by Modern_Language_Center

Islam 101- What Do Muslims Believe?

Islam 101
What do Muslims Believe?

Islam is a religion that is, unfortunately, largely misunderstood in the west. One of the most common questions is regarding the beliefs of the Muslims; what do Muslims believe? In this article I will attempt to give a brief overview of what it means to be a Muslim. I am largely basing this article on a famous hadith, or saying, of the prophet Muhammad (PBUH), which I will put at the end of the article.
Islam has five pillars, five basic acts that one must believe and do in order to be a Muslim. The first is the declaration of faith, stating with complete belief and sincerity that “there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah (God) and that Muhammad is His prophet and messenger.” Islam does not accept any type of idol worshipping, whether that idol is a rock, a statue, a human being (like Jesus PBUH), or something a little less obvious like money, status or family.
After you have declared you worship of only God, you are then required to act on it. The second pillar is prayer, a Muslim is required to pray at a minimum of five times per day at specified times: dawn, mid-day, afternoon, sunset and evening. By this repetition we are constantly reminded of what is important which is God and working to gain a good place in the afterlife.
The third pillar is Zakat, which literally means purification. It is a tax that is paid by Muslims directly to the poor. It is different from income tax however, because Muslims are only required to pay 2.5% of their excess wealth that they have had in the bank for a full year. Also, unlike tithing, the money collected for Zakat is not permissible to be used to fund mosques, schools or any early public programs; the money is strictly for the use of the poor people. If every Muslim on the face of the earth actually paid their Zakat the way Allah commanded, that would be including kings and other incredibly rich, there would be no starvation in the world today.
The fourth pillar is fasting in the month of Ramadan from dawn to sunset. This act has many benefits, but the primary benefit is to soften the heart of the one who is fasting. Islam heavily emphasizes charity and feeding the poor and hungry, what better way to encourage a person to feed the hungry than letting them feel hunger too? Ramadan is a month of fasting and prayer, a time to re-dedicate oneself to Allah and Islam. Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Qur’an in Ramadan and increase in their good deeds and prayers. Everyone is required to fast except young children, old or sick people who would harm their health, a person traveling and a pregnant or nursing mother.
The fifth pillar is hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca. Every Muslim is necessitate to make the hajj at least once in their life if they are physically and financially able. If you are not physically or financially able to go then you have no sin, but you should always be try to find a way to make the pilgrimage. Also, since we never know when we will die, it is important not to put it off into the unforeseeable future.
The next important subject is faith; what is faith? According to the abovementioned hadith, or saying, of the prophet Muhammad (PBUH), faith is believing in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the resurrection on the Last Day, and to believe in both the full and vicious of divine destiny. That’s a mouthful, so what does it mean?
To believe in Allah, which is the Arabic name for God for Christians, Jews and Muslims, means to believe in him as He commands. Tawhid is a fundamental belief in Islam, which is the oneness of God. Muslims do not believe in a trinity, nor do they believe that God is everywhere. Muslims believe that God is one, indivisible, and that He is above the seven heavens. How? We don’t know. And, we don’t ask. God exists before and after His creations, God does not resemble any of His creation, and any image that you can imagine does not resemble God. But, Allah is everywhere in his knowledge: he sees everything, hears everything, knows everything, is omnipotent and omniscient.

