6 Reasons to Read the Glorious Quran

Executive summary about islamic religion by Shabir Ali

1. Incorruptible

The Quran was kept intact.

2. Unsurpassable
The Quran is God's final revelation to humankind. God revealed the Torah to Moses, the Psalms to David, the Gospel to Jesus, and finally the Quran to Muhammad. No other book will come from God to surpass his final revelation.

3. Indisputable
The Quran withstands the test of time and scrutiny, alone is never contradicted by a modern discovery.

4. Your Roadmap for Life and Afterlife

The Quran is the best guidebook on how to structure your life. No other book presents such a comprehensive system involving all aspects of human life and endeavor.

5. God's Gift of Guidance

God has not left you alone. The Quran is from your function for success lest you fail to function.

6. Your Calling Card to Communicate with God

Humans are social creatures. The Quran tells us who God is, by what name we should address God, and the way in which to communicate with God.

Are these not six sufficient reasons for reading the Quran?

The Final Revealed Text from God

The Holy Quran is the eternal and literal word of God. Each revelation was written down by the Prophet's scribes according to the Prophet's instructions. Additionally, the Prophet and many fellow Muslims had committed the entire Quran to memory.

So many revelations in the Holy Quran came down to provide guidance to Prophet Muhammad and the fellow Muslims based on what they were confronting at that time.

"Alif, Lam, Meem. This is the Scripture whereof there is no doubt, a guidance unto those who ward off (evil). Who believe in the Unseen, and establish worship, and spend of that We have bestowed upon them; And who believe in that which is revealed unto thee (Muhammad) and that which was revealed before thee, and are certain of the Hereafter. These depend on guidance from their Lord. These are the successful. As for the Disbelievers, Whether thou warn them or thou warn them not it is all one for them; they believe not. Allah hath sealed their hearing and their hearts, and on their eyes there is a covering. Theirs will be an awful doom." (Surah Al-Baqarah, Chapter 2)

Calling the Quran amazing is not something done only by Muslims, who have an appreciation for the book and who are pleased with it; it has been labeled amazing by non-Muslims as well. The Holy Quran is the only revealed text still extant today in its original language and form.

The Quran has been translated into every major language. The English translations by Abdullah Yusuf Ali and Muhammad Pickthall are two popular translations. Maulana Maududi's translation and commentary on the Qur'an "The Meaning of the Qur'an" ranks as one of the best such works in existence today.

A Verse was a Reason for an Atheist to Become a Muslim

Executive summary about become a muslim by Abduldaem Al-Kaheel

This atheist was denying the existence of God and mock at those who believe. Allah willing to teach him an unexpectedly lesson.

So, he dreamed as if he were drowning and at the moment he came close to death he found himself screaming : "O God!!!".

He waked up upon his cry, both his body and the deep of himself were shaking. He was astonished, whispering to himself: ''How could it be! how could I feel the presence of the God? while I'm Ultra-atheist !!!”

Next day same scene repeated in his dream, and he resorts to God the moment he is about to drown, and he wake up frightened, but intended to read Qur'an.

For his astonishment, he was going through a verse describing himself drowning and resorts only to God to save him !! He was never expect to read such meaning in Quran !!:

"And when harm touches you upon the sea, those that you call upon vanish from you except Him (Allah Alone). But when He brings you safe to land, you turn away (from Him)And man is ever ungrateful." Al-Israa, verse 67

“O, Allah, Muhammad is a truthful prophet,” Sincere in his claim. Praise be to Allah for the blessing of Islam.

Dear brother in faith, share us publishing these articles, hoping it will be a reason for guidance with Allah willing.

Is Barack Obama a Muslim?

Executive summary about Barack Obama become a muslim by David Emery

Email rumor alleges that Barack Obama is secretly a Muslim and has lied to the American people about his religious ties, including his claim to being a devout Christian for most of his adult life.

Though Barack Hussein Obama, Sr. was raised a Muslim, he had lost his faith and become a "confirmed atheist" by the time he attended college, according to his son. When Obama's mother remarried, it was indeed to an Indonesian man named Lolo Soetoro, whom his stepson later described as a "non-practicing" Muslim. A former classmate of Obama's describes the school as "general," with students of many religious backgrounds attending. Obama entered the school at the age of 8 and attended for two years.

Prophet Muhammad The Truthful

Executive summary about a truthful prophet by Ali Zohery, Ph.D.

