Recommended Books on Women’s and Family Issues in Islam

Asalaamu Alaykum.  In this post I will be pointing you in the direction of some books on women’s issues. While generally men and women have the same obligations when it comes to ibaadah, worship in Islam; there are many issues which specifically affect women and that we need to know about. A lot of cultures and even some so-called ‘Islamic sects’ look down upon women and do not encourage their women to learn their rights and obligations with Islam; and unfortunately some reverts do get sucked into this SubhanAllaah. With all the good material that is out there; we really do have no excuse to be ignorant.  I have not recommended any specific books on the women’s dress in Islam; as I feel it is covered in the below books; but if it is something you need to look into further get in touch and I can advise some books for you InshaAllaah.  Also I have not recommended any books on marriage in general and seeking a marriage partner; I feel that is a very important and seperate issue InshaAllaah.

The first book I will recommend is written by one of the female scholars of Yemen, Umm Abdillaah Al-Waadi’iyyah.  Do bear in mind that this book was written for women in Yemen who due to societal reasons there, tend to be less educated in both ‘secular’ and Islamic matters than in the west, so it is written in quite a basic terminology and tone; which is not intended to be patronising.

My Advice to The Women

The second book MashaAllaah is quite difficult to get hold of but I would really advise getting it if you can; again it is written by a knowledgeable Muslim sister; and is very beneficial.

Supporting The Rights of The Believing Women

Next a book on a topic that is a big stumbling block for many women who embrace Islam subhanAllaah, and that is polygyny or marrying more than one wife. If you have the correct understanding of this topic; InshaAllaah it will no longer be such a stumbling block. I find that those who cannot accept this sunnah, even for others, or have incorrect thoughts about it or those who participate in it; usually are simply lacking knowledge of how it is practiced in Islam.  InshaAllaah this book will be a wonderful eye-opener if you have any questions about this practice.  It is written by two Muslim sisters; so really comes from the female perspective MashaAllaah.

From Monogamy to Polygyny A Way Through

Next a really nice book MashaAllaah on the early women of Islam who were given the glad tidings of paradise; including the wives of Prophet Muhammad Salalaahu Alaihi Was Sallam. Although this book is well written it does contain a few typos.  Do try to ignore these; and don’t lose focus on the rest of the book as it is very nice and easy to read mashaAllaah.

Great Women of Islam

Finally a couple of books on issues relating to raising children. I find many sisters come to the deen with young children mashaAllaah; and as such they are in need of guidance as to their upbringing in their new faith. InshaAllaah these two books are really helpful in this regard.

Raising Children in Light of the Qur'an and Sunnah

Islamic Fatawa Regarding The Muslim Child

Recommended Books on The Pillars of Islaam

I am writing here to recommend books on topics around the pillars of Islam in practice; I could have recommended you hundreds of books but I think it is important not to ‘bog you down’ too much when the other books I have recommended offer some fairly lenghty reading experiences! The actual physical practices in Islaam come under a banner known as ‘fiqh’ or jurisprudence; which is a science that covers all the legal aspects of Islaamic law and practice of the faith and that has been derived from authentic evidences from The Qur’an and Hadiths; scholarly consensus and certain types of reasoning based on previous precedents derived from the texts.

I believe; Allaahu Alim that the first pillar of Islam; Shahadah or Declaration of Faith; has been covered in quite some detail by the previous books I have recommended as well as in some of the articles I have written and posted here.

With regard to the second pillar; the Salah, or the prayers, there is a huge plethora of books on the topic. Here I will be focusing mainly on those books which teach you how to pray, teach you the conditions and pre-requestites of the salah and that focus on any issues that may arise in the salah such as what to do if you miss something out.  I will also be posting a couple of titles about prayers that are not completely obligatory but very highly recommended such as witr, the night prayers in Ramadan, and the ‘Eid prayer.  The inner dimensions of the prayer; peripheral issues and the minutae of the salah I will perhaps be posting about on another occasion; but for now I will focus on the books that focus on these core issues.

First up is a very concise book on the conditions of the prayer. It is incredibly easy to read and I can highly recommend it.  It is taken from the works of Muhammed Ibn Abdul-Wahhab but the great thing with this book is, it is really two books in one as it has the original translated work with commentary by two scholars MashaAllaah; and as such they have chosen to comment on different issues, so you are really getting a multi-dimensional insight here.

An Explanation of the Conditions, Pillars and Requirements of The Prayer

The next book is about special prayers in Ramadan although they can be prayed all year round, it is from the works of Shaykh Al-Albaani but translated by Muhammed Al-Jibaali.

The Night Prayers Qiyam and Tarawih

And another really good one on the sunnah prayers; that are prayed regularly at the times of the compulsory five daily prayers by Shaykh Muhammed Umar Bazmool.

A Description of The Regular Sunnah Prayers

The next pillar in Islaam is fasting in the month of Ramadan, or Sawm in Arabic. There are many opportunities for voluntary fasts in Islaam as well; but for now we will focus on the books that the issues around fasting in Ramadan and problems that may occur such as illness or pregnancy and how to deal with fasting around these issues.  The second one is written by various major scholars; it sometimes comes with a slightly different cover but the same font and heading is used.

Treatises on Zakat and Fasting

Ramadhaan Fataawa

After this pillar comes the pillar of Zakah (which is covered somewhat in the book above by Shaykh Bin Baaz) commonly translated as ‘alms-giving’ ; there are two types of Zakah; the first one known as zakah-ul-fitr is required to be given by, or on behalf of every Muslim after the end of Ramadan so that poorer Muslims can enjoy the festivities of Eid-ul-Fitr; the second form, the general Zakah is required to be given once a year mainly on certain amounts of money or jewellery made from precious metals, and certain types of crops and livestock. Although it is commonly said to be 2.5% of your income; the criteria and minimum income before you start being liable to pay Zakah is actually somewhat more complex and even the percentage to be given can vary on certain items so it is important to read up on the issue InshaAllaah and if in doubt to ask a qualified scholar.

The final pillar is Hajj, or pilgrimage to Makkah; it is only required once in a lifetime and has some very important pre-requisities; without which one is not required to go. I have heard the following book is very good MashaAllaah and it also covers the minor pilgrimage known as Umrah as well.