Belief in the angels is another tenet of faith. Muslims believe that the angels were created from light, that they are completely obedient to God, and that they are eternal beings that had a beginning, like humans, and unlike God who has no beginning or end. Muslims do not believe that Satan was a fallen angel because angels are completely obedient to Allah. Rather, the Qur’a tells us that Satan was one of the jinn, another being that was created from fire. There are an inexhaustible numbers of angels, Muhammad (PBUH) said that there is a place where the angels go to pray, each day 70,000 angels pray there, ne’er to return again, and this has been happening since the beginning of time.
To believe in His books means that Muslims believe that the Qur’an is the last in a series of revelations that God has given to mankind throughout history. Muslims believe that throughout time, a prophet has come, either with a written text or without, he has preached to worship God alone, then he has died and the information was changed by man over time or completely lost, which meant eventually and new prophet would be sent. This has happened 124,000 times since the creation of man according to the prophet Muhammad (PBUH), but we only know the names of the 25 mentioned in the Qur’a. The previous books mentioned in the Qur’an are the Zabur which was given to David, the Torah which was given to Moses, the Injeel which was given to Jesus and the Qur’a which was given to Muhammad, peace be upon them all.
The messengers that we are required to believe in include the Biblical prophets, Muslims believe in Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Solomon, David, John, Enoch, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad just to name a few. Islam is not some new religion, it is the same religion taught by all of the prophets and messengers; worship only one God. It confirms the divine origin of the previous scriptures and corrects the manmade mistakes of those scriptures.
The fifth tenet of faith is belief in the Last Day, yowm al- qiyama in Arabic. Every Muslim believes that at the end of time every person will be resurrect and have to stand alone before God to be judged for what they did in their life. God is the lone judge, even a Muslim isn’t guaranteed a free pass to Heaven. God may or may not forgive any person of any transgressed. But, God has promised that he will never excusing the sin of worshipping something or someone else, that is called shirk in Arabic.
The last pillar of faith is the belief in the divine decree, both the good and evil thereof. Muslims believe that Allah has a will, and man has a will, but Allah’s will overrides man’s. So, if a person wants to do something, if it has not been willed by Allah he will never be able to do it. Likewise, if a person tries to avoid a thing that God has willed, no matter how he tries he will not avoid it. A human does have his own will as well. It is up to us how we spend our time on earth, who we worship and what we believe. We will be judged according to our intentions on the Day of Judgment.
That is a quick overview of what Muslims believe. I hope that you have enjoyed this oblige. Please visit www.AdvocateIslam.com for more information. God bless!

On the authority of Omer1 (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:*
One day while we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (i.e. Prophet Muhammed, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), there appeared before us a man whose clothes were exceedingly white and whose hair was exceedingly black; no signs of journeying were to be seen on him and none of us knew him. He walked up and sat down by the Prophet (may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Resting his knees against his (the Prophet’s) and placing the palms of his passed on his thighs, he state:
O Muhammed, tell me about Islam.
The Messenger of Allah (may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: Islam is to testify that there is no god but Allah and Muhammed is the Messenger of Allah, to perform the prayers, to pay the Zakat2 to fast in Ramadhan, and to make the pilgrimage to the House3 if you are able to do so.
He said: You have spoken rightly, and we were amazed at him asking him (the Prophet bpuh) and saying that he had spoken rightly.
He said: Then, tell me about Iman.4
He (the Prophet) said: It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and to believe in divine destiny, both the good and the evil thereof.
He stated: You have spoken rightly.
He said: Then, tell me about Ihsan.5
He (the Prophet bpuh) said: It is to worship Allah as if you are seeing him, and while you see Him not yet truly He sees you.
He said: Then, tell me about the hour.6
He (the Prophet bpuh) said: The one questioned about it know no better than the questioner. He said: Then, tell me about its signs.
He (the Prophet bpuh) said: That the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress, and that you will see the barefooted, naked, destitute herdsmen competing in constructing lofty buildings.
Then, he took himself off and I stayed for some time. Then he (the Prophet bpuh) said: O Omer, do you know who the questioner was? I said: Allah a

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Ramadan

Send Gift to Pakistan for Ramadan through Internet

Pakistani Muslims living away from their families, in the Ramadan to share their religious spirits. Many online Gift shops available on Internet also prepare to make some special arrangements to help people to in this month. Ramadan is very important month for all the Muslims of the World because this month ends with the most important event of the Islamic year called Eid Ul Fitar. One Main importance of Ramadan is the gift of Holy Quran which revealed in the last 10 days of this important month. Perhaps to recapitulate this gift from Allah, people who are away from Pakistan also practices to in the month of Ramadan.

Muslims all over the world starts one week before the start of this month to show their religious spirits and feelings with their friends and families. They send digital Holy Quran, Prayer Rug (Ja-e-Namaz), Praying Beads (Tasbih) and most importantly the special Almond filled Dates. Some times Muslims also add flowers and Ethers to enrich the arrangements to .

