Considering Islam

[Knowledge is Light]

The following links are articles about the Stories of the Prophets (peace be upon them all)
Type www before the website

The Story of Adam (peace be upon him)
islamreligion.com/articles/1190/viewall

Regarding 'The Original Sin'
islamreligion.com/articles/1776
islamreligion.com/articles/13/viewall


The Story of Abraham (peace be upon him)
islamreligion.com/articles/293/viewall

The Story of Moses (peace be upon him)
islamreligion.com/articles/3366/viewall

The Story of Joseph (peace be upon him)
islamreligion.com/articles/1790/viewall


Stories of a Blessed Family: Prophet Zachary (Zachariah) (peace be upon him)
islamreligion.com/articles/1472

Stories of a Blessed Family: Prophet John (peace be upon him)
islamreligion.com/articles/1471


Mary (peace be upon her) in Islam
islamreligion.com/articles/25/viewall

Mary, the Mother of Jesus (peace be upon them)
islamreligion.com/articles/1398/viewall

The Story of Mary (peace be upon her) in Brief
islamreligion.com/articles/1186

The Story of Jesus (peace be upon him) in Brief
islamreligion.com/articles/1185

Jesus (peace be upon him) in Islam
islamreligion.com/articles/31/viewall

Jesus Son of Mary (peace be upon them)
islamreligion.com/articles/1412/viewall

The Story of Jesus and Mary (peace be upon them) in the Holy Quran
islamreligion.com/articles/621/viewall

The Descriptive Titles of Jesus (peace be upon him) in the Quran "The Messiah" and "a Miracle"
islamreligion.com/articles/230

The Descriptive Titles of Jesus (peace be upon him) in the Quran A "Word" and "Spirit" from God
islamreligion.com/articles/229

Jesus' Greatest Commandment
islamreligion.com/articles/28

 

[Renji]

Discover the truth about Islam
theradiantlight.blogspot.com


I will be posting more information In sha Allah (God willing), and will include what you were asking for brother Lawrence

Interesting. Thanks for that.

 

[Nerthus]

Is anyone able to answer my question?

 

[Renji]

Is anyone able to answer my question?

I think you should ask questions to them, so that they can help you decide

 

[Badran]

Is anyone able to answer my question?

If you mean the question about the changes in your life, i'd say the main change, which leads to other smaller things, is the way you look at things. As been said there are many layers to Islam, and the more you read about it, read the Quran with different interpretations and translations, Hadiths and different books about Islam, is the better.

The difficulty of the change of your view or outlook of things will depend on your perception of what Islam says, and how different that is from the way you look at things right now. It might actually be easy if its not different, or drastically different from your current view.

 

[fatima_bintu_islam]

Is anyone able to answer my question?

You mean the question about fast conversion?

Heres a message from a brother of mine , sent through me to a lady who wanted to convert just like you and she was scared of the changes in her life and similar things , it is very enjoyable and full of infos about this issue ; ( lll be posting the msg in small parts Inshallah)

However I want you to reflect on this statement of yours that was very telling ''...I want to follow it but at the same time...'. One thing I have over you is that I have gone through the process of conversion. I have an insight into the feelings and emotions and the way in which it turns and develops. I know that feeling of being utterly in awe of this new found religion you have found, feeling it was so meant for you but yet it is so alien at the same time. I know that you have some many contradictions in your mind. You're white (I think anyway excuse me if I am wrong!) western, female, yet you wish to follow something that is basically portrayed as against this! However what I say to you is that is all part of the process and really you should accept that you want to follow this. You should accept Allaah himself has caused a love of Islam in your heart and a want to follow this path that you see good in. Once you accept this, and in turn accept Islam things will become much clearer and easier.

Let us say upon reading these words you feel compelled to say the declaration of faith ( and I hope this will be the case!). Let us say you let it out and accept in your heart and declare on your tongue 'There is no deity worthy of worship except Allaah, and Muhammad was his slave and messenger'. What then? Do you think then you're expected to put a burqa on (Afghan style might I add!) and begin speaking English with a tint of a foreign accent and change your name to something you can barely pronounce? Or do you think you will utter it, earn the pleasure of your lord and save yourself from hellfire and misguidance and begin a long, journey of self discovery and learning? I can tell you it will be the latter of the two. If you chose to accept Islam, everything will move slowly and things will be easy especially with your lord guiding you.

Let me stop and digress a little from the point I am making if I may. Islam is the religion from our creator himself. The Qur'an (or Koran) is a message direct to you and me. It isn't a narrative like the bible it is a letter for us personally. Islam is a religion that is a very realistic, practical, pragmatic religion. One thing you will notice if you examine Islamic and Muslim history is that the Muslims have always been profoundly aware of human behaviour and psychology. Often when the Muslims traveled to different lands they took an active interest in the society and the people and spread Islam through this. This is due to the fact Islam stresses understanding of the human, and progression and human psychology. We are not people who are supposed to be rigid and harsh and judgemental and push people away.

To be continued

 

[fatima_bintu_islam]

We can find examples of this in the Qur'an itself, for example let us examine the prohibition of alcohol;

Firstly Allah says in chapter 2 verse 219

'...They ask thee concerning wine and gambling, say: "In them is great sin, and some profit, for men; but the sin is greater than the profit...'

So here Allaah is saying to the Prophet (peace be upon him) tell them there is some profit, but the outcome and evil of alcohol is worse than any profit or benefit. So at this point alcohol wasn't forbidden, but rather Allaah in his wisdom was pointing out the harm to the early Muslim community slowly, so they could accept the later prohibition of it. He was calling them to use their intellect.

Then Allah said in chapter 4 verse 43

'....O ye who believe! Approach not prayers with a mind befogged, until ye can understand all that ye say, ...'

