Calling non-Muslims to
Islam
Chapter 6
4319: A Jewish woman thinking
about embracing Islam
Question:
Salam Aleikum,
I have very difficult question and I this is
my only hope that you can help me to find the
answer.
I am Russian Jewish girl and I know this
Muslim guy for over a year. The longer we know
each other, the more problems and difficulties
we face. Not in the religious or cultural ways.
We love each other and there is an issue of
whether he can marry me or not. He is very good
Muslim and he comes from traditional family. I
am very found of his believes and believes of
his family. I was born in very agnostic country
and couldn't be properly introduced into any
religion. It was forbidden. When I came to US I
started my research on different religions and
found out, that my believes do not really match
all jewish sayings. I did a lot of research on
Islam and by looking at him and couple other
Muslim boys and girls, and by reading Quaran, I
have very strong feeling that I could become a
good Muslim. I want to go to school to learn the
culture and religion more precise, to learn the
language. I contacted the mosque and was ready
to go... but I faced the issue: would I be
accepted as Muslim sister like other people who
came from different religions accept Jewish?
Jewish and Muslims are in big contradictions and
I know that friendship is almost impossible. I
am praying to God (in my home language -
Russian), to lead me the right way to achieve my
believes. Please, help me to find my answers!
Thank you very much.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
"I have very strong feeling that I could
become a good Muslim." The way you express
yourself so clearly in your message indicates
that you are indeed open to the truth and have
been sincerely seeking for it.
"I am praying to God (in my home language
_Russian), to lead me to the right way…" What
you say here, at the end of your message, makes
the Muslim reader feel deeply moved by the story
of a woman who has turned towards Allaah after
realizing that He answers the prayers of those
who call on Him and ask for guidance to the
right way. Allaah says in the Qur'aan
(interpretation of the meaning): "And when My
slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning Me, then
(answer them), I am indeed near (to them, by My
knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the
supplicant when he calls on Me (without any
mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me
and believe in Me, so that they may be led
aright." [al-Baqarah 2:186]. It is a good
sign that your heart appears to be open to
Islam. Allaah also tells us in the Qur'aan:
"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]
Please note that Muslims who understand their
religion properly will not feel any kind of
reservation or resentment towards any brother or
sister who embraces Islam, no matter what their
origins. The fact that a new Muslim comes from a
Jewish or Christian background should not be a
reason for any kind of discrimination or
prejudice. We will give you two examples from
Islamic history of two Jews _ one man and one
woman _ who entered Islam.
The first one is Abu Yoosuf `Abd-Allaah ibn
Salaam (may Allaah be pleased with him). Anas
(may Allaah be pleased with him) said: "When
`Abd-Allaah ibn Salaam heard that the Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) had come to Madeenah, he came to him and
said, `I am going to ask you about three things
which no one knows except a Prophet. What is the
first Sign of the Hour? What is the first food
that the people of Paradise will eat? And how is
it that a child may resemble either his father
or his maternal uncles?' The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: `Jibreel has just now informed me about
these.' `Abd-Allaah ibn Salaam said, `He is the
enemy of the Jews among the angels.' The
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: `The first sign of the
Hour is a fire that will gather the people
together from the East to the West. The first
food that the people of Paradise will eat will
be the caudate (extra) lobe of fish-liver. As
for the child resembling one parent or another,
when a man has intercourse with his wife, if the
man's discharge precedes the woman's discharge,
the child will resemble the man, and if the
woman's discharge precedes the man's, the child
will resemble the woman." [`Abd-Allaah] said: `I
bear witness that you are the Messenger of
Allaah…'"
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, 3082).
Al-Bukhaari also reported: " `Abd-Allaah ibn
Salaam came and said: `I bear witness that you
are the Messenger of Allaah and that you have
brought the truth. The Jews know that I am the
best of them and the son of the best of them,
and I am the most knowledgeable of them and the
son of the most knowledgeable of them, so call
them and ask them about me before they know that
I have become Muslim, for if they know that I
have become Muslim, they will say things about
me that are not true.' The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) sent for them
and they came to him. The Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said
to them, `O Jews, woe to you! Fear Allaah, for
by Allaah besides Whom there is no other god,
you know that I am truly the Messenger of Allaah
and that I come to you with the truth, so become
Muslim.' They said, `We know nothing about
that.' He said it three times… He said, `What
kind of man is `Abd-Allaah ibn Salaam among
you?' They said, `He is the best of us and the
son of the best of us; he is the most
knowledgeable of us and the son of the most
knowledgeable among us.' He said, `What would
you think if he became Muslim?' They said, `May
Allaah protect him from that! He would never
become Muslim.' He said, `What would you think
if he became Muslim?' They said, `May Allaah
protect him from that! He would never become
Muslim.' He said, `What would you think if he
became Muslim?' They said, `May Allaah protect
him from that! He would never become Muslim.' He
said, `O son of Salaam, come out to them.' He
[`Abd-Allaah] came out and said, `O Jews, fear
Allaah! By Allaah besides Whom there is no other
god, you know that he is the Messenger of Allaah
and that he has come with the truth.' They said,
`You are lying!' The Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told them
to leave."
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, 3621)
This man's Jewish origins did not prevent him
from being one of those who were given the glad
tidings of Paradise before they died. Sa'd ibn
Abi Waqqaas (may Allaah be pleased with him)
said: "I never heard the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
saying to any man who walked on the face of the
earth that he would be one of the people of
Paradise except for `Abd-Allaah ibn Salaam.
Concerning him, the aayah (interpretation of the
meaning) `… and a witness from among the
Children of Israel testifies that this Qur'aan
is from Allaah…' [al-Ahqaaf 46:10] was
revealed."
The Jewish woman who became Muslim was
Safiyyah bint Huyay ibn Akhtab, from the Jews of
Khaybar, who believed in Allaah as her Lord,
Islam as her religion, and Muhammad as her
Prophet.
This Jewish woman Safiyyah, who embraced
Islam, became a mother for all of us Muslims, as
Allaah said in the Qur'aan (interpretation of
the meaning): "The Prophet is closer to the
believers than their own selves, and his wives
are their mothers…"
[al-Ahzaab 33:6].
Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
"The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) stayed between Khaybar and Madeenah
for three days when he got married to Safiyyah
bint Huyay, and invited the Muslims to his
waleemah (wedding feast)… The Muslims said, `Is
she one of the Mothers of the Believers or is
she one of those whom his right hand possesses?'
They said, `If he covers her, then she is one of
the Mothers of the Believers and if he does not
cover her, then she is one of those whom his
right hand possesses.' When he got on his camel,
he made her ride behind him, and he put a screen
between her and the people." (Reported by
al-Bukhaari, 4762).
Safiyyah (may Allaah be pleased with her) was
the one for whom the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) came out of
seclusion (I'tikaaf) especially to accompany her
to her house. (The one who is in seclusion for
worship is not allowed to come out except for a
valid reason). `Ali ibn al-Husayn (may Allaah be
pleased with them both) reported that Safiyyah,
the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) told him that she came to
the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) to visit him whilst he was
in I'tikaaf in the mosque, during the last ten
days of Ramadaan. She spoke with him for a
while, then she wanted to go back to her house,
so the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) got up and took her back…
(Reported by al-Bukhaari, 1894)
According to another report: The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was
in the mosque, and his wives were with him, then
they left. He said to Safiyyah bint Huyay,
"Don't rush, I will go with you." Her home was
in the house of Usaamah, and the Prophet (peace
and blessin
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
3143: Why does Islam continue
to be successful in the developed world?
