Islam

Islām (Arabic: الإسلام, "submission (to God)") is a monotheistic faith and the world's second-largest religion. Followers of Islam, known as Muslims, believe that God (named Allah in the Qur'an) revealed His will to Muhammad (c. 570-632 CE) and other prophets, including Adam, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.

"Islām"means "submission" and is described as a "Deen" in Arabic, meaning "way of life" and/or "religion." It has an etymological relationship to other Arabic words, such as Salām ("peace," a common salutation as well). The Arabic word "Muslim" is related to the word Islām and means a "vassal" of God, as well as "one who surrenders" or "submits" to God.

Since Islam, like Judaism and Christianity, claims descent from the monotheist tradition of the biblical patriarch Abraham, it sees itself as an Abrahamic religion. Muslims hold that it is essentially the same belief as that of all the messengers sent by God to mankind, with the Qur'ān (the one definitive text of the Muslim faith) codifying the final revelation of God. Unlike Christianity, Islam has not undergone any period of reformation; however, that is essentially the goal of various liberal movements within Islam. Islam has three primary branches of belief, based largely on a historical disagreement over the succession of authority after Muhammad's death; these are known as Sunni, Shi'ite, and Khariji. Some consider Sufism (mystic Islam) as another branch of Islamic faith, although many Sufi orders consider themselves to be Sunni or Shia; it is found more or less across the Islamic world, though bearing distinctive regional variations, from Senegal to the Indian subcontinent.

The basis of Muslim belief is found in the shahādatan ("two statements"): Lā ilāhā illāllāh; Muhammad-ur rasul-ullāh—"There is no god but God; Muhammad is the messenger of God." One needs to recite and believe these statements in order to become a Muslim. All Muslims agree to this, although Sunnis further regard this as one of the five pillars of Islam.

Beliefs

Six Articles of Belief

There are six basic beliefs shared by all Muslims:

Belief in Allah, the one and only one worthy of all worship.
Belief in the Angels.
Belief in the Books (sent by God).
Belief in all the Prophets and Messengers (sent by God).
Belief in Fate ("Qadar")¹
Belief in the Day of Judgment (Qiyamah) and in the Resurrection.

The Muslim creed in English: I believe in Allah; and in His Angels; and in His Scriptures; and in His Messengers; and in The Final Day; and in Fate, that Good and Evil are from Allah, and Resurrection after death be Truth.

I testify that there is nothing worthy of worship but Allah; and I testify that Muhammad is His Messenger.

God

Main article: Allah

The fundamental concept in Islam is the unity of God (tawhid). This monotheism is absolute, not relative or pluralistic in any sense of the word. God is described in Sura al-Ikhlas, (chapter 112) as follows: Say "He is Allah, the one, the Self-Sufficient master. He never begot, nor was begotten. There is none comparable to Him."

In Arabic, God is called Allah, a contraction of "al-ilah" or "the deity". "Allah" thus translates to "God" in English; it is not grammatically a proper name, unlike the Israelite divine name Yahweh or the Christian usage of Jesus as a personal divine name. The implicit usage of the definite article in Allah linguistically indicates the divine unity. In spite of the different name used for God, Muslims assert that they believe in the same deity as the Judeo-Christian religions. However, Muslims disagree with the Christian theology concerning the unity of God (the doctrine of the Trinity and that Jesus is the eternal Son of God).

Although no Muslim visual images or depictions exist of God (because artistic depictions are considered idolatry), Muslims define God by the many divine attributes mentioned in the Qur'an, also commonly known as the 99 names of Allah. All but one Surah(chapter) of the Qur'an begins with the phrase "In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful". These are consequently the most important divine attributes in the sense that Muslims repeat them most frequently during their ritual prayers (called salah in Arabic).

Prophets

Main article: Prophets of Islam

The Qur'an speaks of God appointing two classes of human servants: messengers (rasul in Arabic), and prophets (nabi in Arabic and Hebrew). In general, messengers are the more elevated rank. All prophets are said to have spoken with divine authority; but only those who have been given a major revelation or message are called messenger. According to the Hadith, there are 124 thousand messengers sent by Allah to different nations.

Notable messengers include Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, all belonging to a succession of men guided by God. Muslims generally regard Muhammad as the 'Last Messenger' or the 'Seal of the Prophets'; however, this is disputed by the Ahmadi movement. Islam demands that a believer accept all of the prophets, making no distinction between them. In the Qur'an, twenty five specific prophets are mentioned.

