04-20-2005, 06:01 PM
Mashallah excellent answer Sister Muslimah! [img]style_emoticons/default/smile.gif[/img]
Sister Carol, I have been down that path too, but ALHAMDULILLAH I re-found the Right Path, and I am trying my best to hold on to it inshallah. I have found reading the Quran translation REALLY useful. I think one of the main reasons why we start "losing" Islam is because we don't know exactly what Islam is. We are all surrounded by all kinds of people who commit all kinds of sins etc, which is normal for them. Naturally, this influences us, and it all seems ok. However, we don't realise that it drives us away from the Path of Allah. Reading the Qur'an and understanding it is the Key to understanding Islam, and the key to staying on the Right Path.
The opening chapter of Qur'an is Surah Al-Fatiha, where we ask Allah to show us the Right Path. This is followed right away by the following verses of Surah Al-Baqara (The Cow):
1 Alif-Lam-Meem. (These letters are one of the miracles of the Quran and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings).
2 This is the Book (the Quran), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are Al-Muttaqoon (the pious and righteous persons who fear Allah much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden) and love Allah much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)).
May Allah help us all inshallah to follow the Right Path, His Path. Only He can guide us, and no one can misguide he who Allah guides... and no one can guide he who Allah has left to go astray. So let us all pray to Allah to guide us, and help us understand His Book the way He meant it to be understood. AMEEN