Islam: Difference between revisions

{{Islam}}

'''Islam''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɪ|s|l|ɑː|m}};<ref group="note">There are ten pronunciations of ''Islam'' in English, differing in whether the first or second syllable has the stress, whether the ''s'' is {{IPAc-en|z}} or {{IPAc-en|s}}, and whether the ''a'' is pronounced {{IPAc-en|ɑː}}, {{IPAc-en|æ}} or (when the stress is on the first syllable) {{IPAc-en|ə}} (Merriam Webster). The most common are {{IPAc-en|ɪ|z|ˈ|l|ɑː|m|,_|ɪ|s|'|l|ɑː|m|,_|ˈ|ɪ|z|l|ə|m|,_|ˈ|ɪ|s|l|ə|m}} (Oxford English Dictionary, Random House) and {{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɪ|z|l|ɑː|m|,_|ˈ|ɪ|s|l|ɑː|m}} (American Heritage Dictionary).</ref> {{lang-ar|ٱلْإِسْلَام|al-Islām}}, {{IPA-ar|alʔɪsˈlaːm||ar-al_islam.ogg}}) is an [[Abrahamic religion|Abrahamic]]  [[Monotheism|monotheistic]] [[religion]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Islam|title=Islam {{!}} religion|work=Encyclopedia Britannica|accessdate=2018-10-04|language=en}}</ref> All of its teachings and beliefs are written out in the [[Quran]] (also spelled Qur'an or Koran), the holy scripture of Islam. Believers of Islam are called '''Muslims''' which means "submitter to God". They believe that the Quran was spoken to [[Muhammad]] by the angel [[Gabriel]], and that it is the word of God (or [[Allah]]). They view Muhammad as a [[prophet]] and [[messenger]] of God. Other beliefs and rules about what Muslims should do come from [[Hadith|reports of what Muhammad taught]] or ''hadith''.  

Linguistically, Islam is defined as surrender to the command of God without objection, without submission, rebellion, and stubbornness. As for its idiomatic meaning, it is the religion that was brought by “Muhammad bin Abdullah,” sent by Almighty God, and which Muslims believe is the law with which God sealed the heavenly messages. In a hadith on the authority of Abu Hurairah that the Prophet Muhammad defined Islam: “By worshiping God and not associating anything with Him, performing the prayer, paying the obligatory zakat, fasting Ramadan and performing the pilgrimage to the house of God.”   

Muslims believe that there were many other prophets before Muhammad since dawn of humanity, beginning with the Prophet [[Adam and Eve|Adam]] and including the Prophet [[Noah]] (Nuh), the Prophet [[Ibrahim|Abraham]] (Ibrahim), the Prophet [[Moses]] (Musa), and the Prophet [[Jesus]] (Isa). They believe that all these prophets were given messages by God of the oneness of God to their communities at different times in history of mankind, but [[Satan]] (referred to as 'Shaytan' in Arabic) made the past communities deviate from the message of oneness and other social codes. Muslims believe that the content of the Quran (written in Arabic) is protected by Allah as mentioned in the Quran and is the final message of God for all of mankind until the day of judgment.

With about 1.75 billion followers (24% of the world's population), Islam is the second-largest religion in the world. Islam is also the fastest-growing religion in the world. Islam is also the second-largest and fastest-growing religion in Europe.

[[File:Biggest Quran book -Bait al- Quran.jpg|thumb|235x235px|The Qur'an is the holy book to Muslims. They believe it holds the revealed word of God]]According to the Qur’an, Muslims believe in God, his angels, his books, his messengers, the Last Day, and Fate. In accordance with a Qur’anic verse: “We have created everything with predestination As much is good and bad". And in hadith the Messenger Muhammad when he said that faith is: “to believe in God, his angels, his books, his messengers, and the Last Day, and believe in the destiny of good and bad.” Muslims believe that God is the one God who created the universe with everything in it. The Qur’an revealed to the Prophet Muhammad through Gabriel. They believe that he is the final messenger of all messengers that are sent before him. The Prophets are human beings and children of Adam, whom God chose to be his messengers. Muslims believe that the prophets are not gods, but merely human beings with some miracles to prove their prophethood. They are the ones who receive divine revelation.

