Questions and Answers about

ISLAM

My dear brothers and sisters,

Question 1: believe

• Name the religion which wants its followers to believe in only One God for whom the word in Arabic is Allah, and the word in English is God.

Answer 1:

• Islam is that religion.

Question 2:

• Name the religion that believes in all the Prophets and also believes in the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) as the last Prophet.

Answer 2:

• Islam is the only religion that believes in all the Prophets.

Question 3:

• What religion believes that Jesus (P.B.U.H) is a Prophet?

Answer 3:

• Islam is the only religion that teaches the fact that Jesus (P.B.U.H) is a Prophet.

Question 4:

• What are the followers of Islam called?

Answer 4:

• Muslims, meaning those who submit only to God.

Question 5:

• What is the consequences if some body made fun of, heaven, hell, Qur’an, prayer, and reject the basics about the rules of Islam in general i.e. to say or believe it’s not obligatory to fast Ramadan, Pray 5 different times a day, doubt the existence of Allah, to say it’s allowed to drink Alcohol in Islam, to deny the punishment in the grave and in Hell for those who deserved, to throw the religion books with name of Allah in it in the garbage, if out of anger a person said I am not a Muslim, etc..........?

Answer 5:

• Allah clearly warned us in Qur’an in Surat Al-Thouba verse 65, who ever made fun of Heaven, Hell, Qur’an, Prayer, about Islam in general will leave Islam! This is asserted by the saying of the Prophet, Sallallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam: <<A person may utter a word he thinks harmless, which results in his falling the depth of seventy years into Hellfire.>> This hadith was related by at-Tirmidhiyy who classified it as a hasan hadith. A hadith related by al-Bukhariyy and Muslim has a similar meaning. This hadith is evidence it is not a condition for a person to commit blasphemy that he must have learned the judgment per se or that he must have liked or believed the meaning of the uttered blasphemous word. The consequences of living Islam is, the marriage contract of an apostate--male or female--is not valid with a Muslim or a non-Muslim. It is unlawful (haram) to eat from what the apostate slaughters; the apostate does not inherit; his wealth is not inherited; he is not prayed for, washed, shrouded, or buried in Islamic cemeteries; and his money will be in the Muslim treasury. To return back to Islam Must say the shadatain with the intention in his/her heart to return back to Islam, and live the thing that cause him/her leave Islam!

Question 6:

• When would the Muslim become Mukhalaf (Islamically) responsible?

Answer 6:

• A Muslims become Mukhalf (Islamically) Responsible, 1) the one who is sane, 2) the one reached puberty as defined in Islam (for man 15 lunar years of age, have seen the semen; for woman 15 lunar years of age, if she have seen the semen or the monthly menstruation cycle) 3) the one who heard the Creedal Statement of Islam. Number 3 particularly apply for those who are not Muslims; for every thing he/she does the (sins) will start count against him/her the moment they become Mukhlaf; if he /she does the good thing the reward will be counted and benefit them in this world as well as in the next permanent life! Simply the clock start clicking when we become Mukhlaf, no excuses, that’s why I our Prophet instructed us to teach our children starting at age 7, and enforces at age 10, indeed our honorable, and beloved Prophet is Muhammad (Sallalahu Aleihi Wasalam) is a great Teacher!

Question 7:

• Who gave the name of Islam to our religion?

Answer 7:

• Allah gave the name of Islam to this religion which was revealed to the Prophet Muhammed. (P.B.U.H) There is a statement about this in the Holy Qur’an (our Holy Book). Sura 5:4.

Question 8:

• Does a Muslim need anyone to wash away his or her sins? - or did anyone die to save us?

Answer 8:

• No, definitely not. A Muslim must wash away his own sins with prayers to Allah. We Muslims do not believe that anyone must die to wash away our sins, and that Allah would never want that anyone should die for our sins.

Question 9 :

• What is the meaning of the word Islam?

Answer 9 :

• The word Islam means submission or to submit to Allah.

Question 10:

• In Islam we have five important facts to believe in. These important things we call pillars. Can you guess why they are called pillars? -- Because they hold Islam up and Islam rests on them. Please name these five pillars.

