Surah al Baqarah

Critical Review to the Children of Israel and What Muslims have to do and achieve

Muslim are obligated to learn fully about non-Muslims living around them and be well informed about them. This section contains the beginning explanations of the mutaqeen (pious ones).

I. Belief in the Unseen

A. The angels

1. Angels are with us except in the bathroom and during intimate relations with our spouses (hadeeth).

2. Angels change “shifts” at Fajr and Asr which is why the prayer of Fajr is not like ay other prayer because the angels from the night and the day both record it (hadeeth). The same is true for Asr which is why it is important to pray on time. We get reward for these two prayers as if we prayed them twice when said on time.

B. The most powerful factor to make us better is strength in the belief of the Unseen.

II. Salat (obligatory prayer)

A. Should be on time. There are fixed times for salat.

1. Salat provides a connection to Allah.

2. It also provides a connection to the creatures of Allah.

B. It is easy for men to go to the masjid but hard for women. Women are preferred over men in this regard. Women get the same reward as men for praying at home. Men are required to pray in the masjid, women are not.

C. We are all equal in Salat.

D. Only Muslims have been commanded to pray in lines as we do for salat. We pray as the angels do.

E. Wudu (ablution) helps us to realize that we should be pure from the inside and outside.

F. We are all different but in salat we are the same and have unity in prayer in ruku (bowing) and sujud (prostrating).

III. The Qur’an is the ultimate correct preserved book which contains the complete message of God. We are not throwing away the past messages that were brought.

A. We do not believe that any race or nation is better than another. All nations received messages from Allah.

B. The Prophet Muhammad (sallahu alehi wa salam) was sent as a messenger to all mankind and the Qur’an was sent to correct things that had been added or misinterpreted by people from past books over time.

III. If someone is not conscience of the Hereafter there is not much good in his good deeds.

IV. A community that is organized and punctual in salat in aware of each other, unified.

V. We are only required to say fard (obligatory) salat in the masjid. Sunnah salat should be done elsewhere. People should visit with each other after the salat. The purpose of the masjid is to bring the community closer together.

A. The Masjid’s purpose is to socialize, interact and become closer to others in the community. By being punctual in Salat we are completely connected to the Ummah.

B. When Salat is established correctly the Ummah is like one body as the Prophet (SAW) spoke about.

VI. We must respect those with different beliefs (Christians and Jews) who are following their beliefs to the best of their abilities and not be quick to judge them as going to the Hellfire.

VII. There are some people that when you give Dawah to them you will not be able to convince them (Pat Robertson for example) about Islam. Allah tells us not to waste our time on them. Some people reach the point where Allah has sealed their hearts and ears.

VIII. The Kaaba was established as a symbol of Allah’s oneness and has never been worshipped as an object.

IX. Guidance is by 3 things

A. Hearing

B. Understanding and Feeling

C. Seeing

Guidance is knowledge and light