What are the pillars of Islam?

 The pillars of Islam are...

1- The belief (Imaan): That there is no God to be worshipped
except Allaah (the one God) and that Muhammad (peace and blessings of God be upon him) is
His Messenger.



2- Performing the prescribed prayers (Salaat): five times a
day.



3- Fasting (Siyaam): Once a year, from sunrise to sunset
throughout the entire month of Ramadhan.



4- Charity (Zakaat): Which is paid to the poor and needy
once every year.



5- Hajj: Which is the pilgrimage to Makkah once in a lifetime
if one is physically able and can afford it financially.



Pillars are part of a building. The building in this case is the perfect human being who
cares and protects the rights of all creations and fellow humans, thus establishing a
society in which truth and justice and peace is supreme.

Doing Quran recitation is the religious duty of every Muslim.  In saheed Sunnah, it is encouraged to do the recitation of Quran in a melodious voice by the holy Quran reciter by making the voice more melodious and interesting. Reading quran and Making it melodious does not mean that it should be made more in singing tone but once should at least recite and read quranic Arabic in a good tone so that he/she himself feels good while listening to it and others also feel good while listening to it.

What do Muslims believe about Jesus?

 

 

Muslims respect and revere Jesus (peace be upon him) , and await
his second coming. They consider him one of the greatest of God’s messengers to
mankind....

A Muslim never refers to him simply as `Jesus', but always adds the phrase
"peace be upon him." The Qur’aan confirms his virgin birth (a chapter of
the Qur’aan is entitled `Mary') in her time, and Mary is considered the purest woman
in all creation. The Qur’aan describes the creation of Jesus as follows
(interpretation of the meaning):

"Behold! the Angel said, `God has
chosen you, and purified you, and chosen you above the women of all nations. O Mary, God
gives you glad tidings of a word from Him, whose name shall be the Messiah, Jesus son of
Mary, honored in this world and the Hereafter, and one that shall speak to the people from
his cradle and in maturity, and shall be of the righteous.' She said: `O my Lord! How
shall I have a son when no man has touched me?' He said: `Even so; God creates what He
wills. When He decrees a thing, He but says to it, "Be!" and it is."
[Quran 3:42-7]



Jesus (peace be upon him) was born miraculously through the same power which had brought
Adam (peace be upon him) into being without a father:

"Truly, the likeness of Jesus unto Allaah is as the likeness of
Adam. He created him of dust, and then said to him, `Be!' and he was." [ Quran
3:59 ]



During his prophetic mission, Jesus (peace be upon him) was granted and performed many
miracles. The Qur’aan tells us that he said (interpretation of meaning):

"I have come to you with a sign from your Lord: I make for you
out of the clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it and it becomes a
bird by Allaah’s leave. And I heal the blind and the lepers, and I raise the dead by
Allaah’s leave." [Quran 3:49]



Other miracles include speaking soon after birth in defense of his mother's piety. God's
other gifts to him included healing the blind and the sick, reviving the dead, and, most
importantly, the message he was carrying. These miracles were granted to him by God to
establish him as a prophet. According to the Qur’aan, he was not crucified, but only
appeared so; instead, Allaah raised him unto Heaven. (Quraan, Chapter Maryam)

Neither Muhammad (peace be upon him), nor Jesus (peace be upon him), came to change the
basic doctrine of the belief in one God, brought by earlier prophets, but to confirm and
renew it. In the Quran Jesus (peace be upon him), is reported as saying that he came:



" To attest the law which was before me. And to make lawful to
you part of what was forbidden you; I have come to you with a sign form your Lord, so fear
God and obey me." [Quran  3:50]

Doing Quran recitation is the religious duty of every Muslim.  In saheed Sunnah, it is encouraged to do the recitation of Quran in a melodious voice by the holy Quran reciter by making the voice more melodious and interesting. Reading quran and Making it melodious does not mean that it should be made more in singing tone but once should at least recite and read quranic Arabic in a good tone so that he/she himself feels good while listening to it and others also feel good while listening to it.

Is there a Creator ?!

 

Is there a Creator ?!

We will answer by quoting a number of aayaat (verses) from the Book of Allaah (the Qur’aan
– the scripture of Islam), then you can think to yourself about the matter and if the
truth becomes clear to you, you will have no choice but to follow it. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):

“We created you, then why do you believe not?

Then tell Me (about) the human semen that you emit.

Is it you who create it (i.e., make this semen into a perfect human being), or are We the
Creator?

We have decreed death unto you all, and We are not unable,

To transfigure you and create you in (forms) that you know not.

And indeed, you have already known the first form of creation (i.e., the creation of
Adam). Why then do you not remember or take heed?

Tell Me! The seed that you sow in the ground.

Is it you that make it grow, or are We the Grower?

Were it Our Will, We could crumble it to dry pieces, and you would be regretful (or left
in wonderment),

(Saying), ‘We are indeed Mughramoon (i.e., ruined, or lost the money without any
profit, or punished by the loss of all that we spent for cultivation, etc.)!

‘Nay, but we are deprived!’

Tell Me! The water that you drink,

Is it you who cause it from the rainclouds to come down, or are We the Causer of it to
come down?

If We willed, We verily could make it salt (and undrinkable). Why then do you not give
thanks (to Allaah)?

Tell Me! The fire which you kindle,

Is it you who made the tree thereof to grow, or are We the Grower?

We have made it a Reminder (for the Hell-fire, in the Hereafter); and an article of use
for the travellers (and all others, in this world).

The glorify with praises the Name of your Lord, the Most Great.

So I swear by mawaaqi’ (setting to the mansions, etc.) of the stars (they traverse),

And verily, that is indeed a great oath, if you but knew,

That (this) is indeed an honourable recital (the Noble Qur’aan).” [Quran
56:57-77]





Were they created by nothing, or were they themselves the creators?

Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Nay, but they have no firm Belief. Or are
with them the treasures of your Lord? Or are they the tyrants with the authority to do as
they like?” [Quran 52:35-37]





“Verily, the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night
and day, and the ships which sail through the sea with that which is of use to mankind,
and the water (rain) which Allaah sends down from the sky and makes the earth alive
therewith after its death, and the moving (living) creatures of all kinds that He has
scattered therein, and in the veering of winds and clouds which are held between the sky
and the earth, are indeed aayaat (proofs, evidences, signs) for people of understanding.”
[Quran 2:164]





“It is He Who sends down water (rain) from the sky, and with it We bring forth
vegetation of all kinds, and out of it We bring forth green stalks, from which We bring
forth thick clustered grain. And out of the date-palm and its spathe come forth clusters
of dates hanging low and near, and gardens of grapes, olives and pomegranates, each
similar (in kind) yet different (in variety and taste). Look at their fruits when they
begin to bear, and the ripeness thereof. Verily! In these things there are signs for
people who believe.” [Quran 6:99]





“And it is He Who sends the winds as heralds of glad tidings, going before His Mercy
(rain), till when they have carried a heavy-laden cloud, We drive it to a land that is
dead, then We cause water (rain) to descend thereon. Then We produce every kind of fruit
therewith. Similarly, We shall raise up the dead, so that you may remember or take heed.”
[Quran 7:57]





“Is not He (better than your gods) Who created the heavens and the earth, and sends
down for you water (rain) from the sky, whereby We cause to grow wonderful gardens full of
beauty and delight? It is not in your ability to cause the growth of their trees. Is there
any god with Allaah? Nay, but they are a people who ascribe equals (to Him)!” [Quran
27:60]





“He has created the heavens and the earth without any pillars that you see, and has
set on the earth firm mountains, lest it should shake with you. And He has scattered
therein moving (living) creatures of all kinds. And We send down water (rain) from the
sky, and We cause (plants) of every goodly kind to grow therein.” [Quran 31:10]





And the two seas (kinds of water) are not alike, this fresh, sweet and pleasant to drink,
and that saltish and bitter. And from them both you eat fresh tender meat (fish), and
derive the ornaments that you wear. And you see the ships cleaving (the sea-water as they
sail through it), that you may seek of His Bounty, and that you may give thanks.”
[Quran 35:12]





And it is He Who has let free the two seas (kinds of water), one palatable and sweet, and
the other salt and bitter, and He has set a barrier and a complete partition between them.”
[Quran 25:53]





This is a selection of clear aayaat that include the answer to your question. We invite
you to join the community of the believers and to enter the religion of Islam which Allaah
has chosen as the religion for all mankind. Peace be upon those who follow true Guidance.

