30 Facts About Islam eBook

8/8/2019 30 Facts About Islam eBook

1/33

APublicationofIslamOnDemand

IntheNameofGod,TheMostGracious,TheMostMerciful


2/33

Introduction

Themeaningof“Islam”...............................................

Themeaningof“Muslim”............................................

Islam:ACivilization.....................................................

Fivepillarsofpractice.................................................

Sixarticlesoffaith......................................................

Acompletewayoflife.................................................

Fastedgrowingreligion..............................................

Allah

Meaning...................................................................... Adifferentgod?..........................................................

Islamicconceptofgod................................................

Attributes.....................................................................

AccountabilitytoGod..................................................

Prophets

PrecedingMuhammad...............................................

WorshipMuhammad?................................................

HolyBooks

Previousbooks...........................................................

OriginoftheQur’an.....................................................

OriginalArabic............................................................

AncientQur’ans..........................................................

Apreservedmessage................................................

Violence

Forcedconversions?..................................................

Terrorism?..................................................................

Holy war?...................................................................

MuslimWomen

Oppressed?................................................................Someoftheirrights....................................................

Modestdress..............................................................

Culturalconfusion.......................................................

DiversityandUnity

TheNation“ofIslam”..................................................

WhereMuslimsarefrom............................................

TheKaaba..................................................................Pilgrimage..................................................................

Conclusion

CreditsandTermsofUse...........................................

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

1011

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

2526

27

28

29

30

3132

33

TableofContents

www.30FactsAboutIslam.com

www.pinterest.com/FactsAboutIslam


3/33

3

GetthisfreePDFbookletplus

pamphletsandpostcardsat:www.30FactsAboutIslam.com

“Islam”means“surrender”or

“submission”.“Salam”(whichmeans“peace”)istheroot

wordof“Islam”.Inareligious

contexttheword“Islam”means

“thesurrenderingofone’swill

(withoutcompulsion)tothetruewillofGodinanefforttoachieve

peace”.

Islam


4/33

4



“Muslim”means“anyoneor

anythingthatsurrendersitselftothetruewillofGod”.Bythis

denition,everythinginnature

(trees,animals,planets,etc.)are

“muslims”becausetheyareina

stateofsurrendertoGod’swill.Inotherwords,theyarefullling

thepurposeforwhichGod

createdthem.

Muslim


5/33

5



Islamisnotanewreligionor

cult.Itisauniversalwayoflifeandcivilization.Studiesshow

thatbetween1.5and1.8billion

peopleintheworldidentify

theirreligionasIslam.Along

withJudaismandChristianityittracesitsrootsthroughProphet

Abrahamandbacktothefrst

humansAdamandEve.

Islam:ACivilization


6/33

6



TherearevepillarsofpracticeinIslam.

Thesepracticesmustbeundertaken

withthebestofeffortinordertobe

consideredatrueMuslim:

1)DeclarationoffaithinOneGodand

thatMuhammadisaprophetofGod.

2)Formalprayervetimesaday.

3)Poor-due“tax”-2.5%ofone’sexcess

wealthgiventotheneedyonceayear.

4)PilgrimagetoMeccaatleastonce,if

physicallyandnanciallyable.

5)Fastingduringthedaylighthoursin

themonthofRamadan.

The5PillarsofIslam


7/33

7



TherearesixarticlesoffaithinIslam.

Thesearethebasicbeliefsthatone

musthaveinordertobeconsidereda

trueMuslim.Theyarebeliefin:

1)TheOneGod

2)AllofthetrueprophetsofGod

3)Theoriginalscripturesrevealedto

Moses,David,JesusandMuhammad

4)Theangels

5)TheDayofJudgmentandthe

Hereafter

6)Destiny

Islam’sBasicBeliefs


8/33

8



Islamisacompletewayof

lifethatgovernsallfacetsoflife:moral,spiritual,physical,

intellectual,social,economical,

etc.

