Archive for the ‘Basic Beliefs’ Category:
The Day of Judgment
Everyone knows that nobody lives for ever. Everyone will die one day.
Eventually, everything will die.
The Day of Judgment is a day which will arrive when everyone and everything has perished and then brought back to life again.
It is a day which is designed to take account of everyone’s deeds.
The is why this day is known by many other names such as…
The day of standing
The day of accounting
The day of recompense
The Holy Quran mentions this day by these and many other names.
It is a day which will be extremely heavy to bear and everyone will be at their extreme limits.
There are many many warnings in the Quran regarding the impending and upcoming Day of Judgment but it’s human nature to disregard anything which one cannot see or something which is distant.
Allah has warned us many times to simply believe and do good deeds because every single insignificant thing you did will be brought before you on the Day of Judgment.
You will be presented your sins and you will be shown the good deeds which you have performed.
You will be questioned about your actions and the intentions you performed those actions with.
You will be questioned about your prayer and your wealth.
You will be questioned about your time and how you spent it.
Even your limbs will give evidence and you will have no choice but to admit to the truth.
Once Allah has proved to you your actions, the final decision is his whether you will enter paradise or burn in the fire of hell.
This world is a testing ground for us. We have been warned. We know this day is coming and we know our fate depends on what we do in this world.
Of course, if our good deeds outweigh our bad deeds, then Allah’s favour is with us, and vice versa.
The pre-requisite to even being considered for your good and bad deeds is to have faith. This is the primary factor which is required before you are even considered for paradise.
For those who never end up believing in the truth of Islam, the Quran has stated in many places the tremendous warnings and punishment for not believing.
Remaining as a disbeliever is the worst sin and will result in an everlasting life in the fire of hell.
Even though some believers may end up in hell due to their evil deeds, they will come out eventually (maybe after thousands or millions of years) and be admitted into paradise simply because of their Iymaan (faith/belief in Allah).
So, before one can even be considered for entry into paradise or relief from the fire of hell, you must have faith and believe in Allah and the other required beliefs of Islam.
The Day of Judgment is a day which is 50,000 (earth) years long. Every single person from the beginning of time until that very day, will be questioned and will be asked to give account for his/her actions.
Everyone will be brought to life from their graves or places of rest. They will rise to find the anger of Allah surrounding them.
Mountains will be flying, the sky will be cracking, the oceans will be burning, the stars will be falling and people will be wandering as if they are in a drunken state. They will not be drunk.
They will be wondering around in a state of shock.
The horrors of the day are enough to make a young child gray haired instantly.
Imagine which position you and I will be at on that day! Are you ready?
Have you prepared for that day? Have you prepared for the questioning and accounting?
There is so much more to the Day of Judgment which I cannot even begin to cover in this short overview. To learn more, you are encouraged to read the Holy Quran. It is a starting point for learning about the Day of Judgment, Paradise and the Fire of Hell.
May Allah grant us paradise and save us from the fire of hell – Ameen.
Since every person will either be admitted into Paradise or the Fire of Hell, we will discuss these next. First we will discuss the Fire of Hell and then we will discuss Paradise.
The Fire of Hell >>
Angels
Angels are a form of Allah’s creation just like humans, animals and jinn.
They listen and obey Allah’s command without question.
They are always ready to proceed with Allah order. Their entire purpose is to serve Allah.
There are trillions and trillions of angels who are in total service to Allah.
In the heaven’s above us, there is a ka’ba (a cube shaped building) and 70,000 angels circumambulate this building every single day. No angel is able to take another turn because of the sheer numbers.
This has been going on since the beginning of time and will continue until this world ends.
This gives us an idea to the number of angels in existence.
Angels are made from light and can appear before humans in any form or remain completely invisible to the naked eye.
They can span their wings from the east to the west or remain within the size constraints of a human.
The 4 most famous angels are:
Gibraeel – The angel who brought news and revelation to prophets.
Mikaeel – The angel who controls rainfall, crops etc…
Israafeel – The angel who is waiting for Allah’s command to blow the trumpet which will cause this world to come to an end.
Izrael – The angel who is responsible for taking life (angel of death).
Each human has 2 angels sitting on his/her shoulders. One on the right shoulder and one on the left shoulder.
The angel on the right shoulder records all the good deeds which the person performs while the angel on the left shoulder records all the bad deeds which that person performs.
All of these deeds will be presented before the person on the day of judgment.
Since everything revolves around the Day of Judgment, we will discuss this next.
The Day of Judgment >>
The Way of the Prophet
The things the prophet did, the actions he performed, the way he performed an action, his habits and manners all come under the heading of “Sunnah” which means the way of the prophet or the traditions of the prophet.
Every regular action the prophet performed was recorded to the smallest detail. His life was an open book for humanity to study and learn from. His life was an example for us to follow.
Muslims receive great reward in the courts of Allah when they emulate the way of the prophet.
For example, the prophet always started an action with the following words “In the name of Allah, the most Gracious, the most Compassionate“.