Question:
Why has Islam continued to be so successful
in the modern world?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Islam continues to be successful in the
developed world, and elsewhere, because its call
is in accordance with the fitrah or natural
inclinations of mankind, and it advocates the
best of human values, such as tolerance, love,
mercy, truthfulness and sincerity.
Islam educates people and lifts them up to
righteous conduct, good manners and virtue. Its
call is distinguished from others by its
realism, balance and moderation. Islam pays due
attention to both the soul and the body. It
neither suppresses physical desires nor allows
extravagance in this regard; it makes a
distinction between the natural inclination to
enjoy the pleasures of this world and forbidden
desires that come under the heading of depravity
and perversion.
People embrace Islam because they find
security, comfort and peace in it, they see a
cure for their problems in it, and through it
they are able to get rid of their feelings of
confusion, anxiety and loss.
Islam is the religion of the fitrah, the
natural inclination or pattern on which Allaah
has created mankind. For this reason, people of
sound minds and upright inclinations embrace
Islam, as Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased
with him) said: "The Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
`There is no child who is not born in a state of
fitrah (i.e., Islam), then his parents make him
into a Jew, a Christian or a Magian
(Zoroastrian), just as animals produce whole
animals (i.e., the animals are born perfect with
no part of their bodies missing). Do you find
any born with their ears cut off?'" Then Abu
Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:
" `… Allaah's handiwork according to the
pattern on which He has made mankind: no change
(let there be) in the work (wrought) by Allaah:
that is the Standard Religion…' [al-Room 30:30 _
interpretation of the meaning _ Yusuf Ali's
translation]." (Reported by al-Bukhaari,
1359). What is meant is that Allaah has created
mankind with the potential to learn the truth,
accept Tawheed (pure monotheism) and submit to
Allaah. Their natural inclination is to learn
Islam and love it, but a bad education, a kaafir
(disbelieving) environment, their own whims and
desires and the devils among jinn and mankind
turn them away from the truth. Mankind is
basically inclined towards Tawheed (pure
monotheism), as the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) reported that his Lord
(Allaah) said: "I created all my slaves as
`hunafa' (pure monetheists), but the devils
turned them away from their religion." (Reported
by Muslim). For this reason the one who becomes
a Muslim after having been a disbeliever is
described as having "reverted" to Islam, as this
is more correct than saying that he "converted."
When Islam enters a country where there is no
nationalism or great legacy of jaahiliyah
(ignorance), it spreads quickly because of its
strength and the small number of obstacles. You
may also see that Islam is suitable for all
people, educated and uneducated, male and
female, old and young; everyone finds in it what
he wants and needs. Those who become Muslim in
developed countries realize what their country's
civilization and laws, which have been
fabricated from men's whims and desires, have
done to them, and they realize the extent of the
misery in which people in developed countries
are living. They see how prevalent psychological
illnesses, nervous breakdowns, insanity and
suicides are, despite the technological advances
and great number of discoveries and inventions
and modern systems of management. This is
because all of that is concerned only with the
physical and the outward, but it neglects the
inward and fails to nourish and nurture the
heart and soul. Allaah says of these people
(interpretation of the meaning): "They know
only the outside appearance of the life of the
world, and they are heedless of the Hereafter."
[al-Room 30:7]
Islam will continue to succeed, with the
permission of Allaah, so long as those who work
for its sake are sincere and its followers
adhere to it and believe in it, and apply its
laws.
The fact that there are those who are not
committed or who fall short will not prevent
Islam from succeeding, with the permission of
Allaah, and nothing can distort its beauty. Its
light will not falter because some people
abandon it or fail to adhere to it. What Islam
has given humanity in the way of progress and
civilization, and lifting them up from the
darkness of oppression and enmity, is pride
enough.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
3601: Can he call non-Muslims
to Islam with the little knowledge that he has?
Question:
Assalam u alaikum. Is it allowed for someone
with little knowledge of Islam to inform other
people about Islam - just the basics i.e. the
five pillars and a few brief points on Islam,
directing them to more knowledable sources for
further discussion e.g. websites. Or am I doing
an injustice to these people? By only giveing
them a brief intro and leaving them as they are?
For I read that everyone will see Islam at some
point in their life. That being the case, if I
only give someone a brief intro would it be
okay?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
There is nothing at all wrong with conveying
what you know of the religion of Allaah to
non-Muslims, as long as you are certain that it
is correct, such as the basics that you mention,
like the five pillars of Islam or the pillars of
eemaan (faith). Indeed, this is probably
obligatory upon you, as Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning): "Let there
arise out of you a group of people inviting to
all that is good (Islam), enjoining al-ma'roof
(i.e., Islamic monotheism and all that Islam
orders one to do) and forbidding al-munkar
(polytheism and disbelief and all that Islam has
forbidden). And it is they who are the
successful." [Aal `Imraan 3:104]
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) said: "Convey from me, even an aayah."
(Reported by al-Bukhaari). Ibn Hajar (may Allaah
have mercy on him) said: He said in the hadeeth,
"even an aayah", meaning one aayah, as if he was
saying that every listener should hasten to
convey whatever aayaat he heard, even if it is
only a few. Some of the Sahaabah set out to call
their tribes to Islam when they had only a
little knowledge that they had gained during the
brief time they had sat with the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him). But even
though their knowledge was so little, it was
correct and was blessed, and because of their
sincerity, Allaah benefitted others through it.
Al-Tufayl ibn `Umar went from Makkah to his
people Daws with the limited amount of knowledge
that he had, then he came to the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in Madeenah
accompanied by eighty families of Daws, all of
whom had become Muslim, and among whom was Abu
Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him).
Know that some non-Muslims may become Muslim
for the slightest reason and by hearing the
briefest word said to them. Do not think that
the knowledge you have is too little for the
purposes of conveying the Message. "… invite
them to your Lord. Verily! You indeed are on the
(true) straight guidance." [al-Hajj 22:67 _
interpretation of the meaning].
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
3313: Difficulties facing a
Christian girl who wants to take the decision to
enter Islam
Question:
I am a young Christian woman and I have been
reading about Islam for some months now. I have
already read a translation of the Koran and
several books about Islam along with articles
and other material I have found on the internet
and elsewhere. I do not pretend to know or
understand everything, there are many things
that still confuse me, and I have a hard time
accepting some applications and interpretations
of Islam that I have read about. However, I do
believe in God and I do believe that Muhammad
was his prophet and that the Koran is the
revealed word of God. The question is what
should I do about it? As I said there are still
so many things that I do not know or understand
and this is a major decision I am trying to make
and to tell the truth it feels like an enormous
responsibility and it is quite frightening. What
worries me the most is that I don't know how
well I could live by Islam if I converted. I
have already changed some things in my life, I
have stopped drinking, I avoid pork and I try to
wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants (or
skirts) when I go out. But I also know that
there are some things I would not be able to do
immediately if I converted, for various reasons,
(at least that is the way it looks to me at
this moment), such as wearing hijab.
Also, I am currently studying abroad (in the
US, but I am from Europe) but I am going home to
my family over Christmas. I don't think I would
be able to tell my family right away if I
converted and thus I do not know if I could do
things such as pray all the five daily prayers,
fast or avoid pork while at home over Christmas.
