This thread is dedicated to resources and information for reverts or those looking into Islam. If you need any help or resources then please do not hesitate to ask.
The Search engine for the translation of the Qur'an in english by:
-Yusuf Ali
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You can also search through the most authentic Hadith of Sahih Muslim,Sahih Bukhari, Sunan Abudawud and Malik's Muwatta.
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This is the English Translation of the Holy Quran by Abdullah Yusuf Ali. The Holy Quran at Institute Al Islam is browsable by Surah or Chapters that are listed below.
The following is a brief explanation for the meaning of basic Islamic terms:
I. Beliefs.
Islam has seven main beliefs. They are contained in the formula known as the Iman ul Mufassal. It goes as follows, "Amantu bil lahi wa mala-ikatihi wa kutubihi wa rasulihi wal yowm ul akhiri wal qadri, khayrihi wa sharihi min Allahi ta'ala wal ba'ith ba'ed al mowt."
In English it means, "I believe in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day, Measurement, both the good and the bad are from Allah the exalted, and in life after death."
A. Allah. This is the name for "God" in Arabic. Allah is not a human, not a male and not a female. We only say the term "He" when referring to Him because there is no "It" in Arabic. All nouns are automatically masculine or feminine. Allah created everything and was never created. He is never born, He never has children and the human mind cannot encompass His magnitude and greatness. He is loving but just, merciful but stern. Only by surrendering to His will can we come into accordance with His universal will.
B. Angels: They are not human, nor male or female. They are the servants of Allah and never rebel against him. We believe in a devil-creature called Shaytan (Satan) but he is not a fallen angel. He is a creature called a Jinn who rebelled against Allah. Angels record our good deeds and bad and are behind the events of nature and enforce Allah's will in the universe, although He doesn't need their help.
C. Books: Allah has sent revelation to thousands of humans throughout history. Some of those revelations were organized bodies of teachings meant to be recorded as "books" whether written or oral to be handed on to future generations. We know the names of five of these books. They are: the scrolls of Ibrahim, (Abraham), the Taurah of Musa, (Moses), the Zabur (Psalms) of Dawud, (David), the Injeel of 'Esa (Gospel of Jesus) and the Qur'an of Muhammad. Only the last book has survived until the present day. All others have been lost or altered so much so that they are all but worthless.
D. Messengers: These are Allah's Prophets and Message-bringers to whom Allah gave revelation. Every nation and race on earth received at least one in the past. They all taught the same message: to surrender to Allah and do right. Thus we say they all taught Islam. The first was Adam and the last was Muhammad. The Qur'an mentions the name of 25 Prophets and Messengers.
E. The Last Day: Human history will end one day. Allah will end the earth at some future date and all human beings that ever lived will be raised up for Judgment Day. After each person's good and bad deeds as well as their beliefs are examined, they will be sent to either Paradise (Jannah) or Hell (Jahannam).
F. Measurement: Allah has measured the length of our life in this world, our economic status, where we will die, etc... The word "Qadr" is sometimes translated as destiny or pre-destination or even fate. But the word actually means "to measure."
G. Life After Death: Eternal life in either Heaven or Hell for our souls based on what we believed and did while we lived in the world. Some people will be taken out of hell and admitted to heaven when the term of their punishment is over.
II. Practices.
Islam has seven main practices in the life of a Muslim. Five of those practices are grouped together and are known as the Arkan al Islami, or Pillars of Islam. The following Hadith lists them as follows: "Buniyal Islamu 'ala khamsin: Shahadati an la ilaha ill Allah wa anna Muhammadar Rasul Allah. Wa ooqimus Salati wa i-ta azakati wa hajjil bayti wa saumi Ramadan."
In English it means: "Islam is built on five things: Declaring that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Establishing Prayer, paying the Charity, making a pilgrimage to the House and fasting in Ramadan."
A. Shahadah. Declaration of Faith. Saying,"Ash hadu an la ilaha ill Allah wa ash hadu anna Muhammadar Rasul Allah." "I declare there is no god but Allah and I declare that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."
