General Q&A

[AsheSkyler]

Howdy!

I like to learn about other faiths. And while I believe Islam is meant to be a very peaceful religion, there are some things unique to Islam I can't explain to those around me who speak ill of it. (I've about decided arguing that Islam acknowledges Jesus existed is a lost cause.) So if you don't mind, I have some questions about things I haven't yet found an answer for.

1. Art and plays. I am an artist and I have been told that Muslims do not like for Muhammad to be drawn, or any person for that matter. Which is fine, I don't like having my picture taken, I don't always agree with the renditions of historical figures, and therefore I can understand the dislike of it. But why do you dislike it? Is it something akin to bordering on idol-worship? And is the drawing of animals also banned? And are doctors exempt from not having pictures of people, so that they may have charts and guides for when they practice medicine?
And similarly, I've heard that in plays certain people like prophets cannot be directly portrayed. Is that true, and why?

2. Does Allah have any names in the Qur'an other than "Allah" or "God"? Christians have a bunch of names for Him, but they usually stick to "God" for the sake of simplicity. Or denomination, I think the Jehovah's Witnesses prefer to call Him "Jehovah".

3. I read the chapter (surrah?) on infidels and it basically said "agree to disagree and get on with your lives". Just where did that whole "kill the infidels" thing come from? Did one crazy guy get too popular and give everybody a bad name? Because I can think of a ton of priests and preachers that did the same thing to Christianity.

4. I hear women wear hijabs and burkas to cover their hair because it is a private part and only show it to men who are worthy of it (husbands, fathers, brothers), or to other women because humans in general are entirely too open with those of their same gender. (I'm a very private person.) I've heard some wear it because to them it is a proper way to worship and be proud of being a woman the way Allah made her. And I've heard covering women is to protect them from lustful men. What are all the real reasons that women wear hijabs and burkas? And when non-Muslim women visit a mosque or perhaps an officially Muslim country, should we don some head scarves too?
Quite honestly, the thought of being able to toss on a scarf and go to town to do my grocery shopping without being judged by how I did my hair and makeup sounds pretty tempting. I don't like wearing makeup often and it has made for some rude situations. Speaking of which, is there an official stand on makeup?
Are there also rules about dresses and skirts? Most Christians don't mind, but I grew up in churches that were quite strict about women wearing dresses in church, and there are even some who say women should always wear dresses all the time because pants are inappropriate.

5. Why pray officially five times a day? Is five a holy number like three and seven to Christians? And does it have to be on a special mat or rug each time?

6. Do you believe in angels and demons? I've honestly never heard the topic come up. Usually I just hear complaints about bombs and women.

7. How many different spellings for "Qur'an" and which one is preferred? I've seen Qur'an, Koran, and Quraan. And perhaps another one... I don't remember right off hand.

8. Sex and nudity. One of the nasty stereotypes I hear about quite often is that Muslim men are terrified of anything remotely sex-related and go to great lengths to avoid it like the plague, and come up with rules like no singing, no dancing, show absolutely none of your skin, hide women in the back of the mosque so you're not thinking of their bums the whole time, and don't even acknowledge the other gender exists. I think if they were that chaste, no Muslim would ever marry or have kids. Ever. Islam would have died out centuries ago with that mentality. So what is the chastity and modesty among Muslims really like? I know you say "wait until marriage" and "please keep your parts covered in public" but that is the extent of my knowledge.

[greenhill]

Greetings,

I see quite a few questions here.... I will try to be brief

1)

1. Art and plays.

The 'ban' on pictures or statues to me is an 'absolute' thing so there can be no grey area like alcohol. If it says cannot get drunk, then people will drink and claim that they are not drunk. So if pictures or statues were allowed, then it may lead to people using these 'figures' as a kind of 'charm' or idol.

On education issues, I don't believe that it is banned.


2)

Does Allah have any names

Yes, Allah has beautiful names that describe Him


3)

chapter (surrah?) on infidels and it basically said "agree to disagree and get on with your lives".

I believe the other quote comes from a different surrah which describes another moment in time


4)

4. I hear women wear hijabs and burkas to cover their hair because

Yes, you have already mentioned the reasons. I guess it has a lot more to do with 'preventive' action. Just like wearing seat belts for personal safety. It may be uncomfortable and restrictive..


5)

5. Why pray officially five times a day?

This is something Allah has decreed for us. I really do not know why 5? But all I know is that it is good for you...


6)

6. Do you believe in angels and demons?

Yes.


7)

spellings for "Qur'an

The word is in Arabic and the spelling is in Arabic text and when we translate it using alphabets, we take approximate sounding letters. So it could be anything as long as it can be read to sound the same.


8)

Sex and nudity

I don't believe muslims are terrified of anything sex related! Just like the Christians and Jews, we are not allowed to have sex prior to marriage and marriage is 'sunnah' for every person except insane people or under very special circumstances.

I believe every body is aware of the people of the opposite sex and if possible would want to mingle freely. The 'segregation' aspect is to avoid tempting situations from happening. Before the modern times, it used to be 'arranged' marriages that would take place. It must have worked out well (in the past) as many of them survived to produce large numbers of muslims in this day and age. But unfortunately (or fortunately) people do not believe in arranged marriages anymore. They want their own choice and yet so many end up in divorce. Which is better? I don't know.

Peace :shade:

[Signor]

5. Why pray officially five times a day? Is five a holy number like three and seven to Christians?

Reasons from Sayings of Prophet(SAAWS)

The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “If there was a river at the door of anyone of you and he took a bath in it five times a day, would you notice any dirt on him?" The Companions said: “Not a trace of dirt would be left." The Prophet added, "That is the example of the five Prayers with which Allah annuls evil deeds." (Saheeh Bukhari & Saheeh Muslim)

