Declaring the Testimony of Faith

Declaring the Testimony of Faith
By Anthea Davis


Picture ©Microsoft.comHow many times do you come to a crossroad in your life? You get this feeling that whatever choice you make will affect the rest of your life. There is excitement and fear.
Your mind comes up with all kinds of possibilities of what could happen depending on either choice. The best of people will feel confused and wary. Some people may stand at this crossroad for a large portion of their lives, wavering in indecision, while others feel sure and steadfast and willingly and knowingly take the plunge.
This is so for decisions like buying a certain house, marrying a certain person, or taking a certain job. What about if the decision is about changing your whole way of life?
Obviously such a decision must be based on knowledge, inner certainty, and commitment because without these, your steps will falter. When you make the step to accept Islam, all of nature rejoices with you and the Muslims who are true to their covenant will welcome you with open arms.
So you have heard about Islam and have become interested in it.
You have read some books, listened to some cassettes, and talked to some people. You have spent time thinking about your life and where you are heading. Possibly you have withdrawn from old friends and found yourself in transition between the old and the new. Perhaps your family is unsure about the changes they see happening in you. Maybe they think it is a passing fad or maybe they think you are serious and feel threatened.
You have been through the process of a spiritual awakening, and you feel you have come to know your Creator and wish to be close to Him and to earn His pleasure. You are sure that by surrendering to Him, acknowledging His existence and His right to be obeyed, and following His last prophet, you will be on the straight course that leads to success and happiness in this life and the next.
Now comes the moment of truth. One day you will take the trip to the local Islamic center, to a mosque, or to some Muslims who will witness your declaration of faith and hence your entrance into the Muslim community. Naturally you will be excited and hopeful of the future. You may also be a little afraid, wondering if you will be able to live up to the covenant you are making with Allah. When you declare your faith, you are saying that you will worship only Allah. That means that you will only comply and submit to others as long as what they ask of you coincides with what Allah asks of you.Allah tells us in the Qur'an what means:
[And if they contend with you that you should associate with Me what you have no knowledge of, do not obey them, and keep company with them in this world kindly, and follow the way of him who turns to Me, then to Me is your return, then will I inform you of what you did.](Luqman 31:15)

This first declaration of faith is a landmark in life.
You are obliged, because of your covenant with Allah, to stand up for what is right and hold your ground. For example, you know that Allah forbids Muslims from taking any intoxicant like drugs, alcohol, and so on; so when you make this covenant with Allah, you are saying you will comply with His order. Someone may offer you a drink or may even demand you drink in order to maintain your social position or your job. They might threaten you that they will no longer be friends with you if you do not drink and so on. This is a test. Will you obey that person or Allah? Because of your testimony of faith and the promise of obedience that you make to Allah, you will resist this temptation and take the consequences regardless of what they are.
Having the strength to stand up for what is right and to care for others when other people might be manipulating or using them takes courage. But when you pass such tests, you will be greatly rewarded by Allah. The more strength you show, the more strength you will get and the more peace you will feel. Surely there is peace of mind in knowing you are doing the right things.
Whenever something happens in your life and you are not sure what you should do, the answer lies in the Qur'an and Sunnah, not in the opinions of people or your own personal desires.
Allah tells us in the Qur'an what means:
[O you who believe! obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority from among you; then if you quarrel about anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the last day; this is better and very good in the end.] (An-Nisaa' 4:59)
So you are expected (by Allah) to turn to the sources of His guidance to you and follow them. At the same time, a part of this promise to Allah is that you will seek more and more knowledge so you will know how to worship and obey Him and how to spread goodness in the world.
But do not make the mistake of thinking you make this declaration of faith just one time in your life. As Muslims we make it every time we pray. So we are actually renewing our covenant with Allah every single day of our lives. And thereby we continually remind ourselves of the obligation to worship Him, obey Him, follow His Prophet (peace be upon him), and spread goodness throughout the earth. How can we ever forget our promise as long as we pray and renew it five times a day?
It is also the path that the pious throughout the ages have trodden.
But this first declaration of faith is a landmark in life. It is the turning point when old habits and beliefs are left and new habits and beliefs that are good for you and help you to grow and be a better person are adopted. It is the beginning of making daily checks on one's words and actions. When mistakes are made, Muslims are quick to see their mistakes and make amends. If they speak hurtful words to others, they quickly seek forgiveness from the person they hurt and turn to Allah with a contrite heart. There is no intermediary between the worshiper and Allah. And Allah is All-Powerful and All-Forgiving and promises to forgive and guide those who sincerely seek to do the right things.
As human beings we constantly make mistakes and are often careless and lazy. Allah is kind and merciful and whenever we turn to Him, He turns to us and forgives and guides us.
Allah tells us in the Qur'an what means:
[And whoever does evil or wrongs himself but afterwards seeks Allah's Forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.](An-Nisaa' 4:110)
So your initial declaration of faith is the first step on a pathway that has been trodden by all the prophets and messengers of Allah including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (peace be upon them all). It is also the path that the pious throughout the ages have trodden. It is a path that is easy to fall from and is surrounded by tests and difficulties. But the help of Allah is always near and the guidance of Allah is there for us to follow so we can stay on that path. It leads to Paradise: to eternal happiness and closeness to Allah.

Storm of the Heart

Storm of the Heart
Freedom Through Submission
By Selma Cook


Not all meaning can be found in books. Picture © Microsoft.comI knew every one of the steps that led down to the entrance of the library. Every crack, bump, and slope of those 15 stairs. Since I was young I had read the inscription on the wall in front of the entrance. It said "Everything that man has ever dreamed of or known is contained in books." I didn't really believe that. There were many things I knew and kept hidden inside, and I'd never read them anywhere. I was not always understood when I spoke. People often told me not to ask so many questions as it would make me disturbed and discontented with life. I had a very real feeling from when I was a child that something was missing. I didn't know where I belonged, but I knew I was lost and looking for a place to fit in.
But some things I knew for sure without needing to question. I knew that the human body is an amazing thing. I could see so clearly how it carries on its functions without our even knowing or understanding how it works. And what is more, even though we do not necessarily understand how it functions, it still works! This made me think about how science only believes in what it understands and what can be tested. But there are so many missing pieces of knowledge that are basic to life and yet scientists still can't understand how life enters and leaves a body, how the human brain works, and so much more.
The human body gives us warning signs when things are amiss. We feel pain. Yet people often think of pain as negative. Without it, how would we know we are ill? This made me think that even the negative things in life serve an overall purpose of balancing things and helping the human mind to comprehend some of the wonders of life.
The more we ignore our sense within, the further we stray from freedom, peace, and justice.Within each human psyche there lies an instinct: a sense of right and wrong. A warning sign telling us when things are amiss, something which is common to people everywhere. It is a desire to learn, to grow, to become complete. Like everyone else, I yearned for peace. I searched for it everywhere but when I was with others, usually I'd feel its absence. People often spoke of peace but didn't practice it or even really know how to achieve and maintain it. I read about it in books but they didn't tell me how to get it. Ignorance, jealousy, competitiveness, pride, discontent, and just plain nastiness kept peace at bay.
Over the years I learned to find peace in nature. The mercy that lies in a mother's heart, the yearning in mankind to learn, to be better, yet rising and falling under the yoke of ignorance and selfishness. Humanity becomes civilized only to destroy itself, like placing a rope around one's neck. The more we ignore our sense within, the further we stray from freedom, peace, and justice. Like a mother who kills her child seeking freedom has destroyed any chance of peace in the memory of her deed, there can be no freedom without peace.
But what is surprising is that in our ignorance we are often so arrogant. Oblivious to our smallness in the nature of things, we dare to legislate and declare the means of survival for all others. Yet we cannot even control the blinking of our eyes or the beating of our hearts. Scientists dare to take on nature, competing with the sun, rain, wind, and with life itself. They play with nature that we hardly understand. Regardless of all this, the sun continues to rise and set, the planets continue to orbit, people are born and people die.Life goes on and man's arrogance continues. Books are written about law and justice that bear no fruit. Books record the misdeeds of man, his rise and fall over waves of time.I read about so many of these things in the library at that time of my life. But when I looked out the window of the building I saw magnificent trees and gardens, and I couldn't help notice how nature bows down to laws that were prescribed before time. The books didn't mention how we find peace in the submission of nature to those laws. There can be no peace, no freedom until humanity throws off the shackles of human-made law and submits to the One Who created all that exists, thereby bonding our innate instinct to the nature surrounding us, which all bows to and praises its Maker.