Islam:AWayofLife


9/33

9



Islamisoneofthefastest

growingreligionsintheworld.TobecomeMuslim,apersonof

anyraceorculturemustsaya

simplestatement,theshahadah,

thatbearswitnesstothe

beliefintheOneGodandthatMuhammadisaprophetofGod.

BecomingMuslim


10/33

10



“Allah”isanArabicwordthat

means“God”.Muslimsalsobelievethat“Allah”isthe

personalnameofGod.

Allah


11/33

11



AllahisnottheGodofMuslimsonly.He

istheGodofallpeopleandallcreation.

JustbecausepeoplerefertoGodusing

differenttermsdoesnotmeanthereare

differentgods.ManyHispanicsreferto

Godas“Dios”andmanyFrenchrefer

toGodas“Dieu”yettheymeanthe

sameGod.ManyArabJewsandArab

ChristianscallGod“Allah”andtheword

“Allah”(inArabicscript)appearsonthe

wallsofmanyArabchurchesandon

thepagesofArabicBibles.Although

theunderstandingofGodmaydiffer

betweenthevariousfaithgroups,itdoes

notchangethefactthattheOneLord

andCreatoroftheUniverseistheGod

ofallpeople.

Allah


12/33

12



TheIslamicconceptofGodis

thatHeisloving,mercifulandcompassionate.Islamalso

teachesthatHeisjustand

swiftinpunishment.However,

AllahoncesaidtoMuhammad,

“Mymercyprevailsovermywrath”.SoIslamteachesa

balancebetweenfearand

hope,protectingonefromboth

complacencyanddespair.

GodinIslam


13/33

13



MuslimsbelievethatGodhas

revealed99ofHisnames,orattributes,intheQur’an.Itis

throughthesenamesthatone

cancometoknowtheCreator.

Afewofthesenamesarethe

All-Merciful,theAll-Knower,theProtector,theProvider,the

Near,theFirst,theLast,the

HiddenandtheSourceofAll

Peace.

99NamesofGod


14/33

14



TheChristianconceptof

“vicariousatonement”(theideathatJesusdiedforthesinsof

humanity)isalientotheIslamic

conceptofpersonalresponsibility.

IslamteachesthatontheDay

ofJudgmenteveryperson

willberesurrectedandwillbe

accountabletoGodfortheirevery

wordanddeed.Consequently,

apracticingMuslimisalways

strivingtoberighteouswhile

hopingandprayingforGod’s

acceptanceandgrace.

AccountabilityinIslam


15/33

15



Muslimsbelieveinallofthe

trueprophetsthatprecededMuhammad,fromAdamtoJesus.

Muslimsbelievetheybrought

thesamemessageofvoluntarily

surrenderingtoGod’swill(islam,

inagenericsense)todifferent

peoplesatdifferenttimes.

Muslimsalsobelievetheywere

“muslims”(again,inageneric

sense)sincetheyfollowedGod’s

trueguidanceandsurrendered

theirwilltoHim.

ProphetsofIslam


16/33

16



Muslimsneitherworship

Muhammadnorpraythroughhim.Muslimssolelyworship

theUnseenandOmniscient

Creator,Allah.

WhoMuslimsWorship


17/33

17



Muslimsaccepttheoriginal

unalteredTorah(asrevealedtoMoses)andtheoriginal

unalteredBible(asrevealedto

Jesus)sincetheywererevealed

byGod.Butnoneofthese

scripturesexisttodayintheiroriginalformorintheirentirety.

Therefore,Muslimsfollowthe

subsequent,nalandpreserved

revelationofGod,theQur’an.

God’sRevelations


18/33

18



TheQur’anwasnotauthoredby

Muhammad.ItwasauthoredbyGod,revealedtoMuhammad

(throughangelGabriel)and

writtenintophysicalformbyhis

companions.

Qur’an


19/33

19



TheoriginalArabictextofthe

Qur’ancontainsnoawsorcontradictions,andhasnotbeen

alteredsinceitsrevelation.

