Islamic Beliefs and Thoughts, A Beacon for Children (Part Four)
Question: What kind of person is called a believer (Mu’min)?
Answer: A believer (Mu’min) is someone who affirms and adheres to all the laws and commandments revealed by Allah to the leader of the universe, Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah. When a person believes in the commands and prohibitions of Allah Almighty and acts upon them, they are considered a believer. The rank of a believer is higher than that of a Muslim.
Question: What rank is higher than that of a believer?
Answer: Higher than a believer is a Muhsin (doer of good), who possesses such awareness during righteous actions that they feel as if the Great and Merciful Allah is watching them. They also perceive the divine commands, rulings, and powers of Allah.
Question: If a person professes the testimony of faith (Shahadah) but rejects some definitive religious commands, such as the prescribed punishments (Hudood) or the obligation of befriending Muslims and disassociating from disbelievers—which are all definitive injunctions of the Qur’an—can such a person still be called a Muslim?
Answer: No. Denying even a single verse of the Qur’an, a Mutawatir Hadith (a widely transmitted prophetic narration), or a Mutawatir practice of the religion—such as the number of prayer units (Rak‘at), the governance of the Prophet in Medina, or rejecting the entire religion—is equivalent in ruling.
Question: Whose nation (Ummah) do we belong to?
Answer: We belong to the Ummah of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH).
Question: What does “Ummah” mean?
Answer: “Ummah” means followers. It signifies that we follow our master and leader, Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, in all aspects of life, including worship, politics, economy, society, ethics, education, and more.
Question: Does Islam have teachings beyond acts of worship for other aspects of life?
Answer: Yes. The general principles and guidelines for all matters are mentioned in the Qur’an, with their explanations provided in the Hadiths. Islam is a comprehensive religion that addresses major aspects of life and even extends to minor matters, such as how to enter the restroom and how to use a comb. All of these are part of the instructions given by the noble Messenger of Allah.
Question: What is the name of the Prophet, and where was he from?
Answer: His blessed name is Muhammad, son of Abdullah, grandson of Abdul Muttalib. He was from Mecca and was born in the land of Hijaz.
Question: In what year was the leader of the universe, Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), born, and when did he pass away?
Answer: Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, was born in the Year of the Elephant, either in 570 or 571 CE, on the 20th or 21st of April, corresponding to the 8th or 12th of Rabi al-Awwal, on a Monday. He passed away at the age of 63 on a Monday, on the 12th of Rabi al-Awwal, according to the well-known opinion.
Question: At what age was he appointed as a prophet?
Answer: He was appointed as a prophet at the age of forty and began his mission thereafter.
Question: What kind of struggle did Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) begin in the land of Hijaz? Since we are his Ummah, we must obey him.
Answer: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) started by calling his own family to Islam. He then invited those with whom he had connections, and eventually, he conveyed his message to anyone he deemed suitable.
Question: How many stages was the Prophet’s mission divided into?
Answer: His mission was divided into three stages: 1. The first three years, during which he secretly invited people to Islam and monotheism (Tawheed). 2. The next ten years, during which he openly invited everyone to Islam and the practical implementation of its teachings in all aspects of life. 3. The final stage, during which he traveled to seek political support, establish a state, and implement Shariah. He sought help from powerful tribes such as Banu Thaqif in Ta’if, Banu Qinda, Banu Sa‘sa‘a, Banu ‘Amir, and Banu Shayban around Mecca. After this, he governed in Medina for nearly ten years, during which he established Islam across the Arabian Peninsula.
Question: What did Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) do during the first three years of his secret mission?
Answer: During the first three years, the Prophet (peace be upon him) converted individuals to Islam and nurtured them into righteous and upright personalities based on Islamic teachings.