As for belief, it is the set of principles that a Muslim must believe in, and it is fixed and does not differ according to the different prophets. As for Sharia (Law), it is the name for practical rulings that differ according to the different messengers.

# '''Salaat''': Muslims [[Prayer|pray]] five times per day, at special times of the day.  When they pray, they face Kaaba, a large cubic structure located at the [[Sacred|holy]] city of [[Mecca]]. ''[[Salat]]'' is ''namaz'' in [[Persian language|Persian]], [[Turkish language|Turkish]] and [[Urdu language|Urdu]]. Shia Muslims can pray the afternoon and evening prayers right after each other.<ref>The Shia Imami Ismaili Muslims: A Short Introduction - Page 28, Jimmy R. Davis - 2007</ref>  

# '''Sawm or Siyam''':  [[Fasting]] during [[Ramadan]], the ninth month of the Islamic year.  Muslims do not eat or drink from dawn till sunset for one [[Lunar calendar|lunar month]]. After Ramadan, there is a holiday called ''Eid al-Fitr'' (which means "festival of end-fast" in English). On Eid al-Fitr, Muslims usually go to the [[mosque]] in the morning for a special religious service, and then have a party with families and friends.

In Islamic belief, the Quran is the holy book of Islam and contained to words of Allah (God) and is conveyed to the Prophet Muhammad by the archangel [[Gabriel|Jibraeel]], who had been tasked since Adam as the conveyor of the words of God as guidance to mankind. The Quran is the central point of reference and is a link which connects humanity with God.

The Qur'an contains many passages and chapters which covers the entire aspect of humanity, down to the most minute detail. From the creation and conception of human child to the details of the Earth and beyond. In the aspect of human life it contains stories and tales of old civilizations and past prophets and their life chronicles. The Quran also contains the Syaria' law or hudud, and emphasizes the equal rights man and women alike with mothers given special status where it is sinful to even glare at them.

The Qur'an has a total of 30 juzuks. In each juzuk, contains many surahs or [[verse]]s, with 114 surahs which begins with Surah al-Fatehah(The Beginning) and ended with Surah an-Naas(Humanity). A Hafeez is a Muslim who has committed the Quran to memory and can accurately recite every word in the Quran without flipping a single page and apply them to daily life.

The Qur'an is considered in Islam as a manual to all of humanity and its teachings are to be implemented and shared by its readers.

[[Muslims]] pray in a place of worship called the mosque. A mosque is called a ''masjid'' in Arabic. Most mosques were mostly recognized having at least a single [[dome]], and some have one or more [[tower]]s. However many mosques were built without either domes or towers.

[[File:Adhan wiki.oga|left|thumb|A Sunni version of the call to prayer]]

When it is time to pray, Muslims face the direction of [[Qibla]] - the direction they are supposed to pray in, towards Mecca.  They then roll out their prayer mat, and perform their prayers to God.

According to Islamic teachings, Muslims must say "[[Peace be upon him (Islam)|Peace be upon him]]" (PBUH or pbuh) whenever they hear Prophet's name. In this way, they show respect to Muhammad and other prophets.

In 2009, a study was done in 232 countries and territories.<ref name="Miller 2009, pp.4,11">Miller (2009), pp.4,11</ref> This study found that 23% of the global population or 1.57&nbsp;billion people are Muslims. Of those, between 75% and 90% are [[Sunni]]<ref name="PRC">{{citation|url=http://pewforum.org/docs/?DocID=450|title=Mapping the Global Muslim Population: A Report on the Size and Distribution of the World's Muslim Population: Main Page|publisher=Pew Research Center}}</ref><ref name="BritannicaSunnite">[[Encyclopædia Britannica]], [http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/574006/Sunnite ''Sunnite'']</ref> and between ten and twenty five percent are [[Shi'a]].<ref name="Miller 2009, pp.4,11"/><ref name="PRC" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2122.html|title=The World Factbook — Central Intelligence Agency|website=www.cia.gov}}</ref>  A small part belong to other Islamic sects. In about fifty countries, more than half of the people are Muslim.<ref>Miller (2009), p.11</ref>  [[Arabs]] account for around twenty  percent of all Muslims worldwide. Islam has three holy sites; [[Jerusalem]], [[Mecca]] and [[Medina]].

