i guess it's the time to give you some answers to know What really is Islam ?
** The word "Islam" is an Arabic word that means "submitting and surrendering your will to Almighty God". The word comes from the same root as the Arabic word "salam", which means peace. Unlike the names used for other religions, such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Christianity, the name for the religion of Islam was both revealed by God and carries a deep spritual meaning — only by submitting one’s will to Almighty God can one obtain true peace both in this life and in thelife hereafter. Islam teaches that all religions originally had the same essential message — which was to submit whole-heartedly to the will of God and to worship Him and Him alone. For this reason, Islam is not a new religion but is the same divinely revealed Ultimate Truth that God revealed to all prophets, including Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus.
** Who are Muslims?
The Arabic word "Muslim" literally means "someone who submits to the will of God". The message of Islam is meant for the entire world and anyone who accepts this message becomes a Muslim. Some people mistakenly believe that Islam is just a religion for Arabs, but nothing could be further from the truth, since in actuality over 80% of the world's Muslims are not Arabs! Even though most Arabs are Muslims, there are Arabs who are Christians, Jews and atheists. If one just takes a look at the various peoples who live in the Muslim World — from Nigeria to Bosnia and from Morocco to Indonesia — it is easy enough to see that Muslims come from all different races, ethnic groups and nationalities.
From the very beginning, Islam had a universal message for all people. This can be seen in the fact that some of the early companions of the Prophet Muhammad were not only Arabs, but also Persians, Africans and Byzantine Romans. Being a Muslim entails complete acceptance and active obedience to the revealed will of Almighty God. A Muslim is a person who freely accepts to base his beliefs, values and faith on the will of Almighty God. In the past, even though you don't see it as much today, the word "Mohammedans" was often used as a label for Muslims. This label is a misnomer and is the result of either willful distortion or sheer ignorance. One of the reasons for the misconception is that Europeans were taught for centuries that Muslims worshipped the Prophet Muhammad in the same way that Christians worship Jesus. This is absolutely not true since a Muslim is not permitted to worship anyone or anything besides Almighty God.
** What are the Teachings of Islam?
The foundation of the Islamic faith is belief in the Unity of God. This means to believe that there is only one Creator and Sustainer of everything in the Universe, and that nothing is divine or worthy of being worshipped except for Him. Truly believing in the Unity of God means much more than simply believing that there is "One God" — as opposed to two, three or four. There are a number of religions that claim belief in "One God" and believe that ultimately there is only one Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. Islam, however, not only insists on this, but also rejects using such words as "Lord" and "Savior" for anyone besides Almighty God. Islam also rejects the use of all intermediaries between God and Man, and insists that people approach God directly and reserve all worship for Him alone.
Muslims believe that Almighty God is Compassionate, Loving and Merciful. The essence of falsehood is the claim that God cannot deal with and forgive His creatures directly. By over-emphasizing the burden of sin, as well as claiming that God cannot forgive you directly, false religions seek to get people to despair of the Mercy of God. Once they are convinced that they cannot approach God directly, people can be mislead into turning to false gods for help. These "false gods" can take various forms, such as saints, angels, or someone who is believed to be the "Son of God" or "God Incarnate". In almost all cases, people who worship, pray to or seek help from a false god don’t consider it to be, or call it, a "god". They claim belief in One Supreme God, but claim that they pray to and worship others beside God only to get closer to Him. In Islam, there is a clear distinction between the Creator and the created.
There is no ambiguity in divinity — anything that is created is not deserving of worship and only the Creator is worthy of being worshipped. Some religions falsely believe that God has become part of His creation, and this has led people to believe that they can worship something created in order to reach their Creator. Muslims believe that even though God is Unique and beyond comprehension — He has no "Son", partners or associates. According to Muslim belief, Almighty God "does not beget nor was He begotten" — neither literally, allegorically, metaphorically, physically or metaphysically — He is Absolutely Unique and Eternal. He is in control of everything and is perfectly capable of bestowing His infinite Mercy and Forgiveness to whomever He chooses. That is why is called the All-Powerful and Most-Merciful. Almighty God has created the Universe for man, and as such wants the best for all human beings. Muslims see everything in the Universe as a sign of the Creatorship and Benevolence of Almighty God. Also, the belief in the Unity of God is not merely a metaphysical concept. It is a dynamic belief that effects ones view of humanity, society and all aspects of life. As a logical corollary to the Islamic belief in the Oneness of God, is its belief in the oneness of mankind and humanity.
** How Do Muslims View the Nature of Man, the Purpose of Life and the Life Hereafter?
In the Holy Qur'an, God teaches human beings that they were created in order to worship Him, and that the basis of all true worship is God-consciousness. Since the teachings of Islamic encompass all aspects of life and ethics, God-consciousness is encouraged in all human affairs. Islam makes it clear that all human acts are acts of worship if they are done for God alone and in accordance to His Divine Law.
