What is the "REAL ISLAM"?

Question

Ok, please, somebody tell me the REAL ISLAM!!! I have been on websites, read books, etc...

What is REAL ISLAM?? Is it peace, war?
Who was Muhammed? Peaceful merchant or war monger?
Does Islam want to take over the world or make peace with it?

I have never gotten a clear answer on this, it goes from one extreme to the other.

Please do not spread hate, I really want to know...

Wow, I am sooooo glad I asked this question!! Thank you for your answers, so far I am really getting great comments!!!

I can't wait to see more!!!

B...

Actually, I visited the website called askislam.com and they sent me a whole slew of information and a beautiful Quran with translations and everything. The Quran is a beautiful book and I have memorized the first paragraph in Arabic.

ibrahim ...

that was great information, thank you so much. I loved the part when you said
"To run to Allah, He is already with you"

That really hit my heart hard!!!

Answer 1

As salaamu 'alaikym, my friend.

Insha'Allah, thank you for your interest in learning something about the nature of Islam. May Allah, Subhanna wa Ta'ala, guide you in your pursuit of the truth.

Insha'Allah, "Islam" means peace (having "slm", pronounced salaam, as its root) through the submission to the Will of Allah (swt).
Islam is a complete religous system that covers all aspects of our human existance from how to pray, to how to conduct ourselves in social situations, how we are to treat all others and when, how and to what limit we are to protect ourselves and others, etc.
Islam, as a religion, is not out to counquer the world, nor to force any person who does not wish to do so to follow the teachings of the same. Religion is an invitation from God, whether we refer to this Deity as Allah, Subhanna wa Ta'ala, YHWH or Trinity Father, to mankind calling us to follow the course of life God prefers for us. In that we are given free will, we each may make our choice to follow this call or to refuse it. Such a choice is personal and the conseqences of the same are also personal as no one will be able to carry the burden of anothers choices.
The Prophet Muhammad (salaahu 'alaihi wasallaam) was a merchant from the city of Makkaah (i.e., Mecca) whom, during a period of fasting and meditation, Allah (swt) called to be His final messenger to all of mankind. Such began the series of revelations, spanning some twenty seven years, that became the Holy Qur'an and which has been maintained, without additions, editting, or corruptions from that time to the present.
Insha'Allah, the Prophet Muhammad (saw) lived and examplary life of the highest of personal conduct, fairness and honesty in all of his dealings with others (even and especailly with those who considered themselves his enemies), and of the highest moral standards. His life teachings have been recorded in the Sunnah al Hadith, which are and have been authenticated through rigorous examination and study.
Islam is also a social system that teaches justice, fairness, honesty, equality, support of all members, promotes education and learning, tolerance of all others, freedom of religion, etc., as one submits to the Will of Allah (swt) and lives in the freedom the same gives and implies.

Insha'Allah, you may be having difficulty in discerning what is "Islam" due to what you are seeing or are hearing reported from other countries and cultures.
In many supposedly Islamic countries, one hears of barbaric practices that would seem incompatible with the teachings of Islam. In fact, this is the case, they are incompatible with the teachings of Islam.
During the time of the Prophet Muhammad (saw), as persons of various cultural backgrounds began to convert to Islam, some suggested that they accept Islam while still retaining the old and customary pracitces they were accustomed to. The Prophet (saw) told them that such was not possible and they they must choose between Islam and their old ways.
Sadly, in many supposedly Islamic countries, the old ways have become mixed with Islam and not for the better.
It is also clear in this day and age that many persons have twisted the teachings of Islam so as to mislead others for their own purposes. This is a development due to the fact that currently , many persons who claim Islam as their faith can not read the Holy Qur'an and must rely on those who can to "teach" them what is contained therein. Unscroupulous persons have been able to promote false teachings, distorted ethics and thereby manipulate the uneducated.
Insha'Allah, it is wise to read the Holy Qur'an for ones self (it has been translated into every language although, if one is able, it is always best to read it in the original language in which it was revealed for the fullest possible understanding) so as to experience the teachings contained therein first hand. I would recommend the English trasnlation by A. Yusuf Ali, which is accurate and still retains a sense of the poetic beauty of the Arabic.
Insha'Allah, to learn about the Prophet Muhammad (saw) from a non-Muslim source and one that might be a good starting point for a Western reader, I would recommend , "Muhammad, a Prophet for Our Times", by Karen Armstrong.
To help you come to a better understanding of the life of the Last Prophet, as well as the social teachings of Islam and how they were put into practice during the life time of the Prophet (saw), I would reccommend, "In the Footsteps of the Prophet", by Tariq Ramadan.
If you have further questions, I would suggest that you use "Islamicfinder.com" so as to locate the mosque nearest you. You can go and visit with Muslims, ask your questions and receive answers. I promise you that no one will try to convert you. However, you will be welcomed and well received.

