"And from among His Signs are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Do not bow down to the sun nor to the moon, but only bow down (prostrate) to "Allah" Who created them, if you worship Him." A Christian sent me this book and 5 questions ~ Can you answer them? Answer: "They ask you about the new moons. Say: These are signs to mark fixed periods of time for mankind and for the pilgrimage." The real question here should be: Question 2: Answer: However, Islam makes it clear there is no worship of the moon, only that we use the moons shape and position to determine the months and occassions. In both the Bible and the Quran religious festivals are regulated by the lunar calendar. Jews and Muslims have kept to these regulations which they believe to be from God. Modern day Christianity follows the solar calendar because it was instituted by the Roman emporer Constantine at the council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. *Incidentally, only the Muslims use both the moon and sun for calculating times of worship. The moon is used in calculating the 12 months of the year, determining when we fast and make hajj. The sun is used to calculate the time of day when we offer our worship (called salah); in the very early morning, noon time, afternoon, sunset and night prayers. Question 3: Answer: The beginning and end of the month is determined by the crescent (2:189) based on the instruction of God's Messenger, on whom be peace. Why this method and not another is not for us to say but for God and His Messenger to prescribe. However, I find it an efficient method. It is a universally applicable method, and it allows for Ramadan to move through all the seasons. This allows believers to have the pleasure of worshipping God by fasting in all the various seasons: one year in the summer, some years later in the winter. Question 4: Answer: "Those who believe and those who are Jews and Christians and Sabians, whoever believes in "Allah" and the Last Day and do righteous good deeds shall have their reward with their Lord. On them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve." The Believers (i.e., the Muslims) While they are all offered the same opportunity for improvement, nothing, is said in this verse about the validity of the existing faiths of these four communities. Otherwise the Jews and Christians who are criticized in the Quran for their deviations will not be placed on the same level with the believers. The matter becomes clear when you realise that believers here does not mean saved persons but those who ostensibly belong to the community of Muslims. They, as well as the other three groups, must do the following to be saved: believe in "Allah" , believe in the Last Day, and do right. Doing right, according to the Quran, includes following every teaching of Muhammad. Question 5: Answer: First, "Allah" was not one of the 360 idols which were in the Ka'abah, although Morey has claimed this without evidence. When the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) entered Makkah victorious he went into the Ka'bah and broke the idols therein. Second, the word "Allah" has been used all along for the name of "God" in the Arabic Bible for Jews and Christians alike. The proof is easy to verify; simple go to any hotel or motel on the earth and look in the drawer next to the bed and take out the complimentary Bible, placed there by the Giddeons and then look on page 5 or 6 where they list the examples of translations they have made into other languages. The second example given is for Arabic speakers. The verse is from the Gospel of John, chapter 3, verse 16. Everyone knows this one; "For God so loved the world..." and the word in Arabic for "God" is "Allah." Then if you have a Bible in Arabic, look on page one in Genesis, and you will find the word "Allah" 17 times. More? Visit this website: www.GodAllah.com Moon-god? Check out www.godallah.com/moon_god.php |
Why Do Muslims Say - ALLAH?
From www.HearIslam.com