What Is Islam?

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim

In the name of God (Allah), the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Basic About Islam

Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. Indeed, one out of every five persons on this earth is a Muslim. There are nearly 3 million Muslims living in United Kingdom and the number is growing. Yet, unfortunately, Islam is also the most misunderstood religion. Muslims live in different parts of the world ranging from China to Argentina, Russia to South Africa. The country with the largest Muslim population is Indonesia.

Islam means submission to the one God. It is strictly a monotheistic religion since it restricts worship to the one supreme Lord who is the Originator and Creator of the universe. Peace (the root from which the word Islam is derived) is attained through complete obedience to the commandments of God, for God is the source of all peace. Muslims are those who believe in one God and in Muhammad as the final Prophet of God. They devote their lives to the service of God, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe.

Islam teaches that God (called Allah in Arabic) is the source of all creation and that human beings are the best of His creation. He communicates by inspiring them towards goodness and by sending Prophets who deliver God’s message. Muslims believe that the first Prophet was Adam followed by a long chain of Prophets to guide humanity. The Qur’an, according to Muslim belief, is the word of God revealed to Prophet Muhammad. It mentions many other previous Prophets like Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Ismael, Moses, Jacob, Joseph and Jesus. All the Prophets brought the same message, which are belief in one God, upright human conduct and belief in the accountability of human acts at the end of time.

Belief in One God

Monotheism, belief in one God, is the most important and foundational concept in Islam.Muslims believe in one God who created the universe and has power over everything within it. He is unique and exalted above everything He creates, and His greatness cannot be compared to His creation. Furthermore, He is the only one deserving of any worship and the ultimate purpose of all creation is to submit to Him. The Islamic understanding of God is distinct from all other religions and beliefs in various respects since it is based on a pure and clear understanding of monotheism. This essentially captures the concept of God in Islam, which will be further elaborated in this pamphlet.

Muslims call their God as Allah. This is a universal name for God and does not refer to an exclusively ‘Islamic’ God. Interestingly, this name is related to the Aramaic and Hebrew names for God, Allaha and Elohim. Therefore, Allah is simply the Arabic name for God which affirms that He is One singular God with no partners or equals. The name Allah cannot be pluralized or limited to a specific gender, which establishes that God is One and that He is unique from everything He creates. Muslims continue to use this original Arabic name for God (Allah) since it perfectly expresses His unique qualities.

God is the Creator and the Sustainer of the universe who created everything for a reason. Muslims believe that He created humankind with a simple purpose – to worship Him. He sent messengers to guide people in fulfilling this purpose. Some of these messengers include Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, peace be upon all of them. They all taught a consistent message about God by affirming His greatness as the Creator and guiding people to worship Him alone. This basic concept has always resonated with people’s natural understanding of God.

When the final prophet, Muhammad, peace be upon him (pbuh), was asked about God, the answer came directly from God in the holy book of Muslims, the Quran (also spelled ‘Koran’): 

“Say, ‘He is God the One, God the eternal. He begot no one nor was He begotten. No one is comparable to Him.’” [112:1-4] 

This is a clear statement by God describing Himself to humanity without any room for confusion. God is One and is exalted above everything He creates and He is capable over all things.

Fully accepting the oneness of God is to accept that He is distinct from everything else. It would not suit God’s majesty and glory to associate the limited attributes of His creation to Him because He is not restricted in any way, while His creation is. He is the First with no beginning and the Last with no end. Everything in the universe was created by His will. He is not confined by space or time and He is the only One who is in control and provides for His creation.

“He is God: there is no god other than Him. It is He who knows what is hidden as well as what is in the open, He is the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy. He is God: there is no god other than Him, the Controller, the Holy One, Source of Peace, Granter of Security, Guardian over all, the Almighty, the Compeller, the Truly Great; God is far above anything they consider to be His partner. He is God: the Creator, the Originator, the Shaper. The best names belong to Him. Everything in the heavens and earth glorifies Him: He is the Almighty, the Wise.” [Quran, 59:22-24]

Pure Monotheism

“God: there is no god but Him, the Ever Living, the Ever Watchful. Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. All that is in the heavens and in the earth belongs to Him. Who is there that can intercede with Him except by His leave? He knows what is before them and what is behind them, but they do not comprehend any of His knowledge except what He wills. His throne extends over the heavens and the earth; it does not weary Him to preserve them both. He is the Most High, the Tremendous.” [Quran, 2:255]

The primary pillar of Islamic belief clearly states that there is nothing worthy of worship except God. Associating partners with God or attributing qualities of lesser beings to Him is considered to be the greatest sin in Islam.

In the past, this often took the form of idol worship or praying to multiple lesser gods. Although this is less common now, the current era has replaced many of the physical ‘idols’ of the past with other contemporary ‘gods.’ Many people today allow passions like entertainment, drugs, relationships or material objects to become the center of their lives. They become so consumed with these things that they submit to whatever will allow them to fulfill their desires. For example, if a drug addict allows their addiction to control their actions, beliefs, feelings, and behaviors, causing them to risk their personal safety and the safety of others, that drug has essentially become their god. Likewise, if another person puts a loved one before God by obeying that person even if that causes them to transgress against God’s commands, their loved one has taken precedence over God.

