New Muslims - The Qur'an & Using Its Translation In Solat

The scholars of Islam have explained that it is permissible for a new Muslim to recite the translation of the Qur'an in Solat until he/she learns Arabic.

Nevertheless, the new Muslim should also be aware that the minimum amount needed to fulfill the basic requisites in Solat is very little. All that is requested is some patience for the first few weeks and months after embracing Islam.

A new Muslim should not be:

1. Despondent - and think that the Arabic requisites is too difficult to learn.

2. Complacent - to think that continuing with the translation of the Qur'an is sufficient for purpose of worship, as this is not the case.

We should try our best within our true capacities InshaAllah. The true Judge is Allah, the All-Knowing.

The Importance of Da'wah & Tabligh

Allah Ta'ala says in the Noble Qur'an:

"You are the best of nations sent to mankind. You command good and forbid evil and you believe in Allah." (Surah Al-Imraan)

Allah Ta'ala states that one reason for this Ummah being titled as the best of Ummah, is the practice of commanding good and preventing evil.

The Prophet Muhammad SAW said:

"Whosoever from among you witnesses evil, he should change it with his hands. And if he is unable to do so then he should change it with his tongue. And if he is unable to do so with his tongue, then he should at least consider it to be wrong. And this is the weakest stage of Imaan." (Mishkaat)

Nu'maan bin Basheer RA says that Rasulullah SAW gave an example of people sailing on a boat having an upper deck and a lower deck. The people from the lower deck required water and requested water from the people of the upper deck. The people from the upper deck refused to give water so the people from the lower deck decided to make a hole through the floor of the ship and get water from the sea.

Rasulullah SAW explained:

"If the people from the upper deck do not stop the people at the bottom from making a hole, the ship will sink and all the people travelling will drown." (Mishkaat)

Similarly, if people do not prohibit evil and sin in the society, the entire society - innocent and evil - will equally suffer.

Abu Hurairah RA states that Rasulullah SAW said:

"Command good and prohibit evil or else Allah will send such a punishment that will destroy everyone." (Ibid)

The above quotations from the Qur'an and Ahaadith are clear that commanding good and prohibiting evil is an emphasised injunction of Allah and His Rasul, and every Muslim person must carry out this injunction.

All the Prophets AS followed the footsteps of their respective Prophets and after the demise of their Prophet, they carried out the same mission. The Companions of Rasulullah SAW spent their entire lives in commanding good and prohibiting evil.

Since there will be no Prophet to come, every Ummati of Rasulullah SAW is the deputy of the Prophet SAW and he / she has to carry on the mission of the Prophet SAW.

Thus it is imperative for all Muslim to sacrifice their time, wealth and comforts to undergo difficulty and hardships in the path of Allah - to carry out this Sunnah of the Prophets - commanding good and prohibiting evil.

Nevertheless, one must be aware that the purpose of performing da'wah and tabligh is firstly to reform oneself and dutifully save mankind from the fire of Hell.

Imaan 107

THE BASIS OF A MUSLIM'S FAITH

Life After Death

Death is merely a doorway to a perpetual life. After the last day, wherein the existence and system of the universe will be brought to an end, the earth, moon, stars etc. will be crushed and reduced to atoms. Mankind will be resurrected and will be asked to give an account of their deeds. Those who believed and did righteous deeds would be blessed with the perpetual life of Paradise, whilst those who rejected the truth and lived wicked lives will be cast into the fire of Hell, therein they shall dwell forever.

The Qur'an states:

"Those who reject the truth among the people of the Book and among the polytheist will be in the fire of hell to dwell therein forever. They are the worst of creatures. Those who have faith and do righteous deeds, they are the best of creatures - their reward is with Allah - gardens of eternity beneath which rivers flow. They will dwell therein forever."

Imaan 106

THE BASIS OF A MUSLIM'S FAITH


Destiny

The power of good and bad lies in the domain of Allah Almighty. Man is exhorted to think, plan and make sound decisions. If after striving he does not succeed, he should not loose faith and become despondent, nor should he become arrogant and haughty if he succeeds and attribute success to his acumen and intelligence.

The Holy Qur'an states:

"No misfortune happens on earth or in your souls, but is recorded in a book (long) before We bring it into existence. That is truly easy for Allâh. In order that you may not despair over matters that miss you, nor become arrogant over favours bestowed upon you. For Allah loveth not the vain-glorious."

