Download Islam – Basic Beliefs - Whitman Middle School

Islam – Basic Beliefs
Islam, is the name given to the religion preached by the Prophet
Muhammad in the A.D. 600's. Islam is an Arabic word that
means surrender or submission. God is called Allah which means The God. A
person who submits to Allah and follows the teachings of Islam is called
a Muslim. This article discusses the beliefs and practices of Islam.
Muhammad was born about A.D. 570 in the Arabian city of Mecca. Muslims
believe that in about 610, he began to receive revelations from Allah that
were transmitted by the angel Gabriel. These revelations took place in the
cities of Mecca and Medina over about a 22-year period. They were
assembled in a book called the Qur'ān sometimes spelled Koran. The Qur'ān
is the holy book of Muslims, who believe it contains God's actual words. The
Qur'ān and the Sunnah, the example of the words and practices of
Muhammad, are the primary sources of Islamic law.
Islam is the world's second largest religion after Christianity. About
1 1/2 billion people follow Islam. Today, Muslims live in every country in the
world. Although Islam began in Arabia, about half of the world's Muslims live
in South and Southeast Asia. The countries with the largest Muslim
populations are Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, and Pakistan. About one-fifth
of all Muslims live in the Middle East. They make up the majority of the
population in the European country of Albania and nearly half the population
in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Muslims rank as the second largest religious group in
Belgium, France, and Germany. Several million Muslims live in the United
States.
Teachings and practices
The central concept of Islam is tawhīd, the oneness of God. For Muslims,
there is one God who is the lord of the universe. People owe worship and
obedience to God before any other thing. God is one, the creator, the allknowing. In relations with humanity, God is the lawgiver, judge, and restorer
of life after death.
Prophets. According to the Qur'ān, God has provided guidance for human
beings in the teachings of prophets, who have appeared in many nations
throughout history. In Islam, God selects the prophets to urge people to
worship only God and to teach them to live according to God's
commandments. The Qur'ān mentions 25 prophets by name. According to
tradition, God chose thousands of prophets beginning with Adam, the first
prophet in Islam, and ending with Muhammad, the final prophet. The Qur'ān
teaches that the prophet Abraham was the first monotheist (believer in one
God).
The most important type of prophet in Islam is the rasūl, which
means messenger. A rasūl is a person to whom God has revealed a book for
the guidance of humanity. The messengers of God in Islam include Abraham,
Moses, David, Jesus, and Muhammad.
Muslims believe that children are born without sin and that all people can
lead themselves to salvation once God has shown them the way. Believers in
Islam achieve salvation by following the revealed books of God's messengers
and through morally good actions. Muslims believe in heaven and hell, where
people go after death based on their actions during life.
Source:
http://www.worldbookonline.com/student/article?id=ar282380&st=islam
The Five Pillars of Islam
The Five Pillars of Islam
The Five Pillars of Islam represent the duties of a Muslim. Like the Ten Commandments, they
provide a spiritual foundation and function. These duties will be explained in detail in the following
pages.
Shahada
Salat
Zakzt
Sawm
Declaration of faith in Prayer towards Almsgiving or welfare Fasting during
Allah
Mecca five
contribution
Ramadan
times daily
Hajj
Pilgrimage to
Mecca
The First Pillar: Shahada
The first Pillar of Islam is called shahada. It is a brief prayer proclaiming the
oneness of God and faith in Islam. Children memorize the shahada, an action which
introduces them into the Islamic community. The shahada simply states:
"There is no God but Allah,
and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah."
Here is the shahada written in Arabic. (Like Hebrew, Arabic is written from right to
left.)
Arabic was Muhammad's native tongue, the language in which he claimed to have
received theKoran. Many devout Muslims from outside Arabic-speaking countries will
learn the language in order to read the Koran in its original form. In fact, some
Muslims consider any translation of the scripture totally unacceptable. Here is a map
of Arabic-speaking countries.
The Second Pillar: Salat
The second pillar is called salat. It requires Muslims to pray five times a day toward
Mecca. They must pray at sunset, in the evening, at dawn, at noon, and in the
afternoon. In Muslim countries, the call to prayer is announced from a minaret atop
a mosque. A mosque is where Muslims gather to pray, although it is acceptable to
pray alone.
In many Islamic countries, women pray at home. If they pray with the men, they do
so from behind them or in a separate group. The leader of a mosque is called
an imam, which means "one who walks before." The imam leads the prayer and
gives sermons. However, unlike a priest or rabbi, the imam does not hold special
authority. Instead, he is chosen by virtue of his dedication and sincerity. (As you will
see, the title of imam holds a very different meaning for the Shiah sect of Muslims.)
