O Muhammad) are on an exalted (standard of) character” [al-Qalam 68:4 – interpretation of the meaning] His good character and attitude had a great effect, as it was the reason for some of the mushrikeen (pagans, polytheists) coming to Islam. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sent some cavalry towards Najd, and they brought a man from Banu Haneefah whose name was Thamaamah ibn Athaal and tied him to one of the pillars of the mosque. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came out and said, ‘Untie Thamaamah.’ Then he (Thamaamah) went to grove of palm trees near the mosque and washed himself (did ghusl), then he entered the mosque and said, ‘I bear witness that there is no god except Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 4114; Muslim, 1764). Sixthly: With regard to Islam reaching Europe, it did so in several ways, including the following: 1 – The keenness of the Muslims to convey the truth to all of mankind. Andalusia [in Spain] was conquered by Taariq ibn Ziyaad in 92 AH/711 CE, and the conquests in western Europe continued until they reached southeastern France in 114 AH. 2 – People coming from North Africa, the Middle East and South Asia to look for work and a better future. 3 – Westerners bringing some people from other countries, such as the Germans bringing Turks, to work in their country. 4 – The presence of Muslim daa’iyahs (callers, “missionaries”) in those countries. 5 – The conquests of the Ottoman state of part of Europe. 6 – The conversion of some indigenous Europeans to Islam, who then began to propagate Islam. 7 – Trade links between Muslims and Europe. 8 – Conversion of some Europeans to Islam. 9 – Changes in the European intellectual approaches. 10 – Rejection of the church myths which contradict revelation and the adoption of empirical knowledge whose foundation was laid by the Muslims. 11 – Participation of Muslim communities in the development of research, inventions and companies in Europe, through the work of qualified Muslim professionals, plus the increase in the number of Muslim communities in Europe, which resulted in the increase in the number of mosques, schools and Islamic centers. This has resulted in increased Muslim influence, to the extent that the enemies of Islam such as the Jews are scared. The Israeli newspaper “Ha-eretz” said, in an issue published in late June 2001 CE, “As is the case in western Europe, the great increase in the number of Muslims in the United States has led to an increase in their political influence… The increase in the number of Muslims and their increasing political awareness, especially the Arab students, who are the most active of the Arabs in the political field, and the decrease in the number of Jews as a result of mixed marriages and their assimilation into American society, will all, in the future, play a role in changing the balance of power and changing the influence that these competing groups have in Washington. This is now something tangible, as can be seen in the activities of the pro-Arab lobbies in Congress. 1. The increase in the number of Muslims in European counties. More than ten years ago the number of Muslims in Europe was approximately 12 million. 2. The spread of mosques, Islamic centers and schools. 3. The spread of hijaab and Islamic dress in the capitals of European countries. 4. The holding of Islamic exhibitions and seminars, and the establishment of companies that take care of halaal slaughter of meat, and burying the dead in the manner prescribed in Islam. And Allaah is the Guide to the straight path and the Source of strength. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

Public Comments

that the Pope is worried , you know he receive money from taxes in Europe, and if they grow up they will stop that ........ and will remove Catholic Church.
Excellent copy/paste job, but where exactly is our opinion supposed to fit in here? You seem to already have your answer without listening to anyone else.
Oh, I am so enlightened now!! I am going to become Muslim!!
Assalam alikum w/r w/b Thank you so much for this wonderful information.. I will definitly use these facts for any project in the future (haviing to do with Islam and Europe) -- great in response to people who think that Islam has no impact or effect in Europe May Allah (swt) reward you for trying to spread the message of Islam Allah Hafiz
1. Europe will be spammed to death 2. Europe will eventually be pissed off 3. Europe will give free outbound one way tickets > What do you know about Islam and its impact on Europe?
This link is very good for your question. You could have shortened the question some & more people would answer. http://www.islamset.com/islam/culture/impact_of.html God Bless You, in the name of our Savior & Lord, Jesus Christ.( The Son of God), not a mere prophet !
