FAQ

Q1- Why are Muslim women covered?

Answer: 

• Actually this is one similarity between religions. It is a sign of modesty and has always been a sign of believing women throughout history. Have you ever seen a painting or a statue of Mary, mother of Jesus Christ, without a head-covering? All statues and paintings of female saints show them covered as Muslim women. According to Christianity, Mary and the saints are the best of women. Some think that Mary, the Christian saints and the Israelite women were dressed like that because this is how women were dressed in the past. This is not true because the old Egyptians, the Greeks and the Romans did not cover themselves like the women who believed in One God and followed the prophets of God. Today nuns, Amish (a group of Protestant Christians) and Orthodox Jewish women dress themselves like Muslim women. These women are actually following the Bible:

… So she (Rebecca, Isaac’s wife) took her veil and covered herself. (Genesis 24:65)

If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head. (1 Corinthians 11:6)

An old photo of Jewish women praying at the Western Wall (the Wailing Wall) in Jerusalem

From left photos of: Saint Monica’s statue in the city of Santa Monica in the US – Mary mother of Jesus – Catholic nun (Mother Teresa) – Muslim girl

• According to the Bible, Jesus said that just looking at a woman with lust is a sin that leads to Hellfire.[2] Since it is hard for most men to prevent themselves from looking at women wearing revealing clothes, women should be modestly dressed to prevent sending men to Hellfire.
• Attraction between men and women is a natural urge. This is how God has created us.  The same God has also prescribed certain dress code for both men and women, enjoining them to be modest in dress and behavior.  This is to channel their natural impulses in a proper, wholesome way: within the framework of marriage. In Islam, husbands and wives beautify themselves for each other, focusing on their marriage and family. This keeps the society healthy—physically, psychologically, morally, and spiritually.
• From a modern perspective, Muslim women are dressed in public in a way that neutralizes the sexuality dimension. According to a research by Susan Fiske, professor of psychology at Princeton University, it was scientifically proved that men see bikini-clad women as objects. When women cover their bodies, they are no longer female or sexual objects.
• Today many women compete against each other and this competition is about something superficial—physical appearance. Even now there is plastic surgery to make women (and men) look younger and more beautiful. The media focuses a great deal on physical appearance, brainwashing societies to believe that a woman’s value comes from her looks and physical appearance. Moreover, those involved in the fashion business set certain standards which are not ideal for every woman to follow. Islam liberates women (and men) as it teaches that one’s value does not come from one’s looks or physical appearance. A woman’s value should come from her character, values, relationship with God and achievements in this life. According to the Qur’an, the real competition should be about doing good deeds.
• The dress code: Men cover the area from the navel until below the knees while women cover the whole body except for the face and hands. The clothes, for both men and women, should not be tight or transparent. Muslims believe that these are divinely based guidelines with legitimate aims and divine wisdom behind them, not male imposed or socially imposed restrictions.
• Covering the body is not the first priority in Islam. Belief that there is no deity worthy of worship except the

Creator is far more important than the dress code.

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Q2- Why don’t men cover their heads or bodies like women do?

Answer: 

• God created men and women physiologically different. Men in particular have a stronger drive towards women’s bodies and looks. Which will attract more attention: a man or a woman walking in the street without a shirt?
• Since the hair and the hairstyle is an important part of a woman’s looks and may add to her attractiveness, Muslim women avoid displaying their hair in public. On the other hand, bold men or men with clean-shaven heads can still be attractive.

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 Q3- Why do some Muslim women cover their faces? 

Answer: 

• The face-cover is in the Bible and some Jewish women cover their faces.

Israeli Jewish women and girls

• There is a difference of opinion among Muslim scholars regarding the face-cover, based on their interpretation of certain Qur’an verses (24:31 & 33:59).
• The majority of Muslim scholars do not consider covering the face to be obligatory.
• In some societies women cover their faces because of their local culture and tradition. But many women cover their faces because it is their own choice. It is a pity that some societies allow women to be naked, but persecute those who want to cover themselves such as in France where schoolgirls are forbidden to cover their hair by law and where Muslim women are not allowed to cover their faces if they choose to do so.

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 Q4- Do you have dating? How can people be married if the man cannot see the woman? How do you get married in Islam, if you are not allowed to date prior to marriage? 

Answer: 

According to Islamic teachings, a man should see the woman’s face if he wants to marry her. He sees her and gets to know her in her family’s house and if, for any reason, they do not like each other, they do not proceed in the marriage plan. In Islam men do not mess with women. The only reason why a man wants to know a woman is having the intention to marry her.  Women who wear revealing clothes might attract the wrong men to them: men who are only interested in physical appearance rather than in the woman’s character.  

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Q5- Why do women wear black and men wear white clothes? 

Answer: ·

This is not a religious requirement.  The Islamic dress code does not specify a particular color. It is mainly an individual’s choice, which is usually influenced by the local culture and/or climate.  Most Muslim women do not wear black. Women in Sudan, for example, wear colorful clothes. Many women in the Gulf prefer to wear black abayas over their colorful clothes when they go out. Black is not transparent so it is practical and usually the abaya is made of a light material. ·        When it comes to modesty, some colors are less attractive than others. For example, Catholic nuns wear black, brown, grey or white but never red.·        Many men in the Gulf wear white. This color reflects simplicity; it suits the hot climate; and generates in a person some consciousness to be neat and clean. Prophet Mohammed liked this color and recommended it. In winter Bahraini men wear dark colors such as brown, grey, etc.·        Some people think that the black and white that men and women wear signify good and evil. This is not true. Muslims wrap their dead in white linen and cover the Ka’bah with black cloth.

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Q6- Why do some men wear a white head-cover and some wear one with a red and white pattern?

Answer:

The head-cover is cultural, not religious, and the colors do not reflect social differences: both are common in the Gulf. In the past, the head-cover protected the men from the sun and the dust when there was a sandstorm. The pattern changes from one area to another. For example, the Palestinian head-cover has a pattern different from the one worn in the Gulf. The origin of the Oqal (black ring) is the rope that was used to tie a camel.

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Q7- Why can a man marry four wives whereas a woman can only marry one?

