Just The Basics
Islam: A peaceful religion of worship and submission to God.
Muslim: A person who believes in and practices Islam. There are 1.6 billion Muslims in the world today from all races and backgrounds.
Allah: Arabic word for God. Allah is the God of Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad. He is the Creator of all human beings.
Prophet Muhammad : The Last Prophet sent by God to deliver His message to all of humanity. He was born over 1400 years ago in the city of Mecca.
Quran (or Koran): The sacred book of Islam. The Quran is the Speech of God that was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad and written down during his life.
‘....I became more than ever convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These, and not the sword, carried everything before them and surmounted every trouble.’Gandhi in Young India (periodical), 1928, Volume X.
‘He was of a certainty a most unique and special man who demonstrated within his own life the virtues of humility, compassion, obedience, and a thirst for justice, and a call for all men to worship the one and only God of all creation…The message of Muhammad was, and remains to this day, a message of peace, mercy, and compassion.’William W. Baker, former college Professor of Ancient History and Biblical Studies, member of Near East Institute of Archaeology and the Oxford Philosophical Society in More in Common Thank You Think, 1988 Defenders Publications. p. 6-7.
Major Events in The Prophet Muhammad’s Life
570 C.E. Prophet Muhammad is born.
610 C.E. He receives the first revelation of the Quran.
612 C.E. Prophet Muhammad begins to preach publicly.
615 C.E. The Muslim community is persecuted by the rich and powerful in Mecca.
622 C.E. Hijrah – Seventy Muslim families migrate to Medina followed by the Prophet Muhammad to Africa.
624 C.E. The Battle of Badr – Muslims win a dramatic victory over Meccan forces.
625 C.E. The Battle of Uhud – Muslim forces suffer losses after an initial victory.
627 C.E. The Battle of the Trench – Muslims hold off and defeat a besieging Meccan army.
628 C.E. A peace treaty is signed between Mecca and Medina.
630 C.E. Mecca violates the peace treaty. The Prophet Muhammad and his army enter Mecca unopposed.
632 C.E. Death of the Prophet Muhammad .
Biographical Facts About Him
He was born an orphan, as his father died while his mother was carrying him.[1]
He was raised first by his grandfather, then by his uncle.
He could neither read nor write.
He received the first revelation of the Quran and was visited by the angel Gabriel at the age of 40.
An African Christian king gave protection to early Muslims from persecution.
He lived to the age of 63, married, raised children, stepchildren, and grandchildren.
He is buried in the city of Medina in present day Saudi Arabia
His Message
Muhammad's message to his people was to leave pagan polytheism, immorality and materialism, repent from sins, and worship the one true God, the God of the prophets Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.
He emphasized equality of human beings, social justice, and women’s rights.
He was always careful to clarify that he was only a prophet whose job was to deliver what he had received.
He did not claim to be an angel or have any powers of God.
He never claimed to work miracles on his own.
He taught that Jesus was not God or a son of God, but was a human prophet.His Life in a Nutshell
Muhammad , whose name in Arabic means ‘the praised one,’ was born in the town of Mecca which is situated in Saudi Arabia today. He was the son of a young couple from the tribe of Quraish. His father, Abdullah, died two months before his birth, and his mother, Aamina, died when he was six years old. Both his parents came from a humble, but eminent, background.
His grandfather, Abdul-Muttalib, was the virtual head of the Meccan commonwealth and custodian of the Ka’ba, the cube-shaped building in Mecca built by the Prophet Abraham for the worship of God.
Upon the death of his grandfather, Muhammad went to live with his uncle, Abu Talib, who was a generous gentle man, but was not rich.
The young Muhammad had to earn his own livelihood. He first served as a shepherd, then as an assistant to his uncle’s trading caravans, travelling to northern Arabia and Syria. It was on these ‘business trips’ that he learned trading skills. These skills were later noticed by Khajida, a wealthy widow businesswoman. She hired Muhammad to run her commercial enterprise.
They got married when she was forty and Muhammad was twenty-five. The marriage produced six children, two boys who died as infants and four girls. He remained married to his wife for a period of twenty-five years until her death, despite the fact that taking multiple wives was culturally accepted.
For several years he practiced meditation and contemplation at a cave called Hira on Mt. Nur, on the outskirts of Mecca. It was here, at the age of forty, where he received the first revelation:
‘Proclaim in the Name of your Lord and Sustainer
Who has created –Created humanity out of a mere clot. Proclaim – for your Lord Is the Most Gracious One Who has taught (the use of) the Pen,Taught humanity what they did not know!
