Islam at a Glance
The meaning of Islam is peace and the Arabic word Islam literally means "surrender" or "submission". The followers of Islam are called Muslims, literally one who submits (to God). There are between 1.1 billion and 1.8 billion Muslims, making Islam the second-largest religion in the world, after Christianity. Islam, as a faith, means total and sincere surrender to God so that one can live in peace and tranquility. Peace (Salam in Arabic, Shalom in Hebrew) is achieved through active obedience to the revealed commandments of God, for God is The Just, The Peace.
Islam is a global faith, not of the East or the West. Islam is a complete way of life, implying a total submission to God. One who surrenders his or her will to God, voluntarily, is called a Muslim. It was not Muhammad (PBUH) but Adam (PBUH) who first brought Islam to humanity. Then, each Prophet and Messenger (PBUH) came to exhort the people to a clear understanding of God’s commandments. They offered teachings relevant to that time, until God chose the final Prophet, Muhammad(PBUH), to come with the Last Testament referred to as the Qur’an. Islam is not a new faith but is a continuation of the unchanged message from Prophet Adam (PBUH) through Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Islam is a global faith, not of the East or the West. Islam is a complete way of life, implying a total submission to God. One who surrenders his or her will to God, voluntarily, is called a Muslim. It was not Muhammad (PBUH) but Adam (PBUH) who first brought Islam to humanity. Then, each Prophet and Messenger (PBUH) came to exhort the people to a clear understanding of God’s commandments. They offered teachings relevant to that time, until God chose the final Prophet, Muhammad(PBUH), to come with the Last Testament referred to as the Qur’an. Islam is not a new faith but is a continuation of the unchanged message from Prophet Adam (PBUH) through Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Say, "We have believed in Allah and in what was revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Descendants, and in what was given to Moses and Jesus and to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims [submitting] to Him." (Qur'an 3:84)
The Qur'an confirms all previous revelations:
And before it was the scripture of Moses to lead and as a mercy. And this is a confirming Book in an Arabic tongue to warn those who have wronged and as good tidings to the doers of good. (Quran 46:12)
And We sent, following in their footsteps, Jesus, the son of Mary, confirming that which came before him in the Torah; and We gave him the Gospel, in which was guidance and light and confirming that which preceded it of the Torah as guidance and instruction for the righteous. (Quran 5:46)
He has sent down upon you, [O Muhammad], the Book in truth, confirming what was before it. And He revealed the Torah and the Gospel. Before, as guidance for the people. And He revealed the Qur'an. Indeed, those who disbelieve in the verses of Allah will have a severe punishment, and Allah is exalted in Might, the Owner of Retribution. (Quran 3:3-4)
Islam is a religion and a complete way of life. The Qur'an provides guidelines on the right to the basic necessities of life like human equality, the right to participate in the affairs of state, security of life and property, security of personal freedom, freedom of expression and association, etc. It also provides guidelines for moral issues such as social responsibility, the rights of parents and children, rights of neighbors, and the rights of women. It also provides a legal system for the community. The Qur'an is the main source of comprehensive guidance for a Muslim's faith and practice. The Qur'an reminds us of the purpose of life, our duties, and our obligations.
Five Pillars of Islam
Islam includes many religious practices. Adherents are generally required to observe the Five Pillars of Islam, which are five duties that unite Muslims into a community. The five pillars are:
- Declaration of Faith: To bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad (PBUH) is the last messenger. To believe in all revelations (Qur'an, Injeel, Taurat, and Zaboor), Angels, and the Day of Judgment.
- Prayer: A Muslim performs obligatory prayers five times a day. Prayer helps to strengthen one's belief in and connection to God. Daily prayers also help to strengthen discipline as well as your sense of morality, purity, sincerity, and equality (everyone stands together for prayer whether you are rich or poor, powerful or weak.)
- Fasting: Every Muslim fasts for the entire month of Ramadan abstaining from food, drinks, and sexual activities from sunrise until sundown. Fasting is beneficial to one's health but is also considered an important means of self-purification (improving will power and patience, etc.) and strengthening spirituality.
- Zakat: A poor due set aside as a proportion of one's wealth (2.5% of net savings) to give to those in need. Zakat is a great and important system to keep wealth in balance and help the poor and needy. These funds can be collected by the state and if there is no needy in that state then they can be distributed to other states.
- Hajj: The pilgrimage to Makkah must be performed once in a life time, provided one can afford it financially and withstand it physically. Pilgrims wear specific simple clothes which eliminate any differences in financial status, class, or culture. The Hajj is a great world gathering of three million people in one place where all stand equal before God.
Allah (SWT)
Allah is an Arabic word, meaning “The One and Only True God,” the proper name of The One who created the heavens and the earth. Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians also call God by the name Allah. For a Muslim, Allah is the greatest and most inclusive of names for God, denoting The One who is adored in worship, The One who created all that exists.
Our Beloved Prophet (PBUH)
Muhammad (PBUH) was born to noble family in the year 570 AD in Makkah. He received his first revelation when he was forty years old. As soon as he began calling people to Islam, he and his followers were persecuted and forced to go through severe hardship. After some time God commanded him to migrate to the nearby city of Madinah. After several years the Prophet and his followers were able to return to Makkah and establish Islam more firmly. Muhammad (PBUH) received revelation from God through the angel Gabriel for 23 years. This revelation is the Qur'an. He died at the age of 63. During this short period he established the foundation of the 2nd largest religion in the world, with 1.5 billion followers currently.
Islam rose to great power and magnificence: intellectually, politically, socially, and scientifically in a very short time and established a great Islamic reign defeating the immense Persian Empire. Significant rulers included the four rightly guided caliphs, the Umayyad caliphate, the Abbasid caliphate, the Ottoman empire and the Mughals who ruled from the 6th century through World War I.
Islam rose to great power and magnificence: intellectually, politically, socially, and scientifically in a very short time and established a great Islamic reign defeating the immense Persian Empire. Significant rulers included the four rightly guided caliphs, the Umayyad caliphate, the Abbasid caliphate, the Ottoman empire and the Mughals who ruled from the 6th century through World War I.
Misunderstanding Jihad
Jihad is widely misunderstood as holy war or an attempt to achieve one's goals by means of violence. The literal meaning of jihad is struggle or effort and means more than simply holy war. For a Muslim, jihad is more of a believer's personal internal struggle to live one's life as Islamically as possible. Jihad is also a general struggle for the community as a whole to improve Muslim society. And finally, jihad is also the struggle to DEFEND Islam, with force if necessary. It is important to understand that Islam teaches moderation and abhors extremism, terrorism, fanaticism, oppression and subjugation.
Women's Rights
Another widely misunderstood aspect of Islam is the area of women's rights. Like men, Muslim women have the right to gain education, own property, engage in business and professions, and participate in public life. If any individual or society oppresses or discriminate against them it is against Islam. The Prophet's (PBUH) wife Hazrat Aisha participated in battles. Razia Sultana, the daughter of a slave become a ruler and also commanded several battles against her enemies. In our era Benazir Bhutto was twice elected Prime Minister of Pakistan. Unfortunately throughout history atrocities have been committed against women, always as a result of cultural attitudes and the twisting of religious beliefs. The oppression of women is not in any way condoned by Islam.