B. Salah. Prayer. This is the ritual prayer that Muslims perform at five set times each day. To neglect any one of them counts as a sin. The names and times of each prayer are as follows:
1. Fajr. Before sunrise.
2. Zuhr. About a half an hour after noon.
3. 'Asr. About two to three hours before sunset.
4. Maghrib. Immediately after sunset.
5. 'Isha. After the last light of the departing sun is gone from the sky.
C. Zakah. Purifying Charity. It is the annual payment of 2.5% of our yearly economic accumulations, after expenses, for the benefit of the poor, orphans, the needy, etc...
D. Saum. Fasting. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims abstain from all food, drink, anger, sex, smoking and bad deeds from just before fist light until sunset. This is a training time for us to learn to control our gluttony, anger and bodily needs. We learn our mind is stronger than our urges, weaknesses and desires.
E. Hajj. Pilgrimage. A once in a life-time trip to Mecca to purify your soul and reconnect with our ultimate purpose in life. The month of Hajj is when millions of Muslims all over the world arrive to serve Allah wearing only simple, white clothes and no status or titles. We remember the real poverty of this world and the severity of the Day of Judgment.
The other two practices are known as Da'wah and Jihad. Da'wah means calling others to Islam and Jihad means to struggle in Allah's cause. That struggling can be physical, spiritual or mental. The word Jihad does not mean "Holy War."
III. Holidays.
There are only two official holidays in Islam. One comes at the end of Ramadan and is called the 'Eid ul Fitr. (Festival of the Fast Breaking). The other comes at the end of the Hajj and is called the 'Eid ul Adha. (Festival of the Sacrifice.)
Some Muslims celebrate such things as the birthday of the Prophet, (Mawlud un Nabi), or the 'Eid ul Ghadir (which is a much later holiday centered on 'Ali, the Prophet's cousin, whom a group of Muslims called "Shi'a" revere), but standard Islam (Qur'an + Prophet's sayings and example) doesn't seem to give any overt or tacit support to these holidays. The Blessed Prophet said in authentic sayings that there were only two holidays in Islam, 'Eid ul Fitr and 'Eid ul Adha. The commemoration of the Prophet's birthday is debated among Muslim scholars.
IV. Halal and Haram.
Halal items are allowed by Allah. Most foods in the world are Halal. Haram means forbidden by Allah. Haram foods are alcohol and other intoxicants, pork, carrion, most carnivorous animals, meat dedicated to idols. For the meat of an animal, other than seafood, to be Halal for a Muslim, it must be slaughtered in a specific manner. The process is called Dhabiha. Basically it is a similar procedure to the Jewish method of kosher preparation. Kosher meat is also allowed for Muslims, as per the Qur'an. Some Muslims believe that "supermarket" meat and fast food meat is also halal, but Allah said in the Qur'an that the meat prepared by the Jews and Christians is allowed, whereas almost no one in America practices Christianity anymore, as it was practiced in ancient times. Modern slaughtering techniques, with their attendant cruelty and unsanitary nature, do not pass the halal test for us. It is a bit of a hardship but we believe in the prevention of cruelty to animals and modern slaughterhouses are places of tremendous cruelty. There are detailed books on the subject.
There are also Halal and Haram ways to make money. Any business or activity that involves Interest-money is Haram as is any business involving gambling, alcohol, Haram foods or deceit.
V. Male/Female Relations.
Islam provides a code of manners for male/female interaction outside the home. It is impossible not to interact with the opposite sex in daily life such as in the workplace, school or shopping centers. Some very conservative Muslims have this silly and misguided notion that men and women are forbidden to have any interaction unless they're married. Reading the Qur'an and Hadith, however, we get a different picture. The early Muslims, until recent times, had a relatively egalitarian attitude towards male/female relations. Muslims have only freaked out in the last two hundred years with isolationism and ultra-conservatism becoming rampant. Today's arch conservatives would have you believe that a woman's place is in the kitchen and nothing more, but this is not what you will find when you read about Muslim society in former times. Men and women can interact in legitimate settings such as in a business, market, school or social gathering provided they follow certain points of etiquette.
