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ISLAM |
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What
is Islam?
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What
does Islam mean?
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How do
we know Islam is the truth?
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Why
does Islam often seem strange?
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Do
Islam and Christianity have different origins?
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Who are
Muslims?
-
What do
Muslims believe?
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Who is
Allah?
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Does
Allah look like us?
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What
does it mean to believe in Allah?
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Can we
see Allah?
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Does
Allah see us?
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Does
Allah answer my prayers?
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When
does Allah not answer our prayers?
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What
can I ask of Allah?
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Who is
Muhammad (peace be upon him)?
-
How did
Muhammad (peace be upon him) become a prophet
and a messenger of God?
-
What is
the Quran?
-
What is
the Quran about?
-
Are
there any other sacred sources?
-
Who
is Jesus to us?
-
Who
were the parents of Jesus (peace be upon him)?
-
Can
Jesus (peace be upon him), or Muhammad (peace be
upon him) be worshipped?
-
Is
Allah the same as what Christians call "the
father"?
-
Is
there a trinity in Islam?
-
Can
anyone become a Muslim?
-
What
about someone who has never heard of Islam?
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When is
the Day of Judgment?
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Are
there signs for the day of Judgment?
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What is
it that keeps us from entering Heaven?
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What
about non-Muslims do; they go to heaven?
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Do we
believe that Allah created the heavens and earth
in 6 days?
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Do we
have free will?
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Did
Allah create evil?
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Who are
my best friends?
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Who is
my worst enemy?
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Do bad
things happen to the believers (good people)?
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Why is
the family so important to Muslims?
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What
about food?
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What is
the Kabah?
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Who are
amongst the people that must fast in the blessed
month of Ramadan and those that are not obliged
to fast in this month?
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What
facts about the month of Ramadan have been
related by Hadith in regards to what takes place
related to heaven and hell?
-
What is
one of the Sunnahs when a Muslim, for a valid
reason cannot keep fast?
-
What
connection does the Holy Quran and the blessed
month of Ramadan have that makes the month very
important and sacred?
-
It is
said that the odor of a fasting Muslim is more
fragrant to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta`ala than what?
-
Is
there a Hajj Akbar?
-
Is it a
requirement to enter Masjid Haram from the Baab
as-Salaam entrance?
-
Can I
smoke when I'm in Ihram?
-
When I
stone the Jamaraat, is it necessary to hit the
target?
-
Can I
perform Hajj every year?
-
Is it a
must for a wife to seek her husband's permission
to perform the obligatory Hajj?
-
What is
the ruling on aborting a pregnancy in the early
months (1-3) before the soul is breathed into
the fetus?
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1.
What is Islam?
Ans: 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 has nothing to do
with the extremely grave events, which have come
to be associated with their faith.
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2.
What does Islam mean?
Ans: The Arabic word Islam
simply means 'submission', and derives from a
word meaning 'peace'. In a religious context it
means complete submission to the will of God.
'Mohammedanism' is thus a misnomer because it
suggests that Muslims worship Muhammad (peace be
upon him) rather than God. 'Allah' is the Arabic
name for God, which is used by Arab Muslims and
Christians alike.
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3.
How do we know Islam is the
truth?
Ans: 1- It is the only
religion that holds Allah as One, Unique, and
Perfect.
2- It is the only religion that
believes in the sole worship of Allah, not
Jesus, not an idol, and not an angel, only
Allah.
3- The Quran does not contain
contradictions.
4- The Quran contains
scientific facts, which are 1300 years ahead of
their time. The Quran, while revealed 1400 years
ago contains scientific facts, which are only
now being discovered. It is not in contradiction
to science.
5- Allah has challenged the world
to produce the like of the Quran. And He says
they won't be able to.
6- Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him) was the most influential man
in history. In the book "The 100 most
influential men in History", written by
non-Muslim, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon
him) was #1. Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him)
was #3. It should be noted that even the Prophet
Jesus (peace be upon him) was a prophet sent by
Allah. Would Allah allow a false prophet to be
so successful? No. Even the Bible refers to this
in Deuteronomy 18:19. A false prophet would
die!!! Yet Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
did not die till he completely conveyed, and
taught Allah's religion.
7- He had many
prophecies, and all of his prophecies have come
true, or are still coming true.
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4.
Why does Islam often seem strange?