So here Allaah is forbidding the Muslims to come to prayer drunk. He hasn't made it in general prohibited but rather he has made it forbidden when they pray. This point may not seem significant but let us examine the more subtle meaning for a second. A Muslim is commanded to pray five times a day, and he cannot abandon this as it is a major sin. So this basically means it is difficult for the early Muslim community to drink and perform their obligations, essentially they are forced to give priority to their worship and begin to leave off old habits. Allaah is pushing them in the right direction and slowly, and causing them to reflect and think about this aspect of their culture. He was establishing for them new forms of behaviour and slowly curbing their old habits.

Finally Allaah revealed in chapter 5 verse 90

'...The devil wants only to cast among you enmity and hatred by means of strong drink and games of chance and to turn you from remembering Allah and from prayer. Will you then desist...'

Finally with this verse alcohol became totally forbidden. Perhaps you would think that this would be met with resistance? Especially since the American government itself tried to achieve this in the prohibition era and failed miserably. Yet it is narrated that when this verse was revealed, the streets ran through with alcohol due to people pouring it out onto the streets. Anybody who was even sipping a drink of alcohol stopped and spat it out, and some people even caused themselves to vomit to get it out of their systems.

But one has to ask why was this the outcome? And why such a gradual approach? The reason being because Allaah is merciful and wise and took into consideration the early Muslims psychology. He didn't burden them with more than they could bear. I am not arguing alcohol is now permissible as it isn't as the final verse came down forbidding it, but what I am saying is that when dealing with the religion we should take it slowly and easily.

Allaah says in his book in the second chapter verse 185

'...Allah desires ease for you; He does not desire difficulty for you...'

So Allaah doesn't wish to burden you or cause you harm. He wants to enlighten you and bring you out of the darkness of disbelief and into the light of belief and happiness. Your lord does not want to harm or make your life hard! How merciful is he?

Allah says:

'...We did not send down the Qur'an to you to make you miserable, but only as a reminder for those who have fear...'

Allaah wishes to remind you, that he is your lord and to fear his punishment and to accept Islam and enter into his religion. He doesn't want to make you miserable and drive you away, rather he wants you to reflect, to ponder and remember.

Allah says in the second chapter verse 186

'...Allah does not impose on any self any more than it can stand...'

So Allaah does not ask from you anything you cannot bear! This is his true promise in his book! That he will never burden you or test you with what you cannot do or not bear! So do not fear or think 'I can't do this' or 'I can't pray five times a day!' or 'I can't cover!' Allaah does not ask anything of you, that you, cannot perform or do.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

"Religion is very easy and whoever overburdens himself in his religion will not be able to continue in that way. So you should not be extremists, but try to be near to perfection and receive the good tidings that you will be rewarded."

(Reference for this is Sahih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 2, Number 38).

To be continued

 

[fatima_bintu_islam]

Last part:

So the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is encouraging his followers to be moderate and not overburden themselves. It is also narrated about him that when he began a deed he never left off it, and that a small deed done frequently is better than a lot done as a one off. So Islam encourages moderation and the middle way, the middle path.

Allaah says of the Muslims in his noble book in chapter two verse 143

'...Thus We have appointed you a middle nation...'

So Allaah has enjoined upon the Muslims softness, moderation and being balanced and not going to extremes. Allaah has enjoined upon us worship, and then also times of enjoyment and fun. He has allowed us to strike a balance between the two rather than being monks or fun-time people continually.

In fact you can even find narrations in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) encouraged past time and fun for example:

'Entertain your hearts, for hearts become blind when they are weary'. ( From the book of narrations Bukhari)

In addition Bukhari narrates that whilst the Prophet (peace be upon him) was watching a show put on by some Abyssinian entertainers and ‘Umar [A companion of the Prophet known for his serious nature] expressed some concern, he said, “Leave them in order that the Jews of Madinah know that our religion has space (for this).” ( The collection of narrations from Ahmed, 24771)

Examine the above narrations, the Prophet encouraged entertainment and encouraged watching sport and fun. He said that Islam has space for entertainment and knows the people need it.

In addition the Prophet (peace be upon him) had some young men come to him and say:

'One of them said, 'I will pray all of every night.' Another said, 'I will fast all the time and not break the fast.' The other said, "I will withdraw from women and never marry.'

Imagine this? They are saying they will deprive themself of this world like monks but the Prophet being the most wise of men and bringing the most intelligent and correct of religions said to them:

'...By Allah, I am the one among you with the most fear and awareness of Allah, but I fast and break the fast, I pray and I sleep, and I marry women...'

So the Prophet (peace be upon him) was balanced and moderate and didn't enjoin upon people what they couldn't bear. I want you to understand this as many do not and it causes them to turn away from Islam.

I want to share a narration about the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) with you. He sent Mooath Ibn Jabal to Yemen to call the people to Islam. Mooath was a friend and companion of the Prophet known for his religious knowledge and intelligence. Look at these instructions how the Prophet took into account the specifics of the situation and how Mooath should approach the nation he was being sent to. It is almost as if he could have been sending him to America! He instructed him with this:

'...You are going to a nation from the people of the Scripture [ie: Christian] , so let the first thing to which you will invite them, be the Tauhid of Allah [this means monotheism that Allaah is one with no sons or partners and that they should only worship him]. If they learn that, tell them that Allah has enjoined on them, five prayers to be offered in one day and one night. And if they pray, tell them that Allah has enjoined on them Zakat of their properties and it is to be taken from the rich among them and given to the poor. And if they agree to that, then take from them Zakat but avoid the best property of the people...'

