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Islam
Description
The Prophet Mohammed, born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in about 570 CE, received the Book of Allah, the Qur’an, through divine revelation, beginning in 610 CE. Over a period of 23 years, the Qur’an was completed. It defined the faith of Islam, which is today one of the major religions of the world. Mohammed died in 632 CE.
Islam is a monotheistic religion, proclaiming that there is but one God, Allah. The word Islam means peace, purity and obedience or submission to Allah. A Muslim is a person who has submitted to Allah. The core articles of the Islamic faith define the Islamic way of life: There is One God, Allah, who created the Earth and all life on it. He is the God of all humanity and a Being having no equal. Muslims believe in the Angels, who are spiritual beings and messengers of Allah. The word of Allah was revealed through the divine Scriptures given to the prophets. The prophets, including Abraham, Noah, Jesus and Mohammed, were chosen by Allah to give His divine revelations to humanity. There will be a final Judgment Day, when all humanity will be resurrected and judged on the basis of their good and evil deeds. Allah will reward the just with an afterlife in paradise and punish the evil with the eternal fires of hell. Only Allah knows when Judgment Day will arrive. Although humanity is blessed with free will (the power to choose good or evil), salvation is found only through submission to the will of Allah.
Muslims demonstrate their faith by worshiping Allah, by following His laws, and by living a life of work and prayer. There is a call to prayer five times daily, and Muslim frequently speak the name of Allah when expressing gratitude or asking for guidance.
Muslims believe that humans are born free of sin but must observe Allah’s guidance to be a good Muslim and live a life free of sin. Islam teaches that in the hierarchy of all beings created by Allah, humans hold an especially high place because they are able to reason and to express spirituality. Muslims are subject to Islamic law, which is given by Allah and defines what is halal (acceptable), haram (prohibited) and makruh (bad). These laws guide Islamic life.
Religious Elements
Scriptural and Doctrinal Sources
Qur’an, the Book of Allah, given to the Prophet Mohammed. The Qur’an is recognized by Islamic and non-Islamic scholars to be essentially unchanged since first written. Muslims consider it infallible. Sunnah, the sayings, practices and living habits of the Prophet Mohammed and traditional law based on his words and acts. In application to the life of Muslims, the Sunnah is habit, practice and customary procedure; or action, norm and usage sanctioned by tradition. Hadith, the spoken tradition attributed to Mohammed. The earliest written versions date from the ninth century. Because it was transmitted orally, it is considered by Muslim scholars to be subject to change and is not seen as the unaltered word of Mohammed.
Rituals
- A Muslim’s duties are described in the Five Pillars of Islam:
- Declaration of faith: A Muslim must declare faith in Allah, worship only Allah as God, and agree that Mohammed was his Messenger and Prophet.
- Prayers: A Muslim must fulfil his or her duty to Allah by praying to Allah five times daily, as this strengthens faith and brings a person closer to Allah. This should be done while facing toward Mecca.
- Fasting: A Muslim must fast during the holy month of Ramadan. Between sunrise and sunset, all food, drink, sexual activity and improper actions are prohibited.
- Zakaah (or zakat): A Muslim must contribute 2.5 percent of his or her annual savings to charity. This money is then used to alleviate poverty. A more stringent view of this obligation sees Muslims of middle and upper income levels giving the value of 2.5 percent of their income and property each year.
- Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca: A Muslim must make a mandatory pilgrimage to the Holy City of Mecca once in his or her lifetime, except in cases where the individual’s physical, mental or financial health prevents the journey.
- Before praying, a Muslim must perform the wudu (washing the generally exposed parts of the body — face, hands, arms up to the elbows, and feet up to the ankles). The hair is rinsed with wet fingers. If the worshipper is in a state of “grave impurity,” he or she must first perform the Ghusl, a ritual bath intended to wash away all impurity.
Moral Code
Islamic law defines what is halal (permitted by God), what is haram (prohibited by God), and what is makruh (detestable, but not as bad as haram). The Islamic moral code is defined by what is halal and what is haram. Killing, stealing, adultery or sex outside marriage, gambling, wasteful consumption, bribery, spreading gossip, pornography, prostitution and intoxicants are all considered haram. Muslims do not endorse or participate in forms of entertainment that promote what is considered haram.
