-
Islam - A True Guide for Mankind
-
There is no god but He: That is the witness of God, His angels, and those endued with knowledge, standing firm on justice. There is no god but He, the Exalted in Power, the Wise. Truly, the Religion before God is Islâm (submission to His Will).
-
What is the foundation of Islâm?
-
-
Islâm is built on faith, outward submission to God, and its resultant spiritual state. Faith is based on the Qur’an and Prophet Muhammad’s ’Sunna’ (his teachings and example). These together define the frames for action and deeds. Islam is a complete way of life, and its foundation is laid on five pillars. These pillars are the basis and the very essence of Islâm.
-
1. Declaration of faith (Shahâda) ” There is none worthy of worship except God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God.” / Lâ ilâha ill-Allâh, Muhammad-ur-Rasûl-Allâh.”
-
2. The Prayer (Salâh) is compulsory five times a day, not including the voluntary prayers that a Muslim might perform during the day. Salâh is regular remembrance of God in a spiritual and physical way and it restrains one from shameful and evil deeds.
-
3. Alms-giving (Zakât) is the practice of charitable giving by Muslims based on accumulated wealth. Zakât consists of spending a fixed portion of one's wealth yearly for the benefit of the poor or needy.
-
4. Fasting (Sawm) is an obligatory (for those that are capable) act of self-purification during the lunar month of Ramadan wherein Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. Fasting teaches patience.
-
5. The Pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca is obligatory for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so. Hajj is to be performed at least once in a lifetime - it is an expression of devotion to God.
-
-
What is the Qur’an?
-
-
The Qur’an is God’s last message to remind mankind to serve and worship the only and true God. This Glorious Book appeals to man’s reason and sense of good and evil, and it warns of the Day of Judgment and gives glad tidings of Paradise. It is God’s word spoken to Prophet Muhammad (may God’s peace be upon him) by the angel Gabriel. This Glorious Book is the only ever living miracle, and during the period of over 1400 years since it was revealed, not a single letter was changed.
-
-
What does God reveal in His Book?
-
-
(112:1) Say: He is God, the One.
-
(112:2) God the Self-Sufficient Master.
-
(112:3) He begets not, nor was He begotten.
-
(112:4) And there is none comparable unto Him.
-
-
(39:5) He has created the heavens and the earth with truth. He makes the night to go in the day and makes the day to go in the night. And He has subjected the sun and the moon. Each running (on a fixed course) for an appointed term. Verily, He is the All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving.
-
-
(39:21) See you not that God sends down water (rain) from the sky, and causes it to penetrate the earth, (and then makes it to spring up) as water-springs, and afterward thereby produces crops of different colours, and afterward they wither and you see them turn yellow; then He makes them dry and broken pieces. Verily, in this is a Reminder for men of understanding.
-
-
(39:42)It is God Who takes away the souls at the time of their death, and those that die not during their sleep. He keeps those (souls) for which He has ordained death and sends the rest for a term appointed. Verily, in this are signs for a people who think deeply.
-
-
(40:64) God - it is He Who has made for you the earth as a dwelling place and the sky as a canopy, and has given you shape and made your shapes good (looking) and has provided you with good things. That is God, your Lord: so Blessed be God, the Lord of all that exists.
-
(40:65) He is the Ever Living, none has the right to be worshipped but He; so invoke Him making your worship pure for Him Alone. All the praises and thanks be to God, the Lord of everything.
-
-
(40:57) The creation of the heavens and the earth is indeed greater than the creation of mankind; yet, most of mankind know not.
-
-
What does the Qur’an say about the Day of Judgment?
-
-
(40:59) Verily, the Hour (Day of Judgment) is surely coming, there is no doubt about it, yet most men believe not.
-
-
(45:28) And you will see each nation humbled to their knees (kneeling): each nation will be called to its Record (of deeds). This Day you shall be recompensed for what you used to do.
