Chapter 6
4319: A Jewish woman thinking about embracing Islam
Question:
Salam Aleikum,
I have very difficult question and I this is my only
hope that you can help me to find the answer.
I am Russian Jewish girl and I know this Muslim guy
for over a year. The longer we know each other, the
more problems and difficulties we face. Not in the religious
or cultural ways. We love each other and there is an issue
of whether he can marry me or not. He is very good
Muslim and he comes from traditional family. I am very found
of his believes and believes of his family. I was born in
very agnostic country and couldn't be properly introduced
into any religion. It was forbidden. When I came to US I
started my research on different religions and found out, that
my believes do not really match all jewish sayings. I did a
lot of research on Islam and by looking at him and
couple other Muslim boys and girls, and by reading Quaran,
I have very strong feeling that I could become a
good Muslim. I want to go to school to learn the culture
and religion more precise, to learn the language. I
contacted the mosque and was ready to go... but I faced the
issue: would I be accepted as Muslim sister like other
people who came from different religions accept Jewish?
Jewish and Muslims are in big contradictions and I know
that friendship is almost impossible. I am praying to God
(in my home language - Russian), to lead me the right
way to achieve my believes. Please, help me to find
my answers!
Thank you very much.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
"I have very strong feeling that I could become a
good Muslim." The way you express yourself so clearly in
your message indicates that you are indeed open to the
truth and have been sincerely seeking for it.
"I am praying to God (in my home language
_Russian), to lead me to the right way…" What you say here, at
the end of your message, makes the Muslim reader feel
deeply moved by the story of a woman who has turned
towards Allaah after realizing that He answers the prayers of
those who call on Him and ask for guidance to the right
way. Allaah says in the Qur'aan (interpretation of the
meaning): "And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad)
concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them,
by My knowledge). I respond to the invocations of
the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator
or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me,
so that they may be led aright." [al-Baqarah
2:186]. It is a good sign that your heart appears to be open to
Islam. Allaah also tells us in the Qur'aan: "And
whomsoever Allaah wills to guide, He opens his breast to Islam,
and whomsoever He wills to send astray, He makes his
breast closed and constricted, as if he is climbing up to the sky…"
[al-An'aam 6:125]
Please note that Muslims who understand their
religion properly will not feel any kind of reservation or
resentment towards any brother or sister who embraces Islam,
no matter what their origins. The fact that a new
Muslim comes from a Jewish or Christian background should
not be a reason for any kind of discrimination or
prejudice. We will give you two examples from Islamic history
of two Jews _ one man and one woman _ who entered Islam.
The first one is Abu Yoosuf `Abd-Allaah ibn Salaam
(may Allaah be pleased with him). Anas (may Allaah be
pleased with him) said: "When `Abd-Allaah ibn Salaam
heard that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) had come to Madeenah, he came
to him and said, `I am going to ask you about three
things which no one knows except a Prophet. What is the
first Sign of the Hour? What is the first food that the people
of Paradise will eat? And how is it that a child may
resemble either his father or his maternal uncles?' The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: `Jibreel has just now informed me about
these.' `Abd-Allaah ibn Salaam said, `He is the enemy of
the Jews among the angels.' The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: `The first
sign of the Hour is a fire that will gather the people
together from the East to the West. The first food that the
people of Paradise will eat will be the caudate (extra) lobe
of fish-liver. As for the child resembling one parent
or another, when a man has intercourse with his wife, if
the man's discharge precedes the woman's discharge,
the child will resemble the man, and if the woman's
discharge precedes the man's, the child will resemble the
woman." [`Abd-Allaah] said: `I bear witness that you are
the Messenger of Allaah…'"
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, 3082).
Al-Bukhaari also reported: " `Abd-Allaah ibn
Salaam came and said: `I bear witness that you are the
Messenger of Allaah and that you have brought the truth. The
Jews know that I am the best of them and the son of the best
of them, and I am the most knowledgeable of them and
the son of the most knowledgeable of them, so call them
and ask them about me before they know that I have
become Muslim, for if they know that I have become
Muslim, they will say things about me that are not true.'
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
sent for them and they came to him. The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to
them, `O Jews, woe to you! Fear Allaah, for by Allaah
besides Whom there is no other god, you know that I am truly
the Messenger of Allaah and that I come to you with the
truth, so become Muslim.' They said, `We know nothing
about that.' He said it three times… He said, `What kind
of man is `Abd-Allaah ibn Salaam among you?' They
said, `He is the best of us and the son of the best of us; he is
the most knowledgeable of us and the son of the
most knowledgeable among us.' He said, `What would
you think if he became Muslim?' They said, `May
Allaah protect him from that! He would never become
Muslim.' He said, `What would you think if he became
Muslim?' They said, `May Allaah protect him from that! He
would never become Muslim.' He said, `What would you
think if he became Muslim?' They said, `May Allaah
protect him from that! He would never become Muslim.' He
said, `O son of Salaam, come out to them.' He
[`Abd-Allaah] came out and said, `O Jews, fear Allaah! By Allaah
besides Whom there is no other god, you know that he is
the Messenger of Allaah and that he has come with the
truth.' They said, `You are lying!' The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told them
to leave."
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, 3621)
This man's Jewish origins did not prevent him from
being one of those who were given the glad tidings of
Paradise before they died. Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqaas (may Allaah
be pleased with him) said: "I never heard the Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
saying to any man who walked on the face of the earth that
he would be one of the people of Paradise except for
`Abd-Allaah ibn Salaam. Concerning him, the aayah (interpretation of the meaning)
`… and a witness from among the Children of Israel testifies that this
Qur'aan is from Allaah…' [al-Ahqaaf 46:10]
was revealed."
The Jewish woman who became Muslim was Safiyyah bint Huyay ibn Akhtab, from the Jews of Khaybar,
who believed in Allaah as her Lord, Islam as her religion,
and Muhammad as her Prophet.
This Jewish woman Safiyyah, who embraced Islam, became a mother for all of us Muslims, as Allaah said
in the Qur'aan (interpretation of the meaning):
"The Prophet is closer to the believers than their own selves, and
his wives are their mothers…"
[al-Ahzaab 33:6].
Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: "The
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
stayed between Khaybar and Madeenah for three days when
he got married to Safiyyah bint Huyay, and invited
the Muslims to his waleemah (wedding feast)… The
Muslims said, `Is she one of the Mothers of the Believers or is
she one of those whom his right hand possesses?' They
said, `If he covers her, then she is one of the Mothers of
the Believers and if he does not cover her, then she is one
of those whom his right hand possesses.' When he got
on his camel, he made her ride behind him, and he put
a screen between her and the people." (Reported by
al-Bukhaari, 4762).
Safiyyah (may Allaah be pleased with her) was the
one for whom the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him) came out of seclusion (I'tikaaf) especially
to accompany her to her house. (The one who is in
seclusion for worship is not allowed to come out except for a
valid reason). `Ali ibn al-Husayn (may Allaah be pleased
with them both) reported that Safiyyah, the wife of the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told
him that she came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to visit him whilst
he was in I'tikaaf in the mosque, during the last ten days
of Ramadaan. She spoke with him for a while, then
she wanted to go back to her house, so the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) got up and took
her back…
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, 1894)
According to another report: The Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was in the mosque,
and his wives were with him, then they left. He said
to Safiyyah bint Huyay, "Don't rush, I will go with
you." Her home was in the house of Usaamah, and the
Prophet (peace and blessin
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3143: Why does Islam continue to be successful in
the developed world?
