ISLAM: Questions & ANSWERS

Q1. What is the concept of God in your religion?

A-The concept of God in Islam is that there is only one God for all of Mankind. He is the Creator of all human beings. He is the God for Christians, the Jews, the Muslims, the Buddhists, the Hindus, the atheists, and all human beings, whether they believe in Him or not. In chapter 112, Verse 1-4 the Qur’an says:

Say (O Muhammad (SAW)): “He is Allah, (the) One. “Allah As-Samad (The Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, He neither eats nor drinks). “He begets not, nor was He begotten; “And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him.”

Q2. What is the Muslims concept of life?

A-A Muslims concept of life is that it is a brilliant demonstration of God’s wisdom and knowledge, a vivid reflection of God’s art and power. A Muslim may look at life likened to a journey or a test starting from a certain point and ending at a certain destination. A Muslim sees life like a transitory stage, an introduction to the eternal life in the hereafter.

Q3.What is the concept of Prophets in Islam?

A-In Islam the concept of a Prophet is that they are the chosen ones by God to spread God’s word to mankind. They are chosen to set a good example to us. Muslims believe in all the previous Prophets and they believe that Prophet Muhammad was the last and final Messenger of God.

Q4. Do Muslims believe in heaven and hell?

A-Yes, most certainly a Muslim does believe in heaven and hell. A Muslim believes he will be rewarded in the life after death for all his good actions. He will live in heaven, a place of eternal happiness and peace. Muslims also believe that the wrong-doers will be punished on the Day of Judgement and will be sent to hell, a place of severe punishment and suffering .

Q5. Do Muslims believe in Jesus?

A-Yes .A Muslim is not a Muslim if he does not believe in Jesus, but they believe in him as a Prophet, not as a God or the only begotten son of God and so on. The acceptance of Jesus Christ by Muslims is a fundamental article of faith in Islam, and a Muslim can never think of Jesus in any derogatory terms. Muslims accept Jesus as one of the most distinguished apostles of God

Q6. Why do Muslims fast ?

A-Muslims fast because it is an act of worship to God. Islam has five main acts of worship that must be fulfilled. Fasting is the second pillar of Islam to be fulfilled. Fasting for the Muslim goes far beyond the literal meaning it signifies something far deeper and richer. The are many benefits attached to fasting as follows:
b) It equips us with a creative sense of hope and an optimistic outlook on life.
c) It fills us with effective devotion and honest dedication.
d) It indoctrinates us in patience and unselfishness because when we fast we feel the pains of deprivation but endure patiently.
e) Effective lesson in applied moderation and willpower

Q7. Can Muslims drink alcohol

A-No. Muslims cannot drink alcohol. Like the above answer to question one the main reason a Muslim does not drink alcohol is to obey the Creator. From a medical point of view alcohol has many dangers attached to it. The menaces and tragedies of intoxication are too obvious to be elaborated. Many lives are being lost every day on this account. Many families break up because of alcohol. Many billions of dollars are swallowed in the drinking channel every year. Countless doors are closed on misery and unhappiness arising from the drinking habits. Besides the destruction of health, the depression of mind, the dullness of soul, the absorption of wealth, the disintegration of families, the abuse of human dignity, the sabotage of morality, the humiliating retreat from realty, every one who indulges in alcohol can be at risk of becoming an alcoholic.

Q8. Why don’t Muslims eat pork

A-In the Qur’an God has told us in Chapter 16, Verse 115:

He has forbidden you only Al-Maytat (meat of a dead animal), blood, the flesh of swine, and any animal which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allah (or has been slaughtered for idols etc, or on which Allah’s Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering). But if one is forced by necessity, without willful disobedience, and not transgressing, - then, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Although we are not given reasons to why we can not eat Pork the verse in the Qur’an is clear to us that Pork is simply forbidden, so to show our sincere obedience to our God we obey what is asked of us. Some may say but Pork is clean today and the Heart Foundation promotes Pork as a lean meal, but in actual fact from medical point of view it is rather unclean:

a) Worms and parasites. As transferred to pig to man are: Trichina Worms, Tapeworms (Taenia Solium), Roundworms, Hookworms, Faciolopsis Buski, Paragonimius, parasites are responsible for many diseases, many of them are contagious, others are fatal.

b) Uric Acid. Is the known cause of heart disease and rheumatism. It has an approximately 20% extraction rate from the kidneys of the pig. Herbivorous animals have an 80% extraction rate. Hence, relative to other animals, a high concentration of Uric Acid is found in Pork.

c) Fatty Acids. Pork Fat is very harmful to the body, being difficult to digest and efficiently convert to energy. Pork Fat is absorbed by the body and consequently accumulates in human tissue as animal fat. Herbivouous animal fat is broken down by the body within the bloodstream resynthesising the fat into a readily available energy source.

Q9. What is the status of the woman in Islam?

A-In Islam the status of Women is equated with man in the sight of God in term of her rights and responsibilities. Women and Men compliment each other rather than compete with each other for their rights. The woman has her rights given to her as do the men, but neither is more superior to the other.

The Qur’an mentions in Chapter 16, verse 97:

“Whosoever performs good deeds, whether male or female, and is a believer, We shall surely make him live a good life, and We will certainly reward them for the best of what they did.”