نسمات
مدير عام المنتدى
عدد المساهمات : 1577
تاريخ التسجيل : 12/04/2009
 |  موضوع: Are you a new Muslim? This is for you  الإثنين نوفمبر 30, 2009 6:55 am | |
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[ندعوك للتسجيل في المنتدى أو التعريف بنفسك لمعاينة هذا الرابط]
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Asalam Alaykum (Peace be with you),
Congratulations! Alhamdulillah (Praise to Allah) who has guided you to Islam, the path to success in this life and the next.
So
now you are a new Muslim with lots on your mind. Amidst the joy and
excitement of embracing Islam you may also be feeling bewildered or
confused regarding what to do next. You may have concerns about how
your family or friends will react. No doubt there is lots to learn and
obstacles to overcome, but with a sincere effort and a strong faith in
Allah, everything will fall into place. Below you will find the most
important advice we can offer you as a new Muslim. Don’t rush yourself,
go at your own pace, and most of all remember we are here to help and
support you every step of the way.
Importance of Prayer
[“The
importance of the prayer in Islam cannot be understated. It is the
first pillar of Islam that the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned
after mentioning the testimony of faith, by which one becomes a Muslim.
It was made obligatory upon all the prophets and for all peoples. Allah
has declared its obligatory status under majestic circumstances. For
example, when Allah spoke directly to Moses, He said, "And
I have chosen you, so listen to that which is inspired to you. Verily,
I am Allah! There is none worthy of worship but I, so worship Me and
offer prayer perfectly for My remembrance." [Taha 13-14]
Similarly,
the prayers were made obligatory upon the Prophet Muhammad (peace be
upon him) during his ascension to heaven. Furthermore, when Allah
praises the believers, such as in the beginning of surah al-Muminoon,
one of the first descriptions He states is their adherence to the
prayers.
The importance of prayer is demonstrated in the many
of the Prophet’s statement. For example, the Prophet (peace be upon
him) said, "The first matter that the slave
will be brought to account for on the Day of Judgment is the prayer. If
it is sound, then the rest of his deeds will be sound. And if it is
bad, then the rest of his deeds will be bad." [Recorded by al-Tabarani. According to al-Albani, it is sahih. Al-Albani, Sahih al-Jami, vol.1, p. 503.]
The
importance of the prayers lies in the fact that no matter what actions
one performs in his life, the most important aspect is one’s
relationship to Allah, that is, one’s faith (imaan), God-consciousness
(taqwa), sincerity (ikhlas) and worship of Allah (`ibaadah). This
relationship with Allah is both demonstrated and put into practice, as
well as improved and increased, by the prayer. Therefore, if the
prayers are sound and proper, the rest of the deeds will be sound and
proper; and if the prayers are not sound and proper, then the rest of
the deeds will not be sound and proper, as the Prophet (peace be upon
him) himself stated.
As for the Hereafter, Allah’s forgiveness
and pleasure is closely related to the prayers. The Messenger of Allah
(peace be upon him) said, "Allah has
obligated five prayers. Whoever excellently performs their ablutions,
prays them in their proper times, completes their bows, prostrations
and khushu` [Khushu` in the prayer is where the person’s heart is
attuned to the prayer. This feeling in the heart is then reflected on
the body. The person remains still and calm. His gaze is also lowered.
Even his voice is affected by this feeling in the heart….] has a
promise from Allah that He will forgive him. And whoever does not do
that has no promise from Allah. He may either forgive him or punish
him." [Recorded by Malik, Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Nasa’I and others.
According to al-Albani, it is sahih. Al-Albani, Sahih al-Jami, vol. 1, p. 616.] ]
The
prayers are a type of purification for a human being. He turns and
meets with his Lord five times a day. As alluded to above, this
repeated standing in front of Allah should keep the person from
performing sins during the day. Furthermore, it should also be a time
of remorse and repentance, such that he earnestly asks Allah for
forgiveness for those sins that he committed. In addition, the prayer
in itself is a good deed that wipes away some of the evil deeds that he
performed. These points can be noted in the following hadith of the
Prophet (peace be upon him):
"If
a person had a stream outside his door and he bathed in it five times a
day, do you think he would have any filth left on him?" The people
said, "No filth would remain on him whatsoever." The Prophet (peace be
upon him) then said, "That is like the five daily prayers: Allah wipes
away the sins by them." (Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim.)
