Questions about Islam

Request: Hi everyone! I am a college student and I am trying to get some interviews from people of different faith backgrounds for a class on World Religions. If you would be interested, you are welcome to answer the questions below. I am needing people who are active in any one of these religions: Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism, Hinduism, or African tribal religion. Thanks so much! If you don't mind giving me your name to put down on the interview that would be great too!!

Response: Hi, I'm a muslim, and the following are the answers to your questions.

1) The goal of the religion – what do practitioners seek?
A1) Salvation; God's pleasure; inner harmony; basically depends on one's point of view and level of understanding.

2) The communal aspect of the religion – how does this religion bring people together?
A2) Muslim brotherhood; collective prayers; focus on communal welfare; empathy and charity; recognizing others rights upon us

3) Special people in this tradition – who do people look up to as the heroes of the faith?
A3) All prophets since Adam; Prophet Muhammad; companions of the prophets who stood by them in the most trying of circumstances; the 4 Caliphs: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali, and countless others who through their piety, patience, forbearance and perseverance inspired others

4) Ethical qualities – what qualities most embody the spirit of this religion?
A4) Honesty; charity; recognizing, acknowledging and giving due rights to all, i.e. God, self, fellow humans, all creation; integrity; giving due measure; justice; kindness; compassion;

5) Sacred literature – how are the scriptures used in ordinary daily life?
A5) i)The Holy Quran: primary source of religious knowledge as we believe it to be the true, untampered word of God, and a guidance for all humanity, setting broad parameters for conduct and belief, and detailing where human emotions or judgement may falter and/or override the voice of conscience. to be read regularly, as often as possible, to take guidance for our moral and spiritual well-being;
ii)Hadith books: secondary source of knowledge. a collection of sayings and deeds of the Prophet and his companions compiled many years later (approximately a century or three centuries after the Prophet's demise) to preserve the collective memory of the people. Some people try to live by the example of the Prophet's daily practices in their zeal to express their love and gratitude to him, others take guidance in matters they do not find explicitly mentioned in the Quran;
iii)Books on Jurisprudence developed according to the needs of the times based on the broad parameters and precedence set by the Prophet, basically studied by scholars

6) Sacred places – what are some sacred places of this religion?
A6) Mecca where the Kaaba is: a central place of pilgrimage; all muslims all over the world face in the direction of the kaaba when offering their prayers as a symbol of unity. We believe that the Prophets Abraham and Ishmael (re)built it. It is supposed to be the first house of worship appointed for human beings. (The Holy Quran Chapter 3, Verses 96 and 97)
Medina: the mosque of the Prophet, where he lived after migration until death, and is buried within the precincts.
Arafat, Mina, Muzdaliffah: Sites visited during the annual great pilgrimage to relive the tradition of the great Prophet Abraham, and how he remained steadfast in faith while Satan was ever trying his best to misguide him

7) How was religious faith practiced in your home as a child?
A7) Regular five daily prayers; charity: giving the poor their due, most muslims believe that 2.5% of our earnings belong to the poor and must be disbursed to them periodically, once a year or so, and more voluntary charity if means allow; annual fasting during the month of Ramadhan; pilgrimage to the holy places by those who could afford it; celebration of Prophet Muhammad's birthday; ethical and moral conformance to the guidance provided in the Quran, etc

8) Tell me about some of your favorite religious events in the calendar, and why they are so meaningful to you. How do you celebrate these times?
A8) i)Eid-ul-Fitr: Eid-ul-Fitr marks the end of the fasting month and is a time of celebration for muslims all over the world.(Holy Quran Chapter 2 Verses 183-187)
ii) Eid-ul-Azha: Eid-ul-Azha follows the day of the Grand Annual Pilgrimage and marks the triumph of Prophet Abraham over Satan; Abraham's submissiveness to the will of God by willing to sacrifice his son (God tried Abraham with the ultimate test: to sacrifice his child, and he overcame all impulses and emotions to submit to God's will. Just as he was about to sacrifice his son, God replaced the son with sheep as all God wanted was to try him). Those who go for the pilgrimage offer sacrifice. Those who do not, but can afford to offer sacrifice, do so also. The best part is no meat goes to waste as their is a due share for the person who sacrifices, his/her family, friends and neighbours, and the poor. So all meat is consumed (completing the circle of life in the name of God ) and the memory of Abraham's great tradition lives on in our minds and hearts.
iii) Laylat-ul-Qadr: (The Night of Power )The night when the Quran was sent to earth. We believe that it falls during the month of Ramadhan (the fasting month), and prayers and all good deeds are multiplied by many thousands, as this night is better than a thousand months. (Holy Quran Chapter 97 Verses 1-5; Chapter 2 Verse 185)

