Beliefs
Allah, the all-powerful, transcendent GodAt the heart of Islam is a belief in an all-powerful, transcendent God who created the universe and controls it down to the smallest detail. According to Islamic belief, God speaks to human beings through prophets, revealing his mind and will. The word "Allah" is a contraction of al meaning "the" and ilah meaning "God." It is said that Allah is has 99 names, among which are "the Merciful," the Just," and "the Compassionate." In the Qur'an, Allah describes himself as personal and caring, as well as all-knowing, all-seeing, and all-powerful. Although Allah is associated with power and a personal nature, and is sometimes referred as male, Allah has no gender.
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MuhammadMuslims believe that divine revelation began just after the creation of the human race, when God spoke to Adam and Eve. It continued to occur, as when God spoke to patriarchs and prophets such as Abraham (Ibrahim) and Moses (Musa). It was Muhammad, Muslims believe, who freed the divine message from human error and offered it, purified, to all people. Because he is considered the last and greatest figure in the long line of prophets, Muhammad is called the “seal of the prophets.”
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QadarMuslims believe in Qadar, also known as Divine Pre-destination. However, the belief in Divine Pre-destination does not mean that human beings do not have free will. Rather, Muslims believe that God has given human beings free will. In other words, Muslims can choose right or wrong, and they are responsible for their choices.
The belief in Divine Predestination includes belief in four things: 1.) God knows everything. He knows what has happened and what will happen; 2) God has recorded all that has happened and all that will happen; 3) Whatever God wants to happen shall happen, and whatever He does not want to happen will not happen; and 4) God is the Creator of everything. |
Practices
Islamic religious practices aim at providing patterns for ideal living. Controls and prohibitions are imposed not to signify a loss of suffering, but rather to increase social order and happiness.
The 5 Pillars of Islam1). Creed - The first pillar states "There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger." A soon as a person recites this with belief, he or she is a Muslim. It is the first sentence whispered into the ears of a newborn infant, is recited daily in prayer, and is also written in Arabic everywhere inside the domes of mosques and over doors. The Creed rejects Christian beliefs of the Trinity. It specifically does not see Muhammad as a divine or supernatural figure, but rather a prophet and messenger.
2.) Prayer - The second pillar calls on devout Muslims to pray five times a day: before dawn, mid-day, mid-afternoon, sunset, and nighttime. Times for prayer are announced by a muezzin, who calls out from the top of a tower called a minaret. Today, recordings of the call to prayer are often played over loud speakers. Before prayer, the individual is normally expected to perform a ritual purification with water, washing his or her hands, arms, face, neck, and feet. If water is unavailable at the moment, purification may be done with sand. 3.) Charity to the Poor - The third pillar revolves around how Muhammad was troubled by injustice, inequality, and poverty. Islamic practice demands that believers donate certain percentages of their total income, herds, and produce from fields and orchards each year to the poor. This is not a tax on a yearly income, but rather a tax on all that someone owns. The percentages are different, depending on what is taxed, but are commonly about 2.5%. In addition to established yearly donations, a good Muslim is expected to perform isolated acts of generosity and charity for the poor when such acts are called for in everyday life. 4.) Fasting during Ramadan - The fourth pillar commands a Muslim to abstain from food for a specified period of time. Muslims particularly fast during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar in which Muhammad first received his revelations. Fasting is followed by a feast of celebration at the end of the month as a way to remember this special event. The purpose of fasting is to discipline oneself in order to develop sympathy for the poor and hungry. It also encourages one to give to others what one would have eaten. It is considered to be good for an individual's spiritual growth. 5.) Pilgrimage to Mecca - The fifth pillar is a pilgrimage to Mecca. A pilgrimage is a religious journey by a believer to a sacred city or site. The individual not only gets to travel and experience new sights, but also realize that the journey also becomes a powerful symbol of an interior journey to the spiritual goals of new understanding and personal transformation. The pilgrimage to Mecca, also known as Hajj, was already a practice before Muhammad was born. All Muslims, both men and women, unless prevented by poverty or sickness, are expected to visit Mecca at least once in their lifetime. Since Islam is central to the nature of Mecca, only Muslims may visit the city. |
Dietary RestrictionsThe Qur'an does not allow Muslims to consume pork and wine. Both Judaism and Islam view the pig as a scavenger animal, in which its meat can carry disease. Wine is not allowed because of its association with violence and addiction.
CircumcisionMale circumcision is a religious requirement in Islam even though it is not actually found in the Qur'an. In circumcision, a small amount of loose skin (called the foreskin) is cut off from the end of a boy's penis. There are various explanations for the practice of circumcision. One says that the practice shows submission to the role of God in human procreation. Another associates it with hygiene. In Islam, it is also done to imitate Muhammad, who was circumcised.
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Sources:
http://www.islam-guide.com/ch3-2.htm
Molloy, Michael (2013-01-01). Experiencing the World's Religions, 6th edition (pgs 428-434). McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
http://www.islam-guide.com/ch3-16.htm
http://allah.org/allah.jpg
http://www.conservapedia.com/images/thumb/7/75/Mohammad.jpg/200px-Mohammad.jpg
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2014/7/27/1406475392019/Hajj-pilgrimage-to-Mecca--014.jpg
http://image.slidesharecdn.com/shariahchristianandjewishlaw-150619180551-lva1-app6892/95/shariah-christian-and-jewish-law-the-argument-and-foundation-for-holy-book-banking-9-638.jpg?cb=1434737221
Molloy, Michael (2013-01-01). Experiencing the World's Religions, 6th edition (pgs 428-434). McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
http://www.islam-guide.com/ch3-16.htm
http://allah.org/allah.jpg
http://www.conservapedia.com/images/thumb/7/75/Mohammad.jpg/200px-Mohammad.jpg
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2014/7/27/1406475392019/Hajj-pilgrimage-to-Mecca--014.jpg
http://image.slidesharecdn.com/shariahchristianandjewishlaw-150619180551-lva1-app6892/95/shariah-christian-and-jewish-law-the-argument-and-foundation-for-holy-book-banking-9-638.jpg?cb=1434737221