Understanding Islam

Bismillah Alrahman Alraheem

Muslims Internet Directory

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Understanding Islam & Muslims

 World Muslims
• 1.2 billion, Muslims represent between
19.2% and 22% of the world's
population.
• One of every five humans in the world
is a Muslim
• Second largest religion in the world
• Fastest growing including Europe and
America
World Distribution of Muslims
Africa 308,660,000 27.4%

Asia 778,362,000 69.1%

Europe 32,032,000 2.8%

Latin America 1,356,000 0.1%

North America 5,530,000 0.5%

World 1,126,325,000 100%

Source: Britannica Yearbook, 1997

 American Muslims
6 million (The New York Times, Feb.
21, 1989)
About 40% Afro-American
Not all Muslims are Arabs, Not all
Arabs are Muslims
 The Basics of Faith
Belief in One God (Allah)
Belief in Prophethood
All the Divine Books as revealed by God to
various prophets
Angels, Life after Death and the Day of
Judgment, Heaven and Hell
 Allah – One God
Allah is the Arabic name for God used by
Muslims of the world as well as Arab
Christians.
Say: He is Allah, the One and Only; Allah,
the Eternal, Absolute; He begets not, nor is
He begotten; And there is none like unto
Him. (The Quran, Surah 112)
 Prophets and Scriptures
 SOME PROPHETS: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Ishaq,
Jacob (Israel), Joseph, Benjamin, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon,
Zakareyya, John, Jesus, Muhammad. (peace be on them)
 BOOKS: Torah, Zabur (Psalms), Injeel (Gospel), Quran
 Belief in ALL prophets of God
 Source of All Books is God
 Main Message of all Prophets: Islam
 Prophet Muhammad
 Descendant of Ishmael, the first son of Abraham.
 Born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in the year 570 C.E.
 Received first revelation at the age 40 through angel Gabriel.
 Died in the year 632 C.E, after preaching Islam for 23 years.

 GEORGE BERNARD SHAW said about him:

"He must be called the Saviour of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to
assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its
problems in a way that would bring it much needed peace and happiness."
(The Genuine Islam, Singapore, Vol. 1, No. 8, 1936)
Quran: The Holy Book
 23 Years of Revelations (610 -
632 C.E.)
 114 Chapters; One Chapter,
Multiple Revelations
 Chapter (Surah) names
 Historic Context
 Verses Explain Verses
 Commentary needed in the
light of Arabic, History, and
Sunnah
 Forms of
Worship
Prayers (Salah)
Charity (Zakat)
Fasting ( Ramadan)
Pilgrimage (Hajj)
 Prayers (Salah)

 Five Daily Prayers from Dawn to Late Evening

regulate a Muslim’s day
 Prayers involve ablution, standing, bowing,
prostrating, sitting postures
 Face Kabah, prayers in Arabic as taught by the
Prophet.
 Additional Prayers optional
 Charity (Zakat)

 024.056 So establish regular Prayer and give

regular Charity; and obey the Apostle; that
ye may receive mercy. (The Quran)
Required 2.5% charity on yearly
savings
 Fasting (in Ramadan)
 002.183 O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you
as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may
(learn) self-restraint. (The Quran)
 Ramadan is 9th month in Islamic Lunar calendar
 Daily dawn to sunset fast for 29/30 days (no food or
drink)
 Eidul-Fitr Holiday at the end
 Hajj (Pilgrimage)
 Pilgrimage to Makkah once in life time for able Muslims
 About 2-3 million Muslims perform Hajj each year from
all over the world.
 Eidul-Adha: the biggest Muslim Holiday
 Food
002.172 O ye who believe! Eat of the good things that We
have provided for you, and be grateful to God, if it is Him
ye worship.

002.173 He hath only forbidden you dead meat, and blood,

and the flesh of swine, and that on which any other name
hath been invoked besides that of God. But if one is forced
by necessity, without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing
due limits,- then is he guiltless. For God is Oft-forgiving
Most Merciful.
 Human Rights in
Islam
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:
"No Arab has any superiority over a non-
Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any
superiority over an Arab. Nor does a
white man have any superiority over a
black man, or the black man any
superiority over the white man. You are
all the children of Adam, and Adam was
created from clay"
 Justice in Islam
The Holy Quran says:
"Do not let your hatred of a people incite
you to aggression" (5:2).

"And do not let ill-will towards any folk

incite you so that you swerve from
dealing justly. Be just; that is nearest to
heedfulness" (5:8).
 People of the Book
Christians and Jews enjoy a special
status in Islam and are called “People of
the Book”
For example, their food (except which is
prohibited in Islam) is allowed for
Muslims
 Suicide is a Grave
Sin
O ye who believe! Eat not up your
property among yourselves in vanities:
But let there be amongst you Traffic and
trade by mutual good-will: Nor kill (or
destroy) yourselves: for verily God hath
been to you Most Merciful!
(Quran, 4:29)
 The E nd

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