A. Women and men must be wearing clothes that fulfill Islamic requirements of decency. Men must be covered from the knees to the navel, and normal daily wear consists of some type of robe, or pant/shirt combo. A turban or some other form of a headgear is strongly recommended. Muslim men are required to have some sort of a beard (if they can grow one). Many secular minded Muslims do not wear a beard due to the influence of certain dominant cultures in the world which look down upon beards.
Women must be covered from their ankles to their necks and down to their wrists in loose fitting clothes.A Jilbab may be worn which is a sheet over the whole body and this hides ones definitions. In addition, a head covering must be wrapped over the hair covering the neck aswell. This is called the Hijab, or scarf. It is upto the individual whether they want to wear face veil or not depending on how strong one's faith(imaan) is or whenever the sister is ready to wear it.
B. An unmarried man and woman should never be alone together in a room. No person should ever be alone with someone of the opposite sex unless they are married to that person.Because it is said by the prophet that when a man and a woman are together then satan is the third party.
C. Men and women are not to talk to each other in a soft or intimate-sounding voice unless they are married to each other. Women are to address men in a firm and even tone so that the men don't get any false ideas because most women have beautiful and soft voices.Allah states this in the Qur'an for women not to speak too softly to the man lest this would have an impact on his lusting for a women.
D. When meeting and greeting: Men shake hands and hug only other men. Women shake hands and hug only other women. (Unless they are married to each other, of course.)
E. Men and women who are not married to each other never touch.As this can always lead to other things and Islam the most beautiful way of life teaches us not to put ourselves in the position that we may sin.
F. If two people are interested in getting married, the woman should arrange for a male relative to act on her behalf as her representative. That way she doesn't have to feel pressured or undignified. If a woman doesn't have any reliable male relatives to represent her interests, she may choose another Muslim male, usually an (muslim leader)Imam or other trusted person to act on her behalf.
VI. Names.
Islam does not require a person to change his or her name. The only case where a person should think about changing their name is if the meaning of their name is offensive. (Once a man came to the Prophet and introduced himself. The man's name meant "Downcast and somber." The Prophet suggested he change his name to a better once such as Abdur Rahman: "Servant of the Merciful.")
Many Muslims like to take on Islamic or Arabic-style names as an expression of their affiliation, but this is not required. An Arab name is not always an Islamic name. Names identified with Islam exclusively usually have some relationship to being a servant of Allah or to the Prophet and the most famous Muslims around him.
There are many books which give lists of names associated with both Islam and Muslim culture. Some examples of currently available books are:
1. A Dictionary of Muslim Names.
2. The Book of Muslim Names.
3. A Digest of Muslim Names. Amana Publications.
4. Names for Muslim Children.
VII. Islamic Phrases.
Islam has its own key phrases to use in daily life. Some of these are listed below along with the times to use them.
1. When starting to do something: "Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem."
(In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.)
2. When mentioning something that will be done in the future. "Insha'llah." (If Allah wills.)
3. When praising something say, "Subhanullah." (Glory to Allah.)
4. When in pain or distress. "Ya Allah." (O Allah.)
5. When appreciating something say, "Masha-Allah." (As Allah willed.)
6. When thanking someone. "Jazakullah." (Allah reward you.)
7. When you see something bad. "Nowthzubillah." (Allah protect us.)
8. When saying you're sorry to Allah for a sin. "Astaghfirullah." (Allah forgive.)
9. After sneezing or when you're happy about something. "Alhumdulillah." (Praise Allah.)
10. When meeting someone. "Assalamu 'alaykum." (Peace be upon you.)
11. Replying to the above greeting. "Wa 'alaykum assalam." (And upon you be peace.)
12. When hearing about a death or tragedy. "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajiun."
(To Allah we belong and to Him we return.)
