Islam

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Islam

• Adherents to the Islamic religion make up around
  20 of the worlds population (1 billion). It is
  the worlds second largest religion. It is
  interesting to note that the four nations with
  the largest number of Muslims (one who submits to
  the will of God) are outside the Middle East

• Indonesia approx. 165 million (88)
• Pakistan approx. 110 million (97)
• Bangladesh approx. 97 million (85)
• India approx. 90 million (10)

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Muhammad
Muhammad was born in 570 A.D. in to an
influential Arabian tribe in the city of Mecca.
Mecca was a very important city in the ancient
world as it was a frequent resting place and
important stop for trading caravans. It was also
important religiously because the Kaaba was
located there. The Kaaba is a cubical structure
that, at the time of Muhammad, was said to
contain 360 deities each Arabian tribe had
hand-picked its own deity, and came to Mecca each
year to pay homage to their god. It was customary
for those who were religiously minded to retreat
to a place of solitude one each year, and
Muhammad observed this practice for several years
in a cave at Mount Hira. In the year 610
(Muhammad was 40), Muhammad received his first
revelation from the angel Gabriel. Muhammad could
neither read nor write so he was instructed to
memorize the words given to him by Gabriel. This
complete recitation which Muhammad received over
a 23 year period, ending in 632, the year of his
death, is known as the Qur'an/Koran (the revealed
word of God). Muhammad was unsure of the origin
of these revelations, however the influence of
his wife led him to teach that which had been
revealed to him. Muhammad preached a message of
strict monotheism (against the wishes of the
leaders in his own tribe), and began to build a
significant following. Those who followed him
were persecuted and were forced to flee Mecca in
the year 622 (went to Madinah). The Islamic
calendar begins on July 16 of that year (the
first day of the lunar year).
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Muhammad cont.
The importance of Muhammad to the Islamic faith
cannot be understatedhe is the prophet of God
and is known as the Seal of the Prophets. The
five main articles of the Islamic religion, as
communicated through Muhammad are

• ONE God (Allah) This is the central doctrine of
  Islam and it is important recognize that no
  partner is to be associated with God. To
  associate a partner with God is to commit to a
  most heinous, a sin for which the Quran offers
  no forgiveness (448). He is Allah, the One,
  the Eternal, Absolute. He begets not , nor is he
  begotten, and there is none like Him (Quran
  1123-4).
• Angels Spiritual beings under the command of
  God. They administer the kingdom, and carry out
  his orders obediently Gabriel is the highest
  ranking angel. Angles are said to have
  specific roles in regard to the recording of
  deeds some are to record good deeds and some
  are to record bad deeds. The presence of angles
  is very much a prominent aspect of the Islamic
  system of belief.

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Muhammad cont.

• Prophets of God According to the Quran, God
  has sent a prophet to every nation to preach the
  message of there being only one God these
  messengers reveal Gods command to worship only
  Him and to obey His commands. Among many others
  (124,000), there are the Biblical figures of
  Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob,
  Moses, David, Solomon, Jonah, John the Baptist,
  and Jesus. Each of these prophets were given for
  a particular age and region, but Muhammad
  transcends all boundaries.
• The Holy Books The four highest ranking
  prophets were given books of divine revelation
  Moses (Torah/Tawrat), David (Psalms/ Zabur),
  Jesus (Gospel/Injil), and Muhammad (Quran).
  Muslims believe that only the Quran has been
  preserved in its uncorrupted state (therefore,
  any translation of the Quran is in some way
  flawed). The Quran invites people back to the
  true teachings of the previous prophets
  additionally, there is no need for other prophets
  after Muhammad, he was the last and gave Allahs
  final teachings.
• The Day of Judgment Muslims believe that this
  world will come to an end on a day Allah has
  appointed the world will stand before Allah in
  judgment. Each persons deeds will be weighed
  those emerge successfully from Judgment will go
  to eternal paradise, those who are condemned will
  be sent to Hell (Is then the man who believes no
  better than the man who is rebellious and wicked?
  Not equal are they. Quran 3218). While
  unsure of their fate, Muslims are confident in
  the mercy of Allah.

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The Five Pillars
In Islam, faith and works are said to go hand in
hand a mere verbal declaration of faith does not
make one a Muslim, for belief in Allah makes
obedience to Him a duty. Only when practice is
consistent with profession will one be a true
Muslim. The following five formal acts are the
keys for developing and strengthening a Muslims
faith and obedience.

