ISLAM FOR CHILDREN

Dear Children::

Now a days there is so much talk about Islam that everyone wants to know what is this thing called Islam? Well……I will be brief and try to explain everything to you as far as I can. The word “ISLAM” means peace. This is one of the meaning. The other, and more deeper, meaning is to submit yourself to the wishes of God who is our creator and the creator of everything in the heavens and on earth. As you know everything we use, like our tooth paste and tooth brush; our toys with which we play; our tricycle that we ride; the cars, trains and planes that we ride in, has been made by some manufacturer. There has to be some maker for everything without whom nothing can be made. In the same way------the heavens and earth; the sun, moon and stars and we ourselves------the human beings have been made by somebody. That somebody is accepted by different names in different areas of this planet. The Brahmans of India call that maker Bhagwan; the Jews call Him Yahwah or Jehowah; the Christians call him God and the Muslims call Him Allah..

This maker has always existed. In His Mind He decided to create the Galaxies, Sun, Moon, Stars and Planets and our own planet the Earth. When everything was created He decided to create Man. The first Man was called Adam. And Adam was called a Prophet. A Prophet is someone who is in better contact with the Creator and knows the Creator’s aims and purposes better than ordinary people who are too busy with daily life and have no time for such thinking.

So Adam, by virtue of his direct contact with the Creator became the first Prophet. He was followed by several hundreds or thousands of prophets many of whom are not even remembered and mentioned now a days. However, some Prophets were great because they had better access to the Almighty Creator. They even got Codes or Laws from the Creator to pass on to us ordinary human beings. Some of the great Prophets are Abraham,Noah,Moses, David, Solomon, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Ishmael, Jesus and Mohammed. Even Lord Buddah was one of the great Prophets. Many of these prophets were given the Holy Books, like Abraham was given the Vedas, David was given the Psalms; Moses was given the Torah; Jesus was given the Gospels and Mohammad was given the Quran. All these Holy Books contain the DO’s AND DON’T’s for our guidance. Those who follow Abraham’s books are called Brahmans. They do not follow other books. The Jews only follow the Torah; the Christians follow the Torah and the Gospels, collectively known as the Holy Bible. The Muslims or the Islamic peoples follow all the Books including their own, that is, the Quran. As you know in every religion there are good guys and bad guys. Like Hitler was a bad guy among the Christians. There are bad guys in Israel who kill the Palestinians. And there are bad guys among Muslims like Osama bin Laden. They are bad only because they do not follow their Holy Books. So, while you grow up you should try to read all the books of all the religions and follow what is good in every religion. And you will not be a bad boy or girl.

May Bhagwan, Jehowah, God and/or Allah be with you.