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بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

(إنكَ لا تهدي من أحببت ولكن الله يهدي من يشاء)

 

العدة الأولية لتعلم الإسلام باللغة الإنجليزية للمسلمين الجدد

كتابة وإعداد الفقير إلى الله: ابن الشريف – غفر الله له ولوالديه

Primary Kit for Introducing Islam in English to new Muslims

 

Introduction

 

Praise is to Allah and peace blessing be upon His messenger Mohammad and upon his family and comrades and then:

 

Many people who want to learn Islam or to new Muslims it's very hard to find a simplified guide that explains to them the basics of Islam in a nutshell; so I decided to collect the basic guidelines and gather them in an e-book I named it "PKIIENM" Primary Kit for Introducing Islam in English to New Muslims. I tackled the significant and most important topics that a new Muslim or a person interested in Islam should know in a form of questions and answers instead of writing continuous articles that might make the reader bored, and I concluded the book with how to convert to Islam and what are the deeds that you must do to be a Muslim until you die, I ask Allah to make a benefit of this book for everyone who wants to know Islam in no time.

 

Author,

Isaiah AL-Muslim (ibn Al-Sharif) – Monday 17th of April 2006


إهداء

Dedication

 

I dedicate this book to my dad...

 

My mom...

 

My brother and sister...

 

My dear sister Kimberley who converted to Islam 3 years ago...

 

My beloved brothers the Mujahideen...

 

To Z.Lary and her mom and brother I say: I wish the distribution of the book earns you many good deeds that amend my mistake and softens your heart towards me.

Index

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction........................................................................p1

 

Chapter1: Three Main Fundamentals...................................p5

 

Chapter2: Types of Monotheism..........................................p7

 

Chapter3: Beleiving in Allah ...............................................p8

 

Chapter4: Beleiving in Angels..............................................p9

 

Chapter5: Believing in Books.............................................p10

 

Chapter6: Believing in Messengers....................................p11

 

Chapter7: Beleiving in Day of Resurrection.......................p13

 

Chapter8: How to convert to Islam...................................p18

 

Chapter9: Frequently Asked Questions..............................p19
من هو ربك ؟

Q: Who is your Lord?

A: My Lord is ALLAH the creator of the universe and all creatures.

 

كم هو عدد الآلهة؟

Q: How many Gods are there?

A: There is only one God not two or three; and no partners He has or co-Gods.

 

كيف عرّف الله نفسه للبشر؟

Q: How did Allah introduce Himself to mankind?!

A: Allah has sent messengers to deliver His significance to both mankind and jinn.

 

ما هو دينك؟

Q: What is your religion?

A: My religion is "Islam" it means "submission" to the one and only God [ALLAH] and to have full obedience to Him and to His messengers.

 

من هو نبيك؟

Q: Who is your messenger?!

A: Mohammad the son of Abdullah from the tribe of Quraish who received revelation from Allah through angel Gabriel to all mankind; to worship Allah and no other God or Gods.

 

ما هو كتابك المقدس؟

Q: What is your Holy Book?

A: My Holy Book is the "Koran" it means "Readable" it contains Allah's words and dominions and regulations to the followers of Islam.

 

ما هي السُنّة؟

Q: What is the Sunnah?

A: "Sunnah" is the oral teachings of Prophet Mohammad collected by his followers and comrades contain explanations of daily actions taken by Muslims and clarifying some guidelines in the Koran.

 

ما هو الإيمان؟

Q: What is Emaan (Faith)?

A: Emaan is to believe in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers and the Day of Resurrection and in destiny with its goodness or badness.

 

ما هو الإحسان؟

Q: What is 'Ihsan?

A: 'Ihsan is to worship Allah as you are seeing Him; but though you can't see Him He sees you.

 

ما هو الفرق بين النبي والرسول؟

Q: What is the difference between a Prophet and a Messenger?

A: a Prophet is a person who obtained a revelation from Allah without delivering it to specific people (i.e. Ishmael, Isaac, Job...); but a messenger is a person who obtained a revelation from Allah with the task of delivering it to either specific people or to all people, for example; Jesus Christ was a messenger only to Israelis but Mohammad was a messenger to all mankind and jinn.

Chapter: Our three main fundamentals (Our Lord, our Religion, our Prophet)

 

*First Fundamental: knowing our LORD:

 

1-     Our LORD is Allah the creator of all things.

2-     Our LORD is known by His signs and creatures.

3-     Our LORD is the only God worth to be worshipped: (I have only created Jinns and men that they may serve me).  Chapter: 51 Verse: 56 

4-     Our LORD created man in best shape.

5-     Our LORD ordered us to disbelieve in any other God but Himself.

 

Q: For what purpose Allah had created us?

A: For the purpose of worshipping Him.

 

Q: How to worship Him?

A: by full obedience to His orders and not interfering any other God with Him.

