Islam is the third and final of the Abrahamic faiths, along with Judaism and Christianity. These are the three monotheistic faiths i.e. a faith whose followers worship one God and do not associate any partners with God.
The God of the Jews Christians and Muslims is the one and only Creator of the universe and all that is therein.
The Jews call the Creator Yahweh, the Christians call the Creator God and the Muslims call the Creator Allah.
The Creator is logically the same Being regardless of the name by which He is called. Every faith had its Messenger, to the Jews – Moses. The Christians- Jesus and to the Muslims – Muhammed, the peace and blessings of Allah upon all of them.
Prophet Muhammed is known as the Seal of the Prophets, meaning that there will be no more prophets after him. Muslims believe in all the prophets from the very first one, prophet Adam. The forefather of the muslim nation was prophet Abraham, whose first born son Ishmael was the founder of the muslim nation as Isaac was the founder of the jewish nation.
It is an article of belief in Islam that Muslims accept and respect the two faiths that went before it. Over the course of 22 years the Holy Quran was revealed to Muhammed in revelations from God brought down to Muhammed by the Archangel Gabriel.
The first revelation came down to Muhammed when he was 40 years old and continued until shortly before his death at the age of 62. The Quran is the miracle of Islam and has remained unchanged in its content and language for over 1400 years. Since Muslims believe that the Quran is the word of God, it follows that it is considered an act of disbelief to attempt to change it.
The testament of Islam and its central pillar.
In English, to the nearest meaning this is
“There is no being worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammed is the Messenger of Allah”.
This is the statement that a person makes in order to become Muslim and these are the first words whispered into the ear of a baby born into a muslim family
The five times daily prayer.
Every adult Muslim, who is of sound mind, has to pray 5 times every day, at specified time periods.
These are:
In the month of Ramadan, when for 29 or 30 days, from the beginning of dawn until sunset, Muslims do not eat, drink or allow anything that could sustain them to pass down their throat.
Also, married couples are not allowed to have relations during this time.
Excluded from fasting are children below the age of puberty, ladies who are pregnant or breastfeeding or on their monthly cycle, people who would suffer as a result of an illness that is afflicting them, people who have to take medicines throughout the day etc and those who are travelling.
This is the physical visible aspect of fasting. The spiritual unseen aspect is the control of ones senses and base desires and the exercise of patience.
During Ramadan, a believer says extra prayers and tries to read as much Quran as possible.
This is often called charity, but this is not an accurate translation.
Zakah is a tax.
Payable at the rate of 2.5% upon a person’s surplus wealth.
By that is meant money which is left after a person has paid all their regular expenditure, bills, debts etc.
In other words, money for which you have no immediate use. Once this money has reached a certain level, Zakah has to be paid on it and this money is given to the poor, the needy, orphans, etc, who have a right over the people with more money than them, that it be given to them.
The word Zakah in Arabic means to purify, so by paying Zakah, a Muslim purifies the remainder of their money. Zakah is an obligation upon those who pay it and therefore it is not charity. Voluntary giving is Sadaqah and this can be done at any time, unlike Zakah, which has to be calculated and paid once every twelve lunar months(an Islamic year)
Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca during the month of Hajj in the Islamic calendar.
This is an obligation upon every adult who has the health and financial means to do it.
To do it once fulfils a Muslim’s obligation, but it can be performed as many times as one is able. To perform the rites of Hajj outside the month of Hajj, when there would be far fewer people is known as Umrah.
Also, married couples are not allowed to have relations during this time.
Excluded from fasting are children below the age of puberty, ladies who are pregnant or breastfeeding or on their monthly cycle, people who would suffer as a result of an illness that is afflicting them, people who have to take medicines throughout the day etc and those who are travelling.
