ISLAM

The Basics
Second Edition

TRANQUIL HEART MEDIA

ISLAM
The Basics
Second Edition

In the Name of God, the All-Merciful, the Compassionate

Islam: The Basics Authored and edited by Naoman Kaleem First edition published by This-is-Islam.co.uk in June 2009 / Rajab 1430 AH Second edition published by Tranquil Heart Media in Nov 2012 / Muharram 1434 AH Copyright 2012/1434 AH Tranquil Heart Media. Permission is granted to reproduce this book in its entirety, without any alterations, for personal and educational use only. Commercial copying, hiring, and lending is prohibited. www.this-is-islam.co.uk

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Introduction
Islam is a universal faith that includes all people and cultures. Unfortunately, it has been widely misinterpreted, mainly due to a lack of knowledge about it. Without correct knowledge, people have developed wrong understandings, missed out important facts, and spread myths about this religion. The situation is worsened further by the fact that one often comes across prejudices in the information that is available about this tradition. Thus, there is a requirement to make clear what Islam is and who Muslims are. This book is a broad introduction to the key beliefs and principles of Islam. It concerns itself with subjects that are central to an accurate perception of the faith so that the above requirement can be met at a basic level. All good found in this book is from God, whilst all defects and faults it may contain are the responsibility of the author. And God alone gives success.

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Islam and Muslims

Islam is an Arabic word that means peace and submission. The religion of Islam means total submission to God. It is wrong to call it Mohammadanism as this suggests worship of the Prophet Muhammad. A Muslim is someone who follows the religion of Islam. It means someone that submits willingly to the teachings of God. Muslims make up a fifth of the worlds population. Islam is not a new religion. It is the same guidance that God revealed through all His Prophets to all people. The message revealed to the Prophet Muhammad is Islam in its final form.
BELOW: Map showing the distribution of Muslims in the World.

There are more than one billion Muslims in the world from a lot of races and cultures. The worlds largest Muslim society is in Indonesia. There are large Muslim populations in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. There are also large Muslim minorities in Russia, China, India, and Europe. Muslims think Islam is a complete way of life. Thus, they take issues of religion very seriously. Divine Law is known as Sharia and Muslims believe that it is an important part of society.

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Islamic Belief
Muslims believe in One, Unique, and Genderless God. They believe He is the Sole Creator of the Universe and has full Authority over destiny. Allah is the Arabic name of God, which is used by Arab Muslims and non-Muslims alike. The word Allah has a common origin with the Hebrew words Elah and Elohim, which were used to refer to God by the prophets Moses and Jesus. Muslims also believe in Angels that are created by God. Like God, these Angels are neither male nor female. They are created from light and follow the orders of God. Muslims believe in a chain of prophets through whom Gods revelations were brought to mankind. These prophets include the prophets Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, John the Baptist, and Jesus. The last of the prophets was the Prophet Muhammad. The Prophet Muhammad is a descendant of the Prophet Abraham through his eldest son Ishmael. MoABOVE: The Arabic and Hebrew names for God. BELOW: The tomb of the Prophet Abraham in Hebron. Islam, Christianity and Judaism can all trace their roots back to him.

ses and Jesus are descendants through Abrahams son Isaac. Thus, Christianity, Islam and Judaism have a shared heritage.

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Some prophets were given books as part of their revelation. Muslims believe in the Torah of Moses, the Psalms of David, and the Gospel of Jesus. Muslims believe that Gods final message to all of mankind was the Quran. It was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel. The Quran confirms and invalidates the revelations that came before it. Muslims believe in life after death and resurrection. They believe that the present life is only a preparation for the next life, and that humans will be accountable for all their actions on the Day of Judgment. Your actions in this life will determine whether you spend the next life in Paradise or in Hell. One becomes a Muslim by saying and believing that there is no god apart from God, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God. This
BELOW: Part of a manuscript of the Quran published in Muslim Spain in the 12th century CE. Muslims believe that it is the final revelation to mankind.

statement declares ones belief in God, in all His messengers, and in the revelations they brought.

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Prophet Muhammad
Muhammad was born in the city of Makkah in Arabia in the year 570 CE. He is a direct descendant of the prophet Abraham through his eldest son Ishmael. His parents had both died by the time he was aged 7 years old, and so he was raised by his uncle from the respected tribe of Quraysh. Like many previous prophets, Muhammad spent his youth working as a shepherd. He quickly became known for his truthfulness and generosity. People would often ask him to help settle arguments, and he was known as Al-Amin, which means the trustworthy one. Muhammad was also known for being deeply religious. He hated the moral corruption and idol worship in his society. He started to meditate for periods of time in the Cave of Hira, which is located in the Mountain of Light on the outskirts of Makkah.
ABOVE: The entrance to the Cave of Hira on the outskirts of the city of Makkah. It was here that the Prophet Muhammad received his first revelation from the Angel Gabriel.