9) Tell me about your own personal goals in practicing your religion.
A9) Discovering and living the purpose of my creation; my understanding is that this temporal life is but a trail whereas the hereafter is certain and eternal; that we've been sent here on an open-book exam to live our lives according to the will of God; that to willingly listen to God and believe in Him and walk in the right way is what this life is all about (Holy Quran Chapter 2 Verse 186)

10) Tell me about the most moving or life-changing experience you have had in the practice of your faith.
A10) Every day, every reading of the Quran reveals new layers of meanings; enlightens the mind and develops a better understanding;
On a personal level, God seems to be always around, fixing problems, answering prayers, etc, though its difficult to explain or prove as such things can only be experienced and felt.
When I had gone for Grand Pilgrimage in 2006, we went to circumambulate the Ka'aba (in Mecca), and that evening I was only able to do one set of rounds. My husband said we could return the next morning for more, and I was grumbling that it would be hot and we wouldn't be able to do much. Next morning, as we were getting in the car to go to the Ka'aba, clouds covered the sky, then it started to drizzle, by the time we reached there, the drizzle stopped but the cloud cover remained from morning till afternoon, all the while that we were there. God is truly kind and caring in more ways that we can be grateful for. And countless other people have their own special stories to relate.
One incidence which made me seriously think was a statement a teacher once made. She said that she couldn't bear to imagine
holding her finger-tip next to a flame for even a minute, how could she risk any action which may end her in Hell for eternity? That really was a lesson in humility and priority.

11) Tell me about a person you have known personally who most truly embodies the values of your religious tradition – someone you would regard as an exemplary. What made this person so special?
A11) There are many amazing people. It would be unfair to single out anyone. What I find most impressive and attractive is the understanding of the message of peace and love. The best among us have risen above the fear of hell and reward of heaven to submit their will to God out of love for the God who loves us more than anybody else.

12) Tell me how your religion affects everyday life for you or for your family.
A12) Regular prayers keep reminding us of the true purpose of this life, the moral and ethical obligations to God, self and society, keeping conscience and piety alive. Helps protect from the temptations of sin, and maintains the inner harmony.

13) What are some misconceptions that people believe about this religion?
A13) Islam suffers from many misconceptions, both within and without.
People think Islam calls for blind faith. That is as far removed from truth as possible. We are exhorted countless times in the Quran to observe, think, evaluate the evidences in nature all around and within ourselves, and then reach the conclusion that this is indeed the truth and then believe. God has blessed us with intellect to use, and what better use than to find the truth, the purpose of our existence and to discover God?
Non-muslims perceive it as a warrior religion. The word jihad means to strive in the way of God, by trying to live a pious life, by seeking and spreading knowledge, by doing charitable and compassionate deeds, and countless other ways. To fight (as in combat), the arabic word is qital. Those were specific orders given to the Prophet at special occasions, mostly defensive wars, and most scholars concur that a call for qital (war) can only be given by a muslim head of state, and terrorism by certain minority factions cannot be equated with it.
Non-muslims perceive Islam as gender-biased. That is not the case. Women are regarded very highly and Islam gives them their due rights. Infact, when the world knew nothing about women-rights, Islam pronounced their due share in all fields of life. The way I understand the issue, God has created man and woman differently, complimenting and completing each other. As women are burdened with child-bearing and upbringing, they are specially privileged to not to have to bear the burden of financial responsibilities as well. Men are the qawaam, meaning protectors and maintainers, it is their primary responsibility to earn and spend on the welfare of their parents, wife and children, as well as the needy in society. To carry out these duties effectively, they have been given a degree over women, simply for administrative affairs. You can understand it with the analogy of as a head of state is neccessary for a state, as a CEO or MD is for a business house, similarly each family is also an administrative unit, and to function effectively needs a head. The Quran describes husband and wife as garments for each other, protecting and providing comfort, and in each other they find peace. Such is the concept of the relationship. Women are not barred from doing a job or running a business, in fact they can do whatever they please, yet there is no compulsion on them to spend any of their earnings on anybody. Men do not have that luxury. They have to earn and provide for, it is part of their basic duty.
The violence and other pathetic stories that make the headlines are not part of the religion, but rather they are due to the lack of education and ignorance, as well as a lack of knowledge of the religion. There was a time when Europe was in the dark ages whereas the muslim civilization flourished. Then, for some reason, the muslim nations gave up on the cherished traditions of education and enlightenment, and brought the dark age upon themselves. The Europeans embraced knowledge and inquiry, ethics and morals, and prospered.
The list can go on and on, but this response is already long enough. If you have any specific questions in mind, please do post them. I'll be most happy to answer as many as I can. There is also a collection of the questions I've earlier answered on my blog, it may be of some help.