Muslims gives extra importance to this month and along with prayers, fasting, charity, reciting Holy Quran and other worships, Muslims who are out of Pakistan, try to put some extra efforts to show their feelings and love to their Pakistani Muslim brothers and friends by

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Fasting is the important pillar of Islam and it teaches the Muslims how to get closer to Allah. Along with Fasting help us to get closer to Allah, Allah help us and naturally teaches us to get closer to our fellow beings and sharing gift is the one best way to get closer to each other and month of Ramadan is the best for the Muslims who lives away from their nearest and dearest. Thus this is the natural practice for the Pakistani Muslims to

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There are many online gift sending services available on Internet and you can ask them to arrange any kind of special arrangement to for the month of Ramadan and occasion of the Eid.

Sh. Abdul Nasir and Nouman Ali Khan invites everyone to join us for a Ramadan preparation journey from July 21th to July 30th.

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Ramadan

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Employment Law Update – Employers Guide To Ramadan

Ramadan started on 1st August. Muslims (including those who may not normally practice or pray) take the holy month extremely seriously. During this time participating Muslims fast during daylight hours and offer special prayers.

Employers can do a number of things to help ensure those who are participating in the religious observance, and those who are not, are dealt with fairly and sensibly.

Muslims are likely to pray the two afternoon prayers at their place of work. There is no requirement to provide extra time off, but try to allow the time and somewhere quiet in which to do this.

The period from sunrise to sunset is along one at this time of year remember that those fasting may well feel tired later in the day. This has implications for the operation of machinery, driving etc. Try to organise meetings earlier rather than later in the day and where you use a flexible shift system, consider putting those participating on the early shift during the course of this month.

On the subject of food, try to avoid ‘working lunches’, but if there is no alternative, explain the practicalities of the situation to non-Muslims. Muslims who are participating in Ramadan are unlikely to commit to voluntary evening functions, e.g. a client dinner.

Where a Muslim employee has to work beyond sunset, make arrangements for him or her to eat something and pray at sunset.

Ramadan is followed by Eid (31st August) a three day feast marking the end of Ramadan. Many Muslims want to take this as a holiday. If you can accommodate the request, then do so, but the usual rules apply and holiday must only be taken with agreement by the employer. If a person takes holiday without permission – even for reasons associated with religious belief – it’s still an unauthorised absence.

It’s a good idea to make your managers, aware of the practical issues surrounding Ramadan and its impact on Muslim employees.

Matters like this are included in Law on the Move, a programme of employment law updates, including interactive webinars. Follow the link for details of our special offer.

Russell HR Consulting provides expert knowledge in the practical application of employment law as well as providing employment law training and HR support services. For more information, visit our website at www.russellhrconsulting.co.uk or call a member of the team on 0845 644 8955.

Russell HR Consulting offers HR services to businesses nationwide, including Buckinghamshire (covering Aylesbury, High Wycombe, Milton Keynes, Bedford, Banbury, Northampton, Towcester and surrounding areas), Nottinghamshire (covering Chesterfield, Mansfield, Nottingham, Sheffield, Worksop and surrounding areas) and Hampshire (covering Aldershot, Basingstoke, Reading, Farnborough, Fareham, Portsmouth, Southampton and surrounding areas).

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Preparing For The Last Days Of Ramadan

Ramadan is a blessed month and it is during this month that Muslims can gain the maximum amount of rewards and blessings. Although the entire month of Ramadan is blessed and auspicious, it is the last ten days and nights of Ramadan that are given special importance because of the blessings awarded to Muslims who pray during these nights.

The last ten days of Ramadan are also important because the night of Qadar that is better than 1000 months also comes during the last ten days of Ramadan. The Prophet (PBUH) said,

Narrated by al-Nasa’i, 2106; Ahmad, 8769. Classed as saheeh by al-Albani in Saheeh al-Targheeb, 999

Therefore, to prepare for the last ten days of Ramadan, Muslims can follow the things mentioned below to make the most of these blessed days.