Each prayer involves different bowing positions, or rakahs. In the morning prayer,
for example, after laying out his prayer mat, the devotee raises his hands, touches
his earlobes, and proclaims, "Allahu akbar!" meaning "God is great!" Next, he rests
his hands at his waist and recites the first verse of the Koran. The prayer continues
when the worshipper bows, prostrates himself, and sits back, each time declaring
faith in Muhammad and Allah. If the person is in a mosque, he will turn to either side
and wish another person peace and blessings.
The Bowing Positions of Salat
The Third Pillar: Zakat
Almsgiving, or zakat, is the third basic requirement. Muslims are expected to give
to the poor and sick. Although the zakat is not regulated by the government, sincere
Muslims regard it as an important religious duty. In fact, the Koran addresses
almsgiving as an essential quality of an honest Muslim, a gateway into heaven.
The Fourth Pillar: Sawm
Sawm is perhaps the most demanding of the Five Pillars. It requires that Muslims
fast during the month of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic
calendar. During this period, food and drink are not allowed between dawn and
sunset. After sunset, only light snacks are allowed.
The fast represents a special time of purification and religious devotion. Stronger ties
are made with family and community. Alcohol and tobacco are prohibited the entire
month. Both the elderly and children are exempt from the fast.
The Festival of Eid-AI-Fitr
When the month of Ramadan ends, the festival Eid-al-fitr is celebrated. The rejoicing
begins on the first day of the tenth month of the Islamic calendar. Although the
month of Ramadan is spent fasting, families begin preparing for the celebration far
in advance, sending cards to relatives and preparing gifts.
When the day finally arrives, Muslims attend special morning prayers in the local
courtyard or park. In western countries, the faithful usually take the day off from
work or school. In Muslim countries, Eid-al-fitr is considered a three-day national
holiday! Throughout the celebration, presents are shared and families gather to
rejoice. It is also a time to share food and money with those less fortunate.
The Fifth Pillar: Hajj
Exhort all men to make the pilgrimage. They will come to you on foot and on the
backs of swift camels from every distant quarter . . .
Then let the pilgrims spruce themselves, make their vows, and circle the Ancient
House. Such is Allah's commandment.
�(Koran, Surah 22, The Pilgrimage)
Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca which every Muslim is expected to make at least
once. A pilgrimage is a journey to a sacred place or shrine. Unlike the other four
Pillars, the Hajj can be skipped if it involves great hardships.
Over two million Muslims journey to Mecca each year, and each worshipper must
follow certain guidelines. First, the men are expected to shave their heads and wear
a piece of white garment around the waist and over the shoulder. Women wear the
clothing of their native countries, though they must keep their heads covered at all
times.
First, the pilgrims walk counter-clockwise seven times around the Ka'bah, either
kissing or touching the stone. Next, they run seven times between the hills of AsSafa and Al-Marwah. This action is symbolic of Hagar's search for water and the
miracle of the well, Zamzam.
After spending the night at the village of Mina, pilgrims take the next step,
the wakuf, together. They meet at the plain of Arafat, about six miles from Mecca.
From noon to sunset, they pray quietly. Next, they climb a small mountain called the
Mount of Mercy, and they ask God's forgiveness for their sins. They spend the night
at Muzdalifah.
Afterwards, they return to the village of Mina where the ritual of "stoning the devil"
takes place. Followers gather pebbles which they throw at three pillars. This is
symbolic of Abraham throwing stones at the Devil who had disturbed his prayers. On
the tenth day, animal sacrifices�sheep or goat� are carried out. Finally, the
pilgrimage again goes seven times around the Ka'bah.
Muslims conduct a four-day celebration upon returning home from Mecca. The Eid
al-Adha, or Festival of Sacrifice, marks the end of the pilgrimage and acknowledges
the great accomplishment. Now the male pilgrim has the right to call himself
a hajji while the woman is called a hajjah.
The Rout of the Hajj
Source:
http://www.waupun.k12.wi.us/Policy/other/dickhut/religions/31%20Five%20Pillars%20of%20Is
lam.html
Click this link to watch a five minute video made of kids to
introduce the 5 Pillars of Islam. It’s made in Great Britain:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikVGwzVg48c
Source: http://www.themuslimtimes.org/2012/06/religion/the-journey-of-islam-in-maps
http://seasonsali.wordpress.com/2011/10/25/the-islam-project-maps-islam-aroundthe-world/
Source:
Source:
http://productivemuslim.com/6-steps-to-get-you-closer-to-allah-swt-infographic/