Muslim Religion

Muslim Religion questions and answers

Find more information on the Muslim Religion @ The Adherents Religion Website.

Q: Muslim religion?
I would really like to know about the Muslim religion. What does it say about abstinence? What dos it say about homosexuals? What are some basic beliefs? What are the services like?

A: The first meaning of "Islam" is the verb from the root "aslama" (a verb), meaning to: "surrender; submit; obey; sincerity and in peace." The second meaning of "Islam" is the noun form from the same root, and it describes the last and final form of the way of life as perscribed by the Creator for His Creation. This is the name used in Quran for Muslims to call themselves as followers of "Islam". This would make them "Islam-ers" in English, but of course in Arabic the prefix "mu" is added to denote the one preforming the action or verb and instead it becomes "mu"-"islam" or "Muslim." "Islam" can be understood in a very general sense to be the true religion of God, as it is from Him and according to His commandments without adding to or taking away from the basic precepts. ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- Beliefs in Islam * Pillars of Faith (6 Beliefs of the Muslim) 1. Allah (The One Almighty God of all) 2. Angels (made from light) 3. Books (all revealed scriptures are from Allah) 4. Prophets (messengers of Allah) 5. Day of Judgment of Judgment (everyone will be resurrected) 6. Predestination (Divine Decree of Allah) Every Muslim is required to believe in all six (6) of the above to be considered as a true Muslim. ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- Main Pillars of Islam Shahadah (Testimony of Faith) The first pillar of Islam is to believe and declare the faith by saying the Shahadah (lit. 'witness'), known as the Kalimah. Salah (Daily Ritual Prayers) Prayer (Salah), in the sense of worship, is the second pillar of Islam. Prayer is obligatory and must be performed five times a day. These five times are dawn (Fajr), immediately after noon (Dhuhr), mid-afternoon ('Asr), sunset (Maghrib), and early night (Isha'). Sawm (Fasting the Month of Ramadhan) The fourth pillar of Islam is fasting. Allah prescribes daily fasting for all able, adult Muslims during the whole of the month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the lunar calendar, beginning with the sighting of the new moon. Zakah (Alms Tax for Poor) The third pillar of Islam is the alms-tax (Zakah). The word in Arabic implies "purification" and it is understood to mean that a person "purifies" his holdings of wealth from greed and stinginess. Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca) The fifth pillar of Islam is to make a pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah, in Saudi Arabia, at least once in one's lifetime. This pillar is obligatory for every Muslim, male or female, provided that he/she is physically and financially able to do so.

Q: What are the rules for the muslim religion ?
Im thinking about becoming a muslim. what are the rules of the Muslim. what are the rules for women. Do i really have to marry someone twice my age without having one date? Also, is there an afterlife, if not then why should i even care about following any religion

A: Peace be with you. First of all some of these answers above are incorrect. For example, sharing a husband????? What????? Islam does not allow that!!!!!!! No you don't have to marry someone twice as old as you are. You can marry someone your age or even younger if you want to. Yes there is an afterlife and if you do good in this life (examples: believe that there is no God but Allah and Muhammed peace be with him is his prophet and messenger, pray, give zakah or charity, fasting and you get the point) you go to jennah or heaven. May Allah make you one of those who go to heaven. As for the rules it is kind of long to type them. I suggest you read about Islam from a Muslims point of View. Below are sources you can learn about Islam: http://www.islamfortoday.com/women.htm http://www.islam.com/introislam.htm http://www.islamicity.com/ May Allah Guide you to the truth.

Q: If a westerner visits Saudi Arabia do they have to comply with all the laws and follow the Muslim religion?
It's confusing because I read you can go and continue as you do in the west providing it's in the Western compounds they have there. Then I read that if you don't comply with the Muslim religion everywhere you get deported back to your country of origion. Say for example when everything closes for prayer several times a day would we have to comply with that and pray? Or is it just things like no alcohol etc?