Whether he ate, wore clothes, started any work, he would always say these words. So by him saying these words, it has automatically become a tradition (way of the prophet).
Now, Muslims across the world say these exact same words before performing any significant action. It emulates the prophet and the person who follows the sunnah receives great reward.
This is just one example of a sunnah. There are hundreds of examples which we can follow to become better Muslims.
Remember, a true Muslim loves the prophet more than his/her parents and more than him/herself. It’s hard not to love the prophet after studying his life and the favours he has done for humanity.
After realizing this, is it any wonder why a Muslim would not want to follow the way of the prophet, especially if it brings great reward and gains Allah’s pleasure?
Once you become a Muslim, you will invariably understand the importance given to the sayings and the sunnah of the prophet (Muhammad (pbuh)).
May Allah make us all follow in the footsteps of the greatest human being to have ever walked on the face of this earth.
Believing in the Angels is also a requirement for being a Muslim. We will discuss this next…
Angels >>
Ahaadeeth
Ahaadeeth is the plural of Hadeeth. A Hadeeth is a saying of the prophet (Muhammad (pbuh)).
For example, here is a simple hadeeth with a clear meaning.
None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.
Since the messenger of Allah did not know how to read or write, the companions who were close to him recorded almost everything he said and did during his life as a prophet and a messenger.
Sometimes, the actions of the prophet are included in the ahaadeeth but generally, the actions of the prophet are termed “Sunnah” (the traditions of the prophet).
There are thousands upon thousands of ahaadeeth recorded and there are volumes of books containing the sayings of the prophet of Allah. The most famous of these books is names “Sahih al Bukhari” since it was compiled by a pious man named Bukhar.
Generally, when a hadeeth is quoted, it includes the narration and the chain of narration all the way back to the prophet (pbuh).
Here is an example of a chain…
Malik, who narrated from Nafi’, who narrated from ibn Umar, who narrated from Muhammad (pbuh).
All the people recorded in the chain of narration had to have been extremely trustworthy and reliable.
Muslims use the ahaadeeth as the secondary source of guidance after the Holy Quran.
Generally, you will find deeper explanations of the Quranic verses within the ahaadeeth.
The ahaadeeth of the prophet covers almost every aspect of life, hence which is why Islam is a complete way of life rather than just a religion.
Muslims abide by the teachings contained within the ahaadeeth every day of their lives. The ahaadeeth is integral to the benefit of mankind.
Whenever one needs guidance, first he refers to the Quran and if he does not find it there (or needs further elaboration), then he refers to the ahaadeeth.
The sunnah (the actions (traditions) of the prophet go hand in hand with the ahaadeeth and so we will discuss this next.
The Way of the Prophet >>
The Holy Quran
The Holy Quran is the word of Allah. It is the book of guidance for mankind.
It is a book which was revealed in stages over a period of 23 years, by Allah to his messenger, Muhammad (pbuh) via the angel Gibraeel (Gabriel).
The Holy Quran is a miracle in itself. The fact that it was relayed to us via an illiterate man (Muhammad (pbuh)) in the deserts of Arabia, some 1430 years ago, revealing things about the past and things unknown, is something to think about closely.
Most of the Quran relays stories about the prophets that came before and their struggle to teach Islam to the people.
The other parts of the Quran give us guidance and rules which we need to abide by.
Many times, the Quran does not go into detail about various rules or commands. These commands are further expanded upon in the ahaadeeth (sayings of the Holy Prophet).
There is no book in existence like the Holy Quran. It’s eloquence and deep meaning convey a truly wonderful experience for the reader.
Although the Quran was revealed in the Arabic language, it has been translated into many different languages for the benefit of mankind.
If you are thinking of Islam with an open heart and mind, you MUST read the Quran.
It is a book which words cannot describe. Only by reading it will you gain an understanding of its magnificence and you will realize that no man could have written this. It is truly the word of God.
Thousands upon thousands have converted to Islam after reading the Quran. It is no ordinary book. You will actually be reading the words of Allah himself.
You will not find any changes in the Quran since the day it was revealed. Man has no say in the words of the Quran. It will remain as it is, in its perfect form, until the day of judgment.
The Quran can never be changed. It is safe guarded by Allah himself (as mentioned in the Quran).
The entire Quran (over 800 pages) is preserved in the hearts of thousands of Muslims across the world.
The message of the Quran is clear. The warnings for disbelief are within it and the rewards for belief and good deeds are also mentioned .
One cannot help but wonder why people disbelieve after reading the words of Allah. It gives clear signs and I personally find it incredulous that some people (with closed minds and hearts) still refuse to believe after reading the truth and realizing that its is indeed the truth.
In the Quran, you will find verses which rebuke the holy Prophet for certain actions. If this was a book from Muhammad (pbuh) himself, these verses would not have been mentioned. However, Muhammad (pbuh) was a messenger and he conveyed every single verse to the world.