13. When giving in charity. "Fee eemanullah." (In Allah's faith.)
14. When taking an oath. "Wallah." (I Swear to Allah.)
15. If someone sneezes and they say, "alhumdulillah," you reply with, "Yarhamakullah." (Allah have mercy upon you.) The sneezer will reply back, "Yehdikumullah" which means, "Allah guide you."
Basic Islamic Terms
Every way of life has its own vocabulary. This enables people to communicate about detailed topics using only a few key words. It is important that Muslims learn the vocabulary of Islam so that we all know what we're talking about. This unites us as Muslims and brings us closer to a sense of belonging to the same community.
Abdul:This means "Servant of." Many Muslims like to change their names from non-Muslim names to Muslim names. A favorite choice is Abdul. But who is the person a servant of? You must always have something after "Abdul." The place to look is in the 99 Names of Allah. Allah has many names, such as Wadud (the Loving), Malik (the King), Rahman (The Merciful), Hakim (the Wise.) Just add one of those after Abdul and you become "The Servant of _______". (For example: Abdul Khaliq: The Servant of the Creator.) etc...
Adab: Manners and ettiquette.
Adhan: (Athzan) The call to prayer.
Ahl al Kitab: This means the "People of the Book." Allah uses this term in the Qur'an to refer to the Jews, Christians and any other people who received revelation from an authentic Prophet in the past. Because the Ahl al Kitab lost their revelations and twisted the teachings they had, Allah sent one last Messenger to the world, the Prophet Muhammad. He brought the Qur'an from Allah. The Ahl al Kitab are called to believe in Allah's last message. To repeat: their own message has been lost or changed so much that there is very little of Allah's truth left in it. The Bible is not the word of Allah. It is a book made up of people's writings that was put together by Europeans in the year 325 at Nicea. That's 300 years after the time of Prophet Jesus ('Esa).
Ahmadiyya: A deviant movement that began in India over one hundred years ago. They believe that one man named Ahmed Ghulam is a new prophet from God. Their worldwide headquarters are in Qadian, India, and they have missions worldwide.It is best to keep away from these unbelievers as they are not Muslims even though they call themselves Muslims.
Akhee: My brother.
Akhirah: The next life or the life after death.
Akhlaq: Your character and behavior or the way you conduct yourself.
Alhumdu lillah: All Praise is for Allah.
'Alim: A scholar or a learned man. The plural is 'Ulema.
Allah: The name for God in the Arabic language. (Literally: THE GOD). Muslims prefer to say "Allah" no matter what language they speak because in Arabic it is a stand-alone word. In other words, you can't make it masculine or feminine, plural or whatever. In English you can change "God" to Gods, Goddesses, Demi-God, etc... There is no way to do that in Arabic to the name, Allah.
Islam teaches that Allah is not a male or a female, nor is He black or white. He is not even a human like us. We cannot percieve what god is because our brains are only limited to percieve matter and time and anything beyond this is not percievable at all.
We only use the term "He" when we refer to Him because their is no "it" in Arabic and it seems disrespectful to call Allah an "it" in English. Allah sometimes refers to Himself as "We" or "Us" but don't be mislead because the reason he says this is because he is the most high and worthy of the highest respect. In many languages, (including English) a single being can call himself a "We" if he wants to so that it emphasizes his power. Allah is everywhere and nowhere. He is never tired and He never needs a "rest." He is Loving and the upholder of justice and He is the Source of Creation.
Allahu Akbar: "Allah is the Greatest." This is the universal catch-all phrase of Muslims. When a Muslim shouts, "Takbeer" (Who's the Greatest!) everyone replies with "Allah Akbar!"
Amir: This means a leader. The Prophet said every group of Muslims must make a leader among them, even if they were only three in number. An Amir is not a dictator and can't just order people around, however. He must also be elected by the consent of the majority. Because Allah said believers consult each other in their affairs (shura), the Amir must listen to the opinions of the Muslim group and take them seriously. If an Amir begins to clearly go against Islamic teachings, then the Muslims must elect a new one.