Quran 96:1-5
The leaders of Mecca were displeased with the new message which rejected their idol-worship and threatened their way of life. Most of the early believers were from the lowest economic class of society who were attracted to the message of equality and justice. The powerful Meccans tortured them. After years of abuse, the Prophet Muhammad sent some Muslims to a just and fair Christian king in Africa.
The year 620 C.E., when he was fifty years old, was marked by sorrow and sadness as both his wife, Khadijah, and his uncle, Abu Talib, passed away in the same year. Without the protection of his uncle, the Prophet Muhammad turned to other cities for support and shelter. Finally, the people of Madina invited the Muslims to their city and treated them as family.
In Madina, the Prophet Muhammad had a city charter written that guaranteed the rights of all residents and made treaties with all neighboring tribes and cities. No one was forced to convert to Islam. Over the coming years, several battles ensued until a truce was struck at Hudaibiya, a place near Mecca. When the truce was violated, the Prophet Muhammad marched to Mecca. Instead of vengeance and plunder, the Prophet Muhammad granted amnesty. Meccans, for their part, accepted Islam.
His Moral Teachings
“The best of you are they who have the best character.”
“The most perfect of the believers in faith are the best of them in manners. And the best among them are those who are best to their wives.”
“He who does not show mercy to others, will not be shown mercy.”
“I have not been sent as one to curse but as a mercy.”
“All humanity is from Adam and Adam is from clay. There is no superiority for an Arab over a non-Arab, nor for a black over a white, except through piety.”
“God does not judge you according to your appearance and your wealth, but He looks at your hearts and looks into your deeds.”
“The strong is not the one who overcomes people by his strength, but the strong is the one who controls himself while in anger.”
“Show gentleness! For if gentleness is found in something, it beautifies it, and when it is taken out from anything, it makes it defective.”
“God has revealed to me, that you must be humble. No one should boast over another, and no one should oppress another.”
“Do not exceed bounds in praising me as the Christians do in praising Jesus, Son of Mary. I am only the Lord’s servant; so call me the Servant of God and His messenger.”
FACT: The coming of the Prophet Muhammad was foretold in the Bible in numerous verses, for example:
“I (God) will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee (Moses), and I will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.” (Deuteronomy 18:18)
“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever.” (John 14:16)
Miracles of The Prophet Muhammad
A number of miracles were performed by the Prophet Muhammad as proof that he was a true prophet of God.
The Quran was his greatest miracle:
Perfect and unmatched language
Validated by historical, archaeological, and scientific discoveries
Makes true prophecies
Numerical structure
The following are just a few miracles he performed based on eyewitness accounts that have reached us through a chain of unbroken authorities:
Splitting of the Moon
Food multiplied with his prayers
Rain poured by his prayers
Prophet's night journey to Jerusalem and his ascent to the heavens
The Holy Quran tells us
O mankind! We have created you (from a) male and a female; and we have made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another
The people of the world can live together in peace. We know that is God's vision. Now that must be our work here on Earth.” US President Barack Obama at Cairo University, Egypt 6/04/09
What is the Quran?
● The Quran is the sacred book for Muslims and was revealed in Arabic.
● The Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over a span of 23 years more than 1400 years ago.
● Muslims believe that the Quran is the literal speech of God.
● The Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad through the Angel Gabriel.
● The Prophet Muhammad conveyed the Quran to people exactly as it was revealed to him.
● The Quran is recited as an act of worship in the original Arabic.
● The Quran is considered the greatest miracle of the Prophet Muhammad .
● Portions of the Quran are recited by Muslims in their daily prayers.
● God promises to preserve the Quran in the Quran itself.
How the Quran Reached Us?
● The Prophet Muhammad could neither read nor write; therefore, he dictated the Quran to his companions who transcribed and memorized it.
● The Quran was preserved in written format when it was dictated to a team of scribes by the Prophet Muhammad .
● The Quran was first compiled into book form when Abu Bakr became the first caliph in Islam immediately after the Prophet passed away.
● The text we have today was established shortly after the death of the Prophet by the caliph Uthman.
● Several authentic copies were distributed when Uthman became the third caliph 13 years after the passing of the Prophet Muhammad .
● The Quran has not been changed, edited, or altered in any way from its original state.
Memorizing the Quran
● Muslims have a tradition of memorizing the book since the time of the Prophet Muhammad .
● Committing the Quran to memory acted as a great aid for its preservation.
