“Windows To Spirituality”
Islamophobia Islamophobia is the fear of, hatred of, or prejudice against the religion of Islam or Muslims in general, especially when seen as a geopolitical force or a source of terrorism. The scope and precise definition of the term Islamophobia, including the relevance of race, is the subject of debate. Some scholars consider it to be a form of xenophobia or racism,...
Animals In Islam This article covers the treatment of animals in Islam. According to Islam, animals are conscious of God. According to the Quran, they praise Him, even if this praise is not expressed in human language. Baiting animals for entertainment or gambling is prohibited. It is forbidden to kill any animal except for food or to prevent it...
Capital Punishment In Islam Capital punishment in Islam was traditionally regulated by Sharia, the religious law in Islam that comes from the Hadith that lists the sayings and practices of Muhammad. Crimes according to the Sharia laws which could result in capital punishment include murder, rape, adultery, homosexuality, etc. Capital punishment is in use in many Muslim-majority countries, where...
Education In Islam Education in Islam has played a central role since the beginnings of the religion, owing in part to the centrality of scripture and its study in the Islamic tradition. Before the modern era, education would begin at a young age with study of Arabic and the Quran. For the...
Islamic Architecture Islamic architecture comprises the architectural styles of buildings associated with Islam. It encompasses both secular and religious styles from the early history of Islam to the present day. The Islamic world encompasses a wide geographic area historically ranging from western Africa and Europe to eastern Asia. Certain commonalities are shared by Islamic architectural styles across all these...
Islamic Art Islamic art is a part of Islamic culture and encompasses the visual arts produced since the 7th century CE by people who lived within territories inhabited or ruled by Muslim populations. Referring to characteristic traditions across a wide range of lands, periods, and genres, Islamic art is a concept used first by Western art historians since the...
Good And Evil In Islam This article covers the relationship between good and evil in Islam. The relationship between good and evil has always intrigued people, and it is one of the central principles upon which religious doctrine and belief systems are built. Religion plays a central role in shedding...
Common Ground Between Islam And Christianity For many, Islam and Christianity have little in common. More than a few Christians misperceive Islam as a religion of the sword and of oppression, while many Muslims see Christianity as permissive and rampant with sin. Yet, much of this misperception arises from the...
The Perfect Names And Attributes Of Allah This article covers an explanation of the perfect Names and Attributes of Allah. “He is Allah, the Creator, the Originator, The Fashioner, to Him belong the most beautiful names: whatever is in the heavens and on earth, do declare His praises and glory....
Alawites The Alawis, Alawites (علوية, Alawīyah), or Nusayris (نصيرية, Nuṣayrīyah) are an ethnoreligious group primarily in the Levant which originated from Shia Islam. The Alawites revere Ali (Ali ibn Abi Talib), considered the first Imam of the Twelver school. The group is believed to have been founded by Ibn Nusayr during the 9th century. Ibn Nusayr...
Sunni View Of Ali This article covers the Sunni view of Ali. Sunni Muslims hold Ali ibn Abi Talib in high respect as one of the Ahl al-Bayt, a foremost authority on the Qur’an and Islamic law, and as one of the four Rightly Guided Caliphs. Sunnis consider Ali the fourth and final...
Arba’een Pilgrimage The Arba’een Pilgrimage, or the Arba’een Walk or Karbala Walk, is the world’s largest annual public gathering. It is held at Karbala, Iraq at the end of the 40-day mourning period following Ashura, the religious ritual for the commemoration of martyrdom of the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the third Shia Muslim Imam, Husayn ibn Ali‘s in 61 AH...
Mourning Of Muharram The Mourning of Muharram (also known as Azadari, Remembrance of Muharram, or Muharram Observances) is a set of commemoration rituals observed primarily by Shia people. The commemoration falls in Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. Many of the events associated with the ritual take place in congregation halls known as Hussainia or Imambargah. The event marks...
Shia Days Of Remembrance The following page lists various days of Shia days of remembrance, celebration, and mourning. Twelvers The following is a list of days of celebration, mourning, and remembrance as observed by Twelver Shia Muslims: List of celebration, mourning, and remembrance as observed by Twelver Shi’a Muslims Date Type Event...
Hadith al-Thaqalayn The Hadith al-Thaqalayn (حديث الثقلين, l‘ saying of the two treasures’) refers to a hadith (‘saying’) attributed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad that introduces the Quran and his progeny as the only sources of divine guidance after his death. Widely reported by both Shia and Sunni authorities, the Hadith al-Thaqalayn is of particular significance for the Twelver Shia, where...
Battle Of Karbala The Battle of Karbala (مَعْرَكَة كَرْبَلَاء) was fought on 10 October 680 (10 Muharram in the year 61 AH of the Islamic calendar) between the army of the second Umayyad Caliph Yazid I and a small army led by Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, at Karbala, modern day Iraq. Prior to his death, the Umayyad...
Verse Of Purification The Verse of Purification (آية التطهير) refers to verse 33:33 of the Quran about the status of purity of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘people of the house’). The last passage of this verse reads: God only desires (innama yuridu llahu) to remove defilement (rijs) from you, O Ahl al-Bayt, and to purify...
Husayn ibn Ali Husayn ibn Ali or Abū ʿAbd Allāh al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (أبو عبد الله الحسين بن علي بن أبي طالب, 10 January 626 – 10 October 680), also known as Husayn ibn Ali or Imam Husayn, was a grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a son of Ali ibn Abi...
Hasan ibn Ali Hasan ibn Ali (حسن ابن علي, Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī; c. 625 – 2 April 670) was a prominent early Islamic figure. He was the eldest son of Ali and Fatima and a grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He briefly ruled as caliph from January 661 until August 661. He is considered the second Shia Imam, succeeding Ali and...
Attack On Fatima’s House The attack on Fatima’s house refers to a disputed violent attack on the house of Fatima, daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The attack reportedly took place shortly after Muhammad’s death in 11 AH (632 CE) and was instigated by Muhammad’s successor Abu Bakr and led by Umar, an aide to Abu Bakr. The...
