REDISCOVER
RELIGIONS
ISLAM
What is Islam?
Islam is the second most widespread religion next to Christianity. The word "Islam" means submission to the will of their god, Allah. This means replacing one’s will and laws with the will and law of Allah, as well as accepting his guidance.
Those who confer to this faith are called Muslims. The Ultimate Goal of Islam is for all to attain satisfaction and approval from Allah and to lead Muslims to Paradise after their earthly death. Paradise is where you can live without sickness, pain, sadness, or death. To attain their Ultimate Goal, Muslims have to avoid haram or prohibited practices and follow the Islamic laws in order to please Allah.
Brief history of Islam
Most historians believe that Islam originated in Mecca and Medina at the start of the 7th century. Muslims, however, believe that it did not start with Muhammad, but that it was the original faith of others whom they regard as Prophets, such as Jesus, David, Moses, Abraham, Noah and Adam.
Muhammad is the Prophet of Islam and he is often referred to as ‘the Seal of Prophets’. He is also believed to be the last prophet. According to tradition, he was born in Mecca around the year 570, and his family belonged to the Quraysh tribe.
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When he was about forty years old, he began receiving what Muslims consider to be divine revelations delivered through the angel Gabriel, which would later form the Qur'an.
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Those who confer to this faith are called Muslims. Their sacred book is called the Qur’an, which is the verbatim word of God in the Islamic tradition. Thus, the word means "recitation" in Arabic. There are a total of 114 chapters (suras) and 6,236 verses (ayat).
The Qur'an
Common Traditions of Islam
Islamic culture is a term primarily used in secular academia to describe the cultural practices common to historically Islamic people. The early forms of Muslim culture were predominantly “Arab”. There are five pillars mentioned in the Qur’an that serve as the foundation of Islamic faith. These are as follows:
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Shahada. This is the recitation of the Kalma in its original form, which states that, “There is only one god, Allah, and one final prophet, Muhammad.” This serves as their creed and is mentioned in daily prayers and whispered to infants as soon as they are born
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Salat. This is the duty to participate in five periods of prayer each day. Muslims pray before dawn, at midday, mid-afternoon, at sunset and nighttime. They can pray practically anywhere, as long as they are facing Mecca.
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Zakat. Muslims are mandated to set aside an obligatory tax for the poor. They are also called to integrate this practice into their everyday life.
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Sawm. This is the mandatory fasting during Ramadan, the ninth month in the Muslim calendar. It is believed that at this time, Allah manifested one of His first revelations to Muhammad. The meaning behind this practice is to sympathize with the hungry and unfortunate, and to channel spiritual growth.
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Hajj. Muslims are expected to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime, unless sickness or poverty hinders them from doing so.
The Shahada
The Mecca
Muslims are also recognizable for their unique and conservative clothing, particularly for women. They have multiple attires that vary in formality yet all promote conservativism. Gender roles are definitive, with women attributed to play a domestic role. Muslim is mostly male-centered, considering that they can have multiple wives whereas women can only have one husband. The Muslim women should lower their gaze, guard their modesty, not display their beauty and ornaments. In Islam, it is a sin for you to be Homosexual and the punishment is death.
Muslim women