Welcome to Islam, - Islam's concept of monotheism

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To an English-speaking audience, Islam is often advertised as a 'monotheistic religion in the tradition of Judaism and Christianity,' and we often, with the best of intentions, add: "The difference is, we only believe in One God."
I am afraid, however, that this fails to capture the essence of Tawheed, Islam's concept of monotheism. It is not that there is only one God and that is that. If this were the case, little is there to differentiate us from Christians and Jews, who also conceptually believe in One God )despite different theological formulations(. What makes us different is that we believe in One God and, furthermore, we believe that only Allaah is to be worshipped.
The core of Islam is wrapped in the message of 'Laailaahaillallaah': There is no god worthy of worship except Allaah. This means, in other words, that we turn away not only from idols of wood and stone, but also the idols of ideology. Today, humanity, spurred by Western culture, worships many things, but above all, it worships itself.
Secularism is the ideology of Western countries )and even some Muslim countries(. The reason it works so well is because it is the best, and latest, way to deceive people away from Allaah. Rather than urge people to worship forms and shapes, the new Shirk )polytheism( tells people to worship themselves. Everyone is a god!
The American dream has become the construction of a society in which everyone is his or her own god, and does what he or she wants to do regardless of the consequences. Naturally, it is a very attractive idea. Do what you want - do what you feel - you are always going to be right! Each man is his own judge and jury!
What this fails to realise is that humans are, by nature, fragile beings. Despite being such a self-proclaimed 'free' and 'individualistic' society,Americais more conformist than many other societies in the world. A young woman without a perfect body is an outcast. A young man who cannot party or cannot 'get enough girls,' is not a real man - and this is the most interesting example of all.
In Islam, a man's role is honourable because of his sacrifice and responsibility. A noble and virtuous man is a pious one, who works hard, provides for his family, goes out of his way for his wife and is always faithful to her. Thus, the Muslim character is the responsible and strong one, because the Muslim accepts the Trust from Allaah - Islam - and does not shy away from it.
Western society, on the other hand, preaches that everyone is a god, and thus, you never have to discipline yourself. The result is a society made of weak, selfish and narrow-minded people )proven by alarming rates of suicide, violent crime, depression and spiralling divorce rates(.
Allaah Tells us in the Quran:"And I ]Allaah[ did not create the Jinn and mankind except to worship Me."]Quran: 51:56[ The drive to worship is an intrinsic human need. One attempt to crush worship in all forms was communism, and communism - as history attests - failed and continues to fail miserably. Due to the evolution of Western thought and Western society, the drive to worship has been channelled away from Allaah and towards the individual.
However, it does not take long for human beings to realise that we, as individuals, make pathetic idols. At a very young age, we realise we are fallible, and often unsuccessful in many things we wish so sincerely to do. How many kids want to play professional sports, but are never able to?
So, instead, people start to worship ideas. They attribute power to these ideas. They start to believe that governments are all-powerful, or that flags, ethnicities, tribes or languages hold mystical powers.
InEurope, the popular belief is that every linguistic group deserves a country, because a linguistic group is an immortal entity that has had many members come and go but has, at root, stayed the same.
But we, as Muslims reject all of this, because we know that it is simply no more than Shirk - partnership in the worship of Allaah - which is the unforgivable sin. Why is it unforgivable? The essence of Islam, as stated earlier, is not only that we believe in Allaah, but also that we worship Him and make Him the centre of all our efforts. Should we put anything between Allaah and ourselves, then we corrupt the purity of our beautiful faith.
When Prophet Muhammadsallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam)may Allaah exalt his mention( came to the Arabs of Makkah in 610 CE with a message directly from Allaah, the Arabs of that time were not atheists. They believed in Allaah, they believed He was the most powerful deity and, most interestingly, they believed He could not be represented by a physical idol. However, they believed that many idols interceded on their behalf )over three hundred lesser gods, in fact!(. In other words, the pagans believed that there were channels between the individual and Allaah, and that these barriers needed to be worshipped.
Modern Western society is no different. At every turn, American politicians invoke God's Name. How often do we hear President Bush say 'God BlessAmerica'? Take anyUScurrency out of your wallet and inscribed in prominent letters on it is the American motto: 'In God We Trust.' Thus, superficially, American society does not reject God. Rather, it believes in God and claims to acknowledge Him as the Supreme Being. However, American society makes other people gods and intermediaries, to such an extent that eventually God Himself is entirely ignored!
This is alsoAmerica's plan for the Muslim world )throughout the world, from right here inAmericato all the way over toAfghanistan(. They will teach us that they have no quarrel with Allaah, but they simply want to give us democracy to 'modernise' us and give us 'progress'.
Should we choose to go down this ill-fated path, we will find, to our horror, that Allaah will not be denied. He - and may He be exalted over such comparisons - will just be dismissed so far that people will become like atheists in denial of their atheism. May Allah save us from this fate, and I apologise for the harshness of the prediction, but we know that once the road is opened to the slightest deviation, this deviation snowballs. This is how religions before us were destroyed; how many times has Allaah asked us to reflect on history? The choice is, as always, our own!











