REVOLUTIONARY CHANGES RESULTING
FROM THE QUR'ANIC TEACHINGS
The wonderful transformation that the Holy Prophet
Muhammad, the Last Apostle of God, so successfully
effected within the short span of only twenty-three years
of his apostolic mission is, in itself, the mightiest of the
miracles
the world had ever witnessed. He successfully attacked every
problem of wild barbarism and chronic paganism which
prevailed at the time of his advent, and established a godly life
of
superb virtues through these changes:
1 Humanity was united under One God.
2 A death blow was dealt to the misconceptions about
multiple deities.
3 All apostles of God were declared to be equally truthful,
holy and sinless. Thus the Brotherhood of Religions
was established.
4 Respect for the leaders of the other faiths was enjoined.
5 The truthfulness of all heavenly scriptures was declared,
and respect and regard for all heavenly scriptures was
ordained.
6 All kinds of worship of creatures other than the Creator
was strictly prohibited.
7 All man-made distinctions of caste, colour and birth
were eliminated.
8 Compulsory and regular congregational prayers (daily,
weekly, and at other fixed times), with the annual
rehearsal of the Human Brotherhood at Haj, were
prescribed and firmly established.
9 Uniform methods of prayer at fixed times, with the text
of the verbal supplication to be recited, were prescribed
to be strictly followed.
10 Idolatry of every kind was strictly prohibited and
banned.
11 The rights of men and women were prescribed in detail
and were effectively enforced.
12 The minimum amount of regulated charity was made
compulsory.
13 Celibacy was condemned; marriage was encouraged and
wedlock honoured.
14 The ways of a godly life in the world were demonstrated
with practical examples to be followed.
15 Women were honoured; marriage was sanctified;
parental rights were prescribed; widow marriage was
legalised and commended.
16 Unlimited marriages and the institution of concubinage
or having an unlimited number of wives was stopped
and controlled.
17 Polygamy as a curative measure was made strictly
conditional subject to a perfect equality among wives.
18 Women were given equal opportunity for spiritual
elevation along with men.
19 The burial of female babies was stopped. The value of
daughters was made equal to that of sons.
20 Sobriety and temperance were ordained. The use of all
intoxicants was strictly prohibited.
21 Distribution of property was prescribed in detail and
strictly enforced.
22 Places of worship were declared open to all worshippers,
without any monopoly for any individual or community.
23 Nude dances were stopped. Modest dressing was
prescribed.
24 Seeking of knowledge was made compulsory for both
men and women. Scholarship was encouraged and
scholars honoured.
25 Gambling and all games of chance were declared to be
crimes.
26 Adultery was declared to be the most abhorrent and the
most severely punishable crime.
27 Slavery was abolished in the most practical and peaceful
way.
28 The law of 'Maktabah' to help slaves to become
liberated was enforced.
29 Usury was strictly prohibited. Lending without interest
was highly commended.
30 A socialistic pattern of society was established through a
commonwealth called 'Bait-ul-mal'.
31 The accumulation of wealth was controlled through the
Laws of Inheritance and by an annual tax at a prescribed
rate.
32 The hoarding of food grains and other foodstuffs was
declared to be a punishable crime.
33 The just and correct use of weights and measured was
ordered.
34 Cleanliness of body, thought, conduct and character was
mandatory.
35 The varieties of food and drinks, and the limits of eating
and drinking, were controlled.
36 Strictly regulated fisting was prescribed and made
compulsory.
37 The protection and help of travelers was made
obligatory and highly commended.
38 Patronage of orphans and the destitute was declared to
be one of the great virtues.
39 Forced conversion was prohibited.
40 People were given freedom to choose their own faith.
|