Ans: Islam may seem exotic
or even extreme in the modern world. Perhaps
this is because religion does not dominate
everyday life in the West today, whereas Muslims
have religion always uppermost in their minds,
and make no division between secular and sacred.
They believe that the Divine Law, the Shari'a,
should be taken very seriously, which is why
issues related to religion are still so
important
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5.
Do Islam and Christianity have
different origins?
Ans: Together with Judaism,
they go back to the prophet and patriarch
Abraham, and their three prophets are directly
descended from his sons-Muhammad (peace be upon
him) from the eldest, Ishmael, and Moses and
Jesus, from Isaac. Abraham established the
settlement, which today is the city of Makkah,
and built the Kabah towards which all Muslims
turn when they pray.
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6.
Who are Muslims?
Ans: One billion people form
a vast range of races, nationalities and
cultures across the globe, from the southern
Philippines to Nigeria, are united by their
common Islamic faith. About 18% live in the Arab
world; the world's largest Muslim community is
in Indonesia; substantial parts of Asia and most
of Africa are Muslim, while significant
minorities are also to be found in the Soviet
Union, China, North and South America, and
Europe.
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7.
What do Muslims believe?
Ans: Muslims believe in One,
Unique, Incomparable God in the Angels created
by Him, in the prophets through whom His
revelations were brought to mankind; in God's
complete authority over human destiny and in
life after death. Muslims believe in a chain of
prophets starting with Adam and including Noah,
Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job,
Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Elias, Jonah, John
the Baptist and Jesus, (peace be upon them). But
God's final message to man, a reconfirmation of
the eternal message and a summing-up of all that
has gone before was revealed to the Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him) through
Gabriel.
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8.
Who is Allah?
Ans: It is a known fact that
every language has one or more terms that are
used in reference to God and sometimes to lesser
deities. This is not the case with Allah. Allah
is the personal name of the One true God.
Nothing else can be called Allah. The term has
no plural or gender. This shows its uniqueness
when compared with the word god which can be
made plural, gods, or feminine, goddess. It is
interesting to notice that Allah is the personal
name of God in Aramaic, the language of Jesus
and a sister language of Arabic.
The One true God is a reflection of the
unique concept that Islam associates with God.
To a Muslim, Allah is the Almighty, Creator and
Sustainer of the universe, Who is similar to
nothing and nothing is comparable to Him. The
Prophet Muhammad was asked by his contemporaries
about Allah; the answer came directly from God
Himself in the form of a short chapter of the
Quran, which is considered the essence of the
unity or the motto of monotheism. This is
chapter 112 which reads:
"In the name of God, the Merciful,
the Compassionate.
Say (O Muhammad) He is
God the One God, the Everlasting Refuge, who has
not begotten, nor has been begotten, and equal
to Him is not
anyone."
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9.
Does Allah look like us?
Ans: No, Allah is perfect.
He is not like any of His creations. He has told
us that He has hands, eyes, a face, and feet,
but all of these attributes are befitting to His
might and glory. A Muslim does not say a single
thing about Allah other than what Allah says
about Himself. Allah is Perfect and Unique.
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10.
What does it mean to believe in
Allah?
Ans: To believe in
Allah means to believe in total perfection, and
uniqueness.
It means to believe in His
prophets because they are His, and He sent them.
We can not pick and choose. A Muslim must
believe in all the prophets of Allah.
It
means to believe in the Angles! We must love
them all. We cannot hate an Angel say, for
example, Michael to whom rain and the vegetation
of the Earth are attributed or Gabriel to whom
revelation (bringing down the scriptures to the
prophets) is attributed.
It means to believe
in Allah's predestination of good and bad.
It
means to believe in the last day: The day of
Judgment.
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11.
Can we see Allah?
Ans: Allah is not like the
sun. Anyone can see the sun. But Allah is the
most beautiful. Nothing is as beautiful as
Allah. Actually looking at Allah is the greatest
pleasure of the people in Paradise. This
pleasure Allah does not give anyone but the
believers.
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12.
Does Allah see us?
Ans: Allah sees us and knows
everything about us. He knows us better than we
know ourselves. There is not a leaf on a tree
that blows away, or stays in its place except
that He knows it. There is not a dry spot, nor a
wet spot, nor a grain in the depths of the earth
except that Allah knows it.
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13.
Does Allah answer my prayers?
