Discover Islam ...

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Prophets...What If They Were Angels?http://www.readingislam.com/servlet...agename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam/DIELayout
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Why did God choose human beings as His messengers? Wouldn't it be more appropriate if God sent angels to guide people and to show them the straight path? Wouldn't people be more eager to believe an angel than merely another human like themselves? How fair would it be for human beings to have angels as their prophets?

A messenger is assigned to convey the law of God and to inform people about the divine message, so he must be one of them — speaking their language and knowing their habits — to be able to convey the message. People must have known him before his mission; his honesty, truthfulness, and noble manners should be unquestionable.


Not only would the prophet convey the divine law, but he would also teach people how to apply it. The law is theoretical and must be practically applied; people need to see their messenger offering prayers, performing Hajj, and applying the divine law he brought to them. Therefore, the humanity of the prophet is imperative.

For this reason, God chose honorable humans to be His Prophets, a choice that the disbelievers would oppose till the Day of Judgment. Every prophet was a human and was attacked by his people for being one.

http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1184649613925&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam%2FDIELayout

 

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Responsibility and Accountability[/FONT]

Islam teaches that every human being was made equally responsible for his or her actions. The idea that any saint or priest or even prophet shall intercede without God's will and save any person from the dire consequences of one's deeds was rebutted.

Despite diversity in color, race, language, religious belief and tradition, the Quran emphasizes that humanity have a common origin and a common destiny. All human beings have a common origin and a common Creator.
One of the evil traits of character to which Pharaoh had degraded himself, mentioned in the Quran, was that he had divided his people into high and low, noble and ignoble. And one of these two classes he despised and degraded .

The teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, reflect the Quranic pronouncements,

Prophet Muhammad said:

O people remember that your Lord is one. An Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab, also a black has no superiority over white, nor a white has any superiority over black, except by piety and virtuous deeds. (Al-Baihaqi)

He also said:

Let people stop boasting about their ancestors. One is only a pious believer or a miserable sinner. All men are progenies of Adam and Adam made from dust. (Abu Dawud)

The Quran begins with the assertion that God is not the God of Muslims alone; He is the Creator and Sustainer of all mankind and of the whole universe.



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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Achieving Piety Through Fasting [/FONT]

Islam teaches that the purpose of fasting is not to make people hungry and thirsty, or to deprive them some of their comfort and conveniences. The real purpose of fasting, according to Islam, is to learn piety.

Piety is highly emphasized in the Quran and Sunnah. There are more than 158 verses in the Quran on piety, and there are hundreds of hadiths on this subject.

Muslim scholars see pietyas being Islam itself. It is the total sum of all Islamic values and virtues. If one has piety,one has achieved everything. Pietyis the consciousness of God. It is to do one's best efforts to live by His commands and to avoid His prohibitions. ...

Achieving Piety Through Fasting - Reading Islam.com

 

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Faith on YouTube[/FONT]

Laura, a 33-year-old American Muslim convert from Virginia, uses YouTube to wash away misconceptions about her new faith.

She has posted over 23 videos over the past few months under the nickname AdvocateIslam.
In her videos, hijab-clad, plain-spoken Laura appears sitting in a home office, with a computer, some shelves of books and a small American flag as she addresses and corrects some of the common Western misconceptions on Islam.

Whenever she needs to read from the Noble Qur'an to explain tenets of her faith, Laura refers to a copy of the Muslim holy book on her laptop.

"I hope to do whatever I can to promote Islam for the sake of Allah."

http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1221720530438&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout

Here is one of her talks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT3CllGxF_Q

 

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Inter-Religious Dialogue

Two days ago, Dr. Tariq Ramadan hosted this TV program in London with three guests to discuss Inter-Religious Dialogue:

Tariq RAMADAN

(48 minutes)

 

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Dialogue on IOL with Imam Ahmad Saad - North London Mosque[/FONT]

Ask About Muhammad

Questions

1. do muslims say prayers for loved ones like christians do with scriptures from their bible?