The Prophet was recognized, even by the Quraish of Mekkah, his worst enemies, who called him by the name of as-Sadiq and al-Amin long before his Prophet hood because of his honest and truthful dealings as a trader. The consistency of his honest and truthful conduct is proven by the fact that he began his mission of Prophethood with the words: La ilaha illa ‘Llah and ended his Mission with the same thought when he said, on his death bed:

“Lord! Blessed Companion on High.” Having sincerely and faithfully rendered his obligations towards Allah’s creatures, he then returned to the loving bosom of Allah and His Companionship on High (Bukhari, 4463).

He loved truth intensely, adhered to and preached truth all his life, never uttered a single lie all his life, either before or after his Prophethood.

The Prophet went further to say a true action leads to the path of virtue, and virtue paves the way of a person to paradise, and this person continues to speak the truth until, in the sight of Allah, he is named as-S’iddiq (the Truthful). Lying, on the other hand, leads to vice, and vice leads to indecent acts and a person goes on lying until, in the sight of Allah, he is called a liar (Bukhari, 116).

Four characteristics belong to a believer: when he speaks, he speaks the truth: when he is trusted, he fulfils his trust; when he makes a promise, he abides by his promise; and when he is in dispute with anyone, he does not use obscene words (but sticks to the truth). (Bukhari)

These sayings clearly show that, according to the Prophet, a truthful and righteous person is one who is truthful in words, in intentions, in motives and in actions. The Prophet was an embodiment of truth, honesty and righteousness, did not speak anything but truth all his life, did not preach anything but truth and did not practice anything but truth. Ah! It is an undeniable fact that truthfulness is an indispensable quality of a Prophet. And this quality was found in absolute perfection in the person of the Prophet, loved truth and righteousness and never spoke a lie throughout his life, replied in these words:

My object is quite different from what you have said. I have not come to you with my call for the purpose of amassing wealth, or to secure leadership of the clan or to become your king. In fact God has sent me to you as His Messenger and has revealed to me the Law and has ordered me to warn you and to give glad tidings. So I have conveyed to you the injunctions of God and have done my responsibility for your welfare. Now if you accept what I have conveyed to you it will be good for you here and hereafter. But if you reject it, I will patiently wait for the Divine dispensation when God shall decide between you and me. (Rahman, Encyclopaedia of Seerah, Vol. VIII, p. 161).

This reply of the Prophet showed his determination to fight for the truth, which he held to be dearer than life. Weary and wounded, he prayed to his Lord in these most passionate and honest words:

0 Lord! To You alone I make complaint of my helplessness, the paucity of resources and my insignificance before humankind. You are the most Merciful of the mercifuls. You are the Lord of the helpless and the weak, 0 Lord of Mine! Into whose hands would You abandon me, into the hands of an unsympathetic foe who would sullenly frown at me, or the enemy who has been given control over my affairs? But if Your Wrath does not fall upon me, there is nothing for me to worry about. . . I seek protection in the light of Your Countenance, which illuminates the heavens and dispels every darkness, and which controls all affairs in this world as well as in the hereafter. May it never be that I should incur Your Wrath, or that You should be wrathful to me. And there is no power nor resource, but Yours alone. ( Rahman, 1992, 161-162)

There is no doubt that this prayer confirms his extreme love for the truth and belief in the Majesty and Grandeur of Allah, also affords an insight into the working of the Prophet’s mind and reflects the loftiness of his thinking, the purity of his spirit and the nobility of his feelings. Prophet Muhammad defined a truthful and righteous man in these words: “He who is truthful in words, in motives, in intentions, in determination, in obedience, in actions and in religious duties” (Rahman, Encyclopaedia of Seerah, Vol. VIII, p. 162).

Headscarf Help

Executive summary about the headscarf by Jana

Some people have been asking about the 'plastic thing' which you insert in the front of your headscarf to make the peak stay up, is basically just a strip of clear, very thin and flexible plastic, with rounded edges, and the one I have measures 12.5” x 2.5”. To use it with a square headscarf, fold the headscarf into a triangle, then slip the plastic strip in between the two layers, to the very edge of the fold.

One wears the headscarf for the sake of Allah and whatever a person does for the sake of Allah can only strengthen her faith so bear that in mind. May Allah be your only Guide.

Islam And The West

Ever since Samuel Huntington's 1993 article, "A Clash of Civilizations," which argued that the end of the Cold War had led to a world increasingly polarized by religious and ethnic identity, the phrase has been used as a quick way to explain tensions between the Arab and Western worlds—particularly since the September 11 attacks in 2001.