Islam teaches that people should completely submit only to God as He is the only One worthy of their worship. He is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe and everything in it belongs to Him. The Quran points out the faulty thinking of those who worship other than God:

“‘How can you worship things you carve with your own hands, when it is God who has created you and all your handiwork?’” [37:95-96]

The Believer’s Surrender

In order to be a true believer, one must believe in the absolute oneness of God, as the only Creator, Preserver and Nourisher of everything. However, this belief in the true characteristics of God is not the sole condition of true faith; one must also acknowledge that God is the only one who deserves to be worshipped. His commands and guidelines for how to live one’s life should always take precedence over the commands of anything He created. Indeed, He guides humanity to what is best for them in this life and the hereafter and He is All-Knowing and All-Wise.

Having embraced this understanding of God, one should constantly have faith in Him, and should remain steadfast on the truth. When true faith enters a person’s heart, it positively impacts their outlook and behaviour. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, “Faith is that which resides firmly in the heart and which is proved by actions.”

One of the striking effects of faith is a feeling of gratitude towards God. Believers love God and are grateful to Him for the blessings He gives them. They are aware of the fact that their good deeds will never be equal to His divine favors upon them so they are always striving to please Him. Furthermore, sincere believers in God accept that any hardships they face are part of the greater ‘test of life.’ They are patient through times of difficulty and turn to God for assistance. A beautiful characteristic of the believers is that they accept everything God wills and continuously remember Him in all aspects of life.

Anyone who denies the basic truth of the existence of God is considered ungrateful and a disbeliever. On many occasions in the Quran, God reminds humanity of the disbelievers’ clear misguidance and His complete power over everything:

“Behold! Verily to Allah belong all creatures, in the heavens and on earth. What do they follow who worship as His “partners” other than Allah? They follow nothing but fancy, and they do nothing but lie.” [10:66]

“It is God who has given you the night in which to rest and the day in which to see. God is truly bountiful to people, but most people do not give thanks. Such is God your Lord, the Creator of all things: there is no god but Him. How can you be so deluded? [40:61-62]

In the end, we must understand that our belief or disbelief in God does not affect Him in any way. Believing in Him, worshipping Him, and following His commands will only benefit us because we are in need of His blessings, favors and mercy. On the other hand, He does not need us because He is the Self-Sufficient Creator. However, it is never too late for a person to turn back to God, seeking His guidance and forgiveness by submitting to Him.

“Say: “O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. Turn ye to our Lord (in repentance) and bow to His (Will), before the Penalty comes on you: after that ye shall not be helped. And follow the best of (the courses) revealed to you from your Lord, before the Penalty comes on you – of a sudden while ye perceive not!” [Quran, 39:53-55]

Why Islam?

If you agree with the basic concepts, you may still ask why Islam stands out from other religions. The reason is simply that Islam is the final and complete way of life that God revealed to guide humanity. Previous divine messages (such as the ones taught by Abraham, Moses and Jesus) have been lost or altered throughout time. God chose to send Muhammad (pbuh) to deliver His final message, which maintains the core teachings of all the previous revelations. The book sent to Muhammad (pbuh) was the Quran, which was revealed as guidance for all of humanity. Just like the Torah sent to Moses and the Gospel sent to Jesus, the Quran is a guidebook teaching us how to worship God in the purest manner and thereby achieve our purpose in life. The Quran is unique because it has remained preserved in its exact and original form for more than 1,400 years!!

Islam is not a new way of life; rather, it is the final message, which upholds the same essential beliefs that God sent to humanity through all of His messengers. Through this message, God calls on each individual to lead a conscientious life by drawing close to Him and to remain cognizant of their final accountability in front of the one and only God.

“Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allah and what has come down of the truth?” [Quran, 57:16]

Islam is the final religion revealed to human beings through the last Prophet who was called Muhammad. He was born in Mecca (in Saudi Arabia) in the year 570 A.D. Muhammad was a very truthful and honest person. He was also very pious and detested the moral decadence of his society. No wonder why Prophet Muhammad listed as the most influential person in history as list by  Michael H. Hart in his book, The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History   At the age of forty, God asked him, through the angel Gabriel, to proclaim the religion of Islam publicly. God’s message to humanity was delivered in the Qur’an which was revealed to Muhammad. The Qur’an, which is the holy book for Muslims, contains 114 chapters (called Surah). Muslims believe that Quran is the pure word of God, unadulterated over 14 centuries. It deals with issues that affect human beings in their earthly lives; issues like piety, upright human conduct, worship, the creation of a just and virtuous society and the practice of ethics.

