WHAT DOES ISLAM MEAN?
What does Islam mean? 1. Islamic belief: Islam is an Arabic word, it
means that you totally surrender to God, and worship Him only. Here
also I must explain what does worship means? It doesn't mean that you
only pray, its meaning is much much wider, to worship God is that you
look at Him as your ONLY master, no other master controlling you, so
He is the ONLY one you are loyal to , He is the ONLY One you rely on,
He is the ONLY one you fear, He is the ONLY one who judges you and
puts rules for you, He is the axis your life rotates on, why? because
He is our Creator, He is the Creator of the Universe and Creator of
everything, He is the One who manages the Universe, He is the strong,
the compassionate the merciful, He knows everything, He can do
everything. He is the One who controls the Universe. How did we know
that? God sent prophets to us to teach us this and to tell us the laws
He gave for us to go along our life, we will be accounted on this in
the Hereafter. Don't think that the beginning of Islam was only since
Muhammad (Peace be upon him), no that's wrong, Islam began from the
beginning of creation, God created Adam (Peace be upon him) and Adam
was a Muslim, because he really worshipped God only, and began to have
a family, all the family were Muslims,and the life went on, then
people began to deviate from this meaning and forgot God, began to
worship idols, God sent the prophets: Noah, Hud, Saleh, Abraham,Moses,
David, Solomon, Jesus,Muhammad and many other prophets (Peace be upon
them all), the mission of all these prophets was to restore people
back to the right way of God, and to remind them of their reality. But
at the end all these prophets are not gods, they don't have any divine
nature,because Allah is the ONLY God,so when Jews put very wrong
concepts of God that made Him like a child they are deviating from
concept of worshipping God, because they are insulting Him, and when
Christians say that Jesus is God or God's son, or that God is one in
Trinity, they are really deviating from the concept , and when they
make their priests invent rules for them with no evidence from what
God said or what His prophets said, they also are deviating from the
concept of worshipping God. We in Islam refuse all these forms, if
someone said that Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is our God, he is a
disbeliever, God is the ONLY God, If an Immam said a Fatwa, he must
give his evidence on this Fatwa, he is not obeyed blindly, our
standard is what Allah and His prophet told us (because the Prophet is
the one whom God sent not because he has a divine nature because he
hasn't). This is generally the Islamic belief. 2. Islamic morals: God
ordered us to be merciful, treat people well, help people, He
recommended us to treat our parents well, and to keep always on
helping them. 23. Thy Lord has commanded that ye worship none but HIM,
and that ye show kindness to parents. If one or both of them attain
old age with thee, never say to them as much as ugh nor reproach them,
but always address them with kindly speech. 24. And lower them the
wing of humility out of tenderness. And say, `My Lord, have mercy on
them even as they nourished me when I was a little child.' (Holy Quran
17:23-24) even if they were not Muslims we must treat them well but we
don't obey them if they ordered us to disobey God. 15. And if they
contend with thee to make thee set up equals with ME concerning which
thou hast no knowledge, obey them not, but be a kind companion to them
in worldly affairs, (Holy Quran 31:15) God ordered us to keep always
in contact with our relatives God said: 36. And worship ALLAH and
associate naught with HIM, and show kindness to parents, and to
kindred (Holy Quran 4:36) Also the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: =93
He/She who believes in Allah , the Almighty and Day of Judgment , must
communicate , be good, courteous and kind to his kith and kin or
relatives.=94 (Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim) Also we are also
recommended to treat the neighbors well, even if they were not Muslims
and even if they treated us badly as God said: and to the neighbour
who is a kinsman and the neighbour who is a stranger (Holy Quran 4:36)
Prophet (Peace be upon him) said: =93(Arch Angel) Gbriel , PBUH, pressed
on reminding me with the right of the neighbor until I thought he is
going to consider him an heir ( of mine) .=94 (Narrated by Bukhari and
Muslim) He also says: =93 The best of neighbor s in the sight of Allah,
the Almighty, is the one who is best to his neighbor=94.(Narrated by
Tirmithee) God also told us to take care of orphans as in the same
verse and orphans There was a very severe punishment to those who take
money of orphans as God said: 10. Surely they who devour the property
of the orphans unjustly, only swallow fire into their bellies, and
they shall burn in a blazing fire. (Quran 4:10) God ordered us to be
completely fair with people even if I saw two people having a problem,
one of them is Muslim, the other is non Muslim, and I found the right
with the non-Muslim, I must judge for the non-Muslim. 135. O ye who
believe ! be strict in observing justice and be witnesses for ALLAH,
even though it be against yourselves or against your parents or
kindred. Whether he, against whom witness is borne, be rich or poor,
ALLAH is more regardful of them both than you are. Therefore follow
not your low desires that you may be able to act equitably. And if you
hide the truth or evade it, then know that ALLAH is Well-Aware of what
you do. (Quran 4:135) God ordered us also not to do adultery except
with our wives, because it is not a mess, and because it destroys the
society and makes people deviate and spoil, that's why God, ordered us
to take all the reasons to prevent this to happen, so He ordered women
to wear Hijab which covers their body and heads so as not arise sexual
desire in men, and it is also a protection for the woman from being
