Muhammad Ibd Abdullah

Perhaps the best-known figure in Islamic history is Muhammad Ibd Abdullah. He was a powerful inspirational leader, who many consider to be the founder of Islamic religion.

Muhammad was born in 570 C.E. in the Arab city of Mecca. Mecca was an extremely important city, both during the time leading up to and following Muhammad’s lifetime. It was the place where the largest Arabic religious shrine, Kaaba, was located, and was home to a variety of different people, numerous fugitives, exiles, refugees, and merchants.

A tremendously influential religious experience caused Muhammad to believe that he was a messenger sent by Allah to speak to and guide the Arabs. Muhammad’s religious encounters with Allah over the next 22 years were documented in a book known as the Quran, which is observed to be the religious scripture of Islam, even to this day. Through the Quran, Muhammad demanded his followers to take on a monotheistic view, with Allah being the one and only god. He stressed social justice and moral values such as solidarity, equality, and generosity.

Muhammad’s revelations and teachings attracted a few important Meccan leaders, as well as free slaves and several from lower and poorer classes. However he also drew the attention of some of Mecca’s elite families, who were opposed to his strong testaments. Eventually, these oppositions drove Muhammad and his followers out of Mecca and to the town of Yathrib, later known as Medina. This migration marked the beginning of the new Islamic calendar.

Unlike the religious figures from the other Universal Faiths (Jesus and the Buddha), Muhammad was a political and military leader as well as a religious one. Muslims drew no line to separate the church from the state in regards to laws or leadership. Muhammad led them in religious practices and into battle until his death in 632 C.E.

Reference:
Robert Strayer, Ways of the World, a Brief Global History - Volume I: to 1500. pgs 303-308.

Taking a Deeper Look at the Five Pillars of Islam

The Five Pillars of Islam, or أركان الإسلا in Arabic, is the term given to the five particular duties one must take on to practice the Islamic religion. These particular duties are the foundation and framework of Muslim life, and must be performed. The pillars make up the core belief of the Islamic faith, and are the most important qualities in ones life. To a Muslim, they hold the same sacred aspect as the Ten Commandments to a Christian. The Ten Commandments and the five pillars both hold the key to living a better, religious life. The difference between the two is that the Ten Commandments state what one shall not do, and the five pillars state what one must do. The five pillars were created by God (Allah) and were then revealed through Quranic revelations and prophets. The five pillars are a priority in the Islamic Faith, and serve as the foundation of the religion. We all learned what the five pillars of Islam are in class, but in this post I will go deeper into why each is important, and what exactly happens with each.

The first of the five pillars of Islam is the testimony of faith, or Shahadah. One must publicly speak out about their Belief in one God, Allah. They must state, " Ashadu alla ilaha illa Allah, wa ashadu anna Muhammed ar-rasool Allah." This literally means, "I bear witness that there is no God but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is his messenger." The reason for this statement is for Muslims to indicate they worship no other deities but Allah, and that Muhammad was chosen by him to send his message of Islam. They believe that Islam reached its definitive form through Muhammad. When the religion first originated, many polytheistic religions and practices still existed, and through this pillar, Muslims state their monotheistic belief in one God, Allah.

To learn more about the first pillar of Islam, visit this site:
http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/193/

The second pillar of Islam is Salat, or ritual prayer. Muslims must pray at least five times a day facing the holy city of Mecca. If they miss a prayer, it must be made up at another time. The Salat is a very physical act of worship, using words and actions to signify their submission to Allah. They must confess their sins through each prayer. The first prayer is said at sun up, another at noon, the next at mid afternoon, another at sunset, and the last at sun down. Muslims believe that constant prayer is needed to keep their lives in perspective.

To learn more about the Salat, visit this site:
http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/9/

The third pillar of Islam is Zakat, or charity. Muslims must give money and food to the less fortunate as an act of worship. Two and a half percent of all income and holding must be given, although they are more than welcome to go above and beyond the minimum limit. Muslims believe that all things belong to God, and that he trusts them to share their wealth. The poor are obviously excluded from the charity, but middle and upper class Muslims must practice this pillar.

