Questions & Answers, about Islam.

NOTE: A question will be addressed as "Q" and the answer as "A" only.

These Q & A were taken from the book "Dini Taleem"

By: Maulana Ashaaf Ali Thanvi.

Edited by: Saeed International (Regd.)

Q. What is Islam?

A. Islam means complete submission and obedience of men to Allah.

Q. What are the followers of Islam called?

A. Muslims.

Q. Why the followers of Islam are called Muslims?

A. Because we have surrender and submitted before Allah and we worship HIM alone and no one else.

Q. Is Islam confined to any race, clan, or nation?

A. No, Islam is not confined to any clan, race or nation. It is a universal religion, for the whole mankind and entire world. One who follows the principles and fundamentals of Islam, is a Muslim, whatever race, clan or nation that he belongs to.

Q. What are the teachings of Islam?

A. Islam teaches that Allah is one. He alone is the real Deity and no one else other than HIM is worthy of worship, HE alone is the creator, Master, Ruler and Administrator of all that exist. It also teaches that prophethood ended and that Prophet Muhammad (sallallaho aleihi wasalaam = Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) is the servant and last messanger of Allah.

Q. What are the fundamentals of Islam?

A. The fundamentals are known as Pillars and they are five:

1.  The shahadah / To bear witness.

2.  Salah / Prayers

3.  Zakat / Charity.

4.  Sawn / Fasting.

5.  Hajj / Pilgrimage (to Ka'bah).

Q. What is Salah?

A. Salah is the prayer and there are five prayers that have to be followed everyday

a.  Fajr

b.  Zuhur

c.  Asar

d.  Maghrib

e.  Isha

Q. Can anyone be a Muslim?

A. Of course, anyone can be a Muslim, as long as you bear witness and have at least 3 witness so they know you have said the shahadah, but bearing witness has to be done with the heart.

Q. What is Shahadah?

A. Is to bear witness: ash hadu an la illaha ila allah wa ash hadu anna Muhammad ar Rasulullah.

I bear witness that there is no god except Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is HIS messenger.

Q. Do Muslims worship any body else besides Allah?

A. Astaghfir Allah, (May Allah forgive us). No, there is no other deity except Allah, He is ONE and there is nobody else like HIM.

Q. What other beliefs are in Islam?

A. Allah, His angels, His revealed books, His prophets and the life hereafter.

Q. Why Muslims call God, Allah?

A. The word God can be changed to gods or goddess, while Allah has no plural or feminine meaning.

Q. Is Allah known by other names?

A. No, but HE has 99 attributes that we can call HIM, but this necessarily does not mean that HE has different names.

Q. What book does a Muslim believes in?

A . Muslims believes in the Holy Qur'an.

Q. So Muslims do not believe in the Bible?

A. Muslims believes that there were other books revealed to mankind before the Holy Qur'an, like the Torah or Old Testament, Zabur or Psalms and theBible, but we believe that these books have been corrupted and that is why Allah send to mankind another book to correct the previous ones, being this way that the Holy Qur'an stays in it's original transcript.

Q. To whom was it that Allah revealed the Holy Qur'an?

A. The Holy Qur'an was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) when he was praying in the cave of Mount Hira (Mecca) and the flow of Divine Revelation continued for the next 23 years.

Q. Can any man become a prophet through his own efforts, worship, adoration and obedience?

A. No, it is only Allah who decides who HE wants as a prophet, man's efforts, wish or intentions has nothing do to do with it.

Q. What are the number of prophets?

A. There have been in-numerable prophets in this world and their exact number is not known by man, only Allah knows best, but is has been reported that about 124,000 prophets have been sent in this world, since Adam (a.s.). We must believe that all the prophets sent by Allah, were true messengers whether their names are known to us or not.

Q. Will there be any other prophet after Muhammad (s.a.w.)?

A. No, there wil not be any more prophets after Muhammad (s.a.w.), because the prophethood was ended with Muhammad (s.a.w.). Prophet Muhammad said, "I am the last prophet, no prophet shall come after me, so if now or in the future anyone claims to be a prophet shall be pretender and liar".

Q. Do Mulsims fast?

A. Yes, all Muslims are required to fast during the month of Ramadhan, with exception of old and very young people, or in case of illness.

Q. What is Ramadhan?

A. Ramadhan is the holy month for fasting and it is the ninth month of the lunar calendar, all Muslims are required to fast for 30 days, until the end of the day. The fast start with the beginning of the prayer Fajr (dawn) and it ends right before Maghrib (sunset).

Q. Does Islam has an special day for gathering?

A. Yes, there is an special day for gathering, Friday at noon (zuhur prayer time) it is called jumma prayer and the sermon it is called Khutba.

Q. What is the place of worship called?

A. It is called Masjid (mosque).

Q. Does Muslims have any kind of celebration?

A. Yes, there are only two celebrations known and they are, Eidul- Fitr and Eidul-Adha.

Q. What is Hajj (pilgrimage)?

A. The pilgirmage to Ka'bah at Mecca in the month of Zilhijja is called Hajj, visits at any other times are known as Umra.

Q. Is Hajj obligatory for all Muslims?

A. Yes, Hajj is obligatory at list once in a lifetime for all Muslims who possess substantial money to spare to undertake journey to Mecca moderately and return from there after performing Hajj, although Hajj is not obligatory for elderly and ill people or people who can afford it, also if someone performed Hajj in his childhood it will not be counted.