First of all, there is only One God who created the Universe and all of mankind. Throughout history, people have created false gods in their minds and come up with false ideas about Almighty God, but regardless of this there is still only One True God – and He alone is worthy of worship. Unfortunately, some non-Muslims have come to incorrectly believe that Muslims worship a different God than Jews and Christians. This might be due to the fact that Muslims sometimes refer to God as “Allah”, but also because over the centuries there have been many lies and distortions spread by the enemies of Islam. In actuality, Muslims worship the God of Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus — the same God as Christians and Jews. The word “Allah” is simply the Arabic word for Almighty God and it is the same word that Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews use to refer to God. If you pick up an Arabic translation of the Christian Bible, you will see the word “Allah” where “God” is used in English. For more information on the word “Allah”, please read: Who is Allah? But even though Muslims, Jews, and Christians believe in the same God, their concepts about Him differ quite a bit. For example, Muslims reject the idea of the Trinity or that God has become “incarnate” in the world. Also, the teachings of Islam do not rely on or appeal to “mystery” or “paradox” — they are straightforward and clear. Islam teaches that God is Merciful, Loving, and Compassionate and that He has no need to become man (nor do humans need for Him to). One of the unique aspects of Islam is that it teaches that man can have a personal and fulfilling relationship with Almighty God without compromising the transcendence of God. In Islam there is no ambiguity in Divinity — God is God and man is man. Muslims believe that God is the “Most Merciful”, and that he deals directly with human-beings without the need of any intermediary. Actually, the phrase “In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful” is one of the most repeated verses in the Holy Qur’an. Additionally, the pure and straightforward teachings of Islam demand that Almighty God be approached directly and without intermediaries. This is because Muslims believe that God is completely in control of everything and that He can bestow His Grace and Mercy on His creatures as He pleases – no Atonement, Incarnation or blood sacrifice is necessary. In summary, Islam calls people to submit to the One True God and to worship Him alone.
TAG: Islam
30 Facts About Islam
1) “Islam” means “peace through the submission to God”.
2) “Muslim” means “anyone or anything that submits itself to the will of God”.
3) Islam is not a cult. Its followers number over 1.5 billion worldwide. Along with Judaism and Christianity, it is considered to be one of the three Abrahamic traditions.
4) There are five pillars of practice in Islam. These practices must be undertaken with the best of effort in order to be considered a true Muslim: A) Shahadah – declaration of faith in the oneness of God and that Muhammad is the last prophet of God. B) Formal prayer five times a day. C) Fasting during the daylight hours in the month of Ramadan. D) Poor-due “tax” – 2.5% of one’s savings given to the needy at the end of each year. E) Pilgrimage to Mecca at least once, if physically and financially able.
5) There are six articles of faith in Islam. These are the basic beliefs that one must have in order to be considered a true Muslim. They believe in A) the One God. B) all the prophets of God. C) the original scriptures revealed to Prophets Moses, David, Jesus, and Muhammad. D) the angels. E) the Day of Judgment and the Hereafter. F) the divine decree (or destiny).
6) Islam is a complete way of life that governs all facets of life: moral, spiritual, social, political, economic, intellectual, etc.
7) Islam is one of the fastest-growing religions in the world. To become Muslim, a person of any race or culture must say a simple statement, the shahadah, that bears witness to the belief in the One God and that Prophet Muhammad was the last prophet of God.
8) “Allah” is an Arabic word that means “God”. Muslims also believe that “Allah” is the personal name of God.
9) Allah is not the God of Muslims only. He is the God of all people and all creation. Just because people refer to God using different terms does not mean that they are different gods. Spanish people refer to God as “Dios” and French people refer to God as “Dieu”, yet they are all the same God. Interestingly, most Arab Jews and Arab Christians refer to God as “Allah”. And the word Allah in Arabic appears on the walls of many Arab churches.
10) The Islamic concept of God is that He is loving, merciful, and compassionate. But Islam also teaches that He is just and swift in punishment. Nevertheless, Allah once said to Prophet Muhammad, “My mercy prevails over my wrath.” Islam teaches a balance between fear and hope, protecting one from both complacency and despair.
