Choosing a Religion

[Drewy7]

Hello all, I registered to this forum to hopefully gather some insight on Islam.

I have been dealing with many foster homes and hard times over the years. My mother was an alcoholic and my father was never in the picture. I met myself at a crossroad in life when I was 16-17. I wasn't doing the right thing and I finally looked myself in the mirror one day and asked myself if this was the type of life I wanted to have. Thankfully I decided to make a change and sway away from the lifestyle that I was leading. I started reading the bible and developing a relationship with God, but I still didn't commit myself to a religion. I'm 19 years old now and I want a religion in my life. I'm thinking of choosing Islam because of the generally peace, and kindness that Muslim's have for one another. Here are some questions I have.

1) Do you have to fast from (food&water) for an entire 30 days during Ramadan?
2) What are the views on smoking marijuana?
3) Am I still allowed to read the bible?
4) What are some things I should know about the faith?

Thanks

[- Qatada -]

Hello all, I registered to this forum to hopefully gather some insight on Islam.

I have been dealing with many foster homes and hard times over the years. My mother was an alcoholic and my father was never in the picture. I met myself at a crossroad in life when I was 16-17. I wasn't doing the right thing and I finally looked myself in the mirror one day and asked myself if this was the type of life I wanted to have. Thankfully I decided to make a change and sway away from the lifestyle that I was leading. I started reading the bible and developing a relationship with God, but I still didn't commit myself to a religion. I'm 19 years old now and I want a religion in my life. I'm thinking of choosing Islam because of the generally peace, and kindness that Muslim's have for one another. Here are some questions I have.

Hi Drewy :) Welcome to the forums. I'll attempt to answer your questions and then give you some extra information which you may find of benefit, God willing.

1) Do you have to fast from (food&water) for an entire 30 days during Ramadan?

The month of Ramadan is around 29/30 days. We fast each day of that month (unless you are ill or on a journey, then you can break that fast and fast it in a later date for that missed fast.) The fasting is done each day, from sunrise till sunset. After sunset, you can eat and drink and have intercourse with ones wife.

2) What are the views on smoking marijuana?

It is forbidden by God, as He says [meaning];

They ask you (O Muhammad) concerning intoxicants and gambling. Say: "In them is a great sin, and (some) benefit for men, but the sin of them is greater than their benefit." Thus God makes clear to you the verses [of revelation] that you might give thought. [Quran 2:219]

The reason why it is forbidden is because it makes your mind clouded, so you can't think straight. I.e. you become partially insane. And you might do evils then without knowing. In other words, its a tool of satan.

3) Am I still allowed to read the bible?

If you were to be a Muslim, you will have submitted yourself to the One and only God - the Originator and Designer of everything. You will have accepted that Jesus son of Mary (peace be upon him) was a servant and Messenger of God, but not a part or 'son' of God.

You will believe in ALL the Messengers' mentioned in the Bible [including Noah, Abraham, Moses etc.], but you will not believe that the Bible is the full word of God. (since we believe the Bible has been corrupted by people since after Jesus. Click HERE for examples.).

4) What are some things I should know about the faith?

You should know that;

1 - God is One, who created us, gave us life, provides us with all that we have, and due to that - we should submit to Him and live to earn His pleasure.

2 - God sends Messengers' to every nation, His final Messenger is His slave and Prophet - Prophet Muhammad. God gave Him the Qur'an [God's speech] and Wisdom [the Prophetic way], a guidance and a way of life for mankind uptill the final Day of Judgment.



3 - The guidance of God leads man to higher levels of morality and spirituality. God promises them a good reward in this life, and a life to come full of reward and Mercy from Him in Paradise.

And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed: "If you give thanks (by accepting Faith and worshipping none but God/Allah), I will give you more (of My Blessings), but if you are thankless (i.e. disbelievers), verily! My Punishment is indeed severe." [Quran 14:7]

If man disobeys God and shows ungratefulness to him - He will punish that slave. Unless this slave repents and mends his way before death overtakes him. Then, God will show mercy to His obedient slave.


4 - Their will be One final Judgment Day, when all of mankind will be resurrected after death. Those who believed in God, His Messengers' and this Promised Day, in Paradise and Hell and did good deeds - they will be rewarded in Paradise according to the best of their actions. Those who disbelieved will be punished for their own evils in hell, and none will be dealt with unjustly.

The Messenger of God, Muhammad (peace be upon him) relates that God said;

O My servants, I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made it forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress one another. O My servants, all of you are astray except for those I have guided, so seek guidance of Me and I shall guide you, O My servants, all of you are hungry except for those I have fed, so seek food of Me and I shall feed you. O My servants, all of you are naked except for those I have clothed, so seek clothing of Me and I shall clothe you. O My servants, you sin by night and by day, and I forgive all sins, so seek forgiveness of Me and I shall forgive you.