Doing Quran recitation is the religious duty of every Muslim.  In saheed Sunnah, it is encouraged to do the recitation of Quran in a melodious voice by the holy Quran reciter by making the voice more melodious and interesting. Reading quran and Making it melodious does not mean that it should be made more in singing tone but once should at least recite and read quranic Arabic in a good tone so that he/she himself feels good while listening to it and others also feel good while listening to it.

Blog Directory

The Quran from the perspective of a non-Muslim

 

The Quran from the perspective of a non-Muslim

Robin Peters is a 44 years old lady who read the Quran and then she liked to comment on what she've read .. so let's see what did she say ..

 

 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

 

The Koran is the Bible of Islam. Revealed to the world by Muhammad approximately 1,400
years ago, it is regarded by Muslims, universally, as the word of God to Muhammad and from
him to all Islam. No devout Muslim disputes this; in this respect, there is more agreement
among Muslims about the divine origin of the Koran (seen as having been literally dictated
to Muhammad by the mouth of Allah Himself) than there is about the origins of the Bible
among Christians.



Even those of us forced to rely on translations of the Koran (considered interpretations
of same because only the Arabic Koran is the literal Word of God) can see the literary
value of this work. There is tremendous spiritual and psychological value in reading this
book, as well, for Muslim and non-Muslim alike.



For me, the psychological value of this book comes in its emphasis on right and wrong
belief and standing up for what you believe in, even if it costs you dearly in terms of
human relationships. Certainly, no one has accused Muslims of being wishy-washy about
their faith! In fact, the differences in the various branches of Islam come from the ways
in which they practice their faith. A Sunni Muslim will differ from a Shi'ite or Twelver
Muslim in the way in which they practice their faith, but they will not disagree about the
divine origin of the Koran or the fact that there are correct and incorrect beliefs. I
think that Catholics and Protestants can learn an important lesson from Muslims in this
regard; we have become so concerned with whether or not the Bible is inspired or dictated
directly from the mouth of the Lord, or whether certain beliefs are correct or incorrect,
or whether certain actions or practices are moral or immoral, that we are no longer truly
Christian or loving of one another.



The Koran basically mandates certain behavior from the rank-and-file believer. In this
respect, Islam is less a religion than a way of life and pattern of behavior with Allah
(God) at its very center. By way of contrast, Christians leave Christianity at the door of
church on Sunday, still practicing that civil religion so popular during the 1950s and so
offensive to those of us who take the Bible and Christ seriously. Muslims are expected to
pray five times daily; Christians who pray once daily are seen as "out of the
loop" and are thus discouraged from contacting God regularly unless it's to be polite
during a worship service. Muslims fast at least one month a year; Christians generally
ignore the need to undergo cycles of feasting and fasting, unless they belong to a
denomination which takes Lent seriously. Muslims consider charitable donations a tax of
sorts, due and payable once a year during the feast of Eid, one of the five pillars of the
faith without which one is not a Muslim; Christians generally donate to charity with such
highhandedness and snobbery that they might as well not donate one penny.



I would strongly recommend that people of all religious persuasions read the Koran, if
only to learn more about what Islam really is all about.

 

Doing Quran recitation is the religious duty of every Muslim.  In saheed Sunnah, it is encouraged to do the recitation of Quran in a melodious voice by the holy Quran reciter by making the voice more melodious and interesting. Reading quran and Making it melodious does not mean that it should be made more in singing tone but once should at least recite and read quranic Arabic in a good tone so that he/she himself feels good while listening to it and others also feel good while listening to it.

12 Proofs that Muhammad (Peace be upon him ) was a True Prophet

12 Proofs that Muhammad (Peace be upon him ) was a True Prophet

An Article written by Shaikh Abdur Rahman Abdul Khaliq

My brothers and sisters everywhere! With this essay, I am not singling out the adherents
of Islam - to which I ascribe - but rather I am writing this essay to every man and woman
throughout the whole world.

I ask Allah that He facilitates that this essay reaches every ear, falls under the sight
of every eye, and is understood by every heart... Muhammad the son of `Abdullah is Allah's
Prophet and the Final Messenger Sent by Allah to the Inhabitants of Earth. My brothers and
sisters everywhere! You should know that the Messenger, Muhammad the son of`Abdullah (may
Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) is Allah's Messenger in reality and truth. The
evidences that show his veracity are abundant. None but an infidel, who out of arrogance
alone, could deny these signs.



Among these proofs:





1. Muhammad (may Allah's
blessings and peace be upon him) was raised illiterate, unable to read or write, and
remained like that till his death. Among all his people, he was known as being truthful
and trustworthy. Before receiving revelation, he had no prior knowledge of Religion or any
previously sent Message. He remained like that for his first forty years. Revelation then
came to Muhammad with theKoran that we now have between our hands. This Koran mentioned
most of the accounts found in the previous scriptures, telling us about these events in
the greatest detail as if he witnessed them. These accounts came precisely as they were
found in the Torah sent down to Moses and in the Gospel sent down to Jesus. Neither the
Jews or Christians were able to believe him regarding anything that he said.





2. Muhammad (may Allah's
blessings and peace be upon him) also foretold of everything that wouldoccur to him and
his community after him, pertaining to victory, the removal of the tyrannical kingdoms of
Chosroes [the royal title for the Zoroastrian kings of Persia] and Caesar, and the
establishment of the religion of Islam throughout the earth. These events occurred exactly
as Muhammad foretold, as ifhe was reading the future from an open book.





3. Muhammad (may Allah's
blessings and peace be upon him) also brought an Arabic Koran that isthe peak of eloquence
and clarity. The Koran challenged those eloquent and fluent Arabs of his time, who
initially belied him, to bring forth a single chapter like the Koran. The eloquent Arabs
of his day were unable to contest this Koran.Indeed, till our day, none has ever dared to
claim that he has been able to compose words that equal-or even approach-the order, grace,
beauty, and splendor of this Glorious Koran.





4. The life history of this Noble Prophet was a perfect
example of being upright, merciful,compassionate, truthful, brave, generous, distant from
all evil character, and ascetic in all worldly matters, while striving solely for the
reward of the Hereafter. Moreover, in all his actions and dealings, he was ever mindful
and fearful of Allah.