2. Muslims pray 5 times a day but are they aloud to ask God to grant them things in their prayer?

3. Do Muslims believe that there's an evil spririt known to other religions as Satan and that he attacks?

4. DO muslims believe in protection of appointed angels?

Answers

1- Muslims pray for their loved ones from their hearts and yes, the Qur’an includes some verses of supplication. Yet, people can choose in their supplication whatever words they want.
2- Yes, Muslims can ask God for their needs inside and outside the prayer.
3- Yes, Muslims believe that Satan is the arch-enemy of man and he is there to bewilder and deceive him all the time and man should seek help and refuge in God from Satan’s deception.
4- Yes, Muslims believe that two angels are there writing their deeds and that there are angels that are assigned to protect human beings.

http://www.readingislam.com/livedialogue/Browse.asp?hGuestID=Y6228j&hSession=Recent

 

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Freedom of Economic Activity [/FONT]

Interest has crumbled empires, while making oppressors out of others. Most importantly, our sustenance is determined by Allah, and He has promised to decrease the sustenance of the collector of interest and increase the sustenance of the one who gives alms. While the reality of this may seem against intellect, it is a fact that will be clear tone with a proper understanding of the Ability of Allah.


As the religion of the middle path, Islam decries extremism to either side and encourages moderation in all affairs. In terms of spending on oneself and on others, Islam condemns both niggardliness and extravagance. Niggardliness stems from a misunderstanding of the nature of wealth, which is from Allah and is bequeathed to people for a limited time. Whatever we do not spend of our wealth in this life is in reality not our wealth in the first place. Allah describes the abject nature of the niggard as a man having his hand tied to his neck and unable to extend it.


On the other hand, extravagance is also seen as distinctly un-Islamic. Lavishness and excess often lead to arrogance, and at the least, produce a tendency toward base desires. Additionally, they can breed envy and resentment between the affluent and less wealthy segments of society. The true Islamic way lies in temperance between extravagance and miserliness. It entails spending generously and practically, for to others, society, and oneself, while sincerely intending the pleasure of Allah

Freedom of Economic Activity - Reading Islam.com

 

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Why Did God Create the Universe? [/FONT]

The universe, which has been ornamented with every sort of art, is like an endless parade or exhibition designed to attract us and make us reflect. Its extraordinary diversity and magnificent adornment, the sheer abundance and flow of events, present a certain reality to our senses and minds.

Muslims believe that this reality indicates the existence of an agent who brings it into being. Islam teaches that it is through the reality of His works and deeds we come to know the Doer, and so His Names. Through these Names, we try to know His Attributes.

Through the channels and prayers opened to our hearts, we strive to know Him in Himself. This raising up of our being is inspired across a wide domain of reality — things, events, the vast realm of humanity's stewardship, as well as the relation or connection between us and the universe and the realm of God's Names and Attributes

While we perceive things from a human perspective, the way Muslims see it, God does not. While we act out of necessity or desire, God does not. In other words, we cannot ascribe human attributes and motivations to God.

But why did God create all of this? ...

(Find out the answer ...)

http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1217798733308&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam%2FDIELayout

God did not create the Universe, its just a Sun allagory, in which Creation=Circle,
God(Sun) Created(Circles) the Earth(sky) and the Heavens(Zodiac).

 

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Prophet Muhammad in the Bible[/FONT]

According to Islam, almost all previous prophets predicted Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings upon them all).

Despite the distortions suffered by the Torah, the Psalms, and the Gospels, we find indications of his coming

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Love and Reverence for Prophet Muhammad[/FONT]

One of his companions described him as "the most generous in giving, most forbearing, softest by nature, the easiest to get along with, and most committed to truth and integrity. When one would first meet him one would be in awe of him, and those that came to know him came to love him." (At-Tirmidhi)

Another simply said, "When you saw him, you were seeing the sun in its glory." (Ad-Darimi)

In the sixth year after Hijrah the Prophet entered into a treaty of truce with Quraish (the people of Makkah, his home town from which he and the believers had had to flee in search of freedom to worship as they believed). Leading up to the treaty, Quraish had sent multiple emissaries to the Muslims' camp to get different people's perspectives on the state of the Muslims, their intent, their readiness for war, etc.

