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The Origin of Idolatry (From the book 'Stories of prophets by Imam Ibn Kathir')

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Noah's People - Idolaters For many generations Noah's people had been worshipping statues that they called gods. They believed that these gods would bring them good, protect them from evil and provide all their needs. They gave their idols names such as Waddan, Suwa'an, Yaghutha, Ya'auga, and Nasran, (These idols represented, respectively, manly power; mutability, beauty; brute strength, swiftness, sharp sight, insight) according to the power they thought these gods possessed.  Allah the Almighty revealed:  "They (idolaters) have said: "You shall not leave your gods nor shall you leave Wadd, nor Suwa, nor Yaghuth, nor Ya uq nor Nasr (names of the idols)." (CH 71:23 Quran).   Originally these were the names of good people who had lived among them. After their deaths, statues of them were erected to keep their memories alive. After sometime, however, people began to worship these statues. Later generations did not even know why they had been erected; they o...
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The Preservation of the Qur’an and Hadith. A look at how the Quran and hadith was preserved in its original form.

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The Arabic word “hadith” broadly means a narrative, or a story. In Islamic literature, it has the very specific meaning of the individual narrations about Muhammad, which capture his many sayings and actions, as conveyed to us by his companions. The Arabic word “qur’an” literally means a recitation. Muslims believe that God chose Muhammad to be His final messenger, and revealed to Muhammad His final book of guidance for mankind, the Qur’an. We can trust the information that has been conveyed to us in the Qur’an and Hadith because these Islamic source texts are the most reliable of any ancient or religious text in history, for a number of unique reasons. Unlike other ancient and religious texts, the primary means of preserving the Qur’an and Hadith has, and always will be, through memorization.  The Qur’an mentions its own preservation in this manner:   “And We have certainly made the Qur’an easy for remembrance, so is there any who will remember?” [54:17].   Muhammad was ...
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The Comprehensive concept of worship in Islam

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Say: Truly my prayer and my sacrifice and my living and my dying-all belong to God, the Lord of the worlds. (Qur'an chapter 6: verse 163). Islam's concept of worship complements its view of life. I recall a conversation I had not long ago with a friend who asked me how Muslims worship. I told her that we go to work to provide for our families, attend school functions that our children are involved in, take a few pieces of cake we just baked over to our neighbour next door, drive our children to school in the morning.   "No! No!" She said. "How do you worship?" I said we make love to our spouses, smile and greet someone we pass on the street, help our children with their homework, hold open a door for someone behind us.   "Worship! I'm asking about worship!" She exclaimed. I asked her exactly what she had in mind. "You know-Rituals!" She insisted. I answered her that we practice those also and that they are a very important part ...
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