For Islamic extremists, whose supreme political ambition has been to restructure the Middle East and create Islamic states throughout the region, their goals have been elusive. In The War for Muslim Minds Professor Kepel focuses on recent developments in the Middle East and attempts to sort out the complex strands of ideology and resistance that have influenced the thinking of both Islamist and Western nations. Professor Kepel is one of the most cited experts on Islam in the United States and Europe, holds degrees in Arabic, English, and philosophy, a diploma from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris, and doctorates in sociology and political science, is Chair of the Middle East and Mediterranean Studies Department and heads the post-graduate program in Arab and Muslim minds, the author of several influential books on Islam, including the critically acclaimed and definitive work on militant Islam, Jihad: The Trail of Political Islam.

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

Executive summary about prayer in schools by Austin Cline

What authority, if any, does the government have when it comes religious rituals like prayers? Can a government write specific prayers for public school students to recite every day? Labeled the “To whom it may concern” prayer by one commentator, it stated:

Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers and our Country.

Both the state court and the New York Court of Appeals allowed the prayer to be recited. On June 25, 1962, the Supreme Court ruled 7 to 1 that it was unconstitutional for a government agency like a school or government agents like public school employees to require students to recite prayers.

According to Black, the governmentally created prayer recitation is much like the English creation of the Book of Common Prayer. It was to avoid exactly this type of relationship between government and organized religion that many early colonists came to America. In his words, the prayer was “a practice wholly inconsistent with the Establishment Clause.”

Although the Regents argued that there was no compulsion on students to recite the prayer, Black observed that:

Neither the fact that the prayer may be denominationally neutral nor the fact that its observances on the part of students is voluntary can serve to free it from the limitations of the Establishment Clause...

Hindu Prayer Recited At Catholic Youth Rally in Nevada

In a remarkable interfaith gesture, the Sixth Annual Catholic Diocesan Youth Rally was held on March five in Reno, involving Catholic teenagers from all over northern Nevada. The Catholic teenagers listened intently to a Muslim imam Abdulrahim Barghouthi in the chapel of Bishop Manogue Catholic High School. Few hundred Catholic youth participated in the rally. Rajan Zed is the President of Universal Society of Hinduism. He congratulated the Catholic Diocese efforts for allowing Catholic teenagers to be opened with other religion concepts. Catholic Diocese of Reno was established in 1931.

Guide to Religious Divorce Rituals

Executive summary about religious rituals by Jennifer M. Paquette

The way we divorce is changing. Says Rabbi Sharon Sobel, Regional Director of the Canadian Council for Reform Judaism, "Rituals help effect a transformation.”

If you have children, a ritual can help them acknowledge that it's truly over, while sending a vital affirmation at the same time.

Overview of Religion

The focus will be on the types of religious beliefs and religious leaders, especially in small-scale societies. A religion is a system of beliefs usually involving the worship of supernatural forces. Religious beliefs provide shape and meaning to one's perception of the universe. For most religious people, their beliefs about the supernatural are at the very core of their world views.

The performance of rituals is an integral part of all religions. For example, going to church on Sunday is a common religious ritual for Christians around the world. At the heart of this experience is a sequence of traditional ritual acts that symbolically represent aspects of the life, teachings, and death of Jesus.

Most religious rituals are performed in special places and under special conditions, such as in a dedicated temple. This is an intentional separation between the secular and the sacred. The separation makes the rituals more effective. Only allowing initiated people to participate in religious rituals also can have the same effect.

Religious ritual reinforces the basic tenets of religion. Rituals are often charged with high emotions. The exalted feelings people experience during rituals provide positive reinforcement for continuing them. When rituals make people "feel good", they reinforce the belief that their religion is the "correct" one.

Not all rituals are religious. Political ideologies and movements often have rituals that can be profoundly important for people, especially when they become the focus of nationalism.

Religions fulfill psychological needs, help ease the stress during personal life crises such as birth, marriage, serious illness, and death also fulfill social needs, can be powerful, dynamic forces in society. By reinforcing group norms, they help bring about social homogeneity. A uniformity of beliefs helps bind people together and reinforces group identity.

In most societies, religions play an important role in social control by defining what is right and wrong behavior. The sacred texts of religions usually set precedents for proper behavior in common situations.

Hajj Checklist

Executive summary about guide to Hajj by Ahmed

1. Musalla

2. safety pins

3. Money belt

4. Flip flops

5. Sandals

6. Sleeping bag

7. Small bag for pebbles

8. Small Quran

9. Hajj guide

Toiletries:

1. Toothbrush

2. Toothpaste

3. Soap

4. Shampoo

5. Razor

6. Wet wipes

Islamic Law of Contracts

This checklist offers a brief guide to the nature of contracts in Islam-derived law, and outlines some key differences between these contracts and their Western legal system equivalents.

