Islam Frequantly Asked Questions

Q 11: What is the difference between Hadith and Sunnah?

A 11: Hadith is the exact sayings of the Prophet with quote and unquote. The Sunnah of the Prophet includes the Hadith as well as the lifestyle of the Prophet. His deeds and actions are included as well. Anything that he accepted without commenting or talking about is also included in the Sunnah.

Q 12: I heard that there is something called Sirah. Would you kindly tell me what it is?

A 12: Generally speaking, Sirah means the life history of someone. Any time Muslims talk about the Sirah, they mean the Life History of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

Muslims are to study the Sirah of the Prophet so that they will be able to imitate him, emulate him, and benefit from his wisdom and his teachings. The early followers of Islam have written a series of books about the Sirah of the Prophet Muhammad so as to be a guide to all the new generation to come.

Q13: I thought that Muslims do believe only in Muhammad as their Prophet. Is it true?

A 13: No! Muslims do believe in all of the Prophets and Messengers that Allah sent to mankind from the days of Adam to the days of the Prophet Muhammad. Their numbers are in the thousands or more. However, Allah mentioned 25 names in the Qur'an. Among them five who were mentioned to the Mighty and the most influential ones. Those are Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad.

Muslims do believe in all of them with great respect. Any time any Prophet's name is mentioned, Muslims say peace be upon him (pbuh).

Q 14: Would you kindly tell me how many Prophets you Muslims believe in?

A 14: According to the teaching of Islam, Allah sent so many Prophets in the history of mankind. Qur'an informs us that Allah sent a large number of them. However, to give us a good guidance, and to help us to be able to practice the moral teachings of Islam, Allah gave us the names of (25) Prophets in the Qur'an. Whoever studies their teachings will be able to live in peace and harmony with all people of the world.

Q 15: Since you said that Qur'an mentions (25) Prophets, would you be able to let us know their names?

A 15: Yes! Their names sequentially and historically are the following:

Adam, Idriss, Noah, Hood, Satih, Ibrahim, Lout, Ismait, Lishaq, Yacoob, Yusuf, Shu'aib, Ayub, Zulkifl, Musa, Haroon, Dawood, Sulaiman, Ilyass, Yunus, Zakaria, Yahia, Isa, Muhammad.

Q16: I was surprised to know that you Muslims do believe in Jesus and Mary. I thought you hate them?

A 16: Muslims do believe in Jesus and Mary. We trust them and we respect them. Jesus was on of the Mighty Messengers of Allah. His mother was chosen by Allah from all women of her time. She conceives with Jesus vegetatively.

In the Qur'an there is one chapter (Surah) in the name of Mary herself No other women's name was revealed explicitly in the Qur'an except that of Mary. Jesus is one of the beloved Prophets of Allah, and his mother Mary, is one of the most respected women in the minds of Muslims.

Q 17: I am also surprised to know that Muslims do believe in Moses. I thought Moses was the Prophet of the Jews only.

A 17: Moses was not the Prophet of the Jews. He was the Prophet of Allah to the children of Israel. He was sent to save them from the persecution of Pharaoh of Egypt. However, Moses was a Muslim. He preached the Message of Allah He taught them to believe in Allah the Creator of the Universe. He instructed them to pray, fast and pay Zakat as well.

Muslims do believe in Prophet Moses in as much as they believe in all the other Prophets and Messengers without any discrimination.

Q 18: Is it true that Muhammad is the last Prophet and the last Messenger? If yes, how come?! Don't you think that we need more Prophets today?

A 18: Yes! Muhammad is the last Prophet and the last Messenger of Allah to all mankind. His teachings are meant for Christians, Jews, Bhudists, Pagans, Atheists, Agnostics, and others.

You may need another Prophet if his teachings were distorted or lost. The originality, totality and authenticity of the Qur'an are well documented and proved to be intact. As long as the originality of the Qur'an is preserved by memory, printing, audio, video, CD-ROM, Internet, there is no need for another Prophet. The teachings of Islam are meant for all human beings. This was not true to the previous Prophets who came for a particular tribe, nation, or even for a particular era and area.

If people try to study the Qur'an, they will definitely be guided by Allah The teachings of all the previous Prophets are found in the Qur'an.

Q. 19: In Christianity, we believe that we were born sinful and therefore we have to be baptized. What does Islam say about original sin?

A 19: in Islam, every person is born free of sin. It would inhumane and unjust that God would create us with sins. At the same time. there is no genetic proof that we are born with sin. Nowhere we can find any DNA gene on any chromosome that carries the gene of sin.