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- Najimudeen M -

- PUBLISHERNajimudeeN M

Fathwa, - The caste system

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Question
I would firstly like to thank you for the great website that you provide to Muslims around the world. May Allah reward you for this good achievement )Ameen(. My question is what does it mean when Allah says I have separated you in tribes and nations so that you can recognize one another? Is this talking about the caste system )where caste has been referred as tribes( that many people believe in today’s world? There are many young Muslims in theUKwho take great interest in their religion but are very confused about following and believing in the caste system. Many families have fallen apart due to the strong belief many parents have in their caste. This problem arises more often when looking for a spouse for marriage. I have become conscious that parents strictly find it necessary that their children’s marriages should not occur outside their own caste. Does Islam separate Muslims in different groups and does not allow marriage connections with one another?
As far as I have practiced Islam, Muslims should seek a righteous spouse for marriage. Religion and good character should be the top concern of every Muslim when looking for a spouse. Should parents take family and caste as their top priority? I am aware that parents have the right in the involvement in their children’s marriage, but is it wrong and against Islam to ask your parents to get you married to who you believe is a better suitor )more religious( than who your parents have chosen? Young Muslims like myself would like to follow Islam the best we can and have the blessings of Allaah and on the other hand keep our parents happy and have the blessings from our parents.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammadis His slave and Messenger.
The verse that you are referring to is the saying of Allaah )which means(: }O mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know one another. Verily, the Most honourable of you with Allaah is that who has At-Taqwa )God's fear({]49:13[. This verse affirms that all mankind are equal, and that Allaah does not look to our race or colour, but to our piety and righteous actions. Being of a different race or colour is only in order to know each other. That's why according to the most preponderant opinion of the scholarswhat has to be taken into account as a characteristic for the suitability of marriage is religion and good moral character. The Prophetsaid: "If a person whom you are pleased with his religion and moral character proposes to you for marriage, then you should give her in marriage." ]At-Tirmithi[ So if a given society does not apply this principle, corruption will be widespread and the number of spinsters will increase. Therefore, it is not permissible for parents to refuse qualified and suitable men who seek to marry their daughter. It is also not permissible for a guardian to oblige his pubescent virgin daughter to marry someone she does not want to marry, according to the most preponderant opinion of the scholars. There is no harm if the sons suggest to their father whoever is more suitable and qualified to be an accepted fiancé.
Allaah knows best.








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Fathwa, - They experienced racial abuse in the mosque

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Question
Assalamu alaikum, May Allah continue to bless and increase you in knowledge for your good works. I am a black African living in a Muslim country in south-east Asia with my husband on professional contract. I love Ramadhan and i never missed Taraweeh prayers until i came here. The issue is that, whenever i go to the mosque during Ramadhan i feel i am treated like a leper. People don't want to stand beside me during prayers, and if they mistakenly do they move away as soon as they realise its me. My husband also receives the same treatment at the male side. They openly laugh and point at me. I have asked if i did something wrong but nothing was said..I have stayed away from some rituals performed at the mosque during Eid because i am not familiar with them...beacuse i know eid as consisting of 2 rak'ats and sermon from the Imam, and no chanting afterwards.I don't know if my absence at such chanting has hurt peoples feelings but i meant no disrespect..i just politely declined to join the chanting. My feeling are very hurt by such treatment from fellow Muslims, i feel like i am being racially profiled. I am not asking for any special treatment, but just some respect as a fellow Muslim worshiper. I stayed away from Taraweeh prayers last year )but both my husband and i prayed at home( because of this issue, but i plan to go this year Insha Allah. Please, was i wrong to have stayed away from the mosque because this treatment? Masalaam
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, is His slave and Messenger.
We have already explained in Fatwa 84769that Islam has prohibited racism and treating people on the basis of race, color, and so on, and that it fought this and considered it as a reprehensible act. Islam considers faith and piety as the basis for a person being better than another, so please refer to the above Fatwa. When the Muslims applied this in the early times, they conquered and ruled, and when they ignored these principles, they became weak and humiliated.
Therefore, if those sisters are treating you in the manner which you mentioned in the question, and those brothers are treating your husband the same way you are treated, then those sisters and brothers are very wrong. Hence, one should advise them in a wise manner and good admonition, hoping that they would return to the way of right conduct.
As regards the Taraaweeh prayer, it is a Sunnah and not an obligation. Besides, the woman's prayer in her own home is better than her praying in the mosque as the Prophetsaid: "…And their homes are better for them." ]Abu Daawood[ Therefore, you are not wrong by not performing the Taraaweeh prayer in the mosque.
With regard to the ‘Eed prayer, it is a confirmed Sunnah, so it is recommended that all the Muslims go out for it including the women, even the menstruating women, who should witness the good and the gathering of the Muslims but they should not perform the prayer )as they are not pure(.
It was reported thatUmm ‘Atiyyahsaid:“The Prophetordered us to take out for ‘Eed Al-Fitr and ‘Eed Al-Adhha prayers, the adolescent girls, the women in seclusion and the menstruating women, but ordered the menstruating women to keep away from the Musalla )the place of the prayer(.”]Al-Bukhaari and Muslim[
Nonetheless, a woman is not sinful for not attending the ‘Eed prayer. However, if you can overlook the misconduct of those sisters and attend the ‘Eed prayer, then this is better.
Finally, we do not know what you mean by the chanting that takes place after the ‘Eed prayer; if this chanting is Islamic songs and the like as a way of celebrating this day, then this is permissible, but if this is a kind of Thikr )mention of Allaah( that is done as an act of worship, then there is no basis for it in Islam; rather, it is a kind of innovation and it is not permissible to attend it.
Allaah Knows best.








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