Basic Islam
There is only one God, called "Allah".
Allah's last prophet was Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam).
Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) was not a god, he was a man through whom God revealed his will. Although Muslims revere Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) they do not worship him.
Everything and everyone depends on Allah,
All Muslims, of whatever race, are members of one community; the "ummah".
Muslims are guided to follow Allah's will by The holy book, the Qur'an, which Muslims regard as the unaltered word of God.
The example set by Muhammad's (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) life.
Every Muslim must perform the duties known as the Five Pillars of Islam
The Muslim place of worship is called a mosque. The word comes from the Arabic for "place of prostration". Muslims believe that they have one life, after which they are judged.
God and the Islamic Scripture
God:
There is only one God and can only be one God.
God is called "Allah" which means "The one who is God"
God is all powerful
God created all things
God is merciful and compassionate
God has always existed and will always exist, and is not affected by time
God is present with Muslims all the time
Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) is the messenger of God
God has 99 names
The Qur'an
The Qur'an is the actual word of God, and contains the fundamental beliefs of Islam.
According to tradition, the Qur'an was dictated to Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam).
Because of its divine origin, the Qur'an has not been altered in any way since it was first compiled. Copies of the Qur'an are always treated with the greatest respect.
The only authoritative text of the Qur'an is the original Arabic. Muslims regard "translations" of the Qur'an into other languages as paraphrases or versions of the original.
The Qur'an consists of 114 chapters (called "surahs"), which have names as well as numbers.
The Life of Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam)
At the time of Muhammad's(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) birth most people in Arabia believed in many different Gods and idolatry was common.
Early life
Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) was born 570 CE at Mecca in Arabia to a family of the Quraysh tribe.
Muhammad's(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) father died before Muhammad's(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) birth, and his(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) mother died when the child was only 6, so Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) was raised first by his(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) grandfather, and later by his(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) uncle.
The family were not rich, so Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) spent much of his(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) childhood tending animals for others in order to earn his(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) livelihood.
Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) worked first as a trader, and gained a reputation for honesty. His(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) nickname was "The Trustworthy".
When he(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) was 25, Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) married Khadija(R.A), a wealthy widow aged 40. Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam)
soon showed an interest in spiritual matters and would spend time on retreat in the cave of Hira on "The Mountain of Light" (near Mecca).
The first revelation
In 610 Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam)
had his first revelation - a vision of the Archangel Gabriel(A.S), who told him(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam)that he(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) was to be a prophet.
Khadija(R.A) confirmed Muhammad's(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) belief in his(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) mission and declared herself(R.A) to be his(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) first disciple.
There was a gap of 3 years before the next revelation.
Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) was mocked at first by people who claimed that God had forsaken him(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam), but the revelations resumed and over many years Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam)received the text of the Quran in a series of revelations.
The Last Prophet
Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) proclaimed that the Quran was the last Book of God, and that he(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) himself(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) was the last Prophet(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam).
With small group of people who believed what he(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) said Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) began to spread the message.
Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) publicly condemned the existing idolatrous local beliefs, and religious customs, which did not make him(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) universally popular.
In 613 Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) intensified his(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) public preaching and won more converts. He (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam)and his(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) followers were persecuted, and some of them went to Abyssinia to escape.
A long period of difficulty followed, but Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) and his(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) followers remained true to the faith and he(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) continued to preach and convert.
The Hijrah
In 622 Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) moved to Yathrib (later to be called Medina) with 70 colleagues; this is known as the "Hijrah" (which means 'emigration' or 'flight').
Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) formed a tribe of those who accepted him as the Prophet, and gradually Islam grew in strength and acceptance.
Death of Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam)
In 632 CE Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) made a final pilgrimage to Mecca with over 100,000 of his followers, and gave his last sermon. He died a few months later at Medina.
The Hadiths are stories of the words and actions of Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) and his(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) Companions.
These stories provide a living commentary on the meaning and application of the Qur'an, and Muslims will refer to them if the Qur'an doesn't seem to provide an answer to a question they may have.
The Five Pillars of Islam
These are five duties that every Muslim is obliged to perform.
