sherbearftw asked: How do I become a better Muslim? I always plan to learn more about Islam but unfortunately I always procrastinate. And I know It should be my first priority but I have a hard time making it my first. Thanks, and you're blog has amazing posts, always interested to read them :)
Peace and many blessings,
It’s simple: want to want Allah. You really have to want Allah; that’s honestly how I fathom this whole situation of needing eeman boosts, wanting to learn more about Islam, or even trying to get up to pray. Worshiping Allah isn’t just about believing in Him, but loving Him. It’s realizing that without Allah, you are nothing. And I guess, honestly, that’s why I always managing finding my way to Allah. I know I need Him.
I guess you should start with what seems to interest you most in terms of knowledge; if you find that listening to lectures are helpful, you can always do that by clicking on our videos page. If you want to read free Islamic sources online, click here. Of if you spend a lot of time on facebook or twitter, you can follow us here and like us here for Islamic reminders.
InshAllah this helps. Dee.
la-pensieri asked: Salam) what relation in Islam to apostates? I know knowing-Muslims who very well and warmly communicate with the ex-muslim sister who 6 years later after Islam acceptance, returned to Christianity. They think that this her choise, and that she the good person therefore they love her. But I don't accept this. my relation is reasonable?
Hm, it’s interesting you bring this up.
I have a friend who was once a Muslim who is now a Christian. I also have a dear friend who was once Muslim become Atheist. And I know of a specific girl who was Christian, Jewish, then Muslim. And I also know of a few who believe in pagan gods.
But this is life, and to Allah shall we return. I fully support every single sincere and reflective human being. They choose to believe what they believe because they believe it to be honest and correct. Again, and to God shall we return, for He is the Ultimate Judge.
I’m sorry you don’t accept that, but I don’t see what is so problematic. As long as we learn from these individuals, protect them from harm, and follow our own beliefs, this is okay. To suggest otherwise is a far fetched claim.
Salaam!
childofgurunanak asked: I understand that the Quran recognizes Jews and Christians but how does it refer to other eastern religions such as jainism, hinduism, sikhism, buddhism?
Specifically, yes, Quran does recognize the people of the book (meaning Jews and Christians) because at one point, the Gospel and Torah were once the message of God (until man distorted it). In general, Quran describes of other ideologies expressed by eastern religions (without necessarily using the title of the religion). You’ll find this to be true in most cases when Allah speaks of the soul, death, or afterlife.
Salaam!
hayatijameela asked: Asalamulakum! I struggle at times with maintaining a balance between worldly matter and my religion. How do you manage when it comes to this?
Ah, but this is the struggle my dear. Peace and blessings be upon you as well. Islam equates to moderation; moderation is an ongoing struggle. The balance between existing in this world whilst implementing Islam is exactly what Muslims strive to do.
The way in which we do this is find things we do in order to exist (socializing, exercising, eating, and working) and align them with the religion of islam. When you feel the need to chill with your friends and family, take them out to a halal restaurant. If you want to exercise, take your Muslim girlfriends (and by girlfriends, I mean your friends that are girls, nice try boys!) to the gym and work those abs. If you want to simply enjoy the little things (like eating), then watch a movie that sort of leaves you at a thankful state afterwards. And to work towards a degree, find a means to spend as much time reading or listening to Quran as you do with your school work.
InshaAllah this helps! <3
God teaches us that a part of our faith is to believe in His books (Gospel and Torah). Hence, we befriend Jews and Christians; Muslims do not condemn people of other faiths, we learn from them.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
John 15:7
New International Version (NIV)
omgitschereen:
I guess I’ve been doing some soul searching, trying to figure out my place on this earth. I’ve been aiming to please my parents, my siblings, my friends, and most importantly, I’ve been trying to please God. I’ve already pleased myself, so I think it’s time to become more selfless. I don’t believe I’m doing this as something that is temporary. Rather, I am looking at it as a full on cleansing. I think it’s essential to my happiness, because attachment to this life is never a good thing. I would catch myself feeling invincible, as if I’d live forever, and that was not a correct feeling to have. I would retreat to my music in order to feel better. If I was down, I had a song. If I was happy, I had another song. My solution to feeling better? It was more attachment to this Dunia. But God gives you signs, God gives you the opportunity to improve yourself, and you’re a fool if you ignore it. My sign? The death of three close people, and two really bad car accidents. Not to mention, the fighting in Jerusalem, and all around the world. I was getting these wake up calls, and it would wake me up for a bit, then I would go back to sleep.
