Islam and Sufism - Essay Example

Islam: Sufism is generally known as Tasawuf by many Muslims. The word has no Islamic significance. Indeed, it is a man-invented word used as a title for people that are extremely religious in their practices. In olden times, people who were extremely knowledgeable in Islam and who would advise others to follow the teachings of Allah were known as Sufis. The five pillars of Islam are faith in Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.), the establishment of Salaat, fasting, giving charity, and making a pilgrimage to Makkah.

These are the five most fundamental requirements everybody has to fulfill in the capacity of being a Muslim. In order to express faith in Allah and Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.), or in other words, in order to be a Muslim, one has to say the Karma. After saying the Karma, one becomes a Muslim. As a Muslim, one is obliged to say Salaat five times a day. One is obliged to fast in the month of Ramadan, though one may fast off and on or on a regular basis in addition to Ramadan. One should give Zakat to people and perform Hajj if one has enough money or if one can make it anyway.

Shi’as and Sunnis both have the same beliefs. Both believe in the five pillars of Islam and have the Quran as the Holy Book, though the two differ in their understanding of the way things happened in Islamic history. The fundamental cause of division was the choice of the leader for the Muslim community after the last Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.). Sunnis believe that Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) had chosen Abu Bakr as the leader whereas Shi’as argue that Ali should have been elected as the leader (BBC).

Quran is the Holy Book written by Allah, the creator of the universe and everything in it. Each and every word in Quran comes straight from Allah through Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.). Quran offers a complete way of life as Allah wants mankind to spend and on the merit of which, people will be rewarded or punished on the Day of Judgment. Quran tells us what to do. In order to understand how something should be done, one has to follow the Hadith. Hadiths are the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.). Whatever Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) said, Muslims are obliged to follow that because that is straight from Allah.

Practice is something that is repetitious in nature like Salat in Islam. There are five Salats in Islam namely, Fajr, Zur, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha. These five Salats are not optional in Islam, they are compulsory. A Muslim is supposed to start performing Salat five times a day, every day, the day he/she turns seven, and the practice has to be continued until the last breath. A Muslim can not leave Salat no matter what the case. Even if an individual is not feeling well, or he/she can not walk or sit, Allah, obliges the individual to perform Salat in bed.

The very first question Allah will ask people on the Day of Judgment will be about Salat.