The Basic Principles of the Islamic Religion: the Words of the Holy Quran - Research Paper Example

 Mohammad Ibn Abd Allah was born in the year 570 CE in Mecca (modern day Saudi Arabia). At the time of Mohammad’s birth, Mecca and the surrounding region Hijaz, were the sites of worship for three important idols, believed to be “the daughters of Allah” one God. People came from Western and Central Arabia to worship at the sanctuary in Mecca called Kaaba, the House of God. Abraham their ancestor built the Kaaba some two thousand years before Mohammad’s birth, but it had since become more of a community-gathering place, and the worship of idols had overtaken the genuine worship of one God. Muhammad refused to worship the idols and tribal deities and instead preferred to worship one God of Abraham. He then began retreating for prayer, in a small cave in the mountains near Mecca, at the age of forty where he prayed and meditated about the meaning of his life. After five years of yearly retreating in the cave during Ramadan, the angel Gabriel appeared to him. Gabriel declared Muhammad a messenger of God and made him recite a set of sacred words coming from the Divine. The Quran comprises of the recitations of the revelations he received for the next 22 years (O’connor, 2009). His teaching of these revelations in Mecca was met with numerous resistances mostly because his message posed a threat to polytheism and other political as well as economic powers. As a result of this, Mohammad found his first followers in the lower class society along with people who wanted a new social order. In the year 622 he travelled to Yathrib, an event called “Hejira” because it marked the turning point of Islam. From there onwards, Islam was no longer just a religious but a strong political power. The community of believers turned into a nation with Muhammad acting as the religious and political leader. Muhammad and his followers took over Mecca in 630 without any resistance. By the period of his demise in 632, Islam had spread to parts of Asia, Africa and Europe, and today Islam has well over 450 million followers around the world (Goldschmidt & Davidson, 2013). The Islamic principles Islam means absolute submission to the will of Allah and those who willingly submit to his will become Muslims. For one to become Muslim, one must live according to the words of the Holy Quran and believe in God, Angels, revelations, prophets, resurrection, judgment and predestination. These are the basic principles of the Islamic religion. The five pillars From the Quran, there are five pillars that should be observed by Muslims and they include; 1. Witness (Shahadah) This is a profession that says, “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad (PBUH) is the Messenger of Allah” (Gulen, & Keeler, 2006). A Muslim’s entire life depends on this declaration of faith. This affirmation constitutes acceptance of the whole message of Islam. The words of the Shahadah are uttered fourteen times a day if a Muslim performs all daily prayers. The Shahadah is often heard at every significant occasion of a Muslim’s existence from birth to demise and so many times in between the phases of life. 2. Prayer (Salat) Prayer is a pure devotion- it is an absolute praise of God where nothing is asked for, nothing is sought but God alone. There are two specific words for prayer: ‘dua’, which means petition or supplication and ‘dhikr’, which means remembrance. These two can be said individually. The prescribed liturgy that includes body movement; saying of the prayers in Arabic and recitation of the Quran, all of which are preceded by ritual ablution is referred to as ‘Salat’. Prayers are made five times a day. The weekly noonday prayers on Fridays are a communal Salat directed by the Imam who leads rows of men in prayers. Women often conduct their prayers at home (Haleem, 2010). 3. Fasting (Sawm) Fasting is mostly reserved for the month of Ramadan. In Sura 2:182-185, the Quran spells out the rationale for fasting and what is required of the Muslim during this time of self-preservation (Ali, 1951). The month of Ramadan was chosen because it was in the final ten days of Ramadan that Muhammad experienced his “nights of power” and first received revelations from Allah. Ramadan has two sides: negative (self-denial) and positive (appreciation of simple gifts from Allah like food, drink and charity to neighbors) From sunrise to sunset for 29-30 days, one is supposed to fast from food, drink (including water), gambling, sexual activity and all sensual pleasures. Total abstinence reminds a Muslim that each life is one of sacrifice finally dependant on God. 4. Almsgiving (Zakat) This is one example of Islam’s concerns for the poor. It is a kind of social security system, and it helps a Muslim community share its wealth and maintain equality. Zakat is a tax of 2.5% of one’s yearly savings. Almsgiving is an act of worship where the money obtained is used for the poor, needy, disabled and other deprived people. Zakat literally means purification as it purifies the giver and what is given. 