As such, worship in Islam is not limited to religious rituals. The teachings of Islam act as a mercy and a healing for the human soul, and such qualities as humility, sincerity, patience and charity are strongly encouraged. Additionally, Islam condemns pride and self-righteousness, since Almighty God is the only judge of human righteousness. The Islamic view of the nature of man is also realistic and well-balanced. Human beings are not believed to be inherently sinful, but are seen as equally capable of both good and evil. Islam also teaches that faith and action go hand-in-hand. God has given people free-will, and the measure of one's faith is one's deeds and actions. However, human beings have also been created weak and regularly fall into sin. This is the nature of the human being as created by God in His Wisdom, and it is not inherently "corrupt" or in need of repair. This is because the avenue of repentance of always open to all human beings, and Almighty God loves the repentant sinner more than one who does not sin at all. The true balance of an Islamic life is established by having a healthy fear of God as well as a sincere belief in His infinite Mercy. A life without fear of God leads to sin and disobedience, while believing that we have sinned so much that God will not possibly forgive us only leads to despair.
In light of this, Islam teaches that: only the misguided despair of the Mercy of their Lord. Additionally, the Holy Qur'an, which was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, contains a great deal of teachings about the life hereafter and the Day of Judgment. Due to this, Muslims believe that all human beings will ultimately be judged by God for their beliefs and actions in their earthly lives. In judging human beings, Almighty God will be both Merciful and Just, and people will only be judged for what they were capable of. Suffice it to say that Islam teaches that life is a test, and that all human beings will be accountable before God. A sincere belief in the life hereafter is key to leading a well-balanced life and moral. Otherwise, life is viewed as an end in itself, which causes human beings to become more selfish, materialistic and immoral.
No, not at all. This is a complete misunderstanding.
Every chapter in the the Holy Qur'an begins with the sentence, “In the name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful”. And it is with the same formula that a Muslim should begin every activity, be it taking food, starting a business etc.
The Qur'an gives so many epithets to God, like Forgiving, Kind, Loving, Compassionate, Merciful and so on. From the Islamic point of view, God is the All Merciful Creator and Sustainer of the whole universe. Besides, He has given us His Guidance too, to lead us out of darkness into light.
** Were There Other Prophets?
Certainly,The Holy Qur'an, which is the Muslim Scripture revealed to Muhammad, the Last Prophet of God (peace be on him), clearly states that from the beginning of mankind on the face of the earth, God had been sending prophets to guide the people who lived in different lands in different periods of history.
These prophets taught their people basically the same religion; because they were teaching just those ideas and principles which they received from the One and Only God through revelation.
**What is the Muslim Belief about Other Religions?
Since all the great religions were originally taught by God's own chosen prophets, they had to be the same basic message. We do see differences, however, between them and we have to examine how this happened.
After the time of every prophet, his teachings were either forgotten or distorted. Also, as a result of the changed circumstances of later times, newer and newer interpretations were introduced into the religion and gradually the essential message was polluted.
This was the reason for the existence of a plurality of religions, in the place of the single Religion of God which all the prophets taught.
* *Has Islam Any Special Relation with Judaism and Christianity?
Judaism was originally the religion taught by Prophet Moses or Musa (peace be on him). Christianity in its origin was taught by Prophet Jesus or `Eesa (peace be on him). Muhammad (peace be upon him) was the only prophet to come after Jesus.
Chronologically as well as historically the religion closest to Islam is Christianity and then Judaism. Many of the religious concepts of these two religions bear a close resemblance to those of Islam. These three religions are called the Semitic Religions.
* *What Do Muslims Believe about Jesus?
Like Christians, Muslims believe that Jesus was born miraculously without a father. But unlike Christians, Muslims do not take him to be God or the Son of God.
Jesus was a man and a prophet. It is true that he has performed many miracles; there were others who worked miracles. But a miracle-worker does not become a God on that account, or even a prophet. Jesus said words to this effect. (See Mark 13:22: “For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect”).
The Qur'an, which is the Muslim Scripture God revealed to Muhammad (peace be on him) says, that Jesus performed many miracles by the help of God. In fact, these miracles were meant to prove to the people around him that Jesus was a Messenger of God. Jesus said so while restoring a dead man to life. (See John 11: 41-44 where Jesus says to God that he prayed to revive Lazarus in order to prove to the people that he was sent to the world by God, or in Islamic parlance that He was a Messenger of God).
Anyone who holds that Jesus is God has to explain so many categorical statements in the Gospels like these: That Jesus prayed to God; that he wept; that the first commandment is the Jewish Shema (that God is Only One) and so on and so forth,So, the Muslim belief about Jesus is well attested by the Gospels themselves.
** What is Meant by the Day of Judgement?
The Day of Judgement comes after the End of all the days here in our earthly life,
The Day of Judgement is the occasion when all the souls of all the persons who lived here are resurrected with their bodies and are gathered together for Judgement.
On that day, every soul will be given what it deserves. That is to say, all those who believed and did good deeds will enter Paradise to enjoy Eternal Bliss. Those who rejected God and His Guidance will be sent to Hell, to undergo Eternal Torment.
