Calling non-Muslims to Islam
Chapter 5
6389: You have to do it: do
it and don't hesitate
Question:
Hello, I'm a 27 year old student from
Bloomington, Indiana in the United States. I
have discovered through many months of careful
study and furious debate with the Christianity I
was raised with that Islam is no doubt the
clear, complete, and true word of the Almighty
God. I had a furious struggle with Jesus but as
I began to look upon his actual words in my new
testament I found that they were completely,
100% in line with the Qur'an! I have not taken
shahada and to be honest, I'm still a bit
hesitant to. It is hard to describe the feeling
one has toward the Christian faith after it's
been drilled into you from the time of your
birth for a solid quarter of a century. I am
taking arabic classes this summer and am
planning to enroll at Cales in sana'a in Yemen
next summer for further study. My question is do
I really need to take the final step because the
Qur'an says that Christians who are dutiful will
receive their reward. I question my ability to
adhere to all the elements of Shari'a. The
prayers, the mannerisms, the relationships with
women, diets, etc. Is it necessary that I take
this step and if I did, would I have to take an
Islamic name, or is that simply receomended?
Following that, would the name Ishmael be
appropriate? Thank you
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
We appreciate your question and your efforts
in studying and researching very much,
especially since you have achieved such great
and true results. Although we believe most
strongly that it is essential to become Muslim
and that Islam is the only religion which Allaah
will accept, because He revealed it as the final
religion and way, we do understand something of
the difficulty involved in leaving that which
one is used to. But the wise person knows that
he has to follow the truth even if it becomes
clear to him after many years and even if he
grew up in a different way. Hence Allaah
condemned those who refused to follow the truth
because they were following the ways of their
forefathers. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"And when it is said to them: "Come to what
Allaah has revealed and unto the Messenger
(Muhammad for the verdict of that which you have
made unlawful)." They say: "Enough for us is
that which we found our fathers following," even
though their fathers had no knowledge whatsoever
and nor guidance" [al-Maa'idah 5:104]
"And
when it is said to them: "Follow that which
Allaah has sent down", they say: "Nay, we shall
follow that which we found our fathers
(following)." (Would they do so) even if
Shaytaan (Satan) invites them to the torment of
the Fire?" [Luqmaan 31:21]
"And similarly, We sent not a warner
before you (O Muhammad) to any town (people) but
the luxurious ones among them said: "We found
our fathers following a certain way and
religion, and we will indeed follow their
footsteps." (The warner) said: "Even if I bring
you better guidance than that which you found
your fathers following?" [al-Zukhruf
43:23-24]
The matter will not be too difficult for you
- in sha Allaah (if Allaah wills) - for indeed
if you believe in Islaam you will be believing
in all of the previous Prophets, and you will be
believing in the Divine Books. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"O you who believe! Believe in Allaah, and
His Messenger (Muhammad), and the Book (the
Qur'aan) which He has sent down to His
Messenger, and the Scripture which He sent down
to those before (him); and whosoever disbelieves
in Allaah, His Angels, His Books, His
Messengers, and the Last Day, then indeed he has
strayed far away" [al-Nisa' 4:136]
If you become Muslim, you will not be cut off
from the sound roots, for every Muslim believes
in the Messiah `Eesa (Jesus) - peace be upon him
- as a Prophet and Messenger, and he believes in
the true Gospel - before it was distorted - as a
Book that was revealed by Allaah. Maybe it will
encourage you to know that everyone who used to
believe in `Eesa and then believes in Muhammad
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) will
have the reward twice. Hence when the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) sent
his letter to Heraclius, the Christian ruler of
Byzantium, inviting him to Islam, he said:
"In the Name of Allaah, Most Gracious, Most
Merciful. From Muhammad the slave and Messenger
of Allaah, to Heraclius the ruler of Byzantium.
Peace be upon those who follow true guidance. I
invite you with the call of Islam. Become Muslim
and you will be safe. Become Muslim and Allaah
will give you your reward twice, but if you
refuse, then the sin of the husbandmen will be
upon you. `Say (O Muhammad): "O people of the
Scripture (Jews and Christians): Come to a word
that is just between us and you, that we worship
none but Allaah (Alone), and that we associate
no partners with Him, and that none of us shall
take others as lords besides Allaah. Then, if
they turn away, say: "Bear witness that we are
Muslims." [Aal `Imraan 64 - interpretation of
the meaning]."
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, 2723)
The Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "There
are three who will be given their reward twice:
a man from among the People of the Book who
believed in his Prophet, then when he comes to
know of the Prophet [Muhammad] (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), then he
believes in him and follows him; he will have
two rewards…" (The hadeeth was narrated by
Muslim, 219).
On the basis of the above, the answer to your
question is: yes, it is very important, indeed
essential, for you to take this step which will
change your life, bringing you a life of joy and
tranquillity through being close to Allaah and
believing in His Oneness (Tawheed), having the
pleasure of worshipping and remembering Him, and
earning reward by obeying Him and saving these
rewards for the Day when man will need every
single reward:
"On the Day when every
person will be confronted with all the good he
has done, and all the evil he has done, he will
wish that there were a great distance between
him and his evil. And Allaah warns you against
Himself (His punishment) and Allaah is full of
kindness to (His) slaves" [Aal `Imraan 3:30 -
interpretation of the meaning]
With regard to your name, if it has no
meanings that involve Shirk (associating others
with Allaah) or Kufr (disbelief), then it is
permissible for you to keep your name. The name
Ismaa'eel (Ishmael) is very suitable; how could
it be otherwise when Ismaa'eel was a Prophet of
Allaah of whom Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning):
"And mention in the Book (the Qur'aan)
Ismaa'eel (Ishmael). Verily, he was true to what
he promised, and he was a Messenger, (and) a
Prophet. And he used to enjoin on his family and
his people As-Salaat (the prayers) and the
Zakaat, and his Lord was pleased with him"
[Maryam 19:54-55]
We ask Allaah to help us and you to do that
which He loves and which pleases Him, and to
guide us to the Straight Path, for Allaah guides
whom He wills and He knows best those who are
guided.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
4685: Feelings of a Christian
man of religion towards his daughter's Islam
Question:
I am a Christian minister—Yet I feel that
after reading your teaching on ,"how to treat
your wife",was exllent in our creators eyes . I
know that we have different vieues on The Holy
One who has made us.Yet I am a student of the
scriptures, but also student to understanding. I
have a daughter who married a muslim. I don't
even know if I'm right in ,the case of calling
my son-law a musilm. For he is a devoted to the
teaching of the Koran. Lately I had a discussion
with my daughter. Remember this I do not preach
that she has made the wrong mistake, or try to
force my oppinion on her.I love her,and my son
-inlaw as well. I need to not preach what I
believe,but my actions should show love. I thank
you and all our brothers ,that we shall know the
truth together. Again I hope and pray for peace.