At the age of 40 years, whilst in the Cave of Hira, Muhammad received his first revelation from God through the Angel Gabriel. This revelation continued for twenty three years, and is known as the Quran. Muhammad began to preach to the people of Makkah. However, most of them opposed Muhammad. They fiercely persecuted him and his followers.

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The environment in Madinah allowed the Muslims to be safe and to grow in number. Yet the Makkans still were a threat and some battles took place between them. Eventually, Muhammad and his followers were victorious and forgave their Makkans. Islam was thus established in Makkah. By the time the Prophet Muhammad died aged 63 years old, most of Arabia was Muslim. A century later, Islam had spread as far as Spain and Morocco in the West and China in the East.

ABOVE: The route taken by the Prophet Muhammad on his Hijra from Makkah to Madinah in 622 CE.

In the year 622 CE, the Muslims were ordered by God to emigrate to the city of Madinah, which is about 260 miles to the north of Makkah. This journey is known as the Hijra in Arabic, and is the start of the Muslim calendar.
ABOVE: A map showing the extent of the Muslim empire in 750 CE. This was only 100 years after the death of the Prophet Muhammad.

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The Quran
The Quran is a complete record of the exact words that God revealed to the Prophet Muhammad through the Angel Gabriel. It was memorized by the Prophet Muhammad and many of his Companions. The Prophet Muhammad also dictated it to his scribes, who wrote it down and cross-checked it with him. The Quran consists of 114 chapters, and not one word in it has been changed over the centuries. It has been passed down the generations by memorization and by writing. The current Quran is the same unique text that was revealed over fourteen centuries ago.
BELOW: Extract from a Quranic manuscript that dates back to circa 7th-8th century CE. It is housed in Uzbekistan.

Muslims believe the Quran to be the last revealed Word of God and the main source of faith and practice. It deals with all subjects relating to humans, such as wisdom, worship and law; and it provides guidelines for a just and moral society with a fair economic system. However, its main theme is the relationship between God and His creation. The Sunna is the practice and example of the Prophet Muhammad. It is the second sacred source of authority for Muslims. It was recorded by the companions of the Prophet Muhammad via trustworthy reports of what he said, did, or approved of. These reports are known in Arabic as ahadith.

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The Spread of Islam

After the death of the Prophet Muhammad, the Muslim society kept on growing. Within a few decades, Islam was the way of life for many people in Asia, Africa and Europe. This swift spread of Islam was in part due to its plain call to the worship of One God. Other reasons were its call for people to use their powers of observation and intellect, and its concepts of equality, justice and freedom. These ideals all helped to bond the global community of believers, which stretched from Spain to China. As more people entered Islam, they brought with them knowledge of ancient cultures like Egypt, Greece and Persia. Muslims had respect for this wisdom and tried to preserve their works. Muslim scholars travelled all through the known world and translated books of learning into Arabic. After a short time, great universities of the Muslim world became places were Eastern and Western ideas, and old and new thoughts, were joined. This allowed scholars to make progress in fields such as medicine, physics, history and art. People travelled from all over the world to study in Muslim institutes. Muslims passed on key ideas, such as algebra and Arabic numbers, to medieval Europe. This played a part in leading to the Renaissance. They also invented complex devices and formed detailed maps that allowed European journeys to the rest of the world.

RIGHT: An astrolabe. This instrument was invented by Muslims to help in navigation of the oceans.

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The Five Pillars of Islam

The five pillars of Islam are the basis of, and central to, Muslim life. They are (1) the testification of faith, (2) the ritual prayer, (3) the welfare tax, (4) fasting in the month of Ramadan, and (5) pilgrimage to the Kaba in Makkah. The first pillar of Islam is to state that There is no god worthy of worship except God and Muhammad is His messenger. This is called the Shahada, and must be pronounced with sincere belief by every Muslim. The Shahada implies that ones sole purpose in life is to obey the One God. This is achieved by following the example of the Prophet Muhammad, as he was the one sent with the message of guidance by God.
BELOW: The Shahada in Arabic calligraphy.

The ritual prayer, called Salat, is the second pillar of Islam. It is performed five times every day by Muslims and allows a direct personal link between the worshipper and God. The prayers are performed at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and nightfall; thus reminding one of God all through the day. Regular prayer helps prevent one from evil deeds and gives a chance to seek Gods pardon for any misdeeds. It consists of verses from the Quran and other supplications said in Arabic. Although it is preferred to pray together in a mosque for men, a Muslim can pray almost anywhere, such as at home, work or school. Before praying, one has to be ritually purified. This is achieved by the ablution, which consists of washing ones face, hands, forearms, and feet with water. Then when the time for prayer enters, a person in the mosque performs the Adhan, which is the call to prayer.

