An introduction to the faith, culture and people of Islam

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In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the
Merci-Giving

• An introduction to the faith, culture and people
  of Islam
  
• by
• Dr. Sahib Mustaqim Bleher

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Outline

• Muslims in the World
• History of Islam
• Beliefs and practice
• Key differences
• Misconceptions
• Questions/Answers

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Muslims in the World

• 1.2 billion, Muslims represent just over 20 of
  the world's population 1 of 5 humans in the
  world is a Muslim
  
• Second largest religion in the world
• Fastest growing including Europe and America

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World Distribution of Muslims
Source  Britannica Yearbook, 1997
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Muslims in Britain

• 1.6 million Muslims live in the UK
• 3 of general UK population
• Higher concentrations in metropolitan areas, e.g
• 8.5 of London population
• Disproportionate presence in custody
• 8 of prison population in UK (x2.67)

Coin with Islamic inscription issued by
Anglo-Saxon King Offa of Mercia, 8th century
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History of Islam

• Monotheistic Tradition
• Prophet Muhammad in Arabia
• Expansion and development
• Fall of the Caliphate

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Monotheistic Tradition

• Islam literally means achieving peace with
  oneself and ones environment through submission
  to God
  
• It is seen as a continuation of the previous
  monotheistic teachings, particularly Judaism and
  Christianity (the people of the Book)
  
• The Quran confirms the Torah, the Psalms and the
  Gospel as divinely revealed scriptures before the
  Quran

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Monotheistic Tradition

• Most of the prophets mentioned in the Quran are
  known to the previous traditions
  
• Adam (Adam), Idris, Nuh (Noah), Hud, Saleh, Lut
  (Lot), Ibrahim (Abraham), Ismail (Ishmael), Ishaq
  (Isaac), Yaqub (Jacob), Yusuf (Joseph), Shuayb
  (Jethro), Ayyub (Job), Musa (Moses), Harun
  (Aaron), Dawud (David), Sulayman (Solomon), Yunus
  (Jonah), Ilyas (Elijah), Al-Yasa (Elisha),
  Dhu-l-Kifl, Zakariya (Zechariah), Yahya (John),
  Isa (Jesus)

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Prophet Muhammad in Arabia

• Muhammad, peace be upon him, was born in Arabia
  in 570 and received the first revelation at the
  age of 40.
  
• After 10 years in Makkah, where the growing faith
  was soon persecuted, he emigrated with his
  followers to Madinah in 622. This is known as the
  Hijrah and marks the beginning of the Muslim
  lunar calendar.
• During the remaining 13 years of his life he laid
  the foundation for the city state at the heart of
  the growing Muslim sphere of influence.

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Expansion and development

• Islamic rule spread within decades to the three
  continents of Asia, Africa and Europe.
  
• The developing civilisation absorbed and adapted
  the heritage of ancient people like Egypt, Persia
  and Greece and excelled in art, architecture,
  astronomy, geography, history, linguistics,
  literature, medicine, mathematics and physics,
  laying the foundation for European enlightenment.

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Expansion and development

• At the same time the Islamic sciences of Quranic
  studies (Tafsir), Hadith classification, Islamic
  jurisprudence (Fiqh) matured, leading to a wealth
  of religious literature which formed the
  foundation for subsequent development.

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Fall of the Caliphate

• Soon after the death of the prophet, however,
  Islam also saw numerous political upheavals,
  leading, for example to the split between Sunni
  and Shia traditions.
• In spite of power struggles within the Islamic
  territory, for most of the time there was some
  kind of political unity.
  
• The dissolution of the Caliphate at the end of
  WWI and the resulting age of colonialism
  presented Muslims across the world with a new
  phenomenon of fragmentation and disunity from
  which they have still not recovered to date.

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Beliefs and practice

• Five pillars
• Halal and haram
• Variations within Islam
• Relationship to other faiths

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The five pillars of Islam

• Declaration of faith (Shahadah)
• Prayer (Salah)
• Charity (Zakah)
• Fasting (Saum)
• Pilgrimage (Hajj)

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Beliefs of Islam

• Allah
• Angels
• Scriptures
• Messengers
• Predestination
• Hereafter

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BeliefAllah One God

• Allah is the Arabic name for God used by Muslims
  of the world as well as Arab Christians.
  
• Say He is God, the One and Only  God, the
  Eternal, Absolute  He begets not, nor is He
  begotten And there is none like Him. (The Quran,
  Surah 112)

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Belief The Angels

• Part of the belief in the unseen is the belief in
  other forms of creation (the angels made from
  light the Jinn (spirits, demons) made from the
  essence of fire)
• Some angels have specific tasks Jibril (Gabriel)
  brings the revelation, Israfil delivers commands
  and blows the trumpet on the day of judgment,
  Mikail (Michael) is the bringer of blessing and
  in charge of nature, Izrail the angel of death.
• Our deeds are recorded by two personal angels

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Belief Scriptures The Quran

• Revealed over 23 years in Makkah and Madinah
• Both memorised and recorded in writing, todays
  copy is proven to be exactly the same as at the
  time of revelation
  
• 114 Surahs (chapters) divided in Ayahs
  (signs/verses)
  
• Explanation (Tafsir) takes account of historic
  situation, linguistic understanding, and context
  of other verses
  
• Recited in Arabic during prayer translations are
  accepted for personal use, but not authoritative

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BeliefMessengers - Muhammad

• Descendant of Ishmael, the first son of Abraham.
• Born in Mecca, Arabia, in the year 570
• Received first revelation at the age 40 through
  angel Gabriel.
  
