1. Islam in English

2. Why learn about Islam in English?
The purpose of this lecture is so that you can describe or talk about Islam to English-language speakers or foreigners who may not know about Islam
You will learn correct vocabulary of Muslim terms in English
We will address some common topics that foreigners may ask you about Islam
Note on spelling: use the correct spelling
Muslim NOT Moslem
Muhammad NOT Mohammed
Qur’an NOT Koran

3. What is Islam?
The word ISLAM has a two-fold meaning: peace, and submission to God. This submission requires a fully conscious and willing effort to submit to the one Almighty God. One must consciously and conscientiously give oneself to the service of Allah. This means to act on what Allah enjoins all of us to do (in the Qur'an) and what His beloved Prophet, Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him or PBUH) encouraged us to do in his Sunnah (his lifestyle and sayings personifying the Qur'an). Once we humble ourselves, rid ourselves of our egoism and submit totally to Allah, and to Him exclusively, in faith and in action, we will surely feel peace in our hearts. Establishing peace in our hearts will bring about peace in our external conduct as well.

4. What is Islam?
Islam is careful to remind us that it is not a religion to be paid mere lip service; rather it is an all-encompassing way of life that must be practiced continuously for it to be Islam. The Muslim must practice the five pillars of the religion: the declaration of faith in the oneness of Allah and the prophethood of Muhammad (pbuh), prayer, fasting the month of Ramadan, alms-tax, and the pilgrimage to Makkah; and believe in the six articles of faith: belief in God, the Holy Books, the prophets, the angels, the Day of Judgment and God's decree, whether for good or ill.

5. What is Islam?
There are other injunctions and commandments which concern virtually all facets of one's personal, family and civic life. These include such matters as diet, clothing, personal hygiene, interpersonal relations, business ethics, responsibilities towards parents, spouse and children, marriage, divorce and inheritance, civil and criminal law, fighting in defense of Islam, relations with non-Muslims, and so much more.

6. What is your mandatory prayer?
Muslims have to pray 5 times a day
Salat fajr: dawn, before sunrise
Salat zuhr: midday, after the sun passes its highest
Salat 'ashr: the late part of the afternoon
Salat maghrib: just after sunset
Salat 'isha: between sunset and midnight
We pray in the direction of the Ka’bah in Mecca
Before we pray, we have to cleanse ourselves in ritual washing called wudhu

7. What are the dietary prohibitions in Islam?
Muslims must eat halal food and drinks
Muslims are told in the Quran not to
eat pork or, pork products (pig, bacon, ham, lard)
meat of the animals who died before being slaughtered (or slaughtered not in the name of Allah)
the carnivorous animals (as they eat dead animals
drink blood or intoxicants such as wine or alcohol or use any illicit drugs.

8. Impurity in Islam Impurity or uncleanliness in Islam is called najis
When coming in contact with an impure thing, a Muslim must wash themselvesto be come pure again otherwise they are not allowed to pray
Dogs are considered impure, however, only the liquid (saliva, urine, stool) are considered impure for Muslims
Pigs are also considered impure
Other impure things are: blood, urine, stool, semen, corpses
Purifying agents are things that Muslims use to cleanse themselves: water, earth (dirt/soil), sun

9. Why do Muslim women wear hijab or scarf?
there are a myriad of reasons why, but the easy, one sentence answer is, because they believe God has made it an obligation for believing women.  In the Quran God tells the believing men and women to lower their gaze and to dress modestly.  He (God) specifically addresses women when He asks them not to show off their adornment, except that which is apparent, and draw their veils over their bodies.  (Quran 24:30-31)
For the majority of Muslim women around the world, to cover, or not to cover, is a freely made choice. The religion does not force Muslim women to wear hijab. Although in some countries it is mandatory for Muslim women to wear hijab.
God requires Muslim women to dress modestly and to wear the hijab in public and in the presence of men who are not close relatives. 

10. Does Islam promote violence and terrorism?
No. Islam is religion of peace and submission and stresses on the sanctity of human life. A verse in the Quran says, [Chapter 5 (Surah Al Maidah: verse 32], that "anyone who saves one life, it is as if he has saved the whole of mankind and anyone who has killed another person (except in lieu of murder or mischief on earth) it is as if he has killed the whole of mankind."