AboutAbo Muhammed Samir Faid Expertise I can answer questions from non-Muslims who are curious about Islam (InShaaAllah)
I can answer questions about: Islam in general, Comparison between Islam and Christianity, Islamic principles vs. common cultural practices of Muslims. Experience :B A in Shari'ah 1995 from Islamic Universty in Medina in Saudi Arabia.
Imam and answer questions about Islam in Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs in Qatar
Experience Islam the final revelation from God to all mankind,pure and clear, free of confusion and contradiction, with a preserved Book
Organizations Imam and answer questions about Islam in Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs in Qatar
Education/Credentials B A in Shari'ah 1995 from Islamic Universty in Medina in Saudi Arabia
Islam is not a new religion , but a final restatement of the original revelation that has been conveyed to humanity by messengers and prophets sent by GOD
The original, unchanged revelations given to Abraham and other prophets(like Moses and Jesus ) reaching back to Adam all came from the One True God(The Creator). This common origin explains their similarities in many beliefs and values
However, over time the teachings of the various religions, due to a variety of reasons, have become distorted and mixed with made-man ideas.
The last Prophet and Messenger of God, Muhammad , who is a direct descendant of Abraham through his first born son, Ishmael, was sent with the Last Guidance, Revelation and Testament, the Holy Qur'an(koran) to amend and correct the changes and corruption made to the the "Torah" which was sent to Moses and theTrue Gospel of Jesus.To say the truth ,God preserved all the other Holy Books plainly by preserving His Last Book the Holy Qur'an(koran)which contains the right and the truth of all that was changed in those other Books.
Islam teaches us that we must pray directly to God without an intermediary and no soul can bear the burden of another and that the nature of humanity is good, and we did not inherit sin from Adam. Each soul comes into being free of sin.Some religions say that human beings, due to their sinfulness, cannot approach God without an intermediary -- which mistakenly implies that God is unable or unwilling to forgive human-beings 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".
The oneness and universality of God's message requires that people accept all the messengers of God. Rejecting one of them amounts to rejecting them all. The Jews reject Jesus's mission and Muhammad's mission; the Christians reject Muhammad's mission; whereas the Muslims accept them all, but reject incorrect historical interpretations and human elements in these missions.
You can do that now as you are reading these lines is to pronounce the two confirmations and attestations of faith, here it is
I BEAR WITNESS THAT THERE IS NO GOD WORTHY OF WORSHIP EXCEPT ALLAH ( ARABIC WORD MEANS ONE GOD-THE CREATOR). AND I BEAR WITNESS THAT MUHAMMAD IS HIS SERVANT AND MESSENGER. I BEAR WITNESS THAT JESUS IS HIS SERVANT AND MESSENGER.
For more info
http://www.islamdoor.com
http://www.islamtomorrow.com/
I encourage Christians and other religions to learn about Islam from Muslim sources and The Basis Of The Muslim Belief and not rely on second hand information which in many cases is distorted or contains a deep seated anti Muslim agenda. This is indeed a more scholarly approach
There are good and bad followers in every religion. The correct thing to do is to judge a religion by its documented revelation from God and the prophet who brought that revelation.
BestWishes
your brother in humanity
Question What are the basic rules and requirements for muslims?
Answer all that is required of you to embrace Islam right
now as you are reading these lines is to pronounce the two confirmations and attestations of faith, here it is
I BEAR WITNESS THAT THERE IS NO GOD WORTHY OF WORSHIP EXCEPT ALLAH ( ARABIC WORD MEANS ONE GOD-THE CREATOR). AND I BEAR WITNESS THAT MUHAMMAD IS HIS SERVANT AND MESSENGER. I BEAR WITNESS THAT JESUS IS HIS SERVANT AND MESSENGER.
Those are the greatest words in islam and your passport to heaven.....
also learn at the site http://www.islamdoor.com it has all you need to know (please open it then add to favorites or bookmark it)
please learn more and seek guidance sincerely from THE CREATOR. THE CREATOR Most Generous and will never let any of His servants down. THE CREATOR is the One Who guides to the Straight Path, and He is Sufficient for us and is the best disposer of affairs
start with stories in the web site it will help u more in understanding
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.
please take a shower later it means you start new life with no sins Whatever bad deeds you have committed before, Allah will forgive because of your Islam.Becoming a Muslim is like starting a new life.
In Islam you will return to the pure, original, sinless state in which God created you. You will experience true freedom - the pure, direct, and exclusive worship of the One True God, free of any intermediaries between you and Him.
