Discover Islam ...

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Muslim Belief in a Nutshell
[/FONT]

Do you find the tenets of Islam complicated to understand? Do you have a hard time reading about Muslim belief and wish there was an easier way to understand it?

Do you always mix up between the similarities and differences between the three Abrahamic faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam

Watch Fadel Soliman's 6-minute presentation about the basics of Muslim Belief​

http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1242759224468&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam%2FDIELayout​

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Why Prophet Muhammad Is Mentioned in the Shahadah?[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Q: Why mention Muhammad? Why can't the most important sentence in the whole world be about God alone? Why mention along with him a wonderful man and prophet too?[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]A: Thank you for your question[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]To my understanding there are mainly two aspects of the significance of the second part of the Shahadah, namely: "Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of Allah".[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]First: Allah Almighty is the Transcendental Creator and Sustainer of the universe, Who does not ‘materialize’ or appear before us. We know about Allah as well as about His guidance through the Messenger Allah Himself chose. This applies to all the Messengers of Allah, not only to Muhammad (peace be upon him).[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]But, Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the Final Messenger of Allah who came to coordinate, confirm and complete the earlier messages. So he is not just one messenger among many; rather he represents all the Messengers of Allah before him. Actually Muhammad fulfills and revalidates all the earlier messages through his mission. Thus, he stands for the completion of Allah’s guidance for mankind.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Second: God's guidance is not just for our academic study, but for our realizing it in space and time. The role of Prophet Muhammad is not merely to teach us, but to practically demonstrate to us how we can live by God's guidance. This means that the Qur'an is, as it were, the 'theory'; and the Sunnah (the example of Prophet Muhammad) is the 'practical form' of that theory.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Islam affirms and underscores the importance of the Qur'an (the precept) and the Sunnah (the example) together. This points to the fact that it is not enough for us just to 'worship' God as an ascetic devotee would; but also to live here as members of human society, making use of the blessings God has given us, and observing the limits set by God. For this purpose, we need a practical model who would not only convey God's message to us, but also LIVE that message here below, as God wants us to live it.[/FONT]

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1141277519603&pagename=IslamOnline-English-AAbout_Islam%2FAskAboutIslamE%2FAskAboutIslamE

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Tests for the Believers: Fluctuations of Life [/FONT]

A person’s life in this world is not stable. One passes through alternating periods of happiness and dismay, strength and weakness, wealth and poverty, health and sickness, etc.

A true believer is one who maintains a clear level of faith throughout the worldly fluctuations. He continues to remember Allah and ascribe the bounties to Him, and he turns to Him in submission, asking for relief from his affliction.

This is described by the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), who said:

“Indeed amazing are the affairs of a believer! They are all for his benefit. If he is granted ease of living he is thankful; and this is best for him. And if he is afflicted with a hardship, he perseveres; and this is best or him.” (Muslim)
​

Tests for the Believers: Fluctuations of Life - IslamOnline.net - Living Sharia'h

 

[Cordoba]

Lessons From the Heart

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Love Yourself First
[/FONT]

Growing up, most of us heard a thousand times how it is better to give than to receive. That's true, but in the process of giving, some of us (particularly, I would say, women and mothers) get so used to selflessly giving to others that we forget about giving to ourselves.​

Over the years, I have tended to neglect myself to a fault while taking care of others. However, we know from both the Quran and Hadith that we have obligations to ourselves as well — obligations to nourish our souls, minds, and bodies with the bountiful resources that Allah has blessed us with.​

Also we have an obligation to get proper sleep, to exercise, to strive for our sustenance. In fact, taking care of ourselves actually helps us draw closer to Allah and better serve His creation.​

While I could not find much written about the Islamic perspective on self-love, most of us are familiar with the saying, "We cannot know (or worship) Allah until we know ourselves."​

Self-knowledge requires positive self-regard and self-acceptance. A person who is afflicted with feelings of negative self-worth, and self-doubt is not at peace to optimally worship Allah. ​

http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1242759220724&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam%2FDIELayout&ref=body​

 

[Cordoba]

A Happy Home
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Prophet Muhammad's Manners at Home[/FONT]

To hold on to all superior values all the time is very rare, and to ensure that these are upheld by everyone in one's household is a very difficult task.​

The home of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), however, provided a unique example of holding on to every superior value and reflected a standard of moral characteristics that is second to none in all human history.​

When we look at life in the Prophet's home, we find that it was a life of poverty in every respect: barely enough food to eat, small and basic housing, little furniture and a clear lack of comfort. ...​

http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1242759041149&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam%2FDIELayout&ref=body​

 

[Cordoba]

Our Most Precious Possession

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Brotherhood in Islam[/FONT]

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said,

"The rights of the Muslim on the Muslim are six."
It was said, "What are they, Messenger of Allah?"
He said, "When you meet him, salute him; when he invites you, respond to him; when he seeks counsel, give him advice; when he sneezes and praises Allah, say to him: Allah has mercy on you; when he is sick, visit him; and when he dies, follow his funeral."