• Testimony of Faith (Shahadah) the word
  Shahadah means to bear witness. There is no
  God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger.
  When a person recites the Shahadah with sincerity
  and purity of heart and in front of public
  witness, he/she becomes a Muslim.
• Prayer (Salah) Formal prayer is the most
  important act of worship it is mankinds
  connection to Allah. Muslims are required to
  say seventeen cycles, or raka, of prayer each
  day. These cycles are usually spread over five
  separate acts of prayer each day dawn, noon,
  midafternoon, dusk, and two hours after sunset.
  The prayer can be an individual act or an act
  done in a group, which is said to strengthen the
  bonds of love and brotherhood. There is a
  prescribed washing that must take place before
  prayer, you must have a prayer rug or be in a
  mosque, and when praying you must face Mecca.

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The Five Pillars cont.

• Fasting (Ramadan) Ramadan is the month in
  which was sent down the Quran, as a guide to
  mankind, and clear signs for guidance and
  judgment between right and wrong. So every one
  of you should spent that month fastingwhile
  Allah attends to every facility for you (Quran
  2183-185). During the month of Ramadan, Muslims
  are expected to fast during the daylight hours.
  After sundown the believer is allowed to partake
  again. The month is filled with increased
  devotion, piety, and purity of mind, body, and
  soul.
• Almsgiving (Zakat) The Muslim is commanded to
  give at least 2.5 of his/her wealth/accumulated
  assets/income, to be used to support the poor,
  orphans, widows, those overcome by debt, slaves,
  and to assist in the spread of Islam. This
  fosters the quality of sacrifice and rids one of
  selfishness, greed, and vanity.
• Pilgrimage (Hajj) Once in a lifetime, a
  Muslim who is financially able and healthy, must
  travel to Mecca, during the month of Hajj (12th
  month of the lunar year). Each pilgrim must
  wear the ihram (a white cloth robe), which has
  the effect of eliminating all class or status
  distinctions during the Hajj. The process of
  visiting several sacred sites takes about one
  week, but it is the prayer at the Kaaba that is
  said to be the most significant event.

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I went home radiant with hope and joy, for I have
fulfilled the command to humankind to undertake
the pilgrimage. Above all, I return praying that
it might please Allah, to find my Hajj
acceptable, and may what the Prophet (s.a.w.)
said be true of my own journey "There is no
reward for a pious pilgrimage but Paradise."
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The Branches of Islam
Sunni Accounting for at least 85 percent of the
Islamic world, the Sunni claim to be the direct
continuation of the faith as defined by Muhammad.
For many years they acknowledged the religious
authority of a ruling caliph, the major point of
contention with the breakaway Shiite movement.
The Sunni derive their name through reliance on
the "Sunnah the lifestyle and practices of
Muhammad as recorded in a collection of writings
called the Hadith (the record of individual
sayings or actions or approvals of Muhammad -
taken as a model of behavior by Muslims). The
Sunni accept the Sunnah as a source of spiritual
wisdom, while the Shiite insist on the primacy of
the Koran. Shiite The smaller of the two
principal branches of Islam, the Shiite account
for at least 10 percent of all Muslims. They
originally were followers of the fourth caliph,
Ali, who was Muhammad's son-in-law through the
prophet's daughter Fatima. Ali claimed that
Muhammad on his deathbed selected Ali as leader
of the faith, but Ali was murdered during the
fifth year of his reign. The Shiite formally
broke away from Muslim leaders recognized by the
Sunni around 680. A principal belief of the
Shiite is that no caliph since Ali has been
legitimate. The present religious authority of
the Shiite clerics is derived from their role as
deputies of the absent 12th Imam.
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Key Terms
Shari'ah The revealed and the canonical laws
of the religion of Islam. The legislative power
in the government lies in the hands of
legislative assembly. The legislators are to make
rules and regulations within the scope and
dimensions of the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the
Prophet. These rules constitute the
Shari'ah. Mosque Muslim building of prayer and
worship. Jihad Literally means, "struggle or
striving refers to the obligation of all
Muslims to struggle against error and evil. In
another sense it refers to the defensive military
struggle against those who would attack Muslims
and subvert their faith, hence the concept of the
'Holy war. P.B.U.H. These letters are
abbreviations for the words Peace Be Upon Him
which corresponds to the meaning of the Arabic
expression Alaihis Salam, which is an
expression that is said when the name of a
prophet is mentioned. This expression is widely
used by English speaking Muslims. It is to be
noticed here that this expression does not give
the full meaning of "Salla Allahu 'Alaihi Wa
Sallam (may the blessing and the peace of Allah
be upon him). Therefore it is recommended that
people do not use (p.b.u.h.) after the name of
prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) they should use "Salla
Allahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam" instead, or they may
use the abbreviated form of (s.a.w) in writing.