● A person who is has memorized the Quran is known as a hafiz.
● Today, millions of men, women, and children have memorized the Quran. Many of them do not speak Arabic.
Form & Structure of the Quran
● The Quran is not like any other book; it was not written in chronological order, where it has a beginning, a middle, and end.
● The Quran is not arranged based on topics or subject matter.
● The Quran was not sent down as a complete book; rather, portions were revealed over a period of 23 years. For this reason, it is essential to know in what circumstances the verses were revealed in order to have a proper understanding of the Quran. Otherwise, it could be misunderstood.
● The Quran in printed form is anywhere between 400-600 pages long, roughly the size of the New Testament.
● There are 114 chapters in the Quran.
● All the chapters with the exception of one begin with the sentence Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem, 'In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate.'
● The longest chapter of the Quran is Surah al-Baqarah (the Cow) with 286 verses, and the shortest is Surah Al-Kawther (‘The Abundance’) with 3 verses.
Translations
● Translations of the Quran are not considered versions like those of the Bible, but just translations of the original text.
● Distinction is made between the Quran, which is in Arabic, and a translation, which is a human effort to explain the Word of God.
● Translations of the Quran exist in over 40 languages, but Muslims still learn and recite it in Arabic, even if this is not their native language and they cannot speak Arabic.
Respect
● The Quran is treated with immense respect by Muslims because it is the sacred word of God.
● While the Quran is being recited, Muslims behave with reverence and refrain from speaking or making distracting noise.
● Muslims would not place the Quran on the floor and out of respect it would be placed on the top of a bookshelf.
Scientific Miracles in the Quran
The Quran has scientific information that was unknown 1400 years ago. Here are a few examples:
● The development of the embryo is accurately described in the Quran (Quran 23:12-14). So striking is this description, that a world-renowned expert in the field
Dr. Keith Moore, said, “It is clear to me that these statements must have come to Muhammad from God, because almost all of this knowledge was not discovered until many centuries later. This proves to me that Muhammad must have been a messenger of God.”
The sun is not stationary, but moves in a specific direction.
Quran 36:38
● The fact that living things consist mostly of water was discovered only after the invention of the microscope, but the Quran states,
We made every living thing from water? Will they not believe
quran 21:30
● That mountains have deep stake-like roots was not known, until after the development of the theory of plate tectonics in the beginning of the 20th century. Yet the Quran states,
Did We not make the earth a resting place? And the mountains as stakes?
Quran 78:6-7
What was the source of this information? The only reasonable answer is that God revealed the Quran to the Prophet Muhammad.
And if you are in doubt about what we have sent down upon our servant (Muhammad) then produce a chapter like it.
Quran 2:23
The Quran on the Quran‘This is the Book, concerning which there is no doubt, a guidance for those who are conscious of God
Quran 2:2
A guidance for humanity and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong).
Quran 2:185
O mankind! Indeed, there has come to you a convincing proof from your Lord, and We have sent down to you a manifest light (the Quran). So, as for those who believed in God and held fast to it (the Quran), He will admit them to His mercy and grace, and guide them to Himself by a Straight Path.
Quran 4:174-175
Goals of the Quran
● Telling us who is God and how to worship Him.
● Showing us the way of life that God wants us to live.
● Reforming our lives.
● Creating a spiritual and just society based on Divine guidance.
● To be successful in the life after death by getting to Paradise and being saved from Hell-Fire.
Gems from the Quran
Charity
And spend, it is better for your souls; and whoever is saved from the greediness of his soul, these it is that are the successful.
Quran 64:16
Modesty
Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty.
Quran 24:30-31
Justice
O you who believe! Stand firmly for justice, as witnesses to God, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor
Quran 4:135
Patience
And be patient, for indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good
Quran 11:115
Prayer
O you who believe! Bow down and prostrate yourselves and worship your Lord, that you may succeed
Quran 22:77
The Quran states
We believe in God, And what has been sent down to us, What has been revealed to Abraham and Ishmael And Isaac and Jacob and their offspring, And what was given to Moses and to Jesus And all other prophets by the Lord. We make no distinction among them.’
Quran 2:136
Misconception: Most Muslims are Arabs.
FACT: Less than 15% of Muslims live in the Arab world and a fifth are in Sub-Saharan Africa. The world's largest Muslim country is Indonesia. Significant Muslim minorities live in China, India, Russia, Europe, the United States, Canada, and South America.
FACT: There are more Arab Christians in the United States than Arab Muslims.