When reading the Quran, you will come across some verses which you may not understand as these were referring to certain events which occurred during the life of the prophet. These verses will become clear after you study the life of the prophet.
However, the lessons are still there for us to learn from and obey.
There are also verses which were abrogated by verses which came at a later stage. These verses can be pointed out by a scholar of the Quran.
As Muhammad (pbuh) received the revelation of the Quran, he relayed it to his companions who wrote each and every word down.
Muhammad was not a learned man. He was illiterate. He didn’t know how to read or write. This is why the Holy Quran is a miracle given the context in which it was revealed.
After the death of the prophet, his third successor (Uthman) compiled the entire Quran from all the different materials it was written on so to make it easier for anyone wishing to read the Holy Quran.
There is so much in the Quran that we can talk about but that would take volumes and volumes to cover. Instead, I have focused on this brief overview.
If you wish to read the Quran, I would strongly urge you to pick up a translation of the Holy Quran from an Islamic bookshop and read it when you are not disturbed by family or friends.
It contains a serious message and it requires due attention when reading.
Although a hard copy is best, I have included a downloadable version of the Holy Quran on the sidebar of this site.
Read it when you can devote your attention to it.
Since the Quran is expanded upon by the sayings and traditions of the Holy Prophet, we will talk about the ‘Ahaadeeth’ next.
Ahaadeeth >>
Muhammad, The Prophet of Islam
I cannot even begin to do justice by talking about Muhammad on one short page.
So I will limit myself to giving just a brief overview of the Messenger of Allah.
A prophet is a person who receives divine guidance or revelation by Allah.
This revelation is brought down to the prophets through the Angel Gibraeel (Gabriel).
There were approximately 124,000 prophets sent to this world by Allah to give guidance and teach people the rules of Islam.
Adam was the first human as well as the first prophet to be sent to us.
Note: when I say “Sent”, it means they were born in this world and were then given the mantle of prophet-hood at some point in their life.
Muhammad was the last in the line of prophets and is classed as the “Seal of Prophets”. This means, he was the last person sent by Allah to give guidance to humanity.
He is also a leader of all the prophets who came before him.
When the name of Muhammad is mentioned, we always follow up by sending peace to him by saying “Peace Be Upon Him” (PBUH).
Some prophets were also given books or scriptures as a written guide for the people.
Those that came with the scripture, were “Messengers” in addition to being Prophets.
Muhammad (pbuh), is also a Messenger of Allah.
He brought us the Holy Quran, which we read to this day as was revealed to him approximately 1450 years ago.
We receive guidance from the Quran and from the sayings and traditions of the holy prophet, Muhammad (pbuh).
To you, right now, reading this text, Muhammad is just a name of a man who existed many years ago, who was possibly a good leader.
There is so much more to Muhammad (pbuh) than one can ever study in a lifetime.
He was a perfect example of what a person should endeavor to be like. He was a perfect example sent by Allah as a guidance for humanity.
Muhammad (pbuh) was sent as a leader of this world and the leader of the hereafter.
He is a mercy to mankind and there will be no one like him – ever.
Just reading the life story of the holy prophet, one cannot help feeling over-awed at the magnanimity of his teachings.
Muhammad became a prophet and messenger at the age of 40. He died at the age of 63. In 23 short years, he changed the world for the better, not politically, but spiritually and religiously.
Everything he taught was directly from Allah (through the angel Gibraeel) and that is why we believe so strongly in the teachings of Islam.
We have the source and the messenger for guidance. We hold on tight so we don’t lose our way (in this temporary world).
A true Muslim loves the prophet of Allah more than his own parents and more than him/herself. This is how much we love and respect the leader of the two worlds.
Every Muslim should aspire to imitate his way of life. There is great reward in simply copying the way of the prophet. His life was a perfect example to guide us.
A person can see Muhammad (pbuh) through different angles and each angle is perfect in its own right.
For example, if a person wanted to know about Muhammad as a family man, he would find the best qualities and dealings as a family man.
If a person wanted to learn about Muhammad as a political man, he would find the greatest justice and rules as a political man (even though he was not a politician).
If a person wanted to learn about Muhammad as a military leader, he would find the way Muhammad commanded an army of believers in fighting those that tried to crush them.
If a person wanted to learn about Muhammad as a social man, he would find the the ideal manners and methods of dealing within the example of the holy prophet.
If a person wanted to learn about Muhammad as a religious man, he would find the greatest devotee and worshiper in the example of Muhammad (pbuh).
Whichever aspect of his life you investigate, you will find nothing but good.
To this day, true Muslims aspire to follow in the footsteps of Muhammad (pbuh) and his companions, who were rightly guided by the prophet himself.
We, as Muslims, have an extremely high regard for the prophet of Islam. We aim to love him more than anything or anyone else.
This is why, you will find that Muslims become easily offended if a word is said out of place with regards to the prophet.
Muhammad was sent as Mercy to this world and it is our duty to read about his life and implement his ways into our own life.
