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As-Salaamu Alaikum Brothers and Sisters in Islam;
Ramadaan is fast approaching,Alhamdulillah and this is also a good time to give dawah to our family and non-believer that we interact with. There are plenty of questions/ misconcepetions that they may have regarding Islam... Here is a good guideline taken from Salafytalk:
Introductory Materials
Answers to 7 Questions on Islam
Source: Islamic Awareness
Article ID : NMM010003
1. What is Islaam?
The word "Islaam" is an Arabic word that means "submitting and
surrendering your will to Almighty God". The word comes from the same
root as the Arabic word "salam", which means peace. Unlike the names
used for other religions, such as Buddhism, Hinduism and
Christianity, the name for the religion of Islaam was both revealed
by God and carries a deep spritual meaning - only by submitting one's
will to Almighty God can one obtain true peace both in this life and
in the life hereafter. Islaam teaches that all religions originally
had the same essential message - which was to submit whole-heartedly
to the will of God and to worship Him and Him alone. For this reason,
Islaam is not a new religion but is the same divinely revealed
Ultimate Truth that God revealed to all prophets, including Noah,
Abraham, Moses and Jesus.
2. Who are Muslims?
The Arabic word "Muslim" literally means "someone who submits to the
will of God". The message of Islaam is meant for the entire world and
anyone who accepts this message becomes a Muslim. Some people
mistakenly believe that Islaam is just a religion for Arabs, but
nothing could be further from the truth, since in actuality over 80%
of the world's Muslims are not Arabs! Even though most Arabs are
Muslims, there are Arabs who are Christians, Jews and atheists. If
one just takes a look at the various peoples who live in the Muslim
World - from Nigeria to Bosnia and from Morocco to Indonesia - it is
easy enough to see that Muslims come from all different races, ethnic
groups and nationalities. From the very beginning, Islaam had a
universal message for all people. This can be seen in the fact that
some of the early companions of the Prophet Muhammad were not only
Arabs, but also Persians, Africans and Byzantine Romans. Being a
Muslim entails complete acceptance and active obedience to the
revealed will of Almighty God. A Muslim is a person who freely
accepts to base his beliefs, values and faith on the will of Almighty
God. In the past, even though you don't see it as much today, the
word "Mohammedans" was often used as a label for Muslims. This label
is a misnomer and is the result of either wilful distortion or sheer
ignorance. One of the reasons for the misconception is that Europeans
were taught for centuries that Muslims worshipped the Prophet
Muhammad in the same way that Christians worship Jesus. This is
absolutely not true since a Muslim is not permitted to worship anyone
or anything besides Almighty God.
3. Who is Allaah?
Very often one will here the Arabic word "Allaah" being used in
regards to Islaam. The word "Allaah" is simply the Arabic word for
Almighty God, and is the same word used by Arabic speaking Christians
and Jews. If one were to pick up an Arabic translation of the Bible,
one would see the word "Allaah" being use where the word "God" is
used in English. Actually, the Arabic word for Almighty
God, "Allaah", is quite similar to the word for God in other Semitic
languages - for example, the Hebrew word for God is "Elah". For
various reasons, some non-Muslims mistakenly believe that Muslims
worship a different God than the God of Moses and Abraham and Jesus.
This is certainly not the case, since the Pure Monotheism of Islaam
calls all people to the worship of the God of Noah, Abraham, Moses,
Jesus and all of the other prophets.
4. Who is Muhammad?
The last and final prophet that God sent to humanity was the Prophet
Muhammad. Muhammad explained, interpreted and lived the teachings of
Islaam. The Prophet Muhammad is the greatest of all prophets for many
reasons, but mainly because the results of his mission have brought
more people into the pure belief in One God than any other prophet.
