what is islam & who are muslims?

introduction
i can imagine some people who, while reading this article, might say, "we already know
what islam is and who the muslims are. it is the religion that beheads people, kills
innocent civilians, terrorists that force people with the gun (or sword) to accept their
religion." i don’t blame you. after seeing in the media about muslim terrorists and killers
like saddam hussein, osama bin laden, che guevara and mcveigh (oops, sorry! the last two
are not muslims terrorists).
please allow me to introduce myself. i am aboo mohammad; born and bred in london, uk,
but currently living and working in qatar in the arabian gulf. i am a muslim. since i am a
student of religion and have a bit of knowledge of islam and other religions namely:
christianity, judaism, hinduism and so on, i will attempt to the best of my ability to
acquaint with the basics of this religion. i will start first with the first part "what is islam."
what is islam?
the name islam is derived from the arabic root word salama, which means peace,
submission, surrender, among many definitions. islam is the total submission to the will
of the one and only god allah and obedience to his laws. the achievement of real peace of
mind and body only through the total submission and obedience to the one god. islam is
not a new religion, but the same truth that god revealed through all his prophets to every
people. for a fifth of the world's population, islam is both a religion and a complete way
of life. muslims follow a religion of peace, mercy, and forgiveness, and the majority have
nothing to do with the extremely grave events which have come to be associated with
their faith. unlike other religions islam is not just a religion but a way of life. the basic
message of islam would be the same for all messengers: “god is one! worship him
alone!” islam is based upon 5 pillars which are the fundamentals of the religion. these
five pillars are:
testimony of faith (shahada)
prayers
fasting
zakah( almsgiving)
hajj (pilgrimage to mecca)
testimony of faith
the first of the pillars (testimony of faith) known in arabic as eeman. the full conviction
that there is only one god and that his messenger is mohamed (peace be upon him).the
muslims belief the, eeman is based upon the testimony that “there is no deity worthy of
worship except allah and mohammed ( peace be upon him) is the messenger of allah”.
this means that we ascribe no partners to allah, that he is alone and the only one to be
worshipped. a person in order to become a muslim just has to recite this, but it has to be
in the heart too.
allah mentions in the quran (the book of the muslims as revealed to the prophet mohamed
(peace be upon him):
the noble quran
chapter 112
1. say (o muhammad ): "he is allâh, (the) one.
2. "allâh-us-samad (the self-sufficient master, whom all creatures need, he neither
eats nor drinks).
3. "he begets not, nor was he begotten;
4. "and there is none co-equal or comparable unto him."
this concept of the oneness of allah is the cornerstone of islam, the essence of the islamic
teachings. this means that allah is the creator, he is the omnipotent sustainer of the
universe. this oneness of allah is known in arabic as the tawheed.
there 6 prerequisites which accompany this pillar of faith.
belief in allah.
belief in angels.
belief in the books (sent by allah with other prophets).
belief (n all the other)prophets.
belief in the day of judgement.(also referred to as the hour).
belief in fate (good and bad comes form allah).
a muslim must believe in these pillars and these pre- requisites.
prayers (worship)
the second pillar of islam is prayers (worship) called salaat in arabic. muslims pray five
times daily, obligatory prayers in congregation in a mosque (called masjid in arabic),
however prayers can be held anywhere, in a school, at work, out in the field, led by an
imam, one who is well versed in the reading of the quran. the imam recites verse from the
quran in the original language of arabic. supplication (individual prayers to allah)can be
made in any language. prayers are said at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and
nightfall. however, although women are allowed to pray in mosques and the fact that
there are millions of mosques that have space for women to pray, it is not incumbent on
her to pray with the congregation in the mosque. nevertheless the 5 times prayer sare still
obligatory for her too.
worship too plays an important part in the life of a muslim as allah stated in the quran the
reason why he created man: chapter 51:56 i created the jinn and humankind only that
they might worship me. (the noble quran)
all masjids have, what is known as a pulpit (mimbar in arabic) from where the imam
addresses his congregation. inscriptions on the wall are verses from the holy quran.
fasting
the third pillar of islam is fasting. fasting is defined as the refraining from food, drink,
smoking and sexual intercourse from sunrise to sunset in the holy month of ramadhan.
although this is the literal meaning, we cannot restrict it to that alone. fasting in ramadhan
has more spiritual meaning than that. by fasting one develops more love and closeness to
allah because he is fasting for love of allah. it increases ones piety and righteousness.
allah says in the holy quran [2:183]
183. o you who believe! observing as-saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was
prescribed for those before you, that you may become al-muttaqun (the pious - see v.2:2).
