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Islam 101/ New Shahadas

Commonly Asked Questions About Islam

WHAT IS ISLAM? ... Al-Islam is a way of life. Islam means "submission" and is derived from the Arabic word meaning "peace".
WHO ARE MUSLIMS? ... A Muslim is a person who submits to the will of God. Muslims believe that everyone is born a Muslim; however, it is there environment that makes them something else.
HOW DOES SOMEONE BECOME A MUSLIM? ... A person becomes a Muslim by making a public declaration (usually at the Masjid, but can be anywhere) that "there is no god but Allah (one God), and that Prophet Muhammad is the last messenger of God.
WHO IS PROPHET MUHAMMAD? ... Prophet Muhammad is the last prophet and was given the final revelation (the Holy Qur'an) by God to serve as a guide to all of humanity. Prophet Muhammad is the last of a long list of prophets.
HOW MANY MUSLIMS ARE THERE? ... There are over 1 billion Muslims worldwide (one out of every five persons on earth). There are approximately 8 million Muslims in the USA.
WHAT IS THE QUR'AN? ... The Holy Qur'an is the last revelation from God and the primary source of a Muslims faith.
WHAT IS SUNNAH? ...The Sunnah is Prophet Muhammad's life example. (Prophet Muhammad was described by his wife, Aishah, as the Qur'an walking)
WHAT IS HADITH? ... A compilation of Prophet Muhammad's life example and practices which constitute the second most important source for Muslims.
WHAT ARE THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM? ... 1)Belief in one god(Allah), Prayer five times a day to the One God, Fasting during the Month of Ramadan, Charity (zakat), making the pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj) one in your life.
WHAT IS JUMUAH? ... Jumu'ah means "congregation" in Arabic and is the most important day of all days to Muslims. Jumu'ah prayer is every Friday, generally just past midday.
WHAT IS THE EID? ... The Eid means "recurring happiness" in Arabic. There are two Eids celebrated every year. Eidul-Fitr which celebrates the completion of Ramadan and Eidul-Adha which celebrates the completion of Hajj.

Common Misconceptions About Islam or Muslims

ALL MUSLIMS ARE ARAB ... 30% live in the Indian subcontinent; 20% in Sub-Sahara Africa, 17% in Southeast Asia, 18% in the Arab world, 10% in the states of the former Soviet and others in China, Latin America, Europe, Australia, and the U.S.
MUSLIMS ARE TERRORISTS … Muslims believe in peace and should only use violence to defend themselves.
ISLAM PROMOTES "JIHAD" …The word "Jihad" stems from an Arabic word which means "to strive". Other related words include "effort", "labor", and "fatigue". Although war is a form of Jihad, it is only to be used in self defense. In fact, "jihad" is used more frequently among Muslims as trying to improve themselves. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has instructed that the greatest Jihad is the war with yourself to do what is pleasing to Allah (God).
ALLAH DOES NOT MEAN GOD … Allah means God in Arabic (In fact Christians who live in Arab speaking countries and speak Arabic also call God "Allah".
MUSLIMS WORSHIP AN ARAB GOD … Muslims do not worship an Arab god. The most fundamental belief of Muslims is that there is only one God. Muslims choose to use the Arabic language to describe God because God in Arabic cannot be made plural.
MUSLIMS DON'T BELIEVE IN JESUS … Muslims believe in Jesus. They believe that Jesus (PBUH) was a prophet just as Abraham, Ishmael, and Muhammad were prophets (pbut). In fact, Muslims believe that Prophet Jesus brought the Message that there is only one God just as the other prophets did. In fact, the Holy Qur'an recalls his Miraculous Birth, his teachings, and the miracles he performed by God's permission. Prophet Jesus is revered in the Holy Qur'an. However, Muslims believe that Jesus was a human being and prophet but not the Son of God.
ISLAM OPPRESSES WOMEN … Most of the ill treatment that women receive in the Muslim world is based on local culture and tradition. On the other hand, the Holy Qur'an states that women should be treated fairly, and are equal partners with their spouses. Ill treatment is a direct contradiction of Islamic law and practices.
ISLAM IS INTOLERANT OF OTHER FAITHS … The Qur'an provides that Christians and Jews are people of the book (people who have received previous revelations from the one almighty God that we all worship. Allah says in the Qur'an (translated to English) "[t]hose who believe in the Qur'an and those who follow the Jewish Scriptures, and the Christians and the Sabians, any who believe in God and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord: on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve." The Qur'an also commands Muslims to protect from harm not only mosques and masjids, but also monasteries, synagogues, and churches — because God is worshipped therein."

Islam 101/ New Shahadas

Commonly Asked Questions About Islam

Common Misconceptions About Islam or Muslims

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