So here the Prophet (peace be upon him) is telling him to firstly call them to Islam and teach them. Then if they accept tell them to pray and help them in that. Then if they do that, tell them to pay the zakat (2.5 percent on certain types of wealth to be given to the poor). And notice he said 'but avoid the best property of the people'. He said this so that Mooath didn't upset these new Muslims by taking their best property. Perhaps they still were getting used to the concept of giving the poor due and he didn't want Mooath to upset them and turn them away from Islam. Notice also the gradual approach the Prophet (peace be upon him) instructed Mooath with? So this is the same for yourself, firstly to accept Islam then begin learning then to begin trying to pray and then maybe other things but slowly, slowly. This will be easier especially with the Muslim community behind you and often they are very helpful and supportive as that is our duty.

And let us look at what is forbidden! Out of all drinks everything is allowed except what? Alcohol! All food is allowed from the fish in the sea to the birds in the air except; those animals who only eat meat, those that have talons, the pig (an obvious one!) an animal that died without being slaughtered and blood. All dress is allowed from western to eastern clothes except that in public modesty is enjoined. You can live in any house you please, speak any language you want, laugh, joke, spend time with your family. So you see when one considers it Allaah is being truthful to you, he doesn't wish harm or difficulty, he allows you to do much and enjoy your life within the framework of Islam.

I apologise for going on and on and on but one thing is that don't look at the Muslim community in general and think you have to do all of what they do overnight! As I say Islam takes into consideration specifics and detail. So specific to you right now is that you just enter the religion by saying the declaration of faith, that is it and begin learning the basics. No covering, no praying, just initial learning.

One tribe came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said 'Oh Muhammad we will do everything you command except this [and they named a specific deed]' So the Prophet allowed them this and allowed them to enter into Islam. The companions of the Prophet were confused by this and they asked how can you allow them to reject a certain command? So the Prophet (peace be upon him) said 'don't worry they will do it when the sweetness of faith enters their hearts'. So also you must take into account, your heart isn't your own. Once you accept Islam and find this beautiful sublime feeling of peace and tranquillity, and that it only increases the more you practise Islam, you will find progression and going into Islam easier.

Your roots are not being ripped away, they are merely being uprooted and planted in a different area, a new path that will lead you to a much greater place. You are you, and nothing can or will change that. Allaah created you, right down to your finger prints, he excepts nothing of you except that you worship him alone and believe in him. As you read these words, forget everyone else, forget someone even wrote this to you. Just for a second think what this is all about and worth. That this information that you have come to read and know, could take you to eternal bliss. Is such an opportunity to be taken lightly? Especially considering you could die at any moment?

I want you to think about this, and I know you will make the right decision God willing.

I pray upon reading these words you will say 'I bear witness there is no deity worthy of worship except Allaah and Muhammad is his slave and messenger' and enter into Islam fully.

I leave you with this from your lords book,

'...So set your face firmly toward the Religion, as a pure natural believer, Allah's natural pattern on which He made humanity. There is no changing Allah's creation. That is the true Religion - but most people do not know it...'

Your brother desiring good and everlasting bliss and happiness,

Richard (still very western, white and Muslim!).

 

[Nerthus]

I think you should ask questions to them, so that they can help you decide

I did ask my question in the OP.

You mean the question about fast conversion?

I didn't ask about that.

If you mean the question about the changes in your life, i'd say the main change, which leads to other smaller things, is the way you look at things. As been said there are many layers to Islam, and the more you read about it, read the Quran with different interpretations and translations, Hadiths and different books about Islam, is the better.

The difficulty of the change of your view or outlook of things will depend on your perception of what Islam says, and how different that is from the way you look at things right now. It might actually be easy if its not different, or drastically different from your current view.

Thank you.

Yeah, I guess if my view on things is similar, the change will be easier. Although, with regard to many things I don't think it is. Which is where I struggle when it comes to faith.

I'm reading up on it each day, so I'll be able to see how things lie with my views and changes etc.

 

[Starsoul]

I have been thinking recently about Islam, I don't know too much about it and am going to study it more regardless of whether I actually become Muslim.

I was just wondering about the main changes becoming Muslim would involve? I know there are prayers, and wearing a hijaab, but how being Muslim would change my daily life - I'm still not to up on!

I don't really come from a religious background, but have attended Church on a number of occasions, but Christianity just didn't seem right.

I hope I don't come across as too naive - I will admit that I don't know too much about Islam, I am still learning, but would like to take it to the next step and don't want to end up doing something that I do now, that I shouldn't do as a Muslim (drinking, smoking, doing certain things etc).

Not that it particularly matters, but I am a white female in the UK.

Any advice would really be appreciated, as I hope to really look into Islam and see whether it feels right for me.

hey Nerthus, greetings and the very best of our wishes with you in your journey, just don't be so worried really about the changes, your first job is to actually go through the content of Islam preferably by a an authentic scholar, I can help you find one if i may, if you think its alright to pm me your city location in Uk. otherwise it wont be very difficult too if you yourself could look for some help being introduced to a scholar,since there's a huge muslim population in Uk.

And Just read up as much as you can take to think over it at one time, and things will unfold themselves, you may find it difficult at the beginning because changing one's lifestyle isn't that easy initially, but trust me its worth all the effort and quite liberating at all levels

Feel free to ask any questions and we would do our best to help in anyway we can Not scholars, but can help you find one.
take good care .

 

[fatima_bintu_islam]

I guess then its this question? I didnt find any other

I was just wondering about the main changes becoming Muslim would involve? I know there are prayers, and wearing a hijaab, but how being Muslim would change my daily life - I'm still not to up on!

Being Muslims would change your daily life in many aspects; first your heart and deeds will be related to Allah every second, read what Allah says in Quran:

56. And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone).

This will be the purpose in your life, and listen to what Allah ordered his prophet Muhammad peace be upon him to say:

162. Say (O Muhammad

): "Verily, my Salat (prayer), my sacrifice, my living, and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists).