Hajj and Umrah from A-Z

InshaAllaah this concludes this post; there are as I have said, many books on these topics out there but these are really an excellent introduction mashaAllaah…

Recommended Books on The Other Pillars of Imaan.

Now after a long break without posting; my recommended books on the remaining five pillars of Imaan (aside from belief in Allaah) InshaAllaah. There is a series I’d really like to recommend here; it is designed for children and young adults but is very easy to understand and read with illustrations (within the bounds of the rulings on picture making) plus it tests you on what you have learnt; at the end. This is the 2nd book in the series but there are 6 titles. It is widely available; and some branches of dar-us-salam do sell the full set; at a discount.

Next another wonderful series; more designed for older readers. It is somewhat more expensive; and also quite advanced with several extra volumes available; but if you really want full and in-depth knowledge on the topic; it is ideal InshaAllaah.

Finally two books that condense the above topics; into one volume. The first is very simple and concise; the second is more in depth but still easy to understand.

Just a quick post InshaAllaah

Asalaamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullaah akhawaat [sisters]

I apologise for not putting up any new posts in the past week; I do have some new ones outlined; continuing the recommended books theme and also one on recommended audio. I will also be posting some items in the ‘resources’ section of the site; for general reference. Then InshaAllaah i will be moving onto practical issues; such as marriage, hijab and so on and the rights and responsibilities of a Muslim woman in particular. I have a couple of important events this weekend InshaAllaah; then its back to the drawing board, er wordpress interface InshaAllaah!

Umm Abdullaah

Recommended Books on Allaah’s Names and Attributes

Asalaamu Alaykum

after getting hold of the bare basics; I’d really advise reading some basic books on the Names and Attributes of Allaah ta’ala and tawheed; and then the other aspects of aqeedah; but we will cover this most important pillar first; as there are many beneficial works that will give you an excellent basis to start off with. I am aware that those new to the deen are often faced with financial constraints; therefore I have chosen books that are inexpensive and widely available InshaAllaah.

The first book I will recommend is Kitab at-tauhid; there are many versions of this book; most others having commentary. I am recommending the one without commentary; as it is quite self-explanatory anyway InshaAllaah but feel free to get one with if you feel it will help you.

 

 

Next up; is a very nice book MashaAllaah that I recently purchased for a young girl interested in Islam. It is a pocket-size version of the book ‘usool ul-thalaata’ or ‘The Three Fundamental Principles.’

 

 

Next up is a beautiful book by Shaykh Ibn Baaz; very simple and easy to read. Make sure you get the ‘Second Edition’ because it has more references; and also some corrections from the first edition MashaAllaah.

 

 

Next is a book about the categories of Tawheed. Very simple and short; but helps to clarify them very well and also refutes some of those who have invented new categories of tawheed.

 

 

Next is an absolute ‘must-have’! Very eloquently written and easy to read; with each chapter only being a page or so. It summarises all the important issues of belief; into one short volume.

 

Finally in this section; a really lovely book about The Names and Attributes of Allaah; very clear and concise; and also has information about the beliefs that some of the deviated sects held in the past with regard to The Names and Attributes of our Rabb [Lord].

 

Recommended Books-The Very Essentials

InshaAllaah in this post I will be writing about Recommended books-the very essentials.  A seperate page will detail good places to buy InshaAllaah. As a new Muslimah it can sometimes be hard to work through which books are authentic, which are not and which contain relevant knowledge and those which consist of knowledge which is relevant and interesting; but not essential to know. Now this post is entirely subjective to my personal experiences; and no scholar has said these are the books you must read (well with the exception of The Qur’an!) and in this order! Also this list is not exhaustive by any means and I will continue to add to it. The first books I will recommend are published by dar-us-salam; this publisher publishes many of the main books we need as Muslims; such as the most authentic and authorised versions of The Qur’an, Hadith collections and Tafsir. They also publish many other authentic books MashaAllaah. I would urge caution though as not all the books they publish are known to be sound; and also their bookshops and websites sell books that are not published by them as well; so proceed with care and if you ever have doubt about the authenticity of a book then don’t buy it!

First book is the Noble Qur’an; I have chosen a pocket size one as that is the easiest one to take around with you without losing any important details or information; however there are various other sizes available; including a 9-volume set with more in-depth commentary. Also you can buy the Qur’an commentary on its own; and this will be covered in another post InshaAllaah. The Noble Qur’an is also available online at Salafi publications and I’d recommend it highly; but you cannot really take that one around with you!

The second book I’d recommend; is the Summarised Sahih Al-Bukhari; again it is available online at Salafi publications; in its entirety whereas this is just a summary. But again if you want something to take around with you; this is essential.

 

 

 

Next is the summarised Sahih Muslim; again this is online at Salafi publications; I believe in its entirety. But for me personally I find it easier to search for hadiths in a real book as opposed to online; it depends on your preferences.

 

 

Next an excellent book by Shaykh Ibn Baaz Rahimahullaah that is a work on Qur’an and its commentary, Hadith, Creed and Belief, Manners, Lifestyle; just everything really all in one book. I only got this book recently myself and was wondering why I didn’t get it before! I cannot reccommend it enough; and all the authentic stores and sites sell it so you can’t go wrong with this one!

 

 

Finally; in my essentials list I’d advise this book; it contains all the supplications a Muslim needs to know; and it also has the transliteration although be advised this is not a replacement for learning the Arabic script and language; but it can help.

 

 

So I’ve Said My Shahadah: Now What? Part 3

The final part of this article will InshaAllaah, cover the pillars of Imaan as detailed in the hadith. Please note this article is NOT a replacement for seeking knowledge on your own; rather I intend for it to act as a catalyst for you seeking your own knowledge InshaAllaah. As believers in Islam; there are three levels of belief; Islam, Imaan, and Ihsan. Islam is just knowing; and practicing the bare minimum obligatory matters, while having the belief in the heart and upon the tongue. Imaan is a higher level of faith; in which a person tries to perform acts that are not obligatory but highly recommended, in the aim of seeking the pleasure of Allaah, and seeks to perfect that which is obligatory; as well as increasing their knowledge in all matters. Ihsan is the highest level, which we should all seek to achieve InshaAllaah. From the aforementioned hadith of Jibreel….