May Allah send his blessings upon the holy Prophet, Muhammad (pbuh).
To learn more about Muhammad, pick up a book of his life story and be prepared to read about someone like you’ve never experienced before.
Since Muhammad had the Holy Quran Revealed to him, we shall talk about the Quran in the next section.
The Holy Quran >>
The Essence of Belief
Islam is not just a religion. Islam is a complete way of life.
Islam advises on almost every aspect of life. It teaches how one should conduct oneself and how one should treat others.
When you investigate Islam, you will discover the qualities and attributes required of a Muslim.
For example, Morality, Honesty, Kindness, Politeness, Truthfulness, Trustworthiness and the list goes on…
A Muslim is one from whose hands and mouth, others stay safe.
The real purpose of this section is to relay a very special and crucial point.
You already know that Allah created us and is the master over everything that exists or doesn’t exist.
We are his slaves and we are commanded to listen and obey.
This means that we MUST do whatever is asked from us, whether it makes sense to us or not.
This notion may be foreign for some people, especially people who don’t like being in a subservient position.
The idea of obeying commands blindly doesn’t sit well for some. They must have a reason for performing any action.
Let us take the analogy of your miniature creation again.
Let’s say you created a city of small people and they know and acknowledge you as their creator.
However, you didn’t teach them about fire and yet you created a fire near them and asked them not to touch the fire.
Your creation was susceptible to curiosity and they went and touched or jumped into the fire.
You didn’t give them the knowledge of fire and you warned them not to go near the fire. Yet, they disobeyed your command and burnt themselves.
In the same way, the creator of the heavens and the earth, the lord of all the worlds, has asked us to obey his commands.
Whatever the commands are, we are instructed to obey for our own sake, even though we may not know the reason behind it.
Allah, in his infinite wisdom has revealed the reasons for many things to us and at the same time has not revealed the reason for many things.
Our duty as Muslims is to listen and obey, no matter what the command is. We do not need to have a reason to obey the command of Allah.
We submit to the will of our lord and obey without question.
This is literally what Islam means – To Submit to the will of Allah.
There are many things which are beyond our limited comprehension and because of our thirst for reasons, we generally don’t obey until we have a solid reason for the action.
This is the wrong way of thinking when you are dealing with your creator.
The right way of thinking is: Allah says – We do.
The entire purpose of us being here on this earth is to submit to the will of Allah in Islam. If we don’t obey our lord, we will inevitably draw the wrath of Allah and will be building a life of severe torment for ourselves in the hereafter.
At times, the actions demanded of us may seem hard and we may not want to get involved, but this is the real test – will you do it or wont you? This is the exam of this world.
Will you obey or will you disobey (with weakness)?
Will you pass or will you fail?
Will you spend all your life in pursuit of money or love or something else, or will you also spend your time gaining the pleasure of Allah?
My dear friend, this world is limited. The life after death (hereafter) is for eternity. Don’t fail the exam in this world because the consequences of failure are extremely dangerous in the hereafter.
At the same time, we perform the actions in exactly the same way as relayed to us by the holy prophet of Allah.
If we try and change or adapt the commands of Allah for the 21st century, then they wouldn’t be the commands of Allah anymore. You would be following your own desire made from your own interpretations.
Who are we to change the rules and commands of Allah to suit current times?
What right do we have to interfere with the teachings of the prophet?
To change the commands of Allah or to give it a meaning which would suit our own causes, is a sure way to bring about the wrath of Allah.
This is not the way we have been instructed to do things.
In the Quran, Allah says:
“And it may be that you dislike a thing while it is good for you, and it may be that you love a thing while it is evil for you, and Allah knows while you do not know…”
Don’t you think that if Allah wanted us to have different commands for differing centuries, he would have relayed that to us through the message of the prophet?
The prophet has given us instructions as to what must be done in certain situations and has given us the knowledge of jurisprudence. This means that we can see if our current actions are permissible within the confines of the law – Allah’s Law.
But this does not give us the right to change the laws of Islam just because we think it needs an update. Who are we to even think about updating the laws of Allah.
Who are we to interfere with the laws of Allah?
Are you prepared to stand in front of Allah on the day of judgment and explain why you tampered with the laws which govern humanity?
Of course not. So we don’t change or we don’t listen to people who like to change the laws of Allah in order to suit them for the 21st century.
The main purpose of this section is to instill within you the belief of: Listen and Obey.
We do it without a reason. If a reason is given, all well and good. If not, we still obey the commands of Allah, no matter how easy or hard they may seem.
So in the coming pages (or anywhere on the net), you may read about rules and regulations within Islam. Keep the above in mind when you do.
This is the essence of belief.
Next, we’ll talk about the prophet of Islam – Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Muhammad, The Prophet of Islam >>
Allah
Allah – all praise and glory be to him.
Allah is the correct name for whom most people refer to as God.
Muslims understand the true meaning of God (Allah) better than anyone else. In Islam, the entity has a far deeper and wider meaning than what most people currently understand.