Yours in Loving of the Brotherhood …
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
We thank you very much for expressing these
kind feelings. The fact that you have not stood
in the way of your daughter and her husband in
their following of Islam is indicative of your
fair mindedness and respect for the beliefs of
others. At the same time, we cannot hide our
wish that you could join us and your daughter
and her husband in following this religion, the
great religion of Islam. We know that the matter
may appear difficult, especially for a man who
represents and studies another religion, but who
knows, maybe this study will be followed by a
proper study of Islam which will lead to a new
conviction. We wish you well always, and pray
that Allaah will guide us all to the path of
truth and guidance. Thank you once again.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
5656: How should a Muslim man
make Da'wah to non-Muslim women?
Question:
The university that I go to doesn't have many
Muslims and the ones that are there are not that
knowledgeable. Many non- Muslim classmates come
up to me and ask me questions about Islam and
this usually takes place in private. Is this
right for the sake of them converting?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
You have to call whoever you can to Islam and
to enter the religion of Allaah. You have to
show them the strengths and distinctive features
of this great religion and explain to them how
suited it is to mankind. You have to tell them
that it offers brilliant solutions to human
problems and tell them, that they have to follow
this religion and no other. All of this should
be done on the basis of sound knowledge,
evidence and proofs of which you have a firm and
proper knowledge, and it should be done with
wisdom and beautiful preaching, responding to
the kaafirs with that which is better.
The way you make da'wah and your manners
should be in accordance with the rulings of
Islamic sharee'ah, so it is not permissible _
for example _ for you to be alone with a kaafir
woman, not even for the sake of Da'wah. You must
beware of forming relationships with women, and
you should be aware of the ways in which the
Shaytaan introduces evil, whereby you efforts to
make da'wah and draw closer to Allaah by
offering advice to kaafir women may end up with
you being tested and tempted by them. Da'wah to
non-Muslim women should either be undertaken by
Muslim women, or else by a Muslim man giving
them tapes and booklets, or by giving public
speeches and lectures without deliberately
looking at the women. We ask Allaah to help you
in your Da'wah and to make your responses
correct. May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.
Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
6018: He is convinced of
Islam but is concerned about his parents who are
staunch Christians
Question:
I am a Christian who is highly interested in
Islam, in fact I think it is the TRUE religion
of God . My problem is that my parents are
staunch Catholics and get furious on seeing the
Koran inside our house. I do not wish to
displease anyone and at the same time I want to
continue with what is best . Please advise me
accordingly. Is there a way out of this dilemma?
Would appreciate a quick reply.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
We thank you very much for sending this
question to us, and we say to you that your deep
interest in Islam is what will make you embrace
this religion soon, in sha Allaah (if Allaah
wills). Your current attitude is an important
step towards entering this religion, which
Allaah wants and besides which He accepts no
other religion. Your conviction that this is the
true religion of Allaah means that you must now
take the ultimate step and pronounce the
Shahaadatayn (the twin declarations of faith).
When this reply reaches you, go and take a bath
(ghusl) and say:
"Ash-hadu an laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wa
ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasool-Allaah (I
bear witness that there is no god but Allaah,
and I bear witness that Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allaah)." Then start to practice
the rituals of this great religion, above all
the five daily prayers at the appointed times,
as Allaah enjoined them.
Know that one of the rules of Islam is that
you should love Allaah and His Messenger, and
that love for Allaah should take priority over
love for anyone else. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Say: If your fathers, your sons, your
brothers, your wives, your kindred, the wealth
that you have gained, the commerce in which you
fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you
delight are dearer to you than Allaah and His
Messenger, and striving hard and fighting in His
Cause, then wait until Allaah brings about His
Decision (torment). And Allaah guides not the
people who are Al-Fasiqoon (the rebellious,
disobedient to Allaah)"
[al-Tawbah 9:24]
The Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "There
are three things, whoever attains them will find
the sweetness of faith: when Allaah and His
Messenger are more beloved to him than
everything else; when he loves another person he
loves him only for the sake of Allaah; and when
he hates to return to Kufr as he would hate to
be thrown into the fire." (Reported by
al-Bukhaari in his Saheeh, no. 15).
This means that love for Allaah must come
before love for one's parents and any other
created being. If there is a conflict between
pleasing Allaah and pleasing your parents, then
pleasing Allaah must take precedence. In your
situation, as you have described it, we advise
you to do the following with regard to your
parents:
Address them in the best of terms and treat
them in the best manner
If they insist that you follow kufr, then
conceal your Islam if you fear that you are not
able to confront them openly, and pray where
they cannot see you
Do not think at all that there is any burden
or sin on you if they get angry with you for
becoming a Muslim. Remember that when a person
pleases Allaah even though it makes people
angry, Allaah will be pleased with him and will
make the people pleased with him.
Keep on praying for them to be guided and
call them to Islam with wisdom and beautiful
preaching. Maybe Allaah will guide them through
you.
We ask Allaah to help you in this world
and the next. Peace be upon those who follow
true guidance.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
5955: A Jewish boy asking
about Islam
Question:
Hi.
I live in a Jew house, but for a long time
I'm learning about the islam and the quran.
I think the Islam the the right way, and want
to learn more about it and maybe to become a
muslim. What to do?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
You may be a young man for whom Allaah wills
good. We admire you because, although you live
in a Jewish family, you have been reading about
Islam and the Qur'aan for some time, and you
think that Islam is the true religion. All of
this is a great achievement and an important
step, for which you deserve to be encouraged.
Your search for the truth at your age shows that
your reasoning is strong and that your thinking
is correct. So we congratulate you for the way
in which you are thinking, and advise you to
read more and to look at good Islamic sites on
the Internet. On this site you will find a lot
of information and answers to questions from
people whose circumstances are similar to yours.
Now let us look at the story of a Jewish youth
who lived at the time of the Prophet of Islam,
Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him):
From Anas (may Allâh be pleased with
him): a young man from among the Jews used to
serve the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him). The boy became
sick, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) came to visit him when he
was on his death-bed. He called him to Islam,
and the boy looked at his father, who was
standing by his head. His father said, "Listen
to Abu'l-Qaasim." [Abu'l-Qaasim (Father of
al-Qaasim) was the kunya or "nickname" of the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) _ it is an Arab custom to address people as
"Father of" and "Mother of" their oldest son _
Translator]. So the boy became Muslim, then he
died. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) came away from
him saying, "Praise be to Allaah Who has saved
him from the Hell-Fire." (Reported by Imaam
Ahmad, 12896; also narrated in Saheeh
al-Bukhaari, 1268). So go ahead and embrace
Islam as your predecessor did, so that you will
be saved from Hell and will earn the victory of
Paradise as great as the heavens and the
earth.
We also want to present you with the
following story which contains an important
lesson and a moving account of a young man who
looked for the truth, and was helped by Allaah
to find it:
Haddaab ibn Khaalid told us, Hammaad ibn
Salamah told us, Thaabit told us from `Abd
al-Rahmaan ibn Abi Layla from Suhayb that the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "There was a king
among the people who came before you who had a
magician. When the magician grew old, he said to
the king, `I have grown old, so send me a boy to
whom I can teach magic.' So the king sent him a
boy, and he taught him magic. On his way, the
boy passed by a monk, so he sat with him and
listened to him, and he liked what he said. When
he came to the magician, he passed by the monk
and sat with him, then when he came to the
magician, he hit him because he was late. The
boy complained about that to the monk, who said,
`If you are afraid of the magician, tell him, `I
was late because of my family' and if you are
afraid of your family, tell them, `I was late
because of the magician.' Whilst this was going
on, he came across a huge beast that was
blocking the people's way. He said, `Today I
will know whether the monk is better or the
magician.' He picked up a stone and said, `O
Allâh, if the monk's way is dearer to you than
the magician's way, then kill this beast so that
the people may go on their way.' Then he threw
the stone and killed the beast, and the people
went on their way. He came to the monk and told
him what had happened. The monk said to him, `O
my son, today you are better than I, you have
reached such a level and now you will be tested.