Angels: In Arabic they are called the Mala-ika. They are created from light energy. Their only purpose is to serve Allah. They are behind the forces of nature. Some Angels are given the job of watching humans and noting their good and bad deeds for the day of judgment where we will be judged according to what we did in this life and our good and bad deeds will be weighed and whichever is heavier will mean either heaven or hell. Angels can take on physical form, sort of like a hologram, and can appear as humans or whatever.Again we can't percieve what they look like because our brains cannot think beyond what is on this earth and which is visible to the human eye.Angels are all good and never disobey Allah. They are not male or female. Christianity teaches that some angels went bad and that's where Satan and the devils came from. Islam teaches that this is not true. Angels are also not people running around in white robes with halos over their head.
Ansar: The helpers. The basic reference is to the new Muslims of Medina who helped the Prophet and the Meccan Muslims after they fled Mecca.
Arabic: A language which originated in the Middle East, specifically in the Arabian peninsula. It is the language Allah chose to reveal His last revelation to the world in.
Arkan al Islami: This means the Pillars of Islam. There are five main practices or "pillars" in the life of a Muslim.
Assalamu 'alaykum: "Peace be upon you." This is the universal Muslim greeting. The Prophet said that Muslims must use this greeting when they meet. There are also verses in the Qur'an about it. If a person approaches a group, the person should say it first. A younger person should greet an older person first. The reply is "Wa alaykum assalam." "And upon you be peace."
Ayah: A verse of the Qur'an. The word literally means a "sign." The plural is Ayat.
Bahais: A deviant movement that grew out of Shi'a Islam, but then it broke away to form its own path. Bahaiism is basically a hybrid of Islamic philosophy wedded to a universalist outlook. Their headquarters are in Haifa, Israel and they also should be kept away from.
Barzakh: The time in between our death and the day we are raised up for judgment. Our souls will be in "storage" or Barzakh. The word literally means, "Partition" or "Dividing Line." The stage after our death leading on till the day of judgement.
Bid'a: This means "Innovation" or "Unauthorized Changes." The Prophet forbade people from making any changes to the teachings or practices of Islam. He said such things and people would go to the Hell fire.So it is essential that we all keep away from deviant sects and the innovators of Islam who mask themselves as being on the straight path but are certainly not.Always stick the the Qur'an and Strong Hadith from the opinion of the majority of scholars.
Da'wah: This means calling or inviting people (to Islam). If you're talking to someone about Islam you're doing Da'wah. A Da'i is the person who does Da'wah.
Deen: Way of Life. Islam is not a religion, it's a complete way of life.
Dhikr (Thzikr): This means to remember Allah. When you repeat words or sentences over and over so you can meditate on Allah and his greatness in the vast universe he has creaated and this earth which he has made just for us as a test ground but we will all return to him.Meditate about all these things whilest praising the lord and cleanse your mind, you are doing or making dhikr. Common dhikr phrases are: "La ilaha illa Allah" (There is no god but Allah.) "Subahanullah wa Bihumdeehee" (Glory to Allah and His is the Praise.) "Alhamdolillah" (all praise be to allah). "Allahu akbar" (allah is the greatest). Saying that last one 100 times gets all your sins forgiven according to the Blessed Prophet. There are many more. Many Muslims like to get those prayer beads to help them keep count but the Prophet said you get more reward if you do it on your fingers alone.
Du'a: This means to call on Allah. Its supplication when one supplicates to the lord. Whenever you ask Allah for something, whether out loud or inside, you are calling on Him. You can make du'a in any words, in any language and Allah has promised to respond, although in a way we might not expect. Many Muslims like to learn some of the du'as that the Prophet said, but you can use your own words to talk to your Maker.
Dunya: This world. "Hayatud Dunya": "The life of this world."
'Eid: (Or: 'Id.) The Muslim holiday. There are two Eid's. One at the end of fasting in Ramadan is called Eid ul Fitr. The other after the Hajj is over is called Eid ul Adh ha.
