I came across a very amazing series of 20 commonly asked questions about Islam or about Muslims. So, breaking them up into parts I will post them here bit by bit.
Here is the first part. This might be a recap of what's been earlier stated with a different perspective:
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IN THE NAME OF Allaah, THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE MOST MERCIFULThe word "Islam" means peace and submission to the Will of the only God worthy of being worshipped. This peace is contentment with yourself and your surroundings that could only be achieved by willfully submitting to God, obeying what He commands and abstaining from what He forbids.
WHO IS ALLAH?
Allah is the name in Arabic for the "One God". Allah is the Creator, Sustainer, Planner and Organizer. He is the only deity that has the right to be worshipped (i.e. praying, supplicating, fasting, etc.). In Islam, the belief in the One God cannot be separated from the acts of worshipping the One God. In other words, it is not enough to simply think you believe in the Oneness of the Creator but that belief must be affirmed by your statement and actions. Example, it would negate ones belief in the Oneness of the Creator if he directs his worship to a man (or any of the other created things).
WHO IS A PROPHET?
A Prophet is a person who is appointed by God to call the people to the worship and believe in the One God. All Prophets were given miracles by Allah to prove that they were Prophets. For example, Moses was given the miracles to free the Children of Israel, Jesus was given the ability to heal the sick and raise the dead by Allah's’ leave and Muhammad was given the Qur’an which is the everlasting and literal speech of Allah. May Allah send His peace and blessings on all the Prophets. Ameen!
WHAT IS THE QUR’AN?
The Qur’an is the Last Revelation from your Lord. It was revealed in the pure Arabic language to the Prophet Muhammad and has been kept preserved and unchanged, in its original form. The English interpretation of the Qur’an will be used as reference in this brochure. It is not Allah's' Word rather, it is a general interpretation of the meaning of the Qur’an. The Qur’an confirms the truth in the Torah, Psalms and the Gospel.
WHO WAS MUHAMMAD?
Muhammad is the Final Prophet and Messenger. He was born into the tribe of Quarish in the year 570 AD. His ancestry goes back to the Prophet Ishmael, the son of Prophet Abraham. His father died before his birth and his mother died before he was six. As a young man he was known as Al-Ameen (the trustworthy). He would retreat to a cave outside of Mecca where, he would ponder and reflect about the immoral practices and customs of the Pagan Arabs. He received revelation from the Creator at the age of 40 through the Angel Gabriel. Subsequently, the Revelations came over the period of 23 years and are collectively in the Qur’an.
WHAT ARE THE PILLARS OF ISLAM?
Islam has 5 Pillars.
1. Belief that no deity is worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad is His Last Prophet and Messenger.
2. Prayers, which are performed 5 times a day.
3. Fasting in the month of Ramadaan. Abstaining from food, drink and sexual relations with spouses from sunrise to sunset.
4. Charity is the requirement of 2.5% of a Muslims' saved earnings given to the poor once a year as purification of his wealth.
5. Pilgrimage is a journey to the Kab'ah in the sacred city of Mecca. Muslims are required to do this at least once in a lifetime if they are physically and financially able.
More to follow. The above question about the Five Pillars is probably the most important thing for a muslim.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Vocabulary 101
I thought I would put in a little introductory post about common Arabic vocabulary used by all muslims around the world. Usually, we try not to use these words around people who aren't muslim so as not to confuse them, but you know, sometimes it just accidentally slips out. So here is a little basic course about what those words mean:
EDIT: I just thought I would add in here, that I am not Arab, if someone was of the impression from the above. These words are just basic words that any muslim around the world knows. I would like to learn Arabic though, InshaAllah.
- As-salaamu-alaikum: Literally, 'may peace be upon you.' The universal greeting of muslims in every country, and every culture. It's actually considered rude or bad to start talking to someone without offering them a proper greeting first.
- Wa-alaikum-as-salaam: How a person replies to the above greeting. You'll notice its just a rearranging of the words, with an addition of 'wa' at the beginning which means 'and.' Literally, it means 'And upon you as well, may there be peace.'
- InshaAllah: God-willing. Since everything is ordained by God/Allah, and we don't know if what we plan will happen or not, we add in 'InshaAllah' to mostly all things we say about the future.
For example, if we're talking about some plans for tomorrow, we may say "Yes, I'll go to the market tomorrow, InshaAllah." or "InshaAllah, you'll get the letter I sent in the mail by next week." "Don't worry, you'll get better soon, InshaAllah." So what we mean is, that we'll do our best on something, but of course, God will decide if we are actually able (or even alive by then), to do it.
Actually, this term is in the Bible as well. The Bible ordained that no one say anything without saying "God Willing" after it. Again, this is another one of those little things where you can see that originally, all religions were the same. - MashaAllah: As God has willed it. This term is said when we are commenting on something good. For example: "Oh, your child is so pretty, mashaAllah!", "MashaAllah, he's funny.", "MashaAllah, you've grown so tall since I last saw you!" etc.
