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A Brief Introducution to Islam |
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Islam was not born in the 7th century A.D.
Rather, it is the same religion that God revealed through His messengers (peace be upon them) to every people.
Islam sometimes seems strange to non-Muslims because it is a religion which impacts every part of life, from
eating and sleeping to working and playing. It is not only a personal religion, but also a social one.
Muslims seek to live in accordance with God's laws.
By doing so, they strive to obtain nearness to God and victory over temporary trials and temptations in this world.
All aspects of their practice including prayer, fasting, charity, and pilgrimage are intended to help meet this goal.
Although strict by secular standards, Islam is not an ascetic religion. Islam requires its followers to be active participants in their communities.
Muslims believe that God is One, indivisible, and
they believe in all the prophets of the Christians and Jews including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob,
Joseph, Job, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Elias, Jonah, John the Baptist, and Jesus (peace be upon them).
Muslims also recognize another prophet named Muhammad
(peace be upon him and his family), who is a direct descendant of Abraham through his first born son, Ishmael.
His prophethood is prophesied in the Bible in several places, including Deut 18:18 and John 4:16.
The Qur'an is the holy book of Muslims. It
contains many stories that are familiar to Christians and Jews. It was not created by man but was revealed
to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) through the Angel Gabriel at the command of God. It
contains no scientific fallacies or internal contradictions. In fact, it contains much scientific knowledge
discovered by scientists only in this century. The Qur'an is an unparalleled Arabic literary masterpiece.
Furthermore, it survives in its original revealed form.
Source: Islamic Information & News Network - Islam FAQ
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| The Five Pillars Of Islam |
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| Source: IslamiCity |
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| (1) Faith |
| There is no god worthy of worship except
God and Muhammad is His messenger. This declaration of faith is called the Shahada, a simple formula which all the faithful pronounce.
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| (2) PRAYER ( Prayer Performance ) |
Salat is the name for the obligatory prayers
which are performed five times a day, and are a direct link between the worshipper and God. There is no hierarchical
authority in Islam, and no priests, so the prayers are led by a learned person who knows the Quran, chosen by
the congregation. These five prayers contain verses from the Quran, and are said in Arabic, the language of the
Revelation, but personal supplication can be offered in one's own language.
Prayers are said at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset
and nightfall, and thus determine the rhythm of the entire day. Although it is preferable to worship together in
a mosque, a Muslim may pray almost anywhere, such as in fields, offices, factories and universities. Visitors to
the Muslim world are struck by the centrality of prayers in daily life.
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| (3) THE 'ZAKAT' (Alms-Giving) |
One of the most important principles of
Islam is that all things belong to God, and that wealth is therefore held by human beings in trust. The word zakat
means both 'purification' and 'growth'. Our possessions are purified by setting aside a proportion for those in need,
and, like the pruning of plants, this cutting back balances and encourages new growth.
Each Muslim calculates his or her own zakat individually.
For most purposes this involves the payment each year of two and a half percent of one's capital.
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| (4) The Fast |
Every year in the month of Ramadan, all
Muslims fast from first light until sundown, abstaining from food, drink, and sexual relations. Those who are sick,
elderly, or on a journey, and women who are pregnant or nursing are permitted to break the fast and make up an
equal number of days later in the year. If they are physically unable to do this, they must feed a needy person
for every day missed. Children begin to fast (and to observe the prayer) from puberty, although many start earlier.
Although the fast is most beneficial to the health, it
is regarded principally as a method of self purification. By cutting oneself off from worldly comforts, even for
a short time, a fasting person gains true sympathy with those who go hungry as well as growth in one's spiritual life.
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| (5) PILGRIMAGE (HAJJ) |
The annual pilgrimage to Makkah - the Hajj -
is an obligation for those who are physically and financially able to perform it. The annual Hajj begins in the twelfth
month of the Islamic year (which is lunar, not solar, so that Hajj and Ramadan fall sometimes in summer, sometimes in winter).
Pilgrims wear special clothes: simple garments which strip away distinctions of class and culture, so that all stand equal before God.
The rites of the Hajj, which are of Abrahamic origin,
include circling the Ka'ba seven times, and going seven times between the mountains of Safa and Marwa as did Hagar
during her search for water. Then the pilgrims stand together on the wide plain of Arafa and join in prayers for
God's forgiveness, in what is often thought of as a preview of the Last Judgment.
The close of the Hajj is marked by a festival,
the Eid al-Adha, which is celebrated with prayers and the exchange of gifts in Muslim communities everywhere.
This, and the Eid al-Fitr, a feast-day commemorating the end of Ramadan, are the main festivals of the Muslim calendar.
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| Additional Resources on Islam |
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IslamiCity Islam FAQ |
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Islam World |
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Brief Guide to Illustrated Islam |
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Explore, Discover, Be Convinced |
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| Interested In Islam!! |
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| If you are seriously interested in learning more about Islam,
please click here to submit your contact information or please call (734)467-7704. You can also request free literature from
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