Saturday, June 26, 2010

Life of This World

Our universe is perfectly orderly. Countless billions of stars and galaxies move in their separate orbits yet in total harmony. Galaxies consisting of almost 300 billion stars flow through each other and, to everyone's astonishment, during this gigantic transition no collisions occur. Such order cannot be attributed to coincidence. What is more, the velocities of objects in the universe are beyond the limits of man's imagination. The physical dimensions of outer space are enormous when compared to the measurements we employ on earth. Stars and planets, with masses of billions or trillions of tons, and galaxies, with sizes that can only be grasped with the help of mathematical formulae, all whirl along their particular paths in space at incredible velocities.

For instance, the earth rotates about its axis so that points on its surface move at an average velocity of about 1,670 km an hour. The mean linear velocity of the earth in its orbit around the sun is 108,000 km an hour. These figures, however, only relate to the earth. We encounter tremendously larger figures when we examine dimensions beyond the solar system. In the universe, as systems increase in size, velocities also increase. The solar system revolves around the centre of the galaxy at 720,000 km an hour. The velocity of the Milky Way itself, comprising some 200 billion stars, is 950,000 km an hour. This continual movement is inconceivable. The earth, together with the solar system, each year moves 500 million kilometers away from its location of the previous year.

There is an incredible equilibrium within all this dynamic movement and it reveals that life on earth is based on a very delicate balance. Very slight, even millimetric variations in the orbit of heavenly bodies could result in very serious consequences. Some could be so detrimental that life on earth would become impossible. In such systems in which there is both great equilibrium and tremendous velocities, gigantic accidents may happen at any time. However, the fact that we lead our lives in an ordinary way on this planet makes us forget about the dangers existing in the universe at large. The present order of the universe with the almost negligible number of collisions, of which we know, simply makes us think that a perfect, stable and secure environment surrounds us.

People do not reflect very much upon such matters. That is why they never discern the extraordinary web of interlocking conditions that makes life possible on earth nor do they apprehend that understanding the real aim of their lives is so important. They live without even wondering how this vast yet delicate equilibrium ever came to be.

Nevertheless, man is endowed with the capacity to think. Without contemplating one's surroundings conscientiously and wisely, one can never see the reality or have the slightest idea why the world is created and who it is who makes this great order move with such perfect rhythms.

One who ponders these questions and grasps their importance comes face to face with an inescapable fact: the universe we live in is created by a Creator, whose existence and attributes are revealed in everything that exists. The earth, a tiny spot in the universe, is created to serve a significant purpose. Nothing occurs purposelessly in the flow of our lives. The Creator, revealing His attributes, His might and wisdom throughout the universe, did not leave man alone but invested him with a significant purpose.

The reason why man exists on earth is recounted by Allah in the Qur'an as follows:

He Who created death and life, that He may try which of you is best in deed: and He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving. (Surat al-Mulk: 2)

Verily We created Man from a drop of mingled sperm, in order to try him: So We gave him (the gifts) of hearing and sight. (Surat al-Insan: 2)

In the Qur'an, Allah further makes it clear that nothing is purposeless: Not for (idle) sport did We create the heavens and the earth and all that is between them! If it had been Our wish to take (just) a pastime, We could have found it in Our presence, if We would do (such a thing)! (Surat al-Anbiya: 16-17)

The Secret of the World

Allah indicates the purpose of man in the following verse:

In the Qur'an, the last remaining authentic revelation which guides humanity to the true path, Allah repeatedly reminds us of the temporary nature of this world, summoning us to clarity of mind and consciousness. Indeed, wherever we live, we are all vulnerable to the devastating effects of this world, a self-explanatory phenomenon for people who observe life and the happenings around us. This is also true of all the attractions surrounding us. The pictures in this page are each a demonstration of this fact. Any corner of the world, no matter how impressive, will be exposed to unavoidable deterioration in a few decades, sometimes in even shorter periods of time than one would have ever expected.

That which is on earth We have made but as a glittering show for the earth, in order that We may test them "“ as to which of them are best in conduct. (Surat al-Kahf: 7)

In doing so, Allah expects man to remain His devoted servant all through his life. In other words, the world is a place where those who fear Allah and those who are ungrateful to Allah are distinguished from each other. The good and the evil, the perfect and the flawed are side by side in this "setting". Man is being tested in many ways. In the end, the believers will be separated from the disbelievers and attain the Paradise. In the Qur'an it is described thus: We did test those before them, and Allah will certainly know those who are true from those who are false. (Surat al-'Ankabut: 2-3)

In order to have an understanding of the essence of this test, one needs to have a deep understanding of one's Creator whose existence and attributes are revealed in everything that exists. He is the Creator, the Possessor of infinite power, knowledge, and wisdom. He is Allah, the Creator, the Maker, the Bestower of Forms. To Him belong the most beautiful names: whatever is in the heavens and on earth, declare His glory: and He is the Exalted in might, the Wise. (Surat al-Hashr: 24)

Allah created man from clay, endowed him with many features, and bestowed many favors upon him. Nobody acquires the traits of seeing, hearing, walking or breathing by himself. Moreover, these complex systems were placed in his body in the womb before he was born and when he was without any ability to perceive the outer world.

Given all these traits, what is expected of man is to be a servant of Allah. However, as Allah makes clear in the Qur'an, the majority of people are "wrongdoers" and "ungrateful" to their Creator, for they refuse submission to Allah. They suppose that life is long and that they possess the individual strength to survive.

That is why their purpose is to "make the most of their lives while they last". They forget death and the hereafter. They endeavor to enjoy life and to attain better living standards. Allah explains the attachment of these people to this life in the following verse:

As to these, they love the fleeting life, and put away behind them a day (that will be) hard. (Surat al-Insan: 27)

Disbelievers endeavor to taste all the pleasures of this life. Yet, as the verse implies, life passes very quickly. This is the crucial point that the majority of people fail to remember. Let us think about an example to further clarify the subject.

A Few Seconds or a Few Hours?

Everything on earth is destined to perish. This is the real nature of worldly life...

Think about a typical holiday: after months of hard work, you have your two weeks' vacation and arrive at your favorite holiday resort after an exhausting eight hours' ride. The lobby is crowded with holidaymakers like you. You even notice familiar faces and greet them. The weather is warm and you do not want to miss one moment enjoying the sunshine and the calm sea, so without losing any time, you find your room, put on your swimsuit and hurry to the beach. At last, you are in the crystal-clear water, but suddenly you are startled by a voice: "Wake up, you will be late for work!"

You find these words nonsense. For a moment, you cannot grasp what is happening; there is an incomprehensible discrepancy between what you see and hear. When you open your eyes and find yourself in your bedroom, the fact that it was all a dream astonishes you greatly. You cannot keep yourself from expressing this astonishment: " I rode eight hours to reach there. Despite the freezing cold outside here today, I felt the sunshine there in my dream. I felt water splashing on my face."

The eight hours' drive to the resort, the time you waited in the lobby, in short everything related to your vacation was actually a dream of a few seconds. Though indistinguishable from real life, what you experienced in a genuine way was merely a dream.

This suggests that we may well be awoken from life on earth just as we are awoken from dream. Then, disbelievers will express exactly the same type of astonishment. In the course of their lives, they could not liberate themselves from the misperception that their lives would be long. Yet, at the time when they will be recreated, they will comprehend that the period of time which appears to have been a lifetime of sixty or seventy years was as if it were merely a few seconds' duration. Allah relates this fact in the Qur'an:

He will say: "What number of years did you stay on earth?" They will say: "We stayed a day or part of a day: but ask those who keep account." He will say: "You stayed not but a little, if you had only known!" (Surat al-Muminun: 112-114)

Whether it be ten years or a hundred, man will eventually realize the shortness of his life as the verse above relates. This is just like the case of a man who wakes up from dream bitterly witnessing the vanishing of all images of a nice, long holiday, suddenly realising that it had merely been a dream of a few seconds' length. Similarly, the shortness of life will most strike man when all else about his life is forgotten. Allah enjoins careful attention to this fact in the following verse of the Qur'an: On the day that the hour (of reckoning) will be established, the transgressors will swear that they tarried not but an hour: thus were they used to being deluded! (Surat or- Rum: 55)

No less than those who live for a few hours or a few days, those who live for seventy years also have a limited time in this world... Something limited is bound to end one day. Be life eighty or a hundred years long, each day brings man closer to that predestined day. Man, in reality, experiences this fact throughout the course of his life. No matter how long-term a plan he devises for himself, one day he attains that specific time when he will accomplish his goal. Every precious objective or thing deemed a turning point in one's life soon turns out merely to have been a passing whim.

Think of a boy, for instance, who recently entered high school. Typically, he cannot wait for the day on which he will graduate. He looks forward to it with unrestrained eagerness. Yet soon he finds himself enrolling in college. At this stage of his life, he does not even recall the long years of high school. He already has other things on his mind; he wants to take advantage of these precious years to ease his fears for the future. Hence, he makes numerous plans. Before long, he becomes busy arranging his forthcoming wedding, a very special occasion that he eagerly awaits. Yet time passes faster than he expected and he leaves many years behind him and finds himself a man supporting a family. By the time he becomes a grandfather, an old man now in declining health, he faintly recalls the events from which he derived pleasure as a young man. Grim memories do fade. The troubles that obsessed him as a young man interest him no more. Only a few images of his life unfurl before his eyes. The appointed time approaches. The time left is very limited; a few years, months or possibly even just days. The classic story of man, without exception, ends here with a funeral service, immediate family members, close friends and relatives attending. The reality is that no man is immune to this end.

