The Basics of Islam
While I am not a Muslim, personally, I have a lot of respect for the religion and know a bit about it. Since there is no thread regarding Islam during the time I write this basics thread, I figured I would start things off by giving people a basic idea of the religion and perhaps helping people remove misconceptions from their mind about the ideology. Basic questions will be italicized and in purple, and the answers will be in dark red. If questions are not answered in this thread, feel free to ask them and I will try my best to answer them using the Qur'an, Hadith, general knowledge, or through the internet.
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What do all these abbreviations mean?
- A.S. (alayhi s-salām) - Peace be upon him - Used after saying any prophet or angel's name.
S.A.W. (ṣall Allāhu ʿalay-hi wa-sallam) - May Allah honor him and grant him peace - Used occassionally, specifically when speaking about Muhammad.
M.A.C.H - May Allah curse him - Used after naming the Whisper.
What is Islam?
- The word "Islam" is Arabic for "submission and peace in Allah." (Source, Source) The name implies that Muslims must love God with all their heart, surrender their soul to him, and practice both good faith and works upon reversion. (Source) It is used to describe the religion preached by Muhammad (A.D.). Around 610 A.D., he claimed to be visited by the archangel Gabriel (A.S.), who told him the Word of God. (Al-Isra wa Al-Miraj; The Night Journey by Muhammad) He recited this into memory and taught others. He received these revelations until his death, receiving specific revelation depending on what was needed by the Arabian people. Islam is generally divided into four sects: Sunnism, equally 75-90% of Muslims (Source, Source, Source, Source, Source); Shi'aism, which equals roughly 10-20% (Source, Source, Source, Source); Sufism (Islamic mysticism), numbers unknown; and Qur'anism, numbers also unknown.
Who was Muhammad (A.S.)?
- Muhammad (S.A.W.) was a camel-herder born in Mecca, who, around the age of forty, began receiving revelations from God through His greatest archangel, Gabriel (A.S.). Around 622 A.D., the Meccans began to retaliate against his teachings, the merchants claiming that his teaching was steering away Pagan and Jewish pilgrims from purchasing items. He fled to Medina the same year, marking the first year of the Islamic calendar. He became a military tactics master and began to command troops under the Will of Allah, by his claim, and led an assault against Mecca after Meccan troops began to attack the city. (Source) Muslims consider him to be the greatest, and last, of all of God's prophets.
What are the scriptures of Islam?
- Muslims use two specific scriptures as a guide in their lives: the Qur'an (literally, the Recitation) and the Hadiths (the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, A.S.). It should be noted that Qur'anists do not hold the Hadiths as necessary to follow, despite them being the source of how to properly pray, how to purify yourself before prayer, etc. You can read the entire Qur'an here. The Hadiths, however, are very plentiful and most are not available for free online. The major ones, and the most commonly accepted ones, for Sunnis are: Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan an-Nasa'i al-Sughra, Sunan Abu Dawood, Sunan al-Tirmidhi, and Sunan Ibn Maja. The major and commonly accepted ones for Shi'ites are: Kitab al-Kafi of Muhammad ibn Ya'qub al-Kulayni, Man la yahduruhu al-Faqih of Shaikh Saduq, Tahdhib al-Ahkam of Shaykh, and Tusi al-Istibsar of Shaikh Tusi.
But what about Jesus and Abraham?!
- Jesus (A.S.) is considered to be a prophet in Islam, as the religion teaches that Allah is one and, therefore, He cannot have a son.(Source) Jesus is taught to have been born of a virgin and taught of peace and harmony, attempting to restore Islam to its former beliefs. Abraham is considered to be the first person to attempt to teach Islam to the chosen people, who moved away from it. Islam teaches that Christianity and Judaism have been corrupted over the years through distortions of texts, miss-recitation, etc. (Source) which is why Allah gave Muhammad this final revelation, and required that the Qur'an never be changed, by assuring that Arabic be its official language. It was eventually written down.
Who is Allah, and what is His nature?
- Allah is given several names to describe His nature. (Source) God is believed to be the creator of the universe and all within it. He is omnipotent (Source), omnibenevolent (Source), omniscient (Source), and omnipresent (Source). As Allah is, alone, the creator of humanity, He is worthy of love and devotion, says the Muslim.
What do Muslims believe about prophets, angels, the afterlife, free will, and Satan?
- Muslims believe that all the prophets of Judaism, plus Jesus and Muhammad,(Source) are all actual prophets of God, who's words were corrupted over time. Angels are considered servents and messengers of Allah, serving him without free-will (Source). A belief in angels is a part of the Six Articles of Faith (See "What are the Six Articles of Faith?"). Human beings are believed to have the free will to choose between doing good and doing evil, while actual events outside of human control are predetermined to occur. (Source) Faithful Muslims, as well as faithful Jews and Christians(Source), are sent to Paradise after the Day of Resurrection. Death comes, the body dies, and the soul is resurrected on this day to be sent to Heaven or Hell. Devil (Iblis in the Qur'an) (M.A.C.H.) is a jinn who disobey Allah using the free will jinns are instilled when asked to prostrate to Adam (A.S.). (Source) He is nicknamed "the Whisperer," because he and his jinn tempt man through speaking through their hearts.
What are the Six Articles of Faith?
- The Six Articles of Faith are beliefs all Muslims must believe in order to be considered Muslims. These faiths are: faith in the unity of God (monotheism), faith in angels, faith in prophets, faith in books of revelation (The Bible, The Qur'an), faith in an afterlife, and faith in destiny/divine decree (predestination of events). (Source)
What are the Five Pillars of Islam?
- The Five Pillars of Islam are those things which Muslims must perform in order to be considered Muslims and in order to get into Heaven. These pillars are as followed: Testimony of faith that Allah is the one true God and Muhammad is his last and greatest prophet (Shahadah), Prayer five times daily (Salat), Almsgiving of roughly 10% of your annual income (Zakat), Fasting on Ramadan (Sawm), and Pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in your life (Hajj). (Source)
When is the Muslim sabbath, and holidays?
- The Muslim sabbath is set on Friday nights. Muslims are expected to attend mosques (Muslim prayer sites) on this night. As there are many Muslim holidays, I will simply provide a link to the article describing each individual major holiday and what is expected to occur during these times. Link.
What are some useful links for information on Islam?
- http://www.quran.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam
http://www.islam.about.com/od/basicbeliefs/p/intro.htm
http://www.pbs.org/empires/islam/
http://www.netplaces.com/understanding-islam/
http://islam.about.com/od/glossary/Glossary_of_Islamic_Terms.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muhammad
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prophets_in_Islam
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslim_holidays
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_and_science
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_Islam
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_aspects_of_Islam
http://miraclesofthequran.com/index2.php
http://www.quranmiracles.com/