Houses of Worship
The mosque is the Islamic house of worship. The mosque is distinguished by its large, open space in the interior, by a minaret or tower from which the faithful are called to worship, and often by a dome-shaped roof. Inside the mosque, the imam conducts the service from the mihrab, a semicircular structure or alcove that faces the direction of Mecca. There is a mimbar, a seat or pulpit from which sermons are delivered, at the right of the mihrab, atop a set of steps. The floor of the mosque, where the congregation gathers to worship, is covered in carpets. There are no seats or pews. The mosque is more than a house of worship. It is also a social, educational and political institution. It is controlled and managed by the congregation. Muslim workers who cannot get to a mosque for prayer may use a clean, carpeted room for prayer at appropriate times. It is helpful to the faithful at prayer if the direction of Mecca is indicated and a copy of the Qur’an is available. Although other mosques preceded it, the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem is the oldest surviving one. It was built in the late seventh century where Mohammed is believed to have ascended to heaven.
Devotional Practices and Services
Muslims must practise individual worship as well as congregational worship. Prayers must be made to Allah five times daily: at dawn, at noon, in the mid-afternoon, at sunset and in the evening. Prayer times are specific and can be determined by contacting the local Islamic community. Called to prayer by a muezzin, Muslims gather at the mosque at noon on Friday, which is the holy day, to pray as a congregation. Muslims may work on Friday, providing they are able to attend the congregational prayer at the mosque. The sermon, given by an imam, who is also called Khateeb, precedes the congregational prayer.
Clergy, Organization and Government
There are two main denominations of Islam, Sunni and Shi’a. The Shi’a school of Islam places a greater emphasis on the need for a spiritual leader and authoritative powers. Shiites follow a line of religious leadership, the imams, descended from Ali, cousin of Mohammed. They believe that Ali’s succession itself resulted from specific appointment by Mohammed, who acted under divine guidance, and that 12 successive imams came to the appointment through divine intervention. The most orthodox among Shiites believe that only seven imams succeeded Mohammed. The last imam, Mohammed al-Muntazar, disappeared in the ninth century. Subsequent leaders, the mujtahids, have been able to interpret Islamic law and doctrine under the inspiration of the last imam, until he returns at the end of the time to teach and lead humanity to Allah’s truth. Consequently, religious leaders in the Shi’a school exercise great authority in guiding religious practice and interpreting doctrine and dogma. Shiite leaders promote a fundamental interpretation of the Qur’an and strict adherence to its teachings. The Sunni school of Islam does not require as rigid a structure in its religious leadership. Sunnis, the majority of Muslims in the world (possibly 90 percent of Islam’s adherents), consider themselves the “orthodox” faithful of Islam. In Sunni practice, leadership is a temporal matter, not a divine ordinance. They believe that succession from the Prophet Mohammed is a political matter, to be determined by consensus or election rather than by inheritance through the line of family and tribal successors of the Prophet Mohammed. Mosques are nondenominational. All Muslims, whether Sunni, Shiite or other denomination, are welcome to worship at any mosque. Mosques employ imams to lead congregations in prayer. The term imam in this sense means “religious leader,” or Muslim cleric, and should not be confused with the 12 imams who succeeded the Prophet Mohammed. Traditionally, imams are community leaders, as well as religious leaders and spiritual counsellors. A mosque may have one or several imams, depending on its size.
Propagation of the Faith
Major Celebrations and Observances
Muslims follow a lunar calendar to determine the dates of holy days. The Islamic calendar begins in the year 622 CE, the year Mohammed fled persecution in Mecca for the city of Yathrib, now Medina. The date marks the beginning of the Islamic faith and the development of the first congregation at Mohammed’s home. Dates of holy days vary annually in the Gregorian calendar.
Days of Regular Observance
Daily: Prayer is obligatory five times daily: at dawn, at noon, in the mid-afternoon, at sunset and in the evening. Prayer times vary daily, depending on the time of sunrise and sunset. Proper times may be determined by contacting the local Imam or Islamic organization. Friday: A congregation gathers for obligatory prayers at the mosque at noon on Friday, the holy day. Muslims may work on Friday, providing they can attend prayer services. Ramadan: During the month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Muslims fast from before sunrise until after sunset. Id-al-Fitr: The first day of Shawal, the 10th month of the Islamic calendar, celebrates the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting. On this day, Muslims do not work; instead, they visit the mosque to pray and visit their families. Id-al-Adha (the day of sacrifice): The 10th day of the month of Zul-Hijja, the 12th month of the Islamic calendar, commemorates the intention of the prophet Abraham to sacrifice his son Ishmael to God, who prevented the sacrifice. (Note: Christians and Jews believe it was Abraham’s second son, Issac, who was the intended sacrificial offering. Both Jews and Muslims consider Ishmael the patriarch of the Arabs.) This day also marks the end of the pilgrimage to Mecca, for those who were able to travel there. Muslims do not work on this day; instead, they visit their families and the mosque.