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The third pillar of Islam is called Zakat, which means both purification and growth. It is based on the important belief of Islam that everything belongs to God, and so wealth is held by humans as a trust. By setting aside a part of our wealth each year for those in need and for society in general, our wealth is purified and new growth is encouraged. Each Muslim works out their own zakat. This usually involves the payment of two and a half percent of ones capital every year. A Muslim is also encouraged to give extra voluntary charity on top of the zakat, and this can take many diverse types. The Prophet Muhammad said even meeting your brother with a smile is an act of charity. Fasting from dawn till sunset in the Islamic month of Ramadan is the fourth pillar of Islam. It consists of abstaining from food, drink, sexual relations, and bad behaviour. Fasting allows one to gain spiritual closeness to God by being thankful for what one has been blessed with and by sympathising with the poor. The fifth pillar of Islam is the pilgrimage to the Kaba in Makkah, which is known as Hajj. It is a duty to perform at least once in a lifetime by every single Muslim who is physically and financially able to do so. The timing of the Hajj is during the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar every year. The Kaba is the place of worship which God commanded the Prophets Abraham and Ishmael to build over four thousand years ago. God then commanded Abraham to summon all mankind to visit this place to worship Him. During the pilgrimage, the pilgrims wear simple clothes to strip away distinctions of class and culture, so that they all stand equal before God. They also enter a spiritual state and are forbidden from any bad deeds, such as arguing or even harming an insect. TRANQUIL HEART MEDIA 9

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Muslims believe that the Hajj is based on the actions of the Prophet Abraham and his kin. These rites include visiting the Kaba and standing at the plains of Arafat. It is a unique opportunity for Muslims to reflect on their lives and to refocus on God. The Hajj ends with the Festival of Sacrifice, which honours Prophet Abrahams readiness to sacrifice his own son for God.

ABOVE: A picture of people performing the circumambulation of the Kaba as part of the Hajj pilgrimage.

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Islam and Other Beliefs

Islam has many similarities in beliefs and values with Christianity and Judaism. This is because of the shared source of these faiths. Thus, Jews and Christians are exclusively identified in Islam by the name People of the Book. Muslims have a deep respect of and esteem the Prophet Jesus, whom they consider one of Gods supreme messengers to mankind. The Quran verifies his virgin birth, his miracles, and his second coming. Mary is regarded as one of the purest women of all creation. There is also a strong respect of the Prophet Moses among Muslims, and the Quran confirms his miracles and that he spoke to God. An instance of interfaith support between Muslims and Christians was in the time of the Prophet Muhammad. The Prophet and his people were hugely oppressed by the polytheists of Makkah.
RIGHT: Islam, Christianity, and Judaism have similarities in beliefs & values.

So the Prophet sent some of his group to seek refuge with the Christian king of Abyssinia. The king paid attention to the envoy with great respect and gladly granted the Muslims refuge. Guarding of the rights of nonMuslims is a central part of Islamic law. It protects non-Muslim minorities and lets them set up their own courts, which apply family laws drawn up by themselves. The Quran explicitly forbids the forced conversion of a person to Islam. The past gives many examples of Muslim patience of other faiths. These include freedom of worship for all those in Jerusalem after its Muslim conquest and the good treatment of Jews and Christians in Muslim Spain.

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Misunderstandings about Islam

Islam is often seen on the front page of tabloids for all the wrong reasons. It means peace, but some people have twisted this peaceful way of life for their own personal and political gains. A small number of ignorant Muslims have used Islam to defend their cruel and heartless acts. Some policy makers, faith leaders and media agents have found Islam to be the best scapegoat. They use the deeds of a few to help drive large populations to vote for them, to donate to their ministries, and to read and watch their newspapers and television shows. By seeing a faith through unique and key world events and forming a view on it by the conduct of a few, many in the West have failed to grasp the true meaning of Islam.

ABOVE: Some of the front page headlines that have appeared about Islam in the tabloids.

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War in Islam
Islam allows combat in self-defence, in defence of ones faith, or in defence of those whose human rights have been abused. However, even in these cases Islamic law lays down strict laws of war. Rules of war include a ban on hurting civilians and on damaging crops, trees and livestock. Thus, the bombing of urban zones with civilians is not allowed in Islamic law. Muslims believe that lack of justice and fairness would be dominant in the world if decent folk were not ready to fight for a just cause against the unjust. The Arabic word Jihad is commonly thought to mean holy war. This is a strange idea in Islam, and actually the word means to struggle. This struggle includes the internal effort against ones own evil, the exertion for morality and good amongst the public, and when required on the battleground. Thus, war is the last resort. Muslims respect those who have given their lives in protecting their nation and their way of life. Sincerely giving ones life for the sake of others is deemed a praiseworthy act. Nevertheless, deliberate suicide despite the aim is strictly denounced in Islam. A Muslim can only go to war with the permission of the leader of the land in which he or she is a resident. The Quran orders that warfare must stop if the foe desires it, and peace treaties have contributed in contact between Muslim and non-Muslim states in the past.

