Islam, introduced by Prophet Muhammad, means “surrender.” The main idea of this is to surrender to the will of God. They believe that” There is no God, but Muhammad and God are his messengers” in the Muslim world. People of Islamic civilisation believe that Allah created the earth and heavens. The main purpose for creating this humanity was to know Allah. This religion can be followed by anyone who believes that there is only one God whose only messenger is Muhammad. Muslims see themselves as the believers of God and have followed their messengers over time, and their life aims to submit to Allah.
The Birth Of Islam
Muhammad was born in Mecca, Western Arabia (ca,570-632). He was the last one in the chain of Judeo-Christan prophets, who received his first disclosure in 610. Muslims believed that archangel Gabriel had revealed the word of God to him in Arabic,” Narrate in the name of Thy Lord.” Then all of these disclosures were collected and tabulated in the Qur’an, the holy book of the Muslim world. The Qur’an explains the relationship between God and his creation. Muhammad died in 632, but the crusades led his followers to continue to spread ISLAM’s message.
The Five Pillars Of Islam
In Islam, various aspects of religious practice appeared and were systematised. This practice of Islam is based on virtues that are known as the five pillars, arkan, to which all the Muslim world should stick.
- The Profession of faith – The Shahada: It is the essential expression of Islamic beliefs. ” There is no almighty, but Muhammad and God is his prophet.” It emphasises the monotheistic essence of Islam. It is the most popular phrase in Arabic calligraphy, and it is shown on religious buildings and in manuscripts.
- Daily Prayers – Salat: Muslims pray five times a day. They don’t need to go to the mosque to pray, rather, they can pray anywhere, but it has to be recited five times a day praying toward Mecca. The way they pray by bending many times while standing and then bowing their heads on the ground or praying mat symbolises their compliance to Allah. Every Friday, Muslims visit the mosque mid-time to pray and listen to Khutba.
- Alms-Giving –Zakat: This is the third pillar. Although it is not mentioned in the Qur’an, Muslims believe that they have to share their wealth with the person who has fewer resources than them in their community.
- Fasting During Ramadan – Saum: Ramadan is the holy month of Muslims, the ninth month in the Islamic calendar. Muslims have to keep fast for a full day during this month simultaneously. There are some exceptions for pregnant women, the sick, and the elderly. They are not allowed to eat and drink during day time.
- Pilgrimage to Mecca – Hajj: All the Islamic civilisations need to voyage to Mecca and visit holy sites at least once in their lifetime. The main focus of the voyage is to visit Kaaba and walk around it seven times. In the 12th month of the Islamic calendar, pilgrimage occurs.
Articles of Faith
The Muslim World requires belief in six articles, i.e., God, prophets, books, angels, resurrection and judgment, and divine predestination.
- GOD: Islam believes that everything existing in this Universe is the creation of God, so the purpose of our life would be to worship him. There are no middlemen present to contact God.
- Angels: In the Qur’an, angels have also been described. Creating them was worshipping God and doing other duties like communicating disclosures to God, watching every person’s actions, and taking their souls at the time of their death.
- Books: Muslims believed that archangel Gabriel had revealed the word of God to Muhammad in Arabic,” Narrate in the name of Thy Lord”, in Qur’an. It is divided into 114 chapters. The earlier chapters are concerned with spiritual topics,while later chapters are concerned with social and legal issues.
- Prophets: It is believed that God chooses them to preach and receive a divine message, but Muslims believe that they were humans, not divine. They also believe that God has sent Muhammad to deliver the divine message of Islam. Muhammad died in 632, but the crusades led his followers to continue to spread ISLAM’s message.
- Resurrection and Judgement- Muslims believe that God will judge humanity according to their sins. They believe that the human who did good deeds will go to heaven directly, and those who did bad deeds will go to hell. They see heaven as a place of blessings and joy.
- Divine Predestination– Muslims say that God judges every deed, good or bad. They show their belief in destiny by saying, “Insha-Allah”, which means ” If the God wills”.
Conclusion
Muslims and their families that live worldwide practise faith in similar ways. Due to cultural variations, their dress sense or rituals may vary, but the same principles in the Qur’an govern them. Islam is to promote the set of values that will lead to a beautiful life, liberty, equality, and justice. Islam teaches us to do good sins to go to heaven afterlife. Islam can be described as the foundation of peace in the Muslim world. It conveys the message of doing good deeds, Respecting all the creatures, showing compassion and care towards less resourceful people, etc. It is the religion that conveys the message of brotherhood among all.