Are these things necessary to be Muslim (please read)

[ronki23]

I'm curious as to whether:

Muslims are only allowed to eat Halal (when I refer to non halal I don't mean pork)
Men must trim their moustaches and grow beards
Women cover their hair
Music is not allowed

I live in the UK and have studied with a range of Muslims - they pray 5x a day (or as many times as the timetable allows), fast during Ramadan don't drink and don't eat pork. Nearer the bottom of the list they're less religious:

Pakistani male with long beard and white robes. As far as I know ONLY eats Halal

'Black' Sudanese aged 23-24 at the time. No facial hair and doesn't seem very African (has only visited Muslim countries before this). Eats non-halal

Saudi Male aged 19-22 at the time. Moustache (I thought Islam discourages moustaches?). Eats non halal and Mother doesn't wear Hijab when in UK
Qatari girl aged 21 at time. Eats non halal
Ibadi Omani girl aged 19-22 at the time. Doesn't cover hair and I believe eats non-halal
Bahraini girl aged 24-25 at the time. Doesn't cover hair and eats non-halal
Palestinian Male aged 23 at the time. Had no problem having bindi for Diwali. Eats non halal
Guinean Male aged 25-30 at the time. Eats non halal and doesn't pray 5x a day due to timetable
Jordanian girl aged 25 at the time. No hijab and eats non halal
Senegalese male aged 24 at time drinks alcohol but fasts for Ramadan and no pork
Pakistani male aged 19 at time drinks alcohol but no pork

I'd say all of these people listen to music

 

[sovietchild]

There was a story in the book I read. There was a women who prayed 5 times a day and she read Quran but she was disrespectful to her neighbors, and so she went to hell.

All those things like reading Islamic books and praying 5 times a day only makes a Muslim stronger. Just like a boxer who goes to the gym to practice. If the boxer does not practice he becomes weaker. Your faith weakens just like a boxer without practice. So, praying 5 times a day straightens your faith. Just like doing 100 pushups a day makes one stronger.

 

[Pastek]

Palestinian Male aged 23 at the time. Had no problem having bindi for Diwali.

It's not related to a hindou deity ? If not it's ok.

Guinean Male aged 25-30 at the time. Eats non halal and doesn't pray 5x a day due to timetable

It's possible to do the prayers later when home.

Senegalese male aged 24 at time drinks alcohol but fasts for Ramadan and no pork

It's true that Ramadan is in general something that the majority of muslims do, even though they don't always pratice they fast when Ramadan. I think that's maybe because it's a habit that we have when young and because it's only once a year.
In general we are many at fasting first, then start to pray. Some may never pray.

Pakistani male aged 19 at time drinks alcohol but no pork

We are not allowed to drink alcohol. Never.
But yes some drink.


Beard, moustaches are not obligatory.

Yes, there's some muslims who don't eat halal. But not eating halal is only when you have no choice like you can't eat something else instead of halal meat (like fish/sea food or eventually kosher).

Like you said many times, all those people don't eat pork. That's because muslims don't consider someone who eat pork to be muslim.
It's like a red line.

I'm not saying in the sight of God, because eating pork it's like drinking alcohol it's a sin but that doesn't make you out of Islam.
But in the sight of muslims, it's like you are no more a muslim when you eat pork.

What makes you a muslim is to believe in Allah (God), all the messengers, the angels, the judgement day, and all in the Quran.

As long as you believe in what is said above and don't associate anyone to Allah you are a muslim.
Then we must to follow the 5 pilars.
Prayer, Charity, Fasting are part of the 5 pilars so obligatory.

All the rest like drinking, smoking, pork, etc are sins.
The non halal food or eventually pork is only when you don't have the choice and risk to die.

 

[ronki23]

It's not related to a hindou deity ? If not it's ok.



It's possible to do the prayers later when home.



It's true that Ramadan is in general something that the majority of muslims do, even though they don't always pratice they fast when Ramadan. I think that's maybe because it's a habit that we have when young and because it's only once a year.
In general we are many at fasting first, then start to pray. Some may never pray.



We are not allowed to drink alcohol. Never.
But yes some drink.


Beard, moustaches are not obligatory.

Yes, there's some muslims who don't eat halal. But not eating halal is only when you have no choice like you can't eat something else instead of halal meat (like fish/sea food or eventually kosher).

Like you said many times, all those people don't eat pork. That's because muslims don't consider someone who eat pork to be muslim.
It's like a red line.

