Muslims only please?

Question

I'm having trouble converting to Islam, i dont understand the denominations can you help me? and i'm having trouble understanding the ka'bah why is it sacred to Muslims. thanks for your answers!

what dont you people get about MUSLIMS ONLY PLEASE i dont care about your opnions only those of muslims you are not helping!

I'm searching for my religion i was born into a christian family so that was my first religion then converted to wicca then judaism and now here i am please i search alot i just need a little help dont make this harder then it already is. thank you!

Answer 1

With any system of belief there must be a foundation in which it is built upon. The five pillars of Islam is that foundation for Muslims. The pillars are profession of faith, prayer, fasting during the month of Ramadan, and pilgrimage to Mecca.

The profession of faith is the first pillar of Islam. One must profess “There is no god but God and Muhammad is the Prophet of God.” It is the first because it is foundational; all else—the rest of the pillars, ethics, the Muslim’s entire life—depends on this declaration of faith. By doing so the Muslim is committing to absolute monotheism, an unshakable and uncompromising faith I the oneness or unity. It is also to affirmation of Muhammad as the messenger of God, the last and final prophet, who serves as a model for the Muslim community. A Muslim must also believe in one God, who alone is worthy of worship; belief in angels, spiritual beings who do the will of God; belief in scared books, including the Torah, the Psalms, and the Gospels; belief in the prophets, as examples to follow and as spokesmen of God, with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus primary among others; and belief in the Day of Judgment and resurrection. This is to be done each time a person prays.

Prayer or salat is the profession of the faith through prayer, 5 times a day. This will begin at seven. The prayer is to be performed at sunrise, noon, afternoon, evening and night while facing Makkah, the holy city and center of Islam, Muslims, individually or in a group, can perform their prayers. The prayer can be as long or short as needed from 2 to 30 minutes. Before prayer one must be clean, therefore the ceremonial bathing or Wudu must be performed. Here the hands are washed the right first three times, then the mouth three times, the nose three times, the arms wrist to elbows beginning with the right, the face three times, the head and ears one time each, ending with the feet right then left to the ankle. Without this ritual washing, a symbolic restoration of the believer to original purity and balance, the salat is not valid. If there is no water one may use sand. When praying one may pray in the mosque or alone, if a mosque is unavailable, a prayer rug may serve as a mosque. If the prayer does not have a rug the Muslim can pray anywhere that is clean. One should be focused facing Makkah and Ka'abah. The prayer is a process of several bows before and placing the head on the floor, during which one will recite the Takbir, “Allaha Akbar” or “God is greatest.” By placing the head on floor you are as low as you can be to God, showing submission to God. On Friday there is a communal prayer, only men are required to attend the Friday congregational prayer. If woman attend, for reasons of modesty due to the prostrations, they stand at the back, often separated by a curtain, or in a side room.

Almsgiving or zakat is another way to help with the poorer people in our world. This is a form of social security system and organized welfare program which helps a Muslim society share its wealth and maintain an equitable society. Zakat is not regarded as charity since it is not really voluntary but instead it is owed, by those who have received their wealth as a trust from God’s bounty, to the poor. This is a personal tax made on the individual beyond personal and business expenses, donations to charity, and state taxes. Zakat is seen as an act of worship, very much like prayer and fasting, and the money donated is earmarked for the poor, needy, disabled, and other deprived people. Although this collection began as a collection by the government it was late and still in most cases applied to the individual. In recent years a number of governments (Pakistan, the Sudan, Libya) have asserted the government’s right to a zakat tax.

Fasting during the month of Ramadan is the forth pillar. The month of Ramadan was chosen for the annual period of personal spiritual renewal because it was in the last ten days of Ramadan that Muhammad experienced his ‘Night of Power’ and first received revelations from Allah which were to become the Quran. During this month all Muslims are to fast from sunrise to sunset, they are to fast from food, drink, gambling, sexual activity, and all sensuous pleasures. One must maintain a clean mind and body by purifying oneself, the age requirement same as for prayer. It is a time when the spiritual values of love, honesty, devotion, generosity, and social concern are deepened. Ramadan is seen as a time for reflection and spiritual discipline, for expressing gratitude for God’s guidance and atoning for past sins, for awareness of human frailty and dependence on God, as for remembering and responding to the needs of the poor and hungry. At the end of the month Muslims is a time of celebration. It is a time for family reunions and gift giving and a holiday. There is usually a sacrifice of a lamb or other animal that is given to the poor. Many in today’s world have a hard time with fasting because of temptation.