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Islam and Human Rights

As stated in the Quran, God has created the entire human race equal, and has given each the right to follow their own destiny. The life, honour and assets of all people in a Muslim society are deemed as sacred, whether the person is a Muslim or not. Racism, sexism and injustice of any type are not tolerable in Islam. The right to life is a central human right, and the Quran links the unfair killing of a sole person to the murder of all humans. Muslim law has stern rules to guard key human rights, such as personal safety, privacy, respect, and religion. It also bans slavery and cruel punishments.

Islamic Customs
The dietary law of Muslims is much simpler than that of the Jews and the early Christians. However, Islam does ban the intake of pig meat, the meat of animals that eat meat, and any intoxicant. The Prophet Muhammad taught the value of the body having rights. Thus, the consuming of healthy food and the leading of a healthy way of life are seen as religious duties.
RIGHT: Alcohol and pork are some of the foods that are forbidden in Islamic dietary law.

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Women in Islam
According to the Quran, men and women are equal in front of God. They have both been formed for the single aim of worshipping God by means of faith and good actions. Women are given precise rights in Islam, such as the right to learn, the right to earn, the right to select a husband, and the right to inherit. Muslims judge that male and female are balanced creatures that complement each other. They equally show basic aspects of the flawless creative action of God as all creation is either male or female. Women are presumed to perform all the basic Muslim religious customs just like men and are not barred from any of Islams sacred places. However, they are exempt from carrying out some practices when they go through menstruation or are pregnant.
TOP RIGHT: The entrance to the womens section of Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo, Egypt. Women are not barred from sacred places in Islam.

Just like in Orthodox Judaism, men and women in Islam are assigned their own separate spaces in places of worship. This is not done as a symbol of prejudice, but as a workable way of cutting the chance of distraction in worship. A Muslim marriage is not a sacrament but a plain legal contract in which each spouse is free to add in clauses. A dowry is bestowed by the groom to the bride for her own use, and she keeps her own family name rather than taking her husbands. Divorce is not outlawed, but is considered the last option. The Quran permits a man to wed up to four wives at the same point in time. However, he must be able to give the same maintenance, time and housing for each wife. 15

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Some Muslims think that marrying more than one wife is a practical choice in some cases. These may include after a war in which many men of marriageable age have been killed leaving huge numbers of widows, or when the first wife is not able to have kids. Polygamy occurs in less than two percent of marriages in the Muslim world. It is far less widespread than adultery is in a lot of non-Muslim cultures. In these cultures, the second woman in a relationship is often looked down upon and does not have the same legal rights as the wife. Islam approves human sexuality as a gift from God and a method for getting divine reward. Thus, celibacy is viewed as a barrier to religious life.
BELOW: A veiled women in Palestine. The hijab consists of covering all of ones body, except the face, hands and feet.

Islam regards the body and soul to be strongly related, and so sex out of marriage is not allowed. Sex outside of the outline that is blessed by God will thus harm the soul rather than cleanse it, impair the institution of marriage and family, and may ease the spread of disease. Muslims believe that Gods aim for creating sex is to join two differing creatures that complement each other, and to produce offspring. Thus, homosexuality is viewed as improper. Muslim women dress in a way that is modest and honoured. The point of the clothes is to guard oneself from natural elements and to shield oneself from immorality and pride. The Muslim notion of dress relates to both men and women. It places requirements of moral and polite communication between men and women. This stops them from forming shallow opinions of other people based on how they look, and lets them focus on more important matters.

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Picture Sources
WIKIMEDIA.ORG pages 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 14, 15 and 16. Kaaba Mirror Image (page 10) taken by Muhammad Mahdi Karim, Micro2Macro.net Map of Hijra route (page 5) taken from Alamini.net. The Muslim empire 750 CE (page 5) taken from H.G. Wells, A Short History of the World, (London: 1922). An astrolabe (page 7) taken from agmgifts.co.uk. All images accessed in 2009.

Further Reading
Winter TJ & Williams JA. Understanding Islam and the Muslims: The Muslim Family and Islam and World Peace. Fons Vitae, 2002.

Internet Sources
http://this-is-islam.co.uk/ http://www.discoverislam.com/