Answers To Six Common Questions About Muslims

Here are the answers to Some common questions about Islam. What is Islam, Allah, Muslims, Muhammad, Quran, and Islamic teachings.

1. What is Islam?

Islam is the name of a religion, or rather, a way of life sent by God. All the prophets and messengers adhered to him. Even the name of the religion is unique. It is not associated with the name of a person as Christianity, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, nor with the name of a tribe as Judaism, nor with the name of a people as Hinduism. It denotes a state. The word “Islam” comes from the Arabic root, meaning peace, security, protection, greeting, impeccability, submission, acceptance, salvation … The word Islam itself denotes a state of devotion and submission to God, worshipping only Him, accepting and following His Law. The result of such submission is calm and well-being. A Muslim is a person who is in a state of such submission. Sins, ignorance, bad deeds weaken the state of Islam, and equating someone or something to God reduces it to nothing.

2. Who is Allah?

In matters relating to Islam, the word “Allah” often appears. This is an Arabic word applied to God. Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians use precisely him, and Jesus (Isa) peace be upon him, in accordance with his canons, is called “the son of Allah.” Take the Arabic translation of the Bible and see that “Allah” is used instead of “God”. The word “Allah” is similar to the name of God in the Semitic languages. For example, in Hebrew, God is Eloh. Some believe that Muslims worship God, not the one whom Moses, Abraham and Jesus worshipped, peace be upon them. This is a wrong opinion. The concept of true monotheism in Islam implies the worship of the God of Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and all the other prophets, peace to them.

3. Who is a Muslim?

The word “Muslim” is translated as “someone who is in a state of Islam (obedience to the laws and the will of God).” The teachings of Islam is intended for the whole world. The one following this laws becomes a Muslim. There is a mistaken belief that Islam is a religion of the Arabs alone. About 80% of Muslims in the world are non-Arab! Although most Arabs are still Muslims, there are Christians, Jews, atheists among them … Just look at Muslims from Nigeria to Bosnia, from Morocco to Indonesia to see the diversity of races, ethnic groups, cultures and nationalities of the Muslim world. Companions of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), were not only Arabs, but also Persians, Africans, Byzantines. To be a Muslim is to unconditionally follow the teachings of the Most High (Allah). A Muslim is one who voluntarily associated his beliefs, values, faith with God. In past centuries, the term “Mohammedans” was often used in reference to Muslims. This name does not fit in with the true meaning of Islam and is the result of either intentional falsification or complete ignorance. Perhaps this happened because for a long time the Europeans believed that Muslims worship Muhammad (SAW), just as Christians worship Jesus (Isa), peace be upon him. This opinion cannot be truthful, because, as mentioned earlier, a person cannot be considered a Muslim if he worships someone instead of the Almighty Allah or along with Him.

4. Who is Prophet Muhammad (SAW)?

The last, final long chain of the prophets was Muhammad – the Messenger of God to all mankind, (SAW). At forty, he first received Revelation from God. He spent the rest of his life teaching and calling people to Islam – a religion that God had bestowed on him. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW), is the greatest of the prophets for many reasons, foremost among which was his election as the last prophet, whose mission is to lead humanity on a straight path – to the last day. He led many more people to the truth than any other prophet.

The Lord sent prophets to Earth from the very beginning, each to his people. Unlike them, the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), was sent to the people of the whole world.

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Other religions also called to worship the same God. Over time, however, out of selfish purposes, unknowingly, people distorted the pure religion of their prophets. Some turned the prophets into mediators between people and God, others began to believe that God himself or the prophet was incarnated in their prophets – this is the son of God … All this alienated people from the original monotheism given to the prophets. People began to worship idols, to look for middlemen, so that they stood for them before the Lord. To avoid such sad consequences, the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), always stressed that he is an ordinary person sent to call people to obey God. “Call me a slave and a messenger of God,” he said to the Companions. In the course of his life, by the Will of God, Prophet Muhammad (SAW), was an exemplary prophet, ruler, commander, teacher, neighbour, husband, father, and friend. His life is fully illuminated, which is impossible to say about the life of any other prophet, and the words and deeds of Muhammad (SAW), are carefully preserved and accessible to anyone. Muslims do not need to “just believe” that they existed, or that their teachings are preserved – this is a recognized fact. The Lord guaranteed the safety of the message sent down to His last prophet, for after him there would be no mentor until the Last Hour. All the prophets came with the message of Islam – to submit to the Will of God and worship only to Him, but Muhammad, may Allah bless him, was the last prophet of Islam who came to people with the last and complete teaching, which will remain unchanged until the end of time.