Who Is "Allah"?

IsThe name "Allah" is a word that is heard quite often these days whether it is on the television or passed along in conversation. But most non-Muslims have no idea who Allah is.

Some mistakenly believe that Allah is a deity that Muslims worship similar to the way in which Buddhists worship Buddha. Others think that Allah is a man or a prophet. Just the name "Allah" is so shrouded in mystery because most people never take the time to unravel the meaning.

Rather they believe what they see portrayed in the heavily biased media and allow their fears to take hold of their chests instead of seeking out the truth for themselves.

The meaning of Allah is so simple. Allah is the Arabic form of the word "The One True God". Muslims worship the exact same God that Jews and Christians do.

However, Muslims prefer to call God by His proper name Allah and refrain from using the word "god" itself since it can be attributed to so many other things. For example, in proper English the feminine form of "god" is "goddess" and let’s look at Greek Mythology where the Greeks worshipped many "gods".

Muslims believe that Allah is the One and Only God without partners and that the name "Allah" is unique to the sole Creator of this World and everything in it. To liken Allah to another supposed god in any way shape or form is to commit the one unforgivable sin of shirk, or ascribing partners to Allah.

Islam is the only religion on Earth that remained purely monotheistic. Each time a Muslim prays to Allah, he has a meeting with the Lord of this World without an intercessor or mediator.Muslims believe in submitting their entire will to Allah through acts of worship, obedience and good deeds. Muslims believe that Allah is ever-present watching over His Creation and is always close to them.

Allah says in the Quran what means,

[And indeed We have created man, and We know what his own self whispers to him. And We are nearer to him than his jugular vein (by Our Knowledge).] (Qaf 50:16)

The Quran reveals that there are Beautiful Names of Allah, which is how Muslims get to know the Creator. Muslims are forbidden to ponder upon Allah’s appearance or to attribute Him to anything in this World as some faiths liken Allah to man. Islam rejects this entirely. We can know about Allah from His beautiful names of which Prophet Muhammad said:

"Verily, there are ninety-nine names of God, one hundred minus one. He who enumerates (and believes in them) them would get into Paradise." (Al-Bukhari)

Some of the names are:

Al-Wadud — The Loving
Al-Khaliq — The Creator
Al-Ahad — The One
Al-Aziz — The Mighty and Strong

According to Islam, the message of the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad is the very same one that was given to the Jews and Christians.However, meanings were lost in translation and the books revealed to past generations were corrupted and distorted by the hands of humans.

Allah gave mankind one final chance to be mindful of Him and to obey Him. And that chance came in the form of an unlettered man from the deserts of Arabia named Muhammad and through him Allah revealed His final revelation.

The Quran is the last book that Allah gave to humans and it is preserved which means Allah will safeguard it from corruption. Over the past 14 centuries, not a single letter has been changed or altered. No more books or Prophets will come to this world. And it is up to humans as to whether they believe in this final message or turn their backs on it as scores have done before and continue to do every day.

The best way for humans to understand Allah as the Creator is to open their eyes and see His design. Who else but Allah could create a flower as perfect as the rose? Or cover Earth with so much vegetation and foliage that scientists today are still unearthing new species?

Allah is the Most Kind and the Most Merciful. All that Allah has asked for humans to do is to be pious, worship Him alone and be kind to our fellow man. In return, humans are the veritable owners of the Earth to rule it as they see fit as Allah continuously showers His innumerable blessings upon humanity as well as punishments for those who disobey and wreak havoc on the Earth.

Islam is not a new religion or something that a few simply chose one day to follow. Islam is a continuation of the previous messages that were revealed to past Prophets.

Prophet Muhammad seals the line of prophets who came to this world both to warn humans and give glad tidings of Allah's mercy. It is only through Allah's love and mercy for mankind that He bothered to send prophets so that we may know Him… the One and Only God.

Sumayyah Meehanreverted to Islam almost 11 years ago. She is a Waynesburg College graduate with a BA in criminal justice. She is working on an Islamic children's book. She resides in Kuwait with her husband and three children.

