Islam is a complete way of life. It tells man about the purpose of his creation and existence, his ultimate destiny, his place among other creatures and, more importantly it provides him with Guidance (Hidayah) to lead a balanced and purposeful life which will enable him to avoid the Hellfire (Jahannam) and be rewarded with a place in Paradise (Jannah) in the life after death.
The
Arabic word 'Islam' means voluntary surrender to the Will of Allah and
obedience to His commands. Allah, also an Arabic word, is the unique name
of God. Muslims prefer to use Allah rather than God. The Islamic way of
life is based on total obedience to Allah. This is the way to obtain peace
both here and in the hereafter; hence, Islam also means peace.
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A
person who freely and consciously accepts the Islamic way of life, and
sincerely practices it, is called a Muslim.
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The three fundamental Islamic beliefs are:
Tawhid - the oneness of Allah
Risalah - prophethood
Akhirah
- life after death
Tawhid
is the most important Islamic belief, Everything in existence originates
from the one and only Creator, who is the Sustainer and sole Source of
Guidance. This belief should govern all aspects of human life. Recognition
of this fundamental truth brings a unified view of life which rejects any
division into religious and secular.
Allah is the sole source of Power and Authority, and is to be worshipped and obeyed. He has no partner; Tawhid is pure monotheism. Allah is not born, and He has no son or daughter. Human beings are His subjects. He is the One; He is the Eternal; He is the First and the Last; and there is none like Him.
Belief
in Tawhid brings total change to a Muslim's life. It makes him bow
down only to Allah, Who sees all of his actions. He must work to establish
the laws of Allah in all areas of his life, in order to gain His pleasure.
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Risalah
means prophethood or messengership. Allah has not left man without Guidance
for the conduct of his life. Since the creation of the first man, Allah
has revealed, His guidance to mankind through His prophets. Prophets who
received books from Allah are called messengers. All the prophets and messengers
came with the same message; they urged the people of their time to obey
and worship Allah alone and none other. Whenever the teachings of a prophet
were distorted by people, Allah sent another prophet to bring them back
to the Straight Path (Siratul Mustaqim). The chain of Risalah began with
Adam, included Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, lsaac, Lot, Jacob, Joseph, Moses,
David and Jesus, and ended with Muhammad (peace be upon them all). Muhammad
(peace be upon him) is the final messenger of Allah to mankind.
The
revealed books from Allah are: the Torah (Tawrat), the Psalms (Zabur),
the Gospel (Injil) and the Qur'an. The Qur'an, which was revealed to Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him), is the final book of Guidance.
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Akhirah
means life after death. Belief in Akhirah has a profound impact on the
life of a believer. We are all accountable to Allah on the Day of Judgement,
when we will be judged according to how we lived our lives. A person who
obeys and worships Allah will be rewarded with a place of happiness in
Paradise; the person who does not will be sent to Hell, a place of punishment
and suffering.
Allah
knows our every thought and innermost intention; angels are recording all
our actions. If we always keeps in mind that we will be judged by our actions,
we will try to make sure that we act according to the Will of Allah. Many
of today's problems would disappear if we had this awareness and acted
accordingly.
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1.
Shahadah is the conscious and voluntary declaration of:
La ilaha illallahu Muhammadur rasulullah
"There is no god except Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah"
This declaration contains the two basic concepts of Tawhid and Risalah. It is the basis of all actions in Islam; the other four basic duties follow this affirmation.
2.
Salah (compulsory prayer) is offered five times a day, either in
congregation or individually. It is a practical demonstration of faith,
and keeps a believer in constant touch with his Creator. The benefits of
Salah are far-reaching, longlasting and immeasurable. Salah prepares a
Muslim to work towards the establishment of true order in society, and
the removal of falsehood, evil and indecency. It develops self-discipline,
steadfastness and obedience to the Truth, leading to patience, honesty
and truthfulness in the affairs of life.
The
five daily prayers are:
Fajr
between dawn and sunrise
Zuhr
between midday and mid-afternoon
'Asr
between mid-afternoon and sunset
Maghrib
just after sunset
'Isha
between nightfall and dawn
Five
times a day, Salah provides a wonderful opportunity for a Muslim to improve
his life. It is a system of spiritual, moral and physical training which
makes him truly obedient to his Creator.
