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Islam 101

What is Islam?

Islam (Arabic: إسلام) is a divine religion. It is the final complimentary faith of the Abrahamic religions, Judaism and Christianity, and is the last of all divine religions. God (Arabic: الله ) revealed Islam through the archangel Gabriel to Muhammad, the son of Abdullah (Arabic: محمد بن عبد الله).  At this time, Muhammad was forty years old and would practice his spiritual devotion and prayers in the cave of Hera in Mecca. Gabriel commenced, at God’s decree, divine revelation to Muhammad with the first verse of the Holy Quran, “Read! By the name of your lord…” [The Holy Quran, 96:1] Islam is a complete system that can bring happiness to mankind by addressing all perspectives of humanity, whether it be of the body or soul. It also addresses all matters pertaining to this world and the hereafter.Today, Islam is the religion of nearly two billion people, roughly a quarter of the world’s population, and is comprised of diverse races, ethnicities, and languages in all parts of the world. It is the second most practiced faith, globally. To learn more about Islam, click on the links below and stay tuned for even more content in the near future.

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Most important features of Islam

The belief that the universe has a finite origin which spurred its expansion and development. This uncaused cause and origin of everything is Allah (God), the lord and creator of all worlds. There can be nothing before this universe because God is its origin and the source of all things in it.

God (the uncaused cause and origin of everything) is characterized by three major qualities:

  • Infinite, ever-present self-existence: God is self-existent and all creatures depend on His ever-presence, as they cease to exist without Him.

  • Divine Unity: He has no partner or associate, nor is He composed of parts (i.e. He is not limited to a body). He is beyond all types of boundaries and limitations, such as time and place.

  • Absolute attributes: God possesses infinite attributes of perfection that are inseparable from His essence (i.e., they are not achieved through acquisition), such as knowledge, power, wisdom, justice, and more. All perfection is from Him and terminates with Him.

God is He who created the physical world of the five senses and the world which is beyond perception. Hence, He is the creator of the plants, animals, and inanimate objects, as well as imperceptible creatures like angels and jinn.  However, the greatest of all creatures are human beings, whom God honored by giving them reason, free will, and numerous capabilities for accessing and utilizing the resources of the universe, which makes the perpetual journey towards perfection full of discovery and creativity.

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Essence of Islam

Islam is a complete religion that ensures happiness, comfort, and tranquility for people in this life and in the afterlife, if they believe and act according to its principles and instructions. Moreover, Islam is a perfect guide for all aspects of life—social, economic, political, and more. It is a religion that is timelessly applicable, since it does not conflict with the developments and progress of any time or place. It does not differentiate based on gender, tribal origin, native language, or race, so long as there is no conflict with its essentials such as believing in the oneness of God, justice, peace, human dignity, parity between all humans (regardless of their race, color, ethnicity, and language), and preserving the innate nature of humankind. There are four precepts of Islam each of which is manifested in one of four systems: a system of beliefs, a system of jurisprudence, a system of ethics, and a system of rights.

The system of beliefs

The system of beliefs is a system of theological concepts, which form the foundation of Islam. Hence, it is vital for a Muslim to fully grasp and comprehend these concepts and believe in them with conviction, albeit with basic and simple understanding The system of Islamic beliefs is multifaceted and comprised of various individual details which often overlap in many circumstances. The following are three major essentials:

Divine Unity-Oneness (Arabic: توحيد Tawhid): Belief that God is one, and that He has no partner or peer. He possesses infinite attributes of perfection such as, knowledge, wisdom, justice, and power, which are not acquired or learned but are instead intrinsic and inseparable from His essence. Based on this fundamental understanding, many significant questions can arise in the mind of a person, such as those related to predetermination and free will, the reason for the existence of human suffering (i.e., diseases or natural catastrophes), the purpose behind divine punishment, and many other queries that Islam has addressed in the best way. Prophethood (Arabic: نبوة Nubuwwah): Belief in all the prophets and messengers of God, their scriptures and successors. In addition, one must accept their divine role and believe in their attributes (e.g., infallibility, impeccable morality, and healthy physical attributes). In addition, a Muslim must be acquainted with the authentic proofs of Prophethood and the evidence and criteria for distinguishing divinely sent prophets from deceitful claimants. Furthermore, it is important to study the life and characteristics of the seal of prophets and messengers, Prophet Muhammad, his holy book (the Holy Quran), and his twelve infallible successors, especially the twelfth and final successor, the awaited savior Imam al-Mahdi, who will fill the world with justice after his reappearance. One must also be familiar with the reasons behind his occultation and the role he plays during this period, as well as his deputies and their roles. For more information about Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his progeny. Resurrection-afterlife (Arabic: معاد maad): Belief that there is an eternal life after this one (i.e., after death), one that persists due to God’s ever-persistence and immortality. Almighty God has decreed that every person will be called to account for their deeds in this afterlife. God is just, and He has obligated humankind to be obedient to Him. As such, God, by his mercy and wisdom, will reward the people who do good and are obedient according to their righteousness and punish the wrong doers according to their sinful actions and wickedness. Each person shall be judged according to their respective deeds, and the righteous will be distinguished from the evil.

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