Islamic law

Main article: Sharia

Muslims in Islamic societies have traditionally viewed Islamic law as essential to their religious outlook. For Muslims living in secular Western countries sharia ceases to be relevant as law, but remains a source of personal ethics (for example, the avoidance of pork and alcohol). The Qur'an is the foremost source of Islamic jurisprudence; the second is the Sunnah (the practices of the Prophet, as narrated in reports of his life). The Sunnah is not itself a text like the Qur'an, but is extracted by analysis of the Hadith (Arabic for "report") texts, which contain narrations of the Prophet's sayings, deeds, and actions of his companions he approved.

In recent times, Islamic law has often been questioned by liberal movements within Islam.

Religious authority

There is no official authority who decides whether a person is accepted to, or dismissed from, the community of believers, known as the Ummah (Family). Islam is open to all, regardless of race, age, gender, or previous beliefs. It is enough to believe in the central beliefs of Islam. This is formally done by reciting the shahada, the statement of belief of Islam, without which a person cannot be classed a Muslim. It is enough to believe and say that you are a Muslim, and behave in a manner befitting a Muslim to be accepted into the community of Islam.

Islamic eschatology

Main article: Islamic eschatology

Islamic eschatology is concerned with the Qiyamah (end of the world) and the final judgement of humanity. Like Christianity and some sects of modern Judaism, Islam teaches the bodily resurrection of the dead, the fulfillment of a divine plan for creation, and the immortality of the human soul; the righteous are rewarded with the pleasures of Jannah (Paradise or the garden of Heaven, from the Hebrew gan or garden), while the unrighteous are punished in Jahannam (a fiery Hell, from the Hebrew ge-hinnom or 'valley of Hinnom'; usually rendered in English as Gehenna). A significant fraction of the Qur'an deals with these beliefs, with many ahadith elaborating on the themes and details.

Other beliefs

Other beliefs include the Angels, the Jinns (a species of invisible beings), and the existence of magic (which is strictly forbidden).

The Five Pillars of Islam

The Five Pillars of Islam² is the term given to the five most fundamental aspects of Islam. These five pillars are different in the Shia and Sunni sect.

For the Sunni sect, the Five Pillars are the five most important obligations of a Muslim under Sharia law, and which devout Muslims will perform faithfully, believing them to be essential to pleasing Allah.

File:Mecca.jpg

The Pilgrimage to Kaaba, Masjid al Haram, Mecca is one of the five pillars of Islam.

The Five Pillars of the Sunni sect are:

The Testimony that there is none worthy of worship except God and that Muhammad is his messenger.
Establishing of the five daily Prayers (Salah).
The Giving of Zakaah (charity), which is generally 2.5% of the yearly savings for a rich man working in trade or industry, and 10% or 20% of the produce for agriculturists. This money or produce is distributed among the poor.
Fasting from dawn to dusk in the month of Ramadhaan (Sawm).
The Pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca during the month of Dhul Hijjah, which is compulsory once in a lifetime for one who has the ability to do it.

For the Shia sect, the Five Pillars (Usul-ul-Deen) are the five fundamental principles of Islam; no more, no less. The Shia sect consider the Sunni five pillars to be merely the most important obligations rather than these being the Five Pillars of Islam.

The Five Pillars of the Shia sect are:

The Oneness of God (Tawheed).
The Justice of God ('Adl).
Prophethood (Nubuwwah).
The Leadership of Mankind (Imamah).
The Resurrection (Me'ad).

The Qur'an

Main article: Qur'an

The Qur'an (also spelled "Quran" or "Koran") is the holy book of Islam. Its title means "Recitation" or "Reading". It consists of 114 chapters (or Surahs) laid out roughly in order of size, the largest being near the front, the smallest near the back. It is regarded by Muslims as God's message to Humanity; describing the origins of the Universe, Man, and their relationship to each other and their Creator. It sets out rules for society, morality, economics and many other topics. It is intended for recitation and memorization. The Qur'an is primarily taught from one generation to the next this way. Muslims regard the Qur'an as sacred and inviolable. Muslims do not touch the book unless in a state of ablution, known as "wudu." Muslims will typically keep it on a high shelf in their room, as a show of respect for the Qur'an, and some carry small versions with them for comfort or security. Only the original Arabic version of it is regarded as the Qur'an; an attempt at translations would omit the original's meaning and nuance, as well as flow of the verse.

For Muslims, the Qur'an answers questions about daily needs, both spiritual and material. It discusses God and God's Names and attributes; believers and their virtues, and the fate of non-believers (kuffar); Mary, Jesus, and all the other prophets; and even scientific subjects. Muslims do not follow the laws of the Qur'an exclusively; they also follow the example of Muhammad, which is known as the Sunnah, and the understanding of the Qur'an contained in the teachings of the prophet known as the Ahadith.