Allah is so merciful. He created us as pure as crystal ice. It is only after the age of puberty that one will be accounted for his deeds and actions preceded by intention. At that time, we will be rewarded ten times for any good deeds, and we will be charged once for every bad deed. If we ask forgiveness from Allah, He will forgive us.

Because we are born free of sins, we do not need to be baptized. We are already born as Muslims.

Q 20: Jews have their Sabbath on Saturday. Christians have their holiday on Sunday. Why do Muslims have their holiday on Friday?

A 20: it is a good question. To the Muslims we are informed that Allah decided that Friday should be a holiday for all of us. Allah created Adam on Friday. Adam entered paradise on Friday. He and his wife Eve landed on this planet earth on Friday. He died on Friday.

Friday is a blessing and a sacred day. The doors of Heaven are open of Friday white the doors of Hell are closed. Prayers and supplication (Du 'a') are accepted on Friday. The day of Friday is a day of Peace where all animals, birds and insects say "Peace" on that day.

Moreover, the Day of Judgment is to take place on Friday. Non-Muslims made their own decisions as to Saturday and Sunday. Allah sent Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) informing both the Christians and the Jews that they should take Friday as a holy and a sacred day. It is up to the individuals to do what they want. We do obey Allah . He revealed a Surah in the Qur'an which has the name of Friday. Muslims are to summon and to congregate every Friday noon, and listen to the Khutbah (sermon) from the religious leader (Imam).

Q 21: In Christianity, we have to believe in Jesus as our personal Savior to enter Paradise. What does Islam say about Salvation?

A 21: Salvation in Islam does not depend on someone else to do it for us. We are responsible for our deeds and actions preceded by our good intentions. Therefore, everyone has to work hard with good intention. Our intention as Muslims is to please the Creator, namely Allah.

Whoever believes in Allah (the Only One God); in all the Prophets and Messengers that God sent to mankind; in the Day of Judgment; and do good deeds to all without personal ego or without exploitation; then and only then God assures us eternal Salvation. Through His Mercy, Forgiveness and Blessings, people will be given Salvation.

How did the spread of Islam affect the World?

The Muslim community constituted to grow after Prophet Muhammad's death. Within a few decades, vast numbers of people across three continents - Africa, Asia, and Europe - had chosen Islam as their way of life.

One of the reasons for the rapid and peaceful spread of Islam was the purity of its doctrine - Islam calls for faith in only one God. This, coupled with the Islamic concepts of equality, justice and freedom, resulted in a united and peaceful community. People were free to travel from Spain to China without fear, and without crossing any borders. 

As millions of people embraced Islam, they brought with them the heritage of ancient civilizations like Egypt, Greece, India, Persia, and Rome. Muslims cherished these cultures' knowledge and took great pains to preserve their libraries and honor and the scholars residing in their cities.

Many Muslim scholars traveled to these cities seeking knowledge. They translated into Arabic volumes of philosophical and scientific works from Greek and Syriac languages (the languages of Eastern Christian scholars), from Pahlavi (the scholarly language of Pre-Islamic Persia), and from Sanskrit (an ancient Indian language). As a result, Arabic became the language of worldly scholarship, and people migrated from all over the world to study in the Muslim Universities. 

Who is Allah?

Allah is the proper Arabic name for God. Muslims believe in and worship the same One God that the Jews and Christians worship. Allah says in the Qur'an:

"And do not debate with the People of the Book, unless in the best of manners, but not with those who are unjust, and say: "We believe in the Revelation that has come down to us and in that which has come down to you; Our God and your God is One, and to Him do we wholly give ourselves." (Qur'an 29:46)

Allah is a unique term with no plural an no gender. It predates Muhammad and was also used in the form of El, Elah or Elohim by David, Moses, Jesus and other messengers of God, peace be upon them all.

"He is God, the One that there is no deity but He; the Knower of the unseen and the apparent; He is the Source of All Mercy, the Merciful.

He is God, the One that there is no deity but He; the King, the Holy, the Source of All Peace, the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver, the Mighty, the Compeller, the Majestic; Glory to God, beyond their associations (of partners with Him)!

He is God, the Creator, the Maker, the Fashioner. To Him belong the most beautiful names. All that is in the heavens and the earth magnifies Him; He is the Mighty, the Wise." (Qur'an 59:22-24)

Islam Frequantly Asked Questions

Q 1: Is it true that the religion of Islam is called Muhammadanism?

A 1: No! If anyone, who wants to insult a Muslim, he would state that Muhammadanism is the religion of Islam. Anyone who wants to submit willingly in peace to the One God (Allah), he or she is called a Muslim, and the religion is Islam. It is the religion of peace, harmony, concord and happiness with serenity.