It wasn’t until the most recent death of my friend’s father, that I realized I had to keep going. This soul searching had to turn into soul living. And living? Not for this Dunia, but for the Akhira. I would want to say it’s been a struggle, but it hasn’t. If anything, it’s been emotionally healing trusting in God’s plan, instead of stressing over my own. I let things go, and they happen on their own. I sleep on time, and wake up relaxed. I forgive easily, and I follow the Sunnah correctly. I pray on time, and I feel good about myself. It’s a detox that has me feeling confident and satisfied, a detox I would never want to let go.
I catch myself wondering who I was a few months ago, and I feel like that is someone I no longer know. I’m a stranger to my past self, that’s funny you know? I wasn’t bad, I never did anything epic to be ashamed of myself. But I never fully grasped the concept of living this life for the hereafter. Doing the good because I might not see it now, but I’ll see it when the time is right. I was patient, yes, but not half as patient as I am now. I could sit back and relax, and watch God’s plan unfold in front of me. These days, I find it to be a beautiful plan, and I admire the serenity that comes with it. I might still stress out at times, and I know that I am just being myself. However, I find myself continuously getting closer to my religion, and it’s a feeling I value highly. I wouldn’t want it to change, and I wouldn’t want it to be anything I lose grasp of.
The stronger my relationship with God, the happier I am. The more I give to him, the more he gives to me. He might take at times, to test me and make sure I value what I am being given, and that’s absolutely fine with me. Because this relationship is something I’m starting to value more and more. It has always been a strong one between God and I, however, these days it’s becoming stronger than ever. It’s becoming a bond, and I find myself looking forward to praying more than I have in the past. That one on one time with God means a lot to me, and it leaves me feeling happy and relaxed. I find that the closer I’m getting to religion, the less things affect me, the happier I am. It’s a feeling I wouldn’t pass up, and I hope to grow more and more into as time passes by. Alhamdulilah. Allah truly is kind.
Besos xoxo -Chereen
thebookofallah:
The Holy Quran verse 4:18
(via reallifemuslimgirl)
kittycatinalittlehat asked: assalamualaikum, i had a conversation with some friends before in regards of allowing the children to choose their own religion despite the parents being a muslim. and i personally can't put a finger to what my thoughts are of this. may i know the opinion of this in islam in accordance to quran and hadith?
Peace and many blessings,
I think whats problematic, and there’s nothing wrong with wanting evidence, is that we find it necessary to formulate our opinions on secondary sources (or literature we understand as the sayings of the Prophet). What hadiths allow us to do as Muslims, and I apologize if this sounds off topic, is formulate a better understanding of our Prophet’s character. I find this to be quite odd since we can derive that information from Quran ourselves. What the Prophet said and declared is the words/message of Quran. So no, I’m not fit enough to provide you with an opinion of what hadiths say (since I don’t use them).
But what I can do is help you figure this out rationally (because this is how Allah intends us to understand things, since we are all placed with minds that allow us to deduce information rationally. If Allah didn’t want us to be logical creatures, He wouldn’t have provided us with such brains).
That said, Islam is all about moderation. Its being in the middle. Its struggling to be on the Sirat al Mustaqeem, which is a straight middle way path. Hence, the way we raise our children should be in moderation. We should have some control over how they learn, progress, and grow as children, but we should also allow them to wander and create their own understanding of this world.
Hence, to teach them Islam would only seem logical (considering if you believe Quran is the word of God and believing in one and only God alone is a path of savorism). But there comes a time in every person’s life where questioning begins.
Personally, I would encourage my children to question, assess, and try to fathom all that exists in this world from the way in which they understand it. So yes, I would say that allowing them to choose their pathway to understanding this world is okay.
