what islam is all about

Saturday 28 February 2009

One Night, Alone in the Dark...

"Iqra!" Commanded a voice out of nowhere: "Read!"

The sudden appearance of a Creature of Light startled Muhammad out of his deep sleep. He had come to his lonely mountain cave to think about the meaning of his life when suddenly he was faced with something so fantastic he couldn't move or scarcely breath. He was flozen in place! "I can't read!" He muttered to the strange presence which seemed to circle near him.

The Angel than wrapped itself around Muhammad's body and almost squeezed the deepest breath out of him, commanding him to read. Muhammad protested again, so the Angel repeated the strange embrace a third time and commanded once more, "Read." Muhammad cried out, "What should I read?"

Then the Angel began to recite, "Read in the Name of your Lord Who created humans from a clinging (embryo). Read, for your Lord is Generous. He is the One Who taught people with the pen, taught them things they didn't know before."

Muhammad rushed out of the cave flustered and frightened. He ran back down the mountain as fast as he could! All he wanted to do was to get home, to get away from this strange sensation that he didn't understand. Then, as he paused for breath, he looked up at the horizon and saw the most incredible sight of his life.

There, filling the space between the Earth and the sky, was the same Angel who confronted him in the cave! Muhammad turned around and again - there was the Angel, larger than the mountains and staring at him, saying his name was Jibra'il. He couldn't take the supernatural vision and turned and ran straight back to his home in Mecca without stopping.

When he plunged through the front door of his house, he fell into the arms of his beloved wife, Khadijah. She held her husband tightly as he shook with fear. She wondered frantically what was happening.

"Cover me! Cover me!" he cried. So Khadijah took him to their bedroom and covered him with a sheet. She watched over him the whole night, sometimes holding his hands, other times wiping his moistened brow. What could have happened? What could she do? She would know soon.

Later that night, when Muhammad wondered aloud if trouble was coming for him, Khadijah, who knew him to be a man of integrity, comforted him and explained that Allah would never let anything evil befall him. He was honest and charitable and upright. If something was to come, it surely wasn't going to be bad.

After some time, the Angel, whose name was Jibra'il, came again to Muhammad. This time he was more prepared for the unworldly experience, and when the Angel finished speaking, Muhammad memorized the revelation, or Wahy, from Allah.

"You wrapped up in sheets! Stand (in prayer) at night, but not all night, maybe half, or little less or more. Recite the Qur'an in slow, measured tones. Soon We (Allah) will give you a heavy Message. Truly, getting up late at night is powerful for controlling (one's soul) and the best for forming words (of prayer and praise). (73:1-6)

Muhammad had been a simple man in a remote and dusty trading town. Now he was about to embark on a mission which would change the face of the world forever. Little did he know what hardships and adventures lay ahead.

How was the Qur'an revealed?

Who was Muhammad?

The Holy Qur'an is Allah's final message to this world. It was revealed between the years 610 and 632 to a person who lived in Arabia. The one who received this Book of Light was a man by the name of Muhammad the son of Abdullah and Aminah. Muhammad had the reputation for honesty and wisdom which earned his the respect of even his enemies. Allah chose Muhammad to be His last Prophet to all of humanity.

Although at times it seemedMuhammad's mission was doomed to failure because of the overwhelming odds against him, Allah protected him and granted him the final victory in the end. Today, Muslims love and respect Prophet Muhammad and they ask Allah to send peace upon his soul countless times every day.

Whenever we hear or read his name, it is recommended to say either silently or out loud: "Salallahu 'alayhi wa sallam. " This means the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.

To understand the Blessed Prophet's mission is to understand the purpose of life of every human being. To learn his noble and honorable example is to come to love him more than any other human being who ever lived.