Notice that "my living and my dying are for Allah "too, not only the five prayers or the fasting, a Muslim life is completely dedicated to Allah azza wajjal.


Look, heres what well do; you'll tell me one specific aspect of your daily life, and Ill tell how in Islam it can change to another form. What do you think? So we can be concret in the approach of the changes Inshallah

 

[A-ManESL]

The main thing is surrender. Your ego and selfish desires must be surrendered before God. Every action you take, every decision you make must be in conformance with that, and intended in the name of God. (Some people will find that constricting, a Muslim will disagree.) It seems like such a simple thing to say but it is a life long struggle! To become entirely submissive before God, one must first become humble and absolutely devoid of ego.

The external things are important but in isolation they arent the real thing. The internal submission before God is the real thing, and the external traditions are really meant to help one in putting them in practice.

Regards

 

[Knowledge is Light]

Prophethood in Islam: The nature of prophethood
islamreligion.com/articles/228/viewall

Prophethood is not unknown to heavenly revealed religions, such as Judaism and Christianity. In Islam, however, it has a special status and significance.

According to Islam, God created man for a noble purpose: to worship Him and lead a virtuous life based on His teachings and guidance. How would man know his role and the purpose of his existence unless he received clear and practical instructions of what God wants him to do?

Here comes the need for prophethood. Thus God has chosen from every nation at least one prophet to convey His Message to people.
One might ask, how were the prophets chosen and who were entitled to this great honor?

Prophethood is God’s blessing and favor that He may bestow on whom He wills. However, from surveying the various messengers throughout history, three features of a prophet may be recognized:

1. He is the best in his community morally and intellectually. This is necessary because a prophet’s life serves as a role model for his followers. His personality should attract people to accept his message rather than drive them away by his imperfect character. After receiving the message, he is infallible. That is, he would not commit any sin. He might make some minor mistakes, which are usually corrected by revelation.

2. He is supported by miracles to prove that he is not an imposter. Those miracles are granted by the power and permission of God and are usually in the field in which his people excel and are recognized as superior. We might illustrate this by quoting the major miracles of the three prophets of the major world religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Moses’ contemporaries were excellent in magic, so his major miracle was to defeat the best magicians of Egypt of his day. Jesus’ contemporaries were recognized as skilled physicians, therefore, his miracles were to raise the dead and cure incurable diseases. The Arabs, the contemporaries of the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, were known for their eloquence and magnificent poetry. So Prophet Muhammad’s major miracle was the Quran, the equivalent of which the whole legion of Arab poets and orators could not produce, despite the repeated challenge from the Quran itself. Again, Muhammad’s miracle has something special about it. All previous miracles were limited to its time and place; that is, they were shown to specific people at a specific time. Not so with the miracle of Prophet Muhammad the Quran. It is a universal and everlasting miracle. Previous generations witnessed it and future generations will witness its miraculous nature in terms of its style, content and spiritual uplifting. These can still be tested and will thereby prove the divine origin of the Quran.

3. Every prophet states clearly that what he receives is not of his own making, but from God, for the well-being of mankind. He also confirms what was revealed before him and what may be revealed after him. A prophet does this to show that he is simply conveying the message that is entrusted to him by the One True God of all people in all ages. So the message is one in essence and for the same purpose. Therefore, it should not deviate from what was revealed before him or what might come after him.

Prophets are necessary for conveying God’s instructions and guidance to mankind. We have no way of knowing why we were created. What will happen to us after death? Is there any life after death? Are we accountable for our actions? These and so many other questions about God, angels, paradise, hell, and more, cannot be answered without direct revelation from the Creator and Knower of the unseen. Those answers must be authentic and must be brought by individuals whom we trust and respect. That is why messengers are the elite of their societies in terms of moral conduct and intellectual ability.

Hence, the slanderous Biblical stories about some of the great prophets are not accepted by Muslims. For example, Lot is reported to have committed incestuous fornication while drunk. David is alleged to have sent one of his leaders to his death in order to marry his wife. Prophets, to Muslims, are greater than what these stories indicate. These stories cannot be true from the Islamic point of view.

The prophets are also miraculously supported by God and instructed by Him to affirm the continuity of the message. The content of the prophets’ message to mankind can be summarized as follows:
a) Clear concept of God: His attributes, His creation, what should and should not be ascribed to Him.
b) Clear idea about the unseen world, the angels, jinn (spirits), Paradise and Hell.
c) Why God has created us, what He wants from us and what rewards and punishments are for obedience and disobedience.
d) How to run our societies according to His will. That is, clear instructions and laws that, when applied correctly and honestly, will result in a smoothly functioning, harmonious society.

It is clear from the above discussion that there is no substitute for prophets. Even today with the advancement of science, the only authentic source of information about the supernatural world is revelation. Guidance can be obtained neither from science nor from mystic experience. The first is too materialistic and limited; the second is too subjective and frequently misleading.

 

[Knowledge is Light]

Prophethood in Islam: A belief in all prophets without distinction
islamreligion.com/articles/228/viewall

One might well ask:
How many prophets has God sent to humanity? We are only sure of what is clearly mentioned in the Quran, that God has sent a messenger to every nation. That is because it is one of God’s principles that He will never call a people to account unless He has made clear to them what to do and what not to do. The Quran mentions the names of 25 prophets and indicates that there have been others who were not mentioned to Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.

These 25 include Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (may God praise them all). These five are the greatest among God’s messengers. They are called ‘the resolute’ prophets.

An outstanding aspect of the Islamic belief in prophethood is that Muslims believe in and respect all the messengers of God with no exceptions. All the prophets came from the same One God, for the same purpose: to lead mankind to God. Hence, belief in them all is essential and logical; accepting some and rejecting others has to be based on misconceptions of the prophet’s role or on a racial bias. The Muslims are the only people in the world who consider the belief in all the prophets an article of faith. Thus the Jews reject Jesus and Muhammad (peace be upon them), and the Christians reject Muhammad. The Muslims accept them all as messengers of God who brought guidance to mankind. However, the revelations which those prophets before Muhammad brought from God have been tampered with in one way or another.