O My servants, you will not attain harming Me so as to harm Me, and will not attain benefitting Me so as to benefit Me. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as pious as the most pious heart of any one man of you, that would not increase My kingdom in anything. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as wicked as the most wicked heart of any one man of you, that would not decrease My kingdom in anything. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to rise up in one place and make a request of Me, and were I to give everyone what he requested, that would not decrease what I have, any more that a needle decreases the sea if put into it. O My servants, it is but your deeds that I reckon up for you and then recompense you for, so let him finds good praise Allah and let him who finds other that blame no one but himself.

(Recorded in Muslim, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)

Please see this link to know more;

http://islamreligion.com



Please don't hesitate to ask more questions! :)


Peace.

[Drewy7]

Thank you for your words. I'm still a bit confused about Ramadan though. So we go the entire day without eating but you can eat and drink after sunset each day? Sorry if the question seems a bit nooby.

[Ramadhan]

Thank you for your words. I'm still a bit confused about Ramadan though. So we go the entire day without eating but you can eat and drink after sunset each day? Sorry if the question seems a bit nooby.

That's correct.
From the first sign of sun rays (fajr time, it is still dark) to when the sun sets, you cannot eat, drink, smoke, have sex in any way. But from sunset until the next sun rise you are allowed to do those things (the halal -allowed- ones of course). We do this every day from the 1st of the month of Ramadan until the last day of ramadan.

There is a very good site for a new muslim created by a member of this forum, but i cannot remember it on top of my head. Maybe other members can help you.

I've found a good thread to start with the basic concepts of Islam:
http://www.islamicboard.com/discover...must-read.html

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[IAmZamzam]

1) Do you have to fast from (food&water) for an entire 30 days during Ramadan?

No, only during daylight. The Koran lays out some very detailed rules on the matter.

2) What are the views on smoking marijuana?

Recreational drugs are forbidden.

3) Am I still allowed to read the bible?

There's nothing wrong with reading it but we don't use it as scripture. Only a few parts of it were ever God-inspired and even those parts have been corrupted by human hands.

4) What are some things I should know about the faith?

I really couldn't answer that unless I already knew where your knowledge is particularly strong and weak now. It's good for everyone to know as much as they can about it, of course, though I admit I have been lazy in some areas myself.

[PouringRain]

Welcome to the forum.

[Drewy7]

Thanks guys, the more I look into Islam the more I start to like it. I heard that masturbation is also strictly prohibited. I can live with that but how do you do it?

[Ramadhan]

I heard that masturbation is also strictly prohibited. I can live with that but how do you do it?

Get married as soon as you can.

or if single:
keep yourself busy, avoid readin/watching/listening to anything that is sexual in nature, do fastings (it helps controlling your libido), read the qur'an, do activities with family, etc.

However, if you do sin, repent sincerely and ask Allah for guidance and strength. Repenting sincerely help avoiding sins.

[Drewy7]

Get married as soon as you can.

or if single:
keep yourself busy, avoid readin/watching/listening to anything that is sexual in nature, do fastings (it helps controlling your libido), read the qur'an, do activities with family, etc.

However, if you do sin, repent sincerely and ask Allah for guidance and strength. Repenting sincerely help avoiding sins.

How can I get married soon away? Should I search for a woman or should I wait upon our Heavenly Father when he feels that I am ready?

[Ramadhan]

How can I get married soon away? Should I search for a woman or should I wait upon our Heavenly Father when he feels that I am ready?

It is up to you.
Billions of people have been married before. And there is no such thing as "heavenly father" (as in a bearded old guy sitting on a cloud), but there is Allah, The Creator of heaven and earth, so you can start make dua (supplications) to Allah to give you a good pious wife.

If are really sincere and really want to, you can go to a masjid, proclaim shahada, revert to Islam, ask help from the imam of the masjid to help you find a good pious muslimah.
Do you want to try that?

[Drewy7]

It is up to you.
Billions of people have been married before. And there is no such thing as "heavenly father" (as in a bearded old guy sitting on a cloud), but there is Allah, The Creator of heaven and earth, so you can start make dua (supplications) to Allah to give you a good pious wife.

If are really sincere and really want to, you can go to a masjid, proclaim shahada, revert to Islam, ask help from the imam of the masjid to help you find a good pious muslimah.
Do you want to try that?

Both seem good, once again I thank all of you for your help. I think I am just going to keep making my prayers and find a wife when the time is right.

Sorry if I offended anyone by referring to God as Heavenly Father. Poor choice of words on my part.

One last question:
If I choose Islam do I still refer to God as God or do I call God, Allah?