Allah is the supreme being which no human mind can imagine. He is beyond imagination and no matter what picture you give to Allah in your mind, it won’t even be close.
His magnificence and glory has no bounds and he has existed forever and will remain forever. Allah has no beginning and no end and yet this fact alone is too difficult to fathom for most people.
Allah created this world, the planets, sun, moon, stars and the entire universe. He is the one and only and nothing compares to him – all praise be to him.
Now imagine this…
If you somehow created an entire city of small miniature people within a large cardboard box and then created a city for them and facilities for them, all within the same cardboard box and you gave them with the ability to speak and understand and then you asked to listen and obey your commands at all times, wouldn’t you expect them to be eternally grateful to you for giving them life and amenities?
You would expect them to jump to each and every word you say. After all, you created them and you deserve whatever you ask from them.
Now imagine some of them started speaking against you and started becoming insubordinate. They have absolutely no power over you and you can crush them with your thumb if you wanted to.
Yet, they have the audacity to be rude and disobedient to you after all the favors you granted them.
How would you feel?
Would you crush those rebellious ones with your thumb and just create new ones? Would you teach them a lesson for not obeying your commands? I mean, how dare they even utter a single word of contempt against their creator. It just defies belief.
Let’s say you warned one of them to stay away from a certain road within the city you built. If he were to disobey your command, you would inflict severe punishment on him.
Yet, after a few days of curiosity getting the better of him, he disobeys your command.
How angry would you become? Wouldn’t you just create a tidal wave on him just to teach the others a lesson?
On the other hand, what if you found some of them listening attentively to every command you gave and you watched them carry out the order right away. They hang on to your every word and are always seeking your pleasure.
Wouldn’t you be pleased with this group?
In the same way, how do you expect Allah to deal with us when we disobey his commands.
After all, he created us just like you created your miniature creation.
He expects from us just like you would expect from your creation.
When we disobey his commands, he becomes displeased just as you would with your creation.
When you listen to Allah’s commands, he becomes pleased with his slave in the same way you would become pleased with your creation.
Allah has promised us extreme pleasure if we are believers (in Islam) and we listen and obey his commands.
The pleasure he mentions is also beyond comprehension and imagination.
A human can imagine a lot. I mean, just think about it and think about getting whatever you want and take it as far as your imagination can take you. Yet, what Allah promises, is beyond your furthest imagination.
Allah Promises Paradise.
Although you hear the word being flung about everywhere with a very cliche’ meaning in comparison to the real thing, the fact is that paradise does exist and it is beyond everyone’s imagination. You can read about the wonders of paradise within the holy Quran.
Likewise, Allah has also promised the worst torment for anyone who does not submit to his commands. His commands are found in the Quran and in the words of the holy prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon hm).
This punishment is extremely severe and there are many warnings for not accepting Allah’s commands. One of the punishments promised to the people who disobey Allah is the fire of hell.
Again, the word hell is such a cliche but the reality is not even close to what you can think off. Just reading about it in the Quran is enough to draw people back to the right path.
This world is a test for us by Allah. If we obey and gain his pleasure, we will be highly rewarded. If we disobey and draw his wrath, we will suffer in the hereafter.
We, as Allah’s creation, are his slaves. Whatever he has commanded us to do, we MUST do. If you disobey his commands, you will be like your own miniature creation disobeying the master and bringing down his anger upon yourself.
Dear friend, this world is a test.
Why not prepare for the real reward instead of continuing to look for riches in this world. Spend some time and think about what will happen in the everlasting life of the hereafter.
Allah is our lord and to him do we submit. Allah has many many qualities/attributes and therefore he has many names.
Here are Allah’s names…
1. Allah
* Allah, He who has the Godhood which is the power to create the entities.
2. Ar-Rahmaan
* The Compassionate, The Beneficient, The One who has plenty of mercy for the believers and the blasphemers in this world and especially for the believers in the hereafter.
3. Ar-Raheem
* The Merciful, The One who has plenty of mercy for the believers.
4. Al-Malik
* The King, The Sovereign Lord, The One with the complete Dominion, the One Whose Dominion is clear from imperfection.
5. Al-Quddoos
* The Holy, The One who is pure from any imperfection and clear from children and adversaries.
6. As-Salaam
* The Source of Peace, The One who is free from every imperfection.
7. Al-Mu’min
* Guardian of Faith, The One who witnessed for Himself that no one is God but Him. And He witnessed for His believers that they are truthful in their belief that no one is God but Him.
8. Al-Muhaimin
* The Protector, The One who witnesses the saying and deeds of His creatures.
9. Al-^Azeez
* The Mighty, The Strong, The Defeater who is not defeated.
10. Al-Jabbaar
* The Compeller, The One that nothing happens in His Dominion except that which He willed.
11. Al-Mutakabbir
* The Majestic, The One who is clear from the attributes of the creatures and from resembling them.
12. Al-Khaaliq
* The Creator, The One who brings everything from non-existence to existence.