 

Q: What is the meaning of "No God but Allah"?

A: None is worth to be worshipped except Allah. 

 

* Second Fundamental: knowing our religion:

 

1-     Islam is obeying Allah and applies His orders [Monotheism].

2-     Islam is the religion that Allah satisfies to all people.

3-     Islam is the religion that grants happiness to the person in life and hereafter.

4-     Islam doesn't accept any other religion.

5-     Islam is the full surrender to Allah and obeying Him and it's our savior from polytheism.

 

Q: On which Islam was based on?

A: Islam was based on five basic pillars:

 

1-    Testimony there is no God but Allah and Mohammad is His Messenger

 

Testimony or the Profession of Faith (in Arabic Shahada) which is the declaration that "there is no God but Allah; Mohammad is the His Messenger". When anyone declares Shahada, he automatically becomes a Muslim. The text of the Shahada is "I bear witness there is no God but Allah; and I bear witness that Mohammad is His Messenger" but the pronunciation must be in Arabic language; in Arabic its pronounced as "Ash-hado a'lla elaha ella Allah wa ash-hado anna Mohammadan rasool Allah", without testimony a person can't be a Muslim even if he complies with the other four pillars..

 

2-    Prayer

 

It consists of a series of formal prostrations (in the traditions of all Prophets), genuflections, and pious statement and supplications. The prayers are in the Arabic language and require reading from the Koran (our Holy Book), and are offered five times a day – at dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset and nightfall. Prayers must be attended on time as Allah stated:

 

(When ye pass (congregational) prayers, celebrate Allah's praises, standing, sitting down, or lying down on your sides; but when ye are free from danger, set up regular prayers: for such prayers are

Enjoined on Believers at stated times) Chapter: 4 Verse: 103   

Prophet Mohammad also stressed on prayers and made it the thin line between belief and disbelief as he said:

 

(The covenant between us and those [infidels, Jews, Christians] is prayer; whom ever leaves it he disbelieved) – narrated by Bukhari.

 

3-    Alms-Tithe (Zakah)

 

It is paid in kind in varying proportions according to the nature of the goods. The payment is meant for the welfare of the poor and the needy (2.5% of the capital money yearly; it was set to 2.5% because in the time of the Prophet they used to spend 25 Dinar out of 1,000). Zakah differs from charity; a small table explains the differences and similarities between both.

 

Alms-Tithe (Zakah) الزكاة

Charity (Sadaqa) الصدقة

 

Given annually.

Given at any time.

2.5% of the capital money.

No specific ratio; can be any amount of money

It’s one of Islam pillars.

It's not a pillar.

Given to poor and other interests.

Given to poor.

It Has one form (money).

It Has multiple forms (money, greeting a Muslim is a Charity, removing harm is a charity).

 

4-    Fasting the holy month of Ramadan

 

It's done throughout the month of Ramadan. During the fast, from dawn to sunset, complete abstention is required from food, drink and every extraneous material taken through the mouth or nose as well as conjugal intercourse.

 

5-    Pilgrimage to Mecca for those who are capable of (Hajj)

 

Going to Mecca in the month of Dhul-Hejja to perform ceremonies and rituals for 3 days or 2, Hajj is confined to who are capable only.

 

* Third Fundamental: knowing our Prophet:

 

1-     Our prophet is Mohammad the son of Abdullah the son of Abdul Muttaleb from the tribe of Quraish.

2-     Our prophet declared Islam and ordered us to follow every good deed and not follow every bad deed.

3-     Our prophet and his comrades are our role-models.

4-     Our prophet is the first to be loved before our mothers, fathers and even ourselves.

5-     Our prophet has the right to be obeyed: (So take what the Messenger assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you)  Chapter:59 Verse:7

 

Q: What did Prophet Mohammad order his followers?

A: Prophet Mohammad ordered his followers to worship Allah none but Him and hastens to good deeds and rejects any other faith that makes partners to Allah (i.e. Christianity) or any faith that denies Allah's existence (i.e. paganism) or any other faith that denies the Prophethood of Prophet Mohammad (i.e. Judaism) .

Chapter: Types of Monotheism

 

Monotheism: Worshipping the one and only God [Allah] by admitting and believing in His Godhood, divinity, names and attributes without any partners or associates.

 

Types of Monotheism: Monotheism of Godhood, Monotheism of divinity, Monotheism of names and attributes.

 

1-    Monotheism of Godhood: Knowing that Allah is the only God to be worshipped by His actions, no God gives birth or death or life but Allah.

2-    Monotheism of Divinity: Knowing that Allah is the only God to be worshipped by people's actions; none to be prayed to but Allah, none to be supplicated to but Allah.

3-    Monotheism of Names and Attributes: Believing in all names of Allah [99 names] that were mentioned in the Koran and the Sunnah of the Prophet Mohammad.

 

* Contradictions of Monotheism:

 

1-    Paganism: denying the existence of Allah and not believing in God.

