How much do you know about Islam?

There is a great deal of misunderstandings about Islam both from Muslim and Non-Muslims – and this is leading to problems in our society.

If your friend is ill – maybe he is epileptic and suffering a fit – and you think you know which is the right medicine but you’re not sure, you probably wouldn’t give it to him, because you’re not a doctor and you don’t have the right medical knowledge.

Even if you want to save his life, giving him the wrong medicine could not only do more harm than good. It could be fatal. And so it is with understanding Islam.

There are so many people out there who are talking about what Islam means but they don’t have the knowledge to interpret the Qur’an correctly; they are confused about what their own faith means and so they are spreading a mistaken message to others.

The Qur’an is a complex book. You need the Hadith – which is the teachings of the prophet – to interpret it correctly and guide you through to give you a much better understanding of Islam: for example how to do your prayers and postures and positions.

I cannot stress enough to you that to get a better understanding if the Qur’an you need to know Arabic. Arabic is a very subtle, sensitive language and the true meaning of the words of God can become lost in translation.

People tend to say, ‘I’m living as a MuZlim’ (pronounced like a Z), when what they really mean is, ‘as a MuSlim’ (with an S). The pronunciation is very delicate, but it changes the meaning of the words completely. The first word means ‘dark’, whereas the second correct version means a ‘person who submits’. Look at the pronunciation of another word: Kalb means dog but Qalb means heart. That’s a big difference in meaning, isn’t it?

Because of the time and age we are living in – post 9/11 and 7/7 – all the eyes in Britain and in the Western world are upon Muslims. With the pressure upon us, it is even more important than it ever has been that we have a good understanding of our own faith.

If we as Muslims misunderstand our own faith and perpetuate the myth surrounding the Qur’an and our way of life, how can we ever expect non-Muslims to understand us?

But it is up to you to find this truth in your own hearts and in the words of the Qur’an and the Hadith. You must learn it and read it for yourselves. If you haven’t learnt something first hand, but it is based on the interpretations and judgements of others, how can you say that you really know it to be true? If you open your mouth and spread the wrong message you are causing other people to misunderstand Islam. And like giving your friend the wrong medicine – this could lead to others being harmed and even be fatal.

Remember, knowledge is power; once you have it you can dispel misunderstanding and defeat prejudice. Don’t just repeat what your Mum and Dad told you.

Question.

Learn.

Tell me what YOU think about your own faith!

Islam means peace, not terror

First and foremost, the word ‘Islam’ means peace.

The Prophet Muhammed – love and blessing be upon him – said that no one has a right to burn Allah’s (God’s) creations – even if it an ant – only Allah has the right to take life away.

The Qur’an does not teach terrorists acts, suicide bombing, violence and killing.

I hope that most people know this; but the best way to find out about Islam is to study it yourselves. If you feel content about your faith – in your mind and in your soul – you will be able to give a better understanding to others.

Take, for example, the opinion people have with regards to Muslim women: the majority of non-Muslim people see women in a headscarf and they think that they are being oppressed. But that’s not how it is from an Islamic point of view: Islam teaches us that women and men are all seen as equal in the eyes of Allah (or God).

In Islam everyone is equal – that includes people of all faiths. The Prophet Mohammed once saw a funeral of a Jewish man go past and he began crying in sadness for the man. His companion looked at him and asked him:

‘why are you crying? He’s not even a Muslim’.

Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) replied:

‘No, but it is a soul of a human being.’

There are many, many more teachings of the prophet that come back to this simple point: a person does not have to be a Muslim for you to love, take care and respect him, because he is also a human.

If a Muslim knocks on the door of your front door, you should invite him in. But if a Christian or a Jew comes to your house, you should invite welcome him into your home too. That is the teaching of our beloved Prophet Muhammed (P.B.U.H.)

And so, I say to you again, that is important to acknowledge other people’s religion and culture as well as your own. You may be a Muslim, but learn about Christianity, and Sikhism, and Judaism too, because if you understand someone’s faith you can understand where they are coming from and what they trying to ask or say.

The fact is, we live in a British society but there is no need for this to conflict with our faith. What we have to understand is that most of the rights and rulings of this country are in accordance with the beliefs of Islam not against them.

True Muslims believe in peace, human rights, tolerance of other religions and equality.