LET THE TRUTH BE TOLD: ISLAM IS BECOMING A NUMBER ONE RELIGION IN THE WORLD

LET THE TRUTH BE TOLD:

There are 1.5 Billion muslims in the world today, the number keeps increasing, with the highest growth being recorded in the western countries, where Islam is said to be growing pretty fast..

Factors that make many to convert to Islam are many, but if your read http://thetruereligion.org/modules/xfsection/ you will find some testimonies of people who converted to Islam...

Many people have tried their best to discredit Islam but since 1400 years ago...Islam is still on the rise and the world is going Islam pretty soon...albeit, slowly. For Evidences read here, http://www.islamawareness.net/Converts/ .

Much has been said against Islam, Propaganda have been unleashed, but still, Islam has been accepted to be the number 1(one) rapidly growing religion in the world today, courtesy of so many factors, amazingly, 9/11 being among them, factors which made many people make Islam among the highest word to be searched in various search engines, check here also, http://www.islamawareness.net/Fastest/

Islam is rapidly growing in various African countries, replacing the mainly catholic and protestant missions that was implanted on African minds by the colonist as this is evidenced by rise of Islam in Rwanda, Namibia, South Africa and Kenya among other African countries,

see this links,
http://www.islamawareness.net/Fastest/southafrica.html
http://www.islamawareness.net/Fastest/bloom.html

and the Washington Times report on Rwanda, http://www.islamawareness.net/Fastest/rwanda.html

FACTORS THAT MAKE PEOPLE CONVERT TO ISLAM

1. ISLAM is now available in all languages of the world and is easily read.Islam is now translated in korean, urdu, spanish, japanese, malayalam,

2. Islam is a religion not marred by controversies as the other religions, see http://www.jamaat.net/bible/Bible1-3.html and this can be ascribed by the "Uniqueness" it has taken to demonstrate the relationship between various religions, various prophets of God in a complete fashion which remains to be challenged.

A verse in the HOLY QURAAN talks about this issue:

Chapter 4:82
"Do they NOT consider the Quraan(with care), Had it been from any other than Allah, they would have found therein many discrepancies"

SOME MORE REASONS WHY MANY PEOPLE IN THE WORLD ARE CONVERTING TO ISLAM

People convert to a religion for a myriad of personal, political, cultural and spiritual reasons.

Scholar Jane I. Smith has identified some key aspects that draw many Americans to Islam:

Islamic civilization’s rich history holds an intellectual appeal for some.

Islam’s beliefs, such as the Five Pillars, are relatively straightforward and easy to comprehend compared with other religions’ precepts.

Conversion is relatively simple, involving only the Declaration of Faith rather than a lengthy process of religious education and ritual.

Islam’s “egalitarian platform,” or the faith’s emphasis on equality.

Islam emphasizes the importance of family and community. Christians and Jews who convert to

Islam often say they are attracted to the faith partly because of its similarities to Christianity and Judaism. Many of the prophets and stories found in the Bible or the Old Testament -- such as the creation story of Adam and Eve or the story of Noah and the Ark -- are present in the Quran as well.

The importance Muslims place on Jesus as a prophet rather than as a divine figure appeals to those who find the Christian concept of the Trinity difficult to comprehend or believe. Other converts are drawn to Islam’s lack of a formal church infrastructure and its emphasis on a believer’s direct relationship with God.

And many converts of various cultural backgrounds report that Islam’s emphasis on traditional moral values attracts them.Some Muslim converts believe their conversion to Islam is not truly a conversion, but a return to the true and original religion. They refer to themselves as “reverts,” invoking the Muslim belief that Islam is the only divine revelation of the one true God and is therefore a clarification of previous revelations from prophets such as Abraham, Moses and Jesus.

AFRICAN AMERICAN CONVERTS

African Americans are the largest group of converts to Islam. Most who convert to Islam today do so through the organization of Warith Deen Muhammad, though many also come to Islam through Sufi groups, as well as through individual mosques and Islamic centers around the country.
(See also Islam In The United States - African American Muslims)

ANGLO AMERICAN CONVERTS

Anglo American converts are believed to constitute at least 2 percent of the total American Muslim population. While some women marry Muslim men and then convert to Islam, many Anglo Americans, both men and women, come to Islam through Sufism, Islam’s mystical and ascetic side.