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3.
Zakah (welfare contribution) is a compulsory payment from a Muslim's
annual savings. It literally means purification, and is an annual payment
of 2.5% of the value of cash, jewellery and precious metals; a separate
rate applies to animals, crops and mineral wealth. Zakah is neither a charity
nor a tax: charity is optional, whilst taxes can be used for any of society's
needs. Zakah, however, can only be spent on helping the poor and needy,
the disabled, the oppressed, debtors and other welfare purposes, as defined
in the Qur'an and Sunnah.
Zakah
is an act of worship. It is one of the fundamental principles of an Islamic
economy, which ensures an equitable society where everybody has a right
to contribute and share. Zakah should be paid with the conscious belief
that our wealth and our property belong to Allah, and we merely act as
trustees.
4.
Sawm is the annual obligatory fast during the month of Ramadan,
the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. From dawn to sunset every day
a Muslim refrains from eating, drinking, smoking and from sex with his
marital partner, seeking only the pleasure of Allah. Sawm develops a believer's
moral and spiritual standards, and keeps him away from selfishness, greed,
extravagance and other vices. Sawm is an annual training programme, which
increases a
Muslim's
determination to fulfil his obligations to the Creator and Sustainer.
5.
Hajj (pilgrimage to the House of Allah) is an annual event, obligatory
at least once in a lifetime for Muslims who have the means to perform it.
It is a journey to the House of Allah (AI-Kabah) in Makkah, Saudi Arabia,
in the month of Dhul Hijjah, the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar.
Hajj symbolises the unity of mankind; Muslims from every race and nationality
assemble in equality and humility to worship their Lord. The pilgrim, in
the ritual clothing of lhram, has the unique feeling of being in the presence
of his Creator, to Whom he belongs, and to Whom he must return after death.
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The Qur'an is unrivalled in recording and preservation. Astonishingly, it has remained unchanged even to a letter for over fourteen centuries. In the Qur'an Allah addresses human beings directly. Its style cannot be compared with any other book. The Qur'an deals with man and his ultimate goal in life. Its teachings cover all aspects of this life and the life after death. It contains principles, doctrines and directions for every sphere of human activity. The theme of the Qur'an broadly consists of three fundamental concepts: Tawhid, Risalah and Akhirah. The success of human beings on this Earth and in the life hereafter depends on belief in and obedience to the teachings of the Qur'an.
He
began to receive revelation from Allah at the age of forty, marking the
beginning of his work as the messenger of Allah. The people of Makkah used
to worship idols. The Prophet (peace be upon him), invited them to Islam.
Some became Muslims, others turned against him. Undaunted, he continued
to preach the message Allah and, gradually, the number of his followers
increased. He and the early Muslims underwent terrible suffering, facing
stiff opposition from the idolaters.
In
the twelfth year of his prophethood, in 622 CE, Muhammad (peace be upon
him) migrated from Makkah to Madinah, where there were already many new
Muslims. The people of Madinah welcomed him as their leader and he established
an Islamic state there. The Islamic calendar begins from this migration
(Hijrah).
The Prophet (peace be upon him) organised the early Muslims and preached the message of Allah with unmatched patience and wisdom. Eventually Islam was established throughout the Arabian peninsula, and within a short time the message of Islam spread to most parts of the known world, making a tremendous contribution to world history and civilisation. Over a billion Muslims today bear testimony to the success of this message.
Prophet Muhammad (described in the Qur'an as a 'blessing for the universe' and 'the perfect example to follow) died in 632 CE at the age of 63. He left the Qur'an and his Sunnah as the sources of guidance for all generations to come.
Islam,
completed at the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), can solve
all human problems, and bring peace to mankind for the present as well
as the future. The need is to practise it faithfully.
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In Islam festivals are observed to seek the pleasure of Allah, not for pleasure's own sake. They are, however, occasions of joy and happiness. The happiest occasion of a Muslim's life is to see the laws of Allah established in their totality on the earth, ensuring peace and happiness to all of Creation.
'Id ul Fitr and 'Id ul Adha are the two major festivals in Islam:
'Id ul Fitr falls on the first day after the month of Ramadan. On this day, after a month of fasting, Muslims offer congregational prayer, preferably on open ground. They express their gratitude to Allah for enabling them to observe the fast. Special food is prepared. It is customary to visit friends and relatives, and to make the occasion special for children.
