Belief and Practice

Does Taqdir Imply Predestination?
by M. A. Malek and Mrs. Sajeda Malek. An analysis of the concept of predestination in Islam.

Click here for a related question and answer on predestination.

Zayd ibn Thabit and the Glorious Qur'an.html
by Mohamad K. Yusuff. A brief biography of this important (and often overlooked) personality in Islam.

An Introduction to Hadith Literature
by Mohamad K. Yusuff. A summary providing a historical background on the development of ahadith and their relevance in Islam.

An Introduction to Sadaqah and Zakat
by Mohamad K. Yusuff. A traditional summary regarding the Muslim obligation of charity.

Islamic Intellectualism
by Murad Hofmann. Some insight into Islamic intellectual history as a guidance for Islam in the 21st century.

Why Have We Stagnated?
by Arfaque Malik. Some thoughts on what Muslims need to do to awaken from their slumber.

Muhammad Al-Ghazali's View on Abrogation in the Qur'an
by Khaleel Mohammed. Muhammad Al-Ghazali argues that the concept of abrogation in the Qur'an is "crass stupidity."

Allah (swt) Provides For All...!
by Shaykh Jamal Farouk Housein. A sermon (khutbah) about the use and abuse of our sustenance (rizq).

The Moon Sighting Controversy
by M. A. Malek. A proposed solution for the debacle Muslims face every year as Ramadan approaches.

Click here for a related question and answer.

Bid'ah (Innovation)
by Khaleel Mohammed. Bid'ah, specifically in aspects of worship, leads us astray and causes disunity.

Questions and Answers

The number 19 and shirk

Questions about the number 19 and shirk.

Masturbation
What is the Islamic perspective on masturbation?

Obeying Those in Authority
What does it mean to obey those in authority?

Question about tattoos
Is there any prohibition against tattoos?

Questions about various faiths
Some questions dealing with various faiths, exclusivity, and the loss of innocent life.

Sunni Shia Polemic
Who's right when it comes to differences between the Sunni and Shia over the adhan?

Circumcision
Is circumcision a requirement and when is the best time?

Touching Parent's Feet
What is the Islamic view on touching parent's feet?

Commandments in the Qur'an
Is there the equivalent of Ten Commandments in the Qur'an?

Contradictions in the Qur'an
Are there contradictory verses in the Qur'an that cause confusion?

The status of hadith
Are the ahadith on par with the Qur'an?

Symbolizing Islam
Is the crescent and star patent symbolic of Islam?

Length of fasting days during the summer months
How long should one fast during the summer months in areas with extremely long days?

Qur'anic Methodology
Can Muslims apply the historical critical method to the Qur'an?

Interpreting Islam
Do some "scholars" have a monopoly on interpreting the Qur'an and Islamic theology?

Understanding Qadr
Is Qadr and destiny part of Islamic belief?

Studying Islam and the Qur'an
Some suggested reading and a recommended approach for studying Islam and the Qur'an??

The five pillars in Islam
What is the origin of the five pillars in Islam?

Suhoor time
Is the time for suhoor (the morning meal before fasting) written in stone or is there some flexibility? And what about reciting 50 ayat before fajr (morning prayer) time?

Qur'anic laws
Are the Qur'anic laws immutable or open to reinterpretation?

Accounting for Zakat
What is the correct amount for zakat and does it vary depending on the source of income?

The power of sura al-Ikhlas
Does reading this sura three times generate the same amount of blessings as reading the entire Qur'an?

Black magic
Is there any such thing as black magic/voodoo and can a person cast a spell on someone?

The crescent and star
What is the significance of the crescent and star in Islam?

The Black Stone in the Kaaba
What is the origin and significance of the Black Stone?

Music and singing
Does Islam prohibit music and singing?

The miracle of the Qur'an
Is the Qur'an a miracle because it is divine revelation?

Leading multiple prayers
Can an Imam lead multiple Eid prayers at different masajid on the same day?

Tarawih and tahajjud prayers
What is the correct number of rakaats for the tarawih and tahajjud prayers, and are they obligatory?

Mistake during the prayer
Does one make the additional sajdahs before or after the taslim?

Shaving the private areas
Is this tradition still a requirement for Muslims?

The four sacred months
Which months are sacred, and is Ramadan one of them?

Praying on Airplanes
Do we have to inconvenience others to meet our religious obligations?

Predestination
Is everything in our lives preordained, and do we have no control over our destiny?

Houris and Extraterrestrials
Are there 72 houris waiting for you, and is there extraterrestrial life?

Translating the Qur'an
Can the Qur'an be understood in Arabic only, or other languages as well?

Kufr and Shirk
What are the definitions of kufr and shirk, and who are the kuffar?

Losing one's wudu during prayer
What does the Imam or a member of the congregation do when this happens?

Deductions from Qur'anic ayat
The Qur'an should be understood as a thematic whole, and not piecemeal.

God is not restricted to time and space
Does that mean that as far as Allah is concerned, the future has already happened?

Blind following (taqlid)
Can people communicate with the dead, is blind allegiance allowed in Islam, and what is the significance of "786"?

Zakah and non-Muslim donations
Can zakah be given from the next fiscal year, and can donations be taken from non-Muslims?

Prayer beads and odd/even numbers
What is the origin of prayer beads, and the preference for odd over even numbers?

Takbir and the adhan and iqamah for newborns
Is the takbir from the Prophetic tradition, and should we recite the adhan and iqamah in a new baby's ears?

The aqiqah for newborns
How did this tradition start, and is it still required?

Body and soul, riba, and miraj
A different perspective on the concept of the body and soul, riba, and the miraj.

Interpreting dreams
Do we need the equivalent of Freud or Jung in Islam?

Dogs, statues, gold and silk
Why does Islam prohibit dogs and statues, and gold and silk for men?

Making up Prayers
Should one make up missed prayers or just overlook them?

To recite or not
During a communal prayer, in which instances do members of the congregation recite?

One is late for Jum'ua
How many rakaats before and after the fard, and is it wrong to pray while the khutba is being delivered?

Combining the Prayers
Is this only allowed when traveling, or at other times as well?

Breaking the fast and Fitrana
When does one say the du'a, and what is the correct amount for charity?

People arrive after the Tarawih has started
What is the correct procedure for praying the Fard for Isha?

The Moon Sighting Issue
Was the moon sighting meant to be a permanent injunction and an act of worship?

Punishment for Adultery
In Islam, there is no stoning to death as punishment for adultery, period!

Sacrifice for the Eid-ul-Adha
Are Muslims who do not perform the Hajj required to sacrifice an animal? Why is a name given?

Some Prayers (Salawat) are performed silently
Now that conditions have changed, why can't all prayers be recited the same way?

Paid Imams
What are the conditions under which Imams should be paid?

Congregational Du'a after the Prayer (Salah)
Is the du'a part of the prayer, or can it be done separately?

Congregational Recitation of the Qur'an
How did this practice start, and is it permissible?

The Qur'an and Sunnah/Hadith
Can the Qur'an stand on its own? Is the term Sunnah synonymous with Hadith?