- SubhanAllah: Glory to God. Informally used, it's also like the "wow" of muslims, in a way. Like whenever we see something surprising or amazing, we can be like "SubhanAllah, I didn't know they serve free pizza in the university lounge on Fridays!" or something.similar, hehe. :)
- Alhamdulillah: All Praises and Thanks to God. Used whenever something happens which deserves thanks to God, which happens a lot! There are a myriad of ways in which this word can be used, since every single thing that happens to us in daily life deserves the utmost gratitude and thanks to God. So we woke up this morning? Alhamdulillah! We can see, hear, feel, think, speak, touch, learn, eat, drink, walk, run, etc? Alhamdulillah!! We tripped and fell, but weren't hurt or anything serious? Alhamdulillah. Usually on asked "How are you?", a common reply one can get is "Alhamdulillah", meaning that however we are, we should be grateful for that and are happy about it. I've also heard it said in situations where someone says "Oh, you have pretty eyes" and they replied with: "Thanks. Alhamdulillah." :)
- Allahu Akbar: God is Great. Pretty self-explanatory.
- Jazak Allahu Khayr: May Allah grant you with good. This is said in place of "Thank you" to another person. The word 'thank you' isn't enough to express gratitude to someone else - what better way to thank someone than to pray for them that God recompenses them with something good in return?
EDIT: I just thought I would add in here, that I am not Arab, if someone was of the impression from the above. These words are just basic words that any muslim around the world knows. I would like to learn Arabic though, InshaAllah.
New Layout
Someone brought it to my notice that my blog looked pretty dark in color. So I decided to play around with the layouts and neaten things up a bit. What do you think? Does this look any better? :) Please leave comments and tell me what you think (I wonder if the comment feature is even working.)
Friday, February 18, 2011
Let's Talk About the Fun Stuff - Hijab
Assalamualaikum,
I'm introducing a post about Hijab sooner than I thought I would - but I just love talking about the hijab, wearing the hijab and looking at stuff about it, so I just couldn't resist.
So first things first - ah, the hijab. The headscarf - a topic of hot debate. The outer sign which shows the world that you are muslim - which is actually a good thing. Starting off, I myself did not wear hijab until only a couple years ago (it actually hasn't even been two years yet.) It was one of the biggest and most difficult decisions of my life - but once I got enough courage and just put it on, and wore it for a while, there's no turning back. I can never dream of being hijab-less again. I feel so free and liberated - I don't have to worry about whether my hair is in place every second of the day - I don't feel uncomfortable talking with the world - I can be myself, and the world is forced to see muslim women not as eye candy, but to appreciate us for our personalities, our mind and our capabilities, rather than what we look like.
There are quite a lot of really good articles on hijab out there. I'll quote some lines from an article I came across today. This is from http://www.islamfortoday.com/hijabcanada4.htm:
The Quranic injunction for Hijab was given to women by the Lord and Creator of women - who knows what women need the best. The hijab is for our own benefit, not for any one else's. It keeps our respect and our dignity intact. We do not need to show off our bodies to be respected.
This is what the Quran says about Hijab, in Surah An-Nur, Verse 31:
There is a very warm sense of sisterhood in Islam, which is reinforced with hijab. Especially living in the West, where muslims are the minority, there is nothing as comforting as walking in a mall or down the street, and meeting another female wearing the hijab - it's almost like this instant connection with each other, where you can smile genuinely at each other and say "Assalamualiakum." I've had two instances in my life where I was completely new to a city, especially where I was feeling completely lost, but seeing another fellow hijabi made my day. We did not know each other, but smiling and greeting each other gave me a sense of comfort, that, yes, we're not as alone as it sometimes seems.
Of course, with everything else, there is also a lot of negativity, weird looks and comments a person gets when they wear the hijab. However, alhamdulillah (Thank God), I've never been a target of this. It's becoming more and more acceptable in the Western society, and people let us be, which is nice.
I'm introducing a post about Hijab sooner than I thought I would - but I just love talking about the hijab, wearing the hijab and looking at stuff about it, so I just couldn't resist.
So first things first - ah, the hijab. The headscarf - a topic of hot debate. The outer sign which shows the world that you are muslim - which is actually a good thing. Starting off, I myself did not wear hijab until only a couple years ago (it actually hasn't even been two years yet.) It was one of the biggest and most difficult decisions of my life - but once I got enough courage and just put it on, and wore it for a while, there's no turning back. I can never dream of being hijab-less again. I feel so free and liberated - I don't have to worry about whether my hair is in place every second of the day - I don't feel uncomfortable talking with the world - I can be myself, and the world is forced to see muslim women not as eye candy, but to appreciate us for our personalities, our mind and our capabilities, rather than what we look like.
There are quite a lot of really good articles on hijab out there. I'll quote some lines from an article I came across today. This is from http://www.islamfortoday.com/hijabcanada4.htm:
One of the major misconceptions about the hijab (covering of the body except the face and hands) is that young women are forced to wear it by their parents or by male family members.What people don't really understand is that shyness and modesty are a woman's natural inborn trait. We were born that way. Western fashion industry and media have brainwashed us to think that less is more, but in fact it isn't. How is it liberating to have to show your body off in front of men - isn't that degrading? The average western woman is forcing herself to be judged and criticized and appraised by men every time she walks out her door. She fights for men's attention based on sex appeal and fashion, humiliating and degrading herself every day. Is that freedom? Covering up is freedom - no one can judge muslim women based on looks when she steps out of her home in hijab.