Would it be wrong of me converting knowing
that I will not be able to fulfill all the
obligations that follow (at least not
immediately), and knowing that there are still
many issues that I do not understand or have a
hard time accepting wholeheartedly (due to lack
of understanding and knowledge . Please guide me
.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
What you have achieved in your quest for the
truth is great indeed. All that remains to be
done is the most important step you will ever
take in your life, which is to pronounce the
Shahaadatayn and enter Islam. We truly
appreciate the great efforts you have made by
reading the entire Qur'aan in translation, and
other books and articles about Islam, and also
by already giving up some haraam things such as
drinking wine and eating pork. The most
important thing that you have achieved is your
conviction about Islam, the Prophet of Islam and
the Book of Islam. From your question we can sum
up the obstacles that you face in two points:
some social embarrassment
some matters that you do not yet fully
understand
With regard to the second point, it is not a
condition for becoming Muslim that a person
should know the entire religion, because it is a
vast ocean. You can become Muslim and then learn
the religion and develop full conviction about
all the rulings of Islam. At the beginning, it
is sufficient to believe in the six pillars of
faith in general terms (belief in Allaah, His
Angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day
and predestination, both good and bad) and to
understand and accept in general terms the five
pillars of Islam (testifying that there is no
god but Allaah and that Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allaah, prayer, paying zakaah,
fasting in Ramadaan, and performing Hajj to the
sacred House of Allaah, for the one who is able
and has the means). Realize that knowledge and
conviction develop gradually, and that faith
increases by doing acts of worship and obedience
to Allaah, which in turn leads to a deeper
understanding and acceptance of the rulings of
Islam.
With regard to the first point, we are sure
that if you enter Islam and are sincere towards
Allaah and do righteous deeds, then Allaah will
give you the strength, steadfastness, courage
and certainty to face all difficulties and
overcome them. The experience of other women who
have become Muslim before you gives you a good
example of what you could be able to do in the
future as regards following the rules of Islam,
such as hijaab and other issues, despite being
surrounded by an overwhelming atmosphere of
kufr. We also say that if any woman were to ask
us whether she should become Muslim despite not
wearing full hijab or stay a kaafir, we would
definitely tell her to become Muslim, because
the seriousness and danger of remaining a kaafir
is far worse than being a Muslim but committing
a sin.
We understand totally the difficulties and
social embarrassment that you speak of, and we
know that going against one's family and the
society in which one lives are very difficult
matters, but Allaah makes every difficult thing
easy.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings):
"… And Allaah is the Wali (Protector and
Helper) of the believers." [Aal `Imraan 3:68]
"…And whosoever fears Allaah and keeps his
duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get
out (from every difficulty)." [al-Talaaq 65:2]
"… Allaah will grant after hardship, ease."
[al-Talaaq 65:7]
"As for those who strive hard in Us (Our
Cause), We will surely guide them to Our Paths
(i.e., Allaah's Religion _ Islamic Monotheism)…"
[al-`Ankaboot 29:69]
We also want to tell you that it is possible
for a person, if he becomes Muslim and fears
unbearable persecution or hardship, to conceal
his Islam and keep it a secret, hiding his acts
of worship from the people around him although
it is difficult to do so. But for the sake of
following the truth and saving oneself from the
punishment of Hellfire, everything becomes easy
and the believer can overcome all difficulties.
Finally, we can only thank you for the
efforts you have made and for sending this
question. We hope that the next step, which you
should take immediately, is abundantly clear to
you from our answer. We will be very happy to
help you with anything you may need in the
future, and we ask Allaah to guide you to the
path of truth, to help you and to make things
easy for you. Allaah is the Guide to the
Straight Path. Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed
Salih Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)
749: Wants to embrace Islam
but has a girlfriend and children
Question:
Hello, my name is XXXX, and I have decided to
embrace Islam as my way of life..
However my girlfriend and soon to be wife has
embraced christianity for her way life and for
our two children..
I have no problem with her
faith, but she always wants me to go to church
with them, and sometimes I do to keep the peace.
But I'm not sure how I should handle this
reguest after I have become a muslim and have
embraced Islam..
Can I still attend her church services's from
time to time? How do I handle this dilemma..
She seems to be supportive of my decision to
embrace Islam, but Like many others including
myself. Untill I did my own research and
discovered this magnificent way of life. She's a
bit apprehensive..
Please guide me in the ways of Islam, so as
not to hurt our family relationship..
Thank you..
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
First of all, you should hasten to enter
Islam, which is easy to do. An explanation of
what is involved may be found under Question
114. (See also Questions 122, 158 and 177).
Secondly, if this lady becomes a Muslim or
one of the People of the Book (Christian or
Jewish), repents to Allaah for the forbidden
relationship, and remains chaste, then it is
permissible for you to marry her.
Thirdly, the children who were born to this
woman outside of marriage are not your children;
they cannot take your name and must take her
name. However, this should not prevent you from
treating them kindly, taking care of them and
spending on them. In the future, you should try
to call them and their mother to Islaam.
Fourthly, going to her church and attending
rituals of kufr is not advisable, because of the
possible negative consequences. We advise you
not to do that, but this should not be any
obstacle to your entering Islam. If you were to
say that it is a choice of either embracing
Islam and going to the church with her, or not
embracing Islam at all, we would definitely tell
you to embrace Islam. But we would like you to
think of the meaning of these two soorahs of the
Qur'aan (interpretation of the
meanings):
"Say: He is Allaah, (the) One.
Allaah-us-Samad (The Self-Sufficient Master,
Whom all creatures need; He neither eats nor
drinks). He begets not nor was He
begotten;
And there is none co-equal or
comparable unto Him."
[al-Ikhlaas
112:1-4]
"Say: O Kaafiroon (disbelievers in Allaah, in
His Oneness, etc.)! I worship not that which you
worship,
Nor will you worship that which I
worship.
And I shall not worship that which
you are worshipping.
Nor will you worship
that which I worship
To you be your religion,
and to me my religion (Islaamic monotheism)."
[al-Kaafiroon 109:1-6]
Finally I advise you, a wise man who is
striving to make the right choice, hasten to
enter Islam and practise it: Allaah will help
you to overcome all obstacles. May Allaah take
care of you.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
2293: Is there any conflict
between entering Islam and playing basketball?
Question:
I am a non-muslim, and I was wondering if I
become muslim can I still play basketball.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Yes, you could become Muslim and still play
basketball, so long as there is nothing
forbidden or harmful involved. Islam does not
forbid sports that exercise the body and
strengthen its muscles. Indeed, it is the body's
right that its owner should take care of it, as
the Prophet of Islam Muhammad (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Your
body has a right over you." (Reported by
al-Bukhaari, 4800). One of the benefits of
basketball is that it is based on aiming the
ball correctly. So there is nothing wrong with
playing it, so long as it is not combined with
something forbidden such as gambling or
deliberately harming or hitting others, and as
long as it does not distract a person from
praying and so on. By the way, I am sure that
you are not unaware that there are a number of
internationally known basketball players who
have embraced Islam. Our advice to you is: don't
hesitate to enter Islam, for there is nothing to
stop you. We ask Allaah to help you to follow
the truth and to guide you to the way of
goodness, for He guides whom He wills to the
Straight Path.
Islam Q&A Sheikh Muhammed Salih
Al-Munajjid (www.islam-qa.com)
3100: Clever guess on the
part of a Christian woman
Question:
Assalamu Alaikum, I am a Christian who is
very interested in Islam and I am currently
reading a translation of the Koran in my
language. I know that women should not touch the
Koran while having their menses but since
translations are not regarded as the word of God
and therefore not equal to the Arabic text, I'd
like to know if not touching the Koran during
menses also applies to translations.
Thank you very much for your help.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah. You have hit the nail on
the head: your guess is correct. A translation
is not like the Mus-haf (Arabic text of the
Qur'aan) and the same rules do not apply. A
translation is like a tafseer (commentary), and
so a menstruating woman is allowed to touch it.
