Islam and Sufism
Around the year 610 AD, a man named Muhammad spent time alone and in retreat in a cave of Hira, where regularly retreated to escape the bustle of the business of the busy city of Mecca and thus contemplating the mysteries of life. Muhammad was known as “trustworthy” among his friends and his family because he was always sincere and honest in their relationships and dealings with others. It was towards the end of the lunar month of Ramadan, overnight which is now known and celebrated as the Night of Power, when the revelations of the Qur’an began to be borne by the Archangel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad. He continued to receive these revelations for twenty years. The verses were memorized and recorded, which eventually came to be in the same book that Muslims read today.
Besides the Qur’an, Muslims have the regis ters of life and practices (Sunna) of the Prophet. This includes aspects such as how to pray and ablution, details about how to perform the pilgrimage, and many other practices that illustrate the belief in One God. They also give the sayings and deeds of the Prophet as were witnessed by the people of the time that has been transmitted and recorded. The latter are known as hadith and serve as a guide on how to live the faith.
Islam is the last of the three Abrahamic religions, preceded by Judaism and Christianity. It is a religion based on revelation that believes in One God and the guidance revealed by Him to the Prophets. Among those, Prophets of Islam include Abraham, Moses, Solomon, Jesus, and many others, as well as Muhammad, all f which have been sent to bring the message to mankind its creation by God and his Him back end. The Unidci ness of God (tawhid) is fundamental in Islam.
The Five Pillars of Islam
The first half of the profession of faith, the shahadah, Muslims often recite their prayers, says “There is no god but Allah”. This is a statement of the absolute belief in the oneness of God. As for the second half, declares “and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah”. Anyone who declares shahadah is a Muslim, even though not observe other religious duties. This is the first of the five pillars of Islam. The other four are the prescribed prayer five times a day; Prescribed Purifying Alms pay; fasting from sunrise to sunset during the month of Ramadan; and the pilgrimage to Mecca once in its lifetime for those with the means to undertake the journey. These are the ritual obligations of Islam, each of which have an inner spiritual effect sincere; therefore, faith and sincerity are essential components of these acts. Also, as added, Muslims make personal prayers known as dua.
Prayer and wing called prayer
The five daily prayers performed by Muslims are fundamental to the practice of Islam. After performing ablutions, a physical preparation in which parts of the body such as the face, arms and feet are washed, Prayer begins and includes specific movements and recitations of the Quran recited in the original Arabic. A cycle of Prayer is called a rak’ah, and a varied number of rakah is performed for each of the times of prayer.
Prayer involves the body, mind, and soul to an act of remembrance and delivery of the forwardness of the daily affairs. Are just a few minutes away from the cares of the day that can instill in other activities a sense of peace and purpose. Jews pray standing, kneeling while Christians Islamic Prayer covers these positions and prostration. As for the configuration of the congregation of Prayer, Muslims and remain standing shoulder to shoulder line that symbolizes the equality of all believers.
Prayers times are calculated according to the movement of the sun: for example, the time of the noon prayer when the sun begins just past its zenith in a given location. Therefore, changes seasonally depending on where we are in the world. Thus, there occurs a single time when a prayer is not carried over throughout the world. To remind people of hours of prayer, the call to prayer (adhan) is recited in Arabic making public from the minaret. This is carried out by the muezzin who is chosen for the job based on their recitation skills and good character. The first muezzin was Bilal Muslim color of Ethiopian origin, famous for her beautiful voice.
The term” Islam “is an Arabic word which means peace and submission. A practicing Muslim strives to submit wholeheartedly to God, thereby achieving peace in this life and in the Hereafter. ‘Mohammedanism’ is a misnomer for Islam and offends its very spirit.
Islam is one of the three Abrahamic religions, along with Judaism and Christianity. As such, it is a religion based on revelation that believes in One God and the guidance revealed by God to the prophets. Among the Prophets of Islam Abraham, Moses, Solomon, and Jesus include: therefore Islam is not a new religion but the final culmination and fulfillment of the same basic truth that God revealed through all His prophets to every nation (Qur’an, 3:84).
Translation of the call to prayer
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest;
Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest.
I testify that there is no god but Allah;
I testify that there is no god but Allah.
I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah;
I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.
Come to prayer! Come to prayer!
Come to salvation! Come to salvation!
Allah is the Greatest! Allah is the Greatest!
There is no god but Allah.
The cycle time of Prayer, which is based on the rhythms of the natural world, provides a framework for living and a foundation for those moments in life that sometimes we rise and rise above this space / time continuum and we lets find us near the Divine Being.
What do Muslims believe?
1.A One God:
Muslims believe in One God, Incomparable, Merciful Peerless Creator, Sustainer and Protector of the Universe. Muslims prefer to use the Arabic name for God, “Allah” because not grammatically has no plural or feminine or diminutive that could be associated with idolatry (ie gods, goddesses or semi-gods).
2.The Angeles
Muslims believe that Allah created the angels so they can not commit sins and also have
sex.