Sumayya Syed, 16, says that what parents or men want have nothing to do with it. In fact, she astounds people who ask by saying that every woman should have this form of liberation.
Syed maintains that when a woman is covered, men cannot judge her by her appearance but are forced to evaluate her by her personality, character, and morals. "I tell them that the hijab is not a responsibility, it's a right given to me by my Creator who knows us best. It's a benefit to me, so why not? It's something every woman should strive to get and should want."
According to Rema Zawi, 16, "You feel modest...and you feel like you're covered up. You have more self-respect. You have more confidence in yourself that you don't need to care about (how) you look."
Syed emphasizes that a major plus is that people actually evaluate her on who she is and not on her beauty or clothing. "It keeps me protected from the fashion industry. The hijab liberates you from the media, brainwashing you into, Buy this, buy that, you're supposed to look like this," she says. "It allows me to be who I am. I don't have to worry about being popular through buying things that are 'cool'."
The Quranic injunction for Hijab was given to women by the Lord and Creator of women - who knows what women need the best. The hijab is for our own benefit, not for any one else's. It keeps our respect and our dignity intact. We do not need to show off our bodies to be respected.
This is what the Quran says about Hijab, in Surah An-Nur, Verse 31:
And say to the faithful women to lower their gazes, and to guard their private parts, and not to display their beauty except what is apparent of it, and to extend their headcoverings (khimars) to cover their bosoms (jaybs), and not to display their beauty except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husband's fathers, or their sons, or their husband's sons, or their brothers, or their brothers' sons, or their sisters' sons, or their womenfolk, or what their right hands rule (slaves), or the followers from the men who do not feel sexual desire, or the small children to whom the nakedness of women is not apparent, and not to strike their feet (on the ground) so as to make known what they hide of their adornments. And turn in repentance to Allah together, O you the faithful, in order that you are successfulAnd a hadith (saying of the Prophet) by Abu Dawud that is often quoted:
'Aisha said: Asma', daughter of Abu Bakr, entered upon the apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) wearing thin clothes. The apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) turned his attention from her. He said: O Asma', when a woman reaches the age of menstruation, it does not suit her that she displays her parts of the body except this and this, and he pointed to her face and hands.It's not like women covering their head is an alien concept to society. While reseraching this topic, I came across Becky's blog, where she herself researched how both Judaism and Christianity stress women to cover their hair. Up until the 19th century, if a woman walked out of her house without a hat or bonnet, she was not considered to be a respectful woman. However, both Jewish and Christian women have shunned this ruling in their religion, considering them old-fashioned or obsolete.
There is a very warm sense of sisterhood in Islam, which is reinforced with hijab. Especially living in the West, where muslims are the minority, there is nothing as comforting as walking in a mall or down the street, and meeting another female wearing the hijab - it's almost like this instant connection with each other, where you can smile genuinely at each other and say "Assalamualiakum." I've had two instances in my life where I was completely new to a city, especially where I was feeling completely lost, but seeing another fellow hijabi made my day. We did not know each other, but smiling and greeting each other gave me a sense of comfort, that, yes, we're not as alone as it sometimes seems.
Of course, with everything else, there is also a lot of negativity, weird looks and comments a person gets when they wear the hijab. However, alhamdulillah (Thank God), I've never been a target of this. It's becoming more and more acceptable in the Western society, and people let us be, which is nice.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
The Basics of Islam (continued)
1. What is Islaam?The word "Islaam" is an Arabic word that means "submitting and surrendering your will to Almighty God". The word comes from the same root as the Arabic word "salam", which means peace. Unlike the names used for other religions, such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity, the name for the religion of Islaam was both revealed by God and carries a deep spritual meaning - only by submitting one's will to Almighty God can one obtain true peace both in this life and in the life hereafter. Islaam teaches that all religions originally had the same essential message - which was to submit whole-heartedly to the will of God and to worship Him and Him alone. For this reason, Islaam is not a new religion but is the same divinely revealed Ultimate Truth that God revealed to all prophets, including Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus.
2. Who are Muslims?
The Arabic word "Muslim" literally means "someone who submits to the will of God". The message of Islaam is meant for the entire world and anyone who accepts this message becomes a Muslim. Some people mistakenly believe that Islaam is just a religion for Arabs, but nothing could be further from the truth, since in actuality over 80% of the world's Muslims are not Arabs! Even though most Arabs are Muslims, there are Arabs who are Christians, Jews and atheists. If one just takes a look at the various peoples who live in the Muslim World - from Nigeria to Bosnia and from Morocco to Indonesia - it is easy enough to see that Muslims come from all different races, ethnic groups and nationalities. From the very beginning, Islaam had a universal message for all people. This can be seen in the fact that some of the early companions of the Prophet Muhammad were not only Arabs, but also Persians, Africans and Byzantine Romans.
Being a Muslim entails complete acceptance and active obedience to the revealed will of Almighty God. A Muslim is a person who freely accepts to base his beliefs, values and faith on the will of Almighty God. In the past, even though you don't see it as much today, the word "Mohammedans" was often used as a label for Muslims. This label is a misnomer and is the result of either wilful distortion or sheer ignorance. One of the reasons for the misconception is that Europeans were taught for centuries that Muslims worshipped the Prophet Muhammad in the same way that Christians worship Jesus. This is absolutely not true since a Muslim is not permitted to worship anyone or anything besides Almighty God.
