Understanding Islam and the Muslims
 


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.

Who are Muslims?

Islam is the second largest religion in the world with over 1 billion followers. There are around 2 millions Muslims in Britain, around 2.7% of the population. One billion people form 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 the Africa are Muslim, while significant minorities are to be found in 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 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, Issac, 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,  peace be upon him, 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. What does `Islam" mean? The Arabic word `Islam' simply means `submission,' and drives from a word meaning `peace.' In a religious context it means complete submission to the will of God. `Mohammedianism' is thus a misnomer because it suggests that Muslims worship Muhammad, peace be upon him, rather than God. `Allah' is the Arabic name for God, which is used by Arab Muslims and Christians alike. Why does Islam often seem strange? Islam my 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.

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 form his son--Muhammad,  peace be upon him, from the eldest, Ishmael, and Moses and Jesus, peace be upon them, from the Issac. Abraham established the settlement which today is the holy city of Makkah, and built the Ka'ba towards which all Muslims turn when they pray.
 

 What is the Ka'ba?

The Ka'ba is the place of worship which God commanded Abraham and Ishmael to build cover 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 The service, O Lord', in response to Abraham's summons.

 



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Who is Muhammad ?

Muhammad, peace be upon him, 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 raise d 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 s calm and meditative.
Muhammad, peace be upon him, 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 al-Nur, the `Mountain of Light' near Makkah.



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How did he become a prophet and a messenger of God?

At the age of 40, while engaged in a meditative retreat, Muhammad, peace be upon him, received his first revelation from God through the Angel Gabriel, this revelation, which continued for twenty-three years, is known as the Quran.

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 `peace be upon him' and his followers were able to return to Makkah, where they forgave their enemies and established Islam definitively. Before the Prophet `peace be upon him' died at the age of 63, the greater part of Ar abia was Muslim, and within a century of his death Islam had spread to Spain the West and as far East as China.

What is the Quran?

The Quran is a record of the exact words revealed by God through the Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. It was memorized by Muhammad,  peace be upon him, and then di ctated 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 Quran is in every detail the unique and miraculous text which was re vealed to Muhammad, peace be upon him, fourteen centuries ago.

 

 

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What is Quran about?

The Quran, 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 `peace be upon him,' is the second authority for Muslim. A hadith is a reliably transmitted report of what the prophet `peace be upon him' said, did, or approved. Belief in the `sunna' is part of t he Islamic faith.

Examples of the Prophet's sayings:

`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 thirs t 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 `peace be upon him,' was asked: `Messenger of God, are we rewarded for kindness towards animal s?' 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.

 

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Does Islam tolerate other beliefs?

The Quran says: "God forbids you not, with regards to those who fight you not for [your] faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them; for God loves those who are just." (Quran, 60:8)

It is one function of Islamic law to protect the privileged status of minorities, and this is why non-Muslim places of worship have flourished all over the Islamic world. History provides many examples of Muslim tolerance towards other faiths: when the caliph Omar entered Jerusalem in the year 634, Islam granted freedom of worship to all religious communities in the city.

Islamic law also permits non-Muslim minorities to set up their own courts, which implement family laws drawn up by the minorities themselves.


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What do Muslims think about Jesus?

Muslims respect and revere Jesus, peace be upon him. They consider him one of the greatest of God's messengers to mankind. A Muslim never refers to him simply as 'Jesus', but always adds the phrase ``peace be upon him.' The Qu ran confirms his virgin birth (a chapter of the Quran is entitled `Mary'), and Mary is considered the purest woman in all creation. The Quran describes the Annunciation as follows:
"`Be hold!' the Angel said, `God has chosen you, and purified you, and chosen you above the women of all nations. O Mary, God gives you good news of a word from Him, whose name shall be the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, honored in this world and the Hereaft er, and one shall speak to the people from his cardle and in maturity, and shall be of the righteous.'

She said: `O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me?' He said: `Even so; God creates what He will. When He decrees a thing, He says to it, "Be!" and it is.' (Quran, 3:42-7)

Jesus, peace be upon him, was born miraculously through the same power which had brought Adam `peace be upon him,' into being without father:
"Truly, the likeness of Jesus with God is as the likeness of Adam. He created him of dust, and then said to him, `Be!' and he was. (3:59)

During his prophetic mission Jesus, peace be upon him, performed many miracles. The Quran tells us that he said:

I have come to you with a sign from your Lord: I make for you out of the clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it and it becomes a bird by God's leave. And I heal the blind and the lepers, and I raise the dead by God's leave. (3:49)

Neither Muhammad, peace be upon him, nor Jesus, peace be upon him, cam to change the basic doctrine of the belief in on God, brought by earlier prophets, but to confirm and renew it. In the Quran Jesus, peace be upon him, is reported as saying that he came: " To attest the law which was before me. And to make lawful to you part of what was forbidden you; I have come to you with a sign form your Lord, so fear God and obey Me." (3:50)

The prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: "Whoever believes there is no god but God, alone without partner, that Muhammad, peace be upon him, is His messenger, that Jesus is the servant and messenger of God, His word breathed into Mary and a spirit emanating form Him, and that ~Paradise and Hell are true, shall be received by God into Heaven. (Hadith from Bukhari)

What about Muslim women?


Islam sees a woman, whether single or married, as an individual in her own right, with the right to own and dispose of her property and earnings. A marriage dowry is given by the groom to the bride for her own personal use, and she keeps her own family name rather than taking her husband's. Both men and women are expected to dress in a way which is modest and dignified; the traditions of female dress found in some Muslim countries are often the expression of local customs.

The Messenger of God `peace be upon him,' said: "The most perfect in faith amongst believers is he who is best in manner and kindest to his wife."

Is Islamic marriage like Christian marriage?

A Muslim marriage is not a `sacrament', but a simple, legal agreement include conditions. Marriage customs thus vary widely from country to country. As a result, divorce is not common., although it is not forbidden as a last resort. According to Islam, no Muslim girl can be forced to marry against her will: her parents will simply suggest young men they think may be suitable.

Source: "Understanding Islam and the Muslims," published by: The Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Washington DC, 1989

Edit by: O Nesim - 7/2014