He [Jibreel] said: ” Then tell me about Ihsan.” He [Muhammad] said: “It is to worship Allah as though you are seeing Him, and while you see Him not yet truly He sees you”

Again from the hadith we find Imaan has pillars; and these are:

”It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day, and to believe in destiny [qadar], both the good and the evil thereof.”

Firstly to believe in Allaah; to truly believe in Him one must have a good knowledge of his Names and Attributes (for fear of leaving out any important ones or writing in a way that may be misunderstood; I won’t go into them here but instead will advise further reading), and believe in them without delving into their meanings, twisting their meanings or resembling them to the creation; but at the same time one must not deny their meanings or claim they mean other as is intended. One must also believe the Qur’an is the speech of Allaah; and is NOT created. Also we must know the categories of Tawheed; which by consensus are…

• ‘Tawheed ar-ruboobiyah’ This category entails that the believer singles out Allaah the Exalted with (the actions of) creation, providing sustenance, giving life, causing death, and all of the types of regulation and administration of the dominion of the heavens and earth, and (also) singling Him out, the Exalted, with (the right to) judgement and legislation and sending of the Messengers and revealing of Books. Allaah the Exalted said, “Verily, to Him belongs the creation and the comman, blessed be Allaah, the Lord of the worlds” (al-A`raaf 7:54). Ruboobiyah essentially translates as ‘Lordship’.

• ‘Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah’ is singling out Allaah with worship so that none besides Him is worshipped, so that none besides Him is called upon, so that no one is sought for rescue, or aid except Him. So that no one is sacrificed to or slaughtered for, or made an oath for, except Him. Allaah the Exalted said, “Say: My prayer, my sacrifice, my life and my death are for Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. He has no partner. This is what I have been commanded with and I am the first of those who submit (to him with Islaam and Tawheed)” (al-An’aam 6:162), and He said, “Therefore turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only)” (al-Kawthar 108:2). This category of tawheed is essentially; accepting that only Allaah is worthy of worship; and no-one besides Him.

• ‘Tawheed al-Asmaa was-Sifaat’ is describing Allaah the Most High and naming Him with whatever He described and named Himself with, and with whatever His Messenger (sallAllaahu `alayhi wa sallam) described and named Him with in the authentic narrations – and to affirm that for Allaah without resemblance (to the creation) or likening (to the creation), and without (false) interpretation (of any of that) or negation (of any of that). There is nothing like Him and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer. And may Allaah send prayers and salutations upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and his companions. This bulletted section adapted from Fataawaa al-Lajnah ad-Daa’imah, Vol 1 page 20-21, Fatwa No. 8943, compiled by Shaykh Ahmad ad-Duwaish and featuring fatawa from the likes of Shaykh Ibn Baaz and Shaykh Uthaymeen.

The second pillar of Imaan is belief in The Angels [Malaa’ikah]. The Angels are one of Allaah’s creations, which he created to worship Him and to carry out His commands; they are a creation from the Unseen [Al-Ghayb]; which we have been instructed to believe in with a firm belief. The Angels are created from light. There is a misconception some Muslims have adopted; based on Christian belief, that Satan [Shaytaan or Iblis] was a fallen Angel; however this is very clearly refuted by the Qur’an itself.

And (remember) when We said to the angels; “Prostrate to Adam.” So they prostrated except Iblîs (Satan). He was one of the jinns; he disobeyed the Command of his Lord. Will you then take him (Iblîs) and his offspring as protectors and helpers rather than Me while they are enemies to you? What an evil is the exchange for the Zâlimûn (polytheists, and wrong-doers, etc). (Al-Kahf 18:50)

For more information about the Angels, their roles, names and attributes please refer to the following Article. ‘Belief in the Angels and its effect on The Life of The Ummah’- from Al-Ibaanah

The next thing we must believe in, is Allaah’s books. As Muslims we must believe that Allaah revealed books to his Prophets and Messengers in order to call to the right of Allaah upon his servants; which is ultimately that we worship Him alone. We must also believe that the books mentioned by Allah by name; At-Tawraat [Torah], Az-Zabur [Psalms of David], Al-Injeel [The Gospels] and Al-Qur’an [The Qur’an] were revealed by Allaah to His Messengers, without being created, and without human interpretation. However after they were revealed; all of the books with the exception of the Qur’an have been altered. The Qur’an was revealed to the final Messenger Muhammad; as a guidance and a warning for not only the Arabs; but mankind and Jinn in their entirety. Even non-Muslim historians admit the Qur’an has not been altered; and there are many very early Qur’ans still in existence to testify to this fact. In the time of the sahabah; dots were added to the Arabic letters to make them easy to read for non-native speakers as the Arabic alphabet at that time was very basic and the vowels and even dots idenitifying some letters from others; were not included. This is something that has remained ever since and is now a part of the language itself; but this did not alter the reading of the text in any way.

The fourth matter one with Imaan must believe in; and know about; is the belief In the Messengers of Allaah. As detailed before; this includes belief in ALL the Messengers and Prophets and not just Muhammad Salalahu Alaihi Was Sallam; although we must believe He was the final Messenger; and there will be no other after him. All The Prophets mentioned in the Qur’an or the Sunnah; we must believe in Them; and believe that what is mentioned of them in Qur’an and Sunnah is true. As for that which comes from other sources; such as the previously revealed books as they stand today; if it agrees with what is found in Islam and corroborates that; then it is accepted. If it cannot be found in Islamic sources but is not contradictory to them; then we neither reject nor accept that statement; we reserve judgement as Allaah knows best. If it is something that is clearly contradictory to the Islamic sources; then it is rejected; and Allaah knows best.

