Islam!

What is islam?
Who is Allah?
Who is Muhammad?
What is the Quran?
What does history say about Islam?
Islamic art and architecture, science and philosophy!
What impact did Islam have on European Renaissance?
Who are the followers of Islam?

Goddess Hera, the Queen of Heaven

Hera was the daughter of Cronus and Rhea,. She was the wife and one of three sisters of Zeus in the Olympian pantheon of classical Greek Mythology. She was called the queen of heaven. Her chief function was as the goddess of women and marriage. In Roman mythology, Juno was the equivalent mythical character. The cow, and later, the peacock were sacred to her.

Portrayed as majestic and solemn, often enthroned, and crowned with the polos (a high cylindrical crown worn by several of the Great Goddesses), Hera may bear a pomegranate in her hand, emblem of fertile blood and death and a substitute for the narcotic capsule of the opium poppy.
Hera was known for her jealous and vengeful nature, most notably against Zeus's lovers and offspring, but also against mortals who crossed her, such as Pelias. Paris offended her by choosing Aphrodite as the most beautiful goddess, earning Hera's hatred.

What is the Ka'ba?

What is the Ka'ba?

Ka'ba is a very important place of worship for Muslims.
Who built it?
When was it built?
Where was ka'ba built?
Why?

What Is The Kaba?

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Eid ul-Fitr

Eid ul-Fitr (also called Eid al-Fitr, Id-ul-Fitr, or Id al-Fitr) is a hree day celabration observed by Muslims at the end of Ramadan. The holiday celebrates the conclusion of the thirty days of dawn-to-sunset fasting during the entire month of Ramadan. The celebration falls on the first day of the month of Shawwal (the following month after Ramadan.)

Ritulas

• Eid ul-Fitr is celebrated for three days
• In some countries children are bought new clothes and may be given a small sum of money.
• Typically, Muslims wake up relatively early in the morning—always before sunrise— offer Salatul Fajr (the pre-sunrise prayer)
• It is haraam, or forbidden, to fast on the Day of Eid.[8] That is why it is recommended to have a small breakfast (as a sign of not being on a fast on that day)
• It is a Sunnah (Prophetic tradition) that the Sadaqat-ul-fitr, an obligatory charity, is paid to the poor and the needy before performing the ‘Eid prayer by all those adult Muslims who are required to pay Zakat.
• Eid prayer is performed in congregation in open areas like fields, community centers, etc. or at mosques. No adhan (Call to Prayer) or iqama (call) is to be pronounced for this Eid prayer, and it consists of only two rakaʿāt (units of prayer) with an additional six Takbirs.
• The Eid prayer is followed by the khutbah (sermon)

Laylat al-Qadr

Laylat al-Qadr

Laylat al-Qadr (also known as the Night of Destiny, Night of Power, Night of Value, the Night of Decree or Night of Measures) is to be found in the last ten odd nights of Ramadan. There is no history in the Qur'an as to when the specific date is.Therefore in the Sunni communities of all the Islamic countries, the Laylat al-Qadar is found to be on the last ten nights of Ramadan.

Revelation of the Qur'an

Laylat al-Qadr comemorates the anniversary of the night Muslims believe the revelation of the Qur'an started. In fact, Muslims believe that the revelation occurred in two phases, with the first phase being the revelation in its entirety on Laylat Al-Qadr to Gabriel in the lowest heaven, and then the subsequent verse-by-verse revelation to Prophet Muhammad by the angel Gabriel.

Customs

Muslims often pray extra prayers on this day, particularly the night prayer. They awake, pray, and hope God will give them anything they may desire on this night. They occupy themselves with the remembrance of God, performing voluntary prayers and studying the Qur'an, day and night, apart from the obligatory prayers which they perform with the congregation

In the Qur'an

We have indeed revealed this (Message) in the Night of Power:
And what will explain to thee what the night of power is?
The Night of Power is better than a thousand months.
Therein come down the angels and the Spirit by Allah's permission, on every errand:
Peace!...This until the rise of morn!
—Sura 97 (Al-Qadr), āyāt 1-5

Sourat Hud

Hud and his people in the Qur'an

The following Sourah is about the prophet Hud and His people ʿĀd. The presentaion includes the text in Arabic and its translation in English.


Click here to know more about the story of Ad and the prophet Hud.

11 Surah Hud (Hud)

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ʿĀd People

The Qur'an mentioned the story of the prohet Hud and his people ʿĀd (or Aad.)  This people is believed to have lived in Ancient Arabia. The eleventh chapter of the Qur'an, Hud, is named after the prohet sent to ʿĀd. According to the Qur'an ʿĀd people lived in Arabia. In the 1980s there was the discovery of what is thought to be Ubar, mentioned in the Qur'an as Iram, which is believed to have been the capital of ʿĀd. This was discovered in the area near eastern Yemen and western Oman.