Even though other religious communities claimed to believe in One
God, over time they had corrupted their beliefs by taking their
prophets and saints as intercessors with Almighty God. Some religions
believe their prophets to be manifestations of God, "God Incarnate"
or the "Son of God". All of these false ideas lead to the creature
being worshipped instead of the Creator, which contributed to the
idolatrous practice of believing that Almighty God can be approached
through intermediaries. In order to guard against these falsehoods,
the Prophet Muhammad always emphasised that he was only a human-being
tasked with the preaching of God's message. He taught Muslims to
refer to him as "the Messenger of God and His Slave". To Muslims,
Muhammad is the supreme example for all people - he was the exemplary
prophet, statesman, military leader, ruler, teacher, neighbour,
husband, father and friend. Unlike other prophets and messengers, the
Prophet Muhammad lived in the full light of history. Muslims don't
need to have "faith" that he existed and that his teachings are
preserved - they know it to be a fact. Even when his followers only
numbered a few dozen, Almighty God informed Muhammad that he had be
sent as a mercy to all of mankind. Because people had distorted or
forgotten God's messages, God took it upon Himself to protect the
message revealed to Muhammad. This was because Almighty God promised
not to send another messenger after him. Since all of God's
messengers have preached the message of Islaam - i.e. submission to
the will of God and the worship of God alone - Muhammad is actually
the last prophet of Islaam, not the first.
5. What are the Teachings of Islaam?
The foundation of the Islaamic faith is belief in the Unity of God.
This means to believe that there is only one Creator and Sustainer of
everything in the Universe, and that nothing is divine or worthy of
being worshipped except for Him. Truly believing in the Unity of God
means much more than simply believing that there is "One God" - as
opposed to two, three or four. There are a number of religions that
claim belief in "One God" and believe that ultimately there is only
one Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. Islaam, however, not only
insists on this, but also rejects using such words as "Lord"
and "Saviour" for anyone besides Almighty God. Islaam also rejects
the use of all intermediaries between God and Man, and insists that
people approach God directly and reserve all worship for Him alone.
Muslims believe that Almighty God is Compassionate, Loving and
Merciful.
The essence of falsehood is the claim that God cannot deal with and
forgive His creatures directly. By over-emphasising the burden of
sin, as well as claiming that God cannot forgive you directly, false
religions seek to get people to despair of the Mercy of God. Once
they are convinced that they cannot approach God directly, people can
be mislead into turning to false gods for help. These "false gods"
can take various forms, such as saints, angels, or someone who is
believed to be the "Son of God" or "God Incarnate". In almost all
cases, people who worship, pray to or seek help from a false god
don't consider it to be, or call it, a "god". They claim belief in
One Supreme God, but claim that they pray to and worship others
beside God only to get closer to Him. In Islaam, there is a clear
distinction between the Creator and the created. There is no
ambiguity in divinity - anything that is created is not deserving of
worship and only the Creator is worthy of being worshipped. Some
religions falsely believe that God has become part of His creation,
and this has led people to believe that they can worship something
created in order to reach their Creator.
Muslims believe that even though God is Unique and beyond
comprehension - He has no "Son", partners or associates. According to
Muslim belief, Almighty God "does not beget nor was He begotten" -
neither literally, allegorically, metaphorically, physically or
metaphysically - He is Absolutely Unique and Eternal. He is in
control of everything and is perfectly capable of bestowing His
infinite Mercy and Forgiveness to whomever He chooses. That is why is
called the All-Powerful and Most-Merciful. Almighty God has created
the Universe for man, and as such wants the best for all human
beings. Muslims see everything in the Universe as a sign of the
Creatorship and Benevolence of Almighty God. Also, the belief in the
Unity of God is not merely a metaphysical concept. It is a dynamic
belief that effects ones view of humanity, society and all aspects of
life. As a logical corollary to the Islaamic belief in the Oneness of
God, is its belief in the oneness of mankind and humanity.