The Teachings of Islam

Islam teaches that human beings are born pure and sinless. No one is responsible for, or can take responsibility for the sins of others. The doors of forgiveness are always open for those who repent sincerely. God continuously reminds us in the Qur’an of His infinite mercy and compassion. Muslims are enjoined to maintain inner spiritual purity through constant remembrance and prayer to God. Islam balances the spiritual dimension by emphasizing human responsibility. Human beings are created with a purpose. Attainment of piety is but one dimension of such purpose; playing an active role in the creation of a just society is another. Because Muslims attach importance to what happens in this world, they have made substantial contributions to the development of science, medicine, mathematics, physics, astronomy, geography and literature.

Muslims like Avicenna and Averroes have played major roles in the advancement of science in the West. The first university in the world was established by Imam Jafar Al-Sadiq in Madina, Arabia. Many crucial systems such as the Arabic numerals, algebra, the first map of the globe and navigational maps were developed by Muslims and adopted by the medieval Europeans.

Apart from human responsibility, Islam also teaches human accountability. The final destination of human beings is the hereafter. Muslims believe that, at the end of time, all human beings will be resurrected to account for their deeds. Those who have performed righteous deeds will be rewarded with eternal bliss in heaven and those who have performed evil acts will be punished in hell.

Islam and War

The concept of jihad (wrongly translated as holy war) refers to the duty of Muslims to struggle for their faith and the welfare of the Muslim community. The Quran does not permit aggression against anyone and Prophet Muhammad propagated his message in a peaceful manner. Warfare is permitted only in self-defence. However, it must be noted that people only resort to violence when their basic human rights are violated and when all attempts at peaceful settlement are thwarted.

Islam and Human Rights

Islam teaches that human beings have a moral obligation to live in harmony with one another.Islam also recognizes and accords rights to all human beings regardless of race, color or creed. Islam requires its followers to show respect and tolerance even to those who do not share their faith. Prophet Muhammad said: “God has no mercy on one who shows no mercy to others”.

Freedom of conscience is guaranteed by the Qur’an itself. Islamic law stipulates that Muslims should protect the status of minorities. It states: 

“There is no compulsion in religion” [2:256] 

Therefore the life and property of all citizens in an Islamic state are considered sacred, whether a person is a Muslim or not. Because of this, non-Muslim places of worship have survived and flourished all over the Muslim world. Islam further encourages Muslims to respect the rights of all living things. Therefore, Muslims are required to be conscious of the environment and are not allowed to cause harm to nature.

It is important to realize that far from being extremists and fanatics, Muslims are peaceful and law abiding citizens of the countries in which they live. This stance is derived directly from the Qur’an which states:

 “O human beings, We have created you from one male and female (Adam & Eve), and we have created you as different tribes and nations so that you may know each other” [49:13]

Islam and Women

Muslim women have all the rights of their male counterparts. Islam granted full rights to women fourteen hundred years ago. Muslim women may own and dispose property; they may work, exercise voting powers and exercise numerous other rights freely without constraints. More so, Muslim women cannot be forced to marry against their will.

To preserve chastity, respect and moral values in society, Muslim men and women are required to dress in a manner which is considered modest and dignified. Women are asked to cover their hair and wear loose clothing. The diversity of female dress in some Muslim countries is often the expression of local customs.

Since Islam is a universal religion, it is easy to become a Muslim. One has to believe and affirm that “There is no god but God and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God”.

(Open Image in New Tab to see actual size)

Islam Is A Religion of Peace And Justice

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be with you

Islam is a religion of peace in the fullest sense of the word. The Quran calls its way "…The ways of peace…" [Quran: 5:16] It describes reconciliation as the best policy [Quran: 4:128], and states that God abhors any disturbance of peace [Quran: 2:205]

The root word of Islam is 'Silm', which means peace. So the spirit of Islam is the spirit of peace. The first verse of the Quran breathes the spirit of peace; it reads: "In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate."

This verse is repeated in the Quran no less than 114 times. It shows the great importance Islam attaches to such values as Mercy and Compassion. One of God's names, according to the Quran, is As-Salaam, which means Peace. Moreover, the Quran states that the Prophet Muhammad was sent to the world as a mercy to mankind. [Quran: 21:107]

A perusal of the Quran shows that most verses of the Quran (and also the Hadeeth) are based on peace and kindness, either directly or indirectly. The ideal society, according to the Quran is Dar As-Salaam, that is, the house of peace [Quran: 10:25]

The Quran presents the universe as a model, which is characterised by harmony and peace [Quran: 36:40] When God created heaven and earth, He so ordered things that each part might perform its function peacefully without clashing with any other. The Quran tells us that "It is not allowable [i.e., possible] for the sun to reach the moon, nor does the night overtake the day, but each, in an orbit, is swimming." [Quran: 36:40] For billions of years, therefore, the entire universe has been fulfilling its function in total harmony with His divine plan.