5. Allah instilled great love for Muhammad (may Allah's
blessings and peace be upon him) in the hearts of all who believed in and met him. This
love reached such a degree that any of his companions would willingly sacrifice his (or
her) self, mother or father for him. Till today, those who believe in Muhammad honor and
love him. Anyone of those who believe in him would ransom his own family and wealth to see
him, even if but once.





6. All of history has not preserved the biography of any
person in the manner it has preserved the life of Muhammad, who is the most influential
human in history. Nor has the entire earth known of anyone whom every morning and evening,
and many times thereafter throughout the day, is thought of by those who believe in him.
Upon rememberingMuhammad, the believers in him will greet him and ask Allah to bless him.
They do such with full hearts and true love for him.





7. Nor has there every been a man on earth whom is still
followed in all his doings by those whobelieve in him. Those who believe in Muhammad,
sleep in the manner he slept; purify themselves (through ablutionand ritual washing) in
the manner he purified himself; and adhere to his practice in the way they eat, drink, and
clothe themselves.



Indeed in all aspects of their lives, the believers in Muhammad adhere to the teachings he
spread among them and the path that he traveled upon during his life.



During every generation, from his day till our time, the believers in this Noble prophet
have fullyadhered to his teachings. With some, this has reached the degree that they
desire to follow and adhere to the Prophet's way in his personal matters regarding which
Allah has not sought of them to adhere to in worship. For example, some will only eat
those specific foods or only wear those specific garmentsthat the Messenger liked.



Let alone all that, all those who believe in Muhammad repeat those praises of Allah,
special prayers,and invocations that he would say during each of his actions during day
and night, like: what he would say when he greeted people, upon entering and leaving the
house, entering and leaving the mosque, entering and leaving the bathroom, going to sleep
and awaking from sleep, observing the new crescent, observing the new fruit on trees,
eating, drinking, dressing, riding, traveling and returning from travel, etc. Let alone
all that, all those who believe in Muhammad fully perform-even to the minute detail-every
act of worship-like prayer, fasting, charity, and pilgrimage-as this Noble Messenger (may
Allah's blessingsand peace be upon him) taught and as he himself performed.All of this
allows those who believe in him, to live their lives in all aspects with this Noble
Messenger as their example, as if he was standing before them, for them to follow in all
their doings.





8. There has never been nor will there ever be a man anywhere
upon this earth who has received suchlove, respect, honor, and obedience in all
matters-small and large alike-as has this Noble Prophet.





9. Since his day, in every region of the earth and during
every period, this Noble Prophet has beenfollowed by individuals from all races, colors
and peoples. Many of those who followed him were previously Christians, Jews, pagans,
idolaters, or without any religion. Among those who chose to follow him, were those who
were known for their sound judgment, wisdom, reflection, and foresight. They chose to
follow this Noble Prophet after they witnessed the signs of his truthfulness and the
evidences of his miracles. They did not choose to follow Muhammad out of compulsion or
coercion orbecause they had adopted the ways of their fathers and mothers.Indeed many of
the followers of this Prophet (may Allah's blessings peace be upon him), chose to follow
him during the time when Islam was weak, when there were few Muslims, and when there was
severe persecution of his followers on earth. Most people who have followed this Prophet
(may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) have done so not to acquire some material
benefits. Indeed many of his followers have suffered the greatest forms of harm and
persecution as a result of followingthis Prophet. Despite all this harm and persecution,
this did not turn them back from his religion. My brethren! All of this clearly indicates
to anyone possessing any sense, that this Prophet was truly and really Allah's messenger
and that he was not just a man who claimed prophethood or spoke aboutAllah without
knowledge.





10. With all this, Muhammad came with a great religion in its
credal and legal make-up. Muhammad described Allah with qualities of complete perfection,
and at the same time in a manner that is free of ascribing to Him any imperfection.
Neither the philosophers or the wise could ever describe Allah like such. Indeed it is
impossible to imagine that any human mind could conceive of an existing being that
possesses such complete ability, knowledge, and greatness; Who has subdued thecreation;
Who has encompassed everything in the universe, small or large; and Who possesses such
perfect mercy.Nor is it in the ability of any human being to place a perfect law based
upon justice, equality, mercy and objectivity for all human activity on earth like the
laws that Muhammad brought for all spheres of human activity - like buying and selling,
marriage and divorce, renting, testimony, custody, and all othercontracts that are
necessary to uphold life and civilization on earth.





11. It is impossible that any person conceive wisdom, morals,
good manners, nobleness of charactersas what this honorable Prophet (may Allah's blessings
and peace be upon him) brought. In a full and complete manner, Muhammad spread a teaching
regarding character and manners towardone' parents, relatives, fiends, family, humanity,
animals, plants and inanimate objects. It is impossible for the human mind alone to grasp
all of that teaching or come with a similar teaching. All of that unequivocally indicates
that this Messenger did not bring an) of this religion from his own accord, but that it
was rather a teaching and inspiration that he received from the One Who created the earth
and the high heavens above and created this universe in its miraculous architecture
andperfection.





12. The legal and credal make-up of the religion that the
Messenger, Muhammad, (may Allah'sblessings and peace be upon him) brought resembles the
engineering of the heavens and the earth. All of that indicates that He who created the
heavens and the earth is the One Who sent down this great law and upright religion. The
degree of inimitability of the Divine law that was sent down upon Muhammad is to the same
degree of inimitability of the Divine creation of the heavens and earth. For just as
humanity cannot create this universe, in the same manner humanity cannot bring forth a law
like Allah's law that He sent down upon His servant and messenger Muhammad (may Allah's
blessings and peace be upon him).

Doing Quran recitation is the religious duty of every Muslim.  In saheed Sunnah, it is encouraged to do the recitation of Quran in a melodious voice by the holy Quran reciter by making the voice more melodious and interesting. Reading quran and Making it melodious does not mean that it should be made more in singing tone but once should at least recite and read quranic Arabic in a good tone so that he/she himself feels good while listening to it and others also feel good while listening to it.

Muhammad, The Prophet of Allah

Muhammad, The Prophet of Allah

What do Muslims believe about Muhammad peace be upon him ?

All praise is due to Allah and may peace and
blessing be upon his servant and Messenger Muhammad and on his household and all
of his Companions.

Muhammad Was Sent To All Of Mankind

 The first implication of the testimony that Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allah is the belief that Allah sent the Prophet Muhammad
(sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) to all mankind and the jinn until the Day of
Judgement. Allah states in the Qur'aan  in Soorah 7 Al-'Araaf Aayah 151
Say (to them O Muhammad): O Mankind! I am the Messenger
of Allah to you all, (the Messenger) of Him to Whom belongs the dominion of
the heavens and of the earth. There is no god but He. He gives life, and makes
to die.Believe then in Allah, and in His Messenger (Muhammad), the Prophet who
could neither read nor write, who believes in Allah and in His Words (the
Qur'aan), and follows him so that perhaps you will be guided.

The Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) has said: And
the prophets were formerly sent to their people only, whereas I have been sent
to all mankind. [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

The Finality Of Prophethood

The second implication of the testimony is to believe that the Prophet
Muhammad (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) is the final prohet to be sent to
mankind. Allah states in the Qur'aan in Soorah  33 Al-Ahzaab Aayah 40 Muhammad
is not the father of any one of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and
the Seal of the Prophets.

The Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) has said: And
the line of the prophets is closed with me [Muslim] And: Before the Last Hour
there will be great liars, so beware of them [Muslim]

The above proofs are sufficient to refute any of the heretical groups who
claim any prophet or messenger after the Prophet Muhammad such as some
contemporary groups do namely: the Nation of Islam who believe that Elijah
Muhammad (deceased) was the Messenger of Allah the Qadianis and Ahmadiyyahs
who state that Ghulam Ahmed (deceased) was the prophet the so called
Submitters or followers of  Rashad Khalifah (murdered) who claim that he
was a prophet

Two Revelations

The third implication of the testimony "Muhammad is the Messenger of
Allah" is to believe that Allah senth two revelations with the Prophet
Muhammad (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam): the Qur'aan and the Sunnah.

Allah said: Allah was verily gracious to the believers
by sending them a messenger from themsleves, to recite them His signs, and to
purify them, and to teach them the scripture (the Qur'aan) and the wisdom (the
Sunnah) though before that they were in manifest error. [Soorah 3 Al-An'aam,
Aayah 164]

The Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) has said: I
have been indeed been given the Qur'aan and something like it along with it.
[Abu Dawood]

The Messenger Has Rights

The fourth implication of the testimony is that there are rights due to the
Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) that must be observed. Among
these are:

  To believe in all that the Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) has
said. To obey the Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) in what he has
commanded and forsake what he has forbidden or discouraged. To worship
according to the shari'ah (law) of the Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam)
and not by whims and innovations. To judge by the shari'ah of the Prophet
(sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) and not by any other law. To love the Prophet
Muhammad (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) more than our parents, children,
mankind, indeed our very selves.

Allah Most High states: Say (to them O Muhammad): If you
love Allah, follow me, and Allah will love you, and forgive your sins. Allah
is All-Forgiving, Alla-Merciful. Say : Obey Allah and the Messenger. But if
they turn away Allah loves not the disbelievers (kaafireen). [Soorah
Aali 'Imraan Aayatain 31 - 32]

And let those who oppose his (Muhammad's) command
beware, lest a trial befall them (that would lead them to disbelief) or a
painful punishment be inflicted on them. [Soorah
An-Noor Ayyah 63]

You have indeed a good example in the Messenger of
Allah (Muhammad) for whosoever hopes for Allah and the Last Day, and remembers
Allah much. [Soorah Al-Ahzaab, Aayah 21]

It is not fitting for any believer, man or woman,
when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter, to have a choice in their
affair. And whosoever disobeys Allah and his Messenger, he has gone astray
into manifest error. [Soorah Al-Ahzaab, Aayah 36]

But no, by your Lord (Rabb), they can have no faith
until they make you the judge in all disputes between them, and find in their
souls no resistance against your decisions, but accept (them) fully with
submission. [Soorah An-Nisaa Aayah 65]

The Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) has said: All
my people will enter Al-Jannah (The Garden) except those who refused. (On
being asked about those who refused, he replied:) He who obeys me will enter
Al-Jannah, he who disobeys me has refused. [Al-Bukhaari]

If anyone introduces into this affair of ours
anything which does not belong to it, it is rejected. [Al-Bukhaari
and Muslim]

None of you believes until I am dearer to him than
his father, his child, and all of mankind [Al-Bukhaari
and Muslim]

There are three qualities for which anyone who is
characterized by them will experience the sweetness of faith: He whom Allah
and His Messenger are dearer than all else; He who loves a human being for
Allah's sake alone; and who has as great an abhorence of returning to unbelief
after Allah has rescued him from it as he has of being cast in Hell. [Al-Bukhaari
and Muslim]

Muhammad (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam)
Was A Man, Not Divine

The fifth implication of the testimony "Muhammad
is the Messenger of Allah" is to believe that Muhammad (sallallahu 'alaihi
wa sallam) was only a man sent to us by Allah to be obeyed and that we do not
worship him. Allah has said: Say to them (O
Muhammad) 'I am only a man like you; it is revealed to me that your God (ilaah)
is only One God; so let him who hopes for the meeting with his Rabb do
righteousness and not associate anything in the worship of his Rabb'.
[Soorah Al-Kahf Aayah 111]

The Prophet (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) has said: Do
not over praise me as the Christians over-praised the son of Mary. I am His
slave so say: 'Allah's slave and messenger' [Al-Bukhaari
and Muslim]

Let each an every claimant to the religion of Islam
be aware of the proofs of his faith and the essential aspects of his
testimony. This is especially important in these times when anyone can make
any claim and get support for it no matter how outlandish or unfounded by
making unauthentic historical or textual claims. We thank Allah for preserving
His religion for those who would seek to know the truth and we ask Him to put
us and keep us upon the Straight Path, Ameen.

Doing Quran recitation is the religious duty of every Muslim.  In saheed Sunnah, it is encouraged to do the recitation of Quran in a melodious voice by the holy Quran reciter by making the voice more melodious and interesting. Reading quran and Making it melodious does not mean that it should be made more in singing tone but once should at least recite and read quranic Arabic in a good tone so that he/she himself feels good while listening to it and others also feel good while listening to it.

Islam: Misunderstood throughout the World

James A. Bill (professor of government and director of the Reves Center for International Studies at the College of William and Mary
in Virginia) writes - 'By the turn of the century, for the first time in history, the number of Muslims (those who practice Islam) will
have surpassed the number of Christians in the world.

Islam is a monotheistic religion, civilization and way of life now practiced by 1.1 billion people. Easily the world's fastest growing religion, Islam is not confined to the Middle East. It is a truly universal force. More Muslims live in America today than all the Presbyterians and Episcopalians put together.



There are more than 1,200 mosques in the United States and 1000 mosques in England, where the Muslim community has established its own national parliament. There are more Muslims in Indonesia than in Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Saudi Arabia put together. More live in Malaysia than in Jordan, Lebanon and Kuwait combined. Nearly 20 million Muslims live in China.



Wherever one looks, Islam is on the move. As the people of many societies find themselves rootless, disconnected and alienated, they
increasingly seek help in a comforting Islamic ideological refuge. In a world of incoherent violence, widening inequities, political
corruption and shattered families, many are massing behind the green flag of Islam. This is essentially a populist movement, a bubbling up from below, a march of the distressed, the dispossessed and the oppressed. ....



… Although the great bulk of Muslims seek to improve their status through quiet, moderate and pacific means, violent methods have been adopted by fringe groups—elements also present in Christianity and Judaism. Oblivious to their own profound ignorance and often harboring crude political motivations, many Western opinion leaders consistently label all Muslims with words such as 'aggressive', 'militant' and 'uncivilized'. Islam is the 'religion of the sword'; Muslim activists are 'terrorists,' and Muslims countries that challenge Western policies are 'outlaw states'.



Muslims themselves maintain quite a different worldview. It is in the deepest interest of the United States to attempt to understand this
perspective. In brief, Muslims see themselves as the afflicted, not the afflictors; they feel themselves desperately on the defensive,
not on the offensive; they consider themselves the objects of violence, not the initiators of violence. In sum, Muslims across the
world consider themselves victims. In support of their position, Muslims will take their Christian and Jewish neighbors on a quick
tour of the world. They inevitably begin with Bosnia, where nearly 200,000 Muslims have been slaughtered by Serbian Christians.
Muslims are horrified and sickened by the fact that 22,000 Muslim women, aged 9 to 82, have been raped by Christian troopers. Muslims wonder privately about the weak and very late Western response.



