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Muslims believe that Islam is the faith of all God’s prophets from Adam
onwards, and therefore is the original religion.
The Five Pillars of Islam
Islam is an Arabic word meaning ‘to submit’, and a Muslim is ‘one who
Muslims believe that belief alone is meaningless. Faith should be expressed by
submits’ -that is, one who lives life in the way God intends.
practicing the five pillars of Islam.
Muslims worship one God (Allahin Arabic), who is the creator and ruler of
the universe, all-powerful, and with no equal. 1. The Declaration Of Faith
Muhammad the Prophet-Muslims believe that Muhammad was God’s final There is no god but God and Muhammad is his prophet. These words are
prophet. When Muslims speak or write the name of Muhammad they add repeated in daily prayer and are written on Muslim buildings.
‘Peace be Upon Him’ as a mark of respect. Muhammad was an Arab 2. Prayer (Salah)
Caravan trader who was born in Mecca. The angel Gabriel appeared to him Five daily prayer times are laid down: before sunrise, after midday, late
and told him to begin reciting the word of God. afternoon, at sunset and during the night. These are obligatory for all
Qur’an-(or also known as Koran in English) is the central religious text of Muslims, unless they are ill or travelling, but private prayer at other times is
Islam. It is the Arabic for “the recitation.” The Quran is divided into chapters also very much part of Islamic life. On Fridays, Muslims are expected to
called surah and verses called ayah Muslims believe that the Arabic of the perform the after-midday prayer together in the mosque.
Qur’an comes directly from God and that the words themselves are alive 3. Fasting (Sawm)
and beautiful, the language of heaven. It is also believed to be revealed by The ninth Muslim month, Ramadan, is laid down as a month of fasting: an
God to Muhammad himself. adult Muslim refrains from eating, drinking, smoking and conjugal relations
Mosque- Islam teaches that the whole world is a mosque because one can from dawn to sunset. The intention of the fasting is to clear the body in order
pray to God anywhere. The building is simply a convenient place for the to be filled by the spirit of piety and righteousness. It is a time to take stock
Muslim community to meet. and to be reflective.
Shari’ah- “The clear path.” Islam is about how to live, day by day as well as 4. Welfare Tax (Zakat)
on a larger scale The zakat is the minimum amount expected−many Muslims offer far more
o Food and drink- Any meat eaten must be slaughtered in the correct than that in private donations or charity.
way, including invoking the name of God. This is called Halal meat. 5. Pilgrimage (Hajj)
Pig meat is very strictly forbidden and is regarded with revulsion by If they can afford it all Muslims are expected to perform the pilgrimage to
most Muslims. Makkah during the month of pilgrimage (Dhu-I-Hijia) at least once in a
o Clothing- Women should lower their gaze, guard their modesty and lifetime. This is a time of fellowship, a place to share and perhaps shed
not display their beauty. worries and anxieties and find peace with oneself, with God and with all
creation.
II. Celebrations, Festivals and Rituals A frequently mistranslated term, jihad means “effort” or “struggle” to convince
unbelievers to pursue the Muslim way of life. Strictly speaking, it could mean
Prayer- Five daily prayer times are laid down: before sunrise, after midday, late a Muslim going to war to wipe out the infidels in the name of Allah (Hopfe
afternoon, at sunset and during the night. These are few words and positions of 1983). However, the method of a jihadist can be a peaceful one, such as
prayer, which is always said in Arabic. living a pious life or observing the required obligations to his faith, or through
violent means. Presently, jihad has remained a vague issue especially now
that Arab nations have been less than apprehensive to commit to war as
unified Muslims versus non-Muslims.
3. Migration
The late nineteenth century saw a significant migration of Muslims from Syria,
Lebanon, and Jordan to the US. The Muslim population in the US and Europe
continues to rise. Islam has now become an American religion with around six
million Muslims in population.