BEGIN WITH THE BASICS—BEFORE WE CAN DEMYSTIFY

Although so much information is available regarding Islam, some remain confused about Islamic teachings on a variety of subjects. It is, thus, important to demystify these subjects in order to clarify and understand Islam's teachings. Before diving into specific topics about Islam that require clarification, however, it is important to take a step back and introduce Islam and its fundamental beliefs and practices. This will provide a solid framework with which to understand Islam and its individual teachings.

BASIC TERMINOLOGY

Islam

At its root, "Islam" is an Arabic word meaning "peace and submission." It is derived from the Arabic root word "salema," which means peace, purity, submission, and obedience to God. According to the Quran—Islam's Holy Scripture—Islam is the name given to God's one and only religion: "This day have I perfected your religion for you and completed My favour upon you and have chosen for you Islam as religion." This means that the only true religion prescribed for humankind is the practice of entirely submitting to the will of God and fostering peace within ourselves and in the world around us. This practice is given the name "Islam."

It is important to note that "submission" alone is an inadequate translation of the word "Islam." Some detractors commonly use this translation to argue that Islam advocates the use of force or coercion to make people submit or surrender to Islam. This is not at all what the word means. The submission that the word "Islam" refers to is only the submission of humans to God; it does not connote any form of submission or surrender to other human beings or earthly institutions. "Islam" refers to the act of submitting to God through one's free will—not through any compulsion. (See chapter 5, "Demystifying Islam's View of Religious Freedom," for more explanation.)

Muslim

Thus, "Islam" refers to the path of those who are obedient to their Lord and who establish peace with Him and His creation. One who follows this path and accepts Islam as one's religion is referred to as a "Muslim," which is an Arabic word meaning "one who submits to the will of God." Although the word "Muslim" in itself does not differentiate between followers of one prophet versus another, it is a term that has come to be seen as referring to those who accept and follow the religion of Islam. So, whereas the word "Islam" refers to the religion, the word "Muslim" refers to the person who practices that religion. Some have the false notion that Muslims are Arabs. The truth is that Muslims are not confined to one geography or ethnicity. The followers of the religion of Islam are spread across hundreds of countries in all continents throughout the world, making Muslims ethnically diverse. (See chapter 9, "Demystifying the Sects of Islam," to further explore the ethnic and theological diversity among Muslims.)

Allah

"Allah" is an Arabic name used in Islam to refer to God and literally means "The God" or "The Only God"—the prefix "Al" in Arabic is defined as "the" and is connected to the suffix "ilah," which means "god." It is the name of the One Supreme Being also known as "Elohim" or "Yahweh" by the Hebrews, "Elah" in the Aramaic language of Jesus Christ, "Deus" in Latin, "Theos" in Greek, and "God" in the English language. In the Arabic language, the word "Allah" has never been used to refer to anyone or any entity other than the One God and is considered the only proper personal name of God. Islam teaches that He is a living God; alive even now, just as He was alive before. He speaks even now, just as He spoke before. He hears even now, just as He heard before. So Islam advances the concept of belief in the same One God that others have always accepted; He is the same God of Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad.

Prophet Muhammad

Muhammad is considered the founder of the religion of Islam. Even though Muslims do not consider Islam to be a new faith—rather, to be a continuation of previous faiths (see chapter 2, "Demystifying the Origins of Islam")—Muhammad is the prophet who was sent with this final message about peace and submission to God. He is a messenger and prophet of God, born in Mecca (in present-day Saudi Arabia) in the year 570 AD. He was forty years of age when he received the call to prophethood (i.e., received the first revelation from God of being an appointed prophet). In the Quran, prophets are said to fulfill two vital tasks—receiving and conveying messages from God. Thus, prophets receive messages that are revealed from God, and they are commissioned to convey and spread that message among their people. Muhammad brought the message of the absolute unity of God, as well as guidance for mankind on living a moral and spiritual life. He was granted the title "Kha ta man na biyeen," which means "the Seal of the Prophets," sent with the final law from God in the form of the Quran.

