Questions about Islam
Clear and honest answers to the questions people ask about Islam and Muslims, including the hard ones. Written for anyone who is curious, whatever their background.
123 questions in 13 topics
Most asked questions
The ten questions that people look for first.
Islam basics
What Muslims believe and do, in a few clear words.
- What is Islam?
- What do Muslims believe?
- What are the five pillars of Islam?
- Who is Allah?
- What are the 99 names of Allah?
- Who are Muslims, and where do they live?
- What is the difference between Islam and Muslim?
- What is the Quran, in simple words?
- How is Islam different from Christianity and Judaism?
- What is the purpose of life in Islam?
God, Jesus and other faiths
How Islam sees God, Jesus, Christians, Jews and other religions.
- Is Allah the same God that Christians and Jews worship?
- What does Islam say about Jesus?
- Why do Muslims not believe in the Trinity?
- Did Jesus die on the cross, according to Islam?
- What does Islam say about Mary, the mother of Jesus?
- Who are the 'People of the Book' and how does Islam see them?
- Do Muslims believe all non-Muslims go to hell?
- Is God in Islam angry and vengeful, or merciful?
- Which prophets does Islam believe in?
- Does Islam allow freedom of religion?
The Quran and the Prophet
The Quran, the hadith and the life of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
- Who was Prophet Muhammad ﷺ?
- Do Muslims worship Muhammad?
- How do Muslims know Muhammad ﷺ was a true prophet?
- How was the Quran revealed?
- Why do Muslims believe the Quran is the word of God?
- Has the Quran been changed over time?
- What are hadith and the Sunnah?
- Are hadith reliable? Aren't some of them fabricated?
- Did Muhammad ﷺ copy the Quran from the Bible?
- Why do Muslims not draw pictures of the Prophet ﷺ?
- What did Prophet Muhammad ﷺ teach about treating people?
- Why do Muslims read the Quran in Arabic if many do not understand it?
Prayer, fasting, Hajj and worship
What Muslims do in worship and why.
- Why do Muslims pray five times a day?
- How do Muslims pray?
- Why do Muslims face Mecca when they pray?
- Why do Muslims fast in Ramadan?
- Why can't Muslims drink water while fasting? Is it harmful?
- What is zakat (charity) in Islam?
- What is Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca?
- What are Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha?
- What is Friday prayer (Jumu'ah)?
- Can non-Muslims visit a mosque?
- What should I wear and do when I visit a mosque?
Women, family and marriage
Hijab, rights, marriage, divorce and the family.
- Why do Muslim women wear the hijab?
- Is hijab forced on women in Islam?
- What is the difference between hijab, niqab and burqa?
- What rights do women have in Islam?
- Is a woman's testimony or inheritance worth half a man's in Islam?
- Does Islam allow a man to have more than one wife?
- How does marriage work in Islam?
- How does divorce work in Islam?
- Does Islam allow a husband to hit his wife?
- Can Muslim women work and get an education?
- Can Muslims date before marriage?
Peace, war, jihad and violence
What Islam teaches about fighting, terrorism and the rights of others.
- Is Islam a religion of peace?
- What is jihad?
- What are the rules of war in Islam?
- Does Islam allow terrorism or killing innocent people?
- What do Muslims say about 9/11 and attacks by extremist groups?
- What does the 'verse of the sword' (9:5) mean?
- What is jizya and are non-Muslims second-class citizens?
- Does Islam teach forgiveness or revenge?
Sharia, rights and society
Islamic law, punishments, freedom, slavery and what is allowed or not.
- What is Sharia law?
- Do Muslims want to impose Sharia on non-Muslims?
- What are the hudud punishments, like cutting off the hand or stoning?
- What happens if a Muslim leaves Islam? Is the punishment death?
- What does Islam say about homosexuality?
- What does Islam say about slavery?
- Does Islam support democracy and human rights?
- What do halal and haram mean?
- Why can't Muslims eat pork?
- Why is alcohol forbidden in Islam?
- Why is interest (riba) forbidden in Islam?