The fifth pillar of imaan, is belief in The Last Day; or The Day of Judgement which has many names in Arabic. It entails believing in everything that the Qur’an and Hadith say will happen on that day; as it is described; without claiming it to be metaphorical, or a parable and the like. This pillar includes belief in questioning by the angels after the soul is taken from the body, where a person will be asked ‘who is your Lord?’, ‘who is your Messenger?’ and ‘What is your religion?’. It also entails belief in the punishment or reward in the grave; as well as the day of judgement and the ressurection of all the souls. Also it includes everything which will happen on this day such as the gathering of all the souls to be called to account, the placing of the bridge [siraat] over hell, the placing of the balance [mizaan] on which ones deeds will be weighed, and the books of the believers being given to them in their hands in order to call them to account. There will be those who are righteous who will recieve their book in their right hand; and those who are sinful who will recieve it in their left hand or from behind their backs. There will be no injustice on that day and everyone will be treated with the justice they deserve. All of these events will physically come to pass in reality; and are not metaphorical or allegorical desciptions of something else. Believing in this pillar also entails in believing in the Fountain or Basin [Hawd] which will be given to The Prophet Muhammad and the believers will be able to drink from; that everyone will be placed in either the paradise or the hellfire after being called to account, and that the believers will see Allaah at least once; and He will talk to them, in the hereafter. Also this belief entails believing in the intercession of Prophet Muhammad Salalahu Alaihi Was Sallam; for the believers.

The final pillar of Imaan is to believe in destiny [qadar] , also translated as ‘pre-decree’. Belief in this pillar includes belief in the following.

• That Allaah already knows what has happened and also that which will happen in the future. Also that Allaah knows in every detail the condition of all his creation, their provision, their life-spans, their deeds and everything to do with their lives.

‘Verily Allaah is knowledgeable of everything’ (Noble Qur’an. Surah Al-Mujaadilah 58: 7)

and

‘That you may know Allaah has Power over all things; and that Allaah encompasses everything with His Knowledge’ (Noble Qur’an. Surah At-Talaq 65:12)

• Secondly; That Allaah has also recorded everything that has happened and that he has ordained will happen in the future, in a preserved tablet [Al-Lawh ul-Mahfuz]

‘Know you Not that Allaah knows all that is in the heavens and the earth? Verily it is all in the preserved tablet. Verily! That is easy for Allaah.’ (Noble Qur’an Surah Al-Hajj. 22:70)

• Thirdly, believing what Allaah Wills; will be carried out and come to occur; and what Allaah does not will to happen; will not occur.Basically nothing can happen without the Will of Allaah; and nothing that He has willed to happen; will not happen.

‘Verily Allaah does what He Wills’ (Noble Qur’an Surah Al-Hajj 22:18 )

• Fourthly, believing that Allaah created everything; and he has complete power over all His creation.

‘Allah is the Creator of Everything and He is The Guardian of all Affairs’ (Noble Qur’an Surah Az-Zumar 39:62)

What also falls into the overall category of Imaan is the belief that Imaan is belief; speech and action; and that it increases with good deeds; and decreases with sins. Also with the exception of cases of clear Kufr, Shirk; and in the view of some ulema the complete abandonment of the Salah (as opposed to occasionally missing prayers, or praying late); one must believe it is not permissible to declare a Muslim a non-believer on the basis of a major sin they committed; ie fornication, stealing, dealing in interest or lying; provided the individual did not believe that sin to be permissible.

‘Verily Allaah does not forgive that partners be ascribed to Him; but he forgives what is less than that to whom He wills.’ (Surah An-Nisaa 4:116)

Also it is mentioned in several authentic hadith that anyone who has an atoms weight of faith in their heart; will be removed from the hellfire and will not dwell therein forever as the non-believers will. However this is a matter known only to Allaah; and the severity of the punishment of the hellfire is so severe; that no believer in Allaah would want to end up there even for less than a second. Faith in Allaah also entails loving and allegience for the believers for the sake of Allaah and hating and emnity against the unbelievers for the sake of Allaah [Al-Wala Wa’al Bara]. It also entails love, without going to excess (such as giving them attributes of The Prophet; or even worse, Allaah), of the Companions [sahaba] and wives and family of The Prophet Salalaahu Alaihi Was Sallam , those that came immediately after them [tabi’een] and the righteous from the next 300 years after that; known as the Salaf-us-Saalih. It also entails believing that the best in rank amongst the Companions was Abu Bakr, then Umar, then Uthman and then Ali. It also entails not entering into disputes about the Prophet’s Family and Companions and their character or any disagreements they may have had, or calling them names or belittling their faults. I have used this article as a reference for this one, ‘The Correct Belief and what Opposes It’; may Allaah bless its Author Shaykh Bin Baaz Rahimahullaah; I highly recommend reading it seperately as it contains many more references; and also information upon what takes a person outside Islam; that I was not able to include here for the sake of brevity. All good in this article is from Allaah; and all bad is from myself; and please make du’a for me that this article is a cause of my burden being lessened on the day of Judgement InshaAllaah.

Subhaanaka Allaahumma wa bihamdika ash-hadu an la ilaaha illa ant astaghfiruka wa atoobu ilayk. [How Perfect you are, O Allaah, and all praise is due to You. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except You. I seek Your Forgiveness and turn to you in repentance].

So I’ve Said My Shahadah: Now What? Part 2

So now for the second part. Ok I’ve already covered the ‘don’ts’ but what about the ‘dos’? There is a great deal of good that can be learnt online; however there is a certain etiquette of going about this. Firstly, there are certain very important principles or pillars of belief that we must learn about before anything else; our religion is deficient or our belief may even be incorrect without these pillars. These pillars are not the be-all and end-all; and Islam is a balance of belief, speech [i.e. utterances on the tongue, such as what we say in the salah, and remembering Allaah] and action [ie the physical movements of the salah; and any other good deeds that involve a physical action]; but like everything you need to start with a foundation. Having this foundation will be of invaluable benefit to you in this life [ad-dunya] and the hereafter [al-akhirah].

The following famous and hadith [report of something The prophet Salalahu Alaihi Was Sallam; or his very close family or companions; did, said or approved of] speaks of the pillars of Imaan [belief] in the most basic terms.