Answer:                                                                      

• Islam never started polygyny. In the past, men could have an unlimited number of wives and/or concubines in most parts of the world. Islam did not outlaw polygyny; rather it regulated and restricted it. Islam limited the number to four wives and, as a result, some Muslim men had to divorce the extra wives they had when this injunction was imposed.
• According to the Bible, some prophets of God had more than one wife. Jacob was married to four women at the same time (two wives and two concubines) who gave him twelve sons—the fathers of the Israelite tribes. David was married to several wives and so was Solomon who had 700 wives and 300 concubines.
• The Bible includes regulations on the practice of polygyny such as the following text which states that multiple marriages are not to diminish the status of the first wife: If he marries another woman, he must not deprive the first one of her food, clothing and marital rights. (Exodus 21:10)
• The practice of polygyny continued in Judaism till Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (960 – 1030 CE) issued an edict against it. The Jewish Sephardic communities living in Muslim countries continued the practice till as late as 1950, until an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel extended the ban on marrying more than one wife.
• Polygyny was also practiced in ancient India. According to the Hindu scriptures, Krishna had multiple wives. It was only in 1954, when the Hindu Marriage Act was passed that it became illegal for a Hindu to have more than one wife. ·        Most Muslim men have only one wife.Islam allows, not encourages, a man to marry more than one. As a matter of fact, the Qur’an is the only religious book that contains the phrase ‘marry only one.’ According to Islamic teachings, a man with more than one wife should justly treat all wives or he is punished by God. Justice includes financial support, housing, time spent with each wife, etc.
• In most societies, women outnumber men. Males and females are born in approximately the same ratio but a female child has more immunity than a male child. For this reason, during the pediatric age itself there are more deaths among males. During wars, there are more men killed than women. More men die due to accidents and diseases than women. According to the UN statistics of 2007, there were around five million women more than men in the USA alone (155,318.2 women & 150,508.0 men). If every man marries only one wife, then many women will not have a family, children or normal sexual lives. As a result, some lonely women accept to become mistresses.
• Which is better for a woman: to be a second wife with legitimate children and rights or to become a mistress? When former French president Mitterrand died, the whole world saw on TV his illegitimate daughter attending his funeral. Which is better for a child: to see her father in secrecy because her mother is his mistress or to be able to enjoy her father’s company in public? Islam, therefore, protects the rights of women and children.
• With regards to polygyny, all parties involved have options. Men may choose to be monogamous. A proposed second wife may reject the marriage proposal. A prospective first wife may include in the marriage certificate a condition that the husband shall practice monogamy. If this condition is mutually accepted, it becomes binding on the husband.
• On the other hand, if a woman is allowed to marry more than one man, then the problem of having a surplus of single women will not only persist, it will be worsened.
• A woman who has more than one husband has a high chance of acquiring sexually transmitted diseases which can also be transmitted back to her husband even if all of them have no extra-marital sex. This is not the case in a man having more than one wife, and none of them having extra-marital sex. Isn’t this an indication of which type of polygamy the Creator approves of?
• For more details see Gender Equity in Islam by Dr. Jamal Badawi pp. 26-29,  Islam and Muslims by Syed Ali pp. 23-25 and Most Common Questions About Islam by Dr. Zakir Naik (available online).

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Q8- Is divorce permitted in Islam? Are divorced people allowed to remarry?

Answer: 

• Divorce is permitted in Islam, but it is discouraged and detested. According to a saying of Prophet Muhammad, among all permitted things in Islam, divorce is the one most disliked by God.
• Divorce is the last resort, when all other means to avoid it have been exhausted.
• Divorced men and women can remarry. Islam encourages marriage.

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 Q9- At what age do children pray?

Answer:

• Generally speaking, children are born sinless and remain so until they reach the age of puberty. They are not held accountable nor have religious duties until they reach this age. But because prayers are very important in Islam, it is the duty of the parents to teach and encourage their children to pray at the age of seven.
• Smaller children usually stand next to the parents when they pray and imitate them. Training from an early age helps them later to perform the religious duties with ease.

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Q10- Why do Muslims wash before the prayers?

Answer:

• The ablution is both physical cleanliness and spiritual purification.
• Hygiene is important in Islam. The Muslim wants to stand before the Almighty, clean. No one would think of going to meet a king or president without having a wash. No one would go for a job interview with dirty hands. In the same way, it would be unthinkable for a Muslim to stand before God without being clean.
• Muslims take a few moments to clean themselves before they pray. This allows the dust and the dirt of daily life to be washed away physically, just as the dust and the dirt which cling to our hearts are washed away spiritually.
• Using water for spiritual purification is common in many religions including Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism.
• Muslims wash themselves following the example of Prophet Muhammad because they believe that the source of his knowledge is God. Prophet Muhammad used to massage the body parts and wash between the fingers and the toes. According to complementary medicine (Chinese medicine), by performing ablution like him, we improve the flow of energy in the body. There are energy centers in the body in certain parts. These include the upper part of the forehead, the outer parts of the ears, between the fingers and between the toes on the upper side of the feet.
• Washing also helps calm one’s anger and anxiety.
• Muslims do not have to wash themselves before every prayer. One can pray several prayers with the same ablution except if one sleeps, goes to the toilet or have sexual activity.

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 Q11- Is the Imam like a priest? How is he appointed or selected? What religious powers does he have?

Answer:

• In Islam there is no priesthood, religious hierarchy or authority that enables one to forgive sins or listen to confessions. There is no mediator between man and God in Islam. However, there are scholars who can guide people in matters related to faith.·        When Muslims pray congregational prayers, one of them becomes their Imam, i.e., their leader. Even children can lead adults in prayers.
• Those who lead prayers should be able to recite the Qur’an in a proper way because in some prayers the Imam recites the verses out loud while people listen.
• In order to smoothly facilitate the congregational prayers five times a day in a mosque, usually an Imam is appointed. An appointed Imam can be paid for this duty or can lead the prayers voluntarily.
• An Imam leads a normal life like other people, i.e., he can marry, have children, and take another job to earn a livelihood.

• In Bahrain, Imams (who lead congregational prayers) and Muadhins (who give the call to the prayers) are appointed by the Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs after they pass an oral test where a special committee listens to their performance of the call to the prayers and Qur’an recitation. This procedure may differ in other Muslim countries. Sometimes Imams and Muadhins are nominated by the community members of the mosque, if the mosque is built by a local charity organization or financed by donations from the community.

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Q12- Can women lead prayers? 

Answer:

• Women can and do lead prayers. A group of women praying will have a female Imam. Given the format of Muslim prayer and its nature where Muslims bow and prostrate, it is not suitable for a woman to lead a mixed congregation.
• Some Muslim scholars allow women to lead male relatives in prayers if she knows Qur’an better than them. This ruling is based on a narrative in which Prophet Muhammad permitted a woman by the name of Umm Waraqah to lead her household which included a young girl, a young boy and an old muadhdhin. This permission was based on her knowledge of the Qur’an.