* *Why Should There Be a Hell?
God says in the Holy Qur'an that His Mercy transcends and outreaches all His other qualities, but at the same time He is Just.
We read in the Holy Qur'an a verse which should make us think: 'Are the rightly guided equal to the misguided?' Certainly not. Are those who exploit and oppress God's righteous servants equal to those who strive and sacrifice in His Way?
If God is indifferent to the beliefs and actions of both the good and the bad alike, where is His Justice? To balance His Providence and to fulfil His Justice, there has to be a Hell as there has to be a Heaven. That is quite in the interest of Divine Justice as well as of the natural justice we usually speak of.
** What Is the Purpose of Human Life?
God says in the Holy Qur'an that He created man as His vicegerent or deputy on earth. He says that He created the earth and everything in it for the sake of man. Also man is endowed with reason and all other related faculties. He is given freedom within limits.
God's Purpose of human creation is to reward those who show gratitude to him by submitting to His Will. We know about His Will from the Holy Qur'an and from the exemplary life of His Prophet, Muhammad (peace be on him).
We have to learn God's commands and prohibitions and follow His Prophet to do the duties entrusted to us as God's representatives on earth. That is to say, his reward will be for those who fulfil the entrusted responsibility placed on them; namely, that we have to make use of God's blessings in accordance with the limits set by God, for the benefit of our spiritual and worldly progress at the individual level as well as at the societal level.
The Purpose of Life therefore is to attain the best of this world and of the other world; and that will be possible only if we discipline our lives to fit in with God's way.
**What Happens to a Non-Muslim, When He/She Becomes a Muslim?
A number of things are bound to happen to a non-Muslim when he/she becomes a Muslim:
First and foremost, he surrenders his will to the Will of the Almighty God, thus becoming free from all bondage.
Second, he takes care to control all his thoughts and actions to obey God's commandments.
In all his activities, his model is Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him). All the small term objectives of his life are subject to the great objective of winning the pleasure of God. He strives to live an Islamic life so thoroughly that his worldview and lifestyle will be modeled on the Prophet's life. In short his external life as well as internal life will be different from that of a non-Muslim.
**Do Muslims Worship Muhammad (peace be upon him)?
No, not at all! Muslims do not worship Muhammad (peace be on him) or any other Prophet. They respect all the Prophets of God alike, but they do not worship any of them,They believe that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was a Messenger of God, a man and a servant like any other Prophet. Only, he was the Last of the Prophets. Muslims worship none but Allah, the Lord and God of the whole universe.
* Does Islam Promote Violence and Terrorism?
Certainly not! The word “Islam” means Peace and it stands for the Religion of Peace and Submission to God. Islam condemns violence in any form, whether it be active or passive. So there is no justification at all for the desperate acts of certain misguided Muslims, even in oppressed lands.
Even when fighting is unavoidable, the Book of God and the Example of the Prophet have laid down the principles, the objectives and the manner of fighting in the “Way of Allah”. A fight merely for vengeance, for personal or national glory etc. will never be a fight in God's Way.
** What Is Jihad?
The word "Jihad " means “struggle or striving” in the Way of God. Every effort made by a Muslim to do good acts comes under Jihad.
Muhammad (peace be on him), once said that the greatest Jihad is to speak the truth in the face of an oppressive ruler. This is because this requires real sincerity for truth and courage.
Once while addressing those who came back after a battle, he said that they should now get ready for a greater Jihad. When they asked in surprise what could be a greater Jihad than an actual battle, the Prophet said he meant the fight with one's own soul, against selfishness, greed, lust, and a hundred other evil inclinations and promptings of the heart.
One form of the Jihad is taking up arms to defend one's freedom or one's birthright to one's homeland. Another form of Jihad is the struggle to defend Islam or the Muslims when attacked. But Jihad can never be a tool of oppression for compelling a person to convert to Islam, because God has prohibited the use of force in religion. (Holy Qur'an 2: 256).
* Was Islam spread by the Sword?
No and emphatically no! In fact, Islam clearly prohibits the use of force or compulsion for its propagation.
The Qur'an says: "There is no compulsion in religion" (2:256). It is true that Muslims carried the sword and fought many battles, but none of those battles was for spreading Islam. They were fought mostly for the establishment of peace and justice or for the restoration of the freedom of a people. An impartial analysis of the factors that led to such battles will clearly verify this.
Can a faith be thrust down a person's throat at the point of the sword? Can a faith outlive the vicissitudes of history over fourteen centuries, if it had been established by the sword?
The history of the spread of Islam clearly shows that it has always been the greatness of its principles and the simplicity and rationality of its fundamental tenets that have helped its fast propagation.
In many places where there are Muslims now, in the Far East like Indonesia, in China, and many parts of Africa, there are no records of any Muslim armies having gone there. In the U.S., Islam is the fastest growing religion and has over 7 million followers, and no form of coercion works there.
