﴿ أجوبة على 7 اسئلة شائعة
حول الإسلام ﴾
] English – إنجليزي [
2011 - 1432
1. What is Islaam?
2. What are Muslims?
3. Who is Allaah?
4. Who is Muhammad?
5. What are the Teachings of Islaam?
7. How Do Muslims View the Nature of Man, the Purpose of Life and the Life Hereafter?
1. What is Islaam?
2. What are Muslims?
3. Who is Allaah?
4. Who is Muhammad?
5. What are the Teachings of Islaam?
6. What is the Qur'aan?
7. How Do Muslims View the Nature of Man, the Purpose of Life and the Life Hereafter?
1. What is Islaam?
Islam (or Islaam)
is the name of the religion, or more properly the ‘way of life’, which God
(Allaah) has revealed and which was practiced by all of the Prophets and
Messengers of Allaah that He sent to mankind. Even the name stands out unique
among other religions in that it means a state of being; it does not refer to
any particular person, such as Christianity, Buddhism or Zoroastrianism; a
tribe like Judaism; or a nation like Hinduism. The root Arabic word from which
Islam is derived implies peace, safety, salutation, protection, blamelessness,
wholesomeness, submission, acceptance, surrender, and salvation. Islam
specifically means being in the state of submission to Allaah, worshipping Him
Alone, and reverently accepting and obeying His Law. Through this submission,
the peace, security, and wholesome well-being implied in its literal meaning is
achieved. Hence, a Muslim or Muslimah is a person (male or female) in that
state of submission. A person’s Islam weakens through sins, ignorance, and
wrong-doing, and becomes nullified in totality by associating partners with
Allaah or disbelieving in Him.
2. What are Muslims?
The Arabic word “Muslim” literally means “someone who is in a state of
Islaam (submission to the will and law of Allaah)”. The message of Islaam is
meant for the entire world, and anyone who accepts this message becomes a
Muslim. Some people mistakenly believe that Islaam is just a religion for
Arabs, but nothing could be further from the truth. In actuality, over 80% of
the world's Muslims are not Arabs! Even though most Arabs are Muslims, there are
Arabs who are Christians, Jews and atheists. If one just takes a look at the
various peoples who live in the Muslim World - from Nigeria to Bosnia and from
Morocco to Indonesia - it is easy enough to see that Muslims come from all
different races, ethnic groups, cultures and nationalities. Islaam has always
been a universal message for all people. This can be seen in the fact that some
of the early companions of the Prophet Muhammad were not only Arabs, but also
Persians, Africans and Byzantine Romans. Being a Muslim entails complete
acceptance and active obedience to the revealed teachings and laws of Allaah
the Exalted. A Muslim is a person who freely accepts basing his beliefs, values
and faith on the will of Almighty God. In the past, even though you do not see
it as much today, the word “Mohammedans” was often used as a label for Muslims.
This label is a misnomer, and is the result of either willful distortion or
sheer ignorance. One of the reasons for the misconception is that Europeans
were taught for centuries that Muslims worshipped the Prophet Muhammad in the
same way that Christians worship Jesus. This is absolutely not true, since one
is not considered a Muslim if he worships anyone or anything besides Allaah the
Exalted.
3. Who is Allaah?
Often one hears the Arabic word “Allaah” being used in discussions
regarding Islaam. The word “Allaah” is simply the Arabic word for Almighty God,
and is the same word used by Arabic speaking Christians and Jews. As a matter
of fact, the word Allaah was in use far before the word God ever came into
existence, since English is a relatively new language. If one were to pick up
an Arabic translation of the Bible, one would see the word “Allaah” being use
where the word “God” is used in English. For instance, Arabic speaking
Christians say that Jesus is, according to their canon belief, the Son of
Allaah. In addition, the Arabic word for Almighty God, “Allaah”, is quite
similar to the word for God in other Semitic languages. For example, the Hebrew
word for God is “Elah”. For various reasons, some non-Muslims mistakenly
believe that Muslims worship a different God than the God of Moses and Abraham
and Jesus. This is certainly not the case, since the Pure Monotheism of Islaam
calls all people to the worship of the God of Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and
all the other prophets, peace be upon them.
4. Who is Muhammad?
The last and final prophet whom God sent to humanity was the Prophet
Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him. At the age of
forty, he received the revelation from Allaah. He then spent the remaining
portion of his life explaining, and living the teachings of Islaam, the
religion that Allaah revealed to him. The Prophet Muhammad, may the Peace and
Blessings of Allaah be upon him, is the greatest of all prophets for many
reasons, but primarily because he was chosen by Allaah to be the last prophet -
whose mission to guide humanity would continue until the Last Day - and because
he has been sent as a mercy to all of mankind. The result of his mission has
brought more people into the pure belief in One God than any other prophet.
Since the beginning of time, Allaah sent prophets to the earth, each one to his
own specific nation. The Prophet Muhammad, however, was sent as the final
Messenger to all of humanity.