Your analysis of this matter demonstrates astute
reasoning and excellent thinking skills, which
makes us feel that you will soon embrace Islam;
may Allaah guide you to all good. Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
2690: A serious dialogue with
a Christian
Question:
Hello , my name is XXXX and I was taking a
look at your web page . I am interested in it
because I am in a Religious Studies class and I
am interested in learning more. I just wanted to
know your response to this, if I am correct in
saying this...
In Islam heaven is thought of as paradise of
wine, women and song. It is achieved by living a
life in which, ironically, one abstains from the
things with which he or she will be rewarded in
paradise. In addition to this abstentiion, one
must follow the five Pillars of Islam.
It
seems to me that the Islamic faith is a
do-it-yourself proposition.
Follow this "way of life", they say, and you
will gain favor with God and eventually achieve
salvation. There is NO assurance. I would hate
to live like that. I realize that Muslims do not
believe in "original sin", but regardless of
wether or not a man is born sinful or not, would
you not agree that every man/woman is sinful?
How does one pay for his/her sin?
I understand repentance. I agree with
that...but it seems as though one can NEVER do
enough to win favor with God. That is why He
sent his Son to die for us. All of our sins past
present and future.
There is no possibility of assurance in the
Islamic faith. I think that would be an awful
way to live knowing that I was never gonna make
it...not knowing of my salvation until the "day
of judgement" whether or not I have done enough
"goodworks" or prayed enough...etc.
I have
asked a couple of Muslims in my class whether or
not they were for sure if they were going to
"paradise" or "heaven" when they died. I have
not yet had one reply in the affirmative.
Rather, they referred to the imperfection of
their lives as being a barrier to this
realization. THERE IS NO ASSURANCE IN ISLAM,
BECAUSE THERE IS NO ATONEMENT, AND SALVATION
DEPENDS WHOLLY ON THE INDIVIDUAL'S GAINING
ENOUGH "MERIT"
Aslo, if I wanted to become a Muslim, I
couldn't. If Muslims think that they are the
"chosen people" then why aren't they spreading
their faith.
Do you just have to be lucky enough to be
born Muslim? If a person wants to become a
Christian they can. ANYONE can become a
Christian in a matter of seconds. All they have
to do is confess that Jesus Christ is who He
said He was and repent and believe...that is all
a lot easier said than done. But basically that
is it. I wasn't born Christian...or raised
Christians assert that Jesus Chrit is the only
way to God because
Scritpture says, "Salvation is found in no
one else, for there is no other name under
heaven given to men by which we must be saved.
(Acts 4:12) Jesus Christ said himself
"I am the way the truth and the life, NO ONE
comes to the Father except through me..."
He
didn't say, I am one way or a way or one truth
etc....THE WAY!!!
I and the Father are ONE! Jn 5:18
I just don't understand how anyone could be
blind to these facts. Unless they are never
told. Which was me.
I would just like a little feed back
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
We appreciate your question concerning the
ideas that you have about Islam, and we hope to
discuss what you have written and correct some
of your ideas, so as to arrive at a firm
conviction of the truth of the matter.
What you have mentioned about the Islamic
belief about Paradise, and the enjoyment of
wine, women and song therein, falls wide of the
mark. The pleasures of Paradise are not merely
physical in nature, they also include the joy of
feeling safe and secure, and of being content
with God and being close to Him. The greatest
joy of all in Paradise will be seeing God, may
He be glorified and exalted. When the people of
Paradise see the Holy Face of God, they will
forget all other kinds of pleasures that they
have enjoying. There is in Paradise everything
that will delight the heart and eye; no dirty or
evil talk is heard there, nor sinful speech.
"No person know what is kept hidden for them
of joy as a reward for what they used to do."
[al-Sajdah 32:17 _ interpretation of the
meaning]. What I am trying to say is that
the delights of Paradise are not limited to the
kind you refer to in your question. They are far
greater than that.
You mention the idea that entrance to
Paradise will only be granted to those who heed
certain prohibitions, which things they will
enjoy in Paradise in the Hereafter as a reward
for avoiding it in this life. This
generalization is not correct at all. Islam is a
religion which commands action, not just
abstinence. Salvation can only be attained
through fulfilling commands, not just by
avoiding things that are forbidden. Moreover,
not every luxury in Paradise will consist of
something that was forbidden in this world and
is now being given as a reward. Some of the
delights of Paradise will be things that were
allowed in this world, such as marriage, good
fruits like pomegranate and figs, etc., drinks
like milk and honey, and so on. All of these are
permitted in this world, and will be delights to
be enjoyed in Paradise. The bad qualities of
things that are forbidden in this world will not
be present in their heavenly forms. For example,
the wine of Paradise, as Allaah tells us, causes
neither ghoul (any kind of hurt,
abdominal pain, headache, sin, etc.) nor
intoxication (see al-Saffaat 37:47). It does not
rob a person of his mental faculties, or cause
headaches and stomachaches. It is quite
different from its earthly counterpart. The
point I am making is that the delights of
Paradise do not consist only of allowing things
that were forbidden in this world. It is also
worth pointing out that there are cases where
abstention from prohibited things will not be
rewarded by being given their equivalent in the
Hereafter, whether those prohibited things are
food, drinks, deeds or words. Poison, for
example, will not be given as a luxury in
Paradise, although it is forbidden in this
world. The same applies to sodomy, incest and
other things which will not be allowed in the
Hereafter although they are forbidden in this
world. This matter is quite clear, praise be to
Allaah.
The idea of being guaranteed Paradise, and
that a person's life will be as horrible and
unbearable as you describe if he has no such
guarantee, is a misconception which itself leads
to the results you mention. If you were to say
that every person has a guarantee of Paradise,
this would be utterly disastrous, because then
everyone would commit all kinds of forbidden
acts, feeling safe because of this guarantee.
Many of the crimes committed by Jews and
Christians have been done on the basis of this
guarantee, with documents of forgiveness from
their priests. Allaah has told us about such
people (interpretation of the meaning):
"And they say, `None shall enter Paradise
unless he be a Jew or a Christian.' Say,
`Produce your proof if you are truthful.'"
[al-Baqarah 2:111]
For us Muslims, Paradise is not the matter of
our own desires or the desires of anyone else,
as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"It will not be in accordance with your
desires (Muslims), nor those of the People of
the Scripture (Jews and Christians); whoever
works evil will have the recompense thereof, and
he will not find any protector or helper besides
Allaah." [al-Nisa' 4:123]
There follows a brief summary of the Islamic
view regarding a guarantee of one's destiny.
Islam offers a guarantee to every sincere
Muslim who obeys Allaah and remains in this
state of devotion until he dies, that he will
definitely enter Paradise. Allaah says in the
Qur'aan (interpretation of the meanings):
"But those who believe and do deeds of
righteousness, We shall admit them to the
Gardens under which rivers flow (i.e., in
Paradise), to dwell therein forever. Allaah's
promise is the truth, and whose words can be
truer than those of Allaah? (Of course, none)."
[al-Nisa' 4:122]
"Allaah has promised those who believe and do
deeds of righteousness, that for them there is
forgiveness and a great reward (i.e.,
Paradise)." [al-Maa'idah 5:9]
"(They will enter) `Adn (Eden) Paradise
(everlasting Gardens), which the Most Beneficent
(Allaah) has promised to His servants in the
unseen: verily, His promise must come to pass."
[Maryam 19:61]
"Say: `Is that (torment) better, or the
Paradise of Eternity promised to the muttaqeen
(pious and righteous persons)? It will be theirs
as a reward and final destination." [al-Furqaan
25:15]
"But those who fear Allaah and keep their
duty to their Lord (Allaah), for them are built
lofty rooms, one above another, under which
rivers flow (i.e., Paradise). (This is) the
Promise of Allaah, and Allaah does not fail in
(His) promise."
