The Arabic word Islam means “submission,” reflecting the tenet of submitting to the will of God. Followers of Islam are called Muslims which means “one who submits to Allah.”
Islam is a monotheistic faith based on revelations received by the Prophet Muhammad. The Prophet dedicated the remainder of his life to spread the message of monotheism in a polytheistic world. According to Islamic tradition, in the seventh century, the angel Gabriel appeared to the Prophet over the course of 20 years, revealing to him many messages from God. These dictated revelations compose the Qur'an, Islam's holy book.
The sacred text of Islam, the Qur'an, which Muslims believe it contains the literal words of God, was written in Arabic within 30 years of Muhammad's death. Sayings and actions of Muhammad and his companions are collected in the form of Hadith.
Islam is often seen as having the simplest doctrines of the major religions. There are fundamental beliefs which every Muslim must ascribe to:
1. One God (Allah)
That Allah is one, eternal, creator, and sovereign. The central belief in Islam and the most important theme of Islam is that there is one God. The Muslim name for God is Allah. God is described in chapter 112 of the Quran "Say, He is God, the One and Only; God, the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth not, nor is He begotten; And there is none like unto Him". Muslims reject the Christian doctrine of the Trinity and divinity of Jesus.
2. The angels of God
Angels in Islam are spiritual creatures that obey and serve the purposes of Allah. They are messengers who relay communication to people and carry out other responsibilities. Angels' duties include communicating revelations from God, glorifying God, recording every person's actions, and taking a person's soul at the time of death. Muslims believe that angels are made of light. Another kind of being that is sapient in Islam is called Jinn, who are believed to be invisible to humans, including the Satans.
3. The book of God, the Qur'an
 |
| Hand-written form of Qura'n |
The Quran is the most important writing in the religion of Islam and is the highest authority in both religious and legal matters. The word "Quran" means "recitation" in Arabic. Muslims believe the Quran to be an errorless record of the angel Gabriel's revelations to Muhammad, from 610 until his death in 632 AD. It is also believed to be a perfect copy of a Quran that has existed eternally in paradise. The Quran is more concerned with moral guidance than legal instruction, and is considered the sourcebook of Islamic principles and values.The Quran is divided into 114 suras. The chronologically earlier suras, revealed at Mecca are primarily concerned with ethical and spiritual topics where as later Medinan suras mostly discuss social and moral issues relevant to the Muslim community.
4. The prophets of God, especially Muhammad
Muhammad is the most important historical and theological figure in Islam. His name, which means "highly praised," reflects this. Muhammad was born in Mecca in 570 AD. His father died before he was born and his mother died when he was six-years-old. Muhammad was then raised primarily by his uncle, for whom he worked as a shepherd.
5. The Day of Judgement (or the afterlife)
 |
| A verse from Qura'n about the day of judgement |
The afterlife is very important to the Islamic worldview. Muslims believe in the continued existence of the soul and a transformed physical existence after death. Islam teaches that there will be a day of judgement on their good and bad deeds
when all humans will be divided between the eternal destinations of Paradise and Hell. They believe its time is preordained by God but unknown to man. The Qurʼan lists several sins that can condemn a person to hell, such as disbelief in God, and dishonesty; however, the Qurʼan makes it clear God will forgive the sins of those who repent if he so wills. Good deeds, such as charity, prayer and compassion towards animals will be rewarded with entry to heaven. Muslims view heaven as a place of joy and bliss.
6. The supremacy of God's will (or predestination)
Islam teaches that God not only foreknows, but also foreordains all that comes to pass in the world and in the lives of individuals. Muslims believe Allah has decreed everything that will happen, nothing happens accidentally.
No comments:
Post a Comment