The Real al-Aqsa Mosque in Palestine

Prophet Solomon (peace be upon him) which in Arabic we called him as ‘Sulaiman', built a mosque, a long, long time ago, on Mt. Moriah in Jerusalem.

He dedicated it to the worship of Allah s.w.t. the One True God. Like his father, Prophet David(Dawood in Arabic) (peace be upon him) , he was a prophet and a messenger, calling all humanity to the worship of Allah s.w.t. and to establish piety on the earth.

Now, all these years later and its nowadays, there is some confusion about the site of the real al-Aqsa mosque. In the eastern part of Jerusalem is the Old city, a quadrangular area built on two hills. Within the wall there are four quarters. The Muslim quarter, on the east, contains the Haram al-Sharif, within which are the ‘Dome of the Rock' and the ‘Mosque of al Aqsa'. Both places are sacred sites for Muslims. However it is around the Mosque of Al Aqsa that the confusion lies.

Whenever mention is made in the local or international media pertaining to Al Aqsa, a picture of the ‘Dome of the rock' will appear. These two mosques lie within a rather close proximity to each other but they bear little resemblance. All over the world, we can find pictures of the ‘Dome of the rock' under the heading ‘Al Aqsa' , to the point that people aren't really sure anymore, which is which.

The difference however, is clear and simple. The ‘Dome of the rock' bears the sacred rock that Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) stood on when he went on the ascension to the Sidratul Muntaha, while Al Aqsa mosque lies on the site of the original mosque of Prophet Solomon (Sulaiman) (peace be upon him). Islam reveres both Jewish and Christian traditions, as these two religions belong to its traditions.

Actually Al Aqsa Mosque was the original qiblat (The direction ofMuslim prayers), which was later changed during the time of Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) to the Ka'ba at Mecca al Mukarramah.

The reason for the deliberate dispersion of false information is also clear and simple. By focusing attention on the ‘Dome of the rock' under the label of Al Aqsa, all the Muslim people all over the world will not know when the real Al Aqsa mosque finally disappears.

Source - The Best Way Of Life

Becoming a Muslim

Accepting Islam as a way of life or become to be a Muslim is not only the declaration of the Islamic faith by recite syahadah but it also includes changing one's thinking, life style, behavior and also we will meet new friends. We need to turning the old habits into new habits except the positive habits which already accepted by Islam. We also will meeting new people and trying to understand where one fits in.

All the events and experiences that a person faces before, during and after becoming a Muslim, come together to mould them into the person they are. The following are real life accounts of people's past and present circumstances that led to their final acceptance of Islam.

WHAT QUR'AN SAYS ABOUT MUSLIMS

What is the statement in al-Quran about Muslims? This is the statement which was promised by Allah to All true Muslims

"True believers are those whose hearts feel fear when Allah is mentioned, and their faith increases in strength when the revelations of Allah are recited to them, and who trust in their Lord. Who establish regular prayers and spend of that We have bestowed on them, such are indeed the true believers. For them are grades of honour and forgiveness from their Lord, and a bountiful provision will be made for them." [The Holy Qur'an, Surah 8:2-4]

Muslim world and Fatwa

What is a Fatwa?

Definition of A fatwa is an Islamic religious ruling, a scholarly opinion on a matter of Islamic law.

A fatwa is just could issued by a recognized religious authority in Islam. But since there is no hierarchical priesthood or anything of the sort in Islam, a fatwa is not necessarily "binding" on the faithful. The people who pronounce these rulings are supposed to be knowledgeable, and base their rulings in knowledge and wisdom. They need to supply the evidence from Islamic sources for their opinions, and it is not uncommon for scholars to come to different conclusions regarding the same issue.

As Muslims, we look at the opinion, the reputation of the person giving it, the evidence given to support it, and then decide whether to follow it or not. When there are conflicting opinions issued by different scholars, we compare the evidence and then choose the opinion to which our God-given conscience guides us.

Fiqh of Islam

The Arabic word fiqh means knowledge, understanding and comprehension. It refers to the legal rulings of the Muslim scholars, based on their knowledge of the shari`ah; and as such is the third source of rulings. The science of fiqh started in the second century after Hijrah, when the Islamic state expanded and faced several issues which were not explicitly covered in the Qur'an and Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh).

Rulings based on the unanimity of Muslim scholars and direct analogy are binding. The four Sunni schools of thought, Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i and Hanbali, are identical in approximately 75% of their legal conclusions. Variances in the remaining questions are traceable to methodological differences in understanding or authentication of the primary textual evidence. Differing viewpoints sometimes exist even within a single school of thought.

Shari'ah in Muslim Life

The Arabic word shari`ah refers to the laws and way of life prescribed by Allah (SWT) for his servants. The shari`ah deals with the ideology and faith; behavior and manners; and practical daily matters. "To each among you, we have prescribed a law and a clear way. (Qur 'an 5:48) Shari`ah includes the Qur'an and the sunnah of the Prophet (saas). The Qur'an is the direct word of Allah (SWT), and is the first most important source of guidance and rulings. The Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh) is the second source of guidance and rulings. The sunnah is an inspiration from Allah (SWT), but relayed to us through the words and actions of the Prophet (pbuh), and his concurrence with others' actions. The sunnah confirmed the rulings of the Qur'an; detailed some of the concepts, laws and practical matters which are briefly stated in the Qur'an (e.g. definition of Islam, Iman, and Ihsan, details of pray, types of usury); and gave some rulings regarding matters not explicitly stated in the Qur'an (e.g. wearing silk clothes for men).

1-Qur'an - Ideology and faith, Behavior and manners

Practical manners

• Articles of worship
• Day-to-day activities

Pertaining to family, business,penal code, government,international law,economy and etc.

2-Sunnah of the prophet- Sayings, Actions, Concurrence with others' actions, and the Characteristics of the Prophet Muhammad.

The Sources of Islamic Law

The law in Islam is based upon these four main sources:

The Qur'an

All of Muslims believe the Qur'an to be the direct words of Allah, as revealed to and transmitted by the Prophet Muhammad. All sources of Islamic law must be in essential agreement with the Qur'an, the most fundamental source of Islamic knowledge. When the Qur'an itself does not speak directly or in detail about a certain subject, Muslims only then turn to alternative sources of Islamic law.

The Sunnah

Sunnah is the traditions or known practices of the Prophet Muhammad, many of which have been recorded in the volumes of Hadith literature. The resources include many things that he “said, did, or agreed to” and he lived his life according to the Qur'an, putting the Qur'an into practice in his own life.

During his lifetime, the Prophet's family and companions observed him and shared with others exactly what they had seen in his words and behaviors - i.e. how he performed ablutions, how he prayed, and how he performed many other acts of worship. People also asked the Prophet directly for rulings on various matters, and he would pronounce his judgment. All of these details were passed on and recorded, to be referred to in future legal rulings. Many issues concerning personal conduct, community and family relations, political matters, etc. were addressed during the time of the Prophet, decided by him, and recorded. The Sunnah can thus clarify details of what is stated generally in the Qur'an.

Ijma' (consensus)

In some situations when Muslims have not been able to find a specific legal ruling in the Qur'an or Sunnah, the consensus of the community is sought (or at least the consensus of the legal scholars within the community). The Prophet Muhammad once said that his community (i.e. the Muslim community) would never agree on an error.

Qiyas (analogy)

In cases when something new which needs a legal ruling, but has not been clearly addressed in the other sources, judges may use analogy, reasoning, and legal precedent to decide new case law but it still must follow the guide from Quran and Sunnah. This is often the case when a general principle can be applied to new situations.