JESUS in the QURAN

JESUS in the QURAN
The Islamic view of Jesus lies between two extremes. The Jews , who rejected Jesus as a Prophet of God, called him an impostor. The Christians, on the other hand, considered him to be the son of God and worship him as such. Islam considers Jesus to be one of the great prophets of God and respects him as much as Ibrahim (Abraham), Moses, and Mohammed. (Peace Be Upon Them) This is conformity with the Islamic view of the oneness of God, the oneness of Divine guidance, and the complementary role of the subsequent mission of God's messengers.
The essence of Islam - willing submission to the will of God - was revealed to Adam, who was passed it on to his children. All following revelations to Noah, Ibrahim, Moses, Jesus, and finally Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Them) were conformity with that message, with some elaboration to define the revelation between man and God, man and man, man and instructions. Thus, any contradictions among revealed religions is viewed by Islam as a man-made element introduced into these religions. The position of Jesus in the three major religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - should not be an exception.
Although the Quran does not present a detailed life-story of Jesus, it highlights the important aspects of his birth, his mission, his ascension to heaven, and passes judgements on the Christian beliefs concerning him. The Quranic account of Jesus starts with the conception of his mother, Mary, whose mother, the wife of Imran, vowed to dedicate her child to the service of God in the temple. When Mary became a woman, the Holy Spirit (the Archangel Gabriel) appeared to her as a man bringing her news of a son. We read the following dialogue in the Quran between Mary and the Angel:
"When the angel said, "Mary, god gives you a good tidings of a Word from Him whose name is messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, -high honoured shall he be in this world and the next, near stationed to God. He shall speak to men in the cradle, and of age, and righteous he shall be, "lord" said Mary "How shall I have a son, seeing no mortal has touched me? "Even so, he said "God creates what He will".
When he decrees a thing He but say to it, "Be", and it is. (Al-Imran 3:45-47)
In a chapter (Surah) entitled "Maryam" (Mary), the Quran tells us how Mary gave birth to her son, and how the Jesus accused her when she brought the child home:
"Then she brought the child to her folk, carrying him, and they said, "Mary, you have surely committed a monstrous thing. Sister of Aaron, your father was not a wicked man, nor your mother a woman unchaste. Mary pointed to the child; but they said, 'Hoe shall we speak to one who still in the cradle, a little child. And he said, 'Lo, I am God's servant, God has given me the Book and made me a Prophet Blessed He has made me ,wherever/may be; and hi has enjoined me to prayer, and to give the alms so long as I live, and likewise to cherish my mother; He has not made me arrogant and wicked. Peace be upon me, the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I am raised up a live. "Maryam 19:29-33)
in the same chapter, following the above quotation, God assures Mohammed (PBUH) and through him the whole world, that what is told above is the TRUTH about Jesus (PBUH), although Christians might not accept it. Jesus is NOT the son of God: He was obviously enough, the son of Mary. The verses continue: "That is Jesus, son of Mary, in word of truth, concerning which they are doubting. It is not for God to take a son unto Him. Glory be to Him, He nut says to it, 'Be, and it is. (Maryam 19:34-35)
After this strong statement about the nature of Jesus, God directed Mohammed (PBUH) to call the Christians to worship the one God: "Surely God is my God, and your God, so surely serve him. This is the straight path". (Maryam 19:36)
The rejection of the very idea of God having a son is restated later in the same chapter with even stronger words: "And they say, The All-merciful has taken unto Himself a son. You have indeed advanced something hideous. As if the skies are about to burst, the earth to split asunder and its mountain to fall down in the utter ruin for that they have attributed to the All-merciful a son; and behaves not the All-merciful to take a son. None there in the heavens and earth but comes to the All-merciful as a servant" (Maryam 19:88-93)
The Quran recognizes the fact that Jesus had no human father, but this does not make him the son of God, or God himself. By this criterion, Adam would have been more entitled more entitled to be the son of God, because he had neither a father nor a mother, so the Quran draws attention to the miraculous creation of both in the following verses; " truly the likeness of Jesus, in God's sight is as Adam's likeness; He created him of dust, then He said upon him, 'Be' and hi was. (Al-Imran 3:59)
The Quran rejects the concept of Trinity God the Father, God the son, God the Holy Spirit - as strongly as it rejects the concept of Jesus as the son of God. This is because GOD IS ONE. Three cannot be one. The Quran addresses Christians in the following verses from the Surrah entitled "An-Nisaa" (The Women)
People of the Book, do not go beyond the bounds in your religion, and say nought as to God but the Truth. The messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, was only the messenger of God, and his word (Fulfilment of his word (Fulfilment of His command, through the word "Be", for the creation of Jesus) that he committed to Mary, and a spirit originating from Him (was given life by God). So believe in God and His Messengers, and say not 'Three'. Refrain, better is for you. God is only one God. Glory be to him-that He should have a son! To Him belongs all that is in the Heavens and in the Earth; God suffices for a guardian.
The Messiah will not disdain to be a servant of God, neither the Angels who are close to Him. Whosoever disdains to serve Him and walks proud, He will assuredly muster them to Him, all of them.
As for the believers, who do deeds of righteousness, we will pay them their rewards in full, and He will give them more, of His bounty; as for them who disdain and walks proud, then He will punish with a severe punishment, and they shall not find for them, apart from God, a friend or helper." (An-Nissa 4:171-173)
The denial of Jesus's divinity (and. For the matter, of Mary's divinity) is presented in the Quran in the form of a dialogue, at the Day of Judgement, between the Almighty Jesus. All the Messengers and their nations will gather before God and He will ask the Messengers how they were received by their people and what they said to them. Among those who will be questioned is Jesus:
"And when God said, 'O Jesus, son of Mary, did you say unto men, "Take me and my mother as gods, apart from God"? He said, 'To you be glory! It is not mine to say what I have no right to. If I indeed said it, you would have known it, knowing what is within my heart, though I do not know your knowledge; you know the things unseen. I only said to them what you did commands me: "Serve God, my God and your God." (Al-Maida 5-116)
Given that the Quran denies the Trinity and the son ship of Jesus, what, according to the Quran, was the real mission of Jesus? The answer is that Jesus was a link in a long chain of Prophets and Messengers sent by God to various nations and societies whenever they needed guidance or deviated from his teachings of Moses and other Messengers. As he was miraculously supported by numerous miracles to prove that he was a Messengers from God. However, the majority of the Jews rejected his ministry.
In another verse of the Quran, Jesus confirmed the validity of the Torah which was revealed to Moses, and also conveyed he glad tidings of a final Messenger who follow him: "And when Jesus son of Mary said, 'Children of Israel, I am indeed the Messenger to you, confirming the Torah that is before me, and giving good tiding of a Messenger who shall be the praised one."(As-Saff 61:6)
Note that "praised one" is a translation of "Ahmad" - The Prophet Mohammed's name. Careful study of the New Testament shows that Jesus refers to the same Prophet in John 14:16-17: "And I will give you another Counsellor (ThProphet Mohammed). To be with you for ever, even the Spirit of Truth."
The usual explanation of this Prophecy is that the counsellor referred to is the Holy Spirit, but this explanation is excluded by a previous verse in John: "Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Counsellor will not come to you."
The characteristics of this counsellor, as can be derived from the prophecy, are that he will stay forever with the believers, he will glorify Jesus; and he will speak that he hears form God. All four characteristics apply to the Prophet Mohammed. He came six centuries after Jesus. He came six centuries after Jesus. He came with a universal and everlasting message, fulfilling the prophecy that the counsellor will stay forever with the faithful. He glorified Jesus as a great Prophet. The Quran attributes to Jesus miracles not mentioned in the Bible's Old and New Testaments, as well as specific verses in the Quran show how the Prophet Mohammad is rejected by Jews and Christians out of prejudice and misunderstanding, rather that carefully study the Bible.
It is a sad fact of history that not many are following the "straight path" to which people were called by Jesus. He was only followed by a few disciples inspired by God to support him. The non-believers plotted - as they would against Mohammed, six centuries later - to kill Jesus. But God had better plan for him and his followers, as the Quran tells us:
"And when Jesus perceived their unbelief, he said 'Who will be my helpers in the cause of God? The apostles said, 'we are Gods helpers. We believe in God; so bear witness of our submission God, we believe in that you have sent down, and we follow the Messenger. Inscribe us therefore with those who bear witness. 'And they devised, and God devised, and God devised, and God is the best of divisors. When God said, 'Jesus, I will take you to Me and will raise you to Me, and I will purify you (of the falsehoods) of those who do not believe. I will make your followers above the unbelievers till the Resurrection Day."(Al-Imran 3:52-55)
As the above verses indicate, Jesus was taken and raised to heaven. He was not crucified. It was certainly the plan of the enemies of Jesus to put him to death on the cross, but God saved him and someone else was crucified:
"And for their unbelief, and their uttering against Mary a grave false charge, and for their saying, 'We killed the messiah, Jesus son of Mary, the Messiah of God"…yet they did not slay him, neither crucified him, only a likeness of that was shown to them. Those who are at variance concerning him are surely in doubt the following of conjecture; and they did not kill him of certainty…no indeed; God raised him up to Him; God is Almighty, Allwise. There is not one of the people of the book but will assuredly believe him before his death, and on the Resurrection Day he will be a witness against them." (An-Nissa 4:156-159)
The Quran does not explain who was the person crucified instead of Jesus, nor elaborate on the Second Coming of Jesus. However, explanators of the Quran have always interpreted the last verse of the above quotation to mean that Jesus will believe in him before he dies. This understanding is supported by authentic sayings (Hadith) of the Prophet Mohammed may the peace and blessings of Allah him and upon all His Messengers.

