Introduction to the religion of Islam
Ahmed Helmy
this a copy of a brouchour I was sent, It is meant as an introduction
to Islam for people who are wondering what is Islam.
ahmed
I-Introduction:
Islam is one of the world's great monotheistic religions.
The followers of Islam, called Muslims, believe in one
God- Allah in Arabic- and that Muhammad is his
Prophet.
Today, the worldwide community of Muslims,
which embraces the people of many races and cultures
, numbers nearly one billion. Historically, Saudi Arabia has
occupied a special place in the Islamic world as the
very heartland of Islam. Indeed, it is toward the
sacred Ka'abah, meaning "the House of God", in Makkah
that Muslims turn devoutly in prayer five times a day.
II- Islamic History:
1- The coming of the Prophet
Around the year 570, Muhammad was born into a family of
the ruling tribe of Makkah, the powerful and noble
Quraysh. Makkah, a caravan city in the Hijaz region of
northwestern Arabia, grew around the Ka'abah, meaning
"the House of God," a shrine of ancient origins built by Abraham
and his son Ishmael. Pre-Islamic Arabia was polytheistic; some
360 idols representing the divinities of the Hijaz were housed
in the Ka'abah.
Orphaned as a child, Muhammad spent several years of his
boyhood among the Bedouins of the desert, developing a love
for the rich Arabic language that was the Bedouins' proudest
art.
He learned the patience and forbearance of the herds-men, whose
life of solitude he came to understand and appreciate. As a
young man, Muhammad traveled widely with the trade
caravans through Palestine, Syria, and Yemen before
dedicating his life to meditation.
In 610, God revealed His word to Muahmmad through
the Angel Gabriel. In this way, Muhammad became
the chosen bearer of the divine message and began
proclaiming the oneness of God.
The name of this new religion, Islam, means "submission to God."
The followers of Islam are called Muslims, meaning
"those who submit."
God's message as transmitted through Muhammad
was not unanimously accepted in Makkah. Pagan
worshippers threatened by the new monotheistic
religion, and merchants anxious to preserve the profitable
pilgrimage trade intensified their opposition to the
followers of Islam[, through torture, trade embargo and
killing].
To foil an assassination plot against him, Huhammad
and a small group of Muslims emigrated to Madinah.
This, the Hijrah or emigration, dates the beginning of the Islamic
era and the history of the Islamic community.
In 629, Muhammad reentered and conquered Makkah
without bloodshed, destroying the idols in Ka'abah, and the
inhabitants of Makkah embraced Islam.
Source: Pamphlet"Saudi Arabia, Islam"2nd Ed.,1989.
II- Islamic History:
2- the rise of Islam
Within a century, Islam had swept across the Middle East and North
Africa-from modern Iraq to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. At its
apogee, Islam held sway as far as Spain in the west, and India and
China in the east-virtually the entire known world. By conversion,
commerce, and conquest, Islam introduced a comprehensive faith
and a political-legal system which established order and justice in a
period of world chaos and disintegrating empires.
Islam fostered the flowering of brilliant civilizations and the
development of great centers of learning. It was a period of
dynamism, a melding of ancient and new thought from east to west,
producing great contributions in medicine, science, mathematics,
physics, law, astronomy, geography, architecture, art, art, language,
literature, and history. Islamic civilization-rich, sophisticated, and
varied-has taken its place among the cultural achievements of
human history. The genius of Arab civilization set the stage for the
European Renaissance.
Source: Pamphlet"Saudi Arabia, Islam"2nd Ed.,1989.
II- Islamic History:
3- Islam in the modern age
With the shift of power to Western Europe and the eventual
colonization of parts of the Middle East, Islamic rule and the scope of
its political influence began to diminish. Nonetheless, Islam
remained a strong spiritual and moral force in many countries and
societies.
As colonial rule gave way to new, self-governing nations in the 20th
century, Islam reemerged on the world stage as a major political and
economic force. Despite great changes in traditional societies, as well
as the demands of the contemporary age, Islam has grown as a
dynamic and universal religion with a continued impact on world
affairs.
4- The future of Islam
Today, Islam is resurgent and flourishing in virtually every corner of
the world. Islam continues to address human needs as it has for
more than 1,400 years with compassion, creativity, and a deep
commitment to god. Dedicated Muslims are striving to meet the
challenge of modernization while remaining faithful to traditional
Islamic values.
Source: Pamphlet"Saudi Arabia, Islam"2nd Ed.,1989.
