Ghusl
Ghusl is a more elaborate way of purifying one's body before prayer, usually done in the shower (unless one doesn't have access). It only needs to be done after the following:
Ejaculation or sexual intercourse.
Once post-natal bleeding is over.
How to Perform Ghusl
Begin with the intention of performing ghusl.
Wash your hands to your wrists three times, beginning with your right hand (as you would in wudu)
Wash your private parts three times, removing all traces of semen or discharge.
Wash your mouth three times (as you would in wudu).
Rinse the inside of your nose three times (as you would in wudu).
Wash your face three times (as you would in wudu).
Wash your right then left arm to the elbow three times.
Pour water over the head three times. Water should be enough to wet the roots of one's hair.
Wash the entire right side of the body.
Wash the entire left side of the body.
Perform wudu.
Tawheed – The Oneness of Faith
To be Muslim, you must believe with full conviction in the oneness of God, that there is no God but Allah (S), and that the Prophet Muhammad (saw) is His last and final messenger. This is essentially the shahadah, or testament of faith, that one says when they convert to Islam.
Muslims believe in the Abrahamic prophets, and they believe that Judaism and Christianity also came from God (or Allah) but that Muhammad (saw) was the last prophet.
Note: The (saw) after the Prophet Muhammad's name denotes sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, which means peace and blessings be upon him.
Islam literally means submission in Arabic, and it comes from the root word "Salam," which means peace. Islam sits on the principle of submitting to God and His commands alone. Sometimes you'll understand why God asks us to do something, but at other times, it's more important to just do.
As you navigate through all the new information you'll be learning as a Muslim, be cognizant of the difference between culture and religion. Many cultures mandate certain rules that actually go against Islam, and so it is incumbent on you to learn about who Allah (S) is and what exactly He teaches us. In fact, the first verse of the Quran to ever be sent down to the Prophet Muhammad (saw) via Angel Jibril (Gabriel) was Iqra – read.
So, if there is one piece of advice I'll give you, it's to read. Read the Quran, read the seerah (stories from the Prophet Muhammad's life), read the books of tafsir (explanation of the Quran), read the books of hadith. Read and know your religion. Read and get to know your Lord.
The Prophet Muhammad (saw)'s life was vastly recorded, and this is called the seerah, which includes all stories, sayings and history of his life. Sunni Islam believes that the sunnah of the Prophet (or his teachings and ways, which you learn from the seerah) compliment the Quran in that he elaborates and explains different things that Muslims believe/ have to do.
Allah (S) describes Himself as the Most Merciful. Never lose faith in Him, and when in doubt, pray pray pray … and pray. Pray with full conviction that He hears your prayers and He will answer them, guaranteed, albeit not necessarily right away. Everything will happen in THE right time with His wisdom.
The most important thing you should be focusing on in the beginning of your journey is developing a relationship with God. This means getting to know who He is, how he describes Himself and what He tells us of Himself. Everything comes from Him. Speak to God. Pray anytime, and any day. For anything.
point: I was once told that the key to getting your prayers (du'a) answered is to pray with full and absolute conviction that God will answer you, and I've noticed that those prayers tend to really get answered –sometimes in due time and sometimes immediately. Sometimes, that prayer never gets answered until you reach the Hearafter.
But, that goes with knowing your Lord; that He wants to give, not take away from you. If He does take away from you, then it is His way of testing you, molding you and making you better, stronger. Or, it wasn't best for you; you just don't know it yet.
Allah is Al-Rahman Al-Raheem. The most merciful. Remember that, always.
Sunnah vs. Fard
In Islam, we have two concepts called sunnah and fard.
Fard is something that is absolutely necessary/mandatory to do on each Muslim. It is commanded by Allah (S). For example, every adult, sane Muslim must pray five times a day – obviously with the exception of women on their menstrual cycle or postpartum bleeding.
Sunnah is the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (saw). For example, it is sunnah to pray two rak'ahs before and after duhr. It is not required, but it was his practice. And so many Muslims try to emulate him as he was the best of mankind. Another example of sunnah – eat with your right hand.
The Quran and sunnah work together to bring the complete picture of Islam, and thus they complement each other. So while many view sunnah as just bonus or extra credit, often times it's completely necessary. For example, it is in the sunnah that we learn how exactly to make wudu, how to perform salah, how to break our fast, how to worship Allah (S), and how to behave as Muslims. We need to know and do these things.
The sunnah teaches us that when we use the bathroom, we should rinse ourselves with water to achieve utmost cleanliness. The sunnah teaches us that we must care for our neighbors, and how to show kindness and mercy towards others, even those who attack us as Muslims.
T
his is part of the shahadah, the oath you take when you become Muslim. To worship no one but Allah (S) in accordance with the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (saw).
Ramadan
We must talk about Ramadan! Ramadan is the holiest month of the Muslim calendar (which follows a lunar cycle, and so the time Ramadan falls changes every year). It is the month in which the Quran was sent down to the Prophet Muhammad (saw). Ramadan is also the month is which Muslims fast from dawn until sunset. Allah (S) describes the purpose of fasting in the Quran, saying,
"O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous" (2:183)
The exact words Allah used in the Quran was la'allakum tattaqoon – so you may develop taqwa, or fear and love of God, and full consciousness that He is always watching. To put it simply, starve your body (only until sundown, or Maghreb prayer) to feed your soul. For this reason, worship is amplified in Ramadan; if you go to a mosque on any given night of Ramadan, you may see hundreds of worshipers standing in prayer to their Lord.
Bismillah al-Rahman al-Raheem on your journey as a Muslim! May it be beautiful, fulfilling and give you peace. We know it can be lonely as a new Muslim, and Insha'Allah we are here for you!
السلام و علیکم ورحمتہ اللہْ
May Allah help us all. Remember me and the entire Muslim Ummah in your Duas.
Allah' slave.
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Be A GOOD MUSLIM
General Fiction"Be a Good Muslim" is a book dedicated to spreading knowledge about Islam and exploring a multitude of topics within the faith. The author's aim is to offer readers a comprehensive overview of various aspects of Islam while sharing their understandi...
