Islam

Islam is a monotheistic religion and follows a text which its followers believe to be the verbatim word of God. Their holy script, the Qur’an, was finished in 632 CE (The same as AD, the ‘Common Era’ is an alternative to Anno Domini or “year of our lord” era) after 40 years of writing by Islam’s “last prophet of God” Muhammad.

Followers of Islam are called Muslims. The third oldest religion (behind Judaism and Christianity) tracing its origins to Abraham, Islam is currently the 2nd-largest religion in the world. It has 1.7 billion followers, about 23% of the global population. [1]

Islams dictates that the purpose of existence is to worship God. It presents God (in Arabic, “Allah”) as personal, responding whenever a person in need calls.Similar to Christianity, Muslims believe in Judgment upon death and an eventual day of Judgment across Earth. Muslims believe that humans will be judged according to their good and bad deeds and consigned to heaven or hell. There are some sins that are specified in the Qur’an as condemning to hell, such as non-belief in God, dishonesty, and unlawful intercourse. But the Qur’an also states that God will forgive those who repent according to his will, and will reward heaven to those who perform good deeds, such as prayer, charity, and compassion toward animals. [2]

Muslims believe there is a one true faith that was revealed by prophets such as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and lastly Muhammad. Some of the staple belief frameworks in the Qur’an are the Five Pillars of Islam and Islamic law, which governs a wide scope of society and individual life.

The Five Pillars of Islam:

1. Testimony – The foundation for all other beliefs in Islam, to convert to Islam, one is required to recite the creed ” ašhadu ‘al-lā ilāha illā-llāhu wa ‘ašhadu ‘anna muħammadan rasūlu-llāh“, or “I testify that there is no god but God, Muhammad is the messenger of God.” [3]
2. Prayer – Muslims must perform 5 prayers a day to focus their mind on God with gratitude and worship. There is some flexibility in how these prayers are recited, though they mostly consists of verses from the Qur’an. The prayers are performed with the chest pointed toward the Kaaba (Cube) in the Sacred Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Prayers can be performed anywhere, including Mosques, which are the community centers and prayer-houses (like churches) of Islam.
3. Alms-giving – Considered a religious obligation, non-poor Muslims must give 2.5% of their capital per year for “bringing hearts together, freeing captives, for those in debt or bonded labor. and for the (stranded) traveler.” Known as Zakat, this collective monetary contribution is estimated at about 15 times global humanitarian aid contributions per year. [4]
4. Fasting – During Ramadhan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Muslims abstain from food and drink from dawn until dusk and focus on their dependence on God, atonement for their sins, and the needy.
5. Pilgrimage – Known as the Hajj, this pilgrimage to the city of Mecca is done in the 12th month of the Islamic calendar. Every Muslim physically and monetarily capable must make the pilgrimage once in their lifetime.

The Law of Islam is long and complex, and more can be read about it here.
Wikipedia has a very thorough and organized breakdown of Islam’s Schools and Branches.

To fully understand Islam, one must understand the life of its prophet Muhammad and the history coming from his writings. Check out the resources we’ve gathered below to learn more.