Introduction
Islam is a monotheistic religion focused on believing Allah is the only God. Islam has some ideas in common with Judaism and Christianity. God used prophets to communicate His word to His people throughout the centuries. All prophets taught the same message of faith in one God and compassion for humanity. Muhammad was the final of a line of prophets. People worshipped many gods and forgot the Prophet Abraham’s message to venerate only one God. God divulged to him through the angel Gabriel while praying. Prophet Muhammad started to preach to the people what he had learned from the messages of God.
Islamic Symbols and Names
Rub-el-Hizb is an Islamic star or symbol in an octagram represented by two intersecting stars and a circle in the center. The star’s primary purpose is to aid in reading the Quran, but it is also used in various flags. The Rub el Hizb symbol is derived from Tartessos, a civilization in Andalusia, Spain, around the 11th century BCE. Islamic dynasties ruled the area for about eight centuries.
The symbol was the unofficial symbol for the Islamic dynasties. Rub el Hizb is used in Arabic writing to indicate the conclusion of a chapter, most commonly in the Quran, where it divides texts into passages. The Quran is split into sixty Hizbs of roughly equal length. Rub el Hizb appears at the end of each quarter and divides each Hizb into four parts.
Islam, which means “submission to God,” is an Abrahamic religion centered on the Quran and the teachings of Muhammad. The main teachings of Islam are that there is only one God, Allah, and Muhammad is His messenger. One of the central beliefs in the Islam religion is that God is all merciful and powerful. A Muslim is someone who yields to God and follows Islam. Muslims believe God has guided humankind over centuries through prophets.
Life of the Prophet Muhammad
The Prophet Muhammad, who Muslims consider to be the last Prophet in a long series of prophets, is responsible for the initiation of Islam. God chose Prophet Muhammad to be the recipient and messenger of His message. Prophet Muhammad influenced Islam by describing his way of life, Sunna, followed by most Muslims.
The Hijra is a significant event in the lifetime of Prophet Muhammad. Prophet Muhammad and his disciples traveled to Medina, where he promised the people religious freedom. Prophet Muhammad built a large community around the new faith in Medina.
Another significant event in Prophet Muhammad’s life was his night journey and ascension, the Miraj. He had an encounter with the angel Gabriel one day while he was sleeping, who led him to the Farthest Mosque in Jerusalem, where he prayed with other prophets, such as Moses, Abraham, and Jesus, before ascending to heaven and being taken through paradise and hell before meeting God. He then came back to earth to spread the message of Islam.
The Hijra is commemorated as Al-Hijra, during which Muslims exchange gifts and cards while remembering Muhammad’s journey. On Al-Hijra, the Muslims fast during the day. Muslims observe Miraj by gathering in mosques for prayer, while others observe it at home by telling children the story of Muhammad’s journey and reciting prayers at night.
Sacred Scriptures
The Quran is the Muslim holy book or scriptures. The Quran contains Islamic law and commandments, social and moral codes, and religious philosophy. According to Robert, “The Quran, Islam’s holy book, is believed to be the word of God as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over a 23-year period.” The Quran is divided into 114 chapters or surahs, each significant and important. The surahs are recited during the standing portions of Muslim prayers.
The Quran’s first chapter, Surah Al-Fatiha, is recited in every unit of prayer. Some prayer units include reciting all or part of another surah. Prophet Muhammad recited the text, and the scribes recorded what they heard. Prophet Adam was the first Prophet of Islam and was believed to have been created by God. Another significant figure is Prophet Abraham, who is regarded as Islam’s greatest Prophet and is known for his unwavering faith and obedience to God. Prophet Moses is remembered for leading the Israelites out of Egypt and receiving the Ten Commandments from God.