Sufism’s emphasis on seeking a direct and inner experience of God, often through techniques that include ecstatic dancing and chanting, appeals to many Americans, according to Alan Godlas, professor of religion at the University of Georgia.“Many are interested in Sufism’s psychological transformation -- the ability to move from being preoccupied with your self, with one’s self-centeredness, to a direction of feeling, sensing and experiencing the presence of God and God’s love,” Godlas says. “Islamic Sufism teaches that it is possible to move from a state of being distant from God to a state of feeling close to God—and that is possible in one’s lifetime. That is the chief characteristic that distinguishes Sufism from non-Sufi Islam.”

LATINO ISLAMIC CONVERTS

Latinos are among the newest converts to Islam in the United States. Islam first appeared in Hispanic communities in the early 1970s. First-generation Puerto Ricans from New York City learned about Islam in neighborhood mosques run by African Americans.

Latinos who have converted to Islam report that they were attracted to the faith’s emphasis on family and gender roles, as well as Islam’s similarities with Christianity, particularly its recognition of Jesus as a prophet.

Mosques and individual Muslims are beginning to target the Latino community for education, or da’wa, with classes offered in Spanish at local mosques and Islamic centers, and Spanish-language Qurans. Islamic organizations aimed at the Hispanic community have emerged over the past few decades.

CONCLUSION:

The more the hate for Islam, the religion of God will bypass our limitations to join the whole world as one people..with one purpose: To worship the God who created us all

http://www.iad.org/books/S-women.html

http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/notislam/misconceptions.html

http://www.islamawareness.net/

http://www.answering-christianity.com/ac.htm

http://www.answering-christianity.com/cant_force_marriage.htm

http://radioislam.net/islam/index.htm#inter

http://www.themodernreligion.com/w_main.htm

ISLAMIC MARRIAGES IN PERSPECTIVE

Asalam aleykum,

I hope all of you are ok and happy wherever you are,

My wish's to share with all of you every information I feel needs some addressing and this week, I would inshallah(if God wills) wish to dedicate for discussion on Islamic marriage....from Planning to find a spouse/partner to staying happily married, the advantages of a married life, I wish there are no disadvantages(if you have them...feel free to comment though) and so on..

While reading this, http://www.jannah.org/sisters/index.html , I found that Islam provides a suitable mode of a happy married life, with children, with family all intertwined together, neatly with favourable results..

I have also come to realize that, there is no so-called "forced marriages in Islam" and only
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1123996015568&pagename=IslamOnline-English-AAbout_Islam/AskAboutIslamE/AskAboutIslamE happens to be called "forced".

Surely in finding a spouse/partner, there are several things you need to consider that will atleast make your marriage life succesful or relatively nice and happy....In this era, where families are living in diaspora, far away from each other, where everyone, even the smallest in the family, is trying to find his/her way of surviving in this planet, family life has been affected and the chain of family "hierrachy" is loosening..albeit, slowly, whereas, at times, Somalis parents were abdicating duties of finding someone a spouse/patner to themselves, now, new urban somalis are finding spouse for themselves...through various methods, be it through intermmediaries, online and a host of other ways.

I poste here several websites which talk about Islamic family methods, which though, need more of your "worth" time worth glancing at, but which, I think will be helful in the end...These include:

http://www.islamfortoday.com/marriage_tips.htm
http://www.shariahprogram.ca/articles/forced_marriage_islamic.shtml
http://www.jannah.org/sisters/index.html

Each society has "her" own ways of living, many interactively moulded together, with parents as head of families, but, this following summary will surely encompass many muslim societies in building a new family to be a happy one even after their marriage...

Ten ways of increasing happiness in your marriage and making it a successful one

The young and excited bride-and-groom-to-be; ecstatic about the upcoming wedding and marriage and the joy that it will bring. Three to six months later, reality has set in and both spouses realize that marriage is no easy task, but one that takes a great deal of effort and patience. The following are tips for both wives and husbands, to help make the task a little less daunting, and to increase the many rewards that are possible in such a marvelous and complex relationship.

Enter the Marriage with the Right Intention and Renew this Often

Both spouses should enter the marriage with the pure intention of pleasing Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, in order to receive His grace and blessings. The marriage itself then becomes an act of worship and one for which both spouses will be rewarded. Allah will be pleased with them and this will be the most critical element in ensuring peace, stability and happiness throughout the marital life. It is also important to realize that when an act of worship is continued over a long period of time, it becomes necessary to renew one's intention often to remain on the correct path and to obtain the most benefit.

