Islam In Summary

https://www/ AMERICAN PASTOR cx04DjvN4 – American Pastor

https:/oh/www/ HINDU EMBRACES CQYGyxp9o– Hindu Embracesng

https://www/MEXICAN LADY EMBRACES watch?v=zK_zrt9XEf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJ4GfrLlf2M – Pastor Prof. Sue Watson Accepts Islam

Islam – Resources, Links & Videos……Resources & Links

Islam is a religion which professes that there is only one and incomparable God “Allah” and that Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) is the last messenger of God. Muslims accepts and respects all the prophets including Jesus (PBUH), Moses (PBUH), Noah (PBUH) all of them who came before Muhammad (PBUH).

Islam is the world’s second-largest religion and the fastest-growing major religion in the world, with over 1.7 billion followers or 23% of the global population, known as Muslims. Islam teaches that God is merciful, all-powerful, and unique; and He has guided mankind through revealed scriptures, natural signs, and a line of prophets sealed by Muhammad (PBUH). The primary scriptures of Islam are the Quran, viewed by Muslims as the verbatim word of God, and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) (called the “sunnah”, composed of “hadith”)

Muslims believe that Islam is the original, complete and universal version of a primordial faith that was revealed many times before through prophets including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus (Peace Be Upon Them). As for the Quran, Muslims consider it to be the unaltered and final revelation of God “Allah”.

Islamic belief is based on the five pillars of Islam (Explained in more details below), which are obligatory acts of worship, and following Islamic law, which touches on virtually every aspect of life and society, from banking and welfare to women and the environment. Certain religious rites and customs are observed by the Muslims in their family and social life, while social responsibilities to parents, relatives, and neighbors have also been defined. Besides the Quran, the “sunnah” of Prophet Muhammad prescribe a comprehensive body of moral guidelines for Muslims to be followed in their personal, social, political, and religious life.

Islam began in the early 7th century originating in Mecca in the Arabian Peninsula and by the 8th century spread from Iberia in the west to the Indus River in the east.

Islam is the majority religion in the Middle East, North Africa, the Sahel, Central Asia and some other parts of Asia. About 13% of Muslims live in Indonesia, the largest Muslim-majority country, 31% in South Asia, the largest population of Muslims in the world, 23% in the Middle East-North Africa (MENA), and 15% in Sub-Saharan Africa. Sizable Muslim communities are also found in Horn of Africa, Europe, China, Russia, and the Americas. Converts and immigrant communities are found in almost every part of the world.

Learn more about Islam

We will send you an informational package in the mail.

Meaning of the Word Islam

Islam is a verbal noun originating from the triliteral root s-l-m which forms a large class of words mostly relating to concepts of wholeness, submission, safeness and peace. In a religious context it means “voluntary submission to God”. Islam means “submission” or “surrender”. Muslim, the word for an adherent of Islam, is the active participle of the same verb form, and means “one who submits” or “one who surrenders”. The word sometimes has distinct connotations in its various occurrences in the Quran. In some verses, there is stress on the quality of Islam as an internal state: “Whomsoever God desires to guide, He opens his heart to Islam.” Other verses connect Islam and “din” (religion): “Today, I have perfected your religion (din) for you; I have completed My blessing upon you; I have approved Islam for your religion.” Still others describe Islam as an action of returning to Godómore than just a verbal affirmation of faith. In the Hadith of Gabriel, islam is presented as one part of a triad that also includes “iman” (faith), and “ihsan” (excellence).

The Five Pillars of Islam

1) Shahada: Faith
Shahada is a declaration of faith and trust that professes that there is only one God (Allah) and that Muhammad is God’s messenger. It is a set statement normally recited in Arabic: “la ilaha illa-llahu muhammadun rasulu-llah” (There is no god but God [and] Muhammad is the messenger of God.) It is essential to utter it to become a Muslim and to convert to Islam.

2) Salat: Prayer
Salat is the Islamic prayer. Salat consists of five daily prayers according to the Sunna; the names are according to the prayer times: “Fajr” (dawn), “Dhuhr” (noon), “Asr” (afternoon), “Maghrib” (evening), and “Isha” (night). The “Fajr” prayer is performed before sunrise, “Dhuhr” is performed in the midday after the sun has surpassed its highest point, “Asr” is the evening prayer before sunset, “Maghrib” is the evening prayer after sunset and “Isha” is the night prayer. All of these prayers are recited while facing in the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca and forms an important aspect of the Muslim “Ummah” (Nation). Muslims must wash before prayer; this washing is called “wudu” (purification). The prayer is accompanied by a series of set positions including; bowing with hands on knees, standing, prostrating and sitting in a special position. A Muslim may perform their prayer anywhere, such as in offices, universities, and fields. However, the mosque is the more preferable place for prayers because the mosque allows for fellowship.