Muslims come from diverse races, nationalities, and cultures from across the globe. They speak different languages, eat different foods, wear different styles of clothes, and follow different customs. Even the way they practice Islam may differ.
Misconception: Islam is a violent religion that teaches hatred and fanaticism. Muslims are violent, terrorist extremists.
FACT: The very word "Islam" is closely related to salaam, the Arabic word for “peace.” The universal Muslim greeting is as-salaamu 'alaikum – “peace be on you!” Of the 1.6 billion Muslims in the world, only a small minority engages in violence, utterly contrary to the teachings of the faith.
Misconception: Islam oppresses women.
FACT: Islam elevates the status of women in society and advocates for their rights. Men and women serve different, but complementary and equally important, roles in the society and within the family. They are in a mutual relationship; both have corresponding rights and obligations and are equal in the sight of God.
Essential Beliefs and Practices of Islam
Muslims share a common set of essential beliefs that are often described as “Articles of Faith”; they believe in:
One, Incomparable, Merciful God who is the Lord, Creator, and Sustainer of the universe
Angels, whom God created
Messengers and prophets sent by God and who brought His messages to all people through the ages
Books revealed by God that contain His Wisdom and instructions like the Torah, Psalms, Gospel, and the Quran
Life after death, the Day of Judgment, and individual accountability for actions
God's complete authority over destiny, be it good or bad
Muslims observe five formal acts of worship, known as the Five Pillars of Islam. Based on the foundation of faith, the pillars of Islam help structure a Muslim's spiritual life. The five pillars of Islam are the following:
Declaration of faith: “There is no god worthy of worship except God, and Muhammad is the messenger (prophet) of God.”
Prayer: offered five times a day to connect with and worship God
Fasting: a period of intense spiritual devotion to practice self-control known as the fast of Ramadan in which no food, drink, or sexual intimacy are allowed from dawn to sunset
Required charity: it is a duty of the rich to help the poor by giving a specified amount of charity each year based on a person’s wealth
Pilgrimage: the most intense spiritual experience for a Muslim, the Hajj, is a once in a lifetime pilgrimage to the sacred sites of Mecca, a city in present-day Saudi Arabia
Prophet Muhammad
Muslims believe that Muhammad is the final prophet in the long line of prophets sent by God to call all human beings to worship Him. Muhammad was an orphan and cared for the weak and the oppressed. He led a righteous life, acknowledged even by his foes. Due to his compassion and kindness, even many of his worst enemies eventually accepted him as a true prophet of God. Muslims love and admire Muhammad , but they do not worship him. They try to emulate him in their lives as much as possible.
Jesus
Islam teaches that a prophet was sent by God to every nation to deliver the same message: worship God alone and do not associate any partner with Him. Jesus was one of these prophets. Born without a father, he performed many miracles by God’s permission. His true message of worshipping God alone was changed over time until he himself became an object of worship.
Benefits of Islam to an Individual
1. A person fulfills his purpose of creation—serving and worshipping God by following Islam
2. Islam leads to Paradise
3. Islam saves a person from the fire of Hell
4. Islam is a source of inner peace and contentment in life
5. By entering into Islam, all previous sins of a person are forgiven
FACT: Muslims run more than 35 free clinics providing free medical services to the poor and the needy regardless of belief in the United States alone.
FACT: One becomes a Muslim by believing and saying that, "No one deserves worship except God, and that Muhammad is the messenger of God."
Allah is Simply the Name of the God of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus in Arabic
MISCONCEPTION: One of the greatest misconceptions about Islam is regarding the Arabic term for God. Some non-Muslims assume that ‘Allah’ is a God other than the God of Judaism or Christianity.
The Muslim scripture states
We believe in God,And what has been sent down to us,And what has been revealed to Abraham and IshmaelAnd Isaac and Jacob and their offspring,And what was given to Moses and to JesusAnd to all the other prophets by the Lord.We make no distinction among them.
Quran 2:136
FACT: Arab Jews and 12 million Arab Christians use the word ‘Allah’ to refer to God. The Arabic Bible refers to God as ‘Allah.’ Two quotes from the Arabic Bible:
Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning Allah created the heavens and the earth.”
Matthew 19:17‘And he (Jesus) said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? No one is good but One, that is, Allah. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”
God has No Sons, Children, or Wife
Christians believe that God has a son, whereas Islam teaches that God does not have a son.
Jesus, in Islam, is a highly honored prophet of God, but not His son.