If you are put to the test, do not tell anyone
about me.' The young man began to heal the blind
and the lepers, and to cure people from all
kinds of sickness. One of the king's courtiers
who had become blind heard about him, so he
brought him many gifts and said, `Whatever I
have piled up here is for you, if you heal me.'
The boy said, `I do not heal anyone, it is
Allaah who heals. If you believe in Allaah and
call on Allaah, He will heal you.' So he
believed in Allaah and and Allaah healed him.
Then he came to the king and sat with him as he
had always done. The king said to him, `Who gave
you back your sight?' He said, `My Lord.' The
king said, `Do you have any lord other than me?'
He said, `My Lord and your Lord is Allaah.' So
the king took him and kept touring him until he
told him about the boy. So the boy was brought
to the king, who said, `O my son, I have heard
about your magic, that you heal the blind and
the leper, and you do such and such.' The boy
said, `I do not heal anyone, it is Allaah Who
heals.' The took him and tortured him until he
told him about the monk. The monk was brought
and was told, `Give up your religion,' and he
refused. So a saw was brought and placed on the
top of his head, and he was cut in two. Then the
king's courtier was brought and was told, `Give
up your religion,' and he refused. So a saw was
brought and placed on the top of his head, and
he was cut in two. Then the boy was brought and
was told, `Give up your religion,' and he
refused. The king gave him to a group of his
companions and said, `Take him to such and such
a mountain, and take him up the mountain. When
you reach the top of the mountain, if he gives
up his religion (then leave him alone),
otherwise throw him down. So they took him up
the mountain, and the boy said, `O Allaah,
protect me from them in whatever manner You
wish.' So the mountain was shaken and they fell
down, and the boy came walking back to the king.
The king asked, `What happened to your
companions?' He said, `Allaah protected me from
them.' Then the king gave him to another group
of his companions, and said, `Take him and put
him on a ship, then take him to the middle of
the sea. If he gives up his religion (then leave
him alone), otherwise throw him overboard. So
they took him and he said, `O Allaah, protect me
from them in whatever manner You wish.' The boat
was turned upside down and they drowned, and the
boy came walking back to the king. The king
asked, `What happened to your companions?' He
said, `Allaah protected me from them.' The boy
said to the king: `You will not be able to kill
me unless you do what I tell you.' The king
said, `What is that then?' He said, `Gather the
people together in one place and crucify me on a
tree-trunk, then take an arrow from my quiver
and put it in your bow. Then say, "In the name
of Allaah, the Lord of the boy" and shoot me. If
you do that, you will kill me.' So the king
gathered the people in one place, crucified the
boy on a tree-trunk, took an arrow from his
quiver and placed it in his bow. Then he said,
`In the name of Allaah, the Lord of the boy' and
shot him. The arrow hit his temple (the side of
his head), and he put his hand on the side of
his head where he had been hit, and died. The
people said, `We believe in the Lord of the boy,
we believe in the Lord of the boy, we believe in
the Lord of the boy.' Someone came to the king
and said, `Do you see what you were afraid of?
By Allâh, what you were afraid of has happened
to you now.' So he ordered that ditches should
be dug at the intersections of the streets, and
they were dug and fires were lit in them. Then
he said, `Whoever does not give up his religion,
throw him into them' or it was said, `Throw
yourselves in'. They did this until they came to
a woman who had a baby with her. She felt scared
to throw herself in, but the infant said to her,
`O mother, have patience, for you are on the
right path.'" (Reported by Muslim in his
Saheeh, 5327).
After telling this
moving story about a boy coming to know the
truth and believe in it and adhere to it, we
would like to say to you if you think that your
family will give you a hard time if you become
Muslim, then you can keep your Islam secret and
do your prayers in secret, until Allaah finds a
way for you, for He will find the best way for
you. We welcome you as a reader and questioner,
and as a future brother in Islam, in sha Allaah.
Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih
Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)
2195: A new Muslim is not to
make up missed Islamic duties before accepting
Islam
Question:
A man accepts Islam and he is 40 years old.
Does he need to make up what he has missed from
his prayers?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
One who accepts Islam is not to make what he
or she has missed from prayers, fasting, alms
(zakaat) during his or her days of disbelief
(kufr), as indicated by the verse in which
Allaah says (what can be interpreted as):
Say to those who have disbelieved that if
they cease, what has previously occurred will be
forgiven for them… (Al-Anfaal:38)
And what was related that the Prophet (may
the peace and blessings and mercy of Allaah be
upon him) said, "Islam annuls what came before
it." (narrated by Muslim in his Sahih, no. 121).
Also, the Prophet (may the peace and blessings
and mercy of Allaah be upon him) did not command
anyone among those who accepted Islam to make up
for anything that he previously missed from the
rites and rituals of Islam during his days of
disbelief, and the scholars of Islam are in
consensus about this.
(Fatawa Al-Lajnah Al-Daa'imah, Rulings of the
Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and
Rulings, 6/400) (www.islam-qa.com)
4991: She wants to become
Muslim but she cannot accept some of the rulings
such as hijaab and doing the prayers on time.
Question:
I was born in a French catholic family. My
parents are strong and sincere believers, and I
respect that a lot.
Now I'm very interested
in Islam, but there are a couple of reasons that
"prevent" me from converting. For instance, as a
woman, I cannot accept polygamy, the fact of
stoning people who had an affair, of always
depend on a "mahram"...
Furthermore, it's not "easy" to be and live
as a Muslim in a western country : in my job, I
wouldn't be able to wear a veil, not to shake
men's hands anymore, pray 5 times a day... And
my parents (especially my mother who is sick)
would be very sad seeing me leaving
Christianity.
So my question is to know how I
can convert in such conditions. Is there a kind
of "minimum" required ? I mean, considering that
there are still things which I don't accept,
wouldn't it be better for me to wait ?
Thanks for your help.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
We put the following question to Shaykh
Muhammad ibn Saalih al-`Uthaymeen:
A non-Muslim woman is saying, "I want to
become Muslim but on the condition that I do not
have to do the five prayers until the end of the
day, because I cannot do them at work. And also
I cannot accept the idea of polygamy."
He answered as follows:
Praise be to Allaah. I think that she should
adhere to the rulings of Islam if she wants to
become Muslim and be saved from the Fire. But as
for her choosing what she wants and saying I
cannot accept the idea of polygamy _ as if she
is saying that she cannot accept it as a ruling
from Allaah _ or saying I cannot pray until I
finish my work, this is not acceptable.