Q 2: Is it true that Muslims are called Muhammadans?

A 2: No! The followers of the religion of Islam are called Muslims. They worship the Only One Creator, namely Allah. Muslims do not worship Muhammad, and the founder of Islam is Allah. Muhammad is not divine, the divinity belongs to Allah alone. Muhammad is not an immortal being. Allah alone is immortal. Therefore, Muslims are those individuals who submit to Allah willingly in peace. They are the ones who make their Pledge of Allegiance daily to Allah.

Q 3: What is the difference between Moslems and Muslims?

A 3: The Arabic word for the followers of Islam is Muslims. There is nothing called Moslems. The latter word may give a wrong information about Muslims. It may reflect Zulm and Zalam. The first means injustice, while the latter means darkness and medieval Muslims prefer to be called Muslims, and they do recommend that non-Muslims should try to pronounce these names of Islam and Muslims as good as possible.

Q 4: Is it true that all Arabs are Muslims, and that all Muslims are Arabs?

A 4: No! Any person who reads, writes and speaks the Arabic language is called an Arab. There are about 1.6 billion Muslims in the world. 20% are considered Arabs while the rest are non-Arabs.

Among the Arab people there are about 8% who are non-Muslims, such as Christians, Jews, Assyrians, Atheists, Agnostics, etc.

However, every Muslim has to study and learn the Arabic language so that he/she will be able to pray daily and to read Qur'an and the Arabic language.

Q 5: Is it true that Muslims worship Muhammad?

A 5: Not at all! Muslims do worship Allah. For that reason they are not called Muhammadans. Christians do worship Christ, hence they are called Christians. Muslims do not worship any person at all. They obey Allah and they demonstrate their obedience to Him in all aspects of life. For that reason they are called Muslims.

Q 6: Is it true that the founder of Islam is Muhammad?

A 6: This is not true at all!... Muslims believe that the founder of Islam is Allah, the Creator of the whole universe. Islam is therefore is the religion of obedience to Allah.

Q 7: In secular countries, the Pledge of Allegiance is to the nag of the country that a person belongs to. How do Muslims look at such a pledge?

A 7: Any person who makes his Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of his country, he is legally responsible to defend that country according to what the political leaders decide. The leaders may decide to invade other countries and commit all types of injustices, atrocities, and crimes. As a citizen he has to follow their orders after drafting him in the Army.

A Muslim's loyalty is to Allah. He will never obey political leaders unless they themselves obey Allah. Allah will never allow any leader to commit atrocities, injustice, or crimes. Invading other countries and killing other people are among the biggest crimes. Therefore, the masses as well as the leaders should make a Pledge of Allegiance to Allah, the Creator of the whole universe.

Q 8: Since the Pledge of Allegiance of Muslims is only to Allah, so what is that Pledge, and what does it mean?

A 8:Yes, the Pledge of Allegiance of Muslims is only to Allah, the Creator of the Universe. Muslims have to say daily the Pledge in the language of the Qur'an, i.e., Arabic. They have to recite it vocally individually and collectively. They may pronounce it verbally, privately, and silently too.

The Pledge goes as follows:

"Ashhadu Anla ilaha Illa Allah...Wa Ashhadu Anna MuHammadan Rasoolu Allah."

"I bear witness that there is no one worthy of worship except God (Allah)... And I bear witness that Prophet Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."

Q 9: Once I was talking to a Muslim saying to him that as Christians we believe in the Unity of God. He informed me that Muslims do not believe in the Unity of God but in the Oneness of God. I got confused. Would you kindly elaborate for me the difference.

A 9: Thank you very much for raising a very fundamental principle in Islam. Muslims believe in the Oneness of God. They do not believe in the concept of Unity of God.

The word unity may give a wrong impression about the concept of God. It may mean two gods in one, or three gods in one. As Christians, you believe in three gods in one: God the father, god the son and god the holy spirit. Three in One. This is the concept of Unity of God.

Muslims do not subscribe to this concept. God is the only One. He is One-in-One. He begets no one; and no one begotten Him. He is the Creator of the whole universe. No one shares with Him His Sovereignty.

Q 10: What are the legal sources of Islam?

A 10: The sources of Islam are the Qur'an, the Hadith, the Sirah, and the Unanimous decisions of the early Muslim Scholars.