Question:
Why has Islam continued to be so successful in the
modern world?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Islam continues to be successful in the developed
world, and elsewhere, because its call is in accordance with
the fitrah or natural inclinations of mankind, and it
advocates the best of human values, such as tolerance, love,
mercy, truthfulness and sincerity.
Islam educates people and lifts them up to
righteous conduct, good manners and virtue. Its call is
distinguished from others by its realism, balance and moderation.
Islam pays due attention to both the soul and the body. It
neither suppresses physical desires nor allows extravagance
in this regard; it makes a distinction between the
natural inclination to enjoy the pleasures of this world
and forbidden desires that come under the heading of
depravity and perversion.
People embrace Islam because they find security,
comfort and peace in it, they see a cure for their problems in
it, and through it they are able to get rid of their feelings
of confusion, anxiety and loss.
Islam is the religion of the fitrah, the natural
inclination or pattern on which Allaah has created mankind. For
this reason, people of sound minds and upright
inclinations embrace Islam, as Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be
pleased with him) said: "The Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: `There is no
child who is not born in a state of fitrah (i.e., Islam), then
his parents make him into a Jew, a Christian or a
Magian (Zoroastrian), just as animals produce whole animals
(i.e., the animals are born perfect with no part of their
bodies missing). Do you find any born with their ears cut
off?'" Then Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with
him) said: " `… Allaah's handiwork according to the
pattern on which He has made mankind: no change (let there
be) in the work (wrought) by Allaah: that is the
Standard Religion…' [al-Room 30:30 _ interpretation of
the meaning _ Yusuf Ali's translation]." (Reported by
al-Bukhaari, 1359). What is meant is that Allaah has
created mankind with the potential to learn the truth,
accept Tawheed (pure monotheism) and submit to Allaah.
Their natural inclination is to learn Islam and love it, but a
bad education, a kaafir (disbelieving) environment, their
own whims and desires and the devils among jinn and
mankind turn them away from the truth. Mankind is
basically inclined towards Tawheed (pure monotheism), as
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) reported that his Lord (Allaah) said: "I created all
my slaves as `hunafa' (pure monetheists), but the devils
turned them away from their religion." (Reported by
Muslim). For this reason the one who becomes a Muslim
after having been a disbeliever is described as
having "reverted" to Islam, as this is more correct than
saying that he "converted." When Islam enters a country
where there is no nationalism or great legacy of
jaahiliyah (ignorance), it spreads quickly because of its strength
and the small number of obstacles. You may also see that
Islam is suitable for all people, educated and uneducated,
male and female, old and young; everyone finds in it what
he wants and needs. Those who become Muslim in developed countries realize what their
country's civilization and laws, which have been fabricated
from men's whims and desires, have done to them, and
they realize the extent of the misery in which people
in developed countries are living. They see how
prevalent psychological illnesses, nervous breakdowns, insanity
and suicides are, despite the technological advances and
great number of discoveries and inventions and modern
systems of management. This is because all of that is
concerned only with the physical and the outward, but it
neglects the inward and fails to nourish and nurture the heart
and soul. Allaah says of these people (interpretation of
the meaning): "They know only the outside appearance
of the life of the world, and they are heedless of
the Hereafter."
[al-Room 30:7]
Islam will continue to succeed, with the permission
of Allaah, so long as those who work for its sake are
sincere and its followers adhere to it and believe in it, and
apply its laws.
The fact that there are those who are not committed
or who fall short will not prevent Islam from
succeeding, with the permission of Allaah, and nothing can distort
its beauty. Its light will not falter because some
people abandon it or fail to adhere to it. What Islam has
given humanity in the way of progress and civilization,
and lifting them up from the darkness of oppression
and enmity, is pride enough.
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3601: Can he call non-Muslims to Islam with the
little knowledge that he has?
Question:
Assalam u alaikum. Is it allowed for someone with
little knowledge of Islam to inform other people about Islam
- just the basics i.e. the five pillars and a few brief
points on Islam, directing them to more knowledable
sources for further discussion e.g. websites. Or am I doing
an injustice to these people? By only giveing them a
brief intro and leaving them as they are? For I read that
everyone will see Islam at some point in their life. That being
the case, if I only give someone a brief intro would it be okay?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
There is nothing at all wrong with conveying what
you know of the religion of Allaah to non-Muslims, as
long as you are certain that it is correct, such as the basics
that you mention, like the five pillars of Islam or the pillars
of eemaan (faith). Indeed, this is probably obligatory
upon you, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to
all that is good (Islam), enjoining al-ma'roof (i.e.,
Islamic monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do)
and forbidding al-munkar (polytheism and disbelief and
all that Islam has forbidden). And it is they who are
the successful." [Aal `Imraan 3:104]
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "Convey from me, even an aayah." (Reported by
al-Bukhaari). Ibn Hajar (may Allaah have mercy on
him) said: He said in the hadeeth, "even an aayah",
meaning one aayah, as if he was saying that every listener
should hasten to convey whatever aayaat he heard, even if it
is only a few. Some of the Sahaabah set out to call
their tribes to Islam when they had only a little knowledge
that they had gained during the brief time they had sat
with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him). But even though their knowledge was so little, it
was correct and was blessed, and because of their
sincerity, Allaah benefitted others through it. Al-Tufayl ibn
`Umar went from Makkah to his people Daws with the
limited amount of knowledge that he had, then he came to
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
in Madeenah accompanied by eighty families of Daws,
all of whom had become Muslim, and among whom was Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him).
Know that some non-Muslims may become Muslim
for the slightest reason and by hearing the briefest word
said to them. Do not think that the knowledge you have is
too little for the purposes of conveying the Message.
"… invite them to your Lord. Verily! You indeed are on the
(true) straight guidance." [al-Hajj 22:67 _ interpretation of
the meaning].
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3313: Difficulties facing a Christian girl who wants to
take the decision to enter Islam
Question:
I am a young Christian woman and I have been
reading about Islam for some months now. I have already read
a translation of the Koran and several books about
Islam along with articles and other material I have found on
the internet and elsewhere. I do not pretend to know
or understand everything, there are many things that
still confuse me, and I have a hard time accepting
some applications and interpretations of Islam that I have
read about. However, I do believe in God and I do believe
that Muhammad was his prophet and that the Koran is
the revealed word of God. The question is what should I
do about it? As I said there are still so many things that I
do not know or understand and this is a major decision I
am trying to make and to tell the truth it feels like an
enormous responsibility and it is quite frightening. What
worries me the most is that I don't know how well I could live
by Islam if I converted. I have already changed some
things in my life, I have stopped drinking, I avoid pork and I
try to wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants (or skirts)
when I go out. But I also know that there are some things
I would not be able to do immediately if I converted,
for various reasons,
(at least that is the way it looks to me at this
moment), such as wearing hijab.
Also, I am currently studying abroad (in the US, but I
am from Europe) but I am going home to my family
over Christmas. I don't think I would be able to tell my
family right away if I converted and thus I do not know if I
could do things such as pray all the five daily prayers, fast
or avoid pork while at home over Christmas.
Would it be wrong of me converting knowing that I
will not be able to fulfill all the obligations that follow
(at least not immediately), and knowing that there are
still many issues that I do not understand or have a hard
time accepting wholeheartedly (due to lack of
understanding and knowledge . Please guide me .