According to Islam, peace is not simply an absence of war. Peace opens doors to all kinds of opportunities which are present in any given situation. It is only in a peaceful situation that planned activities are possible. It is for this reason that the Quran says: "…And settlement is best…" [Quran: 4:128] Similarly, Prophet Muhammad has observed: "God grants to gentleness (Rifq) what He does not grant to violence ('Unf). [Abu Daawood]

According to Islam, peace is the rule and war is only an exception. Even in defensive war we have to analyse its result; if the result is doubtful, Muslims should avoid war. Stray acts of aggression are not enough for Muslims to rush into war. They have to assess the whole situation and adopt a policy of avoidance when war is not certain to achieve a positive result.

In actual fact, the mission of all the Prophets from Aadam (Adam) to 'Eesaa (Jesus), may Allaah exalt their mention, was one and the same - of establishing the ideology of monotheism in the world, so that man might worship the One God alone. As we know, there came a large number of Prophets in ancient times but the message of monotheism remained at the initial stage; it could not culminate in revolution. 

In ancient times, the system of monarchy was entrenched throughout the world. The kings, in order to secure their political interests, adopted the course of religious persecution. These kings suppressed all religious movements that were different from the state religion. They would nip all 'apostasy' in the bud since they saw religion as a matter of affirming one's loyalty to the state. If a person adhered to a religion other than the state religion, he was regarded as a rebel.

That is why in ancient times, prophetic movements could go no further than the state of Da'wah, or invitation to Islam. No sooner would a movement based on monotheism arise than the coercive political system would be activated to pull it out by its roots. The reason for the absence of any historical record of Prophets (besides the Prophet Muhammad ) in antiquity is traceable to the intense opposition of these coercive political systems. 

All the Prophets of ancient times, historically speaking, were like mythical beings, rather than real human beings accepted as historical figures. Prophet 'Eesaa (Jesus) was the last link in the chain of these persecutions faced by the preachers of monotheism. Then God decreed the abolition of this coercive political system, even if it entailed the use of force in order that the age of religious persecution might be brought to an end forever, and replaced by the age of religious freedom. This Divine plan was brought to completion through the Prophet Muhammad and his companions all. This is the command given in the Quran: "Fight them until there be no fitnah [i.e., persecution] and [until] the religion [i.e., worship], all of it, is for Allaah…" [Quran: 8:39]

Therefore, Prophet Muhammad received special divine succour in the form of a powerful team consisting of one hundred thousand individuals. Equipped with this team, the Prophet waged war to end this coercive system of religious persecution, and it was in Arabiathat it was first of all overthrown. Then within a very short span of time, they advanced to abolish the coercive system established by the Sassanid and Byzantine empires. 

In the wake of this Islamic action, the coercive system was abolished forever in the major part of the inhabited world of the time. This war waged by Prophet Muhammad and his companions was not a war as is commonly understood, but rather a divine operation, which was carried out by people who possessed a high standard of moral character.

However, this operation was certainly only temporary in nature. Its goal was to put an end to the age of religious persecution and usher in the age of religious freedom. This end was fully achieved during the early period of Islam, the age of the pious Caliphs. Afterwards the time came to keep the sword in its sheath and engage in Da'wah work, that is, the call to God, which was the real and permanent goal of Islam. 

It is no exaggeration to say that Islam and violence are contradictory to each other. The concept of Islamic violence is so obviously unfounded that, prima facie it stands rejected. The fact that violence is not sustainable in the present world is enough to convince one that violence, as a principle, is quite alien to the scheme of things in Islam. Islam claims to be an eternal religion and such a religion cannot afford a principle in its scheme which will not be sustainable in later periods of human history. An attempt to bracket violence with Islam amounts to casting doubts upon the very eternity of the Islamic religion.

No wonder then that the Prophet Muhammad so earnestly used to entreat his Lord in his daily prayer: "O God, you are the original source of Peace; from You is all Peace, and to You returns all Peace. So, make us live with Peace; and let us enter paradise: the House of Peace. Blessed be You, our Lord, to whom belongs all Majesty and Honour!"

Summarised from: "The Man Islam Builds", by Maulana WahiduddinKhan

see: http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/index.php?page=articles&id=134304

And Allah know best

والله أعلم بالـصـواب 

ALLAH, The One and Only

As a muslims, we believe that human have their Creator. We believe that we and all human being have been created by The One who are Most Powerful and have a power to creat and destroy anything, anytime and everywhere. He must be the ONLY ONE that manage everything. He is Allah,

Allah, God Who Exist

وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ خَلَقَهُنَّ الْعَزِيزُ الْعَلِيمُ

And if you should ask them, "Who has created the heavens and the earth?" they would surely say, "They were created by the Exalted in Might, the Knowing." (Surat Az-Zukhruf (The Ornaments of Gold):9)



Allah, The Creator

هَلْ أَتَىٰ عَلَى الْإِنسَانِ حِينٌ مِّنَ الدَّهْرِ لَمْ يَكُن شَيْئًا مَّذْكُورًا

إِنَّا خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ أَمْشَاجٍ نَّبْتَلِيهِ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا

Has there [not] come upon man a period of time when he was not a thing [even] mentioned? Indeed, We created man from a sperm-drop mixture that We may try him; and We made him hearing and seeing. (Surat Al-'Insān (The Man): 1-2)