Even though other religious communities have claimed to believe in One
God, over time, some corrupted ideas entered into their beliefs and practices
leading them away from the pure sincere monotheism of the prophets. Some took
their prophets and saints as intercessors with Almighty God. Some even believed
that their prophets were the manifestations of God, or “God Incarnate” or the
“Son of God”. All of these misconceptions lead to the worship of created beings
instead of the Creator, and contributed to the idolatrous practice of believing
that Almighty God may be approached through intermediaries. In order to guard
against these falsehoods, the Prophet Muhammad, may the Peace and Blessings of
Allaah be upon him, always emphasized that he was only a human-being with the
mission of preaching and obeying Allaah's message. He taught Muslims to refer
to him as “the Messenger of God and His Slave”. Through his life and teachings,
Allaah made Muhammad, may the Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him, the
perfect example for all people - he was the exemplary prophet, statesman,
military leader, ruler, teacher, neighbor, husband, father and friend. Unlike
other prophets and messengers, the Prophet Muhammad, may the Peace and
Blessings of Allaah be upon him, lived in the full light of history, and all
his sayings and acts were meticulously recorded and collected. Muslims don't
need to have mere ‘faith’ that he existed, or that his teachings are preserved
- they know it to be a fact. Allaah took it upon Himself to protect the message
revealed to Muhammad from distortion or from being forgotten or lost. This was
necessary because Allaah promised that Muhammad, may the Peace and Blessings of
Allaah be upon him, was to be the final Messenger to mankind. All of Allaah's
Messengers preached the message of Islaam - i.e. submission to the law of God
and the worship of God alone – but Muhammad, may the Peace and Blessings of
Allaah be upon him, is the last prophet of Islaam who brought the final and
complete message which was never to be changed until the Last Day.
5. What are the Teachings of Islaam?
The foundation of the Islaamic faith is belief in absolute Monotheism
(the Oneness of God). This means to believe that there is only one Creator and
Sustainer of everything in the Universe, and that nothing is divine or worthy
of being worshipped except for Him. Truly, believing in the Oneness of God
means much more than simply believing that there is “One God” - as opposed to
two, three or four. There are a number of religions that claim belief in “One
God” and believe that ultimately there is only one Creator and Sustainer of the
Universe, but true monotheism is to believe that only the One True Deity is to
be worshipped in accordance to the revelation He sent to His Messenger. Islaam
also rejects the use of all intermediaries between God and Man, and insists
that people approach God directly and reserve all worship for Him alone.
Muslims believe that Almighty God is Compassionate, Loving and Merciful.
A common misconception is the claim that God cannot forgive His
creatures directly. By over-emphasizing the burden and penalty of sin, as well
as claiming that God cannot forgive humans directly, people often despair of
the Mercy of God. Once they become convinced that they cannot approach God
directly, they turn to false gods for help, such as heroes, political leaders,
saviors, saints, and angels. We often find that the people who worship, pray
to, or seek intercession from these false deities, do not consider them to be a
‘god’. They claim belief in One Supreme God, but claim that they pray to and
worship others beside God only to get closer to Him. In Islaam, there is a
clear distinction between the Creator and the created. There is no ambiguity or
mystery in issues of divinity: anything that is created does not deserve to be
worshipped; only Allaah, the Creator, is worthy of being worshipped. Some
religions falsely believe that God has become part of His creation, and this
has led people to believe that they can worship something created in order to
reach their Creator.
Muslims believe that even though God is Unique and Exalted beyond
speculative comprehension, He definitely has no partners, associates, peers,
antagonists or offspring. According to Muslim belief, Allaah “neither begets,
nor was He begotten” - neither literally, allegorically, metaphorically,
physically or metaphysically. He is Absolutely Unique and Eternal. He is in
control of everything and is perfectly capable of bestowing His infinite Mercy
and Forgiveness to whomever He chooses. That is why Allaah is also called the
All-Powerful and Most-Merciful. Allaah has created the Universe for man, and as
such wants the best for all human beings. Muslims see everything in the
Universe as a sign of the Creatorship and Benevolence of Almighty God. Also,
the belief in the Oneness of Allaah is not merely a metaphysical concept. It is
a dynamic belief that affects ones view of humanity, society and all aspects of
practical life. As a logical corollary to the Islaamic belief in the Oneness of
Allaah, is its belief in the oneness of mankind and humanity.
6. What is the Qur'aan?
The Qur'aan is the final revelation of Allaah to all of mankind, which
was spoken by Allaah the Exalted Himself and conveyed through the Arch-Angel
Gabriel in Arabic to the Prophet Muhammad, in sound, word and meaning. The
Qur'aan, (sometimes incorrectly spelled Koran), was then relayed to the
Prophet's companions, and they diligently memorized it verbatim and
meticulously complied it into written form. The Holy Qur'aan has been
continually recited by the companions of the Prophet and their successors until
the present day. In short, the Qur'aan is the revealed book of Divine scripture
from Allaah to all humanity for their guidance and salvation.
Today the Qur'aan is still memorized and taught by millions of people.