ISLAM IS YOUR BIRTHDAY

Mankind and the universe were not created by accident or chance, but according to the plan of the Creator, who is known as Allah (lit.: the one God) in Islam. The Qur'an states that it is the duty of all individuals to learn about Allah and to live according to His will. As we cannot accomplish this be ourselves, Allah has sent messengers and prophets to guide humanity All of these chosen individuals have brought the same message and have served as examples to their people of how Allah desires all human beings to live. Through these selected people, we have been told why mankind was created, what will happen to us after death, and what Allah expects of us. But most importantly, we have been told that Allah is unique-He has no partners, no sons or daughters, and no competitors, as so many other man-made religious systems have postulated. This message always remains the same, whereas the laws laid down for a particular might show some slight differences. 

Muhammad, the last of Allah's prophets, was sent to present Allah's revelation in its final form and for the last time. This was necessary because the message delivered by the previous prophets and messengers had been corrupted or distorted by their followers. They had been mixed with philosophical speculations, superstitions, myths, and neglect. Therefore, Islam is not a new religion-it is a restatement of the original religion of Allah in its purest form and is designed to provide humanity with the uncorrupted message of Allah. 

Islam is an Arabic word that denotes submission and obedience to Allah. It also means "peace," for it brings peace of mind as well as peace on the individual and the social levels. 



THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM

In Islam, the term "worship" covers any action that one does in accordance with the will of Allah. It can be mental, physical, spoken, or otherwise. All such actions will be rewarded. 

There are five acts of worship that are so fundamental that the Prophet grouped them together as the five pillars of Islam. Every Muslim is expected to fulfill these obligations. They are: 



THE DECLARATION OF MONOTHEISM:

Recognizing and acknowledging the monotheistic nature of Allah stands at the core of Islam. This consists of a public affirmation that "there is no god but Allah (God), and Muhammad is His Messenger." One cannot be a Muslim until he states this fact in the presence of Muslim witnesses. 



PRAYERS: 

A Muslim must perform the five daily prayers. These must be performed at specific times, corresponding roughly with dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset, and nightfall. The prayers can be made in any clean place, but it is preferable to pray them with others in a mosque, for this communal undertaking acts as a reminder that all Muslims are equal. When many people are praying together, it becomes clear that color, economic status, social position, and all other artificial distinctions have no importance to Allah, for all Muslims are commanded to stand together, shoulder to shoulder, and prostrate themselves before Him. There are no exceptions. Prayers also elevated the individual to a higher level of morality, purifies his heart, and helps him to resist his desire to engage in forbidden activities. 



FASTING THE MONTH OF RAMADAN: 

Every year during the Muslim month of Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food, drink, and sexual activity from dawn to sunset. While this gives the body a much needed rest and improves ones health by getting rid of excess weight, it also increases ones commitment to Allah, develops his social conscience, and reminds him of how the less fortunate live every day In addition, it strengthens one's patience, self-restraint, will power, and sincerity. 



CHARITY (Zakat): 

Every Muslim whose net annual savings are above a certain specified minimum must pay an annual amount of 2.5% to the poor and needy This action purifies one's accrued wealth, fosters the quality of sacrifice, and rids him of selfishness and greed. It also helps to reduce resentment and envy between a society's poor and rich classes.



HAJJ (Pilgrimage to Makkah): 

Hajj is an act of worship that is to be performed at least once in a lifetime, provided that one is physically and financially able to do so. During this time, Muslims meet from all corners of the world in an international congregation for the sole purpose of responding to the call of Allah. It also reminds the participants that all Muslims are equal, irrespective of their geographical, cultural, or racial origins. 



THE ARTICLES OF FAITH

All Muslims believe in: 

. The oneness of Allah. Allah has no partner, son, daughter, helper, or competitor. There is nothing that even remotely resembles Him, for He is unique. 

. All of the messengers and prophets of Allah. The Qur'an states that each people has received revelation from Allah in its own tongue so that all individuals know what is required of them. The Qur'an mentions twenty-five of them by name, among them Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Issac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, John, Jesus, and Muhammad. There are, however, many others who are not named. Muhammad, the last prophet, was sent with a universal message meant for all of humanity The message revealed through him is the Qur'an, which is Allah's final presentation of the original revelation received by mankind in its purest form. A Muslim must accept all of Allah's prophets and messengers as legitimate, for denial of one means denial of all. For western readers who are not convinced that Muhammad is a prophet of Allah, proof of this claim can be found in the Bible (Deut. 18:15-18, 33:2-3; Isaiah 29:12; Songs of Solomon 5:16;John 14:1516, 16:12-14) as well as in the biographical accounts of Muhammad's life, which was lived in full view of his contemporaries.