The belief in all the prophets of God is enjoined upon the Muslims in the Quran:

“Say (O Muslims): We believe in God and that which is revealed to us and that which was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael, and Isaac and Jacob, and their children, and that which Moses and Jesus received and that the prophets received from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them and unto Him we have surrendered.” (Quran 2:136)

The Quran continues in the following verses to instruct the Muslims that this is the true and impartial belief. If other nations believe in the same, they are following in the right track. If they do not, they must be following their own whims and biases and God will take care of them. Thus we read:

“And if they believe in what you believe, then they are rightly guided. But if they turn away, then they are in disunity, and God will suffice you against them. He is the Hearer, the Knower. This is God’s religion and who is better than God in religion?” (Quran 2:137-138)

There are, at least, two important points related to prophethood that need to be clarified. These points concern the roles of Jesus and Muhammad (peace be upon them) as prophets, who are usually misunderstood.

The Quranic account of Jesus emphatically rejects the concept of his ‘divinity’ and ‘divine sonship’ and presents him as one of the great prophets of God. The Quran makes it clear that the birth of Jesus without a father does not make him the son of God and mentions, in this respect, Adam, who was created by God without a father or mother.
“Truly, the likeness of Jesus, in God’s sight, is as Adam’s likeness; He created him of dust, them said He unto him “Be”, and he was.” (Quran 3:59)

Like other prophets, Jesus also performed miracles. For example, he raised the dead and cured the blind and lepers, but, while showing these miracles, he always made it clear that it was all from God. Actually, the misconceptions about the personality and mission of Jesus, peace be upon him, found a way among his followers because the Divine message he preached was not recorded during his presence in the world. Rather, it was recorded after a lapse of about one hundred years. According to the Quran, he was sent to the Children of Israel; he confirmed the validity of the Torah, which was revealed to Moses, peace be upon him, and he also brought the glad tidings of a final messenger after him.

“And when Jesus son of Mary said, ‘Children of Israel. I am indeed the messenger to you, confirming the Torah that is before me, and giving good tidings of a Messenger who shall come after me, whose name shall be the praised one…” (Quran 61:6)
(The “praised one” is the translation of “Ahmad”, which is Prophet Muhammad’s name.)

However, the majority of the Jews rejected his ministry. They plotted against his life and in their opinion, crucified him. But the Quran refutes this opinion and says that they neither killed him nor crucified him; rather, he was raised up to God. There is a verse in the Quran which implies that Jesus will come back and all the Christians and Jews will believe in him before he dies. This is also supported by authentic sayings of the Prophet Muhammad.

The last prophet of God, Muhammad, was born in Arabia in the sixth century C.E. Up to the age of forty, people of Makkah knew him only as a man of excellent character and cultured manners and called him ‘Al-Ameen’ (‘The Trustworthy’). He also did not know that he was soon to be made a prophet and receiver of revelation from God. He called the idolaters of Makkah to worship the one and only God and accept him (Muhammad) as His prophet. The revelation that he received was preserved in his lifetime in the memory of his companions and was also recorded on pieces of palm leaf, leather, etc. Thus the Quran that is found today is the same that was revealed to him, not a syllable of which has been altered, as God Himself has guaranteed its preservation. This Quran claims to be the book of guidance for all of humanity for all times, and mentions Muhammad as the last Prophet of God.

 

[Knowledge is Light]

The inclusiveness of Islam: the finality of prophethood
Jamaal al-Din Zarabozo

What is meant here by “the inclusiveness of Islam” is that fact that Islam is for all times and places. Regardless of who a person may be or where he may be, Islam should be his religion and his way of life. This is just as much true for those who lived during the lifetime of the Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, or those who will live in 2525 (if God wills that there shall be such a year).

The correct understanding of this point revolves around a number of issues. The first important issue is that of the finality of prophethood as vested in the Prophet Muhammad. The second concerns the perfection of the religion and the manner in which it is able to guide humankind during all eras.
The Finality of Prophethood

God decreed that the Prophet Muhammad would be His final messenger. God says:

“Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of God and the last of the Prophets. And God is Ever All-Aware of everything.” (Quran 33:40)

The Prophet Muhammad himself said:
“I have been sent to all of the creation and the prophets have been sealed by me.” (Saheeh Muslim)

Again, he said:
“The Children of Israel were led by the prophets; whenever a prophet died, a prophet succeeded (him). Lo! There will be no prophet after me” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim)

Thus, there finally came the Prophet who explicitly declared that he is the final prophet. The Prophets who came before the Prophet—as far as can be seen from what is narrated from them—did not make such a claim regarding themselves. Thus, for example, in Deuteronomy 18:17-19, God is telling Moses that He is going to send another messenger “like unto him” in the future. In the New Testament, in John 14:15-16, Jesus speaks of “another Comforter” being sent by God. (Also in John 16:7-8 and John 16:12-13 Jesus speaks of someone coming in the future.) On the other hand, the Prophet Muhammad made it very clear that no prophet would come after him.
Being sent as the final messenger for humankind, there had to be some aspects that were unique concerning this last Prophet. These aspects include:

First, since no one could come later to correct any mistakes or distortions, the revelation received by the last prophet had to be preserved in its pristine purity. It is obviously beyond the scope of this short article, but a study of the history of the Quran and Sunnah would demonstrate that both of them were minutely preserved.