6. What is the Qur'aan?
It is the final revelation of the will of Almighty God's to all of
mankind, which was conveyed through the Angel Gabriel, in Arabic, to
the Prophet Muhammad in its sounds, words and meanings. The Qur'aan,
sometimes spelled Koran, was relayed to the Prophet's companions,
which they memorised verbatim, and which has been publicly and
continually recited by them and their successors until the present
day. In short, the Qur'aan is the book of guidance from God par
excellence. The Qur'aan is still memorised and taught by millions of
people. The language of the Qur'aan, Arabic, is still a living
language to millions of people, so unlike the scriptures of other
religions, the Qur'aan is still read in its original language by
countless millions of people. The Qu'ran is a living miracle in the
Arabic language; and is know to be inimitable in its style, form and
spiritual impact. God's final revelation to mankind, the Qur'aan, was
revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years. The
Qur'aan, in contrast to many other religious books, was always
thought to be the Word of God by those who believed in it, i.e. it
wasn't something decreed by a religious council many years after
being written. Also, the Qu'ran was recited publicly in front of both
the Muslim and non-Muslim communities during the life of the Prophet
Muhammad. The entire Qur'aan was also completely written down in
lifetime of the Prophet, and numerous companions of the Prophet
memorised the entire Qur'aan word-for-word as it was revealed. So
unlike other scriptures, the Qur'aan was always in the hands of the
common believers, it was always thought to be God's word and, due to
wide-spread memorisation, it was perfectly preserved. In regards to
the teachings of the Qur'aan - it is a universal scripture, and it is
addressed to all of mankind, and not to a particular tribe or "chosen
people". The message that it brings is nothing new, but the same
message of all of the prophets - submit to Almighty God and worship
Him alone. As such, God's revelation in the Qur'aan focuses on
teaching human beings the importance of believing in the Unity of God
and framing their lives around the guidance which He has sent.
Additionally, the Qur'aan contains the stories of the previous
prophets, such as Abraham, Noah, Moses and Jesus; as well as many
commands and prohibitions from God. In modern times in which so many
people are caught up in doubt, spiritual despair and "political
correctness", the Qur'aanic teachings offer solutions to the
emptiness of our lives and the turmoil that is gripping the world
today.
7. How Do Muslims View the Nature of Man, the Purpose of Life and the
Life Hereafter?
In the Holy Qur'aan, God teaches human beings that they were created
in order to worship Him, and that the basis of all true worship is
God-consciousness. Since the teachings of Islaamic encompass all
aspects of life and ethics, God-consciousness is encouraged in all
human affairs. Islaam makes it clear that all human acts are acts of
worship if they are done for God alone and in accordance to His
Divine Law. As such, worship in Islaam is not limited to religious
rituals. The teachings of Islaam act as a mercy and a healing for the
human soul, and such qualities as humility, sincerity, patience and
charity are strongly encouraged. Additionally, Islaam condemns pride
and self-righteousness, since Almighty God is the only judge of human
righteousness. The Islaamic view of the nature of man is also
realistic and well-balanced. Human beings are not believed to be
inherently sinful, but are seen as equally capable of both good and
evil. Islaam also teaches that faith and action go hand-in-hand. God
has given people free-will, and the measure of one's faith is one's
deeds and actions. However, human beings have also been created weak
and regularly fall into sin. This is the nature of the human being as
created by God in His Wisdom, and it is not inherently "corrupt" or
in need of repair. This is because the avenue of repentance of always
open to all human beings, and Almighty God loves the repentant sinner
more than one who does not sin at all. The true balance of an
Islaamic life is established by having a healthy fear of God as well
as a sincere belief in His infinite Mercy. A life without fear of God
leads to sin and disobedience, while believing that we have sinned so
much that God will not possibly forgive us only leads to despair. In
light of this, Islaam teaches that: only the misguided despair of the
Mercy of their Lord. Additionally, the Holy Qur'aan, which was
revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, contains a great deal of teachings
about the life hereafter and the Day of Judgement. Due to this,
Muslims believe that all human beings will ultimately be judged by
God for their beliefs and actions in their earthly lives. In judging
human beings, Almighty God will be both Merciful and Just, and people
will only be judged for what they were capable of. Suffice it to say
that Islaam teaches that life is a test, and that all human beings
will be accountable before God. A sincere belief in the life
hereafter is key to leading a well-balanced life and moral.
Otherwise, life is viewed as an end in itself, which causes human
beings to become more selfish, materialistic and immoral..