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Q13- What is the sermon on Friday about? How is the preacher appointed or selected? Answer:

• The sermon on Friday is divided into two sections, with a break for a minute or so in between. The first part will normally consist of reminders to Muslims regarding their religious duties towards God and towards other human beings. The second part may be a continuation of the first part or it may deal with any issue or subject—political, economic, social, cultural or moral—having a bearing on the community.
• Islam is a way of life so the topics are usually about what has a direct bearing or impact upon people’s lives.

• The length of the Friday Sermon usually varies between 15 to 30 minutes.
• Unlike the Imam who leads the prayers, the preacher who delivers the sermon has to have knowledge about Islam. But the Imam, the Muadhin and the Khateeb do not have any religious or divine authority beyond their respective roles for which they are appointed or selected.
• In Bahrain the Khateeb (one who delivers the Friday sermon) is appointed by the Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs.
• There are no memberships for mosques so people can go to different mosques to listen to different speakers. In all mosques, big and small, people get the same reward from God.

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Q14- Can women give the Friday speech?  

Answer: 

The Friday prayer is obligatory for men but optional for women. In general women are welcome in mosques but men are more obliged to pray in mosques than women. To perform the five daily prayers and the Friday prayers every week in the mosque can be very hard for a pregnant woman or a mother with little children. Therefore women have more choice than men: they can choose to pray at a mosque, at home or in any other place, unlike men who get more reward if they pray in a mosque.

• Because the Friday prayer is obligatory for men and optional for women, more men than women attend the prayer and the speech is given by a male preacher.
• Unlike some other religions, Muslim women can teach both men and women. There are female scholars, jurists and university professors who specialize in Islamic studies.

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Q15- Can women give the call to prayer?

Answer: 

• Women never gave the call to prayer at the time of Prophet Muhammad or throughout history.
• The call requires waking up very early before dawn, coming to the mosque five times a day and walking at night to and from the mosque which is difficult and sometimes unsafe for a woman to do.
• The call is a spiritual call that reminds people of God. It is also to be done in a beautiful melodious way. A woman’s beautiful voice might make some people think about the woman rather than God.

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Q16- Are women/children allowed to pray in mosques? Why are women prevented from praying in some mosques?

Answer:

• The second religious source for Muslims, after the Qur’an, is the sayings and actions of Prophet Muhammad. These were recorded in books and are called hadiths. Several hadiths show that women and children prayed in the mosque at the time of Prophet Muhammad. According to one of these hadiths, the Prophet heard a baby cry at the back of the mosque so he shortened the prayer so that the baby’s mother would not feel stressed.
• Any Muslim who prevents women from praying in a mosque is disobeying the explicit teachings of Prophet Muhammad because he told his followers not to prevent women from praying in mosques.
• For hundreds of years women have been praying with men in the mosque in Makkah, considered by Muslims to be the most sacred spot in the world.
• Men are more obliged to pray in mosques than women (See the answer to Q 14). Because women have choice, we usually see more men than women in mosques.

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Q17- Where do women pray? Are women allowed to pray in the main prayer hall? Why do Muslim men force women to pray in a less beautiful hall?

Answer:

• If one wants to worship God, one should worship Him His way, i.e., the way He wants to be worshipped. You cannot just come up with any crazy idea and decide that this is a good way to pray. In fact, God has not left us without guidance; He has sent prophets and messengers as teachers and role models to show us how to worship Him. So, where did the women pray at the time of Jesus and Moses? Were they with the men or separated?
• Muslims believe that Muhammad is the final messenger of God and this is why they adhere to his teachings, which are not really different from other prophets because the source of the knowledge of the prophets is one (i.e., God). At the time of Prophet Muhammad men and women prayed together without any barriers separating them; they were only separated in the rows. The men prayed in rows at the front and the women prayed in rows behind the men.

• The Islamic ritual prayer is a spiritual experience of the mind and the heart.  At the same time it also involves body movements from one position to another—standing, bowing, prostrating, and sitting.  Worshippers have to stand together in straight rows, shoulder to shoulder, and make unified movements up and down. Were men and women to pray together side by side, it would create distraction and lack of concentration in prayers, by which the very purpose of prayers would be affected or lost.  ·        The idea of the balcony was introduced into mosques with the development of architecture to provide extra space for worshippers and is sometimes (not always) used by women.
• Ladies’ prayer halls/sections appeared after the invention of microphones and therefore separation is not the rule in Islam.
• The worshipers are gathered in the mosque to focus all their thoughts and attention on God alone. If there is a beautiful woman in the mosque, it is only natural that eyes would sneak glances at her. It is neither good nor bad, but simply a fact. All of one’s thoughts would be distracted. Men and women are separated in the mosque for this reason alone, to avoid perfectly natural distractions and to allow each one the privilege of prayer.
• According to the teachings of Islam, intentions are very important. People come to the mosque to worship God, not to socialize or find dates! When we come here, we do not want our intention to be corrupted. There is no competition between men and women about the front rows or the back rows and God does not judge people according to their gender, color, age, money, position, etc. What concerns Muslim men and women when they pray are these questions: Will God accept my prayer? Have I concentrated in my prayer? etc.
• In Al-Fateh Mosque, the women sometimes pray behind the men in the prayer hall and sometimes they pray in the balcony. Some women complained that the staircase leading to the balcony was too high for them, so they were given the smaller prayer room as well. The small prayer hall is also preferred by women with infants and small children.

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 Q18- How is this mosque maintained? Does the mosque depend on donations? 

Answer:

The Grand Mosque was built by the State of Bahrain. It is maintained by the government and not financed by donations. Other mosques may be dependent on donations from the community and maintained by charity organizations. However, most mosques in Bahrain happen to be financed by the government. 

Q19- Is this a Sunni or a Shia Mosque?

Answer: 

• This is neither a Sunni nor a Shia mosque. A mosque is a house of worship, a house of God. The Scared Mosque in Makkah is a house of worship for all Muslims and so is this mosque.
• The government of Bahrain built and maintains this mosque and therefore everyone is welcome here including people of other faiths.

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 Q20- What is the difference between Sunnis and Shiites?

Answer:

• It is a fact that Muslims today are divided amongst themselves. Such divisions are not endorsed by Islam at all. Islam believes in fostering unity amongst its followers. According to the Qur’an (6:159), it is prohibited to make sects or divisions in Islam. Prophet Muhammad was a Muslim, neither a Shiite nor Sunni.
• All Muslims believe in the same fundamentals such as belief in One God, in the Day of Judgment, that the Qur’an is the last book revealed by God, that Muhammad is the last prophet of God, etc.
• Shiites are 10-15% of the world Muslim population, concentrated mainly in Iran. They also constitute a big percentage of populations in Iraq, Azerbaijan, Bahrain and Lebanon.
• The term Shia literally means a party—the party or supporters of Ali, Prophet Muhammad’s son-in-law. The term Sunni refers to those who follow the Sunnah—the sayings and acts of Prophet Muhammad. They believe that religion was completed with Prophet Muhammad and whatever happened after his death is related to history, not religion.
• The division started as a political difference regarding who would succeed Prophet Muhammad after he died. Prophet Muhammad was a prophet like Moses—a prophet but also a statesman who ruled his people. Most Muslims hold that the Prophet did not designate anyone to succeed him as the leader and head of the Muslim state after his death, and thus the first four caliphs were rightly chosen from among the people, while Shiites hold that the leader of the Muslim community should be from among the Prophet’s descendants through his daughter Fatima and her husband Ali.
• All Muslims love the family of the Prophet including Ali who was the fourth chosen caliph.

