HowToDoThings.com Recent Islam Articles

How To Be a Good Muslim Husband

sadaf — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 13:47:11 -0800

At a time when divorces are on the rise and more marriages are on the rocks than those that are not, happy Muslim couples too, are hard to come by. More and more Muslim youngsters find themselves severely afflicted by the fitnah of it being easier to commit zina (adultery) than to get married. Also, once married, they face the fitnah of the ease of falling into, and enjoying, casual flings over the cell-phone or Internet, instead of being able to sustain an invincible marital bond over time.

How To Live Happily According to Islam

Abcent — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:15:47 -0800

How To Celebrate the Islamic Festival of `Eid Al-Adha

sadaf — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:41:27 -0800

The Islamic festival of Eid Al-Adha, or "Festival of Sacrifice" follows close on the heels of the first Eid festival of the year, Eid Al-Fitr. The Arabic word "Adha" means "sacrifice", having its root in the word ضحی, which also means "light" or "illumination". After Ramadan, the month of Shawwaal ensues, in which most Muslims fast 6 days. This month is followed by Dhul Qa'dah, which is the month in which most of the Muslims who intend to perform Hajj, start their preparations for the trip, and eventually reach Saudi Arabia. After the month of Dhul Qa'dah, comes the month of "Dhul Hijjah", which literally means, "Of the Hajj".

How To Perform Hajj

sadaf — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:32:43 -0800

Hajj is one the five pillars of Islam. It is obligatory to perform Hajj at least once in a lifetime for a Muslim who can physically and financially afford the journey. For a Muslim woman, the journey of Hajj requires her to be accompanied by a male relative who is her "mahrum" (i.e. her husband, or a man she is forbidden to marry, such as her father, brother or uncle). This is not a discriminatory ruling - it is a stipulation that makes it easier for her to travel and carry heavy belongings from one place to another during the strenuous rituals of Hajj. If any Muslim has enough financial savings to allow them to easily go for Hajj, they have to hasten in fulfilling this pivotal obligation of Islam.

How To Respect a Muslim Woman Who Wears a Veil

sadaf — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 16:53:48 -0700

You've spotted her on the cover of a sensational novel, telling a hackneyed story of patriarchal cruelty and oppression; you've seen her out and about in a Western country, looking like a misfit - a "black sack" apparently devoid of freedom and human rights; you've seen her circumambulating the Holy Ka'ba in Makkah, not an inch of her skin showing in her full hijab, including gloves and a gauze eye-cover, wondering how on earth she survives the heat in that garb (because you can not wait to take off your burqa/abaya on your flight back home to your more "lenient" and secular Muslim country).

How To Accept the Concept of the Hoors of Paradise as a Muslim Woman

sadaf — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 10:04:27 -0700

“I have a question about something I read in Qur'an, and some of the Hadiths! It says in the Qur'an that each man will be given 2 wives in Paradase! And there also will be Hoors in the service of men. What if you are married only one time during your life here? What about the women? Why does she have to share her husband with Hoors and other wives...why aren’t women rewarded with a lot of husbands? Isn’t Jannah a place where you purely get your wishes?

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How To Identify the Greatest Trials Faced by Muslims Today

sadaf — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 10:30:23 -0700

The word “fitnah” has many connotations in the Qur’an and Sunnah. The most common meaning of this word is “trial” – that is, any situation or object that makes it difficult for a Muslim to obey the command of Allah, abstain from sin, or safeguard his faith.

A fitnah is a distraction that deflects a believer’s attention from Allah’s worship. “Ibn al-A’raabi summed up the meanings of fitnah when he said: “Fitnah means testing, fitnah means trial, fitnah means wealth, fitnah means children, fitnah means kufr, fitnah means differences of opinion among people, fitnah means burning with fire.”” (Lisaan al-‘Arab by Ibn Manzoor)
[Question 22899, IslamQA.com]

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How To Learn to Recite the Qur'an

sadaf — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 12:00:02 -0700

The Qur'an is Islam's Book of Divine Guidance. It is in Arabic, and is the spoken word, or "kalam", of Allah (God). It was revealed to Prophet Muhammad [صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم] via Archangel Jibrael [علیہ السلام] more than fourteen centuries ago. It has laws and commands that govern how Muslims should live, communally and individually. Unparalleled by any other book in the world, it has the unique honor of being memorized in its entirety by hundreds of thousands of Muslims, those who understand its Arabic, and also those who do not. Another distinguishing quality of this "book" is that its recitation is an act of worship, one which draws the reciter closer to Allah and earns him a multitude of reward. It also exalts his or her status among the Muslims.