Remember that Your Spouse is also Your Brother or Sister in Islam

Too often Muslims treat other people outside the home with kindness and sincerity, but then behave in a very different manner when it comes to their own spouses. Muslims should always remember that one's spouse is also another brother or sister in Islam and that the rights and duties that apply to the general brotherhood (sisterhood) of Islam, should also form the basis of the marital relationship. Obviously, a spouse has rights beyond these, but there should be a clear understanding of the rights of brotherhood (sisterhood) and adherence to these principles.

Do Not Hold Unrealistic Expectations

Before marriage, people often have unrealistic ideas about their spouse-to-be, expecting perfection in all aspects. This rarely, if ever, plays out in reality and can lead to unnecessary problems and concerns. We should recall that Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, created humans as imperfect beings, which means that many mistakes will be made throughout a lifetime. By turning the table and expecting imperfection, we will be pleasantly surprised and pleased when our spouse is much more than we ever hoped for. This, in turn, will lead to contentment within the marriage.

Emphasize the Best in Your Spouse

Since no one is endowed with all of the best qualities, emphasis should be placed on the positive qualities that a spouse possesses. Encouragement, praise, and gratitude should be expressed on a regular basis, which will strengthen these qualities and be beneficial in developing others. An attempt should be made to overlook or ignore negative characteristics, as the Prophet, sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, said, "A believing man should not have any malice against a believing woman. He may dislike one characteristic in her, but may find another in her which is pleasing." (Muslim)

Be Your Mate's Best Friend

Try to think of what a best friend means and be one to your spouse. This may mean sharing interests, experiences, dreams, failures and upsets. It may involve understanding a spouse's likes and dislikes and attempting to please him or her in any way possible. A best friend is also usually someone that can be confided to trusted, and relied upon. A spouse should be the kind of friend that one would want to keep throughout life.

Spend Quality Time Together

It is not enough to share meals, chores and small talk together. Spouses should also find time to focus on strengthening the relationship. Often couples get busy with their own separate tasks and forget about working on one of the most important elements in life. Quality time may be anything from having a quiet, profound conversation to going for a nice long nature walk, to sharing a special hobby or project. Both spouses should enjoy the particular option chosen and distractions should be kept to a minimum.

Express Feelings Often

This is probably a very "Western" concept and one that some people may have difficulty fulfilling, but it is important to be open and honest about one's feelings, both positive and negative. The lines of communication should always be open and any concerns should be brought to the attention of the other spouse as soon as they arise. The rationale of this is that what begins as a simple concern may grow into a major problem if it is not addressed quickly and properly. The "silent treatment" has never been the remedy for anything.

Admit to Mistakes and ask for Forgiveness

Just as we ask Allah to forgive us when we make mistakes, we should also do the same with our spouses. The stronger person is the one who can admit when he or she is wrong, request pardon from the other, and work hard to improve his/her aspects that are in need of change. When a person is unwilling to do this, there will be little growth and development in the marriage.

Never Bring up Mistakes of the Past

It can be very hurting for another person to be reminded of past mistakes. In Islam, it is generally not recommended to dwell on the past. One may remember errors that were made so that they are not repeated, but this should not be done excessively. Certainly, as humans, we are not in the position to judge another person. Advice may be given, but not in a harmful manner.

Surprise Each Other at Times

This may entail bringing home a small gift or flowers, preparing a special meal, dressing up and beautifying oneself (this is not only for women), or sending a secret note in a lunchbox. A little imagination will go a long way here. The idea is to spice up the marriage and avoid getting into a dull routine that may negatively affect the marriage.

Have a Sense of Humour

This particular aspect can go a long way in preventing arguments and brightening the atmosphere of the home. Life is a constant stream of challenges and tests, and to approach it in a light-hearted manner will help to make the journey smoother and more enjoyable. You may also find that your spouse enjoys this characteristic and looks forward to spending time with you because of it.

Quick Tips for Discussions and Disagreements:

Begin with the intention to resolve the issue. If both spouses have this intention and plan to consult together, it is more likely that there will be a successful resolution.

Remember that it takes two to quarrel. If only one person chooses not to argue, there will be no argument. Generally, the one who is wrong does most of the talking.

Both spouses should not be angry at the same time. If one of the spouses becomes upset, it is best if the other tries to remain calm and collected.

Never yell at each other unless the house is on fire. Of course, house fires do not occur very frequently; yelling should occur at about the same rate.

Never go to sleep with an argument unsettled. This is one of the worst things that can happen in a marriage and should be avoided as much as possible. This allows hurt feelings and thoughts to linger and generally exacerbates the problem.

If one spouse needs to win, let it be your mate. Do not focus on winning yourself; this is the main reason that discussions tend to become heated.