Nikah is the Islamic word for a marriage contract in which the bride and the groom promises in front of relatives usually close family members of both the sides to accept each other for the rest of their lives.
The importance of Nikah can be understood through the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who replied when once asked “What is more important than prayers”, he replied, “the spirit of prayer”, similarly when asked what was more important than fasting the answer was the spirit of fasting and so for everything else I Islam the most important thing is the spirit behind the action as it is the main guide which leads to action. So in this case what is more important than the marriage is its spirit which in this case is the Nikah?
NIKAH is a binding between two souls which can be conducted either at a single place where both the groom and bride are present or the help of the modern technology can also be taken and nowadays telephone and internet is also being used for conducting Islamic marriages or the Nokah.
The Hijab, which is the Arabic word of the veil is much emphasized is Islam and is considered a part of it as Islam lays much stress on the covering of a Muslim women in every age and step. In many societies Hijab is considered as a cultural part and something that is not a part of the Islamic religion however this is not the case. Anything that is deemed as cultural tends to have its roots from common practices and customs that have been living through for a long time now. Rather the covering of the women which resided in the past and carried on as a cultural aspect was known as the “Jahiliyah” which covered the women rendering her as a lower being as compared to man.
Islam gave the concept of Hijab or a veil to make the women an equal part of the society rather earning her more respect and dignity in the society. Our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) declared clearly that it is incumbent upon every single Muslim to search for awareness no matter how far you have to go searching for it. Islam respects all women as equals in a society and the reason for recommending Hijab to them is only to provide them more self respect and an added bodily protection from the evils and wrongs of the society which are also a part of every civilization.
Women in Islam have many rights which were given to them 1400 years ago which are not well known even by many Muslims today. Women in Islam is give in some instances much more respect and honor than anything else and women are not just mere individuals to serve men or look after their homes or babies rather they are acknowledged as an individual being that has much self respect.
The future is not always predictable and clear. Humans, as subjective beings, can only make assumptions about the future. So many scientists draw theories and the so-called social sciences of humanities and arts but there is no law determining the unknown outcomes with 100% authenticity. But this does not go the same for Islam. Islam, the religion of peace and love will remain for a long time till there comes a time when the believers of this religion stop believing in God.
Islam will rule in near future as per according to the predictions by the holy prophet Muhammad sallalaho alayhi wasalam and Quran. Things are fast moving towards that direction and it is nearing the time when Muslims will rule the world as professed by the last messenger. And for all those predictions and prophecies to come true there is strong need for the Muslim world to come united as one.
There are certain trends these days that demand our attention though. Islam is presently the fastest growing religion throughout the world particularly when compared with Europe and America. According to a recent survey of the USA’s population, more than 50% of its infants are of a minority and within this minority the number of Muslims stands out. A wave of Islam has swept across the continent of Europe. A massive number of people have converted to the religion and the trend goes on with accelerated speed. This trend is a cause of some concern for the governments and traditionalists of both America and Europe.
The reason for mentioning this trend lies in the overwhelmingly obvious strategic and economic importance of these nations and areas. Both Britain and France are veto powers in the UNSC and both have the status of being first world countries (a status that is conferred upon many), unlike so-many countries from where Islam originated.
It is important to point out here another reason that may prove to be the determining factor in the victory of a nation which is also present in the nation (Muslim Ummah) – a common belief system or a common cause. It might sound very emotional and non practical but history says otherwise. Throughout the history of nations, only those who had a cause and a belief to live and fight for had survived and ruled.
A cause which has sound social, political and legal basis, be it the allies in the Second World War or Alexander the great, the reason behind it all is what matters the most. Muslims of today have both belief and a belief in the cause. Only the right kind of opportunity and the perfect amount of intensity is missing. But it is only a matter of time before this is achieved. Keeping in view the Arab Spring, the possibility of a trigger doesn’t seem remote.
Marriage in Islam is of huge importance. It is a sacred agreement between a man and a woman to be together in all times. The wed lock (Nikkah) allows the man and the woman to be together and grants this relationship a social, cultural, legal as well as religious/ holy permission to exist.
