Islam |
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Islam is a strictly monotheistic religion, and nowadays there are around 1.4 billion Muslim followers worldwide, of which around 19% are Arabs.
Islam is a religion that worships Allah, which in Arabic means ‘the God’. Islam in Arabic stands for ‘submission’, submission and obedience to Allah’s word. Followers of Islam are called Muslims. The Qur’an is their holy book, which states that the centre of Islam is faith in Allah, His revelations, His angels, His messengers, the Judgement Day and the predestination.
The Qur'an states Mohammed as a God’s Prophet. He is not to be worshiped but to be respected and revered. His life and teachings, described as Sunnah, are the other fundamental source of Islamic faith and provide examples of how one should live his/her life. Muhammad's prophecy is viewed as the succession of a revelation that began with Adam and Noah, and continued through Abraham and Jesus. Muslims trust that Allah has full knowledge and control over everything that takes place; therefore, human lives are predestined, but not left without free will.
There are two main branches of Islam – Sunni and Shia. The division occurred after the death of Mohammad, when it was time to choose the rightful heir to Islam. Sunni believed that the successor of Mohammad must be the most able candidate and therefore chosen by the followers. Shia wanted the leadership in the hands of one of Mohammad’s relatives, his cousin and son-in-law Ali. There are also differences between Sunni and Shia in terms of social behaviour and interpretation of laws. Approximately 80% of Muslim believers worldwide are Sunni Muslims, while 20% are Shia Muslims. Majority of Muslims in Ras Al Khaimah are also Sunni Muslims.
Sharia is an Islamic law based on the Qur’an and it covers many aspects of life. Islamic law strictly describes permissible things for Muslims; this is called halal, which is the opposite ofharaam. Halal refers mostly to food that followers of Islam are not allowed to consume or touch, mainly pork or alcohol, but it also defines social behaviour and actions.
Green is a symbolic colour of Islam. This colour is often part of the flags of Arabic nations and used for decoration. Other significant colours are black, red and white.
The Islamic praying beads are called Misbahah or ‘worry beads.’ They are used in a similar way as rosary, and consist of either 33 or 99 beads. 99 beads correspond to the 99 Names of Allah.
THE QUR’AN AND THE PROPHET MOHAMMAD
Islamic religion started in the 7th century AD, which makes it one of the youngest faiths. It began in Mecca in Saudi Arabia, when Mohammad (born around 570AD) proclaimed the divine messages he received from God via the Angel Gabriel. At first, living amongst polytheists, his enthusiasm was shared only by a small group of people, and Mohammad with his faithful followers was forced to flee to Medina (known as Yathribat that time). After a few years, he managed to come back to Mecca, gain power and establish Islam definitively.
Mohammad’s revelations were orally transmitted to be finally preserved as the Holy Qur’an by a committee formed by the third Caliph Uthman in the 7th century AD. In this written form, the Qur’an exists to this day. It is believed that the main objective of this holy book is to guide Muslims towards wisdom, goodness and happiness. The Qur’an is written in elegant Arabic and consists of 114 chapters (suras) arranged by length, starting with the longest. Even though the Qur’an is translated into other languages, it is considered that those translations are only commentaries or interpretations of its meaning and not the Qur’an itself.
ANGELS AND JINN
The belief in angels is an inseparable part of Islam and it is among the six articles of faith (other articles of faith include One God, His books, His prophets, the Judgment Day, the predestination). According to the Qur’an, the angels are the work of Allah and they are made of light. They can assume any shape, and sometimes people can see them. They exist to serve Allah and they do not possess a free will. Their role is also to record deeds of humans and to guard Muslims throughout their lives. The Angel Jibril (Gabriel) is probably the best-known angel. He acts as intermediary between Allah and man and he is responsible for revealing the Qur’an to the Prophet Mohammed. Other important angels include Mikal (Michael), whose role is to provide rewards to good people; Israfil (Raphael) who will signal the coming of the Judgment Day; and the Angel of Death who separates souls from their bodies.