Narrated Malik bin Sasaa: The Prophet said, "While I was at the House in a state midway between sleep and wakefulness, (an angel recognized me) as the man lying between two men. A golden tray full of wisdom and belief was brought to me and my body was cut open from the throat to the lower part of the abdomen and then my abdomen was washed with Zam-zam water and (my heart was) filled with wisdom and belief. Al-Buraq, a white animal, smaller than a mule and bigger than a donkey was brought to me and I set out with Gabriel. When I reached the nearest heaven. Gabriel said to the heaven gate-keeper, 'Open the gate.' The gatekeeper asked, 'Who is it?' He said, 'Gabriel.' The gate-keeper asked, 'Who is accompanying you?' Gabriel said, 'Muhammad.' The gate-keeper said, 'Has he been called?' Gabriel said, 'Yes.' Then it was said, 'He is welcomed. What a wonderful visit his is!' Then I met Adam and greeted him and he said, 'You are welcomed O son and a Prophet.' Then we ascended to the second heaven. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Gabriel said, 'Gabriel.' It was said, 'Who is with you?' He said, 'Muhammad' It was asked, 'Has he been sent for?' He said, 'Yes.' It was said, 'He is welcomed. What a wonderful visit his is!" Then I met Jesus and Yahya (John) who said, 'You are welcomed, O brother and a Prophet.' Then we ascended to the third heaven. It was asked, 'Who is it?' Gabriel said, 'Gabriel.' It was asked, 'Who is with you? Gabriel said, 'Muhammad.' It was asked, 'Has he been sent for?' 'Yes,' said Gabriel. 'He is welcomed. What a wonderful visit his is!' - (The Prophet added -There I met Joseph and greeted him, and he replied, 'You are welcomed, O brother and a Prophet!' Then we ascended to the 4th heaven and again the same questions and answers were exchanged as in the previous heavens. There I met Idris and greeted him. He said, 'You are welcomed O brother and Prophet.' Then we ascended to the 5th heaven and again the same questions and answers were exchanged as in previous heavens. There I met and greeted Aaron who said, 'You are welcomed O brother and a Prophet". Then we ascended to the 6th heaven and again the same questions and answers were exchanged as in the previous heavens. There I met and greeted Moses who said, 'You are welcomed O brother and a Prophet.' When I proceeded on, he started weeping and on being asked why he was weeping, he said, 'O Lord! Followers of this youth who was sent after me will enter Paradise in greater number than my followers.' Then we ascended to the seventh heaven and again the same questions and answers were exchanged as in the previous heavens. There I met and greeted Abraham who said, 'You are welcomed O son and a Prophet.' Then I was shown Al-Bait-al-Ma'mur (i.e. Allah's House). I asked Gabriel about it and he said, This is Al Bait-ul-Ma'mur where 70,000 angels perform prayers daily and when they leave they never return to it (but always a fresh batch comes into it daily).' Then I was shown Sidrat-ul-Muntaha (i.e. a tree in the seventh heaven) and I saw its Nabk fruits which resembled the clay jugs of Hajr (i.e. a town in Arabia), and its leaves were like the ears of elephants, and four rivers originated at its root, two of them were apparent and two were hidden. I asked Gabriel about those rivers and he said, 'The two hidden rivers are in Paradise, and the apparent ones are the Nile and the Euphrates.' Then fifty prayers were enjoined on me. I descended till I met Moses who asked me, 'What have you done?' I said, 'Fifty prayers have been enjoined on me.' He said, 'I know the people better than you, because I had the hardest experience to bring Bani Israel to obedience. Your followers cannot put up with such obligation. So, return to your Lord and request Him (to reduce the number of prayers.' I returned and requested Allah (for reduction) and He made it forty. I returned and (met Moses) and had a similar discussion, and then returned again to Allah for reduction and He made it thirty, then twenty, then ten, and then I came to Moses who repeated the same advice. Ultimately Allah reduced it to five. When I came to Moses again, he said, 'What have you done?' I said, 'Allah has made it five only.' He repeated the same advice but I said that I surrendered (to Allah's Final Order)' " Allah's Apostle was addressed by Allah, "I have decreed My obligation and have reduced the burden on My slaves, and I shall reward a single good deed as if it were ten good deeds." - Sahih Al-Bukhari 4:429

And does it have to be on a special mat or rug each time?

Islam is very unique in allowing prayer anywhere on earth except in a graveyard, a toilet, and before an idol. The sharῑ‘a also prohibits people from praying in the middle of pathways and avenues as this might cause harm to passers-by or even cause harm for the person performing the salah. Besides this, one can pray anywhere, even if they are unsure of its purity from dirt. As a basic principle, if one does not see or smell impurities, they should treat the place as if it is pure. This is because the Prophet rejoiced at the fact that Allah had made the entire earth pure for prayer and so the default ruling is that all places are pure for prayer unless we find traces of uncleanliness present.

6. Do you believe in angels and demons?

It is one of the Articles of Faith that a Muslim believes in the existence of the angels.

"and whosoever disbelieves in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, and the Last Day, then indeed he has strayed far away"(Qur'an 4:136)

In Islamic theology Jinn are said to be creatures with free will, made from smokeless fire by Allah as humans were made of clay, among other things

And the jinn, We have created aforetime from the smokeless flame of fire”(55:27).

And:“ And the jinn: He created from a smokeless flame of fire”(55:15).

Keep in mind demon is a Christian term,Devils(Shayateen:who are deviants from right path) from Jinns fall in demons category.

7. How many different spellings for "Qur'an" and which one is preferred? I've seen Qur'an, Koran, and Quraan. And perhaps another one... I don't remember right off hand.

The right word is قرآن

The word is in Arabic and the spelling is in Arabic text and when we translate it using alphabets, we take approximate sounding letters. So it could be anything as long as it can be read to sound the same.

A good article to understand things

http://ajrarchive.org/article.asp?id=4239

3. I read the chapter (surrah?) on infidels and it basically said "agree to disagree and get on with your lives". Just where did that whole "kill the infidels" thing come from? Did one crazy guy get too popular and give everybody a bad name? Because I can think of a ton of priests and preachers that did the same thing to Christianity.

I guess you are talking about this verse,right?

And when the sacred months have passed, then kill the polytheists wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and sit in wait for them at every place of ambush. But if they should repent, establish prayer, and give zakah, let them [go] on their way. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. (9:5)

Allah is telling the Muslims, don’t get scared in the battle field, whenever the enemy comes to attack, fight them, and kill them if required; wait for them in every stratagem of war. This verse of the Qur’an is in the context of a battlefield. When the enemies who have broken the peace treaty, when they attack you, don’t get scared in the battlefield, fight them, if required even kill them. Now any army general, any President of any country, or any Prime Minister, to boost the morale of his soldiers he will use these words. For example, a few decades earlier, there was a war between America and Vietnam. If the American President or Army General tells the American soldiers in the battlefield that they should not get scared and wherever they find a Vietnamese, they should kill him, now if we were to quote the American President and say that he said that wherever you find a Vietnamese kill him, we will make him sound like a cruel man. Such a statement is appropriate in the battle field, to boost up the morale, when two opposing forces are arrayed against each other. In a similar manner, the Qur’anic verse refers to the situation in the battlefield, when the enemies had broken a peace treaty.