Nevertheless, from the beginning of history, Allah has instructed man about the temporary nature of this world and described the Hereafter, his real and eternal residence. Many details pertaining to paradise and hell are depicted in the revelations of Allah. Despite this fact, man tends to forget this essential truth and tries to invest all his efforts in this life, even though it is short and temporary. However only those who assume a rational approach to life are summoned to clarity of mind and consciousness and realize that this life is not worth anything compared to the eternal one. That is why man's objective in life is only to attain paradise, an eternal place of Allah's benevolence and enduring abundance. Seeking the contentment of Allah with true faith is the only way to obtain it. However, those who try not to think about the unavoidable end of this world, and who lead a life in keeping with such an attitude surely deserve eternal punishment.

Allah in the Qur'an relates the awful end that will meet these people:

One day He will gather them together: (It will be) as if they had tarried but an hour of a day: they will recognize each other: assuredly those will be lost who denied the meeting with Allah and refused to receive true guidance. (Surah Yunus: 45)

Therefore patiently persevere, as did (all) Messengers of inflexible purpose; and be in no haste about the (disbelievers). On the Day that they see the (punishment) promised them, (it will be) as if they had not tarried more than an hour in a single day. (Yours is but) to proclaim the Message: but shall any be destroyed except those who transgress? (Surat al-Ahqaf: 35)

Unbridled Ambition

Earlier in this book, we mentioned that the time an ordinary man spends in this world is as short as "the blink of an eye". Yet, no matter what a man possesses in life, he does not attain real contentment unless he has faith in Allah and keeps himself occupied with His remembrance.

From the time he begins to become an adult he craves wealth, power or status. To one's astonishment however, he has limited resources to satisfy these cravings; there is no chance whatsoever to possess everything he desires. Neither wealth, nor success nor any form of prosperity, however, will placate his ambitions. Regardless of social status or gender, people's lives are most often limited to six or seven decades only. Upon the termination of this period, death renders all worldly tastes and joys meaningless.

One who is prone to unbridled desires always finds himself incurably "dissatisfied". At every stage of life, this dissatisfaction is always there, while the causes change according to time and conditions. The will to satisfy these desires can make some people indulge in almost anything. He may be so committed to his desires that he is willing to face every consequence, even if it means losing the love of immediate family or being an outcast. Yet by the time he accomplishes his goal, the "magic" disappears. He loses all interest in his accomplished purpose. Moreover, not being content with this accomplishment, he immediately starts to seek another and makes every effort to attain it until he at last achieves it in turn.

Having unbridled ambition is the typical characteristic of a disbeliever. This trait remains with him until he dies. He never feels satisfied with what he possesses. That is because he simply wants everything for his own selfish greed and not to obtain the contentment of Allah. Likewise, everything people possess and toil to possess is a reason for boasting, and people become heedless of Allah's limits. Surely, Allah will not allow one who is so rebellious against Him to have peace of mind in this world. Allah says in the Qur'anic verse:

Those who believe and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah: for, without doubt, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction. (Surat ar-Ra'd: 28)

A Deceptive World

Countless examples of the perfection of the creation surround man all over the world: gorgeous landscapes, millions of different kinds of plants, the blue sky, clouds heavy with rain, or the human body "“ a perfect organism full of complex systems. These are all breathtaking examples of creation, reflection on which provides deep insight.

Seeing a butterfly displaying its wings, the marvelously intricate patterns of which are statements of its identity, is an experience never to be forgotten. The feathers of a bird's head, so fine and lustrous that they look like rich black velvet, or the attractive colors and scent of a flower are all amazing to the human soul.

Everyone, almost without exception, appreciates a beautiful face. Opulent mansions, gold-plated fixtures and luxury cars for some people are the most cherished possessions. Man craves many other things in life, yet the beauty of whatever we possess is destined to perish in time.

A fruit gradually darkens and finally decays from the moment it is plucked from its branch. The scent of flowers fills our rooms only for a limited period. Soon, their colors fade and they wither away. The prettiest face wrinkles after a few decades: the effect of years on skin and the greying of hairs make that pretty face no different from those of other elderly people. No trace remains of the healthy complexion or ruddy cheeks of a teenager after the passage of years. Buildings need renovation, automobiles become old-fashioned and, even worse, rusty. In brief, everything surrounding us is subject to the ravages of time. This seems to be a "natural process" for some. However, this conveys a clear message: "Nothing is immune to the effects of time."

Above all, every plant, animal, and human being in the world "“ that is to say, every living thing "“ is mortal. The fact that the world population does not shrink over the centuries "“ due to births "“ should not make us ignore the fact of death.

Yet as an unbridled passion, the spell of possessions and wealth influences man greatly. The lust for possessions unwittingly captures him. However, one point should be grasped: Allah is the sole Owner of everything. Living things remain alive as long as He wills and they die when He decrees their death.

Allah calls upon man to reflect on this in the following verse:

The likeness of the life of the present is as the rain which We send down from the skies: by its mingling arises the produce of the earth "“ which provides food for men and animals: (It grows) till the earth is clad with its golden ornaments and is decked out (in beauty): the people to whom it belongs think they have all powers of disposal over it: There reaches it Our command by night or by day, and We make it like a harvest clean-mown, as if it had not flourished only the day before! Thus do We explain the Signs in detail for those who reflect. (Surah Yunus: 24)

In this verse, it is shown that everything on this earth deemed nice and beautiful will lose its beauty one day. Moreover, they will all disappear from the surface of this earth. This is a very important point to ponder since Allah informs us that He gives such examples "for those who think". As an intelligent being, what is expected from man is to think and to take lessons from events and finally to set rational objectives for his life. "Thought" and "comprehension" are the unique traits of man; without these traits man lacks his most distinctive features and becomes lower than the animals. Animals also lead lives which are similar in many respects to human lives: they breathe, breed, and, one day, die. Animals never think why and how they are born, or that they will die one day. It is very natural that they do not engage in an effort to comprehend the real objective of this life; they are not expected to think about the purpose of their creation or about the Creator.

And coin for them the similitude of the life of the world as water which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingled with it and then became dry twigs that the winds scatter. Allah is able to do all things.

(Surat al-Kahf: 45)

However, man is responsible to Allah for building consciousness of Allah through pondering on and being mindful of His orders. Furthermore, he is expected to comprehend that this world exists only for a limited period. Those who truly comprehend these facts will seek Allah's guidance and illumination by engaging in good deeds.

Otherwise, man meets suffering both in this world and the Hereafter. He becomes wealthy, but never attains happiness. Beauty and fame usually entail misfortune rather than a joyous life. A celebrity, for instance, who one day basks in the adulation of his fans later battles severe health problems, and one day dies alone in a small hotel room with no-one caring for him.

Qur'anic Examples of the Deception of the World

Allah repeatedly emphasizes in the Qur'an that this is just a "world where all pleasures are doomed to perish". Allah tells the stories of those societies and men and women of the past who rejoiced in their wealth, fame or social status yet met disastrous ends. That is exactly what happened to the two men related in Surat al-Kahf:

Set forth to them the parable of two men: for one of them We provided two gardens of grape-vines and surrounded them with date-palms; in between the two We placed corn-fields.

Each of those gardens brought forth its produce, and failed not in the least therein: in the midst of them We caused a river to flow. (Abundant) was the produce this man had: he said to his companion, in the course of a mutual argument: "more wealth have I than you, and more honor and power in (my following of) men."

He went into his garden in a state (of mind) unjust to his soul: He said, "I deem not that this will ever perish, nor do I deem that the Hour (of Judgement) will (ever) come: Even if I am brought back to my Lord, I shall surely find (there) something better in exchange."

His companion said to him, in the course of the argument with him: "Do you deny Him Who created you out of dust, then out of a sperm-drop, then fashioned you into a man? But (I think) for my part that He is Allah, my Lord, and none shall I associate with my Lord. Why did you not, as you went into your garden, say: 'Allah's will (be done)! There is no power but with Allah!' If you see me less than you in wealth and sons, it may be that my Lord will give me something better than your garden, and that He will send on your garden thunderbolts (by way of reckoning) from heaven, making it (but) slippery sand! Or the water of the garden will run off underground so that you will never be able to find it."

So his fruits (and enjoyment) were encompassed (with ruin), and he remained twisting and turning his hands over what he had spent on his property, which had (now) tumbled to pieces to its very foundations, and he could only say, "Woe is me! Would I had never ascribed partners to my Lord and Cherisher!" Nor had he numbers to help him against Allah, nor was he able to deliver himself.

There, the (only) protection comes from Allah, the True One. He is the Best to reward, and the Best to give success. Set forth to them the similitude of the life of this world: It is like the rain which we send down from the skies; the earth's vegetation absorbs it, but soon it becomes dry stubble, which the winds scatter: it is (only) Allah who prevails over all things. Wealth and sons are allurements of the life of this world, but the things that endure, good deeds, are best in the sight of your Lord as rewards, and best as (the foundation for) hopes. (Surat al-Kahf: 32-46)

Boasting about one's possessions causes a person to be ridiculous. This is the unvarying law of Allah. Wealth and power are given as a gift by Allah and can, at any time, be taken away. The story of "the people of paradise" which is recounted in the Qur'an is another example of this:

Verily We have tried them as We tried the people of the garden, when they resolved to gather the fruits of the (garden) in the morning but made no reservation, ("if it be Allah's Will").Then there came on the (garden) a visitation from your Lord, (which swept away) all around, while they were asleep.

