Q1 : WHAT IS ISLAM?

A1 : Islam is not a new religion, but the same truth that God revealed through all His prophets to every people. For a fifth of the world's population Islam is both a religion and a complete way of life. Muslims follow a religion of peace, mercy and forgiveness and the majority have nothing to do with the extremely grave events which have come to be associated with their faith. [TOP]

Q2 :WHO ARE MUSLIMS ?

A2 :One billion people from vast range of races, nationalities and cultures across the globe - from the southern Philippines to Nigeria - are united by the common Islamic faith. About 18% live in the Arab world; the world's largest Muslim community in the Indonesia; substantial parts of Asia and most of Africa are Muslim, while significant minoritiesare to be found in Central Asia, China, North & South America and Europe. [TOP]

Q3 :WHAT DO MUSLIMS BELIEVE ?

A3 :Muslims believe in One, Unique, Incomparable God; in the angels created by Him; in the prophets; His revelations; in the Day of Judgement and individual accountability for actions; in God's complete authority over human destiny and in Life and Death. Muslims believe in a chain of prophets starting with Adam (Peace be upon him) and including Abraham, Moses, David and Jesus (Peace be upon them). But God's final message to man, a reconfirmation of the eternal Message and summing up of all that has gone before was revealed to Prophet Muhammed (Peace be upon him) through Archangel Gabriel. (More Details ...) [TOP]

Q4 : WHAT DOES ISLAM MEAN ?

A4 :The Arabic word 'ISLAM' simply means 'submission' and is derived from the root word 'salaam' meaning 'PEACE'. In a religious context it means complete submission to the will of God. "Mohammedanism" is thus a misnomer because it gives a false impression that Muslims worship Muhammed (Peace be upon him) rather than God. 'Allah' is the Arabic name for God, which is used by Arab Muslims and Christians. [TOP]

Q5 :WHY DOES ISLAM OFTEN SEEM STRANGE ?

A5 :Islam may seem strange or even extreme in the modern world. Perhaps this is because religion does not dominate everyday life in the West today, whereas Muslims have their religion always uppermost in their minds and make no division between secular and sacred. They believe that the Divine Law, the SHARIAH, should be taken very seriously, which is why issues related to the religion are still so important. [TOP]

Q6 :DOES ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY HAVE DIFFERENT ORIGINS ?

A6 :No. Together with Judaism, they go back to the prophet and patriarch Abraham (Peace be upon him) and their three prophets are directly descended from his sons - Muhammed (Peace be upon him) from the eldest Ishmael, and Moses and Jesus from Isaac (Peace be upon them). Abraham (Peace be upon him) established the settlement which today is the city of Mecca and built the Ka'bah towards which all Muslims turn when they pray. [TOP]

Q7 :WHAT IS THE KA'BAH ?

A7 :The Ka'bah is the place of worship which God commanded Abraham and Ishmael (Peace be upon them) to build over four thousand years ago. The building was constructed of stone on what many believe was the original site of a sanctuary established by Adam (Peace be upon him). God commanded Abraham (Peace be upon him) to summon all mankind to visit this place, and when pilgrims go there today they say 'At Thy service, O lord', in responce to Abraham's (Peace be upon him) summons. [TOP]

Q8 :WHO IS MUHAMMAD ?

A8 :Muhammed (Peace be upon him) was born in Makkah in year 570, at a time when Christianity was not yet fully established in Europe. Since his father died before his birth, and his mother shortly afterwards, he was raised by his uncle from the respected tribe of Quraysh. As he grew up, he became known for his truthfulness, generosity and sincerity, so that he was sought after for his ability to arbitrate in disputes. The historians describe him as calm and meditative. Muhammed (Peace be upon him) was a deeply religious nature, and had long detested the decadence of his society. It became his habit to meditate from time to time in the Cave of Hira near the summit of Jabal al-Nur, the 'Mountain of Light' near Makkah. [TOP]

Q9 :HOW DID HE BECOME A PROPHET AND A MESSENGER OF GOD ?