A conservative Muslim, has become a target of a more violent form of jihad. Allow me to copy and paste as you have: Mohammed, , the prophet of Islam and the founder of Mohammedanism, was born at Mecca A.D. 570. Arabia was then torn by warring factions. The tribe of Fihr, or Quarish, to which Mohammed belonged, had established itself in the south of Hijas (Hedjaz), near Mecca, which was, even then, the principal religious and commercial centre of Arabia. The power of the tribe was continually increasing; they had become the masters and the acknowledged guardians of the sacred Kaaba, within the town of Mecca — then visited in annual pilgrimage by the heathen Arabs with their offerings and tributes — and had thereby gained such preeminence that it was comparatively easy for Mohammed to inaugurate his religious reform and his political campaign, which ended with the conquest of all Arabia and the fusion of the numerous Arab tribes into one nation, with one religion, one code, and one sanctuary. Mohammed's father was Abdallah, of the family of Hashim, who died soon after his son's birth. At the age of six the boy lost his mother and was thereafter taken care of by his uncle Abu-Talib. He spent his early life as a shepherd and an attendant of caravans, and at the age of twenty-five married a rich widow, Khadeejah, fifteen years his senior. She bore him six children, all of whom died very young except Fatima, his beloved daughter. On his commercial journeys to Syria and Palestine he became acquainted with Jews and Christians, and acquired an imperfect knowledge of their religion and traditions. He was a man of retiring disposition, addicted to prayer and fasting, and was subject to epileptic fits. In his fortieth year (A.D. 612), he claimed to have received a call from the Angel Gabriel, and thus began his active career as the prophet of Allah and the apostle of Arabia. His converts were about forty in all, including his wife, his daughter, his father-in-law Abu Bakr, his adopted son Ali Omar, and his slave Zayd. By his preaching and his attack on heathenism, Mohammed provoked persecution which drove him from Mecca to Medina in 622, the year of the Hejira (Flight) and the beginning of the Mohammedan Era. At Medina he was recognized as the prophet of God, and his followers increased. He took the field against his enemies, conquered several Arabian, Jewish, and Christian tribes, entered Mecca in triumph in 630, demolished the idols of the Kaaba, became master of Arabia, and finally united all the tribes under one emblem and one religion. In 632 he made his last pilgrimage to Mecca at the head of forty thousand followers, and soon after his return died of a violent fever in the sixty-third year of his age, the eleventh of the Hejira, and the year 633 of the Christian era. The sources of Mohammed's biography are numerous, but on the whole untrustworthy, being crowded with fictitious details, legends, and stories. None of his biographies were compiled during his lifetime, and the earliest was written a century and a half after his death. The Koran is perhaps the only reliable source for the leading events in his career. His earliest and chief biographers are Ibn Ishaq (A.H. 151=A.D. 768), Wakidi (207=822), Ibn Hisham (213=828), Ibn Sa'd (230=845), Tirmidhi (279=892), Tabari (310-929), the "Lives of the Companions of Mohammed", the numerous Koranic commentators [especially Tabari, quoted above, Zamakhshari 538=1144), and Baidawi (691=1292)], the "Musnad", or collection of traditions of Ahmad ibn Hanbal (241=855), the collections of Bokhari (256=870), the "Isabah", or "Dictionary of Persons who knew Mohammed", by Ibn Hajar, etc. All these collections and biographies are based on the so-called Hadiths, or "traditions", the historical value of which is more than doubtful. These traditions, in fact, represent a gradual, and more or less artificial, legendary development, rather than supplementary historical information. According to them, Mohammed was simple in his habits, but most careful of his personal appearance. He loved perfumes and hated strong drink. Of a highly nervous temperament, he shrank from bodily pain. Though gifted with great powers of imagination, he was taciturn. He was affectionate and magnanimous, pious and austere in the practice of his religion, brave, zealous, and above reproach in his personal and family conduct. Palgrave, however, wisely remarks that "the ideals of Arab virtue were first conceived and then attributed to him". Nevertheless, with every allowance for exaggeration, Mohammed is shown by his life and deeds to have been a man of dauntless courage, great generalship, strong patriotism, merciful by nature, and quick to forgive. And yet he was ruthless in his dealings with the Jews, when once he had ceased to hope for their submission. He approved of assassination, when it furthered his cause; however barbarous or treacherous the means, the end justified it in his eyes; and in more than one case he not only approved, but also instigated the crime. Concerning his moral character and sincerity, contradictory