Allah, The Lord

وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِن بَنِي آدَمَ مِن ظُهُورِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ ۖ قَالُوا بَلَىٰ ۛ شَهِدْنَا ۛ أَن تَقُولُوا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّا كُنَّا عَنْ هَٰذَا غَافِلِينَ

And [mention] when your Lord took from the children of Adam - from their loins - their descendants and made them testify of themselves, [saying to them], "Am I not your Lord?" They said, "Yes, we have testified." [This] - lest you should say on the day of Resurrection, "Indeed, we were of this unaware."  (Surat Al-'A`rāf (The Heights): 172)

وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

And if Allah should touch you with adversity, there is no remover of it except Him. And if He touches you with good - then He is over all things competent. (Surat Al-'An`ām (The Cattle):17)

An Invatation To Understand Islam (Part 1)

Here is the basic thing about Islam. The sources is directly form the holy Al-Quran al-Karim.

1. Islam is the purpose of life. W live only for Allah and fully obey to Allah

 وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ

And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me. (az-Zariyat/The Winnowing Winds:56)

2. It is our real home. this world is not our goal.

وَمَا هَٰذِهِ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا لَهْوٌ وَلَعِبٌ ۚ وَإِنَّ الدَّارَ الْآخِرَةَ لَهِيَ الْحَيَوَانُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ

And this worldly life is not but diversion and amusement. And indeed, the home of the Hereafter - that is the [eternal] life, if only they knew. (al-Ankabut/The Spider:64)

3. The ones who shall enter the Paradise.

وَقَالُوا لَن يَدْخُلَ الْجَنَّةَ إِلَّا مَن كَانَ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَارَىٰ ۗ تِلْكَ أَمَانِيُّهُمْ ۗ قُلْ هَاتُوا بُرْهَانَكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ

بَلَىٰ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ وَجْهَهُ لِلَّهِ وَهُوَ مُحْسِنٌ فَلَهُ أَجْرُهُ عِندَ رَبِّهِ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ

And they say, "None will enter Paradise except one who is a Jew or a Christian." That is [merely] their wishful thinking, Say, "Produce your proof, if you should be truthful."Yes [on the contrary], whoever submits his face in Islam to Allah while being a doer of good will have his reward with his Lord. And no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve. (al-Baqarah/The Cow: 111-112)

4. The ones who shall enter the Hell

وَمَن يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيَتَعَدَّ حُدُودَهُ يُدْخِلْهُ نَارًا خَالِدًا فِيهَا وَلَهُ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ

And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger and transgresses His limits - He will put him into the Fire to abide eternally therein, and he will have a humiliating punishment.(an-Nisa'/ The Women:14)

5. Will non-Muslim enter the paradise?

مَا كَانَ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ أَن يَعْمُرُوا مَسَاجِدَ اللَّهِ شَاهِدِينَ عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِم بِالْكُفْرِ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ حَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ وَفِي النَّارِ هُمْ خَالِدُونَ

It is not for the polytheists to maintain the mosques of Allah [while] witnessing against themselves with disbelief. [For] those, their deeds have become worthless, and in the Fire they will abide eternally. (at-Taubah/ The Repentance:17)

Muslims Prayers

Assalamualaikum teman blogger,followers dan semua diluar sana. Entri kali ni saya nak share tentang persoalan dan jawapan tentang solat 5 kali sehari semalam. Dialog ni antara DR . Danial dan hamba Allah yg sy namakan G saja k..

G: What about this rushing to the prayer room to pray 5 times a day?
DD: Yes sister, but we also see doctors and engineers rushing for their lunch and tea. These professional people are so busy so much so they had to rush for their meals. And yet we commended them for their commitment. We do not question about their rushing to the cafeteria. It is their style and this style is created by their working condition. And this style is good because they do not want to waste their time and this is good for the company. What is important is that they are getting their lunch and this lunch is beneficial for them. They are getting carbohydrates, proteins and minerals which is a booster for them before continuing with their job. Would you say that their lunch is useless just because you saw them rushing for their lunch? No.

The same applies for the Muslims. When Muslims pray 5 times a day they really pray. Their rushing should be interpreted as an endeavour to save time. Muslims started their prayer by saying that Allah is the greatest and at that instant everything else becomes small. Their bosses, managers, leaders and superiors become negligible. At that instant they are connected to the Most High after hours of being connected to high-strung people and stress induced situation. If lunch is a booster for the physical, then prayer is a booster for the spiritual. Muslim prayer is a form of meditation, indeed it surpasses normal meditation. I read many established articles in the internet that explained that one of the ways to reduce stress during work is to set aside a few minutes a few times during work for meditation. Indeed, switching of activity is good because it relaxes the mind. This is a practical solution and Muslims had been doing just that through their prayers 5 times a day consistently. Moreover, before praying, Muslims have to wash certain parts of their body especially their hands in a process called ablution or wuduk in Arabic.