So the (garden) became, by the morning, like a dark and desolate spot (whose fruit had been gathered).

As the morning broke, they called out, one to another, "Go you to your tilt (betimes) in the morning, if you would gather the fruits." So they departed, conversing in secret low tones, (saying) "Let not a single indigent person break in upon you into the (garden) this day." And they opened the morning, strong in an (unjust) resolve. But when they saw the (garden), they said: "We have surely lost our way: Indeed we are shut out (of the fruits of our labor)!" Said one of them, more just (than the rest): "Did I not say to you, 'Why not glorify (Allah)?'" They said: "Glory to our Lord! Verily we have been doing wrong!" Then they turned one against another, in reproach. Then some of them advanced against others, blaming each other. They said: "Alas for us! We have indeed transgressed! It may be that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this: for we do turn to Him (in repentance)!"

Such is the punishment (in this life); but greater is the punishment in the Hereafter, if only they knew! (Surat al-Qalam: 17-33)

The attentive eye immediately recognizes from these verses that Allah does not give examples of atheists in this story. The ones in question here are exactly those who believe in Allah but whose hearts have become insensitive towards His remembrance and who are ungrateful to their Creator. They take pride in possessing what Allah gives them as favors, and totally forget that these possessions are only resources to be used in His way. Typically, they affirm the existence and power of Allah; however, their hearts are full of pride, ambition and selfishness.

The story of Qarun, one of the people of Moses, is narrated in the Qur'an as an example of the archetypal wealthy worldly character. Both Qarun and those who yearn for his status and wealth are so-called believers who cast their religion away for possessions and thus lose the blessed eternal life, whose loss is eternal deprivation:

Qarun was doubtless of the people of Moses but he acted insolently towards them: such were the treasures We had bestowed on him that their very keys would have been a burden to a body of strong men, behold, his people said to him: "Exult not, for Allah love not those who exult (in riches). But seek, with the (wealth) which Allah has bestowed on you, the Home of the Hereafter, nor forget your portion in this world: but do good, as Allah has been good to you, and seek not (occasions for) mischief in the land: for Allah loves not those who do mischief." He said: "This has been given to me because of a certain knowledge which I have." Did he not know that Allah had destroyed, before him, (whole) generations, which were superior to him in strength and greater in the amount (of riches) they had collected? But the wicked are not called (immediately) to account for their sins.

So he went forth among his people in the (pride of his worldly) glitter. Said those whose aim is the life of this world: "Oh! That we had the like of what Qarun has! For he is truly a lord of mighty good fortune!" But those who had been granted (true) knowledge said: "Alas for you! The reward of Allah (in the Hereafter) is best for those who believe and work righteousness: but this none shall attain, save those who steadfastly persevere (in good)." Then We caused the earth to swallow up him and his house; and he had not (the least little) party to help him against Allah, nor could he defend himself. And those who had envied his position the day before began to say on the morrow: "Ah! It is indeed Allah who enlarges the provision or restricts it, to any of His slaves He pleases! Had it not been that Allah was gracious to us, He could have caused the earth to swallow us up! Ah! Those who reject Allah will assuredly never prosper." That home of the hereafter We shall give to those who intend not high-handedness or mischief on earth: and the end is (best) for the righteous.

Anyone who does a good action will get something better. As for anyone who does a bad action, those who have done bad actions will only be repaid for what they did. (Surat al-Qasas: 76-84)

The main misdeed of Qarun was to see himself as a separate being apart from and independent of Allah. Indeed, as the verse suggests, he did not deny the existence of Allah, but simply assumed that he "“ due to his superior traits "“ deserved the power and wealth bestowed on him by Allah. However, all people in the world are servants of Allah and their possessions are not given to them simply because they deserve them. Everything given to man is the favor of Allah. If he is aware of this fact, man will not become ungrateful and spoilt towards his Creator due to the riches in his possessions. He will only feel grateful and show this gratitude by his good manners towards Allah. This is certainly the best and most honorable way of showing one's gratitude to Allah. On the other hand, Qarun and those who aspire to be like Qarun realize the wicked deeds they engage in only when a disaster falls upon them. After all the harm that befalls them, if they persist and still revolt against Allah, they are utterly ruined. Their end will be unavoidable: the Hell, an evil place in which to remain!

Know you (all), that the life of this world is but play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting and multiplying (in rivalry) among yourselves, riches and children. Here is a similitude: How rain and the growth which it brings forth delight (the hearts of) the tillers; soon it withers; you will see it grow yellow; then it becomes dry and crumbles away. But in the Hereafter is a Penalty severe (for the devotees of wrong). And Forgiveness from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure (for the devotees of Allah). And what is the life of this world, but goods and chattels of deception? (Surat al-Hadid: 20)

What Happens in the Grave?

The Hadeeth of al-Baraa bin Aazib

Upon the authority of al-Bara' ibn `Aazib who said: We went out with the the Prophet (SAWS) to a burial of a man from the Ansar (original inhabitants of Madina) until we arrived at the grave, and he still had not been placed in the slot of the grave.

Then the Messenger of Allah (SAWS) sat down and we sat around him. You would have thought that birds were upon our heads from our silence, and in the hand of the Messenger of Allah (SAWS) was a stick which he was poking the ground with. [Then he started looking at the sky and looking at the earth and looking up down three times]. Then he said to us: "Ask Allah for refuge from the torment of the grave", he repeated this command two or three times. [Then he said O Allah I seek refuge in you from the torment of the grave] [three times]. Then he said: "Verily, the believing servant, when leaving this life and journeying to the hereafter angels will descend upon him, their faces will be white as if they were suns, they will have with them a shroud (kafan) from the shroud of Paradise), and an embalmment (HanouT) from the embalmments of heaven. Then, they will sit within eye-shot of him.

Then the angel of death (peace be upon him) will come and sit at his head and will say "O you virtuous soul; come out to a forgiveness and a pleasure from your Lord ". So it will come out as a drop comes out of the mouth of a jug (with ease), then he will take it, not leaving it in his hand for longer that a blink of an eye until they (he and the other angels) have placed it in that shroud and that embalmment. And there will emanate from it a smell like that of the most sweet smelling musk on the face of the earth. Then they shall ascend with it, and they shall not pass with it by any group of angels but they will say: What is this good and sweet-smelling soul?. Then they shall say to them (he is) "such" the son of "such" choosing the best of the names he used to be called in this life. Until they reach the lowest sky, then they shall ask permission to enter, and they shall be granted entry, until they end at the seventh heaven sky, then Allah, exalted and high, shall say: "write the book of my servant in `illiyeen (1) [And what will explain to you what Illiyeen is `illiyeen, there is a register fully inscribed to which bear witness those nearest to Allah (see 83:18)], and his book will be written in `illiyeen, and the shall be said "return him to the earth, for [I promised them] I have created them from it, and into it I shall return them, and from it I shall extract (resurrect) them a second time (20:55)". So [he is returned to earth and] his soul is returned to his body [he said and he will hear the footsteps of his friends who buried him when they leave him].

Then two [severe] angels shall come and [terrify him and] sit him up next to them and shall ask him: "Who is your Lord?". He shall reply "My Lord is Allah". Then they shall ask him: "What is your religion?". He shall answer them: "My religion is Islam". Then they shall ask him "Who is this man who was sent among you?". He will reply "He is the Messenger of Allah (SAWS) peace be upon him". Then they shall ask him "What have you done?". He shall reply: "I read the book of Allah, then I believed in it and accepted it". [The angel will terrify him and ask him "who is your Lord?", "what is your religion?" "who is your prophet?", and this will be the last trial on earth for the believer, it is then when Allah says : "Allah will establish in strength those who believe with the word that stands firm in this world", so he will answer my Lord is Allah, my religion is Islam and my Prophet is Mohammad salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam. Then a caller will call from the sky: "My slave has spoken the truth, so spread out for him from the heaven, and clothe him from the heaven, and open a door for him from the heaven (within his grave)", so it's goodness and its smell will come unto him, then his grave will be expanded for him as far as he can see.

Then a man will come to him. His face will be handsome, and his clothes will be handsome, and his smell will be sweet. Then he shall say unto him: I bring you glade tidings of that which will make you happy [Rejoice with a pleasure of Allah and delights that endure]. This is the day that you were promised (46:16). Then he will say [and may Allah give you glad tiding] "who are you?, for your face is the face of someone who comes with good news". He shall reply: "I am your good deeds, [by Allah, I did not know of you but that you were quick to the obedience of Allah and slow to His disobedience, so may Allah reward you good]". Then he shall say: "My Lord bring the hour so that I might return to my family and my wealth" [it will be said to him "be tranquil"].

He (Mohammed, salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: { And the disbelieving [transgressor/wicked] servant}, if he is leaving this life and journeying to the hereafter then angels will descend upon him, their faces will be black, they have with them a coarse woolen fabric (sackcloth)[ made of fire]. Then they will sit within eye-shot of him. Then the angel of death will come and sit at his head and will say "O you wicked soul; come out to a anger from your Lord and a fury (from Him)". So it will be distributed (spread out) throughout his body, then it will be ripped away as a skewer/spit is ripped out of damp cotton [and in its way out it will tear and cut the nerves and blood vessels] [and then he will be cursed by all the angels between the earth and the sky and by all the angels in the sky, and the gates of heaven are closed. There is no gate in the heaven but its people supplicate that the wicked soul shall not be ascended to their side], then he will take it (the soul), not leaving it in his hand for longer than a blink of an eye until they have placed it in that sackcloth. And there will emanate from it a stench like that of the most evil smelling corpse on the face of the earth. Then they shall ascend with it, and they shall not pass with it by a group of angels but they will say: What is this wicked soul?. Then they shall say to them (he is) "such" the son of "such" choosing the most hated of the names he used to be called in this life. Until they reach the lowest heaven (sky), then they shall ask permission to enter, and they shall not be granted entry. Then the Messenger of Allah (SAWS) recited "The doors of the sky are not opened to them, nor shall they enter heaven until the camel passes through the eye of the needle" (7:40).