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
What you have achieved in your quest for the truth
is great indeed. All that remains to be done is the
most important step you will ever take in your life, which is
to pronounce the Shahaadatayn and enter Islam. We
truly appreciate the great efforts you have made by reading
the entire Qur'aan in translation, and other books and
articles about Islam, and also by already giving up some
haraam things such as drinking wine and eating pork. The
most important thing that you have achieved is your
conviction about Islam, the Prophet of Islam and the Book of
Islam. From your question we can sum up the obstacles that
you face in two points:
some social embarrassment
some matters that you do not yet fully understand
With regard to the second point, it is not a condition
for becoming Muslim that a person should know the
entire religion, because it is a vast ocean. You can
become Muslim and then learn the religion and develop
full conviction about all the rulings of Islam. At the
beginning, it is sufficient to believe in the six pillars of faith in
general terms (belief in Allaah, His Angels, His Books,
His Messengers, the Last Day and predestination, both
good and bad) and to understand and accept in general
terms the five pillars of Islam (testifying that there is no god
but Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of
Allaah, prayer, paying zakaah, fasting in Ramadaan,
and performing Hajj to the sacred House of Allaah, for
the one who is able and has the means). Realize
that knowledge and conviction develop gradually, and
that faith increases by doing acts of worship and obedience
to Allaah, which in turn leads to a deeper understanding
and acceptance of the rulings of Islam.
With regard to the first point, we are sure that if you
enter Islam and are sincere towards Allaah and do
righteous deeds, then Allaah will give you the
strength, steadfastness, courage and certainty to face all
difficulties and overcome them. The experience of other women
who have become Muslim before you gives you a good example of what you could be able to do in the future
as regards following the rules of Islam, such as hijaab
and other issues, despite being surrounded by an overwhelming atmosphere of kufr. We also say that
if any woman were to ask us whether she should
become Muslim despite not wearing full hijab or stay a kaafir,
we would definitely tell her to become Muslim, because
the seriousness and danger of remaining a kaafir is far
worse than being a Muslim but committing a sin.
We understand totally the difficulties and
social embarrassment that you speak of, and we know that
going against one's family and the society in which one
lives are very difficult matters, but Allaah makes every
difficult thing easy.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings):
"… And Allaah is the Wali (Protector and Helper) of
the believers." [Aal `Imraan 3:68]
"…And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his duty
to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from
every difficulty)." [al-Talaaq 65:2]
"… Allaah will grant after hardship, ease."
[al-Talaaq 65:7]
"As for those who strive hard in Us (Our Cause), We
will surely guide them to Our Paths (i.e., Allaah's Religion
_ Islamic Monotheism)…"
[al-`Ankaboot 29:69]
We also want to tell you that it is possible for a person,
if he becomes Muslim and fears unbearable persecution
or hardship, to conceal his Islam and keep it a secret,
hiding his acts of worship from the people around him
although it is difficult to do so. But for the sake of following
the truth and saving oneself from the punishment of
Hellfire, everything becomes easy and the believer can
overcome all difficulties.
Finally, we can only thank you for the efforts you
have made and for sending this question. We hope that the
next step, which you should take immediately, is
abundantly clear to you from our answer. We will be very happy
to help you with anything you may need in the future,
and we ask Allaah to guide you to the path of truth, to
help you and to make things easy for you. Allaah is the
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749: Wants to embrace Islam but has a girlfriend
and children
Question:
Hello, my name is XXXX, and I have decided to
embrace Islam as my way of life..
However my girlfriend and soon to be wife has
embraced christianity for her way life and for our two children..
I have no problem with her faith, but she always
wants me to go to church with them, and sometimes I do
to keep the peace. But I'm not sure how I should handle
this reguest after I have become a muslim and have
embraced Islam..
Can I still attend her church services's from time to
time? How do I handle this dilemma..
She seems to be supportive of my decision to
embrace Islam, but Like many others including myself. Untill
I did my own research and discovered this magnificent
way of life. She's a bit apprehensive..
Please guide me in the ways of Islam, so as not to
hurt our family relationship..
Thank you..
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
First of all, you should hasten to enter Islam, which
is easy to do. An explanation of what is involved may
be found under Question 114. (See also Questions
122, 158 and 177).
Secondly, if this lady becomes a Muslim or one of
the People of the Book (Christian or Jewish), repents to
Allaah for the forbidden relationship, and remains chaste, then
it is permissible for you to marry her.
Thirdly, the children who were born to this woman
outside of marriage are not your children; they cannot take
your name and must take her name. However, this should
not prevent you from treating them kindly, taking care of
them and spending on them. In the future, you should try
to call them and their mother to Islaam.
Fourthly, going to her church and attending rituals of
kufr is not advisable, because of the possible
negative consequences. We advise you not to do that, but
this should not be any obstacle to your entering Islam. If
you were to say that it is a choice of either embracing
Islam and going to the church with her, or not embracing
Islam at all, we would definitely tell you to embrace Islam.
But we would like you to think of the meaning of these
two soorahs of the Qur'aan (interpretation of the meanings):
"Say: He is Allaah, (the) One. Allaah-us-Samad (The
Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need; He
neither eats nor drinks). He begets not nor was He begotten;
And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him."
[al-Ikhlaas 112:1-4]
"Say: O Kaafiroon (disbelievers in Allaah, in His
Oneness, etc.)! I worship not that which you worship,
Nor will you worship that which I worship.
And I shall not worship that which you are worshipping.
Nor will you worship that which I worship
To you be your religion, and to me my religion
(Islaamic monotheism)." [al-Kaafiroon 109:1-6]
Finally I advise you, a wise man who is striving to
make the right choice, hasten to enter Islam and practise
it: Allaah will help you to overcome all obstacles.
May Allaah take care of you.
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2293: Is there any conflict between entering Islam
and playing basketball?
Question:
I am a non-muslim, and I was wondering if I
become muslim can I still play basketball.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Yes, you could become Muslim and still play
basketball, so long as there is nothing forbidden or harmful
involved. Islam does not forbid sports that exercise the body
and strengthen its muscles. Indeed, it is the body's right
that its owner should take care of it, as the Prophet of
Islam Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: "Your body has a right over you."
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, 4800). One of the benefits of basketball is
that it is based on aiming the ball correctly. So there is
nothing wrong with playing it, so long as it is not combined
with something forbidden such as gambling or
deliberately harming or hitting others, and as long as it does not
distract a person from praying and so on. By the way, I am
sure that you are not unaware that there are a number
of internationally known basketball players who
have embraced Islam. Our advice to you is: don't hesitate
to enter Islam, for there is nothing to stop you. We ask
Allaah to help you to follow the truth and to guide you to
the way of goodness, for He guides whom He wills to
the Straight Path.
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3100: Clever guess on the part of a Christian woman
Question:
Assalamu Alaikum, I am a Christian who is very
interested in Islam and I am currently reading a translation of
the Koran in my language. I know that women should
not touch the Koran while having their menses but
since translations are not regarded as the word of God
and therefore not equal to the Arabic text, I'd like to know
if not touching the Koran during menses also applies
to translations.
Thank you very much for your help.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah. You have hit the nail on the
head: your guess is correct. A translation is not like the
Mus-haf (Arabic text of the Qur'aan) and the same rules
do not apply. A translation is like a tafseer
(commentary), and so a menstruating woman is allowed to touch it.
Your analysis of this matter demonstrates astute reasoning
and excellent thinking skills, which makes us feel that
you will soon embrace Islam; may Allaah guide you to
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2690: A serious dialogue with a Christian
Question:
Hello , my name is XXXX and I was taking a look
at your web page . I am interested in it because I am in
a Religious Studies class and I am interested in
learning more. I just wanted to know your response to this, if I
am correct in saying this...