Question:
In the book "Muntaqa al-Akhbaar", the
author says, "Chapter on the soundness of a
person's Islam when he lays down invalid
conditions", and he mentions the hadeeth of
Waheeb, who said:
"I asked Jaabir about the tribe of Thaqeef,
when they gave their Bay'ah (oath of allegiance)
to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allâh be
upon him), with the condition that they would
not have to pay Sadaqah (charity) or engage in
Jihaad. After that he heard the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allâh be upon him) say, `They
will give sadaqah and they will engage in
jihaad.'"
Can we understand from this that if a
non-Muslim comes and says `I want to become
Muslim on the condition that I can do all the
prayers together at the end of the day' this is
OK, or is this an entirely different case?
Shaykh:
This is an entirely different case, because
when that was said to the Messenger (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), he said, "If
they become Muslim, they will pray." This has to
do with matters of the Unseen, which we cannot
know. (in other words, the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) accepted that
from them because he knew, from what Allaah
taught him of the Unseen, that these people
would become good Muslims and would give charity
and engage in jihaad, whereas we cannot know the
Unseen and how this non-Muslim will be in the
future). If we accepted the conditions laid down
by the kuffaar, Islam would disintegrate. One
may stipulate the condition that we let him
engage in zinaa (unlawful sexual activity),
another may demand that we let him drink wine,
and so on and so forth…. The Messenger (peace
and blessings of Allâh be upon him) told `Ali,
when he sent him to the people of Khaybar: "Tell
them what their duties are towards Allaah in
Islam." The condition of Islam is that it must
be accepted in totality, as it is. The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allâh be upon him) told
Mu'aadh, "Teach them that Allaah has enjoined
five prayers upon them, and if they accept that,
then tell them about Zakaah." So the obligations
of Islam have to be accepted.
Question:
Can we not say that this person's entering
Islam serves a great interest, and that their
stipulating that they should be excused a few
acts of worship is less harmful?
Shaykh: Not at all! Whose interests are being
served here? The interests of the person
himself? But this is damaging to Islam, because
then lazy Muslims will say, "We will only pray
when we have finished work, like this person
does." So the harm this would do to Islam is
serious. If he really wants to save himself, let
him accept Islam in totality. "And whomsoever
Allaah leads astray, no-one can guide."
So what we say to you is this: become Muslim
and accept Islam in totality. Submit to Allaah
in all that He has prescribed, and Allaah will
help you and give you the strength to follow His
laws, if you are sincere in your intention
towards Him. Then if you are faced with
something that you cannot do for a genuine
reason, or are forced to do something, then if
you are sincere, Allaah will not punish you for
that. May Allaah help us and you to accept the
truth and adhere to it. May Allaah bless our
Prophet Muhammad. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed
Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)
6542: She wants to become
Muslim but she envisages a problem with regard
to Hajj and official papers
Question:
I would like to become a muslim but how do I
embrace islam without being a part of a
movement? I do realize all that is truly needed
is to pronounce the shahada; but what about the
Hajj? How do I particpate in that if I do not
have a signed document saying that I am a
muslim?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Islam is the relationship between a person
and his or her Lord, submission to His commands,
humbling oneself before Him, loving and fearing
Him, placing one's hopes in Him, and worshipping
Him in the manner He has prescribed. Islam also
has certain pillars and duties. The key to all
of this is to bear witness that there is no god
except Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger
of Allaah. With regard to Hajj, it is not a
condition for entering Islam, rather it is one
of the pillars and duties that come into effect
after a person has entered Islam, and it is a
duty only for those who are able to do it,
because Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House
(Ka`bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allâh,
those who can afford the expenses (for one's
conveyance, provision and residence)"
[Aal `Imraan 3:97]
(See Question # 5261 for details on
what constitutes being able to go for Hajj).
Obtaining an official certificate from an
Islamic centre as proof of your Islam so that
you can use it to get permission to go for Hajj
and enter the Holy Places is a means which you
must use in order to go for Hajj in the future,
but it is not a condition that is necessary for
you to become Muslim or start to do the acts of
worship such as Salaah (prayer) etc. When a
person becomes Muslim he becomes a member of the
Muslim Ummah and is connected to all the Muslims
who believe in One God by the bonds of Islamic
brotherhood which includes friendship and mutual
help and support, as Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning):
"The believers are nothing else than brothers
(in Islamic religion)" [al-Hujuraat 49:10]
"The believers, men and women, are Auliya'
(helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of
one another; they enjoin (on the people)
Al-Ma`roof (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that
Islam orders one to do), and forbid (people)
from Al-Munkar (i.e. polytheism and disbelief of
all kinds, and all that Islam has forbidden);
they perform As-Salaah (Iqaamat-as-Salaah), and
give the Zakaah, and obey Allaah and His
Messenger. Allaah will have His Mercy on them.
Surely, Allaah is All-Mighty, All-Wise"
[al-Tawbah 9:71]
So you must hasten to enter Islam. We
congratulate you on the keenness that you have
shown and we ask Allaah to help us and you to be
sincere towards Him, to be strong and to attain
success. And Allaah is the Guide to the Straight
Path.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
5019: Response to a request
from a kaafir woman for a story of a great
Muslim woman
Question:
Hi. I am a 15 year old . I am doing a
religion assignment on the role of women in
Islam and I find the information in your website
very helpful. I was just wondering, if you don't
mind doing it, if you could send me some more
information, maybe one particular woman's
stories? I don't really know much about Islamic
women, and I, like other non - Islamic
women/girls, have the perception that an Islamic
woman's life is a bit restricted. I hope that
you can put me right on that matter.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
We thank you for your interest and your
question. We will tell you the story of a great
Muslim woman; we hope that you will find what
you are looking for, and that this will be a
light to guide you to the path of Truth.
Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him)
reported:
Maalik ibn Anas said to his wife Um Sulaym _
who was the mother of Anas _ "This man _ meaning
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) _ is forbidding alcohol." So he left
Madeenah and went to Shaam (Syria), where he
died. (i.e., he fled from Madeenah when the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) came there, because he did not like the ban
on alcohol, and he died as a kaafir or
non-believer in Syria). Then Abu Talhah came and
proposed marriage to Um Sulaym, and spoke to her
about it. She said, "O Abu Talhah, a man like
you would not be turned down, but you are a
non-believer, and I am a Muslim woman. It is not
right for me to marry you." He said, "This is
the chance of a lifetime!" She said, "What
chance?" He said, "The yellow and white (i.e.,
he was tempting her with a mahr or dowry of gold
and silver)." She said, "I do not want any
yellow or white. I want you to become Muslim. If
you become Muslim, that will be my mahr, and I
will not ask you for anything else." He asked,
"Who could help me with that (i.e., to become
Muslim)?" She said, "The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) will
help you." So Abu Talhah went to look for the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him), who was sitting with his Companions. When
he [the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him)] saw him, he said, "Abu Talhah is
coming to you with the light of Islam shining on
his forehead." (This was one of the miracles of
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him): he knew that Abu Talhah would become
a Muslim even before he spoke). Abu Talhah told
the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) about what Um Sulaym had
said, and he married her on that basis. Thaabit
(i.e., Thaabit al-Banaani, one of the people who
narrated the story from Anas) said: "We have
never heard of any mahr greater than this, she
accepted his Islam as her dowry."
