 Peace & Submission to Allah |
These notes were designed to give a simple and general introduction to the mainly non-muslim attendees. They complement both the two DVD films shown and the general reflection and sharing that took place at our Meeting.
INTRODUCTION
‘There is no other God but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of God ‘
These words are the Shahada or declaration of faith for all Muslims. Muslims are followers of a Faith Tradition known as Islam. Islam – which means submission (it also has roots in the word Salaam - or peace)- is a faith which encourages believers to submit to the One God ‘Allah’ Its emblem of the Crescent and Star, symbolises the essence of Islam contained in this quote –‘let Islam guide you through life as the stars and the moon guides a traveller over the desert.’
These words are the Shahada or declaration of faith for all Muslims. Muslims are followers of a Faith Tradition known as Islam. Islam – which means submission (it also has roots in the word Salaam - or peace)- is a faith which encourages believers to submit to the One God ‘Allah’ Its emblem of the Crescent and Star, symbolises the essence of Islam contained in this quote –‘let Islam guide you through life as the stars and the moon guides a traveller over the desert.’
Islam was begun by the prophet Muhammad – ‘Peace be upon him’ (570-632) He lived in Mecca
MUHAMMAD – The Prophet – Peace be upon him.
Muhammad , was born in Saudi Arabia Mecca
Muhammad – Peace be upon him, was persecuted during his life, but his exemplary life and the clarity of his message build up a considerable body of followers Since his death, his followers have spread the message of Islam to all corners of the world and Islam is now a truly great Faith Tradition.
ESSENTIAL BELIEFS
A Muslim’s life and faith is built on the FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM these form a firm basis for life and are shown below
1. The Shahada -
‘There is no other God but Allah , and Muhammad is the messenger of God .
When a Muslim recites this they proclaim:
‘There is no other God but Allah , and Muhammad is the messenger of God .
When a Muslim recites this they proclaim:
- That Allah is the only God, and that Muhammad is his prophet
- That they personally accept this as true
- That they will obey all the commitments of Islam in their life
2. Salat Salat is the obligatory prayers that are performed five times each day by Muslims. It is the second Pillar . God ordered Muslims to pray at five set times of day and these are::
- Salat al-fajr: dawn, before sunrise,
- Salat al-zuhr: , after the sun passes its highest
- Salat al-'asr: the late part of the afternoon
- Salat al-maghrib: just after sunset
- Salat al-'isha: between sunset and
3. Zakat Zakat is the 3rd Pillar and is the compulsory giving of a set proportion of one's wealth to charity. It is regarded as a type of worship and involves giving 2.5% of one's wealth each year to benefit the poor. Some benefits of Zakat, apart from helping the poor, are as follows:
- It is a reminder to Muslims of the importance of obeying Allah (God)
- It helps to acknowledge that everything comes from Allah on loan and that we do not really own anything ourselves
- It teaches self-discipline
- It helps in the freeing of oneself from the love of possessions , money and greed
- It reminds the faithful of the need to be compassionate and loving to others as well as themselves.
4. Sawm Sawm is fasting. It's the fourth of the Pillars .
Muslims are required to fast during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. During the 29/30 days of Ramadan all adult Muslims must give up the following things during the hours of daylight:
- Food or drink of any sort
- Smoking, including passive smoking
- Sexual activity
Muslims who are physically or mentally unwell may be excused some of these. Others excused are; those who are under twelve years old, the very old, those who are pregnant, breast-feeding, menstruating, or travelling.
If an adult does not fast for the reasons above they should try to make up the fast at a later date, or make a donation ( Zakat) to the poor instead
5. Hajj For Muslims, the Hajj is the fifth and final Pillar. Once a year, Muslims of every ethnic group, colour, social status, and culture gather together in Mecca
It is a ritual that is designed to promote the bonds of Islamic brotherhood and sisterhood by showing that everyone is equal in the eyes of Allah.
The Hajj is designed to help Muslims begin to both understand and experience the real importance of life here on earth, and the afterlife. It does so by stripping away all markers of social status, wealth, and pride. In the Hajj all are truly equal and all are truly brothers and sisters.
The Hajjis or pilgrims wear simple white clothes called Ihram. During the Hajj the Pilgrims perform acts of worship and they renew their sense of purpose in the world. Mecca
It occurs in the month of Dhul Hijjah which is the twelfth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. It is the journey that every adult Muslim must undertake at least once in their lives if they can afford it and are physically able.
DIVISIONS IN ISLAM
Muslims believe in something called "Ummah" which means "one community" . Consequently they see fellow Muslims as being part of their family. However, just like other Faith Traditions (Christianity, Buddhism etc) , there are different groups of Muslims. The differences within Islam first began in the 7th Century when the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) died. These differences are mainly centred around the succession and the rule of the Caliphs ( successors) of the Prophet.
Some Muslims wanted Muhammad's son in law, Ali, to succeed Muhammad. This group are known as Shia.
There were those who wanted a friend of Muhammad's (called Abu Bakr) to succeed Muhammad and these are known as Sunni.
Sunnis and Shi'tes have different versions of the Hadith (the book of Mohammad's sayings.) In turn, this means they have a slightly different understanding of Islam. Overall, Islam, like many other Faith Traditions) is a diverse religion and there are different interpretations of the Qur'an (the Sacred Scripture of Islam). In summary, the main divisions of Islam are: ;
Sunnis The majority and orthodox division of Islam, said to be up to 80% of Muslims
Shiites These are followers of Ali – the fourth caliph. They consider all Imams must be related to the Prophet and therefore Sunnis are wrong. In addition, although they fully accept the 5 Pillars, they have additional ‘pillars’
Sufis. A relatively small contemplative branch of Islam that conveys and embodies the mystical tradition of Islam
SOME OTHER CUSTOMS TRADITIONS & PRACTICES
Islam is a codified Faith System, which affects every part of a Muslim’s life. Some important things for non- Muslims to realise are :
Islam has no religious images or pictures of people or God involved in their Mosques, ceremonies or prayer life. To them this is idolatry and causes great offence.
Patterns or calligraphy are highly prized.
No alcohol is permitted. It is considered to cause arguments and strife and to distance one from thoughts and the will of Allah.
Only halal meat – traditionally killed in God’s name, can be eaten. Pigs are considered unclean and therefore their meat forbidden.
It recognises both Jews and Christians as being ‘people of the Book’ who share a common inheritance with The Prophet Ibraham (Abraham).
Like many other Faith Traditions, Islam emphasises that the main purpose of life is to prepare for death and eternity
One either is a believer and grows nearer to God, thereby gaining eternal life or is an unbeliever and suffers eternal death. This is decided at the Final Judgement by God.
All face physical death but a believer inherits paradise.