11) Muslims believe that God has revealed 99 of His names (or attributes) in the Holy Qur’an. It is through these names that one can come to know the Creator. A few of these names are the All-Merciful, the All-Knower, the Protector, the Provider, the Near, the First, the Last, the Hidden, and the Source of Peace.
12) Muslims believe in and acknowledge all the prophets of old, from Adam to Jesus. Muslims believe that they brought the message of peace and submission (Islam) to different peoples at different times. Muslims also believe that these prophets were “Muslims” because they submitted their wills to God.
13) Muslims neither worship Muhammad nor pray through him. Muslims solely worship the unseen and Omniscient Creator, Allah.
14) Muslims accept the original unaltered Torah (the Gospel of Moses) and the original Bible (the Gospel of Jesus) since they were revealed by God. However, none of those original scriptures are in existence today, in their entirety. Therefore, Muslims follow the subsequent, final, and preserved revelation of God, the Holy Qur’an.
15) The Holy Qur’an was not authored by Muhammad. It was authored by God, revealed to Muhammad, and written into physical form by his companions.
16) The Holy Qur’an has no flaws or contradictions. The original Arabic scriptures have never been changed or tampered with.
17) Actual seventh-century Qur’ans, complete and intact, are on display in museums in Turkey and many other places around the world.
18) If all Qur’ans in the world today were burned and destroyed, the original Arabic would still remain. This is because millions of Muslims, called Hafiz (or “preservers”) have memorized the text letter for letter from beginning to end, every word and syllable. Also, chapters from the Qur’an are precisely recited from memory by every Muslim in each of the five daily prayers.
19) Muslims do not believe in the concept of “vicarious atonement” but rather believe in the law of personal responsibility. Islam teaches that each person is responsible for his or her own actions. On the Day of Judgment Muslims believe that every person will be resurrected and will have to answer to God for their every word, thought, and deed. Consequently, a practicing Muslim is always striving to be righteous.
20) Islam was not spread by the sword. It was spread by the word (Islamic teachings) and the example of its followers. Islam teaches that there is no compulsion in religion (the Holy Qur’an 2:256 and 10:99).
21) Terrorism, unjustified violence, and the killing of innocent people are absolutely forbidden in Islam. Islam is a way of life that is meant to bring peace to a society, whether its people are Muslim or not. The extreme actions of those who claim to be Muslim may be, among other things, a result of their ignorance or uncontrolled anger. Tyrant rulers and those who commit acts of terrorism in the name of Islam are simply not following Islam. These people are individuals with their own views and political agendas. Fanatical Muslims are no more representative of the true Islamic teachings than Timothy McVeigh or David Koresh are of Christianity. Extremism and fanaticism is a problem that is common to all religious groups. Anyone who thinks that all Muslims are terrorists should remember that the famous boxer Muhammad Ali, perhaps the most celebrated person of our era, is a practicing Muslim.
22) The word “jihad” does not mean “holy war”. Instead, it means the inner struggle that one endures in trying to submit their will to the will of God. Some Muslims may say they are going for “jihad” when fighting in a war to defend themselves or their fellow Muslims, but they only say this because they are conceding that it will be a tremendous struggle. But there are many other forms of jihad that are more relevant to the everyday life of a Muslim such as the struggles against laziness, arrogance, stinginess, or the struggle against a tyrant ruler or against the temptation of Satan, or against one’s own ego, etc.
23) Women are not oppressed in Islam. Any Muslim man that oppresses a woman is not following Islam. Among the many teachings of Prophet Muhammad that protected the rights and dignity of women is his saying, “…the best among you are those who treat their wives well.” (Tirmidhi)
24) Islam grants women numerous rights in the home and in society. Among them are the right to earn money, financial support, an education, an inheritance, to be treated kindly, to vote, to a dowry, to keep their maiden name, to worship in a mosque, etc., etc.
25) Muslim women wear the head-covering (hijab) in fulfillment of God’s decree to dress modestly. From a practical standpoint, it serves to identify one as attempting to follow God in daily life and, therefore, protects women from unwanted advances from men. This type of modest dress has been worn by righteous women throughout history. Prominent examples are traditional Catholic Nuns, Mother Teresa, and the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus.
26) Arranged marriages are allowed in Islam but are not required. Whereas “forced” marriages, usually stemming from cultural practice, are forbidden. Divorce is permissible, however, reconciliation is what is most encouraged. But if there are irreconcilable differences then Islam permits a fair and just divorce.
