Ramadan Reminder : Zakat – The 8 Recipients

Ramadan is the traditional time for giving zakat, but who does your money reach? Eight charities provide a brief insight.

“Alms (Zakat) are for the poor and the needy, and those employed to administer the (funds); for those whose hearts have been (recently) reconciled (to Truth); for those in bondage and in debt; in the cause of Allah; and for the wayfarer: (thus is it) ordained by Allah, and Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom.” (Surah Al Tawbah 9:60)

One of the five pillars of Islam, Zakat is a purification for one’s wealth, freeing one from the love of possessions by encouraging humility and discipline. An essential principle of Islam is that everything belongs to Allah. We do not own our wealth, but have been entrusted with worldly possessions by Him.
Zakat means ‘purification’ and ‘growth’; possessions are purified by setting aside a portion for those in need, and like the pruning of plants, this cutting back encourages new growth.
The annual payment of zakat is different to any charitable gifts given out of kindness or generosity, otherwise known as sadaqah. Zakat is a mandatory religious obligation and forms the systematic giving of 2.5% of one’s net wealth each year, benefitting targeted recipients on a sustained basis.
From the Quranic verses ordaining zakat, eight classes of recipients have been identified by the scholars. As Ramadan approaches, we need to organise ourselves to reach out and distribute support to the eight beneficiaries of zakat.

• The Masakeen – translated as ‘the destitute’, these are people who do not have anything, and who are in need of asking others for food, clothing and shelter. 

• Fuqaraa – translated as the ‘poor’ or ‘needy’, these people have some money, but not sufficient for their everyday needs. The elderly are often amongst the ‘fuqaraa’. The Prophet Muhammad said “He is not one of us who does not show tenderness to the young and who does not show respect to the elder.” (At-Tirmidhi). It is a sad fact that the elderly tend to be neglected in today’s society. According to recent research, older people are among the most excluded and materially worse off.

• Amil’ Zakah – these are the alms collectors, people who the authority employs to collect zakat. The authority gives them a fee for their work, which includes collecting, recording, guarding, dividing and distributing zakat.

• Fi sabi ‘Lillah – this means ‘in the path of Allah’ and pertains to anyone struggling for a righteous cause, including expenditure towards the promotion of Islam and for all charitable purposes.

• Gharimun - these are the debtors, people burdened by debts because of personal needs or social necessity. These people should be given zakat if they do not have enough money beyond their basic needs to repay debts. Help should also provided to those who may have landed themselves in debt as a result of social obligations such as supporting an orphan or renovating a school.

• Ibn as’Sabil – traditionally, the wayfarers are travellers stranded in a foreign land in need of money. These people can receive zakat, if the purpose for travelling is lawful. Wayfarers can today be interpreted as refugees or displaced people.

• Riqab - the riqab are people in bondage or slavery. Zakat can be used to buy the freedom of such a person. Many people living in poor countries suffer from economic slavery at the hands of local landlords, rich industrialists, and multinational corporations that exploit natural and human resources.

• Mu’Allaf - translated as ‘those who have inclined towards Islam’.  Zakat can be used to attract the hearts of those who have inclined towards Islam. It includes those who have just become Muslim, or those whose circumstances are so desperate they fear turning to crime if they are not helped.
  

  
  

Misconceptions Vs Facts About Shabaan



FACT : The most involuntary fasts (nafil fasts) kept by Rasool Allah sallalahu alayhe wasallam were in the month of shabaan.

A’isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) did not observe fast in any month of the year more than in the month of Sha’ban, and used to say: Do as many deeds as you are capable of doing, for Allah will not become weary (of giving you reward), but you would be tired (of doing good deeds) ; and he also said: The deed liked most by Allah is one to which the doer adheres constantly even if it is small.( Muslim :: Book 6 : Hadith 2582 )

Common Knowledge About Shab e Baraat Vs FACTS

MISCONCEPTION: Fasting only on 15^th of Shaban is a deed of great reward.

FACT: Fasting ONLY on 15^th of Shabaan is an innovation and not according to the sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Thus should be totally avoided. Fasting frequently in Shabaan was the Sunnah of Rasool Allah However; Rasool prohibited his ummah from fasting after 15^th of Shabaan due to fear of becoming too weak to be able to fast in Ramadan.