The Prophet Muhammad holds a special place in the hearts of Muslims and is a source for much inspiration for his followers. What makes Muhammad unique is the amount of his life that has been recorded, which details the way he interacted with others—whether they were his followers or not. World religions scholar Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khan wrote about the Prophet Muhammad: "His was a truly historical personality. He lived his life in the full light of day. Enough is known of his early life to enable one to form a fair idea of his qualities and character. After he received the Divine Call his every word, act, and gesture were observed, and a complete record of them has been preserved." Muslims look to him as a perfect exemplar whom they can emulate. As Sir Zafrulla Khan noted,

Muhammad was a human being—no more, no less—and therefore he could serve as an example for mankind. He possessed no supernatural powers, nor did he claim any. He was subject to the same conditions and limitations as his contemporaries. He suffered more than most and achieved outstanding success in his lifetime. His life had many facets and passed through many phases. Like other men, he was a son, a husband and a father. He had been a servant employed by a master, and was a citizen subject to the authorities of his town. God appointed him a teacher and a guide. He immediately became an object of scorn and derision, and soon of bitter persecution. He was a loving and watchful shepherd of his little flock. Through bitter persecution and hard fighting he gave proof of the highest courage, endurance and perseverance.

Sir William Muir was a nineteenth-century orientalist, who held very strong Evangelical Christian views that fueled his passion for preaching the superiority of Christianity to Muslims. According to Dr. Avril Powell, lecturer and emeritus reader in the School of Oriental and African Studies at University of London, Muir tirelessly engaged in attempts "to persuade the ulama [Muslim scholars] that testimony to the truth of Christianity is to be found in the Quran." With that motivation, he was very critical about Islam and the Prophet Muhammad, but even he had to concede about Muhammad's character. Muir spoke reverently about the character of the prophet, writing:

A remarkable feature was the urbanity and consideration with which [Muhammad] treated even the most insignificant of his followers. Modesty and kindliness, patience, self-denial, and generosity, pervaded his conduct, and riveted the affections of all around him. He disliked to say No; if unable to answer a petitioner in the affirmative, he preferred silence.... He possessed the rare faculty of making each individual in a company think that he was the favoured guest. When he met any one rejoicing he would seize him eagerly and cordially by the hand. With the bereaved and afflicted he sympathised tenderly. Gentle and unbending towards little children, he would not disdain to accost a group of them at play with the salutation of peace. He shared his food, even in times of scarcity, with others; and was sedulously solicitous for the personal comfort of everyone about him. A kindly and benevolent disposition pervades all those illustrations of his character.

Quran

"Quran" is the name given by God Himself to the book revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. The word means a book that is meant to be not only read but also conveyed to people. It is the most trusted source of religious knowledge for Muslims because it is believed to be the literal, direct words of God, revealed to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel. Muhammad would receive these revelations, which were not only memorized by Muhammad and several of his followers but also recorded in written form by those appointed by Muhammad for this purpose, over a span of twenty-three years. From the moment these revelations were received until the present, the Quran has never been altered or changed (i.e., the text is still in its original form), which makes it the most authentic source of knowledge about Islam.

The Quran states: "This is a perfect Book; there is no doubt in it; it is a guidance for the righteous." If one accepts that this book came from God—who Himself is perfect—it only stands to reason that His words would also be perfect. So it comes as no surprise for God to reveal within the text of the Quran that it is perfect. This is a sufficient response to those Muslims and non-Muslims who advocate for the flawed abrogation theory—they allege that some verses in the Quran abrogate (or cancel out) previously revealed verses from the Quran. This is a patently absurd idea to think that God (the Perfect and All-Knowing) would make one statement that He would then have to reverse later. This theory is typically cited by extremists to justify their violence by alleging that the peaceful verses in the Quran were abrogated by the verses about fighting. (See chapter 3, "Demystifying Jihad," for a more-detailed discussion about fighting.)