In Islam heaven is thought of as paradise of wine,
women and song. It is achieved by living a life in which,
ironically, one abstains from the things with which he or she will
be rewarded in paradise. In addition to this abstentiion,
one must follow the five Pillars of Islam.
It seems to me that the Islamic faith is a
do-it-yourself proposition.
Follow this "way of life", they say, and you will gain
favor with God and eventually achieve salvation. There is
NO assurance. I would hate to live like that. I realize
that Muslims do not believe in "original sin", but
regardless of wether or not a man is born sinful or not, would
you not agree that every man/woman is sinful? How does
one pay for his/her sin?
I understand repentance. I agree with that...but it
seems as though one can NEVER do enough to win favor
with God. That is why He sent his Son to die for us. All of
our sins past present and future.
There is no possibility of assurance in the Islamic faith.
I think that would be an awful way to live knowing that
I was never gonna make it...not knowing of my
salvation until the "day of judgement" whether or not I have
done enough "goodworks" or prayed enough...etc.
I have asked a couple of Muslims in my class whether
or not they were for sure if they were going to "paradise"
or "heaven" when they died. I have not yet had one reply
in the affirmative. Rather, they referred to the
imperfection of their lives as being a barrier to this realization.
THERE IS NO ASSURANCE IN ISLAM, BECAUSE THERE IS NO ATONEMENT, AND SALVATION
DEPENDS WHOLLY ON THE INDIVIDUAL'S GAINING ENOUGH "MERIT"
Aslo, if I wanted to become a Muslim, I couldn't.
If Muslims think that they are the "chosen people" then
why aren't they spreading their faith.
Do you just have to be lucky enough to be born
Muslim? If a person wants to become a Christian they
can. ANYONE can become a Christian in a matter of
seconds. All they have to do is confess that Jesus Christ is who
He said He was and repent and believe...that is all a lot
easier said than done. But basically that is it. I wasn't
born Christian...or raised Christians assert that Jesus Chrit
is the only way to God because
Scritpture says, "Salvation is found in no one else,
for there is no other name under heaven given to men
by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12) Jesus Christ
said himself
"I am the way the truth and the life, NO ONE comes
to the Father except through me..."
He didn't say, I am one way or a way or one truth etc....THE WAY!!!
I and the Father are ONE! Jn 5:18
I just don't understand how anyone could be blind to
these facts. Unless they are never told. Which was me.
I would just like a little feed back
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
We appreciate your question concerning the ideas
that you have about Islam, and we hope to discuss what
you have written and correct some of your ideas, so as to
arrive at a firm conviction of the truth of the matter.
What you have mentioned about the Islamic belief
about Paradise, and the enjoyment of wine, women and
song therein, falls wide of the mark. The pleasures of
Paradise are not merely physical in nature, they also include
the joy of feeling safe and secure, and of being content
with God and being close to Him. The greatest joy of all
in Paradise will be seeing God, may He be glorified
and exalted. When the people of Paradise see the Holy
Face of God, they will forget all other kinds of pleasures
that they have enjoying. There is in Paradise everything
that will delight the heart and eye; no dirty or evil talk is
heard there, nor sinful speech. "No person know what is
kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used
to do." [al-Sajdah 32:17 _ interpretation of the
meaning]. What I am trying to say is that the delights of Paradise
are not limited to the kind you refer to in your question.
They are far greater than that.
You mention the idea that entrance to Paradise will
only be granted to those who heed certain prohibitions,
which things they will enjoy in Paradise in the Hereafter as
a reward for avoiding it in this life. This generalization
is not correct at all. Islam is a religion which
commands action, not just abstinence. Salvation can only be
attained through fulfilling commands, not just by avoiding
things that are forbidden. Moreover, not every luxury in
Paradise will consist of something that was forbidden in this
world and is now being given as a reward. Some of the
delights of Paradise will be things that were allowed in this
world, such as marriage, good fruits like pomegranate and
figs, etc., drinks like milk and honey, and so on. All of
these are permitted in this world, and will be delights to
be enjoyed in Paradise. The bad qualities of things that
are forbidden in this world will not be present in
their heavenly forms. For example, the wine of Paradise,
as Allaah tells us, causes neither ghoul (any kind of
hurt, abdominal pain, headache, sin, etc.) nor intoxication
(see al-Saffaat 37:47). It does not rob a person of his
mental faculties, or cause headaches and stomachaches. It is
quite different from its earthly counterpart. The point I
am making is that the delights of Paradise do not consist
only of allowing things that were forbidden in this world. It
is also worth pointing out that there are cases
where abstention from prohibited things will not be
rewarded by being given their equivalent in the Hereafter,
whether those prohibited things are food, drinks, deeds or
words. Poison, for example, will not be given as a luxury
in Paradise, although it is forbidden in this world. The
same applies to sodomy, incest and other things which will
not be allowed in the Hereafter although they are
forbidden in this world. This matter is quite clear, praise be to Allaah.
The idea of being guaranteed Paradise, and that a
person's life will be as horrible and unbearable as you describe
if he has no such guarantee, is a misconception which
itself leads to the results you mention. If you were to say
that every person has a guarantee of Paradise, this would
be utterly disastrous, because then everyone would
commit all kinds of forbidden acts, feeling safe because of
this guarantee. Many of the crimes committed by Jews
and Christians have been done on the basis of this
guarantee, with documents of forgiveness from their priests.
Allaah has told us about such people (interpretation of
the meaning):
"And they say, `None shall enter Paradise unless he be
a Jew or a Christian.' Say, `Produce your proof if you
are truthful.'"
[al-Baqarah 2:111]
For us Muslims, Paradise is not the matter of our
own desires or the desires of anyone else, as Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"It will not be in accordance with your desires
(Muslims), nor those of the People of the Scripture (Jews
and Christians); whoever works evil will have the
recompense thereof, and he will not find any protector or helper
besides Allaah." [al-Nisa' 4:123]
There follows a brief summary of the Islamic
view regarding a guarantee of one's destiny.
Islam offers a guarantee to every sincere Muslim
who obeys Allaah and remains in this state of devotion
until he dies, that he will definitely enter Paradise. Allaah
says in the Qur'aan (interpretation of the meanings):
"But those who believe and do deeds of
righteousness, We shall admit them to the Gardens under which
rivers flow (i.e., in Paradise), to dwell therein forever.
Allaah's promise is the truth, and whose words can be truer
than those of Allaah? (Of course, none)." [al-Nisa' 4:122]
"Allaah has promised those who believe and do deeds
of righteousness, that for them there is forgiveness and
a great reward (i.e., Paradise)." [al-Maa'idah 5:9]
"(They will enter) `Adn (Eden) Paradise
(everlasting Gardens), which the Most Beneficent (Allaah)
has promised to His servants in the unseen: verily, His
promise must come to pass." [Maryam 19:61]
"Say: `Is that (torment) better, or the Paradise of
Eternity promised to the muttaqeen (pious and righteous
persons)? It will be theirs as a reward and final destination."
[al-Furqaan 25:15]
"But those who fear Allaah and keep their duty to
their Lord (Allaah), for them are built lofty rooms, one
above another, under which rivers flow (i.e., Paradise).
(This is) the Promise of Allaah, and Allaah does not fail in
(His) promise."
