What is Islam?
Islam
Islam stands as one of the world’s major monotheistic religions, the belief in the absolute oneness of God. This unique and unifying concept is succinctly expressed in the Shahada, the central creed of Islam: “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger.” This declaration serves as the foundational principle upon which the entirety of Islamic belief and practice is constructed. Muslims follow a religion of peace, mercy and forgiveness.
Muslims believe in the Day of Judgement and individual accountability for actions. Muslims believe in a chain of prophets beginning with Adam and including Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, David, Solomon, and Jesus. God’s eternal message was reaffirmed and finalized by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be on them all). One becomes a Muslim by saying Shahada, “There is no deity but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God.” By this declaration, the person announces faith in all of God’s messengers.
The Term “Muslim”
A Muslim is a person who submits themselves to God. Being a Muslim entails a voluntary act of submission to the teachings and commandments of God (Allah), as conveyed through the Prophet Muhammad, the last prophet in a long line of Prophets.
The Term “Revert”
In the context of Islam, the term “revert” is often used to describe individuals who accept and embrace the religion. When someone becomes a Muslim, it is seen as a return to their innate, pure state of belief, as if they are reverting to their original, God-given disposition. This perspective highlights the notion that all human beings are born as Muslims, in a state of submission to God, and that external influences may lead them away from this primordial state.
Fun Facts
a large (and growing) Ummah
There are an estimated 2 billion Muslims worldwide.
Diverse Population
Muslims come from various ethnic, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds. Islam is not confined to any particular race or nationality, making it a highly diverse and inclusive religion.
Linguistic Unity
Despite the diversity, many Muslims around the world share a common language for religious purposes: Arabic. This is because the Quran, the holy book of Islam, is written in Arabic. As a result, Muslims from different parts of the world often learn some Arabic to read and understand the Quran.
Islamic Calendar
Muslims follow the Islamic calendar, which is a lunar calendar. It is approximately 11 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar. Islamic months are determined by the sighting of the moon, and this is how important events like Ramadan, the month of fasting, are determined.