Multiverse and many-worlds

There is a lot of thought today on Quantum theory, the Multiverse theory and the possibility of 'many-worlds' each following their own set of 'laws', the overlap of the two, and the difference between. There are many articles on the web and many books which deal with the topics at length. What strikes me is that we muslims recite Surah Fatiha atleast 17 times a day, and the very fact that Allah is 'Rab-bil-Aalameen' just takes on an entirely different depth of meaning in the light of these recent researches. Subhan'Allah!

Muslim perspective of Prayer

Muslim Perspective of Prayer:

As muslims, we believe in the power of Prayer. It is an integral part of our lives. We pray atleast five times a day: early morning, just after midday, late afternoon, just after sunset and at night. These are the five compulsory prayers which help connects the individual to the Creator. Our prayers take a minimum of five minutes at a time, but can be lengthened as much as one wishes. There are three main aspects to our prayers:
1. The physical poses: standing, sitting, bowing, prostrating___ complete exercise of the body, something similar to the various positions of original Jewish prayers and yoga.
2. Then comes the wordings or the content of the prayer: we repeat the first seven lines of the very first chapter of the Holy Quran which is a very comprehensive prayer for all humankind. We also recite some portion of the Holy Quran after that to remind ourselves of the message….. praying five times a day keeps reminding us of our real purpose, and helps keep us focused. It reminds us to continue and improve on whatever good that we do, and stay away from all evil. It teaches compassion, humility, discipline, punctuality and so many other good virtues. The reason that you do not see that in the behavior of most muslims is that many do not pray, and some of those who do: do so without understanding…. as a mere ritual. Thus, they are not able to benefit from their prayers.
3. We also pray to Allah for whatever we desire, both in this world and the hereafter. Allah listens to all prayers and grants whatever He decides in His Wisdom is best for us. He is the Most Beneficient, Most Merciful………. He knows what is good for us.

We are told in the Holy Quran that humans have been endowed with free will, and because Allah is just, He has sent us to this world which is basically a place of trial, so that each one of us humans can prove whether we deserve to go to Heaven or Hell………. Allah in His complete knowledge knows our fundamental natures, yet He has given us the free will, and an open-book exam, the book being the Holy Quran, which is a Book of guidance for all humans. The ups and downs of this world, the wealth, the poverty, the health, the sickness, loss of loved ones, shattered dreams, getting more than expectations, living a good life, poor standard of living, all are basically trials for the soul. The good things are not rewards, neither are the difficult times a punishment………… judgment is for the Hereafter………………. This is all a trial. Prayer is the most powerful tool, and we are reminded again and again in the Holy Quran that
a. Those who believe in Allah and the Hereafter
b. Those who pray
c. Those who do good deeds
d. Those who endure with patience
These are the ones who will be successful in the Hereafter, which is the real life………….. the eternal life!

On the scientific side, I was recently reading somewhere that some scientists studying quantum physics theorize that this world is basically a virtual reality, an illusion, a matrix-like scenario, the proof of which they find in the uncertainity principle itself, in the vibrations of the quantum mechanics, and the necessity of an observer for an event to actually take place!

More on Muslim Prayer:

Other than the five compulsory prayers, one can pray as much as one wants. The prayer in the late hours of the night is most advisable and carries great rewards. It is a time of solitude when a muslim leaves the comfort of the bed and shortens the sleep so that he/she can have some private ‘quality’ time with the Creator. At that time, no one is watching, and the prayer and devotion is solely for the love of Allah! But, praying throughout the night is discouraged, as one must get enough rest and sleep, so as to be able to spend the day in a productive way. We, as muslims, must live complete lives, playing all our roles properly, i.e. living the family life, earning a living, taking care of the community, seeking a good education, etc, etc. The prayer just described, and in the previous mail is known as Salaat.

Then comes Fasting, which is compulsory for a month once a year. The month is the lunar month called Ramadhan of the Islamic calendar, being observed all over the world these days. Fasting has been prescribed in the month of Ramadhan because the Holy Quran was sent down in this holy month. Fasting carries a lot of spiritual, bodily, and other worldly benefits with it. Spiritually, one feels good about obeying Allah by not eating or drinking from dawn to dusk, and realizes also that if we can not eat and drink for the sake of Allah, then we can eschew other sins also for the sake of Allah. We can control our anger, we can refrain from lying, cheating and so many other social vices that are prohibited similarly through out the year…. We have the ability, what is needed is the will to do so. We realize how the poor suffer from hunger, how difficult life must be for them, and thus compassion for fellow beings is generated. It is medical research that fasting for a month once a year is most beneficial for the digestive system, especially the liver.
Holy Quran, Chapter 2:
183
O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint,-

184
(Fasting) for a fixed number of days; but if any of you is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed number (Should be made up) from days later. For those who can do it (With hardship), is a ransom, the feeding of one that is indigent. But he that will give more, of his own free will,- it is better for him. And it is better for you that ye fast, if ye only knew.
185
Ramadhan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong). So every one of you who is present (at his home) during that month should spend it in fasting, but if any one is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed period (Should be made up) by days later. Allah intends every facility for you; He does not want to put to difficulties. (He wants you) to complete the prescribed period, and to glorify Him in that He has guided you; and perchance ye shall be grateful.