The fifth pillar is pilgrimage or Hajj to Makkah. After Muhammad destroyed the idols in Ka'abah and Makkah became a place for Muslims to come together as so many had done since Abraham built the Ka’abah. Once in a lifetime, if health and material means permit, a Muslim is expected to make a religious journey to Makkah. This journey, two months after Ramadan in the month of Dhu al-Hijja, requires for one to save sometimes for a lifetime, the pilgrim cannot borrow and go into debt to make the pilgrimage. A Hajj is invalid if one has to go into debt to make the trip. As people enter Mecca they must go threw the same routes that early Muslims did. The Hajj provides an opportunity to reenact the founding of Islam and renew link with Abraham, Hagar, Ishmael, and of course, Muhammad. It is a return to origins, to roots, to the prestige of the beginnings. As you enter Ka'abah everyone is equal; encouraging atonement. Clothing is removed and a white shroud, such as a burial cloth, is put on to remind us that we are all mortal. This shroud is often used to bury the person later. Muslims from around the world—of all classes, colors, nationality, and races—are there in the same dress, performing the same rituals. There is also no rank or privilege in this holy place because we are without rank before Allah. As pilgrims enter the Ka’abah they move in a counterclockwise direction, they circle the Ka’abah seven times. A major part of the pilgrimage is to visit the Plain of Arafat, “from noon to sunset, the pilgrims stand before God in repentance, seeking His forgiveness for themselves and all Muslims throughout the world. It was there on the Mount of Mercy the Prophet gave last message. Once again, the preacher repeats Muhammad’s call for peace and harmony among the believers. On the tenth day of the month the feast of Id al-Adha, the Feast of Sacrifice, occurs. The feast consists of ceremony and prayer, if the family or person can afford it, sacrifice of an animal The sacrifice is in remembrance of the sheep sent in place of Ishmael. Part of this sacrifice is to be given to the poor.

These are the Pillars of Islam; they are the basis of a Muslims way of life. All else is built upon these principles. A Muslim must have a profession of faith, prayer, fasting during the month of Ramadan, and pilgrimage to Mecca.

Some books that might help you are:

Arat, Yasim. Rethinking Islam and Liberal Demoracy: Islamist Women in Turkish Politics. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. 2005

Esposito, John. Islam: The Straight Path. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. Third Edition

Esposito, John. The Islamic Threat. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999

Göle, Nilüfer. The Forbidden Modern: Civilization and Veiling. University of Michagan Press. 1997

Haleem, Muhammad Abdel. “Understanding the Quran; Themes and Style.” 2001. I.B. Tauris and Co. Ltd. New York

Kennedy, Hugh. The Prophet and the Age of the Caliphates. Harlow, England. Pearson Education. 1986

Mernissi, Fatima. “Beyond the Veil; Male-Female Dynamics in Modern Muslim Society.” 1987 Indiana University Press.

Ochsenwald, William and Sydney Nettleton Fisher. The Middle East a history. Mc Graw Hill. Boston Mass. 2004 Sixth Edition

Schimmel, Annemarie. Islam: an Introduction. Albany, NY: State University of NY, 1992

Tekeli, Sirin. Women in Modern Turkish Society. Zed Books Ltd. London. 1988

Wadud, Amina. “Quran and Women; Rereading the sacred Text from a Woman’s Perspective.” 1999. Oxford University Press. New York.

Webb, Gisela. ‘Windows of Faith; Muslim Women Scholar-Activists in North America.” 2000. Syracuse University Press.

White, Jenny. Islamist Mobilization in Turkey: A Study in Vernacular Politics. University of Washington Press. Seattle. 2002

Zepp, Ira G. A Muslim Primer: Beginners’ Guide to Islam. Fayetteville, AR: The University of Arkansas Press, 2000. Second Edition

Answer 2

About the denominations, just forget about it. What you will learn from thq Quran and Hadeeth (saying of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) ) will be perfect for you and all the Muslims. Nowadays, Muslims are realizing that denominations are playing a bad part on our lives. Just stick what the Allah says and you will be a good Muslims.

Your question about Kaaba will be answered by this URL http://www.therevival.co.uk/?p=244 :)

Please remember, Muslims do NOT worship Kaaba. To learn more about the Kaaba, please visit http://encyclopedia.wowla.com/?title=Kaaba

If you still have any confusions, please feel free to contact me at [e-mail]. There are various misconceptions about Islam and you should clear your mind before embracing Islam. For instance:

1. Does Jihad means killing all non-Muslims?
2. Why Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had 11 wives?
3. Why Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) married Hazrat Ayesha, she she was 6-8 years old?
4. If Islam is the best religion, why Muslims are sufferings the most in these days?

These are a few questions that may arise in your mind. Please don't keep them in your mind and clear the confusion.