“One day while we were sitting with the messenger of Allah there appeared before us a man whose clothes were exceedingly white and whose hair was exceedingly black; no signs of journeying were to be seen on him and none of us knew him. He walked up and sat down by the prophet. Resting his knees against his and placing the palms of his hands on his thighs, he said:”O Muhammad, tell me about Islam”. The messenger of Allah said: “Islam is to testify that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, to perform the prayers, to pay the zakat, to fast in Ramadan, and to make the pilgrimage to the House if you are able to do so.” He said: “You have spoken rightly”, and we were amazed at him asking him and saying that he had spoken rightly. He said: “Then tell me about Iman.”He said:”It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day, and to believe in divine destiny, both the good and the evil thereof.” He said: “You have spoken rightly”. He said: ” Then tell me about Ihsan.” He said: “It is to worship Allah as though you are seeing Him, and while you see Him not yet truly He sees you”. He said: “Then tell me about the Hour”. He said: “The one questioned about it knows no better than the questioner.” He said: “Then tell me about its signs.” He said: “That the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress and that you will see the barefooted, naked, destitute herdsman competing in constructing lofty buildings.” Then he took himself off and I stayed for a time. Then he said: “O Umar, do you know who the questioner was?” I said: “Allah and His messenger know best”. He said: “He was Jibreel [Gabriel], who came to you to teach you your religion.” (Narrated by Muslim)

This hadith is one of the most famous on the topic of Islam and imaan; and is sahih [sound without a shadow of a doubt]. So from this we can deduce the following are obligatory for the Muslim to learn about. Firstly; to testify that there is no true God worthy of worship except Allaah. Belief in this pillar of Islam, entails that a person equip themselves with a basic knowledge of Allaah’s names and attributes; and the different categories of tawheed; which will be explored in the next part.

For more information about the Names and Attributes of Allaah; please visit The basics-at salafi publications
The next part of this pillar is that Muhammad, Salallahu Alaihi Was Sallam is The Final Messenger of Allaah. However this pillar also entails believing in ALL the Messengers that Allaah sent throughout history, as well as all of The Prophets. There is a difference in Islam between a Messenger [Rasul] and a Prophet [Nabi], The Messengers are those who had revealed to them; and came to their people with a new textual revelation, i.e. Muhammed, and Isa [Jesus]. The Prophets; are those who did not come with any new revelation from Allaah that was to be written down; but they were there to reinforce a previous message. All Messengers were Prophets; but not all Prophets were Messengers. There are many Prophets named in the Qur’an and Hadith; some of whom are also mentioned in the Bible, but also some mentioned by number that are not named. The previous Prophets; before Muhammed Salalahu Alaihi Was Sallam were sent to their nation only; but Muhammed Salalahu Alaihi Was Sallam was sent to all of Mankind, as well as the Jinn [unseen beings made from smokeless fire]. For more information please look at

Why Allaah Sent Prophets and Messengers-from Islaam.ca

and

Muhammad The Final Messenger-from Islaam.ca

The next pillar of Islam is the Salah, or prayer; which is obligatory five times a day for the Muslim. I will not go into much detail on the specifics of the prayer, and its ritual purification beforehand, as I could go on all day however you may find the following article useful

The Conditions, Pillars and Requirements of The Prayer- from Al-Ibaanah

The next pillar of Islam after that; is to pay the zakat; and after this is fasting in the Lunar month of Ramadan. During Ramadan there are special night prayers called Taraweeh which you may have seen being performed in Makkah; these are not obligatory but to know about them and to perform them if you are able; is of great benefit. InshaAllaah this article; again from the excellent site Al-Ibaanah provides an excellent and concise explanation on all three issues. ‘Lessons on Fasting, Zakat and Taraweeh’

The final pillar of Islam; is the Hajj or pilgrimage to Makkah; once in a lifetime; if one is able and has the financial means to do so. There is also a shorter; optional pilgrimage called Umrah. The following collection of articles has a lot of information about the Hajj. ‘Hajj section at Salafipublications’

InshaAllaah the next section of this article will deal with the pillars of Imaan; or faith…..

So I’ve said my Shahadah; now what? Part 1

I’m assuming most sisters reading this have already taken their shahadah; or are very close to doing so. It is unanimously agreed that a person doesn’t have to have an in-depth knowledge of the deen; only to know the very basic pre-requisites of it that Allaah is the only true God worthy of worship and Muhammed Salalahu Alaihi Was Sallam [commonly translated as ‘Peace be Upon him’] is His Messenger. So often sisters come to the deen with little but the most basic of knowledge; that is if you’re blessed enough to come to the deen with those who have knowledge; or with anyone at all. The shahadah as opposed to common misconceptions can be said privately; although it is recommended to make it public due to reasons of being recognised publically as a Muslim; which is necessary in cases of going on Hajj or Umrah; also any one of us could die at any time and in order to have the correct Islamic burial it is important to be known as being amongst the Muslim Ummah. I took my shahadah online at a time when I was not really around many Muslims; the book I learnt the salah from was a book I had been allowed to borrow from my non-Muslim school by my R.E. teacher; although it is a book used by many madrasahs and the like in the UK; it did contain some errors and cultural beliefs that I found quite confusing. For a long time after becoming Muslim I knew about the word Tawheed; but not what it entailed; as for the word Aqeedah I didn’t understand what it meant until about 3 years later. I just read a random array of books; some authentic, some highly dubious and many on topics that are not even required knowledge. This is coming from someone who studied Islam; to a level I thought to be very thorough at the time, for two and a half years before saying my shahadah! How wrong I was!

After taking your shahadah the first thing you should do is learn enough to enable yourself to practice Islam properly; and to protect yourself from incorrect beliefs; or even Shirk (associating partners with Allaah; which is unforgiveable without repentence). This may seem like a gargantuan task; but with the correct intention, [or niyyah] InshaAllaah it can be done very easily. Of course no-one becomes an expert overnight; we are just talking about the basics here. If you are blessed enough to have a good community; and a good sound masjid or centre close to you; take advantage of any classes or circles for new Muslims they offer; the added benefit of this is; you may also get to meet new sisters on your wavelength; or other more experienced sisters who can share their wisdom with you. If you aren’t blessed enough to have a good community around you; for whatever reason then MashaAllaah while not the ideal; there are always other means such as books, CD lectures, and the internet.