Insha'Allah, if I have said or written anything that is true or helpful to you or others, it is from Allah, Subhanna wa Ta'ala, and all praise and glory is due to Him and to Him alone. Any mistakes that I may have made are my own and I pray that Allah, Subhanna wa Ta'ala, will forgive me and guide me to the truth. Alhumdulillah!

May Allah (swt) guide you in your sincere search for the truth and meaning of Islam and of your life, remembering that those whom Allah (swt) guides are truly guided and no one can lead them astray and that those whom He leaves astray no one can guide except Him.

There is an old Islamaic saying that when one crawls towards Allah (swt), He is walking towards them. If one walks towards Allah (swt), He is running towards them. If one runs towards Allah (swt), He is already with them.

As salaamu alaikym warahmatullahi wabaraktuh, my friend (may the peace and blessing of Allah (swt) be uopn you).

Ma'a salaam.

Answer 2

Hello Pagan Lotus! You already have such great answers, especially from brother Ibrahim, masha'allah. I can't think of much else to add except I have read the two books that brother Ibrahim mentions and they are VERY good! -Especially for westerners to read as they were written by ppl that understand the west (one a non-Muslim, the other a Muslim) as opposed to some books that were written by people who never set foot in the west and can be hard for a westerner to understand at first (no offense). So these two books are a good place to start. (Obviously the Quran too).

I also want so say that Islam (peace through submission to God) is not out to conquer ppl. The only way Islam "conquers" anyone is through their hearts when they learn to let go of their ego and submit themselves to God and find inner (and eventually outer) peace. Peace starts from within. If everyone had inner peace, outer peace in the world would come.

Answer 3

That is a very big question to answer on R&S. Thank you for taking the time and consideration to ask questions about Islam, and seek truthful answers before judging our religion.

Although, I have to be honest with you. If you would really like to know about the real Islam, I would advise you to visit or call your local mosque and speak to the sheikh. He will be able to give you the answers you are looking for, in the least confusing way possible. Don't always trust websites because not all of them are reliable, and neither is R&S because you can get skewed answers, even though the intentions of the individual are good.

Good luck and I hope that you find the answers that you are looking for.

Answer 4

The true Islam is peace. Too many liars and hypocrites.

1) Jihad is not holy war, it means struggle. The lowest Jihad is war.

2) 0.1% of Muslims are terrorists.

3) 94% of terrorists are not Muslim.

4) Muhammad never married a 9 yr old girl, she was mathematically 16-18.

5) The Jews attempted to kill Muhammad twice, course he'll do something.

6) He forgave his persecutors when he had the opportunity to execute them.

7) He gave the Jews 2 chances, not one. He had the power to drag them away but he didn't.

Answer 5

Salam alaykum,

Im so glad that you want to learn the true islam. There is so much misconceptions about islam. People need to stop letting others do thier thinking for them. *Islam is a beautiful peacful religion*. I found this online and i think this gives a really good definition about islam. Its called "What You Didnt know about islam". Its written very nice, and makes it easy do understand. http://www.sharingislamicknowledge.com/books/IslamQ&A/What%20you%20didnt%20know%20about%20Islam.pdf

Good luck and i hope this helped :0)

Answer 6

My brothers and sisters who answered before me gave you excellent answers and I cannot do better than them, May Allah bless all of them and jazahom Allah kheir.

