Islam

What is Islam?

Hollywood, the media and political pundits may have you thinking all sorts of strange things when you hear the word “Islam,” but in reality, the teachings of Islam aren’t very foreign at all. Islam, Christianity and Judaism are the three most widely followed monotheistic religions in the world, and all three of them are said to have been formed by the descendants of Abraham. 

Islam as a formal religion began with the Prophet Muhammad (P) in 7th century Arabia. The name itself means “surrender” and the faith revolves around the concept of surrendering to the will of the one God. In fact, the declaration of faith in Islam is that “There is no god but God, and Muhammad is His messenger,” a statement that also denies the presence of any other deity worthy of worship, leaving no room for idolatry in the religion.

Muslims pray directly to God, with no intermediary.  God as understood by Muslims is One, neither male nor female, does not beget, nor was He begotten, cannot be visualized in any limited form, yet His mercy and love for us cannot be quantified. 

The following verse (2:255) from the holy book of Islam – the Qur’an- describes the Islamic concept of God as follows: In Arabic vs. English translation. 

Who Are Muslims?

People who follow the faith of Islam are called “Muslims." Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad was the final messenger sent by God to remind them of life’s purpose – to worship God and to prepare for the afterlife when all will be held accountable for their deeds. 

Biblical figures such as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus are held in high esteem in the Islamic faith and they are believed to have been the Prophet Muhammad’s predecessors as messengers from God. 

The holy book that guides the Islamic faith is the “Quran” which is considered to be a revelation from God, and a completion of the message initially delivered in the Old and New Testaments.

Practicing Muslims follow the five basic practices of the faith, which include the above declaration of faith, giving in charity, praying five daily prayers, fasting during the month of Ramadan, and performing the pilgrimage to Mecca if able. These pillars, along with the teachings of the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad constitute the framework for Muslim religious practice.