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How To Perform Tayammum (Dry Ablution)

rk12m — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 12:33:46 -0700

How To Perform Wudu (Ablution)

rk12m — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:43:03 -0700

How To Celebrate the Islamic Festival of `Eid Al-Fitr

sadaf — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:50:17 -0700

After the culmination of the month of worship - Ramadan - the first day of the next month, Shawaal, is the day of `Eid Al-Fitr. "`Eid Al-Fitr" means "the festivity of breaking the fasting (routine)". In Arabic, the word "`Eid" literally means "that which returns" and "Fitr" means "breaking/splitting". In other words, it is a day that returns every year in the Islamic lunar calendar, that signifies the end of the Ramadan fasting.

It is a day of rejoicing, because in Islam, devout worship and the performance of good deeds to get the Pleasure of Allah are considered just cause for celebration. After a month of continuous fasting, Muslims are endorsed to rejoice.

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How To Fast During Ramadan

sadaf — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 10:51:32 -0700

Ramadan is one of the most blessed months in the Islamic Calendar. It is a month of worship, which requires a Muslim to fast from dawn to dusk, consecutively for twenty-nine or thirty days. Every Muslim knows that fasting in Ramadan is obligatory. Some have been doing it all their life, more as a cultural byproduct of being born in a Muslim household than as an expression of religious commitment; others start at a later stage in life, perhaps after converting to Islam. What stands true for all, however, is the fear of this form of worship being "difficult to do." Below is a practical guide to how Muslims can make fasting in Ramadan both easier and more spiritually rewarding:

Make your intention Allah's pleasure:

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How To Refrain from Backbiting

sadaf — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:07:15 -0700

Discussing a third, absent person negatively with others is a common habit among all and sundry, but more so among women. Women are emotional by nature, so when someone wrongs them or treats them unfairly, they easily become hurt and angry. Being naturally expressive and talkative, they can usually not restrain themselves from venting their frustrations to people close to them. This gives rise to the vicious and destructive habit of backbiting, one that ruins social relationships and makes a person more enemies than friends.

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How To Guard Your Husband's Honor as a Muslim Wife

sadaf — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 10:17:15 -0700

Traditionally, occupations such as cooking, sewing, fashion designing and interior decorating were considered the exclusive terrain of women. Today, however, they have all witnessed incursions by men, to some extent. One domain, though, still remains predominantly women’s-only, and that is home-making. This is because it is woman’s innate nature to be the master of her home. As manager, guard and coordinator, she happily does the household chores and caters to her family’s needs, while the husband, more often than not the chief breadwinner, remains absent throughout the day at work.

Allah has acknowledged this aspect of the functional family unit, by instructing women to be “guards” of their husband’s property and honour in the latter's absence:

“Therefore, the righteous women are devoutly obedient (to the husband), and guard in (the husband's) absence what Allah would have them guard…”

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How To Bond as a Muslim Family

sadaf — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 11:52:03 -0700

You come home from your stressful day at the office, having faced the enormous traffic jam on the way, and all you desire is some peace and quiet, and a warm drink. The moment you step in, loud, jarring sounds greet you from the television set the kids are watching. Mama is shouting at them to keep the noise down, as she quickly tries to whip up some dinner after her own tiring day at work. The house is a mess, and the telephone and cell phone ring at the same time. You barely greet your wife with the liable assalaamu alaykum before slumping into the recliner, remembering that email you have to send. You switch on the laptop to do that before you change your clothes, realizing that neither your wife nor your kids have really acknolwledged your arrival....

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How To Be a Friend for the Sake of Allah

sadaf — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 10:54:10 -0700

"To love for the sake of Allah" means loving someone above worldly motives or gains; it is the love that exists between two people because of their mutual yearning for higher levels of piety and a common desire to lead a devout Muslim life. This kind of love might exist between two school-going youngsters, a couple of stay-at-home mothers in the same neighborhood, or two men frequenting the same mosque on a regular basis. It might even exist between close family members and/or relatives. Its chief characteristics are sincerity, selfless empathy and compassion.

Those who love for the sake of Allah help and support each other in becoming better Muslims. They usually meet on a collective level for the promotion or betterment of Islam, or that of Muslims in general, by organizing welfare, educational and entertainment programs for the community.

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How To Judge a Friendship as Muslims

sadaf — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 15:27:59 -0700

"Ah! Woe to me! Would that I had never taken such-and-such as a friend!”

[Quran, Surah Al-Furqaan: 28]

The one who is always there to console you when you want to talk about a problem, the one who sticks by you through thick and thin, the one whom you can count on to be there for you – this is the person who leaves no doubts in your mind that he or she is your “best friend”. You like each other’s company and love to spend time together. If something important happens in your life, they’re the first to know. You trust them and depend upon them in times of need. They may be a classmate, a colleague, a neighbor, a sister, a mother; or even your spouse! It could be anyone who fits this description.