Shahada:
Shahada is the Muslim profession of faith:
"I witness that there is no god but Allah,
and that Muhammad is the prophet of Allah"
Muslims say this when they wake up in the morning, and just before they go to sleep at night.
Salat:
A prayer ritual performed 5 times a day by all Muslims over the age of 10.
Salat is very different from praying on the inspiration of the moment. A precise ritual is followed at 5 separate times of day which are set aside for devotion:
Between first light and sunrise
After the sun has passed the middle of the sky
Between mid-afternoon and sunset
Between sunset and the last light of the day
Between darkness and dawn
While an individual can pray on their own, Muslims prefer to perform Salat with others, as this demonstrates the unity of all Muslims.
Having specific times each day to be close to Allah helps Muslims remain aware of the importance of their faith, and the role it plays in every part of life.
Sawm:
Abstaining each day during Ramadan, the 9th Muslim month.
Sawm is usually described as fasting, but it actually involves abstaining from all bodily pleasures between dawn and sunset. Not only is food forbidden, but also things like smoking, chewing gum, and any sexual activity.
Muslims must also make sure that they do not do or think, anything evil.
Sawm helps Muslims develop self-control, gain a better understanding of God's gifts and greater compassion towards the deprived.
Zakat:
Giving alms to the poor.
This is a compulsory gift of 2.5 % of one's savings each year in addition to any charitable gifts a Muslim makes.
Giving in this way is intended to free Muslims from the love of money. It reminds them that everything they have really belongs to God.
Money given as Zakat can only be used for certain specific things.
Hajj:
The pilgrimage to Mecca that all physically able Muslims should make at least once in their life. Mecca is the most holy place for Muslims
The 4 Caliphs
Caliph is an arabic word meaning successor or deputy
When the prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) died in 632 CE, the Muslim world faced a crisis which threatened the very existence of the Quranic revelation - who would lead the new community, and how would it survive?
(1) Abu Bakr(R.A)
(2) Omar(R.A)
(3)Usman(R.A)
(4)Ali(R.A)
There is only one God, called "Allah".
Allah's last prophet was Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam).
Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) was not a god, he was a man through whom God revealed his will. Although Muslims revere Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) they do not worship him.
Everything and everyone depends on Allah,
All Muslims, of whatever race, are members of one community; the "ummah".
Muslims are guided to follow Allah's will by The holy book, the Qur'an, which Muslims regard as the unaltered word of God.
The example set by Muhammad's (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) life.
Every Muslim must perform the duties known as the Five Pillars of Islam
The Muslim place of worship is called a mosque. The word comes from the Arabic for "place of prostration". Muslims believe that they have one life, after which they are judged.
God and the Islamic Scripture
God:
There is only one God and can only be one God.
God is called "Allah" which means "The one who is God"
God is all powerful
God created all things
God is merciful and compassionate
God has always existed and will always exist, and is not affected by time
God is present with Muslims all the time
Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) is the messenger of God
God has 99 names
The Qur'an
The Qur'an is the actual word of God, and contains the fundamental beliefs of Islam.
According to tradition, the Qur'an was dictated to Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam).
Because of its divine origin, the Qur'an has not been altered in any way since it was first compiled. Copies of the Qur'an are always treated with the greatest respect.
The only authoritative text of the Qur'an is the original Arabic. Muslims regard "translations" of the Qur'an into other languages as paraphrases or versions of the original.
The Qur'an consists of 114 chapters (called "surahs"), which have names as well as numbers.
The Life of Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam)
At the time of Muhammad's(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) birth most people in Arabia believed in many different Gods and idolatry was common.
Early life
Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) was born 570 CE at Mecca in Arabia to a family of the Quraysh tribe.
Muhammad's(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) father died before Muhammad's(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) birth, and his(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) mother died when the child was only 6, so Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) was raised first by his(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) grandfather, and later by his(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) uncle.
The family were not rich, so Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) spent much of his(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) childhood tending animals for others in order to earn his(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) livelihood.
Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) worked first as a trader, and gained a reputation for honesty. His(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) nickname was "The Trustworthy".