- Is music or art forbidden in Islam?
Life, death and the afterlife
Heaven, hell, angels, fate, suffering and the purpose of life.
- What do Muslims believe about the afterlife?
- What is Paradise (Jannah) like in Islam?
- What is Hell (Jahannam) in Islam, and who goes there?
- What are angels in Islam?
- Who are the jinn and Satan in Islam?
- Does Islam believe in magic and the evil eye?
- If God has decreed everything, do people have free will?
- Why does God allow suffering and evil?
- What does Islam say about depression and mental health?
- What happens when a Muslim dies? How are funerals done?
Science, reason and doubt
Islam, evolution, the universe and the evidence for God.
- Does Islam conflict with science?
- What does Islam say about evolution?
- What does Islam say about the Big Bang and the age of the universe?
- Does the Quran contain scientific miracles?
- Is there proof that God exists?
- What does Islam say to someone who has doubts or does not believe in God?
- What does Islam say about medicine, health and cleanliness?
History, sects and Muslims today
Sunni and Shia, the spread of Islam and the Muslim world.
- What is the difference between Sunni and Shia Muslims?
- Who were the first caliphs of Islam?
- Was Islam spread by the sword?
- What was the Islamic Golden Age?
- How old was Aisha when she married the Prophet ﷺ?
- Why did Prophet Muhammad ﷺ have several wives?
- Was Prophet Muhammad ﷺ a man of war?
- What is Sufism?
- How do Muslims live in Western countries?
Becoming Muslim
How a person accepts Islam and what happens next.
- How do I become a Muslim?
- What should a new Muslim do first?
- Do I have to change my name to become a Muslim?
- How should I tell my family if I become a Muslim?
- Can I become Muslim if I have done terrible things in the past?
- Can a non-Muslim marry a Muslim?
- Where can I learn about Islam from reliable sources?
Living and working with Muslims
Practical questions from friends, neighbours and colleagues.
- How should I greet a Muslim?
- Why do some Muslims not shake hands with the opposite sex?
- How can I support a Muslim colleague during Ramadan?
- Can I wish Muslims 'Eid Mubarak' or 'Ramadan Kareem'?
- Do Muslims celebrate Christmas or other holidays?
- What can I serve Muslim guests? What is halal food?
- Can I allow a Muslim to pray at work or school?
- How can I help if a Muslim colleague or neighbour faces prejudice?
Common myths
Things people hear about Islam that are not true.
- Are all Muslims Arabs?
- Do Muslims worship the Kaaba or the Black Stone?
- Is Allah a moon god, and why is there a crescent on mosques?
- Do all Muslims think and act the same way?
- How can I tell what is Islam and what is just culture?
- Do Muslims hate Jews and Christians?
- Is Islam oppressive and backward?
- Do Muslims believe in Adam and Eve?
No question matches your search. Try one word, such as "women", "Jesus" or "prayer".
How these answers are written
Every answer starts from the Quran and the authentic Sunnah and is written in simple words. Where a verse is the basis, it is shown with its translation and a link to the full chapter.
The answers follow the mainstream Sunni understanding. Where Muslims differ, or where there is a real difficulty that critics raise, the answer says so and does not hide it.
Questions about Islam often come with strong feelings, so each answer also separates what the religion teaches from what some Muslims or some governments do.
This is general learning and not a fatwa. For your own situation, ask a qualified scholar or your local Islamic centre.
About this library
Who writes these answers?
The answers are written for this website from the Quran and the authentic Sunnah, in the mainstream Sunni understanding. They say where Muslims differ, and they name the verses they rest on. They are general learning and not a fatwa.
Can I ask a question that is not here?
Yes. Use the contact link in the footer or the WhatsApp button, and new questions are added to the library over time.
Are the answers only for Muslims?
No. The library is written for anyone who is curious: people of other faiths, people with no faith, new Muslims and Muslims who want to explain their faith to a friend.
Do these pages try to convert me?
They explain what Muslims believe and why, honestly and including the hard questions. Faith is a personal choice, and Islam teaches that there is no compulsion in religion.