But you will find that Allah declaring so many times in the Quran that “this book is clear for those who believe,” or “a sign for the believers,” and even “a book for those who reflect and believe.” If my children find Quran to be a necessary guide to their life, I would stand by their side in every step of the way. And if they find this to be problematic, I’ll stand by their side in every step of that way too.
We shouldn’t be afraid of our children growing; we are all Allah’s creation.
Dee.
p.s: the only reason I’m leaving my name to this particular question is because I’ve never come to answer a question like this on thebeautyofislam till now. And because my answer heavily involves my own personal opinion, I would suggest you take your concerns or questions to my blog inshaAllah (since we have loads more to answer here).
friedeggswithsugar asked: Assalamu alaikum, i was just wondering if you could answer a question for me? i feel like i know nothing about my own religion and was just wondering if you could suggest me some books to read which can help increase my knowledge, jazak'Allah in advance brothers and sisters :)
Peace and blessings,
Unfortunately, Muslim writers fail to invest their time and careers in becoming writers. I, personally, do not know of any except of books published except:
- What I Believe by Tariq Ramadan
- Purification of the Heart Hamza Yusuf
- The lies about Muhammad by Moustafa Zayed
- Dont be Sad by Aid al Qarni
But I can most definitely provide some useful short videos:
Enjoy insha’Allah!
itsimann asked: Salam's, my question is regarding how a muslim female should dress, different groups of people inform me of completely different ways that are appropriate ways for a muslim female to dress. So i was just wondering, kind of confused. Thank you, salams :)
Peace and many blessings,
The core issue of this is the lack of understanding of the Science of Quran. The Science of Quran can be found in verse 7 in Surah Imran.
In a nutshell, there are two types of verses in the Quran. You have the muhkamat, which are the decisive verses that are clear cut and to the point (an example of this would be surah ikhlas), and then you have the mutashabihat verse (an example of this would be surah abasa), or the verses that are ambigious and can be understood on multiple levels.
The notion of modesty and dresscode is observed in surah Ahzab verse number 59. But before we get into the translation of this verse, one needs to note the time period and context of this surah. Firstly, this surah is a Madaniya surah, or a surah that has been revealed in Madinah (after the Prophet’s migration). What this means is that surah’s that pertain at this time period and location are chapters that address issues during the time of the Prophet in very specific forms. These surahs differentiate from others surah’s (or surah’s known as Makiya surahs) because the other surah’s pertain to the rest of humanity and provide much universal messages.
So you’ll realize that Surah Ahzab clearly describes many themes and clearly illustrates this specific declaration from God unto Muhammad. You will find this to be true when you read verses that begin like “Ya Ayuhan Nabiyu” or “Qul…” meaning, “O Propeht of God” or “Say [O Prophet of God].”
Now, lets read the verse 59,
ya ayuhan nabiyu qul:
O Prophet of God, say
Lee-azwajika, wa banatika, wa nisa’a al mumineen
tell your wives, your daughters, and [the] women [of] the believers
yudnina a’alayhina min jalaabeebihin
draw over themselves of their outer garments
thalika adna an yu’rafna fala yu’thayn
that is more suitable [and] that they should be known and not harmed
wa kana Allahu ghafur raheema
and Allah is often Forgiving, Most Merciful
What I find divine about the Quran is that certain texts like these challenge the reader to create a very deep and intellectual (and might I add, close) relationship with the Quran. Those with perverted hearts will take this verse to mean what their inclinations desire, and those with sincere hearts will try to understand this in the most honorable and sincere way.
Hopefully this served justice to your question!
sirehfancy asked: Salam Alaikum ! I know a friend who is being pressured to marry a cousin of his. At first he was very resistant about it; but know hes giving in because he said he wants the blessings of his parents. I totally disagree because I know Islam does not advocate forced marriage. I believe everyone has the right to marry someone they love. How can you marry someone out of pressure?How should he go about this?