A9 :At the age of 40, while engaged in a meditative retreat, Muhammad (Peace be upon him) received his first revelation from God through the Arch Angel Gabriel. This revelation, which continued for twenty-three years, is known as the Qur'an. As soon as he began to recite the words he heard from Gabriel, and preach the truth which God had revealed to him, he and his small group of followers suffered bitter persecution, which grew so fierce that in the year 622 God gave them command to emigrate. This event, the Hijrah,'migration', in which they left Makkah for the city of Madinah some 260 miles to the north, marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar. After several years, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and his followers were able to return to Makkah, where they forgave their enemies and established Islam definitely. Before the Prophet (Peace be upon him) died at the age of 63, the greater part of Arabia was Muslim, and within a century of his death Islam had spread to Spain in the West and as far East as China. [TOP]

Q10 :HOW DID THE SPREAD OF ISLAM AFFECT THE WORLD ?

A10 :Among the reasons for the rapid and peaceful spread of Islam was the simplicity of it's doctrine - Islam calls for faith in only One God worthy of worship. It also repeatedly instructs man to use his powers of intelligence and observation.
Within a few years, great civilizations and universities were flourishing, for according to the Pophet (Peace be upon him), seeking knowledge is an obligation for every Muslim man and woman. The synthesis of Western and Eastern Ideas and new thought with old, brought about great advances in medicine, mathematics, physics, astronomy, geography,architecture, art, literature and history. Many crucial systems such as algebra, the Arabic numerals, and also the concept of zero (vital to the advancement of mathematics), were transmitted to medieval Europe from Islam. Sophisticated instruments which were to make possible the European voyages of discovery were developed, including the astrolabe, the quadrant and good navigational maps. [TOP]

Q11 :WHAT IS THE QUR'AN ?

A11 :The Qur'an is a record of the exact words revealed by God through the Arch Angel Gabriel to Prophet Muhammed (Peace be upon him). It was memorized by Muhammed (Peace be upon him) and then dictated to his companions, and written down by scribes, who cross-checked it during his lifetime. Not one word of its 114 chapters, Surahs, has been changed over the centuries, so that the Qur'an is in every detail the unique and miraculous text which was revealed to Muhammed (Peace be upon him) fourteen centuries ago. [TOP]

Q12 :WHAT IS THE QUR'AN ABOUT ?

A12 :The Qur'an, the last revealed Word of God, is the prime source of every Muslim's faith and practice. It deals with all the subjects which concern us as human beings : wisdom, doctrine, worship, and law, but its basic theme is the relationship between God and His creatures. At the same time it provides guidelines for a just society, proper human conduct and an equitable economic system. [TOP]

Q13 :ARE THERE ANY OTHER SACRED SOURCES ?

A13 :Yes, the sunnah, the practice and example of the prophet (Peace be upon him), is the second authority for Muslims. A Hadith is a reliably transmitted report of what Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, did, or approved. Belief in the sunnah is part of the Islamic faith.

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said :
'God has no mercy on one who has no mercy for others.'
'None of you truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.'
'He who eats his fill while his neighbour go without food is not a believer.'
'The truthful and trusty businessman is associated with the Prophets, the saints, and the martyrs.'
'Powerful is not he who knocks the other down, indeed powerful is he who controls himself in a fit of anger.'
'God does not judge according to your bodiesand appearances but He scans your heart and looks into your deeds.' [TOP]

Q14 :WHAT ARE THE 'FIVE PILLARS' OF ISLAM ?