[al-Zumar 39:20]
Islam also guarantees the disbeliever who ignores
the commands of Allaah that he will definitely enter
Hell. Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings):
"Allaah has promised the hypocrites, men and
women, and the disbelievers, the Fire of Hell, therein shall
they abide. It will suffice them. Allaah has cursed them
and for them is the lasting torment." [al-Tawbah 9:68]
"But those who disbelieve, for them will be the Fire
of Hell. Neither will it have a complete killing effect on
them so that they die, nor shall its torment be lightened
for them. Thus do We requite every disbeliever!"
[Faatir 35:36]
Allaah will say to the disbelievers on the Day
of Judgement (interpretation of the meaning):
"This is Hell which you were promised! Burn therein
this Day, for that you used to disbelieve!" [Yaa-Seen
36:63-64]
Allaah will not go back on His promise to either
the believers or the disbelievers. He describes how both
of them will be at the end of the Day of Judgement (interpretation of the meaning):
"And the dwellers of Paradise will call out to the
dwellers of the Fire (saying): `We have indeed found true
what our Lord had promised us; have you also found true,
what your Lord promised (warnings, etc.)?' They shall
say, `Yes.' Then a crier will proclaim between them:
`The Curse of Allaah is on the zaalimeen (polytheists
and wrongdoers, etc.)." [al-A'raaf 7:44]
Everyone who believes and does righteous deeds,
and dies in this state, will definitely enter Paradise.
Everyone who disbelieves and does evil deeds, and dies in this
state, will definitely enter Hell.
One of the great guiding principles of Islam is that
the believer should tread a path between fear and hope.
He should not take it for granted that he will enter
Paradise, because this will make him complacent, and he does
not know in what state he will die. Nor should he
assume that he is going to Hell, because this is despairing of
the mercy of Allaah, which is forbidden. So the believer
does righteous deeds, and hopes that Allaah will reward
him for them, and he avoids evil deeds out of fear of
the punishment of Allaah. If he commits a sin, he repents
in order to gain forgiveness and protect himself from
the punishment of Hell. Allaah forgives all sins and
accepts the repentance of those who repent. If a believer
fears that the good deeds he has sent on before him are
not enough, as you suggest, then he will increase his
efforts, in fear and hope. No matter how many righteous
deeds he has sent on before him, he cannot rely on them
and take them for granted, or else he will be doomed. He
keeps striving and hoping for reward, and at the same time
he fears lest his deeds be contaminated with any element
of showing off, self-admiration, or anything that will
lead to them being rejected by Allaah. Allaah describes
the believers (interpretation of the meaning):
"… those who give that (their charity) which they
give (and also do other good deeds) with their hearts full
of fear (whether their alms and charity, etc.) have
been accepted or not), because they are sure to return to
their Lord (for reckoning)." [al-Mu'minoon 23:60]
So the believer keeps on striving, fearing and hoping,
until he meets his Lord, believing in Tawheed (Divine
Unity) and doing righteous deeds, and earns the pleasure of
his Lord and Paradise. If you think about the matter, you
will realize that these are the right motives for action, and
that righteousness cannot be achieved in this life in any
other way.
As regards what you say about original sin, this
matter needs to be approached from several angles.
Firstly: The Islamic belief concerning human sin is:
the individual bears the responsibility for his own sin; no
one else should bear this burden for him, nor should he
bear the burden for anyone else. Allah says (interpretation
of the meaning): "And no bearer of burdens shall
bear another's burden…" [Faatir
35:18]. This refutes the idea of original sin. If the father commits a sin, what fault
is that of his children and grandchildren? Why should
they bear the burden of a sin that someone else
committed? The Christian belief that the descendents should bear
the sin of their father is the essence of injustice. How can
any sane person say that the sin should be carried down
the centuries by all of humanity, or that the
children, grandchildren and subsequent descendants should
be tainted because of their father's sin?
Secondly, making mistakes is a part of human nature.
Our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said, "Every son of Aadam is bound to commit
sins…" (reported by al-Tirmidhi, 2423), but Allaah has not
left man unable to do anything about the mistakes that
he makes. He gives man the opportunity to repent, and
so the hadeeth (words of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) quoted above concludes:
"…and the best of those who commit sins are those who
repent." The mercy of Allaah is clear in the teachings of Islam,
as Allaah calls His servants (interpretation of the
meaning): "Say, `O My servants who have transgressed
against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)!
Despair not of the Mercy of Allaah, verily Allaah forgives all
sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
[al-Zumar 39:53]
This is human nature, and this is the solution to
the problem of sin. But to make this human nature, which
is bound to make mistakes, a barrier between the
servant and his Lord which will prevent him from ever
earning the pleasure of God, and to say that the only way to
reach God is through His sending His (so-called) son down
to earth to be humiliated and crucified while his father
looks on, so that mankind could be forgiven, is an
extremely odd idea. Just describing it sounds so unlikely that
there is no longer any need to refute it in detail. Once,
when discussing this issue with a Christian, I said, "If you
say that God sent down His son to be crucified to atone
for the sins of the people alive at his time and
afterwards, what about those who had come before and died as
sinners before the time of Christ, and had no opportunity to
know about him and believe in the Crucifixion so that their
sins might be forgiven?" All he could say was: "No doubt
our priests have an answer to that!" Even if they do have
an answer, it is bound to be concocted. There is no
real answer.
If you really examine the Christian teaching on
human sin with an open mind, you will see that they say
that God sacrificed His only son to atone for the sins
of mankind, and that this son was a god. If it was true
that he was a god who was beaten, insulted and crucified,
and died, then this doctrine contains elements of
blasphemy because it accuses God of weakness and helplessness.
Is God really incapable of forgiving the sins of all
His servants with just one word? If He is Able to do all
things (and the Christians do not dispute this fact), then
why would He need to sacrifice His son in order to
achieve the same thing? (Glorified and exalted be He far
above what the wrongdoers say about Him!)
"He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth.
How can He have children when He has no wife? He
created all things and He is the All-Knower of everything."
[al-An'aam 6:101 _ interpretation of the meaning]
An ordinary man would not accept anyone harming
his child; he would come to his defence, and would
never hand him over to an enemy who would insult him,
let alone leave him to face the worst kind of death. If this
is the attitude of a mere created being, what then of
the Creator?
Thirdly, the Christian doctrine of original sin has
a negative effect because, as you have mentioned, it
does not require any duties of man other than to believe
that God sent His son to this earth to be crucified and to die
to atone for the sins of mankind. Thus a person becomes
a Christian and is to earn the pleasure of God and
be admitted to heaven. Moreover, the Christian believes
that everything that happened to the son of God was only
to atone for his sins, past present and future, so there is
no need to wonder why Christian societies have seen
such an increase in murder, rape, robbery, alcoholism and
other problems. After all, did not Christ die to atone for
their sins, and haven't their sins been wiped out, so why
should they stop doing these things? Tell me, by your Lord,
why do you sometimes execute murderers, or put criminals
in jail, or punish them in other ways, if you believe that
the criminal's sins have all be atoned for and forgiven
through the blood of Christ? Is this not a strange contradiction?
You ask why, if the Muslims are the chosen people
of mankind, they do not spread their religion. The fact
of the matter is that sincere Muslims have always sought
to do just that. How else could Islam have spread
from Makkah to Indonesia, Siberia, North Africa, Bosnia,
South Africa and all parts of the world, East and West?
The faults in the behaviour of some modern Muslims
cannot be blamed on Islam; those faults are the result of
going against Islamic teachings. It is not fair to blame the
religion for the faults of some of its adherents who have
gone against it or gone astray. Are Muslims not being
more just than Christians when they affirm that the sinner
is threatened with the punishment of Allaah unless
he repents, and that for some sins there is a deterrent,
a punishment to be carried out in this world as an
expiation for the Hereafter, as in the case of the punishments
for murder, theft, fornication/adultery, etc.?