Sunnah and Hadith

After the Quran, the next highest source of knowledge within Islam is called the "Sunnah," which are written accounts of the actions of the Prophet Muhammad (what his disciples witnessed him do). Following that is the Hadith, which are written maxims of the prophet (what his disciples heard Muhammad say). The life of Muhammad is a living embodiment of the teachings of Islam and is, thus, replete with guidance for how to live one's life. Therefore, traditions recollecting the actions and words of the prophet are considered very valuable and are very similar to the Gospel accounts of the life and teachings of Jesus.

It should be noted that there are many reported stories about what Muhammad said and did, which were passed down orally for many years before finally being captured in written form. Therefore, a large number of Sunnah and Hadith are considered inaccurate or even fabricated, but since the word of God recorded in the Quran has never been altered, the Quran is considered the highest and more trustworthy source of knowledge about Islam. For this reason, any such Sunnah or Hadith that contradicts the teachings of the Quran are to be considered invalid.

THE ESSENCE OF ISLAM

Within Islam's twofold meaning of peace and submission lies the spirit of this religion, which provides instruction both on one's relationship with God and on one's relationship with fellow human beings. Its meaning of submission provides the guidance on the attitude one must have with God, whereas its meaning of peace establishes the attitude people must have not only within themselves but also with other people. Thus does Islam provide the recipe for one to establish a relationship with God based on submission to His will, as well as to establish inner peace and a loving, peaceful relationship with all mankind.

Muhammad emphasized this point when he characterized the essence of Islam with the following words to his disciples: "You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another, shall I tell you of something which if you do it, you will love each other? Spread peace among yourselves." Within all teachings of Islam can be found this underlying spirit of establishing peace (within oneself, between one and God, and between people and even nations) as well as fostering love and concern for others.

FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM

At the foundation of Islam is what is referred to as the "Five Pillars of Islam," which are the principle acts of worship required in order to practice Islam. Islam not only requires its followers to believe in certain matters but also requires them to put their faith into action by performing certain duties. According to Islam, the goal of every person is to establish love for the Creator as well as a love for His creation. If that love is merely in thought and not in action, however, that profession of love is vain lip service only. Islam teaches that the love one professes must have visible expression. Each pillar of Islam, thus, has a physical form but also contains a spirit behind that form. According to Islam, when the act is combined with an awareness of its significance, it fosters and breeds higher levels of spirituality and righteousness.

Declaration of Faith

The first and foremost pillar of Islam is the declaration of faith. The first step to implementing faith is to declare it. In Islam, this is done with the following declaration: "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger." Declaring this belief is the only step necessary for one to become a Muslim, as it forms the foundation of Islamic belief.

This pillar also serves as a baseline for the remaining four pillars, as it establishes that everything we do is for God. Everything comes together by putting all of our trust in the One God and establishing an undying conviction that love for, and from, Him is all we need.

With so many similarities between the two faiths, this pillar presents a point of distinction between Islam and mainstream Christianity. Declaring that Muhammad is the Servant and Messenger of Allah is not meant to be an assertion of superiority of Muhammad. Rather, God requires this to be a part of our declaration of faith in order to constantly remind us that Muhammad was only a human. Repeatedly declaring that someone is a servant of God prevents us from making what Islam declares is the grave mistake made by many Christians who deified the Prophet Jesus. Always declaring that Muhammad—no matter how noble, blessed, and special he may be—is but a servant of God prevents any possibility of making a deity of a man.

Thus, God established this declaration and reminded all Muslims that Muhammad is a servant of the one and only God. This one God is the One with Whom we are to establish a personal, loving relationship by communicating with Him and following His commandments.

Salaat (Daily Prayer)

The second pillar of Islam is Salaat, which is the five daily prayers performed by Muslims around the world. It is considered the most important means by which to communicate with God and establishes a direct and personal relationship between every person and God, with no intermediary. A personal relationship cannot be established without constant communication. It is for this reason that Muslims are instructed to pause from their daily routines at the following five times every day and to communicate with their Lord:

1. Fajr prayers—morning, before sunrise;

2. Zuhr prayers—early afternoon;

3. Asr prayers—late afternoon;

4. Maghrib prayers—just after sunset; and

5. Isha prayers—later in evening, before going to sleep.