A14 :They are the framework of the Muslim life : faith, prayer, concern for the needy, self-purification, and pilgrimage to Makkah for those who are able.
1. FAITH
There is no god worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammed (Peace be upon him) is His messenger. This declaration of faith is called the Shahadah, a simple formula that all the faithful pronounce. In Arabic, the first part is la ilaha illa'Lla-'there is no god except Allah'; ilaha (god) can refer to anything which we may be tempted to put in place of God - wealth, power, and the like. Then comes illa'Lla :'except Allah',the source of all creation. The second part of the Shahadah is Muhammadur Rasulu'Llah : 'Muhammed is the messenger of Allah.' A message of guidance has come through a man like ourselves.
2. PRAYER (SALAAH)
Salaah is the name for the obligatory prayers which are performed five times a day and are a direct link between the worshiper and God. There is no hierarchial authority in Islam and no priests, so the prayers are led by a learned person who knows the Qur'an, chosen by the congregation. These five prayers contain verses from the Qur'an and are said in Arabic, the language of the Revelation, but personal supplication (Du'as) can be offered in one's own language.
Prayers are said at dawn, afternoon, evening, after sunset and nightfall and thus determine the rhythm of the entire day. Although it is preferable to worship together in a mosque, a Muslim may pray almost anywhere, such as in fields, offices, factories and universities. Visitors to the Muslim world are struck by the centrality of prayers in daily life.
3. 'ZAKAAH'
One of the most important principles of Islam is that all things belong to Allah and wealth is therefore held by humans beings in trust. The word Zakaah means both 'Purification' and 'Growth'. Our possessions are purified by setting aside a proportion for those in need; and like the pruning of plants, this cutting back balances and encourages new growth.
Each Muslim calculates his or her own Zakaah individually. For most purposes this involves the payment each year of two and a half percent of one's saving in a lunar year if he is in possession of the specified amount of gold or equivalent silver.
4. THE 'FAST' (SAWM)
Every year in the month of Ramadhan, all Muslims fast from dawn to sunset, abstaining from food, drink and sexual intercourse. Those who are sick, elderly or on a journey and women who are pregnant or nursing are permitted to break the fast and make up an equal number of days later in the year. If they are physically unable to do this, they must feed a needy person for every day missed. Children begin to fast (and to observe the prayer) from puberty, although many start earlier.
Although the fast is most beneficial to the health, it is regarded principally as a method of self -purification. By cutting oneself off from worldly comforts, even for a short time, a fasting person gains true sympathy with those who go hungry as well as growth in one's life.
5. THE 'PILGRIMAGE ' (HAJJ)
The annual pilgrimage to Mecca (Makkah) - the Hajj - is an obligation only for those who are physically and financially able to perform it. Nevertheless nearly two and a half million people go to Mecca (Makkah) each year from every part of the globe providing a unique oppurtunity for those of different nations to meet one another.
Pilgrims wear special clothes called as 'Ihraam' : simple garments which do away with distinctions of class and culture, so that all stand equal in front of Allah.
The rites of the Hajj, which are of Abrahamic origin, include circling the Ka'bah seven times between the mountains of Safa and Marwa as did Hagar (Hajira) during her search for water for her infant son, Ishmael (Peace be upon him). Then the pilgrims stand together on the wide plain of Arafat and join in prayers for God's forgiveness, in what is thought of as a preview of the Last Judgement.
The close of the Hajj is marked by a festival, the Eid-al-Azha, which is celebrated with prayers and the exchange of gifts in Muslim communities everwhere.This, and the Eid-al-Fitr, a feast day commemorating the end of Ramadhan, are the main festivals of the Muslim calender. [TOP]

Q15 :DOES ISLAM TOLERATE OTHER BELIEFS ?

A15 : The Qur'an says : "Allah forbids you not, with regards to those who fight you not for (your) faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them; for Allah loves those who are just." (Al Qur'an 60 : 8)
It is one of the functions of Islamic Law to protect the privileged status of minorities, and this why non-Muslim places of worship have flourished all over the Islamic world. History provides many examples of Muslim tolerance towards other faiths: when the Caliph Omar (May Allah be pleased with him) entered Jerusalem in the year 634, Islam granted freedom of worship to all religious communities in the city.
Islamic Law also permits non-Muslim minorities to set up their own courts, which implement family laws drawn up by the minorities themselves. [TOP]

Q16 :WHAT DO MUSLIMS THINK OF JESUS (PEACE BE UPON HIM) ?