Friday 27 February 2009

MANNERS WHEN READING THE QUR'AN

1. Recognize that you are holding Allah's words in your hands. Have a humble heart. (7:204)

2. If the person is in a state of major impurity and needs a Ghusl (bath), than it must be done first. (see 56:79)

3. If ablution, or ceremonial washing (Wudu) is needed, it is strongly recommended to have it.

4. It is recommended to be facing the Qiblah (direction of Mecca) when reading.

5. There should be no eating or drinking while reading Qur'an.

6. Whenever a description of judgment Day or Hell-fire is mentioned, the reader should feel scared and recognize the importance of the real event. (16:107 , 59:21)

7. If the Arabic text is being read out loud (Tilawah), the person should try pronounce it correctly as best they can. Don't be afraid to read it, however, if you can't recitate it well yet. The Blessed Prophet said the person who recites the Qur'an with difficulty will get twice the reward of the person who says it without difficulty. This is consideration of their greater effort.

8. Before reciting, the person should say, "A' oodhoo billahi min ash-Shaytanir-rajeem." "I seek Allah's protection from the rejected Satan."

9. The reader should pay more attention to understanding the meaning of the text then to merely mouthing the words. (47:24)

10. After the reading is finished, the reader should say, "Sadaqallahul owthzeem." "Allah, the Exalted, has spoken the truth."

11. Afterwards, the reader should reflect on the lessons they learned in their reading. It is reported thet the Blessed Prophet once remarked the a person's reward is increased if they understand the meaning of what they are doing. The word Tadabbur means to reflect upon something and Allah, Himself, advises us to do this when reading His Book. (47:24)

12. The best time to read Qur'an is in the early morning. (17:78)

13. Keep the Qur'an in a respectful place, but do not make it a decoration in your home that will go unread or unused.


How Do I Use the Qur'an?

The Qur'an: Treat it With Respect
"Now proof has come to you from your Lord. If anyone cares to see, it will be for (the good) of his own soul. If anyone would be blind, it will be for (the bad) of his own soul." (6:104)
Thus, Allah warns us that we can either have our eyes open to the truth or be blind to it. The proof Allah speaks about the Qur'an and all the miraculous statements it makes. Will anyone listen in time?
But the Qur'an is not a book that is to be kept just lying around, to be thumbed through when ever and where ever one may be: on a train, in the kitchen, lying on the floor.
If a person wants to gain benefit from this book than they must respect it and approach it with a certain sense of reverence. It is not like any other book; therefore, must be treated and used in a certain manner
If your teacher let you borrow a book for a report, you wouldn't just throw it around and leave it under your bed. Why should the Qur'an be treated that why? It is, after all, the instruction manual Allah gave to us for how to live a better life and save our souls in the life to come.
To proceed, then, we must become aware of the Etiquette, or manners, for using the Qur'an. It's not hard to learn, and if you have the awareness in your heart that the Qur'an is a special book, you will be overjoyed to learn how to treat it with respect.

Thursday 26 February 2009

How Do I Study Islam?

To study Islam one must begin with the Qur'an and use it at every stage. Only then can a true understanding of our life and ultimate destiny be achieved.

Muslims have been sleeping for centuries and have not beed studying the message of the Qur'an. That is why the Muslim nations of the world, which were once the most advanced, have become the least advanced in only a few hundred years. (6:70)

Islam is the way of life Allah established from the beginning, It is the code of living taught by all Prophets and wise people throughout history. It went by different names and included different rituals according to the customs and age of the people in question, but their teachings always contained the same, core message: Submit to the universal way and do what is right.

If we want to change the condition of Muslims, as well as bring healing to the hearts of people who have not yet become Muslims, than we must reconnect with the message of the Qur'an. For only that book has survived unchanged as the guidebook for people as their live their short and difficult lives.

"We, (Allah,) have made this Qur'an easy to remember. Is there anyone who would receive a reminder?" (54:40)

The Qur'an is the source of guidance, and the life of the Prophet who bore it is our example of how to put it into practice.



What is Our Purpose?

Allah created a universe free of disorder and chaos. In the development of human societies, people could choose to conform to the standards of order and peace or mire themselves in the pit of destruction and their raw, animal instincts.