Rasool Allah Sallaalahu alayhe Wasallam said : “When half of shaban has passed, do not fast” (Abu Dawood Bab 12: Hadith  2337- Classed Hasan Sahih by Albani)

Therefore the Muslims should fast frequently in the first half of Shabaan and avoid fasting in the second half of Shabaan.

MISCONCEPTION: Shab e Baraat i.e. the 15^th of Shabaan is a Special Night for prayers in Islam.

FACT: There is no such thing as Shab e Baraat. Word Shab e Baraat never appears in the Quran or Hadith. Shab e Baraat is infact NOT an Arabic Word.

Shab e Barat is actually Persian for lailatul qadr:
The night on which the Quran was revealed is termed “Lailatul Qadr” in Surah al Qadr in the Quran. When Lailtul Qadr is translated in Persian Language : Lailatul became Shabb and Qadr became “Baraat”. Thus Shab e Baraat is the Persian translation of Lailatul Qadr.
This is the night on which Quran was revealed, it is a night of great blessing and it falls in the last 10 days of Ramadan.Thus there is no reality in celebrating the night of 15th of sha’baan, because Shab e Baraat actually falls in Ramadan.
(Reference:Translation of Tafsir Surah Dukhaan, Taiseer ul Quran , Vol 4, pg. 176 by Molana Abdul Rehman Kelani.)

MISCONCEPTION: On this blessed night Allah Tala descends down to forgive people

FACT: Allah Tala descends down EVERY night to forgive the people who repent.
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah’s Apostle said, “When it is the last third of the night, our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, descends every night to the heaven of the world and says, ‘Is there anyone who invokes Me (demand anything from Me), that I may respond to his invocation; Is there anyone who asks Me for something that I may give (it to) him; Is there anyone who asks My forgiveness that I may forgive him?’ “Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 75, Number 333:

MISCONCEPTION: This is the blessed night on which the taqdeer is decided. Who will live…who will die. Who will get how much rizq…
The following verses of the Quran are presented as evidence for this as this verse is talking about a blessed night on which everything is decreed..

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ فِى لَيۡلَةٍ۬ مُّبَـٰرَكَةٍ‌ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنذِرِينَ (٣) فِيہَا يُفۡرَقُ كُلُّ أَمۡرٍ حَكِيمٍ (٤) أَمۡرً۬ا مِّنۡ عِندِنَآ‌ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُرۡسِلِينَ (٥) رَحۡمَةً۬ مِّن رَّبِّكَ‌ۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ (٦)

Verit ly We Sent it down on a blessed night Verily,We are ever warning (3) There in is decreed every matter of ordainments(4) As a Command from Us. Verily, We are ever sending , (5)(As) a Mercy from your Lord. Verily! He is theAll-Hearer, the All-Knower. (6)

Surah Dukhaan Chapter 44 Verse 4

FACT: The verse is being misquoted.
This Verse is about a Night in Ramadan NOT Shab e Baraat. The verse is talking about revelation of Quran on a blessed Night. Read the first 2 ayats of Surah Dukhaan again! Indeed we sent IT (i.e. The Quran) on a blessed Night (Lailtul Qadr in Ramadan)

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Hâ-Mîm (1) By the clear Book,(2) Indeed, We sent it down during a blessed night. Indeed, We were to warn [mankind].(3) On that night is made distinct every precise matter -(4)(Quran Surah Dukhaan 44: 1-4)

Allah has informed us in Surah Baqarah that the Quran was revealed in the month of Ramadan.

شَہۡرُ رَمَضَانَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ

The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’an.( Surah Al Baqarah. Chapter 2:185)

So which night is Surah Dukhaan talking about? The night of revelation of Quran in Ramadan is none other than Lailtul Qadr. On this night angels descend and taqdeer is decided.Read Surah Qadr

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

إِنَّآ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ فِى لَيۡلَةِ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ (١)

وَمَآ أَدۡرَٮٰكَ مَا لَيۡلَةُ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ (٢)

لَيۡلَةُ ٱلۡقَدۡرِ خَيۡرٌ۬ مِّنۡ أَلۡفِ شَہۡرٍ۬ (٣)

تَنَزَّلُ ٱلۡمَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ فِيہَا بِإِذۡنِ رَبِّہِم مِّن كُلِّ
أَمۡرٍ۬ (٤)

سَلَـٰمٌ هِىَ حَتَّىٰ مَطۡلَعِ ٱلۡفَجۡرِ (٥

Indeed, We sent the Qur’an down during the Night of Decree. (1) And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree?(2) The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months(3) The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter.(4) Peace it is until the emergence of dawn(5)(Quran  97: Surah Qadr)


Lailtul Qadr is the night on which decree is decided.