Then Allah, exalted and high, shall say: "write the book of my servant in Sijjeen (2)(83:7) in the lowest earth". [Then will be said "return my slave to the earth, for I promised them I have created them from it, and into it I shall return them, and from it I shall extract (resurrect) them a second time (20:55)"]. Then his soul shall be taken away [from the sky] with a mighty hurl [until it is cast into his body]. Then he (the Prophet salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) read: "and those who associate partners with Allah, They are as one who falls from the sky then is snatched by the birds or is cast by the wind into a very low place (22:31)". Then his soul will be returned into his body, [he (the prophet) said : verily he will hear the footsteps of his friends who buried him when they leave him]. Then two harsh severe and fearsome angels shall come and [terrify him and] sit him up and shall ask him: "Who is your Lord?". He shall reply "Huh?, Huh (this is an expression of sorrow), I don't know". Then they shall ask him: "What is your religion?". He shall answer them: "Huh?, Huh?, I don't know". Then they shall ask him "Who is this man who was sent among you?". He will reply "Huh?, Huh?, I don't know [I heard people saying that!]". He (the Prophet salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said "And then will be said to him don't ever know and don't ever recite!"].

Then a caller will call from the sky: "My slave has spoken falsely, so spread out for him from the hell fire, and open a door for him from the hell fire (within his grave)", so its heat and hot wind will come unto him, then his grave will be contracted upon him until his limbs are caught up among one another. Then a man will come to him. His face will be ugly, and his clothes will be ugly, and his smell will be vile. Then he shall say unto him: I bring you tidings of that which will harm you. This is the day that you were promised (70:44). Then he will say [and you, may Allah give you bad tiding] "who are you?, for your face is the face of someone who comes with evil". He shall reply: "I am your evil deeds [by Allah, I did not know of you but that you were quick to the disobedience of Allah and slow to His obedience, so may Allah reward you bad, and then will be assigned to him a blind, deaf and mute person who holds in his hand a hammer, if a mountain is hit with it, it would disintegrate, and he will beat him with it until he becomes dust, and then Allah will render him to his initial form, and he will beat him again, and he (the wicked) will cry of sorrow and pain a cry that will be heard by all creatures except humans and jinn, and a door of hell will be opened unto him within his grave and will spread out for him sheets of hell fire]". Then he shall say: "My Lord do not bring the hour".

This hadith is narrated by Ahmad Ibn Hambal, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, at-Tayalisi, and al-Hakim who said it is according to the standards of Bukhari and Muslim. This text is the text of Ahmad, all text between brackets is from the other narrators and other narrations of Ahmad.

Notes

(1) `illiyin: comes from the root word of `uluww which means highness. It is a place in the (highest) seventh sky where the souls of the believers are gathered (Ibn `Abbas), it also carries the meaning of a very high and wide place (Ibn Kathir).

(2) Sijjin: comes from the root word of sijn which means narrowness. It is a place in the (lowest) seventh earth where the souls of the unbelievers are gathered (Ibn `Abbas), it also carries the meaning of a very low and narrow (Ibn Kathir).

Reading the previous hadith one may think that the punishment of the grave is reserved only for those who did not believe in Allah or associated with him someone else in worship, lordship, creation or in his names and attributes. It is not the case! the following authentic hadith tells us more! so let us read it carefully : Ibn Abbas (Radiya Allahu `anhuma) says that the Messenger of Allah, salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam, once, while passing by two graves, remarked : The inmates of these two graves are being tortured not for any serious sins, but in fact they are serious sins. One of them used to carry tales [gossiping] (nameemah) and the other used not to yastatir (1) when urinating. [Bukhari and Muslim]

(1) yastatir means both not covering or hiding himself from the sights of others as well as not cleaning himself after urinating.

Women In Islam


What comes to your mind when you think of a Muslim woman? A mysterious, veiled victim of male oppression, awaiting Western liberation? A slogan-shouting terrorist? An uneducated foreigner with whom you have little or nothing in common? Unless your social circle includes Muslim friends and acquaintances, the chances are that your impressions of Muslim women have largely been formed by negative media stereotypes - images that usually have little to do with real life, and may have been designed to attract more viewers, sell more products, or gain support for someone's political agenda.


How much do you really know about Muslim women's lives or views, and why does it matter? Well, for one thing, Muslims account for 20-25% of the people on this planet, and Islam has become the second main religion in Europe. But did you know that the majority of European and American converts to Islam are women - not men? Would it surprise you to learn that many women in the Muslim world feel sorry for Western women and view them as being victimised? Have you ever stopped to consider why Muslim women who immigrate to the West usually maintain their identity and strive to pass it on to their children? A thinking person may well ask, if Islam is as oppressive to women as some journalists would have us believe, why aren't Muslim women running away in droves? What it is about Islam that attracts any followers outside its heartlands?

In this brochure we aim to look beyond sensationalistic or alarmist stories to take a glimpse at what Islam has to offer educated women in today's world, and understand why so many (men and) women of every race, colour, and social class have made Islam their choice. The truth, like real life, is beyond propaganda and stereotypes.

The Islamic view of women

First of all, women are portrayed positively in the Qur'an and the Hadith (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad). The Qur'an is the only book of world Scripture in which women are frequently referred to alongside men, and both are described as being friends and partners in faith. The following verses are just a few notable examples:

The believers, men and women, are protecting friends one of another; they promote the right and forbid the wrong, establish prayer, pay the poor-due, and they obey God and His messenger. As for these, God will have mercy on them. Surely God is Mighty, Wise. God has promised to believers, men and women, gardens under which rivers flow, to dwell therein, and beautiful mansions in gardens of everlasting bliss. But the greatest bliss is the good pleasure of God: that is the supreme felicity. (Qur'an 9:71-72)

Surely for men who surrender to God, and women who surrender
and men who believe and women who believe;
and men who obey and women who obey;
and men who speak the truth and women who speak the truth;
and men who persevere (in righteousness)
and women who persevere;
and men who are humble and women who are humble;
and men who give alms and women who give alms;
and men who fast and women who fast;
and men who guard their modesty and women who guard
(their modesty);and men who remember Allah much and women who remember - Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a vast reward. (Qur'an 33:35)

There is no question in Islam of men and women being at odds with one another, engaged in some kind of historical struggle for power. Rather, the roles of both are complementary and essential. The Qur'an states:

O mankind! Be mindful of your duty to your Lord, Who created you from a single being, and from it created its mate, and from the two of them has scattered countless men and women (throughout the earth). Fear God, in Whose (Name) you demand your rights of one another, and (be mindful of your duty) towards the wombs that bore you. God is ever Watching over you. (Qur'an 4:1)

Do not long for the favours by which God has made some of you excel others. Men shall have a share of what they have earned, and women shall have a share of what they have earned. (Do not envy each other) but ask God to give you of His bounty. God has knowledge of all things. (Qur'an 4:31-32)

The Prophet Muhammad augmented the revelations he received with further teachings and his wonderful personal example, which made him beloved by family and followers alike. He forbade violence against women, and preached against all forms of abuse of power. He warned that both men and women would be held accountable by God for those in their care or under their authority, and said:

Let no Muslim man entertain any bad feeling against a Muslim woman. If he should dislike one quality in her, he will find another that is pleasing.

The best of believers are those who are best to their wives and families.

The position of women in other religions

While these teachings may not seem very remarkable today, they were revolutionary at the time they were revealed, for Arabs and non-Arabs alike. While Muslim sons were being taught that Paradise lay at their mothers' feet, women in Confucian China were told to obey their fathers, then their husbands, and finally their sons after their husbands' death. Hindu women were declared to be unfit for independence, inherently weak, easily misled, sinful and unintelligent. In Buddhism, women were said to be the personification of evil. At the time, Jews and Christians believed women to be responsible for the downfall of the human race, and considered menstruation and childbirth to be the consequences of a Divine curse. One thousand years after Muhammad, in 1586, French Catholics were still debating whether or not women possessed souls! English Christians burned millions of women alive on the mere suspicion that they were witches. Married women in Europe did not gain the right to own property, obtain a divorce or enter into their own contracts until the 19th century. Not surprisingly, women who found such teachings unreasonable rebelled against them and fought for better treatment. Whereas other women have often had to pit themselves against the authority of a male priesthood, in Islam the dynamics of social change have been quite different.