The basic prerequisites to establish a valid contract agreement under Islamic law relate to the legal status of the parties seeking to sign the contract, the way the contract is presented, and finally the subject and consideration of the actual contract

While many different types of contract exist, the most common contract for the sale of goods is the mu’awadat contract of exchange. Contracts in Islam-derived law fully respect the high moral principles of values expected of all Muslims.

Contract law in Muslim countries supports only transactions which would be classified as “ethical” in the West. Islamic contract law can be highly complex, both in terms of its jurisprudence and in its application.

Seek expert advice related to Islamic contract law. Given the complexity of many elements of Islamic law of contract, particularly the definition of what constitutes acceptance of a verbal proposal, expert qualified advice should be sought before contract discussions begin, let alone any contract is signed.

Don’t assume that the principles of Islamic law bear close comparison with those of Western laws. Contracts agreed under Muslim-derived laws can be less binding in nature than most contracts drawn up under Western legal systems.

Sources of Islamic Law

Islam has given the most comprehensive legal system to mankind. Islamic law covers all aspects of life. Islam has its own personal, civil, criminal, mercantile, evidence, constitutional and international law.

Islamic law has, therefore, not been given by any ruler, remains valid whether recognised by the State or not. The basic source of Islamic law is Divine Revelation:

1. The direct word of Allah, the Quran, is the primary source containing all the fundamental directives and instructions of Allah, is not only a book of law.

2. The Sunnah. The Prophet always acted according to the instructions of Allah. The Sunnah is an Arabic word which means "Method". The Quran says,

"For you the life of the Prophet is a model of behaviour" (Al-Quran 33:21)

Many of books of traditions were compiled by the companions of the Prophet. The Quran and Sunnah are complementary. The Sunnah explains the instructions of the Quran. The Quran and the Sunnah are the primary sources of Islamic law.

Ijma and Qiyas derive their value from the Quran and the Sunnah. Qiyas is the fourth important source of Islamic law, means analogy. The scholars have developed detailed principles of analogical deductions in the books of Islamic jurisprudence.

The Prophet has permitted Ijtihad which literally means 'to exert', is the Islamic method of facing the new situations and problems in the light of the general principles of the book of Allah, the Quran and the traditions of the Prophet.

Quran Stories for Little Hearts

Executive summary about Quran Stories by Albertson Danim

“Quran Stories for Little Hearts” published by Goodword Books caters to the need of spiritual awakening among the young. It is Islam for children. Hence these are children’s books on Islam. The word of God is packaged into different stories. These are not simply stories, but aim at imparting a knowledge of Islam by exploring different themes.

“The First Man” story explores the banishment of Adam and Eve to earth. Guarding against impulses of impetuosity and impatience and of following God’s word are explored in “Islamic story books”, “English Islamic books”, “Urdu Islamic book”, “Muslim books”, “Books on Islam”, “Holy Quran”, “Islamic books and gifts”, “The Tale of a Fish”.

The Six 'Constitutional' Commandments

Amendment No. 200, sponsored by Representative Robert B. Aderholt (R-AL), declares that "the power to display the Ten Commandments on property owned or administered by the States is among the powers reserved to the States" by the Constitution.

The First Amendment contains two clauses referring to religion:

1. The Establishment Clause -- Bans Congress from passing any law dealing with the establishment of religion.

2. The Free Exercise Clause -- Bans Congress from passing any law that would prohibit the free exercise of religion.

A law allowing the Ten Commandments to be posted in public schools would clearly not prohibit the free exercise of religion.

Prayer in Public School

The history of prayer in public school is a story of legal interpretation. The relationship between religion and government in the United States is governed by the First Amendment to the Constitution, which both prevents the government from establishing religion and protects privately initiated religious expression and activities from government interference and discrimination. The First Amendment thus establishes certain limits on the conduct of public school officials as it relates to religious activity, including prayer. As the Court has explained in several cases, "there is a crucial difference between government speech endorsing religion, which the Establishment Clause forbids, and private speech endorsing religion, which the Free Speech and Free Exercise Clauses protect." Santa Fe Indep.

The Supreme Court's decisions over the past forty years set forth principles that distinguish impermissible governmental religious speech from the constitutionally protected private religious speech of students. For example, teachers and other public school officials may not lead their classes in prayer, devotional readings from the Bible, or other religious activities.

Although the Constitution forbids public school officials from directing prayer, students do not "shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech at the schoolhouse gate." Moreover, not all religious speech that takes place in the public schools or at school-sponsored events is governmental speech.

It wasn't until the early 1960's that prayer in public school was "outlawed" by a new interpretation of the U.S. Constitution.