Then comes Charity, the next equally important form of prayer. One must spend on the welfare of parents, relatives, orphans, travelers, and all who need help… those who ask, and also seek out those who are really needy but are too proud to ask, and in the way of Allah. Allah says that no charity goes to waste, rather, He increases the rewards manifold.
The Holy Quran:
The likeness of those who spend their wealth in the Way of Allah, is as the likeness of a grain (of corn); it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains. Allah gives manifold increase to whom He pleases. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures needs, All-Knower. ( سورة البقرة , Al-Baqara, Chapter #2, Verse #261)
Kind words and forgiving of faults are better than Sadaqah (charity) followed by injury. And Allah is Rich (Free of all wants) and He is Most-Forbearing. ( سورة البقرة , Al-Baqara, Chapter #2, Verse #263)
O you who believe! Do not render in vain your Sadaqah (charity) by reminders of your generosity or by injury, like him who spends his wealth to be seen of men, and he does not believe in Allah, nor in the Last Day. His likeness is the likeness of a smooth rock on which is a little dust; on it falls heavy rain which leaves it bare. They are not able to do anything with what they have earned. And Allah does not guide the disbelieving people. ( سورة البقرة , Al-Baqara, Chapter #2, Verse #264)
Those who spend (in Allahs Cause - deeds of charity, alms, etc.) in prosperity and in adversity, who repress anger, and who pardon men; verily, Allah loves Al-Muhsinoon (the gooddoers). ( سورة آل عمران , Aal-e-Imran, Chapter #3, Verse #134)

To those who can afford it, Pilgrimage once in a lifetime is ordained. We go to Makkah in Saudi Arabia, cicumambulate the Kaabah, and re-live the the rites of great Prophet Abraham. We run between the hills of Safa and Marwa to re-live the anguish of the poor mother Hagar of Prophet Ishmael who was running from one hilltop to another looking for water for her child. We drink from the well of Zamzam, which miraculously appeared where the baby Ishmael was lying, kicking his feet, crying due to thirst. Scientists have tried to find the source of this water, and they have just no explanation where this appeared from in the middle of the desert, and continues to supply water for the pilgrims to this day. We go to Mina, stay there glorifying Allah, then go to field of Arafat on the day of the Pilgrimage, ie 9th ZilHajj, then spend the night in Muzdallifah, praying, resting, and collecting tiny stones. Armed with the stones, we return to Mina in the morning, and go to symbolically stone the devil at the three places where he had tried to deceive Abraham by talking him out of sacrificing his first born, as per his dream and the custom prevalent in those times. Then we sacrifice an animal, in memory of how Allah had graciously accepted the sacrifice of Abraham, and replaced Ishmael with an animal, while Abraham had covered his eyes and lowered the knife to carry out the will of Allah. Allah had saved Ishmael, as all He wanted was to test Abraham and Ishmael, and see if they were completely muslims(submitting to the will of Allah) or whether love for life or child would hinder either of them. They passed with flying colours, and muslims remember and re-live it, which helps increase faith. The sacrificed animal is to be eaten, shared with family, neighbours, relatives, the poor and needy. Thus, there is no needless killing or waste, the sacrifice becoming a part of the great circle of life.

The great thing about being a muslim is that we do not need to go through any ‘in-betweens’ to communicate with Allah. Any time we need to talk to Him, remember Him, or ask for help, we can just directly speak to Him, sitting, standing, lying, or if possible, formally praying. And the great thing, we know for sure that He is hearing each and every word, and He will either grant us our wish, or give something better instead. Even when, apparently, our wish is not being granted, we know that its either due to the trial that we must go through, or that it is somehow not the right thing for us, as Allah, in His complete knowledge knows that our wish, if fulfilled, will be to our physical or spiritual detriment.

Allah is the Most-Beneficient, Forever Merciful, and loves all of us. That is why, He invites mankind again and again to believe in Him, and not associate any with Him. He says He will forgive all sins of those who repent sincerely, and then worship and obey Him, as guided in the Holy Quran.
May Allah bless and guide us all. Amen