13. Al-Bari’
* The Evolver, The Maker, The Creator who has the Power to turn the entities.
14. Al-Musawwir
* The Fashioner, The One who forms His creatures in different pictures.
15. Al-Ghaffaar
* The Great Forgiver, The Forgiver, The One who forgives the sins of His slaves time and time again.
16. Al-Qahhaar
* The Subduer, The Dominant, The One who has the perfect Power and is not unable over anything.
17. Al-Wahhaab
* The Bestower, The One who is Generous in giving plenty without any return. He is everything that benefits whether Halal or Haram.
18. Al-Razzaaq
* The Sustainer, The Provider.
19. Al-Fattaah
* The Opener, The Reliever, The Judge, The One who opens for His slaves the closed worldy and religious matters.
20. Al-^Aleem
* The All-knowing, The Knowledgeable; The One nothing is absent from His knowledge.
21. Al-Qaabid
* The Constricter, The Retainer, The Withholder, The One who constricts the sustenance by His wisdomand expands and widens it with His Generosity and Mercy.
22. Al-Baasit
* The Expander, The Englarger, The One who constricts the sustenance by His wisdomand expands and widens it with His Generosity and Mercy.
23. Al-Khaafid
* The Abaser, The One who lowers whoever He willed by His Destruction and raises whoever He willed by His Endowment.
24. Ar-Raafi^
* The Exalter, The Elevator, The One who lowers whoever He willed by His Destruction and raises whoever He willed by His Endowment.
25. Al-Mu^iz
* The Honorer, He gives esteem to whoever He willed, hence there is no one to degrade Him; And He degrades whoever He willed, hence there is no one to give Him esteem.
26. Al-Muthil
* The Dishonorer, The Humiliator, He gives esteem to whoever He willed, hence there is no one to degrade Him; And He degrades whoever He wills, hence there is no one to give Him esteem.
27. As-Samee^
* The All-Hearing, The Hearer, The One who Hears all things that are heard by His Eternal Hearing without an ear, instrument or organ.
28. Al-Baseer
* The All-Seeing, The One who Sees all things that are seen by His Eternal Seeing without a pupil or any other instrument.
29. Al-Hakam
* The Judge, He is the Ruler and His judgment is His Word.
30. Al-^Adl
* The Just, The One who is entitled to do what He does.
31. Al-Lateef
* The Subtle One, The Gracious, The One who is kind to His slaves and endows upon them.
32. Al-Khabeer
* The Aware, The One who knows the truth of things.
33. Al-Haleem
* The Forebearing, The Clement, The One who delays the punishment for those who deserve it and then He might forgive them.
34. Al-^Azeem
* The Great One, The Mighty, The One deserving the attributes of Exaltment, Glory, Extolement,and Purity from all imperfection.
35. Al-Ghafoor
* The All-Forgiving, The Forgiving, The One who forgives a lot.
36. Ash-Shakoor
* The Grateful, The Appreciative, The One who gives a lot of reward for a little obedience.
37. Al-^Aliyy
* The Most High, The Sublime, The One who is clear from the attributes of the creatures.
38. Al-Kabeer
* The Most Great, The Great, The One who is greater than everything in status.
39. Al-Hafeez
* The Preserver, The Protector, The One who protects whatever and whoever He willed to protect.
40. Al-Muqeet
* The Maintainer, The Guardian, The Feeder, The Sustainer, The One who has the Power.
41. Al-Haseeb
* The Reckoner, The One who gives the satisfaction.
42. Aj-Jaleel
* The Sublime One, The Beneficent, The One who is attributed with greatness of Power and Glory of status.
43. Al-Kareem
* The Generous One, The Bountiful, The Gracious, The One who is attributed with greatness of Power and Glory of status.
44. Ar-Raqeeb
* The Watcher, The Watchful, The One that nothing is absent from Him. Hence it’s meaning is related to the attribute of Knowledge.
45. Al-Mujeeb
* The Responsive, The Hearkener, The One who answers the one in need if he asks Him and rescues the yearner if he calls upon Him.
46. Al-Wasi^
* The Vast, The All-Embracing, The Knowledgeable.
47. Al-Hakeem
* The Wise, The Judge of Judges, The One who is correct in His doings.
48. Al-Wadood
* The Loving, The One who loves His believing slaves and His believing slaves love Him. His love to His slaves is His Will to be merciful to them and praise them:Hence it’s meaning is related to the attributes of the Will and Kalam (His attribute with which He orders and forbids and spoke to Muhammad and Musa -peace be upon them- . It is not a sound nor a language nor a letter.).
49. Al-Majeed
* The Most Glorious One, The Glorious, The One who is with perfect Power, High Status, Compassion, Generosity and Kindness.
50. Al-Ba^ith
* The Reserrector, The Raiser (from death), The One who resurrects His slaves after death for reward and/or punishment.
51. Ash-Shaheed
* The Witness, The One who nothing is absent from Him.