So he married her, and she was a woman with
nice eyes, rather small. She was with him until
she bore him a son, who Abu Talhah loved very
much. The child became very ill, and Abu Talhah
was very upset and distressed by the child's
sickness. Abu Talhah used to get up to pray the
morning prayer, he would go to the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and
pray with him, and would stay with him for
almost half the day. Then [Abu Talhah] would
come to take a nap and eat, and when he had
prayed Zuhr [mid-day prayer] he would get ready
and leave, and would not come back until the
time of the `Isha' [night-time] prayer. One
evening, Abu Talhah went out to see the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
(according to another report: to go to the
mosque), and the child died (during his
absence). Um Sulaym said, "No one is to tell Abu
Talhah about his child's death until I have told
him." She covered the child up as if he were
sleeping, and left him in a corner of the house.
Abu Talhah came back from visiting the Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him), and brought some people from the mosque
with him. He asked, "How is my son?" She said,
"O Abu Talhah, from the time he fell sick, he
has never been as calm as he is now, and I hope
that he is resting." (She spoke vaguely so as
not to upset him; this was not a lie. She was
referring to the calmness of death and the child
finding relief from the pain of his sickness,
but her husband took it to mean that the child's
condition had improved). She brought the meal
and they all ate dinner, then the people left.
Then he went to bed and lay down, and she got up
and put on perfume and adorned herself, making
herself more beautiful than she ever had before.
(This was a sign of her patience and great faith
in the will and decree of Allaah. She was
seeking reward from Allaah and concealing her
feelings, hoping that she would become pregnant
that night to make up for the loss of her
child). Then she came and lay down in the bed
with him, and when he smelt the perfume, he did
as men usually do with their wives (this is the
narrator's polite and circumspect manner of
referring to what happened between them). At the
end of the night, she said, "O Abu Talhah, do
you think that if some people lent something to
some others, then they asked for it back, do
they have the right not to give it back?" He
said, "No." She said, "Allaah, may He be
glorified, lent your son to you, and now He has
taken him back, so seek reward with Him and have
patience." He became angry and said, "You left
me until I did what I did (i.e., had
intercourse), then you tell me that my son has
died!" Then he said, "Innaa Lillaahi wa innaa
ilayhi raaji'oon (Truly, to Allaah we belong
and truly, to Him we shall return _ the words
uttered by Muslims when faced with news of death
or calamity) and he praised Allaah. In the
morning, he did ghusl (full ablution) then he
went to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) and prayed with
him, and told him what had happened. The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said, "May Allaah bless you
for last night." She conceived a child (thus the
Prophet's prayer for them was answered).
Um Sulaym used to travel with the Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him), leaving Madeenah when he left, and
returning when he returned. The Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said, "When she gives birth, bring the
child to me." He was on a journey, and Um Sulaym
was with him. When the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came
back from travelling, he would never enter
Madeenah at night (so as not to disturb the
people, and so that wives would have time to get
ready to greet their husbands). They reached the
outskirts of Madeenah, and her labour pains
started. Abu Talhah stayed with her, and the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) went on. Abu Talhah said, "O
Allaah, you know that I like to set out with
your Messenger when he sets out, and come back
with him when he comes back. I have been
detained as You see." Um Sulaym said, "O Abu
Talhah, I do not feel the pains as much (this
was one of her "miracles"; her labour pains
ceased because she had asked Allaah to enable
her to catch up with the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)). So
they set off, and after they had reached
Madeenah, her labour pains started again, and
she gave birth to a boy. She told her son Anas,
"O Anas, I will not give him anything to eat
until you take him in the morning to the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him)," and she sent some dates
with him. (Because she wanted the first thing to
enter the child's mouth to be food from the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him); this was a sign of her great faith,
because the woman's natural instinct is to
hasten to feed the baby as soon as he is born).
The child cried all night long, and I [Anas, the
narrator of this story] stayed up all night
taking care of him. In the morning, I took him
to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him), who was wearing his
burdah (a kind of cloak) and marking the camels
and sheep that had been given to him (the
animals had been given in charity and he was
marking them so that they would not get lost or
mixed with other flocks or herds). When he saw
him, he said to Anas, "Has the daughter of
Milhaan [i.e., Um Sulaym] given birth?" He said,
"Yes." He said, "I will be with you in a
minute." He put down the tool in his hand (with
which he had been marking the animals) and took
the child, then he said, "Do you have something
for him?" They said, "Yes, dates." The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) took
some of the dates and chewed them, mixing them
with his saliva (and the saliva of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was
blessed by Allaah). Then he opened the child's
mouth and gave him some of the dates, wiping
them inside his mouth (this is called Tahneek
and is one of the customs among Muslims when a
baby is born). The infant began to smack his
lips, sucking some of the sweetness of the dates
and the saliva of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him). Thus the first
thing that entered that child's stomach was
mixed with the saliva of the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). He
said, "See how much the Ansaar (the Muslims who
were living in Madeenah when the Prophet
migrated there) love dates!" I [Anas] said, "O
Messenger of Allaah, name him." He wiped his
face and named him `Abd-Allaah. There was no
young man among the Ansaar who was better than
him, and when he grew up he had a lot of sons,
and was martyred in Persia (he died as a martyr
when the Muslims conquered Persia; all of this
happened as a result of the Prophet's blessed
du'aa').
(The story was reported by Imaam al-Bukhaari,
Muslim, Ahmad and al-Tayaalisi; this version was
reported by al-Tayaalisi and others.
Al-`Allaamah al-Albaani collected all its
isnaads in his book Ahkaam al-Janaa'iz,
p. 20).
This is one story of one Muslim woman among
the Companions of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him). There are many
other stories which show the effect Islam had on
the hearts of Muslim women and how the religion
of Allaah bore fruits of righteous deeds and
good lives. In this there is enough to convince
the seeker of truth of the right religion which
he must follow. Read it again and think about
it; maybe you will take the greatest step of
your life. Peace be upon those who follow true
guidance.
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
4775: A Christian woman who
wants to become Muslim, but her husband is a
kaafir and an alcoholic, and she has a
relationship with a Muslim man
Question:
I have been studing Islam for a few months
now, I have a Quran and am busy reading it and I
must admit I am comparing it with the bible. I
am almost ready to embrace Islam however I have
two major problems. First I am married to a
Christian, he drinks a lot and is out of work at
this stage, when he drinks I become someone I do
not like very much. I do not drink at all and
have not for several years. My father was an
alcoholic and unfortunately I also married one.
I loved him very much when we got married
however he has slowly destroyed this love with
his manners and attitude. I do like him, when he
is sober he is the kindest and most giving
person I know and he would do almost anything
for his friends and I think for his family. We
have 2 children but they are both very fed up
with his drinking. If I had to leave him, he
will most definitely land up in the gutter. He
will not be able to cope on his own. He has a
very low self-esteem at this stage. I am very
helpless at this stage and do not know what to
do.
