Islamic Blog for New Muslims: Support for New Muslim Converts

"So, when the sacred months expire, kill the polytheists wherever you find them, and catch them and besiege them and sit in ambush for them everywhere. Then, if they repent and establish Salāh and pay Zakāh, leave their way. Surely, Allah is most Forgiving, Very-Merciful" (Quran 9:5) The Holy Quran was revealed to guide humanity through every aspect of life. It is an instructional manual that mandates just how one's life should be lived, with teachings for both individuals and all of so...

"Fight those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, nor comply with what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden, nor embrace the religion of truth from among those who were given the Scripture, until they pay the tax, willingly submitting, fully humbled" (Quran 9:29) There is wisdom and logic behind the concept of Jizya. The word Jizya is derived from the word Jaza, which translates to mean compensation. Jizya was a form of compensation or payment to the Islamic State for its public se...

Among the most misunderstood and abused terms and concepts of Islam, both by non-Muslims and Muslims alike is the Sharia Law. Sharia is often portrayed in the media as evil and barbaric, an evil that extremists and terrorists follow, preach, and try to spread in the West. The media often do this for political reasons. The term "Sharia" linguistically originates from an Arabic word meaning "a path that leads to a watering place." Figuratively, the word refers to a clear, straight path. I...

Prophet Muhammad PBUH received the text of the Holy Quran from Angel Gabriel, who, in turn, received it directly from God. The Holy Quran was not revealed to Prophet Muhammad PBUH at one time, nor were they revealed to him in order. Instead, the Verses of the Holy Quran were revealed to Prophet Muhammad PBUH over the course of 23 years and often would be delivered in the wake of a current event happening in the time of Prophet Muhammad PBUH and his early Muslim companions. Angel Gabrie...

Two separate branches of Muslim predominate this faith. 90% of the Muslim world is Sunni, and 8% is Shia in faith. The followers of Shia are commonly found in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Bahrain, and a few other places. The difference between Sunni and Shia arose because of a political division at the time in history when Shia followers went their separate way. Yet, while the split started as a difference of opinion in politics, some significant theological differences emerged later, with Shia incor...

Islam is a greatly misunderstood faith, especially in the western world, and no Islamic term is more widely misunderstood and decried as the word Jihad. Jihad often is mistranslated to mean Holy War. Some non-Muslims misunderstand the term to indicate the waging of war against disbelievers, to convert them to Islam or kill them. Often, the word Jihad is thought to be synonymous with terrorism, but this couldn't be further from the truth. Jihad comes from an Arabic word meaning "to make ...

There is a misconception that a woman's testimony is worth half of that of a man in Islam. This can be traced to Verse 2:282 in the Holy Quran, which states that two men are to be called upon to witness a financial contract; if two men are not available, then one man and two women would suffice. So, two women would testify in place of a single male witness: "O believers! When you contract a loan for a fixed period of time, commit it to writing… Call upon two of your men to witness. If two men...

As Islam spread quickly throughout the world in such a short period, many assume that the sword spread Islam by way of holy wars. But was this the case? One must distinguish between the Islamic State Empire and the Islamic Faith to understand this. Let's first address the Islamic State Empire. When leaders of the Empire believed they could offer a system better suited for civilizations, they sometimes enacted their powers to expand their reach to other nations, thus benefiting the peopl...

The media frequently portrays Islam as a religion that oppresses women. Sadly, women are oppressed in a few Muslim countries around the world, but any form of emotional, physical, or psychological abuse or oppression towards women is prohibited in the faith and strongly goes against the teachings and laws of Islam. The suppression of women occurs in many parts of the world, regardless of the oppressor's religion or culture—or even if the oppressor is an atheist. And no Islamic laws exist sanc...

We'll go over the concept of Hell in some detail before discussing why God would create Hell, knowing that some people will be condemned. Life is a test, with the test ending at death. Every atom of good and evil that one performs in their lifetime is recorded in their book of deeds, a book to be presented on the Day of Judgment--when every soul will be held accountable for their actions. While in the grave, the deceased souls that deserve to go to Hell will experience suffering, whereas thos...

The last pillar of the Islamic faith, one that every Muslim believes, is the concept of Al-Qadr, which closely translates to predestination or pre-ordainment (sometimes translated as predestination/Divine Decree, destiny, or fate). When one believes in the tenet of Al-Qadr, translated as "Divine Decree," they affirm that everything--good or bad--that happens in their life emanates from God the Almighty and is something He willed to happen. Al-Qadr, in Arabic, translates to mean to measure, to...

Muhammad PBUH comes in contemplation of his judgment and ethics in marrying his wife, Aisha R.A, given that she was of a young age. Authentic narrations of Aisha R.A. state that she was six years old when the marriage took place in Mecca and nine years old when she moved into the house of Prophet Muhammad PBUH in Medina and consummated her marriage. Aisha was the daughter of Prophet Muhammad PBUH's best friend, Abu Bakr R.A, who stood by Prophet Muhammad PBUH when others did not. Abu Ba...

Fasting during the Month of Ramadan is the 4th pillar of Islam. The Holy Month of Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and can last 29 or 30 days. Muslims fast by abstaining from eating, drinking, chewing gum, smoking, and partaking in any sexual activity from dawn to sunset. Fasting in Islam does not consist solely of refraining from food and drink; instead, you abstain from evil, selfish desire, and wrongdoing. The purpose of fasting is not merely for the body; instead, ...