Second, the nature of the “sign” of the last prophet would have to be different as well. This is because this sign would have to affect not only the people who were alive during the time of the prophet, but also all those who would come later. The “sign” of the Prophet Muhammad was the Quran, and its miraculous nature can still be appreciated today and will continue to be appreciated in the future.

Third, this final prophet could not simply be sent for one community among humankind—each then having their own final prophet and then differing with one another. This final prophet had to be sent for all of humankind, putting an end to the succession of prophets and being suitable for the world as a whole. The Prophet Muhammad was the only prophet to make it known that he was not sent only for a certain people, but rather for all the various peoples of the world. The Jews, for example, consider themselves to be a chosen race and that their message is meant exclusively for themselves. Thus, many orthodox Jews do not believe in proselytizing their faith. The New Testament also makes it clear that Jesus’ mission was to the Tribes of Israel. Matthew 10: 5-6 read:

“These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Jesus is reported to have said when the Canaanite woman came to him for help,
“I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:24).[1]

This limited mission of Jesus’ is also affirmed in the Quran (61:6). In the case of the Prophet Muhammad, however, God says:
“Say (O Muhammad to the people), ‘O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of God…’” (Quran 7:158)

Another verse reads:
“And We have not sent you (O Muhammad) except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner to all mankind.” (Quran 34:28)
There are yet other verses giving the same purport. Prophet Muhammad also stated that he was distinguished from the earlier prophets by five matters. The last he mentioned was:

“[Before] a prophet would be sent to his own people only, while I have been sent to all of mankind.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim)

Fourth, the laws and teachings of this message had to be fixed in matters that need to be fixed for all of humankind until the Day of Judgment and guiding yet flexible or accommodating in those matters that need to be open to change due to the changing circumstances of humankind. This shall be discussed in more detail below.

islamreligion.com/articles/495/viewall

Footnotes:
[1] In the same context, Jesus in quoted in Matthew 15:26 as saying about helping the Canaanite woman, “It is not meet to take the children's bread, and cast it to dogs.” Again, God alone knows what parts of the Gospels attributed to Jesus were actually said by him.

 

[Knowledge is Light]

'The Original Sin'
M. Abdulsalam
islamreligion.com/articles/13/viewall

islamreligion.com/articles/1776​

“…No person earns any (sin) except against himself (only), and no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another…” (Quran 6:164)

“The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.” (Deuteronomy 24:16)

None can reject that in these two verses, the first from the Quran and the second from the Bible, is an allusion to the same meaning: that the Just God will never punish people for the sins of others.

Christianity alleges that God created humans to live eternally in Heaven, and that when Adam ate from the tree from which he had been forbidden, God punished him through death and banishment from Heaven. They further assert that as death was inherited by his progeny, so too was the sin of their father, which was a permanent stain on the hearts of humanity, never to be removed except through a sacrifice so great that it would oblige God to forgive humanity. This sacrifice would be nothing other than the sacrifice of God himself, incarnate in His “son” Jesus. Therefore Christianity deems all of humanity as damned to Hell for the sin of Adam from which they could never be cleansed, except through the belief that God became incarnate and died for Adam’s sin, ritualized as Baptism, through which Christians are ‘born again’ into the world, but this time free of sin.[1] So we see that the theory of ‘Original Sin’ forms the basis of various Christian beliefs, from the crucifixion of Jesus to the concept of salvation and savior from Hell. It forms the very basis for the mission of Jesus himself.

So the questions arise, is humanity guilty for the sin which Adam committed by eating from the tree he was forbidden? Must we all repent from that great sin? In what way is one to repent? And if so, what is the fate of those who did not?

Islam strictly promotes the notion that the punishment of sins will only be faced by those who commit them. Sin is not a hereditary trait or ‘stain’ passed to one’s progeny one generation to another. All people will be accountable to what only they themselves did in this life. Therefore, even though the Quran mentions the sin of Adam and how he was banished from the Garden, it places no responsibility on the shoulders of his progeny. None of the Prophets before Jesus were known to have preached this concept, nor were any other beliefs or rituals based upon this belief. Rather, salvation from Hell and attainment of Paradise was achieved through the belief in One God and obedience to His commandments, a message preached by all prophets, including Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, as well.
The Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful

As for the sin of Adam, the Quran tells us that he repented for his sin. God revealed to him words with which to repent, which he then accepted from him.

“Then Adam received Words (of forgiveness) from his Lord, and he accepted his repentance. Verily, He is the One Who repeatedly accepts repentance, the Most Merciful.” (Quran 2:37)

Through God’s acceptance of Adam’s repentance, Adam was cleansed of the sin which he committed. God in the Quran repeatedly ascribes to Himself attribute of mercy and forgiveness. He also mentions that from His Names are The Oft-Forgiving, The Most Merciful, the Accepter of Repentance, and others, all of which emphasize the All-Encompassing Mercy of God. Even to those who have sinned much and may lose hope in the forgiveness of God, He says:

“Say: ‘O My slaves who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of God, indeed God forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’” (Quran 39:53)

If a person sins, all they need to do is truly repent from their heart, and they will find God Ever Merciful. Adam did sin, and the sin did stain his heart, but it was removed through his repentance. The Prophet Muhammad said:

“Indeed if a believer sins, a black spot covers his heart. If he repents, and stops from his sin, and seeks forgiveness for it, his heart becomes clean again. If he persists (instead of repenting), it increases until covers his heart…” (Ibn Maajah)

Even if we were to say that Adam did not repent, that stain is not passed on to further generations. Therefore, we see that God does not need any physical sacrifice in order to forgive sins, and that no sin is too great for His Mercy; to say so would be to ascribe deficiency to His Excellence and Perfection. The Prophet Muhammad relates to us that God said:

“O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and were you then to face Me, ascribing no partner to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great at it.” (Al-Tirmidhi)

God says in the Quran in regards to sacrifice, that it is the intention of the person when offering the sacrifice which is of importance, and not the actual sacrifice itself.
“It is neither their meat nor their blood that reaches God, but it is piety from you that reaches Him...” (Quran 22:37)

If we were to implement this verse in regards to the original sin and God incarnate sacrificing himself in order to forgive all of humanity, we see that even without seeking repentance for Adam’s sin, God forgave human beings due to His Own Sacrifice. Could He not have forgiven them without such a sacrifice?
It is also mentioned in the bible:
“To what purpose (is) the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? Saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and Sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; (it is) iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear (them). And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”[2]


Footnotes: [1]Apol., I, Ixvi.