I'm not saying in the sight of God, because eating pork it's like drinking alcohol it's a sin but that doesn't make you out of Islam.
But in the sight of muslims, it's like you are no more a muslim when you eat pork.

What makes you a muslim is to believe in Allah (God), all the messengers, the angels, the judgement day, and all in the Quran.

As long as you believe in what is said above and don't associate anyone to Allah you are a muslim.
Then we must to follow the 5 pilars.
Prayer, Charity, Fasting are part of the 5 pilars so obligatory.

All the rest like drinking, smoking, pork, etc are sins.
The non halal food or eventually pork is only when you don't have the choice and risk to die.

Smoking is a sin? Hookahs are abundant in the Middle East

There was a story in the book I read. There was a women who prayed 5 times a day and she read Quran but she was disrespectful to her neighbors, and so she went to hell.

All those things like reading Islamic books and praying 5 times a day only makes a Muslim stronger. Just like a boxer who goes to the gym to practice. If the boxer does not practice he becomes weaker. Your faith weakens just like a boxer without practice. So, praying 5 times a day straightens your faith. Just like doing 100 pushups a day makes one stronger.

Forgot to say the people who I forgot to mention about facial hair had trimmed beards including moustaches. Nearly all of the people on the list barring the top one listen to music and eat Jhatka meat

 

[Pastek]

Smoking is a sin? Hookahs are abundant in the Middle East

I was more refering to drugs, but for some imams it can includes cigarets too.
But many many muslims smoke cigarets.

Hookah, cigarets are abundant in the middle east/north africa yes, as music, belly dancing and many other things.
Sometimes the culture is still very present even though religiously it's forbidden/inadvisable.

 

[Sakeenah]

I'm curious as to whether:

Muslims are only allowed to eat Halal (when I refer to non halal I don't mean pork)
Men must trim their moustaches and grow beards
Women cover their hair
Music is not allowed

I live in the UK and have studied with a range of Muslims - they pray 5x a day (or as many times as the timetable allows), fast during Ramadan don't drink and don't eat pork. Nearer the bottom of the list they're less religious:

Pakistani male with long beard and white robes. As far as I know ONLY eats Halal

'Black' Sudanese aged 23-24 at the time. No facial hair and doesn't seem very African (has only visited Muslim countries before this). Eats non-halal

Saudi Male aged 19-22 at the time. Moustache (I thought Islam discourages moustaches?). Eats non halal and Mother doesn't wear Hijab when in UK
Qatari girl aged 21 at time. Eats non halal
Ibadi Omani girl aged 19-22 at the time. Doesn't cover hair and I believe eats non-halal
Bahraini girl aged 24-25 at the time. Doesn't cover hair and eats non-halal
Palestinian Male aged 23 at the time. Had no problem having bindi for Diwali. Eats non halal
Guinean Male aged 25-30 at the time. Eats non halal and doesn't pray 5x a day due to timetable
Jordanian girl aged 25 at the time. No hijab and eats non halal
Senegalese male aged 24 at time drinks alcohol but fasts for Ramadan and no pork
Pakistani male aged 19 at time drinks alcohol but no pork

I'd say all of these people listen to music

In orthodox sunni Islam drinking alcohol,not fasting, not praying and not wearing hijab, are all considered sins some more severe than others. These sins don't take a person out of the fold of Islam as long as the person beliefs in Allah,doesn't associate any partners with Him and doesn't claim that which God has prohibited as permissible.

There is a school of thought within fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) hanbali, that considers not praying an act of disbelief, they have this opinion because prayer is the second pillar of Islam.

 

[mahmoud mrt]

I'm curious as to whether:


Muslims are only allowed to eat Halal (when I refer to non halal I don't mean pork)

Men must trim their moustaches and grow beards

Women cover their hair

Music is not allowed

Hi ronki23,

All these things are not necessary to be a Muslim,

To eat halal is an order, if you don’t follow it it’s a sin but you’re still a full Muslim

Trimming moustaches and growing beards are not even a proofed religious order, it’s only one Tradition “Hadith” that tells Muslims to be different from Jews so that they do this, Some Respected Scholars reached the opinion that this was a time habit not a religious order

To cover the hair for the women is an order that most scholars interpret 2 Verses in the holy Qur’an, but even these verses declares the reason for this is that the women are noticed and known to be pious, respectful, then they’ll be protected from harassment. Thus if we apply the same reason thus if I’m in a western country I’ll will tell my wife, daughter, mother ,etc. to remove the hair cover(hegab) for her own protection, I’ll still advise her to wear decent cloths. The point is that the verse of “hegab” does not explicitly mention the hair cover, it mentions explicitly decent cloths, you see every word in the Arabic language has more than one meaning, so the word “khomorhen” in verse can be interpreted as the hair cover that cover the rest of the body, or it can be interpreted as the body cover without the hair.