I’ve seen many places of the world on TV screen and few that I’ve visited either for fun or/and business
As you know when we travel we meet a lot of different cultures and people,
I found in many places I’ve been to; that people stereotyped Islam (that's my religion) they prejudge Muslims from what they see in media incidents.
Allow me to share with you here some information about Jesus Christ,
Muslims believe in Jesus Christ (peace and blessings of (Allah = God) be upon Him as one of the mightiest messengers from (Allah=God),
We believe he is born miraculously by the word of Allah without Father
Like ADAM Been created without father nor mother,
And Marry (mar yam) is his mother the pious, pure female may Allah be pleased with her,
In fact there is a chapter in Quraan titled Marry
Let me quote here these verses:
“BEHOLD! THE ANGELS SAID: O MARY! GOD HATH CHOSEN THEE AND PURIFIED THEE –
CHOSEN THEE ABOVE THE WOMEN OF ALL NATIONS ”
And this Verse About Jesus:
“HE SHALL SPEAK TO THE PEOPLE IN CHILDHOOD AND IN MATURITY, AND SHALL BE (OF THE COMPANY) OF THE RIGHTEOUS.”
If this is a Quiz asking you where these Divine verses come from the Bible Torah or elsewhere?
THE Answer for your information it is from Quraan 3:45,46
This shows how much we need to know about what others believe.
You may visit this link below it’ll give you broad knowledge of Islam in Questions and Answers format ,
http://www.islam-qa.com
Or
http://www.islam-online.net
Or
http://www.al-islam.com
Or
http://www.al-sunnah.com/
Listen I am NOT Trying to convert YOU, but isn't it worth it for general
Information to know about what other believes?
And Allah granted you and me wisdom, brain, and heart to judge for ourselves?
Needless to say if you have any comment, question, suggestion I'll be glad to share them with you.

Okay if you found my introductory bothersome in any way please
Forgive me,
ِAny way I hope to hear from you sooner,

حـنـــــــــــــ وردهــ ــــــــــان

In The Name Of Allaah,
Most Gracious, Most Merciful
YOU MUST KNOW THIS MAN
MUHAMMAD
(May peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him)
You may be an atheist or an agnostic; or you may belong to anyone of the religious denominations that exist in the world today. You may be a Communist or a believer in democracy and freedom. No matter what you are, and no matter what your religious and political beliefs, personal and social habits happen to be - YOU MUST STILL KNOW THIS MAN!
He was by far the most remarkable man that ever set foot on this earth. He preached a religion, founded a state, built a nation, laid down a moral code, initiated numberless social and political reforms, established a dynamic and powerful society to practice and represent his teachings, and completely revolutionized the worlds of human thought and action for all times to come.
HIS NAME IS MUHAMMAD, peace and blessings of Almighty God be upon him and he accomplished all these wonders in the unbelievably short span of twenty-three years.
Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him was born in Arabia on the 20th of August, in the year 570 of the Christian era, and when he died after 63 years, the whole of the Arabian Peninsula had changed from paganism and idol-worship to the worship of One God; from tribal quarrels and wars to national solidarity and cohesion; from drunkenness and debauchery to sobriety and piety; from lawlessness and anarchy to disciplined living; from utter moral bankruptcy to the highest standards of moral excellence. Human history has never known such a complete transformation of a people or a place before or since!
The Encyclopedia Britannica calls him "the most successful of all religious personalities of the world". Bernard Shaw said about him that if Muhammad were alive today he would succeed in solving all those problems which threaten to destroy human civilization in our times. Thomas Carlysle was simply amazed as to how one man, single-handedly, could weld warring tribes and wandering Bedouins into a most powerful and civilized nation in less than two decades. Napoleon and Gandhi never tired of dreaming of a society along the lines established by this man in Arabia fourteen centuries ago.
Indeed no other human being ever accomplished so much, in such diverse fields of human thought and behavior, in so limited a space of time, as did Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him. He was a religious teacher, a social reformer, a moral guide, a political thinker, a military genius, an administrative colossus, a faithful friend, a wonderful companion, a devoted husband, a loving father - all in one. No other man in history ever excelled or equaled him in any of these difficult departments of life.
The world has had its share of great personalities. But these were one sided figures who distinguished themselves in but one or two fields such as religious thought or military leadership. None of the other great leaders of the world ever combined in himself so many different qualities to such an amazing level of perfection as did Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him.
The lives and teachings of other great personalities of the world are shrouded in the mist of time. There is so much speculation about the time and the place of their birth, the mode and style of their life, the nature and detail of their teachings and the degree and measure of their success or failure that it is impossible for humanity today to reconstruct accurately and precisely the lives and teachings of those men.
Not so this man Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him. Not only was he born in the fullest blaze of recorded history, but every detail of his private and public life, of his actions and utterances, has been accurately documented and faithfully preserved to our day. The authenticity of the information so preserved is vouched for not only by faithful followers but also by unbiased critics and open-minded scholars.
At the level of ideas there is no system of thought and belief-secular or religious, social or political-which could surpass or equal ISLAAM- the system which Muhammad peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him propounded. In a fast changing world, while other systems have undergone profound transformations, Islaam alone has remained above all change and mutation, and retained its original form for the past 1400 years. What is more, the positive changes that are taking place in the world of human thought and behavior, truly and consistently reflect the healthy influence of Islam in these areas. Further, it is not given to the best of thinkers to put their ideas completely into practice, and to see the seeds of their labors grow and bear fruit, in their own lifetime. Except of course, Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him, who not only preached the most wonderful ideas but also successfully translated each one of them into practice in his own lifetime. At the time of his death his teachings were not mere precepts and ideas straining for fulfillment, but had become the very core of the life of tens of thousands of perfectly trained individuals, each one of whom was a marvelous personification of everything that Muhammad peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him taught and stood for. At what other time or place and in relation to what other political, social, religious system, philosophy or ideology-did the world ever witness such a perfectly amazing phenomenon?
Indeed no other system or ideology secular or religious, social or political, ancient or modern - could ever claim the distinction of having been put into practice in its fullness and entirety EVEN ONCE in this world, either before or after the death of its founder. Except of course ISLAAM, the ideology preached by Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him which was established as a complete way of life by the teacher himself, before he departed from this world. History bears testimony to this fact and the greatest skeptics have no option but to concede this point.
In spite of these amazing achievements and in spite of the countless absolutely convincing and authentic miracles performed by him and the phenomenal success which crowned his efforts, he did not for a moment claim to be God or God's incarnation or Son - but only a human being who was chosen and ordained by God to be a teacher of truth to man kind and a complete model and pattern for their actions.
He was nothing more or less than a human being. But he was a man with a noble and exalted mission-and his unique mission was to unite humanity on the worship of ONE AND ONLY GOD and to teach them the way to honest and upright living in accordance with the laws and commands of God. He always described himself as A MESSENGER AND SERVANT OF GOD, and so indeed every single action and movement of his proclaimed him to be.
A world which has not hesitated to raise to Divinity individuals whose very lives and missions have been lost in legend and who historically speaking did not accomplish half as much-or even one tenth-as was accomplished by Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him should stop to take serious note of this remarkable man's claim to be God's messenger to mankind.
Today after the lapse of some 1400 years the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him, have survived without the slightest loss, alteration or interpolation. Today they offer the same undying hope for treating mankind's many ills which they did when Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him, was alive. This is our honest claim and this is the inescapable conclusion forced upon us by a critical and unbiased study of history.
The least YOU should do as a thinking, sensitive, concerned human being is to stop for one brief moment and ask yourself: Could it be that these statements, extraordinary and revolutionary as they sound, are really true? Supposing they really are true, and you did not know this man Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him or hear about his teachings? Or did not know him well and intimately enough to be able to benefit from his guidance and example? Isn't it time you responded to this tremendous challenge and made some effort to know him? It will not cost you anything but it may well prove to be the beginning of a completely new era in your life.
Come, let us make a new discovery of the life of this wonderful man Muhammad, peace and blessings of God Almighty be upon him the like of whom never walked on this earth, and whose example and teachings can change YOUR LIFE and OUR WORLD for the better. May God shower His choicest blessings upon him!
Written by S.H. Pasha

