Islam is not a new religion but the same truth that Allah has revealed
through all his Prophets to every people. For a fifth of the
world's population, Islam is both a religion and a complete way of
life. Muslims follow a religion of peace, mercy and forgiveness.
The Arabic word 'Islam' simply means 'submission' and derives from a
word meaning 'peace'. In a religious context it means complete
submission to the will of Allah. 'Allah' is the Arabic name for
'The God'.
One billion people from a vast range of races, nationalities and
cultures across the globe - from the southern Philippines to
Nigeria - are united by their common Islamic faith. About 18% live
in the Arab world, substantial parts of Asia and Africa are
Muslim, while significant minorities are to be found in the China,
North and South America and Europe.
Muslims believe in one unique incomparable God; in the Angels created by
him; In the Prophets through whom his revelations were brought to
mankind; in the Day of Judgement and individual accountability
for actions; in Allah's complete authority over human destiny and
in life after death. Muslims believe in a chain of prophets
starting with Adam and including Noah, Abraham, Ismael, Isaac,
Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Elias, Jonah, John the
Baptist and Jesus, peace be upon them. However, God's final
message to man, a reconfirmation of the eternal message and a
summing-up of all that has gone before was revealed in the form of
the Qur'an to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon
him) through the Angel Gabriel.
Simply by reciting (and believing) the testimony of faith (known as Shahadah in arabic):
(as it is pronounced in Arabic)
ashadu an la illaha ill'Allah wa ashadu anna Muhammadan rasool'Allah
(Translated: I bear witness and testify that here is no deity
apart from Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of
Allah)
By this declaration the believer announces his or her faith in all Allah's messengers and the scriptures they brought.
Muhammad (
pbuh) was born in
Makkah in the year 570 CE. Since his father died before his birth
and his mother shortly afterwards, he was raised by his uncle from
the respected tribe of the Quraysh. As he grew up, he became
known for his truthfulness, generosity and sincerity, so that he
was sought after for his ability to arbitrate in disputes. The
historians describe him as calm and meditative. Muhammad (
pbuh)
was of a deeply religious nature and had long detested the
idolatry and decadence of his society. It became his habit to
meditate from time to time in the Cave of Hira near the summit of
Jabal al-Nur, the 'Mountain of Light' near Makkah.
At the age of 40, while engaged in a meditative retreat, Muhammad (
pbuh)
received his first revelation from Allah through the Angel
Gabriel. This revelation, which continued for twenty-three years, is
known as the Qur'an. As soon as he began to recite the words he heard
from Gabriel and to preach the truth which Allah had revealed to
him, he and his small group of followers suffered bitter
persecution which grew so fierce that in the year 622 CE, Allah
gave them the command to emigrate. This event, the Hijra,
'migration', in which they left Makkah for the city of Madinah some 260
miles to the north, marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar and
the establishment of the Islamic State. After several years, the
Prophet and his followers were able to return to Makkah, where
they forgave their enemies and established Islam definitively.
Before the Prophet died at the age of 63, the greater part of
Arabia was Muslim and within a century of his death Islam had
spread to Spain in the West and as far east as China.
The Qur'an is the written form of the exact words revealed by Allah through the Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad (
pbuh).
It was memorised by Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)
and then dictated to his Companions and written down by his
scribes, who cross-checked it during his lifetime. Not one word of
its 114 chapters, Surahs, has been changed over the centuries, so
that the Qur'an is in every detail the unique and miraculous text
which was revealed to Muhammad (
pbuh) fourteen centuries ago.
Yes, the Sunnah, the established and confirmed practice and example of
the Prophet, is the second authority for Muslims. A hadith is a
reliably transmitted report of what the Prophet said, did, or
approved. Belief in the Sunnah is part of the Islamic faith.
They are the framework of a Muslim's life; faith (Shahadah), prayer
(Salat), concern for the needy (Zakah); fasting (Sawm/month of
Ramadhan) and the pilgrimage to Makkah (Hajj) for those who are
able.
There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad (peace and
blessings be upon him) is His messenger. This declaration of
faith is known as the
Shahadah, a simple formula which all the faithful believe.
Salat is the name for prayer in Islam. Obligatory prayers are
performed five times a day and are a direct link between the
worshiper and Allah. There is no hierarchical authority in Islam
and no priests, so the prayer is led by a learned person who knows
the Qur'an, chosen by the congregation. These five prayers
contain verses from the Qur'an and are said in Arabic, the language of
the Revelation, but personal supplication can be offered in one's
own language.
One of the most important principles of Islam is that all things belong
to Allah and that wealth is therefore held by human beings as a
trust. The word
Zakat means both 'purification' and
'growth'. Our possessions are purified by setting aside a portion
for those in need and like the pruning of plants, this cutting
back balances and encourages new growth.
Every year during the month of Ramadhan, all able Muslims fast from
dawn until sunset, abstaining from food, drink and sexual relations.
Those who are sick, elderly or on journey and women who are
pregnant or nursing are permitted to break the fast and make up an
equal number of days later in the year. If they are physically
unable to do this, they must feed a needy person for every day missed.
Children begin to fast (and to observe prayer) from puberty, although
many start earlier. Although the fast is most beneficial to the
health, it is regarded principally as a method of self-purification. By
cutting oneself off from worldly comforts, even for a short time,
a fasting person gains true sympathy with those who go hungry as well
as growth in one's spiritual life.
The annual pilgrimage to Makkah - the
Hajj - is an obligation
only for those who are physically and financially able to perform
it. Nevertheless, about two million people go to Makkah each year from
every corner of the globe providing a unique opportunity for those
of different nations to meet one another. Although Makkah is
filled with visitors all year round, the annual Hajj itself begins
in the twelfth month of the Islamic year (which is lunar, not solar, so
that Hajj and Ramadhan fall sometimes in summer, sometimes in
winter). Male pilgrims wear special clothes: simple garments which
strip away distinctions of class and culture, so that all stand
equal before Allah.
Muslims respect and revere Jesus and await his Second Coming. They
consider him one of the greatest of Allah's Prophets to mankind. A
Muslim never refers to him simply as 'Jesus', but always adds the
phrase 'upon him be peace'. The Qur'an confirms his virgin birth
and Mary is considered the purest woman in all creation.
Islam sees a woman, whether single or married, as an individual in her
own right, with the right to own and dispose of her property and
earnings. A marriage dowry is given by a groom to the bride for her
own personal use and she keeps her own family name rather than
taking her husband's. Both men and women are expected to dress in a
way which is modest and dignified; the traditions of female dress
found in some Muslim countries are often the expression of local
customs.
The family is the foundation of Islamic society. The peace and security
offered by a stable family unit is greatly valued and seen as
essential for the spiritual growth of its members. A harmonious
social order is created by the existence of extended families;
children are treasured and rarely leave home until the time they
marry.
Like Jews and Christians, Muslims believe that the present life is only a
trial preparation for the next realm of existence. Basic articles
of faith include: The Day of Judgement, resurrection, Heaven and
Hell. When a Muslim dies, he or she is wrapped in a clean white
cloth and buried with a simple prayer preferably the same day.
Muslims consider this one of the final services they can do for
their relatives and an opportunity to remember their own existence
here on earth. The Prophet taught that three things can continue
to help a person even after death; charity which he had given, knowledge
which he had taught and prayers on his behalf by a righteous
child.
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