And I read in the WHO bulletin that the most important preventive measures that should be practised by everybody to prevent the spread of infectious diseases in this decade is to constantly and vigorously wash our hands. This concept is there in Islam through performing the ablutions before the 5 obligatory prayers. This is scientific! 

 

G: OK…. But don’t you think that a prayer should be limited just to the heart and we do not need to rush to do our prayer?
DD: I agree with you that the heart plays a very important in a prayer. It can be considered as the main switch. Without it a prayer can be considered as null and void. However, in Islam, a human being is categorised as a complex organism created by God with two very important elements, that is, the soul and the physique. Since these two elements are created by Allah, both should prostrate to worship Allah because both are created by Him. Thus during performing the 5 obligatory prayers, a Muslims moves his body and heart to worship Him. By the way Glory, what do you think of yoga? 

 

G: To me it is a good form of exercice.
DD: Yes sister, and according to one definition, yoga is a combination of spiritual and physical exercises to encourage ones health and well-being. If you can accept yoga, I think, you can accept the Islamic prayer because, in a way, the Islamic prayer is an act of worship that combines the spiritual and physical beings of a human being. More than that a Muslim has to clean himself or herself before praying by taking ablution which is not done in yoga. And earlier you mentioned about Muslims going to the prayer room to pray. In the prayer room Muslims meet their fellow Muslims and they pray together. In Islam this is called the jemaah. While praying together they learn the basics of teamwork, yeah, teamwork. They know the importance of having a shared vision in life, that is worshipping of God. They also learn the importance of choosing and obeying a competent leader, that is the Imam. Besides that, thay learn the importance of standing in unison, that is the saf, while performing an important job. These are the basics of a teamwork and its essence is there in the Islamic prayer. This aspect is also not found in yoga.

 

Besides that, the 5 obligatory prayers taught Muslims about the importance of discipline and time management. Everyday Muslims have to wake up early to perform the dawn or fajr prayer. They are the early birds. Waking up early does not affect their health negatively. According to a six-year study, those who sleep for eight hours or more tend to die a bit sooner. It is evidently very safe to sleep only seven, six, or even five hours a night. The scientists come to this conclusion after analysing data from the American Cancer Society. At night Muslims end their day by performing the night or isya prayer. 

 

I read a book written by Dr Bob Arnot titled The Biology of Success. He mentioned that those who stick rigidly and consistently to the teachings and routines of their religion are more contented and are more able to look at life positively. He singled out Islam as one of the religions that has definite routines and procedures which is capable of inducing the biology of the Muslims towards attaining peace and tranquility… Having said all these, I come back to the most important aspect of a prayer, that is the heart, which you mentioned earlier. So in Islam the most important prayer is in your heart but it should not be limited only to the heart, because the heart and physique is interconnected. But I do agree with you about the importance of the heart.

Indeed in Islam, one have to khusyuk while performing a prayer. Khusyuk means focus and deep concentration of the mind and heart. Without that ones prayer comes to nothing. This is the esssence of the Islamic prayer. 

 

G: OK…. I felt perturbed when I saw Muslims praying to a stone in Mecca. I understand that you called this stone Kaba. Isn’t this idolatrous?
DD: Yes sister, when Muslims pray they turn their faces towards the Kaabah. Turning ones face towards the Kaabah doesn’t mean that one worships the Kaabah. When a battallion of soldiers march in front of their King and turn their faces and salute towards him, we don’t say that this is idolatrous, do we? No, we say that this is a salutation of honour. Kaabah is not God. You can ask any Muslim, Glory, concerning Kaabah, and I can assure you that they will tell you that, “Kaabah is our qiblat.” Yes, Kaabah is our qiblat, not our God! What is a qiblat? It is an Arabic term which means direction. It is just a landmark. That is why when you go to the mosques, you won’t be able to see images of the Kaabah inside the mosques.

Why? Because its image is not important to the Muslims. In other words, what is important is not the stone but the direction. If Muslims really worship the Kaabah you would expect to see its images everywhere especially inside the mosques. Moreover, when Muslims go to Mecca to perform the Haj, thay come face to face with this landmark, the Kaabah. Do you know what do Muslims recite at that instant, in front of the Kaabah? They say, “Labbaika La Syarikalak,” which means “We come to worship you oh Allah and there is no partner besides you.” “No partner besides Allah” means there is only one God, the Creator, that is Allah, and everything else, including the Kaabah, are just His creatures. I have to say that, actually, this concept is understood even by a Muslim primary school kid… In addition to that, without this landmark as a direction, it will be chaotic when Muslims pray in a congregation.

Why? Because some would be facing towards the west, some towards the east and so on and so forth and for an outsider this will be a joke. To make an analogy, let’s come back to that battallion of soldiers who march in front of their king. What would you say if some of the soldiers turn their faces towards the king and some towards something else? You would want to question their discipline, and worse, their loyalty. I hope now you understand why Muslims turn their faces towards the Kaabah during praying. 

