50 Questions about Islam
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 ?
Answers 1 : Islam is that religion.
Question 2 : Name the religion that believes in all the prophets and also believes in the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as the Last Prophet?
Answer 2 : Islam is the only religion that believes all the Prophets.
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 : Muslims.
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 Muslims cannot be called a Muhammadans, because it gives the wrong impression.
Question 6 : A little child ask this question with reference to the above Answer 5 (the child is a little girl who ask, "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, when there is a chance that Islam will be 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 (PBUH). A statement about this is in the Holy Quran (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 not. A Muslim must wash away his own sins with prayers and repentance to Allah. We Muslims believe that no man must die for us to wash away our sins, and that Allah could never want anyone to die for our sins.
Question 9 : Does a Muslim, need a priest to confess to ? Does he make confession in a confession box?
Answer 9 : Islam is against such things, 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 we 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 Messengership of Muhammad. (2) Prayer. (3) Fasting during the month of fasting, called Ramadhan. (4) The Zakat (this is a poor-rate and also a rate for the community's benefit and a charity to help any good cause. This is a 2 1/2 per cent 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 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 labor, or in other words, work?
Answer 12 : Every kind of labor which enables a man to live honestly is respected by Islam.
Question 13 : I have my Holy Quran 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 from Allah. But it is sad to say these holy books have not remained intact except the Quran.
Question 14 : Why did we need the Last Prophet, the Prophet Muhammad, and the last Holy Book, the Holy Quran ?
Answer 14 : We needed a last prophet, which is Muhammad, because the Divine message many other prophets brought has been altered and misunderstood. We needed a last book because of this, the Quran, is the only book that has not been altered and will not and cannot be altered, as millions of Muslims know it by heart, whereas other holy books have been altered. If all copies of the Quran (which Allah forbid!) were destroyrd, the very next moment the Quran would spring to alive again from the million who know it by heart. So you can see, there is no chance of the Quran, 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 in the Holy Quran (which was revealed over 1,400 years ago) about the worlds, not only this world. He is the maker of everything. He 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. He knows everything, forgives 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 have 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 curse 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 by the common words -a must.
Question 21 : Name some of the 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 or otherwise. Never sign 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 a 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 Prophets, “must be treated with kindness.”
Question 23 : Does Muslims think of any rivers as sacred and holy?
Answer 23 : No.
Question 24 : Must a Muslim be ordained before he can lead 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 Imams, but any good man can stand up and lead the prayers in any mosque.