[Muslim Woman]

Salaam/Peace

good to know u have an interest about Islam. InshaAllah ( God Willing) it will be easy
for u to accept the Truth.

It's better to call our Creator as Allah . The word God is not used in holy Quran but as it's commonly used in English language and if u are comfortable with God , then I guess it's not a sin . But try to say Allah and u will need to say Allah in your daily 5 times prayer / salat as u must recite few lines from Quran .

And Allah Knows Best.


related link: Concept of God in Islam

by Dr. Zakir Naik

By what name do we call God?



The Muslims prefer calling the Supreme Creator, Allah, instead of by the English word ‘God’. The Arabic word, ‘Allah’, is pure and unique, unlike the English word ‘God’, which can be played around with.


If you add ‘s’ to the word God, it becomes ‘Gods’, that is the plural of God. Allah is one and singular, there is no plural of Allah. If you add ‘dess’ to the word God, it becomes ‘Goddess’ that is a female God.

There is nothing like male Allah or female Allah. Allah has no gender. If you add the word ‘father’ to ‘God’ it becomes ‘God-father’.



God-father means someone who is a guardian. There is no word like ‘Allah-Abba’ or ‘Allah-father’. If you add the word ‘mother’ to ‘God’, it becomes ‘God-mother’.

There is nothing like ‘Allah-Ammi’, or ‘Allah-mother’ in Islam. Allah is a unique word. If you prefix tin before the word God, it becomes tin-God i.e., fake God. Allah is a unique word, which does not conjure up any mental picture nor can it be played around with. Therefore the Muslims prefer using the Arabic word ‘Allah’ for the Almighty.


Sometimes, however, while speaking to the non-Muslims we may have to use the inappropriate word God, for Allah. Since the intended audience of this article is general in nature, consisting of both Muslims as well as non-Muslims, I have used the word God instead of Allah in several places in this article.

http://www.islam101.com/tauheed/conceptofGod.htm

[Drewy7]

What are the Islamic views on the Native American prophecies?

[- Qatada -]

What are the Islamic views on the Native American prophecies?

There are 2 types of 'Prophecies';

1 - Divine Prophecies.
2 - Satanic Inspiration.



The first type of Prophecies are from God, to His Messengers'. These are truthful and clear.

These are either conveyed directly by God to His Messenger, or through an angel to His Messenger, or through a dream to His Messenger. With God's final Messenger being Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) after a chain of a previous 124,000 Prophets who have come to mankind in history to each nation.

see: Prophecies;
http://www.islamicboard.com/discover-islam/42701-prophecies.html


Now you may wonder, can't a devil pretend to be an Angel? Allah tells us in the Qur'an;

Shall I inform you upon whom the devils descend? They descend upon every sinful liar. They pass on what is heard, and most of them are liars.
[Quran 26: 221-223]

The Messengers' of God are known to be honest people even before their Prophethood. However, fortune tellers are known to be untrustworthy and liars from the beginning.



This leads us to the 2nd category;

The second type of Inspiration are from another type of beings, who are called Jinn. They are an unseen creation who you can read about by clicking HERE.

As you know, many human fortune tellers are fake, however - there are some who actually do contact Jinn (or 'genies'). These Jinn will work for these fortune tellers, by going to the skies and attempting to hear the speech of the angels.


As the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (peace be upon him) said;

“They (the Jinn) would pass the information back down until it reaches the lips of a magician or fortune-teller. Sometimes a meteor would overtake them [the Jinn and kill them] before they could pass it on. If they passed it on before being struck, they would add to it a hundred lies” (Recorded Authentically in Saheeh Al-Bukhari).

Thus, it is clear from this as to how fortune-tellers get predictions of the future sometimes right. It is also evident as to why they get so many wrong. Men like Nostradamus are an example, as some of his predictions of the future were correct whilst many were completely wrong.

http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/674/

So it is possible that the Native Americans had access to some Jinn, as is well known that they contacted 'spirits'. These spirits may have conveyed one truth and mixed it with hundreds of other lies. However, only what is true from the heavens is conveyed to the masses of people today, and the rest of hundreds of lies are ignored.

Unlike the sayings of Prophets and Messengers' of God who said everything truthful and no lies whatsoever were mixed in their Prophecies. Everything they said - did, and will actually come into effect.




Peace.

[Amat Allah]

Welcome to IB as a new precious and dear memeber of our big family...May Allah lead your way to the path of the endless happiness and satisfaction my respected and noble brother...Aameeen

[Ansariyah]

Welcome to IB as a new precious and dear memeber of our big family...May Allah lead your way to the path of the endless happiness and satisfaction my respected and noble brother...Aameeen

^Ameeen

Welcome Drewy7!