Muhammad was greatly concerned with women's rights

The Prophet Muhammad was an extremely successful social reformer as well as spiritual and political leader, who championed the rights of the weak and oppressed. The Qur'anic verses referring to women had the effect of vastly improving the status and rights of women at the time they were revealed. Muslim women were granted the right to own, inherit and dispose of their own property as they saw fit; reject forced marriages; keep their own names and identities after marriage; initiate divorce; and obtain an education - back in the 7th century. In contrast to the dismal situation affecting many women in developing countries today, early Muslim women were noted for their learning and accomplishments. The Prophet declared, 'To seek knowledge is an obligation on every Muslim, male and female,' and his own wife Aisha was responsible for transmitting thousands of his sayings to later generations. Aisha was also renowned for her knowledge of poetry, medicine, and Islamic law, as well as her personal qualities of character and intelligence. When she led a battle after the Prophet's death, no one objected on the grounds that she was a woman. Many Muslim women in the medieval period enjoyed positions of respect as scholars and religious authorities. Therefore, Muslims seeking to improve the position of women in society have usually focused their efforts on getting men (and women) to practice Islam, rather than trying to 'reform' it, as happened with other religions. The main obstacles to Muslim women achieving the rights guaranteed to them, then and now, have been persistent un-Islamic cultural traditions (usually dating to the period before people accepted Islam in a given locality), inadequate religious education, and the bad side of human nature.

Women's roles, rights and obligations

Spiritual status
As shown in the Qur'anic verses above, women are considered to be the spiritual equals of men, and they have the same religious duties. This is all the more important when we consider that the main goal of a Muslim is to serve God, and that this world is regarded as no more than a testing-grounds to prepare oneself for eternal life after death. Therefore, worldly accomplishments, fame, wealth and power simply do not have the same attraction for a Muslim, whose main focus is on the Next World. The Qur'an repeatedly draws our attention to the fact that the time we spend in this world is short and unpredictable, and what really counts is our character, how we treat others, and what we do with the blessings God has given us. In this context, home and family are of paramount importance, since stable families are essential to the rearing of well-adjusted children who will transmit their faith and values to the next generation. According to a well-known Arab proverb, 'The mother is a school.'

Social roles
Islam supports the traditional division of labour whereby women assume the main responsibility for home while men are responsible for their financial support, but with an important difference: motherhood and homemaking, like a Muslim's inner life, are not considered to be less important or rewarding than a professional career. Indeed, motherhood is one of the most important professions, and competent mothers who can successfully run a warm and welcoming home, and raise a family of happy, confident and well-disciplined children are becoming increasingly harder to find. Muslim wives and mothers are granted the respect due to all women for the struggles and sacrifices they make for the sake of their families. Furthermore, Muslims consider it unfair to burden women with both the physical and emotional demands of motherhood and the professional demands of the workplace, which end up exhausting so many women and destroying family life for the sake of economic gain. Muslims often express sympathy for women in the West, who often suffer from sexual exploitation and abuse at home and in the workplace, while being unappreciated in their traditional roles. Western women who seek to be respected must often dress and behave like men, and are expected in practise to neglect their children's needs for the sake of their careers. In Islam, femininity is appreciated, and Muslim women may seek a higher education, work outside the home or volunteer their services to benefit the community as long as their primary responsibilities are taken care of. Any money that a Muslim woman earns is her own, to spend as she likes; men remain solely responsible for maintaining the family.

Islamic marriage
Although Muslim parents traditionally play an important role in arranging introductions and helping to choose marriage partners for their children, both husband and wife must freely agree to the marriage. The Prophet granted girls who had been forced into marriages against their will the right to have their marriages annulled.

The relationship between husband and wife in Islam is an interdependent one, based on love and tranquillity. The Qur'an says,

And of His signs is this: He created spouses for you from among yourselves that you might find comfort in them, and He put between you love and mercy. Surely there are signs in that for people who reflect. (Qur'an 30:21)

Both parents should strive to establish a stable, loving home and partnership. Major family decision-making should be through consultation and discussion. As the provider, the husband is expected to take the lead, as he is accountable to God for his care of the family. If no agreement can be reached, the wife should be supportive as long as her husband does not ask her to do anything that contravenes religious law. This works well as long as each spouse behaves maturely and treats the other with respect, kindness and consideration.

Codes of behaviour for women and men

In order to safeguard the moral integrity of family and society, Muslim men and women are expected to observe certain guidelines of behaviour that Westerners may find restrictive. Both sexes are expected to dress modestly in loose, non-transparent clothing and avoid situations that would put them alone with members of the opposite sex, or lead to temptation or misunderstandings. Muslim women additionally cover their hair, since women are ordinarily considered to be the more attractive of the sexes. These restrictions are not observed at home among close family members, but serve to protect women's honour in public and draw attention to their personal qualities rather than their looks. In Islam, the sexual urge is considered to be natural and desirable as long as it is confined to expression within marriage. However, Muslims are saddened by the rise in the vulgar exploitation of women and the human body for marketing purposes and pornography, which inevitably result in a cheapening of sexuality and the undermining of family and spiritual life.

Islam's appeal to today's woman

For women who enjoy being women and appreciate the differences (as well as the common ground) between the sexes, who would prefer to be respected for their intelligence and character rather than being chased after for their looks, and who would like to pursue personal and spiritual fulfilment at a human pace without having to neglect their families, Islam is a very appealing alternative.

A few words about polygamy…

Many people are aware that Muslim men are permitted to marry more than one wife. What is not generally known is that strict conditions of equal treatment in terms of time and money are imposed on men who do, or that women may stipulate in their marriage contracts that they have the right to divorce if their husbands take another wife. In reality, monogamy is the norm and polygamy the exception; it has never been common among Muslims except in areas where it was already practised, and it is seldom successful unless the first wife agrees. Islam did not introduce polygamy; in reality, some form of polygamy - whether with legal marriages, mistresses, prostitution or extra-marital affairs - occurs in every society. Rather, it allowed and regulated it in order to protect the women and children who might otherwise be taken advantage of. In certain cases, such as when the first wife is chronically (or mentally) ill or unable to bear children; when there are many widows and orphans due to war; or when a marriage has effectively broken down but the wife would prefer to remain married; open and legalised polygamy can be a workable second-best solution.

The Prophet Muhammad was married to his first wife, Khadijah, for 25 years, and he did not take other wives until after her death. His marriages to several widows and divorcees in later years were primarily contracted for political and humanitarian reasons, as was expected of a man in his position. His home life was characterised by love, consideration, kindness and respect.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

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

Dear reader on behalf of all the members of muslimconverts.com I welcome you to Islam. It always brings Muslims great joy when we hear of anyone wishing to convert to Islam. Muslims want to rush to tell their friends and family about this wonderful news. Muslims always love to hear how others converted to Islam. So for sure you will be greatly welcomed to Islam.

The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him welcomed even those people who had previously fought him and killed his loved ones. These people later on were to become the heroes of Islam. So no matter what your background and no matter what you may have done or said to Muslims or others in the past, you should rest assured that you will be welcomed with open arms.

Who can become a Muslim?

Some people are worried often worried if they will be allowed to become Muslim due to a variety of reasons. So before proceeding onto how to convert to Islam. I wish to reassure you that anyone can become a Muslim.

Islam is for the whole of humanity. Islam unites together people of different colours, languages, races. and nationalities into one brotherhood.

Allah says: "Indeed the Believers are but brothers." [Quran 4 9:10]

So you will be our brother or sisters in Islam when you convert to Islam

Any human being can embrace Islam. You do not need anyones permission to become Muslim. You can be any colour, race, age, speak any language and still become a Muslim. There are many American, British, European, Indian, children and Adults who accept Islam every day. On the www.muslimconverts.com site we have people who accepted Islam from all ages, all backgrounds and nationalities.

You may hear from some Muslims incorrect advice due to their lack of knowledge of Islam or due to lack of correct knowledge of Islam. So please note that:

You do not need to do a course or obtain a certificate to become a Muslim

Someone may say you have to do a course or obtain a certificate to be a Muslim. This is incorrect. You do not need to attend a course or obtain a certificate to become Muslim.

You should not delay in becoming a Muslim

If someone advices you to delay your conversion to Islam. This is also incorrect. If you believe Islam is the truth then you should not delay your conversion to Islam. You should convert immediately because we are given a certain lifespan. Since we do not know when we are going to die. Not even a minute should be lost as your time to leave this life may be up the next minute.

If you have tattoos you can still become a Muslim

Some one may say to you that you must remove all tattoos to be a Muslim. This is also incorrect. Tattoos are not allowed in Islam but they DO NOT prevent a person becoming Muslim. You should become Muslims and latter you can have the tattoos removed if you can afford it. If you can not afford it then do not worry there is no sin on you for what you did before becoming Muslim You are still a Muslim.

If you have a wild past of have committed a many of sins you can still become a Muslim

No matter what sins you have committed or how wild your past was. You can still become a Muslim.. Islam erases all sins committed prior to becoming a Muslim. Prophet (may the peace and blessings and mercy of Allah be upon him) said, Islam annuls what came before it. (narrated by Muslim in his Sahih, no. 121).As soon as you become a Muslim all your previous sins are forgiven and you start a blank state. Or a complete clean record.

Muslim (121) narrated that Amr ibn al-Aas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When Allah put Islam in my heart, I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said: Give me your right hand so that I may swear allegiance to you. He held out his hand and I withdrew my hand. He said, What is the matter, Oh Amr? I said, I want to stipulate a condition. He said, What do you want to stipulate? I said, That I will be forgiven. He said, Do you not know that Islam destroys that which came before it?

Click here to read more about wild past..

Click here to read more about sins committed before Islam...


If you are a Small child you can still become a Muslim without your parents permission


If you are a child you do not need your parent's permission to become a Muslim. If you fear they may harm, you can become Muslim in secret and tell them when you are ready.

What if their are no Muslims (or no Mosque or Islamic center) in your town

Another common question is that there are no Muslims in the city. This too is not an obstacle in you becoming a Muslim. You do not have to go to a Masjid (Mosque) or Islamic center or know any Muslims in order to be a Muslim. You can say the declaration of faith (called the Shahadah) to yourself and from then onwards you are a Muslim. This is explained in the article below in greater detail. Click here to read more...