Qur’an


20/33

20



Actual7thcenturyQur’ans,

completeandintact,areondisplayinmuseumsinTurkey

andotherplacesaroundthe

world.

Qur’an


21/33

21


pamphletsandpostcardsat:


IfallQur’ansintheworldtoday

weredestroyed,theoriginal Arabicwouldstillremain.This

isbecausemillionsofMuslims,

called“haz”(or“guardians”)have

memorizedthetextletterforletter

frombeginningtoend,everyword

andeverysyllable.Also,chapters

fromtheQur’anareprecisely

recitedfrommemoryineachof

theveformalprayersperformed

dailybyhundredsofmillionsof

Muslimsthroughouttheworld.

Qur’an


22/33

22




Someattributetheearlyandrapidspread

ofIslamtoforcedconversionsbythe

sword.WhileitisaccuratethattheMuslimempireinitiallyspread,forthemostpart,

throughbattlesandconquests(acommon

phenomenonforthattime)thereligionof

Islamitselfwasneverforcedonanyone

whofoundthemselveslivingunderMuslim

rule.Infact,non-Muslimswereaffordedtherighttoworshipastheypleasedas

longasatax,called“jizyah”,waspaid.

DuringtheDarkAges,Jews,Christians

andothersweregivenprotectionbythe

Muslimsfromreligiouspersecutions

happeninginEurope.Islamteachesno

compulsioninreligion(Qur’an2:256and

10:99).Formore,read“TheSpreadof

IslamintheWorld”byThomasArnold.

EarlySpreadofIslam


23/33

23




Terrorism,unjustiedviolenceandthekillingof

civilians(orintimidating,threateningorinjuring

them)areallforbiddeninIslam.Islamisawayoflifethatismeanttobringpeacetoasociety

whetheritspeopleareMuslimornot.Theextreme

actionsofthosewhoclaimtobeMuslimmaybea

resultoftheirignorance,frustration,uncontrolled

angerorpolitical(notreligious)ambitions.Anyone

whocondonesorcommitsanactofterrorisminthe

nameofIslamissimplynotfollowingIslamandis,

infact,violatingitsverytenets.FanaticalMuslims

arenomorerepresentativeofthetrueteachings

ofIslamthanfanaticalChristiansareofthetrue

teachingsofChristianityorfanaticalJewsareof

thetrueteachingsofJudaism.Themostprominent

examplesofsuch“religious”fanaticsareAnders

BehringBreivik,the2011Norwegianterroristand

BaruchGoldstein,perpetratorofthe1994Hebron

massacre.Extremismandfanaticismareproblems

notexclusivetoMuslims.AnyonewhothinksthatallMuslimsareterroristsshouldrememberthat

theformerboxerMuhammadAliisapracticing

Muslim.

Terrorism


24/33

24




“Jihad”doesnotmean“holywar”.Itactuallymeans“tostruggle”or“tostrive”.Inareligious

contextitmeansthestruggletosuccessfullysurrenderone’swilltothewillofGod.SomeMuslimsmaysaytheyaregoingfor“jihad”whenghtinginawartodefendthemselvesorothers,buttheysaythisbecausetheyareconcedingthatitwillbeatremendousstruggle.ButtherearemanyotherformsofjihadwhicharemuchmorerelevanttotheeverydaylifeofaMuslimsuchasthestrugglesagainst

laziness,arrogance,stinginess,one’sownego,orthestruggleagainstthetemptationsofSatan,etc.Regardingtheso-calledversesof“holywar”intheQur’an:1)Theterm“holywar”neitherappearsintheArabictextoftheQur’annorinanyclassicalteachingsofIslam.2)ThevastmajorityofversesintheQur’anpertainingtoviolencerefertowartimesituationsinwhichMuslimswerepermittedto

defendthemselvesagainstviolentaggression. Anyrationalanalysisofthecontextandhistoricalcircumstancessurroundingsuchversesprovesthistobetrue.Otherversesofviolencedealwithstoppingoppression,capitalpunishmentandthelike.