Peace and many blessings,
Not too long ago, I finished memorizing Surah Room. And along one of the pages, Allah completely describes His signs (also described as ayahs in the Quran) one verse after the other. Verse number 21 suggests something very melodic and awfully touching about the issue that you bring up, and it is this:
wa min ayatihi:
and among My (Allah’s) signs
an khalaqa lakum min anfusikum azwaja
[Allah] has created amongst yourselves partner[ship]
leetaskunu ilayha
to live with one another [and together]
wa ja’ala baynakum mawadata wa rahma
and placed between you mercy and love
in fee thalika la’ayati liqawmi yatafakarun
and these are signs for those who reflect
Hence, the notion of marriage is actually a blessing, mercy, and sign from God. God does not advocate a marital contract that brings about forced feelings and disrespect. No where in the Quran does God advocate this notion of pleasing parents when it comes to life making decisions and independent decisive making actions.
InshaAllah this clarified your concern and I only pray that Allah continues to place much common sense in our lives. Salam!
exotickisses asked: Assalamualaikum, I am planning on converting to islam very very soon, and I feel much peace within myself. I find my faith is stronger than ever, this is going to be the best decision I have ever made and I am looking forward to it everyday. I do have a question though, when I go to the Masjid to convert In my time there i wondered what I will do, what is the process? Thank you so much this blog is so beautiful and beyond helpful!
Peace and many Blessings,
Firstly, I would like to congratulate you on being a brave person. What I find to be true is that a lot of Muslims who are born and raised learning this religion don’t give enough credit to Muslims who find Islam on their own. Therefore, I applaud you; the Muslim world applauds you and those like you. I pray that God keeps you steadfast and continues to shower upon you much Grace and Love.
Contrary to popular belief, becoming a Muslim is a very simple process. We do not bathe Muslims in any type of water we consider holy, we do not shower them with flowers or rice seeds (but we will with hugs and gifts), and we most definitely do not oblige them to dress in Islamic dressing.
Once you enter a mosque, you sit down with the person in charge of the mosque (we usually refer to them as Imam - pronounced ee-mahm- and they are similar to priests or fathers) and he/she will guide you. It is fairly simple. You just declare your shahada. She/he will probably go into a bit details about the general overview of the principles of Islam and will ask you if you have any questions.
And that’s pretty much it. Please feel free to contact us at any time with any questions, concerns, or comments. Again, much love!
dark-zombie asked: Salaams, just taking the time to browse ur archive at the moment and you have some seriously AWESOME Posts! I am interested in Islam but I have some questions? I read on wikipedia that most muslims ask saints, prophets for intercession but that's just like catholics, do all muslims believe in this? Do Muslims pray to God alone? This is one of the reason I am interested in Islam because I am an ex roman catholic and now atheist. I have more questions but I will be glad if you can answer these,ty
Peace and many Blessings,
I’ve come to realize that with much information that’s been publicized about Islam (whether this be in university campus in terms of Islamic courses, or sources like Wikipedia), they highly focus on the sectism that resides within the practice of Muslims. This is not to say that this is Islam; rather, I would argue that this sectarianism resides within the interpretation and understanding of Islam by Muslim themselves. There’s an immense and critical difference between the two (ideology vs those who implement ideology).
Getting back to your question, Muslims revere personalities who can implement Quran and its principles in a humble and inspiring way. This is not to say we worship saints; rather, we praise them for their religiosity and spirituality. We also place much respect and reverence for the Prophets of Gods for delivering the message of God and being true and humble spirits.
Quran teaches us that God alone permisses intercession on the day of Judgment by/for people whom He chooses. The Quran can speak on behalf a person who recited and memorized Quran, but this permission is given by Allah Alone. Also, we are taught that our eyes, ears, feet, and bodily parts will speak on behalf of what we used to do. Also, if God permisses, He will allow certain personalities (a Prophet of God) to intercede for people as well. And then God can also decline intercession for anyone He wishes.
But there is a vital point I would like to deeply integrate in this discussion, and it is this notion of Tawheed. Tawheed, meaning the belief of the Oneness of God, is a vital and crucial belief in the religion of Islam. There is only One God. There is only One who Permisses what He wills and Forbids what He wills. He did not begot and neither has He begotten. God is beyond human perception, and Muslims do not attribute humane qualities to God. Hence, God is not female or male. God is not a son or a daughter. God does not transform into a human, and neither is God a creation.
Hopefully I’ve clarified this for you and you can hopefully come back with more commentary and concerns. Peace!
