Common Questions About Islam

Allah is the One and Only True God. He is the Creator of everything that exists. His Power and Authority stretch far beyond our limited human understanding. He is Merciful, Just, Kind, and Wise. In order to know Him, we have to understand that we are all mortals, and the purpose of our existence on this earth is to worship Him alone with sincerity, devotion, and reverence. His divine guidance has been sent down to us through the Holy Quran, a book that contains all the guidance we need to lead the good life both in this world and the hereafter. 

We must seek Allah’s Forgiveness for our sins and strive to follow the path of righteousness so as to please Him. May Allah bestow upon us all in this journey of life steadfastness and wisdom.


Islam (lit. voluntary surrender or submission) means to fully submit to the Will and Law of Allah. It has the same root (S-L-M) as the Arabic words Salam (peace) and Salamah (safety, security). As is clear from the connection between the words, only by submitting to one’s Creator and living according to His Divinely revealed Law can a human attain true peace.

 The word Islam, therefore, is descriptive of a state of mind and an attitude to life, not a name that derives from a specific man or nation. It is a whole way of living, thinking, and acting that Allah has ordained for mankind, described with the Quranic precept of: {It is You (alone) we worship, and You (alone) we ask for help.} (Quran 1:5) 

Islam strictly rejects the concept of the Trinity, which is the Christian belief that there are three co-equal persons in one Godhead – the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit. Muslims firmly believe in Tawhid (belief in the Oneness of Allah) which asserts that there is only One God Who governs this universe. 

In Islam, associating partners with Allah (Shirk) is a great sin and ascribing divine attributes to anyone other than Allah is considered blasphemy. The Quran emphasizes that Allah is One God Who has no partners, offspring, or associates and affirms His Oneness throughout several ayahs. Hence, according to Islamic beliefs, any form of polytheism or tritheism is considered unacceptable and goes against Tawhid.

Islam and Christianity are two of the world’s largest and most widespread religions. There are multiple key differences between Islam and Christianity. One major difference is their concept of God: Christians believe in the Holy Trinity, the idea that God exists as three persons in one (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), while Muslims are strictly monotheistic, believing that there is only one God (Allah).

  Another fundamental difference lies in their holy texts: Christians follow the Bible, the inspired word of Allah; whereas Muslims follow the Quran, which was revealed to Muhammad by Allah. Similarly, Islam teaches that all prophets from Adam to Jesus were sent by Allah and considers Muhammad as the final prophet; while Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God and part of the Holy Trinity. Overall, these varied beliefs result in different practices for religious rituals, moral codes, and social customs.


Islam holds that Jesus (may the peace of Allah be upon him) was a Prophet of Allah and a Messenger of truth. This is quite different from the Christian doctrine. Islamic teachings emphasize that all prophets were sent by Allah with specific teachings for specific times and communities. So while Jesus played a significant role in reminding people to turn to Allah (Exalted be He) with sincere hearts, he was not the only path to reach Him.

Rather, Islam teaches that salvation lies in adhering to the teachings of all prophets, particularly Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Muslims respect Jesus as an honorable Prophet of Allah who preached compassion and mercy towards all, but their ultimate source for guidance is the Quranic scripture which outlines a comprehensive message of worship and righteous conduct as well as details of beliefs about the Hereafter.

Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is frequently contrasted with Jesus Christ (may the peace of Allah be upon him) in several aspects. While both figures are regarded as excellent prophets and significant figures in conveying Islam to people, there are certain aspects where their lives diverge.

One of these aspects is the many miracles that Jesus performed, including healing the sick and even raising the dead, to guide his people to believe in Allah. Compared to him, Muhammad did not have miracles like Jesus.

Polygamy is a practice that has been allowed in Islam under specific circumstances. The Quran, the primary source of Islamic law, permits a man to marry up to four wives, on the condition that he provides for them all fairly, equally, and honorably. Polygamy is regarded in Islam as a solution to certain social problems such as caring for widows and orphans or providing companionship for women who may not have suitable marriage options available to them. 

The decision to enter into a polygamous marriage must be made with mutual consent and consideration. Additionally, Islamic teachings emphasize equal treatment of all wives without showing any special preference towards any one wife. It should be noted that while polygamy is allowed in Islam it should not be practiced selfishly or irresponsibly.

Islam views Jesus (may the peace of Allah be upon him) as one of the most honorable prophets and messengers of Allah (Glorified be He), but not as the image of Allah. Muslims believe in the absolute Oneness of Allah and reject any form of physical representation or analogy to define Him. As mentioned in the Quran, Allah is beyond full human comprehension, and His Nature cannot be compared with anything within creation. 

Jesus is revered in Islam as a human Prophet who was sent by Allah to guide the Children of Israel to righteousness and truth. Muslim scholars consider it blasphemous to equate Jesus with divinity or associate him with any qualities involving Allah’s Essence or Form. Nevertheless, believing in and respecting Jesus' teachings and message constitutes an essential pillar of Islamic faith, which which one’s faith is void.