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How To Form a Quran Study Circle

sadaf — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 11:16:26 -0700

In order to be able to practice Islam effectively in our lives, we must gain knowledge of it from authentic sources - the Quran and sunnah (way of life of the Prophet Muhammad [Allah's peace and blessings be upon him]). If we don't make an extra effort for studying these sources, we will never be able to fully understand them. Therefore, it is best to form a "study circle," a group of people studying the Quran and sunnah together--a method that develops strong mutual bonds and keeps everyone tuned in to gaining an Islamic education.

In order to know the dos and don'ts of studying Islam as a group, we can heed advice given by some companions of the Prophet Muhammad [Allah's peace and blessings be upon him]:

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How To Strengthen Your Faith in Allah

sadaf — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 10:53:04 -0800

All of us, being human, experience fluctuations in our level of faith -- denoted by the Arabic word "imaan" -- during the course of our day-to-day lives. It is perfectly normal to experience this. For Muslims, what is faith or "imaan"? It is the belief that resides in our hearts regarding Allah, His revealed Divine books (Quran, Bible, Torah, Abraham's scriptures), His Prophets, His angels, His Divine Decree (or what is more commonly knows as "fate"), and the Last Hour or Last Day (when all humans will be resurrected for account-taking of their actions).

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How To Rise Above Violence and Civil War in a Muslim Country

sadaf — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 12:15:27 -0800

Bombing, bullets, killing. Strife and unrest prevail. Lives are in danger if people venture out of their homes. Civic life has come to a standstill; people are stuck at home. The news is the focus of attention, speech and energies. Security is scant. Food, water, basic amenities and petrol are dwindling in supply. The future (even the coming week) is uncertain. Worry, stress and despondency are on the rise, as are anger and resentment as we see our normal lives spiral out of our control.

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How To Do Islamic Prayer

tamershaban — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:36:23 -0800

In Islam there are five Islamic prayers each day that must be done (obligatory), and there are non-obligatory prayers.

Preparing to do Islamic prayer (in Arabic, called salat):

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How To Recognize and Avoid Islamophobic Propaganda

sadaf — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 12:52:14 -0800

Today, mention of "Islam" and/or "Muslim" brings a scary picture to mind - one of suicide bombers, sword-wielding slayers, oppressed women and intellectual backwardness. It is a sad fact that, since 9/11, the Western world has increasingly been prone to this phenomenon, despite housing a notable, peace-observing Muslim immigrant population since decades.

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How To Excel in Your Studies

Learner — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 16:19:40 -0800

This 'How To' article would help different people in different ways as its content will be subjective to how you interpret excellence. If the reader wants to know the secret to scoring A's in his or her exam, it might lie here; if the reader intends to improve his or her studying technique, it might lie here as well. And if the reader wants to know the many ways to practice the virtue of excellence, it might lie here. Therefore, I invite you to read on.

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How To Live According to the 5 Pillars of Islam

sadaf — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 10:31:54 -0800

Pillars uphold the main body of any structure. If any pillar is weak, broken, or missing from its position, the stability of the entire structure is jeopardized. Moreover, whenever a building or object has to be erected, its pillars are prepared first; once the pillars are firmly placed in the foundation, the structure can be erected atop them. In a hadith, Prophet Muhammad [may peace be upon him] detailed the five essential pillars of Islam: testifying that there is no god except Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger; establishment of regular daily prayers (salaah); establishment of the system of “Zakaah” or the obligatory charity that has to be given by every Muslim; performing the once-in-lifetime pilgrimage, or “Hajj”, to Makkah in Saudi Arabia; and last but not least, fasting during the month of Ramadan.

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How To Differentiate Between a Sunni Muslim and a Shiite Muslim

Timmy — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 17:31:28 -0700

“After my death my nation will be divided into 70 sects, all will go to hell but one.” This is what the prophet Mohammad foretold, and this is what happened as far as I know, but surely no one can tell which sect will go to heaven concerning the second part of the prophecy, although each sect proclaims that they’re the ones. The two major sects in Islam are the Sunni sect and the Shiite sect. They are called Sunnis because they follow the Sunna of the Prophet Mohammad, which means his sayings and doings. And the others are called Shiites because they are the followers or supporters of Ali ibin abi Talib, the Prophet’s Cousin and son-in-law, so they’re called Shi’at Ali, or the partisans of Ali. You can tell if a person is a Sunni or Shiite based on names, appearance, slight differences in prayers, places of prayers, and certain special rituals and celebrations.

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How To Convert to Islam

Noelle359 — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 07:59:00 -0700

Islam is considered by Muslims to be a very simple and straightforward religion. There is no religious hierarchy and the practice of Islam is composed of five pillars, which are expected to be followed by all Muslims. The first pillar, the shahada, is required to enter Islam while the other four pillars are required to practice Islam. Because Arabic is the language of revelation of the Qur'an, the language has always been closely tied to Islam. Therefore, it is important to become familiar with some common Arabic words and phrases which I will use to express many of the religious terms.

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