what is islam?

Answer 1

Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: "Islam is based on five articles:
1
Faith
To bear witness that there is none worthy of worship save Allah and that Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah
2
Salat
To observe Prayer
3
Zakat
Alms giving
4
Hajj
To perform the Pilgrimage to the House of Allah
5
Fast
To Observe fasting during Ramadhan




Abdullah ibn Amr bin Aas, may Allah be pleased with them, relates that the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:

"A Muslim is one against whose tongue and hands other Muslims are secure, and an Emigrant is one who departs from what Allah has forbidden."


Faith

There are six articles of faith in Islam:

1. Belief in Allah
2. Belief in the Quran (Scriptures) of Allah
3. Belief in Angles
4. Belief in the Prophets of Allah
5. Belief in the Day of Judgment
6. Belief in the Divine Laws

Umar ibn Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, relates:
We were sitting in the company of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, when suddenly a man arrived. He was wearing clean, white clothes and his hair was jet black. He did not look as though he were a traveler and he was not known to any of us. He sat down close to the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, his knees touching the knees of the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. He said: O Muhammad, tell me something about faith. The Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, replied:
"Faith is that you should believe in Allah, His Angels, His Books and His Prophets; that you should believe in the Day of Judgment and that you should believe in the Divine Laws relating to good and evil." (Tirmidhi)

Ali ibn Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, relates that he Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"The faith is that one recognizes God at heart, accepts Him verbally and acts on His commandments." (Ibni Majah)

Salat

Salat, the obligatory Muslim prayer, is said at appointed time fixed in relation to the sun's position

Five Daily Prayers
›› Fajr The morning prayer begins at dawn and ends just before sunrise
›› Zuhr The midday prayer, begins after the sun has crossed the zenith point and has begun to decline
›› Asar The Asr prayer is said when the sun has further advanced in decline, in the late afternoon
›› Maghrib The Maghrib prayer begins immediately after sunset. It lasts till dusk
›› Isha The Isha prayer can be said after dusk has finally disappeared, giving way to darkness of the night

Salat is one of the five pillars of Islam, it is a most important constituent of the faith. It is prayer of a very high level. The Holy Quran repeatedly enjoins the offering of salat and indeed declares it to be a fundamental trait of a believer. The benefits of salat are countless. The Holy Quran says:

"And enjoin Prayer on thy people, and be constant therein. We ask thee not for provision; it is We that provide for thee. And the end is for the righteous".

Salat strengthens man's spiritual faculties. It is the best way to form a relationship with one's Creator. It purifies one's spirit, and through it, constant remembrance of Allah delivers one of the self that incites to evil.

God created man to worship Him and salat is the most excellent kind of worship.

The Holy Quran also says:
"Recite that which has been revealed to thee of the Book, and observe Prayer. Surely, Prayer restrains one from indecency and manifest evil, and remembrance of Allah indeed is the greatest virtue. And Allah knows what you do." (29:46)

Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, relates that he heard the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings be on him, say:
"Tell me if one of you had a stream running at his door and he should take a bath in it five times every day would any dirt be left upon him? He was answered: No dirt would be left on him. The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) observed: This is the case of the five prayers. Allah wipes out all faults in consequence of them."

As for the punishment of not observing the salat, all matters of reward and punishment rest solely with Allah.

Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him, relates that he heard the Holy Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, say:
"Giving up prayer is tantamount to disbelief and associating partners with Allah."



Zakat
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Zakat Calculator


"Take from their wealth a portion for charity, in order to clean them thereby, and sanctify them." Literal Meaning:

Zakat means grow (in goodness) or 'increase', 'purifying' or 'making pure'. So the act of giving zakat means purifying one's wealth togain Allah's blessing to make it grow in goodness. One of the most important principles of Islam is that all things belongto God, and that wealth is therefore held by human beings in trust. Theword zakat means both 'purification' and 'growth'. Our possessionsare purified by setting aside a proportion for those in need, and, likethe pruning of plants, this cutting back balances and encourages new growth.

Zakah not only purifies the property of the contributor but also purifies his heart from selfishness and greed. It also purifies the heart of the recipient from envy and jealousy, from hatred and uneasiness and it fosters instead good-will and warm wishes for the contributors.

