1. Islam in
Arabic is a verbal noun, meaning self-surrender to Allah (literally: "the
god) as revealed through the "message and life of his prophet
Mohammed." In the religious sense, Muslim means
"anyone or anything that surrenders itself to the true will of God."
2. The Quran (literally
meaning "the recitation") is the central religious text of Islam,
which Muslims believe to be the unedited revelation from Allah verbally
revealed through the angel Gabriel to Muhammad while he was in a trance-like
state. This "revelation" occurred gradually over a period of
approximately 23 years concluding in the year of Mohammed’s death. A number of
his companions who knew the Quran by heart decided to collect the book in one
volume so that it could be preserved. Quranic chapters are called suras and
verses are called ayahs.
3. For a believing Muslim, the Quran
occupies the position Christ has for Christians. A Muslim should not handle the
text unless they are in a state of ritual purity. Readings are preceded by the
phrase "I take refuge with God from Satan, the accursed one," and
followed by "God almighty has spoken truly." Certain verses are even
credited with curative powers (the first sura is claimed to be good for
scorpion bites).
4. The first sura of the Quran —
considered to be the perfect embodiment of Islam — is repeated in daily prayers
and in other occasions. This sura, which consists of seven verses, is the most
often recited sura of the Quran:
"All praise belongs to God, Lord of the Universe, the
Beneficent, the Merciful and Master of the Day of Judgment, You alone We do
worship and from You alone we do seek assistance, guide us to the right path,
the path of those to whom You have granted blessings, those who are neither
subject to Your anger nor have gone astray."
This sura is repeated during the
five prayers Muslim are required to pray every 24 hours.
5. The basic religious duties of
Muslims are known as the Five Pillars:
Shahadah: declaring
there is no god except Allah, and Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger
Salat: ritual prayer five times a day. In performing salat, the precise body movements are as important as the mental state. Salat may be performed almost anywhere provided that the Muslim faces the "Qibla," that is, in the direction of Islam's most sacred mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
Zakat: compulsory charity for the poor, assessed at 2.5 percent of capital assets (items such as bank deposits but not possessions such as cars or houses).
Sawm: fasting from dawn to sunset during the month of Ramadan (the ninth month of the lunar calendar).
Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime if he or she is able; the hajj takes place during the last ten days of the twelfth lunar month
Salat: ritual prayer five times a day. In performing salat, the precise body movements are as important as the mental state. Salat may be performed almost anywhere provided that the Muslim faces the "Qibla," that is, in the direction of Islam's most sacred mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
Zakat: compulsory charity for the poor, assessed at 2.5 percent of capital assets (items such as bank deposits but not possessions such as cars or houses).
Sawm: fasting from dawn to sunset during the month of Ramadan (the ninth month of the lunar calendar).
Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime if he or she is able; the hajj takes place during the last ten days of the twelfth lunar month
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