27) Islam and the “Nation of Islam” are two different religions. Islam is a religion for all races and enjoins the worship of the one unseen God who, orthodox Muslims believe, never took human form. The “Nation”, on the other hand, is a movement geared towards non-whites and teaches that God appeared in the form of Fard Muhammad in 1930 and that Elijah Muhammad (a man who died in 1975) was a prophet of God. These beliefs clearly contradict the basic Islamic theology outlined in the Qur’an. The followers of “the Nation” adhere to some Islamic principles that are mixed with many other teachings that are alien to Islam. To better understand the difference between the two, read about Malcolm X, his pilgrimage to Mecca, and his subsequent comments to the media. Islam teaches equality amongst all races (Holy Qur’an 49:13).
28) All Muslims are not Arab. Islam is a universal religion and way of life which includes followers from all races of people. There are Muslims in and from virtually every country in the world. Arabs only constitute about 20% of Muslims worldwide. Indonesia has the largest concentration of Muslims with over 120 million.
29) In the five daily prayers, Muslims face the Kaaba in Mecca, Arabia. It is a cube-shaped stone structure that was originally built by Prophet Adam and later rebuilt by Prophet Abraham. Muslims believe that the Kaaba was the first house of worship on Earth dedicated to the worship of one god. Muslims do not worship the Kaaba. It serves as a central focal point for Muslims around the world, unifying them in worship and symbolizing their common belief, spiritual focus, and direction. Interestingly, the inside of the Kaaba is empty.
30) The hajj is a simultaneous pilgrimage to the Kaaba made by millions of Muslims each year. It is performed to commemorate the struggles of Abraham, Ismail, and Hagar in submitting their wills to God.
The Importance Of Halal In Islam
Allah (SWT) says in Qur’an: “O you who believe! Eat of the lawful things that we have provided you with, and be grateful to Allah (SWT) If it is He whom you worship” (S2,v172)
“O Messengers! Eat of the Tayiyyibat (Halal foods) which Allah has made lawful (meat of eatable animals, milk products, fats, vegetables, fruits, etc.) and do righteous deeds” (S23,v51)
In both the ayats Allah (SWT) orders the Messengers and all Muslims to abstain from eating Haram food, in the same way, Halal food and pure things are emphasized for consumption while showing thanks (shukr) for this blessing. By eating Haram food bad characteristics are borne in an individual, the desire to perform good deeds disappears and du’aas are not accepted. By eating Halal food, nur (spiritual light) is created. This results in good characteristics and an attraction to do good deeds. A person starts to hate evil deeds. His du’aas are accepted.
- Abu Hurairah (RA) states: ‘For one of you to fill his mouth with the dirt of the earth is better for you than to put a morsel of Haram food in your mouth.’ (Al Kabair, Ahmed)
- Ibn Ka’b bin Ujra (ra) states that Rasulullah (saw) said: ‘That body will not enter Jannah which was nurtured by Haram substances.’ (Tirmidhi)
- Abu Hurairah (RA) states that Rasulullah (SAW) said: ‘A time will come upon the people that they will not care for that which is being taken/earned if it is from Halal or Haram sources.’ (Bukhari)
- Ibn Umar (RA) states that Rasulullah () ) said: ’Four characteristics are such that, if they are within a person, they are enough for him, (1) the care of trust in your possession, (2) to speak the truth, (3) good characteristics, (4) to care for Halal and Haram in eating and drinking. ‘ (Al Targib wal Tarhib)
Many people are such that in matters of eating and drinking they do not think about whether there is a Haram ingredient in the food, or whether the meat has been slaughtered according to Shari’ah or not, i.e. Halal. There are also people who take care of the food being Halal but do not care about the income they use to buy the food. Whether it is Haram or not, in both instances, it is not permissible and the food will be regarded as Haram. Some individuals open bank accounts to use the interest to assist the poor, but after a while, they forget the needy and use the interest for personal gain and enjoyment.