Ans: We know that Allah
answers all the prayers of the believers. This
can be in 4 ways:
1- Getting what we ask
for!
2- Getting something as good or
better!
3- Being spared something bad that
would have happened otherwise.
4- Being
rewarded on the day of Judgment with a much
greater reward than what we were asking for on
earth.
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14.
When does Allah not answer our
prayers?
Ans: 1- When it is
bad for us!
2- When we ask, but not from our
heart!
3- When we say: I asked and asked and
He did not answer.
4- When we eat or drink
unlawful food i.e. pork, wear unlawful clothes
or use or posses property that was earned either
through interest from the bank or that was
stolen.
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15.
What can I ask of
Allah?
Ans: Any thing, but
don't ask Him to do things like make you a
prophet because He has already said that there
will be no more prophets. You can ask Allah for
guidance, meaning you can ask Him to show you
the correct religion.
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16.
Who is Muhammad (peace be upon him)?
Ans: Muhammad (peace be
upon him) was born in Makkah in the year 571
A.D., at a time when Christianity was not yet
fully established in Europe. Since his father
died before his birth and his mother shortly
afterwards, so he was raised by his uncle from
the respected tribe of Quraish. As he grew up,
he became known for his truthfulness, generosity
and sincerity so much that he was sought after
for his ability to arbitrate in disputes. The
historians describe him as calm and meditative.
Muhammad (peace be upon him) was of 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.
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17.
How did Muhammad (peace be upon him)
become a prophet and a messenger of God?
Ans: At the age of 40, while
engaged in a meditative retreat, Muhammad (peace
be upon him) received his first revelation from
God through the Angel Gabriel. This revelation,
which continued for twenty-three years, is known
as the Quran.
As soon as he began to recite
the words he heard from Gabriel, and to preach
the truth that 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 the 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
definitively. 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.
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18.
What is the Quran?
Ans: The Quran is a record
of the exact words revealed by God through the
Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be
upon him). It was memorized by Muhammad (peace
be upon him) and then dictated to his
companions, and written down by scribes, who
crosschecked it during his lifetime. Not one
word of its 114 Surahs, has been changed over
the centuries, so that the Quran is in every
detail the unique and miraculous text which was
revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him)
fourteen centuries ago.
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19.
What is the Quran
about?
Ans: The Quran, 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.
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20.
Are there any other sacred sources?
Ans: 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 the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, did,
or approved. Belief in the Sunnah is part of the
Islamic faith.
Examples of the Prophet's
sayings
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.'
'Powerful is not he who
knocks the other down, indeed powerful is he who
controls himself in a fit of anger.'
(From
the Hadith collections of Bukhari, Muslim,
Tirmidhi and Baihaqi.)
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21.
Who is Jesus to us?
Ans: Jesus (peace be upon
him) is a true prophet, sent by Allah like
Moses, Abraham, Lot, Noah, Jonah, Joseph, etc
(peace be upon them).
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22.
Who were the parents of Jesus (peace
be upon him)?
Ans: Jesus is
the son of Virgin Mary and he had no father.
Allah created Jesus.
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23.
Can Jesus (peace be upon him), or
Muhammad (peace be upon him) be worshipped?
Ans: No, Allah does not
accept that a prophet, a person, an angel, a
cow, a stone, or anything be worshipped in place
of Him or even along with Him. Worship must be
to Allah, the Creator of them.
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24.
Is Allah the same as what Christians
call "the father"?
Ans: Allah is the Creator,
who Jesus (peace be upon him) worshipped. He is
the Creator who spoke to Moses and split the sea
for Moses and his followers. That is Allah. But
Allah tells us: "Say Allah is one, He is
Perfect, He has never begotten, nor was He
begot, and there is no one equal to Him."
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25.
Is there a trinity in Islam?
Ans: No. Allah is one and
perfect.
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26.
Can anyone become a Muslim?
Ans: Yes anyone can. There
are two declarations, which are necessary:
1-
To bear witness that no one deserves to be
worshiped except Allah.
2- To bear witness
that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the
Messenger of Allah.
This makes a person
Muslim. But it should be said in Arabic. Next a
person takes a shower and s/he is a
Muslim.
Then what?
After a person becomes
Muslim s/he is taught about prayers, fasting,
alms to the poor, and pilgrimage. These are the
pillars of Islam.
Then what?