-
-
(80:33–35) Then when there comes the blowing of the Trumpet. That Day shall a man flee from his brother and from his mother and his father.
-
-
(50:41–42) And listen on the Day when the caller will call from a near place. The Day when they will hear the shout in truth: that will be the Day of coming out (from the graves).
-
-
(31:33) O mankind! Be afraid of your Lord and fear a Day when no father can avail aught for his son, nor a son avail aught for his father. Verily, the Promise of God is true: let not then this (worldly) present life deceive you, nor let the chief deceiver (Satan) deceive you about God.
-
-
(36:55–58) Verily, the dwellers of the Paradise, that Day, will be busy with joyful things. They and their wives will be in pleasant shade, reclining on thrones. They will have therein fruits and all that they ask for. It will be said to them: peace be upon you – a Word from the Lord, Most Merciful.
-
-
(83:34–35) But this Day those who believe will laugh at the disbelievers. On (high) thrones, looking at all things.
-
-
(14:48) On the Day when the earth will be changed to another earth and so will be the heavens, and they (all creatures) will appear before God, the One, the Irresistible.
-
-
What is in Hell and who are its dwellers?
-
-
(6:27) If you could but see when they will be held over the (Hell) Fire! They will say: “Would that we were but sent back (to the world)! Then we would not deny the signs of our Lord, and we would be of the believers!”
-
-
(2:39) But those who disbelieve and belie Our signs – such are the dwellers of the Fire. They shall abide therein forever.
-
-
(19:85) And We shall drive the criminals (polytheists, sinners, disbelievers in the Oneness of God) to Hell, in a thirsty state (like a thirsty herd driven down to water).
-
-
(14:16–17) In front of him (every obstinate, arrogant dictator) is Hell, and he will be made to drink boiling, festering water. He will sip it unwillingly, and he will find a great difficulty to swallow it down his throat; and death will come to him from every side, yet he will not die and in front of him, will be a great torment.
-
-
(14:49–51) And you will see the criminals that Day bound together in fetters. Their garments will be of pitch, and fire will cover their faces. That God may requite each person according to what he has earned. Truly, God is Swift at reckoning.
-
-
(41:20–21) Till, when they reach it (Hell-fire), their hearing (ears) and their eyes, and their skins will testify against them as to what they used to do. And they will say to their skins, “Why do you testify against us?” They will say: “God has caused us to speak; and He created you the first time, and to Him you are made to return.”
-
-
(78:21–23) Truly, Hell is a place of ambush – a dwelling place for the disbelievers. They will abide therein for ages.
-
-
What is in Paradise and who are to enter it?
-
-
(47:15) The description of Paradise which the pious have been promised is that in it are rivers of water the taste and smell of which are not changed, rivers of milk of which the taste never changes, rivers of wine delicious to those who drink, and rivers of clarified honey (clear and pure). Therein for them is every kind of fruit, and forgiveness from their Lord.
-
-
(48:5) That He may admit the believing men and the believing women to Gardens under which rivers flow (i.e. Paradise) to abide therein forever, and He may expiate from them their sins; and that is with God a supreme success.
-
-
(88:8-13) Faces that Day will be joyful, in a lofty Paradise. Where they shall neither hear harmful speech nor falsehood. Therein will be a running spring. Therein will be thrones raised high.
-
-
The Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of God be upon him) has said: ”Whoever dies while still invoking anything other than God as a rival to Him, will enter Hell (Fire). And whoever dies without invoking anything as a rival to God, will enter Paradise.”
-
-
Our blessed last Prophet of Allâh has also stated: ”He who would get into Paradise (would be made to enjoy such an everlasting) bliss that he would neither become destitute, nor would his clothes wear out, nor his youth would decline.”
-
-
May God, the most Merciful guide your heart towards Islâm, and have mercy upon you with the peace of faith and the everlasting light of truth.
-
-
Wishing you peace and guidance
-
Finnish Islamic Association (Islamin Aika)
-
Contact us – helsinki@ islaminaika.com