InshaAllaah I will cover recommended books and CD lectures in a future post. What I will cover here is the internet. If used correctly; the internet can be a fantastic resource for learning. However; there are some common mistakes in seeking knowledge ‘online’ and I will cover these; before covering the obvious pros of learning online.

• Joining social networking sites; such as Myspace and Facebook with the sole aim of learning Islamic knowledge [‘ilm] from them. While such sites serve a purpose; in meeting like-minded sisters, and this is what I use them for in a limited capacity myself; to rely on them for genuine authentic Islamic knowledge; is a mistake. There are all types of people on there; some even from groups such as The Nation of Islam (who are not Muslims at all; by consensus) yet their religion says ‘Muslim’ or ‘Islam’. Also such sites can take up your valuable learning time; with learning nothing at all. Thirdly such sites are full of fitnah [trials and tribulations], free-mixing which is not permitted in Islam and many other things such as music playing on the page; impermissible images etc. If you’re a very new-Muslim to be bombarded with such mixed messages; can be too much.
• Going into general chat rooms; and expecting to learn from them. The only chat rooms I would recommend are the Paltalk rooms such as ‘salafi publications’, ‘Understanding Islam’ (found in social issues) and the ones of various smaller masajid [mosques] upon the correct understanding; in various countries. In the distant past I used to make the mistake of going on general Islamic or even just Arab chat rooms; and expected to learn my deen; instead I got harassed by brothers, got told a lot of falsehoods and ended up being banned by my non-Muslim folks from going online at all due to me being so het up; which didn’t give them a great impression of Islam at the time; I’m sure. Another mistake is those new to the deen; with very little knowledge; going into such rooms to refute people or argue with them. Don’t, these people have probably already made up their minds about what ever they believe; and if you don’t know entirely what you’re talking about you could say something incorrect or misleading. Even the scholars do not debate in this manner; which is just a big waste of time.
• ‘Free-mixing’ online. This follows on from the previous two, free-mixing between unrelated men and women (and unrelated includes anyone you’re allowed to marry, including cousins) is not permissible in Islam. Of course most of us know this; but when it comes to the internet; a lot of us forget. A lot of impermissible mixing goes on in chat rooms, forums and other places; just because you are not face to face with the brother; does not mean it is ok. Such rules are only in place to protect us; as Muslim sisters. There are unfortunately unscrupulous brothers online; and I have come across sisters known personally to me who have met a seemingly pious brother online; whom they ended up sleeping with outside of marriage; which is a major, major sin. In other cases the sister has gone on to marry such a brother; and found he was not as he claimed.
• Taking knowledge from any site that comes up in Google and ‘going with it’; I know it sounds funny but i have seen this done. However I’m sure we all know that the way Google works is on what is most popular; not what is most authentic. Just as I am sure you wouldn’t diagnose yourself with an illness; via a page you found on google; you wouldn’t take knowledge of the deen from any old page. The most troubling thing is even the dodgy pages have daleel [textual evidences] and often from authentic sources; but unless you know the source it is hard to distinguish what has been taken out of context; or misquoted from what is authentic and genuine. I am not saying don’t use Google; but just use caution and if you find an article; check its credentials; if you are in doubt then don’t take anything from it.

In part two I will continue InshaAllaah with the benefits of learning online; and ideal resources for learning InshaAllaah.

The 20 Most Frequently Asked Questions about Islam

The 20 Most Frequently Asked Questions about Islam
Author: The Reign of Islamic Da’wah Centre
Source: [islaam.ca]	Published: 1998

This peace is contentment with yourself and your surroundings that could only be achieved by wilfully submitting to God, obeying what He commands and abstaining from what He forbids.– The Reign of Islamic Da’wah Centre, Toronto, Canada

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

The word “Islam” means peace and submission to the Will of the only God worthy of being worshipped. This peace is contentment with yourself and your surroundings that could only be achieved by willfully submitting to God, obeying what He commands and abstaining from what He forbids.

WHO IS ALLAAH?

Allaah is the name in Arabic for the “One God”. Allaah is the Creator, Sustainer, Planner and Organizer. He is the only deity that has the right to be worshipped (i.e. praying, supplicating, fasting, etc.). In Islam, the belief in the One God cannot be separated from the acts of worshipping the One God. In other words, it is not enough to simply think you believe in the Oneness of the Creator but that belief must be affirmed by your statement and actions. Example, it would negate ones belief in the Oneness of the Creator if he directs his worship to a man (or any of the other created things).

WHO IS A PROPHET?

A Prophet is a person who is appointed by God to call the people to the worship and believe in the One God. All Prophets were given miracles by Allaah to prove that they were Prophets. For example, Moses was given the miracles to free the Children of Israel, Jesus was given the ability to heal the sick and raise the dead by Allaah’s’ leave and Muhammad was given the Qur’an which is the everlasting and literal speech of Allaah. May Allaah send His peace and blessings on all the Prophets. Ameen!

WHAT IS THE QUR’AN?

The Qur’an is the Last Revelation from your Lord. It was revealed in the pure Arabic language to the Prophet Muhammad and has been kept preserved and unchanged, in its original form. The English interpretation of the Qur’an will be used as reference in this brochure. It is not Allaah’s’ Word rather, it is a general interpretation of the meaning of the Qur’an. The Qur’an confirms the truth in the Torah, Psalms and the Gospel.

WHO WAS MUHAMMAD?

Muhammad is the Final Prophet and Messenger. He was born into the tribe of Quarish in the year 570 AD. His ancestry goes back to the Prophet Ishmael, the son of Prophet Abraham. His father died before his birth and his mother died before he was six. As a young man he was known as Al-Ameen (the trustworthy). He would retreat to a cave outside of Mecca where, he would ponder and reflect about the immoral practices and customs of the Pagan Arabs. He received revelation from the Creator at the age of 40 through the Angel Gabriel. Subsequently, the Revelations came over the period of 23 years and are collectively in the Qur’an.

WHAT ARE THE PILLARS OF ISLAM?

Islam has 5 Pillars.