Often,Quranic verses are quoted out of context without reference.Here are the first ten verses

1. Freedom from (all) obligations (is declared) from Allah and His Messenger (

) to those of the Mushrikun (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah), with whom you made a treaty.

2. So travel freely for four months (as you will) throughout the land, but know that you cannot escape (from the Punishment of) Allah, and Allah will disgrace the disbelievers.

3. And a declaration from Allah and His Messenger to mankind on the greatest day (the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah - the 12th month of Islamic calendar) that Allah is free from (all) obligations to the Mushrikun and so is His Messenger. So if you (Mushrikun) repent, it is better for you, but if you turn away, then know that you cannot escape (from the Punishment of) Allah. And give tidings (O Muhammad

) of a painful torment to those who disbelieve.

4. Except those of the Mushrikun with whom you have a treaty, and who have not subsequently failed you in aught, nor have supported anyone against you. So fulfill their treaty to them to the end of their term. Surely Allah loves Al- Mattaqun .

5. Then when the Sacred Months (the Ist, 7th, 11th, and 12th months of the Islamic calendar) have passed, then kill the Mushrikun wherever you find them, and capture them and besiege them, and prepare for them each and every ambush. But if they repent and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and give Zakat, then leave their way free. Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

6. And if anyone of the Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah) seeks your protection then grant him protection, so that he may hear the Word of Allah (the Qur'an), and then escort him to where he can be secure, that is because they are men who know not.

7. How can there be a covenant with Allah and with His Messenger for the Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah) except those with whom you made a covenant near Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makkah)? So long, as they are true to you, stand you true to them. Verily, Allah loves Al-Muttaqun .

8. How (can there be such a covenant with them) that when you are overpowered by them, they regard not the ties, either of kinship or of covenant with you? With (good words from) their mouths they please you, but their hearts are averse to you, and most of them are Fasiqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allah).

9. They have purchased with the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah a little gain, and they hindered men from His Way; evil indeed is that which they used to do.

10. With regard to a believer, they respect not the ties, either of kinship or of covenant! It is they who are the transgressors.

11. But if they repent, perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat) and give Zakat, then they are your brethren in religion. (In this way) We explain the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) in detail for a people who know.

Read the full reference of the context

http://www.englishtafsir.com/Quran/9/

2. Does Allah have any names in the Qur'an other than "Allah" or "God"? Christians have a bunch of names for Him, but they usually stick to "God" for the sake of simplicity. Or denomination, I think the Jehovah's Witnesses prefer to call Him "Jehovah".

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) as saying: Verily, there are ninety-nine names for Allah, i. e. hundred excepting one. He who enumerates them would get into Paradise. And Hammam has made this addition on the authority of Abu Huraira who reported it from Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) that he said:" He is Odd (one) and loves odd number." (Sahih Muslim, Hadith Number 6476)

1. Art and plays. I am an artist and I have been told that Muslims do not like for Muhammad to be drawn, or any person for that matter. Which is fine, I don't like having my picture taken, I don't always agree with the renditions of historical figures, and therefore I can understand the dislike of it. But why do you dislike it?

If someone insults your father, will you like it? if you love your father, you'll certainly not.Let me tell you that Our Prophet Muhammad(SAAWS) is dearer to us than anything in the world.

We Muslims don't draw and make fun of any religious symbols either ours or not.You won't find any disrespectful drawing of Jesus Christ, Moses, Buddha or any other religious person drawn by Muslims.We don't make fun or insult other people's beliefs and respect them.Are we not allowed to ask the same favor?There are so many ways how you can express your opinion with others without hurting and offending them,so many civilized ways to disagree with others and still letting them like you and respect you.

Is it something akin to bordering on idol-worship?

And is the drawing of animals also banned?

In Islam,we have some very good descriptions of how the Prophet(SAAWS) looked like,so it will be no problem coming up with a good portrait.However.......

Hadith - Bukhari 3:428, Narrated Said bin Abu Al-Hasan

While I was with Ibn 'Abbas a man came and said, "O father of 'Abbas! My sustenance is from my manual profession and I make these pictures." Ibn 'Abbas said, "I will tell you only what I heard from Allah's Apostle

. I heard him saying, 'Whoever makes a picture will be punished by Allah till he puts life in it, and he will never be able to put life in it.' " Hearing this, that man heaved a sigh and his face turned pale. Ibn 'Abbas said to him, "What a pity! If you insist on making pictures I advise you to make pictures of trees and any other unanimated objects."

Hadith - Bukhari 4:448, Narrated Abu Talha
I heard Allah's Apostle

saying; "Angels (of Mercy) do not enter a house wherein there is a dog or a picture of a living creature (a human being or an animal)."

And are doctors exempt from not having pictures of people, so that they may have charts and guides for when they practice medicine

if there is a need or necessity, there is nothing wrong with making images and there is no sin on the image maker in that case, because cases of necessity make forbidden things permissible.

And similarly, I've heard that in plays certain people like prophets cannot be directly portrayed. Is that true, and why?

What will the performing actor going to do after play ends?An extraordinary figure in one play,drunk,flirty and gambler in another??

Inshaa Allah(God Willing),Will answer the rest when I'll get time.

[AsheSkyler]

Wow, all that was very helpful! Thank you both! And apologies for such a long list of questions. And I look forward to your next reply, Signor. Take your time, I'm in no hurry.

Yes, you have already mentioned the reasons. I guess it has a lot more to do with 'preventive' action. Just like wearing seat belts for personal safety. It may be uncomfortable and restrictive.

Each thing surely has its pros and cons. You might not can easily wear "big hair" beehives and buns with a hijab, but your ears stay warmer in the winter and the wind can't blow tangles all in your hair.

It must have worked out well (in the past) as many of them survived to produce large numbers of muslims in this day and age. But unfortunately (or fortunately) people do not believe in arranged marriages anymore.

There are still a few. I had a class once with a very kind woman from India who was either Hindu or Christian. Being the only non-American in our class, we asked for stories every night about her culture. One of which being that she was in an arranged marriage, they were very happy, and roughly half of India still arranges matches for their children. I think she said she would try it with her son, but I don't remember that part too well. It's been about five years since I last talked to her.