What you say about it be so easy to become a
Christian, as compared to becoming a Muslim, is clearly
mistaken. The key to Islam is no more than two simple
phrases: "Ash-hadu an laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wa
anna Muhammadan Rasool-Allaah (I bear witness that
there is no god except Allaah and that Muhammad is
the Messenger of Allaah)." With these few words, a
person enters Islam in a matter of seconds. There is no need
for baptism or priests, or even to go to a certain place such
as a mosque or anywhere else. Compare this with
the ridiculous procedures of baptism which the Christians
do when they want to admit someone to the Church.
Then there is the fact that the Christians venerate the cross
on which Jesus was tortured and crucified in great pain _
as they claim. They take it as a sacred object of blessing
and healing, instead of scorning it and hating it as a
symbol of oppression and the worst possible way for the son
of God to die!
Do you not see that the Muslims are closer than others
to the truth, because they believe in all the Prophets
and Messengers, respecting them all and recognizing that
all of them taught the truth of Divine Unity (Tawheed)
and that each of them was appointed by Allaah and sent to
his people with laws that were appropriate to the time
and place? When the fair-minded Christian sees the
followers of Islam believing in Musa (Moses), `Eesaa (Jesus),
and Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) and in the original Torah and Gospel, as well as
the Qur'aan, and sees his own people denying the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) and rejecting the Qur'aan,
wouldn't his open-mindedness make him think that the
Muslims are most likely to be right?
You say that the Messiah said, "No one comes to
the Father except through me". We need, first of all, to
be sure that these words can truly be attributed to
Jesus. Secondly, this is clearly not true. How then could
mankind have known God at the times of Nooh (Noah),
Hood, Saalih, Yoonus (Jonah), Shu'ayb (Jethro),
Ibraaheem (Abraham), Musa (Moses) and other Prophets? If
you were to say that during the time of Jesus (upon whom
be peace) and up to the time of the Final Prophet,
Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) the
Children of Israel had no other way to know the religion of
Allaah except through the way of Jesus, this would be correct.
Finally, you quote the Messiah as saying, "I and the
Father are one". This is clearly not correct. If we examine
the matter objectively, without letting our own desires get
in the way, it becomes clear that the conjunction "and"
in the phrase "I and the Father" implies that two
separate entities are involved. "I" is one entity, and "the Father"
is another. If you say, "So-and-so and I", it is obvious
to any rational person that they are two separate people.
The equation 1+1+1=1 makes no sense to any rational
person, whether he is a mathematician or not.
Finally, I advise you (and I do not think that you
will reject this advice) to think deeply about what you
have read, putting aside your background, any
pre-conceived ideas, your own desires and feelings of attachment to
your religion or culture, and to seek guidance sincerely
from Allaah. Allaah Most Generous and will never let any
of His servants down. Allaah is the One Who guides to
the Straight Path, and He is Sufficient for us and is the
best disposer of affairs..
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $19.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
3023: She is in love with a Muslim and wants to marry
him _ does she have to become Muslim?
Question:
I am a Christian and is in-love with a 19-year old
Muslim boy.
He is very nice for accepting me not as a
virgin.He proposed marriage to me and I am making plans about
it. Is it necessary for me to convert to Islam if I marry
him even I don't like to do so. We talked about the
children that they will be Muslims.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Yes, it is very necessary for you to enter Islam. This
will solve all the problems, from making the marriage
valid, through giving a united direction to the future
upbringing of the children, to attaining success and happiness in
the Hereafter. Your feelings of unease about taking this
step may be due to the difficulty of leaving behind what
you are used to and the religion that you have grown up in,
or reluctance to go against your family and relatives, or
fear of hostility and criticism from others, or concern
about losing some worldly advantages. But all these issues
will be easily overcome when you seek the help of Allaah
and are determined to follow the truth. The wise person
is prepared to make sacrifices and put up with
difficulties for the sake of following the truth, because the truth
is worth pursuing. Any difficulties encountered will
become easy because the result is happiness in this world and
the next, and Paradise the width of heaven and
earth. Moreover, your marriage will help you to live in love
and harmony with your husband (if he repents to Allaah
for the forbidden relationship and becomes a religious
person of good morals) and his Muslim family. There will be
no dispute as to which religion the children will be raised
in, and they will not feel that there is any conflict in the
family, so they will be able to grow up free of the
psychological complexes that result from the parents' difference
of religion. Other people have felt something similar to
the feelings that you are experiencing now, as is reflected
in the following story, which happened at the time of
the Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him). Anas reported that the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to a
man, "Become Muslim." He said, "I feel that I don't want
to." He said, "Become Muslim, even if you feel that you
don't really want to."
(Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 11618; Saheeh
al-Jaami', 974). This is the correct approach which people
should have towards the true religion. For more information
on the topic of marriage, please see Questions
#3025 and #2527. We wish you every good thing and success.
Peace be upon those who follow true guidance.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $19.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
2889: The boss is a gay kaafir
Question:
as salaamu al laaykum,
i am recently working for a computer company and i
found out that my boss (who is a kaffir) is a gay. i have
heard this from one of the other co-workers. until now, i
thought he was a normal person but he never bother me. is
it allowed for a muslim to work for such a people?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
If your work is permitted (according to Islam), then
it permissible for you to continue working for this
person, as long as you are careful to watch how he behaves.
If you can call him to Islam, and explain to him in a
wise and appropriate manner the ruling concerning this
evil deed that he is committing (if you are sure that this
is indeed the case), then you will have a great reward
from Allaah. And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $19.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
2847: Wants to become Muslim but lives in drug country
Question:
Dear Sir,
For a muslim, is it allowed to use drugs like cocaine .
Here in Columbia 70 % of the people use it .
When I want to become a muslim, must I stop it ?
I am waiting for your answer.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
It is a great thing to learn that you are thinking
of embracing Islam, although you live in a country
where drugs are rife and are not following any religion at
present. We were amazed and impressed to know that a man
living in such circumstances has reached the point where
he wants to become Muslim, but Allaah is able to do
all things, and He guides whom He wills to the Straight
Path. Perhaps the Divine care has been preparing you
to embrace the true religion in spite of the intense
darkness, kufr (disbelief) and drug-ridden atmosphere that
surround you. The unbelieving man is dead at heart even
though his body is alive, but when Allaah guides him to the
light of Islam, his heart awakens and he sees a whole
new meaning to life as he starts to follow the guidance of
his Lord. Allaah says in His Holy Book (interpretation of
the meaning): "Is he who was dead (without Faith
by ignorance and disbelief) and We gave him life
(by knowledge and faith) and set for him a Light
(belief) whereby he can walk amongst men, like him who is in
the darkness (of disbelief, polytheism and hypocrisy)
from which he can never come out?…" [al-An'aam
6:122]. So come to true life, and follow the Light which
Allaah has revealed, and you will find that which will
delight you and bring you peace of mind, when you
worship Allaah.
As regards the issue of drugs, no doubt you would
expect this great religion to forbid everything that is harmful
and to permit everything that is beneficial, and not to
allow man to lose his mind and go crazy, doing all kinds
of foolish things without any awareness and destroying
his body. This is what happens when people take drugs
and prevent themselves from thinking about or
worshipping Allaah. This poison opens the door to hostile
aggression, and destroys religion, lives, minds, honour and
wealth. And so no wise person can doubt that drugs are
totally forbidden.
