Blogs for New Muslims – Islamic Education Blogs

The experience of fasting for a new Muslim may present a number of challenges. This blog post will look at some of those challenges:

Fasting Around Non-Muslim Family Members

Muslims refrain from food, drink, and intimacy during the hours from dawn to sunset throughout Ramadan. Muslims also stay away from sins and unlawful desires during Ramadan. This is not something many non-Muslims will be familiar with.  When surrounded by people who are eating and drinking or committing sins, the new Muslim may feel some discomfort.  Read More

You may hear a number of Arabic words and terms during and around the month of Ramadan. Here is a glossary for the main words you’re likely to come across connected to Ramadan. Read More

Ritual cleansings are always performed with water. This is under normal circumstances. However, sometimes water cannot be used. This can be due to the absence or scarcity of water, whether due to drought or while travelling and a person only has enough water to drink and cook with and not enough for ritual cleansing. It may also be that a person cannot use water on their body or parts of it due to an injury, and water would exacerbate the harm of the injury. Read More

The Story of Job is repeated in the Quran due to its importance and the lessons we can derive from it. These are some of the main lessons from this story: Read More

The human body belongs to Allah and we are entrusted with it. We are expected to care for it and not abuse it. The regulations of Islam regarding what we consume are about taking care of the body according to the guidelines given by Allah. In Islam, the consumption of intoxicants, such as alcohol and drugs, is strictly prohibited. Read More

There are several reasons why Muslims should not celebrate New Year’s Eve, or any other holiday that is not specifically recognized in Islam. Some of the main reasons include:

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In Islam, there are only three special occasions or celebrations, and all three are related to acts of worship and devotion. We are therefore instructed not to participate in the religious celebrations of other traditions and faiths. Any religious celebrations that non-Muslims have are not days of celebration for Muslims. Therefore, Muslims do not celebrate or partake in Christmas, Easter, Diwali or Passover.

The three celebrations in Islam with each one marking acts of worship are:

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As new Muslims, it is natural to feel hesitant about participating in holiday gatherings that do not align with our religious beliefs. It is important to remember that we have the right to practice our faith and make decisions that are in line with our values. At the same time, it is important to be considerate of the feelings and beliefs of others.

One way to politely decline participation in holiday gatherings is to simply explain our reasons for not participating. For example, we could say something like “I appreciate the invitation, but as a Muslim, I am not able to participate in celebrations that are not in line with my religious beliefs. I hope you understand.” This approach is straightforward and respectful, and it allows us to explain our position without being confrontational.

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Christmas is most often associated with Christianity and the birth of Jesus Christ. However, the history of Christmas is closely linked to Roman and North European pagan traditions that were then incorporated into Christianity when the Romans and North Europeans first became Christian. Here are some of those pagan traditions that have become associated with Christmas:

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Muslim celebrations are legislated by God and the Messenger Muhammad. Their origin is based on textual evidence, Quran and Hadith, and they are celebrated to mark God’s worship and devotion to Him.

Many other celebrations that have religious or cultural associations are in fact pagan in origin. Paganism refers to polytheistic religions. In the European context this would include the religions of the Greeks, Romans, Norse, and others. In Islamic nomenclature, pagan refers to things that God did not legislate or approve of, rather they are man-made traditions and customs. In this blog, we will look at five common celebrations that have paganism at their roots:

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