Answer 10:

• 1. Shahadatain or Belief in the oneness of Allah and the Messengership of Prophet Muhammad.(Sallalahu Aleihi Wasalam)

• 2. Salat or Prayers, five times a day.

• 3. Saum or Fasting during the month of Ramadan.

• 4. Zakat or Alms is a specific charity collected and spent on the eight groups that Allah specifically mentioned name in Surat al-Thouba verse 60, which will guarantee the welfare of society in general. Payment of Zakat purifies ones income and wealth and helps establish economic and social justice in the society. Zakat is that which is paid for some possessions which include camels, cows, sheep, goats, gold, silver and some crops such as dates, raisins, wheat, barley, corn, beans, chick peas and other staples.
• Zakat is also required for Tijarah (business), and Zakat Al-Fitr. All conditions of the rules, i.e. Nisab, etc. must be mate. Zakat is not payable on ones home, personal effects (clothing), machinery and tools of production, and cars etc. used for ones work.

• 5. Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca at a certain time of the year. For this pilgrimage you have to be in Mecca before the 7th day of the 12th month of the Muslim year and stay there until the 11th day of the same month. A visit to the Ka'abah, Safawa Marwa at Mecca at any other time is called 'Umrah, which means "the minor pilgrimage."

Question 11:

• What does Islam think of labor, or in other words, work ?

Answer 11:

• Every kind of labor which is permissible in Islam, and enables a man to live honestly is respected by Islam.

Question 12:

• I have my Holy Quran to believe in and follow. But how should I regard the other truly unchanged holy books?

Answer 12:

• We must respect all true holy books because they were revealed to the prophets from Allah. But it is obvious the books the Christian called Bible and the Jewish Tawrat it has been totally distorted and it’s Not the book that was revealed to Jesus and Mussa (Sallalahu-Aleihim Wassalam).

Question 13:

• Why did we need the Last Prophet, the Prophet Muhammad, (Sallalahu Aleihi Wasalam) and the last Holy Book, the Holy Qur’an?

Answer 13:

• We needed a last prophet, which is Muhammad, (Sallalahu Aleihi Wasalam) because the Divine message many other prophets brought has been altered and misunderstood. We needed a last book because this, the Qur’an, is the only book that has not been altered and cannot be altered, as Allah has promised to protect it. Millions of Muslims know it by heart. If all copies of the Qur’an (may Allah forbid !) were to be burned, the very next moment the Qur’an would spring to life again on the tongues of the millions who know it by heart. So you can see, there is no chance of this book, the Qur’an, being lost or altered.

Question 14:

• We have spoken a lot about Allah, but who is He?

Answer 14:

• He is the maker of everything. He created the universe and all things in it. He tells us in the Holy Qur’an (which was revealed 1,400 years ago) about the worlds, not only this world. He has no family, sons or daughters. He is one, and only one(not intern’s of numbers, but intern’s unified undivided which has no association, or partner, or counter part) He sees everything He doesn’t need an eyes, hears everything, He doesn’t need an ears. He knows everything, forgives everything if one is truly repentant. He punishes those who do not repent or do not try to be good. Basically, Allah doesn’t resemble any of his creation in any thing, Allah is not a spirit, He created all the spirits including Angels, Animals, Jinns, and Human being.

• Summing up what has been mentioned before, it is affirmed that Allah, ta^ala, has the following attributes which were mentioned repeatedly in the Qur'an, either explicitly or implicitly. These are: Existence (al-Wujud), Oneness (al-Wahdaniyyah), Eternity (al-Qidam, i.e., al-'Azaliyyah), Everlastingness (al-Baqa'), Non-neediness of others, (al-Qiyamu bin-Nafs), Power (al-Qudrah),Will (al-'Iradah), Knowledge (al-^Ilm), Hearing (as-Sam^), Sight (al-Basar), Life (al-Hayah), Speech (al-Kalam), and Non-resemblance to the creation (-al-Mukhalafatu lil-hawadith). Since these attributes were merely the summary that mentioned many times in the Qur'an and hadith, the scholars said knowing them is a personal obligation (fard ^ayn). Since eternity is confirmed to Allah, His attributes are eternal,

Question 15:

• If someone asked you, "Can Islam be understood by all?" What would the answer be?