How to become a Muslim

To becom e a Muslim one must simply pronounce the Shahaadatayn (Declaration of Faith) with sincerity and conviction.

The Shahadah can be declared as follows:

"ASH-HADU ANLA ELAHA ILLA-ALLAH WA ASH-HADU ANNA MOHAMMADAN RASUL-ALLAH".

The English

translation is:

"I bearwitness that there is no deity worthy to be worshiped but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger."


The Shahadah is the dividing line between unbelief (kufr) and Islam. It is also called the kalimah (word). Whoever says it with truthfulness will enter the Gardens of Paradise

It is [a kalimah] that Allah Himself has testified to, as have the angels and those who possess knowledge from amongst His creation. Allah the Most High said:


"Allah bears witness that none has the right to be worshiped except Him; as do the angels and those who possess knowledge. He maintains His creation upon justice. None has the right to be worshiped except Him, the All-Mighty, All-Wise."
[Soorah Aal-Imraan 3:18]

It is a concise declaration that contains few letters; light upon the tongue, yet heavy in the scales.

Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam, who said: "A person from my ummah will be summoned in front of everyone on the Day of Resurrection. Ninety-nine scrolls will be unfurled for him, each scroll extending as far as the eye can see. Then it will be said: Do you deny any of this [i.e. your bad deeds]? So the man will reply: No, 0 Lord. Then it will be said: Do you have any excuse or any good deed? The man, in a state of terror, will answer: No. It will then be said: Rather, you do have some good deeds and no injustice will befall you this Day. So a parchment will be taken out for him, upon which there will be the testification of laa ilaaha illallaah and the testification that Muhammad is the Slave and Messenger of Allah. The man will say: 0h Lord, what is this parchment in comparison to those scrolls! It will be said to him: No injustice shall befall you. The scrolls will then be placed in one of the scales and the parchment in the other; the scrolls will be light in weight, whereas the parchment will be heavy." ( Reported by at-Tirmidhee (no.2641), from Abdullaah ibn Amr radhiyallahu anhu. It was declared to be saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaanee in as-Saheehah (no.135).

The first part of the Shahadah is laa ilaaha illallaah (none has the right to be worshiped except Allah) and the first part if the Shahadah has two pillars:

The first pillar is the pillar of negation (nafee), whilst the second is the pillar of affirmation (ithbaat). What is meant by negation is to negate divinity and worship (ilaahiyyah) for anything except Allah, the Most High. What is meant by affirmation is to affirm divinity and worship only for Allah the Most Perfect; for it is He alone that is the true Deity. So whatever else is taken by the unbelievers as deities to be worshiped are in fact all false and futile: That is because Allah is the true Deity to be worshiped, and whatever else they invoke besides Him is vain falsehood.

[Soorah al-Hajj 22:62]

Imam Ibn al-Qayyim said: The significance of laa ilaaha illallaah in affirming divinity and worship for only Allah is far greater than just saying that Allah is an ilaah. This is because the saying that Allah is an ilaah does not negate divinity and worship to other than Allah. This is different to the saying: laa ilaaha illallaah; which obligates restricting divinity and worship to only Allah.


All the messengers of Allah told their people none has the right to be worshiped except Allah


Allah said: "We did not send any Messenger before you, except that We revealed to him that none has the right to be worshiped except Me; so worship Me."

[Soorah al-Anbiyaa 21:25]

Allah the Exalted also said: "He sends down the angels with the revelation of His commands to whosoever of His slaves that He wills, saying: Warn mankind that none has the right to be worshiped except Me. So fear Me [by keeping away from sin and disobedience]."

[Soorah an-Nahl 16:2]

It is a concise declaration that contains few letters; light upon the tongue, yet heavy in the scales. Allah's Messenger Peace be upon him said: "Moses said: 0h my Lord! Teach me something by which I can remember You and supplicate to You. Allah said: 0h Moses! say laa ilaaha ilallaah. Moses said: 0h my Lord! All Your slaves say this. Allah said: 0h Moses! If the seven heavens and all that they contain, other than Me, and the seven earths were placed in one scale, and laa ilaaha ilallaah were put in the other, then laa ilaaha illallaah would outweigh them all." (Reported by Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh (no.2324) and al-Haakim in al-Mustadrak (1/528).

Ibn Uyaynah, (radhiyallahu anhu) said: "Allaah has not bestowed any favour upon His slaves greater than the favour of them realizing laa ilaaha ilallaah. Indeed laa ilaaha illallaah is to the people of Paradise, what cool water is to the people of this world." ( Related by Ibn Rajab in Kalimatul-Ikhlaas (p.53)




The second part of the "Shahadah" i.e. "Wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluh" means that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is the servant and chosen messenger of Allah. No one should be in any doubt about this matter. In fact, the Muslim has to obey the commands of the Prophet (PBUH), to believe in what he has said, to follow his Teachings, to avoid what he has forbidden, and to worship A11ah 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, whether explicit or implicit and in private or public.


Worship falls into two categories:

1. Visible (manifest or outward)

Visible worship includes acts such as uttering the two parts of the "shahadah", performing prayers, giving Zakat (obligatory charity), observing the fast in the month of Ramadan, performing Hajj, recitation of the Holy Quran, supplication, adoring Allah by praising Him, purifying our bodies before prayers, etc.

This type of worship is associated with the movement of the parts of human body, [actions].

2. Invisible (concealed or inward)

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 one's 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 amounts to apostasy, from the Islamic point of view.

How to declare the Shahadah

A person does NOT need to do a course or obtain a certificate to become a Muslim.

If there are no Mosques or Muslims were you live you can declare the Shahadah to your self..

At MuslimConverts.com we have helped brothers and sisters say the Shahadah via phone and via the Net. So if you wish for us to go through it with you step by step. Please do no not hesitate to leave us a message and we can arrange an online meeting at a mutually convenient time.

However, it is not sufficient for anyone to only utter this testimony orally either in private or in public; but rather, he or she should believe in it with a firm conviction and unshakable faith. Once you have said the Shahadah then you will be like a New Born Person. Free of any sins. Just like a child is born sinless.

From the Emails I received on the message board. I noticed some women have delayed their Shahadah because of menstruation. It does not matter if a woman is menstruating. You can say your Shahadah even when you are menstruating. The women do not go inside the prayer area of the Masjid (Mosque) when menstruating. However if they want to say their Shahadah at the Masjid they can arrange to say it say just outside the Masjid or part of the Masjid complex which is not regarded as the place of prayer.

Pledge of Allegiance

During the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him) the people would also give their Bai'a (pledge of allegiance ) and the Prophet peace be upon him would accept their pledge.

After the death of the Prophet (peace be upon him) the believing men and women would give their pledge of allegiance to the Muslim nation (khalif) and the Khalif would accept their pledge of allegiance.

During the treaty of hudaybiyah believing women would migrate to the Muslim side in the city of Madina and give their pledge of allegiance to the Prophet peace be upon him. To check those who migrated to the Islamic state in Madina were true believers and not just women who had run away from their non Muslim families. Allah revealed the following verse.

Allah said:

"O Prophet! When believing women come to you to give you the Bai'� (pledge), that they will not associate anything in worship with Allah, that they will not steal, that they will not commit illegal sexual intercourse, that they will not kill their children, that they will not utter slander, intentionally forging falsehood (i.e. by making illegal children belonging to their husbands), and that they will not disobey you in any Ma'r�f (everything good according to Islam) then accept their Bai'� (pledge), and ask Allah to forgive them, Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful". (Quran 60:12)

So the Prophet would say to them "Pledge to me in that you will not associate any with Allah, nor steal, nor commit Zina, nor kill your children" Then he would recite the above verse (Quran 60 verse 12) and when the women agreed to those conditions then he would say I have accepted your pledge.and he would add "Those among you who fulfill this pledge, will receive their reward from Allah. Those who deviate from any of it and receive the legal punishment (in this life), the punishment will be expiation for that sin. Whoever deviates from any of it and Allah screens him, then it is up to Allah to punish or forgive if He wills."

The Prophet peace be upon him would shake the hands of the men who had give their pledge. In case of women he only took their pledge by word because in Islam a it is not allowed to shake hands with the opposite sex who are non mehrem.


Narrated 'Ubada bin As-Samit:

who took part in the battle of Badr and was a Naqib (a person heading a group of six persons), on the night of Al-'Aqaba pledge: Allah's Apostle said while a group of his companions were around him, "Swear allegiance to me for:

1. Not to join anything in worship along with Allah.
2. Not to steal.
3. Not to commit illegal sexual intercourse.
4. Not to kill your children.
5. Not to accuse an innocent person (to spread such an accusation among people).
6. Not to be disobedient (when ordered) to do good deed."

The Prophet added: "Whoever among you fulfills his pledge will be rewarded by Allah. And whoever indulges in any one of them (except the ascription of partners to Allah) and gets the punishment in this world, that punishment will be an expiation for that sin. And if one indulges in any of them, and Allah conceals his sin, it is up to Him to forgive or punish him (in the Hereafter)." 'Ubada bin As-Samit added: "So we swore allegiance for these." (points to Allah's Apostle) (Bukhari Volume: 1, Book Number: 2, Hadith Number: 17)


Narrated Jarir bin Abdullah:

I gave the pledge of allegiance to Allah's Apostle for the following:

1. offer prayers perfectly
2. pay the Zakat (obligatory charity)
3. and be sincere and true to every Muslim.

