by Nate
I testify that there is no God but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is a messenger of Allah. – Shahadah (Muslim declaration of belief)
The literal definition of Islam is "peace through the submission to God". It is a monotheistic religion that originated in Mecca, Saudi Arabia in 610 AD. To its followers, Islam sets the law for all ways of life, including the moral, spiritual, social, political, economical and intellectual aspects. The Qur'an is the holy book of Islam, believed by its followers to have been created by the one God, Allah, and recorded by Muhammad and his followers. To be recognized as a Muslim, one must believe and be guided by the Qur’an, as well as be committed to the Five Pillars of Islam and the Six Articles of Faith. However, each of the four major sects of Islam interprets these documents, as well as the history of Islam, differently. These sects are often in bitter conflict with each other due to their fundamental differences and a refusal to acknowledge the others as true Muslims; they are Sunni, Shi’a, Ahmadiyya, and Sufism.
The Five Pillars of Islam are practices that Muslims must live by. They begin with Shahadah, which declares the follower’s dedication to Allah, and to Muhammad as Allah’s prophet. The second pillar is prayer, which must be performed five times a day. The third pillar involves setting aside a small portion of one’s earnings every year to be given to the needy. The fourth pillar is fasting, and occurs from dawn until sundown during the month of Ramadan. The fifth and last pillar is pilgrimage, a journey made to Mecca by all those who are able.
The Six Articles of Faith are basic beliefs that define a Muslim. The first article is the belief in one God, Allah. The second is the belief in angels, and that they were created by the Allah. The third is the belief in Allah’s scriptures, including the Qur’an; the fourth is faith in Allah’s prophets, such as Muhammad, and the fifth is belief in resurrection and the Day of Judgment. The sixth and final article is the belief that Allah is all-knowing, and has control over everything in the universe.
Muhammad was born in Mecca in 570 AD and died in Medina, another Arabian city, at the age of 62. For most of Muhammad's life he worked as a shepherd and a merchant; however, he was not satisfied with his life and set out to the surrounding mountains to meditate. It was there that Muhammad was visited by the angel Gabriel, who gave him a verse of the Qur'an. Gabriel visited Muhammad many more times, teaching him of the Qur’an and of Allah. Muhammad came to believe that he had been chosen as one of Allah’s prophets, and began to preach to others what he learned.
Works Cited
"30 Facts About Islam." MeccaCentric - MeccaCentric. Web. 30 Nov. 2010. http://www.meccacentric.com/30_facts.html
Bard, Mitchell. "Muhammad." Jewish Virtual Library - Homepage. Jewish Virtual Library, 2005. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/Muhammad.html
"Islam Guide: What Are the Five Pillars of Islam?" Islam Guide: A Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam, Muslims, & the Quran. Web. 05 Dec. 2010. http://www.islam-guide.com/ch3-16.htm
IslamReligion.com. "Muhammad’s Biography (part 4 of 12): Persecution in Mecca." The Religion of Islam. 13 Feb. 2006. Web. 05 Dec. 2010. http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/172/
ReligionFacts." Religion, World Religions, Comparative Religion - Just the Facts on the World's Religions. Religion Facts. Web. 28 Nov.
"Six Articles of Faith." Muslim Bridges. Web. 05 Dec. 2010. http://www.muslimbridges.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=454:six-articles-of-faith&catid=18:understanding-islam-a-muslims&Itemid=103
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