ZAKAT: (Alms) The Zakat is a form of giving to those who are less fortunate. It is obligatory upon all Muslims to give 2.5 % of wealth and assets each year (in excess of what is required) to the poor. This is done before the beginning of the month of Muharram, the first of new year. Giving the Zakat is considered an act of worship because it is a form of offering thanks to God for the means of material well-being one has acquired. Zakât: A certain fixed proportion of the wealth and of the eachand every kind of the property liable to Zakât of a Muslim to bepaid yearly for the benefit of the poor in the Muslim community. The paymentof Zakât is obligatory as it is one of the five pillars of Islam.Zakât is the major economic means for establishing social justiceand leading the Muslim society to prosperity and security. [See Sahih Al-Bukhari, Vol. 2, Book of Zakât (24)].

Paying zakat is Fard (compulsory). The Qur'an says that only those who pay zakat are in the "brotherhood of faith". The Holy Qur'analso says that Zakat purifies assets and creates virtue ( SU:9 103 ). Zakat is a 2.5% levy on most valuables and savings held for a full year if their total value is more than a basic minimum known asnisab. At present nisab is $1,050 or an equivalent amount of any other currency. Cash money in your bank and building society accounts, and the release value of bonds, securities and shares in any form arezakatable if they are purchased as an investment. There is no Zakat on family home or household furniture, carpets, car, etc. But if a property ..


Zakat is distributed among 7 asnaf (categories) of people, namely:

° Fakir
One who has neither material possessions nor means of livelihood.

° Miskin
One with insufficient means of livelihood to meet basic needs.

° Amil
One who is appointed to collect zakat.

° Riqab
One who wants to free himself from bondage or the shackles of slavery.

° Gharmin
One who is in debt (money borrowed to meet basic, halal expenditure).

° Fisabillillah
One who fights for the cause of Allah.

° Ibnus Sabil
One who is stranded in journey.



Hajj

The annual pilgrimage to Makkah - the Hajj - is an obligation only for those who are physically and financially able to perform it. Nevertheless, about two million people go to Makkah each year from every corner of the globe providing a unique opportunity for those of different nations to meet one another. Although Makkah is always filled with visitors, the annual Hajj begins in the twelfth month of the Islamic year (which is lunar, not solar, so that Hajj and Ramadan fall sometimes in summer, sometimes in winter). Pilgrims wear special clothes: simple garments which strip away distinctions of class and culture, so that all stand equal before God.

The rites of the Hajj, which are of Abrahamic origin, include circling the Ka'ba seven times, and going seven times between the mountains of Safa and Marwa as did Hagar during her search for water. Then the pilgrims stand together on the wide plain of Arafa and join in prayers for God's forgiveness, in what is often thought of as a preview of the Last Judgment.

In previous centuries the Hajj was an arduous undertaking. Today, however, Saudi Arabia provides millions of people with water, modern transport, and the most up-to-date health facilities.


Pilgrims praying at the mosque in Makkah.

The close of the Hajj is marked by a festival, the Eid al-Adha, which is celebrated with prayers and the exchange of gifts in Muslim communities everywhere. This, and the Eid al-Fitr, a feast-day commemorating the end of Ramadan, are the main festivals of the Muslim calendar.

Fast

Every year in the month of Ramadan, all Muslims fast from first light until sundown, abstaining from food, drink, and sexual relations. Those who are sick, elderly, or on a journey, and women who are pregnant or nursing are permitted to break the fast and make up an equal number of days later in the year. If they are physically unable to do this, they must feed a needy person for every day missed. Children begin to fast (and to observe the prayer) from puberty, although many start earlier.

Although the fast is most beneficial to the health, it is regarded principally as a method of self purification. By cutting oneself off from worldly comforts, even for a short time, a fasting person gains true sympathy with those who go hungry as well as growth in one's spiritual life.