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 Q21- Why are we not allowed to visit mosques in some countries?  

Answer: 

• Islam allows people of other faiths to visit mosques. We know from Islamic sources that people of other faiths used to meet Prophet Muhammad in the mosque he established in Madina. Among those were a group of Christians who came from the city of Najran in Arabia with their priests to meet the Prophet in Madina. This delegation was housed in the mosque (as they did not have hotels at that time). They asked to offer certain prayers and rituals and Prophet Muhammad allowed them to offer their Christian rituals in the mosque.

• Unfortunately, not all tourists know how to behave in a place of worship. Some annoy the worshipers with their loud voices, by taking the worshipers’ photos, posing for photos in a funny way, wearing inappropriate  clothes, etc. To avoid problems, we have tour guides who accompany the tourists in the Grand Mosque. The tour guides ensure a proper balance between the needs of the tourists and those of the worshipers. We hope that other mosques will follow in our footsteps in order to bridge the gap between Muslims and people of other faiths.

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Q22- Why are non-Muslims not allowed to go to Mecca?

Answer: 

• Every country has certain restricted areas such as military bases. Makkah is restricted to Muslims because it is a sanctuary for Muslims, a place of worship, not tourism. The needs of the tourists are very different from the needs of the worshipers who want to worship in peace without being disturbed. Controlling the tourists would be a very big challenge especially that Makkah is usually very crowded with pilgrims

.· From the religious point of view, the strict monotheistic character of Islam in its pristine purity should be preserved in Makkah. In other words, only God is worshiped in Makkah and it must remain so.

• Before visiting a country, one applies for a visa. The visa for entering Makkah is to testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except God and that Muhammad is one of the messengers of God.

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 Q23- Why do Muslims pray toward the East? Why do Muslims pray in the direction of Mecca? What is the Kaaba? What is the Black Stone?

Answer:

• Muslims in Bahrain pray toward the West, not the East.
• Muslims all over the globe pray towards a mosque in Makkah. The Qur’an talks about Bakkah (the name of a valley in Makkah) being the location of the first house of worship appointed for humanity. By praying to God towards Makkah, Muslims join other fellow Muslims praying elsewhere in the world in concentric human circles, all worshiping God toward the same spiritual center. If you look at the Valley of Bakkah from the air, you will see the physical circles of Muslims praying around a cubic-shaped black structure, known as the Ka’bah. The Ka’bah is the mosque believed by Muslims to be the first house of worship appointed for humanity. In every prayer Muslims say to God: You Alone we worship and You Alone we ask for help (Qur’an 1:5). The word we indicates that a Muslim is not praying alone even if he/she is praying individually because Muslims are spiritually connected to others praying with them towards the same spiritual center.
• Geographically, and because they pray facing toward Makkah, Muslims all over the world worship God in every direction of the globe: to the North and to the South, to the East and to the West, and all points in between. Muslims, who cannot discern the direction of Makkah, can pray in any direction. “To God belong the east and the west,” states the Qur’an (2:115 & 142).

• The Ka’bah is not a black building; it a building covered with black cloth. It has a door but no windows.
• No one is buried in the Ka’bah; it is a prayer room not a tomb. A Muslim praying inside the Ka’bah can pray in any direction.
• The Ka’bah was rebuilt several times. Muslims believe that the most important person who rebuilt the Ka’bah was Prophet Abraham together with his son Ishmael.
• An original part of the outer walls of the Ka’bah is the Black Stone, believed by Muslims to have come to the Earth with Adam. Muslims do not believe that this stone is divine or has any healing or other special powers.
• Jews praying at the Western Wall in Jerusalem do not worship the wall or the bricks. Similarly, for Muslims the Ka’bah does not symbolize God; it is just a sacred building that unifies Muslims around it. Muslims believe that God chose certain places on the Earth to be sacred places; one of them is Makkah and another is Jerusalem. According to the Bible, Daniel prayed to God towards Jerusalem and so do observant Jews today. Both Makkah and Jerusalem are linked to God’s prophets and have ancient houses of worship.
• Bakkah is mentioned in the Bible (Psalms 84:4-6).
• For more details, read Where Hearts and Souls Meet by Ghada Khafagy  (available online).

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Q24- Why do Muslims go around the Ka’bah?

Answer

• Since Abraham built the Ka’bah, people have been circumambulating it and this is considered to be an act of worship in Islam.·  Circumambulation is in other religions, but the Ka’bah is the most circumambulated structure in the world. The Ka’bah is constantly circumambulated by pilgrims at all times except for the time of prayers.· The circling is believed to demonstrate the unity of the believers in the worship of the One God, as they move in harmony together around the Ka’bah, while supplicating to God.·        Reflections: The circumambulation of the Ka’bah in a counter-clockwise direction reminds us of the movement of the planets around the sun, the electrons around the nucleus and the circulation of the blood in the human body. These examples show that the Creator is One because it is one system. Muslims go round the Ka’bah in submission to the One God.

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Q25- What is stoning the Devil about?

Answer:

• The rites that Muslim pilgrims perform in Makkah remind them of a family: Abraham, Hagar who was Abraham’s second wifeand their son Ishmael—the father of the Arabs and the ancestor of Prophet Muhammad.

• According to the Qur’an, Abraham saw that he was sacrificing his son in a dream. It was a test from God and Prophet Abraham decided to sacrifice his own son as he thought this must be an order from God. As he was about to slaughter the boy, God sent a ram to be sacrificed instead of the boy. This story is also mentioned in the Bible. The story of Abraham is significant for Muslims because it shows his great submission to God. Submission or surrender to God in Arabic is A Muslim is one who submits or surrenders to the Creator.

• According to the Muslim version of the story, the Devil attempted to dissuade Abraham from slaughtering his son three times at three locations but Abraham refused.
• The pilgrims throw pebbles at these locations to signify their animosity toward the Devil and the evil that he represents. This also reminds them of the trials experienced by Abraham while he was about to sacrifice his son.
• The physical effort of throwing the pebbles among large numbers of people has a more powerful impact on the pilgrims. If someone decides to cast evil and sin out of his/her life and this is accompanied by physical movement, the impact is stronger.