1. (Iman) Belief that no deity is worthy of worship except Allaah and Muhammad is His Last Prophet and Messenger.
2. (Salat) Prayers, which are performed 5 times a day.
3. (Siyam) Fasting in the month of Ramadaan. Abstaining from food, drink and sexual relations with spouses from sunrise to sunset.
4. (Zakat) Charity is the requirement of 2.5% of a Muslims’ saved earnings given to the poor once a year as purification of his wealth.
5. (Hajj) Pilgrimage is a journey to the Kab’ah in the sacred city of Mecca. Muslims are required to do this at least once in a lifetime if they are physically and financially able.

WHAT ARE THE FUNDAMENTALS OF FAITH?

Belief in Allaah, His Oneness and ascribing no partners to Him.

Belief in the Angels (Gabriel, Michael, Israfil, etc.).

Belief in the revealed scriptures (Torah, Psalms, Gospel) in their original form, not as they exist today.

Belief in Allaah’s Messengers (Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad etc.)

Belief in the Day of Resurrection.

Belief in Pre-Ordainment. The good or bad of it.

WHO IS A MUSLIM?

One who practices the 5 pillars of Islam and believes in the fundamentals of faith. One can become a Muslim by saying; “Ashadhu An Laa ilaha illa Allaah, wa ashadhu anna Muhammad ar-rasulullah.” This means, ” I bear witness that no deity has the right to be worshipped except Allaah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Final Messenger.” All Prophets preceding Muhammad were Muslims. This includes Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and Jesus. Is there a doubt that these Prophets did not submit their will to the Creator? Allaah says in the Qur’an: “Abraham was neither a Jew or a Christian, but he was a true Muslim and he was not of the idolaters.” (Qur’an 3:67) It is important to note that other religions are derived from the name of a place or a person. Examples of this are: Judaism is derived from the tribe of Judah, Hinduism is from the Indus River, Buddhism is from Goutam Buddha and Christianity is from Jesus Christ. Islam is the only revealed religion and way of life that directly attaches its worshippers to the servitude of the Creator.

IS ISLAM THE ONLY RELIGION ACCEPTABLE TO THE CREATOR?

Yes! As explained in the introduction, Islam means peace through the submission to the Will of Allaah. One who does this is called a Muslim. Therefore, the only thing acceptable to the Creator is submission to Him. Allaah says: “Do they seek other than the Religion of Allaah (Islam)? While to Him submit all other creatures in the heavens and the Earth, willingly or unwillingly. And to Him they shall all be returned. Say, ‘We believe in Allaah and what was sent down to us, and what was sent down to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob and the tribes, and what was revealed to Moses, Jesus, and the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between them, and to Him (Allaah) we have submitted (in Islam).“And whosoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the hereafter he will be of the losers (in the hellfire).” (Qur’an 3:83-85)

WILL THE ACTIONS OF NON-BELIEVERS BE WASTED?

Yes! Allaah says: “Say, ‘Shall We tell you the greatest losers in respect of their deeds? Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life while they thought that they were acquiring good by their deeds. They are those who deny the revelation of their Lord and the meeting with Him (in the Hereafter). So their works are in vain and on the Day of Resurrection, We shall not give them any weight. That shall be their recompense, Hell; because disbelieved and took My revelations and My Messengers by way of jest and mockery. Verily, those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah-Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds shall have the Garden of Paradise for their entertainment.” (Qur’an 18:103-107)

WHAT IS THE HEREAFTER?

The “Hereafter” is the final destiny of all worldly existence starting at the time of death. The day mankind will be resurrected from their graves then they shall be brought to account for their deeds whether good or evil. Allaah says: “I (Allah) swear by the Day of Resurrection, and I (Allaah) swear by self-reproaching person. Does Man think that We shall not assemble his bones? Yes, We are able to put together in perfect order the tips of his fingers. Nay! (Man denies Resurrection and Reckoning. So) he desires to continue committing sins. He asks, ‘When will be this Day of Resurrection?’ So, when the sight shall be dazed, and the moon will eclipsed, and the sun and the moon will be joined together. On that day man will say, ‘ Where is the place that I can flee to?’ No! There is no refuge! Unto that your Lord (Alone) will be the place of rest that day. On that day men will be informed of what he sent forward ( of evil or good deeds), and what he left behind (of his good or evil practices). Nay! Man will be a witness against himself.” (Qur’an 35:1-4)

DO MUSLIMS WORSHIP MUHAMMAD?

No! Muslims do not worship Muhammad nor do they worship any other Prophets, Saints, or created things. It is not permissible for a Muslim to pray, supplicate, or direct any type of worship to any created thing in rivalry to the Lord of all that exists. Allaah says: “Say (to them Muhammad), ‘I am only a man like you. It has been inspired to me that your God is One God. So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the Worship of his Lord.’ “ (Qur’an 18:110)

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF OUR CREATION?

As we examine Allaah’s creation, we will inevitably conclude that all things have a purpose. If we look at the delicate balance of our universe, as vast as it is, orchestrated in perfect synchronization. The human body and its various different processes like thought, movement, vision and its ability to heal itself. The earth and its countless number of life forms, various plants, vegetables and animals. The weather system, the seasons and the water cycle. Surely, these things have some purpose, more so for human beings. Allaah says: “And We (Allaah) created not the spirits and men, except that they should worship Me (alone).” (Qur’an 51:56) As the verse states in point #8, all things are in a state of submission to the Creator by following the natural laws that they have been created for. We were born in a state of submission, not in a state of sin as we had no choice in the matter and we will die in submission. Between these two time spans, man has been given the rational ability to choose to submit to his Creator. Know for surety that we will all die and none of us knows when we’re going to die. Isn’t it time you submitted to your Lord?

WHAT IS THE TRUTH ABOUT JESUS?

Jesus, the son of Mary is a servant and Messenger of Allaah. Allaah says in the Qur’an that Jesus was born of a miraculous birth; “Verily, the likeness of Jesus before Allaah is the likeness of Adam. He created him from dust, then (He) said unto him: ‘Be’ and he was.” (Qur’an 3:59). He performed many miracles as a Prophet by Allaah’s permission such as resurrecting the dead, healing the blind and sick, making a living bird out of clay and speaking as new born infant. Jesus brought the same message as the other Prophets. He is not to be worshipped as the “Son of God!” Jesus was raised alive up to Allaah from where he will return to re-establish the Law of Allaah on earth.