 

G: Yeah, I can see the logic… But why turn towards the Kaabah?
DD: I hope you would not suggest that we turn towards Las Vegas. (Smile)…. Kaabah has a beautiful history because it was built by prophet Abraham and his son Ishmael. Indeed the Bible did mention about the Kaabah, the House of God. It is mentioned in the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, chapter Isaiah, verses 6 and 7: “A multitude of camels shall cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come. They shall bring gold and frankincense, and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you; they shall come up with acceptance on my altar, and I will glorify my glorious house.” And we should not forget that the lineage of Muhammad and Jesus Christ were connected to Abraham. Thus when we face the Kaabah we are connected to this beautiful history of the prophets of Allah who built the glorious house of God.

The Purpose of Life

Assalamualaikum and hello0o0o....to all friends,members and anyone who visit to my simple blog,muslims or non-muslims..today i wanna share to all about The Purpose of life for Muslims. I honestly not really good in English..hehe..but lately my blog visitor are not only from my own beloved country but others to..not too proud juz thankful to almighty Allah for all of this..so I try mybest to share English article to all out there..
read,understand and do..hee..
may Allah bless all of use..
and guide our step to the right way..
InsyaAllah..

Ad-Dien

What is the meaning of life?
Why do we exist?

These are questions that most people ask at some time in their lives. Allah (Almighty God) gives us a clear answer: 

And I created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me

[Qur’an 51:56].

Islamic Clothing

Why do Muslims dress in distinctive, modest clothing? Muslim women are often asked: "Why do you wear that scarf?" "Aren't you hot?" "Do the different colors mean anything?" "Why do some women cover their face, but not others?" "Do men have a dress code as well?" Most Muslims understand your polite curiosity, and would be happy to explain. But if you've ever been too embarrassed to ask the questions directly, you've come to the right place. Q1: Why do you dress the way you do? A: First and foremost, because Almighty God (Allah) commands us to do so. In the Qur'an, Allah tells the believers to "lower their gaze and be modest." Specifically, it says: "Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that will make for greater purity for them; and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; and that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their chests and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers..." [continuing list of family members and others in front of whom women are exempt from covering] (Qur'an 24:30-31) Of course, Muslims believe that God has full Wisdom and knows what is best for us, so we strive to follow His guidance in every aspect of our lives. Muslims have also discovered other advantages to dressing modestly, including: being known for who you really are; not being judged by your beauty or lack thereof; being able to conduct business in an atmosphere of respect; being readily known as a Muslim; liberation; comfort. Q2: Aren't you hot? A: In many ways, covering the body protects it from the heat of direct sunlight. In loose, flowing clothing, the air around the body flows freely and cools more readily. The choice of fabric covering the body is more important than the square inches/centimeters exposed or covered. On severely hot days, we might be uncomfortable as is everyone else. During those times, we find comfort knowing that we are following the commands of Allah, and "the fire of hell is hotter." Q3: Do the different colors mean anything?A: Muslims are to dress in modest clothing, without attracting attention to oneself. For this reason, many Muslims choose earth-tone colors such as green, blue, gray, as well as the usual black and white. Beyond this, there are no specific meanings behind the choice of color. Some colors are more common in certain parts of the world, based on local tradition. Q4: Why are there differences in the specific styles of dress?A: While Islam outlines a code of modesty, it does not command a certain style, color, or fabric. The range of clothing you find among Muslims is a sign of the great diversity among the Muslim community. Q5: Do men have a dress code as well?A: Absolutely. Both men and women are commanded in the Qur'an to "lower their gaze and be modest." It is generally understood that men are not to expose the area of their body from the navel to the knee. However, many Muslim men would feel shy to expose a bare chest or bare legs in public. As with women, men are not to wear clothing that is tight or see-through. Indeed, in many Muslim societies the traditional clothing for men includes long, flowing robes, or long tunics that fully cover the body. Q6: What do these Islamic clothing terms mean? Hijab, khimar, niqab, abaya, jilbab, burqa, shalwar khamis...A: Different terms reflect different styles of dress. Often the same clothing has various names depending on what area of the world it is worn. River Garden Arts has a brief glossary of Islamic clothing terms.

What Is Allah???

A major misconception held by many is that “Allah” is the God of Muslims, and is different to the God of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. This is patently and demonstrably false. There is only One God, and “Allah” is simply the Arabic word that means “God”. Arabic speaking Christians and Jews also refer to God as “Allah” - the Bible in Arabic uses “Allah” for God. The foundation of the Islamic faith is belief in Allah - the Almighty God of Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. One of the unique aspects of Islam is that it is absolutely uncompromising on the Oneness and Uniqueness of Allah (Almighty God). He is the Sole Creator and Sustainer of the Universe, with no other being sharing in His Lordship. His attributes are free of all imperfection, and beyond any similarity to His Creation. 

Allah (Almighty God) says: 
There is nothing like Him and He hears andsees all things [Qur’an 42:11]. 
In Islam, God is God, and the creation is creation – they are not mixed together in some unintelligible fashion. Given these attributes, Allah (Almighty God) alone - not any idol, human being, or anything else - is worthy of all worship. 