Please re-read verse four: “On that night is made distinct every precise matter.”

This is the verse which is talking about deciding of fate. and in Surah Qadr, the name itself is self explanatory, ” Qadr” – Taqdeer” The night of decree – \decree means “to decide”

also Allah says in this surah Qadr:
The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for EVERY MATTER.


Please visit the following link and read the tafsir of Surah Qadr from Tafsir Ibn Kathir.

http://www.tafsir.com/default.asp?sid=97&tid=58835


And we all know that Laitul Qadr isa night which falls in the odd nights of last 10 days of Ramadan.So the Night of Decree is NOT 15th Shabaan but Lailatul Qadr.

MISCONCEPTION : Souls of the dead visit the earth and therefore one should go to cemeteries.

FACT: Once a person dies, if the soul is good, it is sent to IleeYeen and if it is bad it is sent down to Sijeyeen. There is a barzakh / a barrier between the souls and this world and they can never ever return to this world or contact us.

Until, when death comes to one of them (those who join partners with Allâh), he says: “My Lord! Send me back, (99) “So that I may do good in that which I have left behind!” No! It is but a word that he speaks, and behind them is Barzakh (a barrier) until the Day when they will be resurrected.(Surah Mominoon -100)


Further Reading:

Flash Presentation on Shabaan

Ruling on Celebrating Middle of Shabaan – Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah Bin Baz

Bid'ah of Shabaan

Easy Steps for Memorizing Qura’n

1. Niyah (intention) for Allaah: 

This is making a sincere intention of memorizing the Qur’an to only gain the pleasure of Allaah ‘Azza wa Jall. If this is not your intention, then your whole plan of memorizing fails and there will be no barakah in your memorizing.

2. Start practicing Islam to the best of your ability: 

It is important to keep an Islamic habit and trying to abstain from sinning. Be in the company of good people who will encourage you to do good practices rather than those who take you away from the path of Allaah ‘Azza wa Jal.

Imaam Shafi’ee once complained to his teacher about poor memory, and this was obviously a great concern for the great Imaam of one of the four school of thoughts. The teacher of Imaam Shafi’ee advised him to abstain from sin. So this is indeed a great advice for us to follow as well, since abstaining from sin will eventually make us focus more on the ‘ibaadah (worship) rather than the dunyaa (worldy matters).

3. Learning tajweed from someone who has Ijaaza: 

This is to learn from a teacher who knows how to pronounce the words and vowels correctly in order to recite the Qur’an in its correct manners.

4. Make a habit to memorize every day: 

Do bit by bit every day, even if it is little as memorize 5 small ayahs from the Qur’an. Do your best to make this a consistent effort, so that you will not fall back on your goals. If you memorize even a small amount day by day, you will be one step closer to the end of bridge insha’allah.

5. Memorize at the early stage of the day: 

I know this is difficult for a lot of us, especially for me. I must admit, I love snuggling with my nice comfy pillow, however for those who are really determined in memorizing the Book of Allaah, it is best to memorize right after Fajr/ early in the morning when the mind is fresh and when the beautiful Sun is bright.

6. Recite to somebody on consistent basis: 

Have a friend, family member or a teacher who you can recite to consistently. This is an amazing tip when it comes to reviewing, because you will have someone catch the small mistakes you wont notice while you are reciting the surah from memory.

7. Compete!!: 

It is best to have a buddy that you can compete with. At times you may feel unmotivated. This is true for a lot of students and due to this reason you may see people actually quitting on their goal. Thats why a little competition wont hurt. Try finding a friend who you know wants to memorize the Qur’an and knows nearly the same amount as you. Both of you can race towards attaining good deeds and keep each other motivated by sharing how much each of you have memorized at the end of the day and how much you reviewed. 

And Allah says: “So hasten towards all that is good.” ( 2:148 )

8. Divide relationship of Qur’an into four categories:

New memorization: No matter what, memorize after Fajr, bright and early since this is the best time to do it.

Linking last 7 days memorization: What this means is, that everything you learned in the last seven days, revise it completely. This is essential since it is easy to forget your past lessons if you don’t consistently review, and this is believed to be a good methodology for memorizing the Qur’an and keeping up to date with your revision.