I guess you are talking about this verse,right?

Nah, the only part of the Qur'an I ever read was that one chapter, and it was several verses long. The "kill all infidels" wasn't a specific reference to any text, although with the Qur'an and Old Testament sharing some common ground I'm not surprised there are a few verses like that. The reference originally was one of the many derogatory rumors about Muslims I used to hear among fellow Christians when I used to go to church. Very scary when you're a kid, very annoying when you're an adult. I believe in a life lead by understanding, not fear. Thus, here I am getting answers to stop what fear I can among the people I know in person.

Are we not allowed to ask the same favor? There are so many ways how you can express your opinion with others without hurting and offending them, so many civilized ways to disagree with others and still letting them like you and respect you.

Yes, and please do. Believe me, I get it. My own personal reasons to not do art of religious people is because it feels just a tad too close to idolatry. (There is even a case in early church history where they had a huge argument over whether or not pictures of the apostles should be displayed for the same reason.) Oddly enough, it was an incident with a rather rude and disrespectful kid making Muhammad scribbles that I decided to avoid drawing religious people in the first place. Similarly, I don't like reading some fictional stories that say "it was the will of God [character name] was punished/killed". God didn't do it, the author did!

Those hadiths were very helpful. So in a nutshell, to draw a breathing thing is like you're trying to play Creator and be something of a god yourself. There were a few other cultures I read about who didn't like statues and stuff for the same reasons. To them, it was like a mockery of God.

Where exactly do videos fall among this?? I've seen a few links to videos here, and not just of educational videos.

Often, Quranic verses are quoted out of context without reference.

That's actually very reassuring for a different reason. I've sat through many Christian sermons, and even debates, that were based on half a verse that desperately need its other half and even the surrounding verses. I guess that's a universal issue we all have to deal with.

What will the performing actor going to do after play ends? An extraordinary figure in one play, drunk, flirty and gambler in another??

Good point. It's no different than the ones who act very devout on holy days when people are watching, and then do whatever they want the rest of the week. Not a good role model.



Peace. (Wow, it is hard not to add smileys!)

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[Signor]

4. I hear women wear hijabs and burkas to cover their hair because it is a private part and only show it to men who are worthy of it (husbands, fathers, brothers), or to other women because humans in general are entirely too open with those of their same gender. (I'm a very private person.) I've heard some wear it because to them it is a proper way to worship and be proud of being a woman the way Allah made her. And I've heard covering women is to protect them from lustful men. What are all the real reasons that women wear hijabs and burkas?

Are there also rules about dresses and skirts?

I would urge you to read the following article:

The Benefits of Wearing Niqaab
The following are benefits and reasons for wearing covering that are beyond the basic and most important benefit of pleasing Allah.

1. A sense of Islamic identity. When you wear full hijab (covering of the head, neck, chest, face, hands and feet), there is no doubt that you are Muslim. You will not be mistaken for anything else but a Muslimah. Perhaps this is what Allah meant when He said O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks (veils) all over their bodies (except the one or both eyes to see the way). That will be better, that they should be known (as free respectable women) so as not to be annoyed. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.The Noble Qur’an Surah 33:59
2. Knowledge that we are following the example of the “best generation” of Muslims. The wives and daughters of the Prophet (SAW), as well as the Companions wives, wore the veil and covered completely. They are the most pious of women who we try to learn to be like, so why would we make an exception in this instance?
3. Preservation of yourself for your husband. Men are jealous by nature and do not want anyone else looking at their wife. As a pious and righteous wife, we should want to preserve our beauty from others and share it only with our husband.
4. Respect for our parents. Our parents (and other family members) feel a sense of pride that we are guided and showing the physical proof of our Islamic identity. When we cover to this degree, our fathers and brothers do not need to worry that we will go astray.
5. Being treated with respect as a thinking human being. When we are veiled, no one can tell if we are fat or thin, blonde or brunette, cute or homely or beautiful, or what color our skin is. This is a big blessing, in that they will not see us as an exploitable object or insult us either. People are forced to hear the words we say instead of concentrating on what we look like and missing out on our minds.
6. Cuts down on race issues. When we are covered fully, no one knows for sure even the color of our skin. This protects us from the racist remarks and treatment that is still so prevalent in North America, and elsewhere.

Other Benefits and Opportunities Derived By Wearing Niqaab
When we wear the niqaab, we need to be prepared for the questions we will be asked and (more often) for the comments we will overhear. When wearing the niqaab, we function as a “posterboard” for Islam. This means we need to tune our behavior and speech to match the attitude we want to convey! Most sisters will tell you that they find it easier to behave modestly when they are also covered modestly.

Another benefit most sisters will mention is their sense of privacy. The niqaab “hides” us from prying eyes, helps us to “lower our gaze” and provides a sense of security.

Using Your Niqaab for Dawah
Contrary to the negative things some may say about the “message” sent by niqaab and veiling, your niqaab is an excellent opening to dawah opportunities.

While you may notice that a lot of women (and even men) approach you to ask about your head covering (whatever style you may wear), most people already have some idea that Muslim women cover their hair. Since many other religions wear a version of a head covering, just being in a khimar may not open up doors for you to share why you wear it, as people may only assume you are a Catholic nun or Amish or something else. Also, with the influx of various cultures in North America and the fad of others wearing cultural dress as well, to some people the khimar or head scarf is not really seen as a religious obligation, but only a cultural dress.

This is where the niqaab opens doors for you to be specific about why you wear it. More people are going to be curious as to why you cover even your face and hands, so you will be given opportunity to explain the truth behind why you cover, and refute the “cultural” misunderstandings.

Even for those that do not ever speak to you or question you, just seeing you covered will cause them to think about it. This is especially true among other Muslimahs who do not cover. Seeing you covered and not making excuses to not do so may give them the push they need to consider veiling.

An excellent way to spread the truth about Islam is through your niqaab. Muslims and non-Muslims will ask you if you are oppressed etc. and you will have the perfect chance to explain to them that because you cover, you are in fact FREE. This will in turn also give you a chance to talk about the freedoms Islam granted women 1400 years ago, that are only within the last 100 years or less being implemented in the “modern” and “civilized” world!

http://pre.docdat.com/docs/index-106921.html

And when non-Muslim women visit a mosque or perhaps an officially Muslim country, should we don some head scarves too?