Allah (Almighty God) says: 

Know, therefore, that there is no god who deserves to be worshiped except Allah; and ask forgiveness for your sins

 [Qur’an 47:19].

Some other religions also believe in Allah (Almighty God), but they violate this belief by worshipping others alongside Him, which is, as all of the prophets taught, the worst possible sin.The Islamic concept of Allah (Almighty God) is therefore straightforward and easy to understand - free of irrational, mysterious or confusing ideas. That there is only One God, not a Trinity or a multitude of deities, is an idea that any person - whether a layman, or a scholar, can understand without difficulty. The attributes of Allah What You Didn’t Know About Islam 4 ©thetruereligion.org


(Almighty God), so clearly expressed in the Qur’an, correspond perfectly to man’s innate predisposition towards recognizing and worshipping Him alone. Islam’s pure monotheistic belief means that Muslims experience and maintain a close and direct relationship with Allah (Almighty God), free of any intermediaries. There are no middlemen between the Muslim and Allah (Almighty God). When a Muslim prays, he prays only to Him, and if he seeks forgiveness, he seeks it only from Him.


Allah (Almighty God) says: 

Call on Me and I will answer you
 [Qur’an 40:60].

What Is ISLAM???

Islam is an Arabic word which means ‘submission to the Will of Allah (Almighty God)’.


Islam comes from the same root as the word “Salam”, meaning peace. Therefore, the name of the religion itself carries a deep spiritual meaning – true peace can be achieved through knowing Allah (Almighty God), obeying His Commands, and ensuring that all acts of worship are directed towards no one but Him. The central teaching of Islam is that Allah (Almighty God), the One, the Unique, Incomparable Creator of all that exists, alone is worthy of all worship. Hence, Islam is not a new religion, but a continuation of the clear and profound message of pure monotheism revealed by Allah (Almighty God) throughout history to all of His
prophets, including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. With the revelation of the Qur’an, Allah’s final message to mankind, this primordial religion received a name: Islam.

Allah (Almighty God) says: 
This day have I perfected your religion for you andcompleted My favor unto you, and have chosen for you as religion Islam 
[Qur'an5:3].

The laws that Allah (Almighty God) revealed to each prophet differed according to the needs of the community to which he was sent, but the religion was the same – submission to the Will of Allah (Almighty God): Islam. Allah (Almighty God) says:
And verily We have raised in every nation a messenger, (proclaiming): Serve Allah
and shun false gods [Qur'an 16:36].

Thus, the religion of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, was Islam. Muhammad was therefore the final, not the first, prophet of Islam. Through his prophethood, Allah’s divinely revealed religion was perfected and completed for all mankind.

This continuity is reflected in the 6 core articles of faith in Islam:

1. Belief in Allah (Almighty God)
2. Belief in the Angels
3. Belief in the Scriptures
4. Belief in the Prophets
5. Belief in the Life Hereafter
6. Belief in Divine Predestination

It is also reflected in the 5 pillars of Islam, which form the basic structure of an
Islamic life:

1. Testimony of faith – to declare: “There is none worthy of worship except Allah;
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah”
2. Prayer
3. Fasting
4. Charity
5. Pilgrimage to Mecca – at the heart of which lies the first building established for
the worship of Allah (Almighty God), built by Abraham and his son Ishmael

A Muslim is ‘one who submits to the Will of Allah (Almighty God)’. Anyone, in any period of history, who has submitted to the Will of Allah (Almighty God) is thus considered a Muslim. Hence, all of the prophets, including Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, were Muslims.


In the past, Muslims were often mistakenly referred to as “Muhammadans” by Europeans. This was due to the widespread propagation of a malicious distortion over several centuries claiming that Muslims worship Muhammad, just as Christians worship Jesus. Of course, this is antithetical to the most basic teaching of Islam - a Muslim is absolutely not permitted to worship anything besides Allah (Almighty God). Today, there are 1.2 billion Muslims in the world, which is 22% of the world’s population. Islam is predicted to become the religion with the most adherents
worldwide by 2050. It is estimated that over 6 million Muslims live in America. A common misconception is that all Muslims are Arabs, another is that all Arabs are Muslims. In fact, only 18% of Muslims are Arabs. Whilst most Arabs are Muslims, they are not exclusively so. Millions of Arabs are Christians - the majority of Arabs in America are in fact from Christian backgrounds. Muslims come from all races and ethnicities – Bosnians, Nigerians, Egyptians,
Chinese, Indians and many others.

The country with the highest Muslim population is Indonesia in south-east Asia, with over 210 million - more Muslims than in all the Arab countries combined. Islam is, and always has been, a universal faith intended for all mankind - the companions of Muhammad included Arabs, Persians, Africans and Byzantine Romans. Thousands of Americans of varying heritage - European, Asian, Latino, African and other – convert to Islam every year, adding to the rich
tapestry of the Muslim world.