• Died in the year 632 C.E, after preaching Islam
  for 23 years.
  
• Seal of the chain of prophets no more prophets
  to follow.
  

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Belief Predestination (Qadr)

• We are accountable for our deeds, but cannot
  influence the events we encounter, which are
  intended to test us
  
• Our knowledge is limited, but the Creator has
  complete knowledge of past present and future
  
• The belief in predestination helps in times of
  affliction but is not intended to prevent us from
  trying our best
  

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BeliefThe Hereafter

• Life is part of a journey from God back to God
• Life has a purpose we are on trial with regard
  to our behaviour
  
• The soul is eternal and will be raised again
• Perfect justice does not exist on earth full
  justice can only be achieved in the Hereafter
  
• Nobody will escape accountability

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Prayer (Salah)

• Five Daily Prayers
• Prayers involve ablution, standing, bowing,
  prostrating, sitting postures, followed by
  personal invocations
  
• Muslim face a common prayer direction (Qiblah)
  towards the Kaabah in Makkah
  
• Prayers can be said alone or in congregation
• On Fridays congregational prayers preceded by a
  sermon are mandatory
  

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Prayer (Salah)

• The five daily prayers are
• Fajr (from early twilight till just before
  sunrise
  
• Zuhr (after the zenith of the sun till mid
  afternoon
  
• Asr (between mid and late afternoon
• Maghrib (shortly after sunset)
• Isha (during night-time and before the next
  mornings twilight)
  
• There are additional voluntary prayers as well as
  are prayers for special occasions
  

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Prayer The Mosque

• Mosques do not contain statues or images
• Calligraphy and arabesque geometric designs
  beautify the mosque interior
  
• There are no seats and no reserved places
• Worshippers remove their shoes before entry
• Washing facilities are attached to the mosque
• The mosque also serves as a cultural centre

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Charity (Zakat)

• Everybody above the poverty threshold must pay
  2.5 of surplus (not income) for the benefit of
  the needy annually
  
• Only Muslims pay Zakah
• Other charity can be given at any time
• The concept of Zakah ensures an awareness of
  social obligation and prevents hording
  

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Fasting (in Ramadan)

• Ramadan is 9th month in Islamic Lunar calendar
  and thus starts 10 days earlier every year of the
  solar calendar
  
• Abstinence from food and drink and marital
  relations from dawn to sunset
  
• It is traditional to break the fast with dates
• Fasting is to teach self-control and awareness of
  God
  
• Eid ul-Fitr holiday at the end celebrations are
  preceded by giving charity and a congregational
  prayer
  

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Hajj (Pilgrimage)

• Pilgrimage to Makkah once in life time for able
  Muslims during the last month of the Muslim
  calendar
  
• About 2-3 million Muslims perform Hajj each year
  from all over the world
  
• The rituals of Hajj commemorate the sacrifice of
  Ibrahim (Abraham)
  
• Eid ul-Adha the major Muslim holiday
  congregational prayer followed by sacrifice, food
  distribution and celebrations
  
• A lesser pilgrimage (Umrah) can take place any
  time during the year as a visit to the Kaabah
  

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Halal and Haram

• Islam governs personal and public life through a
  concept of permitted and forbidden actions,
  further divided into a complex system of
  individual and social rights and duties.
• The lawful and unlawful actions are graded into
  the obligatory, recommended, value-neutral,
  disliked, and prohibited.

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Islamic Law Shariah

• Sources of laws
• Divine revelation (Quran)
• Prophetic Tradition (Hadith/Sunnah)
• Scholarly analogy/consensus (Ijtihad/Qiyas/Ijma)
  
  

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Islamic Law Shariah

• Classification of laws
• Laws of God (human rights)
• Laws of people (public order)
• Laws of self (private morals)

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Islamic Law Shariah

• Jurisdictions
• Daru-l-Islam (territory governed by Islamic
  Law)
  
• Daru-l-Harb (enemy territory)
• Daru-l-Ahd (territory subject to agreement with
  Islamic State)
  

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Islamic Law Shariah

• Dual Citizenship
• Muslims (to be drafted/obliged to pay Zakah)
• Dhimmis (not to be drafted/obliged to pay
  Jizya/protection tax)
  
• Minority rights
• Monotheists (Ahl Kitab)
• Polytheists

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Halal/Haram Food

• Carrion, blood and pork are amongst the forbidden
  food items
  
• Meat must be slaughtered in the name of Allah and
  all blood must be drained
  
• Only non-carnivorous animals are permitted for
  consumption
  
• All sea animals are permitted
• Alcohol and intoxicating drugs are prohibited
  completely
  
• Food prepared by the People of the Book
  (Jews/Christians) is permitted food dedicated to
  other gods is prohibited
  

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Halal/Haram Behaviour

• Prohibited actions
• Murder
• Theft
• Usury
• Gambling
• Intimate relationships outside marriage
• Same sex relationships

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Variations within Islam

• Sunni
• Shia
• Sufi
• Different races, different cultures

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Relationships with other faiths

• Monotheistic faiths
• Jews
• Christians
• Polytheistic faiths
• New faiths/cults after Islam

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Key Differences
The role of religion

• Church and State
• No church hierarchy
• No separation of religion and politics

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Key differences Christianity

• No divinity of man
• No crucifixion
• No original sin
• Personal salvation

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Misconceptions

• A foreign religion?
• Role of women, polygamy
• Jihad (holy war)
• Confusion between religious and cultural
  traditions

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Questions and Answers
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