How to Become a Muslim

All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the universe. For Allah, Almighty, is above all comprehension and knows well the secrets of all hearts. If anyone has a real desire to become a Muslim and has full conviction and strong belief that Islam is the true religion ordained by Allah for all human-beings, then, one should pronounce the “Shahada”, the testimony of faith, without further delay. The Holy Qur’an is explicit on this regard as Allah states:

“The Religion in the sight of Allah is Islam.” (Qur’an 3:19)

In another verse of the Holy Qur’an, Allah states:

“If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (Submission to Allah), Never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter he will be in the ranks of those who have lost (their selves in the hell fire).” (Qur’an 3:85)

In addition, Islam is the only religion prevailing over all other religions. Allah states in the Holy Qur’an:

“To thee We sent the Scripture in truth, confirming the scripture that came before it, and guarding it in safety:…” (Qur’an 5:48)

Mohammad, the Prophet of Allah, said:

“The superstructure of Islam is raised on five (pillars): testifying that there is no God (none truely to be worshiped) but Allah, and that Mohammad is the messenger of Allah, performing the prayer, paying the Zakah (poor-due), fasting the month of Ramadan, and performing Hadj.”

The Shahada can be declared as follows:

“Ash-hadu anla elaha illa-allah wa ash-hadu anna muhammadan rasul-allah”.

The English translation is:

“I bear witness that there is no deity (worthy of worship) but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”

The significant point which every Muslim must know very well is the truth that there is no God to be worshipped other than Allah. Man must worship Allah, Who alone is worthy of worship.

Worship simply means rendering sincere service, showing reverence for Allah, into two categories:

1. Visible worship includes acts such as uttering the two parts of the “Shahada”, performing prayers, giving Zakah, recitation of the Holy Qur’an, supplication, adoring Allah by praising Him, purifying our bodies before prayers, etc. This type of worship is associated with movement of the parts of the human body.

2. Invisible worship is to believe in Allah, in the Day of Judgement, in the Angels, in the Books of Allah, in the Prophets of Allah, in the Divine Decree of destiny.

Allah states in the Holy Qur’an:

“… whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy Hand-hold, that never breaks…” (Qur’an 2:256).

We have to consider that when we declare from our heart that “there is no god worthy to be worshipped but Allah”, it implies on our part love, devotion, faith and obedience to the rules of Islamic legislations which are legally binding on all Muslims. It is a requirement of “there is no god worthy to be worshipped but Allah” to love and reject for the sake of Allah.

The Scientific Facts Presented in the Holy Qur'an

Executive summary about the Holy Qur’an by Dr. Syed Hasan Akhtar

Astronomy in the Holy Quran:

"God is the one who created the night, the day, the sun, and the moon. Each one is traveling in an orbit with its own motion." (21:33)

The concept of motion of the heavenly bodies with an orbit of their own belongs to modern science.

“Has thou not seen how God merges the night into the day and merges the day into the night?" (21:29)

The sun lights up half of the earth facing it and the other half is dark. Modern scientific data are in full agreement with the Qur’anic description.

About the effects of high altitude:

"Those who God wills to guide, He opens their breasts to Islam. Those who He wills lose their way, He makes their breasts narrow and constricted, as if they were climbing the sky." (6:125)

This is an accurate yet surprising statement, because high mountain climbing, air travel, etc. were not available at that time.

About the origin of life on earth:

"God created every animal from water." (21:30)

Modern scientific data indicate that life is of aquatic origin and water is the major component of the living cell.

Reproduction in the vegetable kingdom:

"God is the One who sent water down from the sky and thereby, We brought forth pairs of plants each separate from the other." (20:53)

About the Animal kingdom:

"God fashioned the two of a pair, the male and a female, from a small quantity of liquid, when it is poured out." (53:45-46)

The word used in Arabic signifies sperm.

Quran has made many references to various facts about human reproduction in precise and accurate terms. Semen mixes with fluids in the female genital tract. Scientific knowledge about human reproduction was incomplete until recent times.

Interesting Facts About The Holy Quran

Executive summary about the Holy Qur’an by S.M.Masum

1. The Holy Quran has 30 parts.

2. The Holy Quran has 114 surahs.

3. Bismillah Al-Rahman Al-Raheem is repeated 114 times in the Quran.

4. All except for Surat “Al Tawbah” start with Bismillah al-Rahman al-Raheem.

5. Surat “Al Namel, No. 27” has Bismillah Al-Rahman Al-Raheem in its body.

6. Al-Baqarah is the longest surah in the Quran.

7. Surat Al-Ikhlas is considered 1/3 of the Quran.

8. Ramadan is the Spring of the Holy Quran.