III-The community of the faithful:
Islam is at once a religion and a total way of life. It prescribes order
for individuals, societies, and governments, codifying law, family
relationships, matters of business, etiquette, dress food, hygiene, and
much more. The ummah, or community of believers, is unified
across national boundaries by its conscious acceptance of the
oneness of God and its mission on earth. There is no human hierarchy
to intervene between man and God; in the eyes of Islam, all people
are equal.
The Qur'an is the cornerstone of Islamic faith. Muslims believe that
the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam, is the word of God as revealed to
the Prophet Muhammad in the Arabic language. It is regarded as the
final revelation, as Muhammad is regarded as the final Prophet-"the
seal of the prophets." For over 1,400 years, the Qur'an has
illuminated the lives of Muslims with its eloquent message, shaping
their everyday lives, anchoring them to a unique system of law, and
inspiring them by its guiding principles.
The sunnah,"way" for devout Muslims to follow, recounts the deeds,
sayings, and silent approval of the Prophet Mohammad regarding
details of community life. It complements and supplements the
Qur'an and embodies the meticulously documented traditions and
sayings of the Prophet as preserved by his companions in a body of
writings called the hadith.
The Qur'an and the sunnah provide the framework for Shariah, the
sacred law of Islam, which governs all aspects of the public and
private, social and economic, religious and political life of every
Muslim.
Source: Pamphlet"Saudi Arabia, Islam"2nd Ed.,1989.
IV- The five pillars of Islam
Despite the great body of tradition and law, the practice of Islam is
essentially personal-between God and the believer. Islam has five
primary obligations or pillars of faith that each Muslim must fulfill
in his or her lifetime.
1- Shahadah, profession of faith, is the first pillar of Islam.
Muslims bear witness to the oneness of God by reciting the creed
"there is no god but God and Muhammad is the messenger of God."
This simple yet profound statement expresses a Muslim's complete
acceptance of, and total commitment to, the message of Islam.
2- Salah, ritual prayer or devotional worship, is the second
pillar. The Islamic belief is based on the belief that individuals have
a direct relationship with God. There are no earthly intermediaries
in Islam. Rather, the world's Muslims turn individually and
collectively to Makkah, Islam's holiest city, to offer prayers at dawn,
noon,
mid-afternoon, sunset, and evening. In addition, Friday
congregational service is also required. Although salah can be
performed alone, it is meritorious to perform it with another or with
a group. The word mosque comes from the Arabic masjid, meaning
"place of prostration." Although it is permissible to pray at home, at
work, or even outdoors, it is recommended that Muslims perform
salah in a mosque.
3- Zakat, almsgiving, is the third pillar and like prayer is
considered a form of worship. Social responsibility is considered
part of one's service to God; the obligatory act of zakat enshrines this
duty. Zakat prescribes payment of fixed proportions of a Muslim's
possessions for the welfare of the entire community and in particular
for its neediest members. It is equal to 2.5 percent of an individual's
total net worth. excluding obligations and family expenses.
4- Sawm, fasting, during the holy month of Ramadan is the
fourth pillar of Islam. Ordained in the qur'an, the fast is an act of
deep personal worship in which Muslims seek a richer perception of
God. Fasting is also an exercise in self-control whereby one's
sensitivity is heightened to the sufferings of the poor. Ramadan
begins with the sighting of the new moon, after which abstention
from eating, drinking, smoking, and other sensual pleasures is
obligatory from dawn to sunset.
Ramadan also is a joyful month. Muslims break their fast at
sunset with a special meal, iftar, "break-fast;" perform additional
nocturnal worship, tarawih, after evening prayer; and throng the
streets in moods that are festive and communal. The end of
Ramadan is observed in a spirit of joyous achievement by four days
of celebration called eid al-fitr, the feast of the Breaking of the Fast.
Customarily, it is a time for family reunion and the favored holiday
for children who receive new clothing and gifts from family
members and friends.
5- Hajj, meaning "visit to the revered place," the pilgrimage to
Makkah, is the fifth pillar and the most significant manifestation of
Islamic faith and unity in the world. For those Muslims who are
mentally, physically, and financially able to make the faithful
journey to Makkah, the hajj is the peak of their religious life.
The hajj is a worldwide gathering of over two million Muslims
to the holy city, and a remarkable spiritual happening. In
performing hajj, a pilgrim follows the order of a ritual as
Muhammad performed the rites during his last pilgrimage.
The five pillars of Islam define the basic identity of the
Muslims -their faith, beliefs, and practices-which binds together a
worldwide community of believers into a fellowship of shared
values and concerns.
Source: Pamphlet"Saudi Arabia, Islam"2nd Ed.,1989.