A16 :Islam is the only non-Christian faith which makes it an article of faith to believe in Jesus (Peace be upon him). No Muslim is a Muslim if he does not believe in Jesus Christ (Peace be upon him).
Muslims believe that Jesus (Peace be upon him) is a mighty Messenger of Allah ;that he was born miraculously to a virgin mother and without any male intervention ; that he performed many miracles with Allah's permission ; that he spoke in the cradle with Allah's permission; that he healed those born blind and lepers with Allah's permission ; that he gave life to the dead with Allah's permission ;and that he is to return to this world again to die a mortal death and fulfill his mission on earth.

Muslims respect and revere Jesus Christ (Peace be upon him), and await his Second Coming. They consider him as one of the mightiest messengers of Allah to mankind. A Muslim never refers to him simply as Jesus, but always adds the phrase 'Peace be upon him'. The Qur'an confirms his virgin birth (a chapter of the Qur'an is entitled 'Mary', and Mary is considered as the purest woman in all creation.

Q17 :WHY IS THE FAMILY SO IMPORTANT TO THE MUSLIMS ?

A17 :The family is the foundation of Islamic society. The peace and security offered by a stable family unit is greatly valued and is seen as essential for the spiritual growth of its members. An harmonious social order is created by the existence of extended families, children are treasured and rarely leave home until they are married. [TOP]

Q18 :WHAT ABOUT MUSLIM WOMEN ?

A18 :Islam sees a woman whether married or single, as an individual in her own right, with the right to own and dispose of her own property and earnings. A marriage dowry is given by the groom to the bride for her own personal use, and she can keep her own family name rather than taking her husband's.
Both men and women are expected to dress in a a way thet is modest and dignified; the traditions of female dress found in some Muslim countries are often the expression of local customs. [TOP]

Q19 :IS ISLAMIC MARRIAGE LIKE CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE ?

A19 :A Muslim marriage is not a sacrament, but a simple, legal agreement in which either partner is free to include conditions. Marriage customs thus vary widely from country to country. As a result, divorce is not common, although it is not forbidden as a last resort. According to Islam, no Muslim girl can be forced to marry against her will : her parents will simply suggest young men they think may be suitable. [TOP]

Q20 :HOW DO MUSLIM VIEW DEATH ?

A20 : Like Jews and Christians, Muslims believe that this present life is only a trial preparation for the next realm of existence. Basic articles of faith are : the Day of Judgement, Resurrection, Paradise and Hell . When a Muslim dies, he or she is washed, usually by a family member, wrapped in a clean white cloth and buried with a simple prayer preferably the same day. [TOP]

Q21 :WHAT DOES ISLAM SAY ABOUT WAR ?

A21 :Like Christianity, Islam permits fighting in self defence, in defence of religion, or on the part of those who have been expelled forcibly from their homes. It lays down strict rules of combat which includes prohibition against harming civilians and against destroying crops, trees and livestock. As Muslims see it, injustice would prevail in the world if good men were not prepared to risk their life in a righteous cause.
War, therefore is the last resort and is subject to the rigorous conditions laid down by the sacred law , the Shariah. The term Jihad literally means 'struggle' or 'striving' and Muslims believe that there are two kinds of Jihad. The other Jihad is the inner struggle which one wages against self and egoistic desires, for the sake of attaining inner peace i.e.Jihad-al-nafs. [TOP]

Q22 :WHAT ABOUT FOOD IN ISLAM ?

A22 :Although much simpler than the dietary laws followed by the Jews and the early Christians, the code which the Muslims follow forbids the consumption of intoxicants, dead meat, blood, flesh of swine and any food on which has been invoked any name other than Allah.The Prophet taught that 'your body has rights over you', and the consumption of wholesome food and the leading of a healthy lifestyle are seen as religious obligations. [TOP]

Q23 :HOW DOES ISLAM GUARANTEE PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS ?