Muslims are taught that God sent down other books. Besides the Qur'an, the others are the book of Ibrahim (now lost), the Law of Moses (the Torah), the Psalms of David (the Zabûr) and the Gospel of Jesus (the Injil). The Qur'an describes Christians and Jews as "the people of the Book" (ahl al Kitâb). The teachings of Islam concern many of the same personages as those of Judaism and Christianity. However, Muslims frequently refer to them using Arabic names which can make it appear they are talking about different people: e.g. Allah for God, Iblis for Satan, Ibrahim for Abraham, and so forth. (See also: The Bible in Islam)

Revelation of the Qur'an

Muslims believe that God revealed the Qur'an to Muhammad through the angel Jibrail (Gabriel); Muhammad then recited this to his companions, many of whom were said to have memorized it and written it down on available material. According to Islamic tradition, Muhammad was illiterate; the revelations to Muhammad were later gathered by his companions and followers in book form. Muhammad is considered to be the final prophet, sent to preach the same message as the prophets of Christianity (Jesus) and Judaism (Moses) (and possibly Zoroastrianism and other ancient religions).

According to Islam, all the prophets successfully taught their nation the same message of the oneness of God. In the past, however, the message of Islam became distorted by later generations and the revealed scripture corrupted, leaving reason for another messenger to be sent. As Muslims believe that Muhammad is the last of a long line of prophets, they have taken his message to be a sacred trust, and have taken great care to ensure the message was assembled and transmitted in a manner that did not betray that trust. Although Muslims make scrupulous efforts to protect and respect the Qur'an, they believe that it is not through their own endeavours, but by the mercy of God that the Qur'an is preserved intact and will never be altered.

Islamic view of Jews and Christians

Main article: People of the Book

The Qur'an uses the term People of the Book to include all monotheists, including Jews, Christians and Muslims. According to Islam, all nations were given a Messenger and guidance from Allah. Eventually, due to their abandonment of adherence to strict monotheism, the followers of Moses earned God's anger (by worshipping the Golden Calf, mentioned in the Biblical account of Moses, and later Ezra) and the followers of Jesus Christ went astray (by worshipping Jesus Christ). It is popularly held by the vast majority of Muslims that the Holy Taurah (revelation given to Moses) and the Holy Injil (revelation given to Jesus Christ) have been corrupted over time and that the present day Bible and Torah share little or no resemblance to the original message. According to Islam, Muhammad was sent during a time of spiritual darkness and once the Qur'an was finally established, all past revelations were abrogated, making the Last Testament not only for the Arab nation but for all mankind until the Day of Judgement.

The shared struggle between Christians and Muslims against the predominant Judaism and polytheistic religions at the time is evident in the following verse: "Strongest among men in enmity to the believers wilt thou find the Jews and Pagans; and nearest among them in love to the believers wilt thou find those who say, 'We are Christians': because amongst these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant." [Qur'an, 5:82 (Yusufali)]

Some parts of the Qur'an attribute differences between Muslims and non-Muslims to tahref-ma'any, a "corruption of the meaning" of the words. In this view, the Jewish Bible and Christian New Testament are true, but the Jews and Christians misunderstood the meaning of their own Scripture, and thus need the Qur'an to clearly understand the will of God. However, other parts of the Qur'an make clear that many Jews and Christians used deliberately altered versions of their scripture, and had altered the word of God. This belief was developed further in medieval Islamic polemics, and is a mainstream part of both Sunni and Shi'ite Islam today. This is known as the doctrine of tahref-lafzy, "the corruption of the text". Either way the Quran clearly states that the necessary information which was written in the previous scriptures can also be found in the Quran: "And We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the Book (this Qur’aan) in truth, confirming the Scripture that came before it and Mohaymin (trustworthy in highness and a witness) over it (old Scriptures). So judge among them by what Allah has revealed" [al-Maa’idah 5:48]

Historically, Islamic scholars have agreed that the Qur'an gives "People of the Book" special status, allowing those who live in Muslim lands (called dhimmi—protected people) to practice their own religions and to own property. People of the Book were not subject to certain Islamic rules, such as the prohibitions on alcohol and pork. Under the Islamic state, they were exempt from the draft, but were required to pay a tax known as jizyah, part of which went to charity and part to finance churches and synagogues. (They were, however, exempt from the zakat required of Muslims.) This agreement has in the past led to Islamic countries practicing religious toleration for Christians and Jews, although they were never accorded the full status enjoyed by Muslims.