My second major problem is I am friends
with a much younger Muslim man. We have known
each other for a couple of years now and I have
also come to love him. The major problem here is
he is married and has two children, he is much
younger than what I am and he is friends with my
husband and I am friends with his wife. I have
never indicated to him how I feel or what I
feel, but I do dream a lot of what may be. I
know this is probably wrong. I am not the type
of person who will leave my husband for another
man but we have not had a proper marriage
relationship for almost six years now and I am
not dead yet.
I would like to embrace Islam but I am afraid
that my friend's attitude may change towards me
when I become a Muslimah, we now visit and talk
about almost anything ranging from business to
religion and I would not like to loose his
friendship by committing myself. My friend is a
is very staunch in his religion and he is a
practising Muslim.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
The conviction that you have reached must be
very firm and strong, because it is based on
research and study, and comes after you have
compared the Bible and the Qur'an. We do not
think that that you need to be convinced any
further, but the problems that you talk about
have to do with the next step, which is really
embracing the religion of Islam and starting to
practise it by living an Islamic life. We do not
see any real obstacles that would prevent you
from taking this step. Let us look at each of
these problems in turn.
The first problem is: how will your alcoholic
husband react to your becoming Muslim? The
Islamic ruling is that as soon as you embrace
Islam, you start your `iddah, which is the
waiting period (following dissolution of a
marriage).
Maalik (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
"According to our opinion, if a woman becomes
Muslim when her husband is a kaafir, then he
becomes Muslim, then he has more right (to go
back) to her as long as she is still in her
`iddah period, but if her `iddah has expired, he
has no right to go back to her."
Al-Shaafa'i said: "If one of them (the
couple) becomes Muslim before the marriage is
consummated, then their separation takes effect
instantly when one of them becomes Muslim. If
this happens after the marriage has been
consummated, then it becomes the matter of
waiting until three (menstrual periods) have
passed." This is if the woman has regular
periods; otherwise the waiting period is three
months. If the other partner becomes Muslim
before this time has passed, then their marriage
contract remains valid. (Tabyeen al-Haqaa'iq
Sharh Kanz al-Daqaa'iq, part 2, Baab
Nikaah al-Kaafir).
This is because a Muslim woman is not allowed
to be married to a kaafir at all, because Islam
should prevail and not be prevailed over.
So become Muslim, and present Islam to him
(your husband). If he becomes Muslim too, then
praise be to Allaah. Maybe this will make him
give up alcohol. If he does not become Muslim
and the `iddah time expires, then leave him,
especially as his circumstances are not
acceptable and and his alcoholism is causing so
much trouble for you and your children, and
living with him is unbearable. Do not feel any
regrets about him; maybe Allaah will compensate
you with someone better than him. If he cannot
take care of himself, then he only has himself
to blame, because he is bringing it upon
himself. If you leave him, this make him feel
bad and thus bring him back to his senses; maybe
then he will become Muslim and get his wife and
children back.
The second problem is very serious and
dangerous, because it has to do with an
Islamically unacceptable relationship between a
man and a non-mahram woman who talk together
intimately about all kinds of topics, without
any controls or restraints. This improper
conduct has led to other kinds of improper
conduct, namely love and attachment and fear of
separation from that person, as well as the
weighing up of this relationship against the
religion of Islam _ even though continuing this
intimate relationship is so harmful and entering
Islam is obligatory and will bring happiness in
this world and salvation from the Fire in the
Hereafter. Moreover, we are astonished and
wonder how he can be so committed to his
religion _ as you say _ yet he has formed such a
relationship with you that you describe him as
your friend. You must hasten to enter Islam and
advise this person in an appropriate fashion
(such as sending him an e-mail, for example).
Rest assured that when you become Muslim, Allaah
will make for you a way to get out (from
difficulty), and He will provide for you from
(sources) you could never imagine. So strive to
please your Lord, and He will be pleased with
you and will make other people pleased with you.
May Allaah help us all to do that which He loves
and which pleases Him.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
5024: His brother has become
Muslim but he is hesitant and wants advice
Question:
I want to become a Muslim, but am very
hesitant. My brother converted a few months ago,
which caused a lot of problems between him and
my parents(both of them being Christian). I have
a close relationship with my girlfriend, which
doesn't help me out much either. I don't know
what to do. I know it'll be a choice of Allah or
my parents/girlfriend. I know what the right
decision should be, I just don't know how, or
when to make it. I just need some advice.
Thanks…
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Congratulations to your brother,
congratulations to your brother, congratulations
to your brother! Please give him our best wishes
and greetings of peace (salaam) and tell him
that even though we are thousands of miles away,
we are praying he will stand firm in his faith
and gain a proper understanding of his religion.
Tell him that he has brothers in faith who share
his joy at having entered Islam, even though he
does not know their names or where they live.
This is the relationship of believers with one
another, like a structure parts of which support
other parts.
With regard to yourself, you say that you
know what the right decision is, and that is
great. You have come a long way, and all that
remains is for you to make the decision which
you know you have to make.
What is life without religion? What is the
point of living and working and striving if it
is not for the purpose of pleasing Allaah? Can
there be any joy in life or salvation after
death or any hope of attaining the bliss of
Paradise without entering Islam? If we do not
worship Allaah, what are we going to worship?
Our whims and desires? Would a wise person
accept to be the slave of his sexual desire that
will soon come to an end or of some wealth that
he will soon leave behind in this transient
world? Man has a spirit that will never be at
peace unless he worships Allaah. He has a
conscience that cannot thrive except in the
light of Allaah. He has a soul that can never be
at ease unless it is in contact with Allaah,
remembering Him, speaking to Him, praying and
fasting for His sake, putting its trust in Him
and repenting to Him. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Is he who was dead (without Faith by
ignorance and disbelief) and We gave him life
(by knowledge and Faith) and set for him a light
(of Belief) whereby he can walk amongst, like
him who is in the darkness (of disbelief,
polytheism and hypocrisy) from which he can
never come out?…" [al-An'aam 6:122]
"And whomsoever Allaah wills to guide, He
opens his breast to Islam, and whomsoever He
wills to send astray, He makes his breast closed
and constricted, as if he is climbing up to the
sky…"
[al-An'aam 6:125]
There is no need for hesitation in this
matter, because it is the matter of freedom from
the Fire of Hell and salvation from the wrath of
al-Jabbaar (the Compeller, i.e., Allaah), and
attaining the victory of happiness in this world
and the next. Allaah Who created you and created
the heavens and earth is greater, and obeying
Him is more important, than the closest of
relatives and the dearest of friends. Become
Muslim and you will be safe. Allaah will help
you with regard to your parents and will give
you the strength to stand firm against their
pressure.
Who knows, maybe you and your brother will be
the cause of saving your entire family. Allaah
told the Prophet Moosa (Moses) about his brother
Haaroon (Aaron), peace be upon them both
(interpretation of the meaning): "We will
strengthen your arm through your brother…"
[al-Qasas 28:35]
So together they went to call Pharaoh and his
people to worship Allaah.
With regard to your girlfriend, do not think
that this forbidden relationship will help you
adhere to the truth. You have to call her to
Islam and to repent to Allaah. If she repents,
then marry her in accordance with the Islamic
way that is acceptable to Allaah. If she does
not, then do not feel any regrets about her.