However, I would like participate in a small share by providing you with the following link, which is a simplified information about Islam, hope it will assist you:

http://www.dawanet.com/newmuslim/manual/default.asp

Answer 7

Hey Pagan Lotus,

I wont bore you with lot of Stuff and Links.

Islam or Real Islam = 1 ALLAH

Worship 1 ALLAH & do not associate anyone else with Allah.

And now just to let you know how you follow ISLAM.

Quran is the book of law send by Allah &
Prophet Muhammad is a perfect example of how to lead life according to ISLAM.

Read Quran further or atleast complete it once
(Read it in the Langauge which you can understand well).

After Quran, Example and Teaching of Quran can be learned from the pratical incidence of Prophet Muhammad`s Life narrated in HADITH.
(BUKHARI & SAHIH MUSLIM these 2 are the most Authentic sources of Prophet Muhammad`s Life)



.........Advise to you Do not get mix in the concept of 4 Imams.

A Muslim only follow the teaching from
Quran and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (PBHU).

Prophet Muhammad (PBHU) is the only Imam and
rest are the **Tabi‘in and the Taba‘ at-Tabi‘in.

**The people of my generation are the best, then those who follow them, and then whose who follow the latter (i.e. the first three generations of Muslims).
Bukhari 3:48:819 and 820 [1] and
Muslim 31:6150 and 6151 [2]

May Allah help you in gaining right knowledge.

In order to just check what other scriputre have to say refer to this article :

http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-RiviUP8ic6eLG54qlYtTF2vOXQ--?cq=1&p=49

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"Oh Allah, I seek refuge in You lest I misguide others, or I am misguided by others, lest I cause others to err or I am caused to err, lest I abuse others or be abused, and lest I behave foolishly or meet with the foolishness of others". (Abu-Dawud, Ibn Majah, Nasa'i, At-Termithi see also Al-Albani, Sahih At-Tirmithi 3/152 and Sahih Ibn Majah 2/336).

Answer 8

American boxer, Three times World Heavyweight Champion, embraced Islam in 1965.

"I have had many nice moments in my life. But the feelings I had while standing on Mount Arafat (just outside Makka, Saudi Arabia) on the day of the Hajj (the Muslim pilgrimage), was the most unique. I felt exalted by the indescribable spiritual atmosphere there as over one and a half million pilgrims invoked God to forgive them for their sins and bestow on them His choicest blessings.

It was an exhilarating experience to see people belonging to different colours, races and nationalities, kings, heads of state and ordinary men from very poor countries all clad in two simple white sheets praying to God without any sense of either pride or inferiority.

It was a practical manifestation of the concept of equality in Islam."

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One of the first public figures in America to be identified with Islam was boxer Muhammad Ali, to whom more media attention has been given than to any other athlete. He has appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated more than thirty times, and his name and face are known to people all over the world.

Ali was born Cassius Marcellus Clay in 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky, of a Baptist mother and Methodist father. He started boxing at a young age so as to be able to buy his parents a car; by the time he was in his twenties, many considered him the greatest fighter of all time. After winning the Rome Olympics in 1960, he became the darling of the American public-handsome, charming, and greatly successful. In 1963 he recorded an album in which he extolled his own merits ("I am the greatest") in a stunt that brought him even greater publicity but also earned him some ridicule.