The Muslim scripture states:
The disbelievers say, ‘The Lord of Mercy has a son.’This is certainly a monstrous lie!It almost causes the heavens to be torn apart, the earth to split asunder, the mountains to crumble to pieces,That they attribute offspring to the Lord of Mercy.It does not befit the Lord of Mercy to have a son:There is no one in the heavens or earth who will not come to the Lord of Mercy as a servant.’
Quran 19:88-93
Faith in God Means:
God exists
God is the Supreme Lord
Only God must be worshipped
We know God by His Most Beautiful Names and Attributes
1- God’s Existence
God is Real and His existence is true.
God’s existence is recognized by the innate nature of every human being.
God’s existence is also known by answers to prayers, through the miracles of prophets, and the books that God has revealed.
2- God is the Supreme Lord
God is the sole Lord and Sustainer of the world.
God is the ‘Ruler’ of human beings:
He establishes what is right from what is wrong.
He alone has the authority to determine acts of worship and set standards of human behavior.
God does not sleep or get tired.
God is above His creation:
God does not reside in idols, human beings, nature, or the universe.
God is unique, everlasting, powerful, and eternal.
God alone is the Creator, Controller, and Owner of the universe.
The kingdom of the heavens and the earth belongs exclusively to Him.
Stars, rings, necklaces, charms, and amulets do not bring good or bad luck.
God is the King and the Savior, a Living God, a Loving God, full of wisdom.
Angels, prophets, human beings, and all of creation are under His control.
The Quran states
Is He not closer than the vein of your neck?You need not raise your voice,For He knows the secret whisper,And what is yet more hidden. . .He knows what is in the land and in the sea;No leaf falls but He knows it;Nor is there a grain in the darkness under the earth,Nor a thing, green or dry, but it is recorded.”
Quran 6:12, 59
3- Only God must be worshipped
The most fundamental teaching of Islam is that the sole purpose of our creation is to worship and serve God.
It was the central message of all prophets of God.
No one can be worshipped apart from God; no one can be worshipped with God.
God must be worshipped by one’s heart and body.
God has no son, daughter, helper, partner, or associate in worship:
Muslims do not worship or pray to Muhammad ﷺ.
Islam does not allow worshipping or praying to Jesus.
Idol worship is not allowed in Islam.
Islam has no concept of saints who are prayed to and who have supernatural powers.
Worship, in its comprehensive sense, is directed to God alone.
Only God should be asked for forgiveness of sins.
Moses declared, "Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord." (Bible, Deuteronomy 6:4)
Jesus repeated the same message when he said, "The first of all the commandments is, ‘Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord.’" (Bible, Mark 12:29)
Muhammad said some 600 years after Jesus,
And your God is One God: there is no god but He
Quran 2:163
FACT: A person becomes a Muslim by testifying to God’s right to worship. All one has to do is say the words La ila-ha il-Allah wa Muhammad ar-Rasul-Allah (No one has the right to be worshipped except Allah and Muhammad is the prophet of Allah).
4- We know God by His Most Beautiful Names and Attributes
We know God by His Names and Attributes that describe Him. We know God through His majestic Self-description and through the Prophet Muhammad’s descriptions that he received through divine revelation.
FACT: More than 99 beautiful names and many more attributes are found in the Quran and the teachings of His Prophet Muhammad .
The Quran states
And the Most Beautiful Names belong to God, so call on Him by them.
Quran 7:180
Two Names of God:
“The Most Merciful”
“The Compassionate”
Every chapter of the Quran (the Muslim scripture), with the exception of one, begin with the phrase, "I begin in the Name of God, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate."
Muslims utter this phrase to remind themselves of God’s loving grace and mercy every time they eat, drink, or perform anything important.
An Attribute of God:
Forgiving of Sins
The Prophet Muhammad said
God’s mercy outweighs His wrath.
Bukhari
Mercy defines God’s relationship with human beings.
In Islam, there is no concept of the original sin. Children are born innocent and sinless.
There are no middlemen to confess sins to.
Islam teaches that a Muslim communicates directly with God, acknowledges their weakness, and asks for His forgiveness.
Beautiful Prayer of Forgiveness From the Prophet Muhammad :
O Allah, You are my Lord, there is none worthy of worship except You. You created me and I am Your slave. I adhere to Your covenant and to Your promise as much as I am able to. I seek protection with You from the evil of what I have done. I admit to You your blessings on me and I admit to my sins. So forgive me, for there is no one who can forgive sins except You.
Tirmidhi