. The original messages revealed through Allah's various prophets and messengers. The purest of these is the Qur'an, for it was recorded during the lifetime of the Prophet and under his direct supervision. The revelations mentioned in the Qur'an as having been received by other prophets, such as the Suhuf of Abraham, the Torah of Moses, the Zubur (Psalms) of David, and the Injeel (Bible) of Jesus, have all been either lost or corrupted.

. The existence of angels as part of the unseen world. They are spiritual beings who have no need for food, drink, or sleep. 

. The Day of Judgment. The Qur'an teaches that life is a test for each individual, for everyone must choose whether he will or will not follow the commands of Allah. On this day, a person will be resurrected and asked to account for what he did while he was alive. Those with good records will be rewarded and enter paradise, while those with bad records will be punished by being sent to hell. This belief develops within the individual an awareness of Allah's presence and a desire to obey His laws sincerely and voluntarily 

. A Muslim believes that nothing happens without the knowledge and permission of Allah. While we may not understand why certain things happens, it is part of the divine plan for our lives. 



MUSLIMS: THE MODERATE NATION

Islam does not divide life into "spiritual" and "secular" realms. As all of life is thus unified and interconnected, Islam avoids the dangers of the extreme ritualism, secularism, or materialism that is found in other civilizations. Activities are not classified as belonging to the state or the individual, religion or daily life, but as belonging to Allah alone, Who has provided guidelines for individuals. These are to be followed in every aspect of their lives: individual, social, governmental, political, economical, spiritual, and otherwise Reflecting this moderation, the Qur'an has entitled the Muslims the "moderate nation. " 



SOURCES OF ISLAMIC TEACHINGS

The Islamic way of life is based on the teachings and laws found in the Qur'an and the example (Sunnah) of the Prophet Muhammad. 

The Qur'an is the word of Allah and was revealed in potions to Muhammad, via the Angel Gabriel, over a twenty-three year period. Each portion was recorded in writing by his official scribes and memorized by thousands of his followers. After his death, the written collection was given to Abu Bakr, the first caliph, who oversaw its collection into one volume. The third caliph, Uthman, prepared several copies and sent them to different Muslim territories. Ever since that time, the same version has been used by Muslims. The wording, order, and language have never been altered in the slightest manner. No other book claiming to be a divine revelation can make this claim, and no one has ever been able to refute the claim of the Qur'an to complete authenticity. 

The Sunnah consists of the teachings, sayings, and actions of Prophet Muhammad. This information was meticulously reported and collected by his Companions. It is essentially an elaboration of the Qur'anic verses that shows how they are to be implemented in one's daily life. 



ISLAM: THE RELIGION OF EQUALITY

Islam recognizes no man-made artificial distinctions based on color, tribe, race, nationality, or otherwise. As all people come from the original couple-Adam and Eve-they are all one family and therefore equal before God. What distinguishes people from each other is their commitment to Islam: "The most honored in the sight of Allah is (he who is) most righteous." (Qur'an 3:86). 



ISLAM IS YOUR BIRTHRIGHT

Islam states clearly that everyone is born a Muslim and is therefore monotheistic by nature. We read in the Qur'an that humanity has been created with the natural disposition towards the unity of God. This is to be expected, for Allah, who has breathed His spirit into each of us, is Himself the example of perfect unity. In the words of the Prophet Muhammad: "Every person is born with the innate religious faith (to submit to God Almighty)." Thus when an individual accepts Islam, he is not turning his back on any prior revelation but rather is returning to the original and true revelation of Allah and to his own nature as a creation of Allah. This being the case, Islam is your birthright-other religious or ideological systems are either corruptions our outright denials of Islam. 



CRITERIA FOR TRUTH

How do you know if your belief system is true? Take a moment to look at the following list. 

. Are the teachings of your belief system rational? Do they conform to the norms of human reason and intellect? 

. Is the creator of your belief system perfect? Allah, the creator of Islam, is. . Does your belief system contain superstitions or myths? Islam presents humanity with only true knowledge. 

. Can your belief system withstand the discoveries and claims of modern science? Islam can and does. 

. How accurate are your belief system's prophecies and predications? Islam's are always completely accurate. 

. Could a person have devised your belief system? No one has ever been able to imitate the Qur'an, although many have tried over the centuries. 

Islam is not a new religion founded by Muhammad, but a final restatement of the original revelation that has been conveyed to humanity by messengers and prophets sent by Allah for that very purpose: "This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion" (5:3). As the Qur'an is the final revelation and Muhammad is the final prophet, humanity is obligated to accept it: "If anyone desires a religion other than Islam, never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost all spiritual good" (3:86). 

THE CHOICE IS YOURS TO MAKE!!!