fasting instills endurance and patience and develops affection towards the poor since one
is experiencing how it feels to be hungry. fasting also humbles a person's character and
helps one control one’s desires as eating and drinking are restrained and so too is sexual
intercourse during the day. it is also very healthy since it helps one to refrain on
overindulging.
it is obligatory on those:
who are of mental and physical ability (i.e. those who are fit and sane).
mature at the age of puberty. in islam that prescribed from about 9-10 years of age.
who are not too old or sick, or under constant medication that is for a serious
condition.
who is fixed (resident in one location and not traveling long distances).the rewards for
fasting in the month of ramadhan and voluntary fasts outside of ramadhan is
incomparable as fasting in ramadhan expiates all previous sins. in ramadhan, muslims
believe that the doors of hell are locked and the doors of paradise and that allah frees
people from the fire of hell until ramadhan ends. the purpose of ramadhan is to fast by
day and worship by night. there are congregational prayers held in the nights of ramadhan
(called tarawih in arabic) where the quran is recited and during the whole month the
recital of the whole quran is done by people who have committed the quran to memory.
ramadhan is there fore to commemorate the revelation of the whole quran.
the waking up and eating food at sunrise is called sahoor in arabic and the breaking of the
fast at sunset is called the fatoor or (iftar) in arabic. ramadhan is usually a month of
sharing too when friends, neighbors and relatives share food they will break the fast with.
very often it is the opportunity to gather and get together to break the fast. many
community centres and masjids and charities organised collective gatherings for breaking
the fast in ramadhan. after the fasting in the month of ramadhan there is the celebration
called the eid. that too is a moment of sharing presents, get togethers and since the fast
ends there then muslims rejoice with food and drink and new clothes.
zakaah (obligatory charity)
the fourth fundamental pillar of islam. there is no equivalent of this word zakaa in any
other language. it is an annual duty enjoined by allah upon those muslims who own
property or any wealth for the interest of the society.
"the meaning of zakat is to increase and to become pure. because the payment of zakaa
leads to an increase in wealth and considered to be a reason for its cleansing. this
obligation has been named zakaa (zakat) by the shari'a (islamic law). zakaa was declared
an obligation in the 2 (hijri) {islamic calendar year} prior to the ruling concerning
fasting. ( bulugh al maram, by ismail al sanani, book of zakat page 206)
it purifies ones wealth since allah has ordained for muslims in order to give in charity so
he will increase their sustenance. zakat is obligatory on the rich among the muslims to
provide financial assistance to poor muslims and it is understood that zakaa originating
from a certain city should be distributed to the poor of the same city itself. it also lightens
the burden of a muslim who owes money since it helps him to pay his debts.
the muslims have agreed indisputably that zakaa is obligatory, whoever denies it after
knowing this is a (disbeliever) out of the fold of islam. and whosoever is miserly,
withholding some or all of it, then he is an unjust oppressor befitting of punishment. (the
pillars of islam and iman and whatever every muslim must know about his religion by
muhammad bin jamil zeno, zakaa and its importance, page 159)
allah states in the holy quran:
chapter 2:
43. and perform as-salât (iqâmat-as-salât), and give zakât, and irka' (i.e. bow
down or submit yourselves with obedience to allâh) along with arraki'ûn.
110. and perform as-salât (iqâmat-as-salât), and give zakât, and whatever of good
(deeds that allâh loves) you send forth for yourselves before you, you shall find it
with allâh. certainly, allâh is all-seer of what you do.
zakaa is mandatory on four things.
1. the produce of the earth of grains and fruit

chapter 6:
141. and it is he who produces gardens trellised and untrellised, and date palms, and
crops of different shape and taste (its fruits and its seeds) and olives, and pomegranates,
similar (in kind) and different (in taste). eat of their fruit when they ripen, but pay the due
thereof (it’s zakât, according to allâh's orders 1/10th or 1/20th) on the day of its harvest,
and waste not by extravagance. verily, he likes not al-musrifûn (those who waste by
extravagance), (holy quran)2. gold silver and money.
chapter 9:
34 and those who hoard up gold and silver [al-kanz: the money, the zakât of which has
not been paid], and spend it not in the way of allâh, -announce unto them a painful
torment.
3. business or merchandise for sale.