Fard: Something you must do in Islam.An act which is obligatory on us to complete or fulfill. Something that is required by Allah for us to do.
Fatwa: A scholar's opinion or judgment on an issue related to Islam. It is not binding on a Muslim if there is doubt about it or it can be shown to be faulty. Only a recognized scholar, or 'Alim can issue Fatwas and other scholars must investigate the veracity of their basis.
Fiqh: The science of understanding the Shari'ah. In the past small groups of people with similar opinions about the Shari'ah joined together and formed intellectual clubs called a Math-hab. Today there are five big groupings of these Madh-habs. Shaf', Hanbali, Maliki, Jafari and Hanafi. Not all Muslims accept the Jafari school as valid due to technical reasons. A Muslim can follow the ideas of any one of them or none of them at all. After all, we have the Qur'an, the sayings of the Prophet, the sayings of his companions and our brains. Don't be afraid to use them.
Ghusl: A full shower. A Ghusl is required after any sexual discharge or activity before prayers can be offered again. A Ghusl is highly recommended on Fridays before going to Jum'ah prayers.
Hadith: A saying or report by or about the Blessed Prophet. The most reliable collections of Hadith are named after the scholars who collected them in the early days of Islam and checked on them for accuracy. They are: Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, An Nisa'i, Ibn Majah. There are some good books that take Hadiths from the main six and group them by topic. Those good resource books are as follows: "Riyadh as Saliheen" "Mishkat ul Masabih" and "Al Muwatta."
Hafiz: (Hafithz) A memorizer or guardian of the entire Qur'an.A person who's memorised the whole Qur'an by heart.
Hajj: The pilgrimage to Mecca that one is required to do once in a life time if one can afford it.
Halal: Allowed for a Muslim.
Haram: Forbidden for a Muslim.
Hijab: The scarf a woman wears over her head. Some Muslims who like to compromise their beliefs say it's not required in Islam and they are very wrong and have no knowledge of their Islam. It is obligatory on women to cover as is said to us by our lord for a women to protect her chastity and keep her respect because a women who shows off her beauty and bodily definitions is certainly not respected in the eyes of a man rather looked at in a sexual way. So Islam has the utmost honour and respect for women and given them such a high position in society compared with the west which is quite the opposite. The face-veil (niqab) is entirely upto the individual and it depends on the level of faith of the sister whether she wants to wear it or not although a lot of scholars do say it should be worn because Allah also told the women in the Prophet's family in the Qur'an to wear the veil and if he told them to wear it then it should also be worn by all Muslim women but other scholars say it is preferrable but not compulsory.
Hijra: To migrate. This term refers firstly to the great migration of the Muslims in the year 622 from the hostile city of Mecca, which was controlled by idol-worshippers, to the safer city of Madinah (then called Yathrib) where Islam could exist freely. The Islamic calendar begins with the Hijra as the first year.
'Ibadah: This term is often translated as "worship" but it is not a correct translation. The word worship in English just means praying and bowing, like worshipping in a church. But the term 'Ibadah literally means "service" and it comes from the root word, "to serve." When we say that Islam considers all life to be 'Ibadah, we mean that our whole life should be lived in the service of Allah. We are here to serve Allah. In Islam, any good deed, action or thought, even just holding a steady job or smiling at someone is considered doing 'Ibadah for Allah.
Iftar: The meal you eat after sunset in Ramadan. Suhoor is the light breakfast before first light in the morning during Ramadan.
Imam: Literally: leader. Although most Muslims take this term in the sense of a leader of the prayers, it does apply to the group leader outside of prayer as well. An Imam must be elected by the Muslims or at least accepted by them if he is appointed from outside. If the community rejects him, then he cannot be the Imam.
Eman: (Eemaan) Belief or faith. The root word of Eman is Amuna. It implies three meanings: 1) to believe, 2) to confirm that belief in your heart, and 3) to feel safe. Eman is what makes a person a Muslim. Often spelled "Iman".