A23 :Freedom of conscience is laid down by the Qur'an itself : "There is no compulsion in religion; Truth stands out clear from error." (Al Qur'an 2 : 256)
The life and property of all citizens in an Islamic state are considered sacred whether a person is a Muslim or not. Islam denounces Racism, for the Qur'an speaks of human equality in the following terms : "O Mankind! We created you from a single pair of a male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, so that you may come to know one another, not that you may despise one another. Truly, the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is he who is the best in conduct. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware." (Al Qur'an 49 : 13) [TOP]

Q24 :WHY IS POLYGAMY PERMITTED IN ISLAM ?

A24 : Actually polygamy means a person with more than one spouse. It is divided in two categories : (a) Polygyny : one man with more than one wife, and (b) Polyandry : one woman with more than one husband. Therefore polygamy means both.
The Qur'an is the only religious book on the face of the earth which says marry only one wife. There is no other religious book which says this. Hindu Scriptures indicate that most of the Hindu Kings had several wives. The Hindu god Krishna had more than sixteen thousand one hundred and eight wives and from them he had forty thousand children according to their scriptures and to that Radha was his mistress. Jewish Law allowed polygyny but the Jewish authorities acting against their own law, banned it in 1950. The Christian Bible allows polygyny but the christian community has placed a ban on it recently. The last christian community which practised it openly was the Mormons - and they suffered tremendous persecution in America for their conservative beliefs.
Even if you analyse the legal aspect in India it was only in 1954 when the Hindu Marriage Act was passed when a ban was placed on a Hindu man to marry more than one wife. Indian statistics on the status of women in India found that the percentage of polygynous marriages among Hindus was 5.06% and among Muslims 4.36% .
Surah Nisa (4 : 3) says " Marry women of your choice in twos, threes or fours. But if you can't be just, marry only one. "
No other book stipulates as a precondition the question of justice.
In preIslamic Arabia, man invariably had several wives. Somes people had hundreds of wives. Islam placed an outer limit - maximum of four.
One can have more than one wife if you can do equal justice between the two or three or four. Otherwise marry only one. Sura Nisa says that it is difficult to be just between his wives. So polygyny is an exception; not the rule. So many say that according to Islam it is compulsory to marry more than one wife.There are five categories of do's and dont's in Islam : (1) compulsory (fard), (2)recommended, (3) permissible, (4) discourage, (5) prohibited Polygyny falls in the "permissible" category.
By nature males and females are born in equal proportion but medical science tells us that foetus of a female is stronger than a male foetus.
Paediatric knowledge tells us a female child has more resistance than a male child, a female child can fight diseases better than a male child.
Medical science tells us female healthwise is stronger than the male.
So in the paediatric age itself female ratio is higher than the male ratio. Wars take place in the world and during war more men are killed than women. Even in the recent Afghanistan war more than one-and-a-half million people were matyred. Most of them were men.
In New York alone there are five million more females than males. The USA has 7.8 million more females than males.
In Britain it is four million, in Germany five million, in Russia seven million. And Allah knows how many more females are there in the whole world.
The only condition for a man to marry more than one wife is that he should give equal justice to them.
Suppose a woman is married and unfortunately she met with an accident after a few months of marriage and she gets handicapped; therefore she can't satisfy the husband. The only option for the husband is to keep the first wife and marry a second, or divorce the first and marry the second.
The situation in which the wife becomes seriously ill and can't look after the children or look after the husband. It is more advisable to allow the husband to marry another wife so that she can look after all of them.
Only a heartless person will divorce a woman who becomes physically handicapped to fend for herself. This is cruel and goes against the spirit of mutual love and respect which ought to exist between spouses.
It would be infinitely better for the man, whose natural urges are not dampened by the inability of his ill wife to satisfy his (normal) demands to marry a second wife while retaining the first wife in compassion and tender care.
But even when compared to the hypocritical outcry against polygyny in the modern world today, our argument is that it is infinitely better to have two wives legally and morally than to have a legal wife and a mistress tucked away somewhere cozy for some illegitimate stolen moments. [TOP]

Q25 :WHY SHOULD WOMEN BE IN PURDAH (HIJAB - HEADCOVER) AND WHY SHOULD MEN AND WOMEN BE SEGREGATED IN THE WAY THEY ARE IN ISLAM ?