GO OVER OLD STUFF: I capitalize this, because this is an important advice to myself. Sometimes you will get lazy to review stuff that you learned so long ago. It is easy to forget your old stuff, and this is really the hardest part when it comes to memorizing the Qur’an. Ask yourself, what is the point of memorizing, when you will forget what you learned in the past. Therefore, try to revise your old juz, or ayaat you memorized from before on a consistent basis during any time of the day, and if you can, do your best to keep it to a minimum of 1/4 – 1/2 Juz insha’allah.

Read what you will memorizing the next day before you go to sleep: I am currently a hifdh student, and this something I added. Personally, I find it easier to memorize when you read what you are going to be memorizing the next day, the night before. I just think it helps because you will have some words and phrases stuck in your mind which helps you to learn the lesson faster.

9. Brain Food and Health: 

“A daily run, a diet rich in almonds and other healthful foods and a stimulating environment — all may keep aging brain cells in shape, according to research out Monday.” (Kathleen Fackelmann, USA TODAY) To increase your memorization capacity, I guess its advisable to eat some almonds and be a little more active (Shoot, I actually have to get off the couch to memorize!!).

When Will ALLAH’S Help Come?

As a young, student, I used to wait at the bus stop sometimes up to an hour in 100-degree F. heat and pray for my bus to come. As buses passed by, I noticed nearly all of them had written on them (Help from Allah and victory are near). I felt happy about the Promise, which is always true.

Many years have passed since then, and despite tremendous growth in the number of Muslims and Muslim flags, I am saddened by the defeats and losses of Muslims. The 1967 Arab-Israeli war, loss of Al-Quds, breakup of Pakistan, massacre in Palestine, Lebanon, India, Kashmir, Bosnia, , invasion of Afghanistan, the Iraq-Iran war, the Gulf War, the Iraq war , the theft of Islamic rule in Algeria and the terrorism of the media on Islam and Muslims all contribute to this sadness. When any American president’s popularity goes down in the polls, he can boost it by bombing a Muslim country like Libya or Iraq, or by sending a massive force to intimidate Muslim countries. In France, Christian women can wear crosses, Jewish men can have their cap, but Muslim girls cannot wear Hijab in school.

Prophet Muhammad (P) is reported to have said, “The nations will gather against you like those who are invited to a feast while they are starving.” The companions asked, “Is this going to occur when we will be few in number?” The messenger of Allah replied, “No, you will be in large numbers, but you will be like the foam that floats on the ocean. Your enemies will no longer fear you. The ‘Waham’ will be in your heart.” They asked what is Waham, and He replied, “the love of this life and fear of death.”

In the last 15 years alone, close to 10 million Muslims have died in the above wars imposed on them. Eighty percent (80%) of the world’s 20 million refugees are Muslims, and all we have are flags and organizations like O.I.C. and the Arab League. These groups can only meet and make statements begging the U.N. and U.S.A. to “do something,” while 40 million impotent Muslim armies, armed to the teeth, can only fight their Muslim neighbors and oppress their own people, while most of the Muslim masses remain in poverty, uneducated and unemployed. Thousands of Muslim children sleep without shelter and without food.

Have not those who look up to Washington for help and protection, read Qur’an:

If Allah helps you, no one can overcome you; if He forsakes you, who is there, after that, that can help you? In Allah, then, the believers put their trust (Qur’an 3:160)

Thus, as I started studying the Qur’an, I found out that this promise of Allah of help and victory was not unconditional. It was a binding contract between two parties, and the reward was conditioned upon completing the terms of the contract.

O you who believe! Shall I show you a trade that will save from a painful doom. That you believe in Allah and His Messenger, and strive in the cause of Allah with your possessions and person. It is better for you if you knew it (His return). He will forgive your sins, and enter you into gardens under which rivers flow, and give you pleasant dwellings in the garden to live in. This is a great reward and something (more) you love, the help from Allah and the victory are near (so) give glad tidings to the believers. (61:10-13)

Allah has promised, to those among you who believe and work righteous deeds, that He will, of a surety, grant them in the land, inheritance (of power), as He granted it to those before them; that He will establish in authority their religion–the one which He has chosen for them; and that He will change (their state), after the fear in which they (lived), to one of security and peace: ‘They will worship Me (alone) and not associate aught with Me.’ If any do reject faith after this, they are rebellious and wicked. (24:55)

