The Spirit of Sacrifice – A Beginner’s Guide to Eid-Ul-Adha

Eid-Ul-Adha is the second and final holiday of the Islamic lunar calendar. While the first of the two holidays, Eid-Ul-Fitr, marks the end of Ramadan, Eid-Ul-Adha marks the end of Hajj. Similar to Ramadan, Hajj is a pillar of Islam — it is the last of the five pillars. Hajj is an annual pilgrimage to Mecca and its nearby cities. […]

Understanding the Differences Between Sunni and Shi’a in Islam

Understanding the differences between the two most populous branches of Islam is essential for comprehending many of the geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East as well as community tensions in diasporic communities in the West. This article seeks to put a few of the key issues in context. The vicious and devastating cycle of violence in Iraq between Sunni and […]

The Names, Roles and Duties of Angels in Islam

The angels are mystical beings that Allah the Almighty created from light. They can take multiple forms, and they cannot be described as males or females. Belief in angels, as mentioned in the Qur’an and the authentic narrations from the Prophet (peace be upon him), is an indispensable part of the Muslim faith. In Arabic, angels are called Malaika, which […]

An Overview of The Five Pillars of Islam

A lot of what most people think they know about Islam is found in the media, where tales of fundamentalism and violence are the norm. The five pillars – the declaration of faith (shahadah), prayer (salah), alms-giving (zakat), fasting (sawm) and pilgrimage (hajj) – constitute the basic norms of Islamic practice. They are accepted by Muslims globally irrespective of ethnic, […]

What Is a Muslim Funeral Like?

Muslims believe that the good deeds they do in life will be rewarded with entry into paradise on the Day of Judgment, which is when the world will end. They believe in the resurrection of the dead and that some will live in peace in paradise and others will suffer in hell. Although this is a common belief among Muslims, […]

Understanding The Funeral Rituals of Muslims

Islam is one of the three great monotheistic religions (Jewish, Christian, Islamic). Concerning Muslims, some traditions are difficult to understand, especially when it comes to funerals. During this painful period, Muslims perform several rites that are very important to them. The Cleansing The cleansing ritual, also called the “funeral cleansing”, is an essential ritual in the Muslim religion. When a […]

Adam’s first wife wasn’t Eve but Lilith.

According to the Jewish, Islamic and Christian theologies, Adam and Eve were the first humans created by God to populate the earth and take care of His creation. Let’s delve a little into the story – Adam and Eve had to take care of the Garden of Eden and the animals. They were the parents of humanity and the first […]

Do Muslims, Christians, And Jews Worship The Same God? (Part 5)

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are what one might call sibling religions. Christianity is the largest of the three, with between 1.7 and two billion professors in the world. Muslims are just over one billion, and the Jews are about 18 million. However, they have common roots, meaning there are remarkable similarities between the three religions and essential differences. Let’s check […]