The Prophet of Islam said: "Whoever gives up
something for the sake of Allaah, Allaah will
compensate him with something better."
We ask Allaah to hasten the blessings of
Islam for you, to bless you with happiness in
this world and success in the Hereafter, and to
protect you from all evil. We look forward to
hearing happy news. Peace be with you.
Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih
Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
4816: She wants to become
Muslim but thinks she will have problems with
her friends, family and job
Question:
I am a woman studying Islam and have a few
questions that need answering:
1. I have a few Muslim male friends, we are
very close and they treat me as an equal, if I
had to convert to Islam would their attitutes
towards me have to change, e.g. when I visit
their houses, their wifes are very much in the
background while I am allowed to sit with the
men and partake in the conversation the wifes
are usually busy in the kitchens or else busy
with the kids or generally sit and watch TV
while we talk; I would not like to loose these
special moments with my friends;
2. What will I be able to do about Friday
prayers? I work in a place where my situation is
very difficult. My collegeus are very prejudice
against Muslims and I am afraid that should I
convert they will freak. I have read somewhere
that you can appoint someone to do the prayers
for you, is that true?
3. My family are all very staunch Christians
and I was brought up as a christian, I am also
married to a christian but he has no objections
to my studying and practicing Islam, if I had to
convert how can I get my family to leave me
alone?
4. Obviously this is a big step for me and I
do still have doubts as to whether I am doing
the right thing, how can one be 100% sure that
you are doing the right thing. In my heart I
feel OK about this although my mind has a lot of
worries as you can notice from my questions. I
am sure of the Oneness of God and have always
been. I have read the Choice by Ahmed Deedat and
I am sure about the Prophet (PBUH) and I do and
have always believed in life after death but why
do I still feel so confused? Am I ready to take
the big step?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Is what you want to do the right step? Are
you ready to take this great step? From what you
say, these are the two important questions to
which you have been trying to find the answer.
We thank you for consulting us, and we believe
that what you are going to do is the right step
for sure, because this is the religion of
Allaah, and He does not accept any other
religion from His slaves, as He says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"And whoever seeks a religion other than
Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in
the Hereafter he will be one of the losers."
[Aal `Imraan 3:85]
Maybe you have compared (religions, etc.) and
read widely and have reached the conviction that
this is the true religion which you must follow,
but this is not enough and it will not save a
person just to believe in the Oneness of Allaah
and the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the
resurrection after death. He must also utter the
Shahadataayn and practise Islam. It seems to us
that your hesitation is not due to lack of
conviction of the truth but because of certain
fears that have to do with social factors such
as friends, family, husband and job.
One aspect of the answer may be found under
Question # 4775, so please refer to that. As far
as your Muslim acquaintances are concerned, you
will be sitting with their wives, not with the
men, as is dictated by Islamic teaching. If you
find this difficult at first, you will find it
easy later on. If these women are too busy, then
look for other sincere Muslim women who you can
make friends with and encourage one another to
adhere to the truth.
If you are sincere towards Allaah, He will
help you to overcome your difficulties with your
husband and family. With regard to Friday
Prayers, this is not obligatory for women
because the Prophet of Islam (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "It is a
duty for every Muslim to pray Jumu'ah in
congregation apart from four: slaves, women,
young boys and the sick." (Reported by Abu
Dawood, 901). Women have to pray four rak'ahs of
Zuhr prayer on Friday wherever they are. What
you have heard about a person delegating someone
else to pray on his behalf is not correct at
all. Prayer is fard `ayn, i.e., an
individual duty for each Muslim, and it is not
acceptable for one person to appoint someone
else as a proxy or for one person to pray on
behalf of another. In any case, you have no need
for this in the case of Jumu'ah prayers, as you
now know.
Briefly, all you need in your case is to put
your trust in Allaah and strive to please Him.
Go ahead and embrace His religion even if it
makes other people angry. So long as you accept
Him as your Lord and God, and follow His
religion, He will never let you down or forsake
you. We believe that you are ready to take this
great step, in sha Allaah, so remember our
advice in brief is "Go for it" and put your
trust in Allaah. We ask Allaah to give you
strength.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam
qa.com)
4246: becoming a Muslim
Question:
I would like to become a musilim.
Is this possible? And if so, how can this
happen. I do not know much.I know some things.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Any human being can embrace Islam. You do not
need anyone's permission. You simply say and
believe that there is No God except Allah and
that Mohammad is his Messenger. Once you say
this sentence, you automatically become Muslim.
From there, you start carrying on with the
duties of Islam. You must do what Allah and His
messenger tell you to, and stay away from what
they tell you to. Islam does not tell you to do
anything unless it is good for you. It also does
not tell you to stay away from anything unless
it is bad for you. You will notice the change in
the way you look at things, the minute you
become a Muslim. You will feel more relieved and
secure only to think that you are fulfilling the
orders of Allah. Doing this, you will clearly
see the benefits of it for yourself and for
mankind. You can embrace Islam in any Islamic
center. This is only a formality. Once you say
and believe in the Oneness of Allah and in the
message of his Prophet Mohammad, then you are a
Muslim.
To become a Muslim, simply say the following
words:
Ash hadu alla ilaha illa Allah, wa ash
hadu anna Mohammadan abduhu wa rasuluhu.
This means I testify and witness that there
is no god worthy of being worshipped other than
Allah and that Mohammad is his Messenger. You
must say it and believe in it.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
4028: Response to a stubborn
disbeliever
Question:
Did you know your religion was founded and
developed by Catholics? I know Muhammad was your
Christ, but let me tell you friend the God you
know is not the God of Gods but the Devil of
Devils.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
We do not wish to respond to slander in kind,
but we will answer you, you disbeliever, with
quotes from the Word of God (the Qur'aan), if
you even believe in the existence of God.
O disbeliever, we debate with you in the
words addressed by Allaah (the Arabic name of
the One True God) to the People of the Book
(Jews and Christians) and the disbelievers. He
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"O People of the Scripture (Jews and
Christians)! Do not exceed the limits in your
religion, nor say of Allaah aught but the truth.
The Messiah `Eesa (Jesus) son of Maryam (Mary)
was (no more than) a Messenger of Allaah and His
Word (`Be!' _ and he was), which He bestowed on
Maryam, and a spirit created by Him; so believe
in Allaah and His Messengers. Say not: `Three
(trinity)!' Cease! (it is) better for you. For
Allaah is (the only) One (God). Glory be to Him
(Far Exalted is He) above having a son. To Him
belongs all that is in the heavens and all that
is in the earth. And Allaah is All-Sufficient as
a Disposer of Affairs."
[al-Nisa' 4:171]
"Say: O people of the Scripture (Jews and
Christians)! Do you criticize us for no other
reason than that we believe in Allaah, and in
(the revelation) which has been sent down before
(us), and that most of you are faasiqoon
(rebellious and disobedient [to Allaah])?"
[al-Maa'idah 5:59]
"How can you disbelieve in Allaah? Seeing
that you were dead and He gave you life. Then He
will give you death, then again will bring you
to life (on the Day of Resurrection) and then
unto Him you will return."