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Q26-Why do Muslims pray five times every day? 

Answer:  

• If you love someone, wouldn’t you like to talk to him or her every now and then? Doesn’t this make you feel happier? How about a close relationship with the Creator of the universe? Though it is the human being’s duty to worship his Creator, many Muslims pray because they love God and desire to talk to Him.

• One can talk to God at any time. Muslims also pray ritual prayers five times a day. The day is naturally divided into five divisions like morning, noon, afternoon, evening and night. In every part of the day, Muslims perform one of the ritual prayers. By doing so, Muslims stay connected to God throughout their lives. The prayer is a direct link between man and God.

• People are sometimes distracted by the worldly life. By praying to God throughout our days and our lives a person remains focused on what is really important: the purpose of life, his relation with the Creator and his future after death.

• As we need to eat, drink and sleep to keep our body fit, similarly we need to take care of our spiritual health and the prayer is spiritual food. It is not that God needs these prayers; God is without needs and is entirely self-sufficient. Rather, we have been created with that need.

• Imagine that the manufacturer of a car examines the car he made five times a day. In what condition would the car be? Excellent. The same applies to us spiritually when we have this daily link with our Creator.

• When performed correctly, the prayer makes us better and happier human beings. It purifies the human soul, keeps one away from committing sins, and brings peace, relief, comfort and balance into one’s life—something like psychological therapy.

• The prayer lasts from 5 to 7 minutes x 5 times = half an hour every day, not really too much time.

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 Q27- How can people pray (or fast) in some places where the sun does not set at all on certain days such as in Scandinavian countries and in the North Pole?

Answer:

• The Arabic word for prayer in Arabic also means link or connection—one between man and the Creator. By praying five prayers every day one establishes a direct link with God throughout the day. It does not matter where one’s day is.  Whether one happens to be in the North Pole or on Mars, still one needs to have a spiritual link with the Creator.·        In the past, people determined the time by observing the light in the sky or through sundials. ·        Muslim scholars have ruled that in places where it is hard to determine the different parts of the day, then Muslims pray and fast according to the nearest city where these times can be defined.

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Q28- If people do not have to pray at the beginning of the time, i.e., immediately after the call, then why do the Saudis close the shops after the call to prayers?

Answer: 

• The call to prayers is a like a phone call: If someone you love or someone very important like a king or president calls you, you will rush to answer the call. How about the Creator?
• The call to prayers is also like a wake-up call for those who are completely absorbed in their worldly life, oblivious of the fact that they are heading towards death and Final Judgment every hour and minute.
• Though closing the shops is not a law enforced by governments in most Muslim countries, many Muslims voluntarily close their shops or stop shopping when they hear the call to prayers in order to pray because they believe that the Creator should come first, before business.

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Q29- Why are there no churches in Saudi Arabia? 

Answer: This is because 100% of the people of Saudi Arabia are Muslims unlike countries like Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, Malaysia and Pakistan which have Christian minorities. In Bahrain there are churches, Hindu and Buddhist temples, and two Jewish synagogues.

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Q30- Do people get married in the mosque? How is a marriage ceremony conducted? 

Answer: · Muslims may get married in mosques or in any other place of their choice.

• In some countries, like Bahrain, a magistrate comes to people’s houses or they can go to his majlis which is a hall attached to his house.
• In other countries, like Egypt, people can be married in a mosque but it is a quiet noiseless ceremony. The ceremony does not take place in the prayer hall, but in another hall attached to the mosque.
• In Islam there are two conditions for a marriage to be valid: consent of both parties and the presence of at least two witnesses.
• After the ceremony, people usually have a banquet and a party.

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Q31- What is the purpose of the rosary (prayer beads) and prayer mats? Do you always have to bring them to the mosque? 

Answer:

• There is no Islamic requirement to use prayer beads or mats.
• The prayer beads can be used as a tool for keeping counts of one’s supplications such as the ones that are said after ritual prayers (e.g., Glory be to God, 33 times; Grateful praise belongs to God, 33 times; God is Greater, 33 times).  However, there is no religious significance for using beads.  Prophet Muhammad did not use prayer beads, nor did his companions. Instead, they used the fingers of the right hand.
• Since it is required to prostrate on a clean surface, Muslims sometimes use prayer mats when they pray the ritual prayers.  But if the surface is already clean, such as inside a mosque, then there is no need to bring one’s own prayer mat.

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Q32- What is the Qur’an about? Is it like the Bible? What is the difference?

Answer: 

• The Qur’an is a book of guidance. It tells us about who the Creator is, the purpose of life, and how to attain salvation.
• Muslims believe that the Qur’an is the last but not the only book revealed by God to humanity. This is the way God talks to humanity: through scriptures revealed to prophets and messengers. The Qur’an mentions by name four books: the Torah (revealed to Moses), the Gospel (revealed to Jesus), the Psalms (revealed to David) and the Scripture of Abraham.
• The Bible includes books attributed to more than one prophet whereas the Qur’an was revealed to only one prophet—
• Regarding the message in both books, there are similarities and differences. The similarities include the existence of One God, the Day of Judgment and angels. The differences include stories of prophets committing sins in the Bible but not in the Qur’an. Muslims believe that God has chosen the best people to be His messengers and prophets to act as role models and teach by example.
• Another difference between the Bible and the Qur’an is the concept of the trinity. The word trinity does not exist in the Bible, but we read the following verse in the New Testament:

For there are three that bear witness in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit: and these three are one. (1 John 5:7)

The Qur’an contradicts and warns against such belief.

They have certainly disbelieved who say, “Allah is the third of three.”. And there is no god except one God. And if they do not desist from what they are saying, there will surely afflict the disbelievers among them a painful punishment. Quran [5:73]

O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your religion or say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and His word which He directed to Mary and a soul [created at a command] from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, “Three”; desist – it is better for you. Indeed, Allah is but one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs. Quran [4:171]

Today, biblical scholars tell us that the above verse does not exist in the old Greek texts. Many revised editions of the Bible have removed this verse but it is still taught in churches as a major concept in Christianity.