In another hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "The five daily prayers and the Friday Prayer until the Friday prayer are expiation for what is between them." (Recorded by Muslim.)”] [1]
Okay
so now you ask yourself…I know the prayer is so important, how do I
learn how to pray? There are many sources on the internet which explain
the purification and prayers, and that’s a good way to get an idea. But
to really learn how to do it correctly you have to make the effort of
finding a practicing Muslim to help you. A good place to do so is at
the local mosque in your area…this is explained in more detail below.
[1] Extracts from “The Importance of Prayer” by Jamaal al-Din Zarabozo
Seek Knowledge
Acquiring
Islamic knowledge is vital to every Muslim. Clearly knowledge must
precede action, since it is the bases by which one knows his/her
obligations to Allah. Knowledge will enable you to practice your
religious duties correctly, be aware of things which Allah made halal
(permissible) and haram (forbidden), in that way you will conduct your
life according to Allah’s guidance.
Several verses in the Quran reveal to us the importance of knowledge:
"Allah
will raise up, to (suitable) ranks and (degrees), those of you who
believe and who have been granted knowledge. And Allah is
well-acquainted with all you do." [Al-Mujadilah 58]
"And say: My Lord increase me in knowledge." [Ta-Ha 20]
Also the prophet, peace be upon him, informed us of the reward for one who seeks knowledge.
Abu Hurayrah relates that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said, "For him who embarks on the path of seeking knowledge, Allah will ease for him the way to paradise." (Related by Muslim)
So, know you may wonder what do I need to learn?
Well first of all you need to:
Have
a good understanding of the basic Islamic beliefs (Aqeedah) such as
knowledge of Allah, the Angels, the Prophets, and the Day of Judgment.
Learn the purification and the five daily prayers correctly. Its
important to learn how to recite Al Fatiha in Arabic for the prayers.
Learn about the permissible (Halal) and forbidden (Harm) things in Islam.
After
that, you can continue in learning more about the other pillars of
Islam such as Sawm(Fasting), Zakat, and Hajj (Pilgrimage). Also you
should strive to learn the Seerah (life of the Prophet Muhammad peace
be upon him), since his life is a role model for all Muslims. Another
excellent goal which many converts aspire to is to learn the Arabic
language to be able to read and understand the Quran in the language it
was revealed by Allah(subhanahu wa ta'ala).
How can you do this?
There
are many resources available to learn. There is a multitude of Islamic
books, articles, and tapes which address all these topics and can give
you a good start, however to learn correctly you need to do so at the
hands of a practicing Muslim as we mentioned earlier regarding the
prayers. Just like you can’t expect to be a good sports player by
simply reading a book or two about it, you can’t expect to learn the
various branches of Islam all alone; you need to practice it with other
Muslims. Naturally to do so, you should frequently visit the mosque in
your area…. Which brings us to the next topic.
Importance of the Mosque (Masjid)
The
mosque plays a central role in Muslim society. Apart from being a place
of prayers (the 5 daily prayers as well as the Friday prayer) the
Mosque is a learning center. It’s a place where study circles and
lectures are held for Muslims to learn more about Islam. Also a place
were Muslims meet to study and recite the Quran, collect charity for
the poor, and discuss issues concerning the community. It’s an ideal
place for a new convert to meet Muslims and learn in a short time what
would normally take weeks or months to learn alone. Naturally many new
converts are shy or afraid to make their first visit to the mosque, but
if they knew the joy which Muslims share when they meet a convert, such
hesitation would disappear. Also, don’t worry about not doing
everything perfectly from the start, no one expects a new Muslim to
learn everything over night.
From Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, from the Prophet, peace be upon him, that he said:
"A man does not frequent the mosques for the Prayer and the remembrance
of Allaah except that Allaah, the Most High, greets him joyfully, just
as the family of one who is absent greet him with joy when he returns
to them." [Reported by Ibn Abee Shaybah, Ibn Maajah, Ibn Khuzaimah and others and it is found in Saheehit-Targheeb (no. 315)]
So
finally, we strongly encourage you to do your best to enrol in the
study circles in your local mosque or fix a weekly schedule with the
Imam to teach you all you need to know. [ندعوك للتسجيل في المنتدى أو التعريف بنفسك لمعاينة هذه الصورة]
عدل سابقا من قبل مسك الجنة في السبت ديسمبر 19, 2009 10:16 am عدل 1 مرات (السبب : تكبير الخط) | |
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