The Essential Beliefs of Islam. And Islamic Worship.
There are many aspects of belief in which one who adheres to Islam must have firm conviction . From those aspects , the most important are six, know as the " Six Articles of Belief ".
1} Belief in God.
Islam upholds strict monotheism and belief in God forms the heart of their faith. Islam teaches belief in one God who neither gives birth nor was born Himself , and has no share in His caretaking of the world . he alone gives life , causes death, brings good , causes affliction, and provides sustenance for His creation . God in Islam is the sole creator , Lord , Sustainer , Ruler , Judge , and savior of the universe . He has no equal in His Qualities and abilities , such as knowledge and power all worship , veneration and homage is to be directed to God and none else . Any breach of these concepts negates the basis of Islam .
2} Belief In the Angles .
Adherents to Islam must believe in the unseen world as mentioned in the Quran . From this world are the angles , emissaries of God , each assigned with a specific task . They have no free will or ability to disobey , it is their very nature to be God's faithful servants . Angles are not to be taken as demigods or objects of praise or veneration , they are mere servants of God obeying His every command .
3} Belief in the Prophets and Messengers .
Islam is a universal and inclusive religion . Muslims believe in the prophets, not Just the prophets Muhammad may the mercy and blessings of God be upon Him , but the Hebrew prophets , including Abraham , and Moses , as well as the prophets of the New Treatment , Jesus and John the Baptist . Islam teaches God did not send prophets Jews and Christians alone rather He sent prophets to all nations in the world one central message : worship God alone . Muslim must believe in all prophets sent by God mentioned in the Quran , without making any distinction between them . Muhammad peace be upon Him was sent with the final message , and there is no prophet to come after Him . His message is final and eternal , and through him God completed His message to Humanity.
4} Belief in the Sacred Texts.
Muslims believe in all books that God has sent down to humanity through His Prophets . These books include the books of Abraham , the Torah of Moses , The Psalms of David , and the Gospel of Jesus Christ . These books all had the same source {GOD}, the same message , and all were revealed in truth. This does not mean that they have been preserved in truth. Muslims {and many other Jewish and Christian scholars and historian } find that the books in existence today are not the original scripture , which in fact have been lost , changed , and or translated over and over again , losing the original Message .
As Christians view the New Testament to fulfill and complete the Old Testament , Muslims believe that the Prophet Muhammad Peace be upon Him received revelation from God through the angel Gabriel to correct human error that had entered into the scripture and doctrine of Judaism ,Christianity and all other religions . This revelations is the Quran , revealed in the Arabic language , and found today in its pristine from . It seeks to guide mankind in all walks of life ,spiritual , temporal , individual and collective . It contains directions for the conduct of life ,relates stories and parables , describes the attributes of God , and speaks of the best rules to govern social life . It has directions for everybody , every place , for all time . Millions of people today have memorized the Quran, and all copies of the Quran found today and in the past are identical . God has promised that He will guard the Quran from change until the end of times , so that Guidance be clear to humanity and the message of all the prophets be available for those who seek it
5} Belief in life after Death.
Muslims believe that a day will came when all of creation will perish and resurrected in order to be judged for their deeds . The day of Judgement . On this day, all will gather in the presence of God and each individual will be questioned about their life in the world and how they lived it . Those who held correct belief with righteous deeds will enter Paradise , even though they may pay for some of their sins in Hell if God out of His Infinite Justice chooses not to forgive them . As for those who fell into polytheism , never to leave therefrom .
6} Belief in the Divine Decree.
Islam asserts that God has full power and knowledge of all things, and that nothing happens except by His will and with His full knowledge . What is known as Divine decree , fate , or destiny " is known in Arabic as a -Qadr . The destiny of every creature is already known to God .
This belief however does not contradict with the idea of man's free will to choose his course of action . God does not force us to do anything , we can choose whether to obey or disobey Him. Our choice is known to God before we even do it . We do not know what our destiny is , but God knows the fate of all things .