. You will find that you have entered a religion pure and clear, free of confusion and contradiction, with a preserved Book and a beautiful way of life. And in the hereafter, you will abide forever in peace, in gardens beneath which rivers flow
Allah says in the Qur'an, "Allah does not place a burden upon a soul beyond what it can bear" (al-Baqarah 2:286) the Prophet, Muhammed said; "… Allah did not send me to be harsh, or cause harm, but He sent me to teach and make things easy" 1-So if some Islam orders hard for you say in your heart i accept it and i do not reject it and when i get chance i will do it and ask Allah from your heart to forgive you .There are no intermediaries between mankind and God. If they sincerely repent to God, ask His forgiveness, and forsake their evil deeds before their hour comes then He shall forgive them and there is nothing more pleasing to Him than to forgive the sins of one who comes to Him in sincere repentance. 2- if you will face any problems by entering islam just keep islam in your heart and pray muslims prayers in your privacy, as much as you can. avoid as much as possible anything that is forbidden in Islam and learn Islam from authentic Islamic writings
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In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
THE 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.
The purpose of worship in Islam is to be God conscious. Thus the worship, whether it is prayer, fasting, or charity, is a means to achieve God consciousness so that when one becomes conscious of God, in thought and in action, he is in a better position to receive His bounties both in this world and the hereafter
All rites of formal worship in Islam are based on Divine revelation, while the modes of worship in other religions are a mixture of Divine revelation, man-made traditions, opinions of clergymen and religious councils. , in Islam acts of worship such as prayer and fasting have been described by God and His Prophet in such detail that it gives human beings a feeling of assurance that the way they are worshipping God is pleasing to Him
Main Pillars
Shahadah
The first pillar of Islam is that a Muslim believe and declare his faith by saying the Shahadah (lit. 'witness'), also known as the Kalimah:
La ilaha ila Allah; Muhammadur-rasul Allah. 'There is no god but Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.'
This declaration contains two parts. The first part refers to God Almighty, the Creator of everything, the Lord of the Worlds; the second part refers to the Messenger, Muhammad (pbuh) a prophet and a human being, who received the revelation through the Archangel Gabriel, and taught it to mankind.
By sincerely uttering the Shahadah the Muslim acknowledges Allah as the sole Creator of all, and the Supreme Authority over everything and everyone in the universe. Consequently the Muslim closes his/her heart and mind to loyalty, devotion and obedience to, trust in, reliance on, and worship of anything or anyone other than Allah. This rejection is not confined merely to pagan gods and goddesses of wood and stone and created by human hands and imaginations; this rejection must extend to all other conceptions, superstitions, ideologies, ways of life, and authority figures that claim supreme devotion, loyalty, trust, love, obedience or worship. This entails, for example, the rejection of belief in such common things as astrology, palm reading, good luck charms, fortune-telling and psychic readings, in addition to praying at shrines or graves of "saints", asking the dead souls to intercede for them with Allah. There are no intercessors in Islam, nor any class of clergy as such; a Muslim prays directly and exclusively to Allah.
Belief in the prophethood of Muhammad (pbuh) entails belief in the guidance brought by him and contained in his Sunnah (traditions of his sayings and actions), and demands of the Muslim the intention to follow his guidance faithfully. Muhammad (pbuh) was also a human being, a man with feelings and emotions, who ate, drank and slept, and was born and died, like other men. He had a pure and upright nature, extraordinary righteousness, and an unwavering faith in Allah and commitment to Islam, but he was not divine. Muslims do not pray to him, not even as an intercessor, and Muslims abhor the terms "Mohamedan" and "Mohamedanism".
Salah
Prayer (Salah), in the sense of worship, is the second pillar of Islam. Prayer is obligatory and must be performed five times a day. These five times are dawn (Fajr), immediately after noon (Dhuhr), mid-afternoon ('Asr), sunset (Maghrib), and early night (Isha'). Ritual cleanliness and ablution are required before prayer, as are clean clothes and location, and the removal of shoes. One may pray individually or communally, at home, outside, virtually any clean place, as well as in a mosque, though the latter is preferred. Special is the Friday noon prayer, called Jum'ah. It, too, is obligatory and is to be done in a mosque, in congregation. It is accompanied by a sermon (Khutbah), and it replaces the normal Dhuhr prayer.
There is no hierarchical clerical authority in Islam, no priests or ministers. Prayers are led by any learned person who knows the Qur'an and is chosen by the congregation. He (or she, if the congregation is all women) is called the imam. There is also no minimum number of congregants required to hold communal prayers. Prayer consists of verses from the Qur'an and other prayers, accompanied by various bodily postures - standing, bowing, prostrating and sitting. They are said in Arabic, the language of the revelation, though personal supplications (Du'ah) can be offered in one's own language. Worshippers face the Qiblah, the direction of the Ka'bah in the city of Makkah.