HOW TO BECOME A MUSLIM

HOW TO BECOME A MUSLIM
All praises be to Allah, the Lord of the Universe. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon Muhammad His last messenger.
The objective of this handout is to correct a false idea spread among those willing to adopt Islam as their faith. Some people are facing difficulties on the basis of their mistaken belief that entering into the Islamic fold requires an announcement from the concerned person in the presence of high ranking scholars or sheikhs or reporting this act to courts of justice or other authorities. It is also thought that the act of accepting Islam, should, as a condition have a certificate issued by the authorities as an evidence to that effect.
We wish to clarify that the whole matter is very easy and that none of the above mentioned conditions or obligations are required. For Allah; the Almighty, is above all comprehension and knows well the secrets of all hearts. Nevertheless, those who are going to adopt Islam as their religion are Muslims with the concerned governmental agency, as this procedure may facilitate for them many matters including the possibility of performing Hajj and Umrah.
If anyone has a real desire to be a Muslim and has full conviction and strong belief that Islam is the true religion ordained by Allah (SWT) for all human beings, then, one should pronounce that "Shahada" (The testimony of faith) without further delay. The Holy Qur'an is explicit in this regard as Allah (SWT) has stated.
"Truly, the Religion on the sight of Allah is Islam." (3:19)
In another verse of the Holy Qur'an, Allah (SWT) has stated:
"And whosoever desires a religion other that Islam, never will it accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who are lost." (3:85)
In addition, Islam is the only Religion prevailing over all other religions. Allah (SWT) has stated in the Holy Qur'an;
"And to thee. We have sent the Book in truth, (This Qur'an) confirming the scripture that came before it, and a witness over it…" (5:48)
Muhammad, the Prophet of Allah (Peace and blessing of Allah be upon him), said:
"Islam is based on five pillars: testifying that there is no God worthy to be worshipped but Allah, and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah and His servant; performing the prayer; paying the Zakat (obligatory charity); fasting the month of Ramadan; and perfuming Hajj."

The Shahada can be declared as follows:
''ASH-HADU ANLAA ILAHA ILLA ALLAH WA ASH HADU ANNA MUHAMMADAN ABDUHU WA RASUULUH."
The English translation is:
"I bear witness that there is no deity worthy to be worshipped but Allah, and I bear witness the Muhammad is His servant and messenger.''
However, it would not be sufficient for anyone to utter only this testimony orally either in private or in public, but rather, one should believe in it by heart with a firm conviction with the teachings of Islam in all his life he will find himself a new born person, (or new man).
This will move him to strive more and more to improve his character and draw nearer to perfection. The light of the living faith will fill his heart until be becomes the embodiment of that faith.
What would be next after declaring the testimony of faith (Shahada) and then becoming a Muslim? He should know the real concept underlying this testimony which means the Oneness of Allah and accept Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), as the last of the Prophet, and meet its requirements. He must behave accordingly applying this true faith to every thing he speaks or does. What do the words of "Shahada" signify.
The significant point which every Muslim must know very well is the truth that there is no God (ditty) to be worshipped other than Allah, (Glory be Him). He is the only true God, Who Alone deserves to be worshipped, since He is the Giver of life and Sustainer and Nourisher of mankind and all creation with His unlimited bounties. Man must worship Allah, Who Alone is worthy of worship.
The second part of the "Sahada" i. e. "We ashhadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh" means that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), is the servant and chosen messenger of Allah. No one must have two opinions about this matter. In fact, the Muslim has to obey the commands of the Prophet (PBUH), to believe him in what he has said, to follow his teachings, to avoid what he has forbidden, and to worship Allah alone according to the message revealed to him.
What is the meaning of worship? It simply means rendering sincere service; showing reverence for Allah. In a deeper shade of meaning, it implies total submission and complete obedience to Allah's Commandments both in utterances and actions of man whether explicit or implicit and whether private or public.
Worship falls into two categories:
Visible (manifest or outward)
Invisible (concealed or inward)
Visible worship includes acts such as uttering the two parts of the "Shahada" performing prayers, giving Zakat (Obligatory charity), observing fast in the month of Ramadan, performing Hajj, recitation of the Holy Qur'an, supplication, adoring Allah by praising Him, purifying our bodies before prayers, etc.
This type of worship is associated with movement of the parts of human body, [actions].
Invisible worship is to believe in Allah, in the Day of Judgment, in the Hereafter, in the Angels, in the Books of Allah, in the Divine Decree of destiny (that good and bad are determined by Allah alone.
This type of worship does not involve movements of parts of the body but it surely has a bearing on one's heart which subsequently affects his way of life. (Beliefs).
It should be borne in mind that worship not dedicated to Allah alone, will be rejected as one form of polytheism or shirk, which amount to apostasy from the Islamic point of view.
The next step for a devotee (newly reverted to Islam) is to purify himself by taking a bath (total ablution). He should then resolve to comply with all the principles and rules of Islam in their entirety. He disowns all forms of polytheism and false beliefs. He should reject evil and be righteous. Such rejection of evil and being righteous is one of the requisites of the motto of Islam that is, Lailaha Illal Laah.