One verse of the Qur'an says "God forbids you not, with regards to those who fight you not for [your] faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them; for God loveth those who are just." (Qur'an, 60:8), which is interpreted as a clear admonition not to be disrespectful or unkind to non-Muslims. According to a hadith, Muhammad said to his people "The one who murders a dhimmi [non-Muslim under protection of the state] will not smell the fragrance of Paradise, even if its smell was forty years travelling distance" [Sahih Ahmed].

Islam and other religions

Main article: Islam and other religions

Historical origin of Islam

Main articles: History of Islam, Muhammad

The growth of Islam today

Islam is the largest religion after Christianity. According to the World Network of Religious Futurists[1], the U.S. Center for World Mission[2], and the controversial Samuel Huntington, Islam is growing faster numerically than any other religion; this growth is attributed both to natural population growth and a rate of conversion higher than all other religions combined. In the U.S., more people convert to Islam than any other faith.

The religion of Islam brought by Muhammad began in the Hejaz region of present-day Saudi Arabia in about 610 CE, and according to [3] it now comprises 1.3 billion believers, 23% of the world's population. However, only 18% of Muslims live in the Arab world; a fifth is found in Sub-Saharan Africa, about 30% in the Indian subcontinental region of Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, and the world's largest single Muslim community (within the bounds of one nation) is in Indonesia. There are also significant Islamic populations in China, Europe (especially in the Mediterranean countries), the former Soviet Union, and South America. There are approximately 7 million believers in the USA and Canada.

Denominations of Islam

There are a number of Islamic religious denominations, each of which has significant theological and legal differences from each other. The major branches are Sunni, Shi'a and Sufi Islam, although Sufism is often considered an extension of either Sunni or Shi'a thought. All denominations, however, follow the five pillars of Islam and believe in the six pillars of faith (mentioned earlier).

The Sunni sect of Islam comprises the majority of all Muslims (about 90%). It is broken into four similar schools of thought (madhhabs) which interpret specific pieces of Islam, such as which foods are halal (permissible) differently. They are named after their founders Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanafi, and Hanbali. Each school of thought differs on minor issues, although they agree on major points.

Shia Islam comprises most of the Muslims that are not counted among the Sunni. The Shia consist of one major school of thought known as the Jafaryia or the "Twelvers", and a few minor schools of thought, as the "Seveners" or the "Fivers" referring to the number of infallible leaders they recognise after the death of Muhammad. The term Shia is usually taken to be synonymous with the Jafaryia/Twelvers.

While some consider the Islamic mysticism called Sufism to constitute a separate branch, most Sufis can easily be considered Sunni or Shia. Sufism is the hardest to understand by non-practitioners because on first sight it seems that sufis are either of Shiah or Sunni denomination, but it is true that some sects of Sufism can be categorised as both Sunni and Shiah whilst others are not from either denomination. The distinction here is because the schools of thought (madhhabs) are regarding "legal" aspects of Islam, the "dos" and "don'ts", whereas Sufism deals more with perfecting the aspect of sincerity of faith, and fighting one's own ego. Other people may call themselves Sufis who may be perceived as having left Islam (or never followed Islam). There are also some very large groups or sects of Sufism that are not easily categorised as either Sunni or Shiah, such as the Bektashi or those that can be categorised as both at the same time, eg the Brelvi.

According to Shaikh al-Akbar Mahmood Shaltoot, Head of the al-Azhar University, the Ja'fari school of thought, which is also known as "al-Shia al- Imamiyyah al-Ithna Ashariyyah" (i.e., The Twelver Imami Shi'ites) is a school of thought that is religiously correct to follow in worship as are other Sunni schools of thought. This means that some regard there as being five schools of thought, while others say only four, counting the Shia as a different group.

Another denomination which dates back to the early days of Islam are the Kharijites. Members of this group in the present day are more commonly known as Ibadhi Muslims. A large number of Ibadhi Muslims today live in Oman.

Another more recent group are the "Wahhabis", though some classify them as the conservative branch of the Hanbali school of Sunni Islam. "Wahhabism" is a movement founded by Muhammad ibn Abd al Wahhab in the 18th century in what is present-day Saudi Arabia. One thing which distinguishes Wahhabi teachings from Sunni teachings is that Wahhabis consider several things prohibited which the four schools of Sunni Islam consider permitted.

