The Complete Idiot's Guide to Understanding Islam: Chapter 2

What is the purpose of the Ayatul Kursi: "Verse of the Throne"?

It introduces the way in which Muslims view god. It also introduces their beliefs in god's power an immensity and his role in their lives and the universe. 

What, according to Muslims what are the four areas that prove the existence of God / Allah?

a)The natural world with all its complexity and beauty. This is a sign of an intelligence in the universe because only a designing mind could have constructed it.

b)Our human abilities and capacities for thought, belief, invention, creativity, and moral choices. No animal or plant can do what we do.

c)The revelation of God’s guidance and the existence of religion. They show that there is a right way and a wrong way to live life. Prophets, Holy Books, flashes of insight—all these serve as proof that guidance is real and purposefully directed.

d)Finally, our inner feelings. These propel us to seek the meaning in things and show that we have a soul that seeks harmony with nature, the universe, and a higher power. Why should we all want to know the answer to the big question “why” if there is no “because”? The existence of a question necessitates the existence of an answer.

What does it mean to "surrender to Allah"?

Following our natural course and natural way of living automatically surrenders us to Allah. However, one must also believe in his role in the universe. 

What is the role of free will in Islam and following God's will ?

 When you can choose whether or not to do wrong, then you have right and wrong, good and evil. The Qur’an declares that every object in the universe declined this “gift” out of fear of the consequences.

Fitrah: Why is it important to have this in addition to free will? According to Islam, how is it that              all of us have Fitrah, even if we are not Muslim?

Fitrah helps guide us in our free will. It is our moral compass and the thing that drives us to seek god. Without it our lives are incomplete. 

In your own words explain Fitrah.

Fitrah is the natural goodness in people, the innate need to help others and to do good. It tells us when something is good or bad and gives us a basis for all the choices we make in life. It's also the reason we feel good about doing certain things and bad about doing others. It causes us to seek something more in life such as meaning and religion.