3. Who is Allah?
Very often one will hear the Arabic word "Allah" being used in regards to Islaam. The word "Allah" is simply the Arabic word for Almighty God, and is the same word used by Arabic speaking Christians and Jews. If one were to pick up an Arabic translation of the Bible, one would see the word "Allah" being use where the word "God" is used in English. Actually, the Arabic word for Almighty God, "Allah", is quite similar to the word for God in other Semitic languages - for example, the Hebrew word for God is "Elah".
For various reasons, some non-Muslims mistakenly believe that Muslims worship a different God than the God of Moses and Abraham and Jesus. This is certainly not the case, since the Pure Monotheism of Islam calls all people to the worship of the God of Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and all of the other prophets.
4. Who is Muhammad?
The last and final prophet that God sent to humanity was the Prophet Muhammad. Muhammad explained, interpreted and lived the teachings of Islaam. The Prophet Muhammad is the greatest of all prophets for many reasons, but mainly because the results of his mission have brought more people into the pure belief in One God than any other prophet. Even though other religious communities claimed to believe in One God, over time they had corrupted their beliefs by taking their prophets and saints as intercessors with Almighty God. Some religions believe their prophets to be manifestations of God, "God Incarnate" or the "Son of God". All of these false ideas lead to the creature being worshipped instead of the Creator, which contributed to the idolatrous practice of believing that Almighty God can be approached through intermediaries. In order to guard against these falsehoods, the Prophet Muhammad always emphasised that he was only a human-being tasked with the preaching of God's message. He taught Muslims to refer to him as "the Messenger of God and His Slave".
To Muslims, Muhammad is the supreme example for all people - he was the exemplary prophet, statesman, military leader, ruler, teacher, neighbour, husband, father and friend. Unlike other prophets and messengers, the Prophet Muhammad lived in the full light of history. Muslims don't need to have "faith" that he existed and that his teachings are preserved - they know it to be a fact. Even when his followers only numbered a few dozen, Almighty God informed Muhammad that he had be sent as a mercy to all of mankind. Because people had distorted or forgotten God's messages, God took it upon Himself to protect the message revealed to Muhammad. This was because Almighty God promised not to send another messenger after him. Since all of God's messengers have preached the message of Islaam - i.e. submission to the will of God and the worship of God alone - Muhammad is actually the last prophet of Islaam, not the first.
5. What are the Teachings of Islaam?
The foundation of the Islaamic faith is belief in the Unity of God. This means to believe that there is only one Creator and Sustainer of everything in the Universe, and that nothing is divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Him. Truly believing in the Unity of God means much more than simply believing that there is "One God" - as opposed to two, three or four. There are a number of religions that claim belief in "One God" and believe that ultimately there is only one Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. Islaam, however, not only insists on this, but also rejects using such words as "Lord" and "Saviour" for anyone besides Almighty God. Islaam also rejects the use of all intermediaries between God and Man, and insists that people approach God directly and reserve all worship for Him alone. Muslims believe that Almighty God is Compassionate, Loving and Merciful.
The essence of falsehood is the claim that God cannot deal with and forgive His creatures directly. By over-emphasising the burden of sin, as well as claiming that God cannot forgive you directly, false religions seek to get people to despair of the Mercy of God. Once they are convinced that they cannot approach God directly, people can be mislead into turning to false gods for help. These "false gods" can take various forms, such as saints, angels, or someone who is believed to be the "Son of God" or "God Incarnate". In almost all cases, people who worship, pray to or seek help from a false god don't consider it to be, or call it, a "god". They claim belief in One Supreme God, but claim that they pray to and worship others beside God only to get closer to Him.
In Islaam, there is a clear distinction between the Creator and the created. There is no ambiguity in divinity - anything that is created is not deserving of worship and only the Creator is worthy of being worshipped. Some religions falsely believe that God has become part of His creation, and this has led people to believe that they can worship something created in order to reach their Creator.
Muslims believe that even though God is Unique and beyond comprehension - He has no "Son", partners or associates. According to Muslim belief, Almighty God "does not beget nor was He begotten" - neither literally, allegorically, metaphorically, physically or metaphysically - He is Absolutely Unique and Eternal. He is in control of everything and is perfectly capable of bestowing His infinite Mercy and Forgiveness to whomever He chooses. That is why is called the All-Powerful and Most-Merciful. Almighty God has created the Universe for man, and as such wants the best for all human beings. Muslims see everything in the Universe as a sign of the Creatorship and
Benevolence of Almighty God. Also, the belief in the Unity of God is not merely a metaphysical concept. It is a dynamic belief that effects ones view of humanity, society and all aspects of life. As a logical corollary to the Islaamic belief in the Oneness of God, is its belief in the oneness of mankind and humanity.
6. What is the Qur'aan?
It is the final revelation of the will of Almighty God's to all of mankind, which was conveyed through the Angel Gabriel, in Arabic, to the Prophet Muhammad in its sounds, words and meanings. The Qur'aan, sometimes spelled Koran, was relayed to the Prophet's companions, which they memorised verbatim, and which has been publicly and continually recited by them and their successors until the present day.