The significance of prayer lies in one's maintaining a continuous link to God five times a day, which helps the worshipper avoid misdeeds if he/she performs the prayers sincerely. In addition it promotes discipline, God-consciousness and placing one's trust in Allah alone, and the importance of striving for the Hereafter. When performed in congregation it also provides a strong sense of community, equality and brotherhood/sisterhood.
Sawm
The fourth pillar of Islam is fasting. Allah prescribes daily fasting for all able, adult Muslims during the whole of the month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the lunar calendar, beginning with the sighting of the new moon. Exempted from the fast are the very old and the insane. On the physical side, fasting is from first light of dawn until sundown, abstaining from food, drink, and sexual relations. On the moral, behavioral side, one must abstain from lying, malicious gossip, quarreling and trivial nonsense.
Those who are sick, elderly, or on a journey, and women who are menstruating, pregnant, or nursing are permitted to break the fast, but must make up an equal number of days later in the year. If physically unable to do so, they must feed a needy person for each day missed. Children begin to fast (and to observe the prayers) from puberty, although many start earlier.
Although fasting is beneficial to the health, it is regarded principally as a method of self-purification. By cutting oneself off from worldly pleasures and comforts, even for a short time, the fasting person gains true sympathy for those who go hungry regularly, and achieves growth in his spiritual life, learning discipline, self-restraint, patience and flexibility.
In addition to the fast proper, one is encouraged to read the entire Qur'an. In addition, special prayers, called Tarawih, are held in the mosque every night of the month, during which a whole section of the Qur'an (Juz') is recited, so that by the end of the month the entire Qur'an has been completed. These are done in remembrance of the fact that the revelation of the Qur'an to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was begun during Ramadan.
During the last ten days - though the exact day is never known and may not even be the same every year - occurs the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr). To spend that night in worship is equivalent to a thousand months of worship, i.e. Allah's reward for it is very great.
On the first day of the following month, after another new moon has been sighted, a special celebration is made, called 'Id al-Fitr. A quantity of staple food is donated to the poor (Zakat al-Fitr), everyone has bathed and put on their best, preferably new, clothes, and communal prayers are held in the early morning, followed by feasting and visiting relatives and friends.
There are other fast days throughout the year. Muslims are encouraged to fast six days in Shawwal, the month following Ramadan, Mondays and Thursdays, and the ninth and tenth, or tenth and eleventh of Muharram, the first month of the year. The tenth day, called Ashurah, is also a fast day for the Jews (Yom Kippur), and Allah commanded the Muslims to fast two days to distinguish themselves from the People of the Book.
While fasting per se is encouraged, constant fasting, as well as monasticism, celibacy, and otherwise retreating from the real world, are condemned in Islam. Fasting on the two festival days, 'Id al-Fitr and 'Id al-Adha, the feast of the Hajj, is strictly forbidden.
Zakah
The third pillar of Islam is the alms-tax (Zakah). It is a tax on wealth, payable on various categories of property, notably savings and investments, produce, inventory of goods, salable crops and cattle, and precious metals, and is to be used for the various categories of distribution specified by Islamic law. It is also an act of purification through sharing what one has with others.
The rationale behind this is that Muslims believe that everything belongs to God, and wealth is held by man as a trust. This trust must be discharged, moreover, as instructed by God, as that portion of our wealth legally belongs to other people and must be given to them. If we refuse and hoard this wealth, it is considered impure and unclean. If, for example one were to use that wealth for charity or to finance one's pilgrimage to Makkah, those acts would also be impure, invalid, and of course unrewarded. Allah says:
"Of their wealth, take alms so you may purify and sanctify them." [9:103]
The word Zakah means purification and growth. Our possessions are purified by setting aside that portion of it for those in need. Each Muslim calculates his or her own Zakah individually.
For most purposes this involves the payment each year of 2.5% of one's capital, provided that this capital reaches a certain minimum amount that which is not consumed by its owner. A generous person can pay more than this amount, though it is treated and rewarded as voluntary charity (Sadaqah). This amount of money is provided to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor, and can be used in many useful projects for the welfare of the community.
Historically the pillar of Zakah became mandatory on Muslims form the second year after the Hijrah, 622 C.E. It is mentioned more than thirty times in the Qur'an, usually in the same breath as Salah. So important is this pillar that one is not considered a part of the Islamic brotherhood if one ignores this obligation.