Another recent group is the Ijtihadists, which represents a wide variety of views alternatively known as progressive, liberal or secular Muslims. They may be either Sunni or Shiite, and generally favour the development of personal interpretations of Qur'an and Hadith. See: Liberal Islam

See also: Imam -- Islamic philosophy -- Zaiddiyah

Religions based on Islam

The following groups call themselves Muslims, but are not considered Islamic by most Muslims:

The following religions might be said to have evolved or borrowed from Islam, but consider themselves independent religions with distinct laws and institutions:

Sikhism is widely seen as a syncretic mix of Hinduism and Islam, though its history lies in the wars between local Indian peoples and invading Muslim armies. The philosophical basis of the Sikhs is deeply-rooted in Hindu metaphysics and certain philosophical practices, while Muslim values like tawhid and rejection of image-worship inform much of Sikh ideology.

The following religions might have been said to have evolved from Islam, but are not considered part of Islam, and no longer exist:

The religion of the medieval Berghouata
The religion of Ha-Mim

Islam in the modern world

Although the dominant movement in Islam in recent times has been religious fundamentalism, there are a number of liberal movements within Islam which seek alternative ways to reconcile the Islamic faith with the modern world.

Islamic traditions have several sources: the Qur'an, the hadiths, and interpretations of both by scholars. Over the centuries, there has been a tendency towards fundamentalism, with interpretations being regarded as immutable, even those that consist of folk religion not directly traceable to the prophet Muhammad.

Early shariah had a much more flexible character than is currently associated with Islamic jurisprudence, and many modern Muslim scholars believe that it should be renewed, and the classical jurists should lose their special status. This would require formulating a new fiqh suitable for the modern world, e.g. as proposed by advocates of the Islamization of knowledge, and would deal with the modern context.

This movement does not aim to challenge the fundamentals of Islam; rather, it seeks to clear away misinterpretations and to free the way for the renewal of the previous status of the Islamic world as a center of modern thought and freedom. See Modern Islamic philosophy for more on this subject.

The claim that only liberalisation of the Islamic Shariah law can lead to distinguishing between tradition and Islam is countered by many Muslims by saying that 'fundamentalism' rejects the cultural inventions e.g. they will accept that men and women have God given rights and duties that no human can infringe on but it rejects riba (interest). Fundamentalism as referred to often means traditionalism which is a separate issue. A good example of a fundamentalist organisation is Hizb ut-Tahrir [4].

Islam around the world

Muslims of interest and renown

See:

Notes

¹ Shia muslims do not believe in absolute predestination ("Qadar"), since they consider it incompatible with Divine Justice. Neither do they believe in absolute free will since that contradicts God's Omniscience and Omnipotence. Rather they believe in "a way between the two ways" (amr bayn al‑'amrayn) believing in free will, but within the boundaries set for it by God and exercised with His permission.

² The Egyptian Islamic Jihad terrorist group claims, as did a few long-extinct early medieval Kharijite sects, that Jihad is the "sixth pillar of Islam." Some Ismaili groups consider "Allegiance to the Imam" to be the so-called sixth pillar of Islam. For more information, see the article entitled Sixth pillar of Islam.

References

The Encyclopaedia of Islam
The Koran Interpreted: a translation by A. J. Arberry, ISBN 0684825074
Islam, by Fazlur Rahman, University of Chicago Press; 2nd edition (1979). ISBN 0226702812
The Islamism Debate, Martin Kramer, University Press, 1997
Liberal Islam: A Sourcebook, Charles Kurzman, Oxford University Press, 1998. ISBN 0195116224
Progressive Muslims: On Justice, Gender and Pluralism Omid Safi, Oneworld Publications, Oxford, 2003. ISBN 1-85168-316-X
The Challenge of Fundamentalism: Political Islam and the New World Disorder, Bassam Tibi, Univ. of California Press, 1998

External links

Online academic sources

Encyclopedia of Islam
Near Eastern And Semitic Studies Institute of America (NESSIA)
Resources for Studying Islam (Department of Islamic Studies, University of Georgia)
Dictionary of the History of Ideas: Causation in Islamic Thought
Islamic Philosophy (Journal of Islamic Philosophy, University of Michigan)
Links: Islam in Western Europe
Links: Islam in South Asia

Opposing Viewpoints

Apologetics Index

Entry on Islam in the Apologetics Index database. While motivated by Christian missionary aims, it also includes many links to articles or books it claims to refute.

Islam and the arts and sciences

Islamic Architecture
Islamic Art (Los Angeles County Museum of Art)
Muslim Heritage (Foundation for Science Technology and Civilisation, UK)

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There are many Islamic websites, too many to list here. Most have specific religious aims: converting visitors, promoting a specific teacher or viewpoint, offering information and support to devout Muslims. This list of external links has been edited to exclude the specifically religious websites, as not being appropriate for an article that tries to cover Islam as a whole in a neutral manner. However, links to websites promoting a specific viewpoint may be found in articles devoted to that sect or teacher.