In short, the Qur'aan is the book of guidance from God par excellence. The Qur'aan is still memorised and taught by millions of people. The language of the Qur'aan, Arabic, is still a living language to millions of people, so unlike the scriptures of other religions, the Qur'aan is still read in its original language by countless millions of people. The Qu'ran is a living miracle in the Arabic language; and is know to be inimitable in its style, form and spiritual impact. God's final revelation to mankind, the Qur'aan, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years. The Qur'aan, in contrast to many other religious books, was always thought to be the Word of God by those who believed in it, i.e. it wasn't something decreed by a religious council many years after being written. Also, the Qu'ran was recited publicly in front of both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities during the life of the Prophet Muhammad. The entire Qur'aan was also completely written down in lifetime of the Prophet, and numerous companions of the Prophet memorised the entire Qur'aan word-for-word as it was revealed. So unlike other scriptures, the Qur'aan was always in the hands of the common believers, it was always thought to be God's word and, due to wide-spread memorisation, it was perfectly preserved. In regards to the teachings of the Qur'aan - it is a universal scripture, and it is addressed to all of mankind, and not to a particular tribe or "chosen people". The message that it brings is nothing new, but the same message of all of the prophets - submit to Almighty God and worship Him alone. As such, God's revelation in the Qur'aan focuses on teaching human beings the importance of believing in the Unity of God and framing their lives around the guidance which He has sent. Additionally, the Qur'aan contains the stories of the previous prophets, such as Abraham, Noah, Moses and Jesus; as well as many commands and prohibitions from God. In modern times in which so many people are caught up in doubt, spiritual despair and "political correctness", the Qur'aanic teachings offer solutions to the emptiness of our lives and the turmoil that is gripping the world today.
7. How Do Muslims View the Nature of Man, the Purpose of Life and the Life Hereafter?
In the Holy Qur'aan, God teaches human beings that they were created in order to worship Him, and that the basis of all true worship is God-consciousness. Since the teachings of Islaamic encompass all aspects of life and ethics, God-consciousness is encouraged in all human affairs. Islaam makes it clear that all human acts are acts of worship if they are done for God alone and in accordance to His Divine Law. As such, worship in Islaam is not limited to religious rituals. The teachings of Islaam act as a mercy and a healing for the human soul, and such qualities as humility, sincerity, patience and charity are strongly encouraged. Additionally, Islaam condemns pride and self-righteousness, since Almighty God is the only judge of human righteousness. The Islaamic view of the nature of man is also realistic and well-balanced. Human beings are not believed to be inherently sinful, but are seen as equally capable of both good and evil. Islaam also teaches that faith and action go hand-in-hand. God has given people free-will, and the measure of one's faith is one's deeds and actions. However, human beings have also been created weak and regularly fall into sin. This is the nature of the human being as created by God in His Wisdom, and it is not inherently "corrupt" or in need of repair. This is because the avenue of repentance of always open to all human beings, and Almighty God loves the repentant sinner more than one who does not sin at all. The true balance of an Islaamic life is established by having a healthy fear of God as well as a sincere belief in His infinite Mercy. A life without fear of God leads to sin and disobedience, while believing that we have sinned so much that God will not possibly forgive us only leads to despair. In light of this, Islaam teaches that: only the misguided despair of the Mercy of their Lord. Additionally, the Holy Qur'aan, which was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, contains a great deal of teachings about the life hereafter and the Day of Judgement. Due to this, Muslims believe that all human beings will ultimately be judged by God for their beliefs and actions in their earthly lives. In judging human beings, Almighty God will be both Merciful and Just, and people will only be judged for what they were capable of. Suffice it to say that Islaam teaches that life is a test, and that all human beings will be accountable before God. A sincere belief in the life hereafter is key to leading a well-balanced life and moral.
Otherwise, life is viewed as an end in itself, which causes human beings to become more selfish, materialistic and immoral..
2. Who are Muslims?
The Arabic word "Muslim" literally means "someone who submits to the will of God". The message of Islaam is meant for the entire world and anyone who accepts this message becomes a Muslim. Some people mistakenly believe that Islaam is just a religion for Arabs, but nothing could be further from the truth, since in actuality over 80% of the world's Muslims are not Arabs! Even though most Arabs are Muslims, there are Arabs who are Christians, Jews and atheists. If one just takes a look at the various peoples who live in the Muslim World - from Nigeria to Bosnia and from Morocco to Indonesia - it is easy enough to see that Muslims come from all different races, ethnic groups and nationalities. From the very beginning, Islaam had a universal message for all people. This can be seen in the fact that some of the early companions of the Prophet Muhammad were not only Arabs, but also Persians, Africans and Byzantine Romans.
Being a Muslim entails complete acceptance and active obedience to the revealed will of Almighty God. A Muslim is a person who freely accepts to base his beliefs, values and faith on the will of Almighty God. In the past, even though you don't see it as much today, the word "Mohammedans" was often used as a label for Muslims. This label is a misnomer and is the result of either wilful distortion or sheer ignorance. One of the reasons for the misconception is that Europeans were taught for centuries that Muslims worshipped the Prophet Muhammad in the same way that Christians worship Jesus. This is absolutely not true since a Muslim is not permitted to worship anyone or anything besides Almighty God.