52. Al-Haqq
* The Truth, The True, The One who truly exists.
53. Al-Wakeel
* The Trustee, The One who gives the satisfaction and is relied upon.
54. Al-Qawiyy
* The Most Strong, The Strong, The One with the complete Power.
55. Al-Mateen
* The Firm One, The One with extreme Power which is un-interrupted and He does not get tired.
56. Al-Waliyy
* The Protecting Friend, The Supporter.
57. Al-Hameed
* The Praiseworthy, The praised One who deserves to be praised.
58. Al-Muhsee
* The Counter, The Reckoner, The One who the count of things are known to him.
59. Al-Mubdi’
* The Originator, The One who started the human being. That is, He created him.
60. Al-Mu^eed
* The Reproducer, The One who brings back the creatures after death.
61. Al-Muhyi
* The Restorer, The Giver of Life, The One who took out a living human from semen that does not have a soul. He gives life by giving the souls back to the worn out bodies on the resurrection day and He makes the hearts alive by the light of knowledge.
62. Al-Mumeet
* The Creator of Death, The Destroyer, The One who renders the living dead.
63. Al-Hayy
* The Alive, The One attributed with a life that is unlike our life and is not that of a combination of soul, flesh or blood.
64. Al-Qayyoom
* The Self-Subsisting, The One who remains and does not end.
65. Al-Waajid
* The Perceiver, The Finder, The Rich who is never poor. Al-Wajd is Richness.
66. Al-Waahid
* The Unique, The One, The One without a partner.
67. Al-Ahad
* The One.
68. As-Samad
* The Eternal, The Independent, The Master who is relied upon in matters and reverted to in ones needs.
69. Al-Qaadir
* The Able, The Capable, The One attributed with Power.
70. Al-Muqtadir
* The Powerful, The Dominant, The One with the perfect Power that nothing is withheld from Him.
71. Al-Muqaddim
* The Expediter, The Promoter, The One who puts things in their right places. He makes ahead what He wills and delays what He wills.
72. Al-Mu’akh-khir
* The Delayer, the Retarder, The One who puts things in their right places. He makes ahead what He wills and delays what He wills.
73. Al-‘Awwal
* The First, The One whose Existence is without a beginning.
74. Al-‘Akhir
* The Last, The One whose Existence is without an end.
75. Az-Zaahir
* The Manifest, The One that nothing is above Him and nothing is underneath Him, hence He exists without a place. He, The Exalted, His Existence is obvious by proofs and He is clear from the delusions of attributes of bodies.
76. Al-Baatin
* The Hidden, The One that nothing is above Him and nothing is underneath Him, hence He exists without a place. He, The Exalted, His Existence is obvious by proofs and He is clear from the delusions of attributes of bodies.
77. Al-Walee
* The Governor, The One who owns things and manages them.
78. Al-Muta^ali
* The Most Exalted, The High Exalted, The One who is clear from the attributes of the creation.
79. Al-Barr
* The Source of All Goodness, The Righteous, The One who is kind to His creatures, who covered them with His sustenance and specified whoever He willed among them by His support, protection, and special mercy.
80. At-Tawwaab
* The Acceptor of Repentance, The Relenting, The One who grants repentance to whoever He willed among His creatures and accepts his repentance.
81. Al-Muntaqim
* The Avenger, The One who victoriously prevails over His enemies and punishes them for their sins. It may mean the One who destroys them.
82. Al-^Afuww
* The Pardoner, The Forgiver, The One with wide forgiveness.
83. Ar-Ra’uf
* The Compassionate, The One with extreme Mercy. The Mercy of Allah is His will to endow upon whoever He willed among His creatures.
84. Malik Al-Mulk
* The Eternal Owner of Sovereignty, The One who controls the Dominion and gives dominion to whoever He willed.
85. Thul-Jalali wal-Ikram
* The Lord of Majesty and Bounty, The One who deserves to be Exalted and not denied.
86. Al-Muqsit
* The Equitable, The One who is Just in His judgment.
87. Aj-Jaami^
* The Gatherer, The One who gathers the creatures on a day that there is no doubt about, that is the Day of Judgment.
88. Al-Ghaniyy
* The Self-Sufficient, The One who does not need the creation.
89. Al-Mughni
* The Enricher, The One who satisfies the necessities of the creatures.
90. Al-Maani^
* The Preventer, The Withholder.
91. Ad-Daarr
* The Distresser, The One who makes harm reach to whoever He willed and benefit to whoever He willed.
92. An-Nafi^
* The Propitious, The One who makes harm reach to whoever He willed and benefit to whoever He willed.
93. An-Noor
* The Light, The One who guides.
94. Al-Haadi
* The Guide, The One whom with His Guidance His belivers were guided, and with His Guidance the living beings have been guided to what is beneficial for them and protected from what is harmful to them.
95. Al-Badi^
* The Incomparable, The One who created the creation and formed it without any preceding example.
96. Al-Baaqi
* The Everlasting, The One that the state of non-existence is impossible for Him.
