Islam: An Overview by Scott Shiffer1

Founder:

Mohammed (Ubul Kassim) born in 571 AD in Mecca, began having visions at the age of 40 that led to the beginning of the religion.  His teachings drove him to leave Mecca and go to Medina.  This flight is marked as the beginning of Islam (622 AD).  Mohammed died in 632 AD after recapturing Mecca and spreading His religion to many people.

Writings:

Qu'ran - 114 chapters called suras, principle writing, only Arabic is seen as authoritative

Hadith - these are the compilations of the traditions of the faith, stories about Mohammed, and laws for daily living.

Six Doctrinal Beliefs:

  1. Belief in Allah - Monotheistic (Allah alone is god)
  2. Belief in Angels - the messengers of Allah
  3. Belief in the prophets - prophets receive revelations through angels and proclaim them to man
  4. Belief in the Qu'ran - final and complete scripture that is exalted above all other scriptures
  5. Belief in the Day of Judgment - Resurrection of dead, judgment day, new world, hell (those that go to paradise will have food, drink, recline on couches in gardens and will be in a state immortal youth, the men will also have many newly created virgins as companions)
  6. Belief in Predestination - Allah is sovereign, everything is attributed to his will (even salvation - no matter how good one is or how hard they try to please him, he ultimately is the only one who can decide their eternal faith

The Five Pillars of Islam (a sixth pillar is Jihad)

  1. Shahadah - Creed - must make statement of belief
  2. Salat - Prayer - prayer is held 5 times a day (early morning, midday, midafternoon, evening, and late evening) on Friday ceremonial washing is practiced with noon prayer, someone reads from the Qu'ran and the Imam (leader) leads the congregation in the necessary words
  3. Sawn - Fasting during Ramadan - Ramadan means shared discomfort, occurs on ninth month of their calendar
  4. Zakat - Charity to the Poor - this is a religious tax (about 2.5%) to meet needs of poor, maintain mosques, hospitals, schools, defense forces, etc.
  5. Hajj - Pilgrimage to Mecca - actual journey to Mecca to see the Ka'bah (black stone) - Muslims believe that Adam and Abraham venerated this stone and that it was a gift from Allah.

Types of Islam:

  1. Shi'ite
  2. Sunni
  3. Suffi
  4. Nation of Islam
  5. Folk Islam

Worldview:

Allah created world, people are to live morally in accordance with his commands.  The solution to the problem of disobedience is for Muslims to recite the Shahada.  This is done when professing belief in Allah.

Cultural Issues:

  1. No separation of Government and Religion
  2. Claim to be descendants of Abraham
  3. The Dome of the Rock

Helpful Websites:

www.yusufislam.org.uk

http://www.religioustolerance.org/islam.htm

http://www.islamworld.net/

Hadith http://www.hadith.net/english/index.htm

http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/reference/searchhadith.html

1Based upon notes from World Religions by Dr. Joseph Matos, Islamic Sources of the Qu'ran by Dr. Samuel Shahid, Islamic Sources of the Hadith by Dr. Samuel Shahid, and research by Scott Shiffer.