Muhammad was a prophet who was born in Makkah in 570 CE. As he grew up he was known to be truthful, honest, trustworthy, and sincere. When he was 40 years old he was in a meditative retreat and he received his first prophecy from god from the angel Gabriel. After Muhammad got his prophecy he told his wife, he said that either he’s crazy or a prophet. He said that he was chosen by Allah to be a messenger.
Muhammad decided to tell everyone about his prophecy, but everyone rejected his call to worship only one god because they were all idol worshippers. These Muslims suffered bitter persecution. In the year 622 CE, god gave the Muslim community the command to emigrate. This event, the hijrah or migration, in which they left Makkah for the city of Madinah, some 260 miles to the north, marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar. ” (islam101. com) Madinah provides Muhammad and the Muslims with a safe haven where they were able to grow. After several years the Muslims went back to Makkah and forgave all of their enemies.
They then removed all of the idols and focused on the worship of just one god. Originally the only the poor people accepted the teachings of Muhammad, but within about wo decades almost the entire Arab nation accepted it. It is not known how Muhammad was able to gain so many followers, but some say that it spread through the beauty of Muhammad’s teaching and example. Others say that Muhammad spread Islam by killing those who did not agree with him. Finally, others will say that they don’t know how Islam spread. The basic essentials for the practice of Islam are the five pillars of faith, they are the framework of the Muslim life. One, the confession of faith which is called Shahadah.
“There is no god but allah and Muhammad is the messenger of allah. (answering-islam. org) Two, prayer which is called Salah. All Muslims are required to pray five times each day. Three, the giving of alms which is known as Zakat. “It is a religious duty and than 2. 5% of the income above ones needs. ” (answeringislam. org) Four, Keeping the fast during the month of Ramadan which is called Sawm. Everyone must fast during the month of Ramadan except for the sick, travelers, pregnant women, nursing mothers and children. The fast is from sunrise to sunset. Five, the pilgrimage to Mecca. Every Muslim has to complete this at least once in their lifetime.
Five, the pilgrimage to Makkah which is known as Hajj. “At least once in his or her lifetime, each Muslim is expected to undertake this pilgrimage the sacred city of Islam. This holy journey is called the hajj in Arabic. While a visit to Mecca is beneficial any time of the year, it must take place during the month of Dhu al-Hijja (the last month of the Islamic year) to fulfill the requirements of the hajj. ” (religionfatcs. com) If a person fulfills all of the five pillars of faith it is believed that not only will he receive reward for it in this life, but also in the afterlife.
If someone decided not to complete the five pillars of faith they would be punished severely. When they die they would go straight to hell and they would stay there until they were purified enough to enter heaven. “The Quran, the last revealed word of god, is the primary source of every Muslims faith and practice. ” It deals with any subject concerning humans: wisdom, doctrine, worship, transactions, law etc. The basic theme of the Quran is the relationship between god and all of His creations. It also has guidelines for a just society, proper human conduct, and an equitable economic system.
Muslims believe that every person is born innocent. Only when a person reaches maturity of understanding and can tell the difference between right and wrong, does he become accountable for his actions. “Muslims believe that Allah does not hold anyone responsible unless He has shown him the right way. Allah has always sent messengers and revelations before inflicting His punishment on people. Muslims are required to follow their faith with reasoning and understanding, not blindly.
A person should use his powers of reasoning and reflect in his heart on Allah’s teachings. ” (www. alislam. org) The chief characteristic of Islam is that it makes no distinction between the spiritual and secular life. The way that islamic teachings help shape the lives of the believers, the aim of Islam is to shape both individual lives as well as society as a whole. ” The Muslims believe in the concept of eternity, meaning that they believe that how they act in their first life determines the shape of their second life. The islamic laws or called sharia laws.
The purpose of the Islamic Law is for humans to achieve happiness in this world and in the afterlife. A few examples of sharia laws would be, ) Theft is punishable by the amputation of the right hand, 2) criticizing or denying any part of the Quran is punishable by death. The Quran tries to encourage people to learn how to read, not only is it encouraged in the Quran, but the Quran is also used to help children learn how to read. “It outlines the basic tenets of the religion and the principles of ethical behavior. Muslims also use the text in daily rituals and special observances. ” (oxfordislamstudies. com) The words of the Quran provide guidelines for social, political, and economic activities. It contains laws regarding family, divorce, and inheritance.
In conclusion, Muhammad received a prophecy from Allah and was able to gain many followers. In the Islamic religion there are the five pillars of faith which contain of five basic rules that are mandatory for all muslims to follow. They also have the Quran. The Quran are the words of god that were told to the angel Gabriel who passed down the words to Muhammad. The teachings of Islam were able to help to shape the lives of the followers because their aim is to shape society and every individual among them. The Quran is not only a rule book. It is also guidelines and principles of ethical behavior.