Muslim women usually wear long and loose clothing, sometimes covering their head and face, as part of their religious beliefs. Although western women are not expected to dress likewise, women travelling in Muslim countries should dress conservatively as a mark of respect for the host country's religion, customs and beliefs.

As a guideline, your legs and arms should be covered with loose, non-hugging clothing e.g. trousers, long skirts, long sleeved t-shirts or shirts especially when visiting non-Western areas.It is also a sign of respect to cover your hair (for women) and wear longer clothes. Avoid also at any cost clothes with graphic designs that could appear insulting to their culture.

You can also apply above rules while visiting a mosque!

Speaking of which, is there an official stand on makeup?

Are there also rules about dresses and skirts?

“O Prophet! Tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the Believers to draw their outer garments all over their bodies. That will be better, so that they may be known and so as not to be annoyed, and God is Ever-forgiving, Most Merciful.” (33:59)

The Qur'an was interpreted by the Prophet Muḥammad (peace be upon him) and his disciples and their teachings form the basis of Islamic law. There are two orthodox schools of thought with regards to the interpretation of this verse. One orthodox interpretation is that it means covering the whole body including the face. The other school of thought is that, though not obligatory, covering the face is a virtue.

8. Sex and nudity. One of the nasty stereotypes I hear about quite often is that Muslim men are terrified of anything remotely sex-related and go to great lengths to avoid it like the plague, and come up with rules like no singing, no dancing, show absolutely none of your skin, hide women in the back of the mosque so you're not thinking of their bums the whole time, and don't even acknowledge the other gender exists. I think if they were that chaste, no Muslim would ever marry or have kids. Ever. Islam would have died out centuries ago with that mentality. So what is the chastity and modesty among Muslims really like?

Gonna deal with them one by one.......

You heard it wrong,things varies on case basis.For example

`A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated: “Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him, came to my house while two girls were singing beside me the songs of Bu`ath (a story about the pre-Islamic war between the two tribes of the Ansar, the Khazraj and the Awus). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) laid down and turned his face to the other side. Then Abu Bakr came and spoke to me harshly saying, ‘Musical instruments of Satan near the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)?' Thereupon, Allah's Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) turned his face towards him and said, ‘Leave them.' When Abu Bakr became inattentive, I signaled to those girls to go out and they left.” (Reported by Al-Bukhari)

Narrates Anas Ibn Malik: [Having entered the city], the Holy Prophet (SAAWS) passed through a certain part of the town. Suddenly some slave girls appeared singing on the Daff the following ditty: ‘We are the slave girls of Bani Najjar.How lucky! This day the Holy Prophet (SAAWS) has come to be our neighbor’. At this the Holy Prophet (SAAWS) remarked: ‘God knows that I love you people(Ibn Majah, No: 1899)

Narrates Rabi‘, daughter of Mu‘wwadh: On the occasion of my transfer to my husband’s home after marriage, the Holy Prophet (SAAWS) came to visit us and sat down on my bed just as you [the next narrator] are sitting before me now. Some slave girls were beating the Daff and singing in lamentation of their forefathers who had been killed during the battle of Badr. Then one of the girls sang: ‘Among us is the Prophet (SAAWS) who knows even what will happen in coming days’. At this, the Holy Prophet (SAAWS) said: ‘Do not say this, but go on singing.(Bukhari, No: 3779)

One can see how Prophet(SAAWS) didn't felt displeased but allowed singing and even use of a musical instrument(daff) on joyous occasions and wedding events.However,there are some conditions and terms that should be observed regarding listening to singing, as follows:

1. Not all sorts of singing are permissible. Rather, the permissible song should comply with the Islamic teachings and ethics. Therefore, the songs praising the tyrants and corrupt rulers disagree with Islamic teachings. In fact, Islam stands against transgressors and their allies, and those who show indifference to their transgression. So, the same goes for those songs that imply giving praises to such attitude!

2. Also, the way the song is performed weighs so much. The theme of the song may be good, but the performance of the singer – through intending excitement and arousing others' lusts and desires along with trying to seduce them – may move it to the area of prohibition, suspicion or even detest. The Glorious Qur'an addresses the wives of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) saying, “O you wives of the Prophet! You are not like any other women. If you keep your duty (to Allah), then be not soft of speech, lest he in whose heart is a disease aspire (to you), but utter customary speech." (Al-Ahzab: 32) So, one has to show caution to music when there is softness of speech accompanied with rhyme, melody, and special effects!

3. Singing should not be accompanied with something that is prohibited such as alcohol, nakedness, mixing of men with women that is common in pubs and nightclubs, etc.

4. Islam has declared excessiveness as prohibited in everything. The same goes for excessiveness in leisure and recreation even though these things are permissible ! This indicates that the emptiness of the mind and heart has to be observed and tackled during man's short-term life. One should know that Allah Almighty will ask every one about his life and his youth in particular.

Read more

http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/in...twaId&Id=92223
http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/in...twaId&Id=92180

Dancing during the feasts and lawful ceremonies is lawful if it doesn't lead to neglecting any obligations (religious or not) and doesn't go beyond moderation. It should not also be accompanied by forbidden things like music, drinking alcohol, mixing with the opposite sex or taking off one's obligatory garments, and the like. It is narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim that the Prophet Muhammad (Blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) once stood in front of Aisha ( may Allaah be pleased with her) to cover her while she was watching some Ahbash (Ethiopians) playing with their swords. In some other words of this Hadith, it is said that they were dancing and that it was on a feast day. On the other hand, dancing is not a profession of a decent person.

Source

Women's dancing only among women is permissible as long as it does not tempt other women and free from Haram matters such as music or raising their voices during the dance and singing so loud that alien men can hear them, etc. In addition, they should cover themselves properly so that no part of their Awrah (those body parts which must be covered) comes into view during the dance.

Source

The Islamic worldview recognises that attraction between men and women exists and, if left unharnessed, has the potential to break down the moral fabric of society. It also acknowledges the physiological and physical differences between men and women and therefore Islamic legislation for dress and behaviour reflect these differences and aid adherents to avoid situations that could lead to extra-marital sexual relations. Hence both men and women have been commanded to lower their gazes and given directives on related matters.

Where exactly do videos fall among this?? I've seen a few links to videos here, and not just of educational videos.