Ihsaan: Usually translated as "goodness". The Prophet (p) defined it as knowing that Allah is watching you even though you don't see Him.
Injeel: The Gospel of Prophet 'Esa (Jesus). The New Testament of the Bible is not the Gospel of Jesus. The New Testament was written by a lot of different authors well after Jesus went up to the heavens, and it contains stories about Prophet 'Esa, but it is not 'Esa's message. The present New Testament was assembled three hundred years after the time of Prophet 'Esa by a group of white men on a Greek Island who voted on what their "holy" book should contain. Most of the votes were hotly debated! The Roman emperor who ordered them to do it then told all Christians to accept this new compilation of writings. All other Christian writings were ordered to be destroyed. The New Testament contains four books called Gospels: (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). Hundreds more "Gospels" from other authors were burned. A few such as the Gospel of Barnabas and Thomas have survived. The Gospel of Jesus was never written down and is lost.
Insha'llah: If Allah wills something to happen only then will it happen.
Iqamah: The second call to prayer just before the actual prayer begins.
Islam: To surrender to Allah and find peace.To submit oneself TOTALLY to the lord.
Continued
Last edited by Hamza Asadullah; 07-21-2012 at 01:40 AM.
Islam held special appeal for the depressed classes in Makkah. When members of these classes became Muslim, they also became aware that as pagans they were despised and rejected by the highly class-conscious and race-conscious aristocracy of Makkah but Islam gave them a new self-esteem. As Muslims they found a new pride in themselves
Most of the early converts to Islam were “poor and weak.” But there were a few rich Muslims also like Hudhayfa bin Utba and Arqam bin Abil-Arqam. And all those men whom Abu Bakr brought into Islam – Uthman, Talha, Zubayr, Abdur Rahman ibn Auf, Saad ibn Abi Waqqas and Abu Obaidah ibn al-Jarrah – were also rich and powerful. They were members of the various clans of the Quraysh.
We can assume that at the beginning, the pagan aristocrats of Makkah witnessed the efforts of Islam to win recognition, more with amusement than with irritation, not to speak of the hatred and the hysteria which gripped them a little later.
But as the new movement began to gather momentum, they sensed that the ideas which Muhammad was broadcasting, were really “dangerous,” and there was nothing funny about them. They argued that their forefathers had worshipped idols for countless generations, therefore idolatry was right; and they could not allow Muhammad to meddle with their mode of worship.
But Muhammad was not content merely with denouncing idolatry. Far more dangerous and frightening to the all-grasping Umayyads were his ideas of economic and social justice which threatened to pull down the fortress of their privileges; the old structure of authority and hierarchy; and all the fossilized institutions of the past. They made it clear, therefore, that privilege was something they were not going to relinquish – at any cost – come hell or high water.
Islam - Revert Resources Online
New to Islam? Here are some invaluable free online resources to get you started on your journey inshaAllah (God willing)!...
I'm particularly moved by the section on the significance of Da'wah and Jihad, emphasizing the spiritual, mental, and physical aspects of striving in Allah's cause. It's a powerful reminder of our duty to not only improve ourselves but also to help guide others towards the truth in a compassionate and understanding manner.To contribute to this beautiful thread, I'd like to add a few thoughts:Continuous Learning: The journey of faith is one of constant learning and reflection. Websites like IslamReligion and IslamicBulletin offer valuable articles and books for deeper understanding.Community Support: For reverts, finding a supportive Muslim community can significantly ease the transition. Engaging in local mosques and Islamic centers can provide a sense of belonging and guidance.Spiritual Growth: Personal reflection and prayer are crucial for spiritual development. Setting aside time for daily Qur'an reading and contemplation helps strengthen one's connection with Allah (SWT).
A Beneficial Summary of Rulings for New Muslim
A Beneficial Summary of Rulings for New Muslim A comprehensive book for the new Muslim discussing the basics of Islamic beliefs and practices...
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