A: there are plenty of diverce peoples and cultures coming in and working in SaudiArabia Aramco for one is the largest employer of outside people. especially westerners What you can and cannot do is limited somewhat inside your compound.. Aramco is the most open minded.. There still isnt any alcohol or pork or pornography or hanky panky inside.. but you can socialize, swim, go to the cinemas, bowling, walk around freely, sports. but you still have to respect the fact that the owners and managers and majority of workers and employees are muslims and respect the sensativity of the country you have been invited to. its like going to someones home. you respect the wishes of the host. right? so you would here too. and yes, in Saudi stores and places close for prayer time. 5 times a day.. (for about 30min) if you are not a muslim, you just drive back home, or mingle about in front of the shop or just go hang out at the mall, or walk along the street sidewalk till it opens back up.. They wont force someone of another faith to go pray.. thats just silly. .. some of the restaurants or coffee shops. close their doors from the outside, but allow you to remain and enjoy your coffee or meal during prayer time and you just leave afterwards at your leisure.. its not that bad... note: the only time it might be a little frustrating for foreigners is during Ramadan time.. Ramadan is one of the months on the Islamic calender where all the muslims are required to fast from sunup till sunset... so most all the restaurants close and some businesses close during the day hours due to no ones getting out cause they just want to sleep and cant eat anyways.. the restaurants dont open till about 1 hour prior to sunset to sell to those that dont know how to cook and want to get food for their breakfast meal at sunset.. and most 24hour grocery stores have strict rules that no ones allowed to eat or drink, or smoke cigarettes during the day hours. So some westerners get all frustrated during this month, they cant do much then but just go home and eat during the day, but again some private compounds have their own cafeterias and they open to cater to the foreign crowd that doesnt fast...

Q: How many variations or denominations are there in the Muslim Religion?
"Christians" have several denominations that more or less believe just what the Bible says. Then there are what I see as variations, groups that have their own books/groups other thant he Bible to learn from such as the Mormans (Book of Morman and others) and the Jehovah's Witness' (WatchTower). In the Bible it says we are not to add or take away (or otherwise change) anything in the Bible. "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book." Revelation 22:18 &19 So I assume and have been learning that there are similar variations in the Muslim Religion- Can anyone explain them to me- or help me find a place to look so I can research it myself?

A: Sunni, Shiia, Sufi, and Wahabi are the most popular. Ahmadiya, Druze are less known. Nation of Islam (or 5 Percenters) is considered a branch of Islam, though most Muslims would agree that they have very little to do with being Muslim and more to do with being a political movement. I'm sure there are more smaller groups who are just beginning or don't quite have the popularity. Plus there are, I guess you could say, denominations within more denominations. For example, Sunni Muslims generally tend to follow one or more of four schools of thought (Hanafi, Maliki, Hanbali and Shafi), and the Shiaa have a few sects of their own also.

Q: What is the significance of August 22 in the muslim religion?
Apparently i didn't word my last question right. August 22nd was a date that most of the news channels were talking about last night. Apparently it is some "day of celebration" for the muslim community. Suppose to be bigger than New Years and Christmas. Fox/CNN were saying that iran's leader is "suppose" to give us an answer on the nuclear weapons on August 22, and that date is making people nervous.

A: i think i read that that was the date that muhammad supposedly flew to the farthest mosque, which in this case is supposed to be israel...this is based on half-paying attention when reading a blurb about the 8/22 idea...like they would fly nukes to israel on that date to commemorate muhammad's flight.

Q: How many people agree with what the Pope stated about the Evil in Muslim Religion?
I am conducting a poll. How many feel the Pope's word's were correct about the present evil in the Muslim religion? I am conducting a poll and would value all decent opinions!! No harsh language please...

A: The Pope quoted an old text, he made it clear that these were not his words. I have not heard the full speech that he made and until i hear it word for word feel that it is improper to judge him on a few words that have been carried by the press across the globe.

Q: What are the proud accomplishments of the Muslim religion?
Besides tolerance, women's rights, democracy and the Muslim space program. What are the great achievments of Islam?

A: Of course, none of those things you mention have anything to do with religion. You couldn't claim them for Christianity either but as achievements of the western liberal concensus which has grown up under a Christian mind-set. On the other hand, the things you mention have appeared only very recently. Women's rights? Women have had the vote in the UK for less than eighty years, a guarantee to equal pay for less than thirty years. Democracy? Well, I don't suppose there were many Christians in the Athenian Republic. And, certainly in my life time, there wasn't much democracy around in Mississippi, for example, nor in Russia, nor in fiercely Christian South Africa. And what is the Christian space programme? Certainly it couldn't have happened without algebra, - an Arabic word for an Arabic invention - like "alcohol". Distillation is also an Arabic invention and useful to things like rocket fuel. But it is strange that the Islamic world, which led the way in medicine, mathematics, astronomy, navigation and so many fields in mediaeval times, seems to have suffered such an amazing arrested development. If we could work out why, I think that would be useful for both the western and the Islamic world.

