Understanding Islam The document provides an overview of key aspects of Islam, including: - The basics of faith in Islam which include belief in one God and prophets such as Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. - The five pillars of Islam which are the fundamental acts of worship: declaration of faith, prayer, charity, fasting, and pilgrimage. - Other topics covered include the Quran, forms of worship, Islamic teachings on social issues, and questions Muslims may have.

1. Understanding IslamUnderstanding Islam
Ishaq ZahidIshaq Zahid
zahidi@citadel.eduzahidi@citadel.edu
http://www.islam101.com

2. OutlineOutline
 Introductory Remarks
The Basics of Faith
Rituals-Forms of Worship
Muslim Students in Your Classroom
Some Quotations from Quran and Hadith
Questions/Answers

3. IntroductoryIntroductory
RemarksRemarks
No Compulsion in Religion
Christians and Jews as the People of
the Book

4. World MuslimsWorld 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

5. 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

8. American MuslimsAmerican Muslims
6 million (The New York Times, Feb.
21, 1989)
About 40% Afro-American
Not all Muslims are Arabs, Not all
Arabs are Muslims

9. The Basics of FaithThe 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

10. Allah – One GodAllah – One God
Allah is the Arabic name for God used by
Muslims of the world as well as Arab
Christians.
Say: He is God, the One and Only; God,
the Eternal, Absolute; He begets not, nor is
He begotten; And there is none like unto
Him. (The Quran, Surah 112)

11. Prophets and ScripturesProphets and Scriptures
 SOME PROPHETS: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Ishaq,
Jacob (Israel), Joseph, Benjamin, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon,
Zakareya, 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

12. Prophet MuhammadProphet 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)

13. Quran: The Holy BookQuran: The Holy Book
 Original intact as given by the
Prophet in Arabic
 23 Years of Revelations (610 -
632 C.E.)
 114 Chapters; One Chapter,
Multiple Revelations
 Chapter (Surah) names
 Historic Context matters
 Verses Explain Verses
 Commentary needed in the
light of Arabic, History, and

14. Forms ofForms of
WorshipWorship
Prayers (Salah)
Charity (Zakat)
Fasting ( Ramadan)
Pilgrimage (Hajj)

15. Prayers (Salah)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

16. Charity (Zakat)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

17. Fasting (in Ramadan)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

18. Hajj (Pilgrimage)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

19. Muslim Students in YourMuslim Students in Your
ClassroomClassroom
 Ramadan, Eidul-Fitr
 Eidul-Adha, Hajj
 Head scarves by Muslim girls
 Christmas and Halloween are not Muslim religious
holidays
 Dating, Prom are not permitted
 Sex Education: abstinence
 out of marriage sex and homosexuality are grave sins

20. FoodFood
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.
Forbidden:
• Meat of animals found dead
• blood
• the flesh of swine
• Alcoholic beverages (such as beer and wine) and intoxicants
• Meat on which name of God is not invoked at time of slaughtering
or meat on which some one else’s name is invoked
Permitted: food of the People of the Book

21. MOTHERSMOTHERS
The Qur'an elevates kindness to parents (especially mothers) to
a status second only to the worship of Allah.
Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him and that
you be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain
old age in your life, say not to them a word of contempt nor
repel them, but address them in terms of honor. (Qur'an
17:23)
And We have enjoined on every human being (to be good) to
his/her parents: in travail upon travail did his/her mother
bear him/her and in years twain was his/her weaning: (hear
the command) "Show gratitude to me and to your parents: to
Me is (your final) destiny." (Qur'an 31:14)

22. DAUGHTERSDAUGHTERS
 Prophet Muhammad (Peace be on him) said,
Whosoever has a daughter and does not bury her
alive, does not insult her, and does not favor his son
over her, Allah will enter him into Paradise.
(Ahmad)

23. Human Rights inHuman Rights in
IslamIslam
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"

24. Justice in IslamJustice 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).

25. Repel Evil with GoodnessRepel Evil with Goodness
 041.034 Nor can goodness and Evil be equal. Repel
(Evil) with what is better: Then will he between
whom and thee was hatred become as it were thy
friend and intimate!
 003.134 Those who spend (freely), whether in
prosperity, or in adversity; who restrain anger, and
pardon (all) men; for God loves those who do good.

26. Suicide is a GraveSuicide is a Grave
SinSin
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)

27. Questions and AnswersQuestions and Answers
Surah Al-Fatehah
(Chapter 1: The Opening)
1. In the name of Allah, Most
Gracious, Most Merciful.
2. Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher
and Sustainer of the worlds;
3. Most Gracious, Most Merciful;
4. Master of the Day of Judgment.
5. Thee do we worship, and Thine
aid we seek.
6. Show us the straight way,
7. The way of those on whom Thou
hast bestowed Thy Grace, those
whose (portion) is not wrath,
and who go not astray.