[al-Zumar 39:20]
Islam also guarantees the disbeliever who
ignores the commands of Allaah that he will
definitely enter Hell. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meanings):
"Allaah has promised the hypocrites, men and
women, and the disbelievers, the Fire of Hell,
therein shall they abide. It will suffice them.
Allaah has cursed them and for them is the
lasting torment." [al-Tawbah 9:68]
"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]
Allaah will say to the disbelievers on the
Day of Judgement (interpretation of the
meaning):
"This is Hell which you were promised! Burn
therein this Day, for that you used to
disbelieve!" [Yaa-Seen 36:63-64]
Allaah will not go back on His promise to
either the believers or the disbelievers. He
describes how both of them will be at the end of
the Day of Judgement (interpretation of the
meaning):
"And the dwellers of Paradise will call out
to the dwellers of the Fire (saying): `We have
indeed found true what our Lord had promised us;
have you also found true, what your Lord
promised (warnings, etc.)?' They shall say,
`Yes.' Then a crier will proclaim between them:
`The Curse of Allaah is on the zaalimeen
(polytheists and wrongdoers, etc.)." [al-A'raaf
7:44]
Everyone who believes and does righteous
deeds, and dies in this state, will definitely
enter Paradise. Everyone who disbelieves and
does evil deeds, and dies in this state, will
definitely enter Hell.
One of the great guiding principles of Islam
is that the believer should tread a path between
fear and hope. He should not take it for granted
that he will enter Paradise, because this will
make him complacent, and he does not know in
what state he will die. Nor should he assume
that he is going to Hell, because this is
despairing of the mercy of Allaah, which is
forbidden. So the believer does righteous deeds,
and hopes that Allaah will reward him for them,
and he avoids evil deeds out of fear of the
punishment of Allaah. If he commits a sin, he
repents in order to gain forgiveness and protect
himself from the punishment of Hell. Allaah
forgives all sins and accepts the repentance of
those who repent. If a believer fears that the
good deeds he has sent on before him are not
enough, as you suggest, then he will increase
his efforts, in fear and hope. No matter how
many righteous deeds he has sent on before him,
he cannot rely on them and take them for
granted, or else he will be doomed. He keeps
striving and hoping for reward, and at the same
time he fears lest his deeds be contaminated
with any element of showing off,
self-admiration, or anything that will lead to
them being rejected by Allaah. Allaah describes
the believers (interpretation of the meaning):
"… those who give that (their charity) which
they give (and also do other good deeds) with
their hearts full of fear (whether their alms
and charity, etc.) have been accepted or not),
because they are sure to return to their Lord
(for reckoning)." [al-Mu'minoon 23:60]
So the believer keeps on striving, fearing
and hoping, until he meets his Lord, believing
in Tawheed (Divine Unity) and doing righteous
deeds, and earns the pleasure of his Lord and
Paradise. If you think about the matter, you
will realize that these are the right motives
for action, and that righteousness cannot be
achieved in this life in any other way.
As regards what you say about original sin,
this matter needs to be approached from several
angles.
Firstly: The Islamic belief concerning human
sin is: the individual bears the responsibility
for his own sin; no one else should bear this
burden for him, nor should he bear the burden
for anyone else. Allah says (interpretation of
the meaning): "And no bearer of burdens shall
bear another's burden…" [Faatir 35:18]. This
refutes the idea of original sin. If the father
commits a sin, what fault is that of his
children and grandchildren? Why should they bear
the burden of a sin that someone else committed?
The Christian belief that the descendents should
bear the sin of their father is the essence of
injustice. How can any sane person say that the
sin should be carried down the centuries by all
of humanity, or that the children, grandchildren
and subsequent descendants should be tainted
because of their father's sin?
Secondly, making mistakes is a part of human
nature. Our Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said, "Every son of Aadam is
bound to commit sins…" (reported by al-Tirmidhi,
2423), but Allaah has not left man unable to do
anything about the mistakes that he makes. He
gives man the opportunity to repent, and so the
hadeeth (words of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) quoted above
concludes: "…and the best of those who commit
sins are those who repent." The mercy of Allaah
is clear in the teachings of Islam, as Allaah
calls His servants (interpretation of the
meaning): "Say, `O My servants who have
transgressed against themselves (by committing
evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy
of Allaah, verily Allaah forgives all sins.
Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."
[al-Zumar 39:53]
This is human nature, and this is the
solution to the problem of sin. But to make this
human nature, which is bound to make mistakes, a
barrier between the servant and his Lord which
will prevent him from ever earning the pleasure
of God, and to say that the only way to reach
God is through His sending His (so-called) son
down to earth to be humiliated and crucified
while his father looks on, so that mankind could
be forgiven, is an extremely odd idea. Just
describing it sounds so unlikely that there is
no longer any need to refute it in detail. Once,
when discussing this issue with a Christian, I
said, "If you say that God sent down His son to
be crucified to atone for the sins of the people
alive at his time and afterwards, what about
those who had come before and died as sinners
before the time of Christ, and had no
opportunity to know about him and believe in the
Crucifixion so that their sins might be
forgiven?" All he could say was: "No doubt our
priests have an answer to that!" Even if they do
have an answer, it is bound to be concocted.
There is no real answer.
If you really examine the Christian teaching
on human sin with an open mind, you will see
that they say that God sacrificed His only son
to atone for the sins of mankind, and that this
son was a god. If it was true that he was a god
who was beaten, insulted and crucified, and
died, then this doctrine contains elements of
blasphemy because it accuses God of weakness and
helplessness. Is God really incapable of
forgiving the sins of all His servants with just
one word? If He is Able to do all things (and
the Christians do not dispute this fact), then
why would He need to sacrifice His son in order
to achieve the same thing? (Glorified and
exalted be He far above what the wrongdoers say
about Him!)
"He is the Originator of the heavens and the
earth. How can He have children when He has no
wife? He created all things and He is the
All-Knower of everything." [al-An'aam 6:101 _
interpretation of the meaning]
An ordinary man would not accept anyone
harming his child; he would come to his defence,
and would never hand him over to an enemy who
would insult him, let alone leave him to face
the worst kind of death. If this is the attitude
of a mere created being, what then of the
Creator?
Thirdly, the Christian doctrine of original
sin has a negative effect because, as you have
mentioned, it does not require any duties of man
other than to believe that God sent His son to
this earth to be crucified and to die to atone
for the sins of mankind. Thus a person becomes a
Christian and is to earn the pleasure of God and
be admitted to heaven. Moreover, the Christian
believes that everything that happened to the
son of God was only to atone for his sins, past
present and future, so there is no need to
wonder why Christian societies have seen such an
increase in murder, rape, robbery, alcoholism
and other problems. After all, did not Christ
die to atone for their sins, and haven't their
sins been wiped out, so why should they stop
doing these things? Tell me, by your Lord, why
do you sometimes execute murderers, or put
criminals in jail, or punish them in other ways,
if you believe that the criminal's sins have all
be atoned for and forgiven through the blood of
Christ? Is this not a strange contradiction?
You ask why, if the Muslims are the chosen
people of mankind, they do not spread their
religion. The fact of the matter is that sincere
Muslims have always sought to do just that. How
else could Islam have spread from Makkah to
Indonesia, Siberia, North Africa, Bosnia, South
Africa and all parts of the world, East and
West? The faults in the behaviour of some modern
Muslims cannot be blamed on Islam; those faults
are the result of going against Islamic
teachings. It is not fair to blame the religion
for the faults of some of its adherents who have
gone against it or gone astray. Are Muslims not
being more just than Christians when they affirm
that the sinner is threatened with the
punishment of Allaah unless he repents, and that
for some sins there is a deterrent, a punishment
to be carried out in this world as an expiation
for the Hereafter, as in the case of the
punishments for murder, theft,
fornication/adultery, etc.?
