Religion has always been a huge part of our society as it gives people an identity, purpose and brings people together. The second-largest religion with over 1.9 billion followers (24.4%) of the world's population is the Islam religion, the people most commonly known as Muslims. The word “Islam” means “submission to the will of God.” Muslims worship one, all-knowing God, which in Arabic is known as Allah. Muslims aim to live a life of complete submission to Allah. Allah is the all-powerful and all-knowing ruler of the universe and the creator of everything in existence. Differing from the Christian religion, Muslims do not speak of God as their heavenly Father. In the Islamic faith, Allah is not only a different name for god; the deity it designates is far more impersonal than the God of the Bible. The name fits God as described in the Koran. Muslims have a belief in divine decree. This means that God is all-powerful and nothing can happen without His permission, however, He has given human beings the freedom to choose whether to be good or bad. In the end, everyone will be questioned about how they lived in this life.
Muhammad, (muh-haa-muhd) the prophet of Islam, was born in Mecca around the year 570. He was orphaned before he had reached the age of six, as he was raised by his uncle Abu Talib. Muhammad began working as a merchant and became known for his integrity. While meditating in a cave on Mount Hira, Muhammad had a revelation. He came to believe that he was called on by God to be a prophet and teacher of a new faith, Islam, which means literally 'submission.' This new faith incorporated aspects of Judaism and Christianity. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet, sent to present, confirm and protect the doctrine. Since the very beginning of Islam, Muhammad had instilled a sense of brotherhood and bond of faith throughout his followers, both of which helped to develop among them a feeling of a close relationship. Prophet Muhammad was the best of the Muslims because he sought to achieve perfection in his faith and his submission to the will of God - setting the example for the others.
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To communicate the truth of Divine Unity, God has sent messengers or prophets to human beings, whose weakness of nature makes them ever prone to forget or even willfully to reject the Divine Unity under the promptings of Satan. According to the Qurʾānic teaching, the being who became Satan (Shayṭān or Iblīs) had previously occupied a high station but fell from divine grace by his act of disobedience in refusing to honor Adam when he was ordered to do so. Since then his work has been to tempt humans into error and sin. Satan is, therefore, a sort of example of humanity, and Satan’s act of disobedience is interpreted by the Qurʾān as the sin of pride. Satan’s schemes will cease only on the Last Day as taught in the Qurʾān. Although Iblis (Shayṭān) is often compared to the devil in Christian theology, Islam rejects the idea that the devil is an opponent of God. Iblīs (or Eblis) is from a type of angel, who was created from fire. Iblis is a jinni differing from the angels, who are made out of light. Once an angel, Iblis turned into a jinn by his act of disobedience. But some Muslims claim he was never an angel in the first place.
Muslims believe in the holy books sent to all the prophets. This includes the Torah that was revealed to the prophet Moses, the Bible that was revealed to the prophet Jesus, and the Islamic sacred book they believe is the last revealed set of scripture God revealed and is known as the Koran or Qur'an. The Koran was believed to be the word of God as dictated to Muhammad by the archangel Gabriel. The Koran consists of 114 units of varying lengths, known as suras; the first sura is said as part of the ritual prayer. These touch upon all aspects of human existence, including matters of doctrine, social organization, and legislation. It is the speech of God revealed in the Arabic language to Muhammad during his mission of twenty-three years. The Qur'an was written down by scribes and memorized during the lifetime of Muhammad. The Qur'an emphasizes moral, ethical and spiritual values intending to establish justice for everyone. Many Muslims try to learn to read the Koran in its original language, Arabic. It is not uncommon for Muslims to memorize whole chapters of it. They read part of it every day. The Sunnah is a record of Muhammad's words and deeds. The Sunnah is used to help interpret the Koran. There is also instruction in it on belief, worship, and behavior.
The Five Pillars of Islam are the obligations that Muslims must satisfy to live a good and responsible life and to bring them closer to God. The first one called Shahadah, (declaration of faith) - to bear witness or testify that there is no god except one God (Allah) and Muhammad is His prophet or messenger. The second known as Salat (ritual prayer) - the five daily prayers are performed at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and night. The prayers are offered in the Arabic language and facing the direction of Mecca. The third called Sawm (fasting) - Muslims fast during the daylight hours in the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar called “Ramadan.” The purpose is to remind people of the goodness of what they have and to show equality with the poor. Ramadan is a time for study and self-discipline. The fourth is known as Hajj (pilgrimage) - Muslims believe in making a pilgrimage to Mecca to the Ka'bah at least once in their lifetime. The last pillar is known as Zakah (alms tax) - Giving 2.5% of one's wealth to the poor and needy.
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