Introduction to Islam

The meaning of Islam:

Islam isn’t just a religion – it’s a way of life.

The word “Islam” is derived from the Arabic root “S L M” which means, among other things, peace, purity, submission and obedience. In the religious sense the word Islam means submission to the will of God and obedience to his Law.

Muslims around the world greet each other with the phrase , “as salamu alaikoom” which means “Peace be upon you” the reply being “wa alaikoom as salam” “and upon you peace.

Muslim - a follower of Islam or one who submits to the will of God.

Muslims worship Allah – Allah is the Arabic word for God.
It is incorrect to say that Muslims worship a God named Allah. A Christian or a Jew that speaks Arabic will refer to God as Allah as well. Christians and Jews worship the same God as Muslims and are referred to by Muslims as “ahl al kitab” or “people of the book” meaning that they received the revelation from God.

Some outsiders call the religion “Mohammedanism” and address the believers in Islam as “Mohammedans”. Muslims reject and protest the use of these terms because they imply that Muslims worship Mohammed. Muslims never worshipped Mohammed or any other human being. They have always believed that Mohammed was a mortal like the numerous prophets before him including Abraham, Ishmael, Issac, David, Moses and Jesus. Muslims believe that Mohammed was the last, not the only prophet, who sent the message of God to mankind.

Anyone can be a Muslim. Islam is a universal religion. To become a Muslim, all that one must do is recite the shahada or declaration of faith with conviction.

Not all Muslims are Arabs. Not all Arabs are Muslim. In fact, most Muslims are not Arab.

Today there are as many as 1.57 billion Muslims in the world, one-fifth of mankind. There are 50 countries with majority Muslim populations spreading from Morocco to China. The largest Muslim country is Indonesia. There are growing Muslim populations in Europe and the United States.

Main Beliefs of Islam (Arkan al Islam):

1. Belief in Allah – One God – Supreme and Eternal, Infinite and Mighty, Merciful and Compassionate, Creator and Provider.
2. Belief in all of the messengers (rasul) of God without any discrimination among them. 3. Belief in the Holy books including the Torah, the Bible and the Qur’an. Muslims believe that the Qur’an is the only authentic, complete and uncorrupted text from God in existence today.
4. Belief in the Angels of God. Angels spend their days and nights in service of God.5. Belief in the Last Day of Judgement. On the last day, the dead will rise to stand for their final and fair trial.
6. Belief in Pre-destination - Qadr. God has a plan for each of us.
7. Belief in Heaven and Hell.

5 Rituals of Islam – The 5 Pillars of Islam
1. The Shahada or Declaration of Faith – “Ashadu inna la ilaha ila Allah wa ashadu an Muhammadan rasul Allah” There is no God but God and Muhammad is the messenger of God.

2. Salat. Prayer. Muslims pray five times per day – fajr, dhuhur, asr, maghrib and isha (dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset and evening) in the direction of Mecca. Prayers must be performed in a state of ritual purity accomplished by performing wudu ( a ritual washing). The direction of prayer is called “qibla” and is indicated in mosques (masjid) by a niche in the wall called the “mihrab”. All words and movements of these prayers are set down and unchangeable. Prayers can be performed anywhere. Friday prayer or Salat al Jumaa is led by an Imam “literally one who stands in front”.

3. Zakat. Alms-giving. Charity is a form of worship and is required. 2 ½ %.
Muslims should also give voluntary alms called “sadaka”.

4. Sawm. Fasting during the lunar month of Ramadhan. The fast lasts from sunrise to sunset for 30 days. The object is to subdue the passions and draw nearer to God by purifying one’s being through self-denial. When the sun sets, Muslims gather together for a communal meal called iftar. A small meal eaten prior to the sunrise is called Sahur. Because Islam follows a lunar calendar, Ramadhan can fall during any month of the year. It goes back by 11 days each year.

5. Hajj. The Pilgrimage to Mecca. Performing the Hajj is a duty for all Muslims once in their lifetime – finance and health permitting. The Hajj takes place during the eighth and thirteenth days of the last month of the lunar calendar Dhu al-Hijja. It is a demonstration of the universality of Islam and the equality of all Muslims. It is performed to commemorate the divine rituals observed by Ibrahim and Ishmael , who are known to have been the first pilgrims to the house of God on Earth (the Kaaba at Mecca).

JIHAD IS NOT A PILLAR OF ISLAM!
Muslims celebrate two holidays – Eid al fitr and Eid al adha. Eid al fitr is celebrated at the conclusion of Ramadhan and Eid al adha is celebrated at the conclusion of the Hajj.

Duties in Islam
1. Dawah – calling others to Islam
2. Jihad – striving in the way of Allah
3. Encouraging good while forbidding wrong
Authority in Islam.
Religious authority in the Muslim community resides in the Qur’an and the Sunna of the Prophet Muhammad. There is no organized “hierarchy” in Islam. Every Muslim has access to the Qur’an and in a sense is his own priest.

The Qur’an
For all Muslims the Qur’an is the word of God. It is the final and perfect revelation revealed in Arabic to His Prophet Muhammad through the Archangel Gabrial in a series of revelations that took place between 610 and 632 CE.
The word Qur’an is derived from the Arabic word meaning “to recite” or “to read”. The Qur’an is believed by Muslims to be the final revelation from God. It supersedes all that proceeds it and nothing will come after it.
The central message of the Qur’an is to believe in the One God and him alone. There is no other, and to associate anything with God, is shirk or polytheism.
The first word revealed to the Prophet Muhammad was “Iqra” meaning read. The Prophet Muhammad was illiterate – he could neither read nor write. The revelation was given to the Prophet Muhammad by the angel Gabrial , beginning in the Cave of Hira.