What you say about it be so easy to become a
Christian, as compared to becoming a Muslim, is
clearly mistaken. The key to Islam is no more
than two simple phrases: "Ash-hadu an laa
ilaaha ill-Allaah wa anna Muhammadan
Rasool-Allaah (I bear witness that there is
no god except Allaah and that Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allaah)." With these few words, a
person enters Islam in a matter of seconds.
There is no need for baptism or priests, or even
to go to a certain place such as a mosque or
anywhere else. Compare this with the ridiculous
procedures of baptism which the Christians do
when they want to admit someone to the Church.
Then there is the fact that the Christians
venerate the cross on which Jesus was tortured
and crucified in great pain _ as they claim.
They take it as a sacred object of blessing and
healing, instead of scorning it and hating it as
a symbol of oppression and the worst possible
way for the son of God to die!
Do you not see that the Muslims are closer
than others to the truth, because they believe
in all the Prophets and Messengers, respecting
them all and recognizing that all of them taught
the truth of Divine Unity (Tawheed) and that
each of them was appointed by Allaah and sent to
his people with laws that were appropriate to
the time and place? When the fair-minded
Christian sees the followers of Islam believing
in Musa (Moses), `Eesaa (Jesus), and Muhammad
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and
in the original Torah and Gospel, as well as the
Qur'aan, and sees his own people denying the
Prophethood of Muhammad (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) and rejecting the Qur'aan,
wouldn't his open-mindedness make him think that
the Muslims are most likely to be right?
You say that the Messiah said, "No one comes
to the Father except through me". We need, first
of all, to be sure that these words can truly be
attributed to Jesus. Secondly, this is clearly
not true. How then could mankind have known God
at the times of Nooh (Noah), Hood, Saalih,
Yoonus (Jonah), Shu'ayb (Jethro), Ibraaheem
(Abraham), Musa (Moses) and other Prophets? If
you were to say that during the time of Jesus
(upon whom be peace) and up to the time of the
Final Prophet, Muhammad (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) the Children of Israel had
no other way to know the religion of Allaah
except through the way of Jesus, this would be
correct.
Finally, you quote the Messiah as saying, "I
and the Father are one". This is clearly not
correct. If we examine the matter objectively,
without letting our own desires get in the way,
it becomes clear that the conjunction "and" in
the phrase "I and the Father" implies that two
separate entities are involved. "I" is one
entity, and "the Father" is another. If you say,
"So-and-so and I", it is obvious to any rational
person that they are two separate people. The
equation 1+1+1=1 makes no sense to any rational
person, whether he is a mathematician or not.
Finally, I advise you (and I do not think
that you will reject this advice) to think
deeply about what you have read, putting aside
your background, any pre-conceived ideas, your
own desires and feelings of attachment to your
religion or culture, and to seek guidance
sincerely from Allaah. Allaah Most Generous and
will never let any of His servants down. Allaah
is the One Who guides to the Straight Path, and
He is Sufficient for us and is the best disposer
of affairs..
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
3023: She is in love with a
Muslim and wants to marry him _ does she have to
become Muslim?
Question:
I am a Christian and is in-love with a
19-year old Muslim boy.
He is very nice for accepting me not as a
virgin.He proposed marriage to me and I am
making plans about it. Is it necessary for me to
convert to Islam if I marry him even I don't
like to do so. We talked about the children that
they will be Muslims.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Yes, it is very necessary for you to enter
Islam. This will solve all the problems, from
making the marriage valid, through giving a
united direction to the future upbringing of the
children, to attaining success and happiness in
the Hereafter. Your feelings of unease about
taking this step may be due to the difficulty of
leaving behind what you are used to and the
religion that you have grown up in, or
reluctance to go against your family and
relatives, or fear of hostility and criticism
from others, or concern about losing some
worldly advantages. But all these issues will be
easily overcome when you seek the help of Allaah
and are determined to follow the truth. The wise
person is prepared to make sacrifices and put up
with difficulties for the sake of following the
truth, because the truth is worth pursuing. Any
difficulties encountered will become easy
because the result is happiness in this world
and the next, and Paradise the width of heaven
and earth. Moreover, your marriage will help you
to live in love and harmony with your husband
(if he repents to Allaah for the forbidden
relationship and becomes a religious person of
good morals) and his Muslim family. There will
be no dispute as to which religion the children
will be raised in, and they will not feel that
there is any conflict in the family, so they
will be able to grow up free of the
psychological complexes that result from the
parents' difference of religion. Other people
have felt something similar to the feelings that
you are experiencing now, as is reflected in the
following story, which happened at the time of
the Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him). Anas reported that the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said to a man, "Become
Muslim." He said, "I feel that I don't want to."
He said, "Become Muslim, even if you feel that
you don't really want to."
(Reported by Imaam Ahmad, 11618; Saheeh
al-Jaami', 974). This is the correct approach
which people should have towards the true
religion. For more information on the topic of
marriage, please see Questions #3025 and #2527.
We wish you every good thing and success. Peace
be upon those who follow true guidance.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
2889: The boss is a gay
kaafir
Question:
as salaamu al laaykum,
i am recently working for a computer company
and i found out that my boss (who is a kaffir)
is a gay. i have heard this from one of the
other co-workers. until now, i thought he was a
normal person but he never bother me. is it
allowed for a muslim to work for such a people?
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
If your work is permitted (according to
Islam), then it permissible for you to continue
working for this person, as long as you are
careful to watch how he behaves. If you can call
him to Islam, and explain to him in a wise and
appropriate manner the ruling concerning this
evil deed that he is committing (if you are sure
that this is indeed the case), then you will
have a great reward from Allaah. And Allaah
knows best.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
2847: Wants to become Muslim
but lives in drug country
Question:
Dear Sir,
For a muslim, is it allowed to use drugs like
cocaine .
Here in Columbia 70 % of the people
use it .
When I want to become a muslim,
must I stop it ?
I am waiting for your answer.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
It is a great thing to learn that you are
thinking of embracing Islam, although you live
in a country where drugs are rife and are not
following any religion at present. We were
amazed and impressed to know that a man living
in such circumstances has reached the point
where he wants to become Muslim, but Allaah is
able to do all things, and He guides whom He
wills to the Straight Path. Perhaps the Divine
care has been preparing you to embrace the true
religion in spite of the intense darkness, kufr
(disbelief) and drug-ridden atmosphere that
surround you. The unbelieving man is dead at
heart even though his body is alive, but when
Allaah guides him to the light of Islam, his
heart awakens and he sees a whole new meaning to
life as he starts to follow the guidance of his
Lord. Allaah says in His Holy Book
(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 (belief)
whereby he can walk amongst men, like him who is
in the darkness (of disbelief, polytheism and
hypocrisy) from which he can never come out?…"
[al-An'aam 6:122]. So come to true life, and
follow the Light which Allaah has revealed, and
you will find that which will delight you and
bring you peace of mind, when you worship
Allaah.
As regards the issue of drugs, no doubt you
would expect this great religion to forbid
everything that is harmful and to permit
everything that is beneficial, and not to allow
man to lose his mind and go crazy, doing all
kinds of foolish things without any awareness
and destroying his body. This is what happens
when people take drugs and prevent themselves
from thinking about or worshipping Allaah. This
poison opens the door to hostile aggression, and
destroys religion, lives, minds, honour and
wealth. And so no wise person can doubt that
drugs are totally forbidden.
