Interesting Islam

 

Islam: The Basics

Definition & Basics:

‘Islam’ comes from the root Arabic word meaning ‘peace’ and ‘submission’. Assalamu-alaykum is the Islamic greeting meaning ‘May peace and blessings be upon you.’

What is Islam? Is it a Religion? Yeah, ‘course it is. Islam is a major world religion, with over one billion followers worldwide (1/5 of the world population). It is considered one of the Abrahamic, monotheistic faiths, along with Judaism and Christianity. Although usually associated with the Arabs, less than ten percent of Muslims are actually Arabs.

A person who believes in and consciously follows Islam is called a Muslim and ‘Allah’ is the proper name for Almighty God, and is often merely translated as ‘God’. However, there are over 99 names to describe Allah. The Muslims accept the Bible, Torah and some other holy books as books from God, but they only follow the final holy book to be revealed: The Quran (also spelt Koran) as they believe it to be the true words of Allah.

Muslims also believe in many of the Prophets mentioned in other holy books, such as Moses (Musa), Adam and Jesus (Isa), however, they do not believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and they believe in the final Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) as being a messenger of God, and the final Prophet of Allah. (I won’t be discussing the similarities or differences between Islam and other religions, despite the fact that it would have been highly interesting :)

Islam is way MORE than just any old religion, it’s a Way Of Life. (Yes, caps have been used for emphasis because I want this phrase to stick). I repeat, A Way Of Life. Well, let me explain.

Shariah Law:

If any of you actually know a bit about Islam, you will probably notice that it is extremely closely related to everyday aspects of life. The Shariah (Islamic Law) is NOT a command to rush off and kill non-Muslims (as this is how it seems to be portrayed nowadays), but it is actually just what it means. Islamic Law. This includes rights of inheritance, divorce, family life, equality, social harmony etc. It’s really just the Do’s and Don’ts of Islam. That’s why Islam is a Way Of Life. Because it actually guides a person in everyday matters.

Islamic Terminology & Calendar:

There are several words of Arabic used throughout this essay, but most have been explained in brackets. However, I have included ‘(s.a.w.)’ or ‘(a.s.)’ after mentioning Prophets. These are actually abbreviations for the full versions, which are sallalahoo-alayhee-wassalam, and alayhis-salam. These basically mean, ‘may peace be upon them’.

A Hadith is the Arabic word meaning narration or report representing an account of what happened. In Islamic terminology, Hadith (plural: Ahadith) is the recorded account of what The Prophet (s.a.w.) said and did. The Sunnah of the Prophet (s.a.w.) is the physical actions and examples that he set.

Also, Muslims follow an Islamic Calendar, which is based on the sighting of the Moon. This has 12 months: Muharram, Safar, Rabi Al-Awwal, Rabi Al-Thani, Jamada Ul-Ala, Jumada Al-Thani, Rajab, Sha’aban, Ramadhan, Shawwal, Dhu Al-Qa’adah and Dhu Al-Hijjah.

Sects:

Firstly, there are quite a few sects in Islam, just like the ones in Christianity and other faiths. However, the two main sects are Sunni and Shiah. The reasons for the divide between Muslims arose after the death of The Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) and were due to dispute over leadership. I won’t be going into detail right now but there are other minor sects and some do have slight variations in beliefs. However, the main principles of Islam are outlined in the Five Pillars of Islam.

Five Pillars of Islam:

Muslims believe in the Five Pillars of Islam. These are as follows:

Shahadah: This is the declaration that “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad (s.a.w.) is his messenger.”

Salaah: This is the five times a day ritual prayer offered by Muslims.

Zakah: This is giving 2.5 percent of what you earn to charity. It is a duty upon every Muslim.

Sawm: This is fasting in the month of Ramadhan (9th Islamic month).

Hajj: This is the annual pilgrimage of Muslims to certain places in Saudi Arabia, including the Ka’abah, Mina and Arafat. It is only obligatory upon those who can afford it and takes place every year between the 8th and 13th of Zhul Hajj (12th Islamic month).

The Three Duties:

1) To Preach Islam

2) Jihad - to strive for Allah's sake

3) To encourage good and forbid evil

The Seven Beliefs:

These are mentioned in Imaan-e-Mufassal. The translation is as follows:

“I believe in Allah and His Angels and His books and His Messengers and the Last Day, and in Taqdeer – the bad thereof and the good thereof – which is from Allah, the Most High, and I believe in the raising after death.”

(Taqdeer is predestination)