The Holy Prophet SAW said:

"Know that, that which afflicted you was never meant to miss you and that which missed you was never meant for you."

Belief in destiny, implies that whatever happens (be it good or bad) takes place with the command, will and wisdom of Almighty Allah. We must accept this willingly with our hearts, without doubt nor complaint. Allah owns and controls everything.

Imaan 105

THE BASIS OF A MUSLIM'S FAITH


The Last Day - Qiyamah

This world will ultimately come to an end one day and the dead will rise to stand trial before Almighty Allah.

This world is an abode of trial, some people are tested with wealth, whilst others are tested through poverty. Some have been given health whilst others have been subjected to sickness. Belief in the last day answers many complicated questions. There are people who commit sins and indulge in immoral activities, yet they seem to prosper, while the innocent and meek are sometimes exploited and oppressed.

The Holy Qur'an states:

"Let not the arrogant strutting of the unbelievers through the land deceive you, it is but enjoyment for a little while. Their ultimate abode is hell- what an evil abode!"

All deeds of mankind are known to Almighty Allah and are recorded by His angels. Mankind will have to answer for his / her deeds, and everyone will be held accountable and will either be rewarded or punished for his / her conduct and deeds. Justice and equality are the hallmarks of the hereafter.

The Holy Qur'an states:

"When the great overwhelming (event) comes to pass, man shall remember (all) that he strove for and hell-fire shall be placed in full view, for him who sees - then for such as had transgressed all bounds and had preferred the life of this world, the abode will be the fire of hell and for such as had entertained the fear of standing before the Lord, and had restrained their souls from lower desires, their abode will be the Garden of Bliss."

Imaan 104

THE BASIS OF A MUSLIM'S FAITH


The Prophets

Prophets are men of great piety chosen by Allah Almighty to deliver His message to mankind. They were sent at various times of history to various nations. They were all human beings, who were protected from sin and falling prey to their lust.

The Holy Qur'an states:

"We (Muslims) believe in the Almighty and the revelation given to us and to Ibrahim, Ishaq, Yaqub and the tribes ...we make no distinction between any of them."

Some of the Prophets mentioned in the Qur'an are: Adam AS, Nuh AS (Noah), Lut AS (Lot), Ibrahim AS (Abraham), Isma'il AS(Ishmael), Dawud AS (David), Musa AS (Moses), Yunus AS (Jonah), Îsa AS (Jesus) and Muhammad SAW.

Muhammad SAW was the Last Prophet, who is regarded as the "Seal of Prophethood". The details of his life are carefully preserved in what is known as "Hadith".

The Qur'an states:

"We did not send you (Muhammad), but as a mercy unto mankind."

The Prophethood of Isa AS (Jesus)

Muslims do not believe that Isa AS (Jesus) was the begotten son of Allah Almighty, nor that he died for the sins of mankind. In fact he is a chosen messenger of Allah and he was born miraculously. He was bestowed with super natural powers and was not crucified but physically lifted to the heavens. He will return to this world once again by permission and order of Allah Almighty.

The Holy Qur'an mentions:

"Behold the angel said: "O, Maryam - Allah gives you glad tidings of a word from Him, His name will be Masih - Isa the son of Maryam, held in honour in this World and the Hereafter ..... and Allah will teach him the book of wisdom - the Taurat and the Injil and appoint him messenger to the children of Israel. His message will be: "I have come to you with a sign from the Lord. In that I make for you - out of clay - as if it were the figure of a bird, I breath into it and it becomes a bird, by Allah’s permission, and I heal those born blind and the lepers - and I bring the dead to life - by Allah’s permission, and I will inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses - therein is a sign for you - if you believe."

Imaan 103

THE BASIS OF A MUSLIM'S FAITH


The Divine Scriptures

A Muslim believes in all the previous Divine scriptures.

The Holy Qur'an states:

"...(Muslims are those) who believe in revelation sent to thee and before thy time."

Some of the known Divine Scriptures are:

The Taurat - given to Musa AS (Moses)
The Zabur - given to Dawud AS (David)
The Injil - given to Isa AS (Jesus)
The Qur'an - given to Muhammad SAW


The Qur'an

The Qur'an is the speech of Allah, revealed in its precise wording and meaning and protected by Allah Himself.

