Islam

Established around seventh century C.

E., Islam is the youngest among the
world’s major religions. With more than
1.5 billion adherents comprising almost
one-fourth of the entire world population,
Islam is the second largest group and one
of the fasting growing religions in the
world.
Symbols
 The star and crescent has
become the acknowledged
representation of the Islamic faith. The
symbol can be seen in the national
flags of states that came about
following the collapse of the Ottoman
Empire in the 20th century.
Traditionally, the crescent moon or the
hilal has early connections with
royalty. It is also closely linked to the
lunar calendar that orders the religious
life of the Muslim.
Historical
Backgroun
d
 Islam began with the Arabian desert people
around early seventh century C.E. These
people had developed their own set of beliefs
prior to the establishment of Islam and had
been influences by other religions for a long
period of time, including Byzantine
Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism.
The Life of
Muhammad
● Around the year 570 C. E., Muhammad ibn Abdullah was born in the
oasis town of Mecca just off the western coast of the Arabian
Peninsula.
● Muhammad’s father died before he was born while his mother died
before he was six years old.
● When his mother died, he was raised by his grandfather Abd al-
Muttalib.
● Muhammad later married an older wealthy widow named Khadija,
fifteen years his senior.
● Around the year 610 C. E., Muhammad began hearing the voice of
God in a cave on the summit of Mount Hira.
● He began to experienced divine revelations delivered by the angel
Gabriel.
 The term ‘Islam” originated from Arabic word meaning
“submit”. In other words, Islam means to “surrender or submit
oneself for obedience to God or to “enter into a condition of
peace and security with God through allegiance and surrender to
him.”
On the other hand, the word “Muslim” is the Arabic word
for a person who submits. Therefore, a Muslim is a “person who
surrenders or submits himself to obey God”. In Arabic word,
“Allah” means “the one who is God.”
 Sacred
Scriptures
 The sacred writing of the
Muslims is called Quran(or
Koran in English) that literally
means “recitation” or
“reading”. The Quran is the
revelation from God of his
speech (kalam) and is the
foundation of the Islam
religion. It is the supreme
authority in all matters of faith,
theology, and law.
 Beliefs/
Doctrines
 Six Major
Beliefs in Islam
1. Belief in the Oneness of
God
Muslims believe that God is the creator of all
things, and that God is all-powerful and all-
knowing. God has no offspring, no race, no
gender, no body, and is unaffected by the
characteristics of human life.
 2. Belief in the Angels of God
Muslims believe in angels, unseen beings
who worship God and carry out God’s order
throughout the universe. The angel Gabriel
brought the divine revelations to the prophets.
 3. Belief in the Books of God
Muslims believe that God revealed the holy books or
scriptures to a number of God’s messengers. These
include the Quran (given to Muhammad), the Torah (given
to Moses), the Gospel (given to Jesus), the Psalms (given
to David), and the Scrolls (given to Abraham. Muslims
believe that these earlier scriptures in their original form
were divinely revealed, but that only the Quran remains as
it was first revealed to the prophet Muhammad.
 4. Belief in the Prophets or Messenger of God

Muslims believe that God’s guidance has been revealed to

humankind through specially appointed messengers, or
prophets, throughout history, beginning with the first man,
Adam, who is considered the first prophet. Twenty-five of
these prophets are mentioned by name in the Quran,
including Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus. Muslims believe
that Muhammad is the last in this line of prophets, sent for all
humankind with the message of Islam.
 5. Belief in the Day of Judgement

Muslims believe that on the Day of Judgment,

humans will be judged for their actions in this
life; those who followed God’s guidance will be
rewarded with paradise; those who rejected
God’s guidance will be punished with hell.
 6. Belief in the Divine Decree

This article of faith addresses the question of God’s will. It

can be expressed as the belief that everything is governed
by divine decree, namely that whatever happens in one’s
life is preordained, and that believers should respond to the
good or bad that befalls them with thankfulness or
patience. This concept does not negate the concept of “free
will”; since humans do not have prior knowledge of God’s
decree, they do have freedom of choice.
The Five Pillars
of Islam
 These refers to the five duties that every
Muslim must perform which is also known as
arkan al-din. These acts are integrated into
the lives of Muslims and take precedence
over worldly matters. By performing these
duties, Muslims live out their Islamic faith and
bring themselves closer to salvation.
 a. Shahada – declaration of faith (“there is no God but Allah; Muhammad is the messenger
of Allah”)

b. Salah –(pray) Muslims must offer a prayer five times a day. (dawn, midday, late
afternoon, sunset, and nightfall.)

c. Zakat – (charity) an annual wealth tax that serves as just and lawful claim of the poor
against the affluent ones. The word zakat means “purification” and “growth.

d. Sawm (fasting). This practice involves fasting and self-control during the holy month of
Ramadan. It is done by all Muslims to express obedience to Allah and the readiness to relinquish
pleasures in their lives. It is another method of self-purification.

e. Hajj – (pilgrimage). It is a pilgrimage Mecca which must be performed by Muslims at least

once in their lifetime. Important structures that a Muslim must visit are the “Grand Mosque” (Al-
Masjid al-Haram) in Mecca which houses the most sacred site of Islam, the Kaaba (“House of
Allah”),
 Worship
and
Observanc
 MONTH FESTIVITIES/SIGNIFICANCE

Month 1: Muharram (The Sacred Month) ● The Islamic year starts in the day of the hijra
● Ashura: The assassination of the Imam Husayn at
Karbala’ in 680 C.E. is commemoratedon the 10th by
Shi’ite Muslims

Month 3: Rabi al-Awai (The Spring) ● Birth of the Prophet: Muhammad’s birthday is celebrated
on the 12th.

Month 9: Ramadan (The Month of Great Heat) ● Muslims do not eat or drink during daylight hours
throughout the month
● Laylat al-Qadr: The Commemoration of the first
revelation to the prophet is often celebrated on the 27th.

Month 10: Shawwal (The Month of Hunting) ● ‘Id al-Fitr: The Festival of Breaking the Fast at the
beginning of Shawwal concludes the fasting season.

Month 12: Dhu al-Hijja (The Month of Hajj) ● Month of Pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca
● Yawn Arafat: On the 9th, fasting pilgrims perform the
wuquf, standing before God on Mount Arafat.
● ‘Id al-Adha: The festival of Sacrifice on the 1oth recalls
the sacrificial ram God gave to Abraham in place of his
son, and coincides with the end of Hajj.