Special Observances
Al-Hijral Muharran (the Muslim New Year): beginning of the first lunar month. Ashura (marks the martyrdom in 680 CE of 70 of the faithful, led by Imam Husain, grandson of Mohammed). Mawlid-al-Nabi (celebrates the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed in 570 CE). (Note: Some conservative sects of Islam consider celebration of the event idolatrous.)
Dress Requirements
Men and women must dress modestly. Men must avoid any clothing that is more appropriate for women. For example, they should not wear silk. - Women’s clothing must be modest and cover the entire body, except the face and hands. This is a practice and form of dress known by the Arabic word hijab, which is based in Qur’anic injunctions:
- “And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; and that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands.” (Qur’an 24:30–31)
- “O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters and the believing women to draw their outer garments around them (when they go out or are among men). That is better in order that they may be known (to be Muslims) and not annoyed.” (Qur’an 33:59)
At present, the Islamic concept of hijab is a loose-fitting, modest dress worn by Muslim women that covers all but the hands, neck and face. The concept is readily adaptable to Western dress, a style worn by many Muslim women in Western countries as well as in some nations where the majority of the population are Muslim. Some women may choose to wear a head covering in the form of a scarf, while others do not. Some Muslim societies require the wearing of a veil, ensuring complete covering of all but the hands and face or in some cases all but the hands and eyes. Examples are the abaya of Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf region and the black chador (shador) of Iran. In Afghanistan, some women wear the burqa, a loose-fitting garment that covers the entire body from head to foot, including the eyes. Only a cloth grill is permitted over the eyes, to allow vision. For both men and women, the Muslim style of dress not only fulfills a religious obligation, but also makes a statement of identity and may be a source of personal pride (confirming one’s religious devotion and sense of modesty). It is strongly recommended that Muslim men wear a beard with or without a moustache. However, they must keep their beard and mustache neat, clean and cropped.
Dietary Requirements
Any meat must be halal meat, slaughtered following religious guidelines. Pork and other swine products may not be eaten. Fish and eggs are allowed, but not if they were cooked near non-halal food. Halal birds do not eat meat and are acceptable; all others are haram (forbidden by Islamic law). Alcohol and drugs are not tolerated. Muslims may not have food that is offered in the name of any god but Allah. If hospitalized during Ramadan, the patient may wish to fast between sunrise and sunset. Those who are sick or who must follow a prescribed course of medical treatment may be excused from fasting during Ramadan, but the patient’s wishes should be followed.
Medical and Health Requirements
If death is approaching, the patient should recite the Islamic creed, and other Muslims may read verses from the Qur’an. In the case of a female patient, only female doctors, nurses and aides should tend to the patient, unless it is an emergency. In an emergency, the order of preference, depending on availability, is (1) a female Muslim doctor, (2) a female non-Muslim doctor, (3) a male Muslim doctor, and, if none of these is available, (4) a male non-Muslim doctor. Some may object to an organ transplant, although it is not specifically forbidden in the Qur’an. Abortion is tolerated only if the life of the mother is in danger. There is no objection to blood transfusion. Before childbirth, women may refuse an internal examination. Women should be provided with hospital gowns that cover the legs and have long sleeves. A Muslim woman may share a room only with another female patient, and polite respect for privacy should be considered when one is entering the room. Where medical treatment is required on a specific part of the body, the woman should be permitted to keep the rest of her body covered in the interests of modesty. Muslim male babies are usually circumcised, though it is not a religious requirement.
Death and Burial The eyes of the deceased should be closed, and the mouth should be closed by running a bandage under the chin and tying it on the forehead. Arms and legs should be straightened. The body should be washed and shrouded in white cloth. Women may wash women’s bodies, and men may wash men’s bodies. A husband or wife may wash the spouse’s body. A funeral is held in the mosque with prayers for the deceased, led by the imam. Burial should take place as soon as possible. The body should be buried on its right side, facing Mecca. Those participating fill the grave with soil. Water is sprinkled on top. Cremation is forbidden.
Other
The Shari’ah, Islamic law, is derived from the Qur’an. It is a comprehensive system of laws addressing religious, moral and social issues.
Sources of Additional Information
http://www.islam.ca — Canadian Islamic website providing information and resources.
http://www.islamcanada.com — Canadian website providing information about Islam.
Islamic Propagation Centre
PO Box 471 Stn A
Mississauga, ON L5A 2H2
Phone: (416) 824-2381
http://www.canadianislamiccongress.com — website of the Canadian Islamic Conference.
The Canadian Islamic Conference
420 Erb Street West
Suite 424
Waterloo, ON N2L 6K6
Phone: (519) 746-1242
http://www.muslim-canada.org/ — website of the Canadian Society of Muslims.
The Canadian Society of Muslims
PO Box 143 Stn P
Toronto, ON M5S 2S7
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