Eighteen days before he defeated Sonny Liston to become heavyweight champion of the world, Clay joined the "Black Muslims," influenced by Malcolm X. After his conversion he seems visibly to have changed, bragging less about his accomplishments and stressing the importance of Islam as a spiritual force in his life. Adopting the Muslim name Muhammad Ali, he has always insisted, was one of the most important occurrences in his life. He did it, however, at a time when the Nation of Islam was unpopular in the United States. The boxing commission was furious, and from a hero Ali quickly became the object of suspicion, Meanwhile, when the rift in the Nation occurred between Elijah Muhammad and Malcolm, Ali to the deep disappointment and hurt of his friend Malcolm, sided with Elijah, whom he believed to be God's messenger. In 1967, in opposition to the Vietnam War, Ali refused to be inducted into the armed forces on the grounds that he was a minister in the religion of Islam. The New York State Athletic Commission suspended his boxing license and withdrew his recognition as champion.

Muhammad Ali's later career has been extremely checkered, and it is generally recognized that he fought well beyond the time that his physical condition allowed. He was finally diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. Meanwhile, he also did a great deal of public speaking about his life and about Islam, while the government continued surveillance on him as a member of the Nation of Islam. Never a strong advocate of the Nation's racist doctrines, he did preach racial pride and became a hero of Black Americans.

Today, Ali continues to practice Islam, lending his name to the distribution of Islamic education materials. He has been a significant contributor to the financing of Islamic institutions such as Masjid al-Faatir, the first mosque built from the ground up in the city of Chicago. The truly great men of history, he has said, want not to be great themselves but to help others and be close to God.

Answer 9

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Answer 10

You know I was reading something interesting about Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. All of these religions came out of middle East and they almost have the same stories. They differ from few points, but their basic teaching is same.

All three religions got stories of Adam, eve, flood, divine birth of Jesus and Mohammad from a previous religion Zoroastrian.

Here are the links....you will also learn about Islam through this site

http://www.religioustolerance.org/noah_com.htm
http://www.hindubooks.org/sudheer_birodkar/hindu_history/zoroastrianism.html

http://www.religioustolerance.org/ev_noah.htm

Answer 11

Islam is a monotheistic religion originating with the teachings of Muhammad. The word Islam means "submission", or the total surrender of oneself to God (Allāh). A follower of Islam is known as a Muslim, meaning "one who submits (to God)".
Islam is also one of the abrahamic religions along with Christianity and Judaism.

One who clearly wants to seek knowledge on Islam open heartedly will find that this religion teaches nothing but peace and love. there is no hate in this religion. similarly one who has the intention to promote or see the bad sides will only end up seeing 'bad things', such as seeing/hearing unreliable sources.

in this day and age, specially when there are a lot of aquisations and bad spotlight on islam, people have unfortunately heard and seen bad things against islam. but for this i dearly and humbly request you do your own research and see for yourself from reliable sources.

REAL ISLAM is those who do not provoke unesesary violence, who live humbly and coexist with christians and jews alike. who help, share and love all.

passages on war have been quoted many time making islam look bad, but one must begin to read the begining, middle and the end to really understand what this passge really meant.

Muhammad (pbuh) is a messenger sent by god, just as jesus, moses, abraham etc

while all mesengers came for a specific group of people ie: thier tribe, thier community, thier people, Muhammad (pbuh) came for the WHOLE humanity, untill the last day (judgement day). thus making him our (everyones ) prophet.

Muhammad (Pbuh) was a kind gentle man, who even some top 'non muslim' researchers have said to be one of the best examples in a man ever to set foot on this world! (google it).

he was loved not only by muslims in his times, jews and christians trusted him, seeked refuge with him, and recieved love from him, only today do we hear bad things...why?

Islam does not want to take over this world, but to only tell people and deliver the message from god, the same message moses, adam, abraham, jesus, and muhammad came with, and invite people to atleast look at this religion with open heart.

what is it in this religion that makes people want to talk about, to turn to, to revert to, to inquire about?

why do muslims, pray 5 times a day and refrain from all worlds luxuries, refrain from drinks, night outs, sex, drugs....

dont you want to know or even see for yourself why?

islam is not just a religion but a way of life

i hope i have explained it well, tried making it simple, any Qs ...just ask!

peace