Idols or Divine Power?  Is death the end or is there an after life? Ignorance or Knowledge?
     Fourteen hundred years ago, Mohammed pondered these questions. He refused to accept the notion that life ends after death, and doubted   that praying to worthless idols could benefit human kind. His instinctive cravings for spiritual guidance inspired him to seek THE TRUTH about the creation.
     An illiterate man, unable to read or write, Mohammed had a deep respect for learning. Driven by his deep faith, intelligence, and wisdom he set out to explore his convictions, and investigate to learn the truth: What is our purpose on earth? What natural laws govern the earth? Worshiping in solitude in the cave at Mount Hira afforded him the opportunity to contemplate, inquire, and question the creation. He concluded that there must be an all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful superior being who created life!
    Deserving of Allah's enlightenment and chosen to bring His Message to mankind, Mohammed was blessed with the revelation bestowed upon him through the Angel Gabriel. "Read!  Read in the Name of thy Lord…"
Mohammed had finally received the divine truth necessary to guide humanity; that God alone is the creator of Heaven and earth and that all men would be held accountable for their deeds on earth.  The good news is Allah chose Mohammed, a good, truthful man as his prophet and messenger to teach the people to live righteously through his example, to be Muslims, understand what Islam is and how we can best worship and serve Him. Rasullulah has said: "The search for knowledge is a duty for every Muslim, male and female."
    Already awarded the title Al-Amin (the Trustworthy) for his noble character and moral conduct, and loved and respected by everyone in the society, members of his household and his companions believed in Him and accepted His advice. His message appealed to their logic and reasoning. The majority of the people, however, rejected his life-saving message, refused to submit their hearts and minds to Allah and chose to remain ignorant of the new knowledge. Despite the challenges he faced, the Prophet continued to deliver his message: that to be guided and protected by Allah, every Muslim needs to study the teachings of the Quran and the Sunnah. Rasullulah reminded his followers: "I am leaving you with two things: the Quran and my Sunnah: Whoever holds tight to them will never go astray."

(Transmitted by Al-Tirmidhi)

     Today, Muslims all over the world recognize Islam as a faith based on knowledge and are comforted by the practical reasonable solutions it offers to existing questions. Every Muslim