A trustworthy trader’s status in Islam
- Abu Said Al Khudri (ra) states that Rasulullah (SAW) said: ‘The merchant/trader who is completely honest & truthful in his trade will be with the Prophets, the Truthful and Martyrs on the Day of Qiyamah.’ (Tirmidhi)
- Ibn Masood (RA) states that Rasulullah (SAW) said: ‘The worry and striving to earn Halal is Compulsory (Fardh) after the major Fardh acts (salaat, saum, etc.) (Baihaqi)
- Umar (RA) said: ‘Do not give up earning from Halal sources, and do not say that Allah (SWT) provides an earning, for Allah (SWT) does not send gold and silver from the skies, he has the ability to do that, but Allah (SWT) has the habit of using different means to sustain his creation.’(Aksir hidayat)
- Abdullah bin Mubarak (rah) said: ‘ I prefer to return one dirham (silver coin) due to suspicion more than giving 100,000 dirhams in Sadaqah.’ (Al Kabair)
My dearest friends! Everyone has to die and will be placed in their own grave. We should be ashamed that we say ‘The time is such that we can’t differentiate between Halal/Haram’. May Allah (SWT) save us from that. Eating Haram food will cause immodesty, shamelessness, and disregard for the laws of Allah (SWT). If children are nurtured with Haram food, they will be rebellious and have the worst of characteristics. It is plainly evident that from purity comes good and from dirt comes evil.
My Brothers and Sisters! Let us think about whether our earnings are Halal or Haram, and let us ensure that we eat only Halal food. May Allah (SWT) grant us the means to live according to His orders and attain His pleasure. Aameen.
Mufti Yusuf Danka
How To Present A True Picture Of Islam?
Muslims going to America and Europe are faced with a flood of questions about Islam. People have many ways of asking these questions and different motivations for doing so, but their questions are essentially as follows:
Why does Islam permit polygamy?
Why is a woman counted as half a man in matters of inheritance and when she gives testimony?
Why does Islam “belittle” women?
Is Islam a religion of terror since it prescribes jihad
Questions like these are what occupies their minds when they think about Islam since the Western media has actively maligned Islam as a religion of lust and blood and nothing else. When our Muslim youth go to Western countries, they often find such questions awkward and try to evade them.
In many cases, Muslims will come across a strange opinion on a matter and promote it simply because it is more conciliatory.
Many Muslims who did not have correct or sufficient Islamic knowledge suffered from such difficulties. They really did not know what to do. I used to tell them the following: Why should we be on the defensive? Why don’t we adopt a more assertive attitude? If they confront us with one question, we should respond with 10 of our own.
If they ask you about polygamy, ask them about the sexual promiscuity that is rife in their societies that has brought humiliation to so many women and allowed men to absolve themselves of their responsibilities towards them and towards their children.
If they ask you about inequalities in inheritance, ask them about the reality in their own country where a woman earns only 60% of what a man earns for doing the exact same job.
I do not mean that we should be evasive.
However, it is not good for you to respond when you are in a state of weakness and difficulty where there is a danger that you might answer wrongly and misrepresent Allah’s religion in order to appease someone else.
You can move on to a more advanced level of discourse and demonstrate that Islamic teachings are the solution to the problems that they are suffering from.
For instance, according to some assessments, there are 119 women for every 100 men in the United States. In some states, the number is more like 160 women for every 100 men. Polygamy is the solution to the problems that ensue under such circumstances since it requires some men to assume responsibility for more than one woman and to be as just as humanly possible in doing so.
We can stress how Islam treats all people equally.
There is no preference for anyone over anyone else except for a person’s piety and virtue. This is the way to do away with the problem of racism that people in the West suffer from.
The Islamic teachings about jihad are what uproot oppression and guarantee people the freedom to think and to choose their religion for themselves without being under any compulsion. Islam seeks to have people freely submit themselves to their Creator and not be placed under the subjugation of any worldly dictator, race, tribe, or nationality. We don’t need to fancy that the whole world will convert to Islam at our hands.
However, we must be eager to guide them and we must seek to do so in every possible and permissible way. We should perfect our way of presenting Islam to them, taking into account the age, circumstances, and level of knowledge of those whom we are addressing.
We must present to them the noble Islamic values of freedom, justice, and human dignity and prove to them that Islam is superior to everything that they already know.
Above and beyond all of this, we must conduct ourselves in the best ethical manner and present our own lives as a practical example of moral virtue.
