50 Question of interest about Islam

50 Question of interest about Islam

by

OLIVE TOTO 

Excerpt from book 

"The Islamic Review and Arab Affairs

My dear, boys and girls.

I have a few question to answer for you.

I know you know already that Islam is a belief in One and only One God, and that Muhammad is the Last Prophet. And also that Islam revers all the prophet (the only religion that does it ), I also know you know that our Prophet was born in Arabia and that his mother's name was Aminah and his father's name was Abdullah. But I have a few different questions that might interest you. So, my dear children, here they are. I know what is like when you is at school; friend think all kinds of funny things about us Muslims; and therefore we must be ready to answer any questions whatever they are. Never get annoyed with asking you any question, even if it seems silly to you. Always remember many years Islam was misunderstood. Of course, not so much now. But even now, some people do not understand Islam. And it is your job , young as you are to make Islam understood by all.

Question 1  : Name the religion which wants its followers to believe in only One God for whom the word in   

                    Arabic is Allah, and the word in English is God.

Answer  1 : Islam is that religion.

Question 2 : Name the religion that believes in all the prophets and also believes in the prophet Muhammad 

                   as the Last prophet .

Answer 2 : Islam is the only religion that believes all that is said above.

Question 3: What religion believes that Jesus is a prophet?

Answer 3 : Islam is that religion. 

Question 4 : What are the followers of Islam called?

Answer 4 : Muslim  

Question 5. Why cannot a Muslim call himself a Muhammadan?

Answer 5 : Because, as you know, the Christians worship Jesus Christ or through him, therefore they are 

                  called Christians. A Muslim does not worship Muhammad. So he must not be called a  

                  Muhammadan, because it gives a wrong impression.  

Question 6 : A little child asks this question with reference to the above Answer 5 (the child is a little girl who 

                   asks. But what if my teacher calls me a Muhammadan and I am too shy to correct her?

Answer 6 : Little girl! If you let anyone call you a Muhammadan you are doing a lot of harm to all Muslims 

                  everywhere. Never be too shy to stand up for Islam, if there is any likehood of Islam being 

                  misunderstood. As for your teacher, she will admire you if you put your hand up and politely give 

                  the reason why you must not be called a Muhammadan.

Question 7 : Who gave the name of Islam to our religion?

Answer 7 : Allah gave the name of Islam to this religion which was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. A 

                  statement about this in the Holy Qur'an (our Holy Book)

Question 8 : Does a Muslim need anyone to wash away his or her sins or did anyone die on a cross to save 

                    us?

Answer 8 : No, definitely no. A Muslim must wash away his own sins with prayer to Allah, if he is truly sorry. 

                 We Muslims believe that no man must die for us to wash away our sins, and that Allah could        

                 never want any one to die for our sins.

Question 9 : Does a Muslim, need a priest to confess to? Does he make confession in a confession boxes?

Answer 9 :  Islam is against such thing, and there are no confession boxes. A Muslim prays straight to Allah 

                   himself.

Question 10: What is the meaning of the word Islam?

Answer 10 : The word Islam means submission or to submit to Allah.

Question 11 : In  Islam we have five important things to believe in. These important things we call pillars. You 

                     can guess why they are called pillars because they hold Islam up. Islam rest on them. Please 

                     name these five Pillars.  

Answer 11 :  1. Faith in Allah and the Divine of Muhammad.

                    2. Prayer 

                    3. Fasting during the month of fasting, called Ranadhan.

                    4. The Zakat (this is a kind of poor-rate and also a rate for the community's benefit and a 

                        charity  to help any good cause. This is 2.5 percent tax on one's yearly earnings, or more if 

                        possible).

                    5. The Hajj, or the pilgrimage to Mecca at a certain time of the year. For this pilgrimage you 

                        have to be in Mecca before the 7th day of the 12th month of the Muslim year and stay there 

                        until the 11th day of the same month. A visit to the Ka'abah at Mecca at any other time is 

                        called 'Umrah', which means 'the minor pilgrimage' 

Question 12: What does Islam think of  labour, or in other words, work?

Answer 12 : Every kind of  labour which enables a man to live honestly is respected by Islam.

Question 13:  I have my Holy Qur'an to believe in and follow. But how must I think about the other holy 

                    books?

Answer  13 : We must respect all holy books because all holy books were brought by a prophet and from 

                     Allah. But it is sad to say these holy books have not remained intact.