Jihad


25/33

25




Womenarenotoppressedin

Islam.AnyMuslimmanthatoppressesawomanisnot

followingIslam.Amongthe

manyteachingsofMuhammad

thatprotectedtherightsand

dignityofwomenishissaying,“...thebestamongyouarethose

whotreattheirwiveswell.”

WomeninIslam


26/33

26




Islamgrantswomenmanyrights

inthehomeandinsociety. Amongthemaretherightto

earnmoney,tonancialsupport,

toownproperty,toaneducation,

toaninheritance,tobeing

treatedkindly,tovote,toabridalgift,tokeeptheirmaidenname,

toworshipinamosque,toa

divorce,andsoon.

WomeninIslam


27/33

27




Muslimwomenwearthehead-

covering(hijab)infulllmentofGod’sdecreetodressmodestly.

Thistypeofmodestdress

hasbeenwornbyreligious

womenthroughouttimesuchas

traditionalCatholicnuns,MotherTeresaandtheVirginMary.

Hijab


28/33

28




Forcedmarriages,honorkillings,female

genitalmutilationandtheconnement

ofwomentotheirhomesareall

forbiddeninIslam.Thesepractices

stemfromdeeplyentrenchedcultural

traditionsand/orignoranceofthetrue

Islamicteachingsorhowtoapplythem

insociety.Arrangedmarriagesare

allowedinIslambutarenotrequired.

Infact,oneoftheconditionsforavalid

Islamicmarriagecontractisthemutual

consentofbothpartiestothemarriage.

Anddivorceispermissibleprovidedthe

Islamicguidelinesarefollowedwhich

protecttherightsofallaffectedparties,especiallywomenandunbornchildren.

Culturevs.Religion


29/33

29




IslamandtheNation“ofIslam”aretwo

differentreligions.Islamisareligionforall

racesandenjoinstheworshipoftheOneUnseenGodwhonevertookhumanform.On

theotherhand“theNation”isamovement

gearedtowardsnon-whitesthatteachesGod

appearedasamannamedFardMuhammad

andthatElijahMuhammadwasaprophet.

AccordingtoorthodoxIslamtheseare

blasphemousbeliefsthatcontradictthebasictheologydefnedthroughouttheQur’anand

otherauthentictexts.Thefollowersof“the

Nation”adheretosomeIslamicprinciplesthat

aremixedwithotherpracticesandbeliefs

completelyalientoauthenticIslamicteachings.

Tobetterunderstandthedifferencesread

aboutMalcolmX,hispilgrimagetoMeccaandhissubsequentcommentstothemedia.Islam

teachesequalityoftheraces(Qur’an49:13).

TheNation“ofIslam”


30/33

30




AllMuslimsarenotArab,Middle-

EasternorofAfricandescent.Islam

isauniversalreligionandwayof

lifethatincludesfollowersfromall

races.ThereareMuslimsinand

fromvirtuallyeverycountryinthe

world.Arabsonlyconstituteabout

20%ofMuslimsworldwide.ThecountrieswiththelargestMuslim

populationsarenotlocatedinthe

MiddleEast.TheyareIndonesia

(over200millionMuslims)and

PakistanandIndia(over350millionMuslimscombined).

Islam:ForAllPeople


31/33

31




InthevedailyprayersMuslims

facetheKaabainMecca,Saudi

Arabia.Itisacube-shapedstone

structurethatwasbuiltbyProphet

AbrahamandhissonIshmael

onthesamefoundationswhere

ProphetAdamisbelievedtohave

builtasanctuaryfortheworshipoftheOneGod.Muslimsdonot

worshiptheKaaba.Itservesasa

focalpointforMuslimsaroundthe

world,unifyingtheminworship

andsymbolizingtheircommonbelief,spiritualfocusanddirection.

InterestinglytheinsideoftheKaaba

isempty.