Historical context

Hud is said too have been fourth in generation from Noah, his father being Uz, who was the son of Aram, who was the son of Shem, who was the son of Noah. Although Hud, at times, is identified with Eber of the Old Testament, his true Biblical identity remains uncertain. Hud is believed to have lived in Arabia before even the coming of Ishmael and Hagar.

The story of Aad People

The people of ʿĀd were extremely powerful and wealthy and they built countless buildings and monuments to show their power. However, the ʿĀd people became arrogant and forsook God and began to adopt idols for worship, including three idols named Samd, Samud and Hara.
Hud, even in childhood, remained consistent in prayer to God. It is related through exegesis that Hud's mother, a pious woman who had seen great visions at her son's birth, was the only person who encouraged Hud in his worship. Thus, the Lord raised up Hud as a prophet for the ʿĀd people.

When Hud started preaching and invited his people to the worship of only the true God and when he told them to repent for their past sins and ask for mercy and forgiveness, the ʿĀd people began to revile him and wickedly began to mock God's message.After a log time of preaching, the majority of Hud's people refused to pay any notice to his teachings and they kept ignoring and mocking all he said. As their aggression, arrogance and idolatry deepened, God, after plenty of warning, sent a thunderous storm to finish the wicked people of ʿĀd once and for all through a destructive storm.

The verses of the story

We sent to the people of 'Ad their brother Hud, who said: "O my people, worship God; you have no other god but He. (As for the idols,) you are only inventing lies.
O my people, I ask no recompense of you for it: My reward is with Him who created me. Will you not, therefore, understand?
O my people, beg your Lord to forgive you, and turn to Him in repentance. He will send down rain in torrents for you from the skies, and give you added strength. So do not turn away from Him as sinners."
They said: "O Hud, you have come to us with no proofs. We shall not abandon our gods because you say so, nor believe in you.
All we can say is that some of our gods have smitten you with evil." He replied:" I call God to witness, and you be witness too, that I am clear of what you associate (in your affairs)
Apart from Him. Contrive against me as much as you like, and give me no respite.
I place my trust in God who is my Lord and your Lord. There is no creature that moves on the earth who is not held by the forelock firmly by Him. Verily the way of my Lord is straight.
If you turn away, then (remember) I have delivered to you the message I was sent with. My Lord will put other people in your place, and you will not be able to prevail against Him. Indeed my Lord keeps a watch over all things."
—Qur'an, sura 11 (Hud), ayah 50-57[7]

So when they saw it as a cloud advancing towards their valleys, they said: "This is just a passing cloud that will bring us rain." "No. It is what you were trying to hasten: The wind which carries the grievous punishment!
It will destroy everything at the bidding of its Lord." So in the morning there was nothing but their empty dwellings to be seen. That is how We requite the sinners.
—Qur'an, sura 46 (Al-Ahqaf), ayah 24-25

Ramadan

Ramadan

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 to 30 days. In this month Muslims fast during the daylight hours, refraining from eating, drinking and sexual intercourse. It is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and submissiveness to God. Muslims fast for the sake of God (Allah) and to offer more prayer than usual.

Date

Compared to the solar calendar, the dates of Ramadan vary, moving backwards by about eleven days each year depending on the moon; thus, a person will have fasted every day of the calendar year in 34 years' time.

Hilāl (the crescent) is typically a day (or more) after the astronomical new moon. Since the new moon indicates the beginning of the new month, Muslims can usually safely estimate the beginning of Ramadan.

There are many disagreements each year however, on when Ramadan starts. This stems from the tradition to see the moon (Hilāl = the crescent) with the naked eye and as such there are differences for countries on opposite sides of the globe. More recently however, some Muslims try to use astronomical calculations to avoid this confusion.

Revelation of the Qur'an

Muslims believe Ramadan to be an auspicious month for the revelations of God to humankind, being the month in which the first verses of the Qur'an were revealed to the Islamic prophet, Muhammad. That was in Laylat al-Qadr (also called the Night of Power, the Night of Destiny, Night of Value, the Night of Decree or Night of Measures)

In surah Al-Qadr Allah clearly states:

"Surely We revealed it (the Holy Quran) on the grand night. And what will make you comprehend what the grand night. The grand night is better than a thousand months. The angels and Gabriel descend in it by the permission of their Lord for every affair, Peace! It is till the break of the morning." Holy Quran (97:1-5)

Fasting in other religions

Before Islam, fasting was part and parcel of other religions such as Judaism and Christianity.

"O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self-restraint," Al-Baqara (The Cow) 2:183

Who is permitted not to fast?

Those who are sick, elderly, or on a journey, and women who are pregnant or nursing are permitted to break the fast and make up an equal number of days later in the year. If they are physically unable to do this, they must feed a needy person for every day missed. Children begin to fast (and to observe the prayer) from puberty, although many start earlier.
In the Qur'an:

(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.
Al-Baqara (The Cow) 2:184