Islam in brief

Islam in brief

Islam is the eternal message of Allah to all people without any exception. It emanated from our father Adam (peace be upon him) and then was passed on to other chosen messengers reaching its completed word to mankind with the final prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Linguistically, Islam means the deliberate “submission and surrendering” to the Almighty’s commands. Practically, Islam as a religion is based on six basic concepts of faith and five fundamental pillars without which one’s belief is not accepted. The six beliefs are:

The belief in One God, Allah,
The belief in His Angels,
The belief in His Scriptures,
The belief in His Messengers,
The belief in the Day of Judgment,
The belief in the divine decree, the good and the bad of it.

As for the five pillars of Islam, they are as follows:

Al-Shahadatan: 'ašhadu 'al-lā ilāha illā-llāhu wa 'ašhadu 'anna muħammadan rasūlu-llāh; I bear witness that there is no God worthy of worship except Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." This testimony is considered as one of the most foundational pillar in Islam as it is used by Muslims in prayer, and for non- Muslims to formally convert to Islam.

Performing prayer (Salat): Muslims are required to pray five times on a daily basis at specific times. It was until Allah’s revelation to Muhammad that all Muslims started to face the Kaaba in Mecca and not Jerusalem. Salat is the natural and the direct relationship between Muslims and Allah. It goes beyond the concept of a pillar to embrace the pure feeling of gratefulness and satisfaction.

Giving Alms (Zakat): it is the Muslim’s personal commitment to help the poor and the needy by providing them with a fixed amount of money in order to facilitate their lives in an attempt to get rid of inequality.

Fasting (Sawm): not only does fasting mean the act of abstaining from food, drink, and sexual intercourse from dawn to dusk in the month of Ramadan, but also it is meant to purify the soul from the worldly aspects and to seek an exceptional bond with the Merciful.

Performing Pilgrimage (Hajj): It is a significant and a compulsory practice for Muslims who are able to perform it in the month of Dhu Al Hijja in the city of Mecca. It is the symbol of equality between mankind in that all muslims regardless of their race, gender, status, nationality, and colour are to fulfill the act of Hajj, wearing the same clothes and doing the same rituals.

Last but not least, it goes without saying that Islam’s teachings are simple, rational, and straightforward. They link the practical side with the moral one, the body with the soul. Islam is an encompassing as well as a moderate religion; it speaks to both individuals and groups, it establishes a balance between its beliefs to work harmoniously and fluidly. Islam does not expel life; on the contrary it encourages the true fulfillment of life. It is the very religion of tolerance, freedom, equality, and fraternity. Islam is the religion of ethics par-excellence. It seeks spiritual elevation as it abhors all kinds of vices for instance, greed, envy, hatred, selfishness, arrogance, and so on.

Islam cannot be defined in one word because it is a way of life as it deals with the spiritual, social, economic, cultural, political and international aspects. Islam is the light given by the Almighty to facilitate our life, lighten our heart, and guide us to the right path. It stems from a special call from your heart then that call touches all the parts of your body and soul and lets you feel peace and true happiness.