Any way I’ll tell my daughter or wife that even if the interpretation that the verse means the hair cover is true, I’ll assure her that God will forgive her because her safety is more important to God Almighty that the hair cover.



As for Music, It has different controversial opinions since old ages, I believe the respected opinion that Music and singing are allowed, There is No direct explicit right proof either from the holy Qur’an or from the Traditions "Hadiths” that prohibit music or singing, even the prophet “peace be upon him” was greeted when he reached Medina with a song.

Music and singing are for the blessings of God Almighty.



Hope this clears up this issue for you ronki23

Salam

 

[zahra67]

I'm curious as to whether:

Muslims are only allowed to eat Halal (when I refer to non halal I don't mean pork)
Men must trim their moustaches and grow beards
Women cover their hair
Music is not allowed

I live in the UK and have studied with a range of Muslims - they pray 5x a day (or as many times as the timetable allows), fast during Ramadan don't drink and don't eat pork. Nearer the bottom of the list they're less religious:

Pakistani male with long beard and white robes. As far as I know ONLY eats Halal

'Black' Sudanese aged 23-24 at the time. No facial hair and doesn't seem very African (has only visited Muslim countries before this). Eats non-halal

Saudi Male aged 19-22 at the time. Moustache (I thought Islam discourages moustaches?). Eats non halal and Mother doesn't wear Hijab when in UK
Qatari girl aged 21 at time. Eats non halal
Ibadi Omani girl aged 19-22 at the time. Doesn't cover hair and I believe eats non-halal
Bahraini girl aged 24-25 at the time. Doesn't cover hair and eats non-halal
Palestinian Male aged 23 at the time. Had no problem having bindi for Diwali. Eats non halal
Guinean Male aged 25-30 at the time. Eats non halal and doesn't pray 5x a day due to timetable
Jordanian girl aged 25 at the time. No hijab and eats non halal
Senegalese male aged 24 at time drinks alcohol but fasts for Ramadan and no pork
Pakistani male aged 19 at time drinks alcohol but no pork

I'd say all of these people listen to music

hello.
islam is two parts.
both are necessary for our salvation and proximity to God.
faith and do good deeds.
are halals (allowed) and non halals (forbidden) in islam have philosophy and reason.
for example: about the reason of fastings, in the holy Quran, chapter two we read:
O you who believe! fasting is prescribed for you, as it was prescribed for
those before you, so that you may guard [against evil].
For a certain number of days; but whoever among you is sick or on a
journey, then [he shall fast] a [like] number of other days; and those who are
not able to do it may effect a redemption by feeding a poor man; so whoever does
good spontaneously it is better for him; and that you fast is better for you if
you know.
The month of Ramazan is that in which the Quran was revealed, a guidance to
men and clear proofs of the guidance and the distinction; therefore whoever of
you is present in the month, he shall fast therein, and whoever is sick or upon
a journey, then [he shall fast] a [like] number of other days; Allah desires
ease for you, and He does not desire for you difficulty, and [He desires] that
you should complete the number and that you should exalt the greatness of Allah
for His having guided you and that you may give thanks.
And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near; I
answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me, so they should answer My
call and believe in Me that they may walk in the right way.
also among other philosophies:
sympathy with poor and hungry people.
when we fast, we realize the feeling of poor people, help them and it causes the reduction of powerty in the society.
its also useful for our healthiness and help us to grow our spirituality and helthyness of our body.
about the philosophy of hijab God says in the verse 59 of chapter 33:

O Prophet! say to your wives and your daughters and the women of the
believers that they let down upon them their over-garments; this will be more
proper, that they may be known, and thus they will not be given trouble; and
Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
when we have hijab, we protect ourselves, our dignity and chastity and immune ourselves from bad people.

God is extremely merciful and ordained the laws and practices in islam for our prosperity, salvation and our sake.
God does not want harm for us and wants Good for all people.