In short, humans can choose whether to use their higher order faculties or to descend to the level of a beast, an intelligent one no less.

The way of life which Allah wants humans to choose is one in which they use their intellect and emotions in the pursuit of the higher truth of Allah's universe. There much be no giving in to anger, hatred, violence and greed. All the lower, animalistic emotions must be conquered and controlled. (45:22;46:3)

To aid humans in this quest, Allah has chosen guides from among humans called Prophets and communicated messages to them. They were like lighthouses in a storm, calling people to salvation in a troubled world. A few select times, Allah would send an organized message that was meant to survive as a book for later generations to study.

But all too often, humans have let themselves be tempted by their low desires, resulting in war, hatred and chaos on Earth. The opposite of peace.

Those who adhere to Allah's way of life are promised a reward when their souls journey to the next life. Those who deny this truth will receive a punishment for choosing to turn their backs on what is real. They not only rejected Allah's guides, but they also rejected their very nature which prompts them to good. They preffered to cover themselves in shame and evil. (6:113-117)

When the life of the universe comes to an end, and Allah collapses all matter back into its primordial origins, than every self-conscious being will be assembled together on the Day of Judgment where they will be shown what they did and why they deserve to be punished or rewarded.

Of course, humans are not perfect and never will be. (70:19) Allah knows what He created. So for those who had at sincerity and faith, there will be forgiveness of their immoral deeds and mercy shown.

Those humans who have rocognized their ultimate destiny, and who wish to serve in the cause of Allah, try their best to live their lives in accordance with the laws He revealed. Allah made us and knows best how we can be civilized.

Previouse Prophets and Messengers were sent to all people of the world, and we remember some of their names: Ibrahim, Musa, Salih and Esa (Jesus). (40:78)
The last message Allah sent to humanity was given to man born in Arabia in about the year 570 named Muhammad.

This final message is in the form of a book called the Qur'an, or Reading. (10:37) It is an instruction book for elevating a person's mind and heart to a higher level. To a stage which allows them to escape the hold of their animal instincts and to stand forth for the right and forbid the wrong.

As Allah said, "This Qur'an quides (people) to what is right and gives good news to the believers, who do good deeds, that they will have a splendid reward." (17:9)

Such a person makes serving their Creator the object of their life and they worldly affairs can, in fact, be ordered in such a way as to bring them into accord with the universal law of Allah.

What is Islam?

Islam is name of the way of life that is followed by nearly a billion people around the world. Muslims, or those who follow Islam, are the majorities in over fifty countries, and their numbers are growing every year.

The name Islam is an Arabic word that mean both peace and surrender. The full definition implies that when you surrunder your will to God, you will find peace in your soul. A Muslim. then, is a person who surrunders to God and finds peace.
Islam is not a religion, however, but a complete way of life that is patterned after the natural trand in the universe. It's goal is to help people live in harmony with the natural order of nature and existence.

Allah, the name for God in the Arabic language, caused the universe to come into existence billions of years ago. He set up natural laws and ordered the functioning of matter in accordance with His will. In this way, we can say that the entire universe is Muslim, i.e. it is submitted to His will. (14:19-20)

On certain planets, and at certain times, Allah allowed living organisms to develop. One such planet, Earth, even saw the the appearance of a highly complex ecosystem.
After the passage of much time, Allah willed the development of human beings. They were to be unlike any other creature before them. They were to possess intelligence and free-will.

No cat, monkey, fish, frog or tree has ever functioned in a way other than its instinct and natural tendencies. Humans, however, would be given the choice of how to live their lives. The binding chains of instinct were loosened.



Wednesday 25 February 2009

What is the best way to learn about Islam?

BOOKS! NO MEDIA!

I just found very nice book about Islam and I would like to share about few things from this book here in this new blog. I hope people will understand and read about beauty of Islam not just here but also from books more that watch what media show to this world.