Faith at a glance:

Islam

Background

Over a period of twenty three years from 610ce the Prophet Muhammad (570- 632ce) received a series of revelations from God through the Angel Jibreel (Gabriel). After his death these revelations were collected and written down. Thus the Qur’an came into being.

The revelation began in a cave close to Mecca in what is now Saudi Arabia.

The founding event of the Muslim community or 'Ummah, was the Hijra, the migration in 621ce of Muhammad and his followers from Mecca across the desert to Medina. This marks the beginning of the Muslim dating system, AH ‘after Hijra’.

After the death of the Prophet, the ‘Ummah was governed by the four ‘rightly guided’ caliphs. The last of these was Ali, husband of the Prophet’s daughter Fatima. Ali was killed in battle in 661ce and his death marked the division of the Ummah between Sunni and Shi’i.

The Sunni tradition accepts that any Muslim man in good standing may be chosen as leader of the ‘Ummah. The Shi’i accept only the descendents of the Prophet, or Imams chosen by Allah, as leaders of the ‘Ummah.

Revelation

• Islam is based on a belief in revealed truth. The Qur’an is the direct and eternal word of God, Allah in Arabic, and is venerated as such by Muslims.
• The revelation given through Muhammad is not understood by Muslims as instituting a new faith, but as affirming what has been taught by the prophets from the beginning. Muslims therefore affirm belief in the Torah of Moses and the Injil, or Gospel, of Jesus.
• Muhammad is the "seal" of the prophetic succession, bringing a revelation in the Arabic language which both called people back to the original teachings of the previous prophets and fulfilled them.

The core of Islam's message surrender, or submission, to God. Islam has seven fundamental beliefs,these are:

• the oneness of God
• the books revealed by God
• the prophets
• the angels
• the Day of Judgement
• life after death
• the omnipotence of God
• the Qur'an

Shari`ah

The Shari`ah (‘straight path’) offers an integrated source of guidance for the daily life of Muslims. Founded on the Qur'an, it has three other sources:

• The Sunna as model example of the Prophet's life.

• The Hadith, which are collections of verified traditions recording Muhammad's words and actions, together with those of his companions.

• Ijma, which is the process of attaining consensus in relation to the interpretation and application of Shari`ah where it might otherwise be unclear.

• Ijtihad (the Sunni term) or `Aql (the Shi`a term) which refers to the use of reasoning in reaching legal decisions. One form of this is Qiyas, or analogy.  Some Sunni Muslims argue that, in the tenth century CE, "the gates of ijtihad" became closed, and further modification of decisions by reasoning is not permitted.

The Five Pillars

The essentials of Muslim practice are set out in what are known as the "Five Pillars of Islam". These are:

• Shahadah, the declaration that there is no god except God and that Muhammad is his messenger.

• Salat, which is prescribed prayer conducted five times daily. These are:

• Fajr, at dawn
• Zuhr, at midday
• Asr, in the afternoon
• Maghrib, after sunset
• Isha, in the night

• Zakat, which is a contribution to the needy consisting of two and a half per cent of the total of an individual's annual income and savings.  An additional contribution, known as Sadaqa al-Fitr, is expected during the month of Ramadan, once fasting is finished.

• Ramadan, which is a month of spiritual dedication embodied in abstaining from food and drink from before dawn until after sunset.

• Hajj, a pilgrimage to Mecca, required once in a lifetime of those Muslims who can afford it. The Hajj includes a visit to the Ka`bah, or House of God, and completion of a series of rituals connected with the life and teaching of the Prophet in the neighbourhood of Mecca.