TheKaaba


32/33

32




Thehajjisanannualpilgrimage

totheKaabamadebyabout3millionMuslimsfromallcorners

oftheEarth.Itisperformedto

fullloneofthepillarsofIslam.

Theritualsofhajjcommemorate

thestrugglesofAbraham,hiswifeHagarandtheirson

Ishmaelinsurrenderingtheir

willstoGod.

Hajj


33/33

PhotoCreditsandTermsofUse

Page#

3,26,28,30,31

4

56,23

7

8

9

10

11

12

13,25,32

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

24

27

29

Photographer

IslamOnDemand

PublicDomainArchive

NaimFadilMorgueFile

JennyPoole

NASAEarthObservatory

MohannadKhatib

ArtofFelicity

JesusSolana

PickupImage

DiscoverIslam

PaulBica

TonyKane

DanielMilnor&DaralIslam

RenéEhrhardt

DoctorYuri

Itchykliknger

Jikatu

YimHaz

BertKaufmann

YasirSyeed

Shadowgirl08

ElvertBarnes

Weblink

IslamOnDemand.com

publicdomainarchive.com

ickr.com/photos/naimfadil/11290180115morguele.com

ickr.com/photos/jenniferpoole/5711693160

ickr.com/photos/gsfc/8246896289

ickr.com/photos/mohannad_khatib/7073147975

ArtOfFelicity.com

ickr.com/photos/pasotraspaso/9477335277

pickupimage.com

DiscoverIslam.com

ickr.com/photos/dexxus/4779229303

ickr.com/photos/tonykanephotography/9031569655

DarAlIslam.org

ickr.com/photos/rene_ehrhardt

ickr.com/photos/27557398@N04/2568132117

ickr.com/photos/briontan/10156104716

ickr.com/photos/jikatu/8171833725

ickr.com/photos/yimhaz/3196456725

ickr.com/photos/22746515@n02/5157827355

--

ickr.com/people/29021626@N03

ickr.com/photos/perspective/41519953

License

Copyrighted©

PublicDomain

CCBY4.0CC

CCBY4.0

CCBY4.0

CCBY4.0

Copyrighted©

CCBY4.0

PublicDomain

Copyrighted©

CCBY4.0

CCBY4.0

Copyrighted©

CCBY4.0

CCBY4.0

CCBY-SA4.0

CCBY-SA4.0

CCBY4.0

CCBY4.0

Copyrighted©

CCBY4.0

CCBY4.0

TERMSOFUSE:Permissions:Youarefreetodistributethisbooklet,eitherelectronicallyorinprint.Youmaymakeasmanycopiesasyouwant.Youcandistributethesecopies

withnorestrictionsintermsofvolumeorlocation.Youmustabidebythefollowingrestrictions.Restrictions:Whenpostingorprintinganyorallofthecontentfromthisbooklet,do

notalterthecontentinanyshapeorform.Donotdeleteorobscureanypartofthecontent.Youmaydistributeindividualpagesbutyoumustaddtheappropriatecredit.Alterations

areonlypermittedwhentranslatingfromEnglishtoanyotherlanguage,however,eveninthiscasethewebsiteURLcannotbedeleted,obscuredoraltered.Thisbookletisalso

availableinaprinter-friendlyformat.ToobtainthisspeciallyformattedPDF,[email protected]:Asaconvenience,youcancopy-and-

pastethetextofthisbookletfrom30FactsAboutIslam.com.Ifyoupostanytextonline,youarerequiredtoincludeanactiveandclickablelinkbackto30FactsAboutIslam.com

Licenses:AllimagesusedinthisbookletareeitherownedbyIslamOnDemand,licensedbyIslamOnDemand,inthepublicdomainorusedunderaCClicense(CC=CreativeCommons).Thelicenseforeachimagevaries(seeabove).Theselicensesdonothinderyourrighttoprintandsharethecontentaslongasthetermsofuseareadheredto.

30 Facts About Islam eBook

Documents