2-    Polytheism: Making partners to Allah in worship; as supplication to a dead human or to a Prophet or anyone else than Allah.

3-    Hypocrisy: Showing the contrast of what you believe; as a person shows Islam and hides his true dogma which contradicts Islam.

 

There is another type of Monotheism but it's not a prime actually it's controversial between the Muslim scholars; this type of Monotheism regards giving law and legitimate directives, it was mentioned by it's meaning in the Holy Koran in Chapter "Feast":

 

(Whoso judgeth not by that which Allah hath revealed: such are disbelievers) Chapter: 5 Verse: 44

 

Monotheism of Govern ship: Knowing that Allah is the only source of law and regulations in the society.

 

Unlike Democracy [People to Rule]; Islam denies any source of law but from Allah, Islam doesn't accept the law to be positioned by the people or by the majority; that might lead to a conflict between the law in the Koran and the law that people want; for instance: if the majority of a certain country agrees on selling alcohol in public and Islam rejects alcohol by all of its forms; in Islam the law of Allah must be practiced despite the number of persons who agrees with it; in Democracy the majority choose its legitimates and that’s absolutely refused in Islam.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter: Believing in Allah

 

Believing in Allah is: Full belief that Allah is the only God worth to be worshipped and admitting His Godhood, divinity, names and attributes.

 

A.     Believing in Allah is a nature; can be felt and known by the majority of humans especially in the times of needs where people pray to Him for help: (Remember ye implored the assistance of your Lord, and He answered you: "I will assist you with a thousand of the angels, ranks on ranks") Chapter: 8 Verse: 9

B.     It's known that every action has cause; and every creature must have a creator that created him/her; He is Allah: (Were they created of nothing, or were they themselves the creators?) Chapter: 52 Verse: 35

 

* Conditions of "No God but Allah"

 

1-    Knowledge: To know the meaning of "No God but Allah"; "No God" means no God worth to be worshipped; "but Allah" means except Allah.

2-    Confidence: To be confident of the statement of Monotheism; being dubious will break the validity of the dogma.

3-    Acceptance: To accept that Allah is the one and the only God.

4-    Obedience: To apply the orders of Allah and to leave what He ordered you to leave, (Whoever submits his whole self to Allah, and is a doer of good, has grasped indeed the most trustworthy hand-hold; and with Allah rests the End and Decision of (all) affairs) Chapter: 31  Verse: 22

5-    Honesty: To be honest and truthful when you believe in Allah.

6-    Loyalty: To have the deeds only for the sake of Allah not for the sake of fame or reputations.

7-    Love: To love Allah more than anyone else in your life; even more than your father, mother and yourself.

 

* Meaning of Worship:

 

Worship is a collective name for beloved deeds to Allah; like loving Allah and His messenger, fear of Allah, relying on Allah, supplication to Allah, prayers, giving charity to poor, struggling the infidels and hypocrites (Jihad) and similar deeds.

 

* Conditions of accepting the deeds:

 

For the deeds to be accepted to Allah two conditions must occur:

1-     None to be worshipped but Allah (Monotheism)

2-     Worshipping Allah with what He has commanded not with what people think its right to do.

 

* What contradicts deeds acceptance?

 

1-    Paganism.

2-    Polytheism: there are two types of polytheism:

a-    Major Polytheism: praying and asking for needs to other than Allah.

b-    Minor Polytheism: any action that might lead to the major type (i.e. going to the tombs and pray to Allah there thinking that the dead believers have benefit that might make Allah answers the prayers)

 

Prophet Mohammad said (Curse be upon Jews and Christians! They have taken the tombs of the prophets as a place of prayer) – narrated by Muslim.

 

Chapter: Believing in Angels

 

Believing in angels is: Full belief that angels exist; and they are creatures that obey Allah and never violate His orders.

 

* Believing in angels requires:

 

1-     Belief in their existence.

2-     Belief in which names were told to us by the Koran (i.e. Gabriel, Michael) and those whom were not mentioned.

3-     Belief in their descriptions and attributes.

4-     Belief in what they do like supplication to Allah, obeying Him, giving revelation to prophets by His authority and others.

 

Not to mention that believing in angles is one of the pillars of "Faith" [Emaan] as Allah stated:

 

(The Messenger believeth in what hath been revealed to him from his Lord, as do the men of faith. Each one (of them) believeth in Allah, His angels, His Books, and His Messengers. "We make no distinction (they say) between one and another of His Messengers." And they say: "We hear, and we obey, (we seek) Thy forgiveness, our Lord, and to Thee is the end of all journeys.") Chapter: 2 Verse: 285

 

And as the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said: (Emaan is to believe in Allah, His angles, His books, His messengers, day of resurrection and believing in destiny with its goodness or badness) – narrated by Muslim.

 

* Descriptions and characteristics of angels: