FAQs on Islam

Beliefs Who or what is Allah? Do Muslims worship Muhammad? Do Muslims believe in Jesus? Are those who are not Muslims considered to be infidels? Do Muslims believe in Angels? Did Muhammad write the Quran? Acts of Worship Do Muslims really manage to pray five times a day? Why do Muslims have to pray towards Makkah? ow do Muslims manage in !amadan without drinking water? Do babies and children have to fast? Whom do Muslims have to give their charity to? What is a"" all about? Practices #s the Muslim $id like %hristmas? Why cant Muslims drink alcohol or eat pork? Why arent any images of people or animals allowed in mos&ues? What is 'hariah law? What is a (atwa? Why do people kill in the name of #slam? Why do Muslims engage in oly War? Did #slam spread by the sword? Are Muslims anti)'emitic? Does #slam oppress women? Why are Muslim men allowed more than one wife? Why did Muhammad have so many wives? Why do Muslim women pray separately to Muslim men? Why do some Muslim women cover their hair? What does #slam say about se* outside marriage? Are most Muslims Arab? #f you become Muslim+ do you have to change your name? #f you are Muslim and want to get married+ do you have to marry a Muslim? What will happen to a Muslim if he or she doesnt want to be Muslim any more? Who or what is Allah? Allah is the Arabic word for ,od- Allah is a uni&ue name in Arabic- Muslims prefer to use Allah because it is neither masculine nor feminine and cannot be made pluralMuslims believe there is only one ,od and therefore believe that all people believing in ,od . whether %hristians+ Jews or those of no specific faith . believe in the same /ne ,od- 0hroughout time and place+ there have been and are many names for the /ne ,od- #n ebrew+ the word for ,od is $loh- Arab %hristians refer to ,od as Allah,od is described in the Quran by his &ualities+ or 1ames- Muslims believe e does not have any children+ get tired or have other human)like &ualitiesGod! There is no God save Him, the Living, the Eternal. Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. Unto Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the Earth. ho is he that inter!edes with Him save b" His leave# He knows that whi!h is in $ront o$ them and that whi!h is behind them, while the" en!ompass nothing o$ His knowledge

save what He will. His throne e%tends over the heavens and the earth, and He is never wear" o$ preserving them. He is the &ost High, the 'upreme (in glor").* ('urah +l,-a.arah, /hapter 0 1erse 022) 2ack to 0op Do Muslims worship Muhammad? $arly /rientalists called #slam 3Muhammadanism+ implying that Muslims worshipped him- owever+ a 4Muslim5 is+ by definition+ 4one who submits to ,od5 and to ,od alone- ,od says in the Quran6 'a"3 He is God, the 4ne and 4nl"5 God, the 4ne on whom all depend5 He begets not, nor is He begotten. +nd there is none !omparable to Him* ('urah +l,6khlas, /hapter 770 1erse 7,8) 4&uhammad is no more than a messenger3 man" were the messengers that passed awa" be$ore him. 6$ he died or were slain, will "ou then turn ba!k on "our heels# 6$ an" did turn ba!k on his heels, not the least harm will he do to God5 but God (on the other hand) will swi$tl" reward those who (serve Him) with gratitude. ('urah +l 6mran, /hapter 9 1erse 778) 2ack to 0op Do Muslims believe in Jesus? According to Muslim belief+ Jesus+ son of Mary+ is one of the greatest messengers of ,od- Jesus birth without a father is considered to be a ,od)sent miracle+ in the same way as Adams birth without either a father or a mother was a ,od) sent miracle- Muslims believe in the many miracles of Jesus %hrist during his life+ believe he ascended into eaven alive 7unlike almost all other prophets+ including Muhammad+ who died naturally8+ and believe he will one day come back again to ruleowever+ Jesus is not considered by Muslims to be divine6 instead he is accorded the status of a 9rophet- Muslims believe that about :;<+=== 9rophets were sent over time and to different communities . and Muslims believe in all of them- ;> are mentioned by name in the Quran+ including Adam+ Jonah+ 1oah+ Abraham+ #shmael+ #saac+ Joseph+ David+ Moses+ Jesus and Muhammad- Muslims are encouraged to say 39eace be upon him5 after every 9rophets name+ as a mark of respect2ack to 0op

Are those who are not Muslims considered to be infidels? All people+ whatever their belief+ are 4children of Adam5 and part of the human race6 Muslims must therefore treat each and every person with humanity#nfidel is not a word ever used in the Quran- A Muslim is one who believes in and submits to ,od+ as well as who believes in Muhammad and the other 9rophets? a muslim 7with a small 3m58 is a much broader term and means anyone who submits to ,od 7this is similar to the current use of conservative@%onservative8God sa"s hoever submits his whole sel$ to God and is a doer o$ good, he will get his regard with his Lord, on su!h shall be no $ear, nor shall the" grieve.* ('urah al -a.arah, /hapter 0 1erse 02:). ;inall", $reedom o$ !ons!ien!e is laid down b" the <ur=an3 There is no !ompulsion in religion. Truth stands out !learl" $rom $alsehood5 whoever re>e!ts evil and believes in God has grasped the most trustworth" hand,hold that never breaks. +nd God is +ll,Hearing and +ll,?nowing.* ('urah +l -a.arah, /hapter 0 1erse 02:) 2ack to 0op

Do Muslims believe in An els? Muslims believe that angels have been created by ,od from light- 0hey have no free will and fulfil certain functions in the service of ,od- 0hey also worship ,od- Angels mentioned by name in the Quran and adith 7the words of Muhammad8 include6 A,abriel 7Jibreel in Arabic8+ the leader of the angels- is function was mainly to bring revelation to people+ including to Mary+ mother of Jesus+ and to MuhammadAABrael 7ABraeel in Arabic8+ the Angel of Death2ack to 0op Did Muhammad write the Qur!an? 0he Quran reveals e*tensive knowledge of historical events and previous prophets- 'ome non)Muslims believe that Muhammad obtained this knowledge from %hristians+ copying the stories from the 2ible- #t is true that many of the same events and prophets are mentioned in the Quran as in the 2ibleowever+ there are many key differences that make Muslims consider it impossible for Muhammad to have written the Quran- (or e*ample+ in the Quran+ the world is said to have been created in si* periods of time 7e-g- C6><8+ rather than in si* days as in the 2iblical version- #n the Quran+ both Adam and $ve were tempted by 'atan 7C6;;);D8 and subse&uently asked for and received forgiveness? in the 2iblical version+ it was $ve alone who was tempted+ and who was punished by ,od with painful childbirth for all womankind 7,enesis D6:;):C8- 0he crucifi*ion is an essential part of %hristian theology yet according to the Quranic account+ Jesus was not crucified . although it appeared as if he was 7<6:>C8- 0he Quran also e*plains many natural phenomena which were not mentioned in the 2ible and which were unknown at the time6 for e*ample+ the stages of formation of the embryo in the womb 7>D6<E? CE6;? ;D6:<8The <ur=an !laims to be the dire!t word o$ God. ill the" not then ponder on the <ur=an# 6$ it had been $rom other than God, the" would have $ound therein mu!h in!ongruit".* ('urah +n,Nisaa=3 /hapter 8, verse @0). 0he Quran clearly says that Muhammad could not read or write himself- 4+nd "ou (4 &uhammad) were not a reader o$ an" s!ripture be$ore it, nor did "ou write it with "our right hand, $or then might those have doubted, who $ollow $alsehood.* ('urah +l +nkabut, /hapter 0A verse 8@). Muslims believe Muhammad received revelations from ,od through the Angel ,abriel? he then immediately ordered his companions to memorise them- 0he companions subse&uently wrote the verses down in Arabic- While the Quran e*ists today in Arabic e*actly as it was in the seventh century+ there are numerous different translations in over <= languages2ack to 0op Acts of Worship Do Muslims reall" mana e to pra" five times a da"? Muslims believe ,od has asked them to perform formal prayers five times a day+ within specified time periods- 0hese prayers serve as a constant reminder through out the day to live life in a good way- $ach prayer usually takes no longer than five minutes- 0he preparation and performance of prayer is meant to be physically+ mentally and spiritually uplifting+ allowing the person praying to temporarily forget worldly concerns+ and to focus on praising and worshipping ,od- /f course+ some Muslims will not pray the full number of prayers? some Muslims do not pray at all#n addition to the formal prayers in Arabic+ a Muslim can make their own personal prayers in their own language directly to ,od+ at any time+ anywhere+ in their own way- 0hese are called duas+ or supplications2ack to 0op

Wh" do Muslims have to pra" towards Ma##ah? Muslims pray towards the Fabah+ a simple cube structure+ which is in Makkah- Muslims believe it is the first and most ancient house of worship built for humankind+ originally built by Adam+ and subse&uently rebuilt by Abraham and his son #shmael0he Fabah is simply a focal point+ to unite the Muslim community through the world in their worship of ,od- ,od e*ists beyond time and space#f a Muslim does not know the direction of the Fabah+ then he or she can pray anywayB6t is not righteousness that "ou turn "our $a!es towards East or est5 but it is righteousness to believe in +llah and the Last Ca", and the angels, and the book, and the messengers5 to spend o$ "our substan!e, out o$ love $or Him, $or "our kin, $or orphans, $or the need", $or the wa"$arer, $or those who ask, and $or the ransom o$ slaves5 to be stead$ast in pra"er, and give Dakah Eobligator" !harit"F5 to $ul$ill the !ontra!ts whi!h "ou have made5 and to be $irm and patient in pain Eor su$$eringF and adversit", and throughout all periods o$ pani!. 'u!h are the people o$ truth, the God, $earing.=('urah +l,-a.arah, /hapter 0 1erse 7GG). 2ack to 0op $ow do Muslims mana e in %amadan without drin#in water? $very year+ for one lunar month known as !amadan+ Muslims abstain from food+ drink and se*ual relations from dawn to sunset4 "ou who believe! ;asting is pres!ribed $or "ou as it was pres!ribed to those be$ore "ou that "ou ma" a!hieve God !ons!iousness. ('urah +l -a.arah, /hapter 0 1erse 7@9) (asting is a time of reflection and appreciation of all that we have? a time for increased devotion towards ,od+ a time of generosity towards those less fortunate+ and a time of unity with others who are fasting- #t is also a time of developing self)restraint- Weight loss is not meant to be an ob"ective of fasting- #t can be hard without water particularly when the days are long and the weather hot+ but the mind is a powerful tool and those who are fasting know that they are more fortunate than many to be able to have fresh water and food at the end of the day2ack to 0op Do babies and children have to fast? 1either prayer nor fasting are obligatory until children reach the age of puberty+ when they can understand the purpose behind them and take responsibility for their own actions- owever+ children often like to take part in both of these from an early age- $ven toddlers copy their parents in prayer+ and children as young as four or five may try to 3fast5 between mealtimes- 2abies do not fastG 2ack to 0op Whom do Muslims have to ive their charit" to? /nce ones wealth e*ceeds a certain minimum+ Muslims have an obligation to give away ;->H of their savings annually+ to purify their wealth while helping the poor and needy- Muslims calculate their own charity payment and choose which people or organisations to give toMuslims may also give as much additional voluntary charity as they wish- Muhammad said6 4%harity is prescribed for each descendant of Adam every day the sun rises-5 e was then asked6 4(rom what do we give charity every day?5 Muhammad answered6 40he doors of goodness are manyIen"oining good+ forbidding evil+ removing harm from the road+ listening to the deaf+ leading the blind+ guiding one to the ob"ect of his need+ hurrying with the strength of ones

legs to one in sorrow who is asking for help+ and supporting the feeble with the strength of ones arms)all of these are charity prescribed for you-5 $ven a smile is charity2ack to 0op What is $a&& all about? 0he pilgrimage to Makkah in 'audi Arabia is an obligation for men and women+ once in a Muslims lifetime+ for those who are physically and financially able to visita"" consists of a series of ritual acts+ symbolic of the lives of Abraham 7#brahim8+ his wife agar 7 a"ar8+ and their son #shmael 7#smail8- /n a""+ all male pilgrims+ regardless of nationality or wealth+ are re&uired to dress in a garment consisting of two sheets of white unhemmed cloth- #t is a pilgrimage of absolute e&uality between men and women+ and between different races and classesMalcolm J wrote about a""6 4During the past eleven days here in the Muslim world+ # have eaten from the same plate+ drunk from the same glass and slept in the same bed 7or on the same rug8)while praying to the same ,od with fellow Muslims+ whose eyes were the bluest of the blue+ whose hair was the blondest of blond+ and whose skin was the whitest of white- And in the words and in the actions and in the deeds of the 3white Muslims+ # felt the same sincerity that # felt among the black African Muslims of 1igeria+ 'udan and ,hana- We are truly all the same . brothers-5 0he close of a"" is celebrated with a holiday known as $id ul Adha+ the (estival of 'acrifice- 0his festival celebrates Abrahams willingness to sacrifice his son+ as ,od had commanded+ as a sign of his devotion- /nce Abraham had demonstrated his devotion+ ,od stopped him from sacrificing his son and told him to sacrifice a sheep instead- #n commemoration of Abrahams unwavering belief+ Muslims everywhere arrange for a sheep to be slaughtered and the meat is then distributed to the poor2ack to 0op Practices Is the Muslim 'id li#e (hristmas? Kike %hristmas+ $id is a time of ma"or celebration- 0here are two $ids or festivals a year- owever+ unlike %hristmas+ their timing in the solar calendar is not fi*ed+ since they are held in accordance with the lunar calendar+ which is :: days shorter than the solar one- Also unlike %hristmas+ the festivals are not based on celebrating a birth+ but on the completion of two different acts of worship6 !amadan and a""$id)ul (itr is the (estival of 2reaking the (ast- #t marks the end of !amadan+ the month of fasting for Muslims around the world- 0he other $id+ $id)ul)Adha+ marks the end of a"" two months later- Muslims celebrate both $ids by dressing in their best clothes and attending the mos&ue for a short congregational prayer- #mmediately after prayer+ Muslims e*change $id greetings and embrace each other with hugs+ before visiting homes of relatives and friends+ giving and sharing food+ and thanking ,od for all they have been given- %hildren are delighted to receive presents of clothes+ toys or money#t is all too easy for $id+ like %hristmas+ to become commercialised and to lose its original message- Many Muslim businesses will offer 3!amadan sales or 3$id specials to prospective customers2ack to 0op Wh" can!t Muslims drin# alcohol or eat por#? 0here are known potential benefits of drinking alcohol in moderate &uantities- owever social drinking can easily lead to heavier drinking and there are known potential risks from drinking alcohol in large &uantities+ including fatal

accidents+ fatal diseases+ an increased chance of developing cirrhosis of the liver+ increased risks of many different types of cancer? alcohol can also harm an unborn babyThe" ask "ou (4 &uhammad) !on!erning al!oholi! drink and gambling. 'a"3 6n them is a great sin, and (some) bene$it $or men, but the sin o$ them is greater than their bene$it.*HH..* Thus God makes !lear to "ou His Laws in order that "ou ma" give thought.* ('urah +l -a.arah, /hapter 0 1erse 07A) 0he Quran has not e*plained the reason for the prohibition of pork- 2ut Muslims are not alone in abstaining from pork6 Jews do not eat pork+ neither did Jesus? %onfucius also advised against it- #t may be due to the pigs willingness to eat any kind of food+ including dead insects+ e*creta and rubbish? it may be due to the similarity of human organs to those of the pig'ome Muslims will not touch pigs- owever+ pigs are ,ods creatures and we should show them the same kindness we show any other animal6 cruelty to any animal is forbidden in #slam2ack to 0op Wh" aren!t an" ima es of people or animals allowed in mos)ues? 0he mos&ue contains no images of people+ animals or spiritual figures as Muslims in prayer are supposed to be focusing on ,od alone- /utside the mos&ue+ many Muslims accept the representation of people and animals+ particularly for educational purposes0he vast ma"ority of Muslims would never consider representing any prophet in any conte*t- #n #slam+ prophets are highly revered but must not be worshipped in any way6 representing them visually may ultimately lead to their worship2ack to 0op What is *hariah law? 'hariah is more than law6 it is a set of principles and morals+ based on the Quran and the hadith 7the record of actions and sayings of Muhammad8+ as well as i"ma+ 7consensus of scholars8 and &iyas7analogy8- Kiterally+ 'hariah means 3the way or the path to water 7or life854To ea!h among "ou, we have pres!ribed a law and a !lear wa".* ('urah +l &aida, /hapter 2 1erse 8@) 'hariah deals with many aspects of day)to)day life+ including finance+ banking and contracts 7e-g- investing+ use of interest8+ family law 7eg marriage+ divorce+ custody+ inheritance8+ social issues 7eg dress+ hygiene8 as well as criminal acts 7eg theft+ murder8'ome principles are in line with Western notions of human rights e-g- the idea of force ma"eure in contracts+ the presumption of innocence+ the principle of precedent in making legal decisions+ the prohibition of illegal drugs+ the right to privacy+ the right of women to own property in their own right- /ther principles 7e-g- the death penalty allowed for murder under certain circumstances8 are in line with notions of human rights in only some Western countries2ack to 0op What is a fatwa? A fatwa is an #slamic religious ruling+ a scholarly opinion on a matter of #slamic law- #t is not binding on the faithful0he people who pronounce these rulings are supposed to be knowledgeable+ and base their rulings in knowledge and wisdom- 0hey need to supply the evidence from #slamic sources for their opinions+ and it is not uncommon for scholars to come to different conclusions regarding the same issue+ or for one scholar to alter his or her conclusions based on additional evidence or changed circumstances- #n order to decide whether to follow the fatwa+ Muslims look at the opinion+ the reputation of the person giving it and the evidence given to support the opinion-

2ack to 0op Wh" do people #ill in the name of Islam? 0he Quran states6H hoever kills an inno!ent soul it is as i$ he killed the whole o$ &ankind. +nd whoever saves one, it is as i$ he saved the whole o$ &ankindH* ('urah +l &aidah, /hapter 2 1erse 90) #t is #slamically unlawful to murder an innocent person- ence+ if anyone kills an innocent person+ they have committed a grave sin in #slam- Let innocent people continue to be killed throughout the world+ by people who call themselves Muslims as well as by people who do not2ack to 0op

Wh" do Muslims en a e in $ol" War? 0he word "ihad is a word fre&uently used in the media to mean 3holy war+ yet "ihad has never been referred to in this way in the Quran- #n fact+ the term 4holy war5 was coined in $urope during the period of the %rusades#n Arabic+ the word "ihad means 3to strive+ struggle and e*ert effort- #t is a central and broad #slamic concept that primarily means 3to struggle against evil inclinations within oneself-5 #slam is not confined to the boundaries of the individual but e*tends to the welfare of society and humanity in generalAn individual cannot keep improving himself@herself in isolation from what happens in their community or in the world at large- ence it also means struggle to improve the &uality of life in society and the struggle against in"ustice+ oppression and tyranny#n accordance with accepted international norms+ #slam does permit fighting in self)defence+ as a last resort+ or on behalf of those who have been e*pelled forcibly from their homes- owever it lays down strict rules of combat that include prohibitions against harming civilians and against destroying crops+ trees and livestock? the Quran also insists on cessation of fighting as soon as the need for self)defence has gone;ight in the !ause o$ God against those who $ight "ou, but do not transgress limits. God does not love transgressors.* ('urah +l -a.arah, /hapter 0 verse 7AI) 46$ the" seek pea!e, then "ou seek pea!e. +nd trust in God $or He is the 4ne that hears and knows all things.* ('urah +l +n$al, /hapter @, verse :7) 2ack to 0op Did Islam spread b" the sword? 0he Quran clearly says 4Ket there be no compulsion in religion5- 7'urah al 2a&arah+ %hapter ; verse ;>E8- #n addition to this+ #slam teaches that a persons faith must be pure and sincere+ so it cannot be forced on someone0he idea of forced conversion has been popular in $urope from the time of the %rusades- 0he 7non)Muslim8 historian De Kacy / Keary wrote6 4 istory makes it clear+ however+ that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping through the world and forcing #slam at the point of the sword upon con&uered races is one of the most fantastically absurd myths that historians have ever accepted-5 7#slam at the %rossroads+ Kondon+ :M;D+ p- N8- Muslims ruled 'pain for roughly N== years6 during this time+ and up to when they were finally forced out+ non)Muslims there were treated with respect and had flourishing communities- Additionally+ %hristian and Jewish minorities have survived in the Muslim lands of the Middle $ast for centuries- %ountries such as $gypt+ Morocco+ Kebanon+ 'yria and Jordan all have thriving %hristian and@or Jewish populations2ack to 0op

Are Muslims anti+*emitic? Jews and %hristians are given an honourable title in the Quran6 3the people of the 2ook- Moreover+ ,od has commanded Muslims not to insult other faiths2oth Jews and Muslims believe in Abraham as their forefather- Abraham had two sons+ #shmael and #saac6 Muhammad is descended from #shmael+ and Moses is descended from #saac- 0he 'emitic language family includes ebrew and ArabicAnti)semitism should not be confused with anti)Oionism- Many people who rightly condemn anti)semitism struggle to understand the Oionist support for the occupation of 9alestinian territory which is not legally theirs+ and struggle to understand the support for e*tremely harsh living conditions imposed collectively upon innocent men+ women and children living in the /ccupied 0erritories of 9alestine2ack to 0op Does Islam oppress women? Perses of the Quran make it clear that men and women are e&ual in the sight of ,od- According to the teachings of #slam+ the only thing that distinguishes people in the sight of ,od is their level of righteousnessB=;or believing men and women, $or devout men and women, $or true men and women, $or men and women who are patient and !onstant, $or men and women who humble themselves, $or men and women who give in !harit", $or men and women who $ast , $or men and women who guard their !hastit" and $or men and women who engage mu!h in God=s praise J $or them has God prepared $orgiveness and great reward* ('urah +l,+hDab 99392). #slamic law guaranteed rights to women over :<== years ago+ clearly stating that women have the right to vote+ seek an education+ own property+ financial independence+ and to operate a business- 0hese rights were granted to women in $urope and America in the last one hundred years- 0hese rights also came about in a different way to $urope and America+ where rights became part of the law only after women had been through great political struggles- #n #slam+ rights were given by ,od through revelation and cannot be reversed by anyones decision#n #slam+ marriage is a partnership between a man and a woman- Muhammad said6 40he most perfect in faith amongst believers is he who is best in manner and kindest to his wife-5 Muhammads wife Fhadi"ah was a business woman+ and employed Muhammad to work for her6 it was she who instigated the marriage proposal- An arranged marriage 7where a family member finds a suitable spouse8 is another way of finding a spouse- (orced marriage 7where a girl@boy is forced to marry against her@his will8 is not permitted6 in #slam+ both parties have the right to consent to their spouse0hroughout the world+ there remain many Muslim women who are not able to e*ercise their rights+ within marriage or elsewhere . this is due to local cultural or traditional practices that persist in spite of #slam+ not because of it- 0here are other women who are also not able to e*ercise their rights6 victims of domestic violence can be found within many countries and cultures2ack to 0op Wh" are Muslim men allowed more than one wife? 9olygamy is the practice of having more than one spouse simultaneously? polygyny is the specific practice of having more than one wife simultaneously- #n pre)#slamic Arabia+ polygyny was a normal custom+ and there were no limitation on the number of wives a man may have- #slam placed a limitation for men to have no more than four wives0here are a number of possible practical reasons why polygyny is allowed in #slam- #n times of war+ it can be used to look after the widows who are left behind+ and who may not be financially able to look after themselves or their children- #n addition+ a man who discovers that his wife is barren or is chronically ill+ but who wishes to have children

of his own or satisfy his natural instinct in a legitimate way+ while still caring for his first wife+ can also turn to polygyny as a solution9olygyny may be likened to the practice of having a mistress by some+ but a non)Muslim male has no legal obligations or responsibilities towards his mistress7es8 and their children- A Muslim husband has the same legal obligations and responsibilities towards his second+ third+ or fourth wife and their children as he has towards his first wife and childrenMoreover+ the man must live with all of his wives on a footing of e&uality and kindness- 0o fulfil these conditions is no easy task6 if a man feels unable to treat his wives fairly with kindness and love+ then he is commanded by ,od not to take more than one wifeH then marr" (other) women o$ "our !hoi!e, two or three, or $our but i$ "ou $ear that "ou shall not be able to deal >ustl" (with them), then onl" oneH.* ('urah +n,Nisa, /hapter 8 1erse 9) #n practice+ it is rare for a Muslim man to marry more than one wife2ack to 0op Wh" did Muhammad have so man" wives? Muhammad was married to one woman+ Fhadi"ah+ for ;> yearsAfter her death+ Muhammad had multiple wives+ as a practical way of taking responsibility for divorcees and widows and their children+ and as a means of integration of the newly founded society- Many of these marriages were for political reasons+ in order to strengthen the fragile early Muslim community- e treated each one fairly and with kindness2ack to 0op Wh" do Muslim women pra" separatel" to Muslim men? When it is time to pray one of the five ritual prayers+ men and women pray in separate lines following the same #mam0he Muslim prayer is a physical one+ where worshippers stand closely together in prayer+ with their shoulders and feet usually touching the person ne*t to them- 0hey also prostrate down to the ground- 0he separate praying is to avoid any possible distraction the opposite se* may cause2ack to 0op Wh" do some Muslim women cover their hair? #slam asks men and women to be modest and humble+ in both outward appearance and in manner%olours and styles of clothing can vary across cultures+ but the basic principles are that the clothes are6 loose enough not to show the figure? thick enough not to be transparent? and cover the body- 0he Quran calls for women to 4draw their coverings over their chests+5 and Muhammad instructed believing women to cover their bodies e*cept for their face and hands- Most Muslims interpret this to re&uire the head to be covered as well? others will cover the entire body including the face and@or hands withni&ab- (or a man+ the minimum amount to be covered is between the navel and the kneeair covering for women has been a tradition in many other faith and cultures throughout time- istorically this includes the Jewish and %hristian faiths+ although now haircovering is generally only customary in these faith communities amongst /rthodo* Jews and %hristian nuns2ack to 0op

What does Islam sa" about se, outside marria e? #n #slam+ marriage is described as a union between a man and a woman who are not closely related- 'e* within marriage is considered a blessing- owever+ all se* outside of marriage is forbidden . it does not matter whether that relationship is fornication 7se* between unmarried people8+ adultery 7involving a married person8+ bestiality+ incest+ pederasty 7a se*ual relationship between adult and child8 or homose*ualityowever there are different degrees of wrongness in #slam- /ne of the principles of #slamic "urisprudence is6 harm should be removed- 0his means that which is harmful must be avoided where possible? where it is not possible+ the lesser of two evils should be perpetrated to avoid the greater- #n this conte*t+ safe se* outside of marriage is 3less wrong5 than unsafe se*+ which can hurt so many more people'ome people have a very negative view of those with #P and A#D'+ assuming it was contracted due to se* outside marriage- Let #P and A#D' may be contracted in a variety of other ways 7for e*ample a wife infected by the husband who is #P positive? a child infected through mother)to)child transmission8- $ven if #P and A#D' was contracted through se* outside of marriage+ Muslims should be adopting the fundamental values as found in the Quran6 "ustice 7adl8+ benevolence 7ihsan8+ compassion 7rahmah8 and wisdom 7hikmah8- 0his is why many #slamic aid organiBations readily assist those with #P and A#D'2ack to 0op Are most Muslims Arab? Muslims come from a diverse array of races+ nationalities and linguistic backgrounds- Kess than ;=H of the Muslim population is Arab- 0here are more #ndonesian Muslims than #ndian or Arab Muslims0urkey and #ran are not Arab countries6 the native tongue of people who live in those countries is not Arabic and they are of a different ethnic heritage to the ArabsAnd not all Arabs are Muslims- An Arab can be a Muslim+ %hristian+ Jew+ atheist . or of any other religion or ideology2ack to 0op If "ou become Muslim- do "ou have to chan e "our name? 0o become Muslim+ you simply need to say the declaration of faith+ with knowledge of what it means and with sincerity of belief- 0he declaration is6 3# bear witness that there is none worthy of worship e*cept ,od and Muhammad is is messenger-5 Any name is 3Muslim as long as it is inoffensive? it is preferable for it to have a positive meaning- owever+ many Muslims give their children Arabic names+ to assist with their sense of faith identityMuhammad did insist on changing the name of a man previously known as Abdu 'hams+ since his name had the meaning 3'lave of the 'un- 0he first African convert to #slam was 2ilal+ an $thiopian+ who kept his name and whose name is now popular with Muslims throughout the world2ack to 0op If "ou are Muslim and want to et married- do "ou have to marr" a Muslim? Muslim men can marry Jewish and %hristian women+ who are referred to as 49eople of the 2ook-5 0his comes from the understanding that Jews and %hristians share similar religious outlooks . a belief in /ne ,od+ following the commandments of ,od+ a belief in revealed scripture 72ooks8+ etcThis da" are all things good and pure made law$ul to "ouH. Law$ul to "ou in marriage are not onl" !haste women who are believers, but !haste women among the Keople o$ the -ook, revealed be$ore "our time, when "ou give them

their due dowers, and desire !hastit" not lewdness. 6$ an"one re>e!ts $aith, $ruitless is his work, and in the Herea$ter he will be in the ranks o$ those who have lost* ('urah +l,&ai=dah, /hapter 2 1erse 2). owever+ it is easiest+ both in terms of compatibility and for the upbringing of future children+ for a Muslim man or woman to marry another Muslim2ack to 0op What will happen to a Muslim if he or she doesn!t want to be Muslim an" more? $ach person has the right to complete freedom of belief4Let there be no !ompulsion in religion. ('urah al -a.arah, /hapter 0 verse 02:). 0here is an idea that #slam advocates killing apostates- (ighting . and killing) is only permitted against those individuals who fight )and kill) the Muslims- 0his is so whether or not they used to be considered Muslims2ack to 0op '/Q!%$6 http6@@lucybushillmatthews-com@blog@?pageRidS:=C