Message of Concern
Imam W. Deen Mohammed, (May G-d forgive him his sins and grant him paradise), once posed these questions: "What would happen if people would sit in churches throughout the world for centuries with the image of an African American man as savior of the world before them?
What would this do
to the mind of the world’s children?
What would happen
to the world’s children put under a figure of a particular race presented,
pitiable, and in pain “the Savior of all men”?"
We believe that it should be a matter of concern that many have accepted attempts to portray the Divine, whether it be a portrayal of an African American man, a Caucasian - blond hair/ blue eyed man, or a man of any race; especially since according to the Exodus 20:1-6 in the Bible; G-d says:
1 And God spake all these words, saying,
2 I am the LORD thy
God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of
bondage
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the
LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love
Me, and keep My commandments.
Let those of us who are believers stand up for what is right, correct the mistakes made out of ignorance, seek the mercy of our Lord and strive harder to keep His commandments.
Imam Mohammed further said: "Civilized nations should want that their religions be also civilized.
False worship is the worst form of oppression. We are no gods. We are only men, “mortals from the mortals, He (G-d) created.”
“Say, Oh people of the Book! Come to common terms as between us and you: that we worship none but G-d, that we associate no partner with Him, that we erect not from among ourselves lords and patrons other than G-d. If then they turn back, say ye ‘bear witness that we (at least) are Muslims (bowing to G-d’s Will).
May the Peace that only comes from G-d be with you!
As-Salaamu-Alaikum!
What is Islam?
Al-Islam simply put is a complete way of life, prescribed and preferred by G-d that calls us to exemplify the best of our human excellence;
guided by G-d’s revealed word, signs found in creation, and the examples of His messengers and prophets and those rightly guided who came before us.
Another definition of Al-Islam is: A way of life that is based on submission to G-d's will, that earns for the adherent, the Peace that only comes from G-d, both in this life as well as the next.
Although informally, any believer in G-d that recognizes the oneness of G-d and submits to His will can be said to follow Islam as a way of life; one formally becomes an adherent to this way of life by making an open declaration of faith – stating openly and in the presence of witnesses that he/she is a witness bearer, or that he/she openly testifies, that there is no other G-ds besides the one True G-d; the Creator of all things; and Muhammad (peace be upon him) is G-d’s messenger; not G-d, and the seal of the prophets.
This declaration of faith is not just a public statement. It is also a covenant or a commitment that one makes with G-d in the presence of witnesses; that he/she will worship, serve, or give praise to no other G-ds besides Al-lah or “THE-God” and that he/she will follow the teachings and the patterns of behavior of Muhammad the prophet, (pbuh) who was sent as a mercy to all mankind.
Allah
Contrary to what most people believe, Allah is not just the G-d of the Muslims.
Long before Muhammad the Prophet (pbuh) and the development of the formalized religion of Al-Islam, desert Arabs, as well as Arabic speaking Jews, Christians and others used Allah when referring to "The G-d" or "T,he Creator".
In fact, Allah is an Arabic word derived from an old Semitic root referring to the Divine and used in the Canaanite El, the Mesopotamian ilu, and the biblical Elohim, the word Allah in simple terms is a compound word - Al- meaning The and Lah- meaning G-d, making it a proper noun.
Although there have been and are many things that people have mistakenly taken as Gods; even the pagan desert Arabs understood that there was a Deity greater than their pagan gods. One that they turned to when their pagan gods failed them... Allah.
As we all know, Muhammad the Prophet did not invent the idea of one G-d. Our Father Abraham is noted as being the father of monotheistic faith. What this implies is that Muhammad the Prophet actually only called people back to the worship of the one G-d, Allah. According to The Qur'an, Allah has many different names and one can call Him by any of those names.
Al-Qur'an
And G-d says:
This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah
Who believe in the Unseen, are steadfast in prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them;
And who believe in the Revelation sent to thee, and sent before thy time, and (in their hearts) have the assurance of the Hereafter. They are on (true) guidance, from their Lord, and it is these who will prosper.
Holy Quran 2:2-5
The Qur'an is the revelation that Muhammad the Prophet received from Allah, while he was in retreat in the cave of Hira during the month of Ramadan. It came as a continuation and completion of previous revelations sent to the prophets that came before Muhammad the Prophet, (May G-d's Peace be upon them all), also as a correction to mistakes and misunderstandings men created after deviating from the purity of G-d's revelation.
Although many people refer to the Qur'an as being the Holy book of Muslims; G-d says in the Qur'an that it is a book for all who believe. Further, A Muslim is required to not only believe in and study Qur'an; a Muslim must also study all revealed books from G-d such as the Gospels, the Torah, and the Scrolls of Abraham.
It has been reported that Muhammad the Prophet (pbuh) is noted for having said:
"Islam has been built upon five things..."
These five things he was refering to are:
1. Making an open declaration of faith – stating in the presence of witnesses that he/she is a witness bearer, or that he/she openly testifies to the oneness of G-d, the Creator of all things; and that Muhammad the prophet to whom the Qur'an was revealed, (peace be upon him) is G-d’s messenger; not G-d, and the seal of the prophets.Again, this declaration of faith is not just a public statement. It is also a covenant or a commitment that one makes with G-d in the presence of witnesses; that he/she will worship, serve, or give praise to no other G-ds besides Al-lah or “THE-God” and that he/she will follow the teachings and the patterns of behavior of Muhammad the prophet, (pbuh) who was sent as a mercy to all mankind.
2. Salat- which is the practice of formal prayer in Al-Islam. Salat is a ritual worship, having prescribed conditions, a prescribed procedure, and prescribed times. Some of them are obligatory, with allowances for those that might experience difficulties performing them; while others are completely voluntary.t To perform valid Salat, Muslims must be in a state of ritual purity, which is mainly achieved by ritual washing according to prescribed procedures.
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Click on picture
if you would like to learn how to perform Salat
3. Zakat - which is the practice of alms giving, not unlike the practice in Christianity, Judaism and other faiths. Giving charity to the less fortunate, those in need and to those who ask. Zakat is an Arabic word which technically means: that which purifies; suggesting that charity, purifies one's soul.
4. Fasting - Each year during the month of Ramadan, ( the 10th month of the Islamic Calender), Muslims are required to fast for 29 or 30 days from first light to sunset, to help them learn obedience and self restraint. During this time, Muslims are required to abstain from food, drink, intimacy,anger, and distractions; while spending time to be more focused on praying, reading Qur'an, being charitable and striving to realign themselves with the nature that G-d created them in.
Should a Muslim be ill or on a journey, or if they have health issues that might prevent them from fasting, they can feed a hungry person, however; G-d says in Qur'an: It is better that you fast, if you but understand.
{Ramadan is the month in which the Qur'an, (Revealed book or guidance by Allah for the benefit of all who believe in G-d and who have an assurance of the hereafter), was revealed to Muhammad the Prophet (pbuh)}
5. Hajj - Which is pilgrimage to Mecca to visit the house built by Abraham and Ishmael (G-d's Peace be upon them both) and then rededicated for the worship of the One G-d by Muhammad the Prophet (pbuh). This practice of faith is a duty of every Muslim at least once in their lifetime, provided that they can afford to do so; and their health will permit. Otherwise, they are exempt. G-d says in Qur'an, He intends on difficulties for you in religion.