During these ten days, it is best if you worship the most and make good deeds as often as possible. During these days, the rewards for all good deeds will be multiplied. Hazrat Aisha narrated that during the last ten days of Ramadan; the Prophet (PBUH) stayed up all night, woke up the family and would tie the lower garment tight. Ahmad and Muslim narrate that the Prophet would worship for long hours during the last ten nights of the blessed month of Ramadan. This worship was not comparable to any other situation. Therefore, these are the best nights to worship and get your prayers answered by Allah.

It is almost impossible to imagine the virtues and rewards of reciting the during the last ten days of Ramadan. According to a Hadith,

Narrated by Ahmad; classed as saheeh by al-Albani in Saheeh al-Jami’, no. 3882

Ramadan is the month of blessings. During this month, Allah listens to all kinds of legitimate prayers of His servants and blesses all His mankind. It is also the right time to seek the forgiveness of Allah by praying, worshipping and repenting your sins. Allah is the Forgiver and forgives His servants if they seek His forgiveness wholeheartedly. Therefore, it is essential that you clear out your mind while asking for His forgiveness.

Ramadan is a blessed month and all Muslims should try to make the most of this month. Therefore, it is best to recite the and worship Allah as much as possible especially during the last ten days of Ramadan.

Shaykh Yaser Birjas from AlMaghrib Institute (www.almaghrib.org) gives an insightful reminder about the true purpose of fasting, and how we can achieve our goals in Ramadan. Organized, recorded, and produced by Qabeelat Durbah on August 10, 2011, at alMeraj Center in Bayonne, NJ. Shaykh Yaser Birjas is the Head of AlMaghrib Institute’s Islamic Law and Theory Department. Often described as the fatherly figure by students, Shaykh Yaser exudes a calm, gentle and caring demeanour that welcomes students to ask questions with awe and respect. Despite his quietude, Shaykh Yaser’s absence is loudly felt and he is strongly missed by all students and fellow instructors alike. Perpetually migrating, Shaykh Yaser is originally from Palestine and was born in Kuwait in 1970. He started his career in Electronic Engineering in 1988 in the UAE, then in Madinah where he graduated as class Valedictorian with the highest honors from The Islamic University of Madinah’s College of Shariah (Fiqh and Usool) in 1996. He had the honor to interact and learn from a number of highly respected scholars such as Shaikh Ash-Shanqitee and Shaikh Al-Uthaimeen (rahimahu Allah). In 1997, after the war was over, he went to work as a relief program aide under the international umbrella of relief agencies to rebuild the war-torn Bosnia. Thereafter, and in the year 2000, he immigrated to the US where he served as an Imam (spiritual leader and advisor) at The Islamic Center in El Paso, Texas until summer 2009. He …
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Accepted Islam in 1994 and traveled to Sudan to study Islam. Relocated to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to study Quraan, Tajweed, and the Arabic language. Was accepted into the Islamic University of Madinah and enrolled into the Arabic Institute and then graduated from the faculty of Da’wah and Usool Ad Deen. Experience 2008 – 2009: British Educational School, Khartoum, Sudan Teacher * Teacher of Islamic Studies * History teacher * Boys basketball coach. 2009 – Present: Sudanese Oxford Academy, Khartoum, Sudan * Head of Islamic Studies department * Teacher of Islamic Studies in both Arabic and English OTHER EXPERIENCE * Da’ee with World Organization for Propagating Islam, Madinah, Saudi Arabia, 2006 * Da’ee with Dhi Nurain Charity Organization, Khartoum * Da’ee with Al-Meshkat Charity Organization, Khartoum * Lecturer at Welcome to Islam Organization, Khartoum * Frequent lecturer at Islamic Culture Association, University of Medical Science and Technology, Khartoum. * Lecturer at the Da’wah Center of the International African University * Frequent lecturer in the mosques of Khartoum (in Arabic) * Weekly TV show on Tayba TV Channel, Khartoum * Khateeb Masjid Sudan Pet, Khartoum EDUCATION and TECHNICAL SKILLS 1998-2006: Islamic University of Madinah BA. From the college of Dawah and Usool ad-Deen 1996-1998: The Arabic Institute for Non-Native Speakers Associates degree in Arabic Language- Graduated with a standing of very good OTHER SKILLS * Commanding grasp of the Arabic …
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A few nice ramadan images I found:

(47) Ramadan Iftar at Madaba City


Image by Modern_Language_Center
Ramadan Iftar at Madaba City. 2011

(53) Ramadan Iftar at Madaba City


Image by Modern_Language_Center
Ramadan Iftar at Madaba City. 2011

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Some cool ramadan images:

-Ramadan-


Picture by Vít Hassan
Traditional Sudanese food at Ramadan.
Every person is welcome!

