Question:
I'm 13 years old and I've been a Muslim for about 2 months or so now. Once I started praying my "Catholic" family (the reason I say this is because my family descends from Rome and for the most part practices Roman Catholicism, but none of my siblings are Catholics) took notice and considered it one of my *ahem* phases. Verily, this is no mere phase.
My sister recently told me that my mother no longer wants me to practice Islam and that I cannot pray five times a day. For the past five days or so, I've been extremely upset. I talked to my mom about this and she said that
1. I was raised in a Catholic family so I am a Catholic,
2. Suicide bombers are Muslims,
3. I am too young to make my own decisions. Muslims, do I still have to pray since I am a believer (I have not formally converted, but I've stated Shahada [in Arabic] alone) or must I obey my mother and my family? How can I convince them that I am a Muslim and I can make my own decisions (and that I'm not a suicide bomber...) ?
(31:15) "But if they strive (Jahada) to make thee join in worship with Me things of which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not; yet bear them company in this life with justice (and consideration)..." (9:23) "O ye who believe! Take not protectors your fathers and your brothers if they love infidelity above faith: If any of you do so, they do wrong"
Answer:
1) If you are unable to practise being a muslim at home then try and pray in secret. If you are outside of your home, do your prayers at school that which is due. If those that are due when you are at home try and pray it in secret.
2) There is also nothing wrong with your stopping the prayer if you are afraid that someone will see you.
The basic principle is that when the Muslim has started an obligatory prayer, he is obliged to complete it, and it is haraam for him to stop it, unless he has an excuse.
The fuqaha’ have listed some excuses which make it permissible to stop the prayer. These include:
- Fear of being harmed by an enemy or a wild animal.
- Fear for one's wealth or property, such as if a person is praying and someone comes who wants to take his property, or he fears that his mount will run away.
- Stopping the prayer in order to save someone from a fire or from drowning, or fear that a blind man may fall into a well.
See Radd al-Muhtaar, 1/654; al-Mabsoot, 3/2; Kashshaaf al-Qinaa’, 1/380.
If you fear harm to yourself if any of your family see you praying and find out that you are a Muslim, there is no sin on you if you stop praying at that time, then pray after the danger has passed, which is what you did.
Thirdly:
You should strive to learn the rulings of Islam and keep company with good believing muslims, who will help you to obey Allaah. Think about the best way to call your family to Islam and strive to do that, for they are the most entitled of all people to your good treatment and da’wah (telling them about islam).
May Allaah help us and you to do that which He loves and which pleases Him.
And Allaah knows best.
source:[islamqa, fatwa no. 65682]
3) MISCONCEPTION: Muslims are violent, terrorists and/or extremists.
This is the biggest misconception in Islam, no doubt resulting from the constant stereotyping and bashing the media gives Islam. When a gunman attacks a mosque in the name of Judaism, a Catholic IRA guerrilla sets off a bomb in an urban area, or Serbian Orthodox militiamen
rape and kill innocent Muslim civilians, these acts are not used to stereotype an entire faith. Never are these acts attributed to the religion of the perpetrators. Yet how many times have we heard the words 'Islamic extremists, Muslim fundamentalists, Islamic militants, Muslim radicals, etc.' linked with violence.
Politics in so-called "Muslim countries" may or may not have any Islamic basis. Often dictators and politicians will use the name of Islam for their own purposes. One should remember to go to the source of Islam and separate what the true religion of Islam says from what is portrayed in the media. Islam literally means 'submission to God' and is derived from a root word meaning 'peace'.
Islam may seem exotic or even extreme in the modern world. Perhaps this is because religion doesn't dominate everyday life in the West, whereas Islam is considered a 'way of life' for Muslims and they make no division between secular and sacred in their lives. Like Christianity, Islam permits fighting in self-defence, in defence of religion, or on the part of those who have been expelled forcibly from their homes. Islam lays down strict rules of combat, which include prohibitions against
harming civilians and against destroying crops, trees and livestock.
Nowhere does Islam enjoin the killing of innocents.
The Quran says: "Fight in the cause of God against those who fight you, but do not transgress limits. God does not love transgressors." [2:190]
"If the enemy is inclined towards peace, do make peace with them, and put your trust in
God. He is the One Who hears all, knows all." [Quran 8:61]
Jihad, therefore, is the last resort, and is subject to the rigorous conditions laid down by the sacred law. The term 'jihad' literally means 'struggle'. Muslims believe that there are two kinds of jihad. The other 'jihad' is the inner struggle of the soul against egotistic desires, for the sake of attaining
the pleasure of God.
source: http://discoverislamaustralia.com/index.…
4) I suggest you educate yourself regarding misconceptions in islam so that you can inform this knowledge to your family and whoever is against islam. And do this in a polite and kind manner. Go to this link regarding the info: http://discoverislamaustralia.com/index.…
And in general use go to www.discoverislamaustralia.com
You can also contact them any question or advice you wish to seek in regards to islam. Under the section "Downloads" is where you will find reading materials.
And lastly i would like to say:
5) Islam will never prevent you from meeting with your family, rather it will urge you to treat them even better than you did before, so that you will be a good example of a Muslim, and help them to embrace this religion. The people who most deserve to share this blessing with you are your family members.
Asma’ bint Abi Bakr al-Siddeeq said: My mother came to me when she was a mushrik at the time of Quraysh, at the time of the treaty with them (i.e. during the period when the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had made a peace treaty with the people of Makkah not to fight for the duration). I asked the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), “O Messenger of Allaah, my mother has come and she needs my help, should I uphold ties of kinship with my mother?” He said, “Yes, uphold the ties of kinship with your mother.”
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (and Muslim, 1003).
Here the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) gave permission for a Muslim to uphold the ties of kinship with his family who follow a religion other than Islam, even if those family members are calling him to forsake his religion and become a mushrik (one who worships others besides Allaah). Although Islam forbids him to respond to their call, it still commands him to treat them well and be kind to them.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years give thanks to Me and to your parents. Unto Me is the final destination.
But if they (both) strive with you to make you join in worship with Me others that of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not; but behave with them in the world kindly”
[Luqmaan 31:14-15]
Our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was keen to call his family to Islam, and he continued to visit them and call them; he visited his paternal uncle Abu Taalib when he was dying and invited him to Islam.
[islamqa, fatwa no. 20961]
SOURCE:
Yahoo! Answers [Ramadan]
Question answered by IQRA Newsletter
