Read About The Strangeness Of Islam

"Islam began as something strange and will revert to being strange as it began, so give glad tidings to the strangers." - Prophet Muhammad (May the peace and blessings of GOD be upon him).

Islam with its message of monotheism was considered a very strange thing during the time of Prophet Muhammad (May the peace and blessings of GOD be upon him) when polytheism was the norm and it is obvious that in the world we live in today, Islam is also now considered a 'strange' religion. One of the things a lot of non-Muslims find strange about Islam and Muslims is the fact that we have to pray five times through out the day and night. We were reading an article in relation to Muslims the other day, and one of the commenters said something along the lines of, they spend all their time praying, how do they do anything else?

That comment made us laugh out loud because when you think about it in relation to the world we live in today, it is a very valid question, but we can assure you (non-Muslims) that we (Muslims) do get a lot of other things done in spite of the fact that we pray five times throughout the day and night but we admit that we do have help (divine help) because in each of the compulsory prayers, we ask GOD for help with our wants, needs and aspirations and we do get help. In fact the most recited chapter in the Qur'an (Surah Al Fatiha) that is a compulsory part of our daily prayers, includes the verse: 

 You (alone) we worship, and You (alone) we ask for help (for each and everything).

The complete verses of Surah Al - Fatiha are as follows:

Qur'an:1 : 1-7:

1."In the name of ALLAH, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

2. All praise and thanks are ALLAH's, the Lord of the Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists).

3. The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

4. The only owner (and the only Ruling Judge) of the day of Judgement (i.e the day of resurrection)

5. You (alone) we worship, and You (alone) we ask for help (for each and everything).

6. Guide us to the straight way.

7. The way of those on whom you have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who have earned Your anger, nor of those who went astray."

The fact that Islam is now seen as a 'strange' religion in the world we live in today is one of the reasons why we have what we term 'massive respect' for converts to Islam because it takes a lot of courage and intellectual independence to take the stance to become a Muslim in this current society. These days, most people who convert to Islam do so after months or years of their own research and not because an Imam or a Muslim tried to convert them, and after their conversion to Islam, they are often ostracized by their families and friends and have to build new friendships whilst being patient with members of their family because though they can do away with friends that have ostracized them, in Islam they are forbidden to do the same to members of their family because we are commanded by GOD in the Qur'an not to break the bonds of kinship.

Qur'an: 4: 1:

"In the name of ALLAH, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
1. O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife [Hauwa, (Eve)], and from them both He created many men and women through whom you demand (your mutual rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, ALLAH is ever an all-watcher over you."

Qur'an: 13: 25:

"And those who break the covenant of ALLAH, after its ratification, and sever that which ALLAH has commanded to be joined (i.e. they sever the bond of kinship and are not good to their relatives), and work mischief in the land, on them is the curse (i.e. they will be faraway from ALLAH's mercy), and for them is the unhappy (evil) home (i.e. hell)."

In the narration that was reported by `Abdullaah bin `Amr bin Al-`Aas, may ALLAH be pleased with him and his father, the Prophet Muhammad (May the peace and blessings of GOD be upon him) said:

"The person who perfectly maintains the ties of kinship is not the one who does it due to having it recompensed by his relatives (for being kind and good to them); rather, the one who truly maintains the bonds of kinship is the one who persists in doing so, despite his relatives severing the ties of kinship with him." [Al-Bukhari].

In situations whereby it is crystal clear that your relatives are evil and they can and  do intend to harm you in anyway they can (intent to maim or kill), then gain wisdom from the following verses from the Quran and hadith:

 

Quran:9:23:
"O believers! Do not take your parents and siblings as trusted allies if they choose disbelief over belief. And whoever of you does so, they are the ˹true˺ wrongdoers."

 

Quran:9:119:

"O  believers! Be mindful of ALLAH and be with the truthful."

 

Hadith:
"Mix with the noble people, you become one of them; and keep away from evil people to protect yourself from their evils." ~ [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Islam gives you guidance for every scenario, be guided.

"Islam began as something strange and will revert to being strange as it began, so give glad tidings to the strangers." - Prophet Muhammad (May the peace and blessings of GOD be upon him).