Introduction
The human civilization is characterized by its high levels of diversity. These variations which are as a result of our cultural diversity and socialization are not only evident in our ways of life but also in the religious tenets that guide us. Religion is a system of faith that is based on the belief in a god(s) and the subsequent worship of the god(s). People practicing a religion follow practices that are believed to be agreeable to their deity.
Holy Scriptures may also exist which are used for worship. While there is no scientific evidence that proves the existence of the gods on whom religion is based on, there is agreement by general consensus that religion plays a key role in our lives. This paper shall give a detailed discussion of one of the world’s major religion, Islam. An in-depth look at the Islamic society and beliefs shall be provided so as to provide a deeper understanding of the Islamic religion.
Islam and its Scriptures
Islam is the religion practiced by Muslims and the name Islam means “peace through willing submission to Allah” (Gerner 5). The BBC records that the Islam faith has over a billion followers making it the second largest religion in the world only surpassed by Christianity. Islam is based on the teachings in the seventh century of the revered Prophet Muhammad. Muslims are monotheistic (believe in one god) and their core beliefs can be summed up as “believe in one god, Allah, and that Muhammad is the last prophet” (Gerner 6).
While many people view Islam as being inherently contradictory to the Christian faith, it is interesting to note that Islam embraces most of the Biblical teachings including the Bible’s Old testament prophets such as Moses, Elijah and Joshua to name but a few.
However, Islam believes that Jesus was but a prophet and his message was for people to surrender to the will of Allah and not follow him as Christianity teaches (Ammenah). The Prophet Muhammad is believed to have been the last and greatest prophet of Allah and it is through him that the Quran was manifested to man.
The Quran is the Islamic Holy book and it is believed to be the exact word of God. This Holy Book is regarded as one of the few legitimate sources of Islam and its authenticity and originality are utterly unquestionable in the eyes of a practicing Muslim (Real Islam). The Quran forms the basis for Muslim laws and code of conduct.
The Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in its original Arabic language over a period of 23 years. In the early years, the faithful committed the Quran to memory both out of reverence to the Holy text and for its preservations since few copies of the Holy Book existed
In addition to the Quran, there are other sources of religious material that are held as sacred by Muslims. One of these sources is the Sunnahs which are practices that the Prophet Muhammad carried out in his lifetime and how he acted in his everyday life (Real Islam). These were written by the followers of Muhammad about his life and they provide daily living examples for all Muslims since they tell the story of the great Prophets life history.
Another equally important source of religious material in Islam is the Hadith. Hadith has been the lens through which the words of the Quran have been seen, interpreted and acted upon (Cornel 5). For the non-Muslim, the Hadith contains an introductory into the world of Islam. The Hadith are documentations of what the prophet Muhammad said and approved off in his life as reported by his followers. The Hadith was codified as a source of legal guidance for the Muslim Faithful.
The Five Pillars
The Islam faith consists of the Five Pillars which consist of the most important practices in Islam. The First pillar is the Shahada which is the creed that expressed verbally once commitment to the basic ideals of the Islamic Faith. Gerner articulates that the Shahada consists of reciting “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger” (15). Only by reciting this in earnest can one become a fully fledged Muslim.
The next pillar in the Islamic faith is the Salat which is the mandatory Muslim prayers that are offered by the followers of Islam five times a day (Cornell 11). The prayers are offered from dawn just before the sun is up and at intervals through the day and the last prayer is offered between sunset and midnight. The Salat is one of the unifying universally embraced Muslim ritual and even Muslim children as young as 7 years old are encouraged to practice it.
Zakat is the third Pillar in Islam and it is concerned with being charitable by giving alms to the poor and needy in the society (Ameenah). This practice hinges on the Islamic belief of brotherhood and that it is the responsibility of those who are well off to share with the needy in the society. Zakat obtained by annually taxing the property of a Muslim and distributing the proceeds to the poor.
Fasting (Sawm) is the fourth Pillar of Islam and it required one to maintain a fast during the Holy month of Ramadan. All adults are obligated to refrain from eating, drinking, smoking or sexual activity during the fasting hours. The main reason for Sawm is to strengthen one spiritually as well as teach self discipline.
The last pillar of Islam is the Hajj which the annual pilgrim to Mecca. It is desirable that a Muslim faithful undertakes the journey to Mecca at least once in their lifetime if they can afford to. Mecca is the Holy city of Muslims and the first pilgrimage to Mecca was done by the Prophet Muhammad with his followers in the year 628 AD (islamworld). This practice has been carried out from that time to date. This ritual strengthens the bond between Muslims and as such, the ritual is of great significance.
Practicing Islam
As Islam is based on peace, a Muslim faithful is supposed to be at peace with all mankind. The character of a Muslim should closely emulate that of the Prophet Muhammad as recorded in the Sunnah and Hadith. Muslims are supposed to exercise justice to all and treat everyone as an equal since everyone is equal in the eyes of Allah. Islam dictates that sex outside the confines of marriage is unlawful (Haram) and is therefore forbidden (Ameenah).
Sex is only allowed for married people and it plays the role of procreation thus ensuring the continuity of the human race as well as creating a bond between a husband and wife. Family life in Islam is mostly patriarchal and the man is the head of the family. Islam accepts the practice of Polygamy and a man can have a maximum of four wives if he so wishes and can provide for them. The man is obligated to protect and provide for his wife/wives and children.
Muslims have two Holy festivals which are Eid ul Fitr and Eid Ul Adha. Eid ul Firt marks the end of Ramadan and the festival begins when the new moon is sighted in the skies (Cornell 21). Eid ul Adha which is marked by a four day holiday in most Islamic Nations remembers the prophets Ibrahim’s devotion to Allah by his willingness to sacrifice Isaac.
Conclusion
Religion is a very important aspect to us as human beings. It has been known to instill virtues and values to all and help man cope with the hardships that come with life. This paper set out to give a detailed discussion of the Islamic Faith. To this end, the religious texts used in Islam have been identified and elaborated on.
The practices that make up the pillars of the religion have also been stated and the character of a Muslim faithful highlighted. It is hoped that an understanding of Islam as a religion will led to a deeper appreciation of Muslims leading to a more harmonic coexistence among the various religions in the world.
Works Cited
Ameenah, A. “The True Religion.” 2006. Web.
BBC. “Religions, Islam at a glance“. 2009 Web.
Cornel, J. C. “Voices of Islam: Voices of tradition.” Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007.
Gerner, K. “Islam.” Marshall Cavendish, 2008. Print.
Real Islam. “Muslim Belief”. 2009 Web.