(Bukhari Book Number: 2, Hadith Number: 54)

Narrated Ziyad bin'Ilaqa:

I heard Jarir bin 'Abdullah (Praising Allah). On the day when Al-Mughira bin Shu'ba died, he (Jarir) got up (on the pulpit) and thanked and praised Allah and said, "Be afraid of Allah alone Who has none along with Him to be worshiped.(You should) be calm and quiet till the (new) chief comes to you and he will come to you soon. Ask Allah's forgiveness for your (late) chief because he himself loved to forgive others." Jarir added, "Amma badu (now then), I went to the Prophet and said, 'I give my pledge of allegiance to you for Islam." The Prophet conditioned (my pledge) for me to be sincere and true to every Muslim so I gave my pledge to him for this. By the Lord of this mosque! I am sincere and true to you (Muslims). Then Jarir asked for Allah's forgiveness and came down (from the pulpit).(Bukhari 4: Volume: 1, Book Number: 2, Hadith Number: 55)

Unfortunately the Islamic state was destroyed in 1924 and since then we have had no khalif. However we will have it one day and in the meantime those Muslims should take note of this pledge of Allegiance and the need for a khalif. Thus even in the absence of the Khalif a Muslim should sincerely adhere to the conditions that Muslims used to pledge to. So a persons loyalty should be with the true Muslims. Thus a Muslim should not be aiding in the killing of Muslims or the Invasion of Muslim lands. We should be working for the reestablishment of the Khailifate (Islamic state) under one leader (Khalif). We should know we have our own flag and our own nation. We are one nation (one Ummah) of almost 1.5 billion. We may be scattered all around the globe but our loyalty should be with each other. Thus we should not be in the armed forces of the non Muslims. Even in the Armed forces of the Muslim countries we should not be obeying orders which are against Islam or call for fighting Muslims on bases of nationalism, or spreading of man made laws and unIslamic practices.


Although most who convert to Islam leave all unIslamic habits such as drinking alcohol , dating and sexual intercourse. There are some who find it initially difficult to get rid of these bad habits for various reasons. However once they convert to Islam these bad habits go away eventually as they become more Allah conscious.

Of course from time to time you may mess up and commit sins. But Allah is most merciful and if you sincerely repent from a sin, Allah will forgive you. Allah loves to see his slaves turn to Him in sincere repentance. Allah knows who is sincere in repentance.

The Conditions of the Shahadah

Pronouncing the testimony of faith is sufficient to make one a convert to Islam. There are however, seven conditions that must be observed before it can effectively make one a Muslim. These are describe as follows:


1 Knowledge (Al-ilm)


Knowledge (al-ilm) of its meaning, what it negates and affirms. If a person says it without knowing its meaning, nor what its requirements are, then he will not benefit by it, because he has not believed in what it requires. Rather, he is like someone who speaks in a language that he does not understand.

2 Certainty (Al-Yaqeen)

The heart must be firmly certain of the meaning of Shahadah without a blemish of doubt.

Allah the Exalted says:" Verily, the believers are only those who truly believe in Allah and His Messenger, and then doubt not. (Quran 49:15).

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I am the Messenger of Allah. No slave meets Allah with this testimony, having no doubt in it but shall enter Jannah."( Muslim) :



3 Sincerity (Al-Ikhlaas)

Exclusively worshiping Allah, which is contrary to shirk. This is what laa ilaaha illallaah points towards.

Allah, the Exalted, said:" And they were not commanded but to worship Allah, being sincere in devoting religion to Him." (Quran 98:5).

Abu Hurairah said:" I asked the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him: Messenger of Allah! Who will be most fortunate to enjoy your shafa'ah (intercession) on the Day of Resurrection? The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: I was certain that no one else would ask me about this other than you, because I have noticed your keenness for hadeeth. The most fortunate of men who will enjoy my shafa'ah on the Day of Resurrection is the one who says: (La Ilaha Illa Allah) "None has the right to be worshiped except Allah", sincerely from his heart.."(Musnad al-Imam Ahmad.)



4 Truthfulness (As-Sidq)


Truthfulness (as-sidq), which prevents hypocrisy (nifaaq). Indeed, the hypocrites uttered it with their tongues, but did not inwardly believe in what it signified.


The Messenger of Allah said: "Anyone testifies that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, truthfully from his heart, Allah would forbid his admittance to the Fire."(Muslim)



5 Love and affection (Al-Mahabbah )

Love (al-mahabbah) for this kalimah and having love and pleasure for whatever it necessitates. This is contrary to the [state of the] hypocrites.

The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: "There are three (qualities), whoever possesses them, will taste the sweetness of Iman (belief): to love Allah and His Messenger more than anyone else, to love the Muslim only for the sake of Allah, and to dread returning to kufr (apostasy) as he dreads being thrown in fire." ( Bukhari and Muslim.)

Allah says to His Messenger (peace be upon him)

Say (O Muhammad SAW to mankind): "If you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Quran and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (3:31)

Allah says: "Allah shall bring forth a people whom He loves and they love Him." (Quran 5:54)

The Prophet, peace be upon him, also said: "None of you shall (really) believe until I become dearer to him than his own father, and son and all mankind." ( Bukhari and Muslim.)

6 Submission (Al-Inqiyaad) internally and externally

Submissive compliance (al-inqiyaad), by fulfilling its rights - which are the obligatory actions - with sincerity to Allah and seeking His good pleasure. This is its requirement.

Allah, the Exalted, says: "And he who submits himself to Allah, and does good, he has surely grasped a strong handle." ( Quran 31:22).

Allah also says:" And turn you to your Rabb, and submit yourselves to Him." (:Quran 39:54).


7 Acceptance and conformity (Al-Qubool )

Acceptance (al-qabool), which prevents rejection.

This is achieved by acting upon what Allah has commanded and abandoning whatever He has prohibited.

Abu Musa al-Ash'aree reported that the Prophet, peace be upon him said: "The parable of guidance and knowledge which Allah has sent me with is like a rain which fell on a land. A patch of that land received the water and produced much herbage and grass. And a patch which was barren. The latter retained water wherewith Allah extended benefits to men: they drank from it, irrigated and planted their vegetation. And a patch which was a sandy plain, it neither retained water nor produced herbage. This is parallel to the person who conceived the religion of Allah and benefited from the Message with which Allah has sent me, whereby he learns and taught others. The other person turned away from it (from my Message), and rejected the guidance of Allah with which I am sent.." Bukhari and Muslim.)

Allah says "Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad peace be upon him) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much."(33:21)

And Allah also says in Surah Al-Hashr

....And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad peace be upon him) gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it) , and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe in punishment. (59:7)

Again Allah says:

O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger (Muhammad peace be upon him), and those of you (Muslims) who are in authority. (And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger ( peace be upon him), if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination.(4:59)

And Allah says:

But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad ) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission.

In the next verse Allah again tells his Messenger

Say (O Muhammad peace be upon him): "Obey Allah and the Messenger (Muhammad peace be upon him)." But if they turn away, then Allah does not like the disbeliever's (3:32)

Islam unites together people of different colours, languages, races. and nationalities into one brotherhood.

Allah says: "Indeed the Believers are but brothers." [Quran 4 9:10]

Before Islam people in Arabia were dived into different tribes. Some of them were at constant war with each other, Islam came and Allah put peace and love in their hearts for each other.

Allah the Most High said: "And remember the favor of Allah upon you, for you were once enemies to one another but He joined your hearts together in love, so that by His Grace you became brothers." [Soorah Aal-Imraan 3:103]

And Allah the Most High said: "He it is that has strengthened you with His help and with the Believers. And moreover, He has united their hearts with love and affection. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have united their hearts with love and affection. However, Allah has united them. Indeed Allah is the All-Mighty, All-Wise." [Soorah al-Anfaal 8:62- 63].


Allah has stated in the Holy Quran:


"... whoever disbelieves in false deities and believes in Allah, hath grasped the most trustworthy handhold, that will never break..." (2:256)



The Invalidators of Islam




You should know, dear Muslim brother/sister , that Allah made it obligatory upon all His slaves to enter Islam and hold on to it, and warned them against following other than Islam. He also sent His Prophet Muhammad to call mankind to it. Allah has informed us in the Quran that guided are those who follow the teachings of Islam, and misguided are those who reject them. He warned us in many Verses against the causes of apostasy and all forms of Shirk and disbelief Religious scholars have mentioned that there are a number of invalidators that are bound to take one out of the fold of Islam. For the sake of attaining salvation in the Hereafter, I have briefly cited in the following pages, with some explanation, the ten most critical of these invalidators so that you will avoid them and make others aware of them.


1 . To associate others with Allah in worship.


The Quran says:

"Allah forgives not (the sin of) setting up partners with Him in worship, but He forgives whom He pleases other sins than this." (Soorah 4: 1

"Whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, Allah will forbid him Paradise, and the Fire will be his abode. For the wrongdoers there are no helpers." (Soorah 5:72)

Forms of worship include calling upon the dead, seeking their assistance, offering sacrifices to them, and taking vows in their names.

2. To set up intermediaries between oneself and Allah, seeking their intercession and putting absolute trust in them. Those who do so are unanimously considered disbelievers.

3. Not to accuse polytheists and those who commit Shirk of disbelief, to be in doubt as to their being disbelievers, or to approve of their beliefs.