The purpose dictates the ruling. If we use a video camera to study life in order to understand Allah's creation, knowing that when we learn something new about the universe and Allah's work in it, we feel that our faith gets stronger, then there is no harm in such use. Any other permissible use is approved. But when we use a video camera to, say, film a woman dancer who displays a part of her body which Allah has forbidden to reveal, then we are using a video camera for a forbidden purpose. Hence, its use becomes forbidden.

I hope this answers the questions,though I am still unsure which chapter you are referring to:

Nah, the only part of the Qur'an I ever read was that one chapter, and it was several verses long. The "kill all infidels" wasn't a specific reference to any text, although with the Qur'an and Old Testament sharing some common ground I'm not surprised there are a few verses like that. The reference originally was one of the many derogatory rumors about Muslims I used to hear among fellow Christians when I used to go to church. Very scary when you're a kid, very annoying when you're an adult. I believe in a life lead by understanding, not fear. Thus, here I am getting answers to stop what fear I can among the people I know in person.

Kindly elaborate what you want so it can be replied in a right manner and Feel free to ask more.

[AsheSkyler]

Ahhh, that makes much more sense about the singing. "All in moderation", as it likely should be. Probably somebody heard something they didn't agree with and ran away with wild exaggerations, like the "they think singing is evil" one.

Another benefit most sisters will mention is their sense of privacy. The niqaab “hides” us from prying eyes, helps us to “lower our gaze” and provides a sense of security.
You can also apply above rules while visiting a mosque!

Loose clothes and no shoes while on holy ground, I really wish Christianity would adopt that, or at least have enough respect to let those of us dress comfortably who want to. I can't tell you how many visits to a church I've had where the whole time I was more nervous than a cat in a room full of rocking chairs! I may have to figure out where they hide they local mosques just to be able to enjoy a service for once.

Kindly elaborate what you want so it can be replied in a right manner and Feel free to ask more.

I think you've nailed my questions. I really wish I could find that chapter again because it was beautifully pacifist, but I've gone all through my copy of the Qur'an and even did an online search to see if I could find it in a database. The line I remember best was something like "Go to him, tell him your differences means you cannot be friends, and let him go his way and you go your way." Maybe it was just about conflict in general?

[Signor]

I think you've nailed my questions. I really wish I could find that chapter again because it was beautifully pacifist, but I've gone all through my copy of the Qur'an and even did an online search to see if I could find it in a database. The line I remember best was something like "Go to him, tell him your differences means you cannot be friends, and let him go his way and you go your way." Maybe it was just about conflict in general?

This chapter sounds very similar to what you described:

Sūrat al-Kāfirūn

1. Say : O ye that reject Faith!
2. I worship not that which ye worship,
3. Nor will ye worship that which I worship.
4. And I will not worship that which ye have been wont to worship,
5. Nor will ye worship that which I worship.
6. To you be your Way, and to me mine.

[Ahmad H]

1. Art and plays. I am an artist and I have been told that Muslims do not like for Muhammad to be drawn, or any person for that matter. Which is fine, I don't like having my picture taken, I don't always agree with the renditions of historical figures, and therefore I can understand the dislike of it. But why do you dislike it? Is it something akin to bordering on idol-worship? And is the drawing of animals also banned? And are doctors exempt from not having pictures of people, so that they may have charts and guides for when they practice medicine?
And similarly, I've heard that in plays certain people like prophets cannot be directly portrayed. Is that true, and why?

The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) narrated once that if anyone draws pictures of living things, then on the Day of Judgment they will be told by Allah to bring that picture to life. They will all be unable to do so. I don't know the exact meaning of this, to be honest, but Muslims the world over refrain from drawing living beings to whatever extent possible since this Hadith has been narrated.

As for why we go to such lengths in obeying that, it is because of our will to obey Allah. Obeying Allah means we have to obey our Prophet, because he explains what Allah wants from us. Therefore, sincere Muslims are usually very careful about what they do and fear that they will displease Allah if they don't obey Him. This is the general thought process of a Muslim when it comes to following Islam. This will put everything into perspective for you. Intentions is the key to following Islam, because nothing we do is for any other human being, but it is all done in order to be closer to Allah. Usually the expression is "seeking His Face" by being obedient. This is because the most beloved thing a Muslim will receive in Paradise, will not be the delights, but being given the chance to be in Allah's presence, to see Him and speak to Him face to Face.

2. Does Allah have any names in the Qur'an other than "Allah" or "God"? Christians have a bunch of names for Him, but they usually stick to "God" for the sake of simplicity. Or denomination, I think the Jehovah's Witnesses prefer to call Him "Jehovah".

Christians also use the name Allah in the Arab countries. Recently, there was a country with both Muslims and Christians where the government, which is predominantly Muslim, decided to ban non-Muslims (thus, Christians), from using the word "Allah" when referring to God. What they tried to do is outrageous because the Holy Qur'an was sent to bring all of men towards Allah, which refers to the One and Only God. The government's action will probably be taken against them on the Day of Judgment, since it was counterproductive to the goal of Islam in this world, to bring everyone closer to Allah as much as possible. Not everyone will believe, but whoever wants to believe in Allah, the One, then stopping them is a sin.

There are also lots of names for God in many religions, Hindus identify with Baghwan (I don't know if I spelled that right), Jews also say YHWH (which they say should be left unpronounced, from what I know), etc. So this varies, even for Christians. But Christians definitely use the term 'Allah'. I think even the word which Jesus used was the same root for Allah in Arabic from what he said once:
'Eli Eli, Sabbachtani' - the term 'Eli' is saying 'My God'. Eli sounds a lot like Allah. So Christianity from the beginning has used the term for the 'One God'. I stress that because us Muslims believe all revealed religions spoke only of One God.

3. I read the chapter (surrah?) on infidels and it basically said "agree to disagree and get on with your lives". Just where did that whole "kill the infidels" thing come from? Did one crazy guy get too popular and give everybody a bad name? Because I can think of a ton of priests and preachers that did the same thing to Christianity.

This idea about Islam being a religion saying that Muslims should kill infidels, has to do with verse 9:5 in the Holy Qur'an. I won't quote it because it is taken out of context often enough. If you read this verse, read it by first starting at the first verse and go on past it.