[2]Isaiah 1:11-18​

 

[Knowledge is Light]

Why Did God Create? : Divine Mercy and Justice
Dr. Bilal Philips

The Merciful, the Forgiving

In the creation of humankind, the divine attributes of forgiveness, mercy and kindness are also manifested. Human beings were created good and pure with a natural awareness of good and evil. The Almighty also created in humans desires, and gave them an ability to control those desires according to divine law or to turn them loose and follow them blindly. God created mankind knowing that they would disobey Him. Consequently, He taught human beings, beginning with Adam, how to repent and thereby purify themselves of their sins. Adam and Eve represent a pattern for all mankind to follow. They forgot the commandment of God, and Satan played on their desires. After they had disobeyed God, they turned back to Him in repentance, and He forgave them. In humankind’s disobedience and turning back to God in repentance, the divine attributes of total forgiveness and infinite mercy become manifest
Every one of the 114 Chapters of the final revelation, except one, begins with the prayer, “In the name of God, the Beneficent the Most Merciful.” God’s attributes of mercy and forgiveness are stressed to encourage humans not to fall into despair. No matter how great the sins of human beings may be, God can forgive them if man turns back to Him in sincere repentance. The Messenger, was quoted as saying:
“When God created the universe, He made an obligation on Himself [recorded] in a document kept by Him: ‘My mercy supersedes my wrath.’” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari)
Had God wished, He could have created mankind like angels, incapable of committing sin. However, that was not His wish, as He had already created angels. Human beings were created capable of making mistakes and when they realize their errors and seek God’s forgiveness, the divine attributes of mercy and forgiveness become manifest.

Why Did God Create? : Divine Love and Grace
Dr. Bilal Philips

Divine Love

God’s love is manifest in beings brought into existence, whether believer or disbeliever, to enjoy life, if only for a brief moment. It is also realized in the creation of paradise for those who choose righteousness over evil. God states in the final revelation that He loves those who do good (Quran 5:13), those who are just (Quran 5:42), those who are pious (Quran 9:4), those who are patient (Quran 3:146), those who put their trust in Him (Quran 3:159), those who frequently turn to Him in repentance and those who purify themselves (Quran 2:222). However, it is He who has defined for human beings through the scriptures and the prophets what is good, just and pious. Consequently, those who follow the prophets are most beloved to God. In the Quran, God instructed Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, to say the following to the believers:
“If you really love God, follow me and God will love you and forgive your sins…” (Quran 3:31)

More can be read at the following
islamreligion.com/articles/188/viewall

 

[Knowledge is Light]

'The original sin'
M. Abdulsalam

The Divine Will of the Perfect God

So Adam sought forgiveness for His sin, and God accepted it from Him. Another crucial point which must be mentioned is that God created humans with a free will, and He knew that humanity would sin. For this reason, no human is expected to be perfect, but rather, God knows that they will sin. What is expected from humans is that they repent from their sin. The Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said:
“All children of Adam repetitively make mistakes, but the best of those who make mistakes are those who repent.” (Ibn Maajah)

So here we see that it was in the Great and Wise plan of God that Adam sin and that God forgive him for that sin, and to say that Adam went against the Universal Will of God by sinning is a blasphemy against the All Encompassing Knowledge, Power, and Will of God. Christianity goes so far as to say that God even repented from the creation of humans! May God be free from all defects people attribute to Him. In Genesis 6:6, it says to quote:
“And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart”[1]

To agree to this would mean that Adam did something which was out of the Will, Power, and Knowledge of God, and that God regretted His creation of humans. God is All-Perfect and so are His deeds, and there is no defect or shortcoming in them; He does nothing except with total and complete perfection and wisdom. Islam in no way agrees to this belief and, as we mentioned, all of what occurred in the story of Adam was within the perfect plan of God. The Prophet said:
“Indeed God put everything into its proper measure fifty thousand years before the creation of the heavens and the earths.” (Al-Tirmidhi)
God mentions in the Quran what took place between the angels when He announced the creation of humans, and from this we see that it was known to God and part of His Great and Divine Plan that humans would sin. God says:
“And (remember) when your Lord said to the angels: ‘Verily, I am going to place (mankind) generations after generations on earth.’ They said: ‘Will You place therein those who will make mischief therein and shed blood, - while we glorify You with praises and thanks and sanctify You.’ He (God) said: ‘Indeed I know that which you do not know.’” (Quran 2:30)
It is also clear from these verses that God did not create humans as immortal, and that death was prescribed for them from the beginning of their creation. As for the consequences of the sin of Adam, which was his extradition from the Garden, this was felt by those to come after him and this is only natural. If one was to become drunk and have a car accident, and some of the passengers die, the sin of driver effects the passengers in their death, but that does not mean that the passengers are to be held to account for the sin of the driver.