3. Who is Allah?
Very often one will hear the Arabic word "Allah" being used in regards to Islaam. The word "Allah" is simply the Arabic word for Almighty God, and is the same word used by Arabic speaking Christians and Jews. If one were to pick up an Arabic translation of the Bible, one would see the word "Allah" being use where the word "God" is used in English. Actually, the Arabic word for Almighty God, "Allah", is quite similar to the word for God in other Semitic languages - for example, the Hebrew word for God is "Elah".
For various reasons, some non-Muslims mistakenly believe that Muslims worship a different God than the God of Moses and Abraham and Jesus. This is certainly not the case, since the Pure Monotheism of Islam calls all people to the worship of the God of Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and all of the other prophets.
4. Who is Muhammad?
The last and final prophet that God sent to humanity was the Prophet Muhammad. Muhammad explained, interpreted and lived the teachings of Islaam. The Prophet Muhammad is the greatest of all prophets for many reasons, but mainly because the results of his mission have brought more people into the pure belief in One God than any other prophet. Even though other religious communities claimed to believe in One God, over time they had corrupted their beliefs by taking their prophets and saints as intercessors with Almighty God. Some religions believe their prophets to be manifestations of God, "God Incarnate" or the "Son of God". All of these false ideas lead to the creature being worshipped instead of the Creator, which contributed to the idolatrous practice of believing that Almighty God can be approached through intermediaries. In order to guard against these falsehoods, the Prophet Muhammad always emphasised that he was only a human-being tasked with the preaching of God's message. He taught Muslims to refer to him as "the Messenger of God and His Slave".
To Muslims, Muhammad is the supreme example for all people - he was the exemplary prophet, statesman, military leader, ruler, teacher, neighbour, husband, father and friend. Unlike other prophets and messengers, the Prophet Muhammad lived in the full light of history. Muslims don't need to have "faith" that he existed and that his teachings are preserved - they know it to be a fact. Even when his followers only numbered a few dozen, Almighty God informed Muhammad that he had be sent as a mercy to all of mankind. Because people had distorted or forgotten God's messages, God took it upon Himself to protect the message revealed to Muhammad. This was because Almighty God promised not to send another messenger after him. Since all of God's messengers have preached the message of Islaam - i.e. submission to the will of God and the worship of God alone - Muhammad is actually the last prophet of Islaam, not the first.
5. What are the Teachings of Islaam?
The foundation of the Islaamic faith is belief in the Unity of God. This means to believe that there is only one Creator and Sustainer of everything in the Universe, and that nothing is divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Him. Truly believing in the Unity of God means much more than simply believing that there is "One God" - as opposed to two, three or four. There are a number of religions that claim belief in "One God" and believe that ultimately there is only one Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. Islaam, however, not only insists on this, but also rejects using such words as "Lord" and "Saviour" for anyone besides Almighty God. Islaam also rejects the use of all intermediaries between God and Man, and insists that people approach God directly and reserve all worship for Him alone. Muslims believe that Almighty God is Compassionate, Loving and Merciful.
The essence of falsehood is the claim that God cannot deal with and forgive His creatures directly. By over-emphasising the burden of sin, as well as claiming that God cannot forgive you directly, false religions seek to get people to despair of the Mercy of God. Once they are convinced that they cannot approach God directly, people can be mislead into turning to false gods for help. These "false gods" can take various forms, such as saints, angels, or someone who is believed to be the "Son of God" or "God Incarnate". In almost all cases, people who worship, pray to or seek help from a false god don't consider it to be, or call it, a "god". They claim belief in One Supreme God, but claim that they pray to and worship others beside God only to get closer to Him.
In Islaam, there is a clear distinction between the Creator and the created. There is no ambiguity in divinity - anything that is created is not deserving of worship and only the Creator is worthy of being worshipped. Some religions falsely believe that God has become part of His creation, and this has led people to believe that they can worship something created in order to reach their Creator.
Muslims believe that even though God is Unique and beyond comprehension - He has no "Son", partners or associates. According to Muslim belief, Almighty God "does not beget nor was He begotten" - neither literally, allegorically, metaphorically, physically or metaphysically - He is Absolutely Unique and Eternal. He is in control of everything and is perfectly capable of bestowing His infinite Mercy and Forgiveness to whomever He chooses. That is why is called the All-Powerful and Most-Merciful. Almighty God has created the Universe for man, and as such wants the best for all human beings. Muslims see everything in the Universe as a sign of the Creatorship and
Benevolence of Almighty God. Also, the belief in the Unity of God is not merely a metaphysical concept. It is a dynamic belief that effects ones view of humanity, society and all aspects of life. As a logical corollary to the Islaamic belief in the Oneness of God, is its belief in the oneness of mankind and humanity.
6. What is the Qur'aan?
It is the final revelation of the will of Almighty God's to all of mankind, which was conveyed through the Angel Gabriel, in Arabic, to the Prophet Muhammad in its sounds, words and meanings. The Qur'aan, sometimes spelled Koran, was relayed to the Prophet's companions, which they memorised verbatim, and which has been publicly and continually recited by them and their successors until the present day.