Muslims are
brothers and sisters. A Muslim should love for
his brother or sister what s/he loves for
him/herself. Allah's wealth does not run out and
Allah can provide for us all. We pray for each
other, and love each other, and love for our
brothers and sisters what we love for
ourselves.
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27.
What about someone who has never
heard of Islam?
Ans: Allah
is the most just. It is inconceivable to
perceive of anyone acting with more beneficence
than Allah. Allah is the most just and in the
Quran He said: "We will not punish without
sending someone to warn you". The "We" here is
the majestic we used in Arabic. So if a person
never heard about Islam, and was never warned
clearly, Allah would have a special test for
that person that He knows is equal to the chance
that person would have had on earth.
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28.
When is the Day of Judgment?
Ans: Only Allah knows.
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29.
Are there signs for the day of
Judgment?
Ans: Plenty,
plenty, plenty. Many have already
occurred.
To name a few:
*Objects will
begin to talk.
*There will be much killing.
The killer won't know why he killed, and the
person that was killed won't know why he was
killed.
*The Antichrist will
come.
*Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) son
of Mary will return.
*Gog and Magog will be
set free.
The sun will rise from the west
(after this sign there can be no more
repentance).
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30.
What is it that keeps us from
entering Heaven?
Ans: Worship of anyone other
than Allah is the greatest sin. It is called
shirk, and this is not forgiven except through
repentance.
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31.
What about non-Muslims do; they go
to heaven?
Ans: Allah only
accepts Islam. He says in the Quran: "Whoever
seeks a religion other than Islam it won't be
accepted of him, and he will be one of the
losers in the hereafter". I would rather lose
anywhere, but not lose in the hereafter. This is
because hellfire is eternal. It never ends and
we never die when we go there, if we go there.
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32.
Do we believe that Allah created the
heavens and earth in 6 days?
Ans: Yes, we do.
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33.
Do we have free will?
Ans: Yes, of course. Allah
does not punish us for something we did not do
on our own. But at the same time, our will is
not inspired of Allah's will. We cannot do
anything if Allah does not allow it. In other
words nothing goes on in Allah's kingdom without
His will.
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34.
Did Allah create evil?
Ans: Yes, Allah created the
good and the bad. Whatever bad happens to us is
due to our sins. We sin and Allah pardons much
of what we do; however, when something bad
happens to us it is our fault, and we are to
blame. Bad things that happen to a person are a
chance for that person to reflect and ask: "Why
is this happening to me?" A chance for a person
to return from his sin and obey and worship
Allah.
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35.
Who are my best friends?
Ans: Your best friends are
the ones that care where you go after you are
dead. This is how the prophets acted. They cared
that we go to heaven, even if it meant some
hardship on earth.
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36.
Who is my worst enemy?
Ans: That would be the
devils, whether they are human devils (evil
people), or Jinn devils (like Iblis). The Arabic
word for a devil is Shaytan (similar to Satan).
Satan wants us all to go to hell. He wants us to
be bad on earth. Whether we get rich or do lots
of wrong things that we appear to enjoy, he does
not care that, but he wants to make sure we
don't go to heaven.
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37.
Do bad things happen to the
believers (good people)?
Ans: Yes, they do. But they
appear bad to the believers because they are
things people don't like. Who likes breaking a
leg? However, when a bad thing happens to a
believer this believer is patient. He praises
Allah in all circumstances. He knows Allah does
not decree something unless it is for his own
good.
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38.
Why is the family so important to
Muslims?
Ans: The family is
the foundation of Islamic society. The peace and
security offered by a stable family unit is
greatly valued, and seen as essential for the
spiritual growth of its members. A harmonious
social order is created by the existence of
extended families; children are treasured, and
rarely leave home until the time they marry.
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39.
What about food?
Ans: Although much simpler
than the dietary law followed by Jews and the
early Christians, the code which Muslims observe
forbids the consumption of pig meat or any kind
of intoxicating drink. The Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him) 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. The
Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Ask God for
certainty [of faith] and well-being; for after
certainty, no one is given any gift better than
health!'
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40.
What is the Kabah?
Ans: The Kabah is the place
of worship, which God commanded Abraham and
Ishmael 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. God commanded
Abraham to summon all mankind to visit this
place, and when pilgrims go there today they say
'At Thy service, O Lord', in response to
Abraham's summons.
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41.
Who are amongst the people that must
fast in the blessed month of Ramadan and those
that are not obliged to fast in this month?