Question 14 : Why did we need the Last Prophet, the prophet Muhammad, and the last Holy Book, the Holy 

                      Qur'an?

Answer 14  : We need a last prophet, which is Muhammad because the Divine massage may other prophet 

                     brought has been altered and misunderstood. We needed a last book because this, the Qur'an, 

                     is the only book that has no been altered, as millions of Muslims know it by heart, whereas 

                     other holy books have been altered. If all copies of the Qur'an (which Allah forbid!) were   

                     burnt, the very next moment the Qur'an would spring to live again from the million who know it 

                     by heart. So you can see, there is no chance of this book, the Qur'an being lost or altered.

Question  15 : We have spoken a lot about Allah, but who is He?

Answer 15 : He is the maker of everything. He made the worlds and all things in them. He tells us is the Holy Qur'an (which was revealed 1 400 years ago) about the worlds, not only this world. He is the maker or every thing. He is the spirit that watches over us and guides us. He has no family, sons or daughters. He is one, and only one, not three in one. He sees everything if one is truly repentant. He punishes those who do not repent or try to be good. 

Question 16 : If someone asked you. "Can Islam be understood by all?" What would be the answer?

Answer 16 : It is the simplicity and common sense of Islam that appeals to all who accept it, "Why," one says, " I must have always been a Muslim because I always believed in One God and all the prophets. Of course, I did not know about Muhammad being the Last Prophet, but now I understand and see how sensible it is." These remarks I have really heard often.

Question 17 : Does Islam mention the poor and the orphans?

Answer 17 : Yes, so much so that one can write a whole book about it.

Question 18 : Can a Muslim gamble?

Answer 18 : A simple No!

Question 19 : Can a Muslim drink alcohol?

Answer 19 : Definitely NO, and one day all people will see the course of drink.

Question 20 : What would you call Islam? 

Answer 20 : A religion; a way of life which must be in use always, not just for prayer time on Fridays. Islam must always be with you in the home, in politics, in business, in marriage, in sleeping, eating, living and dying. It is what you boys and girls know the common words a must.

Question 21 : Name some of things that Islam says it is wrong to do.

Answer 21 : It is wrong to hate, steal, lie, to be jealous, or kill, and to have such pride that it becomes haughtiness; also it wrong to be cruel to animals, to eat pork, used bad language. It is wrong to rob in business and otherwise. Never sigh a contract which you do not mean to keep. Never borrow and not pay back. It is a sin. Never incur debts which you will never be able to pay. Just ask your heart, is this right or wrong? It will tell you if you are Muslim. The Prophet once said. "Sin is that thing which hurts inside your chest."

Question 22 : Does a Muslim have any sacred animals as the Hindus have, such as the cow, for instance?

Answer 22 : No, none at all. But all animals, said our Prophet, must be treated with kindness.

Question 23 : Does a Muslim think of any river as sacred and holy?

Answer 23 : No.

Question 24 : Must a preacher be ordained before he can the prayers or give a sermon in a mosque? 

Answer 24 : No. There are no priest in Islam. But there are men trained to lecture and lead  prayers and to study every point of Islam. These persons are called Imam, but any good man can stand and lead the prayers in any mosque.

Question 25 : Will another Prophet ever come? 

Answer 25 : No. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the Last Prophet. No more prophet will ever come.

Question  26: Does a prophet always bring a holy book or message?
Answer 26 : We muslims believe they always bring a book and a message.


Question 27 : Are we born in sin? What does Islam say about this?
Answer 27 : No. We are born sinless. But we can become sinful if we do not take Allah's advice and pray for help. I ask you or anyone, can any mother honestly believe her baby is born sinful? Can she believe her cuddle some little bundle was born sinful and that some man must say a prayer before it can go to heaven, if Allah calls it? A Muslim will never believes this. I doubt if any mother really would or does. 

Question 28: What was the good woman. Mary, the Mother of God?
Answer 28: No. The good women Mary was not the Mother of God. She was the mother of the Prophet Jesus. Allah has no mother. 


Question 29: Does a Muslim believe that Jesus is God or a part of God and that he took the shape of a man and came down to die for our sins?
Answer 29: No. A Muslim must not believe in this.


Question 30: Does our Holy Book, the Qur'an, mention Jesus and his mother, Mary?
Answer 30: Yes. With great respect the mother of Jesus is mentioned, but only  as a good woman, not as one to pray through or to; and Jesus as a good man and a prophet of Allah.



 To Be Continue 
6 May 2011