(Hadith in Sahih Muslim)

http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1233567636294&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam%2FDIELayout

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The Power of Knowledge
[/FONT]

The Golden Age of Islam came about not only because of the curious minds of Muslim scientists, but also due to their obedience to God.​

One of the most famous of all Muslim scientists is Ibn Sina — known in the West as Avicenna. He was no doubt a devout Muslim. In fact, from various records we have of him, it was found that if he was stumped during research or experimentation, he would leave his books and head to the mosque, where he would continue to pray till the confusions begin clearing.​

Religion and Science​

Muslim scientists never distinguished science from religion. As a matter of fact, they felt that Islam encouraged scientific development.​

There are two aspects of education/knowledge in relation to Islam: religious and non-religious. There is no limit on any of them. Indeed, there is not much distinction between them, as in the true sense, they are intertwined.​

One thing though, is accepted by most Islamic scholars: non-religious knowledge is a benefit only to this world, which is not sufficient for Muslims​

http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1243825015175&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam%2FDIELayout&ref=body​

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The Story of Prophet Saleh
[/FONT]
Many of the prophets mentioned in the Quran, are prophets shared with Christianity and Judaism, for their stories are often told in the Bible. Such prophets as Moses, David, Solomon, and Abraham are just a few of the famous names.

Islam, of course, recognizes all former prophets, believing that God Almighty (Allah) sent them throughout the history of mankind to every nation to speak His message.​

In fact, we can read in the Quran what means,​

[Indeed! We sent a messenger to every nation.] (An-Nahl 16:36)​

Muslims believe that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the very last in a long line of such messengers. His message was for all people and for all time.​

The Quran, though, also tells us about some prophets who are not mentioned in the Bible.​

One of these is Prophet Saleh (peace be upon him). His story is interesting because God does not just tell it once in the Quran, but many times.​

Prophet Saleh lived in the region of Al-Hajr, which was located along the trade route from southern Arabia to Syria. The city of "Madain Saleh" lies several hundred kilometers north of Madinah in modern-day Saudi Arabia, is named after him.​

The rock dwellings in which the people lived are still to be seen there to this day. Saleh was called to preach a message to the people of Thamud.
According to the Quran, these people cultivated very rich fertile land, and they had become very vain because of their wealth. They also worshipped many gods, oppressed the poor in their midst and lived lives which were far from the kind of lives Allah wanted them to lead.​

Saleh's message was very simple: they were to turn away from the bad behavior and to turn, instead, to the One God, Allah, who gave them all the good things they enjoyed.​

Now that doesn't seem a very difficult message to grasp, does it? Yet the people of Thamud were very stubborn in their ways, and refused to accept the message which Saleh was bringing them.​

God works in very strange ways, sometimes quite beyond our comprehension. The way He chose to speak to the people of Thamud was through the story of a camel! .....​

http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1239888983756&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam%2FDIELayout​

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]A Blessed Child
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Al-Hasan ibn Ali (The Grandson of the Prophet)[/FONT]
[/FONT][/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Helvetica]We are told that once, the Prophet was in prostration in Prayer when the little Al-Hasan mounted his back. The Prophet remained for quite a while in that position. When some of the Companions later expressed their worry, he informed them that the young child was happy riding his grandfather's back. The Prophet did not want to disturb him and deprive him of the pleasure. So he remained in prostration until Al-Hasan got down off his back.[/FONT]​

​

[FONT=Verdana, Helvetica]The second instance occurred when once while the Prophet was delivering a sermon in the mosque, Al-Hasan came treading on the edge of his garment, falling down every now and then. The Prophet could not stand the sight. So he stopped his sermon, came down from the pulpit, carried Al-Hasan, and resumed the sermon.[/FONT]​

Unfortunately, Al-Hasan could not enjoy the company of his loving grandfather for long, because the Prophet died when Al-Hasan was only eight years of age.​

​

http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1243825188703&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam%2FDIELayout&ref=body​

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Human Rights in the Quran (Part 1) [/FONT]

The Quran is the Magna Carta of Muslims. A large part of its concern is focused on freeing human beings from the bondage of traditionalism, authoritarianism (religious, political, economic), tribalism, racism, sexism, slavery, or anything else that prohibits or inhibits human beings from actualizing the Quranic vision of human destiny.