Ans: Those who must fast:
All mature and sane Muslims, male and female.
Those who are exempted: The sick, the travelers,
too old to fast, women in child birth, women
with periods, pregnant women whose health is
endangered, breast feeding women whose health is
endangered.
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42.
What facts about the month of
Ramadan have been related by Hadith in regards
to what takes place related to heaven and hell?
Ans: The gates of heaven are
opened and the gates of hell are shut.
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43.
What is one of the Sunnahs when a
Muslim, for a valid reason cannot keep fast?
Ans: Not to eat in the
presence of a fasting person. Repay it by
fasting the number of days missed after Ramadan
or give kafaarah equal to the amount of one
Sadaqa tul Fitr in charity to the poor for each
day missed.
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44.
What connection does the Holy Quran
and the blessed month of Ramadan have that makes
the month very important and sacred?
Ans: The Holy Quran was
revealed in Ramadan.
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45.
It is said that the odor of a
fasting Muslim is more fragrant to Allah
Subhanahu wa Ta`ala than what?
Ans: Musk.
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46.
Is there a Hajj Akbar?
Ans: If Arafat is on a
Friday, then many describe it as Hajj Akbar (Big
Hajj). There is no big or small Hajj. There is
only one Hajj. Every year is Hajj Akbar. The
10th day of Dhul Hijja is described in The Holy
Quran as Yaum-ul-Hajjil-Akbar.
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47.
Is it a requirement to enter Masjid
Haram from the Baab as-Salaam entrance?
Ans: There is no such
requirement. You can enter from any of the many
gates.
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48.
Can I smoke when I'm in Ihram?
Ans: Try to give up this
habit for the good of your health and the
well-being of your family. Many chain smokers
have returned from the Hajj as non-smokers for
good. Alhamdulillah.
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49.
When I stone the Jamaraat, is it
necessary to hit the target?
Ans: It is acceptable if the
stone falls into the circle without hitting the
target.
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50.
Can I perform Hajj every year?
Ans: Performing the Hajj
ONCE is compulsory for Muslims who are
financially and physically able to do so. There
is no rule prohibiting anyone from performing
the Hajj more than once. If you plan to perform
it yearly, you are obviously financially well
endowed. You should consider the following:
A: There are numerous things you can
do to walk in the way of Allah. Consider
contributing your Hajj trip funds to uplift
downtrodden Muslims.
B: With nearly 3 million people
converging in The Holy Land to perform the Hajj,
the Saudi authorities have understandably
imposed Hajj quotas. Have a heart for those
waiting in line to perform the Hajj for the
first time. Allow a reasonable time gap before
going to perform the Hajj again.
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51.
Is it a must for a wife to seek her
husband's permission to perform the obligatory
Hajj?
Ans: Yes. A husband is
strongly advised not to object as his wife is
seeking permission to perform a duty commanded
by The Almighty. Obedience to the command of The
Almighty supercedes everything else, including a
husband's objection.
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52.
What is the ruling on aborting a
pregnancy in the early months (1-3) before the
soul is breathed into the fetus?
Ans: 1- It is not
permissible to abort a pregnancy at any stage
unless there is a legitimate reason, and within
very precise limits.
2- If the
pregnancy is in the first stage, which is a
period of forty days, and aborting it serves a
legitimate purpose or will ward off harm, then
it is permissible to abort it. But aborting it
at this stage for fear of the difficulty of
raising children or of being unable to bear the
costs of maintaining and educating them, or for
fear for their future or because the couple feel
that they have enough children – this is not
permissible.
3- It is not permissible
to abort a pregnancy when it is an ‘alaqah
(clot) or mudghah (chewed lump of flesh) (which
are the second and third periods of forty days
each) until a trustworthy medical committee has
decided that continuing the pregnancy poses a
threat to the mother’s wellbeing, in that there
is the fear that she will die if the pregnancy
continues. It is permissible to abort it once
all means of warding off that danger have been
exhausted.
4- After the third stage,
and after four months have passed, it is not
permissible to abort the pregnancy unless a
group of trustworthy medical specialists decide
that keeping the fetus in his mother’s womb will
cause her death, and that should only be done
after all means of keeping the fetus alive have
been exhausted. A concession is made allowing
abortion in this case so as to ward off the
greater of two evils and to serve the greater of
two interests.
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