Allah has stated in the Holy Qur'an:
"… whoever disbelieves in false deities and believes in Allah, hath grasped the most trustworthy Handhold, that will never break…" (2:256)
we have to consider that when we declare from our heart that "there is no god (ditty) worthy to be worshipped but Allah." It implies on our part of love, devotion, faith and obedience to the rules of Islamic legislation which are legally binding on all Muslims. It is requirement of "there is no god worty to be worshipped but Allah," to love for the sake of Allah and to reject for the sake of Allah. This is the firmest anchor of belief which materializes the meaning of "AL-WALA and "AL-BARA". It means that a Muslim should love and be loyal to his Muslim brothers. He should, as a practice, dissociate himself completely from practices of the unbelievers and refuse to be influenced by them, both in worldly and religious matters.
We conclude with a humble prayer to Allah that He may cleanse the hearts and souls of those who are genuine seekers of truth and may He bless the community of believers. Ameen.

Islam, the Religion of Ease
Allah, subhanahu wata'aala, is the creator of mankind and therefore knows his nature more intricately than mankind himself. Allah, subhanahu wata'aala, has therefore chosen for us a religion best suited to the nature of mankind, a religion that goes neither to the extremes of hardship nor of laxity, but instead provides a middle path; in other words, a religion of ease. Allah, subhanahu wata'aala, said; "Allah intends for you ease, and does not want to make things difficult for you" [2:185]; and "Allah does not want to place you in difficulty" [5:6].Such easiness is well explained in the hadeeth reported by Abu Hurairah, radiya Allahu 'anhu, that the Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, said, "Religion is easy..." [Bukhari], he also said; "The best of your religion, is the easiest." [Ahmad]The easiness of this religion was put into practise by the best of humanity, the one who came to deliver the message, as Allah, subhanahu wata'aala, said; "Verily there has come unto you a Messenger from amongst yourselves, it grieves him that you should suffer any difficulty, he is anxious for you, for the believers he is full of pity and merciful" [10:128]This understanding is clarified in a hadeeth in which the Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, said; "… Allah did not send me to be harsh, or cause harm, but He sent me to teach and make things easy" [Muslim]. This understanding is further implemented by the mercy sent to mankind, Muhammed, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, in the hadeeth reported by his noble and pure wife, 'Aishah, radiya Allahu 'anhu, who said; "Whenever the Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, has a choice between two matters, he would choose the easiest, unless it is sinful (act)" [Bukhari].Many hadeeths have been reported on the matter of easiness: "Allah likes for this nation ease and hates for it hardship and adversity." [Tabaraani]."We have been given a privilege over other nations... .we have been given verses that no one else has been given, the last two verses of Surah Baqarah(chapter 2)"Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error. Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear" After each statement, Allah responded by saying, "I did, I did, I did"" [Muslim].To further emphasise this understanding to his companions, when once a Bedouin stood up and started urinating in the mosque, the people caught him; but he, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, ordered them to leave him and to pour a bucket or a tumbler of water over the place where he had urinated. The Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, then said, "You have been sent to make things easy and not to make them difficult" [Bukhari].An example that illustrates this point is Salah, an act so important and vital to Islam that the Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, said; "Between a person and disbelief is discarding prayer" [Muslim]. He also warned against leaving salah, even at the time of his death, in his very last breaths before departing from this world.Yet in this worship Allah has also prescribed easiness. At first, the number of prayers was fifty in number, but they were reduced several times until they were five. Then it was proclaimed 'O Muhammad, the order is not changed. These five are (equal in reward) to fifty' [Tirmidhi].Causes of hardshipIf Islam is a religion of ease, why do we find many Muslims not practising it? Why do we find them doing very little of what they ought to be doing, and why do even those who practise their religion sometimes find it difficult? There are reasons why the practice of Islam can becomes hard: 1) Lack of pietyWhen we speak about Islam being easy we are, in reality, speaking about the easiness of its acts of worship and morals. Religion by definition means commitment and an obligation to a master. Therefore, being a religious person means to be always aware that we are slaves to a master, Allah, subhanahu wata'aala. From here we see the mistake of those who want 'ease' to mean 'doing nothing', just saying "I am a Muslim", committing themselves to nothing. It is obvious that they want it to be easy, but what exactly do they want? They want an easy life, a life without any religious practices. The idle belief of 'existing only to live' has long ago been negated by Allah, subhanahu wata'aala. He said: "Do you think you have been created for nothing and that you will not be resurrected and brought back to Allah again!" [23:115]. He also said: "Thinks man that he is left aimless?" [75:86].Islam is easy to practice; but those who do not understand the reasons behind their existence, who do not understand the concepts of religion, but meanwhile are striving to secure themselves in this life; then surely they will find its practices difficult.The easiness of Islam is felt in all of its commandments. Some people find this or that commandment hard to follow but this does not mean that the command is in itself hard; often it is the person who is the cause. For example Salah, it is an easy act of worship, as Allah, subhanahu wata'aala, has made clear: "And seek help in patience and prayer and truly it is (prayer) extremely heavy and hard except for Al-Khashi'un (i.e. true submitting)" [2;45].Prayer is an easy act of worship except, of course, for those who do not truly submit to their Lord; they will find it toilsome. Why do they find it so? The answer is that it is not the prayer that is difficult, but it is the hearts of these people which have changed from good to bad, as Allah, subhanahu wata'aala, mentioned: "Verily, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is He Who deceives them. And when they stand up to pray, they stand with laziness …" [4;142]; in another verse He subhanahu wata'aala, said; "And that they came not to prayer except in a lazy state …" [9;54].2) IgnoranceThe rules of Islam did not come as mere do's and don'ts. Each obligation has wisdom and motivation behind it. It should make no difference to us if the wisdom for that particular practice is known or not, because if it is not known to us today, then if Allah wills, He will reveal it to future generations. What is primarily expected from us is to fully submit and implement every command.For example, the giving of charity, which apparently decreases the wealth of the giver. Islam did not say "Pay charity, pay charity", as this would not motivate people and therefore make it difficult to act upon. Instead Allah says; "Would you not like to give a loan to your Lord, and this loan will be paid back to you multiplied and you will be rewarded for it." [2:245]The Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, said; "Verily, wealth does not decrease because of charity." [Muslim]It seems Muslims often ask why this act or matter is Halaal or Haraam. With such an attitude they will never achieve their goal, because behind each injunction there is an aspect of wisdom. Without understanding this, practising Islam becomes a heavy burden. With strong belief, we do not even have to ask whether this or that is halaal or Haraam, but rather if it pleases Allah. Therefore we should take the rules seeking the pleasure of Allah subhanahu wata'aala,. If pleasing Allah subhanahu wata'aala, is, always, our aim, then undoubtedly the practice of religion becomes easy, no matter what apparent hardships we may encounter. 3) Inappropriate environmentIt is true that sometimes we find it difficult to practise the religion, even those who are committed to it!The reason behind this is that we are practising our religion in an non-religious environment. Islam is not meant to be practised while being immersed in a Kufr (disbelieving) society. Its practice will indeed be difficult in such an environment. Therefore, the difficulty cannot be blamed upon Islam as a religion, but rather on the circumstances of the society.Returning to our example of prayer, we see that prayer by itself is easy, but if you have to stand alone to pray amongst non-Muslims, all of them watching you, it will suddenly become difficult. The obvious conclusion is that the prayer in itself is not difficult, but the environment has made it difficult.Another example is that of a woman who wears hijaab and is happy to cover herself. If this were an Islamic society, it would have been difficult for her not to be covered, or for a man not to respond to the call to prayer and pray in a mosque. Thus difficulty is not the nature of our religion, but we are trying to be pure in a decadent and immoral environment. These realities are not unknown to Islam, because the Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, already warned his companions some fourteen centuries ago, and by that has also warned us by saying, as reported by Abu Tha'laba, radiya Allahu 'anhu, "… Ahead of you are days which will require endurance (in the practice of religion), in which he who shows endurance will be like him who grasps live coals. The one who acts rightly during that period will have the reward of fifty men who act as he does."The hearers said, "The reward of fifty of them, Messenger of Allah!" He replied, "The reward of fifty of you." A companion said about this difference in reward, "Now you find people helping you to do good deeds, but then they will not find things to help them but they will find things to resist and oppose them." [Tirmidhi].So Islam is the religion of ease. If we accept it as a religion to start with, then we should take it with its concepts, and practise it in a pure environment (as opposed to a corrupted and decadent one); it will then become an easier religion to practise. As it is not possible to have a 100% pure society, we have to strive to achieve this by being surrounded by good Muslims. In doing this, the religion will loosen the burdens around it. The easiness of Islam has even been testified by the enemies of Islam. This was apparent in the statement of the Jews at the time of the Prophet, salla Allaahu 'alaihe wasallam, when a man and a woman from amongst them committed fornication. Some of them said to the others: "Let us go to this Prophet, for he has been sent with an easy law …". [Abu Dawood].So may Allah, subhanahu wata'aala, make us amongst those who "Listen to the word and follow the best thereof, whom Allah has guided and those are men of understanding." [39;18].Ameen.