In Kashmir, Indian occupying forces violently oppress Muslims, killing thousands of Kashmiris. Elsewhere in India in December 1992
and January 1993, violent Hindu mobs went on a rampage in Bombay, killing over 800 Muslims, destroying 5000 Muslim homes and forcing 200,000 Muslims to flee the city. Mosques were firebombed and mothers watched as their sons were pulled from their homes and slain or burned alive. In Tajikstan and other places in Central Asia, the Communists have made a comeback and, with the help of Russian troops, have attacked and killed more than 20,000 Muslims. Another 350,000 have been forced to flee.



Even in China, Muslims find themselves under heavy military pressure. Chinese troops oppress Muslims in the western province of Xinjiang.



Even in many of the predominantly Muslim countries of the Middle East, Muslims find themselves under attack where the leadership is
essentially secular. In Iraq, Saddam Hussein continues his war of genocide against the Shi'ites in the south.


In Algeria, when the Islamists scored a surprise victory in the December 1991 elections, the regime declared the election null and void. Since then, Algeria has been the scene of a bloody civil war. The government blames Islamic fundamentalists of striking terror in the very same areas where they had received majority of votes from. The governments explanation of fundamentalists unleashing waves of terror in their own strongholds, sounds very plausible indeed and casts shadows of dound over the credentials of the secular government instead.


In Egypt, Hosni Mubarak's regime, facing widespread disaffection of its people, pursues a policy of torture and execution of members of the Muslim opposition. In March 1993, his troops fired upon 500 unarmed Muslims at prayer in the Rahman Mosque in Aswan, killing nine and injuring 50. In the West Bank, another more widely publicized mosque massacre occurred a year later in Hebron when a Jewish settler killed 30 in a group of praying Muslims before the survivors could beat him to death. This litany of anti-Islamic violence is recognized and recited by Muslims everywhere. The situation is exacerbated when Muslims incredulously find themselves labeled as terrorists and when Western governments encourage their secular Middle Eastern allies to confront Muslim populist movements with brute force. One result of these Western perceptions and policies, of course, is that they begin to radicalize the huge mass of moderate Muslim believers. Meanwhile, the extremists on the fringes become more active and militant.



A vicious cycle of misunderstanding, misguided policy and increasing violence has been set in motion. Before this vicious cycle begins to spin wildly out of control, it is essential that non-Muslims make a major effort to slow it down. Such an effort will, as the very first
step, require that stereotypes be discarded.



Second, recent history shows that the application of force is not always an effective way of countering a system of deeply held ideas
and beliefs. The steady flame of resurgent Islam will not be extinguished by the breeze of bullets or the blast of missiles. A
recently published report in Washington Post, confirms Islam to be the fastest growing religion in the United States despite hostile
government policies and negative media stereotyping, only goes on to prove the truth of this statement. It is time for everyone to take a crash course on Islam. More recently, CNN too published a report, first of US kind ever done in this part of the World, titled as:
Islam in US - Growing and maturing.'

Doing Quran recitation is the religious duty of every Muslim.  In saheed Sunnah, it is encouraged to do the recitation of Quran in a melodious voice by the holy Quran reciter by making the voice more melodious and interesting. Reading quran and Making it melodious does not mean that it should be made more in singing tone but once should at least recite and read quranic Arabic in a good tone so that he/she himself feels good while listening to it and others also feel good while listening to it.

Why Muslims Believe that Islam is the truth

 

Why Muslims Believe that Islam is the truth


Many Christians & Jews don't know that Muslims believe in their prophets and holy books. Muslims believe that the Bible and the Torah were changed by people for their personal benefits. This is why God sent Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, not with a new religion, but to correct the people who had gone astray, those who were worshipping idols and being misguided by their forefathers.



Islam is the last message to the world and God wants the miracle of Islam to be witnessed by the people from Prophet Muhammad's, peace be upon him, time till the day of Judgment. The miracle is the Qu'ran, Muslims holy book.

 

Many Christians & Jews don't know that Muslims believe in their prophets and holy books. Muslims believe that the Bible and the Torah were changed by people for their personal benefits. This is why God sent Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, not with a new religion, but to correct the people who had gone astray, those who were worshipping idols and being misguided by their forefathers.



Islam is the last message to the world and God wants the miracle of Islam to be witnessed by the people from Prophet Muhammad's, peace be upon him, time till the day of Judgment. The miracle is the Qu'ran, Muslims holy book.

Why is the Qur'an a miracle ?



1- The Qu'ran is an untouchable book : After 1400 years, from the begining of Prophet Muhammad's, peace be upon him, message, the Qu'ran has not changed in any way, even as a matter of one charachter. Prooving this is very easy, since you can compare all the versions of the Qu'ran everywhere in the world and you will find them all the same. God ensured that this book would be saved from any changes attempted by human beings. God said in the Qur'an : " We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption)"



2- The Qu'ran contains many scientific facts that have been discovered recently using computer systems and microscopes. Many scientists have attended conferences dealing with this subject and have themselves accepted Islam. These same scientists have said that it is not possible that Muhammad, peace be upon him, an illiterate man, who lived 1400 years ago, could have discovered such things on his own. God said in the Qur'an : "Soon will We show them Our Signs in the (furthest) regions (of the earth), and in their own souls, until it becomes manifest to them that this is the Truth. Is it not enough that thy Lord doth witness all things" ( Quran 41:53 )



3- The Qu'ran, which is in Arabic, was revealed to the people of the Arabian Gulf who invented the Arabic language. Through Muhammad, peace be upon him, Allah challenged the people who claimed that a human wrote it to emulate such a book. No one from the time of the Prophet till now could write a book that contained the many scientific facts, miracles and similar effects on people that the Qu'ran did and still does today.



4- The Qu'ran had not one Arabic grammar mistake, which was recognized by the disbelievers at the time of the Prophet, who were the founders of the Arabic language.



These are a few examples of why Muslims believe in the Qur'an.



Here are some verses from God to Muslims encouraging them to invite the People of the Book ( Jews and Christians to Islam ):



God said : {Say: "O People of the Book! Why reject ye the Signs of Allah, when Allah is Himself witness to all ye do?} (Quran 3:98)



God tell Muslims to say : {..'We believe in that which had been revealed to us and revealed to you, and our God and your God is One, and unto Him we surrender} (Quran 29:46)

Doing Quran recitation is the religious duty of every Muslim.  In saheed Sunnah, it is encouraged to do the recitation of Quran in a melodious voice by the holy Quran reciter by making the voice more melodious and interesting. Reading quran and Making it melodious does not mean that it should be made more in singing tone but once should at least recite and read quranic Arabic in a good tone so that he/she himself feels good while listening to it and others also feel good while listening to it.

Human Rights in Islam

Human Rights in Islam

Since God is the absolute and the sole master of men and the universe, He is the sovereign Lord, the sustainer and Nourisher, the Merciful, Whose mercy enshrines all beings; and since He has given each man human dignity and honour, and breathed into him of His own spirit, it follows that, united in Him and through Him, and apart from their other human attributes, men are substantially the same and no tangible and actual distinction can be made among them, on account of their accidental differences such as nationality, colour or race.

Every human-being is thereby related to all others and all become one community of brotherhood in their honourable and pleasant servitude to the most compassionate Lord of the Universe. In such a heavenly atmosphere the Islamic confession of the oneness of God stands dominant and central, and necessarily entails the concept of the oneness of humanity and the brotherhood of mankind.