raped or being annoyed by bad men. It makes women appear in a
respectful way, their body is not something public seen by all people,
it is only for the one she accepted as her husband. He ordered them
when talking with men, not to talk in a way that arises their sexual
desire but to talk in a serious way. 31. And say to the believing
women that they restrain their looks and guard their private parts,
and that they display not their beauty or their embellishment except
that which is apparent thereof, and that they draw their head-
coverings over their bosoms (Quran 24:31) So be not soft in speech,
lest he, in whose heart is a disease, should feel tempted; and speak
decent words. (Quran 33:32) As God ordered women to cover their body,
he ordered men not to look at women, because this arises their sexual
desire, and may lead them to adultery, or at least may lead them go
astray from their duties in this life. 30. Say to the believing men
that they restrain their looks and guard their private parts. That is
purer for them. Surely, ALLAH is Well-Aware of what they do. (Holy
Quran 24:30) This is really one of the major problems the societies in
the West face. God ordered us not to lie or to promise with something
and don't do, Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said that these are
the properties of hypocrites. 119. O ye who believe ! fear ALLAH and
be with the truthful.(Quran 9:119) and fulfill the covenant; for the
covenant shall be questioned about. 35. And give full measure when you
measure and weigh with a right balance; that is best and most
commendable in the end.(Quran 17:34-35) 70. O ye who believe ! Fear
ALLAH and say the straightforward word. 71. HE will set right you
actions for you and forgive you your sins. And whoso obeys ALLAH and
HIS Messenger shall, surely, attain a supreme triumph.( Quran
33:70-71) God ordered us to say good words and avoid bad words and
emphasized much on this because the slip of the tongue may cause many
problems. 24. Dost thou not see how ALLAH sets forth a parable of a
good word ? It is like a good tree, whose root is firm and whose
branches reach into heaven ? 25. It brings forth its fruit at all
times by the command of its Lord. And ALLAH sets forth parables for
men that they may be reminded. 26. And the case of an evil word, is
like that of an evil tree, which is uprooted from above the earth and
has no stability. (Quran 14:24-26) God ordered us not to be arrogant
but to be modest. 37. And walk not in the earth haughtily, for thou
canst not thus rend the earth, nor canst thou reach the mountains in
height. (Quran 17:37) 63. And the true servants of the Gracious God
are those who walk on the earth humbly and when the ignorant address
them, they avoid them gracefully by saying, `Peace !' (Quran 25:63)
Finally God orders us to do everything good and avoid everything bad.
90. Verily, ALLAH enjoins justice, and the doing of good to others;
and giving like kindred; and forbids indecency and manifest evil and
transgression. HE admonishes you that you may take heed. (Quran 16:90)
3. Islamic pillars: They are five: 1. Witnessing that Allah is the
only God and that Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is His messenger: as I
explained in the beginning. 2. Praying: We pray to God five times a
day in the mosques, from the benefits of praying: a. Having
communication with God who created us b. Meeting with Muslims
periodically every day, connecting with each other, which strengthens
the Islamic society. 3. Zakat: Every mature able Muslim pays 2.5% of
his income to help in building Islamic society, this is the minimum,
God promised us with high rewards for paying more and more. 276. ALLAH
will blot out interest and will cause charity to increase. And ALLAH
loves not anyone who is a confirmed disbeliever and an arch-sinner.
(Quran 2:276) 4. Fasting: Every healthy mature able Muslim must fast
Ramadan (one of the Islamic months), all Muslims fast together in this
month by stop eating and drinking along the day, they begin fasting at
the dawn, they have breakfast at the Sunset. This really builds the
Muslim character, trains him to control his desire and his passion,
besides when all Muslims fast together, this gives a beautiful picture
of the Muslims being uniform, it also makes the rich feel the hunger
and thrusts of poor and motivates them to help the poor. 5. Finally,
the pilgrimage: Every healthy able Muslim must do it once in his life.
It is the annual Muslim conference where about 2 million Muslims meet
in Mecca leaving their countries being at rest their answering God's
call, wearing simple clothes, declaring their total obedience to God.
The rites of the Hajj include circling the Kaaba seven times and going
seven times between the hillocks of Safa and Marwa, as Hagar did
during her search for water. Then the pilgrims stand together in
Arafat and ask God for what they wish and for His forgiveness, in what
is often thought of as a preview of the Day of Judgment. The end of
the Hajj is marked by a festival, Eid Al-Adha, which is celebrated
with prayers. This, and Eid al-Fitr, a feast-day commemorating the end
of Ramadan, are the two annual festivals of the Muslim calendar.
If you want to know about Islam,
please visit the following websites:
http://www.islam-guide.com
http://www.islamhouse.com/s/9661
http://www.thisistruth.org
http://www.quran-m.com/firas/en1
http://kaheel7.com/eng
http://www.knowmuhammad.com
http://www.rasoulallah.net/v2/index.aspx?lang=3De
http://www.todayislam.com
http://www.thekeytoislam.com
http://www.islamland.com
http://www.discoverislam.com
http://www.thetruereligion.org
http://www.beconvinced.com
http://islamtomorrow.com
http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran
http://www.quranforall.org
http://www.quranexplorer.com/quran
http://www.prophetmuhammed.org
http://www.chatislamonline.org/ar
http://www.dar-us-salam.com
http://youtubeislam.com