A typical Islamic marriage, one in which Islamic rules are being observed, is a symbol of love and unity. Islam prohibits dowry being obtained from the parents of the bride. The man is responsible for all the expenses. Islamic wedding parties are supposed to be attended by close family members and friends of the boy and the girl. This ceremony is supposed to be a simple one instead of being very pompous or elaborate.
Parents of the girl are to give only the essentials to their daughter. Hence it puts no economic or social pressure on them. This is different to Western traditions, where the bride’s parents are supposed to provide her with a dowry, as well as pay for the wedding.
Islam gives equal rights to man and woman. A woman has the right to file a divorce case under Islamic laws. Islam gives ultimate freedom to women by declaring that if a woman does not like her husband for some reason, she can get a divorce without further delay. A man is entitled to the same consideration.
A Muslim man is responsible for earning for the household. He is bound by Islamic law to keep his wife happy and comfortable otherwise the woman has the right to leave him. Again this varies greatly from the Westerner, who technically has to provide for the woman, but all too often does not. The Islamic system also propagates a separate family setup in which husband and wife are allowed to have personal privacy. In the Islam world, the husband has to be just in his relationship with his woman. This is despite the fact that Islam allows the man to marry four times but he must seek the first woman’s permission for it. It is allowed only if the man is capable of being just to all of them. In the Western world, this is forbidden and punishable in a court-of-law if the law of monogamy is broken.
Giving man and woman equal rights and conferring equal duties shows that Islam wants a house to be an institute where living together is not a compulsion. Living together should arise out of love and not be a compromise. Islam believes in love and pursues this aim in every walk of life with ultimate determination.
The incidence of the Twin Towers attack on 9/11 is probably the most significant developments of all time. It has altered the course of life in many ways. The human race in general is the victim of the hawkish changes that this particular incident has brought. 9/11 attacks as well as the US/North waged “War on Terror” are both manmade disasters. They have significantly affected ‘man’ too. Although man in general is biggest sufferer in this backlash of the north, Islam is the one that has come under severe criticism ever since. The credit for the portrayal of Islam as a religion of terrorism and hatred goes to world media.
Islam is being portrayed vehemently as a religion of hatred and violence after Al-Qaeda took responsibility for the attacks. The religion of one man or organization has led to a worldwide defaming of an entire religion. Although the world media cannot be held responsible solely for this trend, yet they have really turned and tuned the masses against Islam worldwide. The role of media is to put the facts before the viewer and not to take sides in crucial times like these. Instead of investigating the case of Islam as an instigator, Media has been molding public opinion against Islam with a dangerous authenticity. Every aspect of Islam is under the scrutiny of media. Media has been judging the religion without true knowledge and analysis of Islam. Quite surprisingly they have been seeing Islam from the same angle as terrorists- jihad and dictatorship. How are they any different then?
When it comes to faulty criticism, one case is that of ‘Veil or Hijab’. Veil is being worn by Muslim women in accordance with Quranic rule to prevent unnecessary attention that might endanger a woman’s security. It does not reduce the importance of women in society or does not take away their political/ fundamental rights. However it is being presented in media as a tool for abolishing women’s status as an equal human being. A veil does not make a woman an inferior being as is portrayed by media. This portrayal is done on the basis of wrong analysis of human history and modified political facts.
Every precious object or whatever that you hold important in life is kept under a strict watch. Let’s say, woman is the most precious person in form of wife, mother, daughter or sister. Nobody would like their beloved women to be hurt or harmed. They would protect them. Same way for a woman her modesty is far more precious than anything in her life. She protects her modesty and wishes to keep it safe. Let’s say if a woman is dressed up in a sexy outfit and goes to church. No one would pray but start staring at her because it is human nature to look at the unexpected. Islam only educates the females about their sense of duty and their sense of keeping their modesty intact and safe. They are given a dress code and that is to protect them from evil gazers and those who are not her mehrum or relations. A woman feels protected and safe when veiled. It is her basic right so nobody should take that away from her. To show or not to show is entirely a person’s decision and it should not be subjugated in the name of religion.
