What actually is Islam? Its Origins

Islam is one of the three Abrahamic religion which are monotheistic in nature, along with Christianity and Judaism. As stated, it centers on the belief in one God, Allah, and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. After oneness of God or Allah, the second most important believe in Islam is the completion of Prophethood with Holy Prophet (PBUH) Hazrat Muhammad (SAW).  This is what makes the most of it or what truly it is and slipping from these 2 believes might eliminate you from the faith.

The word itself means “submission” or “surrender” to the will of God, and followers of this religion are known as Muslims, strive to live a life guided by God’s will as be revealed in the Quran and the teachings of Muhammad. 

What is Islam? Detailed Explanation

It has some core, vital or must to have beliefs which means that without practicing them or even having slightest doubt on them would eliminate you from religious circle or you no longer remain a Muslim straight away, in short, you faith is nullified.

Here is a detailed list of practicing Muslims.

Monotheism (Tawhid) Oneness of God, The Fundamental Believe:

Islam heavily emphasizes on the believe of absolute oneness and uniqueness of God, also known as Allah. This concept is central and a must to the faith and is expressed in the declaration of faith: “There is no god but God (Allah), and Muhammad is the messenger of God.” It also explains the Oneness of God means that he has no child, neither he has any ancestor since ever. No one shares the ultimate divine power with him and he is the lord of All worlds. The child concept is the major concept which distinguish it from Christianity which believes that Jesus (Isa) was son of the God, “NauzBillah” rather than the Islamic believe which explains that it was just a miracle of Allah and mother of Jesus Mary (Maryam) was the most noble woman of her time although she was suspected for adultery because Jesus didn’t have a father.

Prophets in Islam

Muslims believe that God sent various prophets throughout history to guide humanity, majority of them were on or in Bani Israel except the holy Prophet (PBHU). Some noble figures like Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. Muhammad is known as the final prophet in line of messengers, and the Quran is believed to be the final revelation of God’s word. Having a strong faith that Holy Prophet (SAW) is the final Prophet of God and no prophet will come after him is also one of the basic believe in Islam. Anyone who tries to imposters himself as a Prophet isn’t really someone but only wants chaos in society in the name of religion.

The Quran

The Quran Pak is the holy and final book of Islam, it is the final word of God for humans., It was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. While Muslims also acknowledges other divine books, including the Torah (Tawrat) revealed to Moses, the Psalms (Zabur) revealed to David, and the Gospel (Injil) revealed to Jesus, they believe these earlier books were revealed to prophets and messengers, and the Quran confirms and supersedes them because other books have been altered over the course of time by its religious hierarchy for personal benefits, So while Quran teaches to respect them, it doesn’t order to follow them.

Day of Judgment (Qayamah)

Muslims believe in a final day of judgment where individuals will be held accountable for their actions and rewarded or punished accordingly. This is also a must to have believe for the afterlife because it maintains a social order as well.

Angels and Divine Decrees

It is also a firm belief in angels and the concept of God’s divine decree, which encompasses God’s knowledge and plan for the universe. So having a believe in Angels or other supernatural beings is also taught.

The Five Pillars of Islam

These are the foundational Pillars: 

• Shahada (Declaration of Faith): Believing and proclaiming the oneness of God and the prophethood of Muhammad is the first step towards the deen, without accepting these, you cannot enter in the circle.
• Salat (Prayer/Namaz): Performing obligatory prayers five times a day facing the Kaaba is also necessary, it is conditional but still it is necessary to keep the faith fresh. It also keeps you away from various sins.
• Zakat (Charity): Giving a portion of one’s wealth to those in need in 1 calendar year. About 2.5% of it. It means to purify your wealth from impurities and to help people in need so the society can thrive.
• Sawm (Fasting): Abstaining from food and drink from dawn to sunset during the month of Ramadan, and to break the fast with iftar prayer. It is done to feel the hungers of others and stopping ones self from sins.
• Hajj (Pilgrimage): Making a visit to Makkah at least one time in life during Dhul Hijjah if physically and financially able. You can also do multiple hajjs but doing one is also fine from the Sunnah. 

Other Other Practices:

Muslims also engage in various other practices, such as reciting the Quran, wishing while meeting others (Salam), giving to charity with Zakat, and participating in community worship. 

In Essence:

Isla’m is a comprehensive or complete way of life that practices beliefs, practices, and ethical guidelines for living in accordance with God’s will, ultimately aiming for peace and submission to God. So one cannot simply explain in a line when someone asks “What is Islam?” because it requires a time to understand the religion completely. If you want to understand Quran, religion, or teachings, Studies or History of it, Do visit our website for more details. We wish you happiness and success with God’s blessings!