4. livestock. there are certain amount of animals possessed on which a certain amount has
to be given in zakaa.
it is all clear laid down and made mandatory and it all has to be deposited into a fund, the
zakaa fund. it should be distributed to the destitute who possesses half his minimum
needs or less. also to the poor but better of than the destitute who possesses 70 or 80% of
his needs and to free slaves.
it is authentically reported that there were times in the history of islamic administration
when there were no person eligible to receive zakaa; every subject, muslim, christian and
jew of the vast islamic empire had enough to satisfy his need, and the rulers had to
deposit the zakaa collections in the public treasury. this shows that when the zakaa law is
enacted properly it minimizes the needs of the citizens and enriches the public treasury to
an extent that there will be no needy or poor and that enormous surpluses are available
( islam in focus by hammudah abd al 'ati page 95).
the last but not least pillar of islam is the hajj (pilgrimage to mecca) is obligatory, at least
once in a lifetime for the muslim, male or female who has the means and can afford it, are
sane and physically fit and has reached the age of puberty in islam. by being financially
able here means to be able to cover one's own expenses, and those left behind
(dependents) and having paid all of one's debts off and earns a legal earning. allah
explains this in the holy quran:
chapter 3:
97 and hajj (pilgrimage to makkah) to the house (ka'bah) is a duty that mankind owes to
allâh, those who can afford the expenses (for one's conveyance, provision and residence);
and whoever disbelieves [i.e. denies hajj (pilgrimage to makkah), then he is a disbeliever
of allâh], then allâh stands not in need of any of the 'alamîn (mankind and jinns).
the one who performs hajj properly is said to be rewarded with all his sins forgiven as if
he has just been born sin in islam every child is born sinless.
the hajj is the rite of spiritual enrichment and it is largest annual muslim gathering
denoting the universality of islam. it purifies the soul and nurtures noble qualities such as
generosity and modesty. the pilgrimage is to commemorate the divine rituals observed by
prophets abraham and ishmael, who are known to have been the first pilgrims to the first
house of god on earth .i.e. the kaaba at mecca (islam in focus, by hammuda abd al ati,
page 98)
the kaaba made by the prophet abraham and his son ismael as a house of god which was
commanded to him by allah in the holy quran it says:
chapter 2:
127 and remember abraham and isma'il raised the foundations of the house (with this
prayer): "our lord! accept (this service) from us: for thou art the all-hearing, the all-
knowing.
125 remember we made the house a place of assembly for men and a place of safety; and
take ye the station of abraham as a place of prayer; and we covenanted with abraham and
isma'il, that they should sanctify my house for those who compass it round, or use it as a
retreat, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer).
chapter 22:
26 behold! we gave the site, to abraham, of the (sacred) house, (saying): "associate not
anything (in worship) with me; and sanctify my house for those who compass it round, or
stand up, or bow, or prostrate themselves (therein in prayer).
the kaaba is the sacred house in the middle of the mosque the first time it was built was
by the angels then it was rebuilt by prophet adam where by it was jus a stone.
according to islam when the prophet ismael was born to hajar (hagar) (may peace be
upon them), sarah became intensely jealous of here and asked ibrahim (abraham) to take
here away from her. allah revealed to ibrahim to take her and her son to makkah, so
prophet ibrahim took here and her child and traveled until he left them in a place where
makkah (mecca) stands today.
after leaving hajar and her son there, he used to visit and keep check on them. on one of
his visits he found ismael sharpening an arrow beneath a tree, close to zamzam( a natural
spring that allah provided that is sill there today). when ismael saw him he stood up and
they greeted one another as father and son do. the ibrahim said "o, ismael allah has
ordered me to do something “ismael said “do what your lord has commanded you to do”,
ibrahim said “will you help me?” he said” i will help you.” he said “allah has commanded
me to build a house here,”____ he pointed to the small rise in the land that was higher
than the land around it (see the first drawing above).so they laid the foundations of the
house, the ismael started to bring the stones and abraham started to build. then when the
structure got higher he brought this stone (al maqam)* and put it down for him. ibrahim
stood on the stone and carried on the building work with ismael handing the stones to
him, and they were both saying while they were going around the house. (history of
makka, by safiur-rahman mubarakpuri pages 31-32)
chapter2
127 our lord! accept (this service) from us. verily you are the all hearer, the all knower
(holy quran)
the structure had been rebuilt several times after due to damage and floods etc. i would
like to remind you that muslims do not worship the kaaba nor the black stone which is on
there. it is only a direction where muslims all over the world have to face in order to pray.
after over 1400 years since the advent of islam and the muslim calendar the kaaba which
is in the middle of the grand masjid in mecca (known as the haram) looks like this.
the hajj involves much more than this and there are other places i haven’t mentioned
which are as important, but i suppose we can cross that bridge some other time.
aboo mohammad {posted with author's permision}
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