Allah has purchased from the believers, their persons and their goods and (in return) they have a garden (of paradise).`(9:111)

Say my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying, are only for Allah, the Sustainer of the worlds. (6:163)

You have been raised as best among nations, because you enjoin what is good, and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah. (3:110)

Thus, as we ponder the above verses, we come to the conclusion that Iman (faith) is not just lip service. After taking Shahada (declaration of faith), one becomes a “legal” believer. Then the believer is being asked to believe, i.e., expressing his belief by his actions, in following Qur’an and Sunnah, and striving in the cause of Allah, with all he has, i.e., his wealth and person, and devoting his rituals, his sacrifice, his life and his death only for the pleasure and cause of Allah, in enjoining the good and forbidding the wrong as defined by Qur’an and Sunnah. Only then will he become worthy of the status of best of the nation, and only then will Allah reward us with success in both worlds.

Qur’an challenges Muslims to act and not just talk.

And say (unto them), Act! Allah will hold your actions and (so will) His messengers and believers, and you will be brought back to the Knower of the invisible and the visible, and He will tell you what you used to do. (9:105)

If we just stand at the bus station and pray, and do not move, we will for sure miss the bus when it comes and we have!

Guidance to Straight path comes from Allah Alone!

Source: Usool al-Deen al-Islami by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem al-Tuwayjri

Allaah has created man and given him reason, and He has sent down to him Revelation and sent to him Messengers to call him to the truth and warn him against falsehood. Then He has left him to make his own choice.

“And say: ‘The truth is from your Lord.’ Then whosoever wills, let him believe; and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve  [al-Kahf 18:29 – interpretation of the meaning]

Allaah commanded His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to convey the truth to all of mankind. Then they have the choice to do as they wish. If a person obeys, he benefits himself, and if he disobeys, he harms himself, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Say: ‘O you mankind! Now truth (i.e. the Qur’aan and Prophet Muhammad), has come to you from your Lord. So whosoever receives guidance, he does so for the good of his own self; and whosoever goes astray, he does so to his own loss; and I am not (set) over you as a Wakeel (disposer of affairs to oblige you for guidance)’”[Yoonus 10:108] 

Islam is the religion of the natural state of man (fitrah), the religion of reason and thought. Allaah has distinguished the truth from falsehood. He has enjoined all that is good and forbidden all that is evil. He has permitted good things and forbidden evil things. There is no compulsion in religion because the benefits or harms come back upon the created being, not upon the Creator. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“There is no compulsion in religion. Verily, the Right Path has become distinct from the wrong path. Whoever disbelieves in Taaghoot (false gods) and believes in Allaah, then he has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that will never break” [al-Baqarah 2:256]

And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Whosoever does righteous good deed, it is for (the benefit of) his ownself; and whosoever does evil, it is against his ownself. And your Lord is not at all unjust to (His) slaves”[Fussilat 41:46] 

Guidance is in the hand of Allaah. If Allaah willed, He could guide all of mankind, for there is nothing that He cannot do on this earth or in the heavens. Nothing happens in His Dominion except that which He wills.

“Say: ‘With Allaah is the perfect proof and argument, (i.e. the Oneness of Allaah, the sending of His Messengers and His Holy Books, to mankind); had He so willed, He would indeed have guided you all’”[al-An’aam 6:149 – interpretation of the meaning] 

But in His Wisdom, Allaah has created us with the ability to choose, and He has sent down to us guidance and the Criterion. So whoever obeys Allaah and His Messenger will enter Paradise and whoever disobeys Allaah and His Messenger will enter Hell, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, proofs have come to you from your Lord, so whosoever sees, will do so for (the good of) his ownself, and whosoever blinds himself, will do so to his own harm, and I (Muhammad) am not a watcher over you”[al-An’aam 6:104] 

The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has no part in guidance; all that he and the Muslims have to do is to explain and convey the message, and show them guidance but they cannot force people to follow it, as Allaah said to His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) (interpretation of the meaning):

“And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed, all of them together. So, will you (O Muhammad) then compel mankind, until they become believers”[Yoonus 10:99] 

And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And the duty of the Messenger is only to convey (the Message) plainly”[al-‘Ankaboot 29:18] 

Guidance to the truth is in the hand of Allaah alone and no human being has any share in that, as Allaah said to His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, you (O Muhammad) guide not whom you like, but Allaah guides whom He wills. And He knows best those who are the guided[al-Qasas 28:56] 

