Instances of suicide or self-killing have been known throughout recorded history. It was known and discussed in the ancient Greek and Roman civilisations; it has been noted in the Jewish and Christian faiths and is mentioned in the classical Hindu books. Suicide or hara kiri is part of the ancient Japanese honour code and is … Read more
(part 1 of 3) Introduction At the heart of Islam lies belief in God. The core of the Islamic creed is bearing witness to the phrase, La illaha illa Allah, “There is no true deity deserving worship but God.” The testimony to this belief, calledtawhid, is the axis around which all Islam revolves. Moreover, it … Read more
(part 1 of 3): Who is Allah? In any discussion about the Names of God, it is important to understand that Muslims believe in One True God, the only Creator, the One Who has Dominion over all that exists, has ever existed or will come to exist. A Muslim worships the same One God whom … Read more
Reality of Angels In common folklore, angels are thought of as good forces of nature, hologram images, or illusions. Western iconography sometimes depicts angels as fat cherubic babies or handsome young men or women with a halo surrounding their head. In Islamic doctrine, they are real created beings who will eventually suffer death, but are … Read more
“O My slaves who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of God: verily, God forgives all sins. Truly He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Quran 39:53) God did not create humankind for any purpose other than to worship Him. However being human makes us frail and forgetful … Read more
Belief in the scriptures revealed by God is the third article of Islamic faith. We can identify four main reasons for the revelation of scriptures: (1) The scripture revealed to a prophet is a point of reference to learn the religion and obligations towards God and fellow human beings. God reveals Himself and explains the … Read more
Christians refer to God as Father in their creeds, prayers, and liturgy. God, the Father, is seen as one of the three persons of Trinity. They believe that the Father has a Son, Jesus. Christians think they alone have a personal relationship, both with the Father and the Son. Abba is said to be the … Read more
Belief in certain prophets who God chose to relay His message to humans is a required article of Islamic faith. “The Prophet (Muhammad) believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in God, His Angels, His Books, and His prophets. (They say,) ‘We … Read more
(part 1 of 2) Many people mistakenly assume that true wealth and real treasure is that of money. It is indeed true that wealth is a great blessing from God which He bestows upon His servants. And the one who earns it purely, and spends it properly, and gives it to those that deserve it, … Read more
Everyone is scared of dying and rightly so. The uncertainty of what lies beyond is frightening. It may be that of all religions, Islam, provides the most graphic details of what comes after death and lies beyond. Islam views death to be a natural threshold to the next stage of existence. Islamic doctrine holds that … Read more