What is Islam's relation with Judaism and Christianity?
Both Jews and Christians hold a special status within Islam because of the Muslim belief that God revealed His will through His prophets, including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus (Peace be upon them).
Say, we believe in God, and in what has been revealed to us, and in what has been sent down to Abraham and Ismail and Isaac and Jacob and their offspring, and what has been revealed to Moses and Jesus and to all the prophets of our Lord. We make no distinction between them and we submit to Him and obey. (Holy Quran 3:84)
The Holy Quran and Islam regard Jews and Christians as children of Abraham and refer to them as "People of the Book", since all three monotheistic faiths descend from the same patriarch, Abraham. Muslims believe that God sent his revelation (Torah) first to the Jews through the prophet Moses and then to Christians through the prophet Jesus.
Relations between Muslims and Christians and Jews from the time of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) till today have been marked by conflict as well as co-existence, leading many to ask: Haven't Jews and Christians always were enemies of Islam?
The relationship of Jews and Christians to Islam, like the relationship of Christianity to Judaism, is long and complex, conditioned by historical and political realities as well as religious doctrine. Jewish and Christian tribes lived inArabia at the time of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). Jews and Christians were members or citizens of the early Muslim community at Madinah.
Taken From:
http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/Opinion.asp?ArticleID=95221Fazlur Rahman Ebrahim
Islamic banking, takaful on fast lane
THE Islamic banking and takaful business in Malaysia will account for 20% of the total banking and insurance market by 2005, five years earlier than targeted by the government, Bank Mualamat Malaysia Bhd president and chief executive officer Fazlur Rahman Ebrahim said.
Islamic banking and takaful already accounted for 10% of total banking currently, from 6% in 2001, he said, adding that the introduction of more innovative Islamic products and services would continue to drive its growth. Fazlur told a press briefing yesterday inKuala Lumpur on the coming “Islamic Banking & Takaful Week Expo 2003” (IBTW) that there was great acceptance of Islamic banking throughout the world, and tremendous opportunities for Malaysia to grow the market so long as its Islamic products were competitively priced.
On the IBTW, to be held from Sept 26 to Oct 2 at the Putra World Trade Centre, Fazlur said it was expected to enhance the level of public awareness and knowledge of the Islamic financial services industry and eventually increase Islamic banking and takaful transactions.
A two-day regional congress on Islamic banking and finance would also be held in conjunction with the expo. The sessions for the congress to be held on Sept 30 and Oct 1 include the experience in Islamic banking implementation; The potential and challenges in the implementation of Islamic banking; Regional cooperation in Islamic banking; Development of takaful in the region; and Islamic banking and takaful in the region: the way forward.
Taken From:
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2003/8/15/business/6061534&sec=businessIslamic Capitals and Cities body issues new publications
Makkah,
The Organization of Islamic Capitals and Cities (OICC) has published a number of new books on construction, the environment, and heritage, among them: Book on Housing in the Islamic City, Book of Cleanliness in Protecting the Environment, Book on New Basis and Methods of Street Naming and Numbering, Book on the Basis of Architecture and Urban Planning in Islamic Eras, Book on the Algorithm of the Forgotten Civilization, Book on Bukhari, Book on Islam Methodology in Urban Planning. All thee books are in Arabic as well as English. Other books include those on municipal administration, road safety. The OICC has also published a CD containing a database of geographical facts, sustainable environment, and a CD on the classification of Islamic heritage cities and landmarks.
Taken From:
http://www.islamicnews.org/english/en_daily.html