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Islam Out of the many interesting religions, Islam has uniqueness to it. The name, Islam stems from the word “Salam” that means peace. The word “Muslim” which means a follower of Islam refers to a person who submits him or herself to the will of God. Muhammad founded Islam in the year 622CE. This particular religion started when the angel Jibreel supposedly read the first revelation to Muhammad. The Muslims believe in the “one true God” which they call Allah. Islam is totally based on the word of Allah, and Muslims believe that Islam was revealed to the prophet Muhammad.
Muhammad was born in 570 in Mecca, a great trading city on the Arabian Peninsula. He became a successful merchant and he was famous for his honesty, but found himself unfulfilled and concerned that his society lacked a religious ethic. In search of spiritual fulfillment, he started to spend long hours in a cave on nearby Mount Hira (Known as Gare-Hira). It was in this cave, Muslims believe, that he received initial messages from Allah through the Angel Gabriel. Messages received by Muhammad were recorded and written by scribes and compiled into the Holy Quran. Muhammad received revelations from Allah for twenty-two years.
All Muslims believe that there have been many prophets, including Jesus, and that Muhammad was the last prophet. When Muhammad started preaching and gaining followers, the rulers of Mecca noticed that part of Muhammad’s message was potentially dangerous for their economic base. They were afraid that if the idea is adopted that there is only one god, Allah, people would stop visiting the Kaba and it will ruin the economy of city. Mecca’s rulers began to take measures to stop Muhammad, using political means first and slowly moving to more aggressive means (John, 2000. By 622, Muhammad’s life was in danger from the Mecca authorities and they were also harassing his followers who had grown in numbers in few years. Then an unexpected opportunity occurred. A town to the northwest of the Mecca now called Medina was having trouble in government issues. They came to Muhammad because of his reputation as an honest man and asked him to be their governor. Muhammad agreed on the condition that he could bring his followers from Mecca and that the people of Medina would convert to Islam.
They agreed and in 622 Muhammad and his followers migrated to Medina; this migration is called the Hijra. Muhammad combined his spiritual and religious authority with political and civil authority. This included not only governing the city, but also mustering an army and leading it in battle many times. Muhammad continued to govern Medina until his death in 632. At the time of his death Muslims had taken Mecca back and became Arabia’s main political and religious force. (Karen, 1993) What do Muslims Believe? Allah
Like Christians, Muslims are strict monotheists, believing in the existence of only one God. Muslims believe in the absolute unity or singularity of God. Muslims and Christians believe there is only one God / Allah. There is no god but God. ” This is certainly a statement that Christians would affirm however Muslims do not believe that the father, son, and the holy ghost as Christians believe. So they accuse Christians in being a server of many gods. Angels All Muslims believe in the existence of divine messengers of Allah, or angels, which include an angel Gabriel and an evil angel, Satan.
The angels worship Allah alone, act and obey only by his command. All Muslims believe that Allah revealed books to his messengers as a guidance and proof for mankind. Holy Quran is among these books, which God revealed to the Prophet Muhammad God has also guaranteed the Quran’s protection from any distortion or corruption they believe. Prophets All Muslims believe in a number of prophets sent by Allah, including Adam, David, Moses, Noah, and Jesus. Muslims consider Muhammad to be final the greatest and universal prophet for all humanity.
Judgment Day The Muslim concept of the afterlife includes a future resurrection of the dead, a great Day of Judgment, paradise for believers and eternal punishment for nonbelievers. All Muslims believe that on the Day of Judgment Heaven will be the reward for those Muslims whose good deeds will outweigh evil deeds. All Muslims believe in Al-Qadar, which is Divine Predestination, but belief in Divine Predestination does not mean that human beings do not have any freewill. Muslims believe that God has given human beings freewill.
It means that they can choose between wrong and right. “The Five Pillars of Islam” In addition to the above essentials beliefs of Islam, all Muslims also believe in a framework know the Five Pillars of Islam (Islamic Voice, 1998 August) A Muslim must acknowledge that “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his Prophet” Salat All Muslims pray five times a day: before sunrise (Fajir), midday (Zuhir), mid afternoon (Asar), after sunset (Magrib), and nightfall (Isha). Muslims also gather in the mosque to pray each Friday, which is holiest day of the week.
Muslims believe prayer enlivens and strengthens faith , and inspires them to superior. Fasting During the entire holy month of Ramadan, Muslims abstain from beverages, food and sexual activity from sunrise till sunset. Fasting, teaches love, devotion, sincerity, and helps to develop unselfishness, patience, and social conscience. Zakat It is compulsory for all eligible Muslims that they should give a portion of their income in the form of alms for the poor, orphans, and widows or for Islamic education through the local mosque. Hajj
Muslims who are financially and physically able are required to visit Mecca at least once in their lifetime. Religion Islam has placed the greatest importance upon family preservation. Modern family comprised of the wife, husband and their children but the extended family which includes normally the grandparents and often uncles, aunts and their children extending a kind of family network around the individual with which the individual identifies herself or himself. Within this Islamic family and social pattern, respect for parents plays a most significant role. (IslamicVoice,March1998).
Marriage in Islamic culture is a simple and legal agreement in which both partners are free to include conditions. Marriage customs vary widely from country to country but the main concept is same. Divorce is not common, although it is nor forbidden as a last option. In Islam, no Muslim girl or man can be forced to marry against his or her will. In Islamic culture, life and property of all citizens are considered sacred, whether a person is Muslim or non-Muslim. Islam also protects honor, in Islam, insulting others or making fun of them is not allowed for any reason.
Islamic culture also ejects certain individuals being favored because of their wealth, race or power. All humans are equal and they are distinguished only on the basis of their faith. Islam is a complete way of life. It does not cover only the spiritual aspects or it’s not just a set of rituals, unrelated to other aspects of life. Islam gives broad and complete guidelines, and specific instructions, about every single facet of your life. References Karen Armstrong, (1993), Muhammad: A Biography of the Prophet John L. Esposito, (2000), Oxford History of Islam