Apart from angels, humans and animals, Allah also created a creature called jinni (jinn is a plural form; in English ‘genie’). Jinn were already known in pre-Islamic Arabic traditions and they were described further in Islamic theology. Jinn, as it is mentioned in the Qur’an, are spirits created from smokeless fire that possess free will, therefore they can be either good or evil. Evil jinn are called satans and the highest of them is Iblis. They constitute a world almost parallel to the humans and can take up any form they wish. It is believed that, even though jinn are invisible to humans, they can possess a person for different reasons, such as infatuation, envy or revenge. They can bestow their supernatural powers on persons who know how to call upon them. Those people use jinn to implement black magic, or give the ‘evil eye’ (a curse), which is highly prohibited in Islam. Furthermore, jinn usually reside in certain places like the desert, ruins or graveyards. Jinn have become part of world mythology, promoted by the fairy-tale of “1001 Arabian Nights”, especially that of “Aladdin and the Magic Lamp”.
COMMON ISLAMIC TERMS
Al Hijira - Islamic New Year marks the migration of the Prophet Mohammad and his followers from Mecca to Medina. Ayatollah – a Shi’a Islamic law scholar who interprets Islamic law (Sharia) and can issue fatwah, a legal declaration. Azan – call to prayer. Eid Al Adha – the ‘Festival of Sacrifice’ that culminates into the Hajj, a journey to Mecca. Eid Al Fitr - three-day festival marking the end of Ramadan. It takes place on the 1st of Shawal, the 10th month of the Islamic calendar. Eid Mubarak - greeting meaning "Have a Happy and Blessed Eid" expressed at the end of Ramadan. Fatwah – a legal declaration in Islam, usually issued to settle a matter when Islamic law is unclear on the subject. Fidya – a fine for missing a Ramadan fast or for wrongly practicing it. It can take a form of money, food donation, or sacrificing an animal. Hajar Aswad (the ‘Black Stone’) - an object of worship believed by Muslims to date back to the time of Adam and Eve. Hajj – the largest annual pilgrimage to Mecca performed in the 12th month of the Islamic calendar. Iftar – the breaking of the Ramadan fast immediately after sunset. Imman – a community religious leader. Ka’ba - the holiest site in Islam located in Mecca in Saudi Arabia. It is a construction built over the ‘Black Stone’ (Hajar Aswad) more than four thousand years ago by Abraham and Ishmael, and it is considered the first mosque. Khalifa – a Sunni political leader. Lailat Al Miraj – a holiday that celebrates the Prophet Muhammad’s spiritual and physical journey taken in one night around 620AD. Muezzin – a person who calls faithful to prayer. Mufti – a Sunni Islamic law scholar who interprets Islamic law (Sharia) and is competent to issue fatwah, a legal declaration. Mullah – a local religious leader. Qadi – a judge of the Sharia Islamic law. Qibla – the direction towards Mecca that every Muslim must face during prayer. Qur’an – the Islamic holy book given by Allah to the Prophet Mohammed. Ramadan- the 9th month of the Islamic calendar, the month of fasting. Sawm- Arabic word for fast. Sharia – Islamic law. Sunni and Shia– two main branches of Islam. Umrah– a pilgrimage to Mecca, also called a lesser pilgrimage, can be performed any time of the year. Ummah – an Islamic union formed by these who believe in Islam and apply its principles. Zakat - stands for purification; Muslims give up a portion of their wealth to share the blessing of Allah with others. Zakat Al Fitr - the financial contribution given to the needy at the end of Ramadan. |
NOTE: Arabs and Muslims are not synonymous terms, which is a common misconception. Arabs refers to those who share a cultural, genealogical, linguistic and historic heritage. Muslims are those who practice Islam. Interestingly, the biggest Muslim community is in Indonesia.
NOTE: the Qur’an as a holy book is highly respected and should NEVER be touched by non-Muslims.
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