Unfortunately, many Muslims call people to Islam with their tongues while pushing them away from it with their ignoble, contradictory conduct and with their narrow-mindedness.
Does Islam Tolerate Other Beliefs?
Does Islam tolerate other beliefs?
The Qur’an says: God forbids you not, with regards to those who fight you not for [your] faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them; for God loveth those who are just. [Qur’an, 60:8]
It is one function of Islamic law to protect the privileged status of minorities, and this is why non-Muslim places of worship have flourished all over the Islamic world. History provides many examples of Muslim tolerance toward other faiths: when the caliph Omar entered Jerusalem in the year 634, Islam granted freedom of worship to all religious communities in the city.
Islamic law also permits non-Muslim minorities to set up their own courts, which implement family laws drawn up by the minorities themselves.
What do Muslims think about Jesus?
Muslims respect and revere Jesus [PBUH], and await his Second Coming. They consider him one of the greatest of God’s messengers to mankind. A Muslim never refers to him simply as ‘Jesus’, but always adds the phrase ‘upon him be peace’. The Qur’an confirms his virgin birth [a chapter of the Qur’an is entitled ‘Mary’], and Mary is considered the purest woman in all creation. The Qur’an describes the Annunciation as follows:
‘Behold!’ the Angel said, ‘God has chosen you, and purified you, and chosen you above the women of all nations. O Mary, God gives you good news of a word from Him, whose name shall be the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, honored in this world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near to God. He shall speak to the people from his cradle and in maturity, and shall be of the righteous.’ She said: ‘O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me?’ He said: ‘Even so; God creates what He will. When He decrees a thing, He says to it, “Be!” and it is.’ [Qur’an, 3:42-47]
Jesus [PBUH] was born miraculously through the same power which had brought Adam [PBUH] into being without a father: Truly, the likeness of Jesus with God is the likeness of Adam. He created him of dust, and then said to him, ‘Be!’ and he was. [Qur’an 3:59]
During his prophetic mission, Jesus [PBUH] performed many miracles. The Qur’an tells us that he said: I have come to you with a sign from your Lord: I make for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it and it becomes a bird by God’s leave. And I heal the blind, and the lepers, and I raise the dead by God’s leave. [3:49]
Neither Muhammad [PBUH] nor Jesus [PBUH] came to change the basic doctrine of the belief in One God, brought by earlier prophets, but to confirm and renew it. In the Qur’an Jesus [PBUH] is reported as saying that he came: To attest the law which was before me. And to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden you; I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear God and obey Me. [3:50]
The Prophet Muhammad [PBUH] said: Whoever believes there is no god but God, alone without partner, that Muhammad is His messenger, that Jesus is the servant and messenger of God, His word breathed into Mary and a spirit emanating from Him, and that Paradise and Hell are true, shall be received by God into Heaven. [Hadith from Bukhari].
Who Is Muhammad And How Did He Become A prophet And Messenger Of God
Who is Muhammad?
Muhammad [PBUH] was born in Makkah in the year 570, at a time when Christianity was not yet fully established in Europe. Since his father died before his birth, and his mother shortly afterwards, he was raised by his uncle from the respected tribe of Quraysh. As he grew up, he became known for his truthfulness, generosity, and sincerity, so he was sought after for his ability to arbitrate in disputes. The historians describe him as calm and meditative. Muhammad [peace be upon him] was of a deeply religious nature and had long detested the decadence of his society. It became his habit to meditate from time to time in the Cave of Hira near the summit of Jabal al-Nur, the ‘Mountain of Light’ near Makkah.
How did he become a prophet and messenger of God?
At the age of 40, while engaged in a meditative retreat, Muhammad [pbuh] received his first revelation from God through the Angel Gabriel. This revelation continued for twenty-three years and is known as the Qur’an. As soon as he began to recite the words he heard from Gabriel, and to preach the truth which God had revealed to him, he and his small group of followers suffered bitter persecutions, which grew so fierce that in the year 622 God gave them the command to emigrate. This event, the Hijra, ‘migration’, in which they left Makkah for the city of Madinah some 260 miles to the north, marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar.
