Dear questioner,

Thank you for your question.

Again, obedience to God in this matter is the primary motivation, while prohibition is based on the principle of avoiding harm.

In the Quran as well as the Bible, pig flesh has been forbidden and declared unclean.

Regarding the physical harm caused by eating it, modern medicine has confirmed a number of facts, such as the following:

Pork is a kind of meat that contains much cholesterol, which is known to increase the likelihood of blocked arteries.

The pig's meat and fat have been found to contribute to the spread of cancers of the colon, rectum, prostate and blood. Bating it has been connected to scabies, allergies, stomach ulcers and lung infections.

1- Eating pig flesh has been connected to no less than fifty other diseases. Among them are the infections caused by roundworms, pinworms, hookworms and tapeworms, whose eggs, when present in the meat, are ingested by humans, enter their blood stream, and can reach and damage almost all organs of the body.

2- A common misconception is that if pork is cooked well, the worm eggs are destroyed. But in a research project undertaken in America, it was found that the ova present in pork do not die under normal cooking temperatures. [In particular, the trichinosis worm is not destroyed by cooking. Its growth in the body can cause infection of the cerebral membrane and brain, the heart muscle, the lungs, kidneys or nerves]

3- It is also known that some diseases such as rheumatism and joint pain are unique to humans and pigs, and are not shared by any other animals.

Muslims accept whatever legislation has been issued by God out of conviction and complete trust in the knowledge and wisdom of the Lawmaker.

We hope this answers your questions.

Keep in touch.

Source: This answer is based on the book of Clear Your Doubts about Islam by Sahih International.

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Dear Ashley,

Thank you for your question.

In Islam, all things which are harmful or whose harm exceeds its benefit are unlawful. This includes every substance that affects the mind, damages it or decreases its abilities.

Therefore, alcohol would be deemed unlawful even if it were not clearly prohibited in the Quran and prophetic traditions. For anything that causes harm in any way is considered unlawful.

Some people claim that they can exercise self-control and never get intoxicated. But investigations reveal that every alcoholic began as a social drinker.

No one initially starts drinking with the intention of becoming an addict. It just happens along the way.

There are a number of medical reasons for the prohibition of alcohol consumption. Alcohol has been the scourge of human society since time immemorial. It continues to take countless human lives and cause misery to millions throughout the world.

And it affects the mind, diminishing the individual's menial powers and making him accustomed to running away from his problems.

It affects his finances as well, due to the expenditure that his generally expensive habit forces upon him.

There is no need to go into detail about all the ill effects of alcohol since most of them are commonly known.

Because alcohol incapacitates the inhibitory center in the brain, an inebriated person is often found to be indulging in behavior that is completely uncharacteristic - using abusive language, becoming aggressive and violent, or committing shameful acts.

Statistics showing a rising number of deaths, soaring crime rates, increasing instances of mental illness, and millions of broken homes throughout the world bear witness to the destructive effect of drinking alcohol.

The harm that results from alcohol is not limited only to the one who drinks; it is also damaging to others.

The diseases caused by alcohol weaken society as a whole. Productivity is decreased due to its effects, and crimes result from addiction.

According to a World Health Organization report on violent crimes in 30 countries, 86% of murders and 50% of rapes are carried out under the influence of alcohol.

There are similar statistics in most countries around the world. Additionally, public health officials have estimated that half of the road accidents resulting in deaths and permanent disabilities are caused by people under the influence of alcohol.

Islam agrees that prevention is the best treatment. However, Muslims do not abstain from drugs and intoxicants due to its detrimental effects, but rather, because God has prohibited them.

So, abstention is a form of worship and obedience for which they are rewarded by God in the Hereafter, as well as protecting them from harm in the present life.

We hope this answers your question.

Keep in touch.

Source: This answer is based on the book of Clear Your Doubts about Islam by Sahih International.

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Dear questioner,

Thank you for your question.

The five pillars are the main requirements of Islam. Like the pillars of a building, the religion can neither stand nor be completed without them.

These requirements are:

1- The declaration of faith

To be a Muslim, one must believe in and pronounce words which mean, "I testify that there is no deity other than God [Allah], and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and messenger."

It expresses the belief that God exists, that He is unlike and superior to His creation, and that none is worthy to be worshipped but Him.

And it confirms that Muhammad is among the prophets who conveyed God's revelation to mankind.

Thus the Quran, being the final message revealed by God, and the authentically narrated teachings of His final prophet are the basis of the religion, completing and superseding all that came before it, and they define the Islamic way of life. It is a declaration by the believer of acknowledgement and willing obedience.

2- The performance of regular prayer

Prayer was practiced in some form throughout history by all the prophets and their followers as an indispensable part of God's religion.

Islam, the final stage of monotheistic religion, considers prayer essential.

A Muslim prays five times daily within specified intervals, as taught by the Prophet. These prayers are obligatory and are a direct and continuous bond between the worshipper and his Creator.

Most believers are inclined also to pray additional voluntary prayers whenever convenient, as it was the practice of their Prophet.

