Introduction to Islam
Islam is the second largest faith community in the world and the fasting growing faith in the world. Founded by the Prophet Muhammed PBUH [Peace be upon him] in 7th century Arabia the religion emphasises a monotheistic approach to worship centred on the worship of one creator.
The word Islam translates to “submission” and emphasises the worship of one god. Islam acknowledges the contribution of previous prophets mentioned in the Jewish and Christian scriptures.
Main Beliefs and Principles
The five pillars of Islam are
Tawheed - Belief in one god and associating no partners in the worship of god.
Salat - The five daily prayers Fajr, Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib and Isha.
Fasting - Fasting during the holy month of Ramadhan.
Zakat - Donation of 2.5% of a Muslim’s wealth towards charity and good causes.
Hajj - Performing a once in a lifetime obligation of making pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca.
Key Individuals in Islamic teachings
- Prophet Muhammed [peace be upon him] - The last prophet and messenger of Allah
- Prophets Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, and Jesus - All hold a high position in Islamic teachings as prophets of god who called to the worship of one god
- Abu Bakr, Umar bin Khattab, Uthman bin Affan, Ali bin Talib - The four elected caliphs of the Muslim empire after the death of the Prophet Muhammed PBUH
Scriptures and Sources of Reference
Quran
The spoken word of Allah revealed to the Prophet Muhammed PBUH. The Quran remains unchanged from the time of revelation to modern times.
Hadith
The sayings, actions and advice of the Prophet Muhammed PBUH to his companions recorded through oral and written history. Seven main collections of Hadith exist; the Hadith collections of Bukhari and Muslim are universally accepted as authentic and beyond doubt.
- Sahih Bukhari
- Sahih Muslim
- Abu Dawud
- Musnud of Imam Hanbal
- Muwatta of Malik
- Ibn Majah
- Tirmidhi
Festivals and Celebrations
Islam has two occasions of festival and celebration.
Eid ul Fitr - The first Eid commemorates the end of fasting during the month of Ramadhan.
Eid ul Adha - The second Eid festival commemorates the story of Abraham and his willingness to sacrifice his son at the bequest of his lord. Eid Ul Adha also marks the occasion of the annual Muslim pilgrimage of Hajj the fifth pillar of Islam.
During both Eid festivals Muslims around the world offer special Eid congregational prayers and exchange gifts with families. The Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle so unlike the Christian calendar the date for key events and celebrations changes every year. The lunar calendar is on average 11 days shorter than the solar calendar.
Islamic Denominations
Sunni
Over 80% of Muslims in the world today belong to the Sunni branch of Islam. The word Sunni is derived from the Arabic word Sunnah, which represents the way and customs of the Prophet Muhammed PBUH. Sunni Muslims declared their support for the first elected Caliph after the death of the Prophet Muhammed PBUH Abu Bakr who was also the father in law of the prophet.
Within Sunni Islam 4 schools of Fiqh [Jurisprudence] exist from which legal rulings are derived.
- Hanafi
- Maliki
- Shaa’fi
- Hanbali
All 4 schools agree that Islamic rulings and legislation must be derived from the following sources.
- Quran
- Hadith
- Ijmah of the Sahabah – the companions of the Prophet Muhammed PBUH
It is not uncommon to find contrasting viewpoints on the same key issue this is due to scholars from the different schools basing their rulings on different evidences from the above the 3 categories and not having access to all the relevant recorded information.
Shia
The word Shia translates to party, the Shia represent just under 20% of Muslims today and differed with Sunni muslims over who should rule the Islamic empire after the death of the prophet PBUH. The Shia believed the right of leadership rested with Ali the nephew of the Prophet Muhammed PBUH. They reject the leadership and rule of the 3 Caliphs that were appointed ahead of Ali’s eventual appointment as the fourth Caliph.
Whilst Sunnis supported the principle of elected leadership Shia Muslims believe that leadership should remain with the family and descendents of the Prophet Muhammed PBUH.
In addition to the two Eid festivals, Shia Muslims will also commemorate the occasion of Ashura, which marks the martyrdom of the grandson of the Prophet Muhammed PBUH.
Shia Fiqh and jurisprudence relies on the rulings of Imams who are seen as infallible leaders of the Shia community. This contrasts to the Sunni tradition of identifying evidence from the Hadith and the consensus of the Prophet’s companions.
There are two main groups of Shia
- Seveners - The Sevener Shias believe that the line of Shia Imams ended with the seventh Imam Ja\'far al-Sadiq.
- Twelvers - Twelvers represent the majority group in Shia Islam who believe the line of Imams continued and that there are 12 Imams, the last of whom is currently in hiding and will return to lead the Shia.
Other Groups
Sufis
Sufism exists both within in Sunni and Shia interpretations of Islam. Sufism advances the notion that there is an inner and outer meaning to the Quran, a view rejected by orthodox Muslims. Certain Sufi schools of thought also forward the theory of the creator and the creation being one, again a view that is rejected by many orthodox muslims who view the Creator and the creation as two distinct entities.
Sufi orders became more commonplace during the 1100s towards the end of the Fatamid dynasty. The illuminist school of thought within Sufism shares many of the same principles as Buddhism in terms of defining the spiritual relationship between creator and creation.
Ahmadiyya
Ahmadiyya is one of the newest interpretations of Islam. Ahmedis believe that their founder is the reincarnation of the Prophet Muhammed PBUH. Ahmedis also believe that Jesus continued his mission after the crucifixion in India where he lived to the age of 120.
The group was formed in the Punjab region of India in 1889. The Muslim World League passed a declaration in the 1970s to declare Ahmedis as non-Muslims. Many Ahmedi communities are often persecuted for their beliefs.