5. What is the Quran?

The Quran is the last Revelation of God to all mankind, these are the Words of the Most High, transmitted to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), through the angel Gabriel, with word, sound and meaning. From the Prophet, the Quran was recognized by his associates, who kept him in their memory and carefully recorded the ayah after the ayah. The reading of the Quran was actively practiced by the companions of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) then their followers. Present Muslims are trying to follow the example of the righteous predecessors. In short, the Quran is a God-revealed Book of Revelation, a life guide for the well-being of people.

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Today, the Quran is studied and memorized by millions of people. The language of the Quran – Arabic – is a living language. Unlike the Scriptures of other religions, the Quran can be read in the original. The Quran is a real miracle even in terms of language. It is unique and inimitable in its style, spiritual influence, sense, information. The Quran was sent down to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), for 23 years. The Qur’an has always been considered the Word of the Lord — by this it is different from other scriptures. During the life of the Prophet, the Quran was read before Muslim and non-Muslim communities. The Quran was written down completely before the death of the prophet, and many associates memorized the Quran word for word. The Holy Quran has always been in the hands of believers, always considered the Word of the Lord, has always been learned and, as a result, has reached our days as the Lord revealed it to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Never has a religious council changed the words in Holy Scripture. The teachings of the Quran are intended for all people, not for a single tribe or “chosen people.” The Qur’an’s instruction is not new; all the prophets came with him: “obey Allah, the One God, worship Him alone, follow His messengers in order to achieve well-being in worldly life and salvation in the eternal.” Thus, Revelation is devoted mainly to teaching people the importance of believing in One God and living in accordance with His guidance, which is described in detail in Islamic law. In the Quran there are stories about the prophets – Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, peace be upon them, orders and prohibitions of the Most High. In our tense time, many are tormented by doubt, spiritual despair … The teachings of the Quran can be the solution to many problems, the answer to exciting questions, can fill the spiritual void in our lives.

6. What does Islam teach?

The basis of Islamic teaching is absolute monotheism (the absolute uniqueness of God). As Islam teaches, there is only One Creator, only He gives food to everyone and everything in the Universe, except for Him there is no deity, and only He is worthy of worship. Belief in the One God is much more than just thinking that God is One, not two, three, etc… Many religions declare their monotheism and claim that there is only One Creator, but real monotheism implies worshipping the One God so as he described in his revelation to the prophet. Islam categorically does not recognize intermediaries between God and man, insists on turning to the Lord directly. Muslims are convinced that Almighty God is Loving, Compassionate and Merciful.

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Many believe that the Lord does not forgive directly. This erroneous conviction, together with the reassessment of the gravity of the sin committed and the severity of the punishment for it, makes people despair of deserving the mercy of God. In search of intermediaries who would stand up for them before the Lord, people turn to false gods: prophets, angels, saints … Often, resorting to them and even worshipping, people do not consider them to be gods, they just want to get closer to the true God. Islam holds a clear boundary between the Creator and the creatures. There is no ambiguity: the creatures, whoever they are, are not worthy of worship, only the Lord deserves it. The statement that God was embodied in His creation is not true either. It is this that encourages people to worship the creation in order to get closer to the Creator.

The Lord is great, incomparable and incomprehensible to the human mind, but Muslims know for sure – He has no companions, partners, rivals, children … According to Muslims, the Lord “did not give birth and was not born” – literally, allegorically, metaphorically, physically and metaphysically. It is exclusive and eternal. He rules everything and is free to forgive and pardon anyone he wishes. That is why Allah is Almighty and the Most Gracious. He created the Universe for people and wants only the best for them. For Muslims, the entire Universe is a sign of the existence and mercy of almighty God. Also, belief in God is not just a metaphysical concept, it is a belief that influences a person’s perception and life.