Each of the emissaries in turn came under one pretext or another and went back to Quraish with his analysis. One such emissary was Urwa ibn Masud, a well-traveled man with considerable experience in matters both military and diplomatic.

Upon his return he simply told his people, "I have visited Caesar in his court, and Khusraw in his palace. I have never met a people that love their leader the way the followers of Muhammad do." (Abu Al-Qasim Al-Suhaili, Al-Rawd Al-Anif, vol. 4, p. 47)

Together with this love, existing with it simultaneously, harmoniously, and quite naturally in view of the person and the role of the Messenger was a deep seated, essential reverence for Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Without such reverence the message would not be complete and the mission of the Prophet would be impossible.

Reverence for the messenger is in fact one of the keys to understanding. Messengers are chosen: the role is not one for which one prepares or auditions. Messengers are nurtured by God and prepared through life experience, trials of significant hardship, and manifest divine intervention for the heavy burden that they would have to bear.

It cannot be otherwise for someone that will serve as the living connection between the world of appearance and the world of reality. And it cannot be otherwise for someone that will bear the rejection of human beings and their enmity and injury while seeking with love and compassion to save them from their own injustice. And no one that recognizes these objective realities could fail to have the deepest reverence for such a person.

Such a person is no longer "just" a human being; he is in fact the human being par excellence. Humility before Truth generates reverence for the embodiment of truth. And the reverence becomes a lens that enables adequate vision of truth.

http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1223905184694&pagename=IslamOnline-English-AAbout_Islam%2FAskAboutIslamE%2FAskAboutIslamE

 

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Good stuff. Good stuff. Makes islam seem very different from how it is portrayed in mainstream american media, and seen in ignorant american minds.

 

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The Path to Paradise
[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The Meaning of Dhikr[/FONT]

Dhikr must not only be felt by the heart and uttered with the tongue, but must also effect good deeds.

Significantly, Ibn Al-Qayyim suggests that dhikr encompasses "any and every particular moment when you are thinking, saying or doing things which Allah likes".

Hence, if your conversation is filled with the words of God, this is dhikr. And if all your actions are in accordance with His will, this is dhikr. Indeed Allah commends that we remember Him while standing, sitting and even while reclining. This is only possible if dhikr embraces every single aspect of life. ...

We may thus conclude, that attending to your personal needs, earning a livelihood and spending on your family are all forms of dhikr. But of course, they can only be dhikr if, alongside with the relevant supplications in the heart and on the tongue, they are done in obedience to Allah, for His pleasure, to attain Paradise ...

http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1224089029850&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam/DIELayout

 

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]God Bless Our Friendship[/FONT]


It is amazing how Allah Almighty, draws the reader's attention to two essential points that are definitely anchor points in any relation of friendship. The two points are:

1. Who do we take as friends?
2. How do we go about our friendship?

Many social theorists are of the opinion that friendship is the most powerful relation that provides "long term happiness". It is the only relation that the person chooses willingly, and continues in willingly, with no reluctant obligations whatsoever. We are born to find our parents and families to be our parents and families. ...

Since life is usually tough, full of hardships and obstacles on the way, then the person needs some company to keep him from deviating and to provide him warmth and companionship.

This is why God recommends that we would choose good company for this long-yet-temporal path. He does not want us to miss the point about this life. In case we are trapped with negative company, we will be trapped with their negative deeds. This is not because we would ever be judged for them, but because it is natural that friends share each other's lifestyle. They affect one another. ...

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Paradise: Spiritual or Physical? [/FONT]​

Allah created us as both physical and spiritual beings. Angels are spiritual creatures only in that they were created from light. ...​

Paradise is a place where no one will experience any type of worry or annoyance. No feelings of jealousy or ill-will would be found among the hearts of its inhabitants. ​

There is no aging and no death, only happiness and enjoyment of the finest things of life, human life. The greatest reward, however, is to be able to look upon Allah as He really is and to have Allah's pleasure.​

http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1221720585796&pagename=IslamOnline-English-AAbout_Islam%2FAskAboutIslamE%2FAskAboutIslamE​

 

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Understanding Divine Decree

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Part 1: Does God Know It All?[/FONT]

God has full and exact knowledge of the universe and all its contents. ...