Allah states in the Qur'an:

"We have sent down the Qur'an and We will certainly preserve it (from corruption)."

The Qur'an is the last and final scripture of Allah Almighty sent to humankind.


The Qur'an and Contemporary Scriptures

The Holy Qur'an states:

"It is He who has sent down to thee in truth, the book confirming what went before it. And He sent down the Torah and the Injil before this, as a guide to mankind. And He (ultimately) sent the criterion (of Judgment between right and wrong i.e. the Qur'an)."

Thus the Qur'an is the standard or criterion by which all other books are judged. Aspects of the bible that conform to the Qur'anic precepts Muslims accept as Divine truth, while those that go against the criterion Muslims regard as human interpolation.

Imaan 102

THE BASIS OF A MUSLIM'S FAITH


The Angels

Almighty Allah is beyond physical perception and beyond direct physical contact with Insaan.
The Qur'an states:

"(He is) nearer to man than his jugular vein"

Yet no physical contact is possible. Thus, the angels are celestial message bearers, who serve as intermediaries between Allah Almighty and His Prophet AS.

The Holy Qur'an states:

"Praise be to Allah - originator of the heavens and earth, who made the angels, messengers with pairs of two, three, or four wings."

Angels are created from light. They are purely spiritual beings, whose nature requires no food, drink nor sleep. They are neither male nor female, nor do they have physical desires of any kind. They have been allocated various duties and are constantly in the service of Allah Almighty. No one knows the exact number of angels, except Allah.

The four well-known angels are:

Jibra'il - the angel of revelation
Mika'il - the angel of provision
Israfil - the angel who will blow the trumpet on the Day of Judgement.
Izra'il - the angel of death

Also, every individual is attended by two angels who record his / her activities. They are known as Kiraman Katibin i.e. "The Noble Scribes".

The Holy Qur'an states:

"Indeed over you are guardian (angels) "Noble Scribes". They know (all) that you do."

Imaan 101

THE BASIS OF A MUSLIM'S FAITH

Only Allah Is Worshipped

Every family has a head, every school has a principal, every province has a premier, moreover we know that every product is the work of a certain producer. In the like manner there is a Creator and Originator of life and the universe. There is a Supreme Being who controls the movement of the sun and the moon, who causes life and death. The Maker and Sustainer of the world is the Almighty, the Eternal and the Compassionate - ALLAH. This what all Muslims believe.

Evidence of Allah's existence is stated in the Holy Qur'an:

"Behold! In the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the day and night, there are indeed signs for men of intellect."

The Qur'an informs:

"Among His signs, is (that) He created you from dust and behold! You are men scattered (far and wide)."

The Qur'an further states:

"Who is it that created the heavens and the earth, who sends rain down to you from the sky and with it He causes well planted orchards to grow - full of beauty and delight. It is not in your power to cause the growth of trees. (Can there be another ) deity besides Allah?"


UNITY OF ALLAH ALMIGHTY

The Holy Qur'an states:

"Say He Allah - the one and only. Allah the eternal and absolute. He begetteth not, nor is He begotten. (i.e. He was not born from anybody nor has He any children). And there is none like unto Him." (Surah Al-Ikhlas)


A MUSLIM BELIEVES THAT:

Allah Almighty is one, who has no partner nor son. He has no beginning nor end. He is beyond human comprehension. He is without needs and thus independent and He alone is the originator of the entire creation. Whatever He has commanded us to do, it is for our own benefit and good.

The Holy Qur'an states:

"The originator of the heavens and earth - How can He have a son, when He has no spouse? He created all things and He has knowledge of all things."

The Holy Qur'an informs:

"That is Allah - your Lord, There is no diety but He, The Creator of all things, Therefore worship Him..."

The Etiquettes Of Giving Sacred Texts To Non-Muslims For Da'wah

If a non-Muslim is sincerely interested in Islam and wants to read the translation and commentary of the Qur’an, then effort can be made to prepare relevant material for him as this may be a means of him obtaining Hidayah from Allah SWT and thus will save him from the eternal Fire.

However, the Muslim who is responsible for the reading material must make sure that the non-Muslim is advised to respect the Qur'an's translation / commentary by washing before touching the Qur’an and keeping the Qur’an with respect.