Most estimates indicate that the [[People's Republic of China]] has about 20 to 30 million Muslims (1.5% to 2% of the population).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html|title=CIA – The World Factbook – China|publisher=Cia.gov|accessdate=2009-06-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2006/71338.htm |title=China (includes Hong Kong, Macau, and Tibet) |publisher=State.gov |accessdate=2009-06-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2008-07/09/content_6831389.htm |title=NW China region eyes global Muslim market |publisher=China Daily |date=2008-07-09 |accessdate=2009-07-14}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://muslimmedianetwork.com/mmn/?p=1922 |title=Muslim Media Network |publisher=Muslim Media Network |date=2008-03-24 |accessdate=2009-07-14 |archive-date=2008-03-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080327140607/http://muslimmedianetwork.com/mmn/?p=1922 |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, data provided by the [[San Diego State University]]'s International Population Center to [[U.S. News & World Report]] suggests that China has 65.3 million Muslims.<ref>[https://www.usnews.com/usnews/graphics/religion/islams_global_reach.htm Secrets of Islam], [[U.S. News & World Report]]. Information provided by the International Population Center, Department of Geography, [[San Diego State University]].</ref> Islam is the second largest religion after [[Christianity]] in many [[Europe]]an countries,<ref>See:

*{{cite encyclopedia | title=Islamic World | encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia Britannica Online | accessdate=2007-05-02}}

{{cite web | url=http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html | title=Major Religions of the World Ranked by Number of Adherents | publisher=Adherents.com | accessdate=2007-01-09}}

*{{cite news | title=Muslims in Europe: Country guide | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4385768.stm | publisher=BBC | work=BBC News | date=2005-12-23 | accessdate=2006-09-28}}

*{{cite web | title=Religion In Britain | url= http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=293 | publisher=Office for National Statistics | work=National Statistics | date=2003-02-13 | accessdate=2006-08-27}}</ref>

* The ''[[Shi'ites]]'' believe that just as only God can appoint a [[prophet]], he can appoint a second leader after the prophet. Shi'a Muslims believe that God chose [[Ali]] as the leader after [[Muhammad]]. About 10-20% of Muslims are Shi'a which means that there are about 120 million world wide. Shi'a Muslims form the majority of Muslims in [[Iran]], [[Azerbaijan]], [[Bahrain]], [[Iraq]], and [[Lebanon]]. The largest adhab in [[Yemen]] is Zaydi Shia. Shias commonly gather for [[Day of Ashura]] in [[Karbala]]. They accept four [[hadith]]s.  

* ''[[Sunnism]]'' considers Abu Bakr to be the successor of Muhammad. Sunnis make up roughly 75% of Muslims.<ref name="BritannicaSunnite" /><ref name="Oxford">From the article on Sunni Islam in [http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/article/opr/t125/e2280?_hi=2&_pos=2 Oxford Islamic Studies Online]</ref> Sunnis believe that leaders of Islam should be chosen by the people of the Muslim world. After Abu Bakr died, Omar took his place, then Uthman, and then [[Ali]]. All of them were companions of [[Muhammad]] and lived in [[Medina]]. Sunni beliefs are typically based on the [[Qur'an]] and the [[Kutub al-Sittah]] (six hadiths). Sunnis are sometimes called Bukharists.

* The ''[[Sufism|Sufi]]'' are a branch in Islam that focuses more on the spiritual and [[mysticism|mystic]] elements of Islam. Sufis usually conclude their prayers with dhikr recitations.

 

* {{cite journal |last=Seibert |first=Robert F. |title=Review: Islam and the West: The Making of an Image (Norman Daniel)|journal=Review of Religious Research |date=1994 |volume=36 |issue=1}}

==Other websites==

 

*[http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Islam_%28Bookshelf%29 Islam (Bookshelf)] at [[Project Gutenberg]]

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090326092524/http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/govpubs/us/islamus.htm Islam] from [https://nobleanma.com/ AsiaAuthorities] [https://www.seoulmassage.net Asia] ''UCB [https://the1st-anma.com/ Libraries] [https://jinwoo-shirt.com GovPubs]''

[[Category:Arabic words]]