• The Qur’an has 114 chapters, some of which are very long and some are as short as three sentences. Each chapter has one or more common theme(s). The Qur’an is not chronological like the Bible. But like the Bible, there are some stories in the Qur’an of prophets and previous nations. In the Qur’an, however, the stories serve the main theme(s) of the chapters. For example, chapter 19—which has the title ‘Maryam,’ the original Jewish name of Mary—mentions Mary, Jesus, Zachariah, John the Baptist, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Ishmael, Moses, Aaron and others, but we do not have their full stories. The focus is on certain aspects in their stories: the ones related to the main theme of the chapter which is the answer to the question: What is the best thing one inherits from one’s family? The answer is: faith.
• Unlike the Bible, there is only one version of the Qur’an—the original Arabic text. There are translations into many languages, but these are the translators’ own interpretations, not versions of the Qur’an.
• The full text of the Qur’an is available in the exact form as uttered by Prophet Muhammad at the time of its revelation and in the original language in which it was revealed. This is not the case when it comes to the Bible. Jesus, for example, spoke Aramaic but the oldest copies of the New Testament are in Greek.
• The Bible includes the words of God, prophets, historians and others. It is sometimes difficult to know which is which. In Islam, on the other hand, the Qur’an has only the words of God while the words of the Prophet were written in separate books known as the books of Hadith. The language of Prophet Muhammad in the books of Hadith is very different from the style of the Qur’an. Historians wrote the biography of the Prophet in separate books which are less authentic than the Qur’an and the books of Hadith.
• The Qur’an is the most important miracle of Prophet Muhammad. The prophets were chosen to guide their own people and some had miracles to prove to people that they were sent by God. Because Muhammad is the last prophet sent to all humanity, he needed an everlasting miracle for all future generations to prove to them that God exists, that Muhammad is the last of God’s messengers and that there will be a Day of Judgment. That everlasting miracle is the Qur’an, believed by Muslims to be the greatest miracle that was given to Muhammad. The language of the Qur’an, the prophecies which came true, the accuracy in historical accounts, the mathematical inimitability, the harmony between the Qur’an and modern science—all prove that the Qur’an could not have been produced by a man who lived in Arabia in the 7^th century and who could not read or write.
• Memorization of the Qur’an is not obligatory, but some Muslims, including children, memorize it from cover to cover though most of them are not Arabic speakers. This is one of the unique aspects of the Qur’an, the only book that has been memorized by millions throughout history. This is not because Muslims are very clever, but because God has promised to preserve the Qur’an Himself as it is the last book to humanity and therefore should remain unaltered.

Indeed, it is We* who sent down the Qur’an and indeed,

We will be its guardian. Quran [15:9]

For 14 centuries, the Qur’an has stood the test. Not one letter or word has been added or removed from the Qur’an. We have the original in our hands and it is memorized and recited today as Prophet Muhammad had recited it 14 centuries ago. This is just one miraculous aspect of the Qur’an.

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Q33- How was the Qur’an revealed? Who wrote the Qur’an? 

Answer:

 Muslims believe the Qur’an to be the words of God revealed to Prophet Muhammad through the Angel Gabriel. Prophet Muhammad himself could not read or write. Over a period of 23 years, he received the Qur’an and then recited it in front of his followers and there were scribes who wrote it down.

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Q34- Since you believe in previous prophets and scriptures, why don’t Muslims then read the Bible and believe in it?

Answer:

• Which version of the Bible should Muslims believe in? There are many versions and each one is different from the other. Even some versions have more books than others.
• For Muslims, the Qur’an is the last but not the only holy book revealed by God to humanity through His messengers. However, Muslims cannot base their faith on the Bible because they believe that it contains interpolations.
• Biblical scholars tell us that the versions of the New Testament which people have been reading for hundreds of years are different from the oldest Greek versions. One example is the ‘Trinity verse’ (1 John 5:7) that exists in the King James Version as well as in other versions but not in any of the oldest Greek texts. Biblical scholars confirm that this verse is a fabrication and it has, therefore, been removed from the revised editions of the Bible. So how can people base their faith on a book which has incorrect information? How can God judge people according to a book which has inaccuracies? Therefore, another book was needed to guide humanity to the truth and this book is the Qur’an. The Qur’an told us more than 1400 years what Biblical scholars confirm today.

And indeed, there is among them a party who alter the Scripture with their tongues so you may think it is from the Scripture, but it is not from the Scripture. And they say, “This is from Allah,” but it is not from Allah . And they speak untruth about Allah while they know. Quran [3:78]

Do you covet [the hope, O believers], that they would believe for you while a party of them used to hear the words of Allah and then distort [it] after they had understood it while they were knowing? Quran [ 2:75]

So woe to those who write the “scripture” with their own hands, then say, “This is from Allah,” in order to exchange it for a small price. Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn. Quran [2:79]

Those to whom We gave the Scripture know him as they know their own sons. But indeed, a party of them conceal the truth while they know [it]. Quran [2:146]

.. They distort words from their [proper] usages and have forgotten a portion of that of which they were reminded. .. Quran [5:13]

And they did not appraise Allah with true appraisal when they said, ” Allah did not reveal to a human being anything.” Say, “Who revealed the Scripture that Moses brought as light and guidance to the people? You [Jews] make it into pages, disclosing [some of] it and concealing much. And you were taught that which you knew not – neither you nor your fathers.” Say, ” Allah [revealed it].” Then leave them in their [empty] discourse, amusing themselves.

Quran [6:91]

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 Q35- How was Jesus born from a virgin?

Answer:

Jesus, according to the Qur’an, was created from a female without a male as Adam was created without a male or a female. Eve, on the other hand, was created from a male without a female and we are all created from a male and a female. Therefore, God made all the four possibilities of the creation:

• No male, no female (Adam)
• Female without male (Jesus)
• Male without female (Eve or Hawwa’)
• Male & female (the rest of humanity).

If cloning produces a creature from a single cell, why would it be strange for the Creator to produce a human being from a single male or female? In cloning, however, scientists cannot produce opposite sexes as in the case of Jesus and Eve.

Indeed, the example of Jesus to Allah is like that of Adam. He created Him from dust; then He said to him, “Be,” and he was. Quran [3:59]

Moreover, Jesus’ name is mentioned in the Qur’an 25 times—same number as Adam.

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 Q36- Why do Muslims love and follow Muhammad more than the other prophets? 

Answer: 

Muslims love all the prophets and believe in all of them. The Qur’an asks the believers to make no distinction between them:

The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], “We make no distinction between any of His messengers.” Quran [2:285]

Muslims call their children Muhammad, Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), Isa (Jesus), Yusuf (Joseph), Ishaq (Isaac), etc. Also Maryam—the original Jewish name of Mary—is a very common name among Muslim women.