WHAT IS THE TRUTH ABOUT THE “SON OF GOD”, “TRINITY” AND MARY?

Your Creator says: “Surely, they have disbelieved who say: ‘Allaah is the Messiah (Jesus).’; But the Messiah said, ‘O Children of Israel! Worship Allaah, my Lord and your Lord.’ Verily, whosoever sets up partners in worship with Allaah, then Allaah has forbidden Paradise for him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the polytheists there are no helpers. Surely, the disbelievers are those who said, ‘Allaah is a third of the three (in a trinity).’ But there is no god but the One God. And if they cease not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall the disbelievers among them. Will they not repent to Allaah and ask for His Forgiveness? For Allaah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful. The Messiah, son of Mary is no more than a Messenger. Many were the Messengers that passed away before him. His mother was a truthful woman. They both used to eat food (As other human beings, while Allaah does not eat). Look how Allaah makes the revelations clear to them, yet look how they are deluded away (from the truth).” (Qur’an 5:72-75)

DOES ISLAM OPPRESS WOMEN?

No. On the contrary, 1400 years ago Islam liberated women. At that time in Europe, Christian scholars were debating whether women had souls, if yes, did they have animal souls or human souls? Until recently women were stripped of their last names to illustrate that they were the property of their husbands. As for Islam, women are equal to men in all acts of piety, they keep their last names, they are allowed to keep their own money, choose who they want to marry, have the right to seek a divorce, have the right to inheritance and have the right to be protected and maintained by their husbands. They have been dignified and exonerated by the Hijab (Islamic covering). In the West, women are portrayed as sex objects to be used and discarded. We see them being used to sell cars, alcohol and even bubble gum. In Islam, women have been elevated to a stature that surpasses the roles placed upon them by any religion or culture. Women are not to be abused or oppressed but they are to be respected and cared for. As a result, Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world amongst women.

IS POLYGYNY PERMISSIBLE?

Yes! Islam regulated matrimony in that men are permitted to marry up to four wives provided they treat them fairly and equally. The man must first be financially capable to take another wife, provide different residences and be able to divide his time equally amongst them. In the western society many men who are married to only one wife usually have extramarital affairs. Thus a survey was published in the USA Today (April 4, 1988; Section D) which asked 4700 mistresses, what would they like their status to be (mistress or second wife). They said, “I prefer being a second wife rather than the other woman”. The reasons for this are that they didn’t have any legal rights, nor did they have the financial equality of the legally married wives and it appeared that these men were using them. Islam is clearly against extra or premarital affairs (fornication) as this leads to corruption in the society and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Don’t people feel bad when they have children out of wedlock? These children have the right to grow up knowing that they have parents who are responsible enough to have planned to bring them into the world. No one would like to be told that they were an accident. As for those against polygyny, statistics show that because of wars there are more women in the world than there are men. Other reasons are, most married men engage in extramarital affairs and there is an increase in homosexuality amongst men, thus causing an excess amount of women to men. The Islamic solution of polygyny is the best solution to the seemingly difficult problems that plague our society in our man to woman relationships. Additionally, it is a permissible act, with conditions, legislated by the Creator. Wheras, the concept of monogomy is a neo-christian concept with no textual evidence from any of the revelations, a practice not used by the prophets and messengers.

DOES ISLAM PROMOTE TERRORISM?

Absolutely Not. Islam condemns all acts of oppression. Necessary force is permissible only when one is defending oneself, family, and right to practice his/her religion or fighting tyranny and oppression. Muslims who blow up buildings and kill innocent people are not acting in accordance with what Islam teaches.

IS THERE RACISM IN ISLAM?

No. Muslims are found in every country, whether they are European, African, Asian or American. 1 in every 5 people on the earth is a Muslim, Which means there are 1.2 billion Muslims in the world. Islam promotes racial harmony and tolerance. Allaah says: ” O mankind! We have created you from a male and female, and made you into nations and tribes that you may know one another. Verily, the most honourable of you in the Sight of Allaah is the believer who has the most piety. Verily, Allaah is All Knowing, All Aware.” (Qur’an 49:13) This is in opposition to Louis Farrakhan’s disbelieving lies against Islam, in saying that, ‘Allaah appeared in the person of Master W. Fard Muhammad’, or ‘We the original (black) nation of the earth’. The Believers seek refuge with Allaah from such lies against Allaah. Ameen!

HAS THE QUR’AN PREDICTED THE NEW DISCOVERIES OF MODERN SCIENCE?

Yes! Since the Qur’an came from the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth, it is only befitting that science would later confirm what is in the Qur’an. Examples of this are, the expansion of the universe as stated in the Qur’an: “With power did We construct the heaven. Verily, We expand the vastness of space.” (Qur’an 51:47) Every living thing is created from water: “Do not those who disbelieve know that the heavens and the earth were joined together as one united piece, then We parted them? And We have made from water every living thing. Will they then not believe?” (Qur’an 21:30) The trimester: “…He (Allaah) created you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation in three veils of darkness, such is Allaah your Lord. How then are you turned away (from the truth)?” (Qur’an 39:7) There are several other examples proving that the Qur’an is from your Lord. Allaah says: “Do they not consider the Qur’an carefully? Had it been from other than Allaah, they would have found therein much contradictions.” (Qur’an 4: 82)

SHOULD YOU BECOME A MUSLIM RIGHT NOW?

Absolutely! If you believe in what you have read in this brochure, we strongly suggest that you don’t delay. You are now accountable for what you know about Islam. For many people Islam has balanced their lives, created a form of discipline, given them respect and dignity and given them peace and tranquility in a society that has been ravaged by mental illnesses, excessive materialism, substance abuse, increase in crime and an all time decline in human morality. Allaah warns us in the Qur’an: “O you who believe! Fear Allaah as He should be feared. And die not except in a state of Islam (as Muslims).”(Qur’an 3:102)

If you wish to become a Muslim, refer to point #7 and/or view our contact page for more assistance.

We invite you to become a Muslim.