In short, the Qur'aan is the book of guidance from God par excellence. The Qur'aan is still memorised and taught by millions of people. The language of the Qur'aan, Arabic, is still a living language to millions of people, so unlike the scriptures of other religions, the Qur'aan is still read in its original language by countless millions of people. The Qu'ran is a living miracle in the Arabic language; and is know to be inimitable in its style, form and spiritual impact. God's final revelation to mankind, the Qur'aan, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years. The Qur'aan, in contrast to many other religious books, was always thought to be the Word of God by those who believed in it, i.e. it wasn't something decreed by a religious council many years after being written. Also, the Qu'ran was recited publicly in front of both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities during the life of the Prophet Muhammad. The entire Qur'aan was also completely written down in lifetime of the Prophet, and numerous companions of the Prophet memorised the entire Qur'aan word-for-word as it was revealed. So unlike other scriptures, the Qur'aan was always in the hands of the common believers, it was always thought to be God's word and, due to wide-spread memorisation, it was perfectly preserved. In regards to the teachings of the Qur'aan - it is a universal scripture, and it is addressed to all of mankind, and not to a particular tribe or "chosen people". The message that it brings is nothing new, but the same message of all of the prophets - submit to Almighty God and worship Him alone. As such, God's revelation in the Qur'aan focuses on teaching human beings the importance of believing in the Unity of God and framing their lives around the guidance which He has sent. Additionally, the Qur'aan contains the stories of the previous prophets, such as Abraham, Noah, Moses and Jesus; as well as many commands and prohibitions from God. In modern times in which so many people are caught up in doubt, spiritual despair and "political correctness", the Qur'aanic teachings offer solutions to the emptiness of our lives and the turmoil that is gripping the world today.
7. How Do Muslims View the Nature of Man, the Purpose of Life and the Life Hereafter?
In the Holy Qur'aan, God teaches human beings that they were created in order to worship Him, and that the basis of all true worship is God-consciousness. Since the teachings of Islaamic encompass all aspects of life and ethics, God-consciousness is encouraged in all human affairs. Islaam makes it clear that all human acts are acts of worship if they are done for God alone and in accordance to His Divine Law. As such, worship in Islaam is not limited to religious rituals. The teachings of Islaam act as a mercy and a healing for the human soul, and such qualities as humility, sincerity, patience and charity are strongly encouraged. Additionally, Islaam condemns pride and self-righteousness, since Almighty God is the only judge of human righteousness. The Islaamic view of the nature of man is also realistic and well-balanced. Human beings are not believed to be inherently sinful, but are seen as equally capable of both good and evil. Islaam also teaches that faith and action go hand-in-hand. God has given people free-will, and the measure of one's faith is one's deeds and actions. However, human beings have also been created weak and regularly fall into sin. This is the nature of the human being as created by God in His Wisdom, and it is not inherently "corrupt" or in need of repair. This is because the avenue of repentance of always open to all human beings, and Almighty God loves the repentant sinner more than one who does not sin at all. The true balance of an Islaamic life is established by having a healthy fear of God as well as a sincere belief in His infinite Mercy. A life without fear of God leads to sin and disobedience, while believing that we have sinned so much that God will not possibly forgive us only leads to despair. In light of this, Islaam teaches that: only the misguided despair of the Mercy of their Lord. Additionally, the Holy Qur'aan, which was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, contains a great deal of teachings about the life hereafter and the Day of Judgement. Due to this, Muslims believe that all human beings will ultimately be judged by God for their beliefs and actions in their earthly lives. In judging human beings, Almighty God will be both Merciful and Just, and people will only be judged for what they were capable of. Suffice it to say that Islaam teaches that life is a test, and that all human beings will be accountable before God. A sincere belief in the life hereafter is key to leading a well-balanced life and moral.
Otherwise, life is viewed as an end in itself, which causes human beings to become more selfish, materialistic and immoral..
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
The Signs all Around Us - Some Verses from the Quran
***Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who understand***
"(He is) the Lord of the two easts (places of sunrise during early summer and early winter) and the Lord of the two wests (places of sunset during early summer and early winter)." ( Surah Ar Rahman, ayah 17)
‘My Lord! I am amazed at how one who knows You can place his hope in someone else and ask the help of someone else.’
"And among His Signs is this, that He created you (Adam) from dust, and then [Hawwa' (Eve) from Adam's rib, and then his offspring from the semen, and], -behold you are human beings scattered!" (Surah Ar-Rum, 20)
"And among His Signs is this, that He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has put between you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect." (Surah Ar-Rum, 21)
"And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colours. Verily, in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge." (Surah Ar-Rum, 22)
"And among His Signs is the sleep that you take by night and by day, and your seeking of His Bounty. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who listen." (Surah Ar-Rum 23)
"And among His Signs is that He shows you the lightning, by way of fear and hope, and He sends down water (rain) from the sky, and therewith revives the earth after its death. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who understand." (Surah Ar-Rum 24)
"And among His Signs is that the heaven and the earth stand by His Command, then afterwards when He will call you by single call, behold, you will come out from the earth (i.e from your graves for reckoning and recompense)." (Surah Ar-Rum, 25)
"To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. All are obedient to Him" Surah Ar-Rum
"Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you deny?" (Surah Ar Rahman, ayah 18)
"He has let loose the two seas (the salt water and the sweet) meeting together." ( Surah Ar-Rahman, ayah 19)
"Between them is a barrier which none of them can transgress." ( Surah Ar- Rahman, ayah 20)
"Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you deny?" (Surah Ar Rahman, ayah 21)
"Out of them both come out pearl and coral." ( Surah Ar- Rahman, ayah 22)
"And His are the ships going and coming in the seas, like mountains." ( Surah Ar-Rahman, 23)
"Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you deny?" (Surah Ar Rahman, ayah 24)
"Whatsoever is on it (the earth) will perish." ( Surah Ar Rahman, ayah 25)
"And the Face of your Lord full of Majesty and Honour will abide forever." ( Surah Ar Rahman, ayah 26)
"Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you deny?" (Surah Ar Rahman, ayah 27)
What is a Muslim, Anyway?