----

ON #4 (it's a long quote, I will just answer you briefly):
-The hijab is meant for women to wear it out of modesty, to cover their hair (which is considered part of their beauty) and in order for them to distinguish themselves as Muslim women. I will explain this last point to you because it has some history as well as a very fine point about Islam's many other commandments as well. Usually, there were commands by the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in which he said for Muslims to do things differently from the Jews, Christians and idolaters. This is because Muslims are supposed to be different and stand out. If a group of people are made to bear the responsibility of upholding the Law of Allah, and are to be the best they can in morality from everyone else, then they have to have distinguishing features so that everyone else can see and take a lesson from them in good. This is why Muslims do things differently.

For women wearing Hijab, this is so that they did not get molested in the streets when Islam began. In that time, 7th century Arabia, slaves were in great numbers everywhere. The free men would taunt the women who they thought were slaves. Thus, when the Muslim women got taunted, this made problems for them. So, wearing Hijab became necessary for them. This gave them respect. This may not command respect now, but the idea behind it is that the women who wear this are already supposed to be modest in their behavior, not just in dress. These women are the distinguished women of mankind, who follow Allah's Laws, guard their chastity, and they are honorable in carrying out good deeds which others should recognize and follow them in.

5. Why pray officially five times a day? Is five a holy number like three and seven to Christians? And does it have to be on a special mat or rug each time?

The number five, in and of itself, is odd, and the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said once that "Allah is Odd (in being One), and He loves Odd (numbers)". Thus, this is why Muslims circuit the Ka'ba seven times during Hajj, pray five times a day, etc. The number itself though, is because Allah first was going to assign fifty prayers a day, then the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked Allah to reduce it until it became five, and thus each prayer is worth ten prayers instead. This was the mercy of Allah.

The times for prayer are most significant, Muslims pray before sunrise, daytime after the sun passes the zenith, then when the sun reaches the lower part of the sky before sunset, then after sunset at the evening, and finally when it is dark, at night. These are the five times. We are meant to remember Allah during these five times of the day. This is so that we always remember Him, and we never forget Him. Allah said in a Sacred Tradition that whoever remembers Him, then He is with that person wherever they are.

6. Do you believe in angels and demons? I've honestly never heard the topic come up. Usually I just hear complaints about bombs and women.

Yes, Muslims believe in Devils and Angels. In Islam, there are six articles of faith, one of them being that we Muslims must believe in the Angels. This includes all other unseen forces which Allah has told us about because belief in the unseen is a necessary requirement of faith - naturally.

7. How many different spellings for "Qur'an" and which one is preferred? I've seen Qur'an, Koran, and Quraan. And perhaps another one... I don't remember right off hand.

The most correct spelling in English letters, which usually agrees with the Arabic phonetic pronunciation, is Qur'an. Koran is an orientalist spelling of the word, just like Moslem is orientalist as well. Orientalism is outdated and anyone who has studied Islam from just one modern scholar of Islam (yes, non-Muslim academics as well), then they will see that it is spelled Qur'an, and they spell Muslim not "moslem" or "turk". Yes, Muslims used to be known as Turks to Christians in the past. Old texts will show this depiction.

FOR #8,
-this is also a long quote, so I will also briefly explain this too. Yes, there are Muslim men who are freaked out by nude women. This is because Islam urges both men and women to restrain their glances to the opposite sex. This is for men to avoid temptation towards women who are not their wives. The prescription is that if a man feels tempted by another woman who is not his wife, then he must go to his wife and satisfy his needs with her instead to remove those thoughts from his mind. If he does that, the idea is that he won't cheat on her.

As for sex between a man and a woman, any sex outside of a marital relationship is forbidden. --- decency is stressed upon greatly in all behaviors for Muslims. When a man and woman have engaged in intercourse, they are to shower afterwards as well before they pray so as to be pure.

Chastity, then, means that men and women keep their private parts guarded from those who should have no access to them. Guarding over them is meant to protect the lineage of Muslims, so that women don't ever go through wondering who the father of their baby is, and so that men do not go off and cause women trouble by impregnating them for no reason. Sex is a very powerful thing, and so it is a force that must be controlled. Think of a flow of water, if the flow is disrupted, then it will go all over the place. If the flow is directed and not built up, then it will not burst. Hence, this is why early marriages is highly prescribed in Islam. Early marriages keep young people away from using their potentially high sex drives the wrong way and ruining their lives through it. Islam is meant to bring ease not discomfort. Thus, sex is highly controlled so that families don't break apart and form when people least expect it. Allah made these laws for our own good, not because we are kept simply from enjoying ourselves. If sex did not bring children, the only problem would have been cleanliness. But the protection of future generations is at stake with this action between a man and a woman. This is the wisdom behind Allah's laws for sex in Islam.

[AsheSkyler]

I am brought to another question: For us non-Muslims when we talk with Muslims, out of respect or courtesy should we say "peace be upon him" whenever we refer to Muhammad?

And are Muslims required to bless their food (or say thanks or offer a prayer in general) before they eat?
It wasn't really required in Christianity until one of the popes made it a rule in the middle ages and it stuck for a while. Now it's more of an optional thing at home for those not very devout, fairly well standard for the devout, and traditional at church dinners or family gatherings.

Sūrat al-Kāfirūn

YES!! That was it! Thank you! I didn't know it's Arabic name. I'm making doggone sure it gets saved to my computer this time. The wording really is beautiful. But as I understand it, Islam was taught through verse and song before it was written down and that's why stuff like that flow so nicely.

I don't know the exact meaning of this, to be honest, but Muslims the world over refrain from drawing living beings to whatever extent possible since this Hadith has been narrated.

I don't blame them and completely understand the reasoning. For me personally it's a way to celebrate life and His creations, and one of the greatest blessings I've been given. But I don't offer my diabetic friends cookies and I won't offer my Muslim friends puppy pictures.

'Eli Eli, Sabbachtani'

That one makes a lot of sense. From what I understand, many thousands of years ago God was known as "El". Which seemed to have turned into Eli, then Allah.

Yes, Muslims used to be known as Turks to Christians in the past.

I'll definitely have to remember that. I've always assumed Turks were just the people who established or lived in what became Turkey.

The free men would taunt the women who they thought were slaves. Thus, when the Muslim women got taunted, this made problems for them. So, wearing Hijab became necessary for them.