A :Islam does not allow the intermingling of sexes.Then why Islam specifies Hijab (or as it is known in India and Pakistan Purdah).
There are six criteria in Islam for Hijab :
(1) EXTENT - the only different condition between man and woman.
(a) Man has to be covered from navel to the knee.
(b) Women have to cover their entire body ; the only part that can be seen, not 'should' be seen, is the face and the hand upto the wrists. If it is covered, it is most welcome but if it is not covered it is not compulsory. This is the only criteria which differs between man and woman.
(2) The cloth one wears should not be so tight that it reveals one's figure.
(3) The cloth one wears should not be transparent as one can see through it.
(4) She or He should not wear clothes which attracts the opposite sex.
(5) A person should not wear clothes which resembles the opposite sex, such as the disgusting practice of men wearing earrings, Islam forbids this.
(6) Muslims should not wear clothes which resembles an unbeliever.
According to a report 1,265 women were raped in America in 1990. These are only reported cases and the report says only 16 percent cases were reported. It means that more than 640,000 women were raped in America only in 1990. Thus daily 1,766 women are raped in America.
The punishment for rape in most Western countries is a few years behind bars, never death, for according to these "civilised human rights people" death penalty is 'barbaric'. And rape ?
Ask yourself suppose your sister gets raped. What will you do ? If you apply the Islamic Shariah in America will the rape cases increase or decrease ?
It is a practical truth that Hijab is ordained on women not to degrade her but to protect her modesty and honour. Is it so uncivilised to place a high premium on the honour of our mothers, sisters and wives ? Is it wrong to respect them ? Must a women be semi-naked in order to be called civilised and decent ? The answer is straight : Islam is not repressive or enslaving the woman. Islam has in fact, liberated women more than 2400 years ago. Islam canonised the rights of women while they were still in chains in Europe. Now they are not in chains, in fact not in anything, and look who's talking!!
Before mentioning the Hijab (veil) for women in the Qur'an, it first mentions the Hijab for men.
In Surah Nur 24 : 30 of the Holy Qur'an, Allah says to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty. And in the next verse it says to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty. [TOP]

Q26 : IS ADOPTION ALLOWED IN ISLAM ? WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RAISING A CHILD AND ADOPTING HIM ?

A26 : If by adoption one means that you take a poor child and look after his boarding , lodging and clothing, then Islam has always stressed the importance of helping the poor, needy and orphans. One can always give charity and fatherly love to such a child.
But one cannot legally adopt; you cannot give your name to the child. Legal adoption like this is prohibited in Islam. If a person legally adopts a child there can be several complications. Firstly the child will lose his identity. Secondly, after adopting a child one can have children of his or her own. It is natural that in such a situation you may develop a bias for your own offspring against the adopted child. Thirdly, if you have a child of the opposite sex to the adopted child, they cannot stay in the same house because they are'nt blood related to one another. When the adopted girl child grows up, she has to wear Hijab in front of her 'adoptive' father as he is not her real father. If the boy, who becomes a man and marries, there will be Hijab between the 'so called' father- in- law and the daughter- in-law.
If you adopt a child you will be depriving him or her of many rights. If a person dies, then the property that he leaves behind, has to be divided according to the instructions given in the Qur'an.
If the person has children and if he adopted a child, he will be depriving his own children of their legitimate inheritance. If a person has no children when he dies then his wife will get half the share. If there are children she gets 1/6th, if no children then 1/3rd. Again, the adopted child will deprive the mother of her rightful share. To avoid all these complications, legal adoption is prohibited in Islam. [TOP]