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.