The Innocent

Another question which must be dealt with is the fate of those who came before the claim that God became incarnate and sacrificed himself for the sins of humanity, as well as the fate of those who were not baptized, as baptism is the rite which all Christians must perform in order to be cleansed of Original Sin. In Christian belief, all humans previous to the incarnation of God, including the Prophets and infants usually regarded as sinless, are not free from the Original Sin of Adam, and therefore cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven, As Augustine said: “Do not believe, nor say, nor teach, that infants who die before baptism can obtain the remission of original sin.”[2] Only until recently, non-baptized infants were not buried in consecrated ground because they were believed to have died in original sin.
Also, we know that the verse in the Apostles’ Creed, “… and (Jesus) descended into Hell”[3], is said to mean that Jesus descended to Hell to free the righteous souls who were there due to the sin of Adam. This leads us to believe that all those before the coming of Jesus are in Hell, even if they were from the righteous. Paul mentioned this himself in Galatians:
“… a man is not justified by the works of the law ... for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” (Galatians 2:16)
Here it is clear that adherence to the commandments of God is not enough for salvation, even for those before Jesus. This also holds true to all those who have not received the message of Christianity. We must ask; why did not the Prophets before Jesus call to this notion of original sin? Did they lie when they said that it was enough to Worship One God and obey His commandments to achieve Paradise? Why did not God come and free humanity from sin at the time of Adam so that the righteous and others would not be in Hell due to his sin? Why are infants, humanity before Jesus, and others who have not heard about Christianity, held accountable for a sin they never committed, nor have knowledge about how to remit themselves from it? The truth of the matter is that the notion of “Original Sin”, as many others, was one introduced by Paul and later expounded on by Christian scholars and councils.
“The Old Testament says nothing about the transmission of hereditary sin to the entire human race… the main scriptural affirmation of the doctrine is found in the writings of St. Paul…”[4]
This concept though, was expounded by Augustine of Hippo, one of the most prominent Christian scholars in History. The basis of this concept is that “the deliberate sin of the first man (Adam) is the cause of original sin.”[5] The Second Council of Orange (529 C.E.) declared, “One man has transmitted to the whole human race not only the death of the body, which is the punishment of sin, but even sin itself, which is the death of the soul.”[6]

The concept of original sin is one which has no basis in previous scriptures regarded as divine by Christianity. None of the Prophets before Jesus were known to have preached this concept, nor were any other beliefs or rituals based upon them. Rather, salvation from Hell was achieved through the belief in One God and obedience to His commandments which was preached by all prophets, including the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, may God praise them.

 

[Knowledge is Light]

'The original sin'
M. Abdulsalam
Continued


Summary

In Islam, the key to salvation is the belief in and worship of the One True, Unique and Perfect God and obedience to His commandments, the same message brought by all Prophets. Islam preaches that a person must work righteousness and avoid sin to attain Paradise, and that if one sins, that they seek repentance for it from their heart. Through this and the Mercy and Grace of God, they will enter Paradise. Islam does not deem that all those before the advent of Muhammad are doomed to Hell, but rather that each nation was sent a prophet by the same One God, and it was upon them to follow His commandments. Those who have not heard of the message are not held liable to follow Islam, and God will deal with them with His Perfect Justice on the Day of Judgment. Infants and children of both Muslims and disbelievers alike are in enjoyment in Paradise upon death. Due to the infinite Justice of God:
“No one laden with burdens can bear another’s burden. And We never punish (people) until We have sent (to them) a Messenger (to give warning).” (Quran 17:15)



Footnotes:

[1]King James Version.

[2]De Anima (III).
[3]The creed based on the Catechism of the Council of Trent.
[4]Merriam-Webster’s Encyclopedia of World Religions. P.830. 1999, Merriam Webster, inc.
[5]De Nuptiis et Concupiscentiâ, II, xxvi, 43
[6]Enchiridion Symbolorum, Heinrich Joseph Dominicus Denzinger. n. 175 (145)​

 

[Amica]

Assalamu alaikum--

The fact that you are interested in Islam shows that you have earned Allah SWT's Mercy and He is calling you to enter the Path of Righteousness.

Becoming a Muslim requires difficult changes if you have adopted certain addictions: alcohol, gambling, drugs (i.e. marijuana, cocaine, etc), bad language use, etc. The less of those you have, the easier it will be for you to adapt to the islamic way of life. However, you are being called to the Truth, and you must work towards it. Just because you may have an addiction, do not let that stop you. It will be a struggle, but through Islam, hope that Allah SWT is guiding you, you can do it. Trust me!!!!

Now. Since you are only thinking of Islam at this stage, I suggest you find a book that will tell you how to read the Qur'an. The Noble Qur'an is the Divine Word of God in Islam, and you should first understand how to approach and study it. Everything else you will understand later. Something of great importance in your study of the Qur'an is that you: 1) approach it with good inention, and 2) that you ponder all of its verses. Then, you will be given understanding.

The beauty of Islam for Christian people interested in learning about Islam is that it does not strip you away of love for Jesus. Although not elevated to a divine status in Islam, Jesus pbuh is believed to be one of the great Prophets pbuh, the Messiah (no other messiahs beside him), that he was Ruh (Spirit) from Allah SWT, and that he and his mother are the only two humans born sinless. This is a great teaching of Islam about Jesus pbuh. The same is with other biblical prophets. Islam describes them in the best of light through great accomplishments these men have achieved.

Remember, too, that there are many kinds of Muslims who interpret Islam in their own way. You want to stay away from those if you wish to learn authentic Islam. In my personal opinion, I think you should:
1) Buy or rent a copy of the translation of interpretation of meaning of the Qur'an
2) Find a book that tells you how to approach the Qur'an written by a Muslim scholar
3) Find a book that describes the basic information about Islam, its history and its teachings
4) Learn about the history of the hadiths and how they fit into the practice of Islam
5) Stay away from sectarians (those who promote only their "version" of islam)
6) Make up your own mind.

Best of luck!! If you ever wish to talk/chat/email, let me know. I will provide you with all the support you might need, without judgement and without telling you which islamic "path" to take, as there is only one.

Wasalaam.