WHAT IS ISLAM?
Can we find an explanation of the great universe? Is there any convincing interpretation of the secret of existence? We realize that no family can function properly without a responsible head, that no city can prosperously exist without sound administration, and that no state can survive without a leader of some kind. We also realize that nothing comes into being on its own. Moreover, we observe that the universe exists and functions in the most orderly manner, and that it has survived for hundreds of thousand of years. Can we then say that all this is accidental and haphazard? Can we attribute the existence of man and the whole world to mere chance.
Man represents only a very small portion of the great universe. And if he can make plans and appreciate the merits of planning, then his own existence and the survival of the universe must also be a planned policy. This means that there is an extraordinary power to bring things into being and keep them moving in order.
In the world then must be a great force in action to keep everything in order. In the beautiful nature there must be a Great creator who creates the most charming pieces of art produces every thing for a special purpose in life. The deeply enlightened people recognize this creator and call him Allah "God". He is not a man because no man can create or make another man. He is not an animal, nor he is a plant. He is neither an Idol nor is He a statue of any kind because non of these things can make itself or create anything else. He is different from all these things because he is the maker and keeper of them all. The maker of anything must be different from and greater than things which he makes.
There are various ways to know God "ALLAH'' and there are many things to tell about him. The great wonders and impressive marvels of the world are like open books in which we can read about God. Besides, God Himself comes to our aid through the many Messengers and revelations He has sent down to man. These Messengers and revelations tell us everything we need to know about God.
The complete acceptance of the teachings and guidance of God 'Allah' as revealed to His Messengers Muhammad is the religion of Islam. Islam enjoins faith in the oneness and sovereignty of Allah, which makes man aware of meaningfulness of the Universe and of his place in it. This belief frees him from all fears and superstitions by making him conscious of the presence of the Almighty Allah and of man's obligations towards Him. This faith must be expressed and tested in actions, faith alone is not enough. Belief in one God requires that we look upon all humanity as one family under the universal Omnipotence of God the Creator and Nourisher of all. Islam rejects the idea of chosen people, making belief in God and good actions the only way to heaven. Thus, a direct relationship in established with God, without any intercessor.
Islam is not a new religion. It is, in essence, the same message and guidance which Allah revealed to all Prophets. Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ismael, David, Moses and Jesus (PBUT). But the message which was revealed to Prophet Mohammed (PBUT) is Islam in its comprehensive, complete and final form.
The Quran is the last revealed word of Allah and the basic source of Islamic teachings and laws. The Quran deals with the basis of creeds, morality, history of humanity, worship, knowledge, wisdom, God-man relationship, and human relationship in all aspects. Comprehensive teaching on which, can be built sound systems of social justice, economics, politics, legislation, jurisprudence, law and international relations, are important contents of the Quran. Hadith, the teachings, sayings and actions of Prophet Mohammed (PBUT), meticulously reported and collected by his devoted companions. Explained and elaborated the Quranic verses.
THE FUNDAMENTAL ARTICLES OF FAITH IN ISLAM
The true faithful Muslim believes in the following Principal articles of faith:-
He believes in One God 'Allah', Supreme and Eternal, Infinite and Mighty, Merciful and Compassionate, Creator and Provider.
He believes in all Messengers of God without any discrimination among them. Every known nation had a warner or Messenger from God. They were chosen by God to teach mankind and deliver His divine message. The Quran mentions the name of twenty five of them. Among them Mohammad stands as the last Messenger and the crowning glory of the foundation of Prophethood.
Muslin believes in all scriptures and revelations of God. They were the guiding light which the Messengers received to show their respected peoples the Right Path of God. In the Quran a special reference is made to the books of Abraham, Moses, David and Jesus. But long before the revelations has been lost or corrupted. The only authentic and complete book of God in existence in the Quran.
The true Muslim believes in the Angels of Allah. They are purely spiritual and splendid beings whose nature requires on food, drink or sleep. They spend their days and nights in the worship of God.
Muslim believes in the last Day of Judgement. This world will come to an end someday, and the dead will rise to stand for their final and fair trial. People with good records will be generously, rewarded and warmly welcomed to the Heaven of Allah, and those with bad records will be punished and cast into Hell.
Muslim believes in the timeless knowledge of God and His power to plan and execute His planes and nothing could happen in His Kingdom against His will. His knowledge and power are in action at all times and command over His creation. He is wise and merciful, and whatever He does must have a meaningful purpose. If this is established in our mind and hearts, we should accept with good faith all that He does, although we may fail to under stand it fully, or think it is bad.
THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
Faith without actions arid practice is a dead end, as far as Islam is concerned. Faith by nature is very sensitive and can be most effective. When it is not out of practice or out of use, it quickly loses its liveliness and motivation power.
There are five pillars of Islam:
The declaration of faith: To bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Mohammad (PBUH) is His Messenger to all human beings till the Day of Judgment. The Prophethood of Mohammad obliges the Muslims to follow, His exemplary life as a model.
Prayers: Daily, prayers are offered five times a day as a duty towards Allah. They strengthen and enliven the belief in Allah and inspire man to a higher morality. They purify the heart and prevent temptation towards wrong - doings and evil.
Fasting the month of Ramadan. The Muslims during the month of Ramadan not only abstain from food, drink and sexual intercourse from dawn to sunset but also sincerity and devotion. It develops a sound social conscience, patience, unselfishness and will - Power.
Zakkah: The literal and simple meaning of Zakkah is purity. The technical meaning of this word designates the annual amount in kind or coin which a Muslim with means must distribute among the rightful beneficiaries. But the religious and spiritual significance of Zakkah is much deeper and more lively. So it has humanitarian and sociopolitical values.
Hajj (Pilgrimage to Makkah): It is to be performed once in a lifetime, if one can afford it financially and physically.