Jesus - For Christians Who Embrace Islam

A Christian who embraces Islam does not deny the existence of Jesus and his correct position. As a Muslim, belief in Jesus (Isa AS - may everlasting peace be granted upon him) is an integral article of our faith. A person cannot be a Muslim without believing in Jesus as one the greatest and
holiest prophets of Allah.

Muslims do not negate the nobelty and rank of Jesus.

Can A Muslim Female Marry A Non-Muslim Male ?

It is not permissible for a Muslim female to marry a non-Muslim male.

However, a Muslim male may marry only Christian or Jewish female.

It is not permissible for a Muslim male to marry any other non-Muslim female. The general reason to why it is permissible for the Muslim male to marry a non-Muslim female is because he would be able to easily convince the Christian or Jewish wife into accepting Islam. As for vice-versa, there is a possibility of the non-Muslim male convincing his Muslim wife into abandoning Islam. Islam has considered her feminine nature and protected her correct beliefs from being a victim of abuse from the male dominance.

The Muslim husband is not obliged to pressurise his Christian or Jewish wife into accept Islam. He may apply wisdom and diplomacy and only influence her into Islam. In Islam, a female is equally respected as a male.

However, due to the different masculine and feminine natures, Islam believes in separation of roles. It is obvious that there are many things a male can do, which is not easily possible for a female and vice versa.

The thing we must understand here is that Allah Ta'ala Knows Best on what is best for His creation. And thus, these laws are what we find the Shari'ah of Islam.

Embracing Islam For Marriage

It is not correct practice for a Non-Muslim man to embrace Islam only for the sake of marrying a Muslim woman. Islam is a composition of certain beliefs and acts. It is a way of life. It is a matter of faith and conviction. In order to become a Muslim, it is necessary to accept all its basic teachings with one's heart and soul.

If one's real purpose is only to marry a Muslim girl, and he wants to register himself as a Muslim only because he cannot marry that girl without it, while he does not have faith in the basic beliefs of Islam, he cannot be a Muslim in reality. Therefore, one should know at the first instance that conversion to Islam is not meant for marrying Muslim girls. One should, first, study the basic Islamic beliefs and teachings, and if he is convinced that they are worth accepting, he should accept Islam for its inherent rightfulness and its intrinsic merits, and not only because he wants to marry a girl.

Now, the basic beliefs one is required to accept while entering into Islam are the following:

(i) Allah is One. He has neither a partner, nor a son or daughter. He is One in the true sense of the word that has no room for the concept of trinity, or for any other form of camouflage monotheism or a disguised polytheism.

(ii) The Holy Prophet Muhammad SAW, is the last Messenger of Allah after whom no messenger or prophet of Allah (in any sense of the word) will come.

(iii) The Holy Qur'an is the last of the divine books revealed on the Holy Prophet SAW, and all its contents are true.

(iv) The life Hereafter is the eternal life one has to live after his death where he will have to face the fate of his good and evil deeds.

(v) All the teachings given by the Holy Qur'an or by the Holy Prophet SAW, in absolute and unambiguous terms are true and acceptable.

Once a person accepts all these fundamental beliefs as true, both verbally and in his heart, he becomes a Muslim. Conversion to Islam has no particular procedure, like baptism, etc. As soon as a person accepts the aforementioned beliefs with his heart and soul and professes them verbally, he enters the fold of Islam. It is not necessary that he seeks the mediation of a saint or priest, nor is it a prerequisite to go to a mosque or to an institution for accepting Islam. One can accept Islam on his own. However, it is advisable to go to a learned Muslim who can inform him about the basic beliefs of Islam and can teach him the concise and comprehensive words to express his acceptance of those beliefs.

Normally the following sentences are used for that purpose:

'I bear witness that there is no God but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad SAW, is His slave and messenger.'

'I have believed in Allah and His angels and His book (as they were originally revealed on His prophets) and in His messengers and in the Last Day and in the fact that all the good and bad destinies come from Allah and in being raised alive after death.'

A further requirement for a convert Muslim is to free himself from those beliefs of his former faith or religion which are not in line with the Islamic beliefs. For example, a Christian must proclaim that he does no more believe Jesus Christ as the son of God or a part of Godhood. Instead, he accepts that he was a revered Messenger of Allah, and was no more than a messenger, having all the human attributes.