| The Islamic religion originated in the Arabian peninsular in the seventh century CE, at the time of the Prophet Muhammad. Islam believes in one God – Allah - and the major prophet, Muhammad. Islam includes a belief in the creation of the world, the original sin of the first man (which was forgiven, unlike in Christianity), the existence of angels, heaven and hell, and Judgment Day.
Islam is a monotheistic religion based on the Quran.
The Quran is the holy scripture of the religion, and is considered by believers to be miraculous and divine, the font of all wisdom. According to the followers of Islam, the Quran was sent from heaven by Allah, their God, through Muhammad.
The Quran sets out ‘Sharia’ – the Way. The Way is interpreted by the ‘Sunnah’ - the tradition about the life and deeds of the Prophet Muhammad.
According to the tradition, all Muslims are one nation, subject to the rule of the Caliph – Muhammad’s heir as leader of the nation (as prophet, he has no replacement).
Islam is divided into sects, the most important being the Sunnis, the Shiites, the Kharijis and the Wahhabis. The first three originated in the seventh century, following a dispute over inheritance of the caliphate that broke out after the death of Muhammad.
Characteristics and symbols
Symbols signifying the Islamic religion are the crescent (with or without a star at its side) and the use of the color green.
The calendar is lunar-based, comprising 12 lunar cycles. Leap years, which were in use by the Arabs prior to Islam, are prohibited in Islamic law so that the holidays do not fall at a fixed time of the year.
The credo of Islam is “There is no God other than Allah, and Muhammad is His Prophet”. This is called the ‘Shahada’, the declaration of faith. Making this declaration is considered to be an expression of adherence to Islam, and it is a central element in the ceremony of conversion to Islam.
The holiest city is Mecca, where the ‘Kaba’ is located – an ancient cube-like structure whose sides are 11 m in length, that is encircled by Muslims as part of the precept of ‘haj’ (pilgrimage) and after it. The other holy cities are Medina and Jerusalem. Every Muslim must make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in his life (at the end of the Ramadan fast), and visit the mosque in which the Kaba lies. This is the mosque from which the Prophet Muhammad began preaching the Islamic faith.
Every Muslim prays five times a day: when he gets up in the morning, at midday, in the afternoon, in the evening, and before going to bed. Prayer involves kneeling and facing Mecca.
The month of Ramadan
Every Muslim has to fast one month in the year (the fast of Ramadan). During the entire month, Muslims may not eat or drink from dawn till dusk.
The fast of Ramadan is the expression of one of the five Pillars of Islam, and is mentioned explicitly in the Quran.
The main festivals
There are two major festivals accepted by all Muslims:
Id el Fitr - this is a festival marking the end of the fast of Ramadan. It marks the date for making the haj pilgrimage. The custom is to sacrifice a lamb and prepare a festive meal from its meat, or donate it to the poor.
Friday - the sixth day of the week, called the Day of Assembly. The day is devoted to festive public prayer in the mosque. At least 40 men have to participate in the prayers, which include a sermon by the religious leader of the community.
Women
Women have to cover their entire body, from head to toe. According to the Quran, Muslim men can marry up to four wives.
The Five Pillars
There are five Pillars of Islam, which are the five main precepts undertaken by every Muslim believer: saying the Shahada, prayer, the Ramadan fast, pilgrimage to Mecca, and giving charity.
Islam believes in reward and punishment, both in this world and in the world to come. The prevalent approach to paradise is through a physical description of the food, drink and the virgins awaiting the believer. The same is true of punishment in hell, often described as slashing and burning of the flesh.
|