Allaah guides whomsoever He wills and sends astray whomsoever He wills. He has told us that He guides those who obey Him and turn to Him, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“While as for those who accept guidance, He increases their guidance and bestows on them their piety”[Muhammad 47:17] 

But whoever disobeys Allaah and turns away from Him, Allaah will not guide him, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Truly, Allaah guides not him who is a liar, and a disbeliever”  [al-Zumar 39:3]

Allaah is Omniscient and knows what has happened and is happening and what is yet to come. Allaah knows the believers and the disbelievers, and what they will do, and He knows what their fate will be in the Hereafter. He has written all that in al-Lawh al-Mahfooz (the Preserved Tablet), as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And all things We have recorded in a Book”[al-Naba’ 78:29] 

Allaah has created man with the ability to choose, and He has created him able to do both, either believer or disbelieve, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, We showed him the way, whether he be grateful or ungrateful”[al-Insaan 76:3] 

Man has the choice in terms of his reason only; if he loses his reason by which he is able to distinguish between the alternatives of good and evil, truth and falsehood, then he is not accountable. Hence according to Islamic sharee’ah, the pen is lifted from the insane person (i.e., he is not accountable) until he recovers his senses, and from the child until he reaches the age of understanding, and from the sleeper until he wakes up. None of these people are accountable until they gain or recover the reason by which they may distinguish between the alternatives of faith and disbelief, truth and falsehood, and so on.

Whatever direction a person takes, there will be reward and punishment, If he obeys, there will be Paradise:

“Indeed he succeeds who purifies his ownself (i.e. obeys and performs all that Allaah ordered, by following the true Faith of Islamic Monotheism and by doing righteous good deeds”  [al-Shams 91:9 – interpretation of the meaning]

and if he disobeys, there will be Hell:

“And indeed he fails who corrupts his ownself (i.e. disobeys what Allaah has ordered by rejecting the true Faith of Islamic Monotheism or by following polytheism, or by doing every kind of evil wicked deeds” [al-Shams 91:10 – interpretation of the meaning] 

The choice of one of these two ways is something about which a person will be questioned by the Lord of the Worlds. Hence it is clear that faith or disbelief, obedience or disobedience, is the matter of personal choice. Allaah has made reward and punishment dependent upon this choice:

“Whosoever does righteous good deed, it is for (the benefit of) his ownself; and whosoever does evil, it is against his ownself. And your Lord is not at all unjust to (His) slaves”[Fussilat 41:46] 

Whoever loves Allaah and His Messenger and desires good in this world and in the Hereafter, let him enter Islam, and whoever turns away from that and is content with this world and has no interest in the Hereafter and does not submit, then his abode will be Hell. The individual is the one who will benefit or harm himself. There is no compulsion to choose either. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, this (Verses of the Qur’aan) is an admonition, so whosoever wills, let him take a Path to his Lord (Allaah)” [al-Insaan 76:29]

O Allah show us the right path, the path of those whom u have favored! Ameen!

Who is Allah, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit

Question:

Please explain clearly about these:

1. Who is Allah?

2. Who is God?

3. Who is Jesus?

4. Can I see all of them?

5. Whether they are all the same, since we say that Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit are the same.

6. Suppose I want to pray, how should I start praying?

Answer

Thank you for your questions. I would like to start out by saying that Muslims believe that all prophets of God preached the same simple truth of the One Sovereign God.

Who Is Allah? Who Is God?

Allah is God. The name Allah is the Arabic word for God. More precisely, it is the One Eternal Creator, Lord of the whole universe. It is the same Arabic name for God that is used in the Arabic Bible.

It is pronounced almost the same in other Semitic languages: “Eloha” in Hebrew, and “Allaha” in Aramaic. According to Jesus (peace be upon him), God is One, with no partner whatsoever. I quote the following verses from the Bible:
Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and him only.’” (Matthew 4:10)
“Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him.” (Mark 12:32)

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.’” (Mark 12:29)

Who Is Jesus?