The language of the Qur'aan, Arabic, is still a living language to millions of
people. Unlike the scriptures of some other religions, the Qur'aan is still
read in its original language by countless millions of people. The Qur'aan is a
living miracle in the Arabic language, and it is known to be inimitable in its
style, form and spiritual impact, as well as the unique knowledge that it
contains. The Qur'aan was revealed in a series of revelations to the Prophet
Muhammad over a period of 23 years. In contrast to many other religious books,
the Qur'aan was always believed to be the exact Word of Allaah. The Qur'aan was
recited publicly in front of both the Muslim and non-Muslim communities during
the life of the Prophet Muhammad, and thereafter. The entire Qur'aan was also
completely written down in the lifetime of the Prophet, and numerous companions
of the Prophet memorized the entire Qur'aan word-for-word as it was revealed.
The Qur'aan was always in the hands of the common believers: it was always
thought to be God's word; and, due to wide-spread memorization, it was
perfectly preserved. Never was any part of it altered or decreed by any
religious council. The teachings of the Qur'aan comprise a universal scripture
addressed to all of mankind and not to any particular tribe or ‘chosen people’.
The message that it brings is nothing new but the same message of all of the
prophets: 'submit to Allaah the One God and worship Him alone and follow Allaah's
Messengers for success in this life and salvation in the hereafter'. As such,
Allaah's revelation in the Qur'aan focuses on teaching human beings the
importance of believing in the Oneness of Allaah, and framing their lives
around the guidance which He has sent, which is articulated in the Islamic Law.
The Qur'aan contains the stories of the previous prophets, such as Noah,
Abraham, Moses and Jesus, peace be upon all of them, as well as commands and
prohibitions from God. In our modern times, in which so many people are caught
up in doubt, spiritual despair and social and political alienation, the
Qur'aanic teachings offer solutions to the emptiness of our lives and the
turmoil that is gripping the world today.
7. How
Do Muslims View the Nature of Man, the Purpose of Life and the Life Hereafter?
In the Holy Qur'aan, Allaah teaches human beings that they were created
in order to glorify and worship Him, and that the basis of all true worship is
God-consciousness. All of Allaah's creatures worship him naturally and only the
humans have the free will to worship Allaah their Creator or to reject Him.
This is a great test, but also a great honor. Since the teachings of Islaam
encompass all aspects of life and ethics, God-consciousness is encouraged in all
human affairs. Islaam makes it clear that all human acts are acts of worship if
they are done for God alone and in accordance to His Divine Scripture and Law.
As such, worship in Islaam is not limited to religious rituals, and for this
reason it is more properly known as ‘way of life’ than a religion. The
teachings of Islaam act as a mercy and a healing for the human soul, and
qualities such as humility, sincerity, patience and charity are strongly
encouraged. Additionally, Islaam condemns pride and self-righteousness, since
Almighty God is the only judge of human righteousness.
The Islaamic view
of the nature of man is also realistic and well-balanced in that human beings
are not believed to be inherently sinful, but are seen as equally capable of
both good and evil; it is their choice. Islaam teaches that faith and action go
hand-in-hand. God has given people free-will, and the measure of one's faith is
their deeds and actions. However, since human beings have also been created
innately weak and regularly fall into sin, they are in need of continually
seeking guidance and repentance, which is, in itself , also a form of worship
loved by Allaah. The nature of the human being as created by God in His Majesty
and Wisdom, is not inherently ‘corrupt’ or in need of repair. The avenue of
repentance is always open to all. Almighty God knew that humans were going to
make mistakes, so the real test is whether they seek repentance for their sins
and try to avoid them, or if they prefer a life of heedlessness and sin, knowing
well that it is not pleasing to God. The true balance of an Islaamic life is
established by having a healthy fear of Allaah's rightful punishment for crimes
and sins, as well as a sincere belief that Allaah, in His infinite Mercy, takes
pleasure in bestowing His reward for our good deeds and sincere worship to Him.
A life without fear of Allaah leads to sin and disobedience, while believing
that we have sinned so much that God will not possibly forgive us only leads to
despair. In the light of this fact, Islaam teaches that only the misguided
despair of the Mercy of their Lord, and only wicked criminals are devoid of the
fear of Allaah their Creator and Judge. The Holy Qur'aan as revealed to the
Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, also contains a great deal of teachings
about life in the hereafter and the Day of Judgment. Muslims believe that all
human beings will ultimately be judged by Allaah, the Absolute Sovereign King
and Judge, for their beliefs and actions in their earthly lives. In judging human
beings, Allaah the Exalted will be both Absolutely Just, by only punishing the
truly guilty and rebellious unrepentant criminals, and Absolutely Merciful for
those people who He, in His wisdom, judges worthy of mercy. None will be judged
for that which was beyond their capacity, or for that which they did not
actually do. It is sufficient to say that Islaam teaches that life is a test
designed by Allaah, the Creator, Almighty and Most Wise; and that all human
beings will be accountable before Allaah for what they did with their lives. A
sincere belief in the life of the hereafter is the key to leading a
well-balanced and moral life. Otherwise, life is viewed as an end in itself,
which causes people to become more selfish, materialistic and immoral by their
blind pursuit of pleasure even at the expense of reason and ethics.
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