We fully understand that addiction is no
straightforward matter and that recovery is no
simple process, but this should not prevent you
from entering Islam and embracing the way of
truth with which Allaah has sent His Prophet
Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him). Rest assured that when you embrace Islam,
this will give you strength and will-power to
overcome this addiction and rid yourself of this
disease and sin. All of this may take some time,
but this should not make you hesitate to embrace
Islam. Become Muslim and you will be safe from
the problems of this world and the punishment of
the Hereafter. We are prepared to stand by you
and help you with any difficulty that you may
face. We thank you for your question and ask
Allaah to guide you soon. Peace be upon those
who follow the truth.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
1402: Starting-point for one
who wants to enter Islam
Question:
I want to know is there a starting point for
a man who Is interested in the true religion of
Islam. I have been given many different answers.
Answer:
Yes, there is a very important
starting-point, which is to pronounce the
Shahaadatayn (Declaration of Faith). This is the
only answer to your question. (For more details
please see the questions and answers under the
heading: `Aqeedah (basic tenets of faith) _
important matters for those who wish to enter
Islam.
We extend the warmest of welcomes to you, and
offer our congratulations for the new direction
you are about to take. May Allaah protect you
from all evil.
Islam Q&A
All praises be to Allah, the Lord of the
Universe. May the peace and blessings of Allah
be upon Muhammad, His last messenger.
The objective of this handout is to correct a
false idea spread among those willing to adopt
Islam as their faith. Some people face
difficulties on the basis of their mistaken
belief that entering into the Islamic fold
requires an announcement from the concerned
person in the presence of high ranking scholars
or sheikhs, or reporting this act to the courts
or other authorities. It is also thought that
the act of accepting Islam, should, as a
condition, have a certificate issued by the
authorities as evidence to that effect.
We wish to clarify that the whole matter is
very easy and that none of the above conditions
or obligations are required. For Allah, the
Almighty is above all comprehension and knows
well the secrets of all hearts. Nevertheless,
those who wish to adopt Islam as their religion
are advised to register themselves as Muslims
with the concerned governmental agency, as this
procedure may facilitate many matters for them
including the possibility of performing Hajj and
Umrah.
If anyone has a real desire to be a Muslim
and has the full conviction and strong belief
that Islam is the true religion ordained by
Allah (SWT) for all human beings, he should
pronounce the "Shahada" (testimony of faith)
without further delay. The Holy Qur'an is
explicit in this regard, as Allah (SWT) has
stated.
"Truly, the Religion in the sight of Allah is
Islam." (3:19)
In another verse of the Holy Qur'an, Allah
(SWT) has stated:
"And whosoever desires a religion -other that
Islam, never will it be accepted of him, and in
the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those
who are lost." (3:85)
In addition, Islam is the only Religion
prevailing over all other religions, Allah (SWT)
has stated in the Holy Qur'an:
"And to thee We have sent the Book in truth,
(This Qur'an) confirming the scripture that came
before it, and a witness over it..." (5:48)
Muhammad, the Prophet of Allah (Peace and
blessing of Allah be upon him), said:
"Islam is based on five pillars: testifying
that there is no god worthy to be worshipped but
Allah, that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah
and His servant; performing the prayer; paying
the Zakat (obligatory charity); fasting the
month of Ramadan; and performing Hajj."
The Shahada can be declared as
follows:
"ASH-HADU ANLAA ILAHA ILLA ALLAH WA ASH
HADUANNAMUHAMMADANABDUHUWA RASUULUH."
The English translation is:
"I bear witness that there is no deity worthy
to be worshipped but Allah, and I bear witness
that Muhammad is His servant and messenger."
However, it would not be sufficient for
anyone to utter only this testimony orally
either in private or in public. One should
believe in it from the heart with a firm
conviction and unshakable faith. If he is truly
sincere and complies with the teachings of Islam
in his daily life he will find himself a newborn
person.
This will move him to strive more and more to
improve his character and draw nearer to
perfection. The light of the living faith will
fill his heart until he becomes the embodiment
of that faith.
What should be next after declaring the
testimony of faith (Shahada) and then becoming a
Muslim? He should know the real concept
underlying this testimony, which means accepting
the Oneness of Allah and the Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH), as the last of the Prophets, and meeting
its requirements. He must behave accordingly
applying this true faith to everything he says
or does. What do the words of "Shahada" signify.
The significant point which every Muslim must
know is the truth that there is no god to be
worshipped other than Allah, (Glory be to Him).
He is the only true God, Who Alone deserves to
be worshipped, since He is the Giver of life and
Sustainer and Nourisher of mankind and all
creation with His unlimited bounties. Man must
worship Allah, Who Alone is worthy of worship.
The second part of the "Shahada" i.e. "Wa
ashhadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh" means
that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is the servant
and chosen messenger of Allah. No one should be
in any doubt about this matter. In fact, the
Muslim has to obey the commands of the Prophet
(PBUH), to believe in what he has said, to
follow his Teachings, to avoid what he has
forbidden, and to worship A11ah alone according
to the message revealed to him.
What is the meaning of worship? It simply
means rendering sincere service; showing
reverence for Allah. In a deeper shade of
meaning, it implies total submission and
complete obedience to Allah's Commandments both
in utterances and actions, whether explicit or
implicit and in private or public.
Worship falls into two categories:
1. Visible (manifest or outward) 2. Invisible
(concealed or inward)
Visible worship includes acts such as
uttering the two parts of the "shahada",
performing prayers, giving Zakat (obligatory
charity), observing the fast in the month of
Ramadan, performing Hajj, recitation of the Holy
Qur'an, supplication, adoring Allah by praising
Him, purifying our bodies before prayers, etc.
This type of worship is associated with the
movement of the parts of human body, [actions].
Invisible worship is to believe in Allah, in
the Day of Judgment, in the Hereafter, in the
Angels, in the Books of Allah, in the Divine
Decree of destiny (that good and bad are
determined by Allah alone)
This type of worship does not involve
movements of parts of the body but it surely has
a bearing on one's heart which, subsequently,
affects one's way of life (beliefs).
It should be borne in mind that worship not
dedicated to Allah alone, will be rejected as
one form of polytheism or "shirk", which amounts
to apostasy, from the Islamic point of view.
The next step for a devotee newly converted
to Islam is to purify himself by taking a bath
(total ablution). He should then resolve to
comply with all the principles and rules of
Islam in their entirety. He disowns all forms of
polytheism and false beliefs. He should reject
evil and be righteous. Such rejection of evil
and being righteous is one of the requisites of
the motto of Islam that is, Lailaha Illal Laah.
Allah has stated in the Holy Qur'an:
"... whoever disbelieves in false deities and
believes in Allah, hath grasped the most
trustworthy handhold, that will never break..."
(2:256)
We have to consider that when we declare from
our hearts, "there is no god worthy to be
worshipped but Allah." It implies on our part of
love, devotion, faith and obedience to the rules
of Islamic legislation which are legally binding
on all Muslims. It is a requirement of "there is
no god worthy to be worshipped but Allah," to
love for the sake of Allah and to reject for the
sake of Allah. This is the finest anchor of
belief which make material the meaning of
"AL-WALA" and "AL-BARA". It means that a Muslim
should love and be loyal to his Muslim brothers.
He should, as a practice, dissociate himself
completely from the practices of unbelievers and
refuse to be influenced by them, both in worldly
and religious matters.