3- Zakah (obligatory annual expenditure)

An important principle of Islam is that all things belong to God and that all wealth, possessions and properties are held by human beings in trust.

Muslims are commanded to obtain and spend their wealth in lawful ways. The divinely ordained system of zakah is the right of Allah within His dominion. It is neither a charity nor a tax but an obligation due from those Muslims who possess wealth in excess of their basic needs.

It is the ideal way to meet the needs of the poorer sections of society without causing hardship to the rich.

The word "zakah" means purification and growth. Its regular payment purifies the owner's remaining wealth and purifies his heart from such ailments as greed and selfishness.

Every Muslim calculates his own zakah individually, and in most cases it involves the payment of two and a half percent of his excess capital or savings each year.

4- Fasting

Islamic fasting, which involves abstinence from eating, drinking, smoking and marital intercourse, is observed throughout the daylight hours of the lunar month of Ramadan.

Done in obedience to God's command, it teaches believers patience and self-control, as well as reminding them of their responsibility toward the millions of human beings who lack adequate food and provisions or are victims of their unjust distribution.

The month of fasting is accompanied by increased efforts toward good manners and righteous deeds, along with additional worship at night. It is not a retreat from life but rather a supplement to the Muslim's ordinary activities.

5- Hajj

Hajj, the annual pilgrimage, is an obligation once in a lifetime only for those who are physically and financially able to perform it. In spite of that, over two million Muslims journey to Makkah each year from every corner of the globe, providing a unique opportunity for people of various nations and cultures to meet one another as guests of God.

Hajj is an expression of pure faith and total submission to His command, and the pilgrim performs rites of unqualified obedience, seeking nothing but the Creator's acceptance of his efforts and forgiveness of his past sins. He returns home with a fresh outlook on life, a purified soul, and I blessings from his Lord.

We hope this answers your question.

Keep in touch.

Source: This answer is based on the book of Clear Your Doubts about Islam by Sahih International.

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Dear questioner,

Thank you for your question.

Prophethood is not something acquired by a person who proves himself worthy, nor is it granted in recognition of piety.

Prophethood is an office to which God appoints a man in order to fill a particular need. The Quran mentions four conditions under which prophets were sent to the world:

1- When no prophet had ever been sent to a people before and no divine message had reached them.

2- When the message of an earlier prophet had been forgotten by the people or the teachings of former prophets had been altered with time.

3- When a second prophet was needed to assist a first one.

4- When a people had not yet received complete instruction from God In each of these cases a prophet was appointed to convey divine revelation, updating previous messages and correcting deviations that man had introduced into the religion of God.

After God's message was completed through revelation to Muhammad and its preservation guaranteed, there was no further need for messengers to convey revelation; only for teachers and reformers to remind people of what God had revealed.

The Quran states:

Muhammad is not the father of [any] one of your men, but [he is] the Messenger of Allah and seal [i.e., last] of the prophets. (Quran 33:40)

From the time of Muhammad's prophethood, conditions in the world have been conducive to the transmission of God's message to all civilizations, making the appointment of additional prophets unnecessary.

This final message has undergone no amendment or alteration by man; not a single word has been added to it or deleted from it.

If God intended to send another prophet after Muhammad, He would have made that fact clear in the Quran or commanded His Messenger to declare that a prophet would follow him.

But the Quran clearly affirms that God has now completed His divine mission through Prophet Muhammad.

God stated therein:

This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favour upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion. (Quran 5:3)

Therefore, the office of prophethood has been cancelled, enabling the world to unite in allegiance to the final prophet and obedience to God. For everyone who accepts Muhammad as the divinely appointed final messenger will seek instruction only within the message he conveyed.

We hope this answers your questions.

Keep in touch.

Source: This answer is based on the book of Clear Your Doubts about Islam by Sahih International.

 

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Dear questioner,

 

Thank you for your question.

 

The implication here is that the existence of dual or plural deities is possible and hence probable in the view of a polytheist.

 

However, if the questioner claims that God can create another like Himself, we ask,"How can this created being be God, who created all things, when it has itself been created? How can it be like God since it has a beginning, whereas God has existed from eternity?

 

In reality, the phrase "create another God" is an erroneous contradiction because the mere fact that something is created means that it cannot be God.

It is obviously illogical and irrational to say that something is God and cannot be God simultaneously.

 

The other implication in this question is that if we answer, "He cannot," then the power of God must be limited, negating His divinity.

 

These suggestions are not valid because the absolute and unlimited power of God pertains to what is rationally possible and not what is rationally impossible.

 

So when we say no, which is correct, it does not mean that the power of God is limited. Rather, it affirms the perfection of His power, meaning that He is not incapable of doing anything that is rationally possible.

 

Our minds cannot grasp the extent of His power, nor can our imaginations.

 

Therefore, we must admit our inability to contain the essence and nature of God within the limits of our intellect.

 

We hope this answers your questions.

Keep in touch.

Source: This answer is based on the book of Clear Your Doubts about Islam by Sahih International.

 

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