Oops, I forgot about this place completely. But I'm back, and InshaAllah (God willing), I'll keep blogging regularly from now on. Between the first post and this one, many months have passed. I hope I've become a bit more wiser since that first post?
Anyway, I wanted to start this blog off with the basics - it's so strange that not many people in contemporary society really understand what a Muslim is, or what it means to be one. I mean, I know exactly what a Hindu, a Christian, a Jew, or an Atheist believes in - I know their different traditions and how their religion (or lack of) affects their daily life. But when it comes down to the Islamic religion, people are suddenly ignorant and clueless.
First off, when someone says that they believe in God, what does it mean? When someone says they worship God, what does it mean? Why are we here anyway? Why are you, right now, looking at your computer screen, living your life day to day? Is there a point in all this? Is it just so you can have a good time - get up in the morning, go to work or school, finish your worldly duties and squeeze in some time for fun, and then fall asleep - is that all there is to life? As a human being, do you have any obligations to any 'higher authority'?
A Muslim believes that the most basic fundamental starting point in religion is to strongly believe in:
(a) the Oneness of God
(b) the Attributes of God
and to,
(c) worship that one God and God alone.
It might seem like a straightforward statement, and people might say this is what all religions of the world believe in. No, that's incorrect - This is the basis of only Islam. And if you take out even one of option (a), (b), or (c) from above, it turns into any of the numerous religions flooding the planet today. A person may believe in (a) and (b), but when it comes to (c), then they go ahead and start worshipping the human prophets who were sent to them (the Trinity concept), or worship gods and idols and deities. If God is One, why are they directing their worship elsewhere? And then there are those who worship graves and believe that the dead can help them. Hello? Those people are dead! Can you help someone perform a miracle right now? How on earth do you expect to do something like that when you're already *dead*? And then people believe that amulets or charms hold special powers and can help them. People look up at the sky and makes wishes on stars. How is any of this possible? If a person starts worshipping any other living or non-living thing, anything at all other than God, than they are in essence, committing what we call Shirk or Disbelief.
A muslim believes that God is the only One with power, and the only One who can help us. Since God created everything around us - ourselves, plants and animals and the oceans and mountains and everything on land, the stars and planets and everything else in the Universe, does it make sense to worship something that was created? Why not direct your worship to the Creator instead, who actually is the only One who can answer your prayer?
This is not the full definition of a muslim yet, but I'll cover more in my next post.
Anyway, I wanted to start this blog off with the basics - it's so strange that not many people in contemporary society really understand what a Muslim is, or what it means to be one. I mean, I know exactly what a Hindu, a Christian, a Jew, or an Atheist believes in - I know their different traditions and how their religion (or lack of) affects their daily life. But when it comes down to the Islamic religion, people are suddenly ignorant and clueless.
First off, when someone says that they believe in God, what does it mean? When someone says they worship God, what does it mean? Why are we here anyway? Why are you, right now, looking at your computer screen, living your life day to day? Is there a point in all this? Is it just so you can have a good time - get up in the morning, go to work or school, finish your worldly duties and squeeze in some time for fun, and then fall asleep - is that all there is to life? As a human being, do you have any obligations to any 'higher authority'?
A Muslim believes that the most basic fundamental starting point in religion is to strongly believe in:
(a) the Oneness of God
(b) the Attributes of God
and to,
(c) worship that one God and God alone.
It might seem like a straightforward statement, and people might say this is what all religions of the world believe in. No, that's incorrect - This is the basis of only Islam. And if you take out even one of option (a), (b), or (c) from above, it turns into any of the numerous religions flooding the planet today. A person may believe in (a) and (b), but when it comes to (c), then they go ahead and start worshipping the human prophets who were sent to them (the Trinity concept), or worship gods and idols and deities. If God is One, why are they directing their worship elsewhere? And then there are those who worship graves and believe that the dead can help them. Hello? Those people are dead! Can you help someone perform a miracle right now? How on earth do you expect to do something like that when you're already *dead*? And then people believe that amulets or charms hold special powers and can help them. People look up at the sky and makes wishes on stars. How is any of this possible? If a person starts worshipping any other living or non-living thing, anything at all other than God, than they are in essence, committing what we call Shirk or Disbelief.
A muslim believes that God is the only One with power, and the only One who can help us. Since God created everything around us - ourselves, plants and animals and the oceans and mountains and everything on land, the stars and planets and everything else in the Universe, does it make sense to worship something that was created? Why not direct your worship to the Creator instead, who actually is the only One who can answer your prayer?
This is not the full definition of a muslim yet, but I'll cover more in my next post.
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