FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM

What is Islam?

The word Islam means “peace” and “the submission to God.” It is the one of the monotheistic religions which emphasize the oneness of God and the world’s second-largest religion followed by Muslims. Islam was preached and taught to the people by the last Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). God sent His message and let people know His presence through many messengers starting from the first human Adam and ending with the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Islam is the last, universal, protected and complete form of the previous messages delivered by Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them). The core beliefs of Islam are preserved in the holy Qur’an. Allah’s oneness, belief in angels, sacred books, all prophets sent by God, afterlife and divine will are essential beliefs that have to be believed by all Muslims who have faith in Allah and want to be a Muslim. Islam also teaches honestly, good relationship with people, social solidarity, justice, and more. It is a guide to achieve a spiritually content life and a blissful eternal life in the hereafter.

Who is Muslim?

The word Muslim means “submitter to God” and “peacemaker.” Muslim refers to people who believe in one God, messengers of God and the message sent by God. Arab or not, anyone who believes these and pillars of faith in Islam can be a Muslim. The guidance of a Muslim in life is the holy Qur’an revealed by Allah and the life of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as he lived according to Qur’an. Muslims always strive for the consent of Allah by worshiping Him and doing good deeds which He will approve. 

What do Muslims believe?

The most basic beliefs are founded six pillars in Islam. Every Muslim has to believe these pillars to be considered Muslim. These are;

1. Belief in one Allah: The most crucial belief in Islam is the belief that Allah is one, and He is the creator of everything. Muslims believe that He has no gender or physical image.
2. Belief in Angels
3. Belief in sacred books
4. Belief in Prophets: It is believed that Allah sent messengers to every nation. The first prophet was Adam while the last on Muhammad (pbuh).
5. Belief in an afterlife that follows the Day of Judgment: Every person will be held accountable every good and bad deed they have done on the day of Judgment day.
6. Belief in God’s divine will and His knowledge of what happens in the world.

How do Muslims practice their faith?

Even though there is a variety in practice, there are five pillars of Islam to be practiced by all Muslims. There are;

1. Declaration of faith: This includes saying “I testify that there is no God but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.” This is the first step to be a Muslim.
2. Daily prayers: Every Muslim has to pray five times a day as a way of worship and thank Allah.
3. Fasting from dawn to dusk during the month of Ramadan.
4. Charity: Muslims who have enough savings have to give 2.5% of their excess wealth to poor people. 
5. Hajj: A Muslim have to make a pilgrimage to Mecca once in a lifetime, if he or she is mentally, physically, and financially able to do so.

Who is the prophet Muhammad?

Muhammad (pbuh) is the last seal of the prophets. He was the last prophet to convey the final completed message of God to humankind. He got his first revelation when he was 40 years old. He was an illiterate person. He was known to be honest, merciful, compassionate, truthful, and brave. Muslims follow him as a perfect example of a human being both because of his personality and his religious devotion. 

What is the Quran?

The Holy Quran is the Holy Book of the Muslims. It is the Word of God and guidance for mankind to lead a god and balanced life spiritually, personally and socially. It was written down soon after Muhammad (pbuh) died and was not changed since then.

What is a mosque?

The mosque is the worship place of Muslims where they perform their prayings individually and in congregation. Muslims especially gather at mosques after daily calls to prayer, on Friday and religious festivals to pray in the congregation. Mosques are important places both for worshiping Allah and maintaining the mentality of social solidarity.

Why do women cover?

In Islam, both men and women are instructed to be modest by Allah in their appearance and behavior. For women, modesty in the appearance is covering the whole body except the face, hand and feet. For men, it is lowering their gazes among women.

Where is Mecca and why is it important?

Mecca is a city in Saudia Arabia. It was founded by prophet Abraham when he brought his son Ishmael with his mother Hagar. When Ishmael grew up, Abraham and his son built the Kaaba there, which was a worship place dedicated to Allah. It is an important building to which Muslims face during their prayers and visit for pilgrimage. Millions of Muslims gather together there to worship Allah every year. 

How does one become a Muslim?

A person who believes one God and other pillars of faith can become Muslim just by reciting a “declaration of faith” which is “I testify that there is no god but Allah and I testify that Muhammad is His messenger”. 

 What is the  Quran?

The Quran means “the recitation'. It is the holy book of Muslims and the message of Islam. The Quran is the most recited book in the world. Millions of Muslims read it as an act of worship and memorize it either as a whole or in parts to recite in their daily prayers five times a day. 

The Quran was revealed by Allah to the last Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the Arabic language through the angel Gabriel over the period of 23 years starting when Muhammad (pbuh) was 40 years old and ending with his demise. It was memorized by the prophet Muhammad, just exactly it was revealed to him, and dictated to his companions as they also memorized it by heart or wrote it down. 2 years after the demise of the prophet, The Quran was written in the form of a book during the reign of Abu Bakr, the first Caliph. Later, it was multiplied based on this original copy and sent to other provinces under the authority of third caliph Umar. In this way, it came to us without a single chance in it in a preserved manner just like Allah promised in the Quran. 

The Quran is the main source of guidance on faith and practice for Muslims. The great emphasis is put on the oneness of Allah throughout the Qur’an as it is really essential in Islam. Most of the content of it is related to the stories of previous prophets and their communities as a reminder and warning on certain issues for humankind. It deals also with subjects concerning human beings such as wisdom, religious practices, doctrines, law and the relationship between Allah and His creations, human conduct and social life.