ISLAM and the AIM of LIFE
What is your purpose in life? What is the rationale behind our life? Why do we live in this life? These questions frequently intrigue people who try to find accurate answers.
People provide different answers to these questions. Some people believe the purpose of life is to accumulate wealth. But one may wonder: What is the purpose of life after one has collected colossal amounts of money? What then? What will the purpose be once money is gathered? If the purpose of life is to gain money, there will be no purpose after becoming wealthy. And in fact, here lies the problem of some disbelievers or misbelievers at some stage of their life, when collecting money is the target of their life. When they have collected the money they dreamt of, their life loses its purpose. They suffer from the panic of nothingness and they live in tension and restlessness.
Can Wealth Be an Aim?
We often hear of a millionaire committing suicide, sometimes, not the millionaire himself but his wife, son, or daughter. The question that poses itself is: Can wealth bring happiness to one’s life? In most cases the answer is NO. Is the purpose of collecting wealth a standing purpose? As we know, the five-year old child does not look for wealth: a toy for him is equal to a million dollars. The eighteen-year old adolescent does not dream of wealth because he is busy with more important things. The ninety-year old man does not care about money; he is worried more about his health. This proves that wealth cannot be a standing purpose in all the stages of the individual's life.
Wealth can do little to bring happiness to a disbeliever, because he/she is not sure about his fate. A disbeliever does not know the purpose of life. And if he has a purpose, this purpose is doomed to be temporary or self destructive.
What is the use of wealth to a disbeliever if he feels scared of the end and skeptical of everything. A disbeliever may gain a lot of money, but will surely lose himself.
Worshipping Allah as an Aim
On the contrary, faith in Allah gives the believer the purpose of life that he needs. In Islam, the purpose of life is to worship Allah. The term "Worship" covers all acts of obedience to Allah.
The Islamic purpose of life is a standing purpose. The true Muslim sticks to this purpose throughout all the stages of his life, whether he is a child, adolescent, adult, or an old man.
Worshipping Allah makes life purposeful and meaningful, especially within the framework of Islam. According to Islam this worldly life is just a short stage of our life. Then there is the other life. The boundary between the first and second life is the death stage, which is a transitory stage to the second life. The type of life in the second stage a person deserves depends on his deeds in the first life. At the end of the death stage comes the day of judgment. On this day, Allah rewards or punishes people according to their deeds in the first life.
The First Life as an Examination
So, Islam looks at the first life as an examination of man. The death stage is similar to a rest period after the test, i. e. after the first life. The Day of Judgment is similar to the day of announcing the results of the examinees. The second life is the time when each examinee enjoys or suffers from the outcome of his behavior during the test period.
In Islam, the line of life is clear, simple, and logical: the first life, death, the Day of Judgment, and then the second life. With this clear line of life, the Muslim has a clear purpose in life. The Muslim knows he is created by Allah. Muslims know they are going to spend some years in this first life, during which they have to obey God, because God will question them and hold them responsible for their public or private deeds, because Allah knows about all the deeds of all people. The Muslim knows that his deeds in the first life will determine the type of second life they will live in. The Muslim knows that this first life is a very short one, one hundred years, more or less, whereas the second life is an eternal one.
The Eternity of the Second Life
The concept of the eternity of the second life has a tremendous effect on a Muslims during their first life, because Muslims believe that their first life determines the shape of their second life. In addition, this determines the shape of their second life and this determination will be through the Judgment of Allah, the All just and Almighty.
With this belief in the second life and the Day of Judgment, the Muslim's life becomes purposeful and meaningful. Moreover, the Muslim's standing purpose is to go to Paradise in the second life.
In other words, the Muslim's permanent purpose is to obey Allah, to submit to Allah, to carry out His orders, and to keep in continues contact with Him through prayers (five times a day), through fasting (one month a year), through charity (as often as possible), and through pilgrimage (once in one's life).
The Need for a Permanent Purpose
Disbelievers have purposes in their lives such as collecting money and property, indulging in sex, eating, and dancing. But all these purposes are transient and passing ones. All these purposes come and go, go up and down. Money comes and goes. Health comes and goes. Sexual activities cannot continue forever. All these lusts for money, food and sex cannot answer the individual's questions: so what? Then What?
However, Islam saves Muslims from the trouble of asking the question, because Islam makes it clear, from the very beginning, that the permanent purpose of the Muslim in this life is to obey Allah in order to go to Paradise in the second life.
We should know that the only way for our salvation in this life and in the hereafter is to know our Lord who created us, believe in Him, and worship Him alone.
We should also know our Prophet whom Allah had sent to all mankind, believe in Him and follow Him. We should, know the religion of truth which our Lord has commanded us to believe in, and practice it …
Those in search of truth
Who have an open mind and heart,
Islamic Education Foundation
Welcome You.
Objectives: -
To Convey the message of Islam
To Educate Muslims about Islam
To keep in close contact with new Muslims.
Activities:
Offering Courses and presenting lectures about Islam in several languages.
Teaching Islam and Arabic.
Teaching new Muslims to receive the Holy Quran.
Helping Non- Muslims embrace Islam and complete the required procedures