After several years, the Prophet [peace be upon him] and his followers were able to return to Makkah, where they forgave their enemies and established Islam definitively. Before the Prophet [pbuh] died at the age of 63, the more significant part of Arabia was Muslim, and within a century of his death, Islam had spread to Spain in the west and as far east as China.
What is the Ka’aba?
The Ka’aba is the place of worship that God commanded Abraham and Ishmael to build over four thousand years ago. The building was constructed of stone on what many believe was the original site of a sanctuary established by Adam. God commanded Abraham to summon all mankind to visit this place, and when pilgrims go there today they say ‘At thy service, O Lord’, in response to Abraham’s summons.
How did the spread of Islam affect the world?
Among the reasons for the rapid and peaceful spread of Islam was the simplicity of its doctrine — Islam calls for faith in only One God worthy of worship. It also repeatedly instructs man to use his powers of intelligence and observation. Within a few years, great civilizations and universities were flourishing, for according to the Prophet [pbuh], ‘seeking knowledge is an obligation for every Muslim man and woman’. The synthesis of Eastern and Western ideas and of new thought with old brought about great advances in medicine, mathematics, physics, astronomy, geography, architecture, art, literature, and history. Many crucial systems such as algebra, the Arabic numerals, and also the concept of the zero [vital to the advancement of mathematics], were transmitted to medieval Europe from Islam. Sophisticated instruments which were to make possible the European voyages of discovery were developed, including the astrolabe, the quadrant, and good navigational maps.
What Is Islam And Who Are The Muslims
What is Islam?
Islam is not a new religion, but the same truth that God revealed through all His prophets to every people. For a fifth of the world’s population, Islam is both a religion and a complete way of life. Muslims follow a religion of peace, mercy, and forgiveness, and the majority have nothing to do with the extremely grave events which have come to be associated with their faith.
Who are the Muslims?
Over one billion people from a vast range of races, nationalities, and cultures across the globe — from the southern Philippines to Nigeria — are united by their common Islamic faith. About 18% live in the Arab world; the world’s largest Muslim community is in Indonesia; substantial parts of Asia and most of Africa are Muslims, while significant minorities are to be found in the Soviet Union, China, North and South America, and Europe.
What do Muslims believe?
Muslims believe in One, Unique, Incomparable God; in the Angels created by Him; in the prophets through whom His revelations were brought to mankind; in the Day of Judgment and individual accountability for actions; in God’s complete authority over human destiny and in life after death. Muslims believe in a chain of prophets starting with Adam and including Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Elias, Jonah, John the Baptist, and Jesus, peace be upon them. But God’s final message to man, a reconfirmation of the eternal message and a summing-up of all that has gone before was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad [peace be upon him] through Gabriel.
How does someone become a Muslim?
Simply by saying, ‘There is no god apart from God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God.’ By this declaration the believer announces his or her faith in all God’s messengers, and the scriptures they brought.
What does ‘Islam’ mean?
The Arabic word ‘Islam’ simply means ‘submission’, and derives from a word meaning ‘peace’. In a religious context, it means complete submission to the will of God. ‘Mohammedanism’ is thus a misnomer because it suggests that Muslims worship Muhammad [peace be upon him] rather than God. ‘Allah’ is the Arabic name for God, which is used by Arab Muslims and Christians alike.
Do Islam and Christianity have different origins?
No. Together with Judaism, they go back to the prophet and patriarch Abraham, and their three prophets are directly descended from his sons — Muhammad [peace be upon him] from the eldest, Ishmael, and Moses and Jesus [peace be upon him] from Isaac. Abraham established the settlement that today is the city of Makkah, and built the Ka’aba towards which all Muslims turn when they pray.
Have You Entered Into Islam Whole Heartedly Or Just Pick And Choose?
When you visit a mall you pick up those goods that offer you a lucrative offer. BUY THREE AND TAKE ONE FREE ‘ or 50% Discount …. Something similar has been happening to Muslims too. We have started considering Islam as a supermarket, thinking of plenty of options even in obligatory things.
Ask a HAJI, “ How many Hajj have you performed?”
“ Five “ because there is a Hadith which says that if my Hajj is accepted all my past sins are forgiven” “And Umrah?
‘Oh every Ramadan, because whoever performs an Umrah in Ramadhan has performed Hajj with the Prophet (PBUH).