• As to following the teachings of the prophets, Muslims adhere to the teachings of Prophet Muhammad because they believe him to be the last prophet sent by God and they believe the Qur’an, revealed to Muhammad, to be the last complete, authoritative and authentic revelation.
• Muslims’ love for Muhammad stems from the message and the personality of the messenger. A student may love all the teachers in a school, but he/she will definitely be more attached to the teacher who benefits him/her more. How about if the teacher has a perfect character as well? Muslims see Prophet Muhammad as a perfect human being from every angle: the teacher, the father, the husband, the statesman, the leader, the friend, the warrior, the worshipper, etc.

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Q37- What is Shari’ah Law?

Answer:

• Both the Arabic word Shari’ah and the Hebrew word Torah mean law. The Torah is the first five books of the Bible, known as the books of Moses.
• Muslims believe that God guides people and one way of guidance is through the prophets who were chosen by God. Because the source of knowledge is one (God), the message is one. However, the law or rules can change depending on the circumstances of people. For example, according to the Bible, Jacob married two sisters at the same time. But according to the Law of Moses (the Torah) in the same Bible, it is forbidden to be married to two sisters at the same time.Therefore, the Law has changed from the time of Jacob to Moses. Other changes came with Jesus and Muhammad. What will never change is the faith: belief in One God, in the Day of Judgment, in angels, etc.
• The Qur’an and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad are the main sources of the Islamic Law that deal with aspects that have an impact on people’s lives such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, finance, etc.
• To be able to answer more specific questions about the Shari’ah, please read The Law of God by Ghada Khafagy.

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Q38- What is Jihad or Holy war about?

Answer:

• Jihad is one of the most misunderstood terms, usually interpreted as waging a war against non-Muslims, or indicative of religious intolerance. The word jihad does not mean holy war. In fact, the phrase ‘Holy war’ (harb muqaddasa in the Arabic language) does not occur in the Qur’an or in the Prophet’s traditions which are the basic sources of Islamic teachings.  War is never called ‘holy’ even when fought defensively in the face of aggression or oppression. The ‘holy war’ perception is foreign to Islam. Rather it comes from a concept first used to justify the Crusades by the Christian Church during the Middle Ages.
• The Arabic word jihad means ‘to strive’ or ‘to exert one’s utmost efforts.’ The concept of Jihad in Islam covers many aspects.  As Prophet Muhammad explained, the prime Jihad is at the level of one’s own self, to struggle against one’s evil inclinations, for self-purification—the inner jihad.  At another level, it is a struggle in the community or society to remove evil, corruption and oppression—the social jihad; but this is to be done by using just and fair means and in a wise way.
• Another level of struggle is one which aims at defending freedom of worship, removing oppression, and restoring peace and justice in society. Islam promotes peace. There are many, who would disrupt it for their own interests.  Islam exhorts its followers to fight where there is oppression. In Islam force can be used to promote peace and justice. It is not intended for material or political gains, nor is properly motivated when carried out with ethnic or nationalistic prejudices.  This level of Jihad (armed struggle) has strict conditions, such as not to kill or harm women, children, the elderly, clergymen and all non-combatants.
• To defend oneself against an evil or against oppression is, in fact, a basic human right and every nation in the world has a right to safeguard itself against oppressive powers.
• Please see Islam and Muslims by Syed Ali, pp.21-23.

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Q39- Why was Islam spread by the sword not by peaceful means?

Answer:

• How did Islam reach Indonesia—the most populous Muslim country in the world? What about Malaysia and China? No Muslim armies ever went to such places; only Muslim merchants.
• Why are there today in the Muslim world millions of Arab and Coptic Christians—the oldest Christians in the world? If Muslims had used the sword to convert people in the countries they dominated, there would not have been a single Arab who would have remained a Christian.
• The Muslims ruled India for about a thousand years. If they wanted, they had the power to convert each and every non-Muslim of India to Islam. Today more than 80% of the population of India is non-Muslim. All these non-Muslim Indians are bearing witness today that Islam was not spread by the sword.
• Today many Westerners accept Islam. Which sword is forcing people in the West to accept Islam?
• Muslims have fought against oppression and injustice, but not to convert people.
• According to the Qur’an, the duty of the Prophet and every Muslim is to inform others and share the knowledge about God, the Day of Judgment, etc. It is not the duty of Muslims to convert others to Islam.

Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error. Quran [2:256]

But if they turn away – then We* have not sent you, [O Muhammad], over them as a guardian; upon you is only [the duty of] notification. Quran [42:48]

And if you [people] deny [the message] – already nations before you have denied. And there is not upon the Messenger except [the duty of] clear notification. Quran [29:18]

• In his book On Heroes and Hero Worship and the Heroic in History, the historian Thomas Carlyle wrote:

Much has been said of Mahome t’s propagating his Religion by the sword … Yet withal, if we take this for an argument of the truth or falsehood of a religion, there is a radical mistake in it. The sword indeed: but where will you get your sword! Every new opinion, at its starting, is precisely in a minority of one. In one man’s head alone, there it dwells as yet. One man alone of the whole world believes it; there is one man against all men. That he take a sword, and try to propagate with that, will do little for him. You must first get your sword! On the whole, a thing will propagate itself as it can. We do not find, of the Christian Religion either, that it always disdained the sword, when once it had got one. Charlemagne’s conversion of the Saxons was not by preaching.

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Q40- Why do Muslims fast in Ramadan?

Answer:

• Fasting is in most religions of the world: Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam.
• According to the Bible, Jesus fasted for forty days:

After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. (Matthew 4:2)

• Buddhists fast, like Muslims, on full-moon days.

• The fast is meant to strengthen one’s faith. By fasting, a Muslim draws closer to God by abandoning body pleasures, such as food, drink and sex. Fasting is exclusively a private worship as no one other than God knows whether the person is truly fasting or not.
• Muslims believe that fasting is more than abstaining from food and drink. It also includes abstaining from any falsehood in speech and action, and from arguing and fighting. Therefore, fasting teaches Muslims patience, develops the ability to control and discipline the body and mind, strengthens the control of impulses and temper, helps develop good behavior and reminds us of the less fortunate in the world. One demonstrates by fasting that he/she is not a slave to habits but to God. Moreover, Ramadan is a month of giving charity and sharing meals with others.
• Fasting is not difficult and it is healthy.
• Children, sick people, pregnant women, travellers, etc. do not have to fast.
• Though the body is not being nourished during fasting, we get a lot of spiritual nourishment.

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 Q41- Why is pork prohibited in Islam?

Answer:

• Prohibition of eating pork is God’s injunction. We humans may or may not understand the wisdom behind some injunctions fully. It is like listening to a specialist physician’s medical advice.  When we do not hesitate to follow the dietary and other prohibitions from the specialist, understanding well that the advice is for our own good, it should not be surprising if an advice from God, the Supreme physician, is accepted wholeheartedly.
• The consumption of pork can cause no less than seventy different types of diseases. For more details read: Why Pork is Prohibited in Islam by Haji Ibrahim Tien-Ying Ma (Discover Islam Publication).
• The Bible also prohibits the consumption of pork:

And the swine/pig, though it has a split hoof completely divided, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you. (Leviticus 11:7-8, Deuteronomy 14:8)

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Q42- Why is alcohol prohibited in Islam?