Jesus is one of a long string of prophets of Allah sent to all nations throughout history, starting from Adam, who received the first guidance from Allah, to the final one, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon them all).
According to the Bible, Jesus was sent particularly to the Israelites, to set them back on the proper track of Moses. The Gospels record these words of Jesus:

“I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matthew 15:24)

“Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you: ‘Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.’” (Matthew 5:17-18)

The Qur’an, which Muslims consider the direct revelation says what means:

*{The Messiah (himself) said: O Children of Israel, worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. Lo! whoso ascribeth partners unto Allah, for him Allah hath forbidden Paradise. His abode is the Fire. For evil-doers there will be no helpers.}* (Al-Ma’idah 5:72)

Jesus was a full human Prophet of God, as he emphatically declared:

“As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.” (John 8:40)
“What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people.” (Luke 24:19)

Again, the Qur’an also affirms Jesus’s prophethood:

*{And when Jesus son of Mary said: O Children of Israel! Lo! I am the messenger of Allah unto you, confirming that which was (revealed) before me in the Torah}* (As-Saff 61:6)

In all aspects, the Gospels portray him as a human who was born and circumcised (Luke 2:5-7, 21, 40, 52, 11:27); who suffered hunger and thirst (Matthew 4:2, 11:19, 21:18); who got tired and slept like any human being (Matthew 8:20, 24-25, Luke 8:23, Mark 4:38, John 4:6); who was subject to human feelings of fear, astonishment, and sadness (Matthew 26:37, Mark 14:33-34, John 11:33, 35, 38); and who prayed to his Creator like any human believer does (Mark 1:35, 14:35, Luke 5:16, 6:12).

Logically speaking, having no father does not mean he was the son of God. Adam had neither father nor mother, yet both Adam and Jesus are bondsmen of Allah created by His will and power, by His word “Be” — Adam from earthly dust, and Jesus in the womb of Virgin Mary.

This is precisely and unequivocally defined in the Qur’an as follows:

*{The similitude of Jesus before Allah is as that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him: “Be”. And he was.}* (Aal `Imran 3:59)

So neither Jesus nor Adam is a son of God. References to Jesus in the Bible as son of God should not be taken in the literal sense, rather in the metaphoric sense of affection and nearness to God. Jesus himself affirms that we are all “sons” of God in this sense:

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9)
“In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)

Similar references to human beings as “sons of God” are also used in the Old Testament:
“You are the children of the Lord your God.” (Deuteronomy 14:1)

Finally, in his own words, Jesus declared himself as the Son of Man:

Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” (Matthew 8:20)

“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up.” (John 3:14)

Can We See God?

Our human capabilities are limited by the nature of our senses: vision in a certain wavelength range (4 to 7 X10-7 meters), hearing in a certain frequency range (2.500 to 4,000 cycles per second). Even the power of our instruments, however advanced, is limited in two ways:

■scale: by the huge universal dimensions in light years
■nature: to our detectable electromagnetic wave systems. So we cannot see or detect anything different from or beyond (in nature, time, or space) these systems: neither the angels nor any non-earthly being, nor God the Creator and Dominator of all His creation.

This is affirmed both in the Qur’an and in the Bible:

*{No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision: He is above all comprehension, yet is acquainted with all things.}* (Al-An`am 6:103)

“Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.” (John 5:37)

Are God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit the Same?

First: who is the Holy Spirit? A careful reading of the Gospels clarifies that the Holy Spirit is the Angel Gabriel.
Compare the two narrations of Matthew and Luke:

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. (Matthew 1:18)

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. (Luke 1:26-27).

This accords with the Qur’an:

*{Then We sent her our angel [literally, spirit], and he appeared before her as a man in all respects. … He [the angel] said: “Nay, I am only a messenger from thy Lord, (to announce) to thee the gift of a holy son.”}* (Maryam 19:17,19)

So God the Lord, Jesus the human prophet, and the Holy Spirit Gabriel are each separate. The doctrine of the Trinity was never preached by Jesus, nor by his followers for three centuries. The word ”trinity” is nowhere in the Bible. The whole concept was derived from the words of John, who never met Jesus.

The myth of trinity gradually crept into Christianity, influenced by pagan beliefs and Greek mythology, and was adopted by Council of Nicaea in 325 CE.

“How Can I Start Praying?”

The answer to this, James, really depends on you and the choices you make in your life. If you fully accept Islam, that is, belief in the One God, and the message revealed to Prophet Muhammad through the miraculous word of God, the Qur’an, this would be your first honorable step to the truth of Islam.

The following steps are straightforward, and can be taken without any intermediary or clergy. It is something between you and your Creator, yet in the way He ordained. You can find the necessary details in the links provided below; and you could better still refer to a trustworthy Islamic Center for guidance and support.

Best wishes for you on this most blessed trip to the pure Divine Truth.