The Islamic belief is that the Quran, the Holy Book of Islam, contains unaltered revelations from Allah to His Prophet Muhammad through Angel Gabriel. Although Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was illiterate and did not possess any formal education in reading or writing, Muslims believe that he memorized and transmitted these revelations to his Companions who then recorded them. 

Therefore, Muhammad is considered a conduit for conveying the divine message rather than an author of the Quran. The style and content of the Quran are unique and inconsistent with the known Arabic literature of its time, which further supports this belief.

The Quran is the central religious text of Islam and is considered by Muslims to be the literal Words of Allah. It was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) over 23 years and contains guidance for believers on how to live a righteous life. The Quranic scripture is divided into 114 chapters, or surahs, each comprising verses called ayahs. The Quran covers a wide range of topics, including faith, ethics, law, history, and stories of the prophets. 

It outlines core Islamic beliefs such as monotheism, submission to Allah’s Will (Islam), and the Day of Judgment. The Quran is not only read but also recited in prayer and revered in daily life as an ultimate source of moral and spiritual guidance. Its teachings form the basis for individual conduct as well as societal norms across countless Muslim cultures around the world.

In Islam, Allah and Muhammad are distinct entities. Allah (Exalted be He) is the One True God Who is the Creator, the Omnipotent, the Omniscient, and the Merciful. On the other hand, Prophet Muhammad is regarded as the Messenger of Allah who received revelations from Him through angel Gabriel. While Muslims worship only Allah, they also extend immense respect to Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as he is believed to be responsible for conveying Allah’s Message to the people. The Quran clearly states that Muhammad was a human being and not divine in any way.

He was specially chosen by Allah to guide humanity towards righteousness. Therefore, while both Allah and Muhammad hold significant importance in Islam, their roles within the religion are different – Allah is the worshipped God while Muhammad is His Messenger and Prophet.


According to Islamic belief, Allah is the one and only true God who created the universe and everything in it, including human beings. Similarly, Christians believe in a single deity that governs all creation. However, while both faiths consider their respective God to be omnipotent and merciful, there are differences in their theological understanding of God’s Nature and Attributes. Muslims view Allah as strictly monotheistic without any partners or offspring. In contrast, some Christian denominations like the Holy Trinity may see their God as encompassing three distinct persons - the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 

Additionally, Muslims worship Allah directly without intermediaries such as saints or Mary - which differs significantly from Christian devotional practices. Thus, while both religions acknowledge a single deity under different names or aspects, some essential differences distinguish Muslim conceptions of Allah from Christian beliefs about God.

While Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is the central figure in Islam, Jesus holds great importance within Islamic theology as well. The frequent mention of Jesus (may the peace of Allah be upon him) in the Qur'an serves to emphasize his significance as a Prophet, Messenger of Allah, and precursor to Muhammad’s emergence. Moreover, the Qur'an mentions specific aspects of Jesus’ life including his miraculous birth and his ability to perform miracles by Allah’s Grace and Permission. Moreover, the message of Islam views itself as being in continuity with the messages of Judaism and Christianity.

It also takes on the extra role of correcting any distortions or alterations that had been made in them. Recognizing Jesus’ role therefore is part of the aim that Islam always has of serving as a completion and correction of previous monotheistic religions rather than entirely rejecting them. 

In Islam, marriage is considered a sacred covenant between a man and a woman, aiming to create a peaceful and harmonious society. However, Muslim women are not allowed to marry non-Muslim men due to several reasons based on Islamic laws and principles. One of the primary justifications is that Islam considers men as protectors and maintainers of women. Therefore, marrying a non-Muslim man could potentially jeopardize the woman’s beliefs and religious commitment since he may not respect or support her faith adequately. Moreover, in many cases, non-Muslim husbands may not be willing to follow Islamic family laws regarding inheritance rights, child-rearing practices or divorce procedures which can lead to conflict within the marriage in addition to other issues.

Islam values unity amongst spouses; therefore, it is believed that couples with differing religious upbringings cannot attain true unison in belief over time. This leads to further conflict in the future making such a relationship unfavorable for Muslim women. They are likely to be unhappy, incompatible marriages.

In the Islamic faith, relationships between men and women outside marriage are not permissible. The Quran clearly states that sexual relations should only take place within the bounds of a legitimate marriage. This rule is meant to protect both individuals involved by ensuring they treat each other honorably. Islam also prohibits any extramarital or premarital sexual intercourse that may lead to unwanted situations such as unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, or emotionally unfulfilling relationships. Muslims believe in creating a family based on mutual love, peace, and security within the confines of strong moral values. 

Islam prohibits sex before marriage because it places great importance on purity and chastity in order to maintain healthy societal norms. Moral values that prohibit such types of conduct are an important part for the formation of a harmonious society where ethical values are given preference over personal desires.