opinions have been expressed by scholars in the last three centuries. Many of these opinions are biased either by an extreme hatred of Islam and its founder or by an exaggerated admiration, coupled with a hatred of Christianity. Luther looked upon him as "a devil and first-born child of Satan". Maracci held that Mohammed and Mohammedanism were not very dissimilar to Luther and Protestantism. Spanheim and D'Herbelot characterize him as a "wicked impostor", and a "dastardly liar", while Prideaux stamps him as a wilful deceiver. Such indiscriminate abuse is unsupported by facts. Modern scholars, such as Sprenger, Noldeke, Weil, Muir, Koelle, Grimme, Margoliouth, give us a more correct and unbiased estimate of Mohammed's life and character, and substantially agree as to his motives, prophetic call, personal qualifications, and sincerity. The various estimates of several recent critics have been ably collected and summarized by Zwemer, in his "Islam, a Challenge to Faith" (New York, 1907). According to Sir William Muir, Marcus Dods, and some others, Mohammed was at first sincere, but later, carried away by success, he practised deception wherever it would gain his end. Koelle "finds the key to the first period of Mohammed's life in Khadija, his first wife", after whose death he became a prey to his evil passions. Sprenger attributes the alleged revelations to epileptic fits, or to "a paroxysm of cataleptic insanity". Zwemer himself goes on to criticize the life of Mohammed by the standards, first, of the Old and New Testaments, both of which Mohammed acknowledged as Divine revelation; second, by the pagan morality of his Arabian compatriots; lastly, by the new law of which he pretended to be the "divinely appointed medium and custodian". According to this author, the prophet was false even to the ethical traditions of the idolatrous brigands among whom he lived, and grossly violated the easy sexual morality of his own system. After this, it is hardly necessary to say that, in Zwemer's opinion, Mohammed fell very far short of the most elementary requirements of Scriptural morality. Quoting Johnstone, Zwemer concludes by remarking that the judgment of these modern scholars, however harsh, rests on evidence which "comes all from the lips and the pens of his own devoted adherents. . .And the followers of the prophet can scarcely complain if, even on such evidence, the verdict of history goes against him". After Mohammed's death Mohammedanism aspired to become a world power and a universal religion. The weakness of the Byzantine Empire, the unfortunate rivalry between the Greek and Latin Churches, the schisms of Nestorius and Eutyches, the failing power of the Sassanian dynasty of Persia, the lax moral code of the new religion, the power of the sword and of fanaticism, the hope of plunder and the love of conquest — all these factors combined with the genius of the caliphs, the successors of Mohammed, to effect the conquest, in considerably less than a century, of Palestine, Syria, Mesopotamia, Egypt, North Africa, and the South of Spain. The Moslems even crossed the Pyrenees, threatening to stable their horses in St. Peter's at Rome, but were at last defeated by Charles Martel at Tours, in 732, just one hundred years from the death of Mohammed. This defeat arrested their western conquests and saved Europe. In the eighth and ninth centuries they conquered Persia, Afghanistan, and a large part of India, and in the twelfth century they had already become the absolute masters of all Western Asia, Spain and North Africa, Sicily, etc. They were finally conquered by the Mongols and Turks, in the thirteenth century, but the new conquerors adopted Mohammed's religion and, in the fifteenth century, overthrew the tottering Byzantine Empire (1453). From that stronghold (Constantinople) they even threatened the German Empire, but were successfully defeated at the gates of Vienna, and driven back across the Danube, in 1683. The doctrines of Islam concerning God — His unity and Divine attributes — are essentially those of the Bible; but to the doctrines of the Trinity and of the Divine Sonship of Christ Mohammed had the strongest antipathy. As Noldeke remarks, Mohammed's acquaintance with those two dogmas was superficial; even the clauses of the Creed that referred to them were not properly known to him, and thus he felt that it was quite impossible to bring them into harmony with the simple Semitic Monotheism; probably, too, it was this consideration alone that hindered him from embracing Christianity. In matters political Islam is a system of despotism at home and aggression abroad. The Prophet commanded absolute submission to the imâm. In no case was the sword to be raised against him. The rights of non-Moslem subjects are of the vaguest and most limited kind, and a religious war is a sacred duty whenever there is a chance of success against the "Infidel". Medieval and modern Mohammedan, especially Turkish, persecutions of both Jews and Christians are perhaps the best illustration of this fanatical religious and political spirit.