We fully understand that addiction is no
straightforward matter and that recovery is no simple process, but
this should not prevent you from entering Islam and
embracing the way of truth with which Allaah has sent His
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him). Rest assured that when you embrace Islam, this will
give you strength and will-power to overcome this
addiction and rid yourself of this disease and sin. All of this
may take some time, but this should not make you hesitate
to embrace Islam. Become Muslim and you will be safe
from the problems of this world and the punishment of
the Hereafter. We are prepared to stand by you and help
you with any difficulty that you may face. We thank you
for your question and ask Allaah to guide you soon. Peace
be upon those who follow the truth.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $19.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
1402: Starting-point for one who wants to enter Islam
Question:
I want to know is there a starting point for a man who
Is interested in the true religion of Islam. I have been
given many different answers.
Answer:
Yes, there is a very important starting-point, which is
to pronounce the Shahaadatayn (Declaration of Faith).
This is the only answer to your question. (For more
details please see the questions and answers under the
heading: `Aqeedah (basic tenets of faith) _ important matters
for those who wish to enter Islam.
We extend the warmest of welcomes to you, and
offer our congratulations for the new direction you are
about to take. May Allaah protect you from all evil.
Islam Q&A
All praises be to Allah, the Lord of the Universe. May
the peace and blessings of Allah be upon Muhammad,
His last messenger.
The objective of this handout is to correct a false
idea spread among those willing to adopt Islam as their
faith. Some people face difficulties on the basis of their
mistaken belief that entering into the Islamic fold requires
an announcement from the concerned person in the
presence of high ranking scholars or sheikhs, or reporting this
act to the courts or other authorities. It is also thought
that the act of accepting Islam, should, as a condition, have
a certificate issued by the authorities as evidence to
that effect.
We wish to clarify that the whole matter is very easy
and that none of the above conditions or obligations
are required. For Allah, the Almighty is above all comprehension and knows well the secrets of all
hearts. Nevertheless, those who wish to adopt Islam as
their religion are advised to register themselves as
Muslims with the concerned governmental agency, as
this procedure may facilitate many matters for them
including the possibility of performing Hajj and Umrah.
If anyone has a real desire to be a Muslim and has the
full conviction and strong belief that Islam is the true
religion ordained by Allah (SWT) for all human beings, he
should pronounce the "Shahada" (testimony of faith)
without further delay. The Holy Qur'an is explicit in this
regard, as Allah (SWT) has stated.
"Truly, the Religion in the sight of Allah is Islam." (3:19)
In another verse of the Holy Qur'an, Allah (SWT)
has stated:
"And whosoever desires a religion -other that Islam,
never will it be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will
be in the ranks of those who are lost." (3:85)
In addition, Islam is the only Religion prevailing over
all other religions, Allah (SWT) has stated in the
Holy Qur'an:
"And to thee We have sent the Book in truth, (This
Qur'an) confirming the scripture that came before it, and a
witness over it..." (5:48)
Muhammad, the Prophet of Allah (Peace and blessing
of Allah be upon him), said:
"Islam is based on five pillars: testifying that there is
no god worthy to be worshipped but Allah, that
Muhammad is the messenger of Allah and His servant;
performing the prayer; paying the Zakat (obligatory charity);
fasting the month of Ramadan; and performing Hajj."
The Shahada can be declared as follows:
"ASH-HADU ANLAA ILAHA ILLA ALLAH WA ASH
HADUANNAMUHAMMADANABDUHUWA RASUULUH."
The English translation is:
"I bear witness that there is no deity worthy to
be worshipped but Allah, and I bear witness that
Muhammad is His servant and messenger."
However, it would not be sufficient for anyone to
utter only this testimony orally either in private or in
public. One should believe in it from the heart with a
firm conviction and unshakable faith. If he is truly sincere
and complies with the teachings of Islam in his daily life
he will find himself a newborn person.
This will move him to strive more and more to
improve his character and draw nearer to perfection. The light
of the living faith will fill his heart until he becomes
the embodiment of that faith.
What should be next after declaring the testimony of
faith (Shahada) and then becoming a Muslim? He should
know the real concept underlying this testimony, which
means accepting the Oneness of Allah and the
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), as the last of the Prophets,
and meeting its requirements. He must behave
accordingly applying this true faith to everything he says or does.
What do the words of "Shahada" signify.
The significant point which every Muslim must know
is the truth that there is no god to be worshipped other
than Allah, (Glory be to Him). He is the only true God,
Who Alone deserves to be worshipped, since He is the
Giver of life and Sustainer and Nourisher of mankind and
all creation with His unlimited bounties. Man must
worship Allah, Who Alone is worthy of worship.
The second part of the "Shahada" i.e. "Wa ashhadu
anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh" means that the
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is the servant and chosen
messenger of Allah. No one should be in any doubt about this
matter. In fact, the Muslim has to obey the commands of
the Prophet (PBUH), to believe in what he has said, to
follow his Teachings, to avoid what he has forbidden, and
to worship A11ah alone according to the message
revealed to him.
What is the meaning of worship? It simply means rendering sincere service; showing reverence for
Allah. In a deeper shade of meaning, it implies total
submission and complete obedience to Allah's Commandments
both in utterances and actions, whether explicit or implicit
and in private or public.
Worship falls into two Islam & Muslims:
1. Visible (manifest or outward) 2. Invisible
(concealed or inward)
Visible worship includes acts such as uttering the
two parts of the "shahada", performing prayers, giving
Zakat (obligatory charity), observing the fast in the month
of Ramadan, performing Hajj, recitation of the Holy
Qur'an, supplication, adoring Allah by praising Him,
purifying our bodies before prayers, etc.
This type of worship is associated with the movement
of the parts of human body, [actions].
Invisible worship is to believe in Allah, in the Day
of Judgment, in the Hereafter, in the Angels, in the
Books of Allah, in the Divine Decree of destiny (that good
and bad are determined by Allah alone)
This type of worship does not involve movements of
parts of the body but it surely has a bearing on one's heart
which, subsequently, affects one's way of life (beliefs).
It should be borne in mind that worship not dedicated
to Allah alone, will be rejected as one form of
polytheism or "shirk", which amounts to apostasy, from the
Islamic point of view.
The next step for a devotee newly converted to Islam
is to purify himself by taking a bath (total ablution).
He should then resolve to comply with all the principles
and rules of Islam in their entirety. He disowns all forms
of polytheism and false beliefs. He should reject evil and
be righteous. Such rejection of evil and being righteous
is one of the requisites of the motto of Islam that is,
Lailaha Illal Laah.
Allah has stated in the Holy Qur'an:
"... whoever disbelieves in false deities and believes
in Allah, hath grasped the most trustworthy handhold,
that will never break..." (2:256)
We have to consider that when we declare from our
hearts, "there is no god worthy to be worshipped but Allah."
It implies on our part of love, devotion, faith and
obedience to the rules of Islamic legislation which are legally
binding on all Muslims. It is a requirement of "there is no
god worthy to be worshipped but Allah," to love for the
sake of Allah and to reject for the sake of Allah. This is
the finest anchor of belief which make material the
meaning of "AL-WALA" and "AL-BARA". It means that a
Muslim should love and be loyal to his Muslim brothers.
He should, as a practice, dissociate himself completely
from the practices of unbelievers and refuse to be
influenced by them, both in worldly and religious matters.
