About Islam WHAT IS ISLAM?
Islam is not a new religion, but the same truth that God 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, and the majority have nothing to do with the extremely
grave events which have come to be associated with their faith.
WHO ARE THE MUSLIMS?
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; the world's largest
Muslim community is in Indonesia; substantial parts of Asia and most of Africa
are Muslim, while significant minorities are to be found in the Soviet Union,
China, North and South America, and Europe.
WHAT DO MUSLIMS BELIEVE?
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 Judgment and individual accountability for actions; in God'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, Ishmael,
Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Elias, Jonah, John the
Baptist, and Jesus, peace be upon them. But God's final message to man, a
reconfirmation of the eternal message and a summing-up of all that has gone
before was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad through Gabriel.
HOW DOES SOMEONE BECOME A MUSLIM?
Simply by saying 'there is no god apart from God, and Muhammad is the Messenger
of God.' By this declaration the believer announces his or her faith in all
God's messengers, and the scriptures they brought.
WHAT DOES 'ISLAM' MEAN?
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 God.'Mohammedanism' is thus a misnomer because it suggests that Muslims
worship Muhammad rather than God. 'Allah' is the Arabic name for God, which is
used by Arab Muslims and Christians alike.
WHY DOES ISLAM OFTEN SEEM STRANGE?
Islam may seem exotic or even extreme in the modern world. Perhaps this is
because religion does not dominate everyday life in the West today, whereas
Muslims have religion always uppermost in their minds, and make no division
between secular and sacred. They believe that the Divine Law, the Shari'a,
should be taken very seriously, which is why issues related to religion are
still so important.
DO ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY HAVE DIFFERENT ORIGINS?
No. Together with Judaism, they go back to the prophet and patriarch Abraham,
and their three prophets are directly descended from his sons Muhammad from the
eldest, Ishmael, and Moses and Jesus from Isaac. Abraham established the
settlement which today is the city of Makkah, and built the Ka'abah towards
which all Muslims turn when they pray.
WHAT IS THE KA'ABAH?
The Ka'abah is the place of worship which God commanded Abraham and Ishmael to
build over four thousand years ago. The building was constructed of stone on
what many believe was the original site of a sanctuary established by Adam. God
commanded Abraham to summon all mankind to visit this place, and when pilgrims
go there today they say 'At Thy service, O Lord', in response to Abraham's
summons.
HOW DID THE SPREAD OF ISLAM AFFECT THE WORLD?
Among the reasons for the rapid and peaceful spread of Islam was the simplicity
of its doctrine-Islam calls for faith in only one God worthy of worship. It
also repeatedly instructs man to use his powers of intelligence and
observation.
Within a few years, great civilizations and universities were flourishing, for
according to the Prophet, 'seeking knowledge is an obligation for every Muslim
man and woman'. The synthesis of Eastern and Western ideas and of new thought
with old, brought about great advances in medicine, mathematics, physics,
astronomy, geography, architecture, art, literature, and history. Many crucial
systems such as algebra, the Arabic numerals, and also the concept of the zero
(vital to the advancement of mathematics), were transmitted to medieval Europe
from Islam. Sophisticated instruments which were to make possible the European
voyages of discovery were developed, including the astrolabe, the quadrant and
good navigational maps.
WHAT IS THE QUR'AN?
The Qur'an is a record of the exact words revealed by God through the Angel
Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad. It was memorized by Muhammad and then dictated
to his Companions, and written down by scribes, who cross-checked it during his
lifetime. Not one word of its 114 chapters, Suras, 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 fourteen centuries ago.
WHAT IS THE QUR'AN ABOUT?
The Qur'an, the last revealed Word of God, is the prime source of every Muslim's
faith and practice. It deals with all the subjects which concern us as human
beings: wisdom, doctrine, worship, and law, but its basic theme is the
relationship between God and His creatures. At the same time it provides
guidelines for a just society, proper human conduct and an equitable economic
system.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER SACRED SOURCES?
Yes, the Sunna, the 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 Sunna is part of the Islamic faith.
WHO IS MUHAMMAD?
Muhammad was born in Makkah in the year 570, at a time when Christianity was not
yet fuly established in Europe. Since his father died before his birth, and his
mother shortly afterward, he was raised by his uncle from the respected tribe
of 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 was of a deeply
religious nature, and had long detested the decadence of his society. It became
his habit to meditate from time to time in the Cave of Hira near the summit of
Jaba al-Nur, the 'Mountain of Light' near Makkah.
HOW DID HE BECOME A PROPHET AND A MESSENGER OF GOD?
At the age of 40, while engaged in a meditative retreat, Muhammad received his
first revelation from God 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 God
had revealed to him, he and his small group of followers suffered bitter
persecution which grew so fierce that in the year 622 God 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. 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.
EXAMPLES OF THE PROPHET'S SAYINGS
The Prophet said:
"God has no mercy on one who has no mercy for others."
"None of you truly believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for
himself." "He who eats his fill while his neighbor goes without food is not a
believer." "The truthful and trusty businessman is associated with the
prophets, the saints, and the martyrs."
"Powerful is not he who knocks the other down, indeed powerful is he who
controls himself in a fit of anger."
"God does not judge according to your bodies and appearances but He scans your
hearts and looks into your deeds."
"A man walking along a path felt very thirsty. Reaching a well he descended into
it, drank his fill and came up. Then he saw a dog with its tongue hanging out,
trying to lick up mud to quench its thirst. The man saw that the dog was
feeling the same thirst as he had felt so he went down into the well again and
filled his shoe with water and gave the dog a drink. God forgave his sins for
this action." The Prophet was asked: "Messenger of God, are we rewarded for kindness towards
animals? He said, There is a reward for kindness to every living thing."
--From the Hadith collections of Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi and Bayhaqi
WHAT ARE THE 'FIVE PILLARS' OF ISLAM?
They are the framework of the Muslim life: faith, prayer, concern for the needy,
self-purification, and the pilgrimage to Makkah for those who are able.
1. FAITH
There is no god worthy of worship except God and Muhammad is His messenger. This
declaration of faith is called the Shahada, a simple formula which all the
faithful pronounce. In Arabic, the first part is la ilaha illa'Llah - 'there is
no god except God'; ilaha (god) can refer to anything which we may be tempted
to put in place of God -- wealth, power, and the like. Then comes illa'Llah:'
except God, the source of all Creation. The second part of the Shahada is
Muhammadun rasulu'Llah: 'Muhammad is the messenger of God'. A message of
guidance has come through a man like ourselves.
A translation of the Call to Prayer is:
God is most great. God is most great.
God is most great. God is most great.
I testify that there is no god except God.
I testify that there is no god except God.
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
Come to prayer! Come to prayer!
Come to success (in this life and the Hereafter)! Come to success!
God is most great. God is most great.
There is no god except God.
2. PRAYER
Salah is the name for the obligatory prayers which are performed five times a
day, and are a direct link between the worshipper and God. There is no
hierarchical authority in Islam, and no priests, so the prayers are 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.
Prayers are said at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and nightfall, and thus
determine the rhythm of the entire day. Although it is preferable to worship
together in a mosque, a Muslim may pray almost anywhere, such as in fields,
offices, factories and universities. Visitors to the Muslim world are struck by
the centrality of prayers in daily life.
3. THE "ZAKAT"
One of the most important principles of Islam is that all things belong to God,
and that wealth is therefore held by human beings in trust. The word zakat
means both 'purification' and 'growth'. Our possessions are purified by setting
aside a proportion for those in need, and, like the pruning of plants, this
cutting back balances and encourages new growth.
Each Muslim calculates his or her own zakat individually. For most purposes this
involves the payment each year of two and a half percent of one's capital. A
pious person may also give as much as he or she pleases as sadaqa, and does so
preferably in secret. Although this word can be translated as 'voluntary
charity' it has a wider meaning. The Prophet said "even meeting your brother
with a cheerful face is charity." The Prophet said:
"Charity is a necessity for every Muslim."
He was asked: "What if a person has nothing?"
The Prophet replied: "He should work with his own hands for his benefit and then
give something out of such earnings in charity"
The Companions asked: "What if he is not able to work?"
The Prophet said: "He should help poor and needy persons."
The Companions further asked "What is he cannot do even that?"
The Prophet said "He should urge others to do good'."
The Companions said "What if he lacks that also?"
The Prophet said "He should check himself from doing evil. That is also
charity."
4. THE FAST
Every year in the month of Ramadan, all Muslims fast from first light until
sundown, abstaining from food, drink, and sexual relations. Those who are sick,
elderly, or on a 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 the 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.
5. PILGRIMAGE (Hajj)
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 always filled with visitors, the annual Hajj begins in the
twelfth month of the Islamic year (which is lunar, not solar, so that Hajj and
Ramadan fall sometimes in summer, sometimes in winter). Pilgrims wear special
clothes: simple garments which strip away distinctions of class and culture, so
that all stand equal before God.
The rites of the Hajj, which are of Abrahamic origin, include circling the
Ka'abah seven times, and going seven times between the mountains of Safa and
Marwa as did Hagar during her search for water. Then the pilgrims stand
together on the wide plain of Arafa and join in prayers for God's forgiveness,
in what is often thought of as a preview of the Last Judgment.
In previous centuries the Hajj was an arduous undertaking. Today, however, Saudi
Arabia provides millions of people with water, modern transport, and the most
up-to-date health facilities.
The close of the Hajj is marked by a festival, the Eid al-Adha, which is
celebrated with prayers and the exchange of gifts in Muslim communities
everywhere. This, and the Eid al-Fitr, a feast-day commemorating the end of
Ramadan, are the main festivals of the Muslim calendar. |
