|
|
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.
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. In fact, the Aramaic word "Elah" is
cognate with the Arabic word "Allah" and both mean "God" in
English. Muslims may use "God" or "Allah" interchangeably in
their English speech and writings.
WHO ARE THE MUSLIMS?
More than 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 what
was known as 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.
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.
HOW DOES ISLAM TREAT WOMEN?
In Islam, all human beings are the children of Adam and
Eve. Women and men are the same in front of God.
Click here to read an article on Women in Islam.
DOES ISLAM SUPPORT TERRORISM?
No! God says in the Holy Qur'an: "God commands justice
and doing good and giving to relatives. And He forbids
indecency and doing wrong and tyranny. He warns you so that
hopefully you will pay heed." (Translation of the Holy
Qur'an, 16:90). He also says: "And God calls to the Abode of
Peace and He guides whom He wills to a straight path."
(Translation of the Holy Qur'an, 10:25).
Click here to read an article that shows
that Islam Denounces Terrorism.
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 word "Ka'abah" comes from an Arabic word meaning
"Cube". 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.
The "Qiblah" is the direction of the Ka'abah. When
Muslims pray, they pray towards the Qiblah.
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 fully established in Europe.
Since his father died before his birth, and his mother
shortly afterwards, 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
Jabal an-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.
Reference:
This web page is based on the book Understanding Islam
and the Muslims, prepared by The Islamic Affairs
Department, The Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Washington DC.,
Consultants The Islamic Texts Society, Cambridge, UK, 1989.
|
|