Answer:

• Islam prohibits all harmful things with the aim of preserving the human body, mind, honor, dignity, religion, wealth and property.
• Many people die because of alcohol. Cancer of the liver, cancer of the esophagus, cancer of the head and neck, hypertension, heart attacks, strokes, skin diseases, different types of paralysis are all alcohol related diseases.
• Alcohol befogs the mind and prevents rational thinking. When a person is intoxicated, the mind is blurred and the person loses the power to reason.
• Alcohol causes road accidents and loss of innocent lives.
• Humans are addicted to alcohol more than any other drug. Many people spend years in and out of treatment centers with their lives wrecked as well as the lives of those close to them. Alcohol may cause financial ruin to the addicts, especially in poorer societies.
• Alcohol is sometimes responsible for domestic violence, rape, adultery, incest and divorce.
• Every alcoholic was initially a social drinker. Islam stops the wrong at the very inception and not at the end, as it blocks all the avenues to the wrong. Prophet Muhammad said, “Anything which intoxicates in a large quantity is prohibited even in a small quantity.”
• He also said, “Do not drink wine, for it is the key to all evils.”

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Q43- What will happen on the Day of Judgment and before it? Do you believe that there is an anti-Christ?

Answer:

• On the Day of Judgment, the dead will be resurrected to be judged by God. All our deeds in this life are being recorded every minute and second. It is like a video camera that records everything we do and then on the Day of Judgment each one will receive his or her ‘CD’ or video. If one’s good deeds exceed the bad deeds, one ends up in Paradise and if the opposite is the case, one ends up in Hellfire. However, good deeds alone are not enough; belief in One God and worshipping Him alone is crucial for entering Paradise.
• There are signs that will appear before the Day of Judgment. These include major and minor
• Most of the minor signs have already appeared. These include the following:
• Books/writing will be widespread and (religious) knowledge will be low.
• Adultery and fornication will be prevalent.
• People will have sex in public.
• The consumption of intoxicants will be widespread.
• Mosques will be full of decoration and people will boast about them.
• Winter will be hot.
• Widespread of divorce.
• Widespread of usury (riba).
• Muslims stop paying zakat.
• Sudden death will become widespread.
• Female singers and musical instruments will become popular.
• Time will pass rapidly (no blessing).
• Widespread of killing and murder.
• Earthquakes will increase.
• Women will be naked in spite of being dressed.
• Arabs will compete in the construction of tall buildings.
• A truthful person will not be trusted and liars will be trusted.
• Bearing false witness will become widespread.
• Family ties will be cut.
• Men will begin to look like women and women will begin to look like men.
• Major signs include the emergence of the Antichrist and the Second Coming of Jesus—which is also in Christian belief. Jesus will face the Antichrist who is a single figure of concentrated evil. The Antichrist will claim that he is God. Many will follow him and there will be fighting. Jesus will overcome the Antichrist.

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Q44- How are sins forgiven in Islam? Do you have confession?

Answer:

• Salvation in Islam only comes from God and lies in the hands of the individual who can directly ask God for forgiveness.
• God is very merciful and forgives all sins if one repents before death.

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Q45- Why do Muslims abuse non-Muslims by calling them kuffar or infidels?

Answer:

• The word used for non-Muslims in the Qur’an is not the English infidels, but the Arabic word kuffar which means disbelievers. This Arabic word comes from the root word kafara which means to cover, i.e., to conceal or cover (the truth).
• In the Qur’an, Christians and Jews are called ‘People of the Book’ because they received scriptures from God.
• Those who worship other gods besides the Creator are called mushriks, i.e., those who associate partners with God.
• To be called a disbeliever is not an insult for we are all disbelievers with regards to all religions other than one’s own religion. For example, Christians consider Muslims to be disbelievers because they do not believe in the Crucifixion or the Trinity.

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Q46- Why do bad things happen if there is a Creator?

Answer:

• Life, the Quran tells us, is a test. Not all tests are easy. This is the nature of life and we have to understand that we will always be tried. Depending on the choices we make, our actions and reactions, we “score points,” i.e., we pass or fail the test of life on which depends our real future after death.
• There is suffering and joy, health and illness, wealth and poverty, good and evil, night and day, darkness and light. It is through its opposite that we come to know something. How can we really appreciate what is good without evil and how often is it that we only appreciate good health when we are sick?
• Some bad things like natural disasters happen as a punishment for humans and to remind them that they are so weak, vulnerable and needy of the Creator.

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Q47- I believe in One God, so why do I have to accept Islam?

Answer:

• You believe in God, but wouldn’t you want to have a relationship with the Creator of the universe? Wouldn’t you like to know more about Him? Wouldn’t you want to communicate with Him? Wouldn’t you like to love and be loved by the One Who created you? How will you achieve this without guidance and knowledge?
• If one wants to communicate with God and have a close relationship with Him, one has to do it His way, not any way. For example, you employ a person to paint your house white, and he paints it pink. When you ask him why he did that, the person replies that they thought it was better. Does this person deserve reward or punishment? This is the example of a person who worships God, but thinks they can do it in any way they please, and imagines they do not have to follow God’s commands.
• Belief alone is not enough to make us attain salvation. It has to be accompanied by deeds. In the New Testament we read:

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that and shudder. You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? (Book of James 2:19-20)

Therefore faith has to be combined by deeds. But who will decide if a deed is good or bad? Is marriage good or bad? Is drinking alcohol good or bad? Thus, we need guidance from God. The guidance is in the Qur’an and the teachings of God’s Messenger, Prophet Muhammad.

• By accepting Islam, you also accept all the other prophets and all the previous books.

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Q48- Why does the crescent/moon appear on minarets and domes of mosques?

Answer:  

• Muslims believe that the moon, the sun and the stars are God’s creation and are never worshipped by Muslims.
• The crescent does not symbolize Islam and did not appear on mosques in the early years of Islam. The flag of Saudi Arabia, for example, does not have a crescent.
• The mihrab (prayer niche) inside a mosque indicates the direction toward Makkah. To know the direction when one is not inside the mosque, the crescent was used for this purpose. The way it was placed on top of the mosque/minaret indicated the direction toward Makkah.
• Crescents, stars and other geometric shapes are used today mainly for aesthetic purposes.
• The only link between Islam and the moon is that Islamic months are lunar months.