Beliefs and Practices
Articles of Faith
Oneness of God
The articles of faith in the Islam religion shape people’s lives. The belief in Allah’s oneness is the first article of faith. Robert states, “Islam teaches the concept of tawhid, the oneness of God, which is a fundamental belief of the faith.” There is only one God, supreme and eternal, creator and provider, merciful and compassionate. God has no father, mother, sons, or daughters. God has no equals, is the God of all humankind, believers and non-believers alike, and has no favorites. God is all-powerful and all-knowing, but he is also very close to his followers and answers their prayers. For the sake of our salvation, Allah expects us to love Him, know Him, and obey His law.
Angels of God
The belief in angels is the second article of faith. Angels are spiritual and pure beings God created to carry out His commands and worship Him. With Allah’s command, the angels maintain and control the universe.
Revelations (Books) of God
The next article of faith is belief in Allah’s Books. Muslims believe that Allah revealed his laws to humanity in stages through his prophets and thus accept the Torah, Psalms, and Gospel as sacred scriptures. Muslims believe such revelations were limited to specific periods and people and thus became distorted over time. The Holy Quran perfected all of the Holy Scriptures.
Prophets of God
The other article of faith is the belief in Allah’s prophets. Allah chose his prophets from among humans as the best examples of moral and spiritual behavior. The prophets guide humanity to Allah through divine revelation, self-righteousness, and purity.
Day of Judgment
Another article of faith is conviction in the Day of Judgment. Physical death, according to Islam, is not the end of man’s existence but rather a gateway to a higher form of life closer to Allah, depending on one’s actions during one’s lifetime. On the Day of Judgment, the entire universe will end, and the dead will be resurrected. Everyone’s actions will be questioned and rewarded appropriately. Those with good records will go to heaven, while those with bad records will go to hell.
Premeasurement (Qadar)
The belief in the divine decree is the final article of faith. The ultimate outcome of all actions in the universe is determined by God’s laws. The spiritual declaration is Allah’s universal law, which operates throughout creation and spreads throughout the universe.
Pillars of Islam
Shahada: Declaration of Faith
The pillars of Islam are the fundamental beliefs and routines of Islam. Shahadah is the first pillar, which means “Expression of faith.” It states, “Allah is the only God, and Muhammad is God’s Messenger.” The Shahadah distinguishes Muslims from other faiths. The Muslims submit to Islam and announce their intentions as true followers.
Salah: Prayer
Salah – prayer – is the second pillar. Five times a day, Muslims pray facing Mecca. The first surah is recited during prayer, usually on a small rug or mat. Individual or group prayers can be held in a mosque led by an imam. On Fridays, I go to a mosque for noon prayer.
Zakat: Almsgiving
Zakat, or almsgiving, is the third pillar. According to Islamic law, Muslims donate a fixed percentage of their earnings to community members in need. Many Muslims perform charitable activities as their religious duties to secure blessings from Allah.
Sawm: Fasting
Fasting, or sawm, is the fourth tenet of Islam. All healthy adult Muslims are required to fast food and drink during Ramadhan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Fasting allows Muslims to express their gratitude to God for all that He has provided for them. Muslims share their hunger and thirst with the poor to remind themselves of their religious obligation to help them.
Hajj: Pilgrimage
Hajj – Pilgrimage – is Islam’s final pillar. This enables every Muslim in good health and financial standing to visit Mecca in modern-day Saudi Arabia at least once. Muslims visit the Ka’ba, a cubical framework in the Haram masjid that is covered in black stitched hangings. Muslims pray facing it because they think it is the house Abraham built for God.
Conclusion
Islam is based on the belief in one God, Allah, and is centered on the teachings of Muhammad, the last Prophet, and the Qur’an. Muslims are guided in their everyday lives by the articles of faith and the pillars of Islam throughout their lives. Muslims believe in one God, angels who follow God, all prophets as God’s messengers, and the scriptures that God gave to His prophets. Muslims are taught equity, fairness, brotherhood, mercy, compassion, and freedom of choice by the Quran. Islam’s leaders are accountable to God for the implementation of these principles.
Bibliography
Peters, F E. Muhammad and the Origins of Islam. Albany: State University Of New York Press, 1994.
Van, Robert E. RELG: World: Introduction to World Religions. Editorial: Boston, Ma: Cengage, 2020.