To learn more about the third pillar of Islam, Zakat, visit this site:
http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/46/

The forth pillar of Islam is Saum, or fasting. Ramadan is the name given to the holy month in the Islamic calendar. During this month, all Muslims who are able are obligated to fast from sun up to sun down. The fasting requires refraining from eating, drinking, smoking, or sexual intercourse. The reason for this is to practice discipline, unselfishness, devotion, and love to God, and shows compassion to those who are unable to eat. This must only be practiced by adults who are physically and mentally able to do so. It excludes young children, the elderly, pregnant women, and people who are seriously ill.

To learn more about the forth pillar of Islam, Saum, visit this site:
http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/47/

The fifth, and last pillar of Islam is the Hajj, or pilgrimage. Mecca is the holy city of Islam, and each Muslim must make a pilgrimage to this site at least one time during their lifetime. Mecca unites Muslims from all over the world sharing the same beliefs. They take this journey to Mecca to worship and glorify their God, Allah. This pilgrimage is also seen as a spiritual journey, following in the steps of Muhammad. The pilgrimate serves as the ultimate forgiveness of sins, devotion, and intense spirituality.

To learn more about the fifth pillar of Islam, the Hajj, visit the following site:
http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/184/

The five pillars of Islam are the foundation to the religion and the Muslim way of life. It is through these five obligations that Muslims prove their faith in their God, Allah. They shape the importance of the religion, and are the five tasks that must be accomplished to fulfill their lives as Muslims practicing the Islamic religion. Each religion is based on foundations, and have aspects that must be accomplished in order to practice that particular faith. It is important that we recognize religions other than our own and understand what is believed in around the world.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-five-pillars-of-islam.htm
http://www.themodernreligion.com/basic/islam_pillars.htm
http://www.allaboutreligion.org/five-pillars-of-islam-faq.htm
http://www.carm.org/five-pillars-of-islam

What is Islam?

Islam is the youngest of the Universal religions. Islam is an Arabic word which means "Submission" and derives from a word meaning peace. Muslim is the title of the people who believe in the Islamic religion. There are many aspects of the Islamic religion.

First, in the religion, they believe in one God, Allah, which is the Arabic word for God. Tawhid is the most important Islamic beleif. It is the belief in Allah with all his power. Tawhid indicates that Allah is the sustainer of the universe and the soul source of guidance. The first step to becoming adopting the Islamic faith is the belief that there is no god but Allah and Mohammed is his prophet.

http://www.ethikana.com/islam/allah_swt.htm

Also, Muslims believe in prophets, and Muhammad was the most well known and important. When Muhammad was forty years old, he was meditation and received his first revelation from God through the angel Gabriel. Muhammad began preaching what he heard from the angel and was persecuted for doing so. Because of the harsh treatment, he emigrated from Makkah for Madinah. This migration was known as the Hijra. After many years, Muhammad and his followers forgave their enemies and returned to Makkah. When Muhammad passed away, most of Arabia became Muslim, and it continued to spread.

http://www.zajel.org/article_view.asp?newsID=3218&cat=9

The Muslim Holy book is the Qur'an. It is the primary doctrinal source of Islam. It is the product of Allah's revelations to Muhammad over a period of twenty three years. It is divided into thirty sections with 114 chapters, 7 stops, 16 prostrations, and 6,666 verses. Many verses are very poetic, while others are just written normally.

http://www.ethikana.com/islam/about_quran.htm

Another aspect of Islam is the five pillars. They are the foundations of Muslim life. The first pillar is faith; the belief in Allah and that Muhammad is his prophet. The second pillar is prayer; Muslims are to pray daily. The third pillar is helping the needy. The fourth pillar is fasting; during the month of Ramadan each year, Muslims fast from first light to sun down. The last and fifth pillar is the pilgrimage to Makkah or "Mecca." It is known as the Hajj in Arabic.

http://www.zajel.org/article_view.asp?newsID=3216&cat=9

Islam, like all religions, has many parts to it. It is not just the faith in Allah, but the dedication to the Qur'an and practicing the five pillars. Although Islam is the youngest of the universal religions, it spread just as far and is practiced by just as many as the other religions. Today, Islam is the second largest religion in the world behind Christianity. 1.2 billion people practice this religion and they represent 22% of the entire world's population.

http://www.religioustolerance.org/isl_numb.htm