This vision is embodied in the following classic proclamation:
{And that to your Lord is the final goal } (An-Najm 53:42).​

The Quran affirms the fundamental rights that all human beings possess. These rights are so deeply rooted in our humanness that denying or violating them is tantamount to a negation or degradation of that which makes us human.​

From the perspective of the Quran, these rights came into existence when we did. They were created by God (just as we were) so that our human potential could be actualized.​

Not only do these rights provide us with an opportunity to develop all our inner resources, but also they hold before us a vision of what God would like us to be — what God wants us to strive for and live for and die for.
According to Muslims, the rights created or given by God cannot be abolished by any temporal ruler or human agency. Eternal and immutable, these rights ought to be exercised, because everything that God does is for a just purpose​

Right to Life​

Sanctity and absolute value of human life are upheld in the Quran. ....​

http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1243825269612&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam%2FDIELayout&ref=body​

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Thoughts on Forgiveness[/FONT]​

One of the best gifts that we can offer ourselves is forgiveness: forgiving anyone who might have wronged us (according to our perception), and forgiving ourselves for our own shortcomings, and not continually beat up the drums of our "failures" in our mind and simply concentrating our efforts on doing the good.

Personally, I embrace true forgiveness, and I encourage others to embrace it. However, in my teaching, I found that many misconceptions about what true forgiveness is abound. Below are some of my thoughts about true forgiveness.

Does Not Mean Condoning

Forgiving someone for his transgressions against you does not mean you condone the transgressions.

For example, if I steal something from you and you laterdecide [FONT=Verdana, Helvetica]toforgive me, what that means is that you chose forgiveness. It does notmean that stealing is OK. It is still wrong.[/FONT]

Not an Invitation to Repeat

When you forgive someone, you are not giving them a carte-blanche to repeat the same mistake. ......​

http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1243825010268&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam%2FDIELayout

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The Prayer of a Skeptic
[/FONT]
You spend all your life doubting the mere existence of God, and suddenly you face a situation where your little girl is about to die. You look around and there is no one for you, you take refuge in prayer for the first time in a long time as your last resort.

Watch Dr. Laurence Brown's story to see if his prayer was answered

http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1232976512333&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam%2FDIELayout

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]What Is my Islam? [/FONT]

My Islam is foremost about reason. It is about harnessing one's capacity to understand the complexities of this world and beyond. The mind and the pursuit of knowledge are central to comprehending, to the extent that is possible, what is the divine.

One also cannot make conscious decisions about right or wrong without exercising his own judgment. Blindly following the edicts of scholars, is not choosing a path except one that is not your own. When I refrain from consuming alcohol, it is not because I am backward, or uncultured. I refuse drugs because they hinder our judgment and our ability to reason, the trait that God endowed us with that distinguishes humankind from all other beings ....

http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=HF0906-3877

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Protection of Mind as a Key Objective of Shari`ah [/FONT]

We would like to ask you about a general recipe on how to remain intellectually and rationally balanced in light of the contemporary dilemmas and invasions facing the Muslim mind and the constant attacks on its very foundational doctrines?

Sano: We need to remain intellectually vigilant, and relevant to the realities we are living in through promoting and increasing the level of knowledge we do possess; through continuous search for knowledge; and by keeping up with our communities, societies and our modern time. Thus, we will have to improve, promote and base whatever we do on this education​

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1243825188249&pagename=Zone-English-Living_Shariah%2FLSELayout#**1​

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Peace Be Upon You
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The Muslim Greeting[/FONT]
[/FONT]
The Muslim greeting of "as-salamu alaykum" in Arabic means "peace be upon you".

It may be news to many that this greeting was taught by Moses (or Musa, peace be upon him) the prophet of Judaism, and Jesus (or Isa, peace be upon him) the prophet of Christianity.​

The language of Moses was Hebrew: In Hebrew the greeting is: shalom aleichem. This means the same as " as-salamu alaykum".
Traditionally the pious Jews use the greeting shalom aleichem, "peace be upon you!" And its natural response is: aleichem shalom, "upon you be peace," or the slightly more formal wa'aleichem ashalom, meaning "and upon you be peace." This Hebrew response is paralleled by the Arabic response, "wa alaykum as-salam."​

Hebrew, Aramaic, and Arabic belong to the Semitic family of languages since they were derived from the same parent language. The close kinship of the Semitic languages to one another can be seen in the persistence of the same roots from one language to another.​

So the root s-l-m, for example, means "peace" in Hebrew, Aramaic, Arabic, and other Semitic languages. Thus Hebrew and Aramaic are lexically, etymologically, as well as syntactically kindred sister languages. And for that reason, when Jews greet one another with "shalom aleichem" it is almost the same as the Arabic "as-salamu alaykum".​

Jesus taught the same greeting to his disciples. See the following verses from the Gospels:​

"And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house." (Luke 10:5) ....​

http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1245159063681&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam%2FDIELayout&ref=body​

 

[Cordoba]

Why do Muslims pray?