4. To believe that the Prophet's guidance is not complete or perfect or that other people's ruling and judgment is better than his. Those who prefer the rule of false gods are blatant

5 . Those who hate anything that the Prophet came with are also disbelievers even if they act upon them. The Quran says:

"That is because they hate that which Allah sent down, so He has made their deeds fruitless." (Soorah 47:9)

6. Those who ridicule anything that Islam came with, such as punishment and reward in the Hereafter, are disbelievers. The Quran says:

"Say: 'Was it at Allah, and His Signs, and His Messenger, that you were mocking? Make no excuse; you have rejected Faith after you had accepted it." (9:65,66)

7. Magic in all its forms, including turning someone away from somebody that he or she loves, and making someone love someone or something he or she does not normally like. Whoever practices magic or approves of it is a disbeliever, as evidenced by the Quranic Verse that says:

"But neither of these (two angels) taught anyone (such things) without saying, We are only for trial, so disbelieve not (by learning this magic from us)." (Soorah 2:102)

8. To take the disbelievers for friends, give them support and assistance against the Muslims is an act of disbelief. The Quran says:

"And he amongst you that turns to them (for friendship) is of them. Verily Allah guides not a people unjust." (Soorah 5:51)

9. Those who believe that it is in their power or authority to for sake the law of Islam are disbelievers. The Quran says:

"And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers." (Soorah 3:85)

10. To turn away from Islam and to stubbornly refuse to learn its teachings or act upon them. The Quran says:

"And who does more wrong than he who is reminded of the Signs of his Lord, then he turns away there from? Verily from those who transgress We shall exact (due) retribution." (Soorah 32:22)

In all of these invalidators, there is no difference between one who does them jokingly, seriously, or in fear, except for one who is compelled against his will. All of these matters are most dangerous and most of them are occurring (amongst the Muslims). Therefore, it is necessary for the Muslim to beware of them and fear for himself concerning them. The fourth point mentioned above also includes those who believe that man-made laws are better than the Islamic Law, that the Islamic Law is not suitable to be implemented in the present century, that Islam is the reason behind Muslims' backwardness in some spheres of life, or that it is not applicable in other spheres of life apart from regulating one' s life with one's Lord. This point also includes those who believe that cutting off the thief's hand is a backward law that should not be implemented in the present-day society. It also includes those who believe that it is permissible to dispense with the Islamic Law in matters relating to the social life and the boundary limits for the lawful and the unlawful even if they do not believe that other laws are not better than the Islamic Law. For this means that they have made lawful what Allah had already made unlawful. Whoever makes lawful what Allah has declared unlawful, things that are known in religion by necessity such as adultery, drinking alcohol, usury and ruling with other than Allah's Law, is a disbeliever with the unanimous agreement of all Muslim scholars. We seek Allah's refuge from His painful chastisement as well as from those things that cause His wrath. Allah's Peace and Blessing be upon His Messenger, his pure family and noble Companions.





Summery


It is easy to become a Muslim. All a person has to do is declare


Shahadah can be declared as follows:


"ASH-HADU ANLA ELAHA ILLA-ALLAH WA ASH-HADU ANNA MOHAMMADAN RASUL-ALLAH".


The English translation is:


"I bear witness that there is no deity worthy to be worshiped but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger."


We have to consider that when we declare from our hearts, "there is no god worthy to be worshiped 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 a requirement of "there is no god worthy to be worshiped but Allah," to love for the sake of Allah and to reject for the sake of Allah. This is the finest anchor of belief which make material 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 the practices of unbelievers and refuse to be influenced by them, both in worldly and religious matters.


When one truly believes that Islam is the true religion of God and that "there is no god worthy to be worshiped but Allah and Muhammad is His servant and Messenger." Then he or she should declare the Shahadah right away. He or she should not hesitate.


We are given a certain lifespan. We do not know when that life span will end. It may end this very minute even. Therefore a person should say the Shahadah and then work on becoming the best Muslim he or she can be.


Some of you will find some aspects of Islam difficult at first. For instance some new Muslim sisters find it difficult to wear Hijab at first. However with time they have eventually grown in their faith and are now wearing the full Islamic dress and encouraging even sisters born into Muslim families to wear full Islamic dress. Some were vegetarian before they became Muslim. Eating meat seemed impossible to them. Now after a few years they have started to even eat meat. Please do not worry about any barriers you may have. become Muslims and you will see those barriers crashing down as you grow in your religion.


However one should recognize that Islam requires a complete submission to the will of God. What Allah has told us do we should try to do and what Allah has told us not to do. We should not do.


At www.muslimconverts.com we will Allah willing help you as much as possible. So if you have any questions please do not hesitate to email us at info@muslimconverts.com


Now that you have said the Shahadah you are a Muslim.


Step 2 What to do one you have said the Shahadah


Once a person has said Shahadah he/she needs to do certain purifications.


1. A female should trim her nails short, shave the hair under her armpits and pubic hair.


2. A male should trim his nails short, shave the hair under his armpits, pubic hair and shave the hair on his head (and later get circumcised as soon as possible)


Narrated by Abu Dawood (356) which says that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commanded a kaafir man who had become Muslim, "Shave off the hair of kufr and get circumcised." (Classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood; see also al-Mughni, 1/276; Sharh al- Umdah by Shaykh al-Islam, 1/350)


After you should take a shower (ghusl) and wear clean pure cloths. By clean it is meant they should be free from impurity such as urine, feces and dog saliva.


Then take a shower and wear clean cloths . Then you should learn how to prayer and start praying if the time of prayer has arrived. Please look in the worship section of the website on how to prayer and for prayer times.


Also note that hairs under the armpits and pubic hair should not be aloud to grow for longer than 40 days.

How to perform the Ghusl


1 Intention inside ones heart not verbal.

2 Say Bismillah

3 Wash the right hand up to and including the wrists. Make sure to while rub and rub between the fingers of the hand. And thus make sure no part of the hand is left dry. Three times

Then do the same with the left hand. (also three times)


4 Wash off the impurities (off the private parts)

5 Wash the right hand up to and including the wrists. Make sure to while rub and rub between the fingers of the hand. And thus make sure no part of the hand is left dry. Three times

Then do the same with the left hand. (also three times)


6 Make a cup with the right hand then from this hand take water into your mouth and swirl it inside the mouth and then expel out of mouth. then sniff remaining water from the cupped right hand and sniff water into the nose and then blow the water out and using the left hand remove the water from your nose. Do this three times


Some people rinse the mouth first three times and then rinse the nose three times


However the first method is the most authentic.


7 Wash the face three times, from the hairline to the jawbone and chin, and from start of the ear to start of the ear

A man should wash the hair of his beard by taking a handful of water and entering it below his chin and rubbing it through his beard and passing the wet fingers through the beard.


8 Wash the right arm up to and including the elbow. Three times.

The arm extends from the fingertips, including the nails, to the lower part of the upper arm. It is essential to remove anything stuck to the hands before washing them, such as dough, mud, paint, nail polish etc, that could prevent the water from reaching the skin.


Do the same with the LEFT ARM . Three times


9 Pour water over the head Three times down to the roots of the hairs. rubbing the roots of the hair with the wet fingers

10 Pour water liberally over the entire body, beginning with the right side and then the left side and rubbing the body with hands. Ensuring that no part of the body is untouched by water

11 Move away from area were you did ghusl and Wash the right feet up to and including the ankles, three times,

You should enter the water between the toes with your little finger and then wash the feet (note not wipe feet but wash them) and make sure and make sure you wash the sole of the foot and the heals. Make sure no parts of the foot is left dry


Wash the left foot same as the right foot. Three times


12 Then say the following Duas for Wudhu when outside the bathroom (if bathroom has a toilet inside it)

Ashhadu an laa ilaaha ill-Allaah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasooluhu.


( I bear witness that there is no god except Allah alone, with no partner or associate, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.)


Allaahumm ajalni min al-tawwaabeena wajalni min al-mutatahhireena


( O Allah, make me one of those who repent and make me one of those who purify themselves)



Step 3. You should try to perform a 2 rakkah voluntary prayer.


How to pray is explained in this following article

How to prayer

Step 4. Live As a Muslim


You should try your best to live according to Islam. You cannot learn every thing at once. So try to do things in order. First is the prayers. learning how to prayer the five daily prayers. Then knowing the five pillars of Islam. learning how to dress as a Muslim and what to eat and what not to eat. This is explained in their respective sections on the website. If things seem hard at first do not worry. Things will seem so easy in say a years time.

Also a Muslim should eat with his /her RIGHT HAND, not eat pork and other haram (forbidden) food (please look in the social section of the website for further details).

A Muslim should use only the LEFT HAND for cleaning themselves after going to the toilet. Clean with toilet paper and then wash front and backside with water.

A Muslim should also not allow urine, faces or dog saliva to be on their body or cloths.

A Muslim should not flirt or date or have sexual relationships with the opposite sex other than their husband or wife.

A Muslim should not shake hands or hug a person of the opposite sex other than their mahrems. Mehrems are those people whom it is forbidden for you to marry. For a man it will be his mother, grandmother, sisters, daughters, mother and father's sisters (aunties) and nieces, For a women it will be her father, grandfather, brothers, sons, mother and fathers brothers (uncles) and nephews.

Cousins are not mahrem so you cannot shake hands or hug their cousin of the opposite sex.

Please also note that once one says the Shahadah, he or she starts with a blank slate. No matter how bad the person sinned before embracing Islam he or she is forgiven. So their is no need to worry about past sins. You are sinless and pure. Now you can build start to build your new record of deeds.

AbuUbaida

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