Hajj
The fifth pillar of Islam is to make a pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah, in Saudi Arabia, at least once in one's lifetime. This pillar is obligatory for every Muslim, male or female, provided that he/she is physically and financially able to do so. Prerequisites for performing the Hajj are to be a Muslim, to be free, to be an adult or mature enough, to be of sound mind, and to have the ability to afford the journey and maintain one's dependents back home for the duration. The reward for the Hajj is nothing less than Paradise.
The Hajj is the ultimate form of worship, as it involves the spirit of all the other rituals and demands of the believer great sacrifice. On this unique occasion, nearly two million Muslims from all over the globe meet one another in a given year. Regardless of the season, pilgrims wear special clothes (Ihram) - two, very simple, unsewn white garments - which strips away all distinctions of wealth, status, class and culture; all stand together and equal before Allah (God).
The rites of Hajj, which go back to the time of Prophet Abraham who built the Ka'bah, are observed over five or six days, beginning on the eighth day of the last month of the year, named Dhul-Hijjah (pilgrimage). These rites include circumambulating the Ka'bah (Tawwaf), and going between the mountains of Safa and Marwah, as Hajjar (Abraham's wife) did during her search for water for her son Isma'il. Then the pilgrims stand together on the wide plain of Arafah and join in prayers for God's forgiveness, in what is often thought of as a preview of the Last Judgment. The pilgrims also cast stones at a stone pillar which represents Satan. The pilgrimage ends with a festival, called 'Id al-Adha, which is celebrated with prayers, the sacrifice of an animal, and the exchange of greetings and gifts in Muslim communities everywhere.
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THE ARTICLES OF FAITH
FAITH IN ALLAH
We believe that Allah is one God, our Lord and the Lord of everything,
Allah is the Creator of everything,
All other than Him are created, and are servants who share nothing with Allah.
Even Angels and Prophets are merely created servants submitting to Allah.
Among them are Jesus and Muhammad (Peace be upon them); both have no trace of deity (godhood).
Allah is the Living Self-Subsisting, Eternal, the First without a beginning and the Last without an end.
He hears everything and sees everything.
He is Most Gracious, Most Merciful, All-Dominating,
He has the Most beautiful Names and the Noblest Attributes.
He has created us out of nothing,
And made us in the best form.
He has given us all graces and bounties.
Hence we are not permitted to worship or submit to any other than Him, whether a favorite Angel or a chosen Prophet!
Whoever directs his prayers, bows or prostrates (in worship), or offers sacrifice to any other than Allah, he is an infidel! and not a Muslim even if he declares that he is a Muslim:
Allah says: “Say: Truly my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life and my death, are (all) for Allah, the Cherisher of the Worlds. No partner has He. This I am commanded and I am the first of those who submit to His Will”. [The Qur'an 6:162 -163]
Islam is the religion of Monotheism: it denies the Dualism of Magians and the Trinity of Christians. Islam teaches that Allah is One and only One. No one shares with Him, His Dominion or His Command. He has the Most beautiful Names and the Noblest Attributes:
Allah says: “Say! He is Allah, the One. He is the Most Unique, the Eternal,the Absolute. He neither gives birth, nor is He born. And there is none like unto Him. “ [Al Qur'an 112).
FAITH IN ANGELS
Allah has created Angels to worship Him, to carry out His commands and to be His messengers to His Prophets.
One of the angels is Gabriel who used to bring down Revelation to our Prophet Muhammad 'Alayhis-Salatu was-Salamu (peace be upon him).
Another Angel is Michael who is in charge of rain falling.
A third one is the "Angel of Death" who is in charge of taking the souls of people whose death is due.
Angels are but servants honored by Allah.
Hence we honor them and speak of them respectfully.
But we worship none of them, nor do we take them as Allah's sons or daughters (as infidels claim).
We worship only Allah who created them in this wonderful kind of creation.
Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "And they say: The Most Gracious has begotten a son, Glory be to Him! They are but servants raised to honor. They do not speak before He speaks, and they act (in all things) by His command. He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they offer no intercession except for those whom He accepted, and they stand in awe and reverence of Him. If any of them should say, ‘I am a God besides Him', such one We should reward with Hell. Thus do We reward those who do wrong”. [The Qur'an 21:26-29]
FAITH IN HOLY SCRIPTURES
Allah has sent down to a number of Messengers, Books in order to proclaim them to mankind.
These Books contain the Words of Allah.