Mashallah ! then you must be praying all your Fardh Salaah in the congregation right?
Yes of course! If I pray in the congregation I get the reward of praying 27 times!
Excuse me err… Have you given your sister her rightful share of your father’s wealth?
No! Oh because maybe there is no such discount offer or other gift scheme associated with it…
Ask a sister “ Do you wear a hijab? “
“Yes, Alhamdolillah! I wear it everywhere, in college and weddings, in family gatherings…”
“But do you observe hijab with your male cousins?”
“No…I do whatever I find easy!”
This is Pick and Choose. We conveniently cling to those deeds which offer supermarket type of discounts and free gifts.
This is what the Bani Israel did with their shariah. Pick and Choose. That’s what Allah reminds us of with their example. They were not allowed to kill amongst themselves, nor were they allowed to drive each other from their homes. But they did it regularly. On the contrary, they picked and choose another easy option. They freed the captives knowing that it had a great reward.
So Allah puts up a question to such people: Do you believe in only a part of the book and reject the rest?
Then He answers it with an interrogative question: Then what is the reward for those among you who behave like this but disgrace in this life …..( Surah al Baqarah verse 85)
The Arabic word here is KHIZYOON. It means a public humiliation. And that is what we Muslims are undergoing these days. Public humiliation. If a Muslim has boarded a flight in the US the pilot fears that he may repeat the 9/11 episode. Our sisters are being deprived of wearing niqabs. Our oil and other natural resources are plundered legally. Our cities are being destroyed and our women and children and old are killed. Our youth are killed by our handicapped.
Our populations and number of countries are more yet we are humiliated at the airports, in workplaces, and also UN. For this, we cannot blame the anti-Islamic forces only. We have to take a share of the consequences….. So the Qur’an declares… ENTER INTO ISLAM WHOLEHEARTEDLY……
Author : Nisaar Nadiadwala
Verily The Religion With Allah Is Islam
The Religion of Islam is the religion which Allah sent Prophet Muhammad[Sallallaahu `Alayhi wa Sallam] with.
Allah the Exalted said: ‘Muhammad is not a father of any of your men, rather he is the Messenger of Allah, and the last of the Prophets.’
[Qur`an Suratul Ahzaab 33: A #40]
Allah the Exalted said: ‘Today I have perfected for you your Religion, and completed for you My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islaam as a religion.’
[Qur`an’ ~ Suratul Maa’idah 3: A#5]
Allah the Exalted said: ‘Verily the religion with Allah is Isam’.
[‘Qur`an’ ~ Surat Aali ‘Imraan 3: A #19]
‘And whoever takes other than Islam as a religion, it will never be accepted from him, and he will be in the Hereafter from the losers.’
[‘Qur`an’~Surat Aali ‘Imraan 3: A #85]
‘Whoever reads Surat `Al-Kahf ‘ on the day of ‘Jumu`ah’… will have a light that will shine from him from one Friday to the next.’
[Narrated by al-Haakim, 2/399; al-Bayhaqi, 3/249. It was classed as Saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’ ~ # 6470)]
Status Of Earlier Revelations In Islam
1. The Book: Allah’s Quran
[Quran – 2:2] “This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear God;”
2. Allah Informed mankind about the need for Allah’s Guidance
[Quran – 2:213] “All Mankind were once one single community; [then they began to differ -] whereupon God raised up the prophets as heralds of glad tidings and as warners, and through them bestowed revelation from on high, setting forth the truth”
3. Allah Informed mankind about His Revelations to His Messengers
[Quran – 35:32] “Then (after every Messenger), We have made those of Our servants whom We chose heirs to the Book (to preserve and teach it, and secure its practice in daily life)”
4. Allah Informed mankind about some of the recipients of His Book
[Quran – 2:136] “Say: “We believe in God, and in that which has been bestowed from on high upon us, and that which has been bestowed upon Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and, their descendants, and that which has been vouchsafed to Moses and Jesus; and that which has been vouchsafed to all the [other] prophets by their Sustainer: we make no distinction between any of them. And it is unto Him that we surrender ourselves.”
5. Allah Granted Moses (PBUH), The Book
[Quran – 2:53] “And remember when We granted Moses (while he was on Mount Sinai for forty nights) the Book and the Criterion to distinguish between truth and falsehood, and the knowledge, and power of judgment to put it into effect, that you might be guided to truth and abide by it.”