Q: What is the central theme to the muslim religion?
The Christian religion is all about forgivness. The Buddist religion is about Karma. What is the main focus of Islam?

A: No need to learn how to "LAND" the plane.

Q: some people are using the muslim religion as a smear tactic against Obama, how do you think this makes?
muslims in the US military feel? they are serving their country and someday, if they choose to run for the highest office in the land, their religion will be used against them? dayman what extremist muslims? you bashers will never stop lying James C, boy are you misinformed!

A: republicans are, after all, daft inept dunces. religion is their crutch. they use it and abuse it in every way imaginable.

Q: what is the difference between hindus and muslim religion?
or any similarities,and how many marriage, are allowed in hindu religion

A: Muslims believe in one God. hindus believe in many gods. muslims can marry four women if they can care for all of them equally hindus can only marry one woman both Islam and Hinduism teach love and tolerance. both are peaceful religions.

Q: What do people think about Muslim religion?
I would like to know, Is the Muslim religion good or bad to man kind or is it a threat to peoples lives

A: I also wanted to know, I did my research and found being a Muslim was the only fate i had left in this world. Really Muslims aren't supposed to be bad but the kindest of humans on earth. Again don't forget you got your extremists, which are making the Muslim population sad by having them do all these terrible things. Never was Islam a threat to peoples live. I felt security in the Islamic religion.

Q: How is cheating on your wife viewed in the Muslim religion?
Is it a common practice, as it seems like it can be for Christians? What would a Muslim consider to be cheating exactly?

A: Hi Angel "If you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphans, marry women of your choice, two or three or four; but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with them, then only one" (Quran 4:3). Adultery is considered a sin in all religions. The Bible decrees the death sentence for both the adulterer and the adulteress (Lev. 20:10) . Islam also equally punishes both the adulterer and the adulteress (Quran 24:2). However, the Quranic definition of adultery is very different from the Biblical definition. Adultery, according to the Quran, is the involvement of a married man or a married woman in an extramarital affair. The Bible only considers the extramarital affair of a married woman as adultery (Leviticus 20:10, Deuteronomy 22:22, Proverbs 6:20-7:27). "If a man is found sleeping with another man's wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel" (Deut. 22:22). "If a man commits adultery with another man's wife both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death" (Lev. 20:10 Lov Alf.

Q: How did early Islamic leaders come to the conclusion certain forms of art would be against Muslim religion?
Since many forms of art were banned because of the belief in the Quran, why did the government seem to think works of art would be worshiped instead of Allah?

A: You'll find many religions, not just Islam, forbids or frowns on certain forms of art and imagery. Many times its because art is viewed as an idol, and should not be valued with any degree of veneration. It's seen as a distraction from worshiping their god.

Q: Are there any religious restrictions to relationships in the muslim religion?
I am Christian, and I sort of like this girl... I don't want to start a fight, I'm just curious. Is she allowed to date other people of other religions? I just am unsure if it would be against her religion... I don't mean to offend. Please. I just would like to know...

A: My dear, you are a Christian. You should be dating a Christian girl. I understand though. I have a Muslim boyfriend. Unfortunately, we can't get married unless one of us genuinely converts, which isn't going to happen. It would be too difficult to raise children with two different religions. Our religious differences keep us apart. Muslim men are allowed to marry Jewish or Christian girls, but Muslimahs are not. In fact, she's probably not allowed to date. You really should leave that one alone. She's probably lovely, but you will find a Christian girl that is just as lovely one day. Best of luck :-)

Q: How are feet considered in Islam/Muslim religion?
pls forgive me for my ignorance but I understand feet have some 'dirty' connotation in the muslim religion, they facing the soil, etc. On the other hand, feet don't have any particular significance in other religions or cultures. There's also a debate about whether a muslim woman can show her feet in public or not. I'm just interested in knowing the opinion of cultured muslim people. Thank you for your answer

A: well -- if u would have noticed -- most muslim women will cover until their ankles while men will cover above their ankles, esp during prayer -- it is a symbol of modesty and to control over the pride and arrogance. that was the main purpose of hijab too in Islam -- MODESTY. as far as feet being dirty, i well am not sure -- but we say "Praise be to God", when we put our right feet in new home or guest or relatives place, mosque. it is supposed to bring prosperity and good will to both the guest and host. i think that is a tradition and it is practised even in Hinduism with new brides. and yes u wont see many muslims, however rich they are, crossing their feet in front of their elders -- it is a mark of respect for elders. it is a tradition rather than any rule.