Introduction
Islam is a monotheistic Abrahamic religion, monotheistic meaning it only worships one God. Islam has been around since the 7th century CE and has around 1.9 billion followers in total, making it the second-largest religion after Christianity. Islam is named after an action, unlike Christianity and Judaism, which are named after Jesus Christ and the tribe of Judah, respectively. "Islam" translated means to submit to God, so a Muslim is a person who submits to God. The root word in Arabic means peace, meaning that a Muslim submits to God to find peace by following Him. Islam is a very unique religion compared to other monotheistic Abrahamic religions like Christianity and Judaism. In this post, I will be discussing how Islam came to be, its teachings, their way of life, and its relation to law in the modern world.
Muhammad - Founder of Islam
Muhammad was born in 570 CE in the city of Mecca. His parents died when he was young, so he grew up as an orphan in the care of his grandfather. Muhammad was a part of the Quraysh tribe, who believed in multiple Gods and the idea of idolatry (the idea of worshipping something that is supposed to represent God rather than worshipping God Himself). In fact, Muhammad's tribe were in charge of the Kaaba, a religious building that was filled with different idols of different Gods at the time. The tribe became rich off of taxing pilgrims who wanted to visit the Kaaba.
Muhammad didn't like this community in his tribe. He was deeply religious and wanted to make changes in his tribe. He often saw injustice, poverty, war, and discrimination. Not only that, he but he witnessed once religious festivals becoming an excuse to have a party and worship idols. Instead of attending these festivals, Muhammad would go to a secluded mountain in Mecca and pray alone in a cave every so often. It was during one of his prayers here that angel Gabriel appeared before him. Gabriel informed Muhammad that there was one God and that he was God's messenger. Along with that, he told Muhammad God's revelations and made him recite them aloud. These revelations, written down by his companions, became Islam's holy book, the Quaran.
After this, Muhammad began to preach his believes. He began saying that Arabs don't have supremacy over non-Arabs, that infant girls shouldn't be killed since they aren't inferior to males, and other radical ideas. Unfortunately for Muhammad, the Quraysh tribe was angered by him. The tribe was sexist, racist, hierarchal, polytheistic, and idolistic, everything Muhammad was against. Only a few people from the tribe began to follow Muhammad, and if they did they were often beat up and tortured by the other traditional members of the tribe. Originally, Muhammad didn't want him or his followers fighting back. After a decade of enduring this, the Muslims fled to Medina.
When Muhammad arrived in Medina, God told him that he and his followers could fight back with rules to ensure that civilians and innocent people wouldn't get harmed. Later, Muhammad, along with his 10,000-man army, marched to Mecca and gave up without a fight. They went into the Kaaba and destroyed all the idols that were in it, so that they could dedicate the building to worshipping only one God.
Five Pillars of Islam The religious practices of Islam come from the tenets known as the Five Pillars that all Muslims should adhere to.
Profession of Faith (shahada): The belief that there is only one God and his prophet Muhammad
Daily Prayers (salat): Muslims should pray five times a day in the direction of the Mecca
Almsgiving (zakat): Muslims should share their wealth with the less fortunate in their community
Fasting During Ramadhan (saum): During the 9th month of the Islamic calendar, Muslims should fast from dusk to dawn, with some exceptions.
Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj): All Muslims who can should make the pilgrimage to Mecca once in their lives.
Kaaba
The Kaaba is considered the holiest shrine in Islam since Muslims have prayed to it five times a day since early 600 CE. It's also considered the holiest shrine because it was in the same city as Muhammad's birthplace, where he first connected with God, and where he started Islam.
Resurrection
The Day of Resurrection is very important for Muslims. They believe God already plans the time of death, but unknown to mankind. Muslims believe that on the day of the death, Muslims will be judged by all their deeds, both good and bad. While there are sins in Islam that can condemn someone to hell, it is possible to repent and be sent to heaven instead.
Divine Predestinate
Muslims believe in the idea of divine presentation, that all events and matters have been predestined by God.
Conclusion
Islam is a very intricate and unique religion that I admire. It has had significant roles in shaping cultures, societies, and civilizations around the globe. The interpretations and practices of Islam highlight its adaptability in the modern-day world. Understanding Islam's core beliefs fosters a deeper appreciation of its impact on society and today's world.
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