3) Zakat: Charity
Zakat or alms-giving is the practice of charitable giving based on accumulated wealth. The word zakat can be defined as purification and growth because it allows an individual to achieve balance and encourages new growth. The principle of knowing that all things belong to God is essential to purification and growth. Zakat is obligatory for all Muslims who are able to do so. It is the personal responsibility of each Muslim to ease the economic hardship of others and to strive towards eliminating inequality. Zakat consists of spending a portion of one’s wealth for the benefit of the poor or needy, like debtors or travelers. A Muslim may also donate more as an act of voluntary charity “sadaqah”, rather than to achieve additional divine reward.

There are five principles that should be followed when giving the zakat:

The giver must declare to God his intention to give the zakat.
The zakat must be paid on the day that it is due.
After the offering, the payer must not exaggerate on spending his money more than usual means.
Payment must be in kind. This means if one is wealthy then he or she needs to pay a portion of their income. If a person does not have much money, then they should compensate for it in different ways, such as good deeds and good behavior toward others.
The zakat must be distributed in the community from which it was taken.

4) Sawm: Fasting

Muslims traditionally break their fasts in the month of Ramadan with dates (like those offered by this date seller in Kuwait City), as was the recorded practice (Sunnah) of Muhammad.

Three types of fasting (Siyam) are recognized by the Quran: Ritual fasting, fasting as compensation for repentance (both from sura Al-Baqara), and ascetic fasting (from Al-Ahzab).Ritual fasting is an obligatory act during the month of Ramadan. Muslims must abstain from food and drink from dawn to dusk during this month, and are to be especially mindful of other sins. Fasting is necessary for every Muslim that has reached puberty (unless he/she suffers from a medical condition which prevents him/her from doing so).

The fast is meant to allow Muslims to seek nearness and to look for forgiveness from God, to express their gratitude to and dependence on him, atone for their past sins, and to remind them of the needy. During Ramadan, Muslims are also expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam by refraining from violence, anger, envy, greed, lust, profane language, gossip and to try to get along with fellow Muslims better. In addition, all obscene and irreligious sights and sounds are to be avoided.

Fasting during Ramadan is obligatory, but is forbidden for several groups for whom it would be very dangerous and excessively problematic. These include pre-pubescent children, those with a medical condition such as diabetes, elderly people, and pregnant or breastfeeding women. Observing fasts is not permitted for menstruating women. Other individuals for whom it is considered acceptable not to fast are those who are ill or traveling. Missing fasts usually must be made up for soon afterward, although the exact requirements vary according to circumstance.

5) Hajj: Pilgrimage to Mecca
The Hajj is a pilgrimage that occurs during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah to the holy city of Mecca. Every able-bodied Muslim is obliged to make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their life. When the pilgrim is around 10 km (6.2 mi) from Mecca, he/she must dress in Ihram clothing, which consists of two white sheets. Both men and women are required to make the pilgrimage to Mecca. After a Muslim makes the trip to Mecca, he/she is known as a hajj/hajja (one who made the pilgrimage to Mecca). The main rituals of the Hajj include walking seven times around the Kaaba termed Tawaf, touching the Black Stone termed Istilam, traveling seven times between Mount Safa and Mount Marwah termed Sa’yee, and symbolically stoning the Devil in Mina termed Ramee.

The pilgrim, or the haji, is honoured in the Muslim community. Islamic teachers say that the Hajj should be an expression of devotion to God, not a means to gain social standing. The believer should be self-aware and examine their intentions in performing the pilgrimage. This should lead to constant striving for self-improvement. A pilgrimage made at any time other than the Hajj season is called an Umrah, and while not mandatory is strongly recommended. Also, they make a pilgrimage to the holy city of Jerusalem in their alms-giving feast.

Quran

The Islamic holy books are the records which most Muslims believe were dictated by God “Allah” to various prophets. Muslims believe that parts of the previously revealed scriptures, the “Tawrat” (Torah) and the “Injil” (Bible), had become distortedóeither in interpretation, in text, or both. The Quran (literally, “Reading” or “Recitation”) is viewed by Muslims as the final revelation and literal word of God “Allah” and is widely regarded as the finest literary work in the Arabic language.

Muslims believe that the verses of the Quran were revealed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by God “Allah” through the archangel Gabriel “Jibril” on many occasions between 610 CE until his death. While Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was alive, all of these revelations were written down by his companions “sahabah”, although the prime method of transmission was orally through memorization.

The Quran is divided into 114 “suras”, or chapters, which combined, contain 6,236 “ayat”, or verses. The chronologically earlier suras, revealed at Mecca, are primarily concerned with ethical and spiritual topics. The later Medinan “suras” mostly discuss social and moral issues relevant to the Muslim community.

The Quran is more concerned with moral guidance than legal instruction, and is considered the “sourcebook of Islamic principles and values”. Muslim jurists consult the “hadith” (reports), or the written record of Prophet Muhammad’s life (PBUH), to both supplement the Quran and assist with its interpretation. The science of Quranic commentary and exegesis is known as “tafsir”. The set of rules governing proper pronunciation is called “tajwid”.

Muslims usually view “the Quran” as the original scripture as revealed in Arabic and that any translations are necessarily deficient, which are regarded only as commentaries on the Quran.