Answer 15:

• It is the simplicity and common sense of Islam that appeals to all who accept it, and those whom Allah wish for them to accept the truth!

Question 16:

• Does Islam mention the poor and the orphan?

Answer 16:

• Yes, so much so that one can write a whole book about it.

Question 17:

• Can a Muslim gamble?

Answer 17:

• A simple No !

Question 18:

• Can a Muslim drink alcohol?

Answer 18:

• Definitely Not, today people are seeing the curse of drink, and its adverse effects on society.

Question 19:

• What would you call Islam?

Answer 19:

• A religion; a way of life which must be applied always any where, not just during prayer times on Fridays. Islam must always be in your hearts. in the home, in politics, in business, in marriage, in sleeping, eating , living and dying.

Question 20:

• Name some of the things that Islam says it is haram to do?

Answer 20:

• It is haram to hate Muslims without valid Islamic reason, steal, lie, to be jealous, to kill, and to have such pride that it becomes haughtiness; also it is haram to be cruel to animals, to eat pork, and to use bad language. It is haram to cheat in business by using false measure or weight. Never sign a contract which you do not mean to keep. Never borrow and not pay back. It is a sin. Never incur debts which you will never be able to pay. Just ask your heart: - is this right or wrong, haram or halal? It will tell you if you are a true Muslim.. - The Prophet (Sallalahu Aleihi Wasalam) once said, "Sin is that thing which hurts inside your chest."

Question 21:

• Does a Muslim have any sacred animals as others have, such as a cow, for instance?

Answer 21:

• No, none at all. "But all animals, - said our Prophet, (Sallalahu Aleihi Wasalam) "must be treated with kindness."

Question 22:

• Does a preacher have to be ordained before he can lead the prayers or deliver a sermon in a mosque?

Answer 22:

• No. There are no priests in Islam. But there are men trained to lecture and lead prayers and to study necessary point of Islam. These persons are called Imams. Any man who is knowledgeable enough in Islam can stand up and lead the prayers in a mosque, or any where else.

Question 23:

• Will another Prophet ever come?

Answer 23:

• No. The Prophet Muhammad (may be peace and blessing of Allah be upon him !) is the Last Prophet. No more Prophets will ever come. Allah mentioned in Qur'an in Surat Al-Ahzab verse 40. Also Imam Muslim Narrated hadith the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) said " Wakhutima bia Al-Nabion."

Question 24:

• Does a Prophet always bring a holy book or message?

Answer 24:

• We Muslims believe that Allah's Prophet's always bring a message, but certain Prophets, called Messengers were given a Book.

Question 25:

• Are we born in sin? What does Islam say about this?

Answer 25:

• No. We are born sinless. But we can become sinful if we do not take Allah's advice and pray for help. And every thing is pre destine. If a child die before he she become Mukalaf (Islamically responsible) they will not be punished, they will go to heaven, even if their father and the mother was non Muslim!

Question 26:

• As the Christian claim, they say Mary is, the pure daughter of Imran, the Mother of God or simply the mother of Jesus (P.B.U.H) ?

Answer 26:

• No. The pure woman Mary was not the Mother of God. She was the mother of the Prophet Jesus.(P.B.U.H) Allah Subhanahu Wata’ala has no mother, father or children period!

Question 27:

• How Does a Muslims look at the Christian’s believe that they say Jesus (P.B.U.H) is God or a part of God and that he took the shape of a man and came down to die for our sins?

Answer 27:

• The Muslims believe this is Kufr, and it’s not the true teaching of the Prophet Jesus. A Muslim must not believe in this. Jesus (may Allah increase his honor) was born as a human, just as we all were.

Question 28:

• Does our Holy Book, the Qur'an, mention Jesus (P.B.U.H) and his mother Mary?

Answer 28:

• Yes, With great respect to both Mother Mary of Jesus (May Allah increase his honor). She was a pure woman, chosen by God to give birth to Jesus without husband and normal sexual intercourse (May Allah increase his honor) He is a Prophet of Allah. Of course Jesus is not the only human being that was born miraculously, our Father Adam was created from a soil and his wife eve (Hawa) from his body aren't this also a great miracle?

Allah knows the best!

More To Come