Islam

  The word ISLAM has a two-fold meaning: peace, and submission to God. This submission requires a fully conscious and willing effort to submit to the one Almighty God.

Islam is careful to remind us that it not a religion to be paid mere lip service; rather it is an all-encompassing way of

life that must be practiced continuously for it to be Islam.

Allah (SWT) says in the Qur'an : "The Messenger [Muhammad] believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and [so do] the believers. Each one believes in Allah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers." [2:285]

The six pillars of Faih include:

• Belief in Allah• Belief in Angels• Belief in Books• Belief in Prophets• Belief in The Day of Judgemant• Belief in Al Qadr or Destiny

Muslims believe in One God, Allah .

Allah is The Creator.

Muslims believe in :• His Existence,• His Oneness,• His Eternity, His Everlastingness,• His Non-neediness of others,• His Non-resemblance to the creation,• His Power, His Will, and• His Knowledge.

  Say: He is Allah, the One and Only!    Allah, the Eternal, Absolute;   He begetteth not nor is He begotten.   And there is none like unto Him.

• In the west, common folks have depicted angels as a small children with wings or illusions or beautiful females with wings. THIS IS FALSE!!!!

• In the Islamic worldview, there are no fallen angels: they are not divided into ‘good’ and ‘evil’ angels.  Human beings do not become angels after death.  Satan is not a fallen angel, but is one of the jinn, a creation of God parallel to human beings and angels.

• A Muslim believes that the Qur'an is the word of God. But it is not the only word. God sent many prophets before Muhammad and He spoke to them as He spoke to him. So a Muslim also believes (in fact he would not be a Muslim if he did not believe) in these earlier books, like the Torah and the Gospel.

• The Quran says regarding earlier books:

• "Say: We believe in God, and that which has been sent down on us, and sent down on Abraham and Ishmael, Isaac and Jacob, and the Tribes, and in that which was given to Moses and Jesus, and the prophets, of their Lord; we make no division between any of them." [al Baqara, II: 136]

• The Holy Quran mentions many prophets starting with Prophet Adam to Prophet Muhammad ( Peace be upon them)

• Belief in the Prophets means that we should not make any distinction between them because they have all been sent on the same mission and sent from the same Lord.

• Allah supported the prophets and  with  proofs messengers and  that evidences proved the authenticity of their missions.

Muslims believe that the present life is only a trial preparation for the next realm of existence.  This life is a test for each individual for the life after death.  A day will come when the whole universe will be destroyed and the dead will be resurrected for judgment by God.  This day will be the beginning of a life that will never end.  This day is the Day of Judgment.  On that day, all people will be rewarded by God according to their beliefs and deeds. 

On the day of judgment there’ll be two types of people. The disbelievers and the believers.

Allah all says in the Quran:

•  And those who believe and do good deeds, they are dwellers of Paradise, they dwell therein forever.  (Quran, 2:82)

•  Those who have disbelieved and died in disbelief, the earth full of gold would not be accepted from any of them if it were offered as a ransom.  They will have a painful punishment, and they will have no helpers. (Quran, 3:91)

One may ask, ‘I think Islam is a good religion, but if I were to convert to Islam, my family, friends, and other people would persecute me and make fun of me.  So if I do not convert to Islam, will I enter Paradise and be saved from Hellfire?’

The answer is what Allah has said in the preceding verse, “And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will not be accepted from him and he will be one of the losers in the Hereafter.”

And Finally in comparing this world with the Hereafter, the Prophet Muhammad  said: {The value of this world compared to that of the Hereafter is like what your finger brings from the sea when you put it in and then take it out.}

The meaning is that, the value of this world compared to that of the Hereafter is like a few drops of water compared to the sea. 

• Al-Qadr is an Arabic word meaning Allah’s predestination of measurements and sustenance of everything and everyone, according to His Knowledge and Wisdom. It comprises the following four aspects:1. Knowledge

2. Pre-Recording

3. The will of Allah

4. Creation

1. Knowledge - The belief that Allah’s knowledge encompasses everything, every matter, major or minor, and the time frame of everything that happens in this universe.