6. Prophet Moses’s Book was Torah (Taurat)
[Quran – 5:44] “Truly, We caused the Torah to descend wherein is guidance and light. The Prophets give judgment with it, those who submitted to God, for those who became Jews and the rabbis and learned Jewish scholars who committed to memory the Book of God and they had been witnesses to it. So dread not humanity, but dread Me. And exchange not My signs for a little price. And whoever gives not judgment by what God caused to descend, those, they are the ones who are ungrateful.”
7. Allah Gifted David (PBUH) with Psalms (Zabur)
[Quran – 17:55] “And it is your Lord that knoweth best all beings that are in the heavens and on earth: We did bestow on some prophets more (and other) gifts than on others: and We gave to David (the gift of) the Psalms.”
8. Allah Gifted Jesus (PBUH) with Gospel (Bible)
[Quran – 5:46] “And We sent following in their footsteps, Jesus son of Mary, one who establishes as true what was before him in the Torah. And We gave him the Gospel in which is guidance and light, and that which establishes as true what was before him in the Torah and a guidance and admonishment for the ones who are Godfearing.”
9. Allah’s Continuation of Revelation
[Quran – 2:87] “For, indeed, We vouchsafed unto Moses the divine writ and caused apostle after apostle to follow him; and We vouchsafed unto Jesus, the son of Mary, all evidence of the truth, and strengthened him with holy inspiration.”
10. Allah Confirmed The Truth of Earlier Revelations
[Quran – 2:101] “For, indeed, We vouchsafed unto Moses the divine writ and caused apostle after apostle to follow him; and We vouchsafed unto Jesus, the son of Mary, all evidence of the truth, and strengthened him with holy inspiration.”
11. Allah’s Command to followers of Earlier Revelations to Believe in Quran
[Quran – 2:41] “Believe in what I have revealed in the Qur’an which confirms the Divine source of your own Scriptures. Do not be the first who reject Qur’anic revelations. Do not trade away my revelations for small profits and be at awe with none but Me.”
Also:
[Quran – 21:7] “O people of the Book, believe in what We have revealed, which confirms what is already with you before We disfigure your visages and turn your faces about and curse you, as We did with those who had broken the Sabbath; and what God decrees comes to pass.”
12. Allah Commanded The Prophet (PBUH) to Refer to Earlier Revelations
[Quran – 16:43] “And [even] before thy time, [O Muhammad,] We never sent [as Our apostles] any but [mortal] men, whom We inspired: and if you have not [yet] realized this, ask the followers of [earlier] revelation,”
Also:
[Quran – 21:7] “The messengers We sent before you were but men whom We had sent revelations. Ask the People of the Book if you do not know this”
13. Allah Confirms, Falsification, Alteration, Distortion in Earlier Revelations
[Quran – 5:13] “Then, for having broken their solemn pledge, We rejected them and caused their hearts to harden-[so that now] they distort the meaning of the [re-vealed] words, taking them out of their context; and they have forgotten much of what they had been told to bear in mind, and from all but a few of them thou wilt always experience treachery. But pardon them, and forbear: verily, God loves the doers of good.”
[Quran – 11:110] “And, indeed, [similar was the case when] We vouchsafed the divine writ unto Moses, and some of his people set their own views against it; and had it not been for a decree that had already gone forth from thy Sustainer, judgment would indeed have been passed on them [then and there]: for, behold, they were in grave doubt, amounting to suspicion, about him [who called them unto God].”
14. Allah Has informed mankind thus:
“whatever there still remains of earlier revelations!”
[Quran – 34:31] “And [yet,] those who are bent on denying the truth do say, “We shall never believe in this Qur’an, and neither in whatever there still remains of earlier revelations!”
See also:
[Quran – 2:97; 3:3; 5:48; 6:92; 10:37; 12:111; 34:31; 35:31]
Conclusion
[1] Earlier Revelations are not Extinct.
[2] Earlier Revelations are not available to us in Pristine form.
[3] Remnants of Earlier Revelations (“whatever there still remains of earlier revelations!”) are present in the Books of the followers of Earlier Revelations.