Answer
Short Answer: Decisions that we as Muslims make in our daily life activities, should be in accordance with what is acceptable to God. Hence, all aspects of our life is governed by what pleases Him. God has laid down certain principles for us to follow that entails how we eat, to how we dress, etc. As a Muslim we hear and we obey what God has decreed without trying to reason with His law and regulations, as God is Most knowledgeable.
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Assalamualaikum and thank you for approaching us with your question.
Decisions that we as Muslims make in our daily life activities, should be in accordance with what is acceptable to God. Hence, all aspects of our life is governed by what pleases Him. God has laid down certain principles for us to follow that entails how we eat, to how we dress, etc. As a Muslim we hear and we obey what God has decreed without trying to reason with His law and regulations, as God is Most knowledgeable.
Many times it has happened where scientists have made new discoveries about the benefit of something which was a result of following God’s commandments! When we do anything in life, we are responsible to know if it’s in the boundaries of our religion; however unnecessary queries leads one off the straight path.
Which Pets Are Preferable To Keep
In Islam there are no certain preferences when it comes to keeping pets. Having said that, there are some animals that we try and refrain from keeping as pets. Such as pigs due to the animals unhygienic nature. Also, if we keep dogs they can only be guard dogs, because angels do not enter a house where dogs are kept.
On the authority of Abu Talha:
I heard Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings upon him) as saying: “Angels do not enter the house in which there is a dog or a statue.” (Muslim)
One of the animals admired by Muslims are cats. Cats are pets that instinctively like to groom themselves and also there are many instances, in Prophet Muhammad’s life in which it is said, that he used to enjoy playing with cats.
Why Pray 5 Times
Muslims are obligated to pray five times daily! It may seem like a tremendous amount, however that’s where we as Muslims take our refuge from the hardships and whisperings that the devil puts in our way. Prayer is our form of meditation. It also helps us to stay organized.
These are the five special times that we speak with God. Imagine what it’s like to meet with God five times a day! The day starts and so does all the commotion around us. To overcome the distractions that hinder us from our true goal of life we put aside a couple of minutes daily to connect with our Lord, without any distractions, just solitude and serenity.
These are a precious few moments that regenerate our energy and uplift us, so that we can deal with unusual situations that spring out of nowhere. Prophet Muhammad instructed us to pray and said, that Satan is afraid of the faithful Muslim who performs the prayers (Salat) in their right times. Once a Muslim forgets to do the prayer at the right time, Satan becomes encouraged to tempt him/her to do great sins.
What Are The Rituals Before Eating
One task that all humans perform around the globe is consumption of food. The acts we try to perform as Muslims are the ones that were done by our beloved Prophet Muhammad. This is called following his sunnah, or way.
By doing so we gain more reward for the activity we are performing. One for doing what is right and extra for trying to copy the Prophet. We try and follow the habits that he had.
One of them is the way in which he used to eat. The Prophet would clean his hands before eating, he would sit and he would use the thumb and adjacent two fingers of his right hand to eat with. He also invoked the name of Allah before eating and instructed others to do so as well. He said,
“When any one of you eats, let him mention the name of Allah. If he forgets to mention the name of Allah at the beginning, let him say Bismillaahi fi awwalihi wa aakhirihi (in the name of Allah at its beginning and at its end).” (Tirmidhi (1859) and Abu Dawood (3767)
How do Muslims Greet
Greeting is a form of respect. When you meet someone you greet them to acknowledge them. Also it helps build friendship and a bond with other people. Imagine when you walk down an aisle of a shop, and you’re addressed by someone with a smile, how do you feel? Of course you feel much more comfortable than if you were totally ignored. You feel acknowledged.
Greeting indeed is a form of communication and as Muslims we take it a step further. There are many forms of greeting which people use, such as hello, may you live a thousand years, also in some cultures by bowing. We greet each other with a prayer. By saying assalam ualaikum, which means, may peace be upon you.
Salam is derived from Allah’s name Al Salam, which means peace. It is the best form of greeting because you’re asking God’s safety for the person inclusively. There is so much beauty to this salutation, because when we have peace of mind, body, and soul, we tend to be more positive and productive towards people around us. We are commanded by the Prophet to spread Salam.
Al-Bukhaari (12, 28 and 6236), Muslim (39), Ahmad (2/169), Abu Dawood (5494), al-Nisaai, (8/107) and Ibn Hibbaan (505) narrated from Abd-Allaah ibn Umar that a man asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him):
“What is the best thing in Islam? He said, Feeding others and giving the greeting of salaam to those whom you know and those whom you do not know.”
And Allah knows best.
I hope this helps.
Salam and please keep in touch.
(From Ask About Islam archives)
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