[al-Baqarah 2:28]
"… whosoever disbelieves in Allaah, His
Angels, His Books, His Messengers, and the Last
Day, then indeed he has strayed far away…
Verily, those who disbelieve in Allaah and
His messengers and wish to make a distinction
between Allaah and His Messengers (by believing
in Allaah and disbelieving in His Messengers)
saying, `We believe in some but not in others,'
and wish to adopt a way in between,
They are in truth disbelievers. And We have
prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating
torment."
[al-Nisa' 4:136, 150-151]
O disbeliever, do you think that you can do
any harm to Allaah by your disbelief? Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"… But if you disbelieve, then unto Allaah
belongs all that is in the heavens and all that
is in the earth, and Allaah is Ever Rich (Free
of all wants), Worthy of all praise." [al-Nisa'
4:131]
You will only increase in hatefulness and
loss in the sight of Allaah, you disbeliever,
for you are one of the worst of living
creatures, as Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"Verily, the worst of moving (living)
creatures before Allaah are those who
disbelieve, - so they shall not believe."
[al-Anfaal 8:55]
O disbeliever, are you not going to die? Or
do you doubt that as well? Do you know what your
position will be when you die, if you die in a
state of disbelief? Listen:
"And if you could see when the angels take
away the souls of those who disbelief (at
death), they smite their faces and their backs,
(saying): `Taste the punishment of the blazing
Fire.'"
[al-Anfaal 8:50]
O disbeliever, woe to you from what will
happen to you on the Day of Resurrection! Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"… so woe to the disbelievers from the
meeting of a great Day (i.e., the Day of
Resurrection, when they will be thrown in the
blazing Fire)."
[Maryam 19:37]
We have an appointment with you after death,
on the Day of Reckoning:
"On that day those who disbelieved and
disobeyed the Messenger [Muhammad SAWS (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him)] will wish
that they were buried in the earth, but they
will never be able to hide a single fact from
Allaah."
[al-Nisa' 4:42]
O disbeliever, do you know what Allaah has
prepared for you if you die in a state of
disbelief? Read:
"And whosoever does not believe in Allaah and
His Messenger [Muhammad SAWS (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him)], then verily,
We have prepared for the disbelievers a blazing
Fire."
[al-Fath 48:13]
"Verily, those who disbelieve, and die while
they are disbelievers, it is they on whom is the
Curse of Allaah and of the angels and mankind,
combined."
[al-Baqarah 2:161]
"Verily, those who disbelieved, and died
while they were disbelievers, the (whole) earth
full of gold will not be accepted from any one
of them even if they offered it as a ransom. For
them is a painful torment and they will have no
helpers."
[Aal `Imraan 3:91]
"Surely, those who reject Faith, neither
their properties, nor their offspring will avail
them aught against Allaah. They are the dwellers
of the Fire, therein they will abide."
[Aal `Imraan 3:116]
Do you know what you will have to drink in
Hell if you die as a disbeliever? Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"… But those who disbelieved will have a
drink of boiling fluids and painful torment
because they used to disbelieve."
[Yoonus 10:5]
Do you know what you will have to wear on
that Day? Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"… Then as for those who disbelieve, garments
of fire will be cut out for them, boiling water
will be poured down over their heads."
[al-Hajj 22:19]
Do you know what kind of punishment you will
endure?
"Surely! Those who disbelieved in Our Signs,
We shall burn them in Fire. As often as their
skins are roasted through, We shall change them
for other skins that they may taste the
punishment. Truly, Allaah is Ever Most Powerful,
All-Wise."[al-Nisa' 4:56]
"If only those who disbelieved knew (the
time) when they will not be able to ward off the
Fire from their faces, nor from their backs; and
they will not be helped."[al-Anbiya'
21:39]
O reviler, maybe on the Day of Judgement you
will wish that you had been a Muslim in this
world. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"Perhaps (often) will those who disbelieve
wish that they were Muslims."
[al-Hijr 15:2]
O disbeliever, you are among those who have
disbelieved and done wrong. Allaah says
concerning you and your like (interpretation of
the meaning):
"Verily those who disbelieve and do wrong,
Allaah will not forgive them, nor will He guide
them to any way" [al-Nisa' 4:168]
"Those who disbelieve and deny our signs are
those who will be the dwellers of the
Hell-fire."
[al-Maa'idah 5:10]
There you will have no life, but neither will
you be able to find any respite in death. Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
"But those who disbelieve, for them will be
the Fire of Hell. Neither will it have a
complete killing effect on them so that they
die, nor shall its torment be lightened for
them. Thus do We requite every disbeliever!"
[Faatir 35:36]
O disbeliever, have the glad tidings of a
punishment from which you will not be able to
ransom yourself:
"Verily, those who disbelieve, if they had
all that is in the earth, and as much again
therewith to ransom themselves thereby from the
torment on the Day of Resurrection, it would
never be accepted of them, and theirs would be a
painful torment."
[al-Maa'idah 5:36]
O disbeliever, if you want to mock Islam and
its followers, this is nothing new:
"Beautified is the life of this world for
those who disbelieve, and they mock at those who
believe. But those who obey Allaah's Orders and
keep away from what He has forbidden, will be
above them on the Day of Resurrection. And
Allaah gives (of His bounty on the Day of
Resurrection) to whom He wills without limit."
[al-Baqarah 2:212]
O disbeliever, if you think that the light of
Islam will be extinguished, then you are living
in a world of illusions. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"They (the disbelievers) want to extinguish
Allaah's Light with their mouths, but Allaah
will not allow except that His Light should be
perfected even though the disbelievers hate
(it)."
[al-Tawbah 9:32]
O disbeliever, do you know that you are
cursed if you do not submit to Allaah, so save
yourself from this curse:
"Verily, Allaah has cursed the disbelievers,
and has prepared for them a flaming Fire
(Hell)."
[al-Ahzaab 33:64]
There is still time for you to repent from
sin and transgression, so long as you are still
alive. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"Say to those who have disbelieved, if they
cease (from disbelief) their past will be
forgiven. But if they return (thereto), then the
examples of those (punished) before them have
already preceded (as a warning)."
[al-Anfaal 8:38]
Whoever is guided, then it is for his own
benefit, and whoever disbelieves, then Allaah
has no need of His creation. The curse of Allaah
be upon the disbelievers.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
4545: She wants to convert to Islam but there
are only men in the Islamic centre
Question:
I am seriously thinking of converting to
Islam but the mosque in my town has only male
muslims at it .Should I go and give my
declaration or find another way?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly, we want to congratulate you for
seriously thinking about embracing Islam and
entering into the true religion. May you be one
of those for whom Allaah wishes good and whom He
decrees will be one of those who enjoy
happiness. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"And whomsoever Allaah wills to guide, He
opens his breast to Islam…" [al-An'aam
6:125]
Secondly, it is not obligatory to declare
your Islam at an Islamic centre, although this
may be useful for some official purposes or if
you need written proof of your Islam in the
future. On this basis, it will be enough for you
to pronounce the Shahaadatayn (the declaration
of faith) and start to practise the rituals of
Islamic worship, such as prayer and following
what is commanded by Allaah and His Messenger.
We ask Allaah to pour His blessings on you and
to guide you to the straight path.
Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih
Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)
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Introduction