We conclude with a humble prayer to Allah that He
may cleanse the hearts and souls of those who are
genuine seekers of truth and may He bless the community
of believers. Ameen. By www.Islamunveiled.com (www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $19.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
2875: A Muslim working for an atheist
Question:
Salaam. I work for a person who doesnt believe in
God. Is it ok to work for him ??
He is ok with me and allows time off for prayers.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
If your work is in a permitted field, there is nothing
wrong with your working for him, so long as you continue
to obey the commands of Allaah. You should also do
your duty of da'wah, calling to Allaah in the best way.
Perhaps Allaah will guide him through you. The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to `Ali
(may Allaah be pleased with him) when he sent him to
the kuffaar on the day of Khaybar: "Call them to Islam
and tell them what they have to do, for by Allaah, if
Allaah were to guide one man through you, it would be
better for you than red camels." (Red camels were the
most precious form of wealth to the Arabs at that
time). (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 2787).
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $19.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
2666: Wants to embrace Islam but is nervous about
going to the mosque
Question:
I am very much interested in becoming a righteous
Muslim women and God willing I will be soon declaring my
faith. However I am very concerned about the fact that I
have never stepped foot inside of a mosque and feel very
self-conscious about attending since I am not familiar
with the customs. How would you suggest I go about
attending service for the first time? How important is it that
a Muslim goes to mosque? I am from Brooklyn, NY
would you suggest a mosque with a womens group that I
could attend? Thank You,
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Praise and thanks be to Allaah for His help and the
blessing of your being convinced of Islam and eager to enter
this religion. This would not have happened if Allaah had
not willed it, for He guides whom He wills to the
Straight Path. We are overjoyed to learn that you will soon
enter Islam and become our sister in faith. You do not have
to go to a mosque in order to enter Islam. It is enough
for you to pronounce the Shahaadatayn (declaration of
faith) and begin to practice the rituals of Islam straight
away. On this web-site you will find a number of questions
and answers which will explain how to enter Islam and
what the new Muslim should do. If you can go to a
reliable Islamic centre to register your Islam and get to know
some Muslim sisters, this is good. After you become
Muslim, there is nothing wrong with going to the mosque to
spend time there, so long as you adhere to the conditions
required by sharee'ah, such as not being on your period. Do
not worry about not knowing what goes on in the mosque;
in sha Allaah you will find some Muslim sisters who
can explain to you how worship is conducted in the
mosque. We also want to tell you that a woman's prayer
and worship in her own home are better than her prayer in
the mosque, as our Prophet Muhammad (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us. We will do all we can
to let you know the name of an Islamic centre or mosque
in your city as soon as possible. We welcome you
warmly to the oasis of Islam.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $19.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
2273: The Ten Commandments
Question:
i'm trying to determine if there is anything in the
Quran similar to the Ten Commandents in the Old
Testament, particularly the line "thou shalt not kill." i have been
using search functions on several Quran translation sites to
no avail. thank you very much
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Thank you for your question, which shows an interest
in the Qu'ran. We are happy to answer your question here.
There are in the Qur'an certain aayaat (verses) which
some scholars call the verses of the Ten
Commandments, because they include ten important commandments
given by Allaah to mankind. These aayaat are to be found
in two passages of the Qur'an.
The first is in Soorat al-An'aam, where Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Say: `Come, I will recite what your Lord has
prohibited you from: Join not anything in worship with him; be
good and dutiful to your parents; kill not your children
because of poverty _ We provide sustenance for you and for
them; come not near to al-fawaahish (shameful sins,
illegal sexual intercourse, etc.), whether committed openly
or secretly; and kill not anyone whom Allaah has
forbidden, except for a just cause (according to Islamic law).
This He has commanded you that you may understand.
And come not near to the orphan's property, except
to improve it, until he (or she) attains the age of full
strength; and give full measure and full weight with justice.
We burden not any person, but that which he can bear.
And whenever you give your word (i.e., judge between
men or give evidence, etc.), say the truth even if a near
relative is concerned, and fulfil the Covenant of Allaah. This
He commands you, that you may remember.
And, verily, this (i.e., Allaah's commandments
mentioned in the above two verses) is my Straight Path, so follow
it, and follow not (other) paths, for they will separate
you away from His Path. This He has ordained for you
that you may become al-muttaqoon (the pious)."
[al-An'aam 6:151-153]
The second passage occurs in Soorat al-Israa', and
may be considered as a commentary on the passage
quoted above. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And your Lord has decreed that you worship none
but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one
or them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not
to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them, but
address them in terms of honour.
And lower unto them the wing of submission and
humility through mercy, and say: `My Lord! Bestow on them
Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was small.'
Your Lord knows best what is in your inner-selves. If
you are righteous, then, verily, He is ever Most-Forgiving
to those who turn unto Him again and again in
obedience, and in repentance.
And give to the kindred his due and to the poor and to
the wayfarer. But spend not wastefully (your wealth) in
the manner of a spendthrift.
Verily, spendthrifts are brothers of the shayaateen
(devils), and the Shaytaan (Satan) is ever ungrateful to his Lord.
And if you turn away from them (kindred, poor,
wayfarers, etc. whom We have ordered you to give their rights,
but if you have no money at the time they ask you for it)
and you are awaiting a mercy from your Lord for which
you hope, then, speak unto them a soft kind word (i.e.,
Allaah will give to me and I will give to you).
And let not your hand be tied (like a miser) to your
neck, not stretch it forth to its utmost reach (like a
spendthrift), so that you become blameworthy and in severe poverty.
Truly, your Lord enlarges the provision for whom He
wills and straitens (for whom He wills). Verily, He is Ever
All-Knower, All-Seer of His slaves.
And kill not your children for fear of poverty. We
provide for them and for you. Surely the killing of them is a
great sin.
And come not near to unlawful sexual intercourse.
Verily, it is a faahishah [i.e., anything that transgresses its
limits (a great sin)], and an evil way (that leads one to Hell
unless Allaah forgives him).
And do not kill anyone which Allaah has forbidden,
except for a just cause. And whoever is killed (intentionally
with hostility and aggression and not by mistake), We
have given his heir the authority [to demand qisaas _ Law
of Equality in punishment _ or to forgive, or to take
Diya (blood money)]. But let him not exceed limits in the
matter of taking life (i.e., he should not kill except the
killer only). Verily, he is helped (by the Islamic law).
And come not near to the orphan's property except
to improve it, until he attains the age of full strength.
And fulfil (every) covenant. Verily! The covenant will
be questioned about.
And give full measure when you measure, and weigh
with a balance that is straight. That is good
(advantageous) and better in the end.
And follow not (O man, i.e., say not, or do not or
witness not, etc.) that of which you have no knowledge.
Verily! The hearing, and the sight, and the heart, of each of
those you will be questioned by Allaah.
And walk not on the earth with conceit and
arrogance. Verily, you can neither rend nor penetrate the earth,
nor can you attain a stature like that of the mountains in height.
All the bad aspects of these (the above mentioned
things) are hateful to your Lord.
This is part of al-hikmah (wisdom, good manners
and high character, etc.) which your Lord has inspired to
you (O Muhammad). And set not up with Allaah any
other ilaah (god) lest you should be thrown into
Hell, blameworthy and rejected (from Allaah's mercy)."
[al-Israa' 17:23-39]
Perhaps after enjoying reading these verses, you will
have a better idea of the Qur'aan than before, and this will
be the beginning of a fundamental change in your life,
the start of your way to Islam. May Allaah guide and
help you always. Peace be upon those who follow
true guidance..
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)
Our Price: $19.95 Pages: 300 Downloadable
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