'Id ul Adha begins on the 10th day of the month of Dhul Hijjah and continues until the 13th. This celebration commemorates the willingness of Abraham when he was asked to sacrifice his own son, lshmael. Abraham showed his readiness and Allah was very pleased. A ram was sacrificed instead of lshmael on Allah's command. Muslims offer congregational prayer on the day, and they sacrifice animals such as sheep, goats, cows and camels. The meat of the sacrificed animal is shared amongst relatives, neighbours and the poor.
Other celebrations include the Hijrah (migration of the Prophet), Lailatul Miraj (Night of the Ascension) and dates of Islamic battles. There is a special night called Lailatul Qadr (Night of Power), an odd-numbered night in the last ten days of Ramadan. The Qur'an says it is "better than a thousand months". Muslims spend the night offering prayers and reciting the Qur'an.
Islamic festivals are observed according to the Islamic calendar, which is based on twelve lunar months. The lunar year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year. Festival dates are determined by the appearance of the moon.
View
the actual phase of the moon, next new moom and past phases of the moon
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Marriage
is the basis of family life in Islam. It is a solemn, simple contract between
a man and woman. Muslim marriages are usually arranged by parents, but
must be with the consent of the son and daughter, as required by Islamic
law (Shariah). Marriage is performed in a simple ceremony in the presence
of relatives, friends and neighbours.
Islam
does not allow free mixing of men and women, nor sex before marriage. Extramarital
sex is severely punished in an Islamic state, to keep society free from
the social problems it causes. No discrimination is made on the basis of
sex. Husband and wife are partners in the family and play their respective
roles. Divorce, whilst permitted, is the lawful action most displeasing
to Allah.
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Muslims are encouraged in the Qur'an to eat what is good and wholesome for them, and are forbidden to eat certain foods. A Muslim is not allowed to eat:
Muslims should dress modestly and decently. No particular dress is recommended. The requirements include:
Islam
teaches decency, humility and good manners. Muslims greet one another by
saying:
As-salamu
'alaikum (peace be upon you)
the reply is: Wa 'alaikumus salam (peace be on you too)
Keeping promises, truthfulness, justice, fair play, helping the poor and needy, respect for parents, teachers and elders, love for children and good relations with neighbours are valued virtues in a Muslim.
Islam
condemns enmity, back-biting, slander, blasphemy, ridicule, use of offensive
names, suspicion and arrogance.
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The
total population of Muslims is more than 1,300 million. These are some
of the populations of countries with Muslim majorities:
| Indonesia | 200 million | Uzbekistan | 22 million |
| Pakistan | 121 million | Iraq | 20 million |
| Bangladesh | 111 million | Malaysia | 19 million |
| Nigeria | 89 million | Afghanistan | 18 million |
| Turkey | 62 million | Kazakhstan | 17 million |
| Iran | 61 million | Saudi Arabia | 17 million |
| Egypt | 59 million | Syria | 14 million |
| Morocco | 29 million | Yemen | 13 million |
| Algeria | 26 million | Somalia | 10 million |
| Sudan | 26 million | Azerbaijan | 7 million |
| India | 132 million | France | 3 million |
| China | 107 million | Bosnia-Herzegovina | 4 million |
| USA | 6 million | United Kingdom | 2 million |
Sources:
Embassies of above countries in London, June 1994
Population
Reference Bureau, June 1994
It
is not righteousness
that
you turn your faces towards the east or the west;
but
it is righteousness to believe in Allah and the Last Day,
and
the Angels, and the Book, and the Messengers;
to
spend of your substance, out of love for Him,
for
your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer,
for
those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves;
to
be steadfast in prayer, and give Zakah,
to
fulfil the contracts which you have made;
and
to be firm and patient in pain (or suffering) and adversity,
and
throughout all periods of panic.
Such are the people of truth, the God-fearing.
(Qur'an, chapter 2, verse 177)
Prepared
and published by Ghulam Sarwar, Director, The Muslim Educational Trust,
London.
Twelfth
reprint (revised) January 1996. ISBN 0 907261 06 X