TDV

The Entity and Attributes of Angels The second condition of faith is to believe in angels. Angels are the beings that are created from divine light. They do not eat or drink, nor are they male or female. Angels are the beloved servants of Allah. They execute Allah’s commands flawlessly; they do not commit any sins. … Read more

The Existence and Oneness of Allah The first of the six conditions of faith is to believe in Allah. The first and most important duty of a rational and pubescent is to believe in the existence and oneness of Allah. When we look around us, we see that nothing happens by itself. A beautiful work of … Read more

Kalimah Al-Tawhid لَٓا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُُ اللّٰهِ Pronunciation: “La-ilaha illallah, Muhammadur Rasulullah” Meaning: “There is no God except Allah; Muhammad (saw) is His messenger.” Kalimah Al-Shahadah اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لَٓا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَاَشْهَدُ اَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ Pronunciation: “Ash-hadu an la-ilaha illallah Wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa Rasuluh.” Meaning: “I bear witness … Read more

Near the end of his short life, the Seal of the Prophets (s.a.w.) made a journey to Mecaa, together with many of his companions, in order to perfom pilgrimage (hajj), one of the five pillars of Islam. On the mount of Arafat, on March 8, 632, he addressed approximately 124,000 Muslims. This was the famous … Read more

The literal meaning of Islam is peace, well-being, security and salvation. Islam is one’s submission to Allah with willing consent. The one who accepts Islam as his/her religion and live by its rules is called a Muslim. A person is initiated to Islam by reciting the kalima shahadah; the meaning of which is as follows: … Read more

The Qur’an is the sacred book of Muslims who believe that its complete text came through revelation. Each word of it was revealed in Arabic by Allah to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) through the Archangel Gabriel over a span of twenty-three years in the 7th century. The revelation of the Qur’an began when … Read more

Our Responsibilities towards the Environment The universe, with all its animate and inanimate parts, is valuable; as it contains a unique balance and a magnificent integrity. The Holy Qur’an states: “Do you not see that Allah has made subject to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth and amply bestowed … Read more

Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. I testify that there is no god but Allah. I testify that there is no god but Allah. I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Come to prayer! Come … Read more

The five daily prayers performed by Muslims are central to the practice of Islam. After performing ablutions, a physical preparation in which parts of the body such as the face, arms and feet are washed, the prayer begins and includes set movements and recitations from the Qur’an in its original form of Arabic. One cycle … Read more

The mosque, in its most basic form, is simply a clean area designated for prayers. Mosques throughout the world have taken on various architectural forms reflecting local cultures. They range from detached pavilions in China and elaborate courtyards in India to massive domes in Turkey and glass and steel structures in the United States. As … Read more

In Islam, every human being is born sinless; there is no original sin. Each person is responsible for their own acts, and no one shall bear the burden of others (An’am, 6/164). Each person is inspired with the knowledge of Allah and naturally inclined toward Islam before birth. It is therefore our responsibility to seek … Read more

1. Shahadah (Testimony) There are five pillars of Islam, the first being the declaration of faith, the shahadah, a simple formula that all the faithful pronounce: “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the servant and Messenger of Allah.” These words are to be uttered with sincere conviction and under no coercion. The … Read more

1. One God Muslims believe in the One, Unique, Incomparable, Merciful God, the Sole Creator, Sustainer and Cherisher of the Universe. Muslims prefer to use the Arabic name for God, “Allah”, because it has no plural, feminine or diminutive that could be associated with idolatry (i.e. gods, goddesses or semi-gods). 2. The Angels Muslims believe … Read more

“Islam” is an Arabic word meaning peace and submission. A practicing Muslim strives to submit whole-heartedly to God, thereby achieving peace in this life as well as in the afterlife. “Mohammedanism” is a misnomer for Islam and offends its very spirit and message. Islam is the last of the three Abrahamic religions preceded by Judaism … Read more

The Prophet Muhammad (saw) brought about many changes in his society: He was the protector of equal rights of women; he removed the husband’s “ownership” of the wife. He established women’s right to own property as well as their right to inheritance. He defended women’s right to choose or refuse a man for marriage. He … Read more

He was very modest, and would never speak with foul words. When he was in the presence of obscenity, he would leave and rebuke it. He never raised his voice or reacted to a bad deed inflicted upon him with a bad deed. He was always pardoning and forgiving. He never took revenge on anyone … Read more

Who is Muhammad? In 571 AD, a child was born to a noble family via the prophetic lineage of Ishmael, son of Abraham, in Mecca on the Arabian Peninsula. His name was Muhammad, “the praised one.” He was orphaned at an early age; hence he understood the plight of orphans and the under-privileged. Muhammad grew … Read more

Most Christian denominations hold the belief that the sin of Adam and Eve’s disobedience to God is passed on to their descendants and thus the whole of mankind is accursed with that Original Sin, from which no salvation is possible unless one believes in the atoning death on the cross of the Son of God. … Read more

Trinitarian Christians believe that Jesus was God himself, or part of God; came to earth, and was crucified on the cross to purify our sins; then resurrected and ascended to heaven until the day he will come back again to earth. Muslims believe that Jesus did not die on the cross at all. Allah saved … Read more

Muslims do not view Jesus as the Son of God or a God but consider him as an ordinary human being who, like other prophets, was divinely chosen to spread Allah’s message among his people, the people of Israel. Islam forbids associating partners with Allah, emphasizing the oneness of Allah. The Qur’an declares: “There is … Read more

Allah the Almighty bestowed upon Jesus the ability to perform miracles as a support in his duty of prophethood. “I have come to you, with a sign from your Lord, in that I make for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a … Read more

Muslims respect and honor Jesus and His mother Mary. Many Muslims name their children after them as Isa (Jesus) and Maryam (Mary). There is indeed a chapter in the Qur’an named Maryam. There is also another chapter named after her father, Imran. According to the Qur’an, Mary was a chaste and virgin woman who miraculously … Read more

Jesus was a Prophet Muslims believe that Jesus (peace be upon him) is one of the Prophets of Allah, and that he was sent to guide the Children of Israel with a new scripture. In fact, belief in all Prophets and Messengers of Allah is a fundamental article of faith in Islam. The Holy Book … Read more

Everybody Was Waiting For Him The period prior to the emergence of Islam was known as the Jahiliyya – The Age of Ignorance. It was period when people were uncivilised. The weak and helpless were forced into slavery and marginalised from society. The bonds between kin and neighbours were not strong, and people had no … Read more

What is religion? Religion is the divine law and set of instructions providing a rational human being with a guideline for the attainment of happiness and tranquility in this world and in the Hereafter. Religions are divided into three types: 1. The true religion: This is the religion of Allah that has been conveyed to … Read more