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Subhanaka 'allahumma wa bihamdika
'ash hadu 'alla 'ilaha 'illa 'anta '
astaghfiruka wa 'atubu 'ilayka
May Allah make us all givers of His Nobel Dawah
Ramadaan is fast approaching,Alhamdulillah and this is also a good time to give dawah to our family and non-believer that we interact with. There are plenty of questions/ misconcepetions that they may have regarding Islam... Here is a good guideline taken from Salafytalk:
Introductory Materials
Answers to 7 Questions on Islam
Source: Islamic Awareness
Article ID : NMM010003
1. What is Islaam?
The word "Islaam" is an Arabic word that means "submitting and
surrendering your will to Almighty God". The word comes from the same
root as the Arabic word "salam", which means peace. Unlike the names
used for other religions, such as Buddhism, Hinduism and
Christianity, the name for the religion of Islaam was both revealed
by God and carries a deep spritual meaning - only by submitting one's
will to Almighty God can one obtain true peace both in this life and
in the life hereafter. Islaam teaches that all religions originally
had the same essential message - which was to submit whole-heartedly
to the will of God and to worship Him and Him alone. For this reason,
Islaam is not a new religion but is the same divinely revealed
Ultimate Truth that God revealed to all prophets, including Noah,
Abraham, Moses and Jesus.
2. Who are Muslims?
The Arabic word "Muslim" literally means "someone who submits to the
will of God". The message of Islaam is meant for the entire world and
anyone who accepts this message becomes a Muslim. Some people
mistakenly believe that Islaam is just a religion for Arabs, but
nothing could be further from the truth, since in actuality over 80%
of the world's Muslims are not Arabs! Even though most Arabs are
Muslims, there are Arabs who are Christians, Jews and atheists. If
one just takes a look at the various peoples who live in the Muslim
World - from Nigeria to Bosnia and from Morocco to Indonesia - it is
easy enough to see that Muslims come from all different races, ethnic
groups and nationalities. From the very beginning, Islaam had a
universal message for all people. This can be seen in the fact that
some of the early companions of the Prophet Muhammad were not only
Arabs, but also Persians, Africans and Byzantine Romans. Being a
Muslim entails complete acceptance and active obedience to the
revealed will of Almighty God. A Muslim is a person who freely
accepts to base his beliefs, values and faith on the will of Almighty
God. In the past, even though you don't see it as much today, the
word "Mohammedans" was often used as a label for Muslims. This label
is a misnomer and is the result of either wilful distortion or sheer
ignorance. One of the reasons for the misconception is that Europeans
were taught for centuries that Muslims worshipped the Prophet
Muhammad in the same way that Christians worship Jesus. This is
absolutely not true since a Muslim is not permitted to worship anyone
or anything besides Almighty God.
3. Who is Allaah?
Very often one will here the Arabic word "Allaah" being used in
regards to Islaam. The word "Allaah" is simply the Arabic word for
Almighty God, and is the same word used by Arabic speaking Christians
and Jews. If one were to pick up an Arabic translation of the Bible,
one would see the word "Allaah" being use where the word "God" is
used in English. Actually, the Arabic word for Almighty
God, "Allaah", is quite similar to the word for God in other Semitic
languages - for example, the Hebrew word for God is "Elah". For
various reasons, some non-Muslims mistakenly believe that Muslims
worship a different God than the God of Moses and Abraham and Jesus.
This is certainly not the case, since the Pure Monotheism of Islaam
calls all people to the worship of the God of Noah, Abraham, Moses,
Jesus and all of the other prophets.
4. Who is Muhammad?
The last and final prophet that God sent to humanity was the Prophet
Muhammad. Muhammad explained, interpreted and lived the teachings of
Islaam. The Prophet Muhammad is the greatest of all prophets for many
reasons, but mainly because the results of his mission have brought
more people into the pure belief in One God than any other prophet.