3.The Prophets
By the belief that Allah sent His Messengers and Prophets to all people, Muslims faithfully accept the biblical prophets mentioned in the Qur’an, among which include Adam, Ishmael, Isaac, Moses, David and Jesus (peace be upon them all) .All Prophets were human beings like us but being models of perfection elected to his people, did not commit any sin. Muslims accept Jesus as a prophet, believe in His virgin birth, and respect him greatly. His name is mentioned in the Koran at least a hundred times.
4.The Books
Believe in the Holy Books of Allah that were sent before and in the Qur’an in his capacity ñnales Words of Allah is one of the pillars of the Muslim faith. The Quran was revealed to the Last Prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon him) through the Archangel Gabriel. He confirmed and completed all previous revelations that were sent to humanity through the Messengers of Allah. The Quran is a miracle in many ways, including their meanings still applies in modern times and the verses of the Quran never contradict the principles of modern science, on the contrary, confirmed.
5.The Fate and Divine Decree
A Muslim believes in the Divine Decree, which relates to the Ultimate Power of Allah. This means that Allah is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. He possesses knowledge and power to carry out His plans. Allah is not indifferent to this world. Allah is Wise, Just, Loving, and whatever takes home a wisdom but sometimes can not get to fully understand it.
6.La Resurrection
The next verse explains the importance of belief in the principles of faith, including the Day of Judgment:
Piety (and virtue) is not to turn their faces towards east or west. Rather, he who has pity is one who believes in Allah and the Last Day, the angels, the Book and the Prophets; which flatters your wealth, pleasure and despite the love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, travelers, beggars (or those who need a loan), to free slaves; and establishing the prayer and pay the alms Puriñcadora Prescribed. And (they are pious) those that meet the covenants when contracted, are patient and persevere in adversity, diñcultadyla disease and the most tense moments (as the struggle between truth and falsehood). Those are true (in faith) and these are those who have attained to righteousness, piety and devotion due to God (Qur’an, 2: 177).
What are the five pillars of Islam?
Shahadah (testimony)
Of the five pillars of Islam, the first is the profession of faith, the shahadah, a simple formula that all panels pronounced: “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. ” These words should be pronounced with sincere conviction and under no coercion. The importanciade this testimony is the belief that the only purpose of life is to serve and obey God, and this is achieved by following the example of the prophet Muhammad, the Messenger sent to all human beings till the Day of Judgment.
Salah (The Five Daily Prayers)
Daily prayers are offered five times a day as a duty towards Allah. Strengthen and enliven the belief in Allah and inspire man to a higher morality. Purificanel heart and prevent temptation towards sin and evil. He enthusiastically encouraged Muslims to perform their five daily prayers in congregation in the mosque men. Muslim women are free to pray where it’s most convenient for them. One, in its most basic form, mosque is strictly a clean space designated for the Prayers. The mosques located throughout the world have acquired various architectural forms that reflect local cultures. China range from separate pavilions and courtyards with a profusion of ornaments in India until the great domes of mosques in Turkey and modern structures throughout the world.
Sawm (Fasting)
The Muslims observe Ramadan, the month of fasting, not only abstaining from food, drink, and marital relations from sunrise to sunset but also from evil intentions and desires. Teaches love, sincerity and dedication. It develops a sound social conscience, patience, generosity, and willpower. It also helps the wealthy
understand the difficulties of those suffering from hunger.
Zakah (Purification of Wealth)
The Islamic worship is not limited only to the spiritual realm. Material obligations apply to those who can afford it. Zakah is the annual payment of 2.5% of the total amount of savings and commercial property obtained over a year for a believer as a religious duty and as purification of his wealth. This sum is payable directly to the poor and disadvantaged sections of the community. It requires Muslims to help the poor, the orphans, and the needy by providing at least one NJA money to facilitate their lives in an attempt to get save inequality. Islam always encourages Muslims to share their material goods with those less fortunate. However, the minimum amount of such aid is not sharing but give zakah.
Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca)
This obligation must be performed once over the life of a believer if you can afford it financially and physically. Over the past 1400 years, the Islamic miracle of real brotherhood of all races and nations has been contemplated in action while Muslims gather annually for the pilgrimage, the Hajj, in the holy city of Mecca, the holy place where locates the House of Allah, the Ka’ba. Being the only place of pilgrimage and the address to which the Muslim is directed to perform the five daily prayers, the Ka’ba, an old building with cubic form dating from the time of Abraham, is now encircled by about Three million Muslims wrapped in white dresses, like every year, during Hajj.
Salvation in Islam
In Islam, every human being is born free of sin: there is no original sin. Each person is responsible for their own actions, and no one will bear the burden of the other (Qur’an, 6: 164). Each person is inspired with the knowledge of Allah and by nature is inclined towards Islam before his birth. It is therefore our responsibility to seek guidance from Allah and keep our pure and free of corruption hearts. Allah is the judge of all beings and creatures, and no one has the right to dictate ensure salvation or punishment except HIM.