We conclude with a humble prayer to Allah
that He may cleanse the hearts and souls of
those who are genuine seekers of truth and may
He bless the community of believers. Ameen. By
www.Islamunveiled.com (www.islam-qa.com)
2875: A Muslim working for
an atheist
Question:
Salaam. I work for a person who doesnt
believe in God. Is it ok to work for him ??
He is ok with me and allows time off for
prayers.
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
If your work is in a permitted field, there
is nothing wrong with your working for him, so
long as you continue to obey the commands of
Allaah. You should also do your duty of da'wah,
calling to Allaah in the best way. Perhaps
Allaah will guide him through you. The Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said
to `Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) when he
sent him to the kuffaar on the day of Khaybar:
"Call them to Islam and tell them what they have
to do, for by Allaah, if Allaah were to guide
one man through you, it would be better for you
than red camels." (Red camels were the most
precious form of wealth to the Arabs at that
time). (Reported by al-Bukhaari, 2787).
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
2666: Wants to embrace Islam
but is nervous about going to the mosque
Question:
I am very much interested in becoming a
righteous Muslim women and God willing I will be
soon declaring my faith. However I am very
concerned about the fact that I have never
stepped foot inside of a mosque and feel very
self-conscious about attending since I am not
familiar with the customs. How would you suggest
I go about attending service for the first time?
How important is it that a Muslim goes to
mosque? I am from Brooklyn, NY would you suggest
a mosque with a womens group that I could
attend? Thank You,
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Praise and thanks be to Allaah for His help
and the blessing of your being convinced of
Islam and eager to enter this religion. This
would not have happened if Allaah had not willed
it, for He guides whom He wills to the Straight
Path. We are overjoyed to learn that you will
soon enter Islam and become our sister in faith.
You do not have to go to a mosque in order to
enter Islam. It is enough for you to pronounce
the Shahaadatayn (declaration of faith) and
begin to practice the rituals of Islam straight
away. On this web-site you will find a number of
questions and answers which will explain how to
enter Islam and what the new Muslim should do.
If you can go to a reliable Islamic centre to
register your Islam and get to know some Muslim
sisters, this is good. After you become Muslim,
there is nothing wrong with going to the mosque
to spend time there, so long as you adhere to
the conditions required by sharee'ah, such as
not being on your period. Do not worry about not
knowing what goes on in the mosque; in sha
Allaah you will find some Muslim sisters who can
explain to you how worship is conducted in the
mosque. We also want to tell you that a woman's
prayer and worship in her own home are better
than her prayer in the mosque, as our Prophet
Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) told us. We will do all we can to let you
know the name of an Islamic centre or mosque in
your city as soon as possible. We welcome you
warmly to the oasis of Islam.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
2273: The Ten Commandments
Question:
i'm trying to determine if there is anything
in the Quran similar to the Ten Commandents in
the Old Testament, particularly the line "thou
shalt not kill." i have been using search
functions on several Quran translation sites to
no avail. thank you very much
Answer:
Praise be to Allaah.
Thank you for your question, which shows an
interest in the Qu'ran. We are happy to answer
your question here.
There are in the Qur'an certain aayaat
(verses) which some scholars call the verses of
the Ten Commandments, because they include ten
important commandments given by Allaah to
mankind. These aayaat are to be found in two
passages of the Qur'an.
The first is in Soorat al-An'aam, where
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Say: `Come, I will recite what your Lord has
prohibited you from: Join not anything in
worship with him; be good and dutiful to your
parents; kill not your children because of
poverty _ We provide sustenance for you and for
them; come not near to al-fawaahish (shameful
sins, illegal sexual intercourse, etc.), whether
committed openly or secretly; and kill not
anyone whom Allaah has forbidden, except for a
just cause (according to Islamic law). This He
has commanded you that you may understand.
And come not near to the orphan's property,
except to improve it, until he (or she) attains
the age of full strength; and give full measure
and full weight with justice. We burden not any
person, but that which he can bear. And whenever
you give your word (i.e., judge between men or
give evidence, etc.), say the truth even if a
near relative is concerned, and fulfil the
Covenant of Allaah. This He commands you, that
you may remember.
And, verily, this (i.e., Allaah's
commandments mentioned in the above two verses)
is my Straight Path, so follow it, and follow
not (other) paths, for they will separate you
away from His Path. This He has ordained for you
that you may become al-muttaqoon (the pious)."
[al-An'aam 6:151-153]
The second passage occurs in Soorat
al-Israa', and may be considered as a commentary
on the passage quoted above. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"And your Lord has decreed that you worship
none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your
parents. If one or them or both of them attain
old age in your life, say not to them a word of
disrespect, nor shout at them, but address them
in terms of honour.
And lower unto them the wing of submission
and humility through mercy, and say: `My Lord!
Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me
up when I was small.'
Your Lord knows best what is in your
inner-selves. If you are righteous, then,
verily, He is ever Most-Forgiving to those who
turn unto Him again and again in obedience, and
in repentance.
And give to the kindred his due and to the
poor and to the wayfarer. But spend not
wastefully (your wealth) in the manner of a
spendthrift.
Verily, spendthrifts are brothers of the
shayaateen (devils), and the Shaytaan (Satan) is
ever ungrateful to his Lord.
And if you turn away from them (kindred,
poor, wayfarers, etc. whom We have ordered you
to give their rights, but if you have no money
at the time they ask you for it) and you are
awaiting a mercy from your Lord for which you
hope, then, speak unto them a soft kind word
(i.e., Allaah will give to me and I will give to
you).
And let not your hand be tied (like a miser)
to your neck, not stretch it forth to its utmost
reach (like a spendthrift), so that you become
blameworthy and in severe poverty.
Truly, your Lord enlarges the provision for
whom He wills and straitens (for whom He wills).
Verily, He is Ever All-Knower, All-Seer of His
slaves.
And kill not your children for fear of
poverty. We provide for them and for you. Surely
the killing of them is a great sin.
And come not near to unlawful sexual
intercourse. Verily, it is a faahishah [i.e.,
anything that transgresses its limits (a great
sin)], and an evil way (that leads one to Hell
unless Allaah forgives him).
And do not kill anyone which Allaah has
forbidden, except for a just cause. And whoever
is killed (intentionally with hostility and
aggression and not by mistake), We have given
his heir the authority [to demand qisaas _ Law
of Equality in punishment _ or to forgive, or to
take Diya (blood money)]. But let him not exceed
limits in the matter of taking life (i.e., he
should not kill except the killer only). Verily,
he is helped (by the Islamic law).
And come not near to the orphan's property
except to improve it, until he attains the age
of full strength. And fulfil (every) covenant.
Verily! The covenant will be questioned about.
And give full measure when you measure, and
weigh with a balance that is straight. That is
good (advantageous) and better in the end.
And follow not (O man, i.e., say not, or do
not or witness not, etc.) that of which you have
no knowledge. Verily! The hearing, and the
sight, and the heart, of each of those you will
be questioned by Allaah.
And walk not on the earth with conceit and
arrogance. Verily, you can neither rend nor
penetrate the earth, nor can you attain a
stature like that of the mountains in height.
All the bad aspects of these (the above
mentioned things) are hateful to your Lord.
This is part of al-hikmah (wisdom, good
manners and high character, etc.) which your
Lord has inspired to you (O Muhammad). And set
not up with Allaah any other ilaah (god) lest
you should be thrown into Hell, blameworthy and
rejected (from Allaah's mercy)." [al-Israa'
17:23-39]
Perhaps after enjoying reading these verses,
you will have a better idea of the Qur'aan than
before, and this will be the beginning of a
fundamental change in your life, the start of
your way to Islam. May Allaah guide and help you
always. Peace be upon those who follow true
guidance..
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
(www.islam-qa.com)
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Introduction