5. Pilgrimage (Hajj) The cube-shaped building in the middle of the courtyard of the Grand Mosque in Mecca is considered the holy of holies in Islam. The Kaaba is not a perfect cube and is approximated to be thirty feet by length and fifty feet high. It is enclosed with a black cloth with some Quran verses embroiled on it with gold. The black stone that is located on the eastern of the Kaaba is usually the main object of interest and the focal point of the pilgrims as they walk round the Kaaba. It is compulsory for every able-bodied Muslim to visit Mecca no less than once in their lifetime (Goldschmidt & Davidson, 2013). Duties of a Muslim Jihad is a religious Muslim duty that means struggle. A true Muslim is expected to take on the struggle of life as laziness is condemned. Other duties include the five pillars. Prohibitions of Muslim These prohibitions are only serve to guard a person against things that are seem likely to harm the one’s spiritual, mental, physical and social state. These include; murder/suicide, shirk, adultery/fornication, consumption of unlawful food, stealing orphan’s property, magic/fortune telling, running away in wars, dealing in interest, falsely accusing chaste women, intoxicants and gambling, disrespecting parents and backbiting (Haleem, 2010). Sunni Muslims and Shi’a Muslims Both the Sunni and the Shi’a Muslims share the most basic Islamic beliefs and articles of faith. The significant difference between these two was brought about by political differences (Matthee, 2008). The death of Muhammad brought about the question of leadership. The prophet’s companions, those who were capable to take up the job, take the Sunni Muslims saw it fit that leadership. They therefore, elected leaders who were close to Muhammad and his advisor Abu Bakr became the first Caliph of the Islamic nation. Thus, the word ‘Sunni’, which means, “one who follows the traditions of the prophet” in Arabic. Conversely, other Muslims felt that leadership should stay within the prophet’s own kin. Those he specifically appointed or the Imams that were appointed by God himself. They felt that after Muhammad’s death, leadership should have passed directly to his son-in-law, or his cousin. The shi’a Muslims do not recognize the elected leaders, and they follow a line Imams whom they believe were appointed by God or Muhammad. ‘shi’a’ means “people of the household”. Arabs and Muslims There has been a stereotype for a period of time that Muslims and Arabs are one and the same person, but this is not true. Muslims are believers of a religious sect that is Islam. Arabs, on the other hand, are people who inhabit the Arabian region. Arabs thus have a nationality, and they speak the national language Arabic. This differentiates the two because Muslims have different nationalities and languages and they are also found in different parts of the world while Arabs are only found in the Arabian region. An Arabian national has the freedom to choose his own religion. Research shows that there are currently 1.5 billion Muslims around the world that makes around one-fourth of the total population of the world. It is therefore, correct to say that there are more Muslims than Arabs in the world. To simply explain the difference between Muslims and Arabs, one can say that Muslims are not always Arabs, and Arabs are not always Muslims (Matthee, 2008). In conclusion, this paper discusses the Islamic religion extensively, and it gives a better understanding of the religion that has often been stereotyped as a “boy scout movement” that teaches twisted teachings about terrorism and oppresses women. References Ali, M. (1951). The holy Quar'an (4th ed.). Lahore: Ahmadiyah Anjuman Isha'at Islam. Haleem, M. A. S. A. (2010). The Quran: English translation with parallel Arabic text. Oxford: OUP Oxford. Goldschmidt, A., & Davidson, L. (2013). A concise history of the Middle East. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. Gulen, M. F., & Keeler, A. (2006). Selected prayers of Prophet Muhammad and great Muslim saints. Somerset, N.J: The Light. Matthee, H. (2008). Muslim identities and political strategies: a case study of Muslims in the greater Cape Town area of South Africa, 1994-2000. Kassel: Kassel Univ. Press. O’connor, F. (2009). History of Islam. New York: Rosen Pub. Read More