Although an Islamic state may be set up
in any part of the earth, Islam does not seek to restrict human rights or
privileges to the geographical limits of its own state. Islam has laid down some
universal fundamental rights for humanity as a whole, which are to be observed
and respected under all circumstances whether such a person is resident within
the territory of the Islamic state or outside it, whether he is at peace with
the state or at war. 

The Qur'an very clearly states: {
O ye who believe! 
Stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not there be
hatred of others to make you swerve to wrong and depart from Justice.  Be
just:  that is next to Piety:  and Fear Allah.  For Allah is well
-aquainted with all that you do } (Quran 5:80)

Human blood is sacred in any case and
cannot be spilled without justification.  And if anyone violates this
sanctity of human blood by killing a soul without justification, the Qur'an
equates it to the killing of entire mankind: {
..... Whoso slays a
soul not to retaliate for a soul slain, nor for corruption done in the land,
should be as if he had slain mankind altogether }

It is not permissible to oppress women,
children, old people, the sick or the wounded.  Women's honour and chastity
are to be respected under all circumstances.  The hungry person must be
fed, the naked clothed and the wounded or diseased treated medically
irrespective of whether they belong to the Islamic community or are from amongst
its enemies.

When we speak of human rights in Islam
we really mean that these rights have been granted by God; they have not been
granted by any king or by any legislative assembly.  The rights granted by
the kings or the legislative assemblies, can also be withdrawn in the same
manner in which they are conferred.  The same is the case with the rights
accepted and recognised by the dictators.  They can confer them when they
please and withdraw them when they wish; and they can openly violate them when
they like.  But since in Islam human rights have been conferred by God, no
legislative assembly in the world or any government on earth has the right or
authority to make any amendment or change in the rights conferred by God. 
No one has the right to abrogate them or withdraw them.  Nor are they basic
human rights which are conferred on paper for the sake of show and exhibition
and denied  in actual life when the show is over.  Nor are they like
philosophical concepts which have no sanctions behind them.

The charter and the proclamations
and the resolutions of the United Nations cannot be compared with the rights
sanctioned by God; because the former is not applicable on anybody while the
latter is applicable on every believer.  They are a part and parcel of the
Islamic Faith.  Every Muslim or administrator who claim themselves to be
Muslims, will have to accept, recognise and enforce them.  If they fail to
enforce them, and start denying the rights that have been guaranteed by God or
make amendments and changes in them, or practically violate them while paying
lip service to them, the verdict of the Holy Qur'an for such government is clear
and unequivocal: { Those who do not judge by what God has
sent down are the disbelievers } (5:44).
 

Human Rights in an Islamic State
:

• 1. The Security of
  Life and Property:  In the address which the Prophet delivered
  on the occasion of the Farewell Hajj, he said:  "Your
  lives and properties are forbidden to one another till you meet your Lord on
  the Day of Resurrection".  The Prophet has also said about the
  dhimmis (the non-Muslim citizens of the Muslim state):  "One who kills a man under covenant (i.e., Dhimmi) will not even
  smell the fragrance of Paradise".
  

 

• 2. The Protection of
  Honour:  The Holy Qur'an lays down- 
      1) {You who believe,
  do not let one (set of) people make fun of another set}
      2) {Do not defame one
  another}
      3) {Do not insult by
  using nickname}
      4) {Do not backbite or
  speak ill of one another}

 

• 3. Sanctity and
  Security of Private Life:  The Qur'an has laid down the
  injunction- 
     
  1) {Do not spy on one another}
      2) {Do not enter any
  houses unless you are sure of their occupant's
  consent}

 

• 4. The Security of
  Personal Freedom:  Islam has laid down the principle that no
  citizen can be imprisoned unless his guilt has been
  proved in an open court.  To arrest a man only on the basis of suspicion and to throw him into
  a prison without proper
  court proceedings and without providing him a reasonable opportunity
  to produce his defence is
  not permissible in Islam.

 

• 5. The Right to
  Protest Against Tyranny:  Amongst the rights that Islam has
  conferred on human beings is the right to protest
  against government's tyranny. Referring to it the Qur'an says.  "God
  does not love evil talk in public unless it is by some
  one who has been injured thereby".
  In Islam, as has been argued earlier, all power and
  authority belongs to God, and with man there is only delegated power which becomes a trust;
  everyone who becomes a
  recipient or a donee of such a power has to stand in awful
  reverence before his
  people towards whom and for whose sake he will be called upon to
  use these powers. 
  This was acknowledged by Abu Bakr who said in his very first address:  "Cooperate with me when I am right but correct me when I
  commit error; obey me so long as I follow the commandments of Allah and
  His prophet; but turn away from me when I deviate".

 

• 6. Freedom of
  Expression:  Islam gives the right of freedom of thought and
  expression to all citizens of the Islamic state on
  the condition that it should be used for the propagation of virtue and truth and not for spreading
  evil and wickedness.
  The Islamic concept of freedom of expression is much superior to
  the concept prevalent in
  the West.  Under no circumstances would Islam allow evil and wickedness to be propagated.  It
  also does not give anybody the right to use
  abusive or offensive language in the name of
  criticism.  It was the practice of the
  Muslims to enquire from the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H.)
  whether on a certain matter a divine injunction had been revealed to him.  If he said
  that he had received no divine injunction, the Muslims freely expressed their opinion on
  the matter.

 

• 7. Freedom of
  Association:  Islam has also given people the right to freedom
  of association and formation of parties or
  organisations.  This right is also subject to
  certain general rules.
  

 

• 8. Freedom of
  Conscience and Conviction: Islam has laid down the injunction:
  There should be no coercion in the matter of
  faith.
  On the contrary
  totalitarian societies totally deprive the individuals of their freedom.  Indeed this undue
  exaltation of the state authority curiously enough
  postulates a sort of servitude, of slavishness on
  the part of man.  At one time slavery meant total control of man over man - now that type of
  slavery has been legally
  abolished but in its place totalitarian societies impose a similar sort of
  control over
  individuals.

 

• 9. Protection of
  Religious Sentiments:  Along with freedom of conviction and
  freedom of conscience Islam has given the right to
  the individual that his religious sentiments will be given due respect and nothing will be said or
  done which may encroach
  upon his right.

 

• 10. Protection from
  Arbitrary Imprisonment: Islam also recognises the right of the
  individual that he will not be arrested or
  imprisoned for the offences of others.  The
  Holy Qur'an has laid down this principle
  clearly: {No bearer of burdens shall
  be made to bear the burden of
  another}

 

• 11. The Right to Basic
  Necessities of Life: Islam has recognised the right of the
  needy people that help and assistance will be
  provided to them:  And in their wealth
  there is acknowledged right for the needy and the
  destitute.

 

• 12. Equality Before
  Law:  Islam gives its citizens the right to absolute and
  complete equality in the eyes of the
  law.
• 13. Rulers Not Above
  the Law:  A woman belonging to a high and noble family
  was arrested in connection with theft.  The
  case was brought to the Prophet, and it was recommended that she might be spared the punishment of
  theft.  The Prophet replied, "The nations that lived before you
  were destroyed by God because they punished the common-man for their
  offences and let their dignitaries go unpunished
  
  for their crimes; I swear by Him Who holds my
  life in His hand that even if Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad, had committed this crime, I would have
  amputated her hand".
  