In order to judge if Islam is a religion of hate or love, we first have to establish a standard procedure of judging the religion, a standard that might be the same for all the religions of this world. The necessity for a common definition or procedure of judgment is a prerequisite for contemporary scientific regime. Even apart from that if we judge a phenomenon without any solid grounds, it will come under the attack of emotions and sentiments and will lose authenticity.
Assuming that all religions are to be judged and evaluated by the established teachings of that very religion and not by the actions of its followers, all religions would present quite a different picture. Islam, if we judge the religion from its fundamental text (Holy Quran) and the Prophet of the religion (Mohammad (PBUH)) will appear to be one of the most peace loving and the most progressive of religions. If Islam is followed at its basics you will find that aggression is frowned upon.
Among the nations, Islam propagates peace and a friendly environment. Islam prohibits unnecessary wars, and strictly warns Muslims not to initiate a war unless for self defense. Law of war and prisoners of today is a derivative of the law presented by Mohammad (PBUH). Islam does not believe in random killing of the civilians, and acts of violence are not permitted outside the battlefield. Islam has very stringent rules against destruction of the property and lives of the civilians in a war and attempts to keep them separate from it.
Islam established the concept of equality 1400 years ago, when human civilization as a whole was nowhere near grasping the idea. Islam abolished slavery by freeing the slaves and Mohammad (PBUH) emphasized the point that all human beings, black or white, educated or illiterate, rich or poor, are created equal. No one holds any superiority over the others. This is important to note this was said in his last address to Muslims. He did not try to teach them tactics to conquer the world or fight their competitors; instead he taught them important lessons concerning humanity. This clarifies the basic theme of Islam- Humanity, love and collectiveness. Love and peace are basis of the religion despite the contradictory practice of some Muslims who have usually been influenced by other factors.
Islam is religion of peace and in Quran it is clearly mentioned that killing of a man is equal to the killing of whole of the humanity where as saving the life of a human is like saving the whole of the humanity. Those who are so called Muslims or those who are not the true followers of Islam have defamed and tried to hurt the image of Islam on purpose. Individuals acts of a person or group of people cannot be associated with the true teachings of Islam.
Islam is a worldwide religion, which has its root in the Arab countries. All over the world, Muslims mark all the activities as indicated in the holy book, the Quran. For a person of Islamic persuasion, they are bound to follow all the five pillars and live together in harmony and unity. The Quran has several teachings, which guide the followers on the different ways of living their life, concentrating on living in peace and harmony with others. This religion has grown stronger in the European nations with many different people taking up the daily teachings and following the rules of the religion.
Growth in economy
With the Islamic culture, they have their separate banking rules, which mainly focus on rules of interest. The development of such banks has led to massive increases in various projects. When one invest in such banks, it gets easier to access the loans, which do not have much interest. Some of the banks have different branches all over the globe and this makes it easier for one to access and make the transactions from any point.
When it comes to matters of insurance, the Islamic community has a good way of sharing the profit and the losses in such schemes. This makes it easier for the business people to invest in such schemes since they are based on the religious teachings and hard for one to get scammed. However this should not be taken as total, as everything involving money always has some risk.
Education
When it comes to education, the Islamic community centers on the holy teachings and this means the students have to enroll for the Arabic lessons to learn the Quran will. This has led to the development of Islamic schools, which enable the children to understand and follow all the teachings easily. These schools get the funding from mosques, and other Islamic organizations, and the aim is to offer quality education to the children. In Europe, some of the schools have advanced to degree level and enable the students to learn from different Islamic centers.
Sense of togetherness
There are many holidays and practices occurring in the Muslim calendar. The holy month of fasting makes the Muslims close since they have to share and work together the entire month. This makes it easier for them to interact, share ideas, and give assistance where necessary. This type of communion is rare to find where people do not meet on a regular basis.
Morals
Muslims are known to strictly follow the teachings and this makes them responsible and morally upright people in the community. The women dress well, cover their bodies, and do not engage in premarital sex. The same goes for men, and when they want to marry, they need to carefully follow the entire procedure according to the Islamic laws. These cuts off any irresponsible behavior and the younger generation hopefully grow up learning the cultures and the genuine Islamic way of life.
