HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Islam began with the Arabian Desert people around early seventh century C.E. These people had developed
their own set of beliefs prior to the formal establishment of Islam and influenced by other religions for a long
period, including Byzantine Christianity, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. Judea, the home of Christianity, was not
too far away from Arabia, and the great cities of Damascus, Antioch, and Alexandria were neighbors to Mecca
and Medina. Byzantine rulers, however, antagonized Arab Christians that provided an impetus for their
acceptance of a new Arab religion that started with the establishment of Islam. On the other hand, the Arabian
people were also familiar with Judaism. For one, several desert tribes were Jewish in origin. When the Muslim
forces entered Medina in 622 C.E., many citizens of the city were Jewish. Lastly, the Muslims may have been in
contact with the Persian Zoroastrians though its influence maybe not as strong compared to Christianity and
Judaism. Perhaps the single most important factor that accelerated the development of a new religion in the
Arabian interior was the native religion practiced by the Arabs. Pre-Islamic people worshipped a variety of
gods. While they recognize the existence of one supreme god, the people mostly venerated local and tribal gods.
Carved images were done to represent some gods that were often revered and given blood sacrifices. Apart from
the presence of these gods, there were also angels, fairies, demonic creatures, and evil spirits in pre-Islam
religion. Apart from worshipping a pantheon of gods, pre-Islamic religion was also animistic in character.
Spirits found in rocks, trees, and wells had to be revered at their sanctuaries and placated for assistance. In time,
the city of Mecca became a sacred shrine because of these animistic associations. A meteoric stone that had
fallen in Mecca centuries before became an object of veneration to the animistic people. Pilgrims then built an
enclosure around the stone and called it Kaaba. Various images and relics gradually filled the Kaaba, including
a painting of Jesus and Mary. Pilgrims travelled to Mecca to worship at the shrine. The “Black Stone,” which
according to Muslim tradition dates back to the time of Adam and Eve, Derive from (Historical Maps of the
Islamic World) Islam 87 eventually became a very important object for the Meccans at the time when various
clans struggled to control the Kaaba. Mecca, situated on the central western coast of Arabia is positioned on the
major north-south caravan route.

THE LIFE OF MUHAMMAD

Muhammad was born around 570, AD in Mecca (now in Saudi Arabia). His father died before he was
born and he was raised first by his grandfather and then his uncle. He belonged to a poor but respectable family
of the Quraysh tribe. The family was active in Meccan politics and trade.
Many of the tribes living in the Arabian Peninsula at the time were nomadic, trading goods as they
crisscrossed the desert. Most tribes were polytheistic, worshipping their own set of gods. The town of Mecca
was an important trading and religious center, home to many temples and worship sites where the devoted
prayed to the idols of these gods. The most famous site was the Kaaba (meaning cube in Arabic). It is believed
to have been built by Abraham (Ibrahim to Muslims) and his son Ismail. Gradually the people of Mecca turned
to polytheism and idolatry. Of all the gods worshipped, it is believed that Allah was considered the greatest and
the only one without an idol.
In his early teens, Muhammad worked in a camel caravan, following in the footsteps of many people his
age, born of meager wealth. Working for his uncle, he gained experience in commercial trade traveling to Syria
and eventually from the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean. In time, Muhammad earned a reputation as
honest and sincere, acquiring the nickname “al-Amin” meaning faithful or trustworthy.
In his early 20s, Muhammad began working for a wealthy merchant woman named Khadijah, 15 years
his senior. She soon became attracted to this young, accomplished man and proposed marriage. He accepted and
over the years the happy union brought several children. Not all lived to adulthood, but one, Fatima, would
marry Muhammad’s cousin, Ali ibn Abi Talib, whom Shi’ite Muslims regard as Muhammad’s successor.
 SIX MAJOR BELIEFS IN ISLAM

The following six beliefs are those that are commonly held by Muslims, as laid out in the Quran and Hadith.

1. Belief in the Oneness of God: Muslims believe that God is the creator of all things, and that God is all-
powerful and all-knowing. God has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the
characteristics of human life.
2. Belief in the Angels of God: Muslims believe in angels, unseen beings who worship God and carry out
God’s orders throughout the universe. The angel Gabriel brought the divine revelation to the prophets.
3. Belief in the Books of God: Muslims believe that God revealed holy books or scriptures to a number of
God’s messengers. These include the Quran (given to Muhammad), the Torah (given to Moses), the
Gospel (given to Jesus), the Psalms (given to David), and the Scrolls (given to Abraham). Muslims
believe that these earlier scriptures in their original form were divinely revealed, but that only the Quran
remains as it was first revealed to the prophet Muhammad.
4. Belief in the Prophets or Messengers of God: Muslims believe that God’s guidance has been revealed to
humankind through specially appointed messengers, or prophets, throughout history, beginning with the
first man, Adam, who is considered the first prophet. Twenty-five of these prophets are mentioned by
name in the Quran, including Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. Muslims believe that Muhammad is the
last in this line of prophets, sent for all humankind with the message of Islam.
5. Belief in the Day of Judgment: Muslims believe that on the Day of Judgment, humans will be judged
for their actions in this life; those who followed God’s guidance will be rewarded with paradise; those
who rejected God’s guidance will be punished with hell.
6. Belief in the Divine Decree: This article of faith addresses the question of God’s will. It can be
expressed as the belief that everything is governed by divine decree, namely that whatever happens in
one’s life is preordained, and that believers should respond to the good or bad that befalls them with
thankfulness or patience. This concept does not negate the concept of “free will;” since humans do not
have prior knowledge of God’s decree, they do have freedom of choice.

THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM

The Five Pillars are the core beliefs and practices of Islam:
Profession of Faith (shahada). The belief that "There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the Messenger
of God" is central to Islam. This phrase, written in Arabic, is often prominently featured in architecture and a
range of objects, including the Qur'an, Islam's holy book of divine revelations. One becomes a Muslim by
reciting this phrase with conviction.

Prayer (salat). Muslims pray facing Mecca 5 times a day: at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and after
dark. Prayer includes a recitation of the opening chapter (sura) of the Qur'an, and is sometimes performed on
a small rug or mat used expressly for this purpose. Muslims can pray individually at any location or together
in a mosque, where a leader in prayer (imam) guides the congregation. Men gather in the mosque for the
noonday prayer on Friday; women are welcome but not obliged to participate.
 After the prayer, a sermon focuses on a passage from the Qur'an, followed by prayers by the
imam and a discussion of a particular religious topic.
Alms (zakat). In accordance with Islamic law, Muslims donate a fixed portion of their income to
community members in need. Many rulers and wealthy Muslims build mosques, drinking
fountains, hospitals, schools, and other institutions both as a religious duty and to secure the
blessings associated with charity.
Fasting (sawm). During the daylight hours of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar,
all healthy adult Muslims are required to abstain from food and drink. Through this temporary
deprivation, they renew their awareness of and gratitude for everything God has provided in their
lives—including the Qur'an, which was first revealed during this month. During Ramadan, they
share the hunger and thirst of the needy as a reminder of the religious duty to help those less
fortunate.
Pilgrimage (hajj). Every Muslim whose health and finances permit it must make at least one
visit to the holy city of Mecca, in present-day Saudi Arabia. The Ka'ba, a cubical structure
covered in black embroidered hangings, is at the center of the Haram Mosque in Mecca .
Muslims believe that it is the house Abraham (Ibrahim in Arabic) built for God, and face in its
direction (qibla) when they pray. Since the time of the Prophet Muhammad, believers from all
over the world have gathered around the Ka'ba in Mecca on the eighth and twelfth days of the
final month of the Islamic calendar.

SELECTED ISSUES OF ISLAM

Islam has gone through two principal periods of growth in its relatively young history: first, at
the onset of its founding, and second, during the twentieth century. As one of the fastest growing
religions in the world, Islam has affected every facet of human society.
 Islam and Women
The role of women in Muslim societies is a complicated subject since their rights vary greatly
throughout Islamic nations. While they may experience harsh restrictions in terms of legal rights and
employment opportunities, women rulers have emerged in the twentieth century to lead Asian
countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Turkey.
Women in Islam must accept that their roles in society vary greatly when compared to men.
Foremost, they must remain obedient to their fathers and husband. A surah in the Quran depicts a
woman’s father or husband as master and portrays the superiority of men on women.
All Muslims are required to observe the Five Pillars of Islam. However, congregational
prayers tend to be dominated by men while this activity remains optional for women. It is prohibited
for any woman to lead prayers. When a woman is having her usual menstrual period, she must not
enter any mosque. In some countries, Muslim women are required to cover their face and bodies
when in company with men other than their immediate kin.
 The Holy War (Jihad)
One controversial requirement placed upon Muslims by their faith concerns holy war or
jihad. A frequently mistranslated term, jihad means “effort” or “struggle” to convince unbelievers to
pursue the Muslim way of life. Strictly speaking, it could mean a Muslim going to war to wipe out
the infidels in the name of Allah. However, the method of a jihadist can be a peaceful one, such as
living a pious life or observing the required obligations to his faith, or through violent means,
especially if the infidels are obstinate. Presently, jihad has remained a vague issue especially now
that Arab nations have been less than apprehensive to commit to war as unified Muslims versus non-
Muslims. Likewise, Islamic law opposes all violent means except in cases of war or legally
sanctioned punishment of criminals.
 Militancy and Terrorism

Islam is a religion of mercy that prohibits terrorism. During Muhammad’s time, he

proscribed his soldiers to kill women and children, and even listed murder as the second of the
major sins. Punishment through the use of fire was also forbidden by Muhammad.
Since Islam is a religion of peace and mercy, terrorism in all its forms are abhorred by
Muslims. Destruction of human lives, buildings, infrastructures, shrines, and other properties are
despicable in the light of various Islamic texts. Muslims who promote terrorism and mass
slaughter of innocent and helpless civilians do not embody Islamic ideals. Their blatant disregard
of Quranic teachings distorts the very essence of Islam as a peaceful religion. The presence of
violence in Islamic society cannot be attributed to the teachings of Islam but to the failings of
human adherents of the religion. A person committing an act of terrorism is guilty of violating
Islamic laws for that matter.
 Migration
The late nineteenth century saw a significant migration of Muslims from Syria, Lebanon,
and Jordan to the US. After the Second World War, European countries encouraged emigration
from former colonies to augment manpower shortages. United Kingdom today is home to more
than two million Muslims; France between four to five million Muslims; and Germany four
million Muslims. In 2010, there were about 44 million Muslims in Europe, excluding Turkey.
The Muslim population in the US and Europe continues to rise in the present century. Islam has
now become an American religion with around six million Muslims in population. Muslim
immigrants and their American-born children number about four million in total. Meanwhile,
almost two million are American converts that are mainly African American.