 

• 14. The Right to
  Participate in the Affairs of State: {And their
  business is (conducted)
  through consultation among themselves} (42:38).
  The shura or the legislative
  assembly has no other meaning except that:  The
  executive head of the government and the members of
  the assembly should be elected by free and independent choice of the people.

Lastly, it is to be made clear
that Islam tries to achieve the above-mentioned human rights and many others not only by providing certain legal
safeguards but mainly by inviting mankind to transcend the lower level of animal life to be
able to go beyond the mere
ties fostered by the kinship of blood, racial superiority,
linguistic arrogance, and
economic privileges.  It invites mankind to move on to a plane
of existence where, by
reason of his inner excellence, man can realise the ideal of the Brotherhood of
man.

Doing Quran recitation is the religious duty of every Muslim.  In saheed Sunnah, it is encouraged to do the recitation of Quran in a melodious voice by the holy Quran reciter by making the voice more melodious and interesting. Reading quran and Making it melodious does not mean that it should be made more in singing tone but once should at least recite and read quranic Arabic in a good tone so that he/she himself feels good while listening to it and others also feel good while listening to it.

Basics of faith

 

Basics of faith
   
Islam began
with the first man, who was also the first prophet, namely Adam (peace be upon
him). The meaning of Islam is submission and obedience to Allah, the Creator of
all. From Adam (peace be upon him) through to Muhammad (peace be upon him) was
delivered the message of Allah to mankind; calling them to the worship of the
One true God and establishing piety on earth.

Each prophet was sent to a particular group of
people, like Abraham, Noah, Joseph, Ishmael, Isaac, Elias, Zakariah, Jonah,
Moses,  and Jesus (peace be upon them all) (as well as many others). 
The difference with the final prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was that he
was sent to the whole of mankind and his message would continue until the Day of
Resurrection.

The essence of Islam is the acknowledgement of the Lordship
of Allah; that He alone is to be worshipped and obeyed.  The whole of
creation is His handiwork and thus should be respected and cared for.  That
is why even when killing animals for food, the Muslim mentions the name of
Allah, and so acknowledges the fact that this animal is owned by Him and has
been provided for mankind out of His bounty.  The Muslim recognizes that
nothing happens within creation except by the knowledge and permission of Allah
and that there exists wisdom and knowledge far beyond the reach of human
beings.  Indeed of knowledge, we have only been given a little.  Hence
there is no pride or arrogance as Allah alone is the Sovereign Lord and one of
the things, which He dislikes is oppression.  The Muslims have been called
upon to spread good relations, honor the ties of the womb, help the poor and
oppressed and alleviate suffering.  To help the Muslims do this, Allah
prescribed a way of life for the human beings so that all their duties and
responsibilities in life could be fulfilled, as well as their spiritual
potential and the development of their character.

Everything done in the
life of a Muslim can be regarded as an act of worship if it is done with the
intention of gaining the pleasure of Allah.   So learning, working,
taking care of the family and even the so-called mundane duties of life can be
turned into means of closeness to Allah, as they are performed according to
Islam and with the intention of gaining closeness to Allah.

In His
Infinite Mercy, Allah turned to mankind and provided them with the necessary
guidelines to live by, in order to attain success in this life and the
next.   Prohibitions from evil and all that leads to it, and
encouragement to do good and establish piety have been prescribed and clearly
set out.

The Muslim must worship Allah alone, pray five times a day, fast
from dawn to sunset in the month of Ramadan, pay Zakat (a percentage of ones'
wealth given to the poor), and perform Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah, if one is
able to do so, once in their life time).  Along with these basic pillars of
Islam, the Muslim must follow the laws of Allah which outline the duties and
responsibilities of family members, behavior in society, business, etc including
all aspects of life.  Every person has a trust, a role to perform which
binds society into a harmonious unit.   There are strict punishments
for murder, theft, adultery, oppression and vices, which destroy the body and
soul of man.  How many families have been destroyed because of
adultery?  How many children suffer because of that?  How many people
today live in constant fear of being killed or robbed?  These laws were
instituted to protect human beings from  evil.

The human being is
regarded as a wondrous creation of Allah and within each person resides an
innate nature that urges him/her to search for Allah (God) , truth, peace,
justice and all that is good.   Each child is born pure and no one
bears the sins o r burdens of another.  However, as the child grows, often
this innate nature becomes distorted according to environment and education, but
it remains deep within the psyche of man, emerging from time to time throughout
life; responding to the individual's desire to attain their spiritual potential
and closeness to Allah.

The relation between the body, mind and soul of
man is paid a lot of attention in Islam.  Man was created, prone to
weakness and desires and so a lot of spiritual strength is required to overcome
the evil in and around us. The struggle between good and evil is
ongoing.   It began in the beginning of time when satan refused to bow
down to Adam and acknowledge his superiority and then again when satan tempted
both Adam and Eve until they were cast out of the Gardens of Paradise. 
Allah forgave Adam and Eve but the consequences of their actions was that they
were to live on the earth.  Hence, the beginning of mankind.  Satan
remains as the enemy of mankind, having vowed to entrap as many as possible in
his evil designs but Allah promised His help and protection to those who follow
His ways and trust in Him.

Islam
prescribes many forms of worship which help to develop spiritual strength in
man. For example, prayer five times a day becomes a life line for the Muslim; a
time to stop the activities of life and remember the bounties of Allah, His
Mercy, Kindness and the reality of the Day of Judgment.  It requires
commitment and discipline and a high level of personal cleanliness of both body
and soul.  Also, fasting in Ramadan from dawn until sunset is a rigorous
feat that can only be performed by those who are patient.  It is not just
keeping away from food and drink, but controlling the tongue, the desires and
the urge to become angry, gossip and all other kinds of evil.  There is
also the pilgrimage to Makkah, which was the first mosque erected in the history
of mankind, for the worship of Allah.  It was built by prophet Abraham and
his son Ishmael and continues to be visited by Muslims from all over the
world.  People until today, travel to Makkah in many ways. Some by plane,
ship, motor vehicle and still some walk and ride animals.  The atmosphere
there is one of peace, love and fear of Allah, seeking forgiveness of sins and
renewal.  It is an event  of great spiritual and practical
significance, as people return from Hajj, refreshed and ready to face life and
its hardships, while striving to obey Allah and establish piety of
earth..

Doing Quran recitation is the religious duty of every Muslim.  In saheed Sunnah, it is encouraged to do the recitation of Quran in a melodious voice by the holy Quran reciter by making the voice more melodious and interesting. Reading quran and Making it melodious does not mean that it should be made more in singing tone but once should at least recite and read quranic Arabic in a good tone so that he/she himself feels good while listening to it and others also feel good while listening to it.

 

On Religious Tolerance

On Religious Tolerance

   
        While on his deathbed, Umar ibn
al-Khattab, may Allah bless him, dictated a
long Will consisting of instructions for the next Khalifah (Muslim President).
Here is the last sentence of that historic document: “I instruct you on
behalf of the people who have been given protection in the name of Allah and His
Prophet peace be upon him. [That is the non-Muslim minorities within
the Islamic state]. Our covenant to them must be fulfilled, we must
fight to protect them, and they must not be burdened beyond their
capabilities”

At that time Umar was lying in pain because of
the wounds inflicted on him by a non-Muslim who had stabbed him with a dagger
soaked in poison while he was leading the fajr prayer. It should also be
remembered that he was the head of a vast empire ranging from Egypt to Persia.
From normal rulers of his time or ours, we could have expected vengeance and
swift reaction. (The enlightened rulers of today have sent bombers even on
suspicion of murder conspiracy). From a very forgiving head of state we could
have expected an attempt to forget and forgive and that would be considered
noble. But a command to protect the minorities and take care of them?