After a long and hectic day at work, some might think that it is difficult for a tired person to concentrate on his prayers to Allah, the Almighty. Snuggled up in a warm and cozy bed, how difficult it is to get up at the call of the Mu`azzin (calling to prayers): "Come to prayer! Come to success!" ...

The Prophet (pbuh) once said:

"Prayer is the pillar of religion."(Narrated by Al-Baihaqi)

He also informed us that Islam is built upon five pillars, the second being to establish prayer five times a day. (Narrated by Al-Bukhaari)

This makes the image very clear: Islam is like a building supported by five columns; remove just one column and the entire building weakens. In the same way, when a person stops praying, his faith becomes weak, and the mildest blows can cause it to crumble

http://islamonline.com/news/articles/6/Why_do_Muslims_pray_.html

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]How to Avoid Vain and Idle Talk! [/FONT]​

This is a difficult question to answer exactly, as one person’s definition of “vain and idle talk” may be different from another’s. What really matters is the intention of the person. ​

In one example a person may share with another their joy at receiving a good grade at school. They may feel very happy that they managed to finish all the work, they may have been scared they would not pass the test, and they want to share their joy and relief with a friend. ​

In another case a person may simply want to share their high test score so that everyone will compliment them and they may appear better than those around them.
Are both vain? Would you be able to tell the difference between one and the other? Not always. ​

Sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference even if one thinks they know the reasons behind someone else’s speech or action, it is really impossible to know. So, as far as others it is impossible to judge if they are engaging in vain or idle talk. The best thing to do with your friends and family is to assume the best in all of them and treat each statement as if it came from the best intentions. You may think you already do that, but most people are surprised at how much they judge their family and friends​

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1243824975257&pagename=IslamOnline-English-Cyber_Counselor%2FCyberCounselingE%2FCyberCounselingE​

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Man and Ideology[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana,arial]Islam teaches that real peace cannot be attained without justice. So long there is oppression in this world where the rights of the people are violated and justice is denied to the oppressed, peace with the unjust and the oppressor is not even a beautiful dream, but only a hallucination. ....[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana,arial]There is no denying that modern man needs an ideology that is natural, harmonious, comprehensive and easy to follow whose main objective is man's perfection and happiness of all. A reading of history would testify to the fact that vast majority of human beings has always craved to live in a just and balanced society--both inwardly and outwardly--in which the roles and responsibilities, do's and don'ts are clearly defined.[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana,arial]What ideology or religion can fulfill man's needs by satisfying reason and nourishing thought?[/FONT]

http://www.islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=MM0803-3540

 

[Cordoba]

An Empowered Woman for All Times
Lady Safiyah, The Prophet's Wife

Lady Safiyah was extremely spiritual and spent most of her time reading the Quran, which Muslims believe to be the exact words of God, and memorizing many chapters of it. ​

Her studies of the Quran were so intense that her eyes would fill with tears and she would weep. She recommended such an emotional reading of the Quran to all believers.​

The purity in her faith in God is evident in her own husband's testimony, in which he was quoted stating in defense of Lady Safiyah:​

"She faithfully converted to Islam and became a good Muslim."​

Role as an Individual​

As an individual, Lady Safiyah represented qualities which in today's times, could easily be defined as a fine example for women's empowerment. Most notable were her level of knowledge, well as her assertiveness, and how she used one to strengthen the other. ....​

http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1245159066309&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam%2FDIELayout&ref=body​

 

[Cordoba]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Human Rights in the Quran (Part 2)[/FONT]

Right to Freedom​

Islam is deeply concerned about liberating human beings from any kind of bondage. God is aware of the human tendency toward dictatorship and despotism. .....​

This right to freedom includes the right to be free to tell the truth. The Quranic term for truth is haqq, which is also one of God's attributes. Standing up for the truth is a right and a responsibility that a Muslim may not disclaim even in the face of the greatest danger or difficulty. ....​

Right to Privacy

The need for privacy as a human right is recognized in the Quran. The Quran also lays down rules for protecting an individual's life at home from undue intrusion from within or without. ​

Human Rights in the Quran (Part 2) ​