History is vital to understanding custom and makes traditions much more logical. Loose clothing in general really should be encouraged more and not just for religious reasons. Tight clothing can be bad for your circulation, it doesn't really trap air for heat like bird feathers or animal fur, and anybody who's read about corsets or those painfully pointy-toed high heels has a pretty good idea of why strangling parts of your body is harmful.

This includes all other unseen forces which Allah has told us about because belief in the unseen is a necessary requirement of faith - naturally.

Very true. My favorite argument to support God is comparing Him to wind. You can't see the wind directly, but you can see the effects when it stirs.

Allah to reduce it until it became five, and thus each prayer is worth ten prayers instead. This was the mercy of Allah.

Indeed! I imagine there are plenty of "quick prayers" like when someone wakes up to a beautiful day and is genuinely thankful for the weather, or surprise visits from friends, or other thankful prayers about little blessings that easily tally up to fifty by the end of the day, even if not done formally.

When a man and woman have engaged in intercourse, they are to shower afterwards as well before they pray so as to be pure.

Oh wow. And not a bad idea. So far that and encouraging young marriages are the only major differences from the lessons I was taught growing up for pretty much all the same reasons.

[Signor]

For us non-Muslims when we talk with Muslims, out of respect or courtesy should we say "peace be upon him" whenever we refer to Muhammad?

It's not compulsory for a non Muslim to say/write salawat(peace be upon him). But if you do,it would be very welcoming.Islam don't dictate anything on non Muslims,like a Non Muslim will be allowed to drink in a Muslim country even it is prohibited for Muslims.

And are Muslims required to bless their food (or say thanks or offer a prayer in general) before they eat?

'Umar bin Abu Salamah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Messenger of Allah (), said to me, "Mention Allah's Name (i.e., say Bismillah before starting eating), eat with your right hand, and eat from what is near you."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:
Messenger of Allah () said, "When any of you wants to eat, he should mention the Name of Allah in the beginning, (i.e., say Bismillah). If he forgets to do it in the beginning, he should say Bismillah awwalahu wa akhirahu (I begin with the Name of Allah at the beginning and at the end)."

[At-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud].

Bismillah means:'Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Raheem' (In the name of Allah, most gracious, most merciful)

[Signor]

Greetings AsheSkyler

Surely we belong to Allah and to Him shall we return

there are some things unique to Islam I can't explain to those around me who speak ill of it.

How do you feel now after all these explanations?I deliberately avoid coming up with interpretation in my own words(at least for most part) and I used something which even you can fall your back upon against Islam haters.

And I've two more questions:

It seems like you have a Christian background,so what motivates you to shift from an Abrahamic religion to philosophical tradition?What do you look in a religion before following it?

How you perceive life,Is it just a wheel which keeps on going on its own while we wants to "move" towards "American Dream"? or is it something bigger than this?What do you think about a creature on earth,we know as "Human Being"?

Sorry Moderators,I will not going to put more questions like this in Discover Islam section again.

[AsheSkyler]

Peace!

I am so very sorry for just dropping off the face of the earth for several months. My seasonal job kicked in shortly after my last post and I was working loooong hours for many months. But I'm back for the off-season!

Yes, I have found all the answers very helpful, and I'm sure it won't be long before I have more. I think I had something about the hijab while I was at work, but I don't remember it anymore... I need to write stuff down.

It seems like you have a Christian background,so what motivates you to shift from an Abrahamic religion to philosophical tradition?What do you look in a religion before following it?

How you perceive life,Is it just a wheel which keeps on going on its own while we wants to "move" towards "American Dream"? or is it something bigger than this?What do you think about a creature on earth,we know as "Human Being"?

My first church was not a good example of how to be Christian. They were violent, paranoid of ANY other beliefs (including other Christians of differing denominations), hateful, and generally not pleasant to be around. Christ's crucifixion is supposed to be very important in Christian beliefs because it is the great mark of forgiveness, right? They would only talk about how bloody and nasty the death and torture was and wouldn't really talk about the spiritual impact of the sacrifice. I just got really tired of it and began to look for something more peaceful. I found that in a philosophical life. I'll always believe in God though. I enjoy it too much not too and it's the most logical choice to me. I've found nicer churches since then, but I still have a bad taste in my mouth towards assemblies.

And because I'll probably always be a rebellious teenager at heart, I wanted to go check out these awful, forbidden religions. The only thing to really fear is fear itself, and I think the more we understand each other, the less likely we are to kill each other. We really are the same at heart, people just get a little too caught up in the details. (Like in this children's book about two clans who went to war because one buttered their bread on top and the other buttered it on bottom.) And it's been really nice seeing what we all have in common, like how all beliefs have a rule about not stealing, killing, and you should do your best to help others. So, now I travel around and visit different faiths to hear all the kind things they have to say. I may pick up little elements here and there, like giving thanks to God on each seasonal change and remember all the things that happened recently, but I haven't really followed anything since I switched to a philosophical belief.

One of the things that appeals to me about Islam is that it is the one group of people I should be able to spend time with that WOULDN'T try to get me to wear tight, revealing clothes, and no good Muslim man in his right mind would try to pull my hair whether it was covered or not!

[AsheSkyler]

I remembered one of the questions I had! What do Muslim children have for toys and quick playthings? Obviously dolls and teddy bears would be out for the same reasons things like portrait art are. So do they have lots of building blocks, puzzles, and crafts like weaving, knitting, and woodwork instead? (Board games like chess, checkers, etc. I lump into the "slow playthings" category since it's not as easy to carry around and usually require playing with for quite a while for it to be satisfying.)

[Signor]

What do Muslim children have for toys and quick playthings? Obviously dolls and teddy bears would be out for the same reasons things like portrait art are.

Islam permits activities which exercise the brain and/or the body, provided time is not wasted and the rights of Allah Ta'ala and the rights of the creation are not affected and neither should one become heedless of Salaat.It does allow some level of amusement or entertainment which are good and wholesome like spending quality time with family and friends, or some sport which benefits one physically, etc.

Regards to toys and dolls,I would encourage you to read the following:

Exemption of (baby) dolls from the ruling on haraam images
He is asking about dolls and three-dimensional toys, and whether that affects his fast
Keeping dolls and toys at home for boys

Still you forgot to answer the second part of my post:

How you perceive life,Is it just a wheel which keeps on going on its own while we wants to "move" towards "American Dream"? or is it something bigger than this?What do you think about a creature on earth,we know as "Human Being"?

Peace