Monotheism and the belief in Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as the last messenger of God is the central tenet of Islam around which everything else revolves, and reciting the Shahada (shahadah) in prayer each day serves to remind Muslims of this integral belief. As revered as the Prophet Muhammad is as the “perfect man,” he is not in the least considered divine or worthy of worship. The Prophet was clear that worship was only due to God, nothing and no one else. In this sense, the Muslim conception of Muhammad is distinct from the Christian conception of Jesus. In the world of imperfect analogies, the Qur’an is to Muslims what Jesus is to Christians – the revealed Word of God. And, Muhammad the Messenger is to Muslims what Lady Mary is to Christians – the pure vesicle by which the Word of God is delivered and brought into the world. But, just as Jesus is to be emulated in Christianity, Muhammad is to be emulated in Islam. Nakedness is allowed and they may look at each other at their free will while having intimacy ..ie sex. But there is some hadiths, that I posted recently which some scholars said were weak.. regarding nakedness! They say to preserve modesty, it is preferred if the couple is covered by a sheet, as described by the Prophet? : “Verily Allah is modest and discreet and He likes modesty and discretion.” [Ahmad, At-Tirmithi and Abu Dawud] (please ref to my post about this) Then We revealed to you [Muhammad], ‘Follow the creed of Abraham, a man of pure faith who was not an idolater.’” (Quran, 16:123) The Quran: A Message of Peace and Guidance from God

Islam: The Essentials by Tariq Ramadan | Goodreads

Written marriage contract (“Aqd-Nikah”) signed by the bride and the groom and witnessed by the two adult and sane witnesses. It is a form of Islamic divorce which is instant in nature. It allows any Muslim man to legally divorce his wife by stating the word “ Talaaq ” three times in oral, written, or more recently, electronic form. This is prevalent among the Muslims in India, especially among the adherents Hanafi school of Islam. This is also known as “Triple Talaaq” and has been a subject to debate and controversy.Let’s face it, there aren’t too many alternatives for adults who want to learn the art of recitation. If you go with the traditional system, you’ll be bombarded with terms and rules all explained to you in Arabic or broken English. You would have to go through the hassle of scheduling weekly classes with teachers abroad. You would go on for months without any well defined goals or milestones and no end in sight. It’s just class after class with no system. Quran Revolution is for the English speaking Adult learner with

Islam: The Essentials - Tariq Ramadan - Google Books

What if they want to cover that entire topic in a single hour instead, taking only the things they need to know, on any given subject?A husband is required to pronounce a formula of Talaaq three times, during three successive tuhrs. It is important that pronouncements are made when no intercourse takes place during any period of tuhr. The marriage is dissolved irrevocably, regardless to the period of iddat. Talaaq-i-Biddat Prohibited relationship for purposes of marriage is created between the husband and wife and each of them is prohibited to marry the relations of the other within prohibited degrees. There is a noted shift in content between verses revealed earlier in Mecca (which typically appear midway to the end of the Qur’an) where the Prophet and his followers faced persecution and those revealed later on in Medina (which typically appear toward the beginning to midway of the Qur’an) when the Muslims became an organized established community ( ummah). The groom receives the congratulations of men. The newlyweds are also presented with gifts. It is believed that gifts given willingly will strengthen the relationships between people. Therefore, it is important to keep gifts affordable. The Prophet’s mercy extended to the universe around him. He taught his companions to protect birds; he even consoled grieved animals; and showed endearing concern for the trees and plant life. The Prophet always took little from the earth and taught his followers to preserve water even if they were near a running river.

The Muslim Nikah - A Step by Step Guide - Zahid Law The Muslim Nikah - A Step by Step Guide - Zahid Law

Islam is the culmination of the universal message of God taught by all of His prophets. Muslims believe that a prophet was chosen for every nation at some point in their history, enjoining them to worship God alone and delivering guidance on how to live peacefully with others. Some of the prophets of God include Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, peace be upon them all. The prophets all conveyed the consistent divine message of worshiping one God, along with specific societal laws for each nation’s circumstances. Islam: The Final Prophet Restored the Original Message of God

So, Islam then for the human beings is an invitation to join the rest of God’s created universe in harmony and submission. It is an invitation and not a subjugation because God has endowed the human beings with the special responsibility of free will. Human beings can choose harmony or disharmony. The choice does have earthly and afterlife consequences. Islam as a religion – meaning as an organized way of living life in accordance with divine will – is seen by Muslims to be the religion that was given to Adam and Eve, as the first of the human beings, when they entered the chaotic moral universe of earthly life after having only known heavenly bliss. Upon coming out of a state of blissful innocence, having been tempted by Satan to disobey God, Adam and Eve – in the Qur’anic narrative – turn earnestly to God in repentance, seeking guidance. In response, God promises that The Qur’an speaks of a heavenly event in which God gathers all the souls that are to ever be brought into being and asks them a simple yet profound question, “Am I not your Lord?” The souls being in their pure and unveiled states gazing upon the essence of God, readily submit, “Yes! We bear witness!” This Muslims see as the primordial covenant that binds all living souls in submission to God. The contract is written and signed by the bride and the groom and their two respective witnesses. This written marriage contract (“Aqd-Nikah) is then announced publicly. The devotional acts can best be summarized with the five foundational pillars, through which Muslims are able to manifest their faith both inwardly and outwardly. The Prophet Muhammad taught Muslims in an authentic tradition ( hadith), “Islam is built upon five [pillars]: to bear witness that there is no god except the One God and to bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of God; to establish prayer; to pay the almsgiving; to fast in the month of Ramadan; and to go on the great pilgrimage to the House [of God].” Shahadah – Testimony of Faith God calls on people to remember Him in all of their actions and purify their hearts so that they can live a truly balanced life. Spirituality in Islam is about nurturing tolerance, kindness, control, righteousness, and forgiveness while shunning arrogance, pride, ego, anger and selfishness. This spirituality and God-consciousness should be reflected in a person’s interactions with other people. Therefore, Islam stresses the importance of treating people with respect, mercy, and dignity. Islam: A Way of Life That Promotes Spirituality, Humanity, and Community