Breaking the Stereotypes of Islam
The first step to understanding Muslims is to understand the religion of Islam. Islam is not a newly developed religion, however, Islam is the same religion that God revealed through all of His prophets to every people, starting with Adam (peace be upon him). A fifth of the world’s population is considered Muslim. One of the most magnificent aspects of the religion of Islam is that it is also a way of life.
Muslims are not limited to being of one specific race or nationality. As a matter of fact one billion people from a vast range of races, cultures, ethnicities across the globe are united by their Islamic faith. The world’s largest Muslim community is located in Indonesia and about 18% live in the Arab world. Which wipes out the stereotype that the majority of Muslims is from or live in the Arab world.
So what do Muslims believe? Many stereotypical people would assume Muslims believe in an angry God who allows terrorism and suicide bombings. However, Islamic faith is based on the total opposite. Muslims believe in One, Unique, Incomparable God; in God’s angels, in the Prophets through who His revelations were brought to mankind; the Day of Judgment and the accountability of ones good and bad deeds; in God’s complete authority over human destiny and the after life. Muslims also believe that God will admit His righteous servants into Heaven (Paradise) and the people who did not believe in His revelations to the fire of Hell.
The chain of Prophets that God revealed His revelations through starts with Adam including Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Issac, Jacob, Joseph, Job, Moses, Aaron, David, Soloman, Elias, Jonah, John the Baptist, and Jesus (peace be upon them). However, the final message of God was revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him). The final message was to sum up all of the messages of the Prophets before. This makes Muhammad the seal of the Prophets. God sent the angel Gabriel to deliver the messages to all of His messengers.
If a person wants to become a Muslim then they must testify that “There is no god but God and Muhammad is His last messenger.” The person must also believe in the full Islamic faith.
Allah is the Arabic name for God. This is probably the most common used name out of God’s 99 names that Muslims refer to Him by. Islam means submission and derives from a word meaning peace. The word Muslim means “One who submits to the will of God.”
Just as God revealed the Torah and Gospel He revealed the Qu’ran. This being the last book revealed by God through the Angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him.) The Qu’ran is the actual word of God (Allah). It was memorized by Muhammad (peace be upon him) and then recited to his companions and then written down in scribes. Not one word of the 114 chapters (surahs) has been changed over the past 14 centuries. The past two books (Torah and Bible) were altered or distorted over time, however, Allah has promised to protect the Holy Qu’ran until the day He removes it off of the face of the Earth.
The five pillars of Islam play an important roll in the life of a Muslim. The first pillar is to have faith that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is His last Messenger. The second pillar is to establish the five daily prayers. The third pillar is to pay zakat (charity). The fourth pillar is to fast during the month of Ramadan and the fifth pillar is to make the pilgrimage to the Holy city of Mecca.
I hope that with this brief information about Islam that some people start to change their views on this peaceful religion. It is so important for us as a human race to try to understand one another and stop pointing fingers and blaming each other for the differences that we hold. We are all from One God; and it is important to understand our common ancestry that started with God’s creation of the first man and woman, Adam and Eve.
