Islam arose in the early seventh century under the leadership of the prophet Muhammad. (In Arabic the word Islam means "submission"; [to God].) It is the youngest of the world's three great monotheistic religions and follows in the prophetic tradition of Judaism and Christianity. In fact, Muhammad is considered by Muslims to be the last in the line of Old and New Testament prophets. He is neither a divinity nor a figure of worship, but is called simply Prophet or Messenger of God.
The Prophet Muhammad (c. 570-632) was born in Mecca, in western Arabia, where he first began to receive the divine revelation and to preach a message of one god, around the year 610. According to Muslim belief, the word of God was disclosed to Muhammad through the intermediary of the archangel Gabriel, who commanded him to "Recite! In the name of thy lord." These revelations were subsequently collected and codified as the Muslim holy book, the Quran, which means "recitation" in Arabic, the language of the Prophet and the Qur'an.
The Prophet Muhammad's message proclaiming a new religious and social order based on allegiance to one god, Allah, was unpopular among the leaders of Mecca, whose prosperity and influence were tied to their guardianship of the Kaaba, a polytheistic sanctuary and place of pilgrimage. In 622 the Prophet Muhammad and his followers were compelled to leave Mecca, traveling north to the oasis town of Medina. The Prophet's departure from Mecca is known as the <i>hijra</i>, or emigration; the date of this event marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar. In Medina, the Prophet Muhammad continued to gather support, and within a few years Mecca, too, had submitted to Islam. Upon his return to Mecca, one of the Prophet's first acts was to cleanse the Kaaba of its idols and to rededicate the shrine to Allah.
While Islam incorporates certain ideas from Judaism and Christianity, such as their prophetic tradition, it has its own tenets and system of beliefs. There are five religious duties incumbent upon all Muslims, which are often referred to as the Five Pillars: first and foremost is the profession of faith: there is no God but Allah; Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. The second duty is prayer, five times a day: at dawn, midday, afternoon, evening, and night. The third obligation is charity to the poor in the form of an alms tax. The fourth duty is fasting from sunrise until sundown during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. The fifth obligation is, if at all possible, to undertake the pilgrimage, or Hajj to Mecca and the Kaaba.
The Qur'an is the cornerstone of Muslim faith, practice, and law. It provides guidelines for social welfare, family and inheritance laws, and proper behavior within the framework of a just and equitable society. The Qur’an does not speak against the creation of figural images, only the making of idols. Restrictions on figurative arts are, however, found in another body of literature known as Hadith, or "tradition." Hadith includes accounts of the sayings, deeds, and thoughts of the Prophet and is superseded in importance only by the Qur'an.
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Pillars of Islam
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First - There is no God but Allah; the Propphet Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.
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Second - Prayer, five times a day: at dawn, midday, afternoon, evening, and night.
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Third - Obligation is charity to the poor in the form of an alms tax. |
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Fourth - Fasting from sunrise until sundown during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar.
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Fifth - Obligation is, if at all possible, to undertake the pilgrimage, or Hajj to Mecca and the Kaaba. |