Even though other religious communities claimed to believe in One
God, over time they had corrupted their beliefs by taking their
prophets and saints as intercessors with Almighty God. Some religions
believe their prophets to be manifestations of God, "God Incarnate"
or the "Son of God". All of these false ideas lead to the creature
being worshipped instead of the Creator, which contributed to the
idolatrous practice of believing that Almighty God can be approached
through intermediaries. In order to guard against these falsehoods,
the Prophet Muhammad always emphasised that he was only a human-being
tasked with the preaching of God's message. He taught Muslims to
refer to him as "the Messenger of God and His Slave". To Muslims,
Muhammad is the supreme example for all people - he was the exemplary
prophet, statesman, military leader, ruler, teacher, neighbour,
husband, father and friend. Unlike other prophets and messengers, the
Prophet Muhammad lived in the full light of history. Muslims don't
need to have "faith" that he existed and that his teachings are
preserved - they know it to be a fact. Even when his followers only
numbered a few dozen, Almighty God informed Muhammad that he had be
sent as a mercy to all of mankind. Because people had distorted or
forgotten God's messages, God took it upon Himself to protect the
message revealed to Muhammad. This was because Almighty God promised
not to send another messenger after him. Since all of God's
messengers have preached the message of Islaam - i.e. submission to
the will of God and the worship of God alone - Muhammad is actually
the last prophet of Islaam, not the first.
5. What are the Teachings of Islaam?
The foundation of the Islaamic faith is belief in the Unity of God.
This means to believe that there is only one Creator and Sustainer of
everything in the Universe, and that nothing is divine or worthy of
being worshipped except for Him. Truly believing in the Unity of God
means much more than simply believing that there is "One God" - as
opposed to two, three or four. There are a number of religions that
claim belief in "One God" and believe that ultimately there is only
one Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. Islaam, however, not only
insists on this, but also rejects using such words as "Lord"
and "Saviour" for anyone besides Almighty God. Islaam also rejects
the use of all intermediaries between God and Man, and insists that
people approach God directly and reserve all worship for Him alone.
Muslims believe that Almighty God is Compassionate, Loving and
Merciful.
The essence of falsehood is the claim that God cannot deal with and
forgive His creatures directly. By over-emphasising the burden of
sin, as well as claiming that God cannot forgive you directly, false
religions seek to get people to despair of the Mercy of God. Once
they are convinced that they cannot approach God directly, people can
be mislead into turning to false gods for help. These "false gods"
can take various forms, such as saints, angels, or someone who is
believed to be the "Son of God" or "God Incarnate". In almost all
cases, people who worship, pray to or seek help from a false god
don't consider it to be, or call it, a "god". They claim belief in
One Supreme God, but claim that they pray to and worship others
beside God only to get closer to Him. In Islaam, there is a clear
distinction between the Creator and the created. There is no
ambiguity in divinity - anything that is created is not deserving of
worship and only the Creator is worthy of being worshipped. Some
religions falsely believe that God has become part of His creation,
and this has led people to believe that they can worship something
created in order to reach their Creator.
Muslims believe that even though God is Unique and beyond
comprehension - He has no "Son", partners or associates. According to
Muslim belief, Almighty God "does not beget nor was He begotten" -
neither literally, allegorically, metaphorically, physically or
metaphysically - He is Absolutely Unique and Eternal. He is in
control of everything and is perfectly capable of bestowing His
infinite Mercy and Forgiveness to whomever He chooses. That is why is
called the All-Powerful and Most-Merciful. Almighty God has created
the Universe for man, and as such wants the best for all human
beings. Muslims see everything in the Universe as a sign of the
Creatorship and Benevolence of Almighty God. Also, the belief in the
Unity of God is not merely a metaphysical concept. It is a dynamic
belief that effects ones view of humanity, society and all aspects of
life. As a logical corollary to the Islaamic belief in the Oneness of
God, is its belief in the oneness of mankind and humanity.