2. Pre-Recording - The belief that Allah recorded everything in a Tablet that He kept with Himself, called 'Al-Lawh Al-Mahfooth' (The Preserved Tablet). Allah Says: “Do you not know that Allah knows what is in the heaven and earth? Indeed that is in a Record. Indeed that, for Allah, is easy.” [Quran 22:70]

3. The Will of Allah - The belief that nothing, whether related to Allah’s actions or actions taken by His slaves, can occur without His permission. Allah Says : “And your Lord creates what He wills and chooses...” [Quran 28:68] And: “…And Allah does what He wills.” [Quran 14:27] And  “It is He who forms you in the wombs however He wills…” [Quran 3:6] As for actions taken by His creation, Allah Says : “…And if Allah had willed, He could have given them power over you, and they would have fought you.” [Quran 4:90] And : “…And if Allah had willed, they would not have done so. So leave them and that which they invent.” [Quran 6:137]

4. Creation - The belief that Allah created all creation, all what they possess of attributes, and all their actions. Allah Says : “Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is, over all things, Disposer of affairs.” [Quran 39:62] And :  “…He has created each thing and determined it with [precise] determination.”  [Quran: 25:2]

Shahadah - The first pillar is the declaration of belief in Allah. The English translation of the Shahadah is "There is nothing which has the right to be worshipped except Allah (alone) and Muhammad is His Messenger." Anyone who says these words and means it is a Muslim.

“Laa ilaaha illAllaha Muhammadur-Rasoolullaah”

From the fruits of this great pillar (the Shahadah) are as whatfollows;1) Freeing one’s heart and soul from slavery to the creation and

the following of other than the Muslims guidance.

2) Happiness in this life and the next.

Pray Five Times a Day

1) Dawn Prayer before Sunrise (Fajr)2) Noon prayer (Zuhr) 4) Sunset Prayer (Maghrib)3) Afternoon prayer (Asr) 5) Night Prayer (Isha)

Benefits

From the fruits of this great pillar:

1) Ease and comfort2) Delight of one’s eye.3) Refrain from

detestable and atrocious acts (sins, disobedience,and disbelief)

Prophet Muhammad said “Pray as you see me praying”

• Prayer is one of the many types of worship in Islam and it is a sign of abidience to Allah

• Salah or Prayer is prayed on a daily baisis to be in remeberance of the One who created us all and gave us sustinance.

• The salah consists of physical actions including standing, bowing, prostrating towards the qibla and turns his heart body and mind towards Allah rather than the materialistic world.

Benefit of faith in this pillar:

1) Purification of the self (soul) from the vices of stinginess and miserliness; as they are two dispraised characteristics in all legislations, from the legislations of Allah.

2) Support of Islam and fulfillment of the Muslims needs.

3) Increase of wealth used for charity, for wealth is not decreased from charity rather it increases, rather it increases.

• The definition of Zakat is Alms Giving. – It is a small posession of ones surplus of wealth equal to 2.5 %

every year given to the poor and needy. • Eight categories of individuals may receive the zakat:[7]

• 1. The needy (Muslims or non-Muslim)• 2. Extremely poor (Muslims or non-Muslims) • 3. Those employed to collect • 4. Those whose hearts are to be won • 5. To free the captives • 6. Those in debt (Muslims or non-Muslims) • 7. In the way of Allah• 8. Wayfarer (Muslims or non-Muslims)

• Spiritual exercise to train the spiritual muscle of self control• Submission to God, we are in control of our evil desires, not

they are in control of us• Test of submission, do what God order even if it causes pain to

us

• Siyaam has a great benefit (fruit) which is accustoming ones self by leaving the usual things he loves, seeking the pleasure of Allah, and desiring the attainment of His reward on the Last Day.

Hajj (Pilgrimage to Makkah)

• Only to those who can afford it and healthy enough to make the journey

• This trip is travel for the sake of God•  It is currently the largest annual pilgrimage in the world

Hajj has many Benefits which include:

1) Accustoming the self (soul) with spending wealth in the way of Allah.

2) Self-sacrifice in the obedience of Allah.

Hajj is a very important aspect in Islam and it has a chapter named after it in the Quran.