Answer 3

first off dont listen to ignorant bigots that know nothing bout islam.. terroist r not true muslims in the eyes of Allah. there is nothing more peaceful then true islam. the best thing u can do if interested in islam is to contact ur local islamic center, u can find them in the phone book or online search. if not ready for this then try any islamic chat room and ask to learn more about true islam there will be hundreds if not thousands ready to tell u all they know. i know i am a new revert. alhamdulillia i glad u have the nerve to ask. my Allah bless you and ur family forever. assalam alikum.
ohh by the way the Ka'bah in my understanding was the first house of god build but the prophet Ibraheem (pbuh) but dont quote me on this.. i am just 4 months into the joys of islam myself..

Answer 4

Peace be upon you Robert,

I personally am a convert myself to the faith of Islam. Obviously reading several of the responses to you are very negative, ignorant, misleading, and full of hatred to a faith they themselves don't understand.
Before I embraced Islam, I was not a religious man, frankly I didn't care about God or anything. Nonetheless, Islam offered to me a direction and a faith in life that is pure of the corruption of man as might be seen in other religions. Contrary to what many think, Islam is a religion of peace above all. The greeting itself means, "Peace be upon you." I have many devout and friendly Christian and Jewish friends that have made my faith and our collective faith in God so much stronger.
About your question of the Ka''Bah: The Ka'Bah is sacred to Muslims on many grounds. First of all, it was the first Mosque to be built ever, it is a common direction where all Muslims face during their prayer, and finally it is the location of the sacred pilgrimage.
I am very glad that you have chosen to look into this pure faith despite of all the anti-Muslim sentiment generated by the current wars, etc. In my local Mosque, we have many faithful converts coming in every week, and it is my great honor to meet these people like you and pray that God guides on the true path of peace and love.

Peace, Your Muslim Brother

Answer 5

If u really wanna be a Muslim, u don't have to listen to all those people who r talking to u (whatever with or against the Islam), don't let them affect ur mind
to find ur right way, u must trust, read & understand The Qur'an ( & Hadeeth also), this is the only way for u to know the reality of Islam (extremely peaceful religion, believe me)

Answer 6

converting to islam is advisable if you really understnad the religion. Islam is the religion of peace. If you are interested in converting please find a mosque or an islamic priest who lives in your area or nearby and you can get the advise from them. If you can find a mosque andywhere then you can ask the person in the mosque to help you. God has not given permission to the people to kill others unless they are being killed becasue they are muslims. muslims are being killed in various places by the people from other religion this should stop so all the world wil be in peace.

Answer 7

The Ka'bah was built by the prophets Ibrahim (as) and Ismail (as) as a place of worship. It was the first house of God. Later on, in the prophet Muhammad's time, when the commad of prayer came, the original Qibla was Jerusalem, but it got changed to Makkah later on. The Ka'bah is the holiest site of worship in Islam because it was the first house of God.

Answer 8

Don't worry about denominations, they're really not what Islam is about. They play up the Sunni/Shiite thing on the news, but basically a Muslim is a Muslim. Go to a mosque and talk to some people, it will be more informative than what you'll find on here.

Answer 9

Don't listen to all the Jesus Freaks and Bigots here. I'm sorry, I'm not Muslim either, but my family is. In fact my grandmother just made her pilgrimage to Mecca. There are a lot of internet resources and forums better than Yahoo Answers that could help you. And they're populated by Muslims.

Answer 10

It's easy to spot a false religion.

1) They claim to speak FOR God.

2) They claim to know the will of God

3) They claim to carry out the will of God

4) They kill on behalf of God (as if God couldn't do the killing on His own if He really wanted to kill someone)

5) They claim to have ALL the truth that will ever be revealed.

6) Their beliefs are based on NOTHING aside from warm, spiritual feelings they get.

DUDE!!! Don't be a Muslim... or a Baptist or a Catholic or a Mormon. They all are convinced that they are the one, true church, and it's all based on NOTHING more than the warm feelings that they get from being righteous. And they're willing to believe whatever they're told to believe by others who are self-proclaimed speakers on behalf of God. They sacrifice so much of their lives and their talents simply to follow something that they have no real IDEA of whether it's really true.

Use your own brain. Stay spiritual. Spirituality is important and it's part of being human. But don't EVER turn off your brain just to believe what someone else says. ESPECIALLY about God.

Answer 11

first of all, to most of the above i remember him asking muslims and not for your opinions...

now the Ka'bah is a place of worship built by prophet Abraham. Its a place of worship, placed in the center of the world, a place where muslims world wide gather to worship Allah. it signifies the unity. It is refered to as Allah's house because our prophets built ot for purposes of worship.The Ka'bah is much more than a mosque( place of worship); it is believed to be the place where the heavenly bliss and power touch the earth directly.

about the denominations, there are two major one shia or shi'it and sunni.

before the death of the Prophet Muhammed(pbuh) he elected Ali to be the Imam after him. But after his death many arguemnts occured over that, which resulted in Abu Bakr being leader.

Some people still followed Ali (called shias now)
and the ones who chose Aby Bakr (called sunnis)

hope i helped...and im REALLy proud of you.