Therefore , we should have firm faith that whatever befalls us , it is according to God's will and with His full knowledge . there may be things that happen in this world that we do not understand , but we should trust that God has wisdom in all things .
Islamic Worship.
There are five simple but essential observances that all practicing Muslims accept and follow . These pillars of Islam " represent the core that unites all Muslims.
1} The Declaration of Faith.
A Muslim is one who testifies that " none deserves worship but Allah, and Muhammad peace be upon Him is final messenger of Allah . This declaration is known as the Sahadah { witness , testimony }.
Allah is the Arabic name for God , just as Yahweh is the Hebrew name for God . By making this simple proclamation one becomes a Muslim . The proclamation affirms Islam's absolute belief in the oneness of God , His exclusive right to be worshipped , as well as the doctrine that associating anything else with God is the one unforgivable sin as we read in the Quran.
God does not forgive anyone associating something with Him , while He does forgive whomever He wishes to for anything else . Anyone who gives God partners has invented as awful Sin .
The second part of testimony of faith states that Muhammad , may the mercy and blessing of Allah be upon Him , is a prophet of God like Abraham, Moses and Jesus before Him . Muhammad Brought the last and final revelation . In accepting Muhammad peace be upon him as the seal of the prophets " Muslims believe that his prophecy confirms and fulfills all of the revealed messages , beginning with Adam's . In addition Muhammad peace be upon him serves as the role model through his exemplary life . A believer's effort to follow Muhammad's peace be upon Him example reflects the emphasis of Islam on practice and action .
2] The prayer { Salah}
Muslims worship five time a day : at daybreak, moon -mid afternoon , sunset , and evening , It helps keep believers mindful of God in the stress of work and family . It resets the spiritual focus , reaffirms total dependence on God , and puts worldly concerns within the perspective of the last judgment and the afterlife . The prayers consist of standing , bowing , kneeling putting the forehead on the ground , and sitting . The prayer is a means in which a relationship between God and His creations is maintained . It includes recitation from the holy Quran , Praises of God , prayers for forgiveness and other various supplications . The prayer is an expression of submission , humanity , and adoration of God . Prayer can be offered in any clean place , alone or together , in mosque or at home , at work or on the road , indoors or out . It is preferable to pray with others as one body united in the worship of God , demonstrating discipline ,brotherhood , equality , and solidarity, As they pray Muslims face Mecca, the holy city centered around the kaaba - the house of God built by Abraham and his son Ishmael.
3} The Compulsory Charity { Zakat}
In Islam, the true owner of everything is God , not man . People are given wealth as a trust from God . Zakah is worship and thanksgiving to God by supporting the poor , and through it one's wealth is purified .. It requires an annual contribution of 2.5 percent of an individual's wealth and assets . Therefore , zakah is not mere "charity "it is an obligation on those who have received their wealth from God to meet the needs of less fortunate members of the community . Zakah is used to support the poor and the needy , help those in debt , and in olden times , to free slave .
4] The Fast of Ramadan {Sawm}
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic Lunar calendar which is spent in fasting . Healthy Muslims abstain from dawn to sunset from food , drink, and sexual activity fasting develops spirituality , dependence upon God , and brings identification with the less fortunate . A special evening prayer is also held mosque in which recitations of the Quran are heard . Families rise before dawn to take their first meal of the day to sustain them till sunset . The major Islamic celebrations , the feast of the braking of the fast , Called the Eid Al - Fitr , which is marked by joyfulness , family visits , and exchanging of gifts .
5} The fifth pillar is the Pilgrimage or Hajj to Mecca .
At least once in a lifetime , every adult Muslim who is physically and financially able is required to sacrifice time , wealth , status, and ordinary comforts of life to make the Hajj pilgrimage putting himself totally at God's service . Every year over two million believers from a diversity of cultures and languages travel from all over the world to the sacred city of Mecca to respond to God's call .
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