Islam 101 questions

Hello Everyone

Great forum! I am not a Muslim but if anybody has a little time to answer I would like to know a few details about this religion.

I learned that there are two main types of Islam, Shiites & Sunni. Are there any other types? Is Allawi a type of Islam, and if it is where does it fall under, Shiite or Sunni?

What are the main differences among the different types?

Does Islam believe in Angels? and if it does, does it believe in the Celestial Hierarchy? 

Does Islam believe in Hell or the Devil?

How may prophets do Muslims believe in?

What are the five pillars?

What's the story with Mecca? Why is such an important place or why is so important to go there "at least once in a lifetime?"

Do Islamic countries allow people with other religions to live there?

Do Muslims have Agnostics or Atheists?

Do Muslims believe in Spirits or Ghosts?

I am sure I can have more questions but these are probably the ones that are of most importance to me right now.

Thank you much.

Assalaamu alaikum ya muslimeen.

Greetings and good day to all.

Hello, Mauricio. And welcome to the forums here. I am not so new of a member myself, but just haven't posted that much here.

Anyways, will try my best to answer your questions, and I hope also that other members will also join in and share their own insights as well.

Basically, there is only one Islam, and that is submission to Allah (God) and His will. To do this, one must know the Quran and in addition the life-style of the prophet Mohammed(SAAW) to be able to most properly do this.

The division of the One Islam into the two sects came about as the shia formed their own different interpretations and methods of practice. And the name 'sunni' became adapted to those who adhere more basically to the 'sunnah' of the prophet(SAAW)...hence the name 'sunni'.

Anyways, you could perhaps say that there are 'two types' of Islam, as an onlooker from the outside looks to the world of Islam. But as Islam is concerned, there is only one: and that is submission to the will of Allah. That is what Islam essentially is.

As for 'allawi', I have never heard that name or term except in association with the recent Iraqi politician. Sorry I cannot help you more on that one.

As for the differences among the various 'groups' within Islam, there are differences. And some of those differences even boost the adherants literally out of the fold of Islam (because they may believe in another prophet after Mohammed(SAAW), or some other such belief or practice which takes them out of the fold of true Islam).

But if the differences are more basic, and not necessarily bothering or questioning their basic tenets of the faith, then they remain truly muslims. And Allah knows best.

As for the beliefs in Islam: we believe in the angels. And we also believe in the world of the unseen. We believe that there is a heaven and a hell. And we believe also in the devil and his associates. And we believe also that there is the world of the 'jinn'. This is the arabic name for a species of beings similar to humans, yet we humans cannot see them, whereas they are from a standpoint in creation that they can see us.

As for 'celestial hierarchy'...not sure if that exists, or there is any belief in that. The angels are different from us in their nature, and part of their nature is that they have no free will. They do simply what they were created for. For example...Jibreel (Gabriel) is the deliverer of the divine message to humans. And there is also an angel responsible for keeping the hell fire going. And there is the angel of death. And there are angels appointed for writing down our deeds...one for the good deeds, and another for the bad deeds. And so on and so forth. And there are angels simply in heaven, in their various spots, glorifying Allah and worshipping him.

As for the prophets, we are told even in the Quran, that some of them have been named for us, and some of them haven't. Hence...we do not know exactly the fine number of prophets which have been sent to mankind. Perhaps more than many ppl may realize.

But let me also add that we do believe essentially in the same prophets known to all those of the divinely related religions: i.e. Adam, Abraham, Moses, Isaac, Jonah, Jesus, plus many more (named and non-named for us).

The five pillars are the basic tenets of Islam put into practice. They are always listed in the same order, and this is for a purpose. for the sake of time here, I will let that go for now. Will make for u a separate post later on this topic, inshaAllah.

Mecca is the site where the message of Islam was first revealed. It is also the region where the kaaba (the first house) was originally built, and then rebuilt by Abraham, and later on by later generations. It ( the kaaba) is the focal point where muslims direct themselves in facing when in prayer. We do not pray to the kaaba, but we face all in that direction, giving the sense of unity as well in direction for the prayer. There are other points of interest about Makkah, but will need more space and time than this.

I live in Saudi Arabia. And I can vouch for you personally that there are many ppl of various nationalities as well as religions living in Saudi as well as in the neighboring arab/muslim countries. Also, Indonesia and Pakistan and India also have a high percentage of muslims-yet there are also other religions of the national there.

The basic essence of Islamic belief is the belief in the one-ness of God. Therefore, to have any atheists among muslims is a gross misnomer. The very definition of the two terms (muslim and atheist) are quite opposite of one another, and it would be utterly impossible for there to be an atheist muslim. To be atheist defies the very definition and nature of islam.

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I hope that this has helped to answer some of ur questions. Will try to post more later, inshaAllah.

balqees.

Assalaamu alaikum ya muslimeen.

bharatiya: You are most certainly welcome. Actually, if you have more questions yourself, or you would like more expansion on any topic, please mention it. As for myself, I like to write and help explain things to ppl...but sometimes I just don't know where to begin. But when ppl ask questions, or raise a topic, then I know what to write and how to explain about things. At least those things of which I have knowledge.

ZamanH: we have within our easy reach, the book of guidance, for those who believe, as we are told in the first verses of S. Al-Baqarah (the second chapter of the Quran.) And there are throughout the quran many proofs (of the nature of science and/or nature itself and other things as  well)...of the utter truth of the Quran and of it's divine origin. (this last point could very well easily develop into it's own discussion).

You have asked if a muslim questions or perhaps even disbelieves in any portion or verse of the quran...does that take him/her out of Islam? Or negate his/her islam (i.e. apostate). And I say...let the Quran answer that for you.

Then is it only a part of the Book that ye believe in, and do ye reject the rest? But what is the reward for those among you who behave like this but disgrace in this life? And on the Day of Judgment they shall be consigned to the most grievous penalty. For Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.(s. 2, v. 85)

You see...those who question or disbelieve in any one portion of the Quran (even if it be one verse), while yet believing in the rest, and practicing upon it (the rest)...still their penalty shall be grievous indeed.

In other words, the essence of this verse is to instruct us that we must accept and act upon all that is contained within the Quran.

I believe that one could still be a muslim all the same, even if they question or disagree with any one portion. But it surely does not behoove him/her to do so. This verse is very clear in that respect.

I hope that this answers your question.

balqees.