(I sending this picture to some groups once more,because I believe for this days is quite suitaible)

The Ramadan cannon


Picture by Omar Chatriwala
Qatari forces stand by ahead of the traditional firing of the cannon, which marks sunset in Ramadan, and as a result the time to break quick.

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Ramadan – A Spiritual Celebration

Known as the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Ramadan is considered to be a special month among Muslims. Deemed as a time of self control, inner reflection and devotion to God, Ramadan is observed by over one billion followers around the world. As one of the five principal pillars of Islam, it is an obligatory adherence among Muslims and has many special benefits. It is essentially a time of fasting, which is observed for a total of 29 to 30 days.

One of the main observances during Ramadan is self control. As a sacred and auspicious month, there are a number of practices Muslims have to adhere to, from refraining from sexual intercourse to avoiding irreligious and obscene sights and sounds. This is done in order to learn self-discipline and self-control, especially when facing the need to succumb to materialistic pleasures and temptations. By staying away from temptations during the daylight of hours of fasting, the followers become closer to God, by concentrating on their spiritual nature. It also serves as a way of experiencing the constant hunger of the less fortunate, and developing a sense of empathy towards their needs. Invariably, Muslims learn to appreciate the gifts and blessings they have in their lives, and be thankful for God’s bountiful nature. As a secondary goal, it also provides a mean for Muslims to break away from the cycle of overindulgences and bad habits. By changing their behavior, Muslims are able to purify their soul, cleansing the body and mind.

Ramadan or “the month of blessing”, as it is often called, is also known as a time for intensive worship. There are a number of special prayers that take place during the month, in addition to the five daily prayers. Muslims also dedicate their time reading the Quran, which is the Holy Book of Islam. Furthermore, Muslims observe a strong sense of charity during Ramadan as it is one of the main adherences during fasting. This is done by giving food and gifts to the poor and the needy. The month ends with the “Ramadan Festival” also known as “Eid al-Fitr”. It is one of the two most significant celebrations in Islam, where people share gifts and food with their loved ones.

For those wanting to undertake a trip to Saudi Arabia, there are many Makkah hotels to choose from. One such ideal Makkah hotel is Raffles Makkah Palace Saudi Arabia, which is conveniently located amidst the major attractions in the city, including the Grand Mosque, the Kaaba and Abraj Al Bait complex.

Mr Shujahat Aslam, an imam, discusses the Muslim holy month of Ramadan with Dr Jon Hoover, an expert in Islamic Studies. He describes what happens during the time, and what it means to those who celebrate it.
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Check out these ramadan images:

215/365: RAMADAN KAREEM


Image by Najwa Marafie – Free Photographer
02-08-2011
02 RAMADAN 1432

عساكم من عوادة
و تقبل الله صيامكم و قيامكم

Wish you all a happy Ramadan

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Table ramadan


Image by amekinfo
Bonne appréciation du ramadan après une semaine de jeun.

Chinese Ramadan lantern on the shape of footballer Mohamed Abu Tarika


Image by Kodak Agfa
Chinese Ramadan lantern on the shape of footballer Mohamed Abu Tarika

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Some cool islam images:

Projecting British Islam Turkey visit 10-14 November 2008: Delegates receiving a Koran


Image by Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Day 2 of the Projecting British Islam visit to Turkey: The delegates were presented with a Koran by members of the Embassy’s Diversity Committee when they visited the Embassy’s new multi-faith prayer room.

Find out more about the visit to Turkey or the Projecting British Islam programme

Projecting British Islam Turkey visit 10-14 November 2008: Meeting NGOs


Image by Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Day 2 of the Projecting British Islam visit to Turkey: The delegates met with Turkish youth NGOs to find out about their work and the priorities for Turkish youth.
Find out more about the visit to Turkey or the Projecting British Islam programme

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