Answer 2

The first thing that one should know and clearly understand about Islam is what the word "Islam" itself means. The religion of Islam is not named after a person as in the case of Christianity which was named after Jesus Christ, Buddhism after Gotama Buddha, Confucianism after Confucius, and Marxism after Karl Marx. Nor was it named after a tribe like Judaism after the tribe of Judah and Hinduism after the Hindus. Islam is the true religion of "Allah" and as such, its name represents the central principle of Allah's "God's" religion; the total submission to the will of Allah "God". The Arabic word "Islam" means the submission or surrender of one's will to the only true god worthy of worship "Allah" and anyone who does so is termed a "Muslim", The word also implies "peace" which is the natural consequence of total submission to the will of Allah. Hence, it was not a new religion brought by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) I in Arabia in the seventh century, but only the true religion of Allah re-expressed in its final form.

Answer 3

to surrender and to receive Christ is to recieve God/Allah in to your life .As has been said "there is only 1 door by and through which you will approach God/Allah" and you have seen Him and you have touched Him.
To my half brothers of lshmael'
Warm Greetings to you in the love of Christ
The Differences between lsaac and lshmael.
it appears that your belief your attachment
to your faith in God, my God does not give or
offer or supply you with the strength
to harness your lusts on your own.
And your make all cover up to avoid
the danger that is in you.Although of course as humans we all
suffer from this same possible condition,
but with one difference,which in Christ and ones' belief and acceptance
in him as the true and only son of the Father and
is indeed your savior from such spiritual/physical
forces.It is not l that live, but Christ that livith through me.
As it is written, you will indeed inherit Gods blessing through
His Son Jesus Christ. It is time to begin your return to the true
light and you can start by the act of forgivness.

Answer 4

Islam is unlike any other religion because it is not merely a belief to which one adheres, but rather Islam is a complete way of life. Muslims put their beliefs into practice on a daily basis. Islam provides guidance in all the spheres and activities of life. Furthermore, it is unique in that it is not named after any person, tribe, region or culture. Islam is named after a belief in one God, Allah, and submission to His will. In other words, Muslims put Allah’s Will before their own.

The message of Muhammad (peace be upon him) is not new; his message of absolute monotheism is a reaffirmation of what came before it. We as humans constantly stray from guidance if we are left on our own without a divine reminder, thus Allah the Merciful has sent us prophets to remind us. Islam preaches the same message of all previous prophets. That message is: Allah is One, worship Him alone.

Additionally, human society changes and develops with time, and so Allah has adjusted His Laws slightly over the centuries to correspond accordingly. Thus while Allah's message of divine oneness has been the same since the beginning of time, His Sacred Law has been abrogated and amended with the advent of each new prophet. The Sacred Law of Muhammad (peace be upon him) represents the final version of Allah's commandments applicable to all of humankind until the Last Day.

Islam invites us to what benefits us and all of humanity. It commands goodness towards all people and does not promote preferential treatment for a certain group, be they believers or not. No one is immune from Allah’s commands and laws in Islam.

Islam offers us eternity in Paradise if we obey Allah’s commands. Whether we believe in Him, follow His Guidance, practice good and forbid evil, Allah does not benefit anything from it. We are the ones who benefit from submitting to His Will. Likewise, if we refuse to believe, practice evil and prevent good, Allah is not harmed one bit by our behavior. Rather, it is only we who suffer from our own misdeeds.

Ultimately, the only real guarantee of salvation from Allah’s displeasure and wrath is from Allah Himself. We see this through the example of His Noble Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) and Allah’s unfaltering promise in the Holy Qur’an, the final unaltered scripture of Allah.

Islam offers guidance to all humankind, regardless of race, culture, education level, sex, and socioeconomic status. Through Islam, we achieve peace with ourselves, with Allah, with our fellow man and even with the environment so that we can live in harmony with the entire universe as Allah intended.

Answer 5

Is submission to Allah (God's real name)....
believing in all the messengers specially Muhammad (peace be upon him) and follow him.

Answer 6

The biggest joke around - everyone has the same name, and everybody is related.
It's like a jerry springer show.

Answer 7

No god But Allah and Jesus , Moses and Muhammad are messenger of Allah. No one is worthy of worship except Allah , Allah is the only God .

Answer 8

A religion where everyone is Muhammad.

Answer 9

its a way of life

Answer 10

to surrender and to submit to God alone.

Answer 11

very broad question, www.islamonline.net if you are really interested