What Is Islam in Simple words?
The word “Islam” means “submission to the will of God.” Followers of Islam are called Muslims. Muslims believe there is one true God Allah (the Arabic word for God).
The religion that God established for all mankind is Islam, which means to submit or surrender. Islam is not limited to the revelation that was sent to the prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, but was also the message of previous prophets. Therefore, the Qurʾān teaches that previous religions, such as Christianity and Judaism, in their authentic and original forms were based on the Oneness of God.
Each prophet conveyed the consistent divine message of worshiping one God and living a morally upright life. However, the message of these prophets was lost, abandoned, or changed over time, and only parts of the original message remained intact. God sent Muhammad, peace be upon him, as the final prophet to all of humanity in the 7th century C.E. to restore the divine message of all prophets.
Five Pillars of Islam
01.
The shahādah, or profession of faith
The first pillar is the profession of faith: “There is no deity but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God,” upon which depends membership in the community. The profession of faith must be recited at least once in one’s lifetime, aloud, correctly, and purposively, with an understanding of its meaning and with an assent from the heart.
02.
Salah - Prayer
The second pillar consists of five daily canonical prayers. These prayers may be offered individually if one is unable to go to the mosque. The first prayer is performed before sunrise, the second just after noon, the third in the late afternoon, the fourth immediately after sunset, and the fifth before retiring to bed.
03.
Zakat
The third pillar is the obligatory tax called zakāt (“purification,” indicating that such a payment makes the rest of one’s wealth religiously and legally pure). This is the only permanent tax levied by the Qurʾān and is payable annually on cash, gold, silver, business items and livestock after one year’s possession.
04.
Sawm - Fasting
Fasting during the month of Ramadan (ninth month of the Muslim lunar calendar), laid down in the Qurʾān (2:183–185), is the fourth pillar of the faith. Fasting begins at daybreak and ends at sunset, and during the day eating, drinking, sexual intercourse and smoking are forbidden. The Qurʾān (2:185) states that it was in the month of Ramadan that the Qurʾān was revealed.
05.
Hajj - The Pilgrimage
The fifth pillar is the annual pilgrimage (hajj) to Mecca prescribed for every Muslim once in a lifetime—“provided one can afford it” and provided a person has enough provisions to leave for his family in his absence.
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Six Articles of Faith in Islam
01.
Tawhid - Belief in One God
This means having absolute faith in the oneness of God. Allah is simply the Arabic word for God. It has no plural in Arabic, which shows that there is only one God. Muslims believe that no being is like Allah.
02.
Malaikah - Belief in angels
Muslims believe that God’s greatness means he cannot communicate directly with humans. Instead, God passed messages, to his prophets via the angels who were his first creation and who always obey him.
03.
Kutub - Belief in holy books
The holy books of Islam should be respected. This is especially true of the Qur’an, which is the unchanged word of Allah, revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.
04.
Rusul - Belief in the prophets
Allah is believed to have communicated with the prophets, called rusul, through the angels. Muslims believe the prophets should be respected but never worshipped.
05.
Akirah - Belief in the Day of Judgement and the afterlife
Muslims believe that life on Earth is a test and that, after they die, they will be judged by God and sent to either Paradise or Hell.
06.
Al-Qadr - Belief in predestination
This means that everything in the universe follows Allah’s masterplan – Muslims believe that Allah has decided everything that happens. This shows the importance of God’s will: In all things the master-planning is God’s (Surah 13:42). The Prophet Muhammad also told his followers: There is not one amongst you who has not been allotted his seat in Paradise or Hell (Sahih Muslim, Book 33, Hadith 6400). Muslims take this as further proof that every person’s life is already mapped out in Allah’s plan.
The Kaaba
The Kaaba is a building at the center of Islam's most important mosque, Great Mosque of Mecca