6. What is the Qur'aan?
It is the final revelation of the will of Almighty God's to all of
mankind, which was conveyed through the Angel Gabriel, in Arabic, to
the Prophet Muhammad in its sounds, words and meanings. The Qur'aan,
sometimes spelled Koran, was relayed to the Prophet's companions,
which they memorised verbatim, and which has been publicly and
continually recited by them and their successors until the present
day. In short, the Qur'aan is the book of guidance from God par
excellence. The Qur'aan is still memorised and taught by millions of
people. The language of the Qur'aan, Arabic, is still a living
language to millions of people, so unlike the scriptures of other
religions, the Qur'aan is still read in its original language by
countless millions of people. The Qu'ran is a living miracle in the
Arabic language; and is know to be inimitable in its style, form and
spiritual impact. God's final revelation to mankind, the Qur'aan, was
revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over a period of 23 years. The
Qur'aan, in contrast to many other religious books, was always
thought to be the Word of God by those who believed in it, i.e. it
wasn't something decreed by a religious council many years after
being written. Also, the Qu'ran was recited publicly in front of both
the Muslim and non-Muslim communities during the life of the Prophet
Muhammad. The entire Qur'aan was also completely written down in
lifetime of the Prophet, and numerous companions of the Prophet
memorised the entire Qur'aan word-for-word as it was revealed. So
unlike other scriptures, the Qur'aan was always in the hands of the
common believers, it was always thought to be God's word and, due to
wide-spread memorisation, it was perfectly preserved. In regards to
the teachings of the Qur'aan - it is a universal scripture, and it is
addressed to all of mankind, and not to a particular tribe or "chosen
people". The message that it brings is nothing new, but the same
message of all of the prophets - submit to Almighty God and worship
Him alone. As such, God's revelation in the Qur'aan focuses on
teaching human beings the importance of believing in the Unity of God
and framing their lives around the guidance which He has sent.
Additionally, the Qur'aan contains the stories of the previous
prophets, such as Abraham, Noah, Moses and Jesus; as well as many
commands and prohibitions from God. In modern times in which so many
people are caught up in doubt, spiritual despair and "political
correctness", the Qur'aanic teachings offer solutions to the
emptiness of our lives and the turmoil that is gripping the world
today.
7. How Do Muslims View the Nature of Man, the Purpose of Life and the
Life Hereafter?
In the Holy Qur'aan, God teaches human beings that they were created
in order to worship Him, and that the basis of all true worship is
God-consciousness. Since the teachings of Islaamic encompass all
aspects of life and ethics, God-consciousness is encouraged in all
human affairs. Islaam makes it clear that all human acts are acts of
worship if they are done for God alone and in accordance to His
Divine Law. As such, worship in Islaam is not limited to religious
rituals. The teachings of Islaam act as a mercy and a healing for the
human soul, and such qualities as humility, sincerity, patience and
charity are strongly encouraged. Additionally, Islaam condemns pride
and self-righteousness, since Almighty God is the only judge of human
righteousness. The Islaamic view of the nature of man is also
realistic and well-balanced. Human beings are not believed to be
inherently sinful, but are seen as equally capable of both good and
evil. Islaam also teaches that faith and action go hand-in-hand. God
has given people free-will, and the measure of one's faith is one's
deeds and actions. However, human beings have also been created weak
and regularly fall into sin. This is the nature of the human being as
created by God in His Wisdom, and it is not inherently "corrupt" or
in need of repair. This is because the avenue of repentance of always
open to all human beings, and Almighty God loves the repentant sinner
more than one who does not sin at all. The true balance of an
Islaamic life is established by having a healthy fear of God as well
as a sincere belief in His infinite Mercy. A life without fear of God
leads to sin and disobedience, while believing that we have sinned so
much that God will not possibly forgive us only leads to despair. In
light of this, Islaam teaches that: only the misguided despair of the
Mercy of their Lord. Additionally, the Holy Qur'aan, which was
revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, contains a great deal of teachings
about the life hereafter and the Day of Judgement. Due to this,
Muslims believe that all human beings will ultimately be judged by
God for their beliefs and actions in their earthly lives. In judging
human beings, Almighty God will be both Merciful and Just, and people
will only be judged for what they were capable of. Suffice it to say
that Islaam teaches that life is a test, and that all human beings
will be accountable before God. A sincere belief in the life
hereafter is key to leading a well-balanced life and moral.
Otherwise, life is viewed as an end in itself, which causes human
beings to become more selfish, materialistic and immoral..
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Subhanaka 'allahumma wa bihamdika
'ash hadu 'alla 'ilaha 'illa 'anta '
astaghfiruka wa 'atubu 'ilayka
May Allah make us all givers of His Nobel Dawah