When he(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) was 25, Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) married Khadija(R.A), a wealthy widow aged 40. Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam)
soon showed an interest in spiritual matters and would spend time on retreat in the cave of Hira on "The Mountain of Light" (near Mecca).
The first revelation
In 610 Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam)
had his first revelation - a vision of the Archangel Gabriel(A.S), who told him(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam)that he(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) was to be a prophet.
Khadija(R.A) confirmed Muhammad's(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) belief in his(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) mission and declared herself(R.A) to be his(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) first disciple.
There was a gap of 3 years before the next revelation.
Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) was mocked at first by people who claimed that God had forsaken him(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam), but the revelations resumed and over many years Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam)received the text of the Quran in a series of revelations.
The Last Prophet
Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) proclaimed that the Quran was the last Book of God, and that he(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) himself(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) was the last Prophet(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam).
With small group of people who believed what he(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) said Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) began to spread the message.
Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) publicly condemned the existing idolatrous local beliefs, and religious customs, which did not make him(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) universally popular.
In 613 Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) intensified his(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) public preaching and won more converts. He (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam)and his(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) followers were persecuted, and some of them went to Abyssinia to escape.
A long period of difficulty followed, but Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) and his(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) followers remained true to the faith and he(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) continued to preach and convert.
The Hijrah
In 622 Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) moved to Yathrib (later to be called Medina) with 70 colleagues; this is known as the "Hijrah" (which means 'emigration' or 'flight').
Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) formed a tribe of those who accepted him as the Prophet, and gradually Islam grew in strength and acceptance.
Death of Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam)
In 632 CE Muhammad(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) made a final pilgrimage to Mecca with over 100,000 of his followers, and gave his last sermon. He died a few months later at Medina.
The Hadiths are stories of the words and actions of Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) and his(Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) Companions.
These stories provide a living commentary on the meaning and application of the Qur'an, and Muslims will refer to them if the Qur'an doesn't seem to provide an answer to a question they may have.
The Five Pillars of Islam
These are five duties that every Muslim is obliged to perform.
Shahada:
Shahada is the Muslim profession of faith:
"I witness that there is no god but Allah,
and that Muhammad is the prophet of Allah"
Muslims say this when they wake up in the morning, and just before they go to sleep at night.
Salat:
A prayer ritual performed 5 times a day by all Muslims over the age of 10.
Salat is very different from praying on the inspiration of the moment. A precise ritual is followed at 5 separate times of day which are set aside for devotion:
Between first light and sunrise
After the sun has passed the middle of the sky
Between mid-afternoon and sunset
Between sunset and the last light of the day
Between darkness and dawn
While an individual can pray on their own, Muslims prefer to perform Salat with others, as this demonstrates the unity of all Muslims.
Having specific times each day to be close to Allah helps Muslims remain aware of the importance of their faith, and the role it plays in every part of life.
Sawm:
Abstaining each day during Ramadan, the 9th Muslim month.
Sawm is usually described as fasting, but it actually involves abstaining from all bodily pleasures between dawn and sunset. Not only is food forbidden, but also things like smoking, chewing gum, and any sexual activity.
Muslims must also make sure that they do not do or think, anything evil.
Sawm helps Muslims develop self-control, gain a better understanding of God's gifts and greater compassion towards the deprived.
Zakat:
Giving alms to the poor.
This is a compulsory gift of 2.5 % of one's savings each year in addition to any charitable gifts a Muslim makes.
Giving in this way is intended to free Muslims from the love of money. It reminds them that everything they have really belongs to God.
Money given as Zakat can only be used for certain specific things.
Hajj:
The pilgrimage to Mecca that all physically able Muslims should make at least once in their life. Mecca is the most holy place for Muslims
The 4 Caliphs
Caliph is an arabic word meaning successor or deputy
When the prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam) died in 632 CE, the Muslim world faced a crisis which threatened the very existence of the Quranic revelation - who would lead the new community, and how would it survive?
(1) Abu Bakr(R.A)
(2) Omar(R.A)
(3)Usman(R.A)
(4)Ali(R.A)