97. Al-Waarith
* The Supreme Inheritor, The Heir, The One whose Existence remains.
98. Ar-Rasheed
* The Guide to the Right Path, The One who guides.
99. As-Saboor
* The Patient, The One who does not quickly punish the sinners.
“…There is nothing whatever like unto Him, and He is the One that hears and sees (all things)” Qur’an [42:11]
Why do we believe in Islam so strongly? Why are muslims stringent on the teachings of Islam.
Read the next section on “The Essence of Belief”.
The Essence of Belief >>
5 Pillars of Islam
For a building to hold, it is generally supported by pillars.
Similarly, the core of Islam is built on 5 pillars.
Without these pillars, a Muslim’s faith is not complete.
These 5 pillars are:
- Faith
- Prayer
- Fasting
- Charity
- Pilgrimage
Faith
The word for faith in Arabic is “Iymaan”.
Iymaan is a pre-requisite to all actions and beliefs. If a person does not have Iymaan, all other deeds are void. This is the primary and most basic of all items.
This item is a MUST. One cannot be a Muslim without belief (faith) in all the required articles (as we discussed on the “Islam’s Basics 101” page).
Without Iymaan (faith), the other pillars cannot hold and therefore, this is the most important and a required pillar of Islam.
Prayer
Muslims have been commanded by Allah to pray 5 times every single day.
After all, the purpose of our creation is stated in the Quran…
“I have not created Man and Jinn but to worship me”
In other words, the purpose of Allah creating all of us, is to worship him and no one else.
Therefore, prayer is the 2nd most important pillar in Islam.
In fact, it is so important, it will be the first item which we will be asked about on the Day of Judgment (to be discussed later).
The Arabic word for Prayer is “Salah”.
Muslims worship Allah 5 times every single day from before sunrise until after dusk.
Fasting
Fasting is a very virtuous act and the rewards are great.
The compulsory fasts are kept during the Islamic month of Ramadhan.
Fasting outside of this month is optional.
When fasting, a Muslim does not eat or drink anything from pre-dawn until sunset.
When a person is fasting, he also abstains from futile actions. Instead, he spends most of his time in the remembrance and worship of Allah.
The Arabic term for fasting is “Saum”.
Charity
Islam commands every muslim (who has the means and who qualifies), to give 2.5% of his wealth to the poor and the needy on an annual basis.
Of course, if the muslim is poor himself, then he is absolved of his duty.
However, giving charity according to the rules and as commanded by Islam, serves to not only help the helpless, but also purifies one’s wealth. It gives a person blessings within his own wealth and actually increases his sustenance.
There are lots of rewards and virtues for charity as related by the prophet.
The Arabic term for charity is “Zakah”.
Pilgrimage
The holiest place on the face of this earth is the Ka’ba, which is a cube shaped structure, located in Makkah, Saudia Arabia.
(We will talk about the only places and their significances in a different section).
It is incumbent upon every muslim to at least visit the holy ka’ba and perform the rituals of pilgrimage.
However, it is only compulsory to perform the pilgrimage if one has sufficient means to do so.
If one is unable to perform the pilgrimage due to a lack of money or resources, then he/she is excused.
The pilgrimage to Makkah involves performing many acts and rituals as demonstrated by our beloved prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
The pilgrimage is an experience which one will find extremely spiritual and exhilarating. Muslims who perform the pilgrimage have the opportunity to receive its rewards and immense blessings.
In Arabic, this pilgrimage is called “Haj”.
Before you continue learning the basics of Islam, it’s important to know what we understand and comprehend regarding Allah.
To this end, please read the section on Allah from the link below…
Allah >>
Basics of Islam 101
Islam literally means “peace” and/or “submission” (submission to the will of God).
One who belongs to the religion of Islam is called a “Muslim”.
Muslims use the word “Allah” to refer to God.
Allah sent many messengers into this world to teach Islam to the people. These messengers are called “Prophets”.
You may have heard of some of them already.
The first man on the face of this earth was also a prophet – Adam.
Some of the others you may have heard of:
The final prophet to bring us the message and complete the teachings of Islam is named “Muhammad”.
Muhammad was the greatest of all messengers. He received revelation from Allah which he relayed to the people.
The revelation is still with us to this day and will remain until the last day. The revelation is what we know as the holy “Quran”.
Although the Quran was revealed in Arabic, you can pick up a Quran from almost anywhere today and read its translation in English.
Muslims believe in one absolute statement:
“There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his servant and messenger”.
Without believing in this statement, one cannot have faith. If one does not have faith, he/she cannot be a Muslim.
To be a Muslim, you must believe and have faith in several entities…
- Allah
- His Angels
- His Books
- His Messengers
- The Day of Judgment
- Destiny – good and bad is from Allah
- Resurrection after death
Without firm belief in any of these articles, one cannot be a Muslim.
Islam asks for 5 things from you. Read on to discover the 5 pillars of Islam.