Among them are the Sheets of Ibrahim (Abraham), Taurat revealed to Moosa (Moses), Az-Zabour (psalms) reŶealed to Dawood (David), The Injil (Gospel) revealed to Isa (Jesus), And The Qur'an sent down to Muhammad, (Peace be upon them all).
Jews and Christians distorted some parts of their Books (Taurat and Injil).
Being the last Book assuredly guarded from corruption, The Qur'an confirms the truth in the previous Books and guards it.
Whatever, in those Books, differs from The Qur'an is corrupted or abrogated.
Allah (Glory be to Him) says: “To you We sent the scripture in truth Confirming the scriptures that came before it, And guarding it...” [The Qur'an 5:48].
Allah revealed The Qur'an in Arabic and has firmly promised to protect. His last Message from all corruption; He says about The Qur'an: “We have, without doubt, sent down the Message, and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption)” [The Qur'an 15:9]
FAITH IN PROPHETS
We believe that: Allah chose from among mankind some Prophets to deliver His Guidance.
From among those Prophets He selected Some Messengers.
He sent to the Messengers Laws and commanded them to proclaim these laws and to clarify them to their people.
Some of the great Messengers of Allah were Nooh (Noah), Ibrahim (Abraham), Moosa (Moses), Isa (Jesus), and Muhammad (peace be upon them all).
Embracing Islam does not mean to disbelieve in Moosa, Isa, or any other prophet.
Islam teaches you how to believe correctly in all Prophets.
Allah (Glory be to Him) says in The Qur'an: “To you We sent the Scripture in Truth, Confirming the scriptures that came before it, And guarding it...” [The Qur'an 5:48]. Meaning: Clarifying the Truth they distorted.
Allah mentioned' names of a number of Prophets, He says: “Say you (Muslims): We believe in Allah, and the revelation given to us, and to Ibrahim, lsma‘il, Isaac, Ya‘qoob (Jacob) and the Tribes, and that which was given to Moosa (Moses), and Isa (Jesus), and that which was given to all Prophets from their Lord. We make no difference between one and another of them, and we submit to Allah (in Islam)” [The Qur‘an 2:136]
The first Prophet was Adam, father of mankind, Alayhis-Salam (Peace be upon him).
Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam ‘Alayhis-Salatu was-Salamu (Peace be upon him) is the Seal (the last) of the prophets. No prophet is to come after him up to the end of this world.
Hence the fact that Islam is the only true religion to remain up to the Last Day.
He is Muhammad son of Abdullah son of Abdul-Muttalib. He is an Arab from (the famous tribe) of The Quraysh, a descendant of Ibrahim (Abraham) and Isma‘il (Ishmael) – Alayhimus-salatu was-salamu – (Peace, and prayers of Allah be upon them).
He was born in Makkah (Mecca) in 571 AD (Known as the Year of the Elephant).
Allah sent Revelation to him when he was 40 years old.
He stayed in Makkah 13 years calling people to (believe in) Allah.
Only a limited number of people believed in him.
After that he emigrated to Al-Madinah and invited its people to believe in Allah, and they accepted.
He became the leader of Makkah in the year 8 AH He died at the age of 63 after the whole of The Qur'an was revealed, and all Arabs embraced Islam.
FAITH IN THE LAST DAY
We believe that there will be another life after this life.
When the determined term of this life comes to an end, Allah will command an Angel to sound the Trumpet and all mankind and all other creatures will die.
Then he (Angel) will sound it again, when, behold, all dead since Adam will stand out of their graves.
Then, Allah will gather all people to account them for what they did:
Those who believed (in Allah), accepted the Messengers (as truthful) and did good deeds (commanded by Allah), Allah will put them in Paradise.
In Paradise, they will enjoy eternal Bliss.
But those who rejected the Messengers and disobeyed Allah's commands, will be put in Hell.
In Hell Fire, they will be in continuous eternal punishment.
O Allah! We ask Your Paradise and seek refuge with You from Fire of Hell! Aameen!
Allah (Glory be to Him) says: “As for those who had transgressed all bounds; and had preferred the life of this world; the Abode will be Hell-Fire. And for those who had feared of standing in front of their Lord's (Tribunal); and had restrained (their) souls from lower desires; their Abode will be Paradise.” (The Qur'an 79:37-41)
FAITH IN FATE AND DIVINE DECREE
We believe in the timeless knowledge of Allah and in His power to plan and execute His plans and nothing could happen in His Kingdom against His will.
His knowledge and power are in action and command at all times over His creation.
He is Wise and Merciful and whatever He does must have a meaningful purpose.
If this is established in our minds and hearts, we should accept with good faith all that He does,
Although we may fail to understand it fully, or think it is bad