Since God is beyond all time and space, both of which are united in His knowledge as a single point, and since His eternal, all-encompassing Knowledge does not depend on them, time is a unified whole.

Given this, precedence, sequence, or division of time, and all other time-related concepts do not exist for Him. We should always remember that our categories of past, present, and future time are only artificial categories designed to make our lives more manageable. Time and space are also only two dimensions of creation.

Everything eternally exists in God's knowledge, and He literally knows everything about everything. Divine power clothes a thing in material existence according to Divine will, and this transference from Knowledge into our own world takes place within the limits of time and space.

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Understanding Divine Decree

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Part Two: Freedom of Choice[/FONT]

Muslims believe that knowledge and will are two essential attributes of the Divine Being. God knows things, things exist in His Knowledge, His Will determines all of their specific and general characteristics, and His Power gives them material existence.

The overall relationship between Divine Knowledge and Destiny, is best expressed as in the Quran as God says what means,

[There is not a thing but with us are the stores thereof. We send it not down save in appointed measure] (Al-Hijr 15:21).

Everything that exists in Divine Knowledge has an individualized form and a certain measure, or, if we may say so, as a plan or project, is in a "record". ...

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Arrival in Madinah… A Wave of Change [/FONT]

The arrival of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in Madinah heralded the establishment of the first Islamic state in history.

That the foundations of this state needed continuous consolidation was very clear to the Prophet right from the beginning.

His initial major actions as he took charge in Madinah reflect his keen awareness of that need. He built the mosque, which was a place of worship, a people's assembly, and the palace of government, all in one.​

He established a new and strong bond of brotherhood between his followers to consolidate the inner structure of his community. He also signed a treaty with the Jews to ensure peace in Madinah and to free himself to face outside threats, which were only to be expected​

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]Why is the family so important to Muslims?[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The family, which is the basic unit of civilization, is now disintegrating. Islam’s family system brings the rights of the husband, wife, children, and relatives into a fine equilibrium. It nourishes unselfish behavior, generosity, and love in the framework of a well-organized family system. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The peace and security offered by a stable family unit is greatly valued, and it is seen as essential for the spiritual growth of its members. A harmonious social order is created by the existence of extended families and by treasuring children.[/FONT]

http://www.islam-guide.com/frm-ch3-14.htm

 

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[FONT=Arial,Geneva,Verdana,Sans-Serif]The Notion of Equality in Islam[/FONT]



Muslims believe that all human beings were created equal in the sight of God. None are born with the slur of shame on their faces, nor has anyone come into the world with a mantle of honors hung around his or her neck.



The one who is high and honored is the one who is God fearing and serves the people with good words and deeds. Distinctions of birth and glory of race are no criteria of greatness and honor. No consideration is given to one's pedigree or parentage.​

The Islamic concept of well-being promotes brotherhood, insists on socio-economic justice and seeks to fulfill both the material and spiritual needs of all human beings. The reason for avoiding discriminations is that all humans are considered God's vicegerents on earth, hence fellow beings or brothers to each other. A brother can hardly be happy, if his fellow brothers are not leading a life of happiness and tranquility

http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1227010572488&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam%2FDIELayout

 

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The Madinah Covenant

It is perhaps impossible to exaggerate the strength of the ties between the members of that first Islamic community. Internally, the structure of the Muslim nation was very sound. The Prophet, then, had to attend to the nation’s ‘external’ relations.​

There were two levels of those relations: firstly, with the people of Quraysh, who were very hostile to the new state. It was inevitable that Quraysh posed a serious threat, though perhaps not immediately.​

The rest of Arabia adopted an attitude of "wait and see", preferring not to commit themselves to Islam until the conflict with the people of Quraysh had been resolved. Secondly, there were the other communities in Medina itself. Islam had been accused over the years of being intolerant to other religions.​

Nothing can be further from the truth. The example of Medina gives an insight into the true nature of this religion.​

http://www.readingislam.com/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1227019113862&pagename=Zone-English-Discover_Islam%2FDIELayout​