What is even more remarkable is that for Muslim
historians the entire affair was just natural. After all it was the Khalifah
himself who had established the standards by writing the guarantees for the
protection of life, property and religion in decree after decree as Muslims
opened land after land during his rule. The pattern established here was
followed for centuries throughout the Muslim world.

Of course, Umar, may Allah bless him, was simply following what he learnt from the
Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him himself. That the protection of life,
property and religious freedom of minorities is the religious duty of the
Islamic state. That he personally would be demanding justice in the hereafter on
behalf of a dhimmi who had been wronged by a Muslim. That there is no compulsion
in religion and that Muslims must be just to friends and foe alike

The result of these teachings was a Muslim rule
that set the gold standard for religious tolerance in a world that was not used
to the idea. Not only that the Muslim history is so remarkably free of the
inquisitions, persecutions, witch hunts, and holocausts that tarnish history of
other civilizations, it protected its minorities from persecution by others as
well. It protected Jews from Christians and Eastern Christians from Roman
Catholics. In Spain under the Umayyads and in Baghdad under the Abbasid
Khalifahs, Christians and Jews enjoyed a freedom of religion that they did not
allow each other or anyone else.

This exemplary tolerance is built into Islamic
teachings. The entire message of Islam is that this life is a test and we have
the option of choosing the path to hell or to heaven. Messengers were sent to
inform about the choices and to warn about the consequences. They were not sent
to forcibly put the people on the right path. The job of the Muslims is the
same. They must deliver the message of Islam to the humanity as they have
received it. They are neither to change it to make it attractive, nor to coerce
others to accept it. In addition, the results in the hereafter will depend upon
faith. For all good acts are meaningless in the absence of the proper faith. And
faith is an affair of the heart. It simply cannot be imposed.

It is not an idea that followers of other religions
have shared with Islam. The result is, Muslim experience in the area of
tolerance has been exactly opposite of the rest of the world. As Marmaduke
Pickthall noted: “It was not until the Western nations broke away from their
religious law that they became more tolerant, and it was only when the Muslims
fell away from their religious law that they declined in tolerance.”

The path that the Western world took to provide
harmony in society was to banish religion from the public square. For this
achievement, it thinks that it has earned lecturing rights over the issue. So it
may be good to remember that while it has indeed made huge progress in the area
of tolerance during the last century (which should be appreciated), it has a
long way to go before it can reach the standards established by Islam. First,
while Muslim Personal Law is not recognized in the West, the Personal Law of
non-Muslim minorities has always been recognized in the Muslim world. Second,
while throughout Europe and America, Muslims are not permitted to make the call
to prayer (Adhan) on loud speakers, church bells ring freely in the Muslim
world. Third, the wide spread anti-Islamic prejudice in the Western media is
both a cause and a consequence of the underlying intolerance. Fourth, hate
crimes are a fact of life in the West. As just one small indication, nearly
two-dozen incidents of vandalism have taken place against Mosques in the
peaceful USA during the last seven years, not to mention hundreds of attacks
against individuals. Fifth, the will to admit this state of affairs is also not
sufficiently strong. Again here is just one indication: In 1999 two resolutions
were floated in the US Senate and House, titled “A resolution supporting
religious tolerance toward Muslims.” While the Senate resolution passed, the
House resolution was gutted under pressure from several Jewish and Christian
groups.

The situation of the rest of the “international
community” is not much different. With this background, extortions to display
tolerance become a vehicle for imposing one's own intolerance.

Recently some people declared that the demolition
of Buddhist statues in a country with no Buddhist minority violated Islam's
teachings on religious tolerance. They forgot that religious tolerance means
accommodation to religious minorities; it does not mean undermining the
majority. Here the issue of religious freedom had been turned on its head. For
the real question to ask was, why the Muslims in Afghanistan must endure the
statues they abhor?

For Muslims religious tolerance is not about
political posturing. It is a serious religious obligation. They must be a force
against all intolerance, even that which is promoted in the guise of
tolerance

Doing Quran recitation is the religious duty of every Muslim.  In saheed Sunnah, it is encouraged to do the recitation of Quran in a melodious voice by the holy Quran reciter by making the voice more melodious and interesting. Reading quran and Making it melodious does not mean that it should be made more in singing tone but once should at least recite and read quranic Arabic in a good tone so that he/she himself feels good while listening to it and others also feel good while listening to it.

The Objective Reasoning and The Convincing Islam

The Objective Reasoning and The Convincing Islam
           
    Muhammad, the prophet of Islam followed the footsteps of earlier prophets like Abraham, Moses, Jacob and Jesus. He was a descendant of Abraham, and the core principles of Islam are those taught by all prophets from Noah to Jesus. All prophets before Muhammad focused on a particular nation or residence, however, because Muhammad’s message was the final call from God, he was sent to the all mankind. Human beings are all created and meant for one and only one reason, to worship God. The collective mental and spiritual ability of all humans cannot construct a single conclusive approach to understand and praise God, as each one of our senses has its limitations and boundaries, their combined efforts will also have impassable circumference. There we need above human guidance and its here that we get prophets who themselves receive revelations from God.

defenders of Islam even against the Arabs who brought it in the first place!
Indeed the great scholars of Islam were mainly from non-Arab Muslims who used to
travel from India, central Asia and Spain to Mecca and Medina to teach the Arabs
about Islam!


A message brought by an illiterate prophet, Muhammad, got the
biggest share of audience in the market of theologies and beliefs and now
convinces 1.3 billion people around the world.


The prevailing atheist believe of our time which avoids to mention
the word “God” in any stage of our life is the result of bewilderment in an
array of manly philosophies that tried to find an answer to the reason of our
existence through presumption and analogy. The conflict between the religious
men and the scientists in Europe few centuries ago made the scientists seek
guidance in the theological ideas of philosophers, when the contradicting
philosophical ideas seemed inconceivable, they turned back to their
laboratories, looked in the scientific experiments, through microscopes,
telescopes and hypothesis and when they could not see, smell, hear or touch any
god, heaven or hell, their answer was clear… there was no god. This atheist
attitude justified some scientists to formulate answers for any question arising
from the nature or space and it is always taken as new “Scientific theory” as
long as it doesn’t mention God. But where are the limitations of our senses? Do
we have to have an answer for every question? Do we have to understand every
event or object in the space?


There was a time when witchcrafts had the answers for everything
in the life and space through astrology and palm reading, now scientists have
every answer through their theories and microscopes.


When our comprehension comes to its boundary, we can only get
further by following the prophets. Contrary to the scientists and astrologists
who mainly convince particular groups of society, the richness and simplicity of
prophetic knowledge appeals to people from all walks of life, That is why
prophets have diverse followers in terms of intellect, age, colour, skill,
literacy, etc.

Doing Quran recitation is the religious duty of every Muslim.  In saheed Sunnah, it is encouraged to do the recitation of Quran in a melodious voice by the holy Quran reciter by making the